Israellycool » Challah Hu Akbar

Challah Hu Akbar Is Going Home

Challah Hu Akbar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:10:03 +0000

One week after I “retired” from blogging, Aussie Dave emailed me and asked whether I “would consider being a casual contributor to Israellycool?”

I pushed the offer off for quite some time and then decided to give it a go. I have blogged here for just under a month, however, I have recently decided to return to my own blog. My focus will remain on the Arabic press, though, I will also cover major events and other things that spark my interest.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here and appreciate all the support. I’d like to thank Aussie Dave for getting me back into blogging, despite the fact that he says that he “won’t take credit for that. I knew you couldn’t quit the habit!”

I hope you all will add my blog to your daily reading and follow me on Twitter and Like me on Facebook.

-Challah

Israel Arrests Another Terrorist Released in Shalit Deal

Challah Hu Akbar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:16:35 +0000

On January 31, Israel arrested Iman (Ayman) Alshrona (Sharona) Ismael Salama also known as Mahmud Abdallah Abd al-Rahman Abu Sariya.

Today, Israel reportedly arrested Ayman Abu-Daud.

The IDF detained Ayman Abu Daud, a prisoner freed in the Gilad Shalit swap, Palestinian sources said. Troops raided the former detainee’s home and apprehended him, the sources said.

Abu Daud was a member of a terror cell involved in four shooting attacks.

Abu Daud’s full name is Ayman Yusuf Ahmad Abu Daud, he is from Hebron and was born in 1982. He was arrested in 2004 and sentenced to 36 years in prison for his involvement in four shooting attacks. He was released to the West Bank under a security arrangement.

I assume he violated this arrangement. I have contacted the IDF for confirmation and comment, will update when received.

Israeli Embassies Targeted in Terror Attacks in Georgia and India

Challah Hu Akbar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:52:27 +0000

In late January, an Iranian linked terror cell, which planned to target Israelis and Jews, was exposed in Azerbaijan. During his recent trip to the United States, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that Israel was concerned that Hezbollah would provoke Israel through an attack in order to distract the world’s attention from Syria. A French intelligence report stated a similar belief. On Friday, a Senior official in Hezbollah said on Al-Manar TV that “Israel can never be calm. Hezbollah will avenge the murder of the blessed Mughniyeh even it takes 100 years.”

Yet, Sunday’s Israel Hayom reported that “An Israeli defense source told Israel Hayom that the defense establishment is not on any special alert” for the fourth anniversary of the assassination of Imad Mughniyeh.

Today, Israeli missions in Georgia, and India were targeted in terrorist attacks.

An explosion tore through an Israeli diplomat’s car in the vicinity of the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi, India, Monday. One woman was injured.

Initial details suggest that the injured woman is the wife of an Israeli diplomat for the Defense Ministry’s mission. The explosion apparently took place after she dropped of their children off at a local preschool. She suffered minor injuries and was rushed to a nearby medical center for treatment.

By Joji Philip Thomas

Explosives were also found near the Israeli Embassy building in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. The device was neutralized safely.

Ynet now reports that:

Indian media outlets reported that two bikers were tailing the car driven by the Israeli diplomat’s wife in New Delhi and that at one point one of them “hurled something at the car,” which exploded shortly after.

According to Yaakov Katz:

Neither of these appear to serve as the required Casus belli needed to initiate a war against Hezbollah, if it was the one behind the attacks.

On the other hand, Israel will have to consider the implication of ignoring the attacks and what that will do to the deterrence it has tried to create vis-à-vis Hezbollah following the Second Lebanon War in 2006.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued the following statement on the attacks.

In recent months we have witnessed several attempts to attack Israeli citizens and Jews in several countries, including Azerbaijan, Thailand and others. In each instance we succeeded in foiling the attacks in cooperation with local authorities. Iran and its proxy Hezbollah were behind all of these attempted attacks. Today we have witnessed two additional attempted terrorist attacks on innocent civilians, the first against an Israeli woman who was wounded in New Delhi and the second against a local employee of the Israeli Embassy in Georgia. Iran is behind these attacks; it is the largest exporter of terrorism in the world. The Government of Israel and the security services will continue to act together with local security forces against such acts of terrorism. We will continue to take strong and systematic, yet patient, action against the international terrorism that originates in Iran.

Update: The Israeli woman injured in the attack in India was Tal Yehoshua-Koren. Reports now indicate that attack occured as she was on her way to pick up her children, not after she dropped them off, as earlier reports had suggested. Plans are currently being made for her to fly home to Israel after her surgery.

Update: CHALLAH @ The Jerusalem Post

India’s Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna phoned Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman Monday and expressed his “shock” over Monday’s attack on the Israeli embassy in New Delhi, after near simultaneous attacks were launched on the Israeli missions in India and Georgia.

According to Liberman’s office, Krishna said India would make all efforts to find those responsible and bring them to justice. He also said that India would provide the Israeli embassy with all the security it needed, and stressed the importance that India placed on its friendship with Israel.

In Haaretz, Anshel Pfeffer asks Why India and Georgia?

Neither the timing nor the location of the simultaneous attacks on Israeli diplomats in New Delhi and Tbilisi were hardly surprising.

…The choice of the target was dictated by a number of considerations. If this attack was indeed carried out by Hezbollah or another Iranian-linked affiliate, the decision not to carry out a revenge attack on Israeli soil was made so as not to give Israel an excuse for retaliating against Hezbollah’s military apparatus in Lebanon. That is being kept for the day after Israel attacks Iran.

….Hezbollah’s and Iran’s focus therefore has been centered on Israeli representations abroad. Attempts to attack targets in Azerbaijan,Bulgaria and most recently Thailand were nipped in the bud through close cooperation between Israeli intelligence and the local security services.

….The twin locations, India and Georgia, are countries where Israel has close relationships with the local political leaderships and especially with the defense establishments. They are also countries where the security forces are not in total control of wide regions and borders.

Update: Iran has denied involvement in the attacks.

Update: It seems that the report regarding the motorcyclists is getting more traction.

Witnesses in New Delhi say the bomb that moderately injured the wife of an Israeli diplomat on Monday was attached to her car by a man driving a motorcycle, India’s police chief told reporters.

Update: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has issued the following statement.

I condemn in the strongest possible terms the bombing of an Israeli diplomatic vehicle in India and the attempted attack on Israeli Embassy personnel in Georgia. The scourge of terrorism is an affront to the entire international community. The United States places a high priority on the safety and security of diplomatic personnel around the world and we stand ready to assist with any investigation of these cowardly actions. Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured personnel in New Delhi and their loved ones.

Update: Michael Totten writes:

Hezbollah military commanders are legitimate targets. Diplomats, their families, and embassy staff aren’t. The Party of God isn’t just a guerrilla army with a missile arsenal. It remains, as ever, a terrorist organization.

While Jackson Diehl writes:

The bomb in New Delhi will certainly escalate tensions at a time when Israel is said to be considering a full-scale military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities. But it could also endanger a vital economic lifeline for Tehran. That Iran would risk a strike in such a sensitive place suggests that its leaders are panicked.

Update: Iran, which previously denied involvement in the attack, has charged that Israel targeted its own diplomats to tarnish Iran’s image.
Update: Stratfor has summary video of today’s incident.

Palestinian Authority Blocks Access To Another Website

Challah Hu Akbar — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:47:56 +0000

On Thursday, I reported that Mahmoud Abbas after waging nearly two weeks of hacking attacks had ordered the Ministry of Information to block access to InLightPress from Palestinian territory.

Amad.ps is reporting that Palestinian intelligence services have ordered PalTel to block access to Amad from Palestinian territory. Like the InLightPress case, it is unclear if this includes Gaza.

On its website, Amad says that users in Palestinian territory can access the website, however, they can only do so through a proxy.

According to Amad, a number of officials have spoken out against the actions of Abbas. Talat Safadi, a leader of the Palestine’ People’s Party, said that what as occurring was “unacceptable behavior.” An official from the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, said that the Palestinian Authority must review its recent decisions and lift the bans. A Fatah official in Gaza called on Mahmoud Abbas to allow access to the sites.

Update: Victor Shikhman asked Hussein Ibish of the American Task Force on Palestine to comment on the incident.

@VictorShikhman I don’t approve of that or several other free speech violations under the PA in recent years.

— Hussein Ibish (@Ibishblog) February 12, 2012

Head Of Islamic Jihad: Palestinians Must Further The Path Of Jihad & Resistance

Challah Hu Akbar — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:00:23 +0000

Two weeks ago I reported:

…Islamic Jihad leader Khader Habib recently told an audience that the Palestinians must rise up and a launch a third Intifada. In addition, he said that Palestinians must line up behind the resistance and jihad to free Palestinian prisoners.

Well, it seems that Islamic Jihad’s Secretary General, Ramadan Shallah, did not want to be left out.

Palestine Today reports that in a recent speech, Shallah called on Palestinians to “further the way of Jihad and resistance until the liberation of Palestine and release of all Palestinian prisoners.”

Update: It appears that a major rally took place today in the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon today, Ein Al-Hilweh. During the rally, an Islamic Jihad official called for an “escalation of jihad.” Specifically, the official called on people to kidnap Israeli soldiers to force Israel to release more Palestinian prisoners.

Representatives from Hamas, Hezbollah, the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front, the Amal movement, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and others partook in the rally.

Delta, Can You Fly Me To Ramallah?

Challah Hu Akbar — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:16:03 +0000

The other day Zionist Shark covered the latest scandal involving Delta.

It appears that someone gave Delta a ring and well, the rest is history.

h/t Dr Mike Cohen

Palestinian Authority Blocks Access To InLightPress

Challah Hu Akbar — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:21:58 +0000

Over the past two weeks, InLightPress, a website that has run a number of articles critical of Mahmoud Abbas, has been hacked three times under the direct orders of Mahmoud Abbas.

InLightPress is now reporting that those living in Palestinian territory cannot access the website as Mahmoud Abbas has ordered the Ministry of Information to block access to the site. It is unclear if this includes Gaza.

The decision, which resulted from Abbas’ desire to suppress the stories regarding his draconian rule, was reportedly made on Wednesday evening.

Palestinian Finance Minister To Face Trial Over Corruption Charges

Challah Hu Akbar — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:00:49 +0000

Arabic news sites, from InLightPress to Al-Hayat, are reporting that Palestinian Finance Minister Hassan Abu Libdeh will go to court after being indicted on charges of corruption.

Abu Libdeh, who has a Ph.D. from Cornell University, was referred to court by the Palestinian Anti-Corruption Commission. One of Abu Libdeh’s aides, Sami Ramlawi, the former Finance Ministry director-general, was also indicted on charges of corruption.

Abu Libdeh is accused of “misuse of credit, fraud and manipulation in the financial market.” Abu Libdeh used to head the Palestinian Capital Market Authority, which oversees the local stock market.

In November, when the first reports regarding the charges emerged, Abu Libdeh said that he was being targeted for political reasons:

“I tried to be the loyal soldier in the battle to defend our cause and spent time behind bars and under house arrest. But some don’t want to see success and can’t live with it. I’m fed up with ongoing attempts to defame me and my record.”

It is important to note that Abu Libdeh is not the first Palestinian official to face corruption charges recently. In August, the Minister of Agriculture Ismail Daiq stepped down from his duties after facing charges of corruption. Daiq is yet to stand trial.

In mid-December, Jonathan Schanzer covered the corruption probes in his piece The End of Fayyadism:

In the Palestinian Authority, corruption probes aren’t launched unless the president wants them launched. In this case, Abbas has engineered these latest scandals to discredit Fayyad and cast doubt on the prime minister’s ability to deliver on his celebrated mandate of countering corruption. After all, the corruption goes to the highest levels of the Palestinian Authority, and the officials in question were appointed by Fayyad himself.

While the merits of these cases are yet to be determined, they are not designed to rid Palestine of corruption. Rather, by ousting ministers and hobbling Fayyad, Abbas creates an opportunity to replace them with figures more to his liking.

Abbas makes the major decisions impacting Palestinians out of his sprawling Muqata compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Fayyad, meanwhile, works with a skeleton crew in a modest office nearby. According to officials who work with them, the two figureheads of the Palestinians are barely on speaking terms. Fayyad has become a glorified accountant, leveraging his strong relationship with international donors to collect checks that ensure his government can continue to pay salaries — while Abbas pursues a provocative foreign policy that endangers those sources of funding.

58 Year Old Taxi Driver Sentenced To Death By Hanging In Gaza

Challah Hu Akbar — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:34:30 +0000

Palestine Today reports that a 58 year old taxi driver from Gaza City has been sentenced to death by hanging.

The man was found guilty of “collaboration with hostile parties” (i.e. Israel) and complicity to murder, according to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights.

Last week, a Hamas court upheld a 2011 death sentence for a 27-year-old Palestinian, who was found guilty of treason and conspiracy to murder.

In January, two Palestinians were issued death sentences.

InLightPress Returns, Slams “Villains Of Darkness,” Hacked Again

Challah Hu Akbar — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:11:50 +0000

On January 30, I reported that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas had ordered the hacking and shutting down on InLightPress, a website that has run a number of articles critical of Abbas’ rule.

After a couple of days of being down, InLightPress returned and released a statement, which called the attack on its website “treacherous barbarism.” In addition, they said that they believed that “the attack came from the Palestinian Authority with the approval of President Abbas.” Moreover, InLightPress said that they had learned from sources in Ramallah that Mahmoud Abbas set up a “crisis cell” headed by Sabri Saydam, former Palestinian minister for technology, to carry out the attack.

On February 3, InLightPress was hacked again. At the time I wrote that “The order to bring down this site was ordered by Mahmoud Abbas himself.” I stand by that.

On February 6, InLightPress returned, and on Tuesday evening they released a new statement regarding the hacking of their website.

In the new statement, InLightPress said that “we now know who they are, and why they did it, and they know that we will not stop.” In addition, they say that they published things against “you,” little by little. The “you” is almost certainly Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority.

InLightPress writes that they knew that Abbas’ people would come after them, but did not expect it to happen so soon. InLightPress plans to launch a new section on its website called Violations, which will focus on the “villains of darkness,” who “who kill and oppress their own people.”

Currently, it appears that InLightPress is under yet another hacking attack, just hours after the release of this new statement.