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A jewelry store at Paris Orly airport apologized for describing the Ben Gurion Airport in Israel as being located in “Occupied Palestine Territories”, JTA reported on Friday. In October, a receipt given to an Israeli couple who purchased an item at the Royal Quartz/Galeries Lafayette store said Ben Gurion was in occupied “Palestine.” The airport is located in the city of Lod, southeast of Tel Aviv. Arthur Lemoine, the director-general of the Galeries Lafayette watch division, said on Friday that steps will be taken to address the mistake. …

Christie apologized for the gaffe. Not long after his speech, Christie met with Adelson privately in the casino mogul’s office in the Venetian hotel and casino, which hosted the RJC meeting. The source told POLITICO that Christie “clarified in the strongest terms possible that his remarks today were not meant to be a statement of policy.” Instead, the source said, Christie made clear “that he misspoke when he referred to the ‘occupied territories.’ And he conveyed that he is an unwavering friend and committed supporter of Israel, and was sorry for any confusion that came across as a result of...

Missiles Aimed at Tel Aviv by Ari Bussel Israel is now and will undoubtedly be under further attacks. There are more missiles today in Lebanon and Gaza than possibly anywhere else in the world, all stockpiled and ready to be launched against Israel. Not exactly a statistic countries like to boast about: “We have the highest number of missiles per capita.” Modern Israel has seen a tremendous buildup in recent years, skyscrapers of the most beautiful kind add an aura to a new skyline against the deep blue of the Mediterranean. There is a road infrastructure that would be suitable...

Why is Israel viewed so differently in Europe than in the United States? To argue as the title of this article does, that Europe has abandoned Israel, is to suggest that it was once in its corner. And in fact, this is true. Prior to the Six Day War in 1967, it was France which was Israel's primary military supplier, not the United States. In the War of Independence in 1948-49, it was arms smuggled from Czechoslovakia that enabled the Zionists to fight on. Most European nations, including some Soviet satellites, supported the partition resolution in the General Assembly in...

Iraq Study Group finds solution to the Jewish prob—I Mean, the Iraq problem. After several weeks, the much talked-about Iraq Study Group--tasked with finding a solution to the Iraq problem--announced its proposal, conceived mainly by former Secretary of State James Baker: The way to fix Iraq is for Israel to withdraw from the West Bank and Golan Heights. The proposal is titled “F--k the Jews. They don’t vote for us anyway.”Jimmy Carter was seen slapping his forehead and saying, “D’oh! Why didn’t I hire that guy?!”Even as I’ve kvelled over the past six years of the Bush administration’s almost unprecedented...

China has hit back at US criticism of its human rights record by releasing its own document of alleged US abuses. Washington said in its annual rights report that China was one of the world's "most systematic" offenders. In return Beijing urged the US to "look squarely" at its own problems, such as a high murder rate and jail population. While China often rejects US criticism of its rights record, this exchange is especially sensitive due to President Hu Jintao's visit to the US next month. The report issued by China's cabinet, the State Council, on Thursday listed "a multitude...

Basi says majority of settlers in state of denial In first press conference, Disengagement Authority chief says settlers have their heads in the sand, hoping something will foil pullout implementation.Menahem Rahat A secret poll conducted among settlers in the Gaza Strip has shown that the majority of them have yet to grasp the possibility that they would be evacuated from their homes once the disengagement plan commences, head of the Disengagement Authority, Yonatan Basi, has revealed. In a press conference held for the first time this (Sunday) afternoon at the Prime Minister’s bureau in Jerusalem, Basi said, “The settlers are...

'Riot' over Palestinian poll Only a small minority of Palestinian refugees would seek to return to live in Israel if allowed under a peace agreement, a controversial survey suggests. Eminent Palestinian political scientist Dr Kahil Shikaki was pushed, shoved and pelted with eggs as he released details of the research by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research. Its poll found only 10% of respondents in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jordan and Lebanon would wish to rebuild their homes under Israeli rule - a finding challenging existing Israeli and Palestinian perceptions. The controversial "right of return" issue will...

As Democrats continue to try to bring down the presidency of George W. Bush by focusing myopically on sixteen words in his last SOTU address, we are treated today with what is the real state of affairs in the occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Few things point more vividly to the desperate condition the Palestinians are in and from which they must extricate themselves before freedom and independence can be theirs. For freedom to be theirs, however, they must first free themselves of the terrorists in their midst, of the fanatical anti-Jewish hatred of their school...

“YOU MEAN, there are Palestinian Christians?” I am often asked, incredulously and with a renewed sense of interest in the Middle East. I understand the confusion. All Arabs are Muslims and all Muslims are Arabs — isn't that the popular belief? So it's not surprising that many view the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict as Muslims vs Jews. Unfortunately, there are those who strategically exploit this lack of knowledge for political gain or to realise “prophecy,” like Christian Conservative Gary Bauer who organised a letter of warning to President George Bush. Twenty-two evangelical leaders stated in the May 19 letter that any...

DISPUTED TERRITORIES: Forgotten Facts About the West Bank and Gaza Strip February 2003 Introduction In 1967, Israel fought a desperate war of self-defense and despite dire odds, won. As a result, the Jewish State not only survived, it also came into possession of additional lands, including territory that is of vital importance to its security. The Six Day War and its consequences still affect the Middle East today. A clear understanding of how and why the territories came into Israel’s possession in 1967 and an awareness of Israel's connection to these areas are essential components of any fair and balanced...

Stone-Throwing Attacks in Judea and Samaria (IsraelNN.com) Jewish motorists traveling in Judea and Samaria were targeted in stone-throwing attacks. Attacks were reported near el-Aroub (Gush Etzion district) and Chawara (Shomron district). There were no injuries reported. Shooting Attack At Gadid (IsraelNN.com) Gunfire was directed at the Gazan community of Gadid. There were no injuries. Terrorists Infiltrated Shaarei Tikvah Over Night (IsraelNN.com) Terrorists infiltrated last night into the Samarian community of Sha’arei Tikvah, east of Petach Tikva. The terrorists made use of the cover afforded by nearby Arab olive groves to carry out the infiltration. When a security team from the...

The following is a list of occupied territories around the world: France occupies: Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, Tromelin Island, Mayotte, Adelie Land in Antarctica, Matthew and Hunter Islands, Martinique, Guadeloupe. England occupies: Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Gibraltar, Bermuda, Falklands, Montserrat, Cyprus Netherlands occupies: Aruba, Antilles Spain occupies: Canary Islands, Basque, Balearic Denmark occupies: Greenland Canada occupies: Quebec India occupies: Kashmir Greece occupies: Cyprus Russia occupies: Chechnya Australia occupies: Tasmania, Antarctic Territory Nigeria occupies: Bakasi Syria occupies: Kurdistan, Lebanon Iraq occupies: Kurdistan Turkey occupies: Kurdistan, Cyprus New Zealand occupies: Stewart Island Iran occupies: Abu Musa...

Both Sharon and Netanyahu lost at the Likud meeting, but the Jewish People and their land came out as winners. Click here for more

A redefinition of the Middle East conflict occurred last week when Secretary General Kofi Annan of the United Nations called Israel's occupation of lands acquired in the 1967 Six Day War "illegal." A new and provocative label of "illegality" is now out of the chute and running loose, ready to wreak damage. The worst prospect is that Palestinians will dig in with a new feeling of righteousness and believe that the international community will force Israel to withdraw from its "illegal occupation." In Middle Eastern politics, memory enables each side to nurture its grievances but there is little collective memory...