A7News: Madonna refuses calls to back out of appearance in Israel

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Tuesday, May. 14 '19, ט' באייר תשע"ט





HEADLINES:
1. MADONNA REFUSES CALLS TO BACK OUT OF APPEARANCE IN ISRAEL
2. 'ARAB SECTOR HOUSING CRISIS IS REAL - BUT SOLVABLE'
3. TLAIB ACCUSES CRITICS OF 'TWISTING HER WORDS FOR RACIST AGENDA'
4. ISRAELI TEEN ACCUSED OF KILLING ARAB WOMAN FREED TO HOUSE ARREST
5. US EMBASSY IN ISRAEL ISSUES SECURITY ALERT
6. MAN ASKS FOR KOSHER FOOD - AND AIRLINE SAYS HE CAN'T FLY
7. RASHIDA TLAIB: WE PALESTINIANS PROVIDED SAFE HAVEN FOR JEWS
8. TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR MUSLIM IMMIGRANTS TO AUSTRIA


1. MADONNA REFUSES CALLS TO BACK OUT OF APPEARANCE IN ISRAEL
by David Rosenberg

American pop music star Madonna is refusing to cancel her planned appearance in Israel for the Eurovision song competition, despite pressure from the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

"I'll never stop playing music to suit someone's political agenda nor will I stop speaking out against violations of human rights wherever in the world they may be," Madonna told Reuters on Tuesday.

"My heart breaks every time I hear about the innocent lives that are lost in this region and the violence that is so often perpetuated to suit the political goals of people who benefit from this ancient conflict. I hope and pray that we will soon break free from this terrible cycle of destruction and create a new path towards peace."

The BDS movement, which has called for the cultural, academic, and economic isolation of Israel to force the Jewish state to withdraw from Judea and Samaria, has urged performing artists invited to the Eurovision competition in Tel Aviv not to attend.

Madonna has visited Israel repeatedly in the past, however, including performances in 2009 and 2012. She is expected to arrive in Israel on Wednesday on the private plane of Israeli-Canadian philanthropist Silvan Adams.

The 60-year-old pop singer is expected to perform two songs from her new album at the Eurovision in Tel Aviv on Saturday.

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/263126


2. 'ARAB SECTOR HOUSING CRISIS IS REAL - BUT SOLVABLE'
by Arutz Sheva Staff

The Regavim Movement, a non-government organization dedicated to protecting Israel's land resources and battling illegal construction, reacted to the State Comptroller's recently-released report on the Arab sector's housing crisis:

"The State Comptroller's report is clear and unequivocal: Despite the State of Israel's concerted efforts and massive investment in planning, zoning, and marketing state land in Arab communities, the housing shortage in the Arab sector continues to deepen. However, the overcrowding in Israel's Arab sector is not the result of discriminatory land-allotment policy; it is the result of improper implementation of local development plans, failure to enforce the law against illegal construction which obstructs implementation of municipal plans, and the unwillingness of this sector to undergo a gradual process of urbanization.

"The Israeli government is often accused of deliberately orchestrating a housing crisis in the Arab sector by creating a bottleneck of approved municipal master-plans. However, an analysis of the data, which is readily available to the public on the government's website, indicates that in the overwhelming majority of non-Jewish communities in the Haifa-North Region, there is a complete, up-to-date inventory of approved statutory plans for the construction of hundreds, even thousands of housing units in each community – in full compliance with the law and with standard and accepted procedure.

"The real culprit is not some imaginary discriminatory land-allocation policy. The wrench in the works is illegal construction, which obstructs the implementation of these approved plans and thus exacerbates the housing crisis – and this rampant, disruptive construction is a direct result of the policy of non-enforcement that has characterized the State of Israel's relationship with the Arab sector for decades.

"Another factor is the Arab sector's continued rejection of urban-style construction, with the oft-repeated claim that high-rise living is 'not suitable for Arabs.' Nonetheless, 20 and 30-storey buildings are not a rarity in the Arab cities of Ramallah, Nablus, and Gaza. The new city of Rawabi near Ramallah is a shining example of a modern urban center, built in accordance with a construction concept based on high-saturation housing that conserves valuable land resources.

The State of Israel must step up marketing of state-owned land in Arab settlements -exclusively for urban, high-saturation construction projects.

The Arab sector's leaders and laypeople must be accept the facts: The resolution of their perpetual housing crisis, and the way to improve planning, construction and infrastructure in Arab communities is through meticulous enforcement of construction and planning laws, coupled with high-saturation urban design."


3. TLAIB ACCUSES CRITICS OF 'TWISTING HER WORDS FOR RACIST AGENDA'
by David Rosenberg

Michigan congresswoman Rashida Tlaib hit back at critics Monday, claiming that her comments regarding Palestinian Arab treatment of Jews after the Holocaust had been 'twisted' in an effort to push a "racist and hateful agenda".

Following a flurry of condemnation from Republicans, including President Trump, and at least one Israeli lawmaker, Tlaib tweeted that her critics were 'policing' her words and distorting her comments to push their own "racist" agenda.

"Policing my words, twisting & turning them to ignite vile attacks on me will not work. All of you who are trying to silence me will fail miserably. I will never allow you to take my words out of context to push your racist and hateful agenda. The truth will always win."

Tlaib said in an interview with Yahoo!'s Skullduggery podcast program that she felt pride in the fact that her "ancestors, Palestinians" provided Jews with a haven after the Holocaust.

"Let me tell you, I mean, for me, just two weeks ago or so, we celebrated, but just took a moment I think in our country to remember the Holocaust," said Tlaib.

"There's always kind of a calming feeling when I think of the tragedy of the Holocaust," Tlaib continued, "that it was my ancestors, Palestinians, who lost their land and some lost their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity, their existence, in many ways, has been wiped out … in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, post-Holocaust, post-tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time. And I love the fact that it was my ancestors that provided that in many ways."

Senior Democratic leaders defended Tlaib, accusing Republicans of "misrepresenting" her statements.

"Republicans' desperate attempts to smear @RepRashida & misrepresent her comments are outrageous. President @realDonaldTrump & House GOP should apologize to Rep. Tlaib & the American people for their gross misrepresentations," tweeted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Pelosi's comments came after House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) came to Tlaib's defense and asserted that the Republicans were twisting her words in criticizing them as anti-Semitic.

"If you read Rep. Tlaib's comments, it is clear that President Trump and Congressional Republicans are taking them out of context," Hoyer said in a brief email. "They must stop, and they owe her an apology."


4. ISRAELI TEEN ACCUSED OF KILLING ARAB WOMAN FREED TO HOUSE ARREST
by Arutz Sheva Staff

The Lod District Court on Tuesday decided to send to house arrest with electronic shackles the Jewish youth accused of killing an Arab woman in an alleged stone-throwing incident.

The court delayed the release of the boy until tomorrow, in order to enable the state to decide whether to appeal to the Supreme Court against the release.

Arab woman Aisha A-Rabi was allegedly killed by a stone thrown at the vehicle in which she was traveling near the Samaria community of Rehelim in October 2018.

This morning's hearing was held in light of an opinion submitted by the director of the National Center of Forensic Medicine, Dr. Chen Kugel, according to which the injuries found on the head of the Arab woman do not correspond to the scenario of a blow from a stone.

"Two doctors supported me, claiming that the injuries to the deceased's skull were consistent with damage caused by very high energy, and not from one blow of a stone," Kugel noted in the opinion published on the Walla website. "One of these doctors also supported my view that there appear to be at least two focal points of impact."

Dr. Kugel wrote that "Two other doctors believed that, based on the data presented to us, the quality of the imperfect images and the relatively undetailed description in the opinion, it is impossible to decide either way. I should mention that there are known cases in which people were killed by a head injury due to a stone thrown at them while driving in a vehicle."

"This is a known phenomenon that has happened in the past. The argument is not whether it is possible to die as a result of a blow to the head, but as noted earlier - the fit of the injuries to the system that were found."

"A search of professional literature that I undertook did not reveal any cases in which such extensive damage to the bones of the skull was caused by a stone." Dr. Kugel concluded: "In the end, I am the signatory to the opinion and stand with quiet conscience behind what is written there."



5. US EMBASSY IN ISRAEL ISSUES SECURITY ALERT
by Ben Ariel

The US Embassy in Israel on Monday issued a security alert to American citizens in Israel ahead of the anniversary of the US Embassy opening in Jerusalem, which is on Tuesday, May 14.

"Terrorist groups may choose the anniversary, which coincides with the Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv (May 14-18), or Nakba Day (May 15), to conduct violent protests or an attack," the advisory said.

"Security incidents can occur well beyond Gaza and its periphery and at any time, as demonstrated by the May 3-5 rocket attacks in southern Israel, including Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Be'er Sheva, and the March 14 and March 25 rocket attacks in Central Israel," it added.

The alert encouraged US citizens in Israel "to remain vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. In the event of mortar and/or rocket fire, a Red Alert siren may be activated. Treat all such alerts as real; follow the instructions from local authorities and seek shelter immediately. Know the location of your closest shelter or protected space. U.S. government personnel and their family members may be restricted from traveling to areas affected by rocket activity, sirens, and/or the opening of bomb shelters."

Nakba Day, meaning the day of the catastrophe, is marked by Arabs on the date on which the State of Israel was founded in 1948, and is often used for violent protests.

On Sunday, the national and Islamic forces in the Ramallah area, the supreme coordination framework of the Palestinian Arab organizations, called on the Palestinian public to participate in mass events marking Nakba Day.

The main event marking Nakba Day will begin on Wednesday in front of the grave of Yasser Arafat in Ramallah and from there the participants will march towards the center of Ramallah carrying signs against the so-called "Deal of the Century" (the US peace initiative) and in favor of adherence to the Palestinian basic principles, first and foremost the "right of return".


6. MAN ASKS FOR KOSHER FOOD - AND AIRLINE SAYS HE CAN'T FLY
by Arutz Sheva Staff

The Lawfare Project has announced that it has filed a new case against Kuwait Airways in Germany, over the airline's policy of anti-Semitic discrimination on its flights. The case is being brought by a Frankfurt based Israeli businessman who booked a flight from Munich to Sri Lanka in November last year, only to be denied the right to travel.

This is the second case in which The Lawfare Project has represented Israelis barred from travelling in Germany by Kuwait Airways. A previous case originally brought in 2017 involving the same discriminatory policy triggered outcry in Germany and remains under review by Germany's Constitutional High Court.

The plaintiff in the new case, known as Shmuel M, booked business class tickets from Munich to Colombo, which was the quickest flight to Sri Lanka available from that airport. When Shmuel M asked about the availability of kosher food on the flight the airline asked whether he held an Israeli passport. When he confirmed that he did, he was told that he would be unable to travel and would need to speak to the airline's lawyers for further information.

As a result, Shmuel M is suing Kuwait Airways with The Lawfare Project providing his legal representation. The case has been filed at the Landshut District Court, which has jurisdiction over Munich International Airport. Kuwait Airways is yet to reply to the claims writ. It is likely that a hearing will take place later this year.

Kuwait Airways has previously justified its discrimination by citing a decades old Kuwaiti law that bans all Kuwaiti citizens and companies from doing any business with citizens of the Jewish state.

On past occasions legal pressure by The Lawfare Project against Kuwait Airways in the US and Switzerland led to the airline cancelling its NYC-London flights, and all its inter-European flights, rather than compromise its discriminatory practices.

Brooke Goldstein, the Executive Director of The Lawfare Project, the legal think-tank and litigation fund representing the plaintiff, said: "Time and again Kuwait Airways has shown itself to be a bigoted airline with a bigoted policy that should have no place in a modern liberal democracy. An airline that kicks Israelis off planes should be kicked out of Germany."

"When a Jewish passenger is denied the right to travel after requesting a kosher meal, in Germany of all places, then anyone who respects the values of equality, fairness and the rule of law should be appalled."

Nathan Gelbart, The Lawfare Project's German counsel, said: "If Kuwait Airways wishes to continue operating in Germany then the message should be clear: carry everyone or carry no one. There can be no discrimination against Jews on German soil. As long as we permit an airline to advertise flights for everyone except Israelis it is a stain on the moral fabric of our country."


7. RASHIDA TLAIB: WE PALESTINIANS PROVIDED SAFE HAVEN FOR JEWS
by David Rosenberg

A Democratic lawmaker came under fire over the weekend, after she claimed that Palestinian Arabs living in the British Mandate prior to the establishment of the State of Israel "provided" a safe haven to Jews after the Holocaust.

Rashida Tlaib, a freshman Democrat representing Michigan in the US House of Representatives, said in an interview with Yahoo!'s Skullduggery podcast program Saturday that she felt pride in the fact that her "ancestors, Palestinians" provided Jews with a haven after the Holocaust.

"Let me tell you, I mean, for me, just two weeks ago or so, we celebrated, but just took a moment I think in our country to remember the Holocaust."

"There's always kind of a calming feeling when I think of the tragedy of the Holocaust," Tlaib said, "that it was my ancestors, Palestinians, who lost their land and some lost their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity, their existence, in many ways, has been wiped out … in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, post-Holocaust, post-tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time. And I love the fact that it was my ancestors that provided that in many ways."

During the 56-minute interview on Skullduggery, Tlaib lashed out at both Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump, accusing Netanyahu of oppression and calling for Trump's impeachment.

"We can smell it from far away that, no, you don't want to look at my grandmother in the eye, Netanyahu, and say 'You are equal to me. You are as human as I am to you,'" Tlaib said of the recently reelected Israeli premier.

Regarding her support for a one-state solution, Tlaib said the Israeli government's policies had made a two-state solution non-viable.

"The Israeli government gave it up," Tlaib said of the two-state solution. "It's not me to decide. It's the will of the people. If Netanyahu got up tomorrow and said, 'You know what? I'm going to take down the walls, I'm not gonna expand settlements, enough is enough. I really want to push towards a two-state solution – he has every power, ever power to do that. And then people like myself and others would truly believe in that."

She also accused Netanyahu and the Israeli government of working to "segregate communities" in Judea and Samaria.

"When I think about one state, I think: Why can't we do it in a better way? I don't want people to do it in the name of Judaism just like I don't want people to use Islam in that way. It has to be done in a way of values around equality, around the fact that you shouldn't oppress others. So that you can feel free and safe. Why can't we all be free and safe together?"

Touching on domestic politics, Tlaib called for president Trump's impeachment, calling President Trump's "foreign and domestic" investments a "conflict of interest".

"This is the first President, all 44 before him, divested in their foreign and domestic investments...We have a corporation running our government right now…We set a precedent when we don't say to someone that this is conflict of interest, this is a corridor to power, this is the most powerful position in the world and you got an upgraded version of pay to play...This will not be the last CEO that runs for President of the United States and if we don't hold this President accountable to the rule of law, you say is that impeachable, obviously it is."

Earlier this month, Tlaib also sparked controversy when she commented on news coverage of rocket attacks by Gaza-based terrorist groups on Israel, calling the news stories "dehumanizing" to Palestinian Arabs, and writing the hashtag "Free Palestine".

When will the world stop dehumanizing our Palestinian people who just want to be free? Headlines like this & framing it in this way just feeds into the continued lack of responsibility on Israel who unjustly oppress & target Palestinian children and families," Tlaib tweeted, adding "#FreePalestine."

On Saturday, Tlaib retweeted a call for the "liberation" of Palestine.

"First Friday prayer this #Ramadan in #Palestine, mashAllah. Praying for your liberation, your freedom, and your protection— my people. Ameen Ameen."


8. TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR MUSLIM IMMIGRANTS TO AUSTRIA
by Mordechai Sones

Following the wave of Muslim immigration to Austria and the fact that many of the immigrants did not integrate into Austrian society, Austrian government heads intend to formulate a Ten Commandments-like list of social prerequisites that immigrants will be required to comply with if they wish to immigrate to the country, German newspaper Welt reported.

According to reports in the Austrian media, the ten new rules will include: Learn German, obey Austrian law, adopt "Austrian values" and raise children accordingly, resolve conflicts nonviolently, respect religious freedom, prevent "unnecessary" suffering to animals, and express thanks and appreciation to Austria.

Austria's Parliament building in Vienna
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The new standards of behavior will be distributed to those wishing to immigrate to Austria in the courses they will need to pass, which will be given in 15 languages. Austria will even require immigrants to sign the new rules to obtain permission to emigrate to the country.

If they meet their obligations, they will be presented with a document to serve as a constant reminder of the ten rules they are obliged to obey, together with their new Austrian residence permits.

The initiative to issue the "Ten Rules for an Immigrant" came from the Austrian Freedom Party that takes a very tough line against immigration to the country and opposes opening the gates to immigrants. Immigration and Asylum Policy Minister Gottfried Waldhäusl had previously set up a detention facility for immigrants near the Czech border that was severely criticized for its conditions and was subsequently closed.

Austria
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