Jerusalem News (7 August, 2014, 11 Av, 5774)
Contents:
1. Ex-Israeli general compares Gaza to Nazi Germany, says there are no 'innocent civilians' there
2. News from Russia. Justin Bieber ringtone saves man being mauled by bearÂ
3. New York: Don't mess with the diamond district from Yosef Dayan
4. A View on ISIS. Caliph Ibrahim's Brutal Moment by Daniel Pipes
5. Congress approves more money for Israel's Iron Dome by Dana Bash and Tom  Cohen
6. How Church Attendance Affects American Attitudes toward Israel by Daniel Pipes
7. Israel - Complains Against Rabbis For Giving Soldiers Religious Motivational Speeches During Gaza War
By: Jerusalem Post
8. HAMAS EXECUTES DOZENS OF PALESTINIANS FOR 'COLLABORATION'
9. Thousands of Kurdish Yazidi Minority Group in Danger of Extermination by ISIS Fanatics.
10. Special Article. Divine Protection
Miracles During Operation Protective Edge. A Collation of sources Courtesy of John Thorton
(1) Israel Miracle? Gaza Strip Hamas Complain, 'Their God Changes The Paths Of Our Rockets In Mid-Air'
(2)Â 'Hand of God sent missile into sea'
(3) Miracle during the fighting, the bullet was stopped by a grenade, the soldier survived
(4) Senior infantry officer describes divine protection in Gaza
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1. Ex-Israeli general compares Gaza to Nazi Germany, says there are no 'innocent civilians' there
http://theweek.com/article/index/265824/speedreads-ex-israeli-general-compares-gaza-to-nazi-germany-says-there-are-no-innocent-civilians-ther
Extracts:
Retired Major Gen. Giora Eiland thinks Israel is making a big mistake in its weeks-long Gaza offensive. In an opinion column in Israel's Ynet News, the former head of Israel's National Security Council argues Tuesday that his country should not "feel obligated to supply Gaza's residents with food, fuel, and electricity," because "in Gaza, there is no such thing as 'innocent civilians.'"
Purposefully punishing the entire population of Gaza, instead of targeting Hamas, may sound harsh, Eiland concedes, but the Gaza residents "are to blame for this situation just like Germany's residents were to blame for electing Hitler as their leader and paid a heavy price for that, and rightfully so." He continues:
Hamas is not a terror organization which came from afar and forcibly occupied Gaza. It's the authentic representative of the population there. It rose to power following democratic elections and built an impressive military ability with the residents' support. Its power base has remained stable despite the suffering.... Because we want to be compassionate towards those cruel people, we are committing to act cruelly towards the really compassionate people, Â the residents of the State of Israel. [Ynet News]
 - - Peter Weber       Â
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2. News from Russia. Justin Bieber ringtone saves man being mauled by bearÂ
When faced with the choice of feasting on a fine meal of human while listening to Justin Bieber's music or fleeing to blessed, Â but hungry, quiet, one bear in Russia decided that silence is indeed golden.
A report in the Daily Mail details Russian fisherman Igor Vorozhbitsyn's unfortunate encounter with the brown bear, who attacked him from behind as he was walking to his favorite fishing spot in the Yakutia Republic. But as the bear was beginning to inflict serious injury on Vorozhbitsyn, his cellphone rang, and the ringtone of Justin Bieber hit "Baby" startled the animal, causing it to beat a hasty retreat.
"I know that sort of ringtone isn't to everyone's taste but my granddaughter loaded it onto my phone for a joke," Vorozhbitsyn said. Nice work, kid , Â you just saved Grandpa's life with nothing more than a tween anthem.
 - - Mike Barry
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3. New York:Â Don't mess with the diamond district
From: Yosef Dayan <dayan@malchut-israel.org>
Of course it was not in the New York Times, but....
it really happened in New York City. This week!!!
http://www.israelvideonetwork.com/spontaneous-pro-israel-rally-erupts-overwhelms-pro-hamas-rally?omhide=true&utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Israel+Breaking+News+Video%3A+Spontaneous+Pro-Israel+Rally+Erupts%2C+Overwhelms+Pro-Hamas+Rally&utm_campaign=20140804_m121597694_8%2F4+Israel+Breaking+News+Video%3A+Spontaneous+Pro-Israel+Rally+Erupts%2C+Overwhelms+Pro-Hamas+Rally&utm_term=SpontaneousNYprotest_png_3F1407156175
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4. A View on ISIS.
Caliph Ibrahim's Brutal Moment by Daniel Pipes
The Washington Times
August 5, 2014
http://www.danielpipes.org/14691/caliph-ibrahim
Extracts:
For starters, a quick review of the caliphate (from the Arabic khilafa, meaning "succession"): according to canonical Muslim history, it originated in 632 CE, on the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, then spontaneously developed, filling the nascent Muslim community's need for a temporal leader. The caliph became Muhammad's non-prophetic heir. After the first four caliphs, the office became dynastic.
From the start, followers disagreed whether the caliph should be the most able and pious Muslim or the closest relative of Muhammad; the resulting division came to define the Sunni and Shi'i branches of Islam, respectively, causing the profound schism that still endures.
A single caliphate ruled all the Muslim lands until 750; but then two processes combined to diminish its power. First, remote provinces began to break away, with some such as Spain even creating ng rival caliphates. Second, the institution itself decayed and was taken over by slave soldiers and tribal conquerors, so that the original line of caliphs effectively ruled only until about 940. Other dynasties then adopted the title as a perquisite of political power.
The institution continued in an enfeebled form for a millennium until, in a dramatic act of repudiation, modern Turkey's founder, Kemal Ataturk, terminated its last vestiges in 1924. Despite several subsequent attempts to restore it, the institution became defunct, a symbol of the disarray in Muslim-majority countries and a yearned-for goal among Islamists.
And so matters remained for 90 years, until the group known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) issued a declaration in five languages (English version: This Is the Promise of Allah) proclaiming the founding of a new caliphate under "Caliph" Ibrahim. Caliph Ibrahim (aka Dr. Ibrahim Awwad Ibrahim), about 40, hailing from Samarra, Iraq, fought in Afghanistan and then Iraq. He now claims to be leader of "Muslims everywhere" and demands their oath of allegiance. All other Muslim governments have lost legitimacy, he claims. Further, Muslims must throw out "democracy, secularism, nationalism, as well as all the other garbage and ideas from the West."
... ISIS has enjoyed backing from states like Turkey and Qatar but to fight in Syria, not to establish a globbal hegemony. Nearby powers the Kurds, Iran, Saudi Araabia, Israel (and eventually maybe Turkey too) regard the Islamic State as an unmitigated enemy, as do nearly all rival Islamic movements, including Al-Qaeda. (The only exceptions: Boko Haram; scattered Gazans; and a new Pakistani organization.)
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5. Congress approves more money for Israel's Iron Dome
http://unitycoalitionforisrael.org/uci_2014/?p=10433
Author(s):Â Dana Bash and Tom Cohen
Source: CNN.    Article date: August 3rd, 2014
Washington (CNN) Â Divided on other issues, U.S. lawmakers united in support of Israel on Friday with the Senate approving another $225 million for the Iron Dome missile defense system.
The House followed Friday night by voting 395-8 in favor of the measure.
Senate approval came as the chamber wrapped up work before going on its five-week summer recess.
The United States helped Israel create the missile defense system, which is credited with shooting down Hamas rockets in the current Gaza conflict.
'We could not go out for a month or five weeks and not act to help the Israelis replenish their supply of Iron Dome missiles,' GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona told reporters.
On Thursday night, Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma blocked the Iron Dome funding requested by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel because it would add to the budget deficit.
McCain and Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina then spoke to Coburn - Â a notorious fiscal conservative, Â about the critical moment facing Israel, Graham said, adding that 'to his credit, he let it go.'
With Coburn's objection gone, the measure passed swiftly by unanimous consent on Friday morning just as the latest attempt at a cease-fire in the Gaza conflict was disintegrating.
Supporting Israel is a political necessity for many U.S. legislators, especially with congressional elections coming in November.
McCain called for the House and President Barack Obama to now also approve the Iron Dome money in order to show the people of Israel that 'we will stand with them and that we will provide them with what they need in order to defend themselves.'
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6. How Church Attendance Affects American Attitudes toward Israel by Daniel Pipes
Israel Hayom
August 5, 2014
http://www.danielpipes.org/14692/american-churches-israel
Extracts:
What role does religion play in American attitudes towards Israel? An analysis by Frank Newport, the editor-in-chief of Gallup Inc., reviews 14 annual Gallup polls from 2001 to 2014 in which respondents answer the same question, "In the Middle East situation, are your sympathies more with the Israelis or more with the Palestinians?" The numbers offer insights different from what one might expect.
The study starts with two basic facts: First, looking at the whole sample of about 14,000 American adults, 59 percent answer that they have more sympathy for Israelis and 16 percent say they have more sympathy for Palestinians, a ratio of almost 4-to-1. Second, Newport finds that "Religious Americans are significantly more likely than less religious Americans to be sympathetic to the Israelis," confirming what common sense already tells us.
That said, his numbers contain several noteworthy subtleties:
A near-linear relationship exists between church attendance and outlook: 66 percent of weekly or almost-weekly church goers favor Israel, as do 58 percent of monthly and seldom church-goers and 46 percent of never church-goers. Conversely, sympathy toward the Palestinians is also near-linear: 13 percent, 16 percent, and 23 percent, respectively.
In both cases, any church attendance at all makes Christians more alike to each other vs. those who never attend, a difference that has somewhat widened recently.
When one looks at religious group, Jews, Mormons, and non-Catholic Christians are the most pro-Israel; Catholics match the national average; other religious groups and the non-religious are the least pro-Israel.
Political views and religiosity both influence Americans' view but as independdent variables.
Political views matter more than religiosity: "nonreligious Republicans are more likely to sympathize with Israelis than highly religious Democrats."
Church attendance has more of an impact on Republican views than on Democratic ones.
Israel brings together two very politically dissimilar groups, church-attending Christian Republicans and Jewish Democrats.
In conclusion, Israel benefits from the fact that Americans remain in large part a religious people. But declining religiosity bodes ill for the Jewish state.
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7. Israel - Complains Against Rabbis For Giving Soldiers Religious Motivational Speeches During Gaza War
By: Jerusalem Post
http://www.vosizneias.com/174577/2014/08/06/2230-israel-soldiers-given-religious-motivational-speeches-during-gaza-war-operation/
Extracts:
Israel - Complaints surfaced on Wednesday about rabbis who gave motivational speeches of a religious nature to soldiers at staging areas for the ground operation in Gaza.
In once recording broadcast by Reshet Bet radio, a rabbi speaking to reservist soldiers spoke about what he described as the differences between the soldiers and their enemy.
'We're talking about beasts of men, I'm sorry for using such language, but that's what we're talking about,' the rabbi said. 'They are prepared to be killed in order to kill a baby. They are not worth anything. They are full of hate. The difference between us and them is that we are full of love and they are full of hate.'
In another recording, a rabbi addressing reservists says that when the soldiers return home, 'we will create a more caring, sensitive, more loving, we're writing a new chapter in history, a new chapter in the Bible.'
Rabbi Eliezer Shenvald, dean of the Modi'in Hesder Yeshiva and a colonel in the IDF Reserves, rejected the criticism however and noted that the Jewish Consciousness Department of the IDF rabbinate had invited the rabbis to the staging areas to speak with the soldiers.
Shenvald said that rabbis addressing soldiers spoke of matters pertaining to the war including mutual responsibility, the imperative not to be afraid, Jewish heritage, and the importance of Jewish unity.
Shenvald said that Judaism was a peaceful religion and that Jewish liturgy was replete with prayers for peace so that it could not be corrupted to an ideology of war.
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8. HAMAS EXECUTES DOZENS OF PALESTINIANS FOR 'COLLABORATION'
by Dalit Halevi, Tova Dvorin
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/183818
Extracts:
A security official in Gaza, defined as someone close to the Hamas-controlled security forces, confirmed Tuesday that "resistance groups" in Gaza executed tens of Palestinians deemed as alleged "informants" to Israel during Operation Protective Edge.
According to Palestinian sources during the war took Hamas members executed more than 30 Palestinians, most of them in Sheijaiya.
Some have put that figure even higher; sources told the Palestine Press news agency that in July alone at least 30 Palestinian Arabs had been rounded up and killed by Hamas for possessing Orange SIM cards, shekels, and other paraphernalia that linked them to Israel.
Residents angry over the destruction wrought in Gaza as a result of Hamas's policies recently physically attacked a leading Hamas official, who had to be extricated by police,
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9. Thousands of Kurdish Yazidi Minority Group in Danger of Extermination by ISIS Fanatics.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/07/40000-iraqis-stranded-mountain-isis-death-threat
The Guardian, Thursday 7 August 2014Â Â Â Â
Thousands of Yazidi, one of Iraq's oldest minorities, are stranded on a Mount Sinjar in north Iraq as Isis militants surround them below. The Kurdish minority Yazidis have long been persecuted by Sunni jihadists, who have targeted them since the IS invasion. At least 500 Yazidis, including 40 children, have been killed in the past week and many more have received direct threats.
40,000 Iraqis stranded on mountain as Isis jihadists threaten death
Members of minority Yazidi sect face slaughter if they go down and dehydration if they stay, while 130,000 fled to Kurdish north
UN groups say at least 40,000 members of the Yazidi sect, many of them women and children, have taken refuge in nine locations on Mount Sinjar, a craggy, mile-high ridge identified in local legend as the final resting place of Noah's ark.
At least 130,000 more people, many from the Yazidi stronghold of Sinjar, have fled to Dohuk, in the Kurdish north, or to Irbil, where regional authorities have been struggling since June to deal with one of the biggest and most rapid refugee movements in decades.
Sinjar itself has been all but emptied of its 300,000 residents since jihadists stormed the city late on Saturday, but an estimated 25,000 people remain. "We are being told to convert or to lose our heads," said Khuldoon Atyas, who has stayed behind to guard his family's crops. "There is no one coming to help."
At least 500 Yazidis, including 40 children, have been killed in the past week, local officials say. Many more have received direct threats, either from the advancing militants or members of nearby Sunni communities allied with them. "They were our neighbours and now they are our killers," said Atyas.
The Kurdish minority Yazidis have long been regarded as devil worshippers by Sunni jihadists who have targeted them since the US invasion. As the extremists' latest and most potent incarnation, the Islamic State (Isis), has steadily conquered Iraq's north, the small, self-contained community has been especially vulnerable.
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10. Special Article. Divine Protection
Miracles During Operation Protective Edge. A Collation of sources Courtesy of John Thorton
http://hebrewnations.com/articles/protection.html
Contents:
(1) Israel Miracle? Gaza Strip Hamas Complain, 'Their God Changes The Paths Of Our Rockets In Mid-Air'
(2)Â 'Hand of God sent missile into sea'
(3) Miracle during the fighting, the bullet was stopped by a grenade, the soldier survived
(4) Senior infantry officer describes divine protection in GazaÂ