Iran tests several missiles
capable of reaching Israel
TEHRAN (WJC)—
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards has test-fired several Shahab-3 missiles capable of reaching Israel. Defense Minister Vahidi, a former commander of the Revolutionary Guards wants as a terror suspect in Argentina, warned that any attack against Iran's nuclear facilities would lead to the collapse of Israel. A White House spokesman said the missile tests were an example of the “provocative nature with which Iran has acted on the world stage for a number of years.” Russia’s Foreign Minister Lavrov also expressed concern over the tests.
On Tuesday, the Iranian Parliament warned world powers it might take “other decisions” in the nuclear dispute if the Geneva talks scheduled next Thursday. “World powers should not miss to settle their problems with Iran,” the statement said.
The meeting of Iranian delegates with representatives of the five permanent United Nations Security Council member states – Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States – plus Germany was complicated by the revelation last week about the existence of a second nuclear site in Iran, hitherto kept secret.
Many observers believe Tehran will not make any concessions in Geneva. The Obama administration is reportedly working on plans to push for new sanctions against Iran, targeting its energy, financial and telecommunications sectors if it does not comply with international demands to come clean about its nuclear program. US officials told AP that penalties against Iranian companies and sanctions against firms that do business in Iran are being envisaged. The US state of Illinois announced that it would divest US$ 133 million of state pension funds from foreign companies doing business with Iran's energy sector.
Meanwhile, China urged all sides to try and ease mounting tensions over Iran and focus on the negotiations. “All sides should seek a comprehensive, lasting and appropriate solution to the Iran nuclear issue,” said a government spokesman in Beijing.
Preceding provided by World Jewish Congress
Senators want U.S. to block Goldstone Report from reaching U.N. Security Council
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (Democrat, New YOrk) and her Senate colleagues urged the United States to take action to block the Goldstone from reaching the UN Security Council. In a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Senators also urged the Obama administration to denounce any punishment against Israel as a result of the report's flawed findings.
The Senators wrote to Secretary Clinton, "We believe it is critical that the U.S. continue to work very hard to block any punitive actions against Israel that this report mentions, whether at the Security Council or other U.N. bodies. The loss of innocent lives is unfortunate wherever it occurs - in Israel or in Gaza. But this biased report ignores many of the key facts, and this should be recognized by the international community... As the United Nations Human Rights Council moves toward a resolution on the Goldstone report, we trust you and your team will denounce the unbalanced nature of this investigation."
Senator Gillibrand said, "The UN report charging Israel with war crimes is misleading and unacceptable. These findings should not be used as ammunition against a nation that has been forced to protect its families and children from Hamas attacks. Legitimizing the report sends a dangerous message to countries defending themselves against terrorism. I applaud the State Department for expressing deep concerns and urge the Administration to use its voting power and leverage to ensure that Israel is treated fairly at the UN."
On September 15, the UN Human Rights Council released a 575 page report overseen by Judge Richard Goldstone which accused Israel of committing war crimes during last winter's war in Gaza. Israel took military action in Gaza in direct response to nearly a decade of rocket attacks by Hamas. The United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice has denounced the report calling it an "unbalanced, one-sided and unacceptable" mandate.
By October 2, 47 members of the Human Rights Council will decide whether or not the report will be referred to the Security Council, a group which holds the power to authorize an international investigation. The United States began its term as a member of the Human Rights Council in May.
The Senators cited four key failures to the UN report, including the report's failure to recognize Israel's right to defend itself against terrorism and omission of the fact that Israeli soldiers went to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties.
The letter was co-signed by Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Carl Levin (D-MI), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), James Risch (R-ID), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Evan Bayh (D-IN), Mark Begich (D-AK), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Susan Collins (R-ME), Jim DeMint (R-SC), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), John Ensign (R-NV), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Mike Johanns (R-NE), Tim Johnson (D-SD), David Vitter (D-ND), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Dan Inouye(D-HI), John McCain (R-AZ), Arlen Specter (D-PA), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), John Thune (R-SD), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).
Preceding provided by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
Netanyahu in New York: World hearing 3 great lies about Israel
NEW YORK (Press Release) —In a speech to national Jewish leaders last Thursday co-sponsored by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and the Consulate General of Israel in New York, Prime Minister of Israel Benyamin Netanyahu stated that there are "three great lies" directed against the Jewish people and Israel: that
the Holocaust didn't occur, that Israel "has been the aggressor in the conflict," and that "we are foreign colonials in the land of Israel."
"All it takes for memories to be erased and for lies to be propagated is for them to be unopposed," said the Prime Minister. "The conflict raged from 1920 to 1967 before any soldier was in Judea and Samaria. We want peace and we expect the other side to make peace with Israel," he said.
Referring to a 2,700-year-old signet ring inscribed with the name Netanyahu ben Yoash, the Prime Minister said, "We're not conquerors and not colonialists. This is the land of Israel and this is the land of our forefathers. This is our past and our future."
More than 1,000 leaders of national Jewish organizations attended the event hosted by the 92nd Street Y.
Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chair of the Conference of Presidents, acknowledged the Prime Minister's speech before the United Nations General Assembly earlier that day, saying, "Today you graced the podium of the UN which was disgraced yesterday by Ahmadinejad and Qadaffi. Your voice today sounded louder than all the lies and all the bigots. The
responsibilities you outlined are also the responsibilities of the
Jewish people as a whole - to defeat the lies and defend Israel."
Preceding provided by Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations
Gathering of Survivors
compliment Polish judge
NEW YORK (Press Release)—The American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Their Descendants commends and applauds a Polish judge who has fined the Catholic magazine, Gosc Niedzielny, $11,000 (7,400 euros) for comparing a woman’s desire to have an abortion to medical experiments perpetrated by Nazi war criminals at Auschwitz.
Judge Ewa Nowicky also ordered the magazine to issue a formal apology to the woman, Alicja Tysiac, who had unsuccessfully sought an abortion and whom the magazine had accused of wanting, but “not being able to kill her child.”
“Comparing a mother’s always painful decision to terminate a pregnancy for health reasons to the reprehensible crimes committed the notorious Dr. Joseph Mengele and other SS doctors at Auschwitz trivializes the memory of the Holocaust and makes offensive analogies that border on the obscene,” said Menachem Rosensaft, Vice President of the American Gathering. “It is gratifying that Judge Nowicky had the moral courage to declare such unseemly exploitation of Holocaust imagery off limits.”
The article followed a ruling by the European Court of Justice which had ordered the Polish government to pay Ms. Tysiac $36,000 (25,000 euros) in compensation for denying her an abortion.
Kiev mayor vetoes Babi Yar hotel
KIEV, Ukraine (WJC)--Plans to build a hotel for football fans on the site of the Babi Yar massacre in 1941 have been overruled by Kiev’s mayor. The approval of plans to construct the building near Ukraine’s Babi Yar monument, where 34,000 Jews were killed in 1941, had received widespread criticism, and at a meeting in New York last week, leaders of the World Jewish Congress asked Ukraine’s President Viktor Yushchenko to intercede on the matter.
Ukraine will co-host the 2012 European soccer championship, and there is a shortage of hotel beds in the capital Kiev. However, the decision to build the hotel was overruled by city mayor Leonid Chernovetsky. On Tuesday, President Yushchenko addressed the nation on the occasion of the 68th anniversary of the tragedy and pledged to prevent any impiety to the Babi Yar victims. He also promised “a proper protection of this burial site.”
The Israeli government welcomed the news. Yad Vashem chairman Avner Shalev told the AFP news agency: “Babi Yar is a memorial site not only for Jews but for the whole of Europe... It would have been inconceivable to turn it into a commercial center.”
The hotel was due to be built right on the main site of the massacre. On 29 and 30 September 1941, the Nazis shot 34,000 Jews and later filled the Babi Yar ravine with an estimated 100,000 bodies, including Soviet prisoners of war.
Andy Williams singing Exodus
Thanks to Bruce Kesler for finding this old favorite on You Tube
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