The Day in Israel: Sun Feb 15th, 2009

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  • Another report of Likud working towards a unity government. Likewise regarding Hamas and Fatah.
  • Outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is to consult with Likud chairman and likely new Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu before any final decision is made on a prisoner swap for Gilad Shalit.

Updates (Israel time; most recent at top)

10:03PM: The United Arab Emirates has continued the long Muslim tradition of mocking international sport by denying Israeli women’s tennis player Shahar Pe’er a visa to take part in the Dubai Tennis Championships.

Pe’er has received some support from players such as Venus Williams.

Seven-times grand slam champion Venus Williams said the players were behind Peer.

“I think the tournament would like to have Shahar Peer here if it was their choice,” she added.

Then again, there are other players who have not been too helpful.

Russian world No 7 Svetlana Kuznetsova added: “There has been so much effort by other players to come here I don’t think it would be the right decision to cancel it for today, but maybe next time they should do something.

9:55PM: Letter from a Turkish man to an Israeli government website (hat tip: Richard Landes)

Shalom From Turkey
Dear Sir or madam,
I am a 31 years old Turkish man
I do not want to take a risk or maybe advance my self by not showing my identity. So i am not posting via email. I just want to express my feelings.

All my life, there was always some hate to Israel in me. But i dont know why? In my country, it was always like a duty that everyone should hate Israel and their religion without any reason

Everyone hates israel here, but no one knows why. As usual, i grow up with this meaningless hate in me.

But i think, Turkey is not the only country like this. Most of non israilian people talks dirty against Israel. Its very common in all around the world.

But this is your fault. Because, when i hear the word “israel” always that scene comes to my mind. The scene that israel soldiers killed the son and his father on the wall.

And this year, god bless youtube (its banned in turkey) i see that it is a fake video. But i think only one in a million in Turkey knows this.

This is your goverments fault. You have to show the truth to the other people.

From my childhood, everynight i see an israel soldier beats a palestanian in news. Or shoots civilians etc etc. I realise the truths lately. But im sure millions of Turkey still dont realize

When the big earth quake disease happened in Turkey, i remember that israel helped alot to us. People did not talk dirty that time. That gave me the wonder. Could an israil people have a good heart??

Last summer, i met a group of Israel people in Turkey. We chatted and spend time alot. And i had my questions about israel answered. And i got shocked that israel people are as human as we are.

I met a man from Greece. That country is full of orthadoks cristians. And that guy, in a secret and “with a little shame in himself” weared your sion star. And i understand, he belives your religion in a secret.

He was a great friend and his philosophy of life was very similiar to me. So i ask my self “if your religion could not be that much disgusting that all the people talks like”.

People can born and change their religion to your religion. So that religion must have something good in it.

For all those and much much things make me to ask my self “why and where did i get this hate to israel from”. Now i know the answer, thats not because israel people are bad. Thats because you dont advertise your self good.

In Turkey no one knows and cares about the beggining of the war in Gazze. Everyone protests Israel, but when i ask, “do you know how this war starts”..

None says “yes”.

None cares. Its always free and pleasure to protest Israel in Turkey and in all over the world.

No one knows that Palestane rockets cuts the peace.

All the media is against Israel. Its usual, its free.

None of the media talks about civilians in Israel side.

Everyone is shouting against israel and no one talks about the Palestanian rockets

Everyday im getting “anti israel” emails. Even mobile phone sms’es.

People came for the big meeting from all around Turkey to protest Israel.

Big economical crisis is happening here. People are loosing their job everyday. But they dont protest the economy.
People gave money to help Palestin. Even the children In PRIMARY SCHOOOLS.

Now please tell me. Are Israel or Palestine is winning the war?? You only killed 1200 terrorists. And now millions are against you.1200 people are not called terrorists in Turkey. They call 1200 Civilians.

That war was a sly plan of hamas. Now you make 1200 hamas soldiers as a ” islamic heroes”. You are making Tayyip Erdogan the biggest muslim cihad leader. You are loosing. Terrorism is wining.

I am muslim. But i am not stupid. I got my own brain. Even all the media and all the Turkey says one thing, i will belive my own feelings.

I watched the Davos conversations. Mr Peres was amazingly sattisfied the people about the truths. He talked reasonable. No one could disagree to his words. So our primister “with his 47% votes with his pocket” ruined everything.

He is uneducated and rude man. If was just enough educated to be a prime minister he would speak any other language than Turkish. I am sorry to have that kind of prime minister to my country. What a militant politician. Uneducated slums boy.

So please, i beg you, please do very very much of advertising your people and your religion. And make sure any more people instead of me here in Turkey would please understand why you are fighting for.

Tell about the terrorist attacks in your country. Tell about the rockets

And please, know that, all the media and almost all the people are fooled and “armed” against your country, there are people like me , that have their own brain and own heart with you

Even we dont share our religion, i belive that we pray for the same rights to same god.

I love you my Israil brother. Please show all the world the truths. You can not win this war, only with the guns. Please advertise and propoganda about the truths.

Please, make Mr Peres read this. Not all the Turkey are blind! All my best wishes and my muslim prayers for all my Israel brothers

Allaha emanet olun ( May god be with you)

8:16PM: A palestinian woman was killed by a stray bullet. But because the bullet came from a palestinian gun and not an Israeli one, there are no mainstream media reports of this nor photos of grieving relatives or her funeral procession.

8:03PM: Hamas’ brainwashing of children.

8:00PM: Israel’s ambassador to Norway has reported that an envelope addressed to the embassy caused a Norwegian mailman to sustain chemical burns.

7:52PM: Spidey gone bad:

Police arrest man in Spiderman costume harassing Rosh Ayin commuters (Haaretz)

6:31PM: The palestinian love affair with stones continues.

6:30PM: Ma’an News:

Abbas also stated his admiration of objective and independent Palestinian journalists asserting that he will support them in order to increase creativity which serves Palestinian society.

I assume he is referring to creativity with the truth.

4:03PM: Meet Assud the Rabbit’s replacement: Nassur the terror bear.

4:00PM: Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni has hinted that she won’t join a Likud led government, since she’s sick of number 2.

Probably something she ate.

12:17PM: According to Ha’aretz, the man arrested in Bethlehem was a Beitar Illit resident. That is a rather Charedi place, so I would be surprised he would go for a non-kosher falafel. Unless that is precisely why he felt the need to go to an Arab town – little chance of bumping into his neighbors.

11:53AM: The Jerusalem Post reports:

Palestinian Authority security forces arrested overnight Saturday an Israeli man who had entered Bethlehem without permission, Army Radio reported.

According to the report, the 26-year-old man told the PA officers that he had gone into the city to buy his favorite falafel.

That better be some falafel.

9:53AM: I am a few days late but it needs to be said: happy birthday Miep Gies.

9:22AM: Public Security Minister Avi Dichter has said that Kadima will not join any new government unless Tzipi Livni is either prime minister, or part of a rotation with Likud chairman Binyamin Netanyahu.

Meanwhile, Likud has asked Livni to “set petty politics aside and place the country’s interests first,” while outgoing PM Ehud Olmert is saying that if Livni stays in the opposition, she’ll win the next elections.

6:13AM: Well I’m shocked, shocked I tell you: The Daily Mail reports that 3 men who were allegedly planning to leave Britain as part of George Galloway’s £1million aid convoy to Gaza have been arrested by counter-terrorism police.

6:03AM: Wednesday the Rabbi sued.

A rabbi and his wife were awarded NIS 3,000 (about $742) in damages from the Israir airline after a mistake on the company’s part left the pair without food during a flight from New York to Tel Aviv, and an accidental fall left the woman bruised and embarrassed.

The couple ordered glatt kosher meals on an Israir round trip to the United States, but on the flight back, the pair did not receive their meals, as the company claimed their names were not on the glatt kosher menu list.

The couple also complained that the service lights were not working properly during the entire flight, and their requests to have the lights fixed were ignored.

After landing in Israel, as the couple left the aircraft and got onto the escalator, the rabbi’s wife fainted, fell back and was injured. As a result of the fall, the woman’s headscarf was removed and her dress was rearranged in a revealing manner.

Oy Vey.

6:00AM: Ha’aretz reports on Israel’s concern with US procrastination with Iran.

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