Israel's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Danny Ayalon explains the historical facts relating to the issue of refugees in the Israeli Palestinian conflict. The video explains the reason there are still refugees after more than six decades is because of Arab leaders' recalcitrance to accept their brethren and the United Nations which created a separate agency with unique principles and criteria. The video also highlights the issue of the Jewish refugees who were forced out of their homes in the Arab world, and were subsequently absorbed by the State of Israel.

The past twelve months have seen unpredicted political and social upheaval throughout the Middle East and North Africa and currently just about the only certainty is that there is still much more to come.

 With the cards still very much in the air and last January's confident assertions on the part of the various Middle East experts - who informed us that the two countries in which revolution would definitely not be taking place were Syria and Libya - still ringing in our ears almost as loudly as Hillary Clinton's bizarre assurance that Bashar Assad was 'a reformer', only fools would try to predict how the MENA region might look in five years' time.

What is clear, however, is that the general trend appears to be towards a rise in power on the part of religiously-motivated political elements and a deepening of the Sunni-Shia sectarian rift which has long existed in the region, alongside real cause for worry about the futures of other minorities.

In this volatile climate and with the fate of existing peace treaties between Israel and some of its Arab neighbours far from guaranteed, the Middle East Quartet (comprised of the United Nations, the European Union, Russia and the United States) is to meet next week in Jerusalem for another session of  flogging the dead horse known as 'the peace process'. Read more

Egyptian Christians once again face the threat of massacre from their fellow citizens supposedly belonging to a religion of peace.

Thousands of Muslims went on a rampage in el Ghorayzat village. Two are dead. Many more are wounded. Homes and shops are burned and looted.

Of course, this isn't the first time Egypt's Muslims have committed genocide against another religious minority.

As a delegation of deluded bigwigs from around the world gathered recently to condemn a nonexistent "siege on Gaza", we wanted to provide some resources to help people understand the situation. Without further ado, here is "Siege. Not A Siege".

Below we see a siege.

Not a siege.

Siege.

Not a siege.

Siege.

Not a siege.

Can we stop with the lies now?

Times They Are A Changin'. Not for the better, either. It is clear that the Arab Spring has paved the way for the rise of the Islamists throughout the Middle East.

Imagine a world where the Taliban rule a stretch of territory from the western tip of North Africa over to the steppes of Central Asia. That's what's happening here, unless the Arabs can manage against all reasonable expectations to not commit civilizational suicide.

Palestinian leaders in Hamas and Fatah have only drawn attention to their inability to make their reconciliation happen by insisting once again that unity is imminent.

It will be interesting to see how these factions can square the circle of claiming to their constituency that they will never give up the armed struggle or one square inch of "Palestine", while boasting the opposite to the international community in hopes of more cash.

Even more interesting will be Palestinian elections, if they ever happen (they've already been delayed several years and neither Fatah nor Hamas have a renewed democratic mandate). Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas says "we discussed all the details about reconciliation and would like to tell you that there are no differences between us at all on any of the issues" -- in which case, how are Palestinians supposed to vote?

Let's see: I can vote for the corrupt terrorist-spawning party that kidnaps and tortures dissidents. Or, I could vote for the corrupt terrorist-spawning party that kidnaps and tortures dissidents. Wow. This democracy thing is really tough.

Since there wasn't actually any humanitarian aid on either ship that Israel seized this morning.

I believe we have a new winner in the "definition of cynicism" contest. Thanks for playing, would-be Gaza blockade runners.

Once again, Israel takes it in the shins from irrational haters. Maurice Ostroff sends an open letter to the chairman of the Russell Tribunal to set things straight:

I am writing this letter because I am familiar with both the Israeli and South African views on the forthcoming session of the Russell Tribunal “Are Israel’s practices against the Palestinian People in breach of the prohibition on Apartheid under International Law”.

I presently live in Israel and in my earlier years I was an anti-apartheid activist in South Africa. Among my activities I participated in the WW2 ex-servicemen’s Springbok Legion. With nearly 60,000 members including a large number of Jews, the legion was probably the first mass movement of whites promoting the liberation of Blacks.

As the tribunal bears the imprimatur of that great philosopher and peace activist Bertrand Russell, one expects the panelists to take seriously the principles of moral integrity he exhorted. Indeed, if the delegates meticulously heed the advice Russell offered in a “last message to our descendants” one could look forward to a refreshingly balanced and even-handed report.

During an extensive interviewon the BBC , Russell advised “When you are studying any matter or considering any philosophy ask yourself only what are the facts and what is the truth that the facts bear out. Never let yourself be diverted either by what you wish to believe or by what you think will have beneficial social effects if it were believed. Look only and solely at what are the facts”.

Sadly, contrary to Russell’s advice, the Tribunal appears to be reinforcing preconceived opinions and avoiding inconvenient facts. How else can one explain the careful selection of a “jury” comprising only prominent persons who have publicly voiced strongly anti-Israel statements and preconceived opinions? And how does one explain the fact that jurists and members of the public who attend will not be allowed to question speakers?

In this climate, unlike in a democratic debate or  court of law where both sides are heard, even the most misleading statements will go unchallenged and the totally unjustified anti-Israel apartheid canard will be propagated, without the benefit of honest intellectual examination.

Israel trades more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including terrorists and other violent criminals, for one Israeli soldier.

Wikileaks obtained a number of secret US embassy cables dated the 13^th February 2009 (during war in Gaza). They are of interest as they offer a unguarded assessment of Norway’s ingrained anti-Semitism.

Many will be aware that Norway has had a distinctive antipathy toward Israel for some time. It funds a notably large number of anti-Israel NGO’s that campaign to delegitimise the existence of the State of Israel itself. There are also occasional controversies, such as over anti-Semitic cartoons published in mainstream newspapers, and a number of stridently anti-Israeli Norwegians have become prominent internationally, e.g. Mads Gilbert who justified the 9/11 attacks.

Nonetheless much of the material contained within the cables is still quite disturbing. The cables make it quite clear the hostility toward Israel is merely a façade disguising a rank anti-Semitism. When this anti-Semitism becomes overwhelmingly obvious it is defended or excused. It is a malign oddity, especially considering the tiny Jewish populace in Norway itself. However, before one casts Norway as some sort of latter-day fascist state, it should be noted that the hallmarks of this phenomenon are very much in evidence in other nations where a strong pro-Palestinian paradigm is predominant culturally.

The cables feature a prominent claim that the failure to deal with anti-Semitism goes to the top of the Norwegian establishment. Indeed Jonas Gahr Stoere, Norway’s long-time Foreign Minister provided aid to Hamas and urged other countries to lift sanctions on the terrorist organisation, which is famed for advocating the mass genocide of the Jews. This tolerance of terrorism directed at Jews also manifested itself in the trial for the 2006 gun attack on the synagogue in Oslo by a local Muslim, one Arfan Qadeer Bhatti. Amazingly, the judge ruled the act constituted vandalism rather than terrorism, even though Bhatti had previously been implicated several times in similar behaviour. Norway also permits halal slaughter, whilst the kosher equivalent is banned. Read more