Modern "journalism" Newspaper's politics Vs. reality on the ground

 

ACCORDING TO THE WORLD BANK website,

“Gaza’s unemployment and poverty figures are very troubling and the economic outlook is worrying. The current market in Gaza is not able to offer jobs leaving a large population in despair particularly the youth,” said Steen Lau Jorgensen, World Bank Country Director for West Bank and Gaza. “The ongoing blockade and the 2014 war have taken a toll on Gaza’s economy and people's livelihoods. Gaza’s exports virtually disappeared and the manufacturing sector has shrunk by as much as 60 percent. The economy cannot survive without being connected to the outside world.”

Just the facts.

But then the UK's Guardian puts its twist on the World Bank report, leading off with

World Bank report says Israeli blockades, war and poor governance have left 43% of people out of work and the strip facing dangerous financial crisis

And then it adds, almost as an after-thought

The economy of Gaza – assailed by war, poor governance and a joint Israeli-Egyptian blockade – has reached the “verge of collapse” with the coastal strip suffering the highest rate of unemployment in the world.

NO ONE WILL ARGUE that Gaza's economy is a shambles; nor will anyone argue that because the economy is in the toilet, unemployment is high.

Likewise, no one denies - certainly not Israel or Egypt, the two countries that blockade Gaza - that part of the problem is that getting goods into and out of Gaza is difficult due to the blockades.

BUT

No one seems to care

* WHY Egypt and Israel blockade Gaza

* That Israel- and perhaps Egypt, too - DOES allow raw materials into Gaza and allows exports, primarily fruits and vegetables, to be exported from Gaza to the "Palestinian Authority" (PA) and elsewhere.

* That, like the PA's leaders, millions of dollars have gone into Hamas' pockets when they were intended to help the residents of Gaza.

The world has pledged USD 3.5 billion to Gaza.

Interestingly, The Guardian article included a photo of a "smuggling tunnel" with the caption:

Smuggling tunnels have been the lifeline of the Gazan economy during the Israeli-Egyptian blockade.

adding that

Gaza has been governed by the Islamist group Hamas since 2007 and has struggled with mounting problems since the closure of the smuggling tunnels to Egypt, which had acted as an economic and social pressure valve

conveniently omitting the fact that the smuggling tunnels were used to send terrorists into Israel to murder civilians young and old.

Fox, running an Associated Press (AP) article, reports that

Since its takeover, Hamas has fought three wars with Israel, including 50 days of fighting last summer in which thousands of Gaza buildings were either destroyed or damaged. Over 2,200 Palestinians, including hundreds of civilians, were killed during the war. On the Israeli side, 67 soldiers and six civilians were killed.

The report said Gaza's economy was badly hurt as a result of the fighting, especially the agriculture, construction, manufacturing and electricity sectors.

It said about 43 percent of Gaza's 1.8 million residents are unemployed; a figure it said is the highest in the world. Youth unemployment reached about 60 percent by the end of last year, it said.

It might be suggested that Hamas, Gaza's heavy-handed rulers, are deliberately keeping unemployment high (about 60 percent according to Fox) to encourage attacks on Israel, and to a lesser extant, Egypt. Striking out at Hamas, the cause of the enclave's problems, is almost guaranteed death.

The World Bank concluded Gaza's problems were two-fold:

It charged that "blockades, war and poor governance have strangled" the economy of the Gaza Strip, ruled by the Islamic militant group Hamas.

The report said Gaza's GDP would have been four times higher if not for conflicts and restrictions, including a blockade in place since 2007

while in reality ALL the blame lies on Hamas since it declared war first on Israel and then on Egypt (causing the blockade) that, in turn, caused high unemployment.

Still, its easier to blame it all on Israel.

Government is appalled Mayors said "racist" For protecting people

 

The mayors of the city of Ashdod and Ashkelon are making it tough - albeit not impossible - for Arabs from the Aza and PA-controlled areas in Yesha.

The mayor, Yehiel Lasri, along with the mayor of Ashkelon, Itamar Shimoni, have clamped down on non-Israeli Arab construction workers by having the gall to demand their Israeli-citizen employers carefully check their papers. (Try and get a job in the U.S. and, unless you are an "undocumented" [illegal] alien, it won't happen unless you have a passport two forms of pseudo-ID, "pseudo" since there is no way to prove a Social Security card belongs to the person presenting it.)

The mayors are holding up construction of some child-related projects in order to protect the children in the neighborhoods. (What do we do in the U.S. to protect our children from known predators? Do we let them work in/near schools?)

While not all Moslems in Israel, Aza, and Yesha are terrorists, there are enough that precautions are necessary. It is the primary responsibility of a government's CEO - be it a town or city government such as Ashkelon or Ashdod or the national government - that seems to have abrogated its responsibility - in Israel and, indeed, throughout the world.

Rhetorical question: Would Obama allow ISIS terrorists into the U.S. for any reason? To learn to fly jetliners? To learn to pilot huge ships carrying containers or oil? Remember, the question is just rhetorical.

The mayors are being attacked buy both the left and right, including Israel's prime minister and its president.

It seems the only people who favor the mayors' actions are the people in Ashdod and Ashkelon.

In Ashkelon, dozens of residents demonstrated in support of their mayor, bearing signs reading "guard the children," and "Bibi wake up - our children won't be abandoned."

According to an article in Arutz 7, Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein weighed in on the case Thursday, claiming the move was in violation of the equal employment law. Justice Minister Tzipi Livni said Thursday morning she had contacted Weistein demanding such action, and called the move illegal

For all that, the same article quotes Knesset Member Moshe Feiglin (Likud), who notes:

"There's so much hypocrisy in the media crackdown on the Ashkelon Mayor - Mr. Itamar Shimoni - and calls of 'racist' against him," Feiglin wrote on his Facebook page Thursday afternoon.

"After all, Arab workers don't enter IDF bases or sensitive facilities of the Defense Ministry," noted Feiglin. "So why is the security of kindergarten children in Ashkelon less sensitive? Why is the concern for security racism?"

In his remarks Feiglin echoed comments made by former MK Dr. Michael Ben-Ari, who noted earlier that from his experiences no Arab workers are employed for manual labor in the Knesset.

"Not a single Arab contractor or Arab laborer can work in the Knesset. It's a fact. I was there for four years, all of the contractors are Jews and there are no Arab laborers. Not in flooring, not in carpentry, not in cleaning," said Ben-Ari. "Let the hypocritical Bennett and (MK) Miri Regev first fight against the 'racism' in the Knesset!"

Attorney Uri Tzipori on the legal department of the Derech Chaim movement that pushes for Israel to unite behind the way of the Torah, there is nothing illegal about the move.

Tzipori argued that the equal employment law does not need to be applied in the current case, given that the layoffs are made in response to a serious security situation and a sense of immediate danger, and not out of a mere desire to fire Arab workers, in which case one would expect such steps to have been taken long ago.

IN THE BEGINNING most of the construction work in Israel was done by Jews for Jews. In fact, most of the work in Israel was performed for Jews by Jews. Slowly the Jews became "too good" to do the less than glamorous jobs and the Arabs filled the gap.

Today, more and more construction jobs are filled by Chinese. Almost all residential health care work is done by women from the Philippines. (Israel already is starting to pay the price for importing foreign workers.)

Hamas guards border

While Egypt clears Sinai

When Hosni Mubarak fell and Mohammed Morsi, with his Muslim Brotherhood associates, rose to power, Israelis had to wonder if the quiet along the Egyptian-Israeli border would remain or if the sound of gunfire would once again resound.

It’s hard to believe, but with Morsi at the helm, things actually are getting better for Israelis in Israel. At least for now.

Even attacks from Aza are down.

Morsi did what Mubarak never did: he sent in troops to clear some of the terrorists out of the Sinai after first working with Israel to modify cease fire terms on the number of troops allowed in the desert.

I still think the Sinai should be cleared of terrorists by a joint Egyptian-Israeli force; to my mind it would be a win-win situation for Egypt and Israel; only the terrorists would lose, and that’s a good thing.

The real surprise, though, is Morsi’s action toward Aza.

One of his first acts as president was to start destroying the tunnels from Egypt into Aza. The tunnels were the primary way weapons were smuggled into Aza, weapons used against Israel. The tunnels also were used to smuggle in people and consumer goods, avoiding Hamas’ import duties.

Now Morsi has gone beyond tunnel destruction.

He successfully pressured Hamas to cease attacks on Israel and charged it with preventing attacks by splinter groups such as the Salafists.

IT’S WORKING!

According to a Times of Israel article (http://tinyurl.com/lb8v4vm) :

Hamas established a special force of about 600 men to “safeguard public order;” it operates mostly along the Aza-Israeli border.

There has been a dramatic decline in the number of rockets fired at Israel. According to Israeli figures, since the end of Operation Pillar of Defense in November (2012), some 20 rockets or mortar shells have been fired into Israel, compared to about 150 over the same the previous year.

Egypt still has a long way to go get its own house in order, but from Israel’s perspective, the Morsi regime has to be a welcome surprise, even though Egypt currently is not a recommended tourist destination for Israelis. Currently there are no flights between Lod (TLV) and Cairo (CAI). El Al canceled its flights allegedly due to the high cost of security vs. the number of empty seats. A PalAir flight from Aza to Lod also is no more, probably more because of lack of passengers than the chance a terrorist missile bound for Israel might down a commercial flight. (You can fly from Lod to Cairo via Amman, but it’s pricy.)

No one ever expected two terrorists – Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin – to manage a peace agreement after years of war between their two countries, but they did, and while it cost Sadat his life, after Sadat and Begin inked the agreement, the greatest danger for Israelis visiting Egypt was traffic accidents. Perhaps, with Morsi in control, it will be that way again. (Too bad Israel lacks a man of Begin’s stature.)

 

Planning a long flight? Take heed.
Flying to TLV? Did you make your reservations via an on-line service? Take the following advice to heart. CALL THE AIRLINE AT LEAST 72 HOURS (3 days) BEFORE THE DEPARTURE DAY to assure you have kosher meals and the seat location you ordered online. We have a situation where the airline and the booking service are pointing their fingers at each other saying “It’s not our fault you didn’t get your meal and it’s not our fault that you were stuck in a middle seat instead of the window you arranged online.

Israel’s problem?

 

Gaza farmers burn 3 tons of herbs after Israel closes border crossing ( http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=8599)

 

It’s ALWAYS Israel’s fault.

Never mind that Aza (Gaza) has

• An airport ( http://www.gazaairport.com/index.html) with scheduled airline service to Cairo and Amman, among other destinations ( http://www.palairlines.com/Fleet.aspx) By the way, check out the history of the airport and the airline; most interesting ( http://www.gazaairport.com/history.html)

• An open gateway to Egypt and its sea ports (( http://geography.about.com/library/cia/blcgaza.htm).

Also ignore the fact that when Sharon forced Jews out of Aza the Jews left behind hot houses and synagogues which the Muslims immediately destroyed, the former in violation of their Koran and the latter in simple stupidity and hatred of anything Jewish – never mind that many of the Jewish settlers probably were helonim (non observant).

It is interesting to note that when Egypt closes its border with Aza, the liberals of the world are strangely silent.

And in Occupied Israel (a/k/a “the West Bank”>

The instant “Palestinians” have access to the international marketplace via Jordan http://mideastweb.org/mpalestine.htm) as well as via Israeli gateways.

The fact that border crossings are burdensome might have something to do with the fact that terrorists use these access points to murder Israeli men, women, and babes in arms (literally).

SO WHY BLAME ISRAEL?

Because it is so easy. Duh!

Israel is expected to keep its borders open to people whose over-riding goal and purpose in life is to eliminate Israel and all the Jews within it – and if a few non-Jews are “eliminated” as well … ah well, collateral damage, the price of war.

Never mind that the U.S. has a fence – just like Israel – to keep Mexican’s in Mexico.

These Mexicans, for the most part, only want to take jobs Americans won’t do (due to the difficulty, perceived lack of prestige, or pay). Granted a few of the Mexicans are in the business of killing Americans, mostly with drugs, sometimes with guns and knives. But I cannot recall any time in recent history when the Mexican government fired missiles into the U.S. or encouraged suicide murderers to cross the border – unlike the governments and good people of Aza and Occupied Israel (i.e., the Palestinian “state”).

Israel provides electricity to the so-called Palestinian “state” yet the Palestinian “state” can’t or won’t pay its bill. That’s OK.

But when Israel withheld money collected for the PA to pay the electric company, the world howled – “Israel cannot do that; unfair, unkind.” Never mind that Israelis will have to pay more to their electricity to make up the deficit caused by the Palestinian “state”’s unwillingness or inability to pay.

The “state” is whining that its Arab benefactors are failing to pay what they promised; does anyone hear the world chastising the Muslims – either for (a) failing to make promised payments to the PA or (b) for the PA’s poor financial management.

It’s easier to blame Israel.

Sworn enemies seek care in Israel

I wonder why a resident of Aza (Gaza) has to travel all the way to Haifa for medical treatment.

Why does a resident of the so-called Palestinian Authority area of occupied Israel, have to travel to Jerusalem for medical care?

According to http://www.distance24.org, the distance between Gaza City and Haifa is nearly 100 miles. Gaza City to Cairo is roughly 220 miles, Gaza is not attacking Egypt as it attacks Israel. On the other hand, Jordan’s capital of Amman is only 93 miles.

All mileage figures are “as the crow flies.”

Palestine Airways Limited has one flight a day on odd-numbered days to Amman, with a return flight to Gaza International Airport (GZA) on even-numbered days. A similar arrangement is advertised for Gaza International to Cairo International. (See http://www.gazaairport.com/tic.html# .) There are no flights to Haifa or even Lod (although there are flights from Cairo and Amman to Lod.) There apparently are no airports of any size in what is incorrectly called the “West Bank” (a term left over from Jordan’s occupation following its invasion of Israel in 1948.

Even without air transportation, “Palestinians” can go to hospitals in Jordan. Syria, for the moment, is not an option.

A recent decision by the PA is to discourage its citizens from seeking medical treatment in Israel since the PA is supposed to pay for its citizen’s care.

IN SYRIA injured fighters are brought to IDF frontline medical facilities (think “MASH”); those who require greater treatment are sent to Haifa or Jerusalem. Neither the incumbent Syrian government nor the potential future Syrian government pays for Syrian care.

What the Syrians SHOULD be doing, since Israel is the enemy, is sending the wounded to Jordanian military hospitals; let Jordanian medics deal with them. Jordan can bill the fighters’ sponsors for their care. (Can anyone see Israel sending a bill to Iran? Not hardly.)

OK. People say “Well, if the Israelis provide top notch medical care these people whose primary goal in life is to wipe out Israel and all non-Muslims in it – that includes Christians, don’t forget – that these people will have a change of heart.

It doesn’t work that way. At least one woman whose life Israeli medics saved returned with a bomb to kill those same medics. Muslim mentality. Exception or rule?

Israeli Jews and Israeli Muslims can, and do co-exist – peacefully. Even with rockets falling on Haifa, a Muslim family – with the grandmother in traditional Arab garb – walked along a beach heavily populated with Israeli Jews. No one assaulted them, no one told them to “go back where you came from,” and no one called them names . . . even as rockets fired by Muslim rocketeers rained down on the city.

The difference is that the Muslims from Aza and the Muslims from the so-called West Bank are enemies of Israel and should NOT be treated in Israel facilities. Likewise the Syrians who will, once control is restored, will take up arms against Israel.

If a person lives in Aza, there is no excuse for that person to go to an Israeli hospital; there are other options available, including the Arab capitals of Amman and Cairo.