LUKE 21:28-29
28 And when these things begin to come to pass,(ALL THE PROPHECY SIGNS FROM THE BIBLE) then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (RAPTURE) draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree,(ISRAEL) and all the trees;(ALL INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES)
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.(ISRAEL LITERALLY BECAME AND INDEPENDENT COUNTRY JUST BEFORE SUMMER IN MAY 14,1948.)
JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth (ATOMIC BOMB) before them;(RUSSIAN-ARAB-MUSLIM ARMIES AGAINST ISRAEL) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(ATOMIC BOMB AFFECT)
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE
Canada’s former PM Stephen Harper quits politics-Ex-Tory leader, known for being staunch Israel supporter, leaves public life 10 months after losing election to Justin Trudeau-By Michel COMTE August 26, 2016, 10:20 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Canada’s former prime minister Stephen Harper announced Friday he was quitting politics, 10 months after voters tossed his Tories out of office in a general election.The awkward career-politician, who was more at home plowing through economic theory than glad-handing voters on the campaign trail, said in a statement that he was stepping down as a member of parliament after nearly 18 years of public service.Harper took a strong pro-Israel stand, visiting the country for the first time in 2014 as a guest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Summarizing the previous Tory government’s accomplishments over nearly 10 years with him at the helm, Harper pointed to tax cuts, stiffer criminal sentences, and steering the economy “through the worst global recession since the Great Depression” in 2008.Of the Group of Seven industrialized nations, he noted, Canada “came out in the strongest position of them all.”Harper’s spokeswoman Anna Tomala said the former prime minister has formed a consulting group to provide advice to international clients.“The firm will work in tech, finance, energy, infrastructure and manufacturing along [with] other files, in the US, Europe, Middle East and Asia,” she said in an email.Regulatory documents show Harper created a company last December called Harper & Associates Consulting Inc. with former aides Ray Novak and Jeremy Hunt.-After Harper-Since his party’s defeat at the hands of Justin Trudeau’s Liberals on October 19, 2015, Harper has kept a low profile, appearing only once in public in May at a Tory rally in Vancouver.It was the first time he addressed his party and Canadians since his election defeat, and the last time as an elected politician.In a campaign-style stump speech, he told the party: “The past is no place to linger” and “the best is yet to come.”The partisan crowd responded with a standing ovation.The Tories are scheduled to pick his successor in May 2017.Thank you to Calgarians and Canadians for having given me the honour of serving the best country in the world. pic.twitter.com/afidHZ9xgr— Stephen Harper (@stephenharper) August 26, 2016-During his years in politics, Harper united the political right and led three successive governments since 2006 before he was defeated in a come-from-behind Liberal landslide last October.He rejected the Kyoto Protocol climate agreement, more than doubled the number of free trade deals with other nations, including with the European Union, and posted the largest budget deficit in Canadian history in an effort to counter the 2008 global economic slump, before balancing the budget in his last term.Much of Harper’s key crime legislation, including mandatory minimum jail sentences, however, has been rolled back by the courts, or currently faces legal challenges.After the last October election results came in, Harper immediately stepped down as Conservative leader, but continued to represent his Calgary electoral district.Harper leaves behind a party in need of a fresh face and bold new ideas if it hopes to defeat Prime Minister Trudeau and his Liberals at the next ballot in 2019.Pundits suggested shunning Harper policies, notably his dismissive approach to climate change, while others have urged the party to track to the political middle to appeal to a broader electorate.So far, a handful of contenders have launched bids to succeed Harper as leader, including former foreign affairs minister and libertarian Maxime Bernier; physician Kellie Leitch, who was close to the late finance minister Jim Flaherty; former Treasury Board president Tony Clement and backbench MP Michael Chong.
Israeli fans in France greeted with Palestinian flags, Israeli flags banned-aug 26,16-jpost
Security measures had been stepped up ahead of the Europa League soccer match between St. Etienne and Beitar Jerusalem in France on Thursday.After much talk over the high security risks at Thursday nights Europa League soccer match between St. Etienne and Beitar Jerusalem in France Beitar supporters arrived to the stadium to find they were not allowed to enter with Israeli flags, Israeli sports news website One reported.The fans were then greeted with not only French flags but Palestinian flags as well, marking the second time in as many weeks that an Israeli soccer team was greeted abroad with Palestinian flags.Ahead of the game authorities were preparing for a high risk of violence, according to French media.There was a ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol within a safety zone around the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium as well as a ban of pyrotechnics around the venue.Security measures had been stepped up ahead of the Europa League soccer match between St. Etienne and Beitar Jerusalem in France on Thursday.Pro-Palestinian activists have called for a rally outside of St. Etienne’s City Hall, using the Israeli team’s presence as an opportunity to protest Israeli policies.There was a known a possibility that St. Etienne’s “Green Angels,” the French club’s fan group, will make their presence felt with around 200 to 300 people at the rally.“La Familia,” Beitar Jerusalem’s group of staunch supporters, has drawn condemnation over the years for its extremist outlook. The group is known to foster anti-Arab sentiments.In July, over 400 police officers performed an operation arresting 47 members of the group on suspicion of intent to bring pyrotechnics to matches and illegal weapons trafficking.Thursday’s measures came after Scotland’s Celtic team supporters greeted the Hapoel Beersheba team with Palestinian flags during a match earlier this month, for which the Union of European Football Associations took disciplinary action against the team from Glasgow.
2 Palestinians arrested with knives at West Bank checkpoints-Young woman detained at Qalandiya, 18-year-old nabbed in Hebron; IDF arrests fisherman off northern Gaza coast-By Times of Israel staff August 27, 2016, 2:06 pm
Israeli security forces arrested two young Palestinians on Saturday at checkpoints in separate locations in the West Bank, both carrying knives.At the Qalandiya checkpoint just north of Jerusalem, a young Palestinian woman was arrested Saturday afternoon after she was found to be carrying a knife in her bag.The blade was discovered during a security inspection as the woman, said to be in her 20s, tried to pass through the checkpoint on foot.At around the same time, Border Police officers stopped an 18-year-old youth at a checkpoint close to the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, south of Jerusalem.According to Israeli reports, the officers stopped the youth at the checkpoint to carry out a thorough search, which led to the discovery of the knife hidden on his person.The youth is thought to have been planning a stabbing attack in revenge for the death of his cousin, who was fatally shot as he himself carried out a knife attack six months ago.Both suspects were taken away for questioning.The two incidents are the second and third arrests this week of Palestinians in possession of a knife in the West Bank. A woman was detained Wednesday near the Tomb of the Patriarchs, a police spokesperson said. She was handed over to security forces for questioning.A Palestinian man was shot dead by IDF troops Friday morning when he ran toward a guard post near the West Bank settlement of Ofra, north of Ramallah.Also Saturday, Israeli naval forces arrested a Palestinian fisherman off the northern Gaza coast, close to the Israeli border.Army Radio quoted Gaza sources as saying that the Israeli forces attempted to arrest other fisherman, but they managed to flee.Thirty-five Israelis and four foreign nationals have been killed in a wave of Palestinian terrorism and violence since last October. Over 200 Palestinians have been killed in that time period, most of them while carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, Israeli authorities say.
Fatah said to beg Abbas: Cancel local elections, Hamas will win West Bank-TV report: Officials say victory for terror group will mean demise of president’s party, while Israel fears PA could be discredited by electoral loss-By Times of Israel staff August 26, 2016, 8:03 pm
Officials in Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party have reportedly called on him to cancel upcoming municipal elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, fearing that rival jihadist group Hamas will secure an overwhelming victory.Fatah and Hamas are locked in a high-stakes struggle ahead of the October 8 vote. Abbas’s Fatah movement currently holds power in the West Bank, where he heads the Palestinian Authority, while Hamas has ruled Gaza since it ousted Fatah in a bloody 2007 coup. A year earlier, in elections for the Palestinian parliament, Hamas won 74 of 132 seats, and Fatah just 45.Channel 2 television reported Friday that leading Fatah officials have told Abbas that they face defeat to Hamas in the West Bank and that this will mean “the destruction” of Fatah.The report also said that members of the PA security forces are trying to intimidate some Hamas candidates in the West Bank into ending their election bids. Candidate lists are due to close in the coming days.Israel is also concerned that Hamas will sweep the West Bank voting, thereby undermining the legitimacy of the PA, Channel 2 said.Officials close to Abbas earlier this week accused the Israeli leadership of hoping for a Hamas win. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman “are convinced we are going to lose and thus want these elections,” the officials told The Times of Israel. “They desire a victory for Hamas, as this would prove their allegations that there is no one to talk to” on the Palestinian side, they said.Despite concerns that Hamas could make significant gains in the polls, and with Hamas recently threatening to boycott the elections over the arrests of its members in the West Bank, those officials said there was no intention of canceling or postponing the voting.“Fatah has a reasonable chance of winning,” the officials told The Times of Israel. “The decision to go to the polls has tightened the ranks, and we are working intensely to prevent any splits or internal conflicts.”Fatah sources noted, with some surprise, that even those Fatah politicians affiliated with longtime Abbas rival Mohammad Dahlan appeared intent on maintaining unity, in order to bolster the party’s chances to defeat Hamas.According to local opinion polls and political experts, Hamas — which has been enjoying unusual popularity in the West Bank and maintains a strong base of support in Gaza — is expected to make significant gains in the upcoming elections for local councils.Avi Issacharoff contributed to this report.
Who is fighting who in Syria?-What started out as a series of peaceful protests in 2011 has become a full-fledged civil war involving numerous local and international powers-By AFP August 27, 2016, 5:50 am-the times of israel
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Syria’s conflict broke out in March 2011 with peaceful protests against President Bashar Assad’s government but has evolved into a complex war involving jihadist groups and regional and international powers.Over 290,000 people have been killed and more than half of Syria’s population displaced in the conflict, which Turkey entered this week, dispatching troops to battle the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group and halt the advance of Kurdish forces.Who is fighting who? — Regime against rebels —The main battleline pits the approximately 300,000 soldiers of the Syrian army, and allied forces, against myriad rebel groups and Syrian and foreign jihadists.The largest anti-regime rebel alliance is the Army of Conquest, grouping Islamist factions like Ahrar al-Sham and Faylaq al-Sham with jihadists such as Fateh al-Sham Front, previously Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front.The biggest battlefront at present is Aleppo city, divided between government and opposition control but surrounded by loyalist forces.The government is also fighting to retake control of Eastern Ghouta, next to Damascus, which is largely controlled by the Jaish al-Islam rebel group.— Regime against IS —Syria’s army has fought IS in several parts of the country, expelling the jihadists from the ancient city of Palmyra in March.— Regime against Kurds —Syria’s Kurds have largely stayed out of the conflict between the government and armed opposition, but in August regime aircraft bombed Kurdish forces for the first time in Hasakeh, a city jointly controlled by the regime and Kurds.Kurdish forces now hold 90 percent of Hasakeh.— Kurds against IS —Syria’s Kurds have carved out a semi-autonomous region in north and northeastern Syria, with their People’s Protection Units (YPG) becoming a key partner of the US-led coalition fighting IS.Since January 2015, the YPG has ousted IS from the key towns of Kobane and Manbij in Aleppo province, Tal Abyad in Raqa province, and large parts of Hasakeh province.The YPG is also the key component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which groups diverse factions battling IS.— IS against rebels —IS considers all those who fail to pledge allegiance to its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi its foes and has battled rebel groups and even rival jihadists.Rebels backed by Turkey participated in this week’s capture of the border town of Jarabulus from IS.Who supports whom? — Regime —The army is bolstered by 200,000 irregular forces, notably from the National Defense Forces. It also fights alongside between 5,000-8,000 forces from Lebanon’s powerful Shiite militia Hezbollah, as well as Iranian, Iraqi and Afghan fighters.Russia, a key regime backer, began an aerial campaign in support of Assad’s government last September and has helped Damascus recapture areas in several provinces.Iran is another key ally, providing financial and military support.— Rebels —Opposition factions deemed “moderate” are backed by the West, particularly the United States, France and the UK, though the forces have accused their supporters of providing insufficient support.Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar also back the opposition, and they have also lent support to Islamist factions.— Kurds —Syria’s Kurds are key partners of the anti-IS coalition headed by Washington, but Turkey considers the YPG to be a branch of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Ankara brands a “terror” group.— Jihadists —No country openly backs the jihadists of Fateh al-Sham and IS, although the latter has been able to rely on funds from taxation and resources in the territory it holds in Syria and Iraq.-Who controls what?— Regime —Syria’s government holds around 35% of the country, including strategic areas such as the capital Damascus, central Homs and Hama, the coast, and large parts of Aleppo. Sixty percent of the population lives under its rule.— IS —Despite setbacks since 2015, IS controls around 35% of Syria, much of it uninhabited. It dominates Deir Ezzor province on the Iraqi border and Raqa province. It is also present in a number of other regions.— Kurds —Kurdish forces hold around 18% of the country, including three-quarters of the Syrian-Turkish border. They have declared a federal region in areas under their control.— Fateh al-Sham, other rebels —Fateh al-Sham and other rebel forces hold some 12% of the country. The largest expanse is in Idlib province and controlled by the Army of Conquest alliance.What are the goals of each party?— Regime —President Assad has said he wants to retake the whole country and will not stand down.— Rebels —Rebel forces seek to oust Assad, though factions differ on their vision for the country, with Fateh al-Sham aspiring to an Islamic emirate.— Kurds —The Kurds seek an autonomous region in areas where they form a majority.— IS —IS seeks to expand its self-proclaimed “caliphate” in territory under its control in Syria and Iraq.— United States —Washington has called on Assad to step down, but its efforts are now focused on combating IS.— Russia —Moscow insists Assad will not be ousted, and seeks a diplomatic victory by competing with Washington to shape negotiations between the regime and rebels.— Iran —Tehran seeks to protect key ally Assad, and assert its role in the Arab world.— Turkey —Ankara backs the opposition, but is currently focused on preventing the Kurds from creating a contiguous autonomous region.
Danish women-led mosque holds first Friday prayers-Imam Saliha Marie Fetteh leads sermon at Mariam Mosque funded by Danish-born Sherin Khankan-By AFP August 27, 2016, 1:17 am-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Scandinavia’s first female-led mosque has held its first Friday prayers in Copenhagen, a milestone for an “Islamic feminist” project whose founder hopes will help combat Islamophobia.But there was also criticism that the project did not go far enough in promoting women’s rights.The khutba, or sermon, was held in the Mariam Mosque in an apartment in a busy Copenhagen shopping street six months after it opened.Temperatures soared inside on a balmy summer’s day as more than 60 women, around half of them Muslim, came to hear Danish-born imam Saliha Marie Fetteh.Friday’s event was opened by the mosque’s founder Sherin Khankan, who is herself becoming an imam.Sherin Khankan-Starts a Mosque in Denmark led Exclusively by Female Imams-It is open to Men too pic.twitter.com/NItRvrSSFW— Özer Khalid ☄ (@OzerKhalid) August 11, 2016-She said that she had originally wanted to open a mosque where female imams could preach on Fridays to a mixed crowd, but later changed her mind.“It turned out that a majority of the community wanted a Friday prayer for women only,” Khankan, born in Denmark to a Syrian father and a Finnish mother, told AFP.“Today I am very happy about the decision because when you try to create change it’s very important that you do it wisely and slowly,” she added.The decision to bar men from the prayers drew criticism from Syria-born Danish lawmaker Naser Khader, who told broadcaster TV 2 that it was not “good enough” in a country like Denmark — known for having a high level of gender equality — to shy away from letting women preach to a mixed crowd.Five Islamic marriage ceremonies have been conducted at the mosque, which has issued its own marriage contract.Under the agreement women have the right to divorce, polygamy is prohibited, men and women have equal rights to their children in case of a divorce, and the marriage is annulled in the event of mental or physical violence.The mosque’s aim was also to fight Islamophobia by showing Muslim women could “take the lead,” Khankan said.Similar projects exist in a handful of other countries, including in the US where “The Women’s Mosque of America” opened in Los Angeles last year.
Ahead in polls, Dutch far-right party vows to close mosques, ban Quran-Geert Wilders’ Freedom Party, set to double its seats in elections next year, wants to close borders, reverse ‘Islamization’-By AFP August 26, 2016, 8:18 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The political party of Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders, which is leading polls ahead of parliamentary elections next year, has vowed to close mosques and “ban the Quran” in its manifesto.“All mosques and Islamic schools closed, a ban on the Quran,” said the document outlining the electoral program of the Freedom Party (PVV) ahead of March 2017 legislative elections, which was posted on Wilders’ Twitter feed Thursday.Wilders’ manifesto was the first published by a major political party ahead of elections for the lower house of Dutch parliament which are due by March 15 next year.The PVV says it will reverse the “Islamization” of the country with a range of measures including closing the borders, shutting asylum seeker centers, banning migrants from Islamic countries and stopping Muslim women from wearing the headscarf in public.On the back of Europe’s migrant crisis, opinion polls have for months given Wilders’ PVV the edge over the current coalition parties of the Labor Party and the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy led by Prime Minister Mark Rutte.Late last year polls predicted soaring support for the PVV saying it could gain as many as 38 seats in the 150-seat parliament. But that has slipped back. In August, a poll from Ipsos gave it 28 seats — still way up on the 12 it currently has.The immigrant crisis has polarized the Netherlands, a nation of 17 million people, leading to heated debate and some attacks on refugee centers.Wilders, who will go on trial for inciting racial hatred in October, also said he would do all he could to hold a referendum on the Netherlands leaving the EU, despite an unsuccessful first attempt in June following Britain’s shock Brexit vote.His party has also pledged to cut all foreign aid while boosting funding for police and security.— AP contributed to this report.
French resorts defiant as top court suspends burkini ban-Beach towns vow to continue fining women wearing full-body swimsuit despite court ruling overturning the ‘clearly illegal’ restriction-By Claudine Renaud and Aurelia End August 27, 2016, 4:59 pm-the times of israel
MARSEILLE, France (AFP) — French resorts were defiant after a ban on the burkini in a Riviera town was overturned, vowing to keep the restrictions in place and continue imposing fines on women who wear the full-body swimsuit.In a judgement expected to lead to bans being overturned in around 30 coastal towns, the State Council, France’s highest administrative court, ruled Friday the measure was a “serious and clearly illegal violation of fundamental freedoms.”The suspension of the ban on the Islamic swimsuit, which has triggered a fierce debate in France and sparked critical headlines around the world, was welcomed by the UN, and a French Muslim group said it was a “victory for common sense.”But the ruling, which only applied to the ban imposed by Villeneuve-Loubet, was quickly dismissed by several other towns, including Nice.In its decision, the court said local authorities could only introduce measures restricting individual freedoms if wearing the swimsuit on beaches represented a “proven risk” to public order.The judges said there was no such risk in the case before the court concerning Villeneuve-Loubet, a resort between Nice and Cannes.Police action to fine Muslim women for wearing burkinis on beaches in several towns, including in the tourist resorts of Nice and Cannes, has triggered a fierce debate about women’s rights and the French state’s strictly-guarded secularism.“From now on, it is up to everyone to take responsibility for cooling off, which is the only way to avoid public order disturbances and to try and live together,” Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said.-Restrictions ‘still valid’-But the ruling provoked defiance from several Riviera resorts, which pledged to continue imposing fines.In recent weeks, around 30 French municipalities decided to ban access to public beaches “by anyone not wearing proper attire, which is respectful of good morality and the principle of secularism and not respectful of the rules of hygiene and bathing security.”Nice town hall said it would “continue to fine” women wearing the burkini and the far-right mayor of Frejus, David Rachline, insisted his ban was “still valid”, telling AFP there was “no legal procedure” against his ruling.Ange-Pierre Vivoni, Socialist mayor of the Corsican town of Sisco, said his burkini ban, introduced this month following a confrontation between Moroccan bathers and locals, would also remain “for the safety of property and people in the town because I risked having deaths on my hands.”Amnesty International said Friday’s court decision had “drawn an important line in the sand.”“These bans do nothing to increase public safety but do a lot to promote public humiliation,” said Amnesty’s Europe director John Dalhuisen, who added it was time that the French authorities “drop the pretence” that the ban was about protecting women’s rights.The debate has split both the left and the right, with former president Nicolas Sarkozy calling for a nationwide ban on the burkini, while former premier Alain Juppe has expressed opposition to “an exceptional law”.-‘Fundamental debate’-The ruling Socialists are also divided, with Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem and Health Minister Marisol Touraine concerned over the “drift” in the local orders, while Prime Minister Manuel Valls backed the mayors.He stuck to his guns Friday evening, saying the State Council’s ruling “does not end the debate which has been opened.”“It is a fundamental debate, which follows on from others,” he said, recalling that France was the first country in Europe to ban the full veil in public spaces in 2010. The headscarf was banned from schools in 2004.Anger over the issue was further inflamed this week when photographs in the British media showed police surrounding a woman in a headscarf on a beach in Nice.The mayor’s office denied the woman had been forced to remove clothing, telling AFP she was showing police the swimsuit she was wearing under her top, over a pair of leggings, when the picture was taken.In its ruling, the State Council said: “The emotion and the concerns arising from terrorist attacks, especially the attack in Nice on July 14, are not sufficient to legally justify a ban.”
No contest: GOP is the pro-Israel party-Bipartisan support for the Jewish state is a fallacy: Republicans embrace Israel as an ally, Democrats do not-By Jeff Ballabon and Bruce Abramson August 27, 2016, 1:45 pm-the times of israel
WASHINGTON (JTA) — For years, the leaders of America’s most established Jewish organizations – AIPAC chief among them — have assured their members that when it came to Israel, there wasn’t much difference between the Democratic and Republican parties. Even suggesting that control of the White House or Congress might matter to the US-Israel relationship was taboo, often decried as “anti-Israel” if not “anti-Semitic.”The 2016 platform debates and conventions have shattered this outlandish insistence that in our hyperpartisan era, Israel policy somehow managed to remain neutral territory. It is now indisputable that the parties have radically different views of Israel.To the extent that any bipartisanship persists, it is only among the least pro-Israel Republicans and the most pro-Israel Democrats. According to their “less than comprehensively anti-Israel” view, Israelis and Arabs are more or less equally culpable, Israel must risk its national security and the lives of its citizens, and an independent, Judenrein Arab state in the historic Jewish heartland is an imperative.Though the politicians on both sides of the aisle backing this vision may see themselves as pragmatic, moderate centrists looking out for Israel’s interests, what they actually advocate is rejecting Israel’s status as a favored ally, ignoring history and law, and capitulating to Arab intransigence and inhumanity.Moreover, the bases of both parties reject this view. The Republican base sees no moral equivalence between Israelis building a pluralistic, liberal democracy of which all decent people should be proud and the Palestinian Authority presiding over a genocidal, suicidal death cult. Members of the Democratic base, as we saw during their convention, reiterate the slanders of Jimmy Carter, Bernie Sanders and Cornel West, while some burned an Israeli flag in symbolic solidarity with the death cult whose own flags were proudly waved on the convention floor.West spoke for much of the Democratic base — and 43 percent of the platform committee — when he framed his antipathy for Israel as “a moral issue” and called for “an end to occupation and illegal settlements” and for “rebuild[ing] Gaza, which the UN warns could be uninhabitable by 2020.” Hillary Clinton’s politically savvy advisers, understanding that anti-Israel agitation would play poorly in the general election (overall, Americans still side with Israel over the Palestinians, 62 percent to 15 percent, according to a recent Gallup poll) preferred boilerplate language similar to the DNC’s 2012 platform: “Israelis deserve security, recognition, and a normal life free from terror and incitement. Palestinians should be free to govern themselves in their own viable state, in peace and dignity.” In short, a statement of moral equivalence.The Republicans had reluctantly accepted comparable boilerplate language in 2012, tempering far stronger pro-Israel sentiment among the base to accommodate AIPAC’s insistence that such moral equivalence reflected the American Jewish consensus. In 2016, however, the GOP resisted such pressure. The party’s base rallied behind a more definitively pro-Israel approach that embraces the moral superiority of Israel’s position and Israel’s unconditional sovereignty.It is this platform language — to which we proudly contributed — that Democrats and their enablers in establishment American Jewish groups have intentionally and repeatedly mischaracterized as standing “to the right of Netanyahu” in its “rejection of a two-state solution.” No one actually reading the words of the 2016 GOP platform plank on Israel could possibly reach these conclusions.The Republican platform’s actual language recognizes Israel as a fellow liberal democracy and a strategic ally; restates an existing American law declaring an indivisible Jerusalem as Israel’s capital; upholds our ally’s right to defend itself against military threats, terror attacks and other forms of warfare; labels as false the widely accepted canard that Israel is an “occupier,” and recognizes the anti-Semitism behind a Boycott, Divestment and Sanction (BDS) movement that has targeted Jewish interests far from Israel.It closes with a longing for “comprehensive and lasting peace” negotiated among the residents of the Middle East and opposes outside pressure designed to impose any specific proposal.That’s the sum and substance of what today’s Democrats consider extremism: acknowledging the rights of Jews in the Land of Israel, embracing a fellow liberal democracy and strategic ally, supporting its efforts to defend itself and encouraging it to negotiate with its neighbors.Nothing in the new GOP platform “rejects” or creates even the slightest impediment to a “two-state solution.” It simply refocuses American interests correctly — in support of our ally Israel’s sovereignty and security — rather than in pursuit of “self-determination” for a Palestinian Authority, the PLO’s legal and moral successor, that continues to incite and support terror and that has explicitly abandoned even the pretext of a “peace process.”The chasm between the parties is clear. Today’s Democrats are split among those who see moral equivalence between Israel and the P.A. and those who see Israel as a rogue apartheid state committing repeated war crimes against Palestinian victims. To the Republicans, Israel is a close and valued ally under unprecedented attack, worthy of the same commitment and support we extend to our closest allies. These views of Israel and the policy consequences that flow from them are very, very different.A bipartisan consensus that actually supports Israel remains a worthy ideal. As the 2016 conventions showed, it is very far from what we have today. Americans who care about Israel face a clear choice. There is no use pretending otherwise.—Jeff Ballabon is chairman of the Iron Dome Alliance and a senior fellow at the Center for Statesmanship and Diplomacy. Bruce Abramson is vice president for policy of the Iron Dome Alliance and a senior fellow at the London Center for Policy Research.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass,(ALL THE PROPHECY SIGNS FROM THE BIBLE) then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (RAPTURE) draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree,(ISRAEL) and all the trees;(ALL INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES)
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.(ISRAEL LITERALLY BECAME AND INDEPENDENT COUNTRY JUST BEFORE SUMMER IN MAY 14,1948.)
JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth (ATOMIC BOMB) before them;(RUSSIAN-ARAB-MUSLIM ARMIES AGAINST ISRAEL) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(ATOMIC BOMB AFFECT)
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE
Canada’s former PM Stephen Harper quits politics-Ex-Tory leader, known for being staunch Israel supporter, leaves public life 10 months after losing election to Justin Trudeau-By Michel COMTE August 26, 2016, 10:20 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Canada’s former prime minister Stephen Harper announced Friday he was quitting politics, 10 months after voters tossed his Tories out of office in a general election.The awkward career-politician, who was more at home plowing through economic theory than glad-handing voters on the campaign trail, said in a statement that he was stepping down as a member of parliament after nearly 18 years of public service.Harper took a strong pro-Israel stand, visiting the country for the first time in 2014 as a guest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Summarizing the previous Tory government’s accomplishments over nearly 10 years with him at the helm, Harper pointed to tax cuts, stiffer criminal sentences, and steering the economy “through the worst global recession since the Great Depression” in 2008.Of the Group of Seven industrialized nations, he noted, Canada “came out in the strongest position of them all.”Harper’s spokeswoman Anna Tomala said the former prime minister has formed a consulting group to provide advice to international clients.“The firm will work in tech, finance, energy, infrastructure and manufacturing along [with] other files, in the US, Europe, Middle East and Asia,” she said in an email.Regulatory documents show Harper created a company last December called Harper & Associates Consulting Inc. with former aides Ray Novak and Jeremy Hunt.-After Harper-Since his party’s defeat at the hands of Justin Trudeau’s Liberals on October 19, 2015, Harper has kept a low profile, appearing only once in public in May at a Tory rally in Vancouver.It was the first time he addressed his party and Canadians since his election defeat, and the last time as an elected politician.In a campaign-style stump speech, he told the party: “The past is no place to linger” and “the best is yet to come.”The partisan crowd responded with a standing ovation.The Tories are scheduled to pick his successor in May 2017.Thank you to Calgarians and Canadians for having given me the honour of serving the best country in the world. pic.twitter.com/afidHZ9xgr— Stephen Harper (@stephenharper) August 26, 2016-During his years in politics, Harper united the political right and led three successive governments since 2006 before he was defeated in a come-from-behind Liberal landslide last October.He rejected the Kyoto Protocol climate agreement, more than doubled the number of free trade deals with other nations, including with the European Union, and posted the largest budget deficit in Canadian history in an effort to counter the 2008 global economic slump, before balancing the budget in his last term.Much of Harper’s key crime legislation, including mandatory minimum jail sentences, however, has been rolled back by the courts, or currently faces legal challenges.After the last October election results came in, Harper immediately stepped down as Conservative leader, but continued to represent his Calgary electoral district.Harper leaves behind a party in need of a fresh face and bold new ideas if it hopes to defeat Prime Minister Trudeau and his Liberals at the next ballot in 2019.Pundits suggested shunning Harper policies, notably his dismissive approach to climate change, while others have urged the party to track to the political middle to appeal to a broader electorate.So far, a handful of contenders have launched bids to succeed Harper as leader, including former foreign affairs minister and libertarian Maxime Bernier; physician Kellie Leitch, who was close to the late finance minister Jim Flaherty; former Treasury Board president Tony Clement and backbench MP Michael Chong.
Israeli fans in France greeted with Palestinian flags, Israeli flags banned-aug 26,16-jpost
Security measures had been stepped up ahead of the Europa League soccer match between St. Etienne and Beitar Jerusalem in France on Thursday.After much talk over the high security risks at Thursday nights Europa League soccer match between St. Etienne and Beitar Jerusalem in France Beitar supporters arrived to the stadium to find they were not allowed to enter with Israeli flags, Israeli sports news website One reported.The fans were then greeted with not only French flags but Palestinian flags as well, marking the second time in as many weeks that an Israeli soccer team was greeted abroad with Palestinian flags.Ahead of the game authorities were preparing for a high risk of violence, according to French media.There was a ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol within a safety zone around the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium as well as a ban of pyrotechnics around the venue.Security measures had been stepped up ahead of the Europa League soccer match between St. Etienne and Beitar Jerusalem in France on Thursday.Pro-Palestinian activists have called for a rally outside of St. Etienne’s City Hall, using the Israeli team’s presence as an opportunity to protest Israeli policies.There was a known a possibility that St. Etienne’s “Green Angels,” the French club’s fan group, will make their presence felt with around 200 to 300 people at the rally.“La Familia,” Beitar Jerusalem’s group of staunch supporters, has drawn condemnation over the years for its extremist outlook. The group is known to foster anti-Arab sentiments.In July, over 400 police officers performed an operation arresting 47 members of the group on suspicion of intent to bring pyrotechnics to matches and illegal weapons trafficking.Thursday’s measures came after Scotland’s Celtic team supporters greeted the Hapoel Beersheba team with Palestinian flags during a match earlier this month, for which the Union of European Football Associations took disciplinary action against the team from Glasgow.
2 Palestinians arrested with knives at West Bank checkpoints-Young woman detained at Qalandiya, 18-year-old nabbed in Hebron; IDF arrests fisherman off northern Gaza coast-By Times of Israel staff August 27, 2016, 2:06 pm
Israeli security forces arrested two young Palestinians on Saturday at checkpoints in separate locations in the West Bank, both carrying knives.At the Qalandiya checkpoint just north of Jerusalem, a young Palestinian woman was arrested Saturday afternoon after she was found to be carrying a knife in her bag.The blade was discovered during a security inspection as the woman, said to be in her 20s, tried to pass through the checkpoint on foot.At around the same time, Border Police officers stopped an 18-year-old youth at a checkpoint close to the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, south of Jerusalem.According to Israeli reports, the officers stopped the youth at the checkpoint to carry out a thorough search, which led to the discovery of the knife hidden on his person.The youth is thought to have been planning a stabbing attack in revenge for the death of his cousin, who was fatally shot as he himself carried out a knife attack six months ago.Both suspects were taken away for questioning.The two incidents are the second and third arrests this week of Palestinians in possession of a knife in the West Bank. A woman was detained Wednesday near the Tomb of the Patriarchs, a police spokesperson said. She was handed over to security forces for questioning.A Palestinian man was shot dead by IDF troops Friday morning when he ran toward a guard post near the West Bank settlement of Ofra, north of Ramallah.Also Saturday, Israeli naval forces arrested a Palestinian fisherman off the northern Gaza coast, close to the Israeli border.Army Radio quoted Gaza sources as saying that the Israeli forces attempted to arrest other fisherman, but they managed to flee.Thirty-five Israelis and four foreign nationals have been killed in a wave of Palestinian terrorism and violence since last October. Over 200 Palestinians have been killed in that time period, most of them while carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, Israeli authorities say.
Fatah said to beg Abbas: Cancel local elections, Hamas will win West Bank-TV report: Officials say victory for terror group will mean demise of president’s party, while Israel fears PA could be discredited by electoral loss-By Times of Israel staff August 26, 2016, 8:03 pm
Officials in Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party have reportedly called on him to cancel upcoming municipal elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, fearing that rival jihadist group Hamas will secure an overwhelming victory.Fatah and Hamas are locked in a high-stakes struggle ahead of the October 8 vote. Abbas’s Fatah movement currently holds power in the West Bank, where he heads the Palestinian Authority, while Hamas has ruled Gaza since it ousted Fatah in a bloody 2007 coup. A year earlier, in elections for the Palestinian parliament, Hamas won 74 of 132 seats, and Fatah just 45.Channel 2 television reported Friday that leading Fatah officials have told Abbas that they face defeat to Hamas in the West Bank and that this will mean “the destruction” of Fatah.The report also said that members of the PA security forces are trying to intimidate some Hamas candidates in the West Bank into ending their election bids. Candidate lists are due to close in the coming days.Israel is also concerned that Hamas will sweep the West Bank voting, thereby undermining the legitimacy of the PA, Channel 2 said.Officials close to Abbas earlier this week accused the Israeli leadership of hoping for a Hamas win. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman “are convinced we are going to lose and thus want these elections,” the officials told The Times of Israel. “They desire a victory for Hamas, as this would prove their allegations that there is no one to talk to” on the Palestinian side, they said.Despite concerns that Hamas could make significant gains in the polls, and with Hamas recently threatening to boycott the elections over the arrests of its members in the West Bank, those officials said there was no intention of canceling or postponing the voting.“Fatah has a reasonable chance of winning,” the officials told The Times of Israel. “The decision to go to the polls has tightened the ranks, and we are working intensely to prevent any splits or internal conflicts.”Fatah sources noted, with some surprise, that even those Fatah politicians affiliated with longtime Abbas rival Mohammad Dahlan appeared intent on maintaining unity, in order to bolster the party’s chances to defeat Hamas.According to local opinion polls and political experts, Hamas — which has been enjoying unusual popularity in the West Bank and maintains a strong base of support in Gaza — is expected to make significant gains in the upcoming elections for local councils.Avi Issacharoff contributed to this report.
Who is fighting who in Syria?-What started out as a series of peaceful protests in 2011 has become a full-fledged civil war involving numerous local and international powers-By AFP August 27, 2016, 5:50 am-the times of israel
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Syria’s conflict broke out in March 2011 with peaceful protests against President Bashar Assad’s government but has evolved into a complex war involving jihadist groups and regional and international powers.Over 290,000 people have been killed and more than half of Syria’s population displaced in the conflict, which Turkey entered this week, dispatching troops to battle the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group and halt the advance of Kurdish forces.Who is fighting who? — Regime against rebels —The main battleline pits the approximately 300,000 soldiers of the Syrian army, and allied forces, against myriad rebel groups and Syrian and foreign jihadists.The largest anti-regime rebel alliance is the Army of Conquest, grouping Islamist factions like Ahrar al-Sham and Faylaq al-Sham with jihadists such as Fateh al-Sham Front, previously Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front.The biggest battlefront at present is Aleppo city, divided between government and opposition control but surrounded by loyalist forces.The government is also fighting to retake control of Eastern Ghouta, next to Damascus, which is largely controlled by the Jaish al-Islam rebel group.— Regime against IS —Syria’s army has fought IS in several parts of the country, expelling the jihadists from the ancient city of Palmyra in March.— Regime against Kurds —Syria’s Kurds have largely stayed out of the conflict between the government and armed opposition, but in August regime aircraft bombed Kurdish forces for the first time in Hasakeh, a city jointly controlled by the regime and Kurds.Kurdish forces now hold 90 percent of Hasakeh.— Kurds against IS —Syria’s Kurds have carved out a semi-autonomous region in north and northeastern Syria, with their People’s Protection Units (YPG) becoming a key partner of the US-led coalition fighting IS.Since January 2015, the YPG has ousted IS from the key towns of Kobane and Manbij in Aleppo province, Tal Abyad in Raqa province, and large parts of Hasakeh province.The YPG is also the key component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which groups diverse factions battling IS.— IS against rebels —IS considers all those who fail to pledge allegiance to its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi its foes and has battled rebel groups and even rival jihadists.Rebels backed by Turkey participated in this week’s capture of the border town of Jarabulus from IS.Who supports whom? — Regime —The army is bolstered by 200,000 irregular forces, notably from the National Defense Forces. It also fights alongside between 5,000-8,000 forces from Lebanon’s powerful Shiite militia Hezbollah, as well as Iranian, Iraqi and Afghan fighters.Russia, a key regime backer, began an aerial campaign in support of Assad’s government last September and has helped Damascus recapture areas in several provinces.Iran is another key ally, providing financial and military support.— Rebels —Opposition factions deemed “moderate” are backed by the West, particularly the United States, France and the UK, though the forces have accused their supporters of providing insufficient support.Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar also back the opposition, and they have also lent support to Islamist factions.— Kurds —Syria’s Kurds are key partners of the anti-IS coalition headed by Washington, but Turkey considers the YPG to be a branch of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Ankara brands a “terror” group.— Jihadists —No country openly backs the jihadists of Fateh al-Sham and IS, although the latter has been able to rely on funds from taxation and resources in the territory it holds in Syria and Iraq.-Who controls what?— Regime —Syria’s government holds around 35% of the country, including strategic areas such as the capital Damascus, central Homs and Hama, the coast, and large parts of Aleppo. Sixty percent of the population lives under its rule.— IS —Despite setbacks since 2015, IS controls around 35% of Syria, much of it uninhabited. It dominates Deir Ezzor province on the Iraqi border and Raqa province. It is also present in a number of other regions.— Kurds —Kurdish forces hold around 18% of the country, including three-quarters of the Syrian-Turkish border. They have declared a federal region in areas under their control.— Fateh al-Sham, other rebels —Fateh al-Sham and other rebel forces hold some 12% of the country. The largest expanse is in Idlib province and controlled by the Army of Conquest alliance.What are the goals of each party?— Regime —President Assad has said he wants to retake the whole country and will not stand down.— Rebels —Rebel forces seek to oust Assad, though factions differ on their vision for the country, with Fateh al-Sham aspiring to an Islamic emirate.— Kurds —The Kurds seek an autonomous region in areas where they form a majority.— IS —IS seeks to expand its self-proclaimed “caliphate” in territory under its control in Syria and Iraq.— United States —Washington has called on Assad to step down, but its efforts are now focused on combating IS.— Russia —Moscow insists Assad will not be ousted, and seeks a diplomatic victory by competing with Washington to shape negotiations between the regime and rebels.— Iran —Tehran seeks to protect key ally Assad, and assert its role in the Arab world.— Turkey —Ankara backs the opposition, but is currently focused on preventing the Kurds from creating a contiguous autonomous region.
Danish women-led mosque holds first Friday prayers-Imam Saliha Marie Fetteh leads sermon at Mariam Mosque funded by Danish-born Sherin Khankan-By AFP August 27, 2016, 1:17 am-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Scandinavia’s first female-led mosque has held its first Friday prayers in Copenhagen, a milestone for an “Islamic feminist” project whose founder hopes will help combat Islamophobia.But there was also criticism that the project did not go far enough in promoting women’s rights.The khutba, or sermon, was held in the Mariam Mosque in an apartment in a busy Copenhagen shopping street six months after it opened.Temperatures soared inside on a balmy summer’s day as more than 60 women, around half of them Muslim, came to hear Danish-born imam Saliha Marie Fetteh.Friday’s event was opened by the mosque’s founder Sherin Khankan, who is herself becoming an imam.Sherin Khankan-Starts a Mosque in Denmark led Exclusively by Female Imams-It is open to Men too pic.twitter.com/NItRvrSSFW— Özer Khalid ☄ (@OzerKhalid) August 11, 2016-She said that she had originally wanted to open a mosque where female imams could preach on Fridays to a mixed crowd, but later changed her mind.“It turned out that a majority of the community wanted a Friday prayer for women only,” Khankan, born in Denmark to a Syrian father and a Finnish mother, told AFP.“Today I am very happy about the decision because when you try to create change it’s very important that you do it wisely and slowly,” she added.The decision to bar men from the prayers drew criticism from Syria-born Danish lawmaker Naser Khader, who told broadcaster TV 2 that it was not “good enough” in a country like Denmark — known for having a high level of gender equality — to shy away from letting women preach to a mixed crowd.Five Islamic marriage ceremonies have been conducted at the mosque, which has issued its own marriage contract.Under the agreement women have the right to divorce, polygamy is prohibited, men and women have equal rights to their children in case of a divorce, and the marriage is annulled in the event of mental or physical violence.The mosque’s aim was also to fight Islamophobia by showing Muslim women could “take the lead,” Khankan said.Similar projects exist in a handful of other countries, including in the US where “The Women’s Mosque of America” opened in Los Angeles last year.
Ahead in polls, Dutch far-right party vows to close mosques, ban Quran-Geert Wilders’ Freedom Party, set to double its seats in elections next year, wants to close borders, reverse ‘Islamization’-By AFP August 26, 2016, 8:18 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The political party of Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders, which is leading polls ahead of parliamentary elections next year, has vowed to close mosques and “ban the Quran” in its manifesto.“All mosques and Islamic schools closed, a ban on the Quran,” said the document outlining the electoral program of the Freedom Party (PVV) ahead of March 2017 legislative elections, which was posted on Wilders’ Twitter feed Thursday.Wilders’ manifesto was the first published by a major political party ahead of elections for the lower house of Dutch parliament which are due by March 15 next year.The PVV says it will reverse the “Islamization” of the country with a range of measures including closing the borders, shutting asylum seeker centers, banning migrants from Islamic countries and stopping Muslim women from wearing the headscarf in public.On the back of Europe’s migrant crisis, opinion polls have for months given Wilders’ PVV the edge over the current coalition parties of the Labor Party and the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy led by Prime Minister Mark Rutte.Late last year polls predicted soaring support for the PVV saying it could gain as many as 38 seats in the 150-seat parliament. But that has slipped back. In August, a poll from Ipsos gave it 28 seats — still way up on the 12 it currently has.The immigrant crisis has polarized the Netherlands, a nation of 17 million people, leading to heated debate and some attacks on refugee centers.Wilders, who will go on trial for inciting racial hatred in October, also said he would do all he could to hold a referendum on the Netherlands leaving the EU, despite an unsuccessful first attempt in June following Britain’s shock Brexit vote.His party has also pledged to cut all foreign aid while boosting funding for police and security.— AP contributed to this report.
French resorts defiant as top court suspends burkini ban-Beach towns vow to continue fining women wearing full-body swimsuit despite court ruling overturning the ‘clearly illegal’ restriction-By Claudine Renaud and Aurelia End August 27, 2016, 4:59 pm-the times of israel
MARSEILLE, France (AFP) — French resorts were defiant after a ban on the burkini in a Riviera town was overturned, vowing to keep the restrictions in place and continue imposing fines on women who wear the full-body swimsuit.In a judgement expected to lead to bans being overturned in around 30 coastal towns, the State Council, France’s highest administrative court, ruled Friday the measure was a “serious and clearly illegal violation of fundamental freedoms.”The suspension of the ban on the Islamic swimsuit, which has triggered a fierce debate in France and sparked critical headlines around the world, was welcomed by the UN, and a French Muslim group said it was a “victory for common sense.”But the ruling, which only applied to the ban imposed by Villeneuve-Loubet, was quickly dismissed by several other towns, including Nice.In its decision, the court said local authorities could only introduce measures restricting individual freedoms if wearing the swimsuit on beaches represented a “proven risk” to public order.The judges said there was no such risk in the case before the court concerning Villeneuve-Loubet, a resort between Nice and Cannes.Police action to fine Muslim women for wearing burkinis on beaches in several towns, including in the tourist resorts of Nice and Cannes, has triggered a fierce debate about women’s rights and the French state’s strictly-guarded secularism.“From now on, it is up to everyone to take responsibility for cooling off, which is the only way to avoid public order disturbances and to try and live together,” Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said.-Restrictions ‘still valid’-But the ruling provoked defiance from several Riviera resorts, which pledged to continue imposing fines.In recent weeks, around 30 French municipalities decided to ban access to public beaches “by anyone not wearing proper attire, which is respectful of good morality and the principle of secularism and not respectful of the rules of hygiene and bathing security.”Nice town hall said it would “continue to fine” women wearing the burkini and the far-right mayor of Frejus, David Rachline, insisted his ban was “still valid”, telling AFP there was “no legal procedure” against his ruling.Ange-Pierre Vivoni, Socialist mayor of the Corsican town of Sisco, said his burkini ban, introduced this month following a confrontation between Moroccan bathers and locals, would also remain “for the safety of property and people in the town because I risked having deaths on my hands.”Amnesty International said Friday’s court decision had “drawn an important line in the sand.”“These bans do nothing to increase public safety but do a lot to promote public humiliation,” said Amnesty’s Europe director John Dalhuisen, who added it was time that the French authorities “drop the pretence” that the ban was about protecting women’s rights.The debate has split both the left and the right, with former president Nicolas Sarkozy calling for a nationwide ban on the burkini, while former premier Alain Juppe has expressed opposition to “an exceptional law”.-‘Fundamental debate’-The ruling Socialists are also divided, with Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem and Health Minister Marisol Touraine concerned over the “drift” in the local orders, while Prime Minister Manuel Valls backed the mayors.He stuck to his guns Friday evening, saying the State Council’s ruling “does not end the debate which has been opened.”“It is a fundamental debate, which follows on from others,” he said, recalling that France was the first country in Europe to ban the full veil in public spaces in 2010. The headscarf was banned from schools in 2004.Anger over the issue was further inflamed this week when photographs in the British media showed police surrounding a woman in a headscarf on a beach in Nice.The mayor’s office denied the woman had been forced to remove clothing, telling AFP she was showing police the swimsuit she was wearing under her top, over a pair of leggings, when the picture was taken.In its ruling, the State Council said: “The emotion and the concerns arising from terrorist attacks, especially the attack in Nice on July 14, are not sufficient to legally justify a ban.”
No contest: GOP is the pro-Israel party-Bipartisan support for the Jewish state is a fallacy: Republicans embrace Israel as an ally, Democrats do not-By Jeff Ballabon and Bruce Abramson August 27, 2016, 1:45 pm-the times of israel
WASHINGTON (JTA) — For years, the leaders of America’s most established Jewish organizations – AIPAC chief among them — have assured their members that when it came to Israel, there wasn’t much difference between the Democratic and Republican parties. Even suggesting that control of the White House or Congress might matter to the US-Israel relationship was taboo, often decried as “anti-Israel” if not “anti-Semitic.”The 2016 platform debates and conventions have shattered this outlandish insistence that in our hyperpartisan era, Israel policy somehow managed to remain neutral territory. It is now indisputable that the parties have radically different views of Israel.To the extent that any bipartisanship persists, it is only among the least pro-Israel Republicans and the most pro-Israel Democrats. According to their “less than comprehensively anti-Israel” view, Israelis and Arabs are more or less equally culpable, Israel must risk its national security and the lives of its citizens, and an independent, Judenrein Arab state in the historic Jewish heartland is an imperative.Though the politicians on both sides of the aisle backing this vision may see themselves as pragmatic, moderate centrists looking out for Israel’s interests, what they actually advocate is rejecting Israel’s status as a favored ally, ignoring history and law, and capitulating to Arab intransigence and inhumanity.Moreover, the bases of both parties reject this view. The Republican base sees no moral equivalence between Israelis building a pluralistic, liberal democracy of which all decent people should be proud and the Palestinian Authority presiding over a genocidal, suicidal death cult. Members of the Democratic base, as we saw during their convention, reiterate the slanders of Jimmy Carter, Bernie Sanders and Cornel West, while some burned an Israeli flag in symbolic solidarity with the death cult whose own flags were proudly waved on the convention floor.West spoke for much of the Democratic base — and 43 percent of the platform committee — when he framed his antipathy for Israel as “a moral issue” and called for “an end to occupation and illegal settlements” and for “rebuild[ing] Gaza, which the UN warns could be uninhabitable by 2020.” Hillary Clinton’s politically savvy advisers, understanding that anti-Israel agitation would play poorly in the general election (overall, Americans still side with Israel over the Palestinians, 62 percent to 15 percent, according to a recent Gallup poll) preferred boilerplate language similar to the DNC’s 2012 platform: “Israelis deserve security, recognition, and a normal life free from terror and incitement. Palestinians should be free to govern themselves in their own viable state, in peace and dignity.” In short, a statement of moral equivalence.The Republicans had reluctantly accepted comparable boilerplate language in 2012, tempering far stronger pro-Israel sentiment among the base to accommodate AIPAC’s insistence that such moral equivalence reflected the American Jewish consensus. In 2016, however, the GOP resisted such pressure. The party’s base rallied behind a more definitively pro-Israel approach that embraces the moral superiority of Israel’s position and Israel’s unconditional sovereignty.It is this platform language — to which we proudly contributed — that Democrats and their enablers in establishment American Jewish groups have intentionally and repeatedly mischaracterized as standing “to the right of Netanyahu” in its “rejection of a two-state solution.” No one actually reading the words of the 2016 GOP platform plank on Israel could possibly reach these conclusions.The Republican platform’s actual language recognizes Israel as a fellow liberal democracy and a strategic ally; restates an existing American law declaring an indivisible Jerusalem as Israel’s capital; upholds our ally’s right to defend itself against military threats, terror attacks and other forms of warfare; labels as false the widely accepted canard that Israel is an “occupier,” and recognizes the anti-Semitism behind a Boycott, Divestment and Sanction (BDS) movement that has targeted Jewish interests far from Israel.It closes with a longing for “comprehensive and lasting peace” negotiated among the residents of the Middle East and opposes outside pressure designed to impose any specific proposal.That’s the sum and substance of what today’s Democrats consider extremism: acknowledging the rights of Jews in the Land of Israel, embracing a fellow liberal democracy and strategic ally, supporting its efforts to defend itself and encouraging it to negotiate with its neighbors.Nothing in the new GOP platform “rejects” or creates even the slightest impediment to a “two-state solution.” It simply refocuses American interests correctly — in support of our ally Israel’s sovereignty and security — rather than in pursuit of “self-determination” for a Palestinian Authority, the PLO’s legal and moral successor, that continues to incite and support terror and that has explicitly abandoned even the pretext of a “peace process.”The chasm between the parties is clear. Today’s Democrats are split among those who see moral equivalence between Israel and the P.A. and those who see Israel as a rogue apartheid state committing repeated war crimes against Palestinian victims. To the Republicans, Israel is a close and valued ally under unprecedented attack, worthy of the same commitment and support we extend to our closest allies. These views of Israel and the policy consequences that flow from them are very, very different.A bipartisan consensus that actually supports Israel remains a worthy ideal. As the 2016 conventions showed, it is very far from what we have today. Americans who care about Israel face a clear choice. There is no use pretending otherwise.—Jeff Ballabon is chairman of the Iron Dome Alliance and a senior fellow at the Center for Statesmanship and Diplomacy. Bruce Abramson is vice president for policy of the Iron Dome Alliance and a senior fellow at the London Center for Policy Research.
