Attention shoppers

A new shopping mall has opened in Gaza City. It advertises “air conditioning, a parking lot, security guards, a full-service supermarket and a food court.” Columnist Lorne Gunter reports.

Palestinian rights

A vote on extending the rights of Palestinians in Lebanon has been postponed.  At present, they are denied the right to own property, do not qualify for health care, and are banned by Lebanese law from working in a large number of jobs. 

Update: Lebanon's parliament has passed a law which will allow Palestinian refugees to work legally, but they will still be unable to work in the public sector or in professions such as medicine, law or engineering. They will also continue to be denied access to Lebanese state medical and educational facilities, and will be unable to buy property.

Uncertain cargo

A Canadian group wants to sail to Gaza. In this editorial, the Calgary Herald examines their motive.

The Gaza flotilla

From a National Post editorial: "When the first team of helicopter-borne commandos arrived on the deck of the flotilla’s lead vessel, they were immediately set upon by dozens of knife- and axe-wielding attackers. Some soldiers were thrown off the ship’s main deck. One was shot in the abdomen. Three were taken prisoner inside the ship (where they overheard heated arguments between the boat’s martyrdom-minded activists and the more pacifistic variety). It was the 'activists,' not the commandos, who initiated the use of deadly force."

Pride without prejudice

Dow Marmur writes, "A week ago, I overcame my aversion to marches and demonstrations by walking in Toronto’s Gay Pride Parade. It was my way of responding to the antics of the group that calls itself Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QuAIA), which had again been allowed to participate in the parade." ... more.

Current affairs

A financial disagreement between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority is the cause of electrical shortages in Gaza.

Israel admitted to OECD

Last month Israel was admitted into the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a club of the world's most developed economies, despite protests by the Palestinians and other Middle Eastern groups.

Europeans for Israel

European leaders have a reputation of being quick to place responsibility on Israel for the conflict with the Palestinians, and willing to overlook the aggressive actions of Palestinian and neighbouring Arab leaders.

Now, a group of non-Jewish European leaders, headed by former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, is looking at the conflict differently. Their initiative is called Friends of Israel.

Anti-Israel or anti-Semitic?

In e-mails, postings to media web-sites and letters to the editor, the Vancouver Sun encounters accusations, often in anti-Semitic language, that it is an agent of Israeli policy. Columnist Stephen Hume replies. (Update: The article is no longer available on the Vancouver Sun website.  A copy is available here.)

Rex Murphy: UN condemns Israel first, investigates later

Rex Murphy has his own acerbic look at the inconsistencies in the UN vis a vis Israel

Pilar Rahola and the Lunatic Left

A voice from Spain - not herself Jewish - who sees the inconsistency in how Israel is treated relative to Palestine and other 'hot spots' around the world: Pilar Rahola

The Real Problem in Gaza

Most of the world seems to believe that the problems Gaza's citizens would be solved if Israel allowed ships to enter Gaza freely. This article explains that Gazans' real problem is the total control, poor distribution and general misue by Hamas of all the supplies that do enter Gaza.

The Best Defense

This article in Commentary Magazine clearly lays out the hypocrisy of Turkey's involvement and reaction to the flotilla incident and, intriguingly, what it would look like if Israel turned the tables and went on the offense.

Celestial and earthly Jerusalem

In an open letter to President Obama, published in American newspapers, (read it here) Elie Wiesel urged the President not to press too soon for a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian differences regarding Jerusalem. A group of prominent Jewish academics and activists residing in Jerusalem responded by publishing this angry letter. Rabbi Dow Marmur comments and adds a Canadian perspective.

Disproportionate criticism

Dan Henninger in the Wall Street Journal compares the massive world outcry over a small naval incident to the relative lack of concern by the international community about much more serious situations.

Here's a quote: "But if the world's powers unload like this only on relatively small, isolated nations like Israel, then clearly the keepers of the world order find it easier to be blowhards than statesmen. And that means we have a problem."