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Israel on Trial Israel is trying hard to contain the damage from the Gaza flotilla incident. But it doesn’t seem to be working. In addition to an announcement on Sunday that all nonmilitary goods can now enter Gaza, the incident is now under no less than three investigations within Israel. In the military sphere, a commission headed by Maj.-Gen. Giora Eiland, a former national security adviser, is investigating the conduct of the army top brass in the affair including Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi. Legal dimensions of the affair—like the naval blockade of Gaza and the interdiction of the flotilla in international waters—are being looked into by the Terkel Commission headed by retired Supreme Court judge Yaakov Terkel. The Terkel Commission is already intensely controversial both domestically and abroad. Yet UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon doesn’t seem to be impressed. In other words, the Israeli commission by itself, even with its international observers, wouldn’t fit that bill.

Naomi Ragen נעמי רגן - Novelist, Playwright and Journalist - Jewish-American novelist, playwright and journalist About The Anti-Defamation League The Anti-Defamation League was founded in 1913 "to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all." Now the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency, ADL fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects civil rights for all. A leader in the development of materials, programs and services, ADL builds bridges of communication, understanding and respect among diverse groups, carrying out its mission through a network of 27 Regional and Satellite Offices in the United States and an office in Israel. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry in the U.S. and abroad through information, education, legislation and advocacy. Anti-Semitism In the forefront of the fight against anti-Semitism, ADL challenges American and world leaders and the United Nations to take action against anti-Jewish bigotry and violence. Read More ▶ Combating Hate Read More ▶ Israel & International

Haaretz Daily News The New York Times - Middle East - International News - Iraq, Israel, Lebanon - Syria says now full member of chemical arms pact, doubts persist The 14 Lies Blocking Peace in the Middle East If a Martian were suddenly to land on earth and start listening to and reading the mainstream media, he would form the impression that the entire Middle East conflict were due to Israel building some settlements in land that much of the world thinks should become a Palestinian state. A near-consensus exists among the governments of the world and among media writers that peace has yet to break out in the because of three principle reasons. The first is that the Jews and the Arabs have been unable to agree about whether there should be a Palestinian state. The second is because has obstinately refused to withdraw its troops from (so-called) “occupied Arab” lands. The third is because behaves cruelly towards the Palestinians. The Martian could easily carry these beliefs back to its home planet, as long as it did not bother to learn the background and the history of the conflict. Here are just a handful of popular misconceptions and their antidotes: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

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