In the News

November 28: Mahmoud Abbas called for an end to anti-Israel incitement in Palestinian media. The U.N. nuclear regulator approved a watered-down resolution on Iran's nuclear build-up. Israel's reconfigured security barrier is expected to take in 8 percent of West Bank land. November 30: Israel's airline, El Al, plans to begin installing its first anti-missile systems in one aircraft in December. A U.N. envoy urged Israel to act on Syrian peace overtures. December 1: U.N.-commissioned report recommends condemning terrorism even in national resistance struggles. Hamas said it would boycott Palestinian Authority elections on Jan. 9. Syrian President Bashar Assad reportedly proposed a peace visit to Jerusalem last year, but was turned down by Israel. American Jewish organizations asked Protestant leaders to reject divestment from Israel. A bill that would allow the creation of Jews-only towns in Israel was defeated in the Knesset.

Myths and Facts in the Arab-Israeli Conflict

MYTH: "Israel uses checkpoints to deny Palestinians their rights and humiliate them." FACTS: (1) It is not unusual for nations to guard their borders and to establish checkpoints to prevent people from illegally entering their countries. The United States has checkpoints at its borders and airports and, as Americans saw on September 11, these are necessary but not foolproof security precautions. (2) In the case of Israel, the necessity for checkpoints has been created by the Palestinians. By pursuing a violent campaign of terror against Israel’s citizens, they have forced Israel to set up barriers to make it as difficult as possible for terrorists to enter Israel or travel through the territories to carry out acts of violence. The checkpoints are an inconvenience to innocent Palestinians, but they do in fact prevent terror and save lives. (3) For example, on November 2, 2002, a van carrying boxes of jeans pulled up at a checkpoint. Soldiers checked the IDs of the men in the van and discovered one of the passengers was a wanted man. The van was unloaded and it was not until the soldiers opened the last box that they discovered an explosive belt that was being delivered to a suicide bomber. Two weeks later a taxi pulled up to the same checkpoint. Soldiers found two computers in the trunk that seemed unusually heavy. They opened the boxes and found two explosive belts. They also found a bag with a gun. (4) Hyperbolic media reports and anti-Israel propaganda have suggested Israel is harrassing Palestinian women at checkpoints. It is unfortunate that women cannot be ignored as potential security threats. Border policemen at a checkpoint north of Jerusalem, for example, arrested a Palestinian woman pushing a baby stroller that concealed a pistol, two ammunition clips, and a knife. (5) Commercial goods, food, medicine, ambulances, and medical crews continue to circulate freely, hampered only by continuing attacks. Palestinian workers going to jobs in Israel also may pass through the checkpoints with the proper identification; restrictions are only imposed when necessitated by the security situation. (6) Barriers are not set up to humiliate Palestinians, but to ensure the safety of Israeli citizens. Unfortunately, every time Israel has relaxed its policy and withdrawn checkpoints, Palestinian terrorists have taken advantage of the opportunity to launch new attacks on innocent Israelis. Source: Myths Facts Online: A Guide to the Arab-Israeli Conflict, By Mitchell G. Bard.

Advocacy for Israel Committee Information

The Advocacy for Israel Committee was formed in September of 2001 to organize pro-Israeli activities and to rally support in the form of Hasbara. The A Team’s next meeting is Sunday December 12 at 9:45 am in the CBI Atrium. Please join us and make a difference for Israel! For more information, email A Team Chairmen Jay Epstein (jhe@tampabay.rr.com) or Sheldon Scheinert (Sheldo123@aol.com), or call the CBI office at 381-4900.

Speaking out for Israel so that "Never Again" shall Jewish silence lead to an indifferent world