UNESCO’s Denial of Jewish History and the Western Servility That Enables It

Last week, UNESCO passed its already infamous resolution about the Temple Mount that makes no mention of any historical or present-day Jewish connection to the site. Voting in favor were Muslim enemies and allies of Israel—Algeria, Lebanon, Iran, Egypt, and Morocco—while France and Spain abstained. In response, Israel cut ties with the organization. The unwillingness of the two Western countries to contest the most wildly false Muslim claims is both regrettable and typical, writes Ephraim Herrera:

A Muslim country’s recognition of the Jewish people’s right to any [of the biblical holy] places is considered by Islam to be heresy. . . . Any Israeli effort to sway the Muslim vote, including among countries with which it has ties, is destined to fail.

A month ago, the French newspaper Le Figaro published an interview with a researcher who analyzes seventh-grade textbooks, as this is the grade in which the French curriculum teaches about Islam. His main conclusion was that [the books] “swept under the rug anything that could interfere with conflict-free teaching of the history of Islamic culture, in a manner bordering on servility—all in the service of dogmatic praise for a shared life.” The researcher raised examples not only of ignored facts, but also of factual distortions.

The reason behind this sort of behavior on the part of Western countries is fear, whether of conflict with their own Muslim communities or of conflict with the Muslim countries that buy tens of millions of dollars of their products. . . . Israel must refuse to be the scapegoat for the West’s obsequiousness. The decision to cut ties with UNESCO is an important step in that direction.

Read more at Israel Hayom

More about: Europe and Israel, Islam, Israel & Zionism, Temple Mount, UNESCO

 

Hizballah Is Learning Israel’s Weak Spots

On Tuesday, a Hizballah drone attack injured three people in northern Israel. The next day, another attack, targeting an IDF base, injured eighteen people, six of them seriously, in Arab al-Amshe, also in the north. This second attack involved the simultaneous use of drones carrying explosives and guided antitank missiles. In both cases, the defensive systems that performed so successfully last weekend failed to stop the drones and missiles. Ron Ben-Yishai has a straightforward explanation as to why: the Lebanon-backed terrorist group is getting better at evading Israel defenses. He explains the three basis systems used to pilot these unmanned aircraft, and their practical effects:

These systems allow drones to act similarly to fighter jets, using “dead zones”—areas not visible to radar or other optical detection—to approach targets. They fly low initially, then ascend just before crashing and detonating on the target. The terrain of southern Lebanon is particularly conducive to such attacks.

But this requires skills that the terror group has honed over months of fighting against Israel. The latest attacks involved a large drone capable of carrying over 50 kg (110 lbs.) of explosives. The terrorists have likely analyzed Israel’s alert and interception systems, recognizing that shooting down their drones requires early detection to allow sufficient time for launching interceptors.

The IDF tries to detect any incoming drones on its radar, as it had done prior to the war. Despite Hizballah’s learning curve, the IDF’s technological edge offers an advantage. However, the military must recognize that any measure it takes is quickly observed and analyzed, and even the most effective defenses can be incomplete. The terrain near the Lebanon-Israel border continues to pose a challenge, necessitating technological solutions and significant financial investment.

Read more at Ynet

More about: Hizballah, Iron Dome, Israeli Security