The Irony...

They were the most hated and persecuted race of all time—and still are; The most under equipped defenses against their foes who out numbered them by at least 60:1; And the irony is they are the most victorious people in world history.

How'd they do it? "Rebirth" shows you! www.rebirthofisrael.com

Two new novels to read for the holidays

Since I share the same era as Nike's books, we decided to displays each others' work. I hope you'll take a moment to check out Nike's blog post.

Nike Chillemi ~ Crime Fictionista  http://nikechillemi.wordpress.com/

Goodbye Noel (Desert Breeze) ~ Christmas/New Year's themed (1946/47)

--Will a young pediatric nurse be able to care for an infant whose mother was murdered

and escape the killer who has struck again? Can she trust the stalwart village detective

with her life and her heart as he works to catch the killer before sombody he loves dies?

 

Burning Hearts (Desert Breeze) ~ Historical Romantic Thriller

---Can a young seamstress with an independent streak escape an arsonist/murderer

while deciding if she trusts the dashing war hero some claim is the killer? 

Europe continues criticizing Israel

With a 33 to 13 vote in 1947 in favor of Jewish and Arab states in Palestine, Europe has still carried the anti-Semitic hatred that Hitler inflamed. 


Following recent European condemnation of settlement activity, Israel issued sharp rebukes to France, Germany, England and Portugal: If they want to condemn others, they should focus on Syria and Iran to name a few.


The U.S. agrees and says these European statements are not conducive to peace in the Middle East.


"Rebirth" covers many aspects of when it all heated up in the first place, beginning with Hitler's extended campaign to rile European Arabs and Asians with a fully German funded radio station to broadcast lies about Jews in Arabic all throughout Europe and Asia.


What's really amazing is that those lies were passed down to their children (which was also a Hitler initiation) and those children are the finger pointers of today, who now are passing poison to their children so the cycle will continue.

Iran - not to be underestimated

Iran, otherwise know as Persia in the bible, is still a large threat to both Israel and the U.S. For Israel, the news has covered their threat well enough that this writer doesn't need to cover. But a lesser known plot from Iran is to purchase nuclear subs and park them off the eastern coast of the U.S. They know if they want to wipe out Israel, they'd have to also do the same to the U.S., if they were to survive.

While it seems far fetched (and nobody wants to hear it) Iran stands the chance of doing just that.

Despite repeated UN Security Council resolutions condemning Iran's nuclear program, the rogue regime in Tehran is marching forward, threatening regional and global stability. Congress has approved legislation that would help clamp down on Iran's funding by issuing a new set of sanctions.

This "sanction" has historically proven to be useless, thought I'm all for any attempt at tying anything prior to war to stop a madman.

Since many of us do not believe our current president "gets it" and thus this is truly a time we must pray specifically against Iran's goals, (along with their cohorts Hamas and Hezbollah to name a few) because we need God's protection from yet another enemy who desperately desires to wipe out good countries to further their cause. God works through prayer!

Have you seen Rebirth's website lately? With over 5,000 hits in 6 weeks, there's new content being added all the time. www.rebirthofisrael.com

As usual the Palestinians rejected:

Israeli Call to Resume Direct Talks Rebuffed by PA - 


 Herb Keinon and Khaled Abu Toameh
Israel proposed, and the Palestinians rejected, a call to resume direct negotiations when Quartet representatives come to Jerusalem Wednesday, Israeli officials said Sunday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesman, Mark Regev, said, "We are disappointed and frustrated by the Palestinian leadership's repeated refusal to engage directly with Israel....They say they believe in peace, but it is very difficult to square this rejectionist position - a position that boycotts sitting at the table with Israel - with their stated aim of supporting peace and reconciliation." 
 (Jerusalem Post)

Rebirth's eyewitness reads the book

Similar to Rebirth's main character Charles Devonshire, an actual eyewitness, Zipporah Porath "Zippy" lived through the amazing volatile events that created a nation more controversial than any other country in history. She was kind enough to confirm many facts from fiction during the writing of Rebirth as we corresponded several times about the reestablishment of Israel.

Zippy was a journalism student from New York and intended to study for one year at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1947. But after a cloak and dagger encounter with the Haganah (the Jewish underground military) she volunteered as a nurse during the heated exchange between Jews and Arabs and saw numerous miracles take place. To have a living eyewitness to confer with was a real blessing that most authors only dream of.

Now in her mid 80's, Zippy has read Rebirth and this is (in part) what she said: "Your narrative writing skills are evident; the story flows and sustains interest. I truly appreciate your sincere efforts to bring this story to light, am pleased to have been of any assistance, and happy for you that your readers are so enthusiastic about "Rebirth." I hope you get many more excellent reviews and sell a lot of books."

Best wishes,
Zippy

Be sure to check out Rebirth's pro Israel book website where there's lots of free stuff to view and please tell some friends or give one as a gift this season! www.rebirthofisrael.com

The concept behind Rebirth

After having over two decades of biblical Israeli studies, I had always had an admiration of how Israel has survived the ages.

About three years ago I wanted set out to write about Israel's reestablishment with an emphasis on the prophecies that led to Israel's rebirth in 1948.

Three years later, the novel is published and its getting rave reviews from professional book reviewers: http://www.rebirthofisrael.com/#!complete-review

To make a story that supports Israel and is 100% Jewish, Christian and secular friendly was a difficult task. But I wanted to transcend religious and political differences so everyone could both enjoy the story and learn how Israel legitimately and legally reestablished its nation after 2000 years of desolation; And they did it against all odds.

I'm also getting plenty of hate messages for writing this story, but many of the haters, who believed false claims from the press have really no solid facts to support their hate toward Israel. Of course no country is perfect, but its been easy to turn many people to the truth about Israel and to quote several facts that I've written about in Rebirth.

I know that God has established this nation and according to Genesis 12:3, He desires to bless those who bless Israel and curse those who treat Israel with contempt. I truly believe this story will transform many individuals to seeing that Israel is a nation that desires peace and is worth supporting wholeheartedly!

You can save $2 off the retail price  at: www.rebirthofisrael.com  Available on paperback and all eBook readers including Kindle, Nook, iPad, and Sony reader.

Caution! Don't read this if you are sensitive:

THE WORLD IS CONCERNED ABOUT PALESTINIAN KIDS...

These are the images they show:

These are the images they DON'T show:

Please help to show these pictures to the world.  Exposing the truth about Israel and their neighbors: www.rebirthofisrael.com

Iran taunts Israel

Like Goliath taunting David and the ancient Israelites, Iran is doing the same:

Iran: "Prepared for War with Israel"

In a continuation of its statements from the past several days, Iran threatened Israel with a barrage of missiles, if the Jewish State attacks its nuclear facilities.

Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi told the Fars news agency that Israel will not have a minimal chance of survival after attacking Iran. "The enemy must answer this question, if it attacks Iran, for how long a battle and losing how many of its warships and vessels has it prepared itself?" Vahidi said.

Pray for peace in Israel because it will affect us all.

A review of Rebirth

Author: Dave Longeuay

Publisher: Seven-7 Publishing

ISBN: 978-0983905806

If you liked Exodus by Leon Uris, you will love Rebirth by Dave Longeuay. From the first page I was gripped by this tale of espionage, romance, and the proganist’s pursuit of familial secrets. It begins in July 1945 as Charles Devonshire, a precocious teen-ager, travels to Palestine where he hopes to escape an abusive anti semitic father & solve the mystery of his parents’ mysterious past.  On the ship and in port he witnesses the British, professed enemies of the Nazis, nonetheless echoing Nazi anti-semitism. The book moves along at a suspenseful, exciting eventful pace for the next two years illuminating the emotional development of Charles, as  extreme circumstances propel him into heroic manhood, as well as a close up view of the painful accurate history of Israel’s rebirth as a nation.  Along the way we are introduced to characters who seem absolutely real and interact naturally with the real historical characters whose names we recognize. The author says the novel is based on actual events and even the events that are made up feel like they certainly could have, maybe even did, happen. This history remains relevant to the ongoing middle east crisis. I was struck by the timeliness of the following:

“Moshe stood.  ‘Heres the root of our problem. Most Arabs and Jews want peace.  It’s the radicals on each side who incite violence and who pressure peaceful Jews and Arabs to  fight or die.’ He pulled a paper from his satchel. ‘The grand mufti, Al Husseini, broadcast this message throughout Europe with Nazi funding: ‘Arabs, arise and fight for your sacred rights. Kill Jews wherever you find them. This pleases God, history and religion.”  (p. 276)

Earlier, in chapter 17, Charles helps out a young Arab man who has run out of gas for his motorcycle. Later that same young man who is part of a group of young Arabs who believe they must fight and kill the Jews and Americans saves Charles and his friends from the murderous wrath of his own companions because he remembers that Charles had come to his aid earlier and reminds Charles that he had said then he would not forget. It is good that we get to glimpse this desire of each of these young men to treat each other with humanity in the midst of the fear and violence all around them.

My favorite books, the books I consider to be classics, are books that enlighten and educate while they entertain and engage the reader as this one does. I was familiar with the general outlines of Israel’s history but this book transported me to that time and place and I felt like I had experienced it. I highly recommend that anyone interested in the history of Israel as well as the current political situation in the middle east read Rebirth for a fuller understanding of the way history is made. The author has been for many years a songwriter and run a multi media Recording studio expanded in 2000 to include video services and his own experience includes writing, producing, shooting and editing a feature length documentary film. These skills and experience would explain his success at creating a novel with such filmic immediacy. I am very much looking forward to following Charles and his beloved Gladia in the sequel: Reborn.

Click Here To Purchase Rebirth

Sandra Shwayder Sanchez

Reviewer Sandra Shwayder Sanchez: Sandra is a retired attorney. Her twenty year law practice focused on representation of indigent clients in the Denver criminal, family, juvenile, and mental health courts.  In 2005  she co-founded The Wessex Collective (TWC) with R.P. Burnham, publisher of The Long Story literary journal. 

Another eyewitness of Israel's foes

Last night I attended a pro Israel event in Yorba Linda, Ca. sponsored by CUFI. (Christians United for Israel).

In amazement I listened to Israeli commander, Colonel Gruber, who currently commands 20,000 Israeli troops and got to hear straight from the source, the mindset of the IDF (Israel Defense Force.) I also shook his hand and gave him a free copy of Rebirth, which he insisted I sign before he could accept it.

He spoke about what I had wrote in Rebirth! How the Israeli government goes to great lengths (and he proved it with video that you'll never see on the news) to avoid shedding innocent blood. Their policy? In no way shape or form will an Israeli soldier fire at a terrorist if it means harming a non-combatant civilian. They let them out of their gips everyday when it comes to sparing innocent lives—Arab or Israeli.

He also showed how many Islamists use this compassion for their gain. Colonel Gruber played several videos of Islamist terrorists grabbing children as their human shields. The Colonel was so adamant of not harming innocent people, he admitted to warning the enemy when and where they would attack in Gaza whenever they'd find a home used as a munitions storage facility.

On his last raid, where he personally warned an entire neighborhood to evacuate a terrorist home with leaflets from above and phone calls, all their neighbors suddenly showed up for a bar-b-cue on the rooftop. The Colonel first shot a warning round at the edge of the roof to scatter the unknowing neighbors and waited for the home to be vacated before they destroyed the munitions intended for Israel's destruction.

This and many more examples showed me personally how accurate Rebirth is. It's a must read for anyone who desires to be informed with actual events that shaped a legitimate nation in 1948. A gripping story that will open your eyes, even if you think you're familiar with this event. And it has a classic love story that will tug at your heart.

Visit www.rebirthofisrael.com to purchase your copy and give one to a friend as a gift this season!

Exciting opportunity for Rebirth!

Please pray for Rebirth today!

After nurturing a relationship with American Trademark Pictures for over six months, I sent them my requested manuscript.

After reading Rebirth's synopsis the veteran Pro Israel film company expressed great interest in Rebirth and pledged to shop it throughout their contacts of over thirty years of making films—many of which are Pro Israeli.

Admittedly the president warned that funds for any film today are very hard to come by (and I would add especially for an unknown author) but there are funds out there and a film based on Rebirth is needed today to show the deceived that Israel used all necessary legal and legitimate channels to create their nation. Now the opportunity is in God's hands.

The more we as a group spread the word that Israel is being unfairly represented by the press abroad, the more Israel will gather much needed support! And we all know this is pleasing to God according to Genesis 12:3.

Thank you for your support so far and please keep spreading the word now that Rebirth is available both in paperback and Kindle on Amazon and at: www.rebirthofisrael.com You can still save $5.00 off the list price until Thanksgiving weekend on the website. Please tell your friends!  :>)

Blessings,
Dave Longeuay

An eyewitness to Rebirth's story!

Zipporah ("Zippy") Porath  was a girl with a mission when it came to the struggle for Israeli statehood in 1948.

She arrived in British Mandatory Palestine in Oct. 1947, as an American student, for what was intended to be a year of study at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. But, caught up in the Jewish national fight for survival, she joined the underground defense forces and served as a medic in the siege of Jerusalem.

Zippy was present on November 29^th, 1947 when the United Nations announced its approval of the Partition of Palestine (Resolution 181) into a Jewish State and an Arab State. The Jews accepted, but the Arab response was outright rejection and immediate invasion by the armed forces of six neighboring Arab countries, with intent to "kill all Jews" in Palestine. Today, Israel is still facing the same diabolical threat, which begs the question: How can a tiny nation survive such incessant massive hate and harassment?

The answer can be found in Rebirth and in Zippy's books.

Her book of  "Letters from Jerusalem 1947-1948", comprising the letters she wrote to her family in New York, captures the volatile events that shaped Middle East history, as they were happening, in a blow-by-blow account. (Copies of the book can be ordered from jporath@mac.com or from www.amazon.com ) 

She also recently wrote a booklet about an American hero in Israel’s War of Independence mentioned in Rebirth, “Col. David (Mickey) Marcus, A soldier for all humanity."  A well-kept secret about the West Point General killed in 1948 in the struggle for Israel’s survival and independence.

The booklet is based on interviews - never before published - conducted with those who recruited Marcus, with GHQ staff officers and soldiers who served with him, and with others whose lives he touched.  It adds a proud, vivid and authentic voice to the history of that pivotal period. Published by American Veterans of Israel Legacy Corp. in co-operation with the American Jewish Historical Society. (Copies can be ordered from  zip@netvision.net.il or jporath@mac.com) 

The battle continues

Today is Rebirth's official release date even though it's been available for a week now. Please remember to tell some friends about the book website: www.rebirthofisrael.com and order your copy today!

Israel's ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor on Thursday asked UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Security Council, and the international community to censure rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza.

• "The constant rain of rockets on our cities dramatically alters daily life....No people should have to live under such a specter of terror."
• "Israel holds the Hamas terrorist organization fully responsible for all attacks emanating from Gaza, where it remains in de facto control. The rockets that continue to fly out of the area illustrate a basic truth: the Palestinian Authority has absolutely zero authority in the Gaza Strip. While President Abbas continues his unilateral march for state recognition at the United Nations, the Palestinians are far from meeting the basic criteria for statehood, particularly the test of effective control."
• "With the roar of rockets echoing from the Gaza Strip, silence from the Palestinian Authority is unacceptable. Israel is still waiting to hear President Abbas clearly condemn Hamas for the terror that continues to flow from Gaza."
• "The terrorist rockets in Gaza are traveling further - and their warheads are getting larger. This is a direct result of the continuous smuggling of advanced weapons from Iran and others into the Gaza Strip. Preventing this illegal activity is an integral part of Security Council Resolution 1860, but it receives hardly any attention from the international community."
• "The rocket fire emanating from Gaza represents a flagrant violation of international law....Israel expects the Security Council, the Secretary-General, and the international community to condemn all of these attacks immediately and unequivocally."

"Israel cannot and will not rely on good luck to protect its citizens. Israel has exercised and will continue to exercise its right to self-defense, as appropriate, and will take all necessary measures to protect its citizens."

Bottom portion originally posted by Israel Alert.

Rebirth is available!

Dear friends,

After three years of intense research and writing, Rebirth is now available for purchase!

On sale for $12.95. Go to www.rebirthofisrael.com  and enter code: NJGD3DFQ to save $2.00 off the list price. The website is packed with new information about Rebirth and has great images from 1948. Please enjoy it and share the link with others. In the "Press Room" there's a downloadable Facebook blurb if you care to share this compelling Pro Israel book on your Facebook page.

I want to thank everyone for all the great comments and encouragements that all of you have made. Here's Rebirth's first endorsement:

"Rebirth is a compelling novel which manages to perform the difficult task of being very entertaining and informative. The depth of characters allow the reader to experience the struggles of Israel's birth, both personal and political."
—Rabbi Eric Tokajer


Read more reviews: http://www.rebirthofisrael.com/#!complete-review

Anti-Semite to Zionist

Here's exactly what Rebirth's primary goal is: I found this story very inspiring and hope you do to. Please pray Rebirth continues to do the same as it did to this person below.

                                                     16 days to the release date.

Until recently I was anti-Semitic and anti-Israel. Until recently, I was the one doing the hating.

Growing up in a Muslim community in the UK, I was exposed to materials condemning Israel, painting Jews as usurpers and murderers. There was also constant, casual anti-Semitism around me. My father would boast of how Adolf Hitler was a hero, his only failing being that he didn't kill enough Jews.

What changed? In a bookstore one day I found myself in the Israel and Palestine section where I picked up a copy of Alan Dershowitz's The Case for Israel. I decided to buy it, eagerly awaiting the chance to deconstruct it so I could show why Israel had no case. As I read Dershowitz's systematic deconstruction of the lies I had been told, I felt a real crisis of conscience. I couldn't disprove his arguments.

I decided to visit Israel to find the truth. I was confronted by Jews and Arabs living together, by minorities playing huge parts in all areas of Israeli life. It was shocking and eye-opening. This wasn't the evil Zionist Israel that I had been told about. It is time to stem the tide of Israel bashing before it becomes even more mainstream and consumes even more people like me.

(Kasim Hafeez - Jewish Chronicle-UK) (originally posted by Israel Alert.)

Part two: Meet the characters of Rebirth
Dov Grunner:

Dov was one of the commanders of the Irgun and Gladia's brother. The Irgun was a radical Jewish
underground group in Palestine during the 1940s. Their primary mission: Keep Jews safe from Arab
"irregulars" (coined that phrase because they followed Hitler's scheme to rid the world of Jews.) who were; terrorists in the area and also drive the ruling British military out of Palestine so they could establish an independent Jewish state. The Irgun did the dirty work and were often scorned by the Jewish Agency leadership. Dov's biggest challenge was keeping his volunteers (many were Holocaust survivors) from going overboard and killing Arabs and British soldiers outside of battles. As a former WWII Jewish/British soldier, Dov had unique insights into the British tactics of war.

After spending six months in the Atlit detainee camp for his "illegal" entry into Palestine to escape the Nazis, he joined the Betar movement in Rosh Pina and became a member of the Irgun. In 1941, he joined the British army to fight against the Nazis, and together with his comrades in the Jewish Brigade came to the aid of Holocaust survivors in Europe.

After Grunner's demobilization from the army, in March 1946, he resumed his activity on behalf of the Irgun and joined its fighting force. He took part in an Irgun operation against an occupational military target to gain access to weapons from a British army depot near Netanya. Ten days later he participated in his second and final operation on behalf of the Irgun - the attack on a Ramat Gan police station. He was severely wounded and initially denied medical treatment. While in prison, he became close with some of his guards, who changed their views after meeting him.

Refusing to partake in his own defense and refusing to co-operate with counsel, he was said to have been offered a commutation on the condition that he admit guilt. He refused to do so and was given a death sentence.

Despite the maximum security of his prison situation, Gruner maintained an irregular correspondence with Irgun headquarters. Among the correspondence between Gruner and headquarters were: His refusal of Irgun assistance with legal counsel (owing to his principled stand regarding non-cooperation with the British court system in Eretz Yisrael), his query whether he should commit suicide in order to make a political statement (the Irgun leadership quickly responded against the initiative) and most famously, what's believed to have been his final letter, shortly before he was to... Sorry you'll have to read his fate in Rebirth.

"Whatever happens I shall not forget the principles of pride, generosity and firmness. I shall know how to uphold my honor, the honor of a Jewish soldier and fighter."

UN decision and 23 Days to go

In the midst of the United Nations deciding on the Palestinian's pledge to become a member without the consideration of recognizing their closest neighbor Israel, the Pro Israel novel titled "Rebirth" nears its debut. Released by Seven-7 Publishing and written to change the undecided to support Israel, "Rebirth" is in its final publishing stages.

Countdown to release: 23 days.

Part one: The characters.

Charles Devonshire: Protagonist
Gladia Limbauski: Supporting Character/leading lady

Charles Devonshire unknowingly traveled to Palestine in search of family secrets and the most important keys of life that we all desire to know: What is one's purpose in life? In the 1940s the press didn't always cover troubling details like they do today, so he had no idea about the volatile area he was headed into.

Charles meets Gladia while applying to the Technion university:

Communication between men and women can be very complex even under the best of circumstances. But these two had many additional challenges. Not only did they come from opposite cultures from around the world, but they'd also met in the midst one of the longest lasting feuds of all time. A feud that has been bitterly fought from ancient biblical times until this very day.

At first sight, Charles averted his stare from Gladia and immediately realized his rudeness by doing so. After getting over the shock of what he saw, he was instantly attracted to her. Her curvaceous body and charming broken English ignited his curiosity and intrigue. He'd never met anyone like her from his hometown of Los Angeles, Ca.

But what really surprised Charles was the level of attention Gladia paid to him. He was used to young ladies back home shunning him and showing no interest in his vast level of intelligence, love for books and deeper issues in life. And besides her mutual interest in those things, Gladia captured everyone's heart with her unique personality and insight into the only world she had known--the middle ground between Jews and Arabs.

Charles was enchanted with Gladia's zeal and passion, because she was so opposite of his serious/intellectual personality. And when he became convinced by her affectionate signals, he was sure love and romance was on the horizon. And that's when the painful challenges began.

"Rebirth" will tug on your heart with this very nontraditional and complex relationship between two young adults trying to fight for a new homeland while trying to evade Arab radicals who combed the territory looking to eliminate Jews and their collaborators.




Stay tuned for more interesting character studies and the new book website with plenty of fascinating images and Pro Israel facts!

Please remember to pray for Israel's peace today!

It's About Time

Update: With less than one month to Rebirth's release, I'm now wrapping up the final manuscript and book cover. The new website is 70% done and you'll get to meet the characters by next week when I announce the new web address.


No wonder Obama is finally stepping up and saying the right thing. IT'S ELECTION TIME. He has to in order the at least think of another four years. Of course I'm personally praying him out of office and I'm not afraid to say so. Even though his overdue speech to the UN was great, it's all for reelection status, but he at least said it publicly. Let's not repeat this election process without making Israel's support a bigger issue in the presidential campaign! Are you with me?

Obama’s Speech at UN Should Not Have Been a Surprise by dailyalert

• The stunned expressions on Palestinian delegates' faces as they listened to President Obama bluntly reject their bid for statehood at the UN was proof of just how far they had allowed themselves to believe in their own hype. Palestinians actually believed that they had driven a wedge between Israel and its American backers.

• Obama is an American president who has gone beyond all others in standing up for Palestinian rights and aspirations, who is openly antagonistic to Israel's leadership, and who has frequently stated his goal of a fast track to Palestinian statehood. Yet when the cards were down, President Obama demolished years of Palestinian self-deception.

• Over the years, Americans have come to a better understanding of - and an empathy towards - the plight of the Palestinians, but this has not translated into a lesser support for Israel. Yes, Americans feel that Palestinians should get their own state, but no, the Americans do not believe that it must come at Israel's expense.

• Americans have generally sympathized with Israel over the Palestinians and today, Israel still enjoys vast support in American society. They may have differences over certain policy issues, including the issue of settlements, but these are in no way divisive differences.

• President Obama knows that he cannot walk directly counter to the expressed wishes of his electorate. The average American still values Israel and sides with it and any president must come to terms with that if he wants to stay in office another 4 years.

(Editorial - Albawaba-Jordan)

Bottom portion posted by Israel Alert.

Obama says what he's supposed to say

Finally!

President Barack Obama told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday:

• One year ago, I stood at this podium and I called for an independent Palestine. I believed then, and I believe now, that the Palestinian people deserve a state of their own. But what I also said is that a genuine peace can only be realized between the Israelis and the Palestinians themselves....Israelis must know that any agreement provides assurances for their security. Palestinians deserve to know the territorial basis of their state.

• Peace will not come through statements and resolutions at the United Nations....Ultimately, it is the Israelis and the Palestinians - not us - who must reach agreement on the issues that divide them.

• America's commitment to Israel's security is unshakeable. Our friendship with Israel is deep and enduring. And so we believe that any lasting peace must acknowledge the very real security concerns that Israel faces every single day.

• Let us be honest with ourselves: Israel is surrounded by neighbors that have waged repeated wars against it. Israel's citizens have been killed by rockets fired at their houses and suicide bombs on their buses. Israel's children come of age knowing that throughout the region, other children are taught to hate them.

• Israel, a small country of less than eight million people, looks out at a world where leaders of much larger nations threaten to wipe it off of the map. The Jewish people carry the burden of centuries of exile and persecution, and fresh memories of knowing that six million people were killed simply because of who they are. Those are facts. They cannot be denied.

• The Jewish people have forged a successful state in their historic homeland. Israel deserves recognition. It deserves normal relations with its neighbors. And friends of the Palestinians do them no favors by ignoring this truth.

The Palestinians

Countdown to Rebirth's release: 6 weeks!


Rebirth will show readers how the Palestinians of 1948 arrived in the predicament they're in today.


Most of you know the Palestinian leadership will ask the UN Security Council for recognition of a Palestinian state on the basis of 1967 borders which are entirely indefensible for the State of Israel.


Britain supports a Palestinian state. So does the U.S. So does the EU. In fact, so does Israel. But there is one party that most emphatically does not support a Palestinian state, if that means long-term acceptance of the State of Israel: the Palestinians themselves. Opinion polls have consistently shown that the Palestinians only support the idea of a Palestinian state sitting side-by-side with Israel as a stepping stone to a future one-state solution in which they rule over the Jews.


In other words, the Israelis have always been in the near impossible situation of being asked to negotiate with people who plainly don't want any long-term peace involving the acceptance of Israel as a legitimate state with a secure future, whatever their leaders say about recognizing Israel to gullible Western media.





The writer is Director of International Affairs at the Henry Jackson Society. 
(Robin Shepherd - Commentator-UK)


Originally posted by Israel Alert.

Mounting pressure - please continue prayers

As my novel Rebirth faces it's six week countdown for release, tensions continue to in Israel:

Israel is in a time of extraordinary crisis - as pressure mounts from every side. 

• Key relationships with Turkey and Egypt have broken down…
• The support of the Obama administration has cooled toward Israel.
• The international community is increasingly hostile to Israel and its commitment to defend its borders.
• And within Israel the economic impact of the massive national defense programs leaves little or no money to care for the poor and disadvantaged – and there have been massive protests across Israel.

Now, Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman warned that the planned unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state would have "dire consequences." 

When we unite in prayer with understanding, then we’ll see things change.  Don’t be misled, though. These planned political moves by the Palestinian Authority are not based on a genuine desire for peace. 

• The Palestinians do not recognize Israel’s right to exist, nor have they amended their charter that calls for the destruction of Israel.
• Arab leaders freely admit that Palestinian statehood is the first step to the final destruction of Israel.
• The Palestinian state calls for dividing Jerusalem—cutting off the biblical holy places from Jews and Christians.
• The Palestinian state proposes borders that further diminish Israel, leaving half a million Jews homeless.
• The Palestinian state cuts Israel in half and leaves God’s Promised Land virtually defenseless.
• The Palestinian state is “Judenrein,” racist—free of Jews, no Jews are allowed, and very limited to Christians.

PLEASE PRAY that God will intervene and the enemy’s plans will be brought down…

(Originally posted by Jewish Voice Ministries.) 

Also pray for Rebirth's release date of 11/1/11. That it will do what is has been designed to do: change the hearts of the undecided to support Israel!

Money talks even at the UN

Even as extremists from Gaza fire rockets and mortars at civilians in southern Israel and cause death and destruction, we must not forget about another danger facing Israel: a unilateral campaign by Palestinian leaders to secure recognition from individual foreign governments and from the United Nations for a self-declared Palestinian "state." This anti-Israel, anti-peace scheme must be stopped.



U.N. actions would severely undermine opportunities for a negotiated peace between Israel and the Palestinians. They would provide implicit recognition and legitimacy to a self-declared "state" and reward and reinforce the unilateral, rejectionist policies of the Palestinian leadership. 



Fortunately, we are not helpless in the face of this dangerous challenge. There is a historical precedent for how to stop it. In 1989, Yasser Arafat's PLO also pushed for membership for a "Palestinian state." The PLO's strategy looked unstoppable until the George H.W. Bush administration made clear that the U.S. would cut off funding to any UN entity that upgraded the status of the Palestinian observer in any way. The UN was forced to choose between isolating Israel and receiving U.S. contributions, and they chose the latter. The PLO's unilateral campaign was stopped in its tracks.


This example demonstrates a simple but needed lesson: At the UN, money talks, and smart withholding works. It is time to use all our leverage to stop this unilateral Palestinian scheme - for the sake of our ally Israel and all free democracies, for the sake of peace and security, and for the sake of achieving a UN that upholds its founding principles.

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), is Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
(Ileana Ros-Lehtinen - Miami Herald) 


Originally posted by Israel Alert.

Rebirth: written from a Jewish or Christian perspective?

Since this questiion is asked frequently, from time to time, I like to answer this legitimate question for those who are new to this blog site.


Rebirth is actually written for ALL faiths to enjoy, which was not easy to do. We all know, no book will please everyone. With that said, Rebirth is 100% Jewish and Christian friendly. Personally, I'm Christian and I fully understand that many Jews do not want to be "preached at" about Jesus. I respected that when I wrote Rebirth.

Based on the Torah and the Prophets (Leviticus chapter 26, Ezekiel chapters 36, 37, and 38, and my favorite, Amos 9:14,15) both faiths will be able to read, enjoy, learn, laugh and cry about this compelling story which nicely highlights many great stories in the making of Israel—all while supporting America's strongest ally in the Middle East—Israel. I love, appreciate and marvel at God's handywork in this nation! I don't know a single Jew or Christian who does not embrace the above mentioned scriptures. So personally, at a time when both faiths need to unite more than ever for the good of Israel and America, I look at what we DO have in common, rather then what we don't.

PLEASE comment on this. I love your feedback and use them to put the final last touches on the book.

If you read other blog posts in the archive section to the right side, hopefully you will see evidence of this writing style. Please, feel free to share the links with confidence of Rebirth's strong ability to transcend differing faiths, while still not watering down the magnificent prophecies that foretold this miraculous event.

Here's the video trailer link for convenience—will you help me make it go viral?

Watch Rebirth's exciting 90 second book trailer at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTxfmUeEJeM

Israel: Still open for aid while under attack

This news brief is very consistent with Israel's history accounted for in the compelling novel Rebirth: Jews were known back then (in 1948)  to help the innocent, even while under attack. Today, they still honor that tradition. Why isn't this part in the mainstream media?


Over 130 rockets and mortar shells were fired at Israel since Thursday (August 18). But the Gaza land crossings, Kerem Shalom and Erez, continue to operate.

On Sunday (August 21) over 60 patients and their chaperones crossed into Israel for medical treatment. Approximately 150 truckloads of goods, food products and fuel gas were delivered from Israel into the Gaza Strip on Monday (August 22).

(IDF Spokesman)

Bottom portion originally posted by Israel alert.

U.S. Marines excited to train with IDF (Israeli soldiers)

I was excited to see the eyes of U.S. Marines opened to the similarities of the U.S. and Israel--our greatest Middle East ally. Rebirth is filled with eye opening insights like this one below, and will also open more hearts to understand the great need for our support:


A company of the U.S. Marine Corps force stationed in Europe came to Israel for a month of intensive training alongside IDF soldiers in urban warfare, reconnaissance, and target shooting. "We've never been to a mock town like that of the IDF," said Platoon Sgt. Robert Hattenbach, referring to the Urban Warfare Training Center. The Marines were thrilled to train at the facility, raving about its realistic feel.

"This trip was a serious wake up call," said Sgt. Hattenbach. "We realized that Israeli people are just like us. We now better understand what Israel really is and when we go back to the U.S. we can tell people that." 
(Rotem Eliav - Israel Defense Forces)

Bottom portion originally posted by Israel Alert.

Hamas mimicking Hitler

Rebirth (the novel) has numerous examples of how Arabs in Palestine and abroad have imitated Nazi techniques of teaching children to hate Jews, Americans and any other group that opposes Islam.


In June-August 2011, nearly 50,000 children and adolescents took part in Hamas-run summer camps in Gaza, as they do every year.
In addition to social activities, the camps offered Quran lessons, indoctrination with Hamas' political ideology, and paramilitary training.
The core values are radical Islam, "the liberation of Palestine," jihad, and death for the sake of Allah.
The older children use real rifles in paramilitary training, which also includes hand-to-hand combat.
At the summer camp graduation ceremony in Al-Zeitoun on July 29, teenagers in military uniform reenacted the abduction of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit and blew up a cardboard model of an Israeli tank.
(Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center)

Bottom portion originally posted by Israel Alert.

Palestinian State?

One of the biggest problems my novel Rebirth points out for Palestinians: they were not ready to govern a state in 1948 and they're not ready now. A Palestinian state today would draw even more aid that it is now to govern themselves. If they can't govern their people without land today, how are they going to run a country tomorrow? The American government (among many others) still gives millions every year to Palestinians and much of that money is UNACCOUNTED FOR.  

• In a few weeks, an overwhelming majority in the UN General Assembly will likely vote for collective recognition of a Palestinian state. But the purely imaginary state that the assembly will endorse has neither a functioning government nor meets the requirements of international law.

• The PLO does not seek statehood for the West Bank. Its minimum demand is a state that includes Gaza and the eastern part of Jerusalem, demanding title to lands and authority over populations it does not control.

• Mahmoud Abbas is presenting himself as the president of the Palestine that is pressing the claim in the UN, but he is not considered to be the president anymore by Hamas, the largest political party in the putative state. Abbas' term expired in January 2009.

• The Palestine that the General Assembly will recognize also will have two rival prime ministers pursuing incompatible policies. Hamas denies that Abbas has the authority to appoint Salam Fayyad as prime minister. This putative state also has a legislature that never meets. Elected on Jan. 25, 2006, for a term of four years, the PLC has enacted no laws, and conducted no meetings since 2007.

The writer served for 23 years as a senior official of AIPAC and is now the director of the Washington Project of the Middle East Forum.
(Steven J. Rosen - Foreign Policy)

Bottom portion originally posted by Israel Alert

Unique Support for Israel

Can a novel change the hearts of the undecided to support Israel? Rebirth already has many times over. As I send thousands of notices out about Rebirth's support of Israel, I ultimately get the question, "how does this novel support Israel?"

The answer is simple: by telling a gripping true story (blended with some fictional characters) of a remnant of scattered Jews, who built a might superpower in the Middle East. And by also showing in the story how the Jewish leadership used legitimate legal channels to reestablish their nation against the odds.

How is Rebirth changing undecided hearts to support this mighty nation right now? I'm getting lots of bitter people writing me that do not understand how Israel came to be, and I can't help engaging in conversations online, based on my research to enlighten skeptics, that Israel is filled with real human beings who deserve a right to a peaceful life.

One example: bitter writers complain that Jews forced Arabs out of Palestine in 1948. But on the contrary, Rebirth shows how Arab attacking countries put out a public call for all Arabs to evacuate so they'll be out of the way on the "war on annihilation," as they called it.

The proof lies in Israel's Arab population today. Take a guess how many Israeli citizens reside in Israel today. Before my research, I guessed about 1,000. But I was off by a whopping 1.5 million. Yes, over 20% of Israel's population today are Arabs who were either directly invited to remain as citizens in 1948, or are now descendants of those who were. ALL Arabs desiring peace who resided in that land in 1948, were offered free citizenship. Now ask me why didn't the evacuees (who unknowingly became refugees) return from the neighboring Arab countries? Send me the question, and I'll send the shocking answer.

The evidence is clear that God reestablished Israel by the fulfilling of prophecy! (Leviticus chapter 26.) And on 11/11/11, the massive marketing campaign for Rebirth will spread a compelling argument to millions of readers who are "on the fence" about stepping up and supporting this great nation. And in doing so, they will agree with God, this nation must exist in the last days.

Please stay tuned for a "meet the characters to learn more interesting/relevant facts" series coming on the countdown to mass publication! And feel free to share the links: www.rebirthofisrael.blogspot.com

Watch the exciting 90 second book trailer at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTxfmUeEJeM

Genesis 12:3 'I will bless those who bless you (Israel) and curse those who treat you with contempt...'

Forward this to Obama!

Today I have added a new scene to Rebirth (while in the final editing stages) showing how the Jews had tirelessly initiated numerous peace meetings with the Arabs in Palestine and abroad since the 1940s, only to be frustrated to see Arabs not show up much of the time. Rebirth will clearly show that negotiations with terrorist minded foes of Israel will NEVER work! Will somebody please forward this to Obama?


There is a lot of diplomatic activity at the moment to persuade Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas not to seek statehood in the autumn. It's likely that more than two-thirds of the UN General Assembly will recognize a Palestinian state if it goes to a vote. But a state cannot get actual membership of the UN unless it is approved by the Security Council, and the Americans will veto. 


Diplomats say the key voters are Germany, France and the UK. Germany has said no to recognition; France is "on the fence but trending positively" and the UK is undecided.


President Obama's apparently personal decision, in his May speech referenced a bogus solution based on a land giveaway from the Pre-1967 borders. This infuriated the Israelis and rightly so since it would have opened up a giant security hole in Israel. "We felt like it was an ambush," an Israeli cabinet minister said. "What seems clear at the moment is that America's most important ally in the Middle East doesn't have a voice in the inner circle. Another reason to NOT see Obama reelected.


The gaps are so wide - not just between us and the president, said the Isrealis, but between Obama and his staff." 
(Paul Danahar - BBC News)


Bottom portion originally posted by Israel Alert.

As if more proof was needed?

Rebirth is filled with rich evidence of the Jewish presence in the land of Israel for thousands of years and yet, so many foolish groups try to denounce the facts. Be informed. Read about some amazing proof of Israel's past, in our archived section at the bottom of this page: June 2010, the Dead Sea Scrolls. It's fascinating and considered to be the most important archeological find in history.


One of the consistent themes sounded by Palestinian political leaders and their official media is their contention that Jewish roots in Jerusalem and throughout the historic Land of Israel is a myth. It is in this light the unveiling of a new site showcasing the most complete excavations from the First Temple Period in Jerusalem ought to be celebrated. These findings are a standing rebuke to those who refer to parts of Israel's capital as "traditionally Palestinian." All you need to confirm Jerusalem's Jewish roots is to start digging.
(Jonathan S. Tobin - Commentary)


Bottom portion originally posted by Israel Alert.

Robert Kennedy and Israel - Striking News!

On the 40th Anniversary of His Assassination:

Robert Kennedy's 1948 Reports from Palestine helped contribute to his early death

 

Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, brother of slain U.S. President John F. Kennedy and former U.S. Attorney General, was the leading Democratic candidate for president when he was gunned down at a primary victory celebration in California on June 5, 1968. His Palestinian assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, said he killed Kennedy due to his vocal support for Israel.

 

In April 1948, one month before Israel declared independence, Robert Kennedy, then 22, traveled to Palestine to report on the conflict for the Boston Post. His four dispatches from the scene were published in June 1948. The newspaper closed in 1956, and for decades the reports were virtually forgotten.

Kennedy arrived in a chaotic and dangerous land on the eve of the British departure. Jewish Jerusalem  was under Arab siege and Arab armies were pouring into the territory. The British authorities were hampering Jews' efforts to defend themselves.

 

Kennedy praised the Jews in Palestine. "The Jewish people in Palestine who believe in and have been working toward this national state have become an immensely proud and determined people," Kennedy wrote. "It is already a truly great modern example of the birth of a nation with the primary ingredients of dignity and self-respect."

 

One of his dispatches was headlined, "Jews Make Up for Lack of Arms with Undying Spirit, Unparalleled Courage." In one of his accounts, Kennedy describes his traveling with Haganah fighters in a convoy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

 

The young reporter was critical of a temporary slippage of the American government's support for Jewish statehood. He feared that the U.S. was shifting towards Britain's negative policies and its aim "to crush" the Zionist cause. "If the American people knew the true facts," Kennedy wrote, "I am certain a more honest and forthright policy would be substituted for the benefit of all."

 

 

 

The real supporters of Israel

Rebirth (the novel) shows how Americans and Canadians joined thousands of other "Machal" (Volunteers) to help found what became the mightiest superpower in the Middle east: Israel.

And the real American supports of Israel finally had a chance to show their support last week:

The overall importance of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress on Tuesday was not in the substance, but rather in the overwhelmingly warm ovation he received. Netanyahu could only dream of such a reception in Israel. Even his wife, Sarah, received a standing ovation when she entered the hall. The prime minister was applauded some 30 times, many of those accompanied by standing ovations. The nearly four-minute ovation he received when he entered the historic chamber was not only heard by Netanyahu, but also by President Obama, the Palestinians and the world at large. With all the talk of the country's sense of isolation, when Netanyahu spoke to the most important parliament in the world, it exuded nothing but warmth toward Israel.
(Herb Keinon - Jerusalem Post)

Bottom portion originally posted by Israel Alert.

Obama and Netanyahu meet

How many U.S. presidents does Israel have to meet with to convince America that Israel knows what's best for their own security?

Rebirth (the novel) shows that the Jews have been initiating peace meetings with Arabs long before they were a nation in 1948. And when the anticipated goal of becoming a nation became evident with the British announcement of leaving Palestine in May of 1948, the Arabs began making excuses to avoid showing up to the peace meetings. In my research, I couldn't find any Arabs trying to arrange peace meetings with Jews––it had always been one sided.

Doesn't Obama get this? What part of "death to Israel" does he not understand?

After President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel met on Friday, President Obama said: "Obviously there are some differences between us in the precise formulations and language, and that's going to happen between friends. But what we are in complete accord about is that a true peace can only occur if the ultimate resolution allows Israel to defend itself against threats, and that Israel's security will remain paramount in U.S. evaluations of any prospective peace deal."

So is Obama admitting to a blundered peace plan when he announced Israel should return it's pre - 1967 boarders?

"It is very difficult for Israel to be expected to negotiate in a serious way with a party that refuses to acknowledge its right to exist. And so for that reason I think the Palestinians are going to have to answer some very difficult questions about this agreement that's been made between Fatah and Hamas. Hamas has been and is an organization that has resorted to terror; that has refused to acknowledge Israel's rights to exist. It is not a partner for a significant, realistic peace process."

Prime Minister Netanyahu said: "We value your efforts to advance the peace process....Israel wants peace. I want peace. What we all want is a peace that will be genuine, that will hold." "While Israel is prepared to make generous compromises for peace, it cannot go back to the 1967 lines - because these lines are indefensible; because they don't take into account certain changes that have taken place on the ground, demographic changes that have taken place over the last 44 years."

"Remember that, before 1967, Israel was all of nine miles wide. It was half the width of the Washington Beltway. And these were not the boundaries of peace; they were the boundaries of repeated wars, because the attack on Israel was so attractive....And we're going to have to have a long-term military presence along the Jordan [River]." (White House)

Bottom portion originally posted by Israel Alert.

What is Obama thinking??

Did President Obama ignore these evens when he made a pledge to pressure Israel to revert to their Pre - 1967 boarders? It's simply anti-American to pressure another country to give up their land for false peace.

In 1948, Rebirth (the novel) shows American presidents supporting Israel because they better understood the reality of their hostile neighbors.

Thousands of Arab protesters marched on Israel's borders with Syria, Lebanon and Gaza on Sunday in an unprecedented wave of demonstrations, on the anniversary of Israel's birth. At the Syrian frontier, thousands of people approached the border, throwing rocks and bottles at Israeli forces. When hundreds of people burst across the border fence into the Israeli-controlled town of Majdal Shams, surprised soldiers opened fire. Syrian forces did not intervene.

At the Lebanese border near Maroun al-Ras, Israeli troops clashed with a large crowd of Lebanese demonstrators who approached the border. In Gaza, demonstrators were wounded as they tried to approach a heavily fortified border crossing into Israel.

Inside Israel, an Arab truck driver in Tel Aviv plowed through a crowded street, killing one Israeli and injuring 16 others.

Bottom portion originally posted by Israel alert.

Can't trust Obama

I find it unthinkable that an American president would have to be "urged" by his own democrat party to cut off support to an anti-Israel establishment such as the ones named below.

My novel Rebirth, shows how America was the first UN member to recognize Israel as a nation and how President Truman favored Israel, which was a major morale booster for the Jews. We all need to make America's support of Israel a much bigger issue to our future politicians.

Half of the Democrats in the U.S. Senate urged President Obama to suspend assistance to the Palestinian Authority unless Hamas recognizes Israel and renounces terrorism since the two anti-Israel groups have signed a partner agreement. The letter, signed by 27 Democratic senators, which was sent May 6 and initiated by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), said: "It is imperative for you to make clear to President Abbas that Palestinian Authority participation in a unity government with an unreformed Hamas will jeopardize its relationship with the United States, including its receipt of U.S. aid."

The letter notes that U.S. law proscribes assistance to any government that includes Hamas, unless it and its ministers comply with principles laid down by the Quartet: recognizing Israel and renouncing terrorism. "We urge you to conduct a review of the current situation and suspend aid should Hamas refuse to comply with Quartet conditions."

Bottom portion originally posted by Israel Alert.

Happy Birthday Israel

 Rebirth's author Dave Longeuay, celebrates Israel's 63rd birthday today! May 14th 1948.

"The Volunteers: Answering the Call of History," tells the stories of people like Vidal Sassoon, who left a hairdressing apprenticeship in England to come fight in the Palmach; Yeshiva University Chancellor Norman Lamm, who volunteered in a bullet making factory in upstate NY; Harold Katz, who dropped out of Harvard Law School to help bring illegal immigrants to Palestine, and many others.

Other supporters of Israel include: Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Presidents Harry Truman and Theodore Roosevelt to name a few.

Israel turning 63 soon

Rebirth chronicles how the Jews made a public in call in 1948 for all Arabs who desired Israeli citizenship. They only needed to apply for it and they would be accepted. The latest population stats below prove that the battered Arab refugees of today are a product not of Israel, but from the neighboring Arab countries who made a public call also at that time for all Palestinian Arabs to vacate Palestine so they'd be out of the way when Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon swooped in to eradicate all Jews in that region.

Israel population stands at 7,746,000 people, a 2% increase (150,000) compared with 2010. 5,837,000 (75%) are Jewish; 1,587,000 (20.5%) are Arab. Over 70% of the Jewish population are native-born Israelis. Some 24,500 immigrants arrived in the past year.
Stats originally posted by Israel alert - (Ynet News)

Israel's enemies unite

A disturbing alliance has emerged...


The Palestinian reconciliation agreement formalized Wednesday in Cairo explodes the status quo that has prevailed in the West Bank and Gaza for four years - along with the diplomatic strategy pursued by the Obama administration.

In agreeing to form a new cabinet with Hamas, Mr. Abbas spelled the end of the institution-building program under Prime Minister Salam Fayyad - which has been the most progressive and hopeful initiative in Palestinian affairs in many years. He turned his back on the prospect of U.S.-brokered peace talks with the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu; instead, the new Palestinian administration will focus on winning recognition from the UN General Assembly.

It is not clear whether the new government will recognize Israel. If it does not, the Obama administration will be legally required to cut off $600 million in U.S. aid, and Congress may do so in any case.
If Hamas prisoners now held in the West Bank are released, what has been close cooperation between Israel and the U.S.-trained Palestinian security forces could come to an abrupt end.

U.S. diplomacy should aim at reinforcing the notion that Palestinian statehood, whether or not it is endorsed by the UN, must be realized through negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.A unified and democratically elected Palestinian leadership is a prerequisite for creating a state - but so is a government that renounces terrorism, gives up missiles and other heavy weapons, and is prepared to fully recognize Israel.
(Editorial - Washington Post)

Originally posted by Israel Alert

See an Israeli film next Monday

 Dear friends of Israel,

A great partner of ours has asked everyone to spread the word about a one-night only film that Stand With Us is presenting at movie theaters. You can get tickets and info at their link below:

https://www.standwithus.com/mail/?eid=49

Blessings,
Dave Longeuay

Israel must stand firm...Educate yourself and tell others!

As in the days of Israel's rebirth in 1948, the Arabs are still trying the long and illegal way around to gain their statehood.

The public debate in Israel over the Palestinian plan to seek UN support for statehood in September is based on a fundamental misconception: the UN General Assembly cannot by itself establish a Palestinian state. It can admit new members to the UN only after they have been nominated first by the UN Security Council.

The UN General Assembly already recommended the creation of a Palestinian state on December 15, 1988, and has even insisted on the 1967 lines––this is not God's will for Israel. The 1988 resolution was backed by 104 countries; only the U.S. and Israel opposed it.

In 1998, when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was confronted with a plan by Yasser Arafat to declare a state in 1999, the Israeli government warned that such a move would constitute "a substantive and fundamental violation of the Interim Agreement" between Israel and the Palestinians (the Oslo II agreement). It issued a formal statement saying that if such a violation occurred, then Israel would be entitled to take all necessary steps to protect itself. The press fails to recognize this fact today.

Oslo II clearly established that "Neither side shall initiate or take any step that will change the status of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip pending the outcome of the Permanent Status negotiations" (Article 31). The European Union actually signed Oslo II as a witness. Now some of their memories seems to have faded.

Israel must firmly oppose the September initiative in the General Assembly, even if the Palestinians already have the votes. It must make absolutely clear that this move is no less than a material breach of a core commitment in the Oslo Agreements, as the Israeli government asserted in 1998. Only a strong Israeli response will deter Abbas from going further down the road of unilateralism.
(Dore Gold - Institute for Contemporary Affairs-Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs)

Bottom portion originally posted by Israel Alert.