The Daily Grind - 18th of Sivan / 14th of June

Here is today's round-up of the most worthwhile Jewish State / Jewish People related articles on the web:

1) Al Aqsa official: Jewish temples existed - Aaron Klein - World Net Daily

The leader, who was dismissed from his Waqf position after he quietly made his beliefs known, said Al Aqsa custodians passed down stories for centuries from generation to generation indicating the mosque was built at the site of the former Jewish Temples.

He said the Muslim world's widespread denial of the existence of the Jewish temples is political in nature and is not rooted in facts.

2) Survey: Birthright achieves its goals - Yitzhak Benhorin - Yediot Achronot

Taking part in the Taglit-Birthright Israel program improves attitudes towards Israel and Judaism, a survey conducted by Brandeis University reveals.

3) Jewish Agency appoints ombudsman - Hilary Leila Krieger - Jerusalem Post

She described her mandate as cutting through bureaucracy on behalf of immigrants, improving the efficiency of the agency and providing replies within 24 hours to any query. The ombudsman can be reached by phone at 02-620-4443 or by email at pniyottzibor@jazo.org.il.

And that's good news both for current olim, as well as anyone considering Aliyah.

4) Nobel Prize winner salutes snubbing soldier - Efrat Weiss - Yediot Achronot

Who said that all academics in Israel were left-wingers?

5) This land is our land - Aryeh Eldad - Yediot Achronot

We cannot discuss solutions to the Jewish – Arab conflict in the Land of Israel without recognizing the past and answering basic questions about rights over this sliver of land... It wasn't the 20th century creation called Tel Aviv that inspired the world to recognize the Jewish rights to the entire Land of Israel, including both banks of the Jordan River. Rather, it was Jerusalem and Hebron and Bethlehem and Beit El.

Anyone wanting to understand the right of the Jewish People to a Jewish State in the Land of Israel MUST read this article - one written by a "non-religious" Jew.

6) Israel does not need Palestinian recognition - Yehuda Avner - Jerusalem Post

There is irony in the thought that were Menachem Begin alive today he would be saddened, indeed outraged, at Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's insistence - in consort with the US and the EU - that Hamas's political legitimacy be conditioned, inter alia, on its recognition of Israel's right to exist.

"Right to exist?" I can hear the late prime minister roundly chastising his younger successor who declares himself to be a Begin disciple. "Are you telling me, Ehud, that our right to exist in Eretz Yisrael has to be sanctioned for political purposes by an intrinsically anti-Semitic, murderous Palestinian Arab terrorist organization? Have you lost your Jewish self-respect? Where is your Jewish memory?"

7) Olmert Approves Strategy of Arming Abbas to Fight Hamas - Scott Shiloh - Israel National News

An aide to Olmert quoted by Reuters said, “He approved the delivery of a certain amount of weaponry to Abu Mazen's (Abbas's) presidential guard in order to bolster him so he can fulfill his obligations." The aide did not specify which obligations the weapons would help Abbas fulfill.

Just like the good old days, when Rabin gave weapons to Arafat for the very same reason. Some people never learn.

8) Annan: Results of IDF probe into Gaza beach deaths are 'strange' - Amos Harel - Ha'aretz

Amazing. Kofi Annan hasn't learned a single thing since the UN openly accused Israel of committing a massacre in Jenin during Operation Defensive Shield, only to have to backtrack when the facts came to light. (To read the UN report, click here).

9) UN Sec'y Gen.: Israel can't defend itself if Palestinians use human shields - IMRA

IMRA: "I have always maintained that there has to be proportional use of force, and governments have to be careful not to take action in areas where civilians are remotely likely to be put in harm's way" = if the Palestinians store, move, and launch rockets from within Palestinian civilian areas
Israel should not defend itself.

10) Sderot: Rocket siren used as ringtone - Shmulik Hadad - Yediot Achronot

Making the best of a bad situation. I wonder if Prime Minister Ehud Olmert or Defense Minister Amir Peretz might be interested in using that ring for their phones?

11) Foreign Ministry launches PR blitz - Herb Keinon - Jerusalem Post

In explaining the recent events, the (Foreign) ministry is instructing its representatives abroad to stress the following points:...

"Since Israel's disengagement from Gaza last August, more than 500 terrorist rockets have fallen on Israeli civilian targets, including kindergartens, schools, homes and factories... "The government of Israel bears the responsibility to protect the lives of its citizens, and to defend its territory and population from terrorist threat. Every other government would, in similar circumstances, act in a similar manner."

No, any other government would likely act much differently than the government of Israel. No other government in the world would tolerate missiles being fired upon her citizens on a daily basis for over the last four years. Any other government would have long ago wiped out the source of the threat.

It's because the government of the State of Israel has not fulfilled its obligation, that we have articles such as the following one...

12) Get the kids out of Sderot - Ariana Melamed - Yediot Achronot

Run away! Run away!

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