Dear Family & Friends,

It’s wonderful, coolish, sunny day as we prepare for Shabbat. Lots of yummy foods smelling lovely from the kitchen.

Of the articles below, please enjoy #6 from Janet Lehr…The story of Israel’s relationship with China & our Ambassador Matan Vilnai 3 years there is EXTRAORDINARY! It is so inspiring, especially now when we seem to be getting slings & arrows of outrageous fortune from many directions. Remember, Israel has one of the highest “Happiness” levels of all the world’s countries. We must be doing some things (many things) very right! And, we have HaShem on our side. Let’s thank Him with great enthusiasm.

So, hug your children & all your loved ones. Have a blessed Shabbat.

All the very best, Gail/Geula/Savta/Savta Raba x 2/Mom

A.1. 6 Firefighter Planes Battling Blaze in Gush Etzion ng of Jordan Refl 1.The Israeli Security Cabinet has unanimously approved new stiffer measures against terrorists who throw stones & firebombs at Israelis.

2.Cabinet cracks down on rock throwing, firebombing

3.Iran Issues New Demands on the Nuclear Deal (It Ain’t Over Til it’s Over.)

4.Syria: Russia vs the West – One-way Street

5.Time to delegitimize the UN by Judith Bergman

A.1. 6 Firefighter Planes Battling Blaze in Gush Etzion

By: Jewish Press News Briefs Published: September 25th, 2015

Photo Credit: Google Maps

Six firefighter planes, 8 firefighting brigades and volunteers are working to put out a massive fire in the Gvaot Forest in Gush Etzion, which is near Bat Ayin and Alon Shvut.

Road 376 has been closed to traffic.

Residents in the area were evacuated, but have now been allowed to return to their homes.

Investigators suspect arson.

1.The Israeli Security Cabinet has unanimously approved new stiffer measures against terrorists who throw stones & firebombs at Israelis.

By: Hana Levi Julian JewishPress.com Published: September 24th, 2015

On the Temple Mount, the Al-Aqsa mosque from inside: Palestinian rioters broke down walls to prepare stones for ammunition and furniture to make barricades. Photo Credit: Ofir Gendelman / PM Arab media spokesperson

The Security Cabinet unanimously approved new measures Thursday night against terrorists who hurl stones, firecrackers, fireworks, stun grenades and firebombs (Molotov cocktails) at Israeli civilians and security personnel.

“The security cabinet has decided to authorize police to use live ammunition against people throwing stones and Molotov cocktails when the life of a third person is threatened and no longer only when a police officer is threatened,” a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said.

The cabinet approved the use of .22 Ruger sniper rifles against rioters hurling stones, who endanger others, and live fire in any case in which lives are endangered.

Stiffened penalties include a mandatory minimum four-year prison sentence and a fine for convicted stone-throwers ages 14-18. Also approved was an evaluation of possibly fining the parents of convicted children ages 12 to 14.

“In Israel, these murderous objects won’t be thrown unanswered and without prevention,” Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu tweeted following the cabinet vote.

However, children under age 12 cannot be held accountable for crimes under current Israeli law. With the rise in terror attacks, there has also been a corresponding escalation in the number of Arab 10 year olds who are being caught throwing stones at Israeli soldiers and police officers as well.

About the Author: Hana Levi Julian is a Middle East news analyst with a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Southern Connecticut State University. A past columnist with The Jewish Press and senior editor at Arutz 7, Ms. Julian has written for Babble.com, Chabad.org and other media outlets, in addition to her years working in broadcast journalism.

Ministers unanimously approve steps seeking to curb growing violence in Jerusalem • Measures include change in rules of engagements, mandatory prison sentences • PM Netanyahu: You cannot throw deadly objects with impunity; we will change the norm.

Shlomo Cesana, Edna Adato, Itsik Saban, News Agencies & Israel Hayom Staff

The Diplomatic-Security Cabinet on Thursday unanimously approved a series of security measures presented by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fight the growing violence in Jerusalem, especially incidents involving rock throwing and firebombing.

The new measures, coordinated with the Attorney General’s Office, were set as a temporary government order that will be in effect for three years.

The rules of engagement for security forces dealing with riots in Jerusalem have been revised to allow for the use of live fire in cases where “there is clear and immediate danger to the lives of civilians or security personnel.”

The ministers further approved a provision presented by Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, allowing the use of sniper fire during violent riots.

The directives were partially inspired by the rules of engagement practiced by IDF forces dealing with Palestinian violence across Judea and Samaria.

A senior government official told Israel Hayom that the change in the rules of engagement was “significant” and would allow security forces to open fire in any case posing a threat to human life.

Another measure approved Thursday includes imposing a minimum prison sentence of between two and four years on individuals convicted in stoning or firebombing cases.

The ministers did, however, allow for “judiciary consideration in cases presenting special circumstances,” thus allowing judges presiding over such cases more leeway. This provision was introduced following Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein’s recommendation on the matter.

“Special circumstances mean that a judge would be able to apply a certain set of considerations to sentencing rulings,” a senior legal source said. “You can’t bind the judges in that way. Minors, for example, have been excluded from this order altogether, but it will apply to Jewish rioters as well, haredim that stone policemen and rioting anarchists.

“There’s no such thing as a separate law for Jerusalem — Jerusalem is Israel. Setting a minimum mandatory sentence sends a message, but you have to allow for exceptions,” he said.

A third measure includes imposing hefty fines, amounting to tens of thousands of shekels on the families of minors aged 14 to 18 who are implicated in such incidents.

The families of minors implicated in stoning or firebombing cases will be denied state benefits, but only while the minors are in police custody or facing punitive proceedings.

A measure suggesting imposing heavy fines on the parents of minors aged 14 and under was not approved, as the Attorney General’s Office is still reviewing its feasibility.

In a press briefing held following the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet’s meeting, Netanyahu said, “We have revised the rules of engagement. Until recently, police were allowed to open fire only when they themselves were in immediate danger, but from now on, they will be allowed to open fire — they will know they have to engage — when anyone is facing a life-threatening situation.

“We have also decided to impose a minimum four-year prison sentence on adults hurling rocks, firebombs, or other lethal objects, and we will impose increased fines and minimum mandatory fines on the parents of minors involved. These decisions apply to all the citizens and residents of Israel,” he said.

“We will change the norm that has taken root here, that somehow, in Israel, one can just throw these deadly objects with impunity. This is going to change,” Netanyahu stated.

The prime minister further dismissed Palestinian claims that the recent riots on the Temple Mount were provoked by Jewish worshippers.

“We maintain the status quo. The various remarks made, suggesting we plan to harm Islam’s holy sites in any way are utter nonsense. Those bringing explosives and pipe bombs to the mosques are the ones changing the status quo. We will spare no effort to maintain law and order, peace and quiet. We call on all our neighbors and on the Palestinian Authority to stop this wild incitement,” Netanyahu said.

Meanwhile, the Jerusalem District Police on Thursday arrested 13 Palestinians, nine of them minors, suspected of hurling rocks and firebombs at security forces.

According to the Jerusalem District Police 137 suspects, 61 of them minors, have been arrested for rioting in the capital since Rosh Hashanah.

Several similar riots erupted in the southern Bedouin town of Tel Sheva. Fifteen suspects, including nine minors, were arrested.

Negev Subdistrict Police Commander Brig. Gen. Amnon Alkalai told Israel Hayom the police “will exercise a zero-tolerance policy toward anyone seeking to harm its forces.”

3.Iran Issues New Demands on the Nuclear Deal (It Ain’t Over Til it’s Over.) Iran is demanding new concessions on the nuclear deal that everyone thought was all sealed up. Surprise! By: Hana Levi Julian JewishPress.com Published: September 24th, 2015

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei
Photo Credit: Khamenei.ir

The Iranian government is now demanding the finished nuclear deal be re-opened for negotiation, again.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei demanded earlier this month that sanctions be lifted entirely, rather than simply suspended as agreed in the nuclear deal signed in July.

This past weekend, the demand was repeated by a top Iranian official ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, where informal negotiations often take place on the sidelines. On September 28, Iranian officials plan to meet with the entire P5+1 delegation that negotiated the nuclear deal with Iran, according to Iran’s FARS news agency.

However, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry reportedly plans to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif in the coming days in New York over the issue. According to Fox News, a State Department official said there will be no further negotiation.

“We’ve long said that we’re not going to comment on or react to every statement attributed to the Iranian leadership,” the official told FoxNews.com. “Our focus is on implementing the deal, and verifying that Iran completes its key nuclear steps under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). There is no renegotiation, and the nuclear-related sanctions relief that Iran will receive once the IAEA verifies that it has completed its nuclear steps is clearly spelled out in the text of the [agreement].”

The ayatollah has said, however, that unless sanctions are lifted entirely, “there will be no deal.” According to a translation by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), Khamenei warned if sanctions are only suspended, Iran too will only “suspend” the nuclear activities listed in the agreement.

In the text of the agreement, there is a reference to “lifting” the sanctions, but the White House has promised that sanctions “will snap back into place” if Iran violates its end of the deal.

According to MEMRI, it’s not that simple. The talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly may provide a forum for new negotiations over further concessions to Iran. Outright “lifting of sanctions” would constitute a “fundamental change” to the deal, MEMRI pointed out, because “lifting the sanctions, rather than suspending them, will render impossible a ‘snapback’ in case of Iranian violations.”

Three Iran leaders announced already last July, however, that Iran intended to openly violate at least part of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231.

“Just as we refrained from complying with UN Security Council resolutions, we can do so with regard to 2231,” explained senior negotiator Abbas Araghchi in an interview on Iranian Channel 2 broadcast on July 20, 2015, picked up and translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).

The three leaders, President Hassan Rouhani, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, and Araghchi, who also serves as deputy foreign minister, emphasized in the interview that Iran has no intention of abiding by the UN resolution, which includes both the JCPOA and Annex B – the list of points with which Iran disagrees, including the issue of sanctions on the Iranian missile development project. Rather, Iran seeks to abide only by the JCPOA.

Following the passage of UNSCR 2231, the Iranian foreign ministry issued a statement noting, “Iran does not attach legitimacy to any restriction and any threat. If UNSCR 2231 will be violated by Iran, it will be a violation of the Security Council resolution and not of the JCPOA, similar to what happened 10 years ago when we violated Security Council resolutions and nothing happened.

“The text of the JCPOA notes the fact that the content of the JCPOA and of the UN Security Council resolution are two separate things,” the statement read.

During the interview, Araghchi said that there had been tough bargaining between the Iranian and American delegations over the issue of the arms embargo on Iran and the sanctions related to Iran’s missile development project.

“The Americans sought their inclusion in the JCPOA, claiming that otherwise they could not face criticism from Arab countries in the region. When they said that they could not lift the sanctions altogether, we told them explicitly that in that case there is no agreement.

“We told them that the national security issues are non-negotiable and that we will not accept an agreement which continues the embargo on weapons and the sanctions on missile development.

“In the end, the Americans said, ‘We will put the issue of the embargo and the missiles in the UN Security Council Resolution separate from the agreement.’”

In the same interview, Araghchi was asked whether Iran could refrain from carrying out UNSCR 2231; he replied: “Yes we can; just as we refrained from complying with UN Security Council resolutions, we can do so with regards to 2231.”

Iran Issues New Demands on the Nuclear Deal (It Ain’t Over Til it’s Over…)

ISRAPUNDIT: 9/24/15 « Why more and more secular Israelis are fasting on Yom Kippur………Front Page………No-go zones are “occupations” also.»

4.Syria: Russia vs the West – One-way Street By Alex Maistrovoy

A new round of the “Great Game”* in Syria is the evidence not so much of the growing power of Moscow, as of intellectual helplessness and degradation of the West

Western leaders, the media and experts state the obvious: the Kremlin is trying to save Assad. Of course, yes, but principal points remain outside of the focus of their attention.

It is not only about Syria. It’s about two polar ideologies, two worldviews incompatible with each other.

At one extreme, we see the time-honored tradition based on the primacy of national interests and perceptions of themselves as Empire. At the other extreme, there is a schizophrenic set of amateurism, idealism, Neo-Marxism ideology, quasi-religious utopias of universal triumph of democracy “for all, here and now”, violently distorted conceptions of human rights and civil liberties.
The first outlook generates calculating and cynical, but predictable policies. The second one paves the road to hell.
Which geopolitical aims are pursued by Moscow in Syria?

Russia has only two allies in the Middle East – Iran and Syria. Kremlin came to the conclusion that without the direct intervention of the Russians Assad’ regime would be doomed, because “Hezbollah” and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps would not withstand a long time under the onslaught of the Islamists. The fall of Assad’s regime would jeopardize Iranian regime too. Lebanon together with “Hezbollah” would not survive, and Shiite government in Iraq would be threatened by “jihadists”. Moscow in such case would lose its influence in the Middle East completely – such situation is unacceptable for the Kremlin.

Obama may cherish illusions that Iran’s Ayatollahs will become US allies as long as he wants, but in Tehran they even don’t try to conceal their contempt for him. Mullahs have friends already, and they sit not in Washington, but in Moscow. Both sides coordinate every step. Commander of the Quds Force general Qasem Soleimani visited Moscow twice – in August and in middle of September – where he met with Putin and the Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu. On behalf of the Russians, continuous contacts between Tehran and Moscow are maintained by the Russian President’s Special Representative in the Middle East and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov.

The second key point is related to Islamist threat. Putin’s calls to destroy ISIS are not just an empty rhetoric. The defeat of Assad would be the triumph of “jihadists”, and the flame of “Green revolution” under the banner of the Prophet would inevitably spread to Muslim regions of Russia – the Caucasus, Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. It can inflame the “soft underbelly” of Russia too – secular Muslim republics of Central Asia. On September 15-17, presidents of five countries of The Collective Security Treaty Organization – Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan – held a summit on strategic security issues in Dushanbe. Dushanbe – the capital of Tajikistan – was chosen for a reason: it is an outpost of Russia on the border with Afghanistan. Besides “Taliban”, it is intruded now by ISIS agents as well, and Moscow is aware of this danger. Putin assured the Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, that Russia will support him in any case, but it is
impossible to stop ISIS remaining entirely on the defensive, and Putin prefers an offensive campaign.

Unlike the Europeans, Russia doesn’t accept returning “jihadists”, who went to fight for the Caliphate – Russians prefer destroying them in Syria. One of the main aims of Russians in Syria will be Chechen militants, penetrating into Syria via Turkey. Russia intends to hunt them, and modern attack helicopters Mi-28NE called “Night Hunter” have already arrived to Latakia.

The third point – starting from the 18th century the Russian Empire, and after it the Soviet Union, sought to increase its presence in the “South Seas” – the Mediterranean. It would turn Russia into a leading player of the world politics, would let it go beyond the Eurasian steppes and dictate own terms to the West. Over a number of years Putin has been counting on the development of the Russian Navy, which has become a strong force.

Russia’s principle goal is preserving Syrian Latakia – its main base in the Mediterranean, and creating new bases. Obama’s mediocre policy facilitates the rapprochement between Kremlin and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and today the two countries are negotiating the construction of a naval base in Egypt. The Eastern Mediterranean becomes Russian – the aim that was achievable in the face of such rivals as Palmerston, Disraeli, Churchill, Truman and Reagan, became ridiculously easy with Obama.

The fourth point – Russia wants to show to the whole world: it is a power that under no circumstances abandons its friends and allies to their fate. Putin didn’t betray Assad in the hour of need, and thus made it clear (for West especially) that “all roads lead to Rome”, i.e., to Moscow. It was a useful lesson – now all countries in the region apply for a mediation not to Washington, Paris or London, but to the Kremlin. They manipulate Obama cynically getting American weapons and technology from him, but it is Russia that they consider the power capable of influencing the events.

Arabic Sheikhs – the minister of foreign affairs of UAE Abdullah Sultan Al Nahyan, SaudI ministers of defense and foreign affairs Salman Al Saud and Adel al-Dzhubeyra –visited Moscow already, and now it is Benjamin Netanyahu’s turn.

Russia is not an ally of Israel, but for Netanyahu it is much easier to come to an understanding with Putin than with Obama, and the involvement of the Kremlin can prevent the worst-case scenario, such as the supply of S-300 and upgraded weapons “to Hezbollah.” It is curious to note, in numerous interviews to Russian media during a previous visit to Moscow Netanyahu emphasized excellent mutual understanding with Putin.

As far as I know, Moscow planned to offer a deal to Netanyahu: the participation of “Gazprom” in Leviathan gas field development on the northern border of Israel in exchange for curbing Iran and “Hezbollah”. Blackmail? Yes, to a certain degree, but at least it is much more explainable than the demands to return to “Auschwitz borders”** immediately.

Point number five. Russia assumes the mission of the protector of Christian minorities in the Middle East, in the same way that it protected the Eastern Orthodoxy in the 19th century, and Great Britain, represented by Lord Shaftesbury***, protected Jews in the Holy Land.

From 2012, this role is played by Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society headed by Patriarch Kirill I of Moscow, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov and the Mayor of Moscow Sergey Sobyanin.

And eventually, all of these efforts of Moscow are based on the deep, uncompromising belief to Russia’s rightness and its divine mission; and not without a reason nowadays they emphasize the continuity from Bysantium in Russia.

What does the West set against Russia? The West betrays its allies by encouraging the worst enemies. This is done senselessly, mediocrely, harmfully to own strategical interests. The West betrayed Gaddafi, who successfully collaborated with Europeans and held back Islamic fundamentalism and hordes of migrants from Africa. It betrayed Hosni Mubarak, and then tried to push el-Sisi into a corner, hindering his war with terror – in the name of “Muslim brothers” that hate the West. It betrayed the former Yemeni President Abdullah Salah, who helped US in the fight against “al-Qaeda”. It betrayed Israel, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf monarchies in the name of the disastrous deal with Iran, which dreams to destroy US and doesn’t conceal it. It betrays – dirtily, cowardly, hypocritically – Israel, it’s last stronghold in the Middle East: in the name of the mythical “Palestinian people” that never existed.

This was the invention of KGB and the Arab League that turned out to be the “sacred cow” of postmodern culture.

It betrays friendly Kurds – in the name of “good relations” with the psychopath Erdogan, whose hatred to the West is none the less than that one of Ali Khamenei. It betrayed – in the name of political correctness – Christians of the Middle East inseparably connected to Christian civilization.

While Russia is building its Empire, the West is concerned with self-destruction. This is a “suicidal syndrome” in the name of “progressive thinking” that killed both the progress, and thinking. The result of this contest is predictable. History does not like idiots, and especially “useful idiots.”

Alex Maistrovoy is the author of the book Agony of Hercules or a Farewell to Democracy (Notes of a Stranger)” that is going to be published soon.

* The “Great Game” was the strategic rivalry between the British Empire and the Russian Empire for supremacy in Asia in 19-th century;

** In 1969 Israel foreign minister Abba Eban called the 1967 borders “Auschwitz borders”;

*** Lord Shaftesbury (1801 – 1885) advocates of Christian Zionism in Britain, he was President of the British and Foreign Bible Society.

For further insight read Where is Putin leading the Middle East? by Efraim Halevy

Syria: Russia vs the West – One-way Street By Alex Maistrovoy

5.ISRAELLIVES SEPT 22, 2015 9 TISHREI 5776 Israel, China,

China’s General Secretary Xi Jinping & The New Classic Press, Technion expands in China

MESSAGE TO THE WHOLE WORLD, JEWS & NON-JEWS, FOR YOM KIPPUR

When we were led into the gas chambers, they said nothing.

When we were forcibly converted, they said nothing.

When we were thrown out of a country just for being Jews, they said nothing.

BUT when we now defend ourselves, all of a sudden THEY have something to say.

How did we take our revenge on the Germans for their Final Solution?
How did we take revenge on the Spanish for their Inquisition?
How did we take revenge on Islam for being Dhimmis?
How did we take revenge on the lies of the Protocols of Zion?

We studied our Torah
We innovated in medicine
We innovated in defense systems
We innovated in technology
We innovated in agriculture

We made music
We wrote poetry
We made the desert bloom
We won Noble prizes
We founded the movie industry
We financed democracy

We fulfilled the word of Hashem by becoming a light unto the Nations of the Earth.

DEAR WORLD, when they criticize us for defending our heritage and our ancestral homeland — we, the Jews of the world, do exactly what they did.

WE IGNORE THEM AND WE WILL BE HERE LONG AFTER YOU ARE GONE, OBAMA AND OTHER ENEMIES OF ISRAEL AND JEWS WORLD WIDE.

They have proven to us for the last 2,000 years that when the chips are down,

indifference reigns supreme.

Now leave us alone — and go sort out your own back yard whilst we continue our 4,000-year old mission of enhancing the world we share.

AMEN. The Jews

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TRUTH ABOUT THE IRAN LOBBY Sen. Marco Rubio correctly argued during the last GOP presidential candidate debate, the Obama administration is in retreat from the Middle East. Truth about NIAC (National Iranian American Council). The organization has close relations with many liberal Democrat legislators and progressive outfits like J Street, Ploughshares Fund & Rockefeller Bros. Fund. (Ben Cohen/JNS)

CARLY – JEB BUSH IN A DRESS: TOP 9 FUN FACTS ABOUT CARLY FIORINA (Laura J Alcorn, National Director C2C)

LET STATES DO THE JOB OBAMA WON’T: SANCTION IRAN The Administration Doesn’t Want States To ‘Interfere’ With Its Nuclear Deal With Tehran. To date, 25 states have enacted such sanctions against Iran. This is pursuant to the explicit authorization for such sanctions contained in the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010.

Secretary of State John Kerry confirmed during July 28 congressional testimony that President Obama’s deal does not affect the states’ ability to impose sanctions on Iran, but said that the administration “will take steps to urge [the states] not to interfere,” because President Obama had, as part of the deal, agreed to “actively encourage” the states to drop their sanctions.

We urge states to do exactly the opposite. (WSJ: Sen. Inhofe R-OK and OK Attorney Gen Pruitt)

IRAN AND SELF EXAMINATION “ABSOLUTELY CANNOT SELF-INSPECT.” During the State Department Press Briefing on Monday, State’s Spokesperson John Kirby explained that the U.S. administration is perfectly satisfied with Iran being permitted to choose what samples to gather from (maybe?) the military site widely believed to have been the site of nuclear weapons testing, with no independent oversight.

That argument was apparently a winner for Cong. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL). The DNC chair said she was briefed completely on the details of the inspections process, because she told CNN’s Jake Tapper when announcing her decision to support the deal that the Iranians.

(Lori Lowenthal Marcus, Jewish Press)

Old, Interesting News September 21, in 1922: PRESIDENT WARREN G HARDING SIGNS A JOINT RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH A JEWISH HOMELAND IN PALESTINE (ISRAEL) During the birth of the Zionist movement, Jews from around the world were looking for international support in their efforts to establish a Jewish homeland. President Warren G Harding was one of the few willing to support that was tolerant of all faiths and appointed several Jewish members to his advisory board.

Little known, Interesting News September 21, 2015 confirming 2008 Obama UTube 2008: 70 FEDERAL AGENCIES IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NOW HAVE POLICE POWER – IS THIS THE DEFINITION OF A NATIONAL POLICE FORCE CANDIDATE OBAMA SPOKE ABOUT IN HIS SPEECHES BEFORE HIS 2008 ELECTION? “A force just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded as the U.S. military.” How Federal Workers Became Obama’s Private Army; UTube Jul 29, 2008 – Uploaded by Jason Kale https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fO-usAlqak

The count of 70 agencies­­­ was revealed last night at The Monday Meeting by speaker Adam Andrzejewski, CEO of www.openthebooks.com Adam strongly suggested all IsraelLives readers familiarize themselves with the budget research available on his site. U.S. DEPT of STATE FY 2014 FISCAL TRANSPARENCY REPORT Stipulates That A Report Of Revenue And Expenses Must Be Made In A Timely Fashion.

JORDAN’S KING WILL ‘DEFEND’ JERUSALEM FROM ISRAEL – KING ABDULLAH II OF JORDAN MET ON SUNDAY IN JORDAN WITH ARAB MKS, MADE NO MENTION OF THE JEWISH RIGHTS AND STRONG CONNECTION TO THE TEMPLE MOUNT, JUDAISM’S MOST SACRED SITE. Abdullah briefed the delegation on Jordan’s “intensive efforts and contacts” made with various regional and international parties to “stop the Israeli attacks and violations” on the Temple Mount. He did not make reference to the ongoing Palestinian violence.

He further boasted about Jordan’s diplomatic success at the UN Security Council (UNSC), urging them to ignore the Jewish history in Jerusalem and on the Temple Mount. Under intense Jordanian lobbying, the UNSC released a statement last Thursday condemning the violence in Jerusalem and recognizing the Temple Mount by its Muslim name, Al-Haram al-Sharif. Abdullah also asserted that Jews have no business being there and that the Al-Aqsa Mosque “is indivisible and not subject to be shared.” The Hashemite Kingdom has official custodianship over the Temple Mount and is responsible for its administration.

SIGN THIS DECLARATION TO KEEP JERUSALEM UNITED

EVENTS

Thursday, October 8, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

On the 30th Anniversary of the Klinghoffer Affair, the American Jewish Historical Society & Center for Jewish History presents:

An Evening of Commemoration & Stories

On October 8, 1985, terrorists representing the Palestinian Liberation Organization stormed the Achille Lauro cruise ship, murdering Leon Klinghoffer, who was vacationing with his wife and friends. His tragic death became a rallying cry in the fight against terrorism. In the ensuing years the story was co-opted and re-told through the lens of popular culture. Ilsa and Lisa Klinghoffer and other special guests will reveal their stories publicly for the first time.

At American Jewish Historical Society, 15 West 16 Street, NYC www.ajhs.org $15; Purchase tickets at: http://tix.smarttix.com/Modules/Sales/SalesMainTabsPage.aspx?ControlState=1&DiscountCode=&SalesEventId=4370&DC=

Tuesday, October 20 – Wednesday 22, in Jerusalem

37th Zionist Congress will convene in Jerusalem, Israel

http://www.wzo.org.il/index.php?dir=site&page=pages&op=item&cs=3278&language=eng

Sunday, October 25, 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM
21st Annual Rachel’s Children Reclamation Foundation Award Dinner

Manhattan Beach Jewish Center – 60 West End Ave, Brooklyn, NY

http://www.rachelschildrenreclamationfoundation.org/

Monday, November 23, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

BETAR, Jabotinsky and the Shtetl

Throughout the 1930s, Jewish political movements in Warsaw set out to transform the hearts and minds of Jewish youth in small towns across Poland. Among these urban activists were the leaders of Betar, the youth movement of Vladimir Jabotinsky’s Revisionist party. Armed with longstanding stereotypes about shtetl life, Betar leaders were certain that bringing “modernity” and “progress” to these towns would mobilize their youth for the Zionist cause. Drawing on YIVO’s collection of youth autobiographies from the 1930s, and previously unexamined correspondence between Betar’s headquarters in Warsaw and its small-town outposts, Daniel Heller (McGill University) reveals the tensions that arose between these urban activists and the young Jews they sought to transform.

Location: YIVO Institute at the Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, NYC

https://yivo.org/Mobilizing-the-Shtetl

NEWS REPORTS

1- HISTORY: THE JEWS OF KAIFENG, CHINA. Most scholars agree that a Jewish community has existed in Kaifeng since the Northern Song Dynasty (960–1127), though some date their arrival to theTang Dynasty (618-907) or earlier. The community grew. The ‘fabled’ Silk Road, linked the continents of Asia and Europe for centuries. The map below shows how ‘conveniently’ placed Kaifeng’s Jews were to the far Eastern end of the Silk Road.

A Ming emperor (Ming Dynasty 1368–1644) conferred eight surnames upon the Jews, by which they are identifiable today: Ai, Shi, Gao, Gan, Jin, Li, Zhang, and Zhao. Though by the beginning of the19th century the Jewish community had shrunken greatly until U.S. Adm. Perry’s expedition sail to Japan, ‘opening up the Orient’ in 1852-54. Later tragedy, the Russian pogroms and the following Russian Revolution sent a new wave of Jewish refugees to China. Then there was the tragedy of the Holocaust. China again behaved as a ‘safe haven’, taking in Jewish refugees at Harbin China, when other nations ‘closed their doors’.

How small Earth is!

2-MODERN CHINA After Mao’s death in 1976 a general restructuring came to China. Envisioned by Dr Sun Yat-Sen, leader of the 1911 Revolution to overthrow the Qing Dynasty, began the ‘rejuvenation of the Chinese nation’. Chairman Mao founded the People’s Republic of China. Later, Comrade Deng Xiaoping ushered in a new era of Reform and Opening-up. The rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation has been the common objective and defining trend throughout the 20th century into the 21st century. ­­­

3-EDWARD HUANG, THE NEW CLASSIC PRESS. THE PRESENT GENERAL SECRETARY XI JINPING 2012 – 2015 Since rising in the hierarchy of China’s government, and being elected General Secretary in Nov. 15, 2012, Xi Jinping, has devoted himself to the further rejuvenation of the Nation of China and its People, building a modern socialist country characterized by prosperity, civilization and harmony. General Secretary Xi Jinping worked in Party and government leadership for over 30 years beginning simply as Secretary of a village Party Branch in one of the poorest areas of China. Maxine Dovere was quick to note the parallel between General Secretary Xi Jinping and President Abraham Lincoln.

4-MATAN VILNAI, FORMER ISRAELI MINISTER OF DEFENSE, CURRENTLY AMBASSADOR TO CHINA, REVIEWS INCREASING ISRAELI CHINESE COOPERATION

Under the leadership of General Secretary in Nov. 15, 2012, Xi Jinping they intend to learn.

They have just invited Israel’s Technion to spear head the technical development of China’s people with the opening of Technion China.

The State of Israel declared its independence on May 15, 1948; the statehood of The People’s Republic of China – “Communist China, the PRC” – was announced October 1, 1949. “We supported them, acknowledged them in the UN,” reminded Israeli Ambassador Matan Vilnai. Israel was the first Middle Eastern country to recognize China. David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister, wrote about the importance of Israel’s relationship with Asia in a 1953 essay discussing “the waning hegemony of Europe and the rise of Asia.” Israel, he suggested “stands on the Western edge of Asia.”

In 1991, President George H.W. Bush convened the Madrid Peace Conference. Israel and many of the Arab nations sat together. Soon after, the Chinese, too, “sat” with Israel, initiating full diplomatic relations in 1992.

Tomorrow, the Technion Institute of Technology at Shantou University – will sit in Ghuangdong Province. The heavily industrialized region not far from Hong Kong, is the home of Chinese billionaire Li Ka Shing, who founded the university. His foundation, donated over 130 million USD to the Technion to fund the development of what the Ambassador described as a “customized campus.” Additional funds (approximately 150 million) will come from Chinese government sources.

“THE CHINESE CAN’T UNDERSTAND HOW, FROM A ‘SMALL TOWN’ OF 8 MILLION, WE HAVE SO MANY NOBEL PRIZES & SO MUCH NEW TECHNOLOGY;” THEY WANT TO LEARN.

Most scholars agree that a Jewish community has existed in Kaifeng since the Northern Song Dynasty (960–1127), though some date their arrival to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) or earlier. Kaifeng, then the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, was a cosmopolitan city on a branch of the Silk Road. It is surmised that a small community of Jews, most likely from Persia or India, arrived either overland or by a sea route, and settled in the city, building asynagogue in 1163.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), a Ming emperor conferred eight surnames upon the Jews, by which they are identifiable today: Ai, Shi, Gao, Gan, Jin, Li, Zhang, and Zhao. By the beginning of the 20th century one of these Kaifeng clans, the Zhang, had largely converted to Islam.

The Jews who managed the Kaifeng synagogue were called “mullahs“. Floods and fire repeatedly destroyed the books of the Kaifeng synagogue; they obtained some from Ningxia and Ningbo to replace them, and another Hebrew Torah scroll was bought from a Muslim in Ning-keang-chow in Shen-se (Shanxi), who acquired it from a dying Jew at Canton.

The existence of Jews in China was unknown to Europeans until 1605, when Matteo Ricci, then established in Beijing, was visited by a Jew from Kaifeng, who had come to Beijing to take examinations for his jinshi degree. According to his account in De Christiana expeditione apud Sinas,^[5] his visitor, named Ai Tian (Ai T’ien) (??) explained that he worshipped one God. It is recorded that when he saw a Christian image of Mary with Jesus, he believed it to be a picture of Rebecca with Esau or Jacob. Ai said that many other Jews resided in Kaifeng; they had a splendid synagogue (??? libai si) and possessed a great number of written materials and books.

About three years after Ai’s visit, Ricci sent a Chinese Jesuit Lay Brother to visit Kaifeng; he copied the beginnings and ends of the holy books kept in the synagogue, which allowed Ricci to verify that they indeed were the same texts as the Pentateuch known to Europeans, except that they did not use Hebrew diacritics (which were a comparatively late invention).

When Ricci wrote to the “ruler of the synagogue” in Kaifeng, telling him that the Messiah the Jews were waiting for had come already, the “Archsynagogus” wrote back, saying that the Messiah would not come for another ten thousand years. Nonetheless, apparently concerned with the lack of a trained successor, the old rabbi offered Ricci his position, if the Jesuit would join their faith and abstain from eating pork. Later, another three Jews from Kaifeng, including Ai’s nephew, stopped by the Jesuits’ house while visiting Beijing on business, and got themselves baptized. They told Ricci that the old rabbi had died, and (since Ricci had not taken up on his earlier offer), his position was inherited by his son, “quite unlearned in matters pertaining to his faith”. Ricci’s overall impression of the situation of China’s Jewish community was that “they were well on the way to becoming Saracens i.e., Muslims or heathens.”

Later, a number of European Jesuits visited the Kaifeng community as well.

The Taiping Rebellion of the 1850s led to the dispersal of the community, but it later returned to Kaifeng.

Father Joseph Brucker, a Roman Catholic researcher of the early 20th century, notes that Ricci’s account of Chinese Jews indicates that there were only in the range of ten or twelve Jewish families in Kaifeng in the late 16th to early 17th centuries, and that they had reportedly resided there for five or six hundred years. It was also stated in the manuscripts that there was a greater number of Jews in Hangzhou. This could be taken to suggest that loyal Jews fled south along with the soon-to-be crowned Emperor Gaozong to Hangzhou.

Despite their isolation from the rest of the Jewish diaspora, the Jews of Kaifeng preserved Jewish traditions and customs for many centuries. In the 17th century, assimilation began to erode these traditions. The rate of intermarriage between Jews and other ethnic groups, such as the Han Chinese, and the Hui and Manchu minorities in China, increased. The destruction of the synagogue in the 1860s led to the community’s demise. However, J.L. Liebermann, the first Western Jew to visit Kaifeng in 1867, noted that “they still had a burial ground of their own”. In 1868 it was reported that their liturgy consisted only of pieces from the Bible.

During the period of international opening and quasi-colonialism in the 19th century, other groups settled in China, Jews who arrived in China under British protection following the First Opium War (1839–42). Many of these Jews were of Indian or Iraqi origin, due to British colonialism in these regions. The second community came in the first decades of the 20th century when many Jews arrived in Hong Kong and Shanghai during those cities’ periods of economic expansion.

The third community came as refugees from the Russian Revolution of 1917. A surge of Jews and Jewish families was to arrive in the late 1930s and 1940s, for the purpose of seeking refuge from the Holocaust in Europe and were predominantly of European origin. Shanghai was notable for its volume of Jewish refugees, most of whom left after World War II, the rest relocating prior to or immediately after the establishment of the People’s Republic of China.

And now, see breaking news in article #4.

2>MODERN CHINA 20-21 CENTURY

1980’S TO 2012 After Mao’s death in 1976 a general restructuring came to China. Envisioned by Dr Sun Yat-Sen, leader of the 1911 Revolution to overthrow the Qing Dynasty, began the ‘rejuvenation of the Chinese nation’. Chairman Mao founded the People’s Republic of China. Later, Comrade Deng Xiaoping ushered in a new era of Reform and Opening-up. The rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation has been the common objective and defining trend throughout the 20th century into the 21st century. ­­­

In China, due to the political situation, research on the Kaifeng Jews and Judaism in China came to a standstill until the beginning of the 1980s, when political and economic reforms were implemented. In the 1980s, the Sino-Judaic Institute was founded by an international group of scholars to further research the history of the Jewish communities in China, promote educational projects related to the history of the Jews in China and assist the extant Jews of Kaifeng. The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Israel in 1992 under the Prime Minister, Yitzhak Shamir, who was dedicated to bringing Jews from all over the world to Israel, rekindled interest in Judaism and the Jewish experience, especially in light of the fact that 25,000 Jewish refugees fled to Shanghai during the Nazi period.

3>EDWARD HUANG, THE NEW CLASSIC PRESS. THE PRESENT GENERAL SECRETARY XI JINPING 2012 – 2015

IsraelLives Janet Lehr September 21, 2015

Since rising in the hierarchy of China’s government, and being elected General Secretary in Nov. 15, 2012, Xi Jinping, has devoted himself to the further rejuvenation of the Nation of China and its People, building a modern socialist country characterized by prosperity, civilization and harmony. General Secretary Xi Jinping worked in Party and government leadership for over 30 years beginning simply as Secretary of a village Party Branch in one of the poorest areas of China.

At a presentation at the United Nations, Monday, September 21, 2015, Edward Huang, President of New Classic Press unveiled the latest publication, a meaningful addition to the New Classic Press publications, with the splendid , Analyses and Interpretations of the Major Speeches of General Secretary Xi Jinping by He Yiting, translated by Zhang Jiguang, Liang Ying and Maxine Dovere. The tenor of General Secretary Xi’s collected speeches underscore the traditional Chinese concept that “promises must be kept and action must be resolute.” Publisher Edward Huang has carefully highlighted the precepts of General Secretary Xi Jinping.

Development is th­e trend of the contemporary world & the theme of contemporary China.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of significant instructions concerning scientific development indicating a clear direction for China’s economic development, believing development remains key to addressing China’s problems, a priority of CPC (Communist Party of China). General Secretary Xi Jinping. ‘Stagnant economic growth has become a new norm in the global landscape. The politicization of economic issues has deteriorated, and the relationship of major powers has ushered in a new stage of competition. Particularly, western countries’ strategic plot of inhibition over China will not change. They are not willing to see China realize its prosperity peacefully.’

Generally considered a democratic ideal, General Secretary Xi Jinping shows a dramatic understanding saying, ‘we must prioritize economic development in the process of governing and rejuvenation and cannot deviate from that priority.’ ‘China’s Economic Development should Never Deviate from the Goal of People-centeredness and the People’s Welfare’.

Other themes of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speeches were mentioned by Edward Huang as he spoke:

The Importance of the Rule of Law in Governing and Public Administration-

The Country should be ruled in line with the Constitution-

Every one of our people should receive Justice in every Judicial Case-

On Strengthening the Army, General Secretary Xi Jinping saying:

Integral to the dream of a strong nation is the dream of a strong army.

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s major guidance on Diplomatic Strategies­­­­­: ­­Dissemination of positive information about China’s path is to Peaceful Development.

China won’t provoke others, nor will it be afraid of being provoked:

‘World history indicates preservation of peace & national core interests is based on national power’

General Secretary Xi Jinping Guidance on Proper Party Management:

Managing the Party with Strict Standands Rigorously Managing High Level Officials.

Enthusiastic questioning from many of the 14 correspondents present followed Edward Huang’s very able discussion of the development of Xi Jinping’s political thought & applied policies.

A welcome surprise guest was Mayor Ernest Davis from Mt Vernon NY. Mayor Davis spoke of his 16 year tenure in Mt Vernon. He said China and the United States of America are inexorably intertwined, ‘Both nations having given much to this world. With this book there will be more and more positive understanding of each other, our two people will have a more positive understanding of the obligations of working with one and other.”

4>CHANNELING THE CHINESE: MATAN VILNAI, FORMER ISRAELI MINISTER OF DEFENSE, CURRENTLY AMBASSADOR TO CHINA, REVIEWS INCREASING ISRAELI CHINESE COOPERATION

“THE CHINESE CAN’T UNDERSTAND HOW, FROM A ‘SMALL TOWN’ OF 8 MILLION, WE HAVE SO MANY NOBEL PRIZES & SO MUCH NEW TECHNOLOGY.”

By Maxine Dovere, JNS, Sept. 21, 2015

“It is my first mission,” says Israel’s ambassador to China, “and, I believe my last.”

Three & half years ago Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invited the former Cabinet Minister & MK (Member of Knesset), & retired IDF General, Matan Vilnai, to be Israel’s Ambassador in China “I knew nothing at all about China,” the future ambassador told JNS during an exclusive interview in his office in Beijing. To prepare, the future ambassador began a concentrated six months’ study program which included learning basic Mandarin, the official Chinese language. His teacher, a Jewish Israeli woman of Chinese descent, Shalva Jin, traces her heritage to the ancient Kaifeng Jewish community. Shalva made aliyah with her family in 2000 and four years later became the first “descendant” to formally convert to Judaism. Her Hebrew name and her Chinese name, Wen-Jing, both translate as “serenity.”

“It became interesting, very interesting,” declared Vilnai, “…China and Israel have become very important allies. It is a good relationship – always improving…it’s becoming better and better all the time. Certainly, it is not a replacement for the relationship with the United States,” he quickly added. “That is very deep, very strong. We remain in a very close bond. America, Israel, and the Jewish community are playing an important part.”

The Ambassador commented, saying “the Jewish people and the Chinese people are the oldest civilizations in the world. Both are well connected to their respective histories – very strong in China, very strong in Israel and the world Jewish community.”

“There is an enigma between China and the State of Israel. No one knows anything about the other side and, because of that, they are suspicious. You don’t know, you don’t understand. China is absolutely not our culture, not the culture of the West. It is a unique culture…a very strong one, very smart one, very impressive – very impressive.”

“The connection to our respective pasts provides an excellent common denominator…We feel at home – especially at the “grass roots” level. The Chinese people love (the Israeli people), and are open.”

At the higher levels, specifically on the diplomatic front, explained Vilnai, the relationship is not the same. “It’s politics, its economic interests – it is absolutely different. Despite philosophical similarities, the practical interests of the Chinese government clearly differ from those of Israel. The Chinese must be aware of energy sources, especially the importance of supplies from the Arab nations. (nb: some 60% of China’s energy comes from the Arab Middle East.)

“We do not talk about the Middle East… It is because of the energy, that they remain on the other side, and (China) traditionally support the Arabs. The Chinese have voted against us in all the forums, including the United Nations.” Bemused, he added “China says Israel is the strong state of the Middle East – the Super Power. They say ‘you have to solve the problems by yourselves.’…I hope that it will be changed, but it’s a long way – a very long way.”

“The common denominator between us and them are the similar values and the importance of family.” He spoke of the philosophies of Confucius and the First Century (AD) Hebrew scholar, Rabbi Hillel. “In the writings of Confucius, you will find the ideas and values of our and their culture at same time – the family values, the values between people. This is the very solid common denominator.”

David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister, wrote about the importance of Israel’s relationship with Asia in a 1953 essay discussing “the waning hegemony of Europe and the rise of Asia.” Israel, he suggested “stands on the Western edge of Asia.”

Modern China and Israel follow similar time lines. The State of Israel declared its independence on May 15, 1948; the statehood of The People’s Republic of China – “Communist China, the PRC” – was announced October 1, 1949. “We supported them, acknowledged them in the UN,” reminded the Ambassador. Israel was the first Middle Eastern country to recognize China. “The whole world, under the American umbrella, said nothing. Moshe Sharret, then Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, officially recognized The People’s Republic of China.

Despite the early political support and philosophical/cultural similarities, the Sino-Israeli relationship has developed slowly. Israel – officially – had little to do with the People’s Republic of China – the PRC – until 1992. Trade, including strategic military goods, was under way long before.

In May 1991, President George H.W. Bush convened the Madrid Peace Conference. Israel and many of the Arab nations sat together. Soon after, the Chinese, too, “sat” with Israel, initiating full diplomatic relations in 1992. Embassies were opened in Beijing and Tel Aviv. “It took 24 years.” Israel had recognized the PRC in the beginning, yet we had nothing. Diplomatic relations and an official embassy were finally opened following the Madrid Convention with the Palestinians.

“It’s connected,” said Israel’s chief diplomat in China.

As the quarter century anniversary of diplomatic relations approaches, the relationship between China and Israel grows more and more multi-layered. China has an active interest in Israeli technology and innovation – tsong ci – as translated by the Ambassador. “The main goal is technology and innovation. He described a recent international competition in Beijing sponsored by ShengJang, a Chinese investment company. Three Israeli start ups were among the 20 finalists. “The First Prize,” said Ambassador with obvious pride, was won by an Israeli company presenting an innovative methodology for cardiac ultrasound. “I sat with them for 30 minutes and still did not understand,”

“And, it is connected,” said Vilnai. “The Chinese can’t understand how, from a ‘small town’ of 8 million, we have so many noble prizes and so much new technology.”

The Chinese have special interest in Israeli technology related to the prevention of desertification, water desalination, agricultural advances and advanced high tech in general. A free trade agreement. “Now.” said Ambassador Vilnai, “the Silk Road is again very important to China. The President (Xi JinPing) talks about the “One Belt, One Road,” the renewal of trade along the ancient silk road and beyond, including the creation of the infrastructure needed for a growing connection to Europe.” He noted that there is already a direct train from Shanghai to Madrid.

In addition to extensive business and technological cooperation, there are increasing numbers of academic exchanges. These relations form a strong and growing bond between China and Israel. “In Israel, all the universities have Chinese students,” said the Ambassador. “The Chinese government provides many scholarships. There are special summer courses in every Israeli university.” The Ambassador told JNS that the number is expected to reach about one thousand during the summer of 2015. Study programs for Israelis are now being developed in China.

An extraordinary joint educational venture, the construction of a completely new, state of the art, campus of the Technion, Israel’s premier technical university – The Technion Institute of Technology at Shantou University – is underway in Ghuangdong Province. The heavily industrialized region not far from Hong Kong, is the home of Chinese billionaire Li Ka Shing, who founded the university. His foundation, donated over $130 million USD to the Technion to fund the development of what the Ambassador described as a “customized campus.” Additional funds (approximately $150 million) will come from Chinese government sources. Shantou University is in Li Ka Shing’s hometown. An Israeli of Chinese-Jewish descent, Brig. Gen. (Res) Dr. Moshe Marom is site director of the development. “He had to learn Chinese,” said Ambassador Vilnai, with a chuckle.

Trade between the two countries continues to increase dramatically. Business associations continue to rise. Globes, Israel’s leading business magazine, reported that China Fosun International, the largest privately owned conglomerate in China, has agreed to acquire a majority share of Ahava, the Israeli Dead Sea mineral cosmetics company, for $76.5 million USD. The purchase could open the huge Chinese cosmetics market – more than a billion strong – in an important business strengthening move for Ahava. The company has faced BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement pressure worldwide, & is discussing moving its manufacturing operations from the West Bank to a manufacturing plant inside Israel’s pre-1967 borders.

During the Ambassador’s tenure, the Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) was awarded a 25 year contract to manage the new port being developed in Haifa. The contract is valued at over $Two billion USD through its term. It is expected to begin in 2020 when the billion dollar port project is completed. The expanded port will serve not only Israeli needs. It is anticipated to be a regional resource. China Harbor Engineering Company, Ltd., another Chinese group, won the bid to construct a new port in Ashdod, in Israel’s south.

Tourism between Israel and China is expected to become increasingly important. Although small, the number of Chinese tourists is growing. Direct flights from Beijing to Tel Aviv, to be flown by Hainan Airways, a privately owned Chinese carrier, are anticipated to begin shortly. “Until now,” notes the Ambassador, “the only direct flights from Tel Aviv to China, either Hong Kong or Beijing, ‘til now, have been operated by El Al. There is increasing demand from both the business and tourist sectors for more direct flights.”

Asked about the current status of the Jewish community in China, the Ambassador said simply “Let’s start from the beginning. There is no Jewish community in China, not even one. There is “some kind” of Jewish community in Hong Kong. There are several thousand Jews, and they behave like a Jewish community. They are the only ones. They have a school and a synagogue. But, in Beijing, there is no Jewish community. Chabad is here, and also in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Ganzhou, and Shengzhou. They are doing, of course, a wonderful job. But Chabad is not a community – it’s Chabad.”

Jewish presence in China has a long and significant history. “Chinese culture is inclusive.” said Vilnai. “It continues to be important to the Chinese to be inclusive.” Historically, the Jewish community was welcomed in China. During World War II, refugees from Nazi persecution found refuge in Shanghai. The benign neglect of the Chinese government gave them safe haven. Many later went to Israel, including the Chinese Jewish mother and German Jewish father of Admiral of the Israeli Navy, Eliezer Carom, now retired, who grew up on a Mohave in northern Israel.

In Harbin, Russian Jews fleeing pograms & persecution, established a community that flourished during the nineteenth & early twentieth centuries. Almost a millennium earlier, beginning during the Song dynasty. Jewish traders traveling the Silk Road established a Jewish community in Kaifeng that was active for hundreds of years. Today, an estimated 750 to 1000 people, members of about seven Kaifeng families, claim descent from that ancient community.

“In Kaifeng, ‘til now, you find Chinese people with Kippah,” said Vilnai, “but, there is not a community.”

“There are five official religions in China,” he explained. Judaism is not one of them. When the Chinese government decided to the officially recognized religious minorities, there were no Jews. Jewish is not a minority in China – it’s not a confusion: Judaism has no official status.

When Matan Vilnai leaves his post in Beijing, his three year tenure will have witnessed significant expansion of the Sino-Israeli relationship in areas ranging from academia to business to tourism. Cooperation in infrastructure construction, trade, & diplomatic relations including the visits of each country’s head of state to the others’ homeland will have been accomplished.

H.E. Matan Vilnai has witnessed historic change. There is much left to be done.

Janet Lehr If I am not for myself, WHO WILL BE?

IsraelLives If I am only for myself, WHAT AM I?

janetlehr@IsraelLives.org If not now, WHEN ? Rabbi Hillel

7Move Over Protocols of the Elders of Zion, Make Room for the Yinon Plan By: JNi.Media JewishPress.com Published: September 25th, 2015  The Middle East
Photo Credit: Google Maps

(JNi.media) Apparently, the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, one of the most notorious anti-Semitic fake documents of all time, has a sequel to cover conspiracies about the modern State of Israel, and many Jews do not realize that it exists.

The theory is based on an article that was published in the 1982 winter edition of Kivunim, a “Journal for Judaism and Zionism,” by Oded Yinon, who writes that the agreements in the Camp David Accords should not be honored, and discusses how Arab states will be eroded along ethnic and religious lines. This article might otherwise have been forgotten, but conspiracy theorists got their hands on it and ran with the ball. The theoretical stance outlined by Yinon was expanded perhaps beyond the originator’s wildest dreams, so much so, that Arab conspiracy theorists are now ready to blame internal discord in their countries on a Zionist plot to destabilize their nations and to gobble them up as part of a future Israeli colonialist empire.

Just this week, the so-called Yinon Plan was mentioned in an article published in the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) with a title which, at first glance, seems to say something nice about Israel: “Israel Ready to Help Africans Produce Food.” This must be a way to produce click-bait shock for readers, since an IRNA headline reflecting well on Israel should raise readers’ eyebrows and hook them into reading the article. The very first sentence, though, makes clear the aim of the article is not to praise Israel: “For long (sic) Africa has been a missing link in the evolution of a Zionist plan to set up the so-called Greater Israel.” According to IRNA, Israel has its sights set on Africa’s oil reserves, its precious gems and diamonds, as well as uranium to increase its nuclear stockpile. The Iranian author claims to have retrieved this information from spy cables sent by the Guardian and Al Jazeera. It also said that Israel has been aggravating crises in African countries with a divide and conquer strategy, for which IRNA uses the “Yinon Plan” as evidence. Rather than a notion hatched out by a near-anonymous individual, IRNA asserts that the Yinon Plan has been policy from the moment Theodore Herzl, the founder of Zionism, first put his pen to paper. Occupying lands in 1967 was just a first step, IRNA insists, to a larger scheme of a complete Zionist stranglehold on the continent of Africa, and it is exploiting one conflict at a time.

The IRNA article cites the Global Research website for a handy summary of The Yinon Plan as “an Israeli strategic plan to ensure Israeli regional superiority. It insists and stipulates that Israel must reconfigure its geo-political environment through the balkanization of the surrounding Arab states into smaller, weaker states.” The summary goes on: “In Iraq, on the basis of the concepts of the Yinon Plan, Israeli strategists have called on a division of Iraq into a Kurdish state and two Arab states, one Sunni, one Shiite.” It sounds as if they think Vice President Joe Biden is Israeli, since this is exactly what he recommended for Iraq in a New York Times Op-Ed piece. Biden seemed to have been following the model of the agreement that ended the Bosnian war rather than Israeli strategists. The IRNA article then concludes by explaining the headline about Israelis helping the Africans to produce food (oh…that). The Israelis are sharing their water technology to help African countries deal with drought and produce food. But of course, that is just on the surface. What they are really doing must be akin to what that crafty Joseph in the Book of Genesis did as viceroy of Egypt—store up food as a way of manipulating those gullible Africans and placing them under Israeli control.

Just as The Protocols of the Elders of Zion was translated and disseminated throughout the Middle East, so Oded Yinon’s article was translated and edited by Israel Shahak, the kind of Jew even former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke loved, and it was published by the Association of Arab American University Graduates. It is called “A Zionist Plan for the Middle East,” and is lovingly summarized in a publisher’s note, “Oded Yinon is an Israeli journalist and was formerly attached to the Foreign Ministry of Israel. To our knowledge, this document is the most explicit, detailed, unambiguous statement to date of the Zionist strategy for the Middle East.” It identifies the theory as stating that to survive, Israel must become an imperial power, dissolve the Muslim states and create fragmented entities that fight among themselves before being united in an Israeli empire. The publisher claims that the Lebanon War in the 80s was intended to break Lebanon apart into smaller regions, even though the Israeli government called for a strong central government in Lebanon. The publisher then backtracks and says the Israelis actually wanted a strong central government in Lebanon with which they could sign a peace treaty and control more effectively. Like many conspiracy theories, the Yinon Plan libel considers an alternative that seems to go against the grain of the main strategy, but is not considered contradictory if it is another way of achieving the same pre-supposed goal. The publisher then states that the Lebanon War in the 1980s proved that the Israelis were not satisfied with displacing Palestinians, but wanted to destabilize the entire Middle East.

The conspiracy theory implies the question of whether these states are easier to control if fragmented. With the example of ISIS, it seems the splinter groups are more difficult to control, since they are not centralized, political entities whose participants can be tracked. What made the second Palestinian intifada (2000) so terrifying and destructive for Israelis and difficult to contain was the randomness of the Arab attacks, the fact that one of several groups could claim responsibility, and that some terrorists could have acted alone on their own initiative. As shown by ISIS, fragmentation can inspire more terror, expand influence and have certain strategic advantages over centralization of power. Israel’s wanting to destabilize the Middle East makes little sense if what results is an ISIS, a multi-headed snake that can bite the horse’s heel.

The Association of Arab American University Graduates’ version of the Oded Yinon article is translated and edited by Israel Shahak who was an Israeli holocaust survivor, born in Poland, who published statements often regarded as anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic. Shahak was liberated from Bergen Belsen, emigrated to Israel, served in the IDF and became a professor of chemistry at Hebrew University. He was disenchanted with David Ben Gurion’s statement during the 1956 Suez war that the fight was “for the kingdom of David and Solomon.” He became a strident critic of traditional Judaism and started “The Israeli League Against Religious Coercion.” In addition, he wrote and published articles around the world with titles such as “Torture in Israel” and “Collective Punishment in the West Bank.” For his articles, he won praise from Gore Vidal, Christopher Hitchens, Edward Said and Noam Chomsky. Shahak wrote of an Israeli desire to dominate the world and to spread vice to weaken the masses by “encouraging drug addiction and thus creating political apathy.” He was involved with the Israeli Communist Party and wrote, “If the Israeli Jewish masses are not split from Zionism… then there will be another Holocaust, the Arab revolution is going to win. If the masses of Israeli Jews are not incorporated in it, they will necessarily be consumed by it.” Shahak was published by an English language PLO publication and called Israelis “Holocaust mongers” who were going through a “Nazification.” He also said the Nuremberg laws were milder than Biblical injunctions about mingling with gentiles. Even the left-leaning journal Haaretz has written that there was plenty of evidence of treason against Shahak. Then Dean of Tel Aviv University Law School, Amnon Rubenstein, said that Shahak “does not even support those who want a simple war against Israel, but rather those who want an annihilation of its people.” Former Klansman David Duke sang Shahak’s praises as someone who wanted to bring “decent humanity to Judaism and the Zionist state” and credited him with unveiling “hateful Judaic laws … that permit Jews to cheat, to steal, to rob, to kill, to rape, to lie, even to enslave Christians.” Israel Shahak died in 2001 of complications related to diabetes.

The conspiracy theory structured around the Yinon Plan, like any dangerous untruth, contains its naked inconsistencies and absurdities, but that never seems to trouble zealots. The fact is that the Protocols of the Elders of Zion is still around since the 19th century. The Protocols exploits anti-Semitic stereotypes that have roots in the Middle Ages, but were developed following the Napoleonic wars by gentiles who were opposed to Napoleon’s emancipation of Jews and his granting them civil rights. A French Jesuit named Abbe Barruel circulated a forged letter in 1806 in which Jewish leaders discussed a theory for world domination. Barruel had earlier made the Freemasons the target of this theory, but it didn’t catch fire the way accusing the Jews did. The Protocols have been revived now and again in times of civil unrest, including during the Russian revolution and between the World Wars, but they have been a consistent hit in the Middle East since the dawn of Zionism.

In the actual article, “A Strategy for Israel in the Nineteen Eighties,” Oded Yinon begins by addressing the general instability of the world in the 1980s and the threat of Soviet domination. He then discusses the Islamic states which are “built like a house of cards put together by foreigners” and doubts the Arab states as they are would continue to exist in the long run. “All the Arab States east of Israel are torn apart, broken up and riddled with conflict,” Yinon writes, and then discusses various states, their factions and the causes of their conflicts. He then discusses the fact that discrepancies in wealth pour more oil on the fire of civil unrest there. “In the course of the 1980s, the State of Israel will have to go through far-reaching changes in its political and economic regime domestically, along with radical changes in foreign policy, in order to stand up to global and regional challenges in this new epoch.” The loss of the Suez oil fields and the Sinai created an energy drain for Israel, and Yinon blames the Camp David Accords which deprived Israel of the Sinai. He argues that the territories should be returned to Israel, and points out weaknesses in Egypt and how divided the country is. Yinon writes, “Breaking Egypt down territorially into distinct geographical regions is the political aim of Israel in the 1980s on its Western Front.” He then discusses the possible breakdown of other states, such as Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, along ethnic and religious lines. The article discusses military options with a final section with the heading, “Why is it assumed that there is no special risk from the outside in the publication of such plans?” Yinon writes that “principled opposition within Israel is weak,” and “the Arab world has shown itself so far incapable of detailed or rational analysis of Israeli-Jewish society.” In addition, Yinon in 1982 cites the “liberal American press” which consists of “Jewish admirers of Israel,” and when they criticize Israel, engage only in constructive criticism.

Oded Yinon’s sanguine justifications for making the article available for public consumption are almost more damning than if the strategy proposal had been published itself without that final section. The overconfident tone reads almost like satire or as if it were dreamed up by an enemy as a rationale for recklessness. Not only does the statement that the Arabs are “incapable of detailed or rational analysis” sound blatantly racist, but with conspiracy theories abounding on social media thirty years after the article was written, who is to say that such rationality is needed, when wild theories are doing just fine, thank you?

Oded Yinon was not a member of the Israeli government, but worked as a journalist, a research assistant and a lecturer. Using his work as a representative of an Israeli strategy would be like circulating an article written 30 years ago by some Arab journalist and representing it as the official strategy of the Palestinian Authority. Never mind that Hamas and the Iranian government openly state their desire to destroy Israel; they don’t need conspiracy theories to convince people of that, but the annoying detail is that people don’t seem to care as much, or not to take them seriously as they would an idea stated by an Israeli journalist 33 years ago. Yet Yinon’s Plan for “Greater Israel” has been invoked as if Yinon traveled in a time machine and had the ear of Mr. Herzl himself. All of the turmoil and dissolution in the Middle East is part of a Zionist plot, to which one could imagine many bewildered Jews replying, “If only the world didn’t have so much faith in us.”

According to the conspiracy site LeakSource, Israel was behind each and every recent conflict in the region, including the wars in Iraq and Syria and the regime changes in Egypt, on its way to a Zionist empire from the Nile the the Euphrates. ISIS is a part of a Zionist plan to divide Iraq into three parts. The US is Israel’s attack dog in its Middle Eastern. The recent direct confrontation between the US government and Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is further “evidence,” argue the theorists, of America being at Israel’s beck and call. On the website Syria 360, an NPR interview with Moshe Yaalon, Israel’s Defense minister, is used in support of the suspicion that the Yinon Plan is official policy. Yaalon told Morning Edition that the borders of the Middle East “will absolutely change,” and sated, “the borders have already changed” under Assad. Now Yaalon could just be making an observation, but to a conspiracy theorist, the circular logic is absolutely compelling; assuming that Israel is behind the alteration of Syria’s borders, Yaalon’s observation that this has happened is a quiet cry of victory for the Yinon Plan. Rather than making an ideological statement, Yaalon might simply be acknowledging that, “Libya was a recent creation, a Western creation arising from the First World War. It’s the same for Syria and Iraq, and what we are currently witnessing is the collapse of the Western concept.” The 360 writer says, rather predictably, given his formulaic viewpoint, “and what about the New Israel? Is it not the creation of the Rothschild slave bankers and the law firm run by Lloyd George, who later became Prime Minister of Great Britain?”

Gilad Atzmon, an alto sax Jazz musician and an Israeli expatriate living in London, publishes in radical pro-Palestinian journals and sees the West as trying to break the Muslim countries on two fronts. First, Atzmon thinks the second war in Iraq was waged almost entirely for the sake of Israel with pressure from neo-Conservatives in the US and the UK devoted to the Yinon Plan. However, even Israeli and Jewish liberals do not manage to escape suspicion, according to Atzmon’s theory, and he thinks George Soros’ support for LGBT movements in Muslim countries is meant to create further fragmentation and erosion of those societies. Atzmon recounts in his blog a story of a Jewish lesbian activist who asked George Soros’ Open Society foundation for funds “that would inspire queer Arabs, especially from Egypt and Iran (although Iranians aren’t Arabs).” Atzmon writes, “What we see here is clear evidence of a blatant intervention by George Soros and his institute in an attempt to break Arabs and Muslims and shape their culture. So while the right wing Jewish lobby pushes the Arabs into ethnic, sectarian wars, their tribal counterparts with George Soros’ OSI institute do exactly the same—attempt to break the Arab and Muslims by means of marginal and identity politics.”

When you have an Israeli jazz musician including George Soros, of all people, in the list of those hungry to destroy the Muslim world on behalf of Zionism, you have reached a kind of trifecta one normally attains with the help of mind expanding substances.

And don’t be surprised when next you’ll find this very article listed on some Arab or White Power website as yet another proof of the Yinon Plan. It’s just the way these things work.