Friday, February 13, 2009

Hamas says Gaza truce deal expected in next 3 days (Reuters)

Will this Peace truce last in many years to come?

GAZA, Feb 13 (Reuters) - An Egyptian-mediated truce agreement in Gaza between Israel and Hamas would most likely be announced in the next three days, the Islamist group said.

"Most of the obstacles that prevented us from reaching an agreement were resolved and an announcement of a deal is expected within three days," Taher al-Nono, a member of Hamas's negotiating team in Cairo, told Reuters.

Nono said the agreement would ensure the end of cross-border violence between Palestinian militants in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and Israel as well as the opening of the territory's border crossings.

Israeli officials had no immediate comment.

Egypt, which has been trying to broker a truce deal between Israel and Hamas, said earlier on Thursday it would announce "positive" results coming from the talks in the coming hours.

A longer term truce deal would take the place of a shaky Jan. 18 ceasefire, declared separately by both sides, that ended Israel's 22-day military offensive against Hamas Islamists in the Gaza Strip.

About 1,300 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli offensive. Fourteen Israelis have died since Dec. 27, when the fighting broke out.

Egypt has proposed a staged process beginning with a ceasefire declaration, a deal to exchange prisoners, the opening of Gaza's border crossings with Israel and with Egypt and reconciliation talks between rival Palestinian factions.

Hamas has demanded Israel free 1,400 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier captured by Gaza militants in a cross-border raid in 2006. Diplomats said Israel was likely to free closer to 1,000.

Nono said after meeting with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman "significant progress" had been made on the key issues of reaching a truce with Israel, Gaza's reconstruction and the opening of the territory's border crossings.

Israel tightened a blockade on the Gaza Strip after Hamas Islamists seized the enclave in 2007 from forces loyal to Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Nona added that Egypt invited the leaders of Palestinian factions to Cairo on Feb. 22 for reconciliation talks.

© REUTERS 2009

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Thursday, February 12, 2009

Aziz in Chedet to Hanan

Another bold challenge from one of the reader in chedet called aziz in response to Hanan's comment. Not much intellectual points given in the response except the same & common terminology used in Malaysian Mass Media when reporting the Gaza-Israel issue. But you be the judge...& welcome to voice your comment in this blog

Dear Tun,

I would like to reply to the comment made by Hanan.


Dear Hanan,

I appreciate your effort to explain the major points regarding this matter. Somehow you must also understand that the action taken by the HAMAS or Israelis army are both wrong and should be condemned. There is not one religion in this world including Islam, Christian, Judaism or Buddha or any other that teach the people to kill another human being. It shows that you are very arrogant and ignorant person who thinks that killing one another is fine. You call yourself to be a Jew but I am sure that your religion does not teach you to kill others.

I also need to remind you that the blockaded done by the Israelis army on Palestinians people from getting good supply and other supply has caused to all this problem. If they allow the Palestinians to live their lives without any sanction on them, they will not be getting any rocket attack from the HAMAS. I am sure of that. The Zionist continue doing so because they want to have a valid reason to retaliate by killing more Palestinians so they will be perished from this earth. That is your Zionist ambition. I know you know this very well. Since you yourself claimed to be a Zionist.

You can go on and say whatever you want about this whole issue. But for me and I think for most of the people in this world, they do not like you the ZIONIST. It is not because you are an Israelis but it is because you are ZIONIST. I have a good friend of mine who happen to be an American Jew. But he lives his life simple and do business as usual without any problem here in Kuala Lumpur. And I am sure that there are many more of them who are good Jews around the world. Same as muslim. We also have the good muslim around the world who follow the God's revelation which is the Koran. But somehow we also have the bad Muslim around the world who commit suicide bombing in the name of Allah.

And the Palestinians are very stubborn and they will do whatever it takes to win. Same goes to your people of Israel. They will do what it takes to win too. So you tell me Hanan, do you want this to continue? Do you want to see people living side by side without any problem or living side by side but killing each other and make each others life hard enough that the kids can't go to school, no food to eat, no proper education, no places safe to go and live their life like 1000 years ago with no electricity, no internet connection.

If you choose to see them living that sort of life then I must say that all your argument earlier was for nothing. Because you are just as arrogant as the Palestinians Arab. You are very selfish person who only think for yourself and your people only. You are very stubborn who does not want to listen to any other voice around the world that condemned the killing of innocent people of Palestine.

Do you remember what you did before to people of Jenin? People of Gaza? Other top leaders of the Islamic ruling party? You do not care because their blood is nothing compare to your people. The Hamas kill your people not more than 20 people in the recent attack but the Israelis army killed more than 1500 of innocent people. So you tell me, is there any fairness in your attack? Is there any logic to your killings? Come on Hanan. I am sure you have a good brain to think for yourself. Maybe you should take a bit of time to think about it. But maybe also you do not have a good heart so you will take as many minutes as possible but you will never understand it. You will not get what I am saying and the world is demanding. Because you are just as bad as the Arabs who are stubborn and ignorant towards another people's point of view.

We are living in 20th century now and we still killing one another just to fulfill our lust and to be in power.

Now in Israel they are having an election to elect a new Prime Minister. I pray to Allah that the new leader will be a good leader who has a good heart and who will not kill the innocent people like the previous leader of Israel. But I doubt it though because as long as the Zionist mentality is still in power, they will continue killing people for no reason.

I hope that all Arabs in the middle east get up and fight the Israelis. They are very small country will less than 4 million people. The Arab Gulf combined will get more than 100 people. I am sure the Arab will win anytime by just fighting one on one. There should be easy. But it is not as simple as that. Because the Arab leaders are coward. They do not want to risk their fortune by involving in the war between the Palestine and Israel. They rather spend their money on sleeping with as many girls as possible and buying alcohol to make them drunk all the times and splashing the money on building their mansion and buying sport cars as many as the one in the car dealer show room.

You may argue with the best brain in the world Hanan but you will never change your mentality about this war. You have something that is blocking your brain from receiving information clearly just like the Palestinians being blocked from getting food from Israelis. That is why both of you are acting like animals because you can;t get what you want. You just acting like animals who only think to fulfill their lust and wish list.

thank you

aziz

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Hanan's reply in Chedet's Palestine Post

Chedet new post on Palestine issue generated another wave of discussions & debates from various audience including the infamous- Hanan from Israel.
Compilation of Hanan's entry is attached below to ease your reading...


Dear Dr. Mahathir,
May Allah bless you.
I’m providing my comments attached to the line items as you posted them.
You and all the fans here should interpret my comments somehow as “extreme” just to emphasize the Israeli and Jewish point of view (as I understand it). It is not in order to pour any provocation or humiliation to anyone personally or as a group. My intention is to provide the different perspective as I see it.

My intention is opposed to war – it is to create peace. It is just to show you that there is no other option to end the bloody war – just compromising and good will. If our intention is not that, then probably the war will exist forever. Is this what we want?

Dear Dr. Mahathir, you still have the power to “move mountains” because people are listening to you and respecting you. Your word is very well listened in the Islamic world. You are a potential lever for peace and I’m personally expecting and hoping for it. War is enough… and enough is enough! Let us cherish peace rather the anger of war. Everyone must sacrifice some personal honor, admit mistakes. This is the only way we can start a new beginning.


I’m not intending to continue any arguments with other people in that blog since it will not gain the expected result. The reason is not because I don’t want to have arguments. It is because this is consuming a lot of time resources for me to answer everyone and this is not my main job in life, however it is very important.

If you feel free to argue or even humiliate me, I’ll know exactly how to filter out what is relevant and what nonsense are. I’m always taking some lessons from what you say here and I hope it is a mutual thing.

BTW, I found an interesting blog spot (not mine) that is collecting interesting information you may explore. It includes some of my comments.

Other side of a coin...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. In my opening speech I stressed that the war in Palestine is not a religious war between Islam and Judaism. It is a territorial war resulting from the European powers carving out a slice of Palestinian land in order to create the State of Israel.
---Hanan:
This is a war from both aspects. It is absolutely a territorial war which its background is religious. The Jews are claiming that land as their homeland and the Palestinians are claiming it as an Islamic Waqf asset.
Palestinians are not the genuine natives of that land. They are the posterity of Arab tribes that invaded to the empty land of Israel from the Arabian Peninsula during the spreading of Islam.
Malays are Muslims (the majority). What is their language? Is it Arabic or Malay? Turks are Muslims. What is their language? Is it Arabic or Turkish? The same is with other Muslim countries except those are surrounding the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa which was the initial Muslim world. So was Palestine. All those speaking Arabic countries were influenced by the invading tribes from the Arabian Peninsula.
What language was spoken in the Land of Israel prior the Islamic invasion of Arab tribes from the Arabic Peninsula? Let me remind you. When Jews lived there, before they have been expelled by the Romans, they spoke Hebrew. Hebrew was their Biblical language and during all their kingdoms of Israel and Yehuda.
Now, Jews everywhere in the world have their fundamental knowledge of Hebrew and the language of the place where they live. Why are their basic roots in the Hebrew language? Because they bear it from their day one when Judaism was established and they got the Torah which its genuine language is Hebrew. Jews spoke many languages in their Diaspora times where they lived but never forgot their native language which is chained to the Land of Israel. Hebrew is the language Jews are praying wherever they are. Have you asked yourself why? To which geographical part is Hebrew chained? English is chained to England, French to France, the Palestinians are speaking Arabic because their genuine roots are the Arabic Peninsula. Malays speak Malay because their roots are in Malaya. Muslims are praying in Arabic because the roots of Islam are in the Arabian Peninsula. Jews are praying in Hebrew because their roots of Judaism are in the Land of Israel.
Therefore the land was belonging to Jews prior any Muslim was even born including Prophet Muhammad. …And don’t tell me that the Philistines are the Palestinians since this is a real joke.
________________________
3. It is grossly unjust for the Europeans to solve their Jewish problem by taking land belonging to the Arab Palestinian to give to the Jews for their homeland. It is grossly unfair that they should transfer their problem to the Arabs.
---Hanan:
The European’s did what it was the proper thing to do. Since Europe is not the Jews homeland and they understood well that the Biblical Land of Israel is the only homeland for Jews, they helped the Jews to return home. They didn’t transfer the problem to the Arabs. It is the Arabs who created it as a problem. Everyone has the right to return to his homeland and we returned. What do you think, expelling someone from his home by force means erasing its homeland roots? Now, I know that many of you will jump and raise the issue of the Palestinian refugees. Since Those Palestinians roots are Arabic roots, they should be settled back in any Arab country. But if it will be a two country solution they may live in the Palestinian state.
________________________
4. The participants at the forum represented all races, belonging to all religions. There were ethnic European Christians, Chinese Catholics, Hindus, Sikhs, Malay Muslims, Arab Muslims, Chinese Buddhists and many others.
---Hanan:
Was there any Jewish representative? Dr. Mahathir, you said that it is a territorial conflict and now you are emphasizing about religious representatives. If it is a territorial conflict then, who represented the Zionist side? Was it a one sided forum? Was it a forum of the saint people against the monsters without letting even a single monster to be there? Who are many others? Can you specify particularly? “Many others” is a blur definition.
________________________
5. They came together because they were moved by the human tragedy that is happening in Gaza, Palestine. That the Palestinian Arabs are mostly Muslims did not lessen the feeling of sympathy felt by the participants.
---Hanan:
I agree that it is a real tragedy that happened to the Palestinian people in Gaza. Every innocent who is killed is like killing an entire world. Dr. Mahathir and those forum participants – where have you been when rockets killed Israeli Jews and non Jewish during 8 years? No sympathy? Jews lives are not as valuable as the Palestinians lives? Hypocrisy is the definition of that forum.
________________________
6. Two doctors from Jordan were present. They had gone to Gaza to show their sympathy and brotherhood and to help treat the casualties. They were not prepared to see the carnage caused by Israeli attacks.
---Hanan:
What about the carnage of Jews by suicide bombers exploding in busses, streets and malls? Where were those two Jordanian doctors? Every one pains his relatives’ pain. Jews are crying for Jews and Muslims are crying for Muslims. Violence is not one sided but Muslim hypocrisy is one sided. No Muslim said even “I’m sorry about lost innocent Jews lives” while the Zionist Israel is regretting for innocent killed Palestinians that were used as human shields by the charity organization of Hamas.
________________________
7. The Israeli forces appeared to be using new kinds of shells and bombs which exploded after bouncing off the ground hurling sharp metal shrapnel which cut deep into the bodies of the victims.
---Hanan:
Dear Dr. Mahathir, have you asked yourself or anyone else what is the content of a Grad or Qasam rocket? May it be full of candies? The Hamas rockets contain even more painful shrapnel as small steel balls from dismantled ball bearings - thousands of them. They contain nails, screws, nuts and metal debris. Isn’t it killing people - But cuts in Muslim flesh pains more than cuts in Jews flesh? That forum of hypocrisy is a double standard.
________________________
8. Many had their arms and legs severed by the shrapnel, while others died when the shrapnel cut deep into their bodies and organs.
---Hanan:
The Jewish children who were killed from the Qasam rockets died just in their sleep, dreaming about the candy container of that rocket. Did they die in their sweet dreams?

9. One man was saved because the shrapnel cut into a small Quran he had in his pocket but stopped short of his chest.
---Hanan:
If that man would be a Jew and in his pocket was the Psalms Book which was saving his life, would any Muslim mention it? It is really a miracle and may God bless that saved man to have long life. There is a Jewish proverb: “Who saves a single life is as he saved the whole universe”.
________________________
10. Phosphorus bombs scattered white phosphorus all over the victims. The phosphorus sticks to the body and burn as long as there is oxygen in the air. It burns through the skin, through the muscles and through the bones. It is impossible to remove the phosphorus without cutting deep into the tissues and bones.
---Hanan:
In Gaza was a volunteer Italian doctor working in one of the hospitals. He wanted to see those special burns or phosphorus burns of the wounded, but he was refused. Why?
Yes, Israel used phosphorous bombs, but complying with the international law used in open areas to neutralize explosive traps. It was not against humans. This is another lie from the pro Palestinian/Muslim media.
________________________
11. The pictures of decapitated bodies, shrapnel severed arms and legs were horrifying. The surgeons had to operate on stretchers with several operations going on in one room at the same time. There was blood everywhere and yet there was no blood for transfusion.
---Hanan:
Yes, this is really a horrible view. But who are the culprits? Isn’t it the Hamas with their daily rocket launching for eight years? Dear Dr. Mahathir, what would you do if KL is bombed the same for eight years? Would you extend your other cheek to be slammed? Hamas is the culprit for all that suffering of innocent people on both sides.
________________________
12. The video also showed Israeli men and women being interviewed. They were quite hysterical, shouting and demanding that the Palestinian children should be killed as they, the Israeli women had lost their children because of rocket attacks by Hamas.
---Hanan:
Why you aren’t so shocked about all Muslims shouting in the streets “Itbakh al Yahood” (slaughter the Jews)? Why aren’t you shocked when a suicide bomber is killing 20 Jews in a bus and the Palestinians are celebrating like barbarians in Gaza streets and donating candies to everyone? This is the Muslims hypocrisy. The Muslims lives are saint and Jews lives=zero. Jews are apes and swine, even not an animal classification for Muslims.
________________________
13. The Gaza attacks exposed the horror of modern warfare. No one is spared. The town of Gaza is reduced to rubble and bodies were strewn everywhere. Children were buried under the rubble of fallen buildings, with only their dead heads visible. There were burnt bodies of babies.
---Hanan:
Dear Dr. Mahathir, let me ask you honestly. Do you think if the situation was opposite and we lose the war, our cities would look differently? Would a single tear drop drip from your eyes? All Malays would have a carnival, dancing and screaming as barbarians “Allah hu Akbar”. Jewish women would be raped and the remaining men and children would be slaughtered.
________________________
14. Professor Gurdial Singh spoke about how Israel could be tried by an International War Crimes Court.
---Hanan:
Let’s see what will happen with that. Hamas will face the same tribunal soon.
________________________
15. Then it was question time. An Englishman voiced his anger that the pictures of the atrocities were not made public in the United Kingdom. He wished that the Jordanian doctors could give their briefings together with the pictures in London.
---Hanan:
It would be interesting initiative, but to confront the case with the other side as well.
________________________
16. Responding to the remarks, Professor Michel Chossudovsky pointed out that the Western media is owned by a small number of people and they control the news contents. They were obviously pro-Israel and their policy is to promote the Israeli cause against Palestine and Muslims in general.
---Hanan:
The Al-Jazeerah, BBC, SKY, CNN, French TV are almost Zionist media but always show the Palestinians side much more than the Israeli side. This is called promoting Israel. It is interesting how you saw in Malaysia all those brutal activities of the Zionists. Does RTM have a representative journalist in Israel (may be, but I don’t know)? Al-Jazeerah is funded by Qatar Zionists Jews, isn’t it?
________________________
17. Many of the questions asked showed strong sympathy for the Palestinians. The questions were from all races and religions.
---Hanan:
Was it just sympathy for the Palestinians lost lives and wounded? No one asked questions about the minor lives of the Israelis during eight years of rockets? Aren’t you a humanitarian forum based on a non religious approach? Oh, it is usual in Islam that the Jews worthless people should be the major victims, but now it is not meeting the expectations. That’s bad, very bad.
Do you have the list of races and religions represented in that forum? Who was the representing Jew there? Again, you are talking about a forum of religions while you claim a territorial conflict. Isn’t it a mismatch of definition?
________________________
18. Then a young Arab man took the floor. The first thing he said was to emphasise that the Palestinian war is a religious war. Muslims must support the Palestinians because of their faith. There can be no two ways. The Arabs must fight a holy war against the Jews. They must fight because the Jews are the enemies of the Muslims, of the Arabs.
---Hanan:
That Arab is so right – the war is really a religious from the Muslims perspective, including you Dr. Mahathir. But you are trying to camouflage it as a territorial one. That Arab means a Jihad like is written in the Quran:
• Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread) - (Arabic)
5:82 Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, "We are Christians": because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant.
لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَدَاوَةً لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ الْيَهُودَ وَالَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُواْ وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُمْ مَّوَدَّةً لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ الَّذِينَ قَالُوَاْ إِنَّا نَصَارَى ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
• Al-Ahzab (The Confederates) - (Arabic)
33:26 And those of the People of the Book who aided them - Allah did take them down from their strongholds and cast terror into their hearts. (So that) some ye slew, and some ye made prisoners.
وَأَنزَلَ الَّذِينَ ظَاهَرُوهُم مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ مِن صَيَاصِيهِمْ وَقَذَفَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الرُّعْبَ فَرِيقًا تَقْتُلُونَ وَتَأْسِرُونَ فَرِيقًا

Or like Hamas wrote it in its charter:
• Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it." (The Martyr, Imam Hassan al-Banna, of blessed memory).

• "The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Muslim generations until Judgment Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any part of it, should not be given up. "

• "There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors."

• "The Day of Judgment will not come about until Muslims fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Muslims, O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him. Only the Gharkad tree, would not do that because it is one of the trees of the Jews." (related by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
________________________
19. I felt uncomfortable, as there were many non-Muslim supporters of the Palestinians in the audience. Making the Palestinian war as a religious war seem to reject the sympathy and support of the non-Muslims.
---Hanan:
So finally it is a religious war but you put on the mask of the territorial conflict just to find the sympathy of the non-Muslims supporters. Isn’t this hypocrisy? When you among Muslims it is a war of Muslims against the Jews and when in the audience there are some non-Muslim you are doing it in a more gentle manner and defining the war as territorial. To which of your sides should I believe?
________________________
20. A Chinese Catholic got up to reply that he has full sympathy for the Palestinians who had lost their land, who had been driven out of their country to live as refugees. He thought that the Palestinians were unjustly treated and the Israeli killings of the Palestinians were against all humanitarian values. He did not see it as a religious war but a war against injustice and oppression.
---Hanan:
I respect his opinion. I have in my “arsenal” another Chinese Catholic which says the opposite. What is this proving? Is that Chinese Catholic or that I know, masters of judges? Can they judge what is justified or not? What would he say if he was living for one day in Sderot or surviving a bus explosion by a Hamas suicide bomber? Any violence and killing is against humanitarian values. He doesn’t see this war as religious because he is not involved in it and because you said in your preface that it is a territorial one. If he would be thinking more deeply he would acknowledge that it is a religious war of Muslims against the sinners, where the Jews are chapter one and the crusaders (Catholic and Christians) are chapter two according the Quran commandment. Not mentioning the pagans in the queue of the jihad.
________________________
21. I was depressed by the attitude of the young Arab. It seems he was moved only by the hatred of the Jews. On the other hand the demand of the Israeli woman to have Palestinian children killed also exposes her bitter hatred of the Palestinians.
---Hanan:
This is true. I’m also depressed about such attitudes just because we are angry on each other. We must find a solution to avoid anger and hatred. We must think differently. I’ve already wrote it in my last letter to you. We must open a new page between the religions and between the Israelis and Palestinians.
________________________
22. This is wrong. Of course enemies must hate each other. But that must not be the reason for the war. Actually it is a product of the war.
---Hanan:
Dear Dr. Mahathir, you are so right. Yes, that hate is now sprouting new generations with greater hate. You, as a father and grandfather of children and grandchildren, me as a father of two sons – what are we doing to raise our children to avoid hatred? We must change our education for compassion among humans without any differences of races or religion. This will avoid war.
Hatred and anger brings more hatred and anger. Love and compassion brings more love and compassion. Unfortunately the second option is much more difficult to achieve. That spinning wheel of hatred is spinning faster and faster. We must stop it. Each and every one of us should step a small step forward. The first step is to be equal with our mercy on people, Palestinians, Israelis, Malays, Bosnians, Africans, no matter who they are or their faith. It is unfair to kill innocent Palestinians but in the same time it is not fair to kill Israelis. We don’t need to measure the casualties as numbers since everyone who is killed is an entire world.
________________________
23. The real reason for the war is the seizure of Palestinian land to create the state of Israel. The objective of the Palestinians should be the re-conquest of the lost land, including removal of the settlements set up by the Jews. The whole war must be directed with this objective.
---Hanan:
Why do you think that only a war is the only solution? The historic seizure of the Land of Israel was by Muslims during their expansion from the Arabian Peninsula. The Arabian tribes are the Palestinians of today and that land is not belonging to them. It is a stolen Jewish land by Arabs.
The objective should not be a war but a solution for two states for both peoples. An organization like Hamas is not a partner since they are not recognizing the rights of Israel to exist and Jews to live in Israel. Once they accept the existence of an Israeli state – they are partners.
________________________
24. What I realised when the young Arab vehemently declared that the war is a religious war was that the war would have no end. The objective was to kill Jews because of their religion.
---Hanan:
I think that the young Arab understood very well the situation. Dear Dr. Mahathir, I believe you are thinking as same as that young Arab (maybe I’m wrong; and if I’m wrong I apologize) but you felt non comfortable just because of the non-Muslim guests. That young Arab is just following the commandment of the Quran about the Jews (refer the verses above).
________________________
25. On the Jewish side it is the same. They want to kill and destroy the Arabs because they hate the Arabs. That explains their brutality, their targeting schoolchildren, babies and old people. That also explains the diabolical weapons that they use, not just to kill but to cause as much pain and disfigurement as possible.
---Hanan:
I think that this assumption of you is wrong. We don’t hate the Arabs. If we would hate the Arabs would we allow the remaining Arabs live among us in the borders of Israel? If we hate the Arab children, would we treat them in our Zionist hospitals? If we hate the Arabs, would the hospital in my hometown (a Zionist hospital funded and built from Zionists organizations donations) allow Muslims to establish a Mosque as same we have a there a Synagogue? We don’t hate the Arabs. We don’t want to kill anyone who is innocent. But we kill those terrorists who want to kill us. We are not killing intentionally innocent people but the terrorists (you call them freedom fighters) are killing innocent people intentionally by rockets and suicide bombers in our busses and malls. As far as I know and everyone knows, busses and malls are not military camps.
________________________
26. The Israeli leaders, especially the military are said to welcome Hamas rockets. To provoke Hamas into firing their rockets the Israelis blockaded Gaza.
---Hanan:
Dear Dr. Mahathir, I really cannot understand how low you can go. On the other side I say Hamas is launching rockets just to make Israel angry and hardly react while Hamas is using their own innocent civilians as human shields. Hamas is not recognizing the existence of Israel and strives to destroy Israel. Why should we give them all privileges as a normal entity? When they keep silent there is no blockade and humanitarian supply is entering to Gaza. Once they fire again we close the borders. I don’t understand your logic. The people of Gaza elected Hamas and Hamas is caring how to destroy Israel. Why should we help our bloody enemy and let all borders be open like nothing happened. Only an idiot would do it. Assume Singapore wants to destroy Malaysia would you provide them any agriculture supply or drinking water? I know what the MAF would do. They would wipe Singapore off the Map and get back once and forever the “stolen” Island from great Malaysia.
________________________
27. When Hamas fired the rockets, Israelis would condemn the deaths, especially of children. The people were angered by the death and demanded retaliation, which the military duly obliged with massive attacks out of all proportion to the damage done by the unsophisticated Hamas rockets.
---Hanan:
Dear Dr. Mahathir. Whatever you say, any death is not justified but war is not a kind of fair play. Everyone is fighting with its most sophisticated weapons. As funny as it is, the Qasam rockets are still not beatable and no one has an anti weapon. Should we train Hamas how to produce more precise rockets to equalize the equation? War is not a proportional business since one side loses and the other wins, but I think no one is winning in a war. What would you say if Hamas had that sophisticated weapons and the Israelis would have 1300 killed people? Was it then a fair play?
I just can tell you one thing and remember it as long as you live as well as everyone in this blog. The Arabs may lose many wars but the Jews have no option to lose a single war… and you all know it very well as we know it.
________________________
28. For their part the Palestinians would show the effects of Israeli brutality, the destruction of the towns and the deaths of innocent children. The hatred against the Jews was fanned to red heat, and Palestinians would become ready to kill the Jews in any way they can. They would fire more rockets and the Jews would retaliate with even greater force and brutality.
---Hanan:
Right again. That’s why we must stop all that at once. Dear Dr. Mahathir, I think I proposed you a good solution in my private letter. Why not to give it a try? May be everyone can open his heart and use his brain to establish something different. May be we can establish a better future to our suffering world. Let’s try that and if we fail there will be always the option of war which all of us dislike.
________________________
29. Both sides have now forgotten the reasons for their war. It is like the clan war of old, when for generations the hatred would be kept alive and both sides would want to go on fighting and killing each other.
---Hanan:
I think both sides are now behaving like a snow ball that rolls down the slope of the hill. There must be reasons for that war. Each side has its reasons. If each side entrenches in its stronghold without looking outside for a better horizon, the killing will continue. Let’s stop this now before it will be too late. It is almost the last chance since the future is uncertain. It is in the power of all of us to stop it if we just want to.
________________________
30. The Palestinians are getting the worse deal in this "I kill your people, you kill my people," fighting.
---Hanan:
I have nothing to say here since it is repeating issues above.
________________________
31. I was asked by the Jordanian doctor, when will this war end. I think it will have no end because it has degenerated into feuds of old, when Semitic tribes fight each other for generations simply because they were traditional enemies. The original reason for the enmity has long been forgotten.
---Hanan:
Dear Dr. Mahathir, I beg you, since you are an educated and wise man, since you are a known Muslim leader - you have the power to contribute to stop that bloody war. I think all of us would like to see the children of both sides playing in the same playing courts, getting their education in the same schools and universities, cooperating in business and science. This is in your power more than in my power (you are famous and I’m just a negligible private person). I think you just need to be willing. It is transforming the anger to good will. I’m sure you are using your brain and you must have love in your heart. Just give it a try, there is nothing to lose – but a win- win solution. If you can do that you are more than worthy a Nobel Award for peace!!!
________________________
32. If the war is going to be terminated both sides must try to remember the original cause and negotiate for peace. The backers of the contestants should cease providing money and weapons so they will continue to fight. Instead they should urge both sides to discuss a peace not based on who is more powerful but on justice.
---Hanan:
Dear Dr. Mahathir, I think it is an excellent initiative. Let’s see what can be done. I think you can surprise us with more ideas. Since Malaysia is a kind of a far country from the conflict, I think it may play a very good role to contribute peace. There is just one big obstacle on that path and I’m sure you know it well.

Hanan, Jewish and an Israeli Zionist.

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Wednesday, February 11, 2009

A Waltz with Mahathir: An Israeli comments in a blog of a Malaysian leader (Ynetnews)

Found an interesting piece in Ynetnews website after Hanan vs. Mahathir fever in Chedet. The popularity extended to Israel news website called: Ynetnews. The piece entitled: A Waltz with Mahathir: An Israeli comments in a blog of a Malaysian leader was generated & posted below for public viewing.

The Ynetnews Interview with Hanan on Chedet's website (Hebrew)
http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3666845,00.html

http://translate.google.com/translate?prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ynet.co.il%2Farticles%2F0%2C7340%2CL-3666845%2C00.html&sl=iw&tl=en&history_state0= (English Translation with Google-Translate)

Below is the complete version:
A Waltz with Mahathir: An Israeli comments in a blog of a Malaysian leader

The former Malaysian PM, Dr. Mahathir Mohammad bumped recently an unexpected reactor in his blog after he published an article against the bombardment in Gaza and proposed to boycott Israel. The reactor, an Israeli named Hanan, self recruiting, took voluntarily the mission to welcome cordially a foe country.
(Erez Ronen, Published: 05-Feb-09 10:44)

“Hanan… I agree entirely with you that building a great nation doesn't only take brains, but as you said it sure does help. However brains alone without a heart (feelings) can produce a monster”. That’s how Dr. Mahathir’s preface was written in a post of his personal blog where he responds to Hanan’s (the full name is confidentially registered) arguments in one of Dr. Mahathir’s previous post which he calls boycotting economically Israel due to the Gaza war.

Dr. Mahathir who served as Malaysian PM for 22 years, till 2003, never concealed his anti-Israeli sentiments blended sometimes with anti-Semitism. Along the post he indicates that the global economical crisis happened because of the Jews as well as claiming that the Jews are restricting the freedom of speaking in related issues about the murdering of Jews during the 2nd world war. There is no diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Israel and Malaysia rejected any mutual political dialogs in the past.

“I felt the committed to react”
Those facts are not deterring Hanan who is responding constantly and intentionally in Malaysian blogs and tries to present our side. Hanan tell in his YNET interview: “The story with Dr. Mahathir started sometimes a few years earlier after his expression about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. That anti-Semitic speech evoked a great anger among the free world leaders as well as in Israel. For me, as a second generation to parents who survived the holocaust, the content of Dr. Mahathir’s speech was harassing and I felt I must response to him. I was able to track the Malaysian’s PM e-mail address via the official website of the PM and composed an answering e-mail directly to him. Since then I’m following after issues in Malaysia, mainly those which are related to Israel and the Jews.”

Hanan is saying further more: “I responded twice or three times in Dr. Mahathir’s blog in a relatively sharp tongue backed with facts when he proposed to boycott Israeli and mainly American products who is supplying Israel sophisticated weapons that is used against the Palestinians. It looks like my Israeli “chutzpah” (impudence) in my response in his domestic blog (which wasn’t harassing or humiliating) and providing a kind of a hostile position to his position was surprising and too much. I assume he felt internally that he must his special new post labeled “HANAN” and provide his answer against my criticism”.

Flipping the coin
Hanan’s initial exposure to Malaysia was during his job in a global Hi-Tech company. “I had the opportunity to meet Malaysians in third countries. That’s how I was able to establish friendly relations with them. Just that thing triggered me to make a research about Malaysia from different aspects”.
During his personal research, Hanan was exposed to the political view of the senior officials which are related to Israel. “That was bothering me because I met people who were polite, kind, friendly and were able to understand the Israeli position with support”.

“I’m not involved in any other informative activity. I really don’t have much time for that purpose. It is sufficient for me that narrow arena of responding in Malaysian blogs. It is a kind of a personal project. I think it is important since those arguments are in a personal level – people talking to each other and not politicians against politicians which may be a turning point to establish a peaceful world. This is a dialog eyes to eyes either with agree or disagree upon issues. At least, I cause the other side to think differently. Simply to flip the coin and look what is on its other side”.

The blog correspondence between Hanan and Dr. Mahathir provoke reactions in Malaysia where Dr. Mahathir’s blog is very popular. The post about the “boycott” accumulated about 400 comments while the post “Hanan” accumulated over 500 comments. “Dr. Mahathir’s personal reply to me created a wide echo. That echo was mainly with anger against me and very supporting to Dr. Mahathir. The number of comments is telling the whole story. Very few comments were supporting me, ignoring the brainwashing of the media there and I’m even receiving supporting e-mails from people over there about the Israeli reaction in Gaza” – Hanan says.

The detaining risk
But does those opinions penetrating? From a brief review of the comments in the blog, it looks like it is not – the majority of the comments are supporting Dr. Mahathir’s anti Israeli words and confronting Hanan’s tries to present the other side. “Yes, most of the responses are against me because they are Dr. Mahathir’s fans. Some of them are understand me and supporting me, but they are a handful”.

Hanan was suspecting if he wouldn’t activate some pressure, he would be filtered out of the comments on Dr. Mahathir’s blog. “I thought he wanted to filter my comment, so I published it on a different blog saying that I think I filtered. After about eight hours, my first comment appeared on the network, assuming as no choice (the show of free speaking must go on), as well it wasn’t vulgar or harassing. Apparently, there wasn’t a real reason to filter my comment out of the blog as same I wasn’t filtered out of other blogs”.

“It is to understand that an individual’s expression in Malaysia is not really free as in Israel and there is always a danger of being detained (under the ISA law) if it is hardly outspoken against the government or Islam. Malaysia is a modern country and described as a free one, but the minorities are discriminated by the NEP law. Therefore, so few are responding positively about my comments. As well, my assumption is that Dr. Mahathir is deciding which comments to publish and which to filter out”.

Is it a dialog of deaf?
Dr. Mahathir himself, even claiming not anti-Semitic, expresses himself systematically against Israel. “It looks like he hate Jews and anti-Semitic”, Hanan answers when he was asked if he don’t think that his dialog is a dialog of deaf to create one. “I don’t see any reason to refute his claims in front of his fans. I think that the abhorrers of Israel should have some tough life during their rhetoric speeches. I’m trying to prove that what he says is not based firmly, but anger not leaning on logic. I’m providing historical and present facts as I am aware of and known to all of us including written evidences just to refute his claims”.

“He is educated and mentored his people during 22 years of ruling as PM. He is not the type of persons to admit a mistake, even they think they did it. At the moment he admits the mistake, he is not standing any more on a solid ground and becomes non-relevant. I’m trying to reach the Malaysians via his blog, even to a few of them. A thousand miles journey starts with a single step. Dr. Mahathir’s blog is an excellent lever to present the opposite of his views”.

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Tuesday, February 10, 2009

U.N.'s Ban tells Security Council of Gaza inquiry (Reuters)

Thoughts: Has any organization in the world validate the Human shield practises & using school/Hospital as the rocket launcher ground by Hamas?

"We believe that what (Ban) did is a positive and responsible development and significant step in the right direction of investigating the crimes committed by Israel and keeping the Security Council engaged," Mansour said.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Security Council on Monday he was about to set up a commission to look into Israeli damage to U.N. premises during the recent Gaza conflict, diplomats said.

Japanese Ambassador Yukio Takasu, current council president, told reporters Ban had promised the council during a closed-door briefing he would give it the names of the members and terms of reference of the panel in the next few days.

Several diplomats said it would be led by Ian Martin, a Briton who until recently was U.N. special envoy to Nepal and from 1986-92 served as secretary-general of human rights group Amnesty International.

Several U.N. buildings were damaged during Israel's 22-day offensive in December and January that was aimed at stamping out rocket fire against Israel from Gaza, which is controlled by the Palestinian militant organization Hamas.

On Jan. 15 Israeli shells that U.N. officials said contained incendiary white phosphorus demolished a warehouse in a Gaza compound belonging to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Shells also hit a vocational training center there, wounding three people.

Earlier, on Jan. 6, Israeli fire killed more than 40 people just outside an UNRWA school in Gaza. The Israeli military said in all cases that it was responding to fire by Palestinian militants.

Ban, who strongly protested the Israeli actions at the time, already had said there would be a U.N. inquiry but diplomats said he now was ready to announce details.

At least two inquiries already are underway -- one by UNRWA itself and one by Israel. The Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council has announced a plan for a broader investigation of rights violations in Gaza.

Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour told reporters he understood the commission would consist of four members plus a member of the U.N. secretariat. Another diplomat said the inquiry would last for one month.

"We believe that what (Ban) did is a positive and responsible development and significant step in the right direction of investigating the crimes committed by Israel and keeping the Security Council engaged," Mansour said.

Takasu said the commission would report back to the Security Council, which would then decide how to respond. Diplomats said they thought it unlikely that Israel's ally the United States, which has a veto in the council, would allow the 15-nation body to adopt the report as its own.

Copyright © 2008 Reuters

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Monday, February 9, 2009

Hamas: Jerusalem stabbing is natural response to Israeli aggression (Haaretz)

Thoughts: Is killing innocent people considered as Natural response?

Following the stabbing of an elderly Israeli and a policeman by a Palestinian in Jerusalem on Thursday, Hamas said such attacks were a "natural response" to Israel's continued aggression.

Abraham Ozeri, an 86-year-old Jerusalem resident, died of his wounds shortly after the terror attack. The policeman, 30, was taken for treatment at the Hadassah Hospital in Ein Kerem, where his condition was classified as serious.

The attacker, 20-year-old Mohammed al-Badan, was shot and disarmed during the attack.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas added that the terror attack came as a direct response to Israeli moves to make Jerusalem more Jewish.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said two police officers on patrol in Gilo had stopped an Arab for questioning on the street when he pulled out a knife and stabbed one of them.

"The [wounded] policeman fired at the terrorist, but he continued to attack and stabbed a 86-year-old passerby, before he was apprehended," Rosenfeld said.

A civilian, Yoav Mizrahi, and a municipal inspector, Yehoshua Ben Nun, who were in the area gave chase, seizing the Palestinian some two hundred meters away from the site of the stabbing.

Mizrahi said: "I succeeded in grabbing hold of his back, and with the municipal inspector who was in the area, we held him and called on civilians to phone the police and Magen David Adom [emergency services]. I put my leg on him and pointed a gun at him until the police arrived."

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the stabbing.

Magen David Adom, revising its information that the Palestinian was killed, said he sustained moderate wounds.

IDF raids assailant's village

The Israel Defense Forces later searched the West Bank home of the attacker in the village of Tekoa, near Bethlehem. Witnesses said two of al-Badan's friends were taken away in military jeeps.

Witnesses said about 100 local teenagers hurled rocks at the soldiers, who responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. Palestinian medics said three Palestinians were lightly injured. The army said a soldier was also lightly wounded in the clash, but it gave no further details of the operation.

Security establishment sources said the police officers' alertness had likely foiled an attack on one of the educational institutions in the area.

On September 22, a Palestinian plowed his car into a group of soldiers at a busy intersection, injuring 13 before he was shot dead.

In two incidents in July, Palestinians carried out attacks on city streets using heavy construction machinery, killing three people and wounding several others.

About two months ago, an Israel Defense Forces soldier was lightly to moderately wounded when he was stabbed by a Palestinian near the Almog Junction north of the Dead Sea.

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Sunday, February 8, 2009

PA: Hamas converts hospitals into jails (Ynetnews)

Thoughts: Is civillian's life less important than any of the military action while cease-fire peace agreement is in progress?

(Ynetnews)
Hamas back to old ways: According to Palestinian Ministry of Health in West Bank, Hamas expels medical staff from Gaza hospitals, takes control of entire wards in order to use them for torture, imprisonment

The Palestinian Health Ministry, run by the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, accused Hamas' security apparatus Saturday of commandeering a number of hospital wards in the Gaza Strip for the purpose of converting them into interrogation and imprisonment compounds.

According to Palestinian news agency Ma'an, the Palestinian Health Ministry claimed that Hamas members expelled them and full medical teams from hospital wards despite the serious security situation.

A communiqué put out by the ministry said that "following the unilateral cessation of Israeli aggression against our people, the Ministry of Health, along with all the Palestinian people, was shocked to discover that Hamas militias have returned to their old ways and have expelled all the medical staff responding to the calls of the homeland (to continue their work.) Unfortunately, these same militias used the medical centers, especially in a number of hospitals, converting them into centers for interrogation, torture, and imprisonment."

According to the Health Ministry, Hamas members have taken control of wards in Shifa Hospital, as well as al-Nasser Hospital and the psychiatric hospital.

The Palestinian Authority-controlled Ministry urged Hamas "to act responsibly and to cease immediately the harassment of medical staff."

In addition, the Ministry also called Hamas "to halt the stealing of medical aid sent to the Strip most of which (Hamas) has redirected to the organization's warehouses and centers."

The remarks were made in reference to the equipment reportedly stolen from UNRWA aid sent to the Gaza Strip, a incident that led the UN organization to cease its operations in Gaza.


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Hamas heavyweight in Egypt for Gaza talks (Agence France-Presse)


Thoughts: One thing I can't seek to understand is the lack of support from other Arab nations around the conflict region especially on opening of their country's borders linked to Gaza strip.

(Agence Rance-Presse)
A Hamas delegation from Gaza led by heavyweight Mahmud Zahar was in Egypt on Saturday for talks on consolidating a ceasefire with Israel, which a Hamas spokesman said may be reached in a few days.

It was the first time Zahar had been seen in public since Israel's massive 22-day war against the Gaza Strip's Islamist rulers which ended with both sides calling separate ceasefires on January 18.

Zahar was among a delegation of seven Hamas officials who crossed the Rafah border between Egypt and Gaza on their way to Cairo for talks with intelligence chief Omar Suleiman.

Thought to be overall Hamas leader in the Palestinian territories, Zahar told the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite channel he would meet Egyptian negotiators and members of Hamas's Syrian-based politburo later in the day.

The delegation will hear Israel's position, which senior Israeli defence official Amos Gilad relayed to Suleiman on Friday, he said.

"There will be a follow up on the position Israel has arrived to, and based on that we will give the final Palestinian viewpoint," Zahar told Al-Jazeera.

A Hamas official told the channel the delegation will travel later to Damascus to consult with the movement's political leadership before returning to Cairo on Sunday.

Gilad reported back in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defence Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, an official said.

Egypt's Suleiman has been mediating indirect talks between Israeli and Palestinian officials for a lasting truce since the end of the Gaza war, which killed at least 1,330 Palestinians and 13 Israelis.

The fragile calm has been tested by Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel and retaliatory air strikes.

A Hamas spokesman in Gaza said the Islamist movement expects to see an agreement with Israel on reopening the border crossings into the enclave soon.

"If the Egyptian efforts are successful at this time, we expect to reach an agreement within the next few days," Fawzi Barhum told AFP.

He said the talks were over an agreement "to end the siege, stop the aggression and reopen the crossings."

Israel, which controls all border crossings except Rafah, which is managed by Egypt, has kept the densely populated strip closed to all but essential supplies since June 2007 when Hamas seized power, ousting forces loyal to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

"There was some question about guaranteeing the truce and how the Rafah crossing will reopen and today we expect to have an answer from our Egyptian brothers," Barhum said.

Egypt closed Rafah on Thursday, after opening it to aid and Palestinian wounded during the war. Egypt has refused to permanently open the crossing in the absence of EU monitors and Abbas's representatives.

Hamas officials have said they are seeking clarifications on an Israeli offer to allow between 70 and 80 percent of goods through its crossings into Gaza, barring those it says could be used to make weapons.

The fact that Zahar himself was attending the talks showed how important the truce was to Hamas, Barhum said.

"It is very important for Hamas to see these Egyptian efforts succeed," he added.

At a rally in Damascus on Friday, Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said Israel has yet to provide guarantees that border crossings will remain open.

"The enemy gave opaque and incomplete answers through Egypt that do not amount to a lifting of the blockade," he said.


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Israel seeks quicker steps to free soldier in Gaza

Thoughts: War hostages exchange no longer a fresh issue in Gaza-Israel war affair but the exchange conditions proposed by certain conclict party seems imbalanced but again that's just another piece where outsiders can't really understand...

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel is trying to accelerate talks to secure the release of a soldier held captive in the Gaza Strip since 2006, Defence Minister Ehud Barak said in remarks televised on Saturday.

Barak's comments came as Israeli leaders met to review progress in talks hosted by Egypt to cement a truce between Israel and Hamas Islamists in control of Gaza.

A Hamas official told Reuters that with the additional mediation of Turkey and Qatar, talks to free soldier Gilad Shalit, captured in 2006, have recently made "significant progress." He would not elaborate.

But Osama al-Muzaini, a senior Hamas official close to talks on freeing the soldier, dismissed Israel's claims of progress.

Hamas has also given mixed signals on the status of talks for a deal to widen a ceasefire from Jan. 18 that ended a 22-day Israeli offensive in the coastal territory, in which 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed.

Hamas insists Israel lift a blockade on Gaza's crossings while Israel says it will not do so unless Shalit is released. Hamas has said it would free Shalit in return for Israel freeing 1,400 of its prisoners.

"We want to see Gilad Shalit here and are dealing with this day and night," Barak said at a campaign appearance on Saturday.

"A supreme effort is being made to accelerate the process that will bring about Gilad's safe return home," Barak added.

The sudden clinching of a deal for Shalit's freedom could boost Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's centrist Kadima party and Barak's left-wing Labour in a national election on Tuesday that rightist leader Benjamin Netanyahu is now favoured to win.

Muzaini said talk of progress towards Shalit's was "election-motivated."

He told Reuters on Friday "there has been no progress in the file for several months and that is because (Israel) remains unwilling to pay the price," referring to demands to free prisoners convicted of involvement in suicide bombings.

Senior Hamas leader, Mahmoud Al-Zahar, making his first public appearance since the Israeli offensive, arrived in Cairo on Saturday where Hamas officials said he would likely hear Israel's responses to the group's demands for a longer truce.

In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met with Livni and Barak about the talks with Hamas being held in Cairo, moving up a meeting they had planned for Sunday, political sources said.

(Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza)

Copyright © 2008 Reuters




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