David Singer on What Muslims Must Do To Combat Extremist Violence in Australia

Opposing feelings run high ...

Here's the latest article by Sydney lawyer and international affairs analyst David Singer.  It's entitled "Islamic Lifelines Can Prevent Islamic State Dead Lines".

Writes David Singer:

Australia was introduced to a high school chaplain and Muslim community leader Sheikh Wesam Charkawi on one of Australia’s most widely viewed TV shows – Q and A – last Monday evening. [Videos here if that page won't load: D.A.]

Australians were still trying to come to terms with the shooting murder of a 58-years-old police department accountant by a 15-year-old Muslim youth dressed in black robes shouting “Allahu Akbar” outside New South Wales Police Headquarters in Parramatta some 10 days earlier.

... in Parramatta

Indeed the Parramatta murder was the third such instance involving Muslims in Australia in the last year – culminating in the loss of three innocent lives and the deaths of the three perpetrators.

Yet Sheikh Charkawi told his audience:

"Our faith teaches to withhold our hands from the breaking the branch of a tree, let alone taking the life of a human being, which equates to taking the life of humanity and saving the life of one amounts to saving the life of all. These are bedrock principles."

The Sheikh’s viewpoint was a revelation – considering the widely held belief that Islam with its Koranic concepts of jihad, martyrdom and forced conversion of non-Muslims was anything but the sanctity-of-life faith portrayed by him.

Sheikh Charkawi in seeking to explain the circumstances of the Parramatta murderer opined: 

"I'm seeing a lot of identity issues with the young men and women and I keep hearing from many on the streets and in the schools that I visit that they tell us that we don't belong. They say that we’re not part of the Australian society, we’re not part of the Australian community, that we’re terrorists, that we’re extremists, that our religion is one that is of destruction and loss of life and so on and so forth. Now, you’ve got to remember that these people were born into the age of terror and they’re being told that they don't belong. What that leads to is to marginalisation and isolation, and if you add that to the mix of the propaganda that is being put forward by the groups like ISIS, it's a very dangerous mix and so you see that it requires a whole of society effort and that's the reality of it."

Left unanswered by the Sheikh was why such marginalisation, isolation and propaganda could lead a 15-year-old Muslim boy to take the life of another human being had he been properly instructed in the bedrock principles of Islam as enunciated by the Sheikh.

Instead the Sheikh tried to pass the buck – stating:

"If we take this issue and we restrict it to the Muslim narrative and we say that this is a Muslim problem, what happens is you can't then step back and look for other empirical evidence as to any underpinning or driving forces that may be at hand here."

With the greatest respect to the Sheikh, it is indeed a Muslim problem – resulting from failing to properly educate its adherents from an early age that:

1. the taking of life is contrary to the principles of Islam

2. negative attitudes or grievances held by a Muslim cannot be resolved by taking the lives of other Muslims or non-Muslims

If the religious instruction afforded Muslims is faith-based on the bedrock principles espoused by the Sheikh – then attempts by Islamic State or other groups to recruit Muslims to their murderous ranks will surely fail.

Let the Australian Muslim community condemn those who seek to violate the sanctity of life in mosques and madrassas as this video recently taken in a mosque in Gaza so chillingly demonstrates.

The silence so far has been deafening.

Wrongful Wright: Obama's former pastor claims Jesus was a Palestinian (video)

This "man of God," addressing a rally in Washington on Saturday organised by the antisemitic Rev. Louis Farrakhan, is a reverse racist, a Jew-hater, and a revisionist of historical truth, helping to spread one of the most odious canards in the anti-Israel arsenal.

Report here

Another kooky Jew-hating preacher here

Meanwhile, here's Christian scholar Raymond Ibrahim lecturing on the conquest of infidels by Islam.

'Twas Da Joos What Did It, Suggests Gorgeous George

Well, well, well! Here's Gorgeous George, speaking on Iran's satellite propaganda channel Press TV a few days ago (8 October), proving that behind those icy baby blues is a sense of humour and a vivid imagination!

I mean, he'd hardly be likely to advance a blood libel, would he?

(Incidentally, George, it's "Western Wall" not "Wailing Wall," the latter being considered an offensive term.)

 Don't overlook the two videos I posted earlier today, btw!

Pardon My French (video)

Thanks to Ian for telling me about this one:

Bonus: more misogyny from the Dark Ages. How the women in Paradise differ from earthly women, few of whom make it to Paradise anyway, apparently.  Much ado about "tearing hymens".  Hymens that conveniently repair themselves after every act of penetration, for the greater gratification of the almighty male! 

As blogger Vlad Tepes comments ironically, the formula seems to be that it ain't porn so long as it's sung.

"They Aren't Human Shields, They Are Human Sacrifices ... There Is No Moral Equivalence Between Hamas & The IDF" (video)

This video was posted to the internet well over a year ago, in August 2014.  But I've only just got around to viewing it.  It really is outstanding.  And in view of such nastyness as trotted out last week by a not-so-Nice guy at London's Gresham College (and this lecture coming up there soon) it's as relevant as ever it was.

The brief description by the uploaders, which I've copied and pasted below, simply cannot adequately convey how fine a speaker Britain's Colonel Richard Kemp is, how firm his grasp of military history, how compelling his expertise, and how absolutely justified his contention that the IDF's behaviour is exemplary among armed forces anywhere in the world.

The talk, which includes a pertinent description of bombing raids on a German armaments facility undertaken on Churchill's orders by the RAF to protect the lives of British civilians during the Second World War,  and an explanation of what the military concept of "proportionality" actually entails, proves clearly, as he says, that Israel has not committed "war crimes".

Stressing that, from personal experience of the force and its members, he knows that the IDF's actions are rooted in Judaic values and a citizen-army's abhorrence at harming innocent civilians, he laments the international media's acceptance of casualty figures known to be falsified by Hamas and given out by the UN.

He also laments the cynical effrontery of Obama, Cameron and Ban-Ki Moon in observing that Israel should do more to minimise casualties when they know full well that Israel is already doing everything possible that can be done in that regard.

As for "human shields" they should in fact be termed "human sacrifices" since that is what they are, all part of that war for public opinion, for that propaganda victory, which is Hamas's aim.

Address hosted by StandWithUs and Shivtei Yisrael synagogue in Ra'anana, Israel. Former Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, Col. Richard Kemp has a distinguished military career and is an expert in counter-terrorism. Col. Kemp spent significant time in Israel during the IDF's defensive campaign against Hamas terrorists in Gaza, "Protective Edge".

Aussie Ex-Envoy To Israel Rodgers Rubbished On Pro-Palestinian Propaganda

What a silly bit of bile former Aussie ambassador (1994-97)  to Israel Peter Rodgers (now a member of the lobby group Australia Palestinian Advocacy Network) has written in today's The Australian (the reference to Gideon Levy is a laugh in itself!), calling on the Turnbull government to teach Israel some home truths!

It's not behind a paywall, as are many articles in that newspaper, so see it here

His ex-Excellency concludes:

'Late last month, Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas told the UN General Assembly that the Palestinians would no longer abide by the 1993 Oslo Accords. These provided the flimsy scaffold for negotiation of Palestinian statehood. What was remarkable about Abbas’s speech was that it took so many years for him to make it. Oslo’s corpse had long lain in the morgue. All Abbas did was to invite a public viewing.

With depressingly familiar hype, Netanyahu slammed Abbas’s UN speech for its alleged deceit and incitement. He urged Abbas to accept the offer “to hold direct negotiations with Israel without preconditions”. That was a good one coming from a prime minister whose own preconditions include no Palestinian state ever, who plays godfather to the settlement movement, and who has now deemed it reasonable to use live ammunition against rock-throwing Palestinians.

Australia has long been susceptible to the line that the Palestinians are not ready for statehood. The Turnbull government, with seven others (including tiny island states such as the Marshall Islands, Palau and Tuvalu), opposed the raising of the Palestinian flag at the UN. The opposition is not much better. The ALP conference last July decided at last to discuss possible recognition of a Palestinian state if there were “no progress in the next round of the peace process”. As if there were a peace process or the faintest prospect of one.

Australian governments have often spoken proudly of their friendship with Israel.

It’s high time that friendship was put in the service of peace by telling Israel a few home truths about the Gordian knot that is ­occupation and violence.'

Among the commenters,  "Elise" gives His Excellency a well-deserved (verbal) spanking:

'It is strange that at a time when Palestinian terrorists in Israel have been murdering, maiming or trying to murder and maim as many Israelis as possible, Peter Rodgers wants to give Israelis some home truths.

http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com.au/2015/09/abbas-says-jews-have-filthy-feet.html

.... Mr Rodgers should stop encouraging and enabling the victim culture of Palestinians and the Palestinian cause to wipe Israel off the face of the map. If he really cared about the welfare of Palestinians he would start by giving Abbas and Hamas some home truths. Instead of blaming Israelis for everything and building up a culture of victimisation and self-harm - how about trying to build a nation state for Palestinians. How about Abbas not referring to 'dirty Jews' visiting Jerusalem sites or paying Palestinian murderers of innocent Israelis of all religions salaries. Instead how about preaching a message of peace and tolerance and using international funds to help under privileged Palestinians.  How about Abbas offering a home to just a few Palestinians from Syria into Ramallah, the capital of his Palestinian State but not that of the Palestinian State of Hamas. There is space there. How about Hamas stops murdering Fatah supporters in Gaza and stops using child labour to build terror tunnels. How about Mr Rodgers asking Abbas to account for the millions of dollars of international aid that he and Fatah members have put into their own bank accounts.

No Mr Rodgers you as a patronising racist don't get to instruct Israelis about your 'home truths' when you refuse to listen to the impassioned pleas of Bassem Eid, a Palestinian human rights campaigner who is begging the world to stop only caring about Palestinians when they can blame Israel for everything. While you and your ilk continue your blame game Palestinians will continue being persecuted by their leaders and by the Arab world as a whole. While you wag your finger self-righteously aid funds meant to better the lives of Palestinians will continue to line the pockets of their billionaire and mult-millionaire leaders and you my dear sir can pat yourself on the back and feel good that you are part of those who will keep Palestinians at the mercy of these haters for years to come.

And Elise in response to a detractor:

'I disagree completely with Peter Rodgers in relation to his manufactured patronising 'home truths' or that there is actually an occupation on the basis of International law. I could go into this on the basis that Gaza was controlled by Egypt and West Bank by Jordan before the Six Day War and that prior to that this was the territory of Britain and before then the Ottoman Empire. Even if you were to believe the nonsense that there was a supposed occupation - Gaza is Judenfrei and Abbas is in charge of most of the West Bank but actually needs Israeli security to ensure that he is not murdered by Hamas operatives in that area.

 The fact that some Jews are living in the West Bank is not the cause of violence or that some Israelis behave badly is not the cause of Palestinian violence. Arab violence towards Jews and the wish to murder Jews was taking place well before the existence of the State of Israel. I remind you that Abbas' favourite mufti Haj Amin al-Husseini was a Nazi supporter who during the 1920s inciting his supporters to murder Jews causing the Hebron massacre on the Jewish Sabbath. Those massacred were not new arrivals but were descendants of the Jews who lived in Israel from before the occupation by the Roman Empire.

 Fast forward today and proof positive that Jews are not the cause of Palestinian violence - look no further than areas where there are no Jews like Gaza. In Gaza Palestinians are more violent than they have ever been before not only towards Israelis in their genocidal aim to wipe all Jews off the face of the map but towards Palestinians as well and of course Egyptians who have now blocked the border between Egypt and Gaza completely.  I could write a well documented thesis about this. Of course ...  if you had read what I have said carefully you would know my views because I have referred to Palestinian victim culture, I have referred to Palestinian leadership's persecution of Palestinians, intolerance and anti-Semitism towards Jews, stealing of aid money due to Palestinian welfare and goodness gracious me I have even referred to a Palestinian human rights campaigner who says that people must stop blaming Israel and start caring about Palestinians. Of course, those supporting Rodgers would disagree because they are indeed the type of people that Bassam Eid blames for allowing the culture to continue.'

And as J-Wire reports here, the Zionist Federation's president, Dr Danny Lamm, has also put Rodgers firmly in his place, saying:

“For a self-proclaimed advocate of “home truths”, Peter Rodgers plays fast and loose with the facts  Per usual, the situation is far more complex than the simple ‘black-and-black’ narrative of Israeli immorality peddled by a semi-professional pro-Palestinian propagandist like Rodgers.

Rodgers recycles unsubstantiated third-hand media reports from anonymous sources to claim that Israel callously refused to prosecute the perpetrators of a horrific firebombing that killed a Palestinian family of four. Of course, he conveniently neglects to mention that Israel has imprisoned three suspected Jewish terrorists under administrative detention since that terrible crime.

 And I use the term ‘suspected’ deliberately because there’s a vast difference between what security agencies might think they ‘know’ and what can be proved in court under the democratic safeguards that protect us all. Would Peter Rodgers prefer for Israel to dispense with the legal niceties of presumed innocence and valid evidence that are essential features of any fair judicial system?"

Meanwhile, here's a nasty piece of antisemitism, posted by a bloke called Sam, apparently from Ramallah, who on his Facebook page describes himself as a journalist at the Palestinian American Council.   The antisemitic post has been shared by a woman called Anita Bruckner who not infrequently posts offensive items to the Facebook group Christian Friends of Palestine.

For Ms Jones-Owens see here

Another example of Sam Ghanayem's mindset:

According to reader P, who has in the past reported one or two posts of Ms Bruckner's, Facebook, having reviewed them, deems them worthy to remain.

Obama’s Failure to Test Putin’s Sincerity Could Seriously Compromise America’s ME Policy, warns David Singer

Photo credt: Reuters/E.Munoz

Earlier this week I posted Sydney lawyer and international affairs analyst David Singer's spotlight on Abu Mazen's UN-bedazzling economy with the truth (it's proving a popular read, so please have a look if you've missed it).

And now, here's David's latest article, entitled  "Iraq Exacerbates America-Russia Standoff on Destroying Islamic State".

He writes:

America and its 62 nation coalition is becoming increasingly isolated and irrelevant as Russia maintains its airstrikes in Syria and has now commenced firing cruise missiles from warships in the Caspian Sea 1500 kilometres away.

Russia is presently contemplating entering Iraq if requested by Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi [pictured above, addressing the UN on 30 September]  – who had reportedly indicated last week that he would welcome a Russian bombing campaign to destroy Islamic State’s presence in Iraq.

Abadi then said Russian strikes were a “possibility” but had not been discussed.

Russia’s Foreign Minister – Sergei Lavrov – made Russia’s position clear on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly:

“We are polite people. We don’t come if not invited.”

Lavrov’s comment was clearly critical of the American coalition’s air strikes in Syria having being undertaken without any invitation from President Assad – dubiously being justified by America as legal to defend Iraq’s territorial sovereignty against further incursions by Islamic State from Syria.

Now just one week later Abadi has upped the ante - reportedly saying he would welcome Russian airstrikes in Iraq if they were coordinated with the American-led coalition and that he sought to maintain cordial relations with both America and Russia.

He called the American-led coalition “a small help”– adding:

“This doesn’t mean that I reject the small help. Even the one single bomb would be helpful to me”

President Obama would not have been very impressed with Abadi’s mean-spirited disparaging comment.

The American-led coalition has been bombing Islamic State targets in Iraq for more than a year – but Iraqi officials have repeatedly complained that their efforts are insufficient to decisively turn back Islamic State. The United States has spent more than $25 billion training and equipping Iraq’s military.

Valentina Matviyenko – head of Russia’s Federation Council – the upper house of parliament – said this week:

“In case of an official address from Iraq to the Russian Federation, the leaders of our country would study the political and military expediency of our Air Force’s participation in an air operation. Presently we have not received such an address”

Iraq’s concern at destroying Islamic State has been heightened following Islamic State claiming responsibility for a series of bombings that killed more than 50 people throughout Iraq on 5 October.
Abadi’s wish for Russian intervention to be co-ordinated with the American-led coalition has offered Obama probably the last opportunity to come to an agreement with Russia on forming a legally
constituted armed military force authorized pursuant to a Security Council Resolution under Article 42 of the UN Charter.

Obama’s past insistence that any America-Russia co-operation be conditioned upon President Assad’s removal has stymied any possible earlier attempt.

Abadi’s timely lifeline should be grabbed by Obama before Syria and Iraq slide into an escalating conflict of indescribable carnage. Abadi could invite Russia to come to its assistance without American co-ordination if Obama continues to delay seeking Russia’s co-sponsoring of such a Resolution. Obama should heed President Putin’s advice expressed in his New York Times op-ed on 11 September 2013:

“We need to use the United Nations Security Council and believe that preserving law and order in today’s complex and turbulent world is one of the few ways to keep international relations from sliding into chaos. The law is still the law, and we must follow it whether we like it or not. Under current international law, force is permitted only in self-defense or by the decision of the Security Council. Anything else is unacceptable under the United Nations Charter and would constitute an act of aggression."

Obama’s failure to test Putin’s sincerity could risk America’s Middle East policy being seriously compromised.