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Tag: Israel

  • Zulfikar Shariff: Israel Is A Political Entity All About Oppression, Not Religious Diversity

    Zulfikar Shariff: Israel Is A Political Entity All About Oppression, Not Religious Diversity

    Some friends posted about the Israeli embassy iftar in Singapura a few days ago.

    I think it is terribly unfortunate that Muslims attended that event.

    If they are forced to attend, then I can understand it.

    But for those who attended out of their own accord…why?

    Some of those who attended argued it is about accepting religious diversity.

    That argument shows how flawed their position is.

    Israel is not about religion.

    It is a political entity. It is a political creation that at its very core is about dispossession and oppression.

    We can respect and have affection for the Jewish communities.

    But do not confuse the state of Israel with those who believe in Judaism.

    By conflating Judaism with Israel, they are insulting all the Jewish communities that reject the atrocities that Israel perpetuates.

    Those who attend out of their own free will should know that their participation will not help Palestinians.

    The Israeli embassy in Singapura does not have the authority to influence Israeli policies or stop its violence…

    Or will it relay your personal concerns to the Israeli government.

    All you do is legitimise Israel and its behaviour.

     

    Source: Zulfikar Shariff

  • Singaporean Family Earns Ire Of Other Singaporeans For Supporting Pro-Settler Israeli NGO

    Singaporean Family Earns Ire Of Other Singaporeans For Supporting Pro-Settler Israeli NGO

    StandWithUs has been described as a “notorious right-wing pro-settler organization that works closely with the Israeli Foreign Ministry”.  The aim of the American not-for-profit is to enhance Israel’s image in the eyes of the world. The grassroots group concentrates on three main areas: Media Action for Israel, Call to Action for Israel and Educational Action for Israel.

    A Singaporean Christian family has drawn the criticism of some for supporting StandWithUs. In a message to the pro-settler group, the Singaporean family said:

    “As Singaporeans, we are thankful to Israel for the IDF’s help during our country’s infancy. Our military and our country are indebted to Israel. As Chinese with an ancient culture, we are inspired by the Jewish culture, which is of a similar vintage as ours. Chinese and Jews have much to learn from each other. As Christians, we are lovers of Israel and all its people; it is the birthplace of Christianity and central to the coming of HaMashiach. We remain contrite for anti-semitism in the Christian heritage and are committed to return to the Jewish roots of the faith. Today, we celebrate these things and our hearts are full. We stand with Israel, we stand with Jerusalem, now and always. Am Yisrael Chai!”

    StandWithUs shared the Singaporean family’s picture in their Facebook and captioned it, “We LOVE our supporters of Israel from around the world! This week we received this message from a family in Singapore.”

    Facebook user Shaffiq Haz who is from Singapore, in responding to the right wing group’s sharing of the picture said: “You guys do know . .. a large percentage of Palestinians are Christians . . .right . .. and they are similarly oppressed . . ”

    Hidhir Arafat Ariana Aifa, another Facebook user from Singapore said: “Where does Israel stand in the map?? Obviously nothing… the biggest bully which call other place their country…shame on you.”

    Other Facebook users from Singapore, like Mohd Jamil Mohd Said agreed that Israel was a bully. He said, “Zionist STEALS Palestinian land and kills innocent woman and children. Lets not forget that…!!!!”

    The Singaporean family though got support from some others.Facebook user Magdalene Shane Lee said, “I am Singaporean, and I support Israel too. They are a secular nation among theocratic nations, as we are.”

     

    Sources: The Independent – Singapore and StandWithUs

  • Gaza ‘Spiderboy’ Seeks To Storm Guinness World Records

    Gaza ‘Spiderboy’ Seeks To Storm Guinness World Records

    GAZA CITY — Mohammed al-Sheikh is only 12 and feels trapped in Gaza but he dreams of a Guinness world record for a series of stunning backflips and his almost unbelievable body contortions.

    Mohammed, just 1.37m tall and weighing 29kg, can bend his body in seemingly impossible ways, throwing his feet over his shoulders with reckless abandon or jumping into a spider-like pose.

    His antics earned this young Palestinian from the Gaza Strip the nickname of “Spiderman”, a mantle which fills him with pride.

    Mohammed found fame just after a devastating war in Gaza with Israel that left over 2,000 Palestinians dead in 2014.

    Despite the 50-day conflict interrupting his training, he appeared on the TV show Arabs Got Talent in Lebanon, where his body-bending act won 14 million votes.

    Though he didn’t win, he now hopes to writhe his way into the Guinness Book of Records from his home in the Tel al-Hawa area of southern Gaza City.

    Mohammed can perform four acrobatic moves better than anyone else on earth, his coach Mohammed Lubbad, 26, insists.

    In an email seen by AFP, Guinness accepted his bid for a record entitled: “Most full body revolutions maintaining a chest stand in one minute.”

    In the video submitted as evidence, Mohammed lies on the floor with his chest pressed into the ground.

    His legs then spin around at 360 degrees — his feet touching the ground at every angle in a feat of amazing dexterity.

    AN ‘EXTRAORDINARY GIFT’

    He achieves it 33 times in a minute, four more than the current record of 29, raising hopes he will be crowned in the coming weeks.

    For his mother Hanan, he is already a “world champion,” but now he must “show his extraordinary gift and exceptional strength in world competitions”.

    At these words, Mohammed, perched on the coffee table, drags his back legs over his shoulders, picks up a glass with his toes and drinks from it.

    But for Mohammed, even more than records he dreams of wriggling out of Gaza.

    The hardest thing, he says, is not contorting his body into unbelievable shapes — though Israel’s 10-year blockade of the strip means he can only learn via YouTube videos.

    The hardest challenge for a boy who wants to travel the globe is to “get out of Gaza when all the borders are locked”.

    LOCKED IN GAZA

    “Many Arabs and people across the world support me by clicking ‘Like’ on my videos on Facebook, and it makes me sad not being able to meet and interact with the world because of the blockade,” Mohammed said.

    His coach tried to channel the talents of young Gazans by opening a training centre for unusual sports including parkour, the urban acrobatics in vogue in Gaza.

    But after a year, he ran out of money and had to close — to the devastation of the young boys and girls who practised there.

    “By leaving Mohammed in Gaza we bury a unique talent,” said Mr Lubbad.

    After the final of Arabs Got Talent, he was offered a training contract abroad including support for 10 years, with coaching to help him qualify for Arab and international competitions.

    But his family refused, saying Mohammed was too young to live abroad without them.

    Today, even if he impresses his classmates, his mother, 48, insists it should not undermine the education of the youngest of her eight children.

    So he is left with escapism — braving danger carrying out stunts on the back of a camel or a horse galloping on a Gaza beach, to the amazement of flabbergasted onlookers.

    There, he said, he feels “free”.

    “I’m in the air and there is no blockade.” AFP

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com

  • 50 Yahudi Indonesia Jamu Ulama Muslim, Diplomat Amerika, Sempena Perayaan Seder

    50 Yahudi Indonesia Jamu Ulama Muslim, Diplomat Amerika, Sempena Perayaan Seder

    Merdeka.com: 50 orang Yahudi Indonesia berhimpun dalam perayaan Seder, yang merupakan sebuah tradisi makan malam bersama yang dilangsungkan setiap tahun sejak berabad lamanya.

    Antara yang diundang ke majlis yang diadakan di Indonesia pada Jumaat lalu (22 Apr) termasuklah Timbalan Setiausaha Negara Amerika Syarikat (AS) Antony Blinken dan beberapa orang ulama Muslim.

    Ustaz Suhai Suat, salah seorang ulama Muslim yang menghadiri majlis jamuan tersebut memberitahu rancangan televisyen Israel Channel 10 bahawa semua agama di dunia ini mempunyai tujuan yang sama, iaitu keamanan.

    “Maka itu kita tidak sepatutnya mengancam antara sesama manusia,” menurut Ustaz Suhai.

    MENGENAI KAUM YAHUDI INDONESIA

    Antara ulama lain yang turut hadir ke majlis perayaan tersebut termasuk Ketua Umum Ikatan Mubaligh Seluruh Indonesia, Kiayi Haji Yayan Hendrayana, serta Ketua Umum Gerakan Pemuda Islam Indonesia (GPII), Encik Karman.

    Menurut Encik Blinken seperti yang ditukil oleh laman Times of Israel: “Lelaki dan wanita yang berbeza kepercayaan agama dapat berhimpun untuk meraikan perayaan tradisional Yahudi di negara yang majoriti penduduknya beragama Islam. Ini adalah sesuatu yang amat baik.”

    Majlis perayaan Yahudi yang disambut meriah itu menandakan sesuatu yang penting di negara tersebut, hanya tiga tahun setelah anggota pelampau Islam memberikan tekanan kepada pihak berkuasa supaya menutup satu-satunya saumaah (synagogue) di ibu kota Indonesia itu, lapor Times of Israel.

    Yahudi Indonesia kebanyakannya merupakan keturunan kaum Yahudi Iraq dan Belanda yang berhijrah ke sana sejak tahun 1920-an.

    Memandangkan agama Yahudi tidak diiktiraf di Indonesia, kad pengenalan mereka lazimnya diletakkan sebagai beragama ‘Kristian’.

    MENTERI ISRAEL: ADA KERJASAMA RAHSIA INDONESIA-ISRAEL

    Bulan lalu, Perdana Menteri Israel Benjamin Netanyahu bertemu dengan beberapa wartawan Indonesia di pejabatnya di Baitulmakdis.

    Beliau mengatakan, sebenarnya banyak hubungan dua hala terjalin antara Indonesia dengan Israel.

    “Banyak sekali kesempatan untuk menjalankan kerja sama dua hala, terutama dalam bidang teknologi air dan teknologi tinggi,” ujar Encik Netanyahu kepada wartawan dari pelbagai wartawan media Indonesia.

    Menurut media Israel lagi, pada awal bulan Mac, Timbalan Menteri Luar Israel Tzipi Hotovely memberitahu parlimen Israel bahawa Tel Aviv mempunyai hubungan rahsia dengan Jakarta.

    Namun demikian, pemerintah Israel melarang Menteri Luar Indonesia Retno L. P. Marsudi masuk ke wilayah Ramallah untuk melantik Konsul Kehormatan.

    Menurut pihak Israel, ia tidak mengizinkan Menteri Luar Retno masuk ke Israel kerana beliau bukan sekadar mahu ke Baitulmakdis sahaja, tetapi dipercayai ada rancangan lain.

    Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

  • Singapore Doubles Amount It Will Give Palestinians For Capacity-Building

    Singapore Doubles Amount It Will Give Palestinians For Capacity-Building

    Singapore is committed to supporting Palestinians to build their capacity and skills, and will double the sum of its enhanced technical assistance package from S$5 million to S$10million.

    Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made this commitment at a meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in Ramallah on Wednesday, Mr Lee’s press secretary Chang Li Lin told reporters after the meeting.

    Mr Lee, the first Singapore prime minister to visit the Palestinian Territories, also encouraged the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to resume negotiations to find a just and durable peace in a two-state solution – with Israel and Palestine living side by side.

    Under the package, Singapore has hosted study visits for Palestinian officials in areas such as education, anti-corruption reform and economic development.

    Singapore will also share its experience in vocational and skills training.

    “PM Hamdallah welcomed this as the Palestinians valued their friendship with Singapore,” Ms Chang said. “He expressed appreciation for Singapore’s assistance as education was a key focus for the Palestinians.”

    Dr Hamdallah received Mr Lee at his office in the Palestinian Territories on Wednesday morning.

    Both men then visited the mausoleum of Yasser Arafat, the first president of the Palestinian Authority, where Mr Lee laid a wreath before Mr Hamdallah hosted him to lunch.

    Dr Hamdallah welcomed the first visit by a Singapore PM to the Territories and conveyed the warm greetings of President Mahmoud Abbas, who is overseas.

    Mr Lee invited Dr Hamdallah to make a reciprocal visit to Singapore, which he accepted.

    Mr Lee also reiterated the standing invitation for President Abbas to visit Singapore.

    Dr Hamdallah briefed the Singapore delegation about the situation in the Palestinian Territories and reaffirmed the PNA’s commitment to the two-state solution.

    PM Lee had, at a meeting with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, reiterated

    Singapore’s hope that the Israelis and Palestinians can restart talks for a two-state solution.

    It was a point he made again when Israel’s Leader of the Opposition Isaac Herzog called on him on Wednesday morning.

    Both men had an exchange of views on developments in Israel and the region, Ms Chang said.

    “Mr Herzog agreed that the two-state solution remains the only viable option to achieve a just and durable peace for Israel and Palestine,” she added.

    Mr Lee also visited the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in the morning and Muslim leaders showed him around the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque.

     

    Source: The Straits Times