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 כ"ח בתשרי תשע"ח / Wednesday, Oct. 18 '17 Subscribe to this Daily Israel Report -http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Subscribe Headlines
1. 'Iran can either have an economy, or pursue nuclear weapons'by Mordechai Sones [youtube:2034006] Education Minister Naftali Bennett (Jewish Home) educated rapt listeners at the Christian Media Summit that took place in Jerusalem today (Wednesday). He spoke about the relative threats emanating from North Korea and Iran, and offered his vision how to neutralize the threat. "North Korea has a certain nuclear arsenal, not huge, and North Korea's not a very powerful nation. Iran is huge. And it's based, by the way on a great amazing nation of Persians," Bennett said. "If only the regime would walk away, we'd have an amazing relationship with an ancient nation. But these guys are strong." "The last point I want to make is the current deal, the President Trump now announced that he's not certifying, is bad in the following sense, it's a false paradise. It gives you a false sense of security because everyone says they're not enriching uranium. "I just want to leave you with this analogy: There's building a nuclear weapon manually, imagine, before the industrial revolution - and then there's building a huge machine that can produce dozens and dozes of nuclear weapons. Iran's goal is not to acquire a nuclear weapon. Iran's goal is, within the box of this agreement to build a huge factory, if you will, that the moment you press the button, it'll produce very quickly an arsenal of dozens of nuclear weapons within a month. "The current agreement does not allow them to press the button. It allows them, in fact it encourages them, if you will, to build that machine. Now, their goal though, is to build that machine legitimately, and then they have just one month of breakout, and they'll wait for an opportune moment, press the button. "So the fact that right now they're not building one nuclear bomb is not 'good'. It's bad because they're building a machine that will turn them into a mega-superpower. We cannot allow them to build that machine. And that's what President Trump did, and I certainly applaud him for that. It's the beginning. "We have to force Iran into a very clear decision: Either you pursue your nuclear plan, or you have a viable economy. You can't have both." 2. Meretz MK to quit Knessetby Hezki Baruch Meretz MK Zehava Galon spoke to Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Likud) a short time ago and announced her intention to submit a letter of resignation from the Knesset. Galon will be replaced by former MK Mossi Raz. In a letter to her party members, Galon wrote that "Meretz cannot continue to exist as an elite club which ignores its voters and supporters, and blocks others from taking part in our battle to reinvigorate Israel's left." "I love the Knesset, but I love Meretz more, and I know that if Meretz does not open up, Meretz will cease to exist. The left has a large supporting, much larger than the number of those who voted for Meretz. In order to realize this potential, Meretz must change. "I am convinced that my resignation from the Knesset will allow me, as Meretz's party leader, to concentrate on advancing 'open primaries' and turning Meretz into a large and accepting home for all those who believe in our values." Zionist Union MK Shelly Yachimovich said Galon's resignation was "a great loss to the Knesset and the Israeli public. Galon was an amazing parliamentarian and a brave leader. On a personal level, Galon is dear and beloved, and her resignation saddens me very much." 3. Ignorance, thy name is Merav Michaeliby David Rosenberg “Virtually no idea is too ridiculous to be accepted, even by very intelligent and highly educated people, if it provides a way for them to feel special and important. Some confuse that feeling with idealism.” - Thomas Sowell With social norms in the West changing so rapidly in recent years, it’s easy to become desensitized to audacious claims, even ones made in clear defiance of all available evidence. Yet even today, some public figures manage to take their own moral exhibitionism to such a ludicrous extreme that it is able to stun even the most dispassionate observer with its sheer contempt for facts. As economist and sociologist Thomas Sowell wrote, “no idea is too ridiculous” if it helps those uttering it to “feel special”. On Tuesday, one such case of rhetorical absurdity sparked a public outcry in Israel, after a month-old recording featuring comments by a left-wing Israeli Knesset Member came to light. The video in question is recording of the broadcast of a panel discussion on Australia’s Q&A television program, and features a somewhat lively debate between the Knesset Member, and a conservative (or Liberal, as they’re called Down Under) lawmaker. Reveling in the Absurd In one sense, the comments should come as no surprise. The speaker, Zionist Union MK Merav Michaeli, has a long history of backing radical social views so far to the left, that had she been in the US, she would likely find herself on the outermost fringes of the Democratic Party. Michaeli has in the past advocated both for the abolition of the institution of marriage and the extension of that institution to include homosexual relationships. During the course of the panel discussion, Michaeli decried the traditional or nuclear family – the “core family” as she called it – blaming it for domestic abuse and insisting that marriage is a vestige of patriarchy which hobbles women economically and leaves them vulnerable to abuse. Such views have become standard fare in the cultural bubble inhabited by some on the far-left - it is Michaeli’s astounding use of rhetoric to hold her own in a debate with Australian Senator Zed Seselja that is noteworthy. Equivocation, a form of linguistic prestidigitation whereby one word or phrase is innocuously slipped in even as a wholly different one is being discussed, is a powerful rhetorical tool, one which Michaeli takes full advantage of in her assault on what remains a popular institution – marriage. Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics “[Marriage] was created back at the time when we women were commodities, as were children,” said Michaeli in her tirade against marriage, “as were men without property and of other colors. This is not something that we should maintain in a world when we realize that all of us are human beings. It is not about love… love has got nothing to do with this institution.” “The core family, as we know it, unfortunately, is the least safe place for children,” claimed Michaeli. “Not [just] in Australia, but in the Western world and in traditional societies, even more so. The data speaks about every fifth child that goes through some sort of abuse; either sexual, physical, emotional. And the core family is the place which parental rights…and this total custody that we have in this structure of marriage still gives me domination – complete domination – over their children and, too often, over their women.” In place of the traditional family, Michaeli suggested society - and the government - encourage a plethora of alternatives. "A child can have more than two parents, they don't have to be their biological parents. The person who takes responsibility for the child should be obligated to fulfill certain kinds of criteria that the state should decide on." When Seselja made a feeble effort to rebut Michaeli’s claim, the MK smirked “those are the facts”. No, Merav, those are not the facts. Those are fallacies. While arguing against the traditional nuclear or “core” family, Michaeli equivocates, citing statistics pertaining to child abuse generally. When the debate moderator chimes in, noting that abuse is rarely done by total strangers, Michaeli nods approvingly, as if that validates her claim against the nuclear family. “The data does show that when it comes to abuse of children, in the clear majority of cases it is someone known to the child or in the family circle. I don’t think you can argue with that.” What the Data Actually Shows Are traditional nuclear families, in which the child’s biological mother and father are married to each other really the “least safe place for children”? What is breathtaking is not so much that Michaeli is wrong, but that she is exactly 180 degrees from the truth, and is nevertheless attempting to prove her point with facts that actually suggest the very opposite. Growing up in a traditional two-parent family with one's biological parents is the safest arrangement on average. By far. As Michaeli would say, “those are the facts”. A 2009 macro-study of child abuse in 22 countries does show high levels of sexual abuse – averaging about 19-20% for girls by the age of 18, in line with Michaeli’s “every fifth child” claim (so long as boys are excluded from the calculation). And, in fact, most children are abused by someone they already know – usually someone in their household. Neither fact, however, does anything to prove Michaeli’s point – and a deeper examination of the facts actually contradict her argument. According to a 2010 report to Congress produced by the Department of Health and Human Services under the Obama administration, of all the living arrangements studied, children were safest when “living with two married biological parents” – in other words, the very traditional “core family” Michaeli decried as the “least safe place for children”. Children are most likely to be abused if they are living with a single parent who has a cohabiting partner. These patterns, the report noted, are true regarding every form of abuse studied. “Children living with their married biological parents universally had the lowest rate, whereas those living with a single parent who had a cohabiting partner in the household had the highest rate in all maltreatment categories.” The study also showed that abuse rates were increasing for children living with only one of their parents, but decreasing among children living with two parents. Some opponents of traditional marriage cite figures showing that more children are abused by their biological parents than by other adults living in the same household. This, however, is yet another fallacy, confusing the rate with raw number of occurrences. If there one million family cars in a given city, and ten thousand motorcycles you could have a theoretical annual accident rate of 50% for motorcycles but only 1% for family cars and still have significantly more accidents involving family cars simply because they’re more prevalent. When broken down by rate of abuse, the distinction between family arrangements becomes even clearer. Children living with a single parent and that parent’s cohabiting partner are a whopping 20 times more likely to be victims of sexual abuse than children who are being raised by their married biological parents. Nor is a lower rate of child abuse the only “benefit” enjoyed by children raised by their married biological parents over children in other family arrangements. A whole host of life outcomes, including suicide rates, employment rates, criminality and rates of imprisonment all correlate with family arrangements, and show significant advantages for children raised by their married biological parents. Real Life Consequences There is no shame in being wrong, and were Michaeli merely a private citizen expressing her (uneducated) opinion, her comments could be excused as simply ignorance. But MK Michaeli is not simply a private citizen sharing her opinion, she is a member of the second largest party in Israel; a party which was a viable challenger to the ruling Likud party and which could have potentially formed a governing coalition, empowering both Michaeli and her agenda. A popular figure on the far-left, Michaeli could easily retain her seat in the next election cycle, and could in the future enter the government, perhaps even with a cabinet position. As the issue of child abuse shows, family arrangements and social norms regarding them are not mere academic abstractions. They’re real life issues with serious, sometimes even fatal consequences. If Michaeli had her way, and the traditional family was dismantled, how many more children would be physically, sexually, or emotionally abused that would not have been had their biological parents been living together married? Based on the statistics cited above, the answer is hundreds of thousands of children in Israel and millions in the US. As an unmarried woman with no children of her own, Michaeli may not have the personal experience to teach her what most parents intuitively know and what the data proves – that traditional, nuclear families with both biological parents married to each other is the most successful family arrangement, and the safest place to raise children. With such statistics readily available, however, a person in such a position of power should at the very least take the time to examine what the data says, rather than simply engage in moral preening and indulge in righteous indignation. [youtube:2033948] 4. Attempted stabbing attack in Gush Etzionby Arutz Sheva Staff An Arab terrorist armed with a knife rushed at IDF soldiers near the Gush Etzion Junction. The soldiers fired shots at the terrorists and arrested him. The terrorist suffered severe injuries and was taken to an Israeli hospital for treatement. None of the soldiers were reported harmed. Two Jewish residents of the Old City were nearly lynched on Monday night near their homes not far from the Lions’ Gate. Police arrested some of the attackers, who are now being interrogated at the Merchav David police station in Jerusalem. On Tuesday night, the IDF arrested two men suspected of incitement, as well as 18 wanted terrorists. 15 of the terrorists were arrested on suspicion of involvement in "lone wolf" terror activity, disruption of order, and violence towards civilians and security personnel. 5. 'Our mission is to fight lies'by Mordechai Sones [youtube:2034003] 6. Neo-Nazi leader comes out of two closets at onceby Mordechai Sones [youtube:2033997] Kevin Wilshaw (59) was for decades a leading leader of a neo-Nazi movement in Britain who recently decided to change direction. Drastically. For many years, he was considered the face of the National Front, a neo-Nazi movement whose goal was immigrants and Jews and whose members believed in white supremacy. Since the 1980's he has organized hundreds of demonstrations and activities. But recently he suddenly left the movement and yesterday, in an interview with British Channel 4, dropped a bomb. Wilshaw said his mother was half-Jewish and that her maiden name was Benjamin. But his Jewish background did not prevent Wilshaw from becoming a Nazi Jew-hater, as in his youth he was a lonely boy and wanted to belong to a meaningful group. "I didn't have many friends at school, and I thought that getting involved in that sort of thing would be like comradeship, that sort of thing, you know?" The interviewer asked Wilshaw, "Did it give you that in the end?", to which Wilshaw answered, "Yes, it did, unfortunately. You do have a sense of comradeship in that you're a member of a group that's been attacked by all the people," he explained. Being a member of the movement did not spare him trouble. When his friends suspected him of having same-sex attraction, he himself fell victim to attacks. "It's a terribly selfish thing to say but it's true; I saw people being abused, shouted at, spat at in the street - It's not until it's directed at you that you suddenly realize that what you're doing is wrong," he admitted. Wilshaw himself was arrested twice in the past - in the 1990s he was arrested when he vandalized a mosque and in March he was arrested on suspicion of hate crimes on Internet sites. He admits that he often felt that "it turned my stomach" when he saw his friends attacking blacks or minorities, but only recently decided to retire with the help of a movement that extricates people from hate organizations. "I feel appallingly guilty as well, I really do feel guilty" he said. "Not only that, I think that this is a barrier between me and having a relationship with my own family, and I just want to jettison and get rid of it; it's too much of a weight." About Judaism he says: "The term 'Jews' is a faceless, impersonal, global expression, precisely the generalization that led to the deliberate murder of six million people." 7. Congress resolution defends Israel, condemns UNESCOby Arutz Sheva Staff U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today announced he will introduce the Senate companion to H.Res.570, a resolution introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), reaffirming the deep historical connection between the Jewish people and the city of Jerusalem. The resolution also expresses support for the Israeli government’s protection of religious freedom for all faiths, and condemns the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the anti-Israel resolutions it has passed in recent years. The U.S. State Department announced on Thursday that the U.S. would be leaving UNESCO because of its “anti-Israel bias.” Binyamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, called the decision “brave and moral,” and indicated that Israel is planning to withdraw from UNESCO as well. The U.S., however, will remain an “observer state” in UNESCO. Sen. Cruz’s and Rep. Gaetz’s resolution urges the U.S., regardless of its UNESCO membership, to work with its allies and prevent future anti-Israeli resolutions from being adopted. “The Trump Administration has demonstrated strong moral clarity in deciding to withdraw and continuing to withhold U.S. taxpayer dollars from UNESCO as a result of its relentless hostility towards our close ally Israel,” Sen. Cruz said. “I am proud to have worked with Rep. Matt Gaetz on this bicameral resolution that formally rejects UNESCO’s shameful and absurd attempts to deliberately erase the history of Jerusalem, Israel’s eternal capital. This resolution reaffirms the profound historical connection of the Jewish people to Jerusalem that has existed for thousands of years, describes archaeological excavations at the City of David that have revealed incontrovertible, physical evidence of the Jewish, as well as Christian ties to Jerusalem, and denounces efforts at UNESCO to delegitimize Israel and deny historical truth.” “The Jewish people, and the people of Israel, have a deep and ancient connection to the holy city of Jerusalem. Yet the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, is actively trying to rewrite history. UNESCO has not been silent in their condemnations of Israel. Each year brings new horrors. Their cruelty, their attempts to erase history, and their anti-Semitism cannot be tolerated any longer,” Rep. Gaetz said. 8. Final approval for first new Samaria town in over two decadesby Arutz Sheva Staff [video:2029768] Plans for Amichai, the new town promised to the families evicted from Amona, were approved on Monday morning by the Civil Administration's Planning Committee. The plan includes 102 housing units, intended for those evacuated earlier this year from Amona and Ofra. Amona Spokesperson Avichai Boaron said, "The decision today to found the town of Amichai is nothing less than historical. After dozens of years during which not a single new town was build in Judea and Samaria, we are returning to our Zionist ethos." "This is a significant change in direction, and it occurred because of the ideological battle waged by Amona's residents. Both this decision and the Regulation Law blunt the pain caused by destroying Amona and its residents' homes. However, there is still a way to go before the families move into their new homes, and there will be obstacles. "We expect the State of Israel and our Prime Minister to do everything possible to allow us to leave the dormitory we are currently living in and allow us to move into our new homes in Amichai." Last December, residents of Amona signed a deal offered by the government to evacuate their homes in exchange for new housing in Samaria. The Civil Administration in June authorized the new town, making Amichai the first new officially sanctioned Jewish town in Judea and Samaria in a quarter century, since the Rabin government imposed a freeze on new towns in 1992. Subscribe to this Daily Israel Report - http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Subscribe | |
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