Hamas and Its Dark Culture: Death Sentences, Terror Summer Camps and Tunnel Tours

In Gaza, a Hamas-controlled court sentenced three Palestinians to death for collaborating with Israeli forces. Two men, aged 59 and 49, were sentenced to death by hanging, while a third man aged 38 was sentenced to death by firing squad.

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), a Palestinian NGO, condemns the excessive punishment and rejects the death penalty. It claims 13 death penalties have been carried out so far this year. In total, the number of death sentences handed out in Palestinian Authority controlled areas since 1994 has risen to 177.

This should come as no surprise considering the culture of death that Hamas and the Palestinian Authority present. Just this week, Hamas opened up one of its terror tunnels for touring as part of its exhibition to mark the two year anniversary since the last armed conflict between Israel and Hamas. The tunnel, located in the Shuja’iyya neighborhood of Gaza, is one of many Hamas has used to infiltrate Israeli territory to commit acts of terror.

Wait, there’s more of Hamas’ violent influence on its civilians. This summer, more than 30,000 Palestinian children will be attending camps run by Hamas. The camp is run by the Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing. Activities include military training with real weapons, religious indoctrination and incitement to kill Jews. Hamas is training and indoctrinating the future of the Palestinian people into a life of terror, violence and martyrdom.

Of course the world sides with Hamas and the Palestinians with claims that they are just resisting against an “occupying and aggressive” Israel. The truth is that Hamas’ charter details that Jihad and terror against Jews is a duty. It has nothing to do with land and occupation. It has to do with radical Islamic ideology, no different than that of groups such as ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah and Boko Haram.

While terror attacks around the world are being condemned by the international community, attacks on Israel are being ignored. The UN and some countries even go as far as sympathizing with Palestinian terror. Prime Minister Netanyahu recently made a statement condemning this blatant hypocrisy: “Terrorism is terrorism, whether it is in France or Israel, and there must be a unified approach of condemnation and war on this terrorism – here and everywhere else.”

After 49 Years, Israel and Guinea Renew Diplomatic Ties

Israel, represented by Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General Dr. Dore Gold, and the Republic of Guinea (Guinea-Conakry), represented by Chief of Staff of the Guinean Presidency Mr. Ibrahim Khalil Kaba, signed an agreement renewing diplomatic ties between the two nations.

The two countries have not had diplomatic ties for almost 49 years, following the Six-Day War in 1967. Though Guinea is a country with a Muslim majority, it kept a close friendship with Israel throughout the years. Israel played a major part in the international effort to eradicate the Ebola virus that also struck Guinea. This may have fostered this initiative to strengthen ties between the two countries.

“Israel is ready to share its experience and abilities for the good of Guinea’s development needs in a wide range of areas, such as agriculture, water management and homeland security,” stated Director Gold.

This development came soon after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned from a trip to Africa where he visited a number of countries to strengthen and upgrade the political, economic and security ties with Africa. A few months ago, Israel’s Knesset also launched the Africa Caucus where Netanyahu exclaimed: “Israel is coming back to Africa; Africa is coming back to Israel.”

In essence, Israel truly is part of a broader African dynamic.

Liberman: “The Iranian Threat Remains the Greatest Threat to the State of Israel”

During his appearance before the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman remarked:

The Iranian threat remains the greatest threat to the State of Israel. Iran is moving forward with its missile program, as well as its military program, with full force, and one does not have to guess what the objective of this missile program is.

Liberman went on to address the different threats that Israel faces and the importance of the home front in defending Israel’s citizens by “erasing any will and motivation the enemy has to mess with us.”

I do not know of any other country that is currently dealing with as many threats as Israel is: ISIS on the Sinai border, Hamas and [Islamic] Jihad in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and al-Qaeda in Syria. All of our enemies are planning to turn the next conflict into an attack on the Israeli home front; on civilian population. It is obvious that in the next conflict there will be an attempt to harm innocent people. This is why the home front is a very high priority for us.

Many have assessed that an improved economic situation for the Palestinian people would reduce the number of terror attacks. However, Hamas takes advantage of worker entry permits and that the increase in entry permits the last few years also saw an increase in terror attacks using said permits. An example brought by Liberman is the city of Hebron. Despite Hebron being a prosperous Palestinian commercial center, it is an extremist hotbed from which many of the recent terrorists emanated.

Liberman warned that while Israel may soon be facing a military confrontation on one of its borders, “if someone is trying to force a conflict on us – every conflict must end [with a decisive victory]. We must erase any motivation our enemies have to test us a second time, if they try to test us a first time. But first we must erase any will and motivation to mess with us.”

Netanyahu Calls for Unified Approach of Condemnation and War on Terrorism Worldwide

During the weekly Cabinet meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed draft laws to strengthen economic stability and improve the functioning of government ministries. However, he began with strong statements regarding recent events around the world.

Netanyahu made the following remarks:
“Israel and Turkey recently agreed on a reconciliation process between them. We assume that this process will continue without any connection to the dramatic events in Turkey over the weekend.

In recent days, we also experienced the shocking terrorist attack in Nice and it underscores the need for a unified and aggressive approach in the face of the murderous terrorism that is attacking the entire world. I sent condolences — on behalf of the government and people of Israel – and my wishes for a recovery to the wounded, via French President Francois Hollande.

The Palestinian Authority also sent condemnations and condolences, but with one difference: Here, not only do they not condemn vehicular terrorism, they encourage it. They glorify the terrorists responsible and finance them and their families if the terrorists are dead.

Terrorism is terrorism, whether it is in France or Israel, and there must be a unified approach of condemnation and war on this terrorism – here and everywhere else.”

The sentiments of his remarks are clear: While the world cries for terror victims in Europe or the US, it remains silents when it comes to Israeli terror victims. While the world speaks of war on terror and fighting ISIS, it does not speak up when it comes to Palestinian terror. Netanyahu is trying to make the point that the motives behind Palestinian terror is no different than the motives behind ISIS and other terror groups.

A Pakistani Muslim’s Path to Zionism: An Interview With Noor Dahri

In our interview with Noor Dahri, an independent counter-terrorism researcher in London and an honorary member of the Zionist Federation in the UK, he explains how his search for truth led him to become a Pakistani Muslim that is pro-Israel and pro Zionism.

 

Noor Dahri, please provide a brief background about yourself:

I am originally from Pakistan, but have been living in the UK for a long time. I am a follower of the Salafi thought of Islam. I currently work for the London Police department and am a member of several national and international organizations including the Zionist Federation-UK.

 

How did you come to be such a strong supporter of Israel?

Well, I was very extreme back in the day. I saw life differently than I do now. I am thankful to G-d that I didn’t follow blindly or copy the people around me. I listened to myself and not what the other people would say. I had enough sense to judge the situation. It was my nature to know everything in detail. That’s why when I was an extremist, I learned everything in depth. I loved books since I was very young and always searched for the truth. I changed many times within the branches of Islam to find out which is the right path. I searched all around me to know the reality, even if it was a risk to my life. In my life, I read many anti-Israel books and some of those were actually in my personal home library. Since I studied Counter Terrorism from the International Institute for Counter Terrorism (ICT-Herzilya), my mind was opened to a completely different picture of Israel. So I decided to learn more about the actual truth. I read many books, talked to many intellectual people of Israel and had discussions on social media platforms. As soon as I found out the truth, I did not waste a single minute to announce my adherence to the Zionist Federation.

 

How do you hope to promote more support for Israel and who are you promoting to?

My main focus is to promote support for Israel within the Pakistani community in the UK and in Pakistan. I am hopeful that the new generation of Pakistan is more educated and learned than the generations before them. The world has become a global village, particularly within social media connected countries and nations turning them into one family. People assess and analyze the Pal-Israel conflict more deeply than it was before. Therefore I believe many more people will come forward and join this cause.

 

Why do you feel it is so important to be outspoken about your support of Israel, especially as it may put you in danger or in conflict with those close to you?

As I stated before, I always remained outspoken whether I was a religious extremist or a political Zionist. As a human, I still fear of reaction from my Co Muslims extremists, but I trust in Allah, he is the protector of everyone. I believe that the cause I have started is actually a cause of Prophets for every religion. I cannot stay home to hide my political affiliation, I worked very hard to know the truth, to know how extremism affects someone’s personal and even eternal life. Unfortunately, so many people in my community are still unaware of the truth. They are religiously and politically biased and do not use their mind or search about the facts. There should be someone who belongs to their community, their culture, and their religion, that can educate them about the truth.

Another thing that I must mention here is that I have very strong religious beliefs. People are still in shock that I am a religious Muslim that joined the ZF. Some even blamed me as being part of Qadiyani, a group that is declared as non-Muslim but they still consider themselves as Muslims. This was the main reason people of my community drew their deep attention to me. They wanted to know the reason that I took this big leap which can ultimately place my personal life and religious affiliation in danger.

Noor Dahri 1 9816_1118111918207826_3956014351711384222_n

 

What do you have to say to those that claim that Muslims cannot support Israel? Aren’t there statements in the Quran that speak negatively about Jews?

Religious point of view on this issue is not my field, but I will put light on it according to my personal opinion. In the Quran, there is nothing new against the Jews. The Quran repeats the stories of Bani Israel. The stories which are already mentioned in the holy Taurate (Old Testament) and have been repeated in the Quran by Allah (SWT). There are good and bad people in every society, so the bad people are condemned and good people are praised in the Old Testament. The Quran repeated the same stories of the good and bad people of the Bani Israel. Therefore, I cannot understand why people see the verses that condemn the bad people of Israel but don’t see the verses that praise the good people of Bani Israel! This is the common problem in our Muslim community. They are quick to blame other religious but do not see their own actions that go against the teachings of Islam. The Quran declared the land of Israel to the Jews. It belonged to Bani Israel. Jews are the indigenous people of the land of Israel and they will remain there till the day of Judgement.  It is mentioned in the Quran. So it is that Muslim’s religious duty to support Israel and the Jewish community, according to the commandment of Allah (SWT).

 

Are you showing support to Israel as a Muslim, as a Pakistani, or as both? Meaning, do you feel it is imperative for all Muslims to support Israel or for all Pakistanis to support Israel? 

I am proud to be a Pakistani Muslim. I fully support Israel because being a Pakistani it is not my war, whether a religious war or a political war. There is no justification to support the Arab nationalism which already contradicted the teachings of Islam. My first preference is to address my Pakistani community as being a Pakistani Muslim and if any non-Pakistani benefits from my work that would be wonderful. My advice to my Pakistani community is that they try to interact with the Israeli community and speak to them regarding Israel-Pal conflict. They will definitely address them according to the historical and political facts. My community needs to listen to the other side of conflict. How could they judge a one-sided story and make up their minds?

 

What relationship do Pakistan and Israel have that you feel can facilitate closer ties in the future? Why is it important for these two countries to have closer ties?

There are many similarities between Israelis and Pakistanis. There are religious and political similarities. They both struggled to achieve independence and they are persecuted from other communities. The main similarity is that Jews are the people of the book, a monotheistic religion just as Islam. They follow strict dietary laws of halal/kosher. Their religious rituals are very similar to the Islamic rituals. Pakistan is a very strong country within the Islamic world, just as Israel is strong too. They both have powerful armies and intelligence networks in the world. Both countries have influence in the world. Making close ties and having open relations would be beneficial for the future of both nations and both religions. There’s no doubt that Israel and Pakistan did have a hard time to normalize these relations. Unfortunately Pakistani political leaders are so afraid of religious reaction in the country since religious bloc is very powerful in Pakistan. But I hope, one day people of Pakistan will break this wall of hate and embrace each other to create a religious and political coherent relationship.

 

Do you believe more people such as yourself will come out and speak out in support of Israel or do most fear doing so?

It will take some time, but I am positive. I still remember when I joined the ZF (Zionist Federation). I feared the strong reaction from the Pakistani community in Pakistan. I was not expecting a single Pakistani Muslim would stand firm with me, but, to be honest, the Pakistani community proved me wrong. They rushed in supporting my cause. I was amazed to see some religious people from Pakistan that supported my cause. They stood in support with Israel and that was a very courageous move for them. I pass my congratulations to my community who not only supported, but listened and understood me and my efforts to advocate for Israel. There is a huge fear in Pakistan from religious persecution. This is why people do not speak out and it will definitely take some time. However I am so positive and believe in my nation that they will come up and will support the truth. In Shaa Allah

 

In your opinion, do you feel Israel and Palestinian Arabs will reach a lasting peace in our lifetime? What needs to be done in order to reach that peace?

This is a very complicated question like the Pal-Israel conflict. As I said before, the social media boarded the minds of both communities. There are many people in both communities who started trusting each other. People see the naked facts that Israel is not their enemy. Thousands of Palestinians enter into Israel to work on a daily basis. They experience the friendly welcome of Israelis and they see that the Israeli market pays them four times better than their Palestinian authorities. They receive insurance, their medical treatment is free in Israeli hospitals, and their basic human life cost is much better in Israel than in Gaza or the West Bank. Once they retire they get full pension from Israeli companies with full employment rights. They see the lifestyle of Arab Israelis. They see the minarets of Mosques in Israel are still shining, and they hear the loudspeaker of those mosque calls for 5 times of daily prayers. The Palestinian’s new generation is assessing the situation very deeply, but unfortunately their political leaders hijacked them, and their religious leaders blackmailed them. These people need to free themselves from these ruthless political establishments. Israel is ready to give them their state and restore their honour, but they need to accept the fact, which is the reality of Israel’s existence. I hope, that if not in my time, at least the new generation will see these strong relations, so the lives of both nations will live in peace.

 

What is your take on the current situation overall in the Middle East? Which countries do you feel are pivotal in creating calm in the mayhem that is currently taking place in all the countries situated between Israel and Pakistan?

Well, I do not see any strong Islamic country in the Middle East that can come forward to calm the current situation except Pakistan. Pakistan is the only Islamic country that has huge influence in the Arab world because of the many political and military reasons. The Arab world listens and accepts any positive decision taken by Pakistan to resolve this conflict. Pakistan is the only Islamic country that has nuclear arsenals by one of the world’s most powerful army. When any Arab-Israel issue arises, The Arab countries always seek advice from Pakistan. Pakistan can play a very crucial role in normalizing relations between Arabs and Israel. Israel should keep focus on Pakistan more than the other Arab countries. I believe, if Pakistan accepts Israel or at least normalizes political relations with Israel, the Arab nations would not spend a single minute to follow the political path of Pakistan towards Israel.

 

Feel free to address any other issues.

There are many issues that need to be resolved. Currently, my main issue is to educate my community through my available efforts and resources. I think well-resourced and educated people should come forward to help me present the positive image to my community. The prime matter is a lack of knowledge in my community about this historical conflict. I have many limited resources and I use them all very effectively to highlight this issue within my community.  The Pakistani community is well educated and intelligent so they can accept the truth if we present them the reality complete with evidence. Unfortunately, there aren’t any resources to educate the Pakistani community. There is no organization, platform, web site, books in Urdu, or any media coverage to tell the positivity of Israel towards Muslims and Arab Israelis.

I am working hard to establish a platform where I can raise these issues and show my community the facts about Israel, which the local or cross-border media do not show them. Pakistan and the Pakistani community are very strong in the world, especially on the political stage. Pakistani people contribute in international, political, and research departments and they can play a very crucial role if they know the reality about Israel and the Israeli people. From this platform, I invite all Muslim Zionists, especially Asians/Pakistani Zionists, including Kasim Hafeez, Farhana Rahman, and Saba Rasheed to come forward and join my struggle and work with me shoulder to shoulder for the community.

App Uses Adapted Israeli Airforce Imaging Tech to Detect Skin Cancer

Every child gets a vision and hearing check in school on a regular basis. Dr. Moshe Fried, an Israeli plastic surgeon, believes an annual skin check is necessary as well, starting in the teens.

This is why he agreed to be the medical consultant for Emerald Medical Applications’ DermaCompare, a free smartphone app that uses image processing and predictive analytics to detect changes in marks and moles over time. The app alerts the user to changes that ought to be screened for cancer.

“The skin is the biggest organ in the body,” says Fried. “The need for this comparative system came from the concept that as dermatologists and plastic surgeons we have to check everyone throughout life to look for changes in moles – the medical term is ‘nevi’ — for signs of skin cancer. This is quite difficult to do. We think that together with this application we can accomplish this goal.”

The public company, founded in Petah Tikva in 2013, has distribution agreements in Israel, Sweden, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Brazil, New Zealand and Australia (in Australia, one out of seven people get skin cancer). In April, the Brazil Chamber of Commerce selected DermaCompare as the Israeli technology “most likely to succeed in Brazil.”

A Spanish version of the app was recently launched for Puerto Rico, Mexico and Argentina, with more South American locations to come.

“There is no other product like ours,” Emerald founder and CEO Lior Wayn tells ISRAEL21c. “Our competitors use manual diagnostics and don’t use algorithms to compare images.

“This is a proprietary technology that we adapted from the Israeli Air Force, using aerial photos to track enemy moves. Our enemy is moles and we know how to track them.”

Last year, Wayn gave a TEDx Talk in Berlin about how he decided to adapt Israeli military technology into a lifesaving medical solution after his own father was diagnosed with melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer.

User-friendly

To use the free iOS or Android app, you strip down to your underwear and have someone take smartphone or digital camera photos of your moles and lesions according to instructions explained by a friendly avatar.

DermaCompare’s algorithm then analyzes the photos. If any suspicious moles or changes are found, the app recommends contacting a doctor for evaluation, and can automatically link you to a dermatologist near your location.

“The system knows how to distinguish between benign and malignant and tells us if there is a change that could be malignant,” says Fried. “The aim is to find melanoma in the earliest stages. This offers great advantages in terms of saving money and treatment time.”

Approximately 420 million people worldwide have a high risk of getting melanoma, particularly those with fair skin. Annual treatment expenditures for melanoma in the US alone total $8 billion.

The DermaCompare system identifies and classifies moles and lesions. Image courtesy of Emerald Medical Applications
The DermaCompare system identifies and classifies moles and lesions. Image courtesy of Emerald Medical Applications

Fried says that thousands of pictures of volunteers taken for the development of the DermaCompare app demonstrated that changes in moles could clearly be detected over the course of the three-year trial period.

He envisions everyone, starting in their teens, using the app at regular intervals to build a cloud-based medical file providing physicians with real-time data on skin history and changes. If a user is concerned about a particular spot, a photo can be transmitted directly to his or her dermatologist.

DermaCompare can also be used as a follow-up at home to professional total body photography, which more and more people are using for early detection of skin cancer.

The app harnesses the power of the crowd, Wayn explains. As users upload photos of their skin to the cloud, they are building a database toward more accurate identification and comparison of moles and lesions.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence can use this crowdsourced data to predict which kinds of moles are most likely to become cancerous, “and by using that we can prevent melanoma in advance,” says Wayn.

Emerald Medical, a 16-employee company that has raised about $2 million and now seeks another $2.5 million in a Series B round, intends DermaCompare as a tool to document changes in many skin conditions beyond moles and cancer.

“This is a screening device for anything on the body that you can track with images, such as acne, bedsores and psoriasis,” says Wayn.

The business model is a fee charged to the participating physician based on the particular country’s insurance scheme.

For more information, click here.

(Originally Published on Israel21c.org by Abigail Klein Leichman)

Israel Is Advancing Collaboration With Developing Countries

Last week, Prime Minister Netanyahu attended the launch of the Knesset Caucus for Israel-Africa Relations where he spoke about promoting and increasing cooperation between Africa and Israel in the areas of health, science, agriculture, tourism, science and cyber technology.

In the presence of Israeli lawmakers and ambassadors from African countries, the Prime Minister said:

“Israel is coming back to Africa. Africa is coming back to Israel. It’s happening in a big way. It’s happening now because it’s so clear that it’s good for Africa and good for Israel.”

A perfect example of advancing this initiative is Netafim’s irrigation solution for a sugar plantation in Ethiopia. Netafim CEO Ran Maidan said, “This is a large international agricultural project, and a strategic project that strengthens Netafim’s business in Africa in general and in Ethiopia in particular. Netafim was selected to lead the project because of its proven ability to supply advanced end-to-end solutions for large and complex projects, while advising the customers at all stages.”

India is another country benefiting from Israeli innovation.  The Himayat Bagh Indo-Israel Centre of Excellence launched a new initiative to recycle accumulating sewage water and use it to irrigate the Kesar mango crops in India. Israel’s advancements in agricultural innovation and water treatment technology are pivotal in bridging the two countries economically.

Drought-stricken Papua New Guinea received GalMobile water purification vehicles from Israel to convert non-potable water into clean drinking water for millions of its thirsty citizens.

Columbian farmers are cutting back on chemical pesticides with help from Bio-Bee mites, a completely natural way to help eliminate harmful species of spiders that are destroying crops.

A team from Hebrew University is helping Uganda raise an abundant supply of carp fish by applying techniques developed over many years for Israeli fish farmers.

The list of Israeli innovation and technology being shared with the world goes on and on. Hopefully, PM Netanyahu’s future trip to African countries will help cultivate even further cooperation between Africa and Israel.

Pamela Geller: Israel should never have recognized “Palestinian” as a Nationality

We had the privilege of interviewing Pamela Geller and learning her views of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the growing terror wave in Israel and worldwide, and how faulty policies are responsible for many of the current conflicts.
Pamela Geller’s activism on behalf of human rights has won international notice. She is President of the American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI) and Stop Islamization of America (SIOA). She is the author of The Post-American Presidency: The Obama Administration’s War on America and Stop the Islamization of America: A Practical Guide to the Resistance. She is the editor and chief of Atlas Shrugs. Pamela is also a regular columnist for World Net Daily, the American Thinker, Breitbart.com and other publications.

1. What got you focused on Radical Islam? What drives you? Do you ever fear for your life?

9/11. I wanted to know who had attacked my country, and began to study and investigate. What drives me is a determination to defend freedom and individual rights, on which this country is based. I have a fatwa on my head from ISIS, but I will not stop telling the truth.

2. Why do you focus so much on exposing the threat of extremist Islam and is anyone even listening? Do organizations such as CAIR look at you as a threat?

I focus on it because it is the #1 threat to freedom today, and this threat is being obfuscated by our political and media elites. Yes, many are listening, and many are just as concerned as I am, but we are not given a voice in the mainstream media. CAIR is very threatened by what I do because I expose truths they are working to cover up.

3. What is your take on why we are seeing an increase of terrorism around the globe and in Israel?

Because of the weakness of the U.S. and the West. Obama showed the jihadis that he would not act energetically against them. They can act with impunity and he will do nothing. Ayn Rand said, “The spread of evil is the symptom of a vacuum. Whenever evil wins, it is only by default: by the moral failure of those who evade the fact that there can be no compromise on basic principles.”

4. Are the reasons for the terror wave in Israel the same as what happened in California and Paris? Or is the “occupation” and “protecting Al Aqsa” the real reason behind Palestinian terror?

Yes, exactly the same reason: the jihad to subjugate unbelievers under the hegemony of Islamic rule. Palestinian terror is motivated only by the Islamic idea that Islam must dominate everywhere.

5. In your opinion, why is the world so focused on Israel?

Israel has been the subject of a skillful and relentless propaganda barrage designed to demonize it in the eyes of the world.

6. Are Israeli leaders hurting Israel’s image? Should they be stronger in both voice and deed?

No matter how strong Israeli leaders are, they will still be demonized by the international media, which has become a tool of the jihad force. They should indeed be stronger, but whenever they are strong, they are vilified to such a degree that it hinders their ability to act.

7. How did the Palestinians gain control of the narrative in the Middle East? Why are they seen as the underdog?

They co-opted the left’s narrative of “resistance” to “oppression” and won over the left to their side. The whole idea of the “Palestinian” people was created in order to give the impression of a tiny Muslim population facing a massive Israeli force, and to co-opt the idea that Israel was the underdog against massive neighboring Arab Muslim states.

8. What can Israel do to regain the narrative?

Israel should never have recognized “Palestinian” as a nationality, and should continue to point out that this is a people with no history, manufactured for propaganda purposes. “Palestinian”is a marketing term for Jew hatred.

9. I believe left wing students on college campuses, if explained the facts behind what is going on, would swing to supporting Israel. Do we have to do a better job? Or are there other factors driving their decision to back what amounts to be a glorified terrorist entity?

Yes, but the main problem is that the campuses are dominated by left-wing propaganda. The playing field is not even. Some groups are doing a good job but it is hard for them to get a fair hearing, equal access, etc. And Muslim students are increasingly physically menacing on campuses.

10. What do you suggest Israel do to prevent future terror attacks? Some have proposed deporting terrorist family members. Your thoughts?

Stand strong. Make no concessions. “Land-for-peace” initiatives will never bring peace. Deporting the family members may have some limited value, but Israel really should confront the jihad terror ideology. Islamic Jew-hatred is the root cause of the war against the Jews.

11. Do you believe a 2-state solution is feasible? What are the world powers trying to achieve by pushing for a 2-state solution considering the fact that it is not in the best interest of Israel nor the Palestinians?

No, a Palestinian State would only be used as a jihad base to launch more jihad attacks against Israelis. World powers push for it because they ignore Palestinian media’s frequent genocidal statements, and pretend that this will solve the problem. In fact it will only weaken Israel and strengthen the jihad.

12. Feel free to add any other comments or topics that you feel our audience would benefit from, including how they can help you and the work you are doing.

Donate to AFDI via Paypal to americanfreedomdefense@aol.com.

Martyrdom, Suicide-by-Police or Both?

A recent Times of Israel article attempts to pinpoint the motivating factor behind the current terror wave. What drives Arab teenagers to go on a stabbing spree knowing they will most probably be shot dead by an officer? Do they have suicidal tendencies and are just committing “suicide-by-police?” Or are they committing terror in the name of religion? Or is it a mix of both?

The writer interviews Professor Ariel Merari, a prominent expert in the psychology of terrorism, who assessed the personality of failed self-martyrs. His studies show that “most of the would-be martyrs displayed a dependent and avoidant personality style, a profile that made them more amenable to group, leader, and public influence.” Others were assessed as having an impulsive and emotionally unstable style. Some of the would-be martyrs displayed sub-clinical suicidal tendencies and some displayed symptoms of depression.

Analysis of the terror and suicide attacks

There are two part of the article though that caught my attention:

“It’s not that there is one cause and that’s it — like incitement. Incitement certainly plays an important role. Even a person who really wants to die for personal reasons could do it several different ways. But the fact that Islam forbids suicide is key. If someone commits suicide, his family become outcasts. If he really wants to die, in the current political climate, it is very convenient to do it this way, to commit suicide by police. Because then the entire society will say, ‘How wonderful, he is a shahid, he is a hero. They will not say he committed a religiously forbidden act.”

According to that statement by Merari, it is clear that it is society’s fault for encouraging and praising those who carry out terror attacks and become martyrs. Yes, Merari’s reports are accurate and the subjects of his studies probably do have emotional or psychological issues that make them more prone to become self-martyrs. However, when the society and its leaders publicly encourage terror attacks and martyrdom they are providing the self-martyr justification for his actions. It is the incitement, brainwashing lies and anti-Israel propaganda being spread by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas that are breeding self-martyrs in their society.

Adam Lankford explains this problem in his article in the Scientific American “What You Don’t Understand about Suicide Attacks:”

Unfortunately, “martyrdom” has become a dangerous loophole: it is the only way Islamic suicide attackers believe they can guarantee their own death, and yet go to heaven instead of hell. In the Middle East and Asia, they typically commit suicide bombings. In the United States, they tend to use firearms instead of bombs, and plan on dying via “suicide by cop.” In both cases, these attack methods help disguise their suicidal motives. It is commonly claimed that they do not want to die, they just care more about harming the enemy than they do about their own survival.

But the disguise is wearing thin. As I have argued elsewhere, the key to deterring Islamic suicide attackers—both in the United States and around the world—is to expose their suicidal motives and close the “martyrdom” loophole, once and for all. Until suicide attackers are widely seen for the desperate, traumatized, and mentally ill people they really are—instead of “psychologically normal” altruists—America will continue to suffer Islamic mass shooters who seek glory and heavenly rewards through death.

The point is that the Palestinian leadership needs to stop promoting martyrdom. This is why I was disturbed by the last line of the Times of Israel article:

Asked about the current wave of terror, Merari said the political climate needs to change. “The Palestinian public needs hope. We offer them nothing that gives them hope for independence. They are under occupation.”

The blame is on the occupation? Aren’t there Christian Arabs also under the “occupation”? Yet, we don’t see suicide stabbing, shooting and car-ramming attacks performed by them in Israel. It is clear that Islam, at least the way it is being taught in Gaza and the West Bank, plays a huge role in recruiting suicide attackers for the sake of Jihad and martyrdom. I agree that the Palestinian people need hope. That hope will come when its leadership decides to take steps toward a peaceful coexistence with Israelis and stops preaching baseless propaganda and hate.

David Bukay from the University of Haifa concluded in his article “The Religious Foundation of Suicide Bombings:”

“It is fashionable among Western analysts and academics to explain away suicide bombing with discussion of “root causes” that omit religion. Many cite a history of exploitation by Western powers, Israel’s existence, government oppression, poverty, lack of education, and alienation as reasons why desperate individuals decide to blow themselves up to murder others. But attention to suicide bombers’ own justifications suggest that, for them, Islam and its call for jihad is the primary motivation.”

Is there a solution to terror?

The problem of terror attacks against innocent civilians is only getting worse. (As I type these words I hear gunshots outside. Three Arab terrorists were shot after attacking Israelis. Knives, guns and bombs were found. But I digress..) While Merari is correct in suggesting there are a mix of factors that motivate a terror attack, the solution to preventing terror attacks is unclear. It seems that the underlying motivator and fuel for terror attacks is incitement based on religion with the reward of martyrdom, social acceptance, heroism and even monetary compensation for the families of terrorists. The Israeli government needs to implement laws that will demotivate perpetrators from carrying out an attack. Currently, it seems that home demolishing is not enough of a punishment to prevent future attacks. The motivation factor needs to be diminished or removed completely.

One solution that can serve to demotivate someone contemplating a terror attack may be to deport terrorists’ family members. As Israel’s Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel suggested:

“The Israeli government and the political-security cabinet must make a clear decision to deport terrorists and their families to Gaza or any other country which will accept them. Our country must rid ourselves of these murderers.”

Are there other solutions to the current terror wave? Please let us know. Your comments and suggestions are welcomed. Please comment by text or audio below.

New Stop-and-Frisk Law Gives Police More Power

A new bill was passed into law yesterday giving Israeli police authority to search any person on the basis of fear even without reasonable suspicion. While this law is temporary and valid for one year, some argue it will increase discrimination against minority groups including Arabs, Ethiopians and the Ultra-Orthodox. However, this may be an important step in preventing terror attacks in public places. Since October, Israel has been plagued with daily terror attacks, mostly stabbings, and the government has failed to implement a solution. This new stop-and-frisk law, while controversial, shows the government is finally trying to do something to provide security for its citizens.

Will the police abuse this new law? Probably. Israel has an ugly history of police brutality against its citizens, minorities and non-minorities alike. But will this new law help combat the current terror wave? We’ll have to wait and see.

What are your thoughts on this? (Please comment below via text or voice recording.)