prayer before sex

"A special prayer to help couples "purify their intentions" is one of a number set out in the Prayer Book for Spouses...The 64-page book, sold for £1.95, has been published by the London-based Catholic Truth Society, which has links to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales." (thanks Sana)

Jane Fonda still hearts Israel and its wars

"UPDATE: Jane Fonda just issued the following statement to TMZ:
"I, in no way, support the destruction of Israel. I am for the two-state solution. I have been to Israel many times and love the country and its people." (thanks Asa)

This passes as fun in the usurping entity

"He enjoyed the course and felt it was safe but morally questionable. "It could indoctrinate children with racist beliefs. It was sad to hear young kids express such racism. It makes the likelihood or reaching a peaceful settlement to the (Middle East) crisis seem more difficult." In the group before his, James said, excited children shouted to their parents about being able to "shoot the Arabs."" (thanks Fahd)

A scared and insecure state

"Israel has clamped down on the movement of foreign academics teaching at Palestinian universities in the West Bank, barring some from entering the region altogether or stamping "Palestinian Authority only" in the passports of others, preventing them from entering Israel.
An English-language instructor from Ireland who taught for several years at the Arab American University, in Jenin, was refused entry on August 23 when she returned to the West Bank to take up a new..." (thanks Marcy)

Lebanese Shi`ite Madoff: the investigation

""Il est parvenu à gagner la confiance de la population chiite du sud du Liban et a récolté beaucoup d'argent", explique de son côté Mohammad al-Duheini, le maire de Toura, un village de la région. Selon lui, un grand nombre des victimes sont des partisans du Hezbollah chiite libanais. "Environ deux cent cinquante de mes administrés ont placé leur argent entre ses mains" contre promesse de taux d'intérêt atteignant 25 %, indique-t-il, précisant encore : "Les gens avaient entendu parler de lui comme d'un protégé du Hezbollah et d'un honnête homme impliqué dans des œuvres caritatives." And who is investigating the case? One of the most (allegedly) corrupt judges in Lebanon, who takes orders from the house of Hariri family. (thanks Hadjar)

Sleaze army

"A Palestinian woman was to the Hebron Governmental Hospital, in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, on Friday after she collapsed when Israeli soldiers attempted to strip-search her."

Disgrace unto the nations

"How Holocaust survivor Yevgeny Bistrizky ended up on Israel’s streets" (thanks James)

This is Zionism

"Palestinian medical sources reported Saturday morning that a Palestinian child died of wounds sustained Friday evening after Israeli soldiers opened fire at him in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. "

Have you been to the White House?

"The aide, Ali Feisal al Lami , said he was quizzed about Iranian agents, senior Shiite Muslim politicians and deadly bombings. Then, Lami said, he asked his American interrogator: Have you ever been to the White House ? "He said, 'No,' " Lami told McClatchy . "I told him, 'Well, I have.' "" (thanks Olivia)

The Lebanese Shi`ite Madoff

This is an important article. Comrade Ibrahim Al-Amin (co-founder and CEO of Al-Akhbar) writes about the Salah `Izz Ad-Din case: the Lebanese Shi`ite Madoff with his extensive ties to Hizbullah and its supporters. He points to possible corruption in the body of the movement. (thanks As`ad--not me)

The Palestinian question

Comrade's Joseph book reviewed in Al-Akhbar.

Ironies of Lebanese politics

My weekly article in Al-Akhbar: "Formation of the cabinet? Ironies of Lebanese politics"

When Zionists debate the Palestine issue

Try to see if you can make sense out of this: "What you’re overlooking is that many American Jews on the left are passionately pro-Israel.
It’s true that many American Jews on the left are pro-Israel, but this isn’t true of the left in general. The ideology of the left, in the last 50 years roughly, has represented the Palestinians as a kind of dark-skinned oppressed people like the blacks in this country. Obama believes that.
You mean that the Palestinians are oppressed by Jewish settlements?
It’s a crazy idea, but the Palestinians have been identified with the putative victims of European colonialism. Obama has now returned to the old idea that Israel is the main obstacle to peace in the Middle East."

Rating child welfare in rich countries

"Rating child welfare in rich countries"

Be skeptical: American polling of the Arab world

"The Greenberg polls found that The Israel Project had its work cut out for it in building Israel’s image in the Arab world. Asked separate questions about their attitude toward Israel and Jews, Palestinians and Jordanians had a universally and completely negative response to both. Egyptians were only somewhat less hostile. On the other hand, a plurality of Egyptians — 46 to 36 percent — approve of their country’s diplomatic relations with Israel. In Jordan, it went the other way — 51 percent opposing those relations and 42 percent approving." Be very skeptical about American polls in the Arab world. I talked recently to a director of polling at Gallup, and I can affirm the following reasons to be skeptical: 1) Governments are often (especially in Egypt) are notified of the polls and often provide escorts, visible or not; 2) the questions are often drafted in English and don't translate well into Arabic (I speak about a recent unpublished poll by an American firm and the questions that they gave people in Arabic don't make sense because of the funny translation; 3) most of them rely on face-to-face interviews and people don't feel comfortable in expressing their views; 4) the work is often subcontracted to local firms that have political biases (Hariri funding polling firms, for example, do the polling in Lebanon); 5) when interviews are done by phone, people are obviously reluctant to give answers that conflict with the views of the government (you can compare that with a cross section of polls in the Arab world, as I have done; 6) Zogby is more reliable in its polling in the Arab world. 7) the poor are often unpolled or underpolled in the Arab world (just as in Western countries). (Some 25 % of Americans now have only cellphones and no land lines and yet polls rely on land line phone interviews).

the Syrian Communist Party

The Syrian Communist Party responds to my article on Arab communism.

Condemn this and that, on behalf of Israeli occupation

"Members of the U.S. Congress on Friday urged European foreign ministers to denounce an article published in the Swedish daily Aftonbladet alleging that Israel Defense Forces soldiers kill Palestinians in order to harvest their organs." It struck after reading this how often Zionists in the US and Israel regularly, if not daily, ask people, organizations, and states to condemn, denounce, and renounce. Non-stop. They are often hectoring: condemn this and that. They even asked Arafat to condemn his people's armed struggle for liberation, and the buffoon of course complied.

PA to Israel: we don't mind Israeli killing of Palestinian children

"The death of a teenager during Ramadan would normally have set off a wave of riots in Ramallah. But current relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority are very different from what they used to be, and the city remained calm."

Madonna's insights on foreign affairs

"During her Tel Aviv concerts, Madonna wraps herself in an Israeli flag to the glee of the crowd. Youtube users less enthralled when they see video clip of concert on the Net, tell her 'to burn in hell.' Palestinian youth organization: What about Gaza? Madonna, adopt a Palestinian child." Who on earth would care about what Madonna says or does, especially on foreign affairs. And is she not supposed to be buying another African child anyway? (thanks Olivia)

Israel: swindler unto the nations

"The indictment against former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert has riveted Israelis with its allegations that the ex-prime minister took envelopes of cash from supporters for his personal use. But another aspect of the August 30 indictment, one directly relevant to American Jews, has been all but lost amid the fallout: The Israeli leader, prosecutors charge, bilked 17 prominent North American Jewish charities and pro-Israel advocacy groups for his own benefit." Notice in the fake Israeli "democracy" Israeli leaders never ever go to jail, no matter what they do. So let me predict: he will not go to jail. (thanks Laleh)

Zionist solutions

"As a solution to ending anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism in Spain, Schutz proposed that the Israeli government devote funds to publicizing Israel's success and culture - including their medical advances and Tel Aviv's liberal mindset - in countries abroad." So for every Israeli medical achievement, Israel should get away with a massacre or two? (thanks Narrima)

House of Saud still hearts Al-Qa`idah members

"But a recording released by the Interior Ministry and aired on Saudi television shows the prince had agreed to meet with Asiri to negotiate an amnesty deal for Asiri and other repentant militants wishing to return from Yemen. The prince seems especially concerned with a woman and her children who apparently fled Saudi Arabia without the consent of her family and were with Asiri and his group."

Friends: Dubbed in Lebanese accent

I have posted on the Lebanese-dubbed show, Friends on MTV in Lebanon. I received a letter from one of the actors involved in the show. I felt bad but I explained to her that my comment was not directed necessarily against the actors but against the translation and the Lebanese accent. I understand that people need income and may accept jobs that they don't necessarily endorse. She also said that she was, like me, critical of the show.

UAE's explusion of Palestinians and Lebanese Shi`ites

I have mentioned this before. I have received numerous letters from Lebanese Shi`ites and Palestinians or their relatives or friends who have been either expelled or harassed by UAE authorities. I did not want to write about it waiting to see something in the press or some evidence. I did not mention something about it last week. Today, Al-Akhbar and As-Safir published news of the story. (thanks Sameer)

Obama bombs

"NATO airstrikes on a pair of hijacked fuel tankers killed as many as 90 people early today, according to Afghan authorities. Western military officials said they were investigating reports that the dead may have included dozens of civilians."

Israel: Intolerance unto the Nations

"A day after mounting a scare-tactic campaign to prevent the assimilation of Diaspora Jews, the Prime Minister's Office and Jewish Agency received some 200 calls, most of them reporting names of Jews living abroad. However, many callers also blasted the campaign - which describes assimilation as a "strategic national threat."" (thanks Dina)

Zionist endorsement of Amin: (the propagandistic denials)

"Some, as mentioned, believed there was Israeli involvement. Indeed, as chief of staff Amin had had good relations with Israeli military officers and was considered a friend of Israel. As noted, he had taken a paratroopers' course in Israel. Israelis gave him the name Hagai Ne'eman, which means "reliable helmsman" and is a Hebrew translation of the Swahili name Idi Amin. Moreover, as a member of the Kakwa tribe located near the border with Sudan, Amin supported the southern Sudanese rebels with whom he had an ethnic affinity. He shared the Israelis' interest in aiding the southern Sudanese rebellion, whereas Obote was more cautious and even requested that Israel stop all assistance to the southern Sudanese through Uganda. The close cooperation between Amin and the Israelis, especially with the then head of the Israeli military mission, Colonel Baruch Bar-Lev, along with Israel's displeasure with Obote, led some to infer that Israel helped Amin in his coup. Obote himself publicly accused Israel of doing so.⁵ Historians and other commentators, however, deny such allegations and emphasize other factors involving developments within Uganda and the strained relationship between Obote and Amin. One such historian is Michael Lofchie." Notice that they found ONE HISTORIAN to deny "the allegation" which now has been confirmed based on historical record. (thanks Mick)

Boycott

"We do not protest the individual Israeli filmmakers included in City to City, nor do we in any way suggest that Israeli films should be unwelcome at TIFF." Oh, no. I do protest the individual Israeli filmmakers included in City to City, and I do suggest that Israeli films should be unwelcome at TIFF. By the way, I must confess that I was shocked that Jane Fonda signed this statement. But Fonda could be like some members of Congress (or Jimmy Carter) who discover the justice of the Palestinian cause in their late seventies and when they are no more politically relevant or effective, and after decades of damage that they do. (thanks David)

Fox News Hearts Al-Arabiyya TV: and Al-Arabiyya TV is flattered

Al-Arabiyya TV (the station of King Fahd's brother-in-law) is bragging that Fox News is praising Al-Arabiyya TV. Zionist-Saudi conspiracy? What Zionist-Saudi conspiracy? (thanks Mohamed)

The worst Arab anti-Semite

Paul Shawul qualifies to be called the most hateful anti-Semite writing in Arabic these days. Of course, MEMRI and Arab liberals would not utter a word in his criticism because he is the culture editor of Hariri rag, Al-Mustaqbal, and is a cheerleader of the "pro-Western" March 14 movement. In his column last week (published on the front page of the Hariri rag), he spewed such hate against Jewish people and even accused them of cannibalism. Zionists in the US sometimes invent anti-Semitic statements and attribute them to Lebanese and Palestinian proponents of resistance against Israel, and yet they ignore anti-Semitism that comes out of Saudi/Hariri media because the House of Saud is now aligned with Zionists.

Israel: dirty hands unto the nations

"When Radio Uganda announced at dawn on 25 January 1971 that Idi Amin was Uganda's new ruler, many people suspected that Britain had a hand in the coup. However, Foreign Office papers released last year point to a different conspirator: Israel...The first telegrams to London from the British High Commissioner in Kampala, Richard Slater, show a man shocked and bewildered by the coup. But he quickly turned to the man who he thought might know what was going on; Colonel Bar-Lev, the Israeli defence attaché. He found the Israeli colonel with Amin. They had spent the morning of the coup together. Slater's next telegram says that according to Colonel Bar-Lev: "In the course of last night General Amin caused to be arrested all officers in the armed forces sympathetic to Obote ... Amin is now firmly in control of all elements of [the] army which controls vital points in Uganda ... the Israeli defence attaché discounts any possibility of moves against Amin." The Israelis moved quickly to consolidate the coup. In the following days Bar-Lev was in constant contact with Amin and giving him advice. Slater told London that Bar-Lev had explained "in considerable detail [how] ... all potential foci of resistance, both up country and in Kampala, had been eliminated". Shortly afterwards Amin made his first foreign trip; a state visit to Israel. Golda Meir, the Prime Minister, was reportedly "shocked at his shopping list" for arms."

Qadhdhafi laughing

Here, the Libyan dictator is seen laughing heartily: he was just told a funny joke.

Donkeytube

"Two bloggers from Azerbaijan are facing up to five years in jail after posting a video of a donkey giving a news conference on YouTube." (thanks Zaki)

Sexism and misogyny in UK

Lenin's Tomb sent me this: "For example, 16% of people in England and Wales think it is acceptable for a man to beat his wife or girlfriend if she nags; 13% think it is acceptable for a man to beat his wife or girlfriend if she flirts with other men; 20% think it is acceptable for a man to beat his wife or girlfriend if she dresses in sexy or revealing clothing in public; 11% think it okay to beat if the wife or girlfriend doesn't treat the man with respect; 8% think it okay to beat if she is caught cheating. Further, 36% think a woman should be held co-responsible for being raped if she is drunk; 26% if she is wearing revealing or sexy clothing; 43% if she flirts heavily beforehand; 49% if she does not clearly say 'no'; 42% if she is using drugs; 47% if she is a prostitute; 14% if she is out walking alone at night."

One Thousand Potatoes

Can somebody find out for me? If I were to send him a thousand potatoes, would he mention me in the acknowledgement section of his book? I need to find out before I ship the potatoes.

Bravo, Norway!

"Bravo, Norway!" (thanks Amer)

Saudi reform

"A report by the Human Rights Watch pressure group has detailed what it says is systematic discrimination in Saudi Arabia against Shia Muslims."

She has a token Arab (bedouin) patient: and she thinks she deserves a blender

"I am a doctor; my professional career has focused on preventing hereditary genetic diseases in the Bedouin Arab community. Today, the laboratory that I founded at Ben-Gurion University is working with Bedouin, Palestinian and Jordanian doctors and researchers to improve the health of Arab children across the region. This is but one of the many Israeli-Arab collaborations -- in fields that range from developing advanced water technologies to solar energy, environmental conservation and emergency medicine -- that will be compromised here if "collective punishment" for Gordon's actions or for my opposition to his views is imposed on BGU. " Oh, please please spare me your patronizing help and services. Really. In fact, between vacating the Palestinian home and land that you occupy and continuing in your medical "help" to Arabs, I certainly prefer the former. And her comments in the LA times were certainly different from her comments in the Jerusalem Post. Typical Zionist double talk: one speech for Israel, and another for liberal audiences in the US. And notice that she had the audacity of using the term of "collective punishment" when the practice has been a facet of the Zionist state since 1948, if not earlier with the practice of Hebrew labor. (thanks Dina)

Leviev

"Africa Israel Investments stock plummeted after the real estate firm said it could not repay billions of dollars in debt. Sunday's announcement by the company, owned by Russian-Jewish billionaire Lev Leviev, caused shares to drop 25.5 percent on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. The stock fell another 13.7 percent Monday as the firm floated the idea of renegotiating the terms of its debts with bond holders and banks." (thanks Olivia)

One theory of the Yemeni conflict

"Saleh is getting old and is probably tired. He is grooming his son to replace him. Ali Muhsin considers himself to be the more deserving than Saleh's son, especially that the latter has zero popularity and charisma and no one would recognize him in the street without his motorcade. So whenever Muhsin wants to put pressure on Saleh, he commands the army to engage the Hawthi who are always ready for a fight. As long as the fighting goes on, Saleh is under popular pressure." (thanks Rami)

SSNP and LCP

Comrade Raed wrote a critique of the Lebanese Communist Party and the SSNP.

A new Arab think tank

It was announced that a new Arab think tank was founded in Kuwait by "an elite group of politicians and academic thinkers." I kid you not. That is what the official announcement said. So who are those thinkers? They are: Fu'ad Sanyurah, Iyad `Allawi (former Iraqi puppet prime minister/former Saddam henchman/embezzler-in-Yemen/car bomber), and `Abdur-Rahman Ar-Rashid (former editor of Prince Salman's mouthpiece, Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat and current director of King Fahd's brother-in-law's TV station, Al-Arabiyya). The first production of the think tank will be a collection of pictures of the Saudi king. (thanks Mirvat)

Banning issues of Al-Akhbar and As-Safir in Syria

The lousy Syrian regime continues to ban issues of Al-Akhbar and As-Safir. (thanks Ahmad)

Weekend at Sultan's

Now you look at this picture closely. Some of you may wonder about Prince Sultan given previous reports on this site that the man is dead. Well, look again. You shall see that both King `Abdullah and Yemeni president are holding hands with Prince Sultan. In fact, if they were to let go, he would collapse on the floor and be dead, which he is. The eyes are kept open with scotch tape. (Reuters)

This is supposed to be philosophy

"He visited America regularly, though, and it was in his Jefferson lecture, the highest honour the federal government gives for intellectual achievement, that he coined his best-known aphorism: “We learn history not in order to know how to behave or how to succeed, but to know who we are.”" So that is supposed to be profound?