M E N O R A H

The lock-up-your-opponents bills of 2009? Very dangerous to your freedom

Would Congress ever pass legislation that would allow the executive to determine at its own discretion whether political opponents had crossed the line into domestic terrorists and build camps in which to keep them?  Sounds like something out of 20th-century totalitarian systems or dystopian fiction.  Mark Tapscott says it’s not fiction, and he warns readers about an effort by Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) to do just that: More

Key Mennonite Institutions against Israel

Mennonite-supported peacemaking institutions have been at the forefront of the effort to discredit Israel to audiences in North America. These institutions portray Jewish sovereignty as the cause of conflict and suffering in the Middle East and downplay Muslim and Arab hostility toward Jews and Israel. More

Dead Sea Faces Lively Competition as World Wonder

(IsraelNN.com) The Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth, confirmed its place for consideration in the next stage of the international competition to grade the seven natural wonders of the world after the Tourism Ministries of Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority individually signed the official supporting papers for its candidacy.

Voting for the 77 nominees finished at midnight on July 7 and voting for the next round will begin on 22 July. The organizers of the New Seven Wonders of Nature competition have announced that they will increase the number of sites qualifying for the next stage from 21 to 28 (to be selected from the top 77 nominees). The competition's organizers expect over a billion people from around the world to participate in the online voting, which will continue into 2011, when the finalists will be announced by categories. More

Hamas-linked CAIR defames Robert Spencer

Tries to block  ALA appearance, takes material from libelblogger Charles Johnson of Little Green Footballs

I wrote the other day about how some alleged believers in free speech among American academia are trying to block my speaking at the American Library Association convention this Sunday. Now the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), true to form, has gotten into the act, sending the ALA a fresh steaming pile of defamation, lies, and distortions (drawing once again on material from its favorite useful idiot, the discredited, thoroughly dishonest Charles Johnson of that cesspool of lies and hate, Little Green Footballs), asking that I be dropped from the ALA panel. More

Netanyahu tells Germany's Steinmeier West Bank cannot be 'Judenrein'

Hosting the German foreign minister this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used an especially tainted term to condemn the Palestinian demand that Israel's settlements in the occupied West Bank be removed.

"Judea and Samaria cannot be Judenrein," a Netanyahu confidant quoted him as telling Frank-Walter Steinmeier. More

Iran holding two young women in prison because they're Christians

"And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality." -- Barack Obama, Cairo, June 4, 2009.

"Maryam and Marzieh – In danger of being forgotten in Iran," from Voice of the Martyrs, July 9 (thanks to Pamela): More

The Washington Post: Michael Yon: The Girl With No Future

Dear Reader,

I am back in Afghanistan.   There is progress on many fronts, but in sum, we are still losing the war at an increasing rate.   All is not hopeless, but it’s not looking good.   The fighting promises to be far more deadly for our troops here than we ever saw in Iraq.   The big media has done an abysmal job of covering the latest fighting.   Yes, there are many stories from Afghanistan, but if you look at the bylines, many are filed from places like Kabul.   When you see “Kabul,” think "Saigon" or “Green Zone” with hotels and bars.   I’m heading back to combat and will be right there, up close, in the middle like usual.   The risks are severe and expenses such as insurance skyrocket when in combat.   I can maintain this pace for long periods, but only if you have my back.   Nobody else does.   Your support is crucial to this front-line reporting.   This site accepts zero advertisement.

If you want hardcore, frontline reporting, stay tuned and please support this mission by making a direct contribution.   Without your support, this mission will end.   Thank you for helping to bring untold stories from the struggles for Afghanistan, Iraq, the Philippines and elsewhere.

Thank you and God bless.

Your Writer,
Michael Yon

Triple Olympic gold medalist Jason Lezak will skip the upcoming world swimming championships

Lezak says Jewish heritage is reason

instead he will compete in Israel's Maccabiah Games in tribute to his Jewish heritage. Despite skipping the sport's top competition of the year, Lezak said his goals remain the same.

Olympic gold medalist Jason Lezak says his goal is still to win gold medals for the U.S. -- it just won't be in Rome. "I came here to swim fast and hopefully bring home some gold medals for the USA," Lezak said on Sunday.

The Maccabiah Games are an international competition for Jewish athletes, held every four years in Israel. More than 900 American athletes will compete in this year's games, officials said, making it the second-largest delegation behind Israel. The 10-day competition begins July 13. More

Today is the 17th Day of Tammuz: The day Babylonian forces breached the walls of Jerusalem

The "Three Weeks" of gradually-increasing mourning over the destruction of the Holy Temples and Israel's exile begins Thursday with the fast of the 17th of the Hebrew month of Tammuz. This is the day on which Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian forces breached the walls of Jerusalem, after many months of siege, on their way to destroying the Holy Temple.

The Three Weeks end on the 9th of Av - Tisha B'Av - the date on which both the First and Second Temples were destroyed, roughly 2,500 and 2,000 years ago, respectively. More

Netanyahu's misguided vision

Rarely does history afford leaders of nations a second chance to redeem themselves. Netanyahu is one the fortunate few who has been afforded such an opportunity. Sadly he has proven unworthy of the extraordinary favor fate granted him, His mettle has been tested and found wanting. His capitulation – however reluctant - to the notion of "two-states" which he has rejected reflects a failure of will or of intellect - or of both. More