Jerusalem News (17 March, 2013, Nissan 6, 5773)
Contents:
1. MK Eichler: EU Funding Anti-Hareidi Propaganda and Inciting Hatred Amongst Jews.
2. White Albinoes Murdered in Tanzania for being White, Wichcraft Usage of Body parts
3. Gallup Telephone Poll: Americans Least Favorable Toward Iran
Canada, Great Britain, Germany, and Japan get highest marks
4. Americans' Sympathies for Israel Match All-Time High
Republicans, conservatives, older Americans most likely to voice sympathy
for Israel
5. Irish minister to 'Post': Ireland not hostile
6. Multiple Heat Stroke Causalities at Tel Aviv Half Marathon; One Dead. Was Obama Visit to Blame?
7. World's most innovative countries, according to Bloomberg. List of First 50.
USA is first, Israel is only 32 but FIRST in Research and Development as a percentage of gross domestic product.
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1. MK Eichler: EU Funding Anti-Hareidi Propaganda and Inciting Hatred Amongst Jews.
MK Yisrael Eichler (United Torah Judaism) in an interview with Arutz HaKnesset (broadcast 8 March, 2013) reported that the EU and Reform Judaism pump many millions of dollars into Israel to fund anti-Hariedi (Ultra-Orthodox) propaganda. This results in Hariedi Jews being discriminated and hated by other members of the Israeli Public.
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2. White Albinoes Murdered in Tanzania for being White, Wichcraft Usage of Body parts
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21675536
Extracts:
The UN human rights chief has condemned a recent spate of "horrific witchcraft attacks" on people with albinism in Tanzania, including the murder of a young boy.
Navi Pillay says people with albinism need more protection
The UN human rights chief has condemned a recent spate of "horrific attacks" on people with albinism in Tanzania, including the murder of a young boy.
The government should act to stop the "vicious killings" and discrimination they faced, said Navi Pillay.
The mutilation and murder of people with albinism is often linked to witchcraft, the UN says.
Only five people have been convicted in Tanzania since 2000 for killing people with albinism, it adds.
Some 72 people have been killed in that time.
In a statement, Ms Pillay said four attacks on Tanzanians with albinism had been documented in just 16 days between the end of January and mid-February.
They included:
the murder of a seven-year-old boy, Lugolola Bunzari, on 31 January at Kanunge village in the Tabora region. His attackers slashed his forehead, right arm and left shoulder, and chopped off his left arm just above the elbow. The boy's grandfather, aged 95, was also killed in the attack as he tried to protect his grandson;
a seven-month-old baby, Makunga Baraka, narrowly escaped death on 5 February after armed men attacked his home in the Simiyu region. Villagers chased the attackers away and surrounded the house to protect him. The baby and his mother were taken to the police station the following morning and given temporary sanctuary;
a 39-year-old woman Maria Chambanenge was attacked on 11 February by five armed men, allegedly including her husband, in Mkowe village in the Rukwa region. They hacked off her left arm while she was sleeping with two of her four children. The five suspects were subsequently arrested and the victim's arm recovered - their trial is reportedly under way
a 10-year-old boy, Mwigulu Matonange, was attacked on his way home from school and his left arm chopped off above the elbow by two unidentified men in Msia village in Rukwa. Three men have been arrested in connection with the attack.
Some witchdoctors say that magic charms are more powerful if they contain body parts from people with albinism - this has led to a lucrative criminal trade in these body parts.
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3. Gallup Telephone Poll: Americans Least Favorable Toward Iran
Canada, Great Britain, Germany, and Japan get highest marks
by Frank Newport and Igor Himelfarb Gallup March 7, 2013
http://www.gallup.com/poll/161159/americans-least-favorable-toward-iran.aspx
I'd like your overall opinion of some foreign countries. What is your
overall opinion of [RANDOM ORDER}
#1 Total favorable
#2 Total unfavorable
#1 #2
91% 5% Canada
88% 8% Great Britain
85% 10% Germany
81% 15% Japan
73% 22% France
68% 23% India
66% 29% Israel
47% 49% Mexico
44% 50% Russia
43% 52% China
40% 47% Venezuela
40% 53% Egypt
36% 58% Saudi Arabia
34% 59% Cuba
20% 72% Libya
19% 76% Iraq
15% 80% Afghanistan
15% 77% The Palestinian Authority
14% 75% Syria
14% 81% Pakistan
12% 84% North Korea
9% 87% Iran
Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted
Feb. 7-10, 2013, on the Gallup Daily tracking survey, with a random sample
of 1,015 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the
District of Columbia.
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4. Americans' Sympathies for Israel Match All-Time High
Republicans, conservatives, older Americans most likely to voice sympathy
for Israel
by Lydia Saad March 15, 2013
http://www.gallup.com/poll/161387/americans-sympathies-israel-match-time-high.aspx?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=syndication&utm_content=plaintextlink&utm_term=Israel
Extracts:
 -- Americans' sympathies lean heavily toward the Israelis over
the Palestinians, 64% vs. 12%. Americans' partiality for Israel has
consistently exceeded 60% since 2010; however, today's 64% ties the highest
Gallup has recorded in a quarter century, last seen in 1991 during the Gulf
War. At that time, slightly fewer than today, 7%, sympathized more with the
Palestinians.
The new data are from Gallup's 2013 World Affairs poll, conducted Feb. 7-10.
Consistent with prior years, Republicans are substantially more likely thanÂ
Democrats to favor the Israelis, 78% vs. 55%, with the preferences of
independents -- currently 63% -- more closely matching those of Democrats.
Support for Israel has increased among all three party groups since 2001,
but particularly among Republicans and independents. The percentage
sympathizing more with the Israelis has increased by 18 percentage points
among Republicans (from 60% to 78%) and by 21 points among independents
(from 42% to 63%). By comparison, Democrats' support has increased four
points (from 51% to 55%).
...the percentage favoring the Palestinians increases with formal education, ranging from 8% of those withÂ
no college experience to 20% of postgraduates.
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5. Irish minister to 'Post': Ireland not hostile
By HERB KEINON
03/17/2013 02:40
http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Irish-minister-to-Post-Ireland-not-hostile
Extracts:
Jerusalem should distinguish between Irish NGOs, some of which are obsessively focused on Israel, and the Irish government that wants to deepen and extend ties with the Jewish state, Irish Justice, Equality and Defense Minister Alan Shatter told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.
Shatter, who came to Israel on Monday for a five-day visit after spending two days in Lebanon, said the center-right government in his country believes that Israel and Ireland have a lot of common economic interests, and that 'a great deal more can be done.'
Sitting in the courtyard of east Jerusalem's American Colony Hotel, Shatter addressed charges that Ireland was among the most hostile countries toward Israel inside the EU by saying Ireland has a new government, in power now for some two years, that has taken a 'balanced approach to the Palestinian issue.'
'Ireland is a friend of Israel,' he said. 'We have a government in Ireland that wants a deeper engagement. But we also have a government in Ireland that is committed to the peace process. I am very conscious that the peace process has effectively ground to a halt. I think the formation of a new government, with so many new MKs and the role [Hatnua chairwoman] Tzipi Livni has been given, provides an opportunity for engagement.'
Shatter, who is Jewish, has over the years come under sharp criticism in his country for speaking out in support of Israel.
'It is legitimate to be critical of Israel,' he said. But, he added, there are 'occasions when you get to the point where people attempt to delegitimize the Israeli state, and seek to deny it any international credibility, and that steps over the line from political critique to an attempt to disguise anti-Semitism. I have over the years of political life in Ireland been the target of that sort of communications, but it is extremely rare.'
Shatter, who visited the 12- man Irish contingent to the UN disengagement force on the Golan Heights, said the UN force was 'not going to disappear.'
Shatter also visited the 360- strong Irish contingent in Lebanon, 330 of them part of the UNIFIL forces in southern Lebanon, and said that there, too, he got no signal that anyone was considering disengagement.
'Ireland is absolutely committed to continued engagement in UNIFIL,' he said. 'I met the force commander there, as well as with our troops, and got no sense of a desire to terminate that mission.'
One of the arguments heard in Europe against placing Hezbollah on the terror list is that the group would retaliate by attacking UNIFIL forces.
'I think from the Israeli point of view the calm in southern Lebanon is of crucial importance,' he said, adding that 'the role UNIFIL plays on the blue line [the UN-drawn border between Israel and Lebanon] 'both as observers and in mediating issues as they arise between the Lebanon armed force and Israel , Â is of crucial importance.
It has brought some stability to the border between Israel and Lebanon. I think this is an issue of greater complexity than how to describe a particular grouping. You have to give comprehensive consideration to consequences of a decision that might be taken, and whether the decision is of genuine benefit or not.'
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6. Multiple Heat Stroke Causalities at Tel Aviv Half Marathon; One Dead. Was Obama Visit to Blame?
After death at Tel Aviv half-marathon, Health Ministry panel will set standards for 'extreme' sports events
http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/after-death-at-tel-aviv-half-marathon-health-ministry-panel-will-set-standards-for-extreme-sports-events.premium-1.509904
Extracts:
ByIlan Lior , Dan Even and Ilan Goldman | Mar.17, 2013 | 8:18 AM | 3
The Health Ministry is establishing an investigative committee to set standards for sporting events, following the death of a runner in the Tel Aviv half-marathon on Friday and injuries to a dozen others.
Michael Michaelovich, 29, died during the half-marathon, and 12 other people suffered serious heatstroke and dehydration. Eleven were still hospitalized last night, all of them stable. They are due to be released today. The Magen David Adom rescue service treated a total of 80 people for heatstroke and other injuries resulting from Friday's races.
Two years ago, a 42-year-old runner in the Tel Aviv Marathon was hospitalized with severe dehydration and died three days later.
Some half-marathon runners said there wasn't enough water available along the route, but municipal officials denied this.
Because of the expected heat wave, the municipality considered postponing all the events to this Friday,