Today’s Top Stories
1. Margot Wallstrom, Sweden’s Foreign Minister, blamed Israel for the Paris attacks.
“To counteract the radicalization we must go back to the situation such as the one in the Middle East of which not the least the Palestinians see that there is no future: we must either accept a desperate situation or resort to violence,” Margot Wallström told Swedish television network SVT2T (link in Swedish) a short while after the November 13 attacks, which were claimed by the Islamic State terrorist organization.
Meanwhile, Palestinian incitement went a step further than Wallstrom; an op-ed in an official PA daily paper claimed Israel actually carried out the attacks. Palestinian Media Watch flagged al-Hayat al-Jadida.
It is not a coincidence that human blood was exploded in Paris at the same time that certain European sanctions are beginning to be implemented against settlement products, and while France leads Europe in advising the security council that will implement the two-state solution, Palestine and Israel – which the Israelis see as a warning of sudden danger coming from the direction of Europe, where the Zionist, occupying, settling endeavor was born . . .
The wise and correct thing is to look for who benefits. In short: They need to search the last place reached by the octopus arms of the Mossad… It is clear that its ‘Mossad’ will burn Beirut and Paris in order to achieve [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s goals. He, who challenged the master of the White House, hides in his soul enough evil to burn the world.
And here’s an ugly cartoon posted on Fatah’s Facebook page (via Elder of Ziyon).
2. Russia’s deputy foreign minister says Hezbollah and Hamas are not terror groups. Here’s why Mikhail Bogdanov’s statement matters:
The comment came as the Kremlin sought to secure international consensus on which forces in the Syrian civil war ought to be branded terror groups as part of political negotiations aimed at ending the nearly five-year-long conflict.
3. The suspected mastermind of the Paris terror rampage has been identified as Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a Belgian national of Moroccan origin. Abaaoud is tied to other thwarted terror attacks in Europe and is believed to now be in Syria. For overall coverage, I liked the Daily Telegraph‘s live-blogging.
4. Editors Fail to Respond to Anti-Semitic Letter: Two upstate New York newspapers refuse to acknowledge that they have published an openly anti-Semitic letter promoting conspiracy theories.
5. Incitement is Not a Game: Is a crude game, only currently available on obscure websites, really comparable to popular news shows in which glory is heaped on those who commit murder?
6. Terror is Terror: Terrorism is violence against innocent civilians to promote a political agenda, wherever it occurs. Sign our petition demanding the media use the word terror consistently whenever innocent men, woman, and children, are murdered by religious or political zealots.
Israel and the Intifada
• IDF forces came under fire in the Qalandia refugee camp while demolishing the home of the terrorist who murdered Danny Gonen in June. No soldiers were hurt, but two Palestinians were reported killed during the clash.
• Israeli security forces arrested Shadi Ahmed Matawa, a member of Islamic Jihad who is said to be responsible for Friday’s murder of Yaakov Litman and his son. The Shin Bet was tipped off by Matawa’s father, who feared his house would be demolished. Jerusalem Post coverage.
• YNet: A security guard was attacked by Israelis after being mistaken by Israelis for an Arab terrorist. The victim — a 23-year-old Christian man who formerly served in the IDF — was lightly injured and is being treated at Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya.
• Sanity prevails in some corners of Europe: Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto says no to settlement labeling:
The minister characterized the European Union’s decision to affix special labels on such products as “irrational,” saying that it will not contribute to a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and it could cause more problems and damage.
• Israel to allow in 9,000 more Ethiopian immigrants
• Despite the Paris attack, the Eagles of Death Metal band promised to return to Israel this summer. Three of the band’s crew members were killed.
Around the World
• Sculpture removed from Milwaukee park after blogger Matt Sweetwood raised concerns of anti-Semitism.
• When an El Al plane en route to Los Angeles had to make an emergency landing in Billings, the Jewish community of Montana mobilized to provide the 300 stranded passengers with kosher food and toiletries. More at the Billings Gazette.
• Yasser Arafat bust unveiled in Venezuela.
Commentary/Analysis
• If “love is the response” to Paris terror, National Post columnist Christie Blatchford points out the corollary.
Jews are the canaries in the coal mine for humankind. If l’amour est la réponse, then loving Jews is one of the unshakable conditions.
• Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat offered 5 pieces of advice to his Paris counterpart, Mayor Anne Hidalgo, on how the City of Light can rebound from terror.
• Here’s what else I’m reading today . . .
– Bassam Tawil: What France and Europe might learn
– Judith Bergman: The same fight
– Sacha Dratwa: The tweets that saved lives
– Nancy Lindborg: Can anything save the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
Feature image: CC BY flickr/Dimas Ario; Wallstrom via Facebook/Tobias Petersson; Szijjarto CC BY-NC-ND flickr/United Nations Photo;
For more, see yesterday’s Israel Daily News Stream and join the IDNS on Facebook.
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