Terrorism – Page 14

August 30, 2013 By Olivier Melnick 5 Comments

The Cowardice of Israel’s Enemies!

The summer of 1942 was not a good time to be a Jew in Europe, especially one without any papers. This was the case of Maurice Weinzveig, my maternal Grandfather who had been living in the small suburban town of Saint-Mandé on Paris’ East side with his wife Berthe and only daughter Evelyn (my mother). Little did he know that the road to escape the Russian Pogroms would lead to the Holocaust for him and many European Jews.
As he was hiding in the coal cellar under their apartment, his wife and daughter received an unexpected visit from two Gestapo officers looking for Maurice who had apparently been denounced by a neighbor. Berthe’s first answer was of course to deny any knowledge of her husband’s whereabouts, claiming that he had left the house and the area days ago. The two officers warned Bethe that they would return the following morning expecting Maurice to be ready to go with them or they would take her and her daughter instead.
After the Gestapo’s departure, Berthe signaled her husband to come upstairs and shared what had just taken place. Maurice’s initial reaction was indeed to leave immediately and seek a better hiding place. But he was soon made aware of the two officers’ ploy to get him. He was caught between a rock and a hard place. Should he escape and put Evelyn and Berthe at risk or should he surrender and secure their safety?
Maurice was the victim of the Gestapo officers’ cowardice who knew very well that the best way to hurt someone who could possibly sustain pain otherwise, is to hurt the one(s) they care about. Because he loved his family, he had no choice and so the next morning he was ready when they returned and left with them. That was the last time that my mother saw her father. Maurice perished in the horrors of Auschwitz.
Cowardice is often linked to hatred, it is devious and can be very devastating. It resulted in the death of my grandfather and many others and continues on its destructive path as we see it being used by Israel’s enemies on the eve of a strike against Syria by the United States and possibly some of its allies.
Israel has the right to defend itself as all sovereign nations do. Israel doesn’t seem interested in striking Syria unless in an act of retaliation. But it doesn’t matter because regardless of what Israel decides to do or not do, they are caught in the cross hairs. So for the time being, the pressure is on and Israelis are on high alert as they stand in line to receive gas masks from their government. As Israelis are minding their own business and bracing themselves for the worst, Israel’s enemies can’t find anything better than to threaten her destruction if Syria is attacked by the US. This is the epitome of cowardice! Countries are lining up to express their disdain.
• Algerian TV host Yahya Abu Zakariya said on Lebanese TV: “If Syria is attacked, we will annihilate the Zionist entity”.
• Iran said that:” “No military attack will be waged against Syria,Yet if such an incident takes place, which is impossible, the Zionist regime will be the first victim of a military attack on Syria.“
• Syrian army officials told Iranian news agency Fars on Tuesday that: “If Damascus is attacked, Tel Aviv will become a target and a full-scale war against Syria will essentially justify an attack against Israel,” then they added that “If Syria is attacked, Israel will also be set on fire and such an attack will, in turn, engage Syria’s neighbors.”

• Lebanon is sharply divided on the issue of a strike on Syria and while not threatening Israel openly, we must not forget that they are a country hosting the terrorist organization known as Hezbollah (not exactly a friend of the Jewish state).
• Egypt, currently led by an interim and fragile military government, has her hands full with their own revolution. They stated that they do not support a strike on Syria yet they do agree for punitive actions against the perpetrators of the recent internal chemical warfare. The state of affairs in the Sinai region renders the Egypt-Israel border very volatile as well, while Egypt fights Hamas in the region. And the list could go on and on and on!
So, at best, many of the countries surrounding Israel do not support a strike on Syria, but I still wonder what side they would take if push comes to shove. We have seen over the years that Islamic ideology turns out to be a common denominator that can easily create a situation where two or three arch-enemies end-up holding hands against a common enemy of them all, and it is clear that it is Israel that they hate in common.
At worst, several Middle East countries have vowed to strike back at Israel if and when the US, Great Britain and/or any other nations decide on a preemptive strike against Bashar al Assad and his government.
While I wouldn’t put it past them to even activate some sleeper cells in the respective countries that joined to strike Syria, I find it very cowardly that they would retaliate on Israel no matter what. Of course, a lot of this might just be idle threats and empty talk to intimidate the West. Let’s face it, the enemies of the Jewish state have a lot more to lose than to win from a full blown attack on Israel, so all of this might only be antisemitic rhetoric. Yet many of the countries of the Middle East are unpredictable at best and very unstable at worst, so who really knows?
So the threat is out on the table as we are again reminded that the best way to hurt someone who could possibly sustain pain otherwise, is to hurt the one(s) they care about. I have no doubt that Israel can defend herself and I have even less doubt that God is on her side. Her enemies are always looking for new reasons to destroy her and when the Syrian conflict will no longer be on the forefront of the news, the perpetual scapegoat of humanity will assuredly face another existential crisis.
On the other hand, if Israel retaliates and attacks any country of the Middle East for the wrongdoings of another one, it is not cowardice but it is as a result of these countries conspiring to destroy Israel. Their subtle and secret “covenantal” relationships renders them all guilty by association, and that is very different than hurting Israel simply because Western allies hit Syria. In the case of Israel, striking back would be a strategic necessity for survival.

WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

BUT WE MOST CERTAINLY KNOW WHO HOLDS THE FUTURE!

Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumbers nor sleep.

Psalm 121:4

July 24, 2013 By Olivier Melnick 2 Comments

Hezbollah Added to Terrorism “Hall of Shame” by European Union…NOT!

In Brussels, on Monday July 22, 28 ministers of the European Union have unanimously voted to place Hezbollah on their list of terrorist organizations. While this is no small feat as the immediate reaction from Hezbollah showed, the long-term impact this move will have on the organization really remains to be seen. Hezbollah was quoted in a statement saying:
It appears that the decision was written with an American hand and with Zionist ink”.
For nearly three decades now, Hezbollah has promoted violence, hatred and terrorism in the Middle East, with a clear animosity against the West in general and Israel in particular. France, the Netherlands, Israel, the United States and Canada are among the countries that have listed the whole organization as a terrorist one. Other countries have joined, but with reservation, such as the United Kingdom only singling out Hezbollah’s “military wing”, a decision similar to the one made Monday by the EU.

The Hezbollah flag

Hezbollah means “the Party of Allah” or “the Party of God”. Its flag carries the clear meaning of “armed resistance”. The text above the logo means: “Then surely the party of Allah are they that shall be triumphant” (Qur’an 5:6), while the text under the logo translates to: The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon. It is also interesting to note that the first letter of the word Allah in the green logo section has been extended like an arm and a hand holding a rifle. The message is clear: “With Allah’s help, we will prevail”.
While its military wing is considered to be a resistance movement in much of the Middle East, there are some Muslim nations that also oppose Hezbollah’s practices and ideology such as Bahrain and the Gulf Cooperation Council (Kuwait, Oman Qatar, Bahrain, UAE and Saudi Arabia). Hezbollah actually has seats in the Lebanese government allowing it to have a voice. The organization has often been called “A state within a state”.
The difficulty for the EU in coming to a unanimous agreement was most likely circumvented by only listing Hezbollah’s military wing as a terrorist organization. By refraining from listing Hezbollah as a whole, the boundaries of the politically correct were slightly pushed but definitely not crossed. It is similar to somebody pointing the finger at a person who is a known murderer, a thief and a liar and to say that they are dangerous because they are a liar. How’s this going to affect Hezbollah’s activities as well as fund raising? It is not, because nothing will change!
While the move might lead to some severed relationships between the Lebanese organization and some parts of the EU, it will not stop the carnage. On the other hand, it is entirely possible that it will lead to more acts of terrorism in Europe as an expression of frustration by radical Muslims who might not even be connected to Hezbollah but who feel that it is their duty to show their support.
Ironically, more damage is currently done by the EU with the newly passed ban on funding and grants to Israeli organizations that are located in the “disputed territories”, and all this in the name of peace. Give me a break!
So let me get this straight. Hezbollah continues to receive plenty of funding through various venues with no way for anyone to check, control or stop how the funds are used while Israel stops receiving funds and grants that had been exclusively used to further research, technology and to help mankind. THIS IS FLAWED AT BEST AND ANTISEMITIC AT WORST!
The move by the EU to list Hezbollah’s military wing ONLY, as a terrorist organization, is not a move of political importance but rather of political impotence.
Clear statements need to be made and clear positions need be taken. There shouldn’t be any grey area when it comes to Hezbollah. I don’t care how much humanitarian work they have done (if any), if they use terror to murder people, THEY ARE A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, PERIOD!
Any serious student of the Bible will tell you that we are quickly approaching the return of Yeshua the Messiah as the whole world continues to join hands in vilifying Israel. Much compromise is found in moves like those made by the EU towards Hezbollah and/or Israel, but at the end of the age (and we’re getting there), we all have to answer to the God of the universe for our deeds, and while our salvation ONLY comes by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), much rewards will be lost by those who have rejected and or hated Israel. That is of course if they are saved in the first place because the Bible is pretty clear that if you are a follower of the God of the universe, loving the Jews IS NOT OPTIONAL (Psalm 83).

If you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing. Margaret Thatcher

August 23, 2012 By Olivier Melnick 3 Comments

Anti-Israel Double Standard Sets a Scary Precedent in San Francisco!

Gone are the days when waiting for the bus, one was exposed to billboards and posters inviting them to try the best tissue, soft drink or candy bar. Advertising is as much a part of 21st century consumerism as it ever was, but the rules are changing. At least they are in San Francisco!
Last week, a series of ads started to appear on the side of municipal buses in San Francisco.

The ads, as shown above, were paid for by the American Freedom Defense Initiative, an organization led by very vocal pro-Israel and anti-Islamist, Pamela Geller.
When I label Ms. Geller as an anti-Islamist–a position I actually take as well– I am very specific with my terminology.We must understand the difference between a Muslim and an Islamist before we use the words interchangeably, as they are far from being synonymous. While all professed Muslims follow the religion of Islam within boundaries more our less dictated by their holy book the Qur’an, not all Muslims are Islamists. The term Islamist usually refers to a militant Muslim whose life is entirely ruled by the Qur’an and the Hadiths (commentaries on the Qur’an). As a result, Islamists are more passionate about their beliefs, less tolerant about others (even within Islam) and potentially more violent. I do believe that Muslims who adhere to the Qur’an and promote Sharia have no choice but to follow it’s teachings and as a result become vastly intolerant regarding the “infidels” (ie: all non-Muslim). This being established, I feel that the ad campaign deserves our attention for several reasons.
While I do not support some of the verbiage used in the actual copy of the ad, I support truth, justice and real peace.
I do not believe that the use of the word “savage” was the most appropriate in such a short ad where ambiguity might easily lead to confusion. According to the dictionary, the word savage can mean “uncivilized”, “barbaric”, “vicious” and/or “brutal”. What is implied in the ad as it pertains to the middle-east conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, is that Israelis are the civilized party while the Palestinians are the savages. It this true?
Anyone who is interested in the facts about the middle-east conflict and who is honest enough to search for the truth, will discover that the Palestinian Authority (Hamas and Fatah) are far from honest.
Additionally, Palestinians have been deconstructed and rebuilt by political correctness from perpetrator to victims and, Israelis have been deconstructed and rebuilt by political correctness from victims to perpetrators. A complete role reversal has been taking place under the eyes of a mostly uneducated world whose bias is so flagrant that it could almost be comedic if it was not tragically anti-Semitic.
Have Islamists acted like savages over the last few decades? You tell me?
Of all the terrorist bombings perpetrated in Israel and worldwide over the last six decades, were any done by non-Muslim? NO!
Are civilians (including children) ever used as human shield? ABSOLUTELY YES
We cannot deny that the methods used by radical Muslims (Islamists) are often barbaric. After all, if any culture or belief system values death more than Western civilization values life, “savage” actions will undoubtedly follow, and they have! Yet we must be careful to not label all Muslims as Islamists, something I am not convinced that the ad conveys clearly.
The ad also seems to imply that we will defeat Jihad simply by supporting Israel. I think that that statement also needs clarification.
Many Muslims will tell you, and rightfully so, that jihad simply means “struggle”. They will often insist on the fact that it can mean many kinds of struggles and not necessarily violence and savage killings. In the broader sense, I agree with the definition of the word jihad, but it is rarely if ever used that way within Islam and NEVER used that way by Islamic fundamentalists (Islamists).
In his book The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam, Robert Spencer, director of Jihad Watch, documents the importance of Jihad for the Muslim world at large:
The unpleasant fact is that violent jihad warfare against unbelievers is not a heretical doctrine held by a tiny minority of extremists, but a constant element of mainstream Islamic theology…This is true of all four principal schools of Sunni Muslim jurisprudence, the Maliki, Hanafi, Hanbali and Shafi’i, to which the great majority of Muslims worldwide belong.1.
So let us call jihad what it is for most of the Muslim world: A struggle to establish Sharia law by force if necessary (why would one want to submit to Sharia by choice continues to be very puzzling to me and most Westerners). The Qur’an is clear: “Mohammed is God’s apostle. Those who follow him are harsh to the unbelievers but merciful to one another” (Surah 48:29).
In the process, infidels either accept Islam and convert, pay the jizya (tax) to the Muslim leadership as second-class citizens (dhimmis) or simply fight the Muslims. There is never an option to peacefully coexist and accept each other’s differences. Multiculturalism and tolerance as promoted by a 21st century postmodern world is only used by Islamists to further infiltrate our world and gain further control (as slowly as necessary, yet as fast possible) , but it is never accepted as an alternative approach to existence.
Looking back at the ad, it will take much more than supporting Israel to fight and defeat jihad simply because it takes a lot more than “helping a friend” to be able to defeat their enemy.
I am a fervent supporter of Israel, her biblical right to the Land and her right to exist. This doesn’t mean that I take a blinded approach to Zionism. I do not agree with every single decision made within the Knesset walls. One can genuinely disagree with a government’s policies without being blatantly against that government or its people. A fair assessment is always within reach as long as the disagreement is based on FACTS and NOT FICTION. Of course, this is hardly ever the case when it comes to the middle-East conflict.
Jihad can stop, but first people have to care and decide that they want to educate themselves about the root of radical Islam.
Jihad can stop if people actually do not allow sharia to taint the fabric of Western civilization.
Jihad will stop when real peace from Yeshua (Jesus) the Prince of Peace is established and not a Muslim caliphate ruling the world (Isaiah 9:6-7).
I guess what even bothers me the most, is the fact that the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (MUNI) decided to run a series of ads to counter the message of Ms. Geller’s campaign ON THE VERY SAME BUSES where the original ads are (see below). This is a first in advertising, when ads to counter a campaign were not ran by the people who felt targeted, in this case, the Muslim community, but by the organization used as the platform for the ads.

I am outraged because this is such a case of double standard and willful blindness. Multiple ad campaigns have appeared all across America that deface and demonize Israel but you NEVER see the people behind the medium used (such as MUNI) run counter ads to defend Israel. Of course not!
A precedent was set in San Francisco and based on the history of my people and the parallel timeline of anti-Semitism through the ages, I am certain that we will see more of the same in the months if not weeks to come. The scapegoat of humanity has ALWAYS been the Jew.

HOW MANY DIFFERENT WAYS CAN YOU SPELL ANTI-SEMITISM?

1. Robert Spencer, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam and the Crusades (Regnery Publishing, Washington DC, 2005) Page 38.

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