PM Netanyahu's Greetings for Rosh Hashana 5772-Prime Minister Netanyahu wished the world Shana Tova saying the true place under the sun for Jews is the Land of Israel.By A7 Staff First Publish: 9/27/2011, 9:42 PM
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Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu took the opportunity of his annual Rosh Hashanah greeting to address Israel's identity as a Jewish state - and moribund talks with Palestinian Authority officials in Ramallah.Noting his office had received an overwhelming flood of prayers and well-wishes for peace in the coming year, Netanyahu said peace was dependent on Israel's strength and understanding its essential character as a Jewish state.For there to be peace Israel has to be strong, Netanyahu said. People make peace with the strong. They don't make peace with the weak. They push the weak aside.For that peace to take shape the Palestinians have to finally recognize what you all recognize, that Israel is the Jewish state... that the Jewish people after all their travails, after all their agonized odysseys through ought the centuries, deserve their one and only true place under the sun - in the Land of Israel, Netanyahu explained.Netanyahyu said he believed the outcome of future talks would hinge on officials in Ramallah being able to accept Israel's fundamental character, fairness, and the truth, and the common sense that must accompany peace - the Palestinians finally have to do what they have refused to do throughout the decades - recognize the one and only Jewish state,And if they do, I think we'll have a very, very good year, Netanyahu said. Shana Tova to all of you.
Gantz: We'll Continue to Stand Strong-IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz extends his best wishes for Rosh Hashanah to the Jewish people and their families.By A7 Staff First Publish: 9/28/2011, 12:14 AM
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IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz prayed the Jewish people would have peace in the coming year in his Rosh Hashanah greeting, invoking the Prophet Isaiah.In the year ahead we will continue to stand strong against all those who seek our demise and to be the shield of the Jewish people worldwide, Gantz said.We do so even as we pray for security and peace, and while the IDF must be prepared for every possible scenario, we seek peace with all who will live with us in harmony.We eagerly await the fulfillment of the prophet Isaiah's vision nation shall not lift up sword against nation, nor shall they learn war anymore,Gantz added.Gantz also prayed for the return of IDF soldiers who are missing or held captive, and recalled the sacrifice soldiers who have fallen in battle.We must recall the IDF soldiers who are missing in action, held captive, and cannot rejoice at their holiday table,Gantz said. We all join in prayer and share in the hope that this coming year we will see their release. The IDF will continue operations to bring them home.We also mourn the loss of those who are no longer with us. We hold their brave families close standing with them side by side,Gantz said.To the people of Israel, and all Jews around the world Happy New Year – Shana Tova.
US, EU Slam Gilo Construction Project-Western officials criticized Israel's decision to build 1,100 new housing units in the Gilo neighborhood of Jerusalem.By Gavriel Queenann First Publish: 9/27/2011, 9:08 PM
US officials on Tuesday decried Israel's approval of 1,100 new housing units Jerusalem's Gilo neighborhood saying the move was deeply disappointing and counterproductive.President Barack Obama has repeatedly called for Israel to halt building ahead of direct talks between Israeli and Palestinian Authority officials saying it isn't necessary for Israel's security.But Israeli officials, who froze construction in the so-called disputed territories' for ten months in a failed bid to bring PA officials to the table see little point in additional freezes.Top EU diplomat, Baroness Katherine Ashton, said the Quartet had called for parties to refrain from provocative actions.It is with deep regret that I learned today about the decision to advance in the plans for settlement expansion in east Jerusalem, she said in a statement.This plan should be reversed. Settlement activity threatens the viability of an agreed two-state solution and runs contrary to the Israeli-stated commitment to resume negotiations.But Israeli construction does not run counter to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's commitment to direct negotiations without preconditions.On Tuesday Netanyahu said officials in Ramallah had cherry-picked a key final status issue to use as a precondition to forestall talks.Criticism of Israeli construction projects in 'disputed territories’ has become de rigueur fashion for US and EU diplomats in recent years.Commensurate criticism of PA construction in disputed territories' by the US and EU, however, has not been forthcoming.
Nigeria to Back PA Statehood Bid at Security Council-Nigeria has reversed course and said it will vote in favor of full membership for the Palestinian Liberation Organization at the UNSC.By Gavriel Queenann First Publish: 9/27/2011, 8:08 PM
The Palestinian Authority on Tuesday announced Nigeria will vote in favor of PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas' bid for full membership as a sovereign member of in the United Nations.The PA office for foreign affairs released a statement quoting top PA diplomatic Dr Riyad Al Malki, who stressed he was officially informed by the his Nigerian counterpart Gbenga Ashiru that Nigeria will vote in favor of Abbas' petition in the 15-member security council. Nigeria had previously said it would abstain in the vote.Officials in Ramallah have repeatedly claimed that the Palestinian Liberation Organization had secured the nine votes necessary to secure the vote, but without Nigeria's support the assertion was considered dubious.Even with Nigeria's support, for Abbas' application to be passed from the Security Council to the 193-member General Assembly it must not only obtain the support of 9 Security Council members, but an affirmative recommendation from all five permanent members of the Security Council as well.
The United States, a permanent member, has vowed to give a negative recommendation for Abbas' application rendering the issue moot.While there has been talk of using a Peace Resolution in the General Assembly to override US opposition, experts say such a move would be procedurally unsound.Peace Resolutions were used to override persistent vetoes by the Soviet Union to UN action in the war between North and South Korea in the 1950's, where vetoes based on binding security decisions were in play.But the US issuing a negative recommendation on a procedural matter is not the same as exercising a veto on a binding resolution – meaning such Peace Resolution would not apply.The Security Council is slated to begin discussing Abbas' application on Wednesday as Israel brings in the Holiday of Rosh Hashanah - the Day of Judgment.
Hamas Calls for Strategic Dialogue With Fatah-Hamas has called for a strategic dialogue with Fatah aimed as returning the cause to liberation without recognition.By Gavriel Queenann First Publish: 9/27/2011, 5:52 PM
Ismail Haniyeh, who serves as the prime minister in Hamas-run Gaza, called on Monday for an 'inter-Palestinian' strategic dialogue to decide on a joint strategy for establishing an independent state, the semi-official Palestinian Authority Ma'an news agency reported.We are in favor of a strategic dialogue that will lead to a joint strategy regarding Palestine and activating the reconciliation we signed, he told reporters, referring to an as-of-yet unimplemented unity deal between Fatah and Hamas.Haniyeh's remarks come mere days after PA chairman and Fatah-leader Mahmoud Abbas went to the United Nations to formally request full membership for a Palestinian state.Hamas leaders have maintained Abbas' bid has no substance and harms rather than helps their aim of destroying Israel.The Islamist movement banned rallies in support of the UN initiative, although dozens of women defied the ban and held a demonstration on Friday.We are not against a state but we disagree with this political activity and this initiative, Haniyeh said.The Palestinian cause is a cause of a nation and Palestinian officials should not be alone facing American and Zionist policies. We should invest in the revival of the nation to toughen our positions, he added.We want to uproot the Palestinian cause from American and Zionist circles and bring it back to the Palestinian, Arab and Islamic ones, he added, reiterating Hamas' mantra of liberation without recognition of Israel.
We say liberation first then the state, because states can't be created through UN decisions or through maneuvers and compromises, but through steadfastness and resistance.But Haniyeh's call for a strategic dialogue with Fatah may be moot as senior Hamas leaders, including co-founder Mahmoud al-Zahar, have declared the Fatah-Hamas unity deal dead.
Abbas’ Advisor: PA to Expand Anti-Israel Boycott-The PA will seek to expand its anti-Israel boycott by pushing the Western world to cut ties with Israeli schools, official says.By Maayana Miskin First Publish: 9/27/2011, 1:59 PM
The Palestinian Authority plans to expand its boycott of Israel to include an international boycott on Israeli academic institutions, a top official said Tuesday in an interview with the PA-based Ma'an news.Sabri Saydam, an advisor to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, said PA Arabs would adopt qualitative projects to end occupation using modern technology. In addition to pushing an international boycott of Israeli schools, the PA will seek to use social networks to expand an existing boycott on products produced by Israelis in Judea and Samaria, he said.Saydam suggested enlisting foreign support in other areas as well, such as by creating stronger ties with foreign solidarity groups whose activists join Judea and Samaria Arabs in protesting Israel.The PA announced a boycott of Judea and Samaria products in 2010. The boycott was strongly backed by leaders including Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, who took part in the public burning of Israeli goods and ran ads urging Arabs to avoid all Israeli products.The PA has also attempted a boycott of Israeli employers in Judea and Samaria. However, with unemployment approaching 25%, PA Arabs’ desperation for work has so far overcome attempts to enforce a ban on employment by Israelis.Previous attempts to boycott Israeli goods overseas have often backfired, with Israeli goods enjoying higher sales. Companies in Judea and Samaria have noted a similar effect, with some saying that being designated as West Bank produce improved their profits.
Google Israel Loses Precedent-Setting Reputation Theft Case-An Israeli doctor has sued Google – and won – in a world-precedent setting case.By David Lev First Publish: 9/28/2011, 1:15 AM
An Israeli doctor has sued Google – and won – in a world-precedent setting case, after a Tel Aviv court agreed with his contention that the search engine giant had effectively allowed his competitors to hijack his reputation for their benefit. As a result, Dr. Dov Klein, an eminent Israeli plastic surgeon, has been awarded NIS 50,000, plus NIS 10,000 in court costs.Now, says Dr. Klein's attorney, Uri Savir, Google may be forced to make major changes to its successful Adwords program. This case has extensive ramifications, says Savir. Google has traditionally allowed the use of names as keywords for its search, and an advertiser is allowed to purchase the name of a competitor as an Adword. Thanks to this case, Google may find itself getting sued by many businesses because of what has been ruled illegal activity.
Adwords is the method Google uses to monetize everyday words and terms, with clients bidding for the rights to those terms; when users search for a specific term on the Google search engine, advertisers who purchased that term in an Adwords auction can have their text or display ad show up on the search results page. Google auctions off the search terms and phrases to the highest bidder, with more popular terms fetching more money.In this case, Klein discovered in 2007 that competitors of his – in particular, a large plastic surgery clinic – had purchased his name, Dr. Dov Klein,as an Adword, specifically in order to display their ads on result pages for searches for his name. Klein sued, claiming that the competitors were seeking to hijack, or at least latch onto, his hard-won reputation, and were illegally associating themselves with his success. Google Israel, for its part, tried to claim that they were not a party to the results, since the search engine was owned by Google Ireland, while the clinic claimed that even if they had bought Klein's name, they only received a few hundred clickthroughs – and a total of 15 customers – during the 15 month period they used Dr. Dov Klein as an Adword term.The court agreed with Klein, saying that Google and the competing clinic had indeed violated his rights, regardless of how many or few people clicked on the ads, and ordered Google and the competing clinic to compensate him. Google was not required to reveal any information on the inner workings of its search engine or Adwords during the trial, but it did emerge that legally, Google search engines around the world are equal – meaning that the decision in the Klein case could, and likely will, set a legal precedent for similar reputation theft cases around the world, Savir said.
Google's policy of allowing free use of by Adwords advertisers of any term they please including the name of an individual or brand by a competitor, is wrong, Savir said, and the decision means that Google is going to have to be more conscious of the rights of individuals to their names and reputations.
