5 Reasons to Reject BDS

Arab citizens back Israel

Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Arabic social media outlets, usually brimming with comments criticizing Israel over their treatment of Palestinians, is flooded with remarks by citizens of Arab countries exhibiting aversion of Hamas over its 'exploitation' of Gaza and its residents in Friday's border riots

Aside from the usual clamor flooding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Arabic social media outlets denouncing Israel for its treatment of the Palestinian populace, a surprisingly large number of people voiced their support of the state following Friday's Hamas-led protest on the Gaza border, in which nine people were killed.

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The ministry's Facebook and Twitter pages were brimming with comments from residents of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan and other Arab countries, who backed Israel's side of the conflict and lambasted Hamas for its exploitation of the inhabitants of Gaza, who they rule.

This is the land (of Israel), and who are you?" wrote one commentator addressing the Great March of Return protesters, questioning their right of return to territories that are now Israel. "My heart is with my Jewish cousins. There is no escaping the fact that Hamas' Palestinian terrorism will inevitably end," he added.

"We hope that our Palestinian brothers will not be dragged by Hamas' terror plots, which will only harm the Palestinians," Ahmad from Basra in Iraq wrote. "We must act for peace between the State of Israel and the Palestinians."

A picture of a Palestinian baby photographed alongside tires intended to be torched in the "Friday of Tires" riots sparked great uproar among commentators.

"Gazan children need clean air, not air that has been contaminated with the burning of tires of hatred," a Jordanian citizen wrote, chiding Hamas over their initiative. He added that Gaza needs fresh leadership that can move it forward "from the age of conflict and hunger to the light of humanity, knowledge and love."

He then claimed that the leaders of Hamas were drawing their ideas from Hitler and Iran. "The time has come to throw them into the dustbin of history, along with their hate tires," he concluded.

"Mercy and humanity have faded from your hearts, Hamas leaders," wrote Omar. Another referenced the picture of the baby, writing, "Your tiny body will be used by them (Hamas). They will trade in your blood, my children; they will trade in your pure soul. My dear Palestinians—they will trade in your story."

Itamar Eichner|Published:  04.09.18 , 13:08

Waffle House Hero James Shaw Jr.

I've noticed that heroes never boast about themselves. This young man saved many lives today, and may have inspired others in a similar situation to emulate him. What can you say about a young American like this? Thank you James Shaw Jr.!   mfbr

The man who wrestled the gun away from a Waffle House shooting suspect in Tennessee said Sunday if he were going to die, the gunman would "have to work to kill me."

Police are calling James Shaw Jr. a hero for saving lives in the busy restaurant, but the 29-year-old Nashville resident said he only made a split-second decision to do all he could to challenge the shooter and save himself from being killed.

Shaw said at a news conference Sunday he had spent an evening out at a nightclub and entered the restaurant minutes ahead of the gunman's arrival. He said he and another friend were seated at a high counter when he heard gunshots. Shaw said he had just seen restaurant workers stacking up freshly washed plates and thought at first that plates had crashed down.

Then, he said, restaurant workers scattered and he turned and saw a body near the front door as the gunman burst in. It was then he realized he had heard gunshots.

"I looked back and I saw a person lying on the ground right at the entrance of the door, then I jumped and slid ... I went behind a push door — a swivel door," Shaw said. "He shot through that door; I'm pretty sure he grazed my arm. At that time I made up my mind ... that he was going to have to work to kill me. When the gun jammed or whatever happened, I hit him with the swivel door."

Shaw said it was then that they began wrestling, ignoring his own pain as he grabbed the hot barrel of the gun: "He was kind of cussing while we were wrestling around. When I finally got the gun he was cussing like I was in the wrong ... it wasn't any kind of talking between us; I just knew I just had to get that away from him."

Of the gun, he added: "I grabbed it from him and threw it over the countertop and I just took him with me out the entrance." Shaw said after getting the man out of the Waffle House, he then ran one way and saw the suspect jogging or trotting another way.

Shaw's right hand was bandaged at the news conference from the struggle. He also said he had an apparent bullet graze on one elbow and fell and hit his knee as he escaped and skinned up some fingers.

He added he didn't see himself as a hero, adding he's certain he wouldn't be alive if he hadn't succeeded in his mission.

"I didn't really fight that man to save everyone else. That may not be a popular thing," Shaw said. "I took the gun so I could get myself out" of the situation.

Tears welled in his eyes at the news conference as law enforcement agents called him a hero. He said he was glad he ended up saving other lives.

Waffle House CEO Walter Ehmer also thanked Shaw at the news conference for his bravery.

"You don't get to meet too many heroes in life," Ehmer said before addressing Shaw, who dabbed at his eyes. "We are forever in your debt." —(AP)

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UN Nikki Haley had strong words for top Palestinian Negotiator Saeb Erekat on Monday: "I will not shut up."

United States Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley had strong words for top Palestinian Negotiator Saeb Erekat on Monday: "I will not shut up."


Her remarks, made at a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York, were a firm response to comments made by Erekat earlier this month, in which he called her "impudent" and told her to "shut up" regarding her criticisms of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

"But I will decline the advice I was recently given by your top negotiator, Saeb Erekat. I will not shut up," she said. "Rather, I will respectfully speak some hard truths."


Haley also disparaged the repetitive nature of the meeting's rhetoric, opening her statement by saying, "this session on the Middle East has been taking place each month for many many years, its focus has been almost entirely on issues facing Israelis and Palestinians, and we have heard many of the same arguments and ideas over and over again, we have already heard them again this morning. It is as if saying the same things repeatedly, without actually doing the hard work and making the necessary compromises, will achieve anything. "

Haley again remarked on the UN's preoccupation with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying that serious security and humanitarian challenges in Syria and other areas of the Middle East should be the topic of discussion, rather than to "sit here, month after month, and use the most democratic country in the Middle East as a scapegoat for the region's problems... but here we go again."

Haley said the administration "stands ready" to work with the Palestinian leadership. "Our negotiators are sitting behind me," she said. "But we will not chase after you."

"You don't have to like that decision," she said, of Trump's Jerusalem move. "You don't have to praise it. You don't even have to accept this. But know this: That decision will not change."

Haley said that Abbas faced two paths: one of anger toward the Americans and incitement of Palestinians to violence against Israelis, or one of direct negotiations with both.

Of the first, she warned: "I assure you that path will get the Palestinian people exactly nowhere toward the achievement of their aspiration".