Europe remembers victims of terror

From Ireland,

VICTIMS of the Troubles and politicians yesterday paused in silence at Stormont to remember those murdered by terrorists as part of a Europe-wide day to oppose terrorism.

The event was held in Parliament Buildings’ senate chamber to coincide with the European Day for Victims of Terrorism, set up by the European Commission after the Madrid train bombings on March 11, 2004.

Read the full article - Victims remembered in Stormont silent tribute

alisa flatow israel

Peaceful Protest Can Free Palestine - NYTimes.com

I am posting this later than I had intended because I was eager to submit a letter to the editor of theNew York Times before I finished my post.  Of course, where know where good intentions brings us, don't we?

In any event, the this op-ed, written by Mustafa Barghouthi, let's us know from the very first words where the writer truly stands about Israel, Palestinians and "peaceful" protest.

OVER the past 64 years, Palestinians have tried armed struggle; we have tried negotiations; and we have tried peace conferences.

Any pretense that he was interested in peace were belied by that sentence.  Reader - Israel was established 64 years ago!  1948, when Israel was created is his point of reference, not 1967 when the occupation of the territories began.

My letter to the editor was short and, I believe, accurately pointed out that no where in Barghouthi's piece did he acknowledge that Israelis have a right to live in peace in their own homeland.

While all letter writers believe theirs is worthy of inclusion in the Times, I must admit that the letters selected did a better job than I in making the fallacy of the op-ed so obvious.

I invite you, belatedly, to read the full op-ed, Peaceful Protest Can Free Palestine - NYTimes.com, then read the letters to the editor that were published.

Well, that's what I think.  What about you?

Stephen M. Flatow alisa terror victims

From israel today - Young Palestinians seek violence, indifferent to 'occupation'

It breaks the heart.  I'm serious.  It breaks the heart because a new poll indicates that Palestinian youth are willing to kill and in turn be killed because Israel exists. Alisa Flatow

A poll conducted among young Palestinians aged 18-30 recently had some surprising and unsurprising results that can be seen as the outcome of both reality on the ground and the libelous education to which Palestinian children are subjected.

You can read the full story here.

We know that poison is being fed to Palestinian kids through schools, textbooks, dedications in honor of murderers, and the like.  It begs the question, don't Palestinian parents value the lives of their children?

That's what I think.

Stephen M. Flatow

Nigerian underwear bomber gets life and files appeal

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab received a life prison term for his attempt to blow up an airliner on Christmas Day 2009.  Not happy that he saved himself from getting his private parts burned a second time in the electric chair, he has now filed an appeal of his sentence.

You can read the two stories below. Alisa Flatow terrorism

Nigerian underwear bomber gets life in prison - Boston.com

Nigerian underwear bomber appeals life sentence - Boston.com

Well, that's what I have to say.  What do you think of the prison sentence and his appeal?

Stephen M. Flatow

Israel’s friends in the Arab world

alisa flatow israel stephen flatow

Frida Ghitis, writing in the Miami Herald, comments on Arabs speaking well.  The biggest problem that stops Arabs from fighting anti-Semitism in their midst is the lack of freedom of speech and, when the going gets tough for those who do write, the lack of support from others in the liberal sphere.

You can read the full column here.