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When criticizing your country is outright treason. Members of the Jewish community were outraged when it became apparent the World Social Forum in Montreal was nothing more than a gathering of anti-Israel speakers and left-wing extremists. One member of Israel’s Knesset was invited, however, though he may have fit the bill better than anyone else in attendance.
Joint List MK Basel Ghattas, an Israeli-Arab citizen, used the opportunity not only to condemn Israeli settlements, but made it clear he considered all of Israel “occupied” territory, writes David Suissa in a new op-ed. “According to Ghattas, all of Israel is illegitimate,” Suissa argues. “The country belongs to ‘Palestine,’ not Israel. Remember: this is not coming from an anti-Israel activist – it’s coming from an Israeli citizen and MK.” Wonder if any Arab states would allow such bashing from one of its politicians, especially a Jewish one (if there were any).
A hero’s welcome for Gerbi and Sasson. Israeli bronze-winning judokas Or Sasson and Yarden Gerbi returned home to Israel today where a large delegation of fans were waiting to drape them in cheers, applause and bouquets of flowers. Sasson in particular became a national icon after attempting to shake the hand of his opponent, a sore loser by the name of Islam El Shehaby (who was reprimanded by the International Olympic Committee and actually dismissed from Rio). The IOC said the Egyptian’s conduct “was contrary to the rules of fair play and against the spirit of friendship embodied in the Olympic values,” and so they sent him home packing. Good riddance.
Hundreds were at Ben-Gurion airport to welcome bronze-winning judokas Yarden Gerbi and Or Sasson. #Olympics #ISR https://t.co/7FyDLlP6z4
— Israel in Toronto (@IsraelinToronto) August 16, 2016
Can we, like, arrest this woman? Over the past few months, several Canadian shoppers have been forced to confront ugly BDS stickers atop of Israeli products (in areas with large Jewish/Israeli populations, like Richmond Hill). Outraged, many have requested that these perpetrators be brought to justice but there simply wasn’t any evidence. Until now.
As Israelly Cool points out, a group called Canadians for Justice & Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) have filmed themselves committing mischief and tampering with products by placing BDS stickers on Israeli items at a Costco. The videos show a cheerful (and likely uneducated) fool woman by the name Miranda Christina Gallo instructing viewers as to which brands are Israeli, while placing stickers on them. Ms. Gallo, have you ever stopped to think that what you’re doing is detrimental to the Palestinian people as well? Have you thought that maybe they rely on the Israeli economy for jobs? Or that SodaStream, the brand you deface (illegally) in these videos, actually employed 500 Palestinian workers before it moved its factory away from the West Bank (arguably thanks to BDS advocates like you)?
This is what happens when misinformation runs wild, and impressionable people join a cause they likely have very little idea about. CJPME removed the videos once it realized its error, but luckily Israelly Cool made copies:
The Krav Maga legislation. Following the murder of British MP Jo Cox, UK parliamentarians are being taught the Israeli self-defence model of Krav Maga in a bid to protect themselves. Two MP’s and some 18 aides took part in the first training session in Westminster last week. The brain behind the initiative, Mendora Ogbogbo, said MP’s were being shown “techniques where if someone comes at them with a knife or a gun, they can disarm the weapons and then run. They are not being taught how to fight.” Another session is scheduled for November.
Seeing doubles. A first-grade class at an elementary school in Kfar Saba, Israel will see thirteen sets of twins begin school this year. Thirteen sets of twins! I feel bad for the regular children at that school. Apparently, Israel boasts a very high ratio of twins compared to the rest of the world.
It’s like they’re not even trying to keep their friendship a secret. David Duke, former KKK leader and candidate for senator of Louisiana, loves Donald Trump. And while Trump, albeit begrudgingly, denounced Duke’s support, it wouldn’t be surprisingly to learn that the feeling was actually mutual. How else would Trump have even seen the anti-Clinton graphic he presented to supporters at a Florida rally last week if he wasn’t an avid reader of Duke’s Twitter page? (Duke was the first to tweet out the graphic, mind you, his version presented some anti-Semitic propaganda). Either these two are besties, or whoever’s running Trump’s social media is just really, really bad at his/her job.
David Duke in July | Donald Trump yesterday pic.twitter.com/Ld32FCWu0c
— Nathaniel Meyersohn (@nmeyersohn) August 12, 2016
They’d rather dwell in obscurity than host Israel. Malaysia has forfeited its rights to host the 2017 Fifa Congress, all because it didn’t want to upset any locals by having Israelis in attendance (the event would require the country to issue visas to Israeli delegates, and even display the Israeli flag, G-d forbid). Deputy President of the Football Association of Malaysia told AFP the decision was over ‘security issues.’ But it seems, just like in the case of Islam El Shehaby, that bigotry is the real culprit.
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