ANNOUNCING: 2012 Israel Truth Week Conference – ‘ISRAEL: THE CASE FOR THE DEFENCE,’ London ON, March 21st.

Many of you followed my 26-day ‘Blue Beret’ vigil during last summer’s ‘Boat to Gaza’ flotilla fiasco.

 

After reading about the recent intimidation of Jewish students at Western University here in London (Jewish Tribune, Feb 09/12, ‘UWO Students Disrupt Jewish Event’) I – with help from other friends of Israel – have organized a direct response to this outrage via the first ‘Israel Truth Week Conference’ to be held in London on March 21st. to show Jewish students and families that they are not alone, that non-Jews are prepared to stand with them against the incitement and vilification directed towards them, particularly during the so-called ‘Israel Apartheid Week.’

 

The theme of the conference is…

 

‘ISRAEL: THE CASE FOR THE DEFENCE.’

 

A colour e-brochure and a B&W version for printing can be downloaded at the IsraelTruthWeek.org website.

 

In additon to a field of great presenters, including Rabbi Jonathan Hausman; Dr. Salim Mansur (author of ‘Delectable Lie: A liberal repudiation of multiculturalism); and Rev. Joe Campbell I will be discussing the evidence showing the involvement of anti-Israel groups in supporting the lawlessness during the Caledonia crisis in the context of explaining how our work there led me to begin this project.

 

Israel-based media watchdog recognizes member of Canada’s Never Again Group

The Israel-based world media watchdog, Honest Reporting, which claims  over 140,000 subscribers, has honoured one of Canada’s Never Again Group members with its ‘Letter of the Month’ award for November 2011.

Day 11 of 'Blue Beret' vigil outside London (Ontario, Canada) Muslim Mosque. In foreground, Pesach Ovadyah (Chair, Jewish Defence League - London), former peacekeeper Mark Vandermaas (organizer), Steve Scheffer (Never Again Group, Hamilton), July 03/11. PHOTO: Christine McHale, Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality.

 In actuality, Steve Scheffer (wearing Israeli flag in photo above on Day 11 of my Blue Beret vigil) is being recognized for having two letters published in the Hamilton Spectator in defence of truth in the Middle East, letters in which he condemns Islamist hate for Jews and points out that it is this hatred that is the obstacle to peace, not Israeli intransigence.

• Honest Reporting, Dec 14/11: Letter of the Month – November 2011

REPORT: Muslim persecution of Christians: October 2011 – “The world remains silent”

Muslim Persecution of Christians: October, 2011

“The world remains silent; it is as if we had been swallowed up by the night”

by Raymond Ibrahim

Egypt’s Maspero massacre—where the military killed dozens of Christians protesting the destruction of their churches—dominates October’s persecution headlines. Facts and details concerning the military’s “crimes against humanity” are documented in this report, and include videos of armored-vehicles running over civilians, a catalog of lies and deceitful tactics employed by Egypt’s rulers and state media, and other matters overlooked by the West.

More damning evidence continues to emerge: not only did Egypt’s military plan to massacre Christians to teach them a “lesson” never to protest again, but “death squads” were deployed up buildings the night before to snipe at protesters. Instead of trying the soldiers who intentionally ran-over demonstrators, the military has been randomly arresting Copts simply “for being Christian.” Finally, the fact-finding commission of Egypt’s National Council for Human Rights just submitted its report which, as expected, “white washes” the military’s role, “asserting that no live ammunition was fired on the protesters by the military, as the army only fired blanks in the air to disperse the protesters,” a claim eyewitnesses reject out of hand.

Meanwhile, not only are Western governments apathetic, but it was revealed that “Obama’s top Muslim advisor blocks Middle Eastern Christians’ access to White House.” Newt Gingrich asserted that Obama’s “strategy in the Middle East is such a total grotesque failure” and likened the “Arab spring” to an “anti-Christian spring.” Ann Widdecombe accused the British government of “double standards in its threats to cut aid to countries which persecute gay people while turning a blind eye to persecution against Christians.” Even Christian pastors in the West, apparently more concerned about promoting interfaith dialogue with Muslims, are reluctant to mention persecution to their flock

Gerofsky: How to defeat Islamism

by Gary Gerofsky, Never Again Group, Canada

How to defeat Islamism

 The only non-military response to Islamism and the creeping sharia (Islamic law) that is infecting the world is through strength and activism against this scourge and against those in power who are facilitating Islamist expansion. The generations that went before us defeated communism and fascism, and now we must step up to the plate to defeat Islamism. This task is made seriously difficult because we have a Muslim supporter in the White House and weak, ignorant, misinformed leaders married to multiculturalism, wishful thinking, and leftism that is intent on appeasing Islamists in all but a few places (For political reasons related to 9/11, Al Qaeda seems to be the only real Islamist concern for the Obama administration.)

VoiceofCanada’s 21 minute course: ANTI-ISRAEL PROPAGANDA 101

Ethnic cleansing of Palestinians or a struggle for survival against genocidal anti-Semitism? 

UPDATED Dec 15/11 — In this short course, which should take you no more than 21 minutes or so to complete, you’ll learn how to distinguish fact from fiction before entering into any debate on the Middle East issue, and you will have the satisfaction of knowing you will likely be the most informed person in the room.

Take your time to explore the references cited. Fact check them on your own, but be prepared to be both challenged and repulsed by the enormity of the historical fabrications being foisted on the naive and gullible as part of the war to destroy the state of Israel and her Jews.

LESSON 1: How Israel came into existence – the Palestinian version

The video below can (as of 11:41pm July 15/11) be found in the right side margin of the ‘Uprooted Palestinians‘ website above a cartoon showing two smiling ‘Hamas’ terrorists looming large over a cowering Israeli soldier. It is typical of the claims made by the anti-Israel side:

At 1:43 the video begins to discuss ‘The Nakba (1948)‘ and goes on to say, ‘During the Nakba hundreds of massacres were committed by Zionist terror gangs.”

At the 2:00 min mark the producer states: “During the Nakba around 80% of the Palestinians were expelled from their home and made refugees by Zionist terror gangs.”

At 2:40 it asserts, “During the Nakba 531 Palestinian villages & towns…were ethnically cleansed & destroyed.” The producer shows dead bodies as ‘proof’ of the Jewish atrocities against the innocent Arabs:

• ‘A Voice From Palestine’, May 13/11: The On-Going Nakba of Palestine…63 years later [VIDEO, 4:53]

LESSON 2: How Israel came into existence – the Israeli version

Now that you’ve watched the pro-Palestinian version of events, consider this one by ‘Prager University,’ operated by Dennis Prager, a graduate of the Middle East Institute at Columbia University:

• ‘Prager University,’ Oct 24/10: The Middle East Problem [VIDEO, 5:59]

The op-ed the London Free Press refused to print: ‘Blue Berets for Peace vigil in London,’ by Gary McHale

The article & photo below were submitted to the Editor of the London Free Press on July 11/11 who informed Mr. McHale the same day that it would not be published. Hyperlinks in body text added for publication here. (Feel free to reprint article & use photo w/link-back, please)

Blue Berets for Peace vigil outside London Muslim Mosque on Oxford St. In foreground, Pesach Ovadyah (Chair, Jewish Defence League – London), Mark Vandermaas (organizer), Steve Scheffer (Never Again Group, Hamilton). PHOTO: Christine McHale, Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality.

Blue Berets for Peace vigil in London 

by Gary McHale

David Heap, a UWO professor, and Muhammed Hamou, a teacher, chaplain, and former operations manager at the London Muslim Mosque are part of an international team who attempted to travel to the Gaza Strip aboard a 10-ship flotilla in an attempt to break Israel’s blockade of weapons to Hamas. While it was promoted as a humanitarian effort, the trip now appears to have been more about embarrassing Israel then helping people. While there are true humanitarian disasters in the world, Gaza is not one of those places.

In April 2011 Mathilde Redmatn, Deputy Head of the Red Cross stated, “There is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza.” Recent news stories tell of how Gaza is opening luxury hotels, a large water park, schools, large malls and how food is abundant. Khalil Hamada, a senior Hamas official with Gaza’s Ministry of Justice stated, in June 2010, “There is no starvation in Gaza. No one has died of hunger.”

Mark Vandermaas, a Londoner who served in the Mid-East as a United Nations peacekeeper in 1978, has been conducting a daily Blue Berets for Peace vigil at the mosque on Oxford St. since June 23rd. to call attention to the fact that the mosque held a fundraising dinner for the Canadian boat to Gaza, which is under the control of Hamas, labelled as a terror organization by the Canadian Government.

Is free speech at London Free Press now subject to Muslim approval? The ‘Leila Paul’ emails

The ‘Leila Paul’ emails:

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UPDATE: Masters of Deceit (Leila Paul), July 07/11: True Patriot Love – Standing Up To London’s Mosque

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On Day 13 of the Blue Beret vigil to protest the London (Ontario) Muslim Mosque’s support for the Canadian Boat to Gaza, I released a statement announcing that the London Free Press had informed me that, despite two interviews (one by phone, one on site), and despite their publishing of several stories about the anti-Israel side of the London connections to the Tahrir, they were not going to report my vigil, or the evidence that led me to begin it:

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• VoiceofCanada, June 22/11:  MEDIA RELEASE: Former Blue Beret to protest London (Ontario) Muslim Mosque support for Canadian Boat to Hamas
• VoiceofCanada feature: UPDATES: ‘Blue Beret’ vigil

On Day 14, I published my email exchange with the editor of the London Free Press, Joe Ruscitti:

• Mark Vandermaas – London Free Press emails:  [PDF].

A former journalist named Leila Paul contacted me through a mutual friend and gave me explicit instructions to publish her email interaction with Editor Ruscitti in which he states – among other things – that he will not publish her opinion piece about the alleged terrorist connections to the funding of an Islamic Chair at Huron College at the University of Western Ontario until after he has had a chance to meet with the Muslim community to try to persuade them to also write a piece.
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Ms. Paul’s piece was never published by the London Free Press, but you can read it here in her original email to Editor Ruscitti along with his explanation of why he won’t run it:

• Leila Paul – London Free Press emails [PDF]

About Leila Paul

Leila Paul was born in Bethlehem in 1945 and baptized in the Church of the Nativity. She grew up believing she was a Palestinian Arab, yet became increasingly uncomfortable, feeling somehow that she did not belong.

It was this long ago feeling that would eventually bring her to the decision to speak out about her experience with the London Free Press after seeing the the paper’s decision to cover the anti-Israel London connection to the Canadian Boat to Gaza,  yet not report the evidence and facts behind my Blue Beret vigil

I asked Ms. Paul if she would tell readers why she decided to speak out now.

In her own words…

THE LEILA PAUL STORY

For years I tried to remain aloof from the issue after I started having doubts about the real, long term motives of Islamists. It’s only when I acknowledged the truth after Rory Leishman’s column [London Free Press, ‘Media Ignores Islamist Extremism, Sept 30/11 – also spiked by Editor Joe Ruscitti, leading to Leishman’s resignation] that I finally admitted I’d been wrong. Once the wall had collapsed, everything cascaded through. I did a second ancestry test and began to study the anthropology and archeological evidence to discover my instincts were right. My belief is that there is no Palestinian ethnicity but they’ve been indoctrinated by years of Arab Islamic domination. In fact, I’d long suspected that some of my ancestors were Jews and later converted to Christianity.