Roundup

Roundup from page 12

The commission will be entitled to call
the prime minister, defense minister,
other government ministers and the
Israeli army's chief of staff to testify. It
also can request military documents and
summaries of investigations currently
being undertaken by a military investi-
gative team headed by former National
Security Council head Maj.-Gen. Giora
Eiland. The commission will not inter-
view soldiers.

Hamas Stops Junk Food

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- A day after it was
reported that Israel had eased its embar-
go in order to allow snack foods and
sweet drinks into Gaza, Hamas leaders
said they would not allow in the items.
The Hamas officials instead called on
Israel to allow construction materials
into the coastal strip. Along with the
snack foods and sweet drinks, spices and
shaving cream also were allowed recently
into the coastal strip, Palestinian officials
told Reuters on June 9.
"We want Israel to lift the ban on
textile, clothes, office equipment, paper

products and school equipment,"
Palestinian liaison official Raed Fattouh
told Reuters. "But mostly, we want
[Israel] to allow the transfer of cement
and iron because these are the really
essential materials?'

U.S. Rejects Hezbollah
WASHINGTON (JTA) -- The Obama
administration will not treat Hezbollah
as being divided into political and mili-
tary factions.
"Despite the group's rhetoric and polit-
ical campaigning, there remains today no
meaningful distinction between the mili-
tary and political wings of Hezbollah,"
Jeffrey Feltman, the assistant secretary of
state in charge of the Middle East, testi-
fied on June 8 to the U.S. Senate Middle
East subcommittee.
Feltman's remarks appeared to be
aimed at ending a controversy started
last month when President Obama's
counterterrorism adviser, John Brennan,
suggested that the United States should
cultivate Hezbollah "moderates" in the
Lebanese government, as opposed to the

BIRMINGHAM

phAkcE

militants who run the terrorist group.
Feltman said the United States would
deal with the group, which launched a
2006 war against Israel, should it leave
behind its terrorism — but added that
he believed it to be unlikely.
"Should Hezbollah truly desire to join
the ranks of Lebanon's other political
groups in its democratic system, its path
would be clear: It would fully disarm,
like all other militias, renounce terrorism
and political intimidation, and acknowl-
edge the authority of the government of
Lebanon and that government's right,
like other governments, to a monopoly
on the use of force he said. "Under those
circumstances we could reconsider the
group's status.
"Make no mistake, these are significant
hurdles, and we have seen no indication
to date that Hezbollah is ready to take
these steps."
The Iran-backed group, Feltman said,
"remains the most technically capable
terrorist group in the world and a contin-
ued security threat to the United States?'

Answering
Israel's Critics

The Charge
MSNBC commentator Pat Buchanan
said earlier this month that people
need to wake up to "the horrors" of
Zionism.

The Answer

Buchanan's remark is not legitimate
criticism, as his reaction to Israeli
action on the Gaza aid ship smears
Jewish nationalism rather than taking
issue with Israel's government or mili-
tary. Zionism and Israel are recognized
and legitimized by most governments
in the world as well as by the United
Nations.

Allan Gale,

Jewish Community Relations

Council of Metropolitan Detroit

Jewish Renaissance Media • June 17, 2010

Model Close Out

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