Author: david bancroft

Born in and raised in Philadelphia, PA, USA

The News in Obama’s Middle East Speech

From the WorldJewishDaily.com, this column by Charles Krauthammer, Published: May 19. 2011 reflects my opinion fairly well.  The question is, why did President Obama have to make this public statement that everyone seems to have known but would rather not say out loud?  1967 boundaries for Israel is a negotiating point for the Israelis.

“It will be the policy of the United States to promote reform across the region, and to support transitions to democracy.”

With this Barack Obama openly, unreservedly and without a trace of irony or self-reflection adopts the Bush Doctrine, which made the spread of democracy the key U.S. objective in the Middle East.

“Too many leaders in the region tried to direct their people’s grievances elsewhere. The West was blamed as the source of all ills.”

Note how even Obama’s rationale matches Bush’s. Bush argued that because the roots of 9/11 were to be found in the deflected anger of repressed Middle Eastern peoples, our response would require a democratic transformation of the region.

“We have a stake not just in the stability of nations, but in the self-determination of individuals.”

A fine critique of exactly the kind of “realism” the Obama administration prided itself for having practiced in its first two years.

How far did this concession to Bush go? Note Obama’s example of the democratization we’re aiming for. He actually said:

“In Iraq, we see the promise of a multiethnic, multisectarian democracy. There, the Iraqi people have rejected the perils of political violence for a democratic process . . . Iraq is poised to play a key role in the region.”

Hail the Bush-Obama doctrine.

“President Assad now has a choice: he can lead that transition [to democracy], or get out of the way.”

The only jarring note in an otherwise interesting, if convoluted, attempt to unite all current “Arab Spring” policies under one philosophical rubric. Convoluted because the Bahrain part was unconvincing and the omission of Saudi Arabia was unmistakable.

Syria’s Assad leading a transition to democracy? This is bizarre and appalling. Assad has made all-out war on his people — shooting, arresting, executing, even using artillery against cities. Yet Obama is still holding out the olive branch when, if anything, he should be declaring Assad as illegitimate as Gaddafi. Clearly, some habits
of engagement/appeasement die hard.

“A lasting peace will involve . . . Israel as a Jewish state and the homeland for the Jewish people, and the state of Palestine as the homeland for the Palestinian people.”

Meant to reassure Israelis that the administration rejects the so-called right of return of Palestinian refugees. They would return to Palestine, not Israel — Palestine being their homeland, and Israel (which would cease to be Jewish if flooded with refugees) being a Jewish state. But why use code for an issue on which depends Israel’s existence?

“The borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps.”

A new formulation favorable to maximal Arab demands. True, that idea has been the working premise for negotiations since 2000. But no president had ever before publicly and explicitly endorsed the 1967 lines.

Even more alarming to Israel is Obama’s omission of previous American assurances to recognize “realities on the ground” in adjusting the 1967 border, meaning U.S. agreement that Israel would incorporate the thickly populated, close-in settlements in any land swap. By omitting this, Obama leaves the impression of indifference to the fate of these settlements. This would be a significant change in U.S. policy and a heavy blow to the Israeli national consensus.

“The Palestinian people must have the right to govern themselves . . . in a sovereign and contiguous state.”

Normal U.S. boilerplate except for one thing: Obama refers to Palestinian borders with Egypt, Jordan and Israel. But the only Palestinian territory bordering Egypt is Gaza. How do you get contiguity with Gaza? Does Obama’s map force Israel to give up a corridor of territory connecting the West Bank and Gaza? This is an old Palestinian demand that would cut Israel in two. Is this simply an oversight? Or a new slicing up of Israel?

Finally, in calling for both parties to “come back to the table,” the Palestinians have to explain “the recent announcement of an agreement between Fatah and Hamas. . . . How can one negotiate with a party that has shown itself unwilling to recognize your right to exist?”

Not a strong statement about Washington rejecting any talks involving Hamas. A mere placeholder.

On the other hand, Obama made no mention here of Israeli settlements. A mere oversight? Or has Obama finally realized that his making a settlement freeze a precondition for negotiations — something never demanded before he took office — was a disastrous unforced error? One can only hope.

Bin Laden’s Big Mistake

One thing made Osama bin Laden public enemy #1.

One thing made him a target for America’s hit squad.

One thing – and only one thing – made his assassination justified and praised by world leaders. He didn’t just kill Jews. Had he limited his terrorism to Jews only, he would not have been targeted. 

The same world leaders, who today take great pride in his death, would have celebrated his life. He would not have been killed by President Obama; he would have dined with him. He would have been invited to the United Nations. He would have been a featured speaker on the world speaking tour. He would have won the Noble peace prize. 

Think I’m crazy? Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is the President of Iran. His resume includes a lot more than just politics. It has been proven that he personally ordered the attacks against the Jewish community of Argentina where hundreds of Jews were killed. He has stated – time and again – that he wants to destroy Israel. He wants to kill the 6,000,000 Jews (interesting number) who live and he is feverishly working to build a bomb that will do just that. 

Has he been targeted? Is this animal on any one’s “hit list”? Actually, just the opposite is true. He recently spoke in the UN. He was a guest speaker at Columbia University. Why? Because he is only interested in killing Jews. 

Khaled Mashaal is the leader of Hamas. Hamas is the sworn enemy of Israel. It has killed over 1,500 Jews in the last 10 years. It has fired over 5,000 missiles into Israel, aiming for Jewish homes and hoping to kill Jewish children. Has he been targeted? Is this beast on any one’s “hit list”? Actually, just the opposite is true. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently invited Mashaal to Moscow. Former USA President Jimmy Carter has embraced Mashaal and considers him a partner for peace. Why? Because he is only interested in killing Jews. 

Yassir Arafat was the founder and leader of the PLO. He has more innocent blood on his hands than Osama bin Laden. Yet, this murderer was invited numerous times to dine with President Bill and First Lady Hillary Clinton in the White House. He spoke in the UN. He was accepted around the world as a leader and spoke in over 30 countries. He won the Noble Peace Prize. Why? Because he was only interested in killing Jews. 

Although I can go on, I will give just one final example: Adolph Hitler.  The world knew about concentration camps as early as 1933. 

The world knew about Kristellnacht back in November of 1938. Yet, the entire world called this monster; Herr Hitler.  They gave his respect. They recognized him as a leader. All that changed when Hitler invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. From that point on he became an enemy. Why? Because until that day he was interested in killing Jews only.  Osama bin Laden violated the golden rule: In addition to killing just Jews, he also killed non-Jews. That is why he was targeted and for no other reason! 

The message to Jews – and the State of Israel – is very clear. Learn to defend yourself. Learn to take revenge yourself. The world will not help you with Iran or Hamas. Ahmadinejad and Mashaal will not make the same mistake as Bin Laden and will continue to be accepted and embraced by the world. Understand this, accept this and deal with this. “We have no one on which to rely, other than our Father in Heaven”. May today’s Jewish leaders – and the brave warriors of the IDF – engrave this on their hearts. And may they – very soon – do to these terrorists exactly what was done to Bin Laden.

If the Passover Story Were Reported by CNN, the BBC…

If the Passover Story Were Reported by CNN, the BBC, the Guardian or the New York Times it Might Go Like This:…

The cycle of violence between the Jews and the Egyptians continues with no 
end in sight in Egypt.  After eight previous plagues have destroyed the
Egyptian infrastructure and disrupted the lives of ordinary Egyptian 
citizens, the Jews launched a new offensive this week in the form of the 
plague of darkness.  Western journalists were particularly enraged by this
plague.  “It is simply impossible to report when you can’t see an inch in 
front of you,” complained a frustrated Andrea Koppel of CNN.  “I have heard 
from my reliable Egyptian contacts that in the midst of the blanket of
blackness, the Jews were annihilating thousands of Egyptians.  Their word 
is solid enough evidence for me.”

While the Jews contend that the plagues are justified given the harsh 
slavery imposed upon them by the Egyptians, Pharaoh, the Egyptian leader,
rebuts this claim.  “If only the plagues would let up, there would be no 
slavery.  We just want to live plague-free. It is the right of every 
society.”

Saeb Erekat, an Egyptian spokesperson, complains that slavery is
justifiable given the Jews’ superior weaponry supplied to them by the superpower G-d. 
The Europeans are particularly enraged by the latest Jewish offensive.
“The Jewish aggression must cease if there is to be peace in the region.  The
Jews should go back to slavery for the good of the rest of the world,” 
stated an angry French President Jacques Chirac.

Even several Jews agree.  Adam Shapiro, a Jew, has barricaded himself
within Pharaoh’s chambers to protect Pharaoh from what is feared will be the next 
plague, the death of the firstborn.  Mr. Shapiro claims that while slavery
is not necessarily a good thing, it is the product of the plagues and when 
the plagues end, so will the slavery. “The Jews have gone too far with 
plagues such as locusts and epidemics which have virtually destroyed the
Egyptian economy,” Mr. Shapiro laments.  “The Egyptians are really a very 
nice people and Pharaoh is kind of huggable once you get to know him,” 
gushes Shapiro.

The United States is demanding that Moses and Aaron, the Jewish leaders,
continue to negotiate with Pharaoh.  While Moses points out that Pharaoh 
had made promise after promise to free the Jewish people only to immediately 
break them and thereafter impose harsher and harsher slavery, Richard
Boucher of the State Department assails the latest offensive.  “Pharaoh is
not in complete control of the taskmasters,” Mr. Boucher states.  “The Jews 
must return to the negotiating table and will accomplish nothing through
these plagues.”

The latest round of violence comes in the face of a bold new Saudi peace
overture.  “If only the Jews will give up their language, change their 
names to Egyptian names and cease having male children, the Arab nations will 
incline toward peace with them,” Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah declared.

Zionists On The Offensive

Author: Rabbi Dov Fischer

The great tragedy within contemporary Zionism is that Zionist leadership and articulators operate on a continuum of defensiveness, always reacting to the latest attack on Israel’s legitimacy. This “reactive defensive Zionism” is the same whether we look at Jewish organizations, Jewish political figures, or even at college Jewish activists. Zionists always “play defense.”

Defense certainly is an important part of a winning strategy. The best hockey and soccer teams still need to field a goalie. Football teams need a defensive squad, and baseball strategy includes defending against a bunt, pulling an infield-in, and over-shifting towards right field when a left-handed hitter comes to bat. Even so, no team ever wins if it fails to score. And teams well ahead of their opponents see their leads disappear when they excessively shift into a “prevent defense mode” that concedes offense exclusively to the opposition.

We who follow spectator or competitive sports understand this philosophy so clearly – the primacy of offense – yet abandon this simplest of survival principles when Israel’s survival is on the line. Thus, we wait for others to call Israel “racist,” and then we respond that she is not. They speak of an “Apartheid wall” being constructed along Judea and Samaria, and we reply that the wall is not separatist but protective. They accuse Israel of starving out the citizens of Gaza, and we counter with photographs of shopping malls in Gaza and with statistics of food supplies that pass into Gaza through Israel.

They accuse Israel of human rights violations, and we respond that Israel is humane. They say that land belongs to “Palestinians,” and we present compromise: “Let us have a two-state solution.” They propose boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS), and we produce reasons not to boycott Israel, not to divest from holdings in Israel, not to sanction Israel.

Seventy years ago, Sid Luckman was the most prominent Jew in American football. A star quarterback for the Chicago Bears, he once brought his immigrant parents to a game to watch him. With Luckman masterfully at the helm, the Bears won handily. After the game, he proudly asked his parents what they thought of his performance. Even though he successfully had scrambled away from defensive front-linemen and had a wonderful passing game that day, his parents responded: “Sidney, you know those men would not try to keep hurting you all day if you would just give them the ball.”

It is time for Zionists to stop giving them the ball.

We need to initiate the discussion, not to react. We need to be creative in our presentation, not predictably defensive. We need to capture the imagination by shifting dynamically, as Sid Luckman did on the field, into a T-formation with men in motion.

It is time to start a nationwide campus movement to boycott, divest, and sanction Arab racist regimes like Saudi Arabia. It is true that they manufacture virtually nothing useful, so we have to find that one thing besides oil, and start a BDS campaign on campuses throughout America. We need petitions on campuses, calling attention to racism – particularly against Black people – in the Arab world, gender discrimination, religious intolerance. We need to promote boycotts of travel to any Arab country that mistreats Christians and that burns churches. We need to promote sanctions against the destruction of churches throughout the Arab world. We need to go on the offensive and let people know how bad that world’s racism, misogyny, religious hatred, and bigotry extends.

We need to start bringing Ethiopian Jews from Israel to American campuses and to African-American communities to tell them their stories. Israel is the only country on the face of the earth – in all of recorded human history – that ever expended national resources including risked lives and material resources for the exclusive purpose of bringing Black people from Africa into their country to join the landed classes in freedom. Others have taken Blacks out of Africa for slavery. No one but Israel ever brought Black Africans into their country to join them in freedom.

We need to expend extra breaths and use eight syllables to say “Judea and Samaria” even though we prefer the two-syllabic “West Bank.” We have to stop saying “West Bank.” We have been taught to say “African American” instead of “Negro,” “Native American” instead of “Indian,” “Mizz” instead of “Missus,” “Gay” instead of “Homosexual,” and “Latino” instead of “Hispanic.” It is time to teach others to say “Judea and Samaria.” As the Left so well demonstrates, language is powerful. If we fear that the listener will not understand us when we say “Judea and Samaria,” then we must expend extra breaths each time we use the term, just as we do when we give an address to a telephone marketer when we order a product and need to repeat the spelling of our street.

On the “refugee question,” similarly, we have to go beyond playing defense. If there are refugees, then there were 800,000 Jewish refugees who lost everything when the Arab world drove them out but held their property in the 1940s. Today they number in the many millions. So, if the 400,000 or 500,000 Arabs who left Israel during that period, mostly voluntarily, now number in the millions of “refugees,” it is time to demand justice for our more-millions of refugees. Demand hearings in Washington on restoration of property and reparations for Jewish refugees. Then, with the issue explained and the public educated, demand freezes on Arab governmental assets in America for transfer to American families among the Edot HaMizrach to compensate and restore refugee property – just as we have been doing for Holocaust victims who today are recovering damages for stolen N azi-era property, for unpaid wages during their enslavement, and for insurance benefits they were owed after having paid their premiums in Europe during the years of the Holocaust.

And demand a complete end to all American funding for the UNRWA, the United Nations agency that promotes anti-Jewish hatred throughout Gaza and in Judea and Samaria by acceding to the myth of “Palestinian refugees in Palestine.” We are so accustomed to playing defense that we never even ask: “How in the world can people who were not alive in the 1940s be called ‘refugees’ from somewhere they never fled? And even if they were ‘refugees,’ how can they still be deemed as ‘refugees’ now that they are living in their supposed homeland?” When people “return home,” the idea is that they no longer are “refugees.” At that point, the UNRWA needed to close down in Gaza, in Jenin, and elsewhere – and America needs to stop funding it. In today’s economic environment, there will be many in Washington who will be delighted to see this aspect of an offensive approach to Zionism once they are educated to this incredible anomaly.

We need to go on the offensive and start pointing at the logos of the Arab groups: the Hamas, the P.L.O., Fatah. Each and every of their logo designs bears depictions of their aspired-to homeland. None of those logos depicts Gaza or Judea and Samaria. Rather, they all depict pre-1967 Israel. Similarly, we need to start pointedly asking: What do the Arabs even mean by “Palestine”? When they founded the Palestine Libration Organization in 1964, to liberate Palestine, what area were they liberating? Not Gaza, then in Egyptian hands. Not Judea and Samaria, then under Jordanian occupation. We need to point to the logo – a picture is worth a thousand words – and to 1964, and we need to start advertising those pictures and explaining what 1964 means.

A movie will be coming out on April 15, 2011 that will introduce many people to a simple libertarian question: “Who is John Galt?” Wait and see. It is time to ask – on T-shirts, at soirees, even at the beginning of every speech at every Young Israel dinner: “What did they want to liberate in 1964?”

In the last half century, perhaps the only issue on which an Israeli Government has stood firm in the Great Debate was last year when the Netanyahu Government finally refused to blink any longer on one issue: refusing abjectly to continue any further construction freeze in Jerusalem for a second round. For once – literally, once – Israel finally said: “We will not freeze construction in Jerusalem not even after Hell, Michigan freezes over.” And, remarkably, the American Administration backed down.

That is what happens when your cause is just, and you do not give them the ball. For those who hate us and find Zionism offensive, maybe it is time that we Zionists finally went on the offensive.

Rabbi Dov Fischer, a member of the Rabbinical Council of California and former national vice president of the Zionist Organization of America, is adjunct professor of Law at Loyola Law School. He is author of “General Sharon’s War Against Time Magazine.” A former chief articles editor of UCLA Law Review, he now is the rabbi at Young Israel of Orange County.

Feds Open Anti-Semitism Investigation at UC-Santa Cruz

Dear Friends,

After several years of trying, unsuccessfully, to convince faculty and administrators at my university to address the problem of rampant anti-Israel bias, advocacy, and activism in classrooms and at events sponsored by academic departments and residential colleges, in June 2009 I filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR).  I argued that such political bias, advocacy, and activism had created an intellectually and emotionally hostile environment for Jewish students on my campus.  Last week the OCR informed me that they have decided my complaint merits investigation, which is very good news. I sincerely hope that the OCR’s investigation will motivate UCSC faculty and administrators to address this serious problem forthrightly, and that other universities will follow suit.  (See forwarded press release from the Institute for Jewish & Community Research). 

Tammi Benjamin [mailto:tbenjami@ucsc.edu]

Press Contact:

Kenneth L. Marcus, Institute for Jewish & Community Research

mailto:Press@JewishResearch.org”

JewishResearch.org

(415) 386-2604

Feds Open Anti-Semitism Investigation at UC-Santa Cruz

Complaint Alleges Pervasive Hostile Environment

San Francisco, March 15, 2011 – The Institute for Jewish & Community Research (IJCR) announces that the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has opened a major investigation into anti-Semitism claims at the University of California Santa Cruz. Lecturer Tammi Rossman-Benjamin filed a June 2009 complaint alleging the university failed to address a hostile environment for Jewish students on that campus. After long deliberation, OCR has determined that the case merits full investigation.

The OCR complaint describes a campus environment in which Jewish students feel harassed and intimidated. University-sponsored events vilify Israel while professors openly express hostility toward the Jewish state and its supporters. Rossman-Benjamin adds that “no other … group on campus has been subjected … to such hostile and demonizing criticism.”

Former OCR chief Kenneth L. Marcus, who now heads The Anti-Semitism Initiative at IJCR, explains: “This case is extremely significant for four reasons. First, it is opened just as International Apartheid Week activities are being held around the world and illustrates the potential ramifications of extremist protest activities. Second, it follows right on the heels of a federal lawsuit alleging similar problems at the University of California Berkeley just a few days before and may illustrate a broad trend. Third, it is only the second major systemic anti-Semitism case that OCR has opened and may have important precedential value. Fourth, it is the first major case to follow OCR’s new campus anti-Semitism policy and may demonstrate whether OCR means what it says about its commitment to addressing hate and bias in federally funded higher education programs.”

The Institute for Jewish & Community Research (IJCR) is an independent, non-partisan think tank that provides innovative research and pragmatic policy analyses on a broad range of issues including racial and religious identity, philanthropy, and anti-Semitism.  www.jewishresearch.org   

###

  

Dead Jews Is No News

There are no words that can explain this atrocity.  Everyone, not just Jews, now understand the ferocity of hatred in the hearts of many Arabs.  This is the reason that Israel will not surrender one more centimeter of space to its Arab neighbors.  Israel is surrounded by neighbors who want to kill every Jew living there.

This heinous crime will only add to the determination of Jews around the world to support every Israeli act of defense.

March 14, 2011

By Mark Steyn

On Friday night, twelve-year old Tamar Fogel came home to find both her parents, Ruth and Udi Fogel, two brothers Yoav (11) and Elad (four), and her three-month old sister Hadas murdered in their beds. They had had their throats cut and been stabbed through the heart.

That’s not shocking: There is no shortage of young Muslim men who would enjoy slitting the throat of a three-month old baby, and then head home dreaming of the town square or soccer tournament to be named in their honor.

Back in Gaza, the citizenry celebrated the news by cheering and passing out sweets.

That’s not shocking, either: In the broader Palestinian death cult, there are untold legions who, while disinclined to murder Jews themselves, are content to revel in the glorious victory of others.

And out in the wider world there was a marked reluctance to cover the story.

And, if not exactly shocking, that was a useful reminder of how things have changed even in a few years. On 9/11, footage of Palestinians dancing in the streets and handing out candy turned up on the world’s TV screens, and that rancid old queen Arafat immediately went into damage-control mode and hastily arranged for himself to be filmed giving blood. This time round there was no need for damage-control, because there was no damage: The western media simply averted their eyes from their Palestinian house pets’ unfortunate effusions. The Israeli Government released raw footage from the murders, but YouTube yanked the video within two hours. The hip new “social media” are developing almost as exquisitely refined a sense of discretion as the old Social Register.

via Dead Jews Is No News – By Mark Steyn – The Corner – National Review Online.

Raise Your Glass – The Maccabeats Purim Song

From the RabbiJason.com web site

This year is a leap year on the Jewish calendar so there is a second month of Adar. The fun and silly holiday of Purim occurs this month and that means the levity has begun. Two funny videos for Purim are already attracting quite a bit of attention on YouTube.

The Yeshiva University a capella group The Maccabeats have followed their smash hit for Hanukkah with a Purim version of Pink’s “Raise Your Glass.” It might not go viral like “Candlelight” did (4.725 million views and counting), but it’s fun nevertheless.

These are pro Israel Companies** Please Support Them

***’ Israel ‘s’ country prefix is ‘729’ on bar codes. You will typically only see it on imported foods and not the products listed below… as many of the companies below are American companies that financially support ‘ Israel .’***

 ————————————–

1. The Chairman and CEO of STARBUCKS, Howard Schultz, is an active Zionist. In 1998 he was honored by the Jerusalem Fund of Aish HaTorah with ‘The Israel 50th Anniversary Friend of Zion Tribute Award’ for his services to the Zionist state in ‘playing a key role in promoting close alliance between the United States and Israel ‘.  At a time when other businesses were desperately pulling out of Israel, Starbucks decided to help Israel ‘s floundering economy and invest in Israel. It has been revealed that Starbucks still continues to support  Israel by sponsoring fund-raisers for Israel .

 ————————————–

2. THE LIMITED STORES, Express, Lerner New York, VICTORIA’S SECRET and BATH & BODY WORKS: The Limited, Inc. was founded by Leslie H. Wexner in 1963 in  Columbus, Ohio.  Includes: THE LIMITED STORES, Express, Lerner New York , VICTORIAS SECRET and BATH & BODY WORKS, and employs over 115,000 people.  Its founder, president and CEO Les Wexner is a Zionist. He is on the board of directors of Emet, the Pro-Israel Media ‘War Room’ whose function is to ensure that all media in the US stays biased in favor of Israel.  In 1984, Les Wexner who is one of the world’s 200 wealthiest people created the Wexner Foundation.

Its mission statement is ‘strengthening Jewish Leadership in North America and Israel.’  One of the programs the Foundation runs is the Wexner Israel Fellowship Program which annually brings up to ten Israeli have participated thus far.  The Wexner Foundation sponsors ‘Birthright Israel ‘ – a program that pays for young American Jews to take free indoctrination trips to Israel.  It is also a long-standing supporter of Hillel – the bastion of  Zionism on campus.

———————————-

 3. THE HOME DEPOT: Its founder and co-chairman of the Board is an active Zionist. He created the board of directors of Emet, the Pro-Israel Media ‘War Room’ whose function is to ensure that all media in the US stays biased in favor of Israel .

————————————

4. DISNEY: Walt Disney’s Millennium exhibition at the Epcot Centre in Florida depicts Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Of the 8 million dollars it cost to set up the exhibition, Israel contributed 1.8 million and worked with Disney to develop its content.

—————————————-

5. AOL/TIME WARNER: AOL ALLOCATES 30% OF ITS INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO IN ISRAEL . (Can you believe it?!)  The buy up of Israeli company Mirabilis, creators of ICQ (internet chat program), for $287m in 1998 forms part of AOLs investment in Israel .

In 1998, Mr. Ted Leonsis, CEO of AOL studios (a business unit of AOL) received the Jubilee Award by the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. This is the highest tribute ever awarded by the ‘State of Israel in recognition of those individuals and organizations that through their investments and trade relationships have done the most to strengthen the Israeli economy.

——————–

6. COCA COLA: From 1966 onward Coca-Cola has been a staunch supporter of Israel. In 1997 the Government of Israel Economic Mission honored Coca-Cola at the Israel Trade Award Dinner for its continued support of Israel for the last 30 years and for refusing to abide by the Arab League boycott of Israel.  In contrast Pepsi abided by the Arab League boycott of Israel which ended in May 1991, after 1992 Pepsi is also trading in Israel.

In 2001 the Coca-Cola World Headquarters hosted and was the main sponsor of the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala. It has been revealed that Coca-Cola Israel sponsors training programs for its workers on subjects including the Israeli-Arab conflict. The course content is created by a company funded by the Jewish Agency and the Israeli government.   In July 2002, it has been announced that Coca-Cola is to build a new plant at Kiryat Gat.

——————————–

 7. ESTEE LAUDER: Estee Lauder’s chairman, Ronald Lauder, also one time chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, is the current president of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) – Ronald Lauder is an ardent Zionist.

————————————

8. SARAH LEE. (Includes Hanes, Playtex, Leggs, Champion). This is  also not to be confused with the frozen snacks company. This is in regard to the clothing giant.  Sara Lee owns 30% of Israel ‘s leading textile company Delta Galil. Sara Lee is the world’s largest clothing manufacturer, this opens  the worlds markets to Israel, with cloths originating in Israel and being sold around the world under one of the many famous Sara Lee brands.

In 1998, Mr. Lucien Nessim of Sara Lee Personal Products received the Jubilee Award by the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. This is the highest tribute ever awarded by the  ‘State of Israel ‘ in recognition of those individuals and organizations, that through their investments and trade relationships, have d ne the most to strengthen the Israeli economy.

————————————-

9. FOX TELEVISION, FOX ENTERTAINMENT:  The News Corporation Limited is one of the world’s largest media companies with total assets as of September 30, 2005 of approximately; US $58 billion and total annual revenues of approximately US $18 billion. News Corporation’s diversified global operations include the production and distribution of motion pictures and television programming; television, satellite and cable broadcasting; the publication of newspapers, magazines and books; the production and distribution of promotional and advertising products and services; the development of digital broadcasting.   News Corporation is the world’s leading publisher of English-language newspapers with operations worldwide. The Company publishes more than 175 different newspapers, printing more than 40 million papers a week.

Murdoch’s New Corp. invests heavily in Israel.  Murdoch News Corporation was one of three US companies that was lauded for their support of Israel at the America-Israel Friendship League Partners for  Democracy Awards dinner (25th June 2001);Murdoch himself co-chaired the dinner. News Corp.’s digital technology company based in Jerusalem,  called NDS, has grown from 20 to 600 employees in the past decade.

——————————–

10. NESTLE: The  Swiss company owns 50.1% of Israeli food maker Osem Investments. In Dec. 2000, it announced it will invest millions of dollars to operate the new R&D centre in Israel.  In 1998, Mr. Peter Brabeck-Letmathe on behalf of Nestle, received the Jubilee Award by the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. This is the highest tribute ever awarded by the ‘State of Israel ‘ in recognition of those individuals and organizations, that through their investments and trade relationships, have done the most to strengthen the Israeli economy.

 ————————–

11. OVERSEAS ADVENTURE TRAVEL: Company is based in Massachusetts, is known for their many world tours and relatively cheap group travel. The company donates money to over 50 countries in which it operates in to help fund schools, food aid, etc. and averages between $5,000 and $25,000 per country.

However, Israel received a flat $1,000,000 from Overseas Adventure Travel, as it’s president is a Zionist.

————————————–

12. IBM: IBM invests heavily in Israel . IBM senior vice-president and general counsel, Lawrence Ricciardi, who noted that his company employs 1,700 people in Israel, said in an interview with the Jerusalem Post, ‘This wedge of land and the huge ideals it represents are very important to IBM.’   IBM was one of three US companies that was lauded at the America-Israel Friendship League Partners for Democracy Awards dinner ( 25th June 2001 ) hosted by Sharon.   In May 2002 the Israel-America Chamber of Commerce awarded IBM the Ambassador’s Award’ in recognition of its outstanding contribution to the development of the Israeli high-tech industry and to advancing trade between the U.S.and Israel. IBM established operations in 1949 and was the first large American company with a wholly owned subsidiary in Israel, introducing computers to the country.

 ————————————–

13. KIMBERLY-CLARK: (Huggies, Kotex, Kleenex) In 1998, Mr. Robert P. Van der Merwe, chairman of Kimberly-Clark Europe received the Jubilee Award by the Israeli Prime Minister  Netanyahu. This is the highest tribute ever awarded by the ‘State of Israel ‘ in recognition of those individuals and organizations, that through their investments and trade relationships, have done the most to strengthen the Israeli econmy.  Kimberly Clark Corp owns 49.9% interest in Israeli company Hogla (6/96) through America-Israel PaperMills $49.9m.

 —————————

14. RIVER ISLAND clothing chain, ISROTEL and IBROTEL HOTELS in Spain and Portugal, BRITANNIA PACIFIC PROPERTIES. (This one probably relates least to any of us) – a diversified international investment company, with headquarters in London , England . They said to be one of the largest real estate owners in the Sacramento Metropolitan area.  It appears that the British based Lewis Trust Group is one of the companies developing hotels in the Aqaba Region. David Lewis, the Chairman of the company, is a prominent supporter of Israel. Mr Lewis’s activities have included the raising of money for the Jewish National Fund. He is also a member of the Israel-Britain Business Council. This organization is dedicated to the development of the Zionist State, by channelling British capital to the occupied territories for the benefit of the Zionists and the exploitation of the Palestinians.

————————— 

15. NOKIA: Nokia have started to invest heavily in Israel. Nokia general manager Lars Wolf said in an interview with The Jerusalem Post (4 March 2001): ‘We are really focusing on Israel from all perspectives, because we have an internal project called ‘Project Israel ‘ which means we are looking at Israel from a networks  perspective, from the perspective of Nokia Ventures Organization, and also from the perspective of Nokia Research Center.’  Nokia Venture Partners, a branch of Nokia Ventures Organization, launched a new $500 million fund in December 2000 and allowed that a ‘disproportionate’ amount of it would go into Israeli companies.  Nokia Research Center is on

the lookout for Israeli start-ups with which it can cooperate.

 —————————-

16. TIMBERLAND: (clothing, shoes, boots, jackets, etc.) Timberlands is a $1.1 billion footwear, apparel & accessories company. Its President and CEO Jeffrey Swartz is an active Zionist.   In a recent ‘solidarity visit’ to Israel, where he made it clear he was speaking as the CEO of Timberland, he suggested sending 100 IDF soldiers to the US for a week as ambassadors for Israel.  Although Timberland is a publicly traded company, his family holds approximately 47% of the stock and has approximately 81% of the voting power.

 ————————————-

17. DESERT EAGLE: Desert Eagles are the only firearms that Israel  does not buy from the US or other countries. However, many of the parts of these firearms are imported from other countries and they are merely assembled in Israel . Regardless, Israel prides them as their own and it is strictly an Israeli company.

 —————————-

18. CATERPILLAR: Caterpillar is a company based in Illinois that manufactures large construction equipment such as bulldozers, tractors, various demolition equipment and has a line of ‘tough guy’ clothing apparel. Caterpillar happily supplies Israel with all of its current fleet of D9 and D10 bulldozers, some of the largest armoured bulldozers in the world.