Here and there

1. US. I am outraged at the cavalier attitude exhibited by the Jewish organizers of the anti-Iran demonstration in NY. Not only should they have criticized Sen. Obama for forcing Sen. Hillary Clinton from backing out of her commitment to speak at the rally, but they definitely should not have disinvited Gov. Palin, the Republican VP candidate. By backing out, Clinton changed the rally from a bipartisan presentation to a partisan one. But, that's the price the Democrats should have paid for forcing Clinton not to participate. The action of the Jewish organizing committee in disinviting Palin, on the grounds that the rally would then be "partisan," was unacceptable, since this shows that they too bowed to Democratic Party censorship tactics. As it is, Gov. Palin's speech, released early, was excellent and to the point in criticizing the Iranian drive to develop nuclear weapons with the intention of "wiping Israel off the map." This is unacceptable in international relations, but has not raised more than a whimper at the UN. This change in plenary speakers shows the enemy that in fact the US is divided in its approach, with Obama and the Churches that have invited Pres. Ahmedinejad to a "conciliatory" dinner, favoring the quiet diplomacy approach, while experience has shown that the Iranians are way beyond that stage, having made fools of the EU negotiators in quiet diplomacy over the past 8 years. Only a strong sanctions regime imposed by the world powers will do any good, but unfortunately Russia has prevented a further UN Security Council resolution on sanctions from being passed for their own political reasons.

2. Israel. Last night an East Jerusalem Arab resident from the village of Jebel Mukaber drove a car into a group of IDF soldiers crossing the road in front of the Jaffa Gate. 17 of them were injured, two seriously, but the terrorist was killed immediately by an officer who opened fire on him as well as by two bystanders who shot him. A report said that he did this because his cousin refused to marry him. In another incident near the settlement of Yizhar north of Jerusalem a youth carrying a Molotov cocktail was observed leaving the nearby Arab village and was challenged by IDF guards, whereupon he threw the bottle and was shot dead. Later it was discovered that he was 14 years old, and was the same person who had entered Yizhar last week and after setting some fires stabbed a 9 year old boy several times and then escaped. He was found to be carrying the same knife used to stab that boy.

3. UK. The Labor Party of the UK is having its annual convention. PM Gordon Brown is struggling to maintain his control against a minor revolt. Many see him as staid and unimaginative and being overcome by events, including the economic crisis. So far 17 Labor MPs have expressed a public desire to have a Party leadership contest. But, that is not enough to unseat him. The favored candidate to replace him, if he should succumb, is FM David Miliband, who is Jewish . Wouldn't it be surprising to have a Jewish PM in the UK. But, you can't count Brown out yet.