A7News: UN council passes measure accusing Israel of war crimes

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Friday, Mar. 22 '19, ט"ו באדר ב תשע"ט





HEADLINES:
1. UN COUNCIL PASSES MEASURE ACCUSING ISRAEL OF WAR CRIMES
2. US SHOULD 'FULLY RECOGNIZE' ISRAELI SOVEREIGNTY IN GOLAN HEIGHTS
3. 'GOLAN RECOGNITION WILL PLUNGE MIDDLE EAST INTO NEW CRISIS'
4. AT UNESCO, AUSTRIA SLAMS ANTI-SEMITIC BELGIAN CARNIVAL DISPLAY
5. OBSERVERS OF TRADITION? SATMAR HASSIDIM WHO LOVE ISRAEL
6. POLL: RIGHT LEADS LEFT 65 TO 55
7. WHAT WAS POLLARD DOING AT THE CONSULATE?
8. POLL: RIGHT-WING BLOC 62, LEFT-WING BLOC 58


1. UN COUNCIL PASSES MEASURE ACCUSING ISRAEL OF WAR CRIMES
by David Rosenberg

The United Nations Human Rights Council on Friday voted to adopt a report accusing Israel of human rights violations, including war crimes, for its response to violent riots and attacks on the Israeli border along the frontier with Gaza.

On Friday, the Council's 40th session voted in Geneva by a margin of 23 to 9, with 14 abstentions and one absence, to adopt the 252-page report conducted by the Commission of Inquiry on the Protests in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The nine countries which voted against adopting the report included Brazil, Australia, the Czech Republic, Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Ukraine, Togo, and Fiji.

In addition, 14 countries abstained, including the UK, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, India, Japan, Argentina, the Bahamas, Croatia, the Congo, Nepal, Rwanda, Slovkia, and Uruguay.

The 23 nations that voted in favor of adopting the report included Afghanistan, Angola, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Chile, China, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, Iraq, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, and Tunisia.

The report adopted by the UNHRC accuses the Israeli military of targeting Arab civilians the commission claims were not involved "in hostilities" against Israel, and condemned Israel's use of live ammunition against Gaza rioters attacking Israeli forces on the border or attempting to breach the Israeli border fence.

"The commission found reasonable grounds to believe that individual members of the Israeli security forces, in the course of their response to the demonstrations, killed and gravely injured civilians who were neither directly participating in hostilities nor posing an imminent threat," the report reads in part.

Israel rejected the report on Friday, denouncing the Human Rights Council for its "absurd, hypocritical" criticism of Israel's behavior.

"The Human Rights Council repeated today its absurd, hypocritical ritual of creating a Commission of Inquiry singling out Israel, whose findings against Israel are predetermined, and then adopting them, all the while ignoring reality on the ground," the Israeli foreign ministry said Friday.

"Israel notes with satisfaction that 9 countries voted against the biased resolution and that a moral majority of countries did not endorse the resolution. In effect, this is a vote of no confidence to the report. Israel will continue to exercise its right of self-defense and will protect its citizens against terror and aggression. Israel will not cooperate with the Council on the issue."

Beginning in March 2018, tens of thousands of rioters gathered on the Israeli border with the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, attempting to break through the border fence while hurling firebombs, stones, and flaming tires at Israeli soldiers.

Gaza-based rioters also used bombs attached to kites and balloons to target Israeli towns near the border. The riots peaked on May 14th 2018, during Israel's 70th Independence Day, coinciding with the unveiling of the US embassy in Jerusalem. Some 60 rioters were killed in clashes on the Israel-Gaza border.

The commission claims that a total of 183 Gazans were killed during the riots, with thousands more wounded.


2. US SHOULD 'FULLY RECOGNIZE' ISRAELI SOVEREIGNTY IN GOLAN HEIGHTS
by Arutz Sheva Staff, AFP

US President Donald Trump on Thursday made an unprecedented announcement, calling for the US to officially recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

In a tweet, Trump wrote, "After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel's Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!"

Trump called the territory "of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!"

Earlier on Thursday, a report by Israel's Channel 13 claimed that senior Israeli officials believed that Trump would formally recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights next week.

The move ends a decades-long US policy of non-recognition of Israel's annexation of the strategic plateau.

Israel captured the Heights from Syria during the Six Day War in June, 1967, after the Syrian army used the strategic high ground overlooking the Galilee to attack Israeli towns and farms.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu praised Trump's announcement.

"At a time when Iran seeks to use Syria as a platform to destroy Israel, President Trump boldly recognizes Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights," Netanyahu wrote on his personal Twitter account. "Thank you President Trump!"

Trump will host Netanyahu at the White House next Monday and Tuesday. The Israeli leader, who is running for reelection, will be in Washington for the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) pro-Israel lobbying group.

The Golan Heights move was hinted at a week ago when the State Department changed its usual description of the area as "occupied" to "Israeli-controlled."


3. 'GOLAN RECOGNITION WILL PLUNGE MIDDLE EAST INTO NEW CRISIS'
by David Rosenberg

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blasted President Donald Trump's decision Thursday to recognize Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights, warning Friday that the move would destabilize the Middle East and lead to "a new crisis" in the region.

Speaking at an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Friday morning, Erdogan vowed to pushed back on efforts to 'legitimize' Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, while claiming that US recognition of Israeli sovereignty over 500 square miles of the strategic plateau would lead to "more violence".

"We will never allow the occupation of Golan Heights to be made legitimate," Erdogan said in his speech at the OIC emergency meeting," adding that the OIC would not "remain silent to such a sensitive issue like this."

"The US president's unfortunate remarks on Golan Heights brought the region to the brink of new crisis, tension," Erdogan added.

The Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, joined in the attack on Trump's decision, tweeting late Thursday night that recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan would lead to "new violence" and "pain".

"Attempts by the US to legitimize Israel's actions against international law will only lead to more violence and pain in the region. Turkey supports Syria's territorial integrity."

President Trump said Thursday the US would be ending its policy of non-recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, tweeting: "After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel's Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!"

The president is expected to sign an executive order formalizing US recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan next week.

Israel captured the Heights from Syria during the Six Day War in June, 1967, after the Syrian army used the strategic high ground overlooking the Galilee to attack Israeli towns and farms.

While Israeli ceded part of the Golan in a deal with Syria following the 1973 Yom Kippur War, roughly two-thirds of the 700 square mile Heights remained under Israeli military rule until 1981.

In 1981, Israel passed the Golan Heights Law, applying Israeli law directly to the Golan and ending the military administration of the area, effectively annexing the territory.

The US, UN, European Union, and virtually the entire international community have refused to recognize Israel's annexation. Following Trump's announcement Thursday, the US has become the first major power to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan.

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/260747


4. AT UNESCO, AUSTRIA SLAMS ANTI-SEMITIC BELGIAN CARNIVAL DISPLAY
by Cnaan Lipshiz, JTA

Austria condemned at UNESCO a Belgian carnival that featured an anti-Semitic display.

The unusual exchange about the March 3 carnival in Aalst occurred on Thursday at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

The Aalst carnival, one of Europe's flashiest, was added in 2010 to the list of heritage of humanity events of UNESCO, the United Nations body on culture.

The 2019 edition featured a float whose creators said was about rising prices, with grimacing haredi Jew figures amid money bags. One figures had a puppet rat on his jacket. Dancers dressed like haredi Jews with rat puppets on their lapels danced on the float.

The display sparked an outcry. A petition urging UNESCO to delist the event has received more than 15,000 signatures. Aalst mayor defended the display. Jewish groups' complaints over alleged incitement in the display are pending.

Austria and Poland condemned the display during the meeting Wednesday by a bureau, or governing body, of UNESCO. The bureau has six rotating member states. The Colombian chairmanship of the committee was instrumental in facilitating a discussion about Aalst, according to Shimon Samuels, the Simon Wiesenthal Center's international relations director.

The Polish and Austrian delegates "oppose any attempt t sugarcoat this example of what they said was anti-Semitism pure and simple," said Samuels, whose organization is an associate partner of UNESCO.

Barring action by Belgian authorities, a draft resolution on the Aalst carnival may lead to the delisting the event during a committee meeting in Colombia in December, Samuels said.


5. OBSERVERS OF TRADITION? SATMAR HASSIDIM WHO LOVE ISRAEL
by Judy Simon

[audio:2006322]

Joel grew up in a large Hassidic family in Brooklyn. He went to a "cheider" where children learn Talmud in Yiddish until late afternoon, at which time some secular subjects are taught, such as English and math.

Though Joel's family was not strongly anti-Zionist, the messages he received from his school and his synagogue were.

Therefore, it was rather surprising when Joel became interested in Israel. Even before his bar mitzvah, Joel searched for articles in the Yiddish newspaper about Israel, praying, for example, that the expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif would not take effect. In the daily prayers, he noticed that there was a longing for the Land of Israel, which Joel himself began to feel.

At the age of 18, Joel came to Israel for the first time, where he discovered Zoreach, a group of Hassidim such as himself who shared a love for Israel.

Another important activity of his is visiting communities in Judea and Samaria. He tells of the reactions of his hosts when they see his Hassidic garb for the first time, and the close relationships that ensue.

Tune in to meet a passionate young man who follows his heart, even when his path differs from that of his family.

[קישורים:12:Radio]


6. POLL: RIGHT LEADS LEFT 65 TO 55
by David Rosenberg

The center-left Blue and White party has increased its lead over the Likud, according to a new poll, even as the right-wing – religious bloc takes a ten-mandate lead over the left-wing – Arab bloc.

The new poll, released Friday by Maariv and The Jerusalem Post, was conducted by pollster Rafi Smith, and marks a significant gain for the right-wing bloc, which was tied 60-60 with the left-Arab bloc in the previous Smith poll released earlier this month.

According to the new survey, the eight right-wing and haredi factions likely to be in the 21st Knesset would win a total of 65 seats if new elections were held today.

The Likud, which currently holds 30 seats, would win 27, a decline of two compared to the Smith poll published on March 5th.

The Union of Right-Wing Parties (URP) and the New Right would win six seats each, while Moshe Feiglin's libertarian-leaning Zehut would win four mandates. The URP and New Right were also projected to win six seats apiece in the previous Smith poll, while Zehut failed to cross the threshold earlier this month.

The center-right Kulanu would win five seats if new elections were held today, compared to four seats it was projected to win earlier this month and the 10 it currently holds.

Yisrael Beytenu would win four seats, the same number it was projected to win earlier this month, but down from the six it won in 2015.

Both of the haredi factions gained one mandate over the previous poll's results, with United Torah Judaism moving up from six to seven seats (it currently has six) and Shas rising from five to six (it currently has seven).

On the left, the Blue and White party fell by one seat compared to the previous poll, sinking from 31 to 30 seats – though its lead over the Likud actually increased, due to the Likud's two-seat decline.

The Labor party rose from seven to eight seats in the most recent poll, though it remains far below its 2015 showing of 19 seats.

The far-left Meretz faction remains stable at five seats, while the Arab factions are projected to win a combined 12 seats, down from 13 in the previous poll. The two lists ran on a joint ticket in 2015, netting 13 seats.

Former Yisrael Beytenu MK Orly Levy's Gesher party failed to cross the threshold in the latest poll, falling from four seats in the prior survey to zero. The new poll shows Gesher with 2.8% of the vote, below the 3.25% minimum threshold.

A Maagar Mohot poll released Friday by Israel Hayom and i24News showed the margin between the right and left-wing blocs narrowing, with the right-wing – religious bloc falling from 66 seats in the previous poll to 62 seats on Friday, while the left-wing – Arab bloc rose from 54 seats to 58.


7. WHAT WAS POLLARD DOING AT THE CONSULATE?
by Gary Willig

Will Jonathan Pollard finally be allowed to move to Israel?

Pollard was seen twice over the last week entering the Israeli consulate in New York with his wife Esther. He was seen at the consulate on Friday and again on Monday, News 2 reported. The consulate issues Israeli passports.

Pollard, who was freed from prison three and a half years ago after serving thirty years for spying for Israel, would not be allowed to enter the Israeli consulate under his parole conditions unless he received special permission.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is expected to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House next week.

The Israeli government has long pushed for Pollard to be allowed to emigrate to Israel, but no administration has agreed to let Pollard go. Officials in the US remain divided over Pollard's fate, with some stating that he still represents a security threat while others say that any information he may have is over 30 years old and out of date and that the life sentence he received was disproportionate to his crime.

Prime Minister Netanyahu is expected to ask President Trump to take several actions during his visit next week, including recognizing Israel's rights to the Golan Heights.

Israel's Consul in New York, Danny Dayan, denied that Pollard had visited the consulate.

The Prime Minister's Office stated in response to the report: "The prime minister is obligated to bring Pollard to Israel and has made efforts and worked with governments, even with the Trump government, for this purpose."


8. POLL: RIGHT-WING BLOC 62, LEFT-WING BLOC 58
by David Rosenberg

The left-wing –Arab bloc made significant gains this week on the right-wing – religious bloc, reaching near-parity, a new poll shows, despite a significant decrease in the strength of the Blue and White party.

According to the new poll, conducted by Maagar Mohot and published by i24NEWS and Israel Hayom on Friday, the center-left Blue and White party's lead over the Likud has fallen from seven mandates to just four over the past week.

Friday's poll shows that if elections were held today, the Blue and White party would likely win 30 seats, down from 33 seats according to the previous Maagar Mohot poll, released last Friday. The Likud, on the other hand, remains stable at 26 seats – though this represents a four-seat decrease from the 30 seats it won in 2015.

In a distant third place is the Labor party with 9 seats, a dramatic fall from the 19 mandates the party won in 2015 (the joint Zionist Union list won 24 total, including 5 for the Hatnuah faction). This nevertheless represents a two seat gain over last week's Maagar Mohot poll, which projected Labor winning just seven mandates.

The far-left Meretz party would win six seats if elections were held today – a decline of two mandates compared to last week's poll, but an increase of one mandate over the five Meretz won in 2015.

The Gesher party, founded by former Yisrael Beytenu MK Orly Levy – who broke away to remain in the opposition in 2016 – would win four seats if new elections were held today. This is the first poll since March 5th which shows Gesher crossing the electoral threshold, and the second poll since party lists were formally submitted on February 21st to show Gesher entering the Knesset.

The Arab parties would win a combined nine mandates – down from the 13 they won in 2015 on the united Joint List ticket, but up from the six seats they were projected to win last week. The United Arab List and Balad ticket, which failed to cross the threshold in last week's poll, inched up to four seats this week, while the Hadash – Ta'al list fell from six to five.

On the right, the Union of Right-Wing Parties – a joint ticket of the Jewish Home, National Union, and Otzma Yehudit – moved up from six seats in last week's poll to seven, while the New Right of Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked fell from six to five.

Zehut, the libertarian-leaning faction of former Likud MK Moshe Feiglin, continues to gain momentum, rising from five seats in last week's poll to six, while Yisrael Beytenu and Kulanu remain with four seats apiece, the same as in last week's survey. Yisrael Beytenu won six seats in 2015, while Kulanu won 10.

Among the haredi factions, United Torah Judaism fell from seven seats in last week's poll to just six – the same number the party won in 2015 – while Shas fell from five to four mandates, compared to the seven it currently holds. Former Shas chairman Eli Yishai's Yahad party failed to receive even one-tenth of a percent of the vote in the poll.

Tzomet, the secular-right party revived by Likud MK Oren Hazan climbed upwards towards the minimum threshold in this week's poll, receiving 1.7% of the vote – roughly double what Tzomet has received in recent polls. That still leaves the party far below the 3.25% threshold, however.

The right-wing – religious bloc, including the Likud, Union of Right-Wing Parties, Shas, UTJ, Yisrael Beytenu, Kulanu, the New Right, and Zehut are projected to win a combined 62 seats, compared to 58 for the Blue and White party, Labor, Meretz, Gesher, and the Arab factions. Last week, the right-religious bloc led by a significantly wider margin - 66 to 54.