The 2015 Dishonest Reporter of the Year: Why the BBC wonWhen we looked back over our 2015 archives, it was clear which media outlet deserved this year’s Dishonest Reporter Award. The honour goes to perennial contender, BBC News. At any given time, the insidious nature of the BBC’s anti-Israel bias is its constant drip, drip effect. But this year, the pipes burst with some genuinely shocking moments of coverage that generated a huge amount of anger and offence.

Here is just one example of the many ‘highlights’ that secured the BBC’s position as the worst news service of 2015.

While the BBC can’t bring itself to describe Islamist murderers in France or Palestinian stabbers in Israel as terrorists, that standard just doesn’t apply when it comes to Jews.

Irrespective of how many civilians have been murdered or heads severed from bodies in Islamic State style, the BBC has an enormous problem describing any number of vicious extremist organisations as “terrorists.” The BBC’s own Editorial Guidelines stress avoiding the use of the word “terrorist” and also state: The value judgements frequently implicit in the use of the words “terrorist” or “terrorist group” can create inconsistency in their use or, to audiences, raise doubts about our impartiality.

During an interview for BBC Newsnight, Evan Davis asked Israeli politician Tzipi Livni a series of leading questions, including this with reference to Livni’s parents who were members of the Irgun group fighting the British military in 1940s Mandate Palestine: “They were imprisoned by the British, they were part of the Irgun. Would you describe your parents as terrorists?”

Evan Davis’s question, albeit a crude attempt to get Livni herself to use the word “terrorist,” raises serious doubts about his impartiality and begs the question as to why is it only Jews and Israelis that can be described as terrorists in the eyes of the BBC and its reporters?

As for the rest of the interview, Davis continuously attempted to corner Livni with questions based on the assumption of Israel as an apartheid state, even asking her whether she agreed with sanctions on apartheid South Africa in an effort to draw a moral equivalence between that regime and Israel as well as to portray Livni as a potential hypocrite.

Typical of the BBC’s inherently hostile attitude when it comes to any Israeli politician from anywhere across the political spectrum.

From articles by Honest Reporting

Volume 20 – Summer 2016 N E W S L E T T E R

PO Box 333, Dianella WA 6059 www.foiwa.org.au Email foiwa@amnet.net.au

Special guest speaker Prof Efraim Inbar – 8 February see insert for details

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Israelis Sue Facebook Page 2

Female Soldiers Page 6

Malaysia blocks Israelis Page 3

Misuse of Funds Centre Pages

Tzipi Livni

FOIWA News Summer 2016.indd 1 26/01/16 10:48 AM

Page 2 FRIENDS OF ISRAEL WA NEWSLETTER

20,000 Israelis sue Facebook over incitement to violence by PalestiniansSome 20,000 Israelis have sued Internet giant Facebook in New York alleging the social media platform is disregarding incitement and calls to murder Jews being posted by Palestinians.

The civil complaint seeks an injunction to require Facebook to block all racist incitement and calls for violence against Jews in Israel, but no damages.

A 76-page list of plaintiffs contends that “Facebook’s refusal to remove the flood of extremist videos, statements and cartoons being posted by Palestinians is encouraging imminent violence and fanning the flames of the terrorist attacks that have overwhelmed Israel in the past month.”

The lead plaintiff, Israeli-American Richard Lakin, 76, was shot in the head and stabbed multiple times as a passenger on a Jerusalem bus when Palestinian terrorists from East Jerusalem, armed with guns and knives, carried out an attack. Two Israelis were killed in the attack and Lakin died from his wounds in October.

The plaintiffs include people who haven’t been the victim of any attacks, but who say that incitement through Facebook endangers all of them. They allege that social media, particularly postings by Palestinians on Facebook, “is spurring on the terrorist attacks against Israelis.”

The complaint says the plaintiffs “have been living in the crosshairs of a murderous terrorist rampage carried out by killers who attack people with knives, axes, screwdrivers, cars and Molotov cocktails for no reason other than that the attacker perceives the victims to be Jewish.”

Facebook is fanning the flames of the current Palestinian intifada and its refusals to actively monitor and block the incitement to violence is an outrageous abandonment of its obligations to the public.” From an article by Yonah Jeremy Bob

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has slammed Sweden’s Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom, characterising her recent statements calling for an investigation of Israeli “extrajudicial killings” as “outrageous, immoral, unjust and just wrong.”

“Israel is not above criticism, but it should be held to the same standards that everyone else is being held to,” he said. “People are defending themselves against assailants wielding knives about to stab them to death and they shoot the people, and that is extrajudicial killings?” So why, the prime minister asked, were the killing of the recent terrorists in San Bernadino, California, or the shooting recently of a knife-wielding terrorist in Paris also not “extrajudicial killings?” “Does the Swedish foreign minister suggest there be examinations of what happened there in Paris or in the United States?” he asked. “This is definitely wrong and singles out Israel in an absurd way.” From an article in Jerusalem Post

Why Israel is leading fintech InnovationOver the past couple of decades, Israel has developed a strong fintech (financial and technological) ecosystem thanks to continued overseas interest, a local commitment to innovation, and a community that’s dedicated to addressing the emerging needs of this industry.

The Israeli fintech industry continues to grow so impressively that it is attracting more and more entrepreneurs and increased funding from global investors. Take, for example, companies like FundBox, which raised $90 million in two rounds, Payoneer, which attracted a similar amount, and eToro, which raised $40 million, all in the past year.

Why is Israel at the forefront of fintech innovation? Israel has mastered the relevant technologies; it has a legacy of successes; it has learned the ropes from key global financial centres; global financial institutions have a presence in Israel; global institutions are also investing; Israeli financial institutions (both banks and credit card companies) have always been open to innovation.

All of this has led to a dramatic rise in investments in Israeli fintech companies. Last year, Israeli investment in fintech represented 12 per cent of total investments. By addressing the needs of both developed and emerging markets, Israeli fintech will only continue to grow. From an article by Avi Zeevi

image via ShuTTerSTock, modified by venTurebeaT

?

FOIWA News Summer 2016.indd 2 26/01/16 10:48 AM

Volume 20 – Summer 2016 Page 3

Malaysian demands are too much for IsraelTwo Israelis, Yoav Omer and Noy Drihan, were unable to defend their titles at the Youth Sailing World Championship in Malaysia after the Israel Sailing Association (ISA) announced they would not send a delegation because of anti-Israel demands made by organisers.

The ISA claimed that the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), the International Olympic Committee and the hosts would not allow the surfers to compete under the Israeli flag and could not use any symbol affiliated with Israel on their clothing or surfboard. Also, if an Israeli athlete had won a gold medal, the hosts said they would not play the Israeli national anthem.

“The Malaysians’ demands were unacceptable so we decided not to participate. We condemn the unsporting conduct of the organising committee. We will not agree to be humiliated and we are considering filing a lawsuit against the ISAF and the host country in coordination with the Olympic Committee of Israel,” said ISA chairman Gili Amir.

In the last championships, Omer won the gold medal in the Under 19 for men and Drihan won the Under 17 and Under 19 for women. JNS.org

DONATIONSWE GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR PAST SUPPORT. OUR 2016 PROGRAM WILL PUT A DEMAND

ON OUR RESOURCES WHICH ARE ENTIRELY FUNDED BY YOUR DONATIONS. PLEASE CONTINUE TO HELP FOIWA ACHIEVE OUR AIMS. A DONATION FORM IS ENCLOSED.

“Israel is investing everything it has into life on earth. Hamas is investing everything it has into life after death. When Hamas recruits young people, their doctrine is ‘we love death, they love life.’

Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a Somali-born writer, activist and founder of the Ayaan Hirsi Ali Foundation which supports women’s rights and is working to end ‘honour’ violence.

Stop demonising Israel and start learning from themFox News interviewed outspoken critic of Islam, Ayaan Hirsi Ali about the West’s reaction to the terrorist attacks in France. Her main message was: “We should stop demonising Israel and start learning from them.”

She makes the compelling case that Israel has learned how to fight Islamic terrorism and prevent mass attacks such as those that took place in Paris. While there are no guarantees, Israel has learned that the key to preventing these types of attacks is intelligence collection, constant vigilance, and quick and powerful responses.

Yet all too often the media take Israel to task for what they say is a disproportionate response to terrorism. Countless editorials from the major Western media have demanded that Israel show restraint in fighting terror. Some have justified terror because of what they call “legitimate grievances” as if to say that all Israel has to do is agree to the demands of the terrorists to stop the attacks.

But as Ali says, Israel knows that terrorism is based, above all else, on hatred. It cannot be reasoned with. It must be aggressively fought and defeated. We only wish that more journalists would listen to what Ali has to say. Honest Reporting

Thinking of travelling to Malaysia or anywhere on Malaysian Airlines in the future? Perhaps now is the time to reconsider your travel plans.

FOIWA News Summer 2016.indd 3 26/01/16 10:48 AM

Page 4 FRIENDS OF ISRAEL WA NEWSLETTER

What are Palestinians doing with US money?During the past 20 years, the US has invested $4.5 billion in promoting democracy among the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and boosting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

The $4.5 billion does not include the billions of dollars poured on the Palestinian Authority (PA) since its creation in 1994. Palestinian economic analysts estimate that the PA has received a total of $25 billion in financial aid from the US and other countries during the past two decades.

Twenty years later, the Palestinians still have a long way to go before they ever see real democracy in the West Bank or Gaza Strip.

The Palestinians people got a regime that not only deprived them of most of the international aid, but that also cracked down on political opponents and freedom of speech. The Palestinian Authority was actually a one-man show called Yasser Arafat; he and his cronies were the main benefactors of American and European taxpayers’ money.

The billions of dollars that Arafat received between 1994 and 2000 from the Americans and the international community failed to convince him to accept the most generous offer ever made to the Palestinians by an Israeli prime minister. Even worse, the first seven years of the peace process resulted in the second intifada, which erupted in September 2000 – a few months after the collapse of the Camp David summit.

Until 2007, the Palestinians had only one corrupt and undemocratic regime called the Palestinian Authority. Since then, the Palestinians have gained another regime that is even more ruthless and repressive: Hamas.

One does not need to ask Palestinian Authority officials about the way they spent the American aid money because the reality on the ground is too obvious. The PA took the billions of dollars and continues to operate as a corrupt and undemocratic regime. Democracy is the last thing the Palestinians expect to see from the PA or Hamas.

And what has the Palestinian Authority done with the billions of dollars to advance the cause of peace with Israel? Has the PA leadership used this money to promote peace and coexistence with Israel? The answer, of course, is no. Instead of using American financial aid to further this cause, the PA has done – and continues to do – the exact opposite.

In addition to inciting its people against Israel on a daily basis, the Palestinian Authority leadership has been using

these funds to wage a massive campaign in the international community with the purpose of isolating and delegitimising Israel and turning it into a pariah state.

It remains unclear how many millions of dollars were in Yasser Arafat’s bank accounts when he died, and where the money has gone. Forbes Magazine estimated Arafat’s assets at $200 million, and the CIA estimate was $6 billion. Nevertheless whatever the real amount, Suha, his widow, seems content living in Paris and in Malta with the $100,000 US a month she is receiving from the Palestinian budget.

From an article by Khaled Abu Toameh

Chronic KleptocracyLike any dictator, Mahmoud Abbas is corrupt. His predecessor, Yasser Arafat, was accused of embezzling billions of dollars of money meant for the Palestinian people. In line with his role model, after whom he named his own son, Abbas has continued this ignominious tradition.

At a US House of Representatives subcommittee hearing on the Middle East entitled Chronic Kleptocracy: Corruption within the Palestinian Political Establishment, committee chairman Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) claimed that Abbas has used his position “to line his own pockets as well as those of his cohort of cronies, including his sons, Yasser and Tareq allegedly receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in US Aid contracts.”

In fact, according to Muhammad Rashid, Arafat’s economic and financial advisor and head of the Palestinian Investment Fund, Abbas has a net worth of over $100 million. That’s

WHO REALLY BENEFITS FROM INTERNATIONAL FUNDS MEANT FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE?

mahmoud abbaS

Suha and yaSSer arafaT

Hillel NeueR, COe Of uN WaTCH, TWeeTeD ON 9 JaNuaRY 2016:

“Congratulations to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for today completing the 11th year of his 4-year term.”

FOIWA News Summer 2016.indd 4 26/01/16 10:48 AM

Volume 20 – Summer 2016 Page 5

WHO REALLY BENEFITS FROM INTERNATIONAL FUNDS MEANT FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE?beside the wealth of his sons, who have amassed their personal fortunes for such things as monopolies on imported cigarettes and public works projects.

Another PA official, former security minister Mohammed Dahlan, has claimed that $1.3 billion vanished from the Palestinian Investment Fund since it was turned over to Abbas’ control in 2005.

This behaviour matters quite a bit, especially when it’s happening at the highest levels of government. The world’s largest recipient of international aid, the PA has received about $8.5 billion between 2007 and 2014.

At more than $3,000 per capita, and about $428 per capita per year, that’s nearly four times the aid given to Europeans by the Marshall Plan – money which totally rebuilt a Europe devastated by the Second World War. Thus, perhaps it is the deep-seated corruption of the PA, and not Israeli security policies, which best explains why the economic situation of the Palestinian people is less than stellar.

If Western leaders and intellectuals really care for the rights and welfare of Palestinians – and if they really want to pave a path toward peace – why do they continue to throw their money and support behind an anti-democratic, repressive, thieving and terrorist-sponsoring dictator like Mahmoud Abbas?

From an article by Rabbi Shmuley

US Court upholds dismissal of libel suit by Palestinian president’s sonA federal appeals court has upheld a decision to throw out a $10 million libel suit by the son of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit agreed that Yasser Abbas cannot make a defamation claim against Foreign Policy magazine over a story that questioned the source of his prosperity.

The 2012 article described the “conspicuous wealth” of Yasser Abbas and his brother Tarek and questioned whether they are “growing rich off their father’s system.”

The Associated Press

So exactly how did Arafat get so rich?I have seen acres of breast-beating journalism about the Palestinian misery but never an examination into where all the donated money has gone over the years. For this is certain: Arab donors and a generous non-Arab world have donated many billions to the Palestinian cause.

Take the Gaza strip. It is a block of land 25 miles long and six miles wide on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean.

Its northern and eastern borders are Israel, its 11-mile southern border is Egypt and its western border the glittering Med. Over the years since the founding of Israel in 1948 literally billions of pounds have been donated to help its people have a decent life.

If it had been invested shrewdly and well, Gaza today could be a mini-Monaco. It could have a deep-water freight port, a flourishing fishing port and a leisure harbour crammed with the yachts of wealthy visitors. It could have resort hotels on the sea and farms, ranches and orchards in the hinterland producing nutritious food.

It has none of these. It is a failed state of poverty, misery and violence. So what happened to all that money? Well, a lot went on guns, explosives for bombs and material to build rockets to launch at Israel. But the bulk has certainly suffered the fate of most wealth in that neck of the woods. It has simply been embezzled, not by Israelis, but by Palestinians and, above all, by their leadership cadres.

Yasser Arafat was the virtually unchallenged Palestinian leader for many years. He never had a visible salary above his modest earnings from the Palestinian government in his West Bank fiefdom.

Yet in his dotage he was strongly rumoured to be worth many hundreds of millions of pounds. His wife Suha lived in luxury in a five-star Paris hotel. As the Americans say: go figure.

It is perfectly feasible that after leading his people to failure and poverty, even his colleagues had had enough and slipped him a toxic cocktail.

The donations continue to flow in… and disappear.

From an article by Frederick Forsyth

Senior PA official warns Abbas of corruption: ‘Our political system is dying’“We were hoping that the President’s Office would expand the circle of consultations instead of keeping it limited to a small group of people who don’t change, we were hoping that the Palestinian Authority, 20 years after its establishment, would create an independent and fair judicial system.”

Extract from a letter from Tawfik Tarawi to Abbas and Fatah leaders

FOIWA News Summer 2016.indd 5 26/01/16 10:48 AM

Page 6 FRIENDS OF ISRAEL WA NEWSLETTER

Female fighters on the frontline

“I’m not afraid to confront terrorists if necessary,” explains Lieutenant Ada, a commander in the co-ed Caracal Battalion on the Israel-Sinai border.

The Israel-Sinai border has become increasingly tense as terror organisations, including ISIS-affiliated groups, have intensified their presence and created instability in the region.

The Caracal Battalion is responsible for defending the volatile Israel-Sinai border.

Established in 2004, Caracal was the first battalion to fully integrate women as combat soldiers. The battalion is trained to deal with terrorist infiltrations, bombs on the border, shootings, smuggling and criminal events. IDF Blog

Christian IDF soldiers celebrate ChristmasChristian IDF soldiers protecting the Israel-Gaza border share their thoughts on celebrating Christmas. They serve in the Bedouin Reconnaissance Battalion, one of our most diverse combat units. Serving alongside Bedouins, Muslims, Jews, and Druze, these soldiers sure know the meaning of “holiday spirit.”

“Before going off to celebrate Christmas with my family, I’ll sit here with the guys and tell them all about the holiday. In our battalion, there’s no difference between Bedouins, Christians, Jews or Muslims. We all eat together, work together and celebrate together,” Sgt Fadi Khurani.

“Two years ago, I spent Christmas on base during an officer’s course. I put a little plant in my room and decorated it like a Christmas tree. Everyone thought it was great,” Lt Ruhi Dabas.

“I’m the only Christian in my company, so everyone is very thoughtful. We all teach each other about our different holidays and traditions. We all have a lot more in common than we think we do.” IDF Blog

PERPETUATE YOUR MEMORY WITH A BEQUEST TO FRIENDS OF ISRAEL WA

FOR CONFIDENTIAL DETAILS AND FULL INFORMATION,

Email foiwa@amnet.net.au or call Ian Klevansky (FOIWA Treasurer) 0418 915 659

ISRAEL AID FOR flood-stricken ParaguayIsrael is to provide food and assistance kits to Paraguayans impacted by massive flooding of the Paraguay River from El Niño storms during December.

Some 100,000 people in Asuncion have been displaced from their homes.

Algemeiner

TERROR ATTACKS IN ISRAELThere were 620 terror attacks in Israel in October 2015, six of which resulted in 11 fatalities, according to Shabak, Israel’s domestic security service.

Among the 620 attacks in October (356 in November and 246 in December), Israeli officials counted 483 firebombs, 57 IEDs (including pipe bombs and improvised grenades), 42 stabbings, 28 small arms shootings, five rockets, three vehicular attacks, one attack using a gas container and one anti-tank missile.

From an article by Szachary Leshin

FOIWA News Summer 2016.indd 6 26/01/16 10:48 AM

Volume 20 – Summer 2016 Page 7

When Israeli volunteers help Syrian, Iraqi and Pakistani refugeesLesbos, Greece: As the small rubber dinghy crowded with Syrians and Afghans emerged from the midnight-black sea to land on a desolate pebble beach, the first people to greet the bewildered and frightened refugees were two Israelis.

“Does anyone need a doctor?” Majeda Kardosh, 27, a nurse from Nazareth, shouted repeatedly in Arabic as the asylum seekers scrambled ashore amid cries of celebration and tears of relief at surviving the short but perilous crossing from Turkey to this Greek island.

Her team partner, Tali Shaltiel, 31, a physician from Jerusalem, stood knee deep in the water, helping a shivering 4-year-old girl out of her wet clothes and a pair of inflatable armbands that would have provided little protection had the overloaded boat capsized at sea.

Kardosh and Shaltiel are part of a small advance group of volunteers from IsraAid, an Israeli non-governmental organisation that is trying to provide some assistance to the hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants who are flowing into Europe.

While IsraAID has plenty of experience in disaster relief and assistance in 31 countries, this mission presents a unique challenge. The beneficiaries come from countries that are traditionally hostile, or even officially still at war with Israel.

“Even though the Israelis are wearing bright blue Stars of David on their shirts, most of the refugees don’t even notice amid the chaos and tumult of emotions of the landing beaches,” said Kardosh, who does most of the communicating with them in Arabic.

Among those who recognise the T-shirts, most have a positive response – although some are resistant. One man who was receiving treatment from Shaltiel kept asking Kardosh, “Tell me the truth; is she a Jew?”

“I tried to ignore him, but he persisted. Eventually I said to him, ‘She is here to help you, what does it matter who she is?’” Kardosh said. “After about 10 minutes he came back and offered Tali a biscuit and apologised.”

From an article by Gavin Rabinowitz

TRAINING CHINESE DOCTORSThe Mashav organisation of Israel’s Foreign Ministry is to train medics from the underdeveloped South-western regions of China.

Doctors from Sichuan, Yunnan and Huizhou provinces will study medicine in Israel in 2016.

Save the DateHis excellency

SHmuel BeN-SHmuelambassador of israel to australia

will be speaking in Perth

on 13 march 2016

TaLi ShaLTieL, an iSraeLi phySician, Taking a Syrian chiLd from a dinghy ThaT

arrived aT a beach on The greek iSLand of LeSboS. (boaz arad/iSraaid)

FRIENDS OF ISRAEL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2015The Friends of Israel Annual General Meeting for 2016 was held on Sunday, 8 November at the Carmel School Hall.

Guest speakers were Dr Danny Lamm, President of the Zionist Federation of Australian, and Yaron Fisher who gave a moving and fascinating account of his recent stay in Israel.

See the Friends of Israel WA website foiwa.org.au for the 2016 Chairman’s and Treasurer’s reports and Yaron Fisher’s address.

dr danny Lamm wiTh foiwa TreaSurer ian kLevanSky

FOIWA News Summer 2016.indd 7 26/01/16 10:48 AM

Page 8 FRIENDS OF ISRAEL WA NEWSLETTER

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL!

Wherever I stand, I stand with Israel

Buy our T-Shirts, Pens and Lapel Pins and

show your support for Israel.

See enclosed

order form

PO Box 333, Dianella WA 6059www.foiwa.org.au

If you are not already a member of Friends of Israel WA, or you have colleagues, friends or loved ones who would like to join, please log onto our website www.foiwa.org.au and join online. It is just $10 p.a.!

If you do not have access to the internet or you would like information or an application form, please contact FOIWA at PO Box 333, Dianella WA 6059 or email foiwa@amnet.net.au or phone Secretary, Phil Samuell on 9275 2244.

Membership of the Friends of Israel (WA) is all about

• SUPPORTING ISRAEL AS THE STATE OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE.

• DEFENDING ISRAEL’S RIGHT TO LIVE IN PEACE AND SECURITY.

• ENSURING ACCURATE AND FAIR REPORTING ON ISRAEL.

JEFFERY GOLDBERG TWEETED – ON THE DEMISE OF AL-JAzEERA AMERICA:

“If I won Powerball, I would buy Al-Jazeera America but then turn it into a Jewish cooking network.”

Operating MissiOns tO israel since 2004

get inside israel with the experts in first-class Missions

THE BEST WAY TO GET THE REAL STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS!

NEXT MISSION 30 MAY - 6 JUNE 2016

For information contact Lee Edmundson on 0459 185 040

FOIWA News Summer 2016.indd 8 26/01/16 10:48 AM