(BLOG) Israel ‘Destroyed’ Gaza Hospital That Never Existed

"Another anti-Israeli campaign, this time charging that the IDF destroyed a Christian hospital in Gaza earlier this year, has gone up in smoke following an investigation by the Jewish Telegraph Agency (JTA). One question remains: what was supposed to happen with the $1.67 million raised for 'rebuilding' the hospital?

Several months ago a fundraising campaign was conducted in Greece, with a star-studded telethon for the hospitals that Israel allegedly 'destroyed with their bombs' during the Operation Cast Lead counterterrorist campaign from last December through mid-January.

The JTA revealed that the supposed hospital was not on United Nations and Red Crescent Society lists of damaged structures. Officials of non-government groups (NGOs) in Gaza told the American Jewish news network that only one Christian hospital was used during the campaign and that it did not sustain any damage.

When questioned, the Greek television station that broadcast the telethon said it was only responsible for providing the air time and that the government and a trade union were behind the campaign. The union referred the JTA to the government.

The Greek ambassador in Israel in turn referred the JTA to the Greek consulate in Jerusalem.

After the investigation began, a financial newspaper in Greece published a small article that 'a project is being sought in Gaza to be financed by the money' that was raised in the February telethon." (source)

(NEWS) Jewish Soccer Stars Will Not Play On Yom Kippur

"West Ham's senior coach Paul Groves will take charge of the team for their Premier League game at Stoke on Saturday as Avram Grant has been excused for religious reasons.

Israeli Grant will observe Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, which is the most important in the Jewish religious calendar and Hammers co-owner David Sullivan is hugely sympathetic to his manager's religious predicament.

''In the world we live in one has to respect somebody's religion,'' Sullivan told ESPNsoccernet. 'Sadly the Day of Atonement falls on a Saturday one year in seven and sadly for us it's this year.'



Zeljko Petrovic, West Ham's assistant manager, is not believed to be favoured to take over the role in Grant's absence, and Groves is primed to take control, perhaps given his experience of managing Grimsby in over 100 games.

Tal Ben Haim, the Israeli international defender, also will be missing from the Hammers squad and it couldn't come at a worse time for the Hammers as they are rooted at the bottom of the table with no points.

Grant has always observed Yom Kippur in the past. In 2007, only 36 hours after being appointed Chelsea manager, he observed Yom Kippur even though it was the day before a vital away match at Manchester United.

According to the Jewish Chronicle, Avi Cohen, the first ever Israeli to play in England, caused a storm in Israel when he turned out for Liverpool in a match against Southampton on Yom Kippur in 1980.

Avi Cohen's son Tamir currently plays for Bolton, who are away to Aston Villa on Yom Kippur, although he has not appeared for the first team this season. Chelsea's Yossi Benayoun and Blackpool's Dekel Keinan play at Stamford Bridge in a Sunday game, and are therefore unaffected." (source)

(BLOG) Campus Fueled With Ignorance

"Today committed AUJS and Hagshama representatives were set up at The University of Western Australia promoting Israel, democracy and peace in the Middle East. Mostly it was very successful. UWA students were very receptive and willing to hear the positive messages being delivered by the AUJS team.

Sadly though, there was one ignorant incident. One of our AUJS members offered a longhaired barefooted young man a piece of cake and an opportunity to sign our peace mural. The man replied boorishly 'there’s no cake in Palestine' and continued walking. This comment was not only completely incorrect; it demonstrated how ridiculous the left wing deals with the Israeli Arab conflict."