Striking original photography for - and against Israel (Original photo)

Endless Summer (Photo: Dave Bender)

TrekEarth (along with its sister sites, TrekLens, and TrekNature) is a very active, well moderated photographic site for amateur-level to pros wanting to feature their original photography.

Israel is well represented, and updates several times a day. I have posted photos there, as well.

So are the Palestinian territories, as well as our neighboring countries. Although most of the imagery is simply peer-reviewed and enjoyed, many if not most of those about PA area shots are accompanied by agitprop, in a sort of "soft-propaganda" exploitation, unfortunately (no surprise, right?).

So, I recommend clicking over and getting am eyeful of great (...and, umm, almost great) photography - and also learning something of why the basic assumptions against Israel abroad, vis a vis, say, the West Bank and Jerusalem security barrier are so prevalent (read the comments below the pic).

(Cross-posted at Israelity)

Syria warns: Watch out for those wascally Zionists

Ahh, geez... they're onto us. Wait! I know! Let's just tell 'em we're just tourists with the International Solidarity Movement (Zionism? We don' need your stinkin' Zionism, Senor'...).

Huwaida Arraf, an ISM founder was recorded at two national conferences on two occasions admitting the ISM works with terrorist groups like Islamic Jihad, the PFLP and Hamas. She even wrote to the Washington Post admitting as much. Paul LaRudee was deported after it was determined he changed his name to defraud Israeli border authorities to meet and work with groups that even he says might be affiliated with Hamas, he just “doesn’t ask these things.”

American ISM members pose with Palestinian gunmen in West Bank.

And meanwhile, to the north...

"Arab strategist divulges Israeli plan of new immigrations"

Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - 06:55 PM

DAMASCUS, (SANA) – Chairman of the Arab Center for Strategic Studies Nasser Mohammed said Wednesday that the Zionist International Organization, conspiring with Western governments and the Israeli entity, are managing a new plot aims at attracting a million Jewish emigrant to Palestine in a step to expand its imposed colonial existence in the region by the human factor and the frightening power.

"The Israeli entity's extreme aggression, killing and expanding settlements goes a long with its seeking for imposing normalization and economic cooperation on the Arab countries in order to push them toward a New Middle East determined by the USA, Israel and the Zionist movement as a substitution for the Arab integration," he said.

He clarified that the New Middle East plot aims to fragmentize the Arab regional entities on one hand, and re-distribute the land, humans, wealth and powers according to the new map of the Middle East.

Arab Center held in Damascus a workshop on policies and programs required for directing possible future scenes in of the Arab-Israeli Conflict in 2015.

Bush assassination film riles US (Video clip)

London's Daily Mail is touting a film clip from the soon to be released UK Channel 4 TV film, "Death of a President," showing the moment when US President George Bush is slain by two assassins bullets at a Chicago event.

From the article:

The £2 million movie, called Death of a President, has sparked controversy in America, with its British film-makers having to be guarded by private security men at this week's Toronto International Film Festival after threats were made on their lives.

The movie unfolds as a retrospective documentary that interviews fictional former Secret Service and FBI investigators and members of the Bush administration after the President's death.

They discuss the run up to a speech Bush was to give in Chicago 2007 and how 12,000 demonstrators took to the streets waving placards which read 'War Is Terrorism' and 'Stop Bush'.

The film use archival footage of Bush actually arriving in Chicago, combining it with actors playing his various aides. After Bush makes a speech we see him in a holding room taking a breather before exiting the hotel's conference centre.

Armageddon: The flow chart

So there I wuz', taking a break from blogging for a few days after 9/11, and... BANG! I come across the Armageddon flow chart.

9/11 and the 'Century War with Islam'

A fascinating, "alternate history" short story by a great sci-fi writer...

“The Century War,” said the Time Traveler.

I blinked and tried to remember some history. “You mean the Hundred Year War? Fifteenth Century? Fourteenth? Sometime around there. Between . . . France and England? Henry V? Kenneth Branagh? Or was it . . .”

“I mean the Century War with Islam,” interrupted the Time Traveler. “Your future. Everyone’s.” He was no longer smiling. Without asking, or offering to pour me any, he stood, refilled his Scotch glass, and sat again. He said, “It was important to me to come back to this time early on in the struggle. Even if only to remind myself of how unspeakably blind you all were.”

“You mean the War on Terrorism,” I said.

“I mean the Long War with Islam,” he said. “The Century War. And it’s not over yet where I come from. Not close to being over.”

Read more.

Slate has an amazing graphic novel of the events of 9/11.

Mighty lots of jets over Jerusalem this 9/11 morning...

I am hearing Israeli Air Force (as opposed to civvie) jets flying overheard (Jerusalem airspace) all morning. The amount of flyovers distinctly reminds me of the daily overflights during the course of the Lebanon War.

Oh. Right. It's 9/11, so I suppose they're not taking any chances and are flying coverage over the capital, against any terror possibility.

See following post for my 9/11 reportage. Excellent links page at Winds of Change, as well.

Powerline has video of the Arab world's reaction to the attacks, and humorist Dave Barry gets real serious in a moving elegy during a visit to the crash site of flight 93 at Shanksville, PA.

May the memories of those killed in the attacks, and those who gave their lives fighting against terrorism be as a blessing.

9/11/2001: Jerusalem's Old City residents react with joy, horror to attacks (Exclusive Podcast) UPDATE

Via Cox & Forkum (of course...)

From The Jerusalem Post 9/11/2001:

(23:00) Old City residents react with joy, horror to attacks

On a visit throughout Jerusalem's Old City, JPost Radio's Dave Bender heard a spectrum of opinions about today's horrific terrorist attacks along the US eastern seaboard.

Some Palestinians celebrated upon hearing about the attack, calling it a fit and proper response to US support for Israel. Others were saddened by the scope of the horror.

Local Christian residents of the Old City were dismayed, somber.

American Christian tourists were simply frightened.

A group of American Jewish seminary students from New York were worried for the fate of their families, still trapped on Manhattan island.

JPost Radio report (Windows Media Player format).

---

UPDATE: Here is the latest list of the names and profiles of the victims.

From The Sacramento Bee:

Some Muslims say the texts unfairly paint all people of their faith as terrorists. They say frequent references to “Arab terrorists,” “Muslim terrorists,” “Muslim extremists,” or “Islamic fundamentalists” give schoolchildren a negative impression of their religion.

“Because these terms are repeated so many times, it’s very alarming,” said Maren Shawesh, of the Sacramento chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations. “We don’t want these younger students to grow up with that perception of Islam and Muslims.”

The ABC miniseries movie The Path to 9/11 apparently puts some of the blame for that day on inaction by the Clinton administration. Democrats have complained about the fictionalizing of historical details, and now Variety reports: Pols pound 'Path'; Under fire, ABC mulls yanking mini. Dick Morris has responded to some of the complaints. And even The New York Times praised The Path to 9/11"

I can't comment on the movie, but if it's essentially accurate in the required summation and fictionalization of events, then the movie should stand whether the particulars match history or not. "Fake but accurate" is not an acceptable standard for journalism, but it is absolutely necessary for art. And this is a movie not a documentary.

And lastly, five years later there's no shortage of conspiracy theories about 9/11, one even from a Florida Democratic candidate. It shouldn't even be necessary, but some people are vigilantly debunking of the deniers:

Screw Loose Change by Mark Iradian is an excellent site dedicated to debunking a video known as "Loose Change" that propagates leftist 9/11 conspiracy theories.

MEMRI has just released a new online documentary: The Arab and Iranian Reaction to 9/11 -- Five Years Later. It uses footage from Middle East television and is narrated by actor Ron Silver. One quote from the film by an Middle East columnist: "I have a sneaking suspicion that George W. Bush was involved in the operations of September 11, as was Colin Powell." (See YouTube trailer here.)

Families of kidnapped Persian Jews sue Khatami in US court

From: http://legofish.com

Law suit alleges visiting Iranian President implemented anti-Semitic policy of  torture and  imprisonment

Seven Jewish-Iranian families have filed suit in an American federal court against former President Mohammad Khatami over charges that he is responsible for the kidnapping and torture of their missing family members.

The families, currently residing in Los Angeles and Israel,  contend that Khatami  instituted the policy of  imprisoning their relatives without trials and refusing to provide them any information concerning their whereabouts.  The Jews were arrested on different occasions during the years 1994 through 1997, as they sought to leave Iran  across its border with Pakistan.

From the website:
Shurat HaDin - Israel Law Center is a long overdue Jewish legal rights institute based in Israel. Staffed by some of the country’s leading activist attorneys, we are dedicated to providing legal representation and resources for the numerous courtroom struggles, which are being waged in the Israeli, American and European courts on behalf of the Jewish State. We serve as a central clearinghouse and litigation base for the multifarious legal battles that have been thrust upon Israel’s citizens during these dark days. 

This Just In: New madman anchor debuts at al-Jazeera Evening News

From the BorowitzReport:

Competition heats up for global extremist viewers

In one of the most highly anticipated debuts in network television history, last night a new madman made his inaugural appearance in the anchor chair of "The Al-Jazeera Evening News," the nightly newscast of the Arabic-language network.

For months, underground caves around the world have been plastered with advertising trumpeting the ascendancy of Hassan El-Medfaai, the jihadist lunatic who was anointed to take over the Al-Jazeera broadcast this fall.

But with the global audience of extremist viewers fragmented as never before, the stakes for "The Al-Jazeera Evening News" could not be higher, an Al-Jazeera executive said today.

"Gone are the days when people would tune in to the nightly newscast to get their insane extremist rants," the executive said. "Today's global madmen are getting their terror threats on the Internet, their mobile phones, and even on their iPods."

Against this competitive backdrop, Al-Jazeera executives were holding their breath to see how Mr. Medfaai's debut would be received by the global audience of jihadist whackjobs and wingnuts, a notoriously hard-to-please viewership.

While some television critics said that the white robe worn by Mr. Medfaai in his initial broadcast made him look "pudgy," the Al-Jazeera executive said that such critiques "miss the point."

"The only legitimate question would be, was he insane enough?" he said. "And by any measure, he was really, really nutso."

The executive also had high praise for Mr. Medfaai's broadcast signoff, a simple "Death to America."

"That's a keeper," he said.


Look out Katie Couric...

Catblogging in Jerusalem

Squeak (Photos: Dave Bender)

Awright, allayouse' catbloggers out there. Go take a looksee over here: Famous Cats of Jerusalem. They're selling pics from the photographic project they are doing on Jerusalem's street cats.

From the site:

The Famous Cats of Jerusalem is a photographic art piece by the collaborative art team Gordon & Gordon. From November 2005 through January 2006, we photographed 248 cats, and then distributed the photographs around the city for people to find.

We photographed the cats as we saw them. Some preened for the camera and followed us almost begging to be photographed again, while others were skittish and ran from the camera as soon as they heard the shutter click. The piece is the collection of one photo of each of the 248 cats, in order of appearance. They are numbered chronologically - we made no aesthetic decisions regarding the cats or their setting. They are all in there - beautiful, ugly, sweet, sickly, funny, garbage covered and urban pastoral.

We are dedicated to producing art in public spaces that is accessible and fun. You can help support us and our work by making a cash donation.

And then go visit Rachel's feline brood.

Anyway, Squeak and Noodles 'n' me say Shabbat Shalom, and have a great weekend.

Noodles