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National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
NGA-003
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Enterprise Workforce System (November 19, 2013, 78 FR 69393)
Human Development Directorate, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, 7500 GEOINT Drive, Springfield, VA 22150.
Current and former NGA employees, military personnel, independent industry advisors, contractors, and foreign visitors employed by or assigned to NGA facilities.
Identifying information, such as name, date of birth, place of birth, address, telephone numbers, email addresses, employee identification number, job title and band, emergency contact information, supervisor's contact information, photographs, passport and/or drivers' license information, citizenship, polygraph, security clearance, access control passes, payroll information, Social Security Number (SSN), time and attendance, performance, awards and bonuses, duty location, education and training data, military and veterans status, gender, ethnicity/race indicator, disability data, drug, vision and medical test results for deployment readiness.
50 U.S.C. §402a; Coordination of counterintelligence activities; Executive Order 10450, Security requirements for Government employment; Executive Order 12968 Access to classified information; 5 CFR part 732, National security positions; 5 CFR part 736, Personnel Investigations; 32 CFR part 147, Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Intelligence Directive (DCID) 6/4, Personnel Security Standards and Procedures Governing Eligibility for Access to Sensitive Compartmented Information; 5 U.S.C. 301 Departmental Regulations; DoDD 5105.60, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA); 5 U.S.C. 7532, Suspension and Removal; Employees; E.O. 12958, Classified National Security Information; DoD 5200.2-R, DoD Personnel Security Program; Director of Central Intelligence Directive No. 1/14, Personnel Security Standards and Procedures Governing Eligibility for Access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI); and E.O. 9397 (SSN), as amended.
NGA collects, uses, maintains, and disseminates employee information to facilitate a variety of NGA's mission-related duties, including activities related to administrative matters, account creation, operations support, access controls, workforce security, training records, expertise, competency management, polygraph information, drug, vision and medical test results, Federal reporting requirements, and international counterintelligence. NGA Enterprise Workforce System data, which includes personally identifiable information (PII), is necessary for NGA to effectively and efficiently conduct its mission on multiple levels by using PII provided by employees and contingent workers.
In addition to those disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C. 552a(b) of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, these records may be specifically disclosed outside of the DoD as a routine use pursuant to 5 U.S.C. a(b)(3) as follows:
The DoD Blanket Routine Uses set forth at the beginning of NGA's compilation or systems of records notices apply to this system.
Records in this system are stored electronically.
Records may be retrieved by name or other personal identifier listed above in the Categories of Records.
Records in this system are safeguarded in accordance with applicable rules and policies, including all applicable NGA automated systems security and access policies. Strict controls have been imposed to minimize the risk of compromising the information that is being stored. Access to the computer system containing the records in this system is limited to those individuals who have a need to know the information for the performance of their official duties and who have appropriate clearances or permissions. Some of the technical controls include, limited, role based access as well as profiles based access to limit users to only data that is needed for the performance of their official duties. The system is located in a secure data center and operated by Federal personnel.
NGA will delete or destroy these records three years after the end date of employment with NGA.
Individuals seeking to determine whether this system of records contains information about themselves should address written inquiries to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act Office, 7500 GEOINT Drive, Springfield, VA 22150.
The request envelope and letter should both be clearly marked "Privacy Act Inquiry."
The written request must contain your full name, current address, and date and place of birth. Also include an explanation of why you believe NGA would have information on you and specify when you believe the records would have been created.
You must sign your request and your signature must either be notarized or an unsworn declaration made in accordance with 28 U.S.C. 1746, in the following format:
If executed outside the United States:
'I declare (or certify, verify, or state).under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on (date). (Signature)'.
If executed within the United States, its territories, possessions, or commonwealths: 'I declare (or certify, verify, or state) under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on (date). Signature)'.
Individuals seeking access to this system of records contains information about themselves should address written inquiries to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act Office, 7500 GEOINT Drive, Springfield, VA 22150.
Individuals contesting the accuracy of records in this system of records contains information about themselves should address written inquiries to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act Office, 7500 GEOINT Drive, Springfield, VA 22150.
Information originates from the individual and from sources contacted during personnel and background investigations.
Information specifically authorized to be classified under E.O. 12958, as implemented by DoD 5200.1-R, may be exempt pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(1).
Investigatory material compiled for law enforcement purposes, other than material within the scope of subsection 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2), may be exempt pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2). However, if an individual is denied any right, privilege, or benefit for which he would otherwise be entitled by Federal law or for which he would otherwise be eligible, as a result of the maintenance of the information, the individual will be provided access to the information exempt to the extent that disclosure would reveal the identity of a confidential source. NOTE: When claimed, this exemption allows limited protection of investigative reports maintained in a system of records used in personnel or administrative actions.
An exemption rule for this system has been promulgated in accordance with requirements of 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(1), (2), and (3), (c) and (e) published in 32 CFR Part 320. For additional information, contact the system manager.
May 24, 2013, 78 FR 31526; November 19, 2013, 78 FR 69393.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


For the big maintenance projects on your garage door such as such as replacing the electric motor or the spring bar, you will need to get a trained technician. However, there are some small maintenance tasks that anyone can handle. This is the kind of maintenance that will keep you out of a jam, and make sure you get the maximum life out of your roller door.
Checking your garage door regularly is important for making sure it always runs smoothly. Not every time you use it, but at least once every month, you should give it a good once-over, and make sure you notice any potential problem before it becomes a major headache.
Like looking for a car's flat tyre, you just have to look over the parts and make sure the spring, the track and the motor are not worn or bent. If you have an automatic garage door, check that the bounce-back mechanism is working, by setting the door to close and then trying to stop it by holding your hands under it. If it won't stop, pull your hands back and get a trained repairman to see what's wrong.
Finally, you should put some lubricant (like silicone) onto the track and wheels once or twice a year. This regular lubrication will prolong the life of the equipment, and make it run smoothly and more quietly.
What if it just won't open? Sometimes the problem is the electronics. Did someone leave a shovel or a toy in the corner of the garage? If so, it's possibly blocking the electric eye beam, and no automatic garage door will shut with something blocking the motion sensor safety feature. The beam can also be blocked with cobwebs, insects and dust. If it looks like you haven't cleaned that corner of the garage in a while, try cleaning the photo electric eye very carefully, and see if that gets things operating normally.
If it's still not working, make sure the two eyes are directly facing each other. If one has been knocked out of kilter and is facing away from the other eye, the beam won't connect and the door will think something is blocking it. A laser level makes this re-alignment easier, however a regular spirit level can also do the job.
When you have a blackout, of course, the electric motor won't run, but it should return to normal as soon as the power is restored. If it still won't work when the power comes back on, check that the fuse hasn't been tripped. If that's working as it should be, then plug another appliance into the powerpoint to make sure the power is still working from that particular point.
Your remote may be another reason as to why your garage door isn't opening. Make sure the antenna (usually a wire about 20 centimetres in length) is hanging down from the motor, because that's the part that picks up the coded signal from the remote.
Batteries in a remote control last a long time, but they do eventually wear out. The best way to check if low power in the remote is the problem is to try the wall switch. If that operates the garage door but the remote doesn't, get some new batteries. If neither of those work, then try reprogramming the remote so that you're sure the signals it's sending are the right ones.
Problems with the rollers and the rail they run on can grow from a small glitch to a major problem that prevents the door working altogether. Eventually, the unit can become dangerous because of the weight of the door and the strength of the spring. If it seems to have a problem in just one spot, then you can get the door operating properly by yourself. Check visually to see where it is bent. If this is the case, you've probably been hearing an odd rubbing sound as the rollers pass that spot in the track for some time, and it might even seem to slow down or hiccup.
If it just looks like dirt and grime in a particular spot, use a strong household cleaner to get rid of any dust and dirt that's accumulated. If that spot is bent out of shape, you need to loosen the screws near the position, and then straighten out the problem part of the running track with a rubber mallet. When the alignment is right and you've checked it with a level, tighten the screws back up and see if the problem has been solved. You might have to repeat the process on the other track once the first problem is corrected.
Sometimes, the screws that hold the track to the garage wall are loose. Tighten them up if you can, and see if this remedies the problem. If the hole is enlarged, remove the bracket and insert a plug to tighten the screw. If the wall has gaps near the screw, use wood filler to repair the cracks and re-attach the running track. If possible, you should move the hinge to a new piece of wood, and not simply re-attach it where you've used the wood filler.
If the damage has got beyond the rubbing or slight grinding stage, and especially if the garage door won't move at all, you'll have to get some professional help. Ordinary tools won't fix the tracks, and you might even need new tracks to ensure the door operates properly.
Ensuring your garage door has a long and happy life is possible if you follow some rules. Do not let small problems develop into big ones, and always check your door frequently or if you hear any rubbing or grinding sounds. Also, if the spring or another large part of the equipment fails... it's time to call the repairman.


Now, it may seem wrong to tell such a … well, a big old fat lie to your kid, but I'm a big believer in the concept of "net good", and I'm pretty sure that leaving my daughter with a memory of her mother sitting on the kitchen floor in her "sock monkeys and air stream trailers" pajamas hacking away at her gingerbread house with a baby spoon would not be good for anyone.
Aside from liberally editing annoying children's stories and the seizure of gingerbread house candy, there are other parenting moments of which I am not particularly proud. For example, telling my three-year-old that although it was unfortunate that her binky was missing, she had surpassed the approved "binky use" age threshold and would therefore need to soldier on through childhood without it. (It worked well, by the way. She never asked for it again). Or, insisting to my son that there was a Storm Trooper hiding in the basement so that he would embark on a "search and destroy mission" and leave me alone to write on my blog. Or my running narrative of nearly every Disney princess tale where I inform my daughter that if Cinderella had stayed in school and gotten her Master's Degree she could've moved out on her own and not married the first boy that asked her to dance. (I'm sticking by that one.) Or my favorite seasonal lie: "I'm emailing Santa, not his elves, him. I'm sure he'll be interested to know that you think I'm a "total meaner" for making you fold your clothes." I can solicit all kinds of good behavior with that one.
Let's face it folks, a lot of parenting is just finding the smallest lie that works best at the time. Is it wrong? Almost probably. Is it effective? You betcha, and if you really think about it, believing tiny little lies are a lot of what childhood is about anyway. Sometimes lies sustain the wonder of the child (ala Santa, the Tooth Fairy and the belief that you really can grow up to be a Jedi). Sometimes lies, however, sustain the sanity of the parent. And when there is not much sanity to be found, I'll take it where I can find it. Even if it's stuck to the roof of my kid's gingerbread house.


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Home >> TV Series DVD Box Set >> The 4400 The Complete Series DVD Box Set
The 4400 The Complete Series DVD Box Set
Product Information of The 4400 The Complete Series DVD
Actors: Scott Peters
Boxed Set: Yes
Format: Support both NTSC & PAL
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
DVD Release Date: 2017
Summary of The 4400 The Complete Series DVD
The 4400 (pronounced "the forty-four hundred") is a science fiction television series produced by CBS Paramount Network Television in association with BSkyB, Renegade 83, and American Zoetrope for USA Network.The show was created and written by Scott Peters and René Echevarria, and it starred Joel Gretsch and Jacqueline McKenzie. The series ran for four seasons from 2004 until its cancellation in 2007.In the pilot episode,The 4400 The Complete Series DVD an enormous ball of light deposits a group of exactly 4400 people in the Cascade Range foothills near Mount Rainier, Washington. Each of the 4400 had disappeared at various times starting from 1936 in a beam of white light. None of the 4400 have aged from the time of their disappearance. Confused and disoriented, they remember nothing between the time of their disappearance and their return.


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BOOK REVIEW: 'NO MAN'S LAND'
No Man's Land: 1918, The Last Year of the Great War (World War I) ; by John Toland; Bison Books (September 1, 2002); ISBN 10: 0803294514
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Sophie in the open car.
At precisely 11:00 am, on November 11th, 1918, the guns of World War I finally fell silent in Europe. It was the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month of the fourth year of a war that — inconceivable though it was when viewed in retrospect — had actually begun because of the assassination of only two people: the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his wife, Sophie, at the hands of a Serbian fanatic. Thus, Ferdinand and Sophie became the first casualties in the European conflagration to come, a conflict that would, in due course, come to be known as "The Great War". However, they would not be the last: in fact, before the conflict that their pointless murders had ignited finally ran its long bloody course, the deaths of Franz Ferdinand and his wife would be followed by those of another ten million people; and a whole generation of European youth (two out of every nine Frenchmen, for example, who went to the front never came back) would ultimately be consumed — either physically or psychologically — by the industrialized slaughter of a new type of warfare in which hostile armies turned to trenches, machineguns, barbed wire, breech-loading artillery, and poison gas to work their terrible business on the battlefield. Tragically, the armistice that began on November 11th between the Central Powers and the Western Allies did not bring about a halt to the fighting everywhere; in fact, the killing would continue in Russia between the Bolsheviks and their political rivals, and in parts of the crumbling Ottoman Empire well after the guns fell silent on the Western Front. But, on the bloody battlefields of France and Flanders, the killing had finally ended. However, along with the killing, the power of many of Europe's oldest royal dynasties, the long-established borders of nations, and even the shared (if imperfectly realized) European political ideals that had underpinned a century of relatively peaceful (acknowledging, of course, the comparatively short duration Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and Franco-Prussian War of 1870) continental order also came to an end.
Hindenburg, Kaiser Wilhelm II, and Eric Ludendorff
In "No Man's Land: 1918, The Last Year of the Great War ", Pulitzer Prize winning author, John Toland, revisits the major events, diplomatic, economic, political, and military that combined, in the course of 1918, both to shape the ultimate outcome of the First World War, and to plant the seeds for the next more cataclysmic European war that would erupt a mere generation later. The scope of Toland's carefully-researched work is surprisingly wide; and although the focus of author's narrative, as might be expected, is on the Western Front, important events in Russia, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, Italy, and even the Middle East are all considered as part of his ambitious study.
German troops during Operation Michael, March 1918
In structure, Toland's book follows a relatively simple and orderly chronological outline. Hence, the author begins his narrative by introducing both the dominant political actors and the senior military commanders on both sides before launching into a detailed description of the last great German offensive in the west, Operation Michael, in the spring of 1918. Interestingly, it is while describing this massive German attack and its Janus-like effects on both the mood of the Allied leadership and on the morale of the German high command, that Toland is able to examine the complex relationships that connected the various heads of state to their generals, and how those various (often stormy) relationships actually affected the day-to-day events on the battlefield. To this end, the author catalogs, among other things, the almost mystical power of Ludendorf over the German Kaiser; the deep enmity (bordering on mutual loathing) between the British Prime Minister, David Lloyd George and his top commander in France, Field Marshal Douglas Haig; the petty jealousies and mistrust that colored relations between the French leader, Clemenceau, and most of his senior military commanders; and finally, the intransigence of the American general, "Black Jack" Pershing who, in his adamant refusal to parse out newly-arriving American troops to front line duty under French and British commanders, drove his fellow Allied generals into fits of frustrated anger. This portion of the book, in some ways, presents a startling portrait of powerful men faced with enormous challenges, who, at the same time that they grappled with truly life-or-death issues, nonetheless allowed themselves to be influenced by the petty resentments and infantile grudges of the "schoolyard".
Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig
The first few chapters of "No Man's Land", clearly illustrate both Toland's strengths and his weaknesses as a historical writer besides describing the near success of the Michael Offensive. By way of example, when it comes to the personalities of the major historical players, and the dynamic diplomatic, military and political interactions that produced the key strategic choices of these same leaders, he describes events both clearly and with a refreshing lack of personal bias. When it comes to his battlefield descriptions, however, the author seems to be on much shakier ground. Some writers can, in the space of a few carefully-crafted sentences, distill order from confusion and convey a real sense of the ebb and flow of a particular battle. Regrettably, John Toland, whatever his other talents, is not one of those peculiarly-gifted writers. In fact, in spite of my several attempts to follow his account of military developments during Operation Michael with a set of my own detailed maps of the battle areas, I found it virtually impossible to assemble his descriptive passages into any kind of comprehensible narrative of the actual battlefield events being related. [This, by the way, points to a particularly frustrating characteristic of the "No Man's Land" presentation: maps of any kind are scarce and, in the few instances when they are included, add nothing to complement the narrative flow of the book.]
Lloyd George, Clemenceau and Wilson arrive at Versailles
As Toland's careful chronicle of the war moves from spring to summer, and then to fall, and the Allies shift from the defensive to the offensive, two particular heads of state, dramatically different both in their personal attributes and in their guiding philosophies, gradually emerge from between the pages of "No Man's Land" as crucial to the shape and timing of the armistice that will finally bring the Great War to an end in November, 1918: the exofficio dictator of wartime Germany, Erich Ludendorf; and the American president, Woodrow Wilson. One, through his intransigence and overarching arrogance, would end up guaranteeing a ruinous end to Germany's four-year struggle against the Allies, and an unstable (even toxic) future for the political life of the post-war Germany to follow; the other, blinded by his own idealism and an overweaning (almost messianic) self-confidence, would, in spite of his noble intentions, ultimately serve mainly to put a legitimate face on the disastrous peace terms that the victorious Western Allies chose to impose on their prostrate enemies in the bitter aftermath of World War I.
General John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing
arrives in Boulogne, June 1917
"No Man's Land", although it is a clearly written and carefully-researched book, is certainly not my favorite work on the First World War; nontheless, it is still a consequential and enlightening study of the final months of "The Great War" and as such, it is a worthwhile (if somewhat lengthy) read for both serious and casual students of history alike. Moreover, the book is nicely illustrated with period photographs, some of which are relatively unknown; unfortunately, as remarked upon earlier, it is extremely disappointing when it comes to usable maps. As a writer, Toland is at his best when he is describing, with surprising clarity, the complex interplay of communiques and dispatches that flew between the key decision-makers on both sides of the trenches during the many moments of crisis that punctuated these final decisive months of 1918. He is considerably less skillful when he attempts to describe the moment-by-moment chaos of the battlefield.
US Troops manning a 37mm cannon at Belleau Wood
John Toland, Pulitzer Prize or no, occupies a curious place among that relatively large body of authors who write or have written (Toland passed away in 2004) books dealing with "popular" history. If, for instance, military history "buffs" are asked to name their five favorite writers, his name will rarely if ever come up; yet, once his name is actually mentioned, it is almost always recognized immediately. One reason for this quasi-obscurity may well be because Toland's treatment of some of his historical subjects has been eccentric enough to gain relatively widespread notice, if somewhat less than widespread approval. For example, his biography of Adolf Hitler, although meticulously researched and generally well-written, nonetheless has to stand out as one of the few genuinely nonjudgmental, if not outright sympathetic studies ever written by anyone, anywhere, about the German dictator and architect of the Holocaust. Thus, my guardedly positive verdict on "No Man's Land" should probably come as no surprise to those readers who have come this far. Given both the book's strong and weak points, I feel I am obliged to rate "No Man's Land" at three-and-a half stars: it is most assuredly an excellent study of the cascading rush of events which pushed the belligerents, sometimes against their wills, to finally accept the war's end, despite a battlefield outcome that was curiously unsatisfying to both sides; unfortunately, the power of the book's narrative, as already noted, weakens appreciably every time the story shifts from the diplomatic, political, and economic fronts to the bloody and often inconclusive fighting that raged back and forth between the opposing trench lines that scarred the entire length of the Western Front. This is certainly not a critical flaw, but it is not a trivial one, either.
Meuse Argonne Offensive
Finally, as a sort of postscript, I should note that because of Toland's decision to limit his inquiry to the final year of the Great War, comparisons between "No Man's Land" and Barbara Tuchman's wonderfully-crafted study of the tragic mistakes and miscalculations that propelled otherwise reasonable men into starting World War I, "The Guns of August", are inevitable. And while each author writes with his or her own distinctive voice, the two books, nonetheless, complement each other nicely. Tuchman's book, at least in my view, is the more emotionally engaging and gracefully written of the two, but both are still important studies of their respective historical periods; and as such, they each have a great deal to offer to any reader who is genuinely curious about the events that lead up to and then ended the First World War and with it, Europe's relatively brief "Age of Innocence".
Besides allowing me time to surf my favorite wargaming sites (as well as almost getting heat stroke), my recent break from blogging also permitted me, at long last, to catch up on some of the reading that I had, for one reason or another, been postponing for far too long. Since my main interests, at least when it comes to military history, have always been in those topics relating to World War II, the American Civil War, and the Napoleonic Wars, I decided, this time around, to concentrate on subjects about which I was considerably less well-informed. World War I, dreary as the topic might be to most contemporary students of military affairs, seemed like a good place to start.


We've had a teensy bit more than our fair share of rain over the last few weeks – apparently twice as much as would normally be expected for March! That's obviously a VERY GOOD thing when it comes to filling up the barragens (reservoirs) and keeping the countryside lovely and green (Sintra is looking even more beautiful than normal if you can believe such a thing) but we have to admit that we've missed the sunshine and it's been lovely to have it back in full force this week. And, like most cities after rain, Lisbon is looking even more fabulous than normal – in our humble opinion, anyway.
So here, in celebration of sunshine after rain and of beautiful spring days and of a city filled with colour and light, are a few snaps that we've taken over the last few days; our postcard(s) from Lisbon, if you will. Hope you like them!
They call me mellow yellow (quite rightly)!


The official Twitter account for the game brands sprite/fairys announced on Thursday that a television anime adaptation of the upcoming adult game Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm: Beyond the sky, into the firmament has been green-lit. The brand sprite describes the game's genre as an "adventure game in which girls ride the skies and fall in love."
The story is set in an archipelago of four islands far south of Japan or even the South Seas. It is all but a different world from modern Japan. From the discovery of anti-gravitons came the dream invention of anti-graviton shoes ("grash") that let people fly the skies. They introduce people to a new realm by enabling flight with just one's own body strength, without feathers or engines. This led to the rise of the sport of "Flying Circus" (dogfight race).
The game features planner and main scenario writer Nachi Kio (The Fruit of Grisaia), as well as scenario writers Ryōichi Watanabe ( Harumade, Kururu ) and Ryūsuke Mutsu ( Sakaagari Hurricane ). Suzumori is serving as art director and co-designing the characters with Itsuka Yūki. Elements Garden is scoring the soundtrack, and Mami Kawada is contributing the theme song and "grand ending theme song." Kotoko is contributing an insert song.
The game will ship for Windows PCs on November 28.


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Category: Israel-Arab Relations
Israel's New Paradigm for Peace with Gaza
By Ben Levitas
Former Chairman of the SAZF (Cape Council)
I watched on a Television screen monitoring the Israel/Gaza border as 3 Gazans cut a hole in the border fence, went through the no-man's land area, clamoured up an anti-Tank ditch and entered Israeli territory, where they lit fires on the Israeli side and damaged some property. While the operation lasted for several minutes, although the Gazan's were unobscured and well within sniper range, no shots or even warning shots were fired from the Israel side. Contrary to popular misconception Israel practices staggering restraint to ensure that no Gazans are harmed, unless they threaten Israeli lives. I also watched as Hamas cynically use paraplegics with artificial limbs to run towards the border fence, by paying them to do so. But again Israel refrains over and over to fire on them.
With Murderous Intent. Gazans trying to cut through barbed-wire fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel.
In South Africa more people are murdered in one week, than have been killed in the misnamed "genocide" that has been occurring since the beginning of the weekly protests by tens of thousands of Gazans along the Gaza border.
The Beauty And The beast. Beneath the veneer of South Africa's natural beauty, is an unnatural reality of 57 people murdered every day.
Recently, Gazans fired over 700 rockets into Israel during a 2 day period. No nation state can sanction or condone such aggression. Even one rocket is too much. Moreover, just this past week Gazans launched waves of incendiary arson attacks on Israel, starting more than 30 fires of farmlands, during the extremely dry summer months, when temperatures soar to 40 degrees Celsius. While on the border, I witnessed Israeli fire trucks roaming the area, ever ready to immediately quelch these fires before they spread. No nation stand would stand for this type of aggression which is aimed to burn civilian activities and animal life.!
Gunning For Israel. Rockets are fired from Gaza toward Israel, May 5, 2019 | Photo: Reuters
But Israel seems to be ready to deploy a new strategy, which is aimed at making the lives of Gazans more hopeful, than the constant dose of repression meted out by their rulers, Hamas. The average Gazan finds himself between a rock and a hard place, as state sanctioned brutality and even murder is the order of the day. Hamas also exerts almost complete economic control over the daily lives of its citizens and dishes out food and benefits only to those that toe its line. Even the fate of the Qatari money, which is handed out in cash to the Gazan authorities, finds its way first to those loyal to Hamas. Israel permits the Qatari's to do so, in order to improve the daily lives of the Gazans.
There is a strong perception in Israel, that they need to find another way to improve the quality of life of the ordinary citizens of Gaza, by taking unilateral steps, which cannot be impeded by Hamas. I was present at a briefing by the Head of the Regional council of Sderot, Mr Ophir Liebstein, close to the Gazan border when he spoke passionately about his desire to proceed with this new vision. He visualizes establishing hospitals, schools and even High-tech industries along the Gazan border, which will be aimed at offering Gazans an alternative to break free from the futility of life currently on the menu in Gaza. By seeing that cooperation offers hope and a way out of the cycle of violence, more and more Gazans will not support Hamas and choose to support those willing to work together with Israel.
Many Israelis have also realized that they can't leave Gaza to try to sort out its own problems as failure to do so is detrimentally affecting Israel. Raw sewage, which is spewing into the sea and finding its way onto Israeli beaches, because Gaza has squandered the money granted to it by the European Union to build sewage plants, is an example. Israel, at its own expense has set aside an amount of 15 Billion Shekels (63 Billion Rands) to build sewage plants in Israeli territory which will funnel waste water and sewage from Gaza, and once purified allow the return of treated water back to Gaza to assist them to grow crops. Israel is also laying a new water pipeline into Gaza that will more than double the supply of drinking water to the people of Gaza.
This new strategy has also manifested in a policy of rewarding Hamas for acting responsibly. Just today, instead of targeting the arsonists which they could easily do, Israel has offered to increase the supply of diesel to Gaza and has offered a reprieve to Gazan fishermen by extending their fishing zone, on the condition that Hamas restrain and stop these arson attacks.
Adding Fuel To The Fire? Despite 'Balloon Terror' during June 2019, Israel allows diesel into Gaza
Israelis are realizing that just because the people of Gaza have been burdened by a government that does not have their best interests at heart, that there is nevertheless something they can do to ameliorate the daily living conditions of the Gazan's daily lives. Israel is stepping up to show clearly that there is another way than conflict, and that way of cooperation offers the only path to a better life and a long term solution to coexistence.
Ben Levitas – Former Chairman of the SAZF Cape Council. Has a BA from the Hebrew University: MSc from London School of Economics and an MBA from University of Pretoria. Founded Boston House College and is an entrepreneur.
layoftheland376996452	Israel-Arab Relations	Leave a comment July 1, 2019 July 2, 2019 4 Minutes
The Israel Brief- 24-27 June 2019
The Israel Brief – 24 June 2019 – Economic plan for Palestinians revealed. 18 Brits kicked off BA flight for bomb threat. Likud and Blue and White deny coalition talks.
The Israel Brief – 25 June 2019 – Update on rape case. 13 fires in South and we check out the Bahrain confab.
The Israel Brief – 27 June 2019 – Did Russia spoof navigation system? Wrapping up Bahrain. Ehud Barak reenters politics. Space IL nixes second trip to the moon?
layoftheland376996452	Israel-Arab Relations, Israeli Politics, The Israel Brief	Leave a comment June 28, 2019 0 Minutes
Tseva Adom (code red)
By Bev Goldman
head of Israel Section, SAICC / SA Israel Chamber of Commerce Johannesburg, South Africa.
Time passes, memories fade, events are forgotten. I needed to remind myself of past traumas in Israel, and I did.
In 2001, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Al Aqsa Brigades and other terrorist groups began launching Qassam rockets at Sderot (the small town that lies about a mile outside of the Gaza Strip in the western Negev Desert) as part of the Second Intifada (2000-2005), and have continued intermittently since then.
Not only continued but intensified!
In a single day in November 2018, more than 460 rockets were launched into the south of Israel, cruelly outmatched a few months later when over a 24-hour period in May 2019, 500 rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza.
Back in 2002, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) installed a radar warning system known as Shakhar Adom, or 'red dawn'. It operated as follows: an alarm was sounded across the town when the IDF realised that a rocket was inbound. It worked extremely well, and citizens mostly had time – about 15 seconds – to find shelter from the inevitable destruction which followed.
One Israeli schoolteacher finds a unique way to help her class cope with the fear and panic in the face of Hamas rocket fire.
In 2007, a young 7-year old Israeli girl by the name of Shakhar complained about her name being associated with the warning system. In true Israeli style, ensuring that as little discomfort as possible would affect the citizens, authorities changed the name to Tseva Adom – meaning 'red colour' or 'code red' – and Tseva Adom became known across the Jewish world as '15 seconds' – the difference between life and death.
Seventeen years: 17 years during which the citizens of Sderot, and later those of other cities and towns near Gaza, have lived with the terror of imminent attack, imminent destruction, imminent death. 17 years of treading softly, holding one's breath, praying that children and spouses have reached safety in time, wondering when the next warning would come. 17 years of angst, of apprehension, of foreboding – how do people live like that?
Three years after the first radar warning was installed in Sderot, it was installed in Ashkelon, a city lying north of the Gaza Strip near the Mediterranean coast, further away from Gaza than Sderot, then also under siege from rockets and imminent death. But aha! Ashkelon did better than Sderot. Why? Because its citizens had 30 seconds' warning instead of 15 – much more time to find shelter. And did the citizens of Ashkelon cope with that trauma? 30 seconds – the difference between life and death. Not quite shades of Sophie's Choice, but near enough.
While everyone involved suffered unimaginable horrors, it was the children who really bore the brunt of the attacks. Post-traumatic stress disorders, hyperactivity, problems with sleeping, detachment from friends, from activities, from integration into any social world – that was then, but those children who are now adults are still traumatised, still terrified, still emotionally fragile. Yet because the actual number of deaths caused by the rockets was very low, what happened there has taken a back seat as people continued to live every day and to marginalise their horrific experiences. And as for the media? Of course, there were no stories – there seldom are, when they concern Israeli tragedies.
The New 'Normal'
Let's fast-forward 17 years and look at Sderot today, and at Ashkelon, and at the other parts of Israel where breathing is less often taken for granted and instead has become a symptom of apprehension. Sderot is now home to three converted bomb shelters that were adapted to meet the needs of teenagers for space and their own activities. Each can accommodate about 50 teens, and each can expand to make room for at least another 20. The best part of this is that those children are already gathered in bomb shelters: should there be a Tseva Adom warning, it will have no effect either on them or their pursuits, except psychologically and emotionally – does that matter?
According to NGO officials who visited Sderot to show support specifically to the teenagers, 'We came into this large two-floor bomb shelter and it was like coming into someone's living room. There are comfortable sofas, a well-stocked kitchen, a giant TV on the wall and downstairs there is a games room and a homework room. Everything is well maintained by the kids." In this safe environment, the children are given leadership training courses, they are encouraged to interact socially with one another and establish healthy relationships, and they are assisted with their schoolwork.
No Kidding! Tzeva Adom (Code Red): Helping Children Deal with Terror at school.
Almost normal – almost, but not quite. These are tomorrow's leaders of Israel: passive victims of the worst kind of hatred and enmity. Can their future be predicted? I wonder.
In the latest incident in March this year, Ashkelon was once again targeted from Gaza and Israeli families were woken up once again by the sound of air-raid sirens from Hamas rocket fire. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad determined yet again to create as much devastation as possible in the city, firing rockets and launching several airborne incendiary devices (including kites); and there was a cross-border arson attack in which Palestinians breached the Gaza security fence and burned whatever they could find in the area.
Destination Israel. A missile fired from Gaza aimed at Israel's civilian population.
More of the same trauma, the same anguish, the same shattering blows to the lives of those living there. Unceasing, and now focusing on central Israel, Tel Aviv, other vulnerable cities.
What is life like for those who live under this constant barrage of attack, combined with the hatred that initiates it? How do the people of south Israel, wanting nothing more than peaceful lives and opportunities to enjoy life, cope with these perpetual offensives? And what about those Palestinians who want much the same as the Israelis, but who are held hostage by their corrupt and devious leadership, forced to endure terror and torture for ideologies with which they may well disagree, as seen in the many on-the-ground normal everyday relationships that have developed between them and Israelis in their neighbourhoods?
The sound of the siren – the Tseva Adom – remains terrifying for Israelis in the south of the country, even though the attacks are less frequent than they used to be. When the siren goes off, they must drop everything, run to bomb shelters and ensure that their families are with them. They are often too afraid to leave their homes and venture out to do the tasks any normal family does, because the sirens might go again, at any moment. They fear the slamming of doors, the backfiring of cars and trucks, unusual music being played: to many of them, these strange noises sound like that dreadful sign. They cannot even stop and freeze in panic in case they don't make it to the shelter in time. These are offensives of wartime, yet the world refuses to believe Israel is in a constant war with her enemies because the numbers of casualties are so low.
Sderot has been described by some of its citizens, with gallows humour, as "the biggest bull's-eye on the map of Israel". When the bombing began at the turn of the century, and because of its "proximity to the border and the concentration of Hamas-led amateur bomb-makers on the other side, Sderot has (and has) a unique civic claim: on a rocket-per-head-of-population basis, it is the most targeted town in Israel, indeed the world." That's quite a reputation for Sderot: Hamas is making sure that other Israeli towns gain the same reputation.
I remember years back, during the infamous Vietnam war, that one of the most iconic photos to come out of that tragedy was the one entitled "Vietnam Napalm 1972". The caption read: "South Vietnamese forces follow after terrified children, including 9-year-old Kim Phuc, as they run down Route 1 near Trang Bang after an aerial napalm attack on suspected Viet Cong hiding places on June 8, 1972. A South Vietnamese plane accidentally dropped its flaming napalm on South Vietnamese troops and civilians. The terrified girl had ripped off her burning clothes while fleeing."
That photo, and others from that time, and the explanatory texts, made history. They were distributed widely; the world was shocked and stunned; the anger was palpable.
Israel has had more than its fair share of tragedies, of bombings, of fires, of in-bed murders, of terror attacks, yet whenever these have happened, world opinion has been quiet. Jewish lives – Israeli lives – are far less important than those of many others. We number so few in the world's population that the thinking probably is that we have no standing. Like putting one's finger into a glass of water, pulling it out and seeing no difference whatsoever in the level of water, so too with murdering a few Israelis here and there, some children, teenagers and the aged, the end effect is negligible. Not worthy of media attention. Not worthy of comment.
Bev Goldman worked for many years in education and journalism, and she holds a master's degree in Feminist Literature. Prior to joining the SA Zionist Federation where she dealt with media and education for 12 years, she was the editor of the 'Who's Who' of Southern Africa; a member of WordWize which taught English language skills to Russian and Polish immigrants in South Africa; an occasional lecturer in English at RAU (now the University of Johannesburg); and Director of Educational Programmes at Allenby In-Home Studies. Currently she runs the Media Team Israel for the SA Zionist Federation; she sits on the Board of Governors of the Rabbi Cyril Harris Community Centre (RCHCC); she is the National Vice-President of the Union of Jewish Women South Africa; she is an executive member of the International Council of Jewish Women (ICJW); and she edits and proofs Masters and PhD dissertations.
layoftheland376996452	Antisemitism, BDS, Israel-Arab Relations, Israeli Politics	Leave a comment June 27, 2019 June 27, 2019 7 Minutes
Bahrain Conference: If only the Palestinian leadership really wished for peace
*Credit: this article originally appeared in "The Australian" (26 June 2019)
By Alex Ryvchin
co-Chief Executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.
The economic component of the Trump administration's intensely awaited plan to achieve an end to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has been released.
Formally titled Peace to Prosperity, the proposal contains a three-pronged program of investment and reforms to transform the Palestinian economy and society through the injection of $US50 billion ($71.8bn) of foreign investment, opportunities for ordinary Palestinians in employment, education, even recreation, and the establishment of a transparent and competent Palestinian administration, without which businesses will have no confidence to invest and Palestinian institutions will continue to wither.
The plan assumes, correctly, that peace building and viable Palestinian self-government will require far more than glamorous signing ceremonies on manicured lawns. In offering unprecedented opportunities while maintaining diplomatic and economic pressure on the bloated, inert Palestinian leadership, US President Donald Trump has overthrown the old discredited order of attempting to get the Palestinians to negotiate in good faith by extracting upfront concessions from Israel.
Jared Kushner describes the "deal of the century" as "opportunity of the century"
Yet the latest proposal, astute as it may be, is destined to fail, just like more conventional diplomatic efforts of previous administrations. This is because the Trump plan, like all others, is founded on an irredeemable fallacy: that the Palestinian leadership wants to end the conflict.
Long before the Trump plan was tabled or its contents were revealed, it was predictably rejected out of hand by the Palestinian leadership. Any plan that promises to "empower the Palestinian people" and "improve the public sector's ability to serve its people" is a threat to the status quo by which the leaders of the Palestinian movement have attained personal status and wealth while shedding all accountability to the people they claim to serve.
Saeb Erekat, the perennial "chief negotiator" for the Palestinians, announced a boycott of the regional conference in Bahrain at which the plan is being presented. Erekat's three-decade career as a negotiator has resulted in three rejections of a two-state solution, which would have delivered the Palestinians statehood over territory equivalent in size to 100 per cent of the area of the West Bank and Gaza, with a capital in east Jerusalem, an end to the blockade of Gaza and a solution to the Palestinian refugee problem.
The equally longstanding and self-serving Palestinian legislator Hanan Ashrawi, who lauded Saddam Hussein for "standing up for Arab rights, Arab dignity, Arab pride" following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, and notoriously opposed the historic Oslo Accords because they recognised Israel, called the Bahrain conference "delusional, irresponsible" and "an insult to our intelligence".
Ashrawi has a Sydney Peace Prize to her name and the adoration of Bob Carr and parts of the global left, but not a single, tangible legislative or diplomatic achievement in three decades of public life.
The petulant refusal of the Palestinian leadership to even consider a proposal intended to offer ordinary Palestinians an alternative to war, conflict and victimhood is a betrayal and a crime but is impeccably consistent with earlier Palestinian responses to international efforts aimed at giving them statehood.
When in 1937 the British first proposed resolving competing Jewish and Arab claims to the land through partition and the creation of a first-ever independent Arab Palestinian state, alongside a Jewish state on just 4 per cent of the British Mandate territory, the reaction of the Palestinian leadership was an outright "no", backed by widespread violence and calls for the "liberation of the country and establishment of an Arab government".
When the UN held consultations throughout the country in 1947, again seeking to mediate peacefully rival claims to the land, the Arab leaders boycotted the proceedings.
Periodically, some Palestinian leaders have admitted that their strategy of boycott backed by violence has been utterly ruinous. Palestinian jurist Henry Cattan admitted the 1947 boycott had been "unfortunate".
Palestinian unionist Majdi Shella admitted the Palestinians "have a long tradition of boycotting everything. Sometimes boycotting is the easier road. If you want to do nothing, boycott."
Yet the Palestinians have refined their instinct for rejection and political self-immolation to such an extent that they appear to know no other path.
This is why Palestinian rioters destroyed greenhouses left to them by the Israelis following the unilateral Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. This is why last year Palestinians in Gaza set fire to the Kerem Shalom border crossing through which medicine, aid and consumer products intended for the Palestinians are transferred.
Far from holding Palestinian leaders accountable for their betrayal of their own people, instead supporters of the Palestinian cause in the West uncritically have backed the latest Palestinian boycott, thereby making themselves complicit in the entrenched culture of violence, corruption and bigotry of the Palestinian leadership.
After all, just as Palestinian leaders have been enriched by their own obstructionism, one wonders what anti-Israel activists would do with themselves if the Palestinians ever chose peace and prosperity over perpetual conflict.
Palestinians hold up placards outside the UN headquarters in Beirut to protest against a US-sponsored Middle East economic conference in Bahrain. Picture: AFP
Perhaps the most telling statement on the Trump proposal came from a senior Saudi diplomat who called the Palestinians "irresponsible" for refusing even to entertain a proposal intended to provide immense benefits for their own people.
"History and Allah have brought a real opportunity," the diplomat said. "The blood conflict had lasted too long. The Saudis and all Gulf states plus Egypt and Jordan realise that the age of war with Israel is over."
It took the Arab nations three failed invasions of Israel and decades of economic warfare and fruitless diplomatic skirmishes finally to recognise that the Jewish state is neither temporary nor a threat to their interests. One wonders how many more decades of boycott and bloodshed will be needed before Palestinian leaders finally chart a new and constructive course.
Alex Ryvchin writes and speaks on the Arab-Israeli conflict, foreign and national affairs, antisemitism and the Holocaust, and religion and identity, and is a regular commentator on TV and radio. His first book is the internationally acclaimed, "The Anti-Israel Agenda – Inside the Political War on the Jewish State", (Gefen Publishing House, 2017). His new book, on the history of Zionism, will be released in September 2019. He is the co-Chief Executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.
**Feature picture: Reuters
layoftheland376996452	Economy, Israel-Arab Relations	2 Comments June 26, 2019 June 27, 2019 4 Minutes
The Israel Brief – 17 June 2019 – Israel sends water to Gaza. US envoy supports Ambassador Friedman's statement on West Bank. Rivlin hosts Muslim leaders and Trump Heights on Golan.
The Israel Brief – 18 June 2019 – Police indict 46 year old Palestinian man for rape of 7 year old girl. PM of Malaysia antisemitic comments. Hamas say new level of understanding with Israel.
The Israel Brief – 19 June 2019 – Update on rape case. John Cusack tweet and AOC concentration camp comparison.
The Israel Brief – 20 June 2019 – Don't test us says Netanyahu. IAEA recognise Palestinian state and Bahrain says yes to 6 Israeli journalists.
layoftheland376996452	Antisemitism, BDS, Israel-Arab Relations, Israeli Politics, The Israel Brief	Leave a comment June 22, 2019 1 Minute
Israel The Good And The Moral
By Rodney Mazinter
In their obviously ill-judged comments about Israel, critics choose to waste their time at checkpoints on the borders gazing at the brave boys and girls making up the Israeli Defence Force, whose sole job is to protect Jews living in Samaria and Judea who just go about getting on with their jobs, and to provide a strong deterrent that ensures that murderous individuals do not infiltrate into Israel.
People's Army. Out of necessity, Israel is one of only a few countries in the world with a mandatory military service requirement for women. According to the IDF, 535 female Israeli soldiers were killed in combat operations between the period 1962-2016.
When I visit Israel, I look in another direction:
– I see schools and youth villages where at-risk children are given the care that will give them hope and a future in life
– I see Ethiopian children given the means to make that leap across centuries and cultures and find their own excellence.
– I see the Rambam Hospital in Haifa where, when Israel's enemies decide to destroy lives, they continue saving them
– I see The Bar-Ilan Medical Centre in Safed set up to bring the finest possible medical treatment to Muslims, Christians, and Druze villages throughout the country.
– I see the Laniado Hospital in the Netanya whose founder, a holocaust survivor who lost his wife and 11 children in the Nazi camps of death and there made an oath that if he should ever survive, he would dedicate the rest of his life to saving life
– I see the Wolfson Medical Centre where free, quality, paediatric cardiac care is provided for children from developing countries who suffer from heart disease, and whose dedicated doctors and surgeons have created a programme to create centres of competence in those countries so that they can carry out life-saving surgeries on the spot
Heartwarming. An Echo Technician from Wolfson Medical Center in Israel, examines the heart of a child at the Save a Child's Heart clinic in Zanzibar, March 5, 2018. The Israeli organization that provides life-saving heart treatment to children in developing countries won the prestigious 2018 UN Population Award for outstanding contributions to the world's population. (Nati Shohat/FLASH9)
– I see caring for every life and notice that every life is sacred, where mind-blowing Israeli technology, and eye-opening developments in medical science are applied to the common good.
That and much more is what I see in Israel, the will to life with its hospitals, schools, freedoms, and rights.
Saving Syrians. An injured civilian from the civil war in Syria being transferred to Ziv Medical Center in Safad, Israel. Photo by Simon Haddad/Ziv Medical Center
– I see, Christians, Hindus, Sheiks, Muslims, and from my experience, Israel is a source of inspiration to everyone because it tells every single person on the face of the earth that a nation doesn't have to be large to be great. A nation doesn't have to be rich in natural resources to prosper.
Israel has been surrounded by enemies and yet it has shown that even so, you can still be a democracy, still have a free press, still have an independent judiciary. Israel is the only country in the Middle East where a Palestinian can stand up on national television and criticise the government and the next day still be a free human being.
Israel's demonisers would have us believe that they have the best interests of the Palestinians at heart. Quite the contrary – their decisions and actions are far more likely to bring war, poverty and hunger to the West Bank and Gaza.
The only conclusion any reasonable person can come to is that only prosperity, with robust industrial, commercial and even cultural relationships between the Palestinians and Israelis can lead to mutual acceptance and a durable peace. This can be achieved if only the BDS activists would acknowledge the true interests of the Palestinians above their own narrow, political ambitions and shallow priorities, and the Palestinians would recognise Israel's right to exist.
Some twenty years ago, Palestinian businessmen and workers from the West Bank and Gaza entered Israel without much interference. Security over the years increased commensurate with the increase in attacks against civilians. Approximately 146,000 Palestinians working in Israel at the time accounted for about 20% of Palestinian GDP.
A very successful industrial zone was created at Erez, employing about 5,000 workers in some 200 businesses half of which were Palestinian-owned. This was part of a larger Gaza Industrial Estate, scheduled to provide up to 50,000 jobs. In addition, a joint industrial zone was planned south of Tulkarm intended to provide jobs for more than 5,000 Palestinians. Additional areas were planned for Jenin and the Kerem Shalom area near Rafah in Gaza.
And then came the politicians and BDS for whom such developments meant nothing. They are the true destroyers of peace, jobs, families, development and prosperity.
Israel has much to offer the world. The chairman of the South African Zionist Federation in the Cape, Rowan Polovin recently returned from the 2019 "Our Crowd" Global Investment Summit in Israel where the technological advances were on display to 18,000 delegates from 182 counties who reveled in what 500 vendors had on show and business to the tune of one billion dollars was transacted.
Cherishing The Past, Israel Has Its Eyes On The Future. The Summit is an annual gathering of innovation and startup ecosystem players offering a broad range of opportunities across tech sectors, startup showcases, VC perspectives, strategic networking, and more.
"This makes the destructive tactics of BDS seem irrelevant" said Polovin.
Rather than follow the "destructive" path of boycotts and diplomatic downgrades, why not in the interests of South Africa benefit from Israel's advances in medicine and the sciences and capitalize on lucrative business opportunities.
Wonder Women. Women in the Forbes 2018 Under 30 Global Summit, including Dr. Ruth Westheimer, ringing the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange Bell. In choosing Israel to host 1st Global Women's Summit, the Magazine's chief content officer said 'Israel is a great place to show how we can accelerate the cause of women in leadership.'
Surely this is the better way where all will benefit!
Why an Israeli Hospital is Treating Wounded Syrians
Rodney Mazinter, a Cape Town-based businessman, writer, poet and author, has held many leadership positions within a wide range of Jewish/South African, sporting, educational, service and communal bodies, and currently serves as vice-chairman of the South African Zionist Federation in the Western Cape
layoftheland376996452	Antisemitism, BDS, International Relations, Israel-Arab Relations, Israeli Politics	1 Comment May 14, 2019 May 14, 2019 5 Minutes
The Arab Voice – May 2019
Turkey and the EU: A Doomed Engagement
by Burak Bekdil
BESA Center Perspectives
This cartoon captures Turkey's appalling treatment of journalists.
Two decades ago, the big question in Brussels and Ankara was, "Will Turkey one day become a full member of the EU?" A decade ago, it was, "How soon can Turkey become a full member?" Today, the question is simpler: "Will it be Turkey or the EU that puts an official end to this opera buffa?"
In March, the European Parliament forcefully reminded the West's Turkey hopefuls that they are wrong. In a non-binding vote, the assembly recommended to suspend accession negotiations with Turkey (370 votes in favor, 109 against with 143 abstentions.) An EU press release after high-level talks with Turkey in Brussels confirmed that accession talks were at a standstill and said that the "Turkish government's stated commitment to EU accession needs to be matched by corresponding reforms."
There are plenty of reasons – all open secrets – why Turkey does not qualify to become a member, according to the assembly: ongoing human, civil, and due process rights violations; concern – over Ankara's lack of respect for minority religious and cultural rights;
-the state's "shrinking space for civil society,"
-its arrests and suppression of journalists;
-its dismissal of dissident academics,
-its treatment of Middle Eastern migrants within its borders;
-the government's abuse of due process rights of its own citizens under the guise of terrorism suspicions;
-its intimidation of its own citizens;
-and Turkey's fractious relationships with neighboring states such as Cyprus and Greece, as well as (the lack of) normalization of diplomatic relations with neighboring Armenia.
The European Parliament said:
Respect for the rule of law and fundamental rights, including the separation of powers, democracy, freedom of expression and the media, human rights, the rights of minorities and religious freedom, freedom of association and the right to peaceful protest, the fight against corruption and the fight against racism and discrimination against vulnerable groups are at the core of the negotiation process.
Alparslan Kavaklıoğlu a member of Erdoğan's AKP and head of the parliament's Security and Intelligence Commission, said in 2018: "Europe will be Muslim. We will be effective there, Allah willing. I am sure of that."
The EU and Turkey each have their own interest in endlessly prolonging this opera buffa. But the audience is growing increasingly bored.
Burak Bekdil is an Ankara-based columnist. He regularly writes for the Gatestone Institute and Defense News and is a fellow at the Middle East Forum. He is also a founder of, and associate editor at, the Ankara-based think tank Sigma.
MAY 1, 2019 19:21
SRI LANKA AND THE 100-YEAR BATTLE
Asharq al-Awsat, London, April 23
On Tuesday, April 23, Harshani Sriyani weeps over the body of her daughter who was killed in the Easter Sunday bombings in Colombo. Eranga Jayawardena/AP
Here we are again, coming to terms with yet another ghastly terrorist attack waged against innocent civilians. This time, terrorism struck Christian worshipers in Sri Lanka. Prior to that, it struck worshipers in New Zealand. And beforehand, it struck Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt, Europe, America and a wide host of other countries.
I am convinced that this battle – the battle to eradicate terrorism – is going to be a long one, spanning maybe even an entire century. The world has been combating terrorism for over three decades, yet the problem persists. Every time we defeat one organization, another one rears its head.
The wars of terrorism are more dangerous than tribal and state wars, because they are rooted in deep-seated ideology. They are the products of antiquated doctrines that have been reinvigorated in distorted ways and have made their way into modern society. The weapons of this war are quotations from holy books, propagated using modern technology that enables these ideas to be published at nearly no cost.
Sadly, without an international coalition fighting terrorism in its ideological roots – nipping it in the bud – radical ideas will continue to spread around the world, threatening the entire future of mankind.
The way we have been confronting terrorist organizations is by trying to defeat them militarily or financially. We destroy their secret hideouts or restrict their ability to pay for their operations. But the strongest fuel that feeds the terrorist engine is the scores of people who promote their radical agendas. Terrorism, therefore, lives in the minds of people. The problem is that we live in denial.
In the aftermath of the attacks last week, Islamist organizations were quick to deny their involvement. They attempted to sow confusion about the perpetrators. Then they sought to justify the attack. Then they claimed responsibility. Throughout the process, they used the same old explanations and excuses: "Islamic State never had a physical foothold in Sri Lanka"; "the attacks must have been foreign nationals"; etc. However, Islamic State does not require a physical infrastructure in Sri Lanka in order to carry out an attack. It simply needs to live in the minds of people.
The battle on the ground may continue, but the ideological battle is just beginning. Unless we change our mind-set, new organizations will come to life as soon as their predecessors are destroyed.
Abdulrahman al-Rashed is the former General Manager of Al Arabiya News Channel. A veteran and internationally acclaimed journalist, he is a former editor-in-chief of the London-based leading Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat, where he still regularly writes a political column. He has also served as the editor of Asharq al-Awsat's sister publication, al-Majalla.
FIGHTING FOR OUR PAST TO PRESERVE OUR FUTURE
Al-Ittihad, UAE, April 22
One of the main attractions at Palmyra, the Temple of Baal was mostly flattened by explosions detonated by ISIS.
The fire that consumed Notre-Dame de Paris was a tragic event and a great humanitarian shock for everyone who understands the value of human history. It is therefore not surprising that the fire received widespread media attention across the world.
One thing shared by all mankind is our collective care for our history and archaeology, the construction of museums and the preservation of physical and intangible signs of our heritage. No nation that respects itself can ignore its cultural and civilizational symbols.
This has been especially true in the UAE, where history-preservation efforts have been under way for several decades. This national project has been led by Sheikh Zayed, who sought to document and preserve the history of our region.
But preserving cultural and religious artifacts in the Middle East is no easy feat. The political situation in the region has not been serene, to say the least. Fundamentalist religious organizations such as the Taliban movement in Afghanistan have systematically destroyed all artifacts associated with ancient civilizations. For example, the Buddhas of Bamyan, carved into a sandstone cliff in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, were dynamited and destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. Similarly, Islamic State detonated and destroyed the Temple of Bel, a Mesopotamian temple dating back to 32 CE. It also destroyed the Roman theater at Palmyra, which dates back to the second century CE. These sites represented thousands of years of civilization. Losing these monuments is a true loss for humanity.
The important question that arises from the Notre-Dame fire is, therefore, why does the Western world care so much about a cathedral in France but not about monuments located in the Middle East? What about the history that is being erased before our eyes by radical organizations located in our midst? These are no less important than Notre-Dame.
But the responsibility is also ours. We must build a tolerant Muslim society and reshape the cultural discourse surrounding the cultural artifacts found in our countries. The companions of the holy prophet entered many countries in the Arab and Muslim world during the period of the so-called conquests in the era of the caliphs. They did not destroy any statues or monuments. The holy prophet himself passed through many cities that housed non-Muslim monuments. He did not destroy any of their ancient relics. Such barbarity must never be tolerated.
The events in Paris are a stark reminder to all of us. They are a reminder that we must take care of our historical monuments and protect them at any cost – not only as tourist destinations, but also as a fundamental part of our cultural legacy. This is a battle we have no choice but to win, not only for the sake of our past, but also for the sake of our future.
Ali Hussein Bakir
Ali Hussein Bakir is a Jordanian researcher specialized in international relations. He currently works for the International Strategic Research Organization "ISRO-USAK" (Turkey). He worked as an economic editor and researcher at Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group AIWA (Lebanon) and was a research associate at Al Jazeera Centre for Studies (Qatar) and the Geo-Strategic Group for Studies. Bakir has many publications in a number of other prominent Arab think tanks such as the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, the Gulf Research Centre, the Middle East Studies Centre, the Shebaa Centre for Strategic Studies, Al Mesbar Studies and Research Centre, and The Arab Centre for the Humanities. Since 2007, Bakir has authored and co-authored various number of publications and books on Turkey, Iran, Arabian Gulf, and China.
layoftheland376996452	Global Politics, Israel-Arab Relations, Politics, The Arab Voice	Leave a comment May 5, 2019 May 6, 2019 6 Minutes
SA At Odds With World Powers And BRICS Nations About Israel
By Rowan Polovin
Hating one Middle Eastern country has never garnered the ANC votes or won it any international favour.
There is something foul about SA's foreign policy. It stands continuously with the anti-Western bloc of dictators, fascists and human rights abusers. It has a horrendous track record of voting at the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council that is diametrically opposite to post-apartheid's values of freedom and nondiscrimination.
It votes against measures that sanction human rights abusers and praises the "diversity" of totalitarian dictatorships. It abstains on the appointment of a special rapporteur on violence against the LGBTI community and on resolutions condemning human rights abuses in Syria.
It keeps consistently but deafeningly silent about all the horrors and atrocities committed in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, as well as on the mistreatment of women, minorities and children. It sits Janus-faced on the international stage, facilitating the work of despots offshore, while proclaiming the values of human rights back home.
There is but one country at which South Africa directs all its opprobrium and judgment. It is the most undeserving country of such hostility but is so targeted because the governing party irrationally believes this will win it votes locally and power internationally.
Speak Of The Devil. While separating from the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel, South Africa embraces one of the world's worst human rights abusers and prime promoter of instability in the Middle East, Iran, as seen here with SA's Deputy Minister for International Relations and Cooperation, Reginah Mhaule (right), expressing this past March in Cape Town before Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi (left), "we remain committed to continue to support the Islamic Republic of Iran."
The ANC is dangerously wrong on both accounts: hating Israel has never garnered it votes in any election, and targeting Israel internationally only isolates South Africa itself. It carries out an inverted foreign policy that bashes the 'Jew of nations' and applauds the scoundrels.
The ANC owes the public an explanation about why it does this.
Last week, South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Lindiwe Sisulu, recklessly steered into dangerous territory when asked about her country's relations with Israel. She spoke of removing the South African ambassador to Israel and of kicking out the Israeli ambassador to SA. She even declared that the ANC will dictate university policy on Israel.
She forgot about SA's esteemed constitution and rule of law, and that the ANC sits below, not above it.
Our constitution was carefully written by wise people who recognised that freedom of religion, speech, association and academia are fundamental values that ensure the longevity of a democratic state. Any unjust attempts to undermine those values, as Sisulu and her faction seem intent on doing, will unravel the very structures of the democratic state her predecessors fought for.
On the issue of cutting ties with Israel and allowing the antisemitic BDS fringe movement to capture foreign policy, Sisulu and the ANC should proceed with extreme caution. South Africa is focused on rebuilding its standing in the international community and hoping to be taken seriously on international affairs.
While still a member of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and SA) bloc, it parts company with every other member on Israel. Every BRICS country besides South Africa is constantly improving ties and friendships with the Jewish state. South Africa stands at odds with these world powers, including many African and Arab countries that work more closely than ever with Israel.
India Has Other Ideas. While South Africa considers 'downgrading' with Israel, its fellow BRICS' member, India, opts for 'upgrading" as seen here with India Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the India-Israel Business Summit in New Delhi. January 15, 2018 (MONEY SHARMA/AFP)
Moreover, South Africa needs Israel's help to solve local problems such as water scarcity, access to electricity and agricultural solutions that would take millions out of poverty and turn our deserts into fields of plenty. Millions of South Africans would not take kindly to their future being stolen by petty short-term interests. Nor will they appreciate the negative effect this will have on local job creation and our already struggling economy.
Cutting out Israel only cuts out SA's future.
If South Africa attempts to throw out the Israeli ambassador, it will send a signal that it wishes to disconnect the proudly South African Jewish community from their spiritual, religious and historical homeland. The government should take heed that Jews will never allow their bond with the Jewish state to be broken. Nor will committed Christians, who make up the majority of South Africa's religious communities.
Antisemites may be pleased that their irrational hatred of Jews has resulted in a downgrade in relations with Israel, but the majority of South Africans will not be pleased with the uncertainty and instability it will bring.
Red Carpet For Killers. While threatening in 2019 to "kick out" the Israeli ambassador to South Africa, its ANC leaders has no problem embracing Hamas as seen here with terrorist mastermind Khaled Mashaal being honoured in Cape Town in October 2015. (AFP/Rodger Bosch).
It is time for principled business people, government officials, political parties and civil society to stand up to the ANC's desperate and hypocritical obsession with the Jewish state. Our future depends upon it.
Rowan Polovin is chair of the SA Zionist Federation's Cape Council.
layoftheland376996452	Antisemitism, BDS, Israel- South Africa relations, Israel-Arab Relations, Politics	Leave a comment April 21, 2019 April 21, 2019 4 Minutes
Reflecting on the challenges of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
By Harris Green
Many of Israel's enemies challenge her right to exist as the Nation State of the Jewish people. They deny the historical rights of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel. They deny the archeological evidence that justifies our claims to this land. They deny the irrefutable links of the Jewish people to Jerusalem. They deny our right to self-determination.
I'm not referring to isolated individuals.
I'm not referring to minor league academics who believe their warped and failed political agendas give them the right to change the historical facts and to recreate a narrative that conveniently ignores the context.
I'm referring to organizations within the international community including the General Assembly of the United Nations, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and UNESCO. These organizations are in flagrant violation of the mandates under which they were established and have dedicated themselves to delegitimizing Israel's right to exist.
Digging Up The Truth. Despite UNESCO passing recently another resolution denying Jewish ties to Jerusalem, archeological digs reveal that the 'City of David' was originally constructed more than 3,000 ago by King David when he created a small village to be his capital city when he ruled over the Israelite tribes. Within a short walking distance, David's son, King Solomon, built the First Temple, over which the Muslims built Al-Aqsa Mosque in the 7th century AD.
Around 80% of the resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly condemn Israel!
Does the international community really believe that if Israel ceased to exist, 80% of the world's most serious conflicts and issues would simply dissipate?
What has permanent agenda item 7 of the UNHRC done to enhance human rights?
Have UNESCO's outrageous resolutions regarding Jerusalem and its relevance to Jews done anything to change the historical evidence that supports the centrality of Jerusalem to Jewish life? They have however, had some success in creating doubt thereby delegitimizing our right to statehood. These resolutions fuel the wave of antisemitism currently engulfing even the so-called "more affluent countries" of the world.
Israel is the land where our patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, lived and interacted with the same God we worship today. This is where they are buried. This is where the visions of our Prophets were inspired. This is where we built our Temples. This is where our language was born. King David established Jerusalem as the capital of Israel 3,000 years ago. This land, its seasons and even its rainfall have been sourced in our century-old prayers long before the emergence of those who claim this land belongs to them.
William Albright, an archaeologist of international repute wrote "there can be no doubt that archaeology has confirmed the substantial historicity of Old Testament tradition." To deny Jewish rights to the Land of Israel is contrary to the fundamentals of Judeo-Christian tradition.
We lived in exile for nearly 2,000 years. We were scattered amongst the nations of the world. We weren't always made to feel welcome. Our heritage was ridiculed. Our loyalties were questioned. We suffered through inquisition. We were the victims of pogroms and blood libels. Only three generations ago we suffered an unparalleled, surgically coordinated genocide that claimed the lives of one third of our people.
For centuries we were the eternal and ultimate scapegoats for the mismanagement and personal greed of despotic rulers. Even today Jewish communities in the diaspora remain soft targets for terror. Their institutions require sophisticated security systems. The number of antisemitic incidents has escalated to an inconceivable level. Who – even just a few years ago – would have believed this sad state of affairs would come about during our lifetimes?
More than 70 years have passed since the establishment of the State of Israel. It seems to me that for too many people, the penny has yet to drop. We're not going anywhere. We're here to stay.
Modern Miracle. Founded on sand dunes in 1909, Tel Aviv today is a thriving entrepreneurial metropolis that National Geographic and Lonely Planet travel guide ranks in the top 10 beach cities in the world, while locals and tourists will attest is really "No. 1".
At the time of its creation 70 years ago, Israel was home to only 5% of world Jewry. Today 45% of world Jewry resides in the State of Israel. Jews from more than 90 different countries have returned to become useful citizens in a country we can proudly call our own. Our loyalties are no longer questioned. We speak the language of our forefathers – the indigenous language of this land. Our national aspirations could not have become a reality without the belief that this land is our land.
Although Israel has lived under threats of annihilation during her entire existence, we have a strong and resourceful military to protect us. We are now a country that more than pays its way as a sought-after ally and trading partner.
Given the number of failed states that populate our planet, challenging our right to a country of our own is not only an affront to us and our heritage but also to what this country has achieved in the short space of 70 years.
Which country is always the first to provide aid to countries following natural disasters around the world? We don't only talk about Tikkun Olam. We deliver!
True Colours. Gloves came off during a meeting of PLO's Central Council in 2018 with PA President Abbas saying: "Israel is a colonial project that has nothing to do with Jews." Revealing exactly what he thinks of Jews, Abbas earlier expressed, that "Al-Aksa is ours and so is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. They (Jews) have no right to desecrate them with their filthy feet. We won't allow them to do so and we will do whatever we can to defend Jerusalem."
Israeli technology is at the source of everything that opens and closes. From military innovations to cyber security, from medical technologies to life-saving pharmaceuticals, from communications to driverless vehicles, from wastewater recycling to water desalinisation.
You name it. Israel has done it.
But we can't afford to rest on our laurels. The military threats remain. We have a responsibility to narrow the gap between the more and the less fortunate amongst us. We have a responsibility to those Jews still living in the diaspora.
The international community may have forgotten its responsibilities to us, but we shouldn't forget our responsibilities to mankind:
Given the chance, we can make this world a better place in which to live.
Given the chance, we can advance life expectancy in many African countries by up to 30 years.
Given the chance, we can easily replicate in other countries what we have so successfully achieved here in Israel.
Given the chance, we can alleviate many of the dangers resulting from global warming.
Given the chance, we can provide solutions to the diminishing food supplies for growing populations in developing countries around the world.
There are challenges ahead. We have a responsibility to respond.
The Real face Of Israel. Although Israel and Syria are political enemies, Israeli volunteers have been helping Syrians since the start of their bloody civil war in March 2011. Within a month, the Israeli NGO IL4Syrians began sending sanitary items, food, medications and post-trauma care specialists to Syrian refugees. Seen here is IsraAid's Rachel Lazry Zahavi helping a Syrian refugee in Greece. (Photo by Mickey Noam Alon/IsraAID)
Harris Zvi Green was born in Cape Town, South Africa and immigrated to Israel nearly 50 years ago. An accountant by profession, he served as the Chief Financial Officer of a number of Israel based hi-tech companies. Harris is a founding member of Truth be Told (TbT), an organization engaged in public diplomacy on behalf of Israel.
3000 years of history are waiting to be discovered by you in 3minutes
layoftheland376996452	Antisemitism, BDS, Israel-Arab Relations, Politics	Leave a comment April 21, 2019 5 Minutes
Little Blue Hood
By Yahya Mahamid
Serving on the border between Israel and Gaza, Yahya Mahamid – an Arab Muslim soldier – writes this eyewitness account of what it is like to stare down the rioters that Hamas have encouraged to break through the border. These riots have been taking place since March 2018.
Sitting with my back to the metal barrier, I take a second to adjust my helmet when all of a sudden, I hear a loud bang against the barrier.
It has started. The weekly Friday riots on the Gaza border.
I adjust my Kevlar vest, take a breath and stand up to take a look at the other side – all while trying to keep as much of my body under cover.
I am shocked to see mothers going hand and hand with their children. Yes, these are children that are not older than 10 -13 years of age, coming to the weekly protest as if it were a normal Friday activity.
Gastly In Gaza. What parents would encourage their own children to be in harms way?
Our orders are clear. Respect human life and the purity of our arms. This is nothing new – after all it is the IDF Code of Ethics that we abide by and that's how we always operate.
I take my sharpshooter scope and start scanning the crowds looking for anything that looks suspicious such as bombs and guns. While looking through my scope, I start smelling the familiar smell of burned tires. I know that tear gas will soon follow so I put on my gas mask and look at the madness that is assembling in front of my eyes.
The adults, who I assume are mothers and fathers, sit on the green grass hill enjoying some cold drinks and snacks, while their kids are running towards the security fence, throwing rocks and anything they can get their hands on at us soldiers.
One rock hit the barrier.
I take cover after another rock hits the barrier again. I could have sworn that these rocks travel almost as fast as my bullet. I adjust my protective glasses and take another peak; we can't have the security barrier getting damaged. This could have disastrous ramifications.
The violence is escalating.
I stand up again to take a look at the crowd that's growing like a hate tumor on steroids and suddenly I hear an explosion. I look through my scope again, while looking through the black and grey crowd.
I see him.
He is sitting, dressed in a large blue hoodie, looking straight at me. I take a look at him through my scope to get a closer look and he is just sitting there, looking straight at me like he's staring into my soul. He's not older than 10 years old.
Friday Frenzy. Typical Friday with youngsters pushed by Hamas to approach as close as possible to the border fence.
I will never forget the look on his face, like he has a million questions on his mind, not reacting to the screams, tear gas, burned tires and the electrified atmosphere that is filled with anger.
He just sits there, looking at me like he wants to ask me "when this madness will end?"
I look at him, wave, and give him the OK sign, hoping to make my first Gazan friend.
Maybe something positive can come out of this ugliness.
He gets up and gives me an innocent smile and waves. I smile back. Another bomb follows immediately after – above us this time and we are told to retreat behind cover.
I don't see him again, but I hope the situation will improve for both of us one day.
I call him Little Blue Hood.
Yahya Mahamid is a former educator for Stand With Us. This self-described "Muslim Arab Zionist" currently serves in the IDF.
layoftheland376996452	Antisemitism, BDS, Israel-Arab Relations	2 Comments April 14, 2019 April 14, 2019 3 Minutes


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Chris Brady
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text:
We tried to make pancakes in the office microwave and it went just as well as you'd expect
We did have some success with our American pan-mug-cake though
Abigail Rabbett
Armed and ready to go
Ah pancake day - the perfect excuse to be wildly decadent without a hint of guilt.
But some of us work late and can't quite muster the strength to be melting lard in a pan at 10pm.
We don't want to miss out on the Shrove Tuesday festivities (we're human after all) so we tried to make our own pancakes - using nothing but the old faithful: the work microwave.
As you can imagine it was a bit of a disaster.
One taste tester described my pancake as "buttery pasta" and "human flesh" but I've decided that says more about them than my culinary skills.
While overall it was a far cry from a success we did have some success with American style pan-mug-cake. (Of course, that might have something to do with the inch of Nutella on top).
So without further ado, here's what happened when we tried to make pancakes at work - because we could all do with being a little bit more Buzzfeed.
Like any office, our cooking resources are slightly limited.
So after a quick trip to Tesco, we were fully armed and ready to go.
Whisk - check
Bowl - check
Marbles - struggling to locate
We opted for a ready made pancake mixture, because time is of the essence.
I hadn't intended for this to be a review of Tesco shaker mix so all I will say, is it's not as sweet as you want it to be.
To activate the mixture, all you have to do is add water and do your best Taylor Swift shake.
Naturally, we did a quick Google search before cooking our pancakes, to find out how best to grease the plate.
Some sources claimed oil was the way to go, others said butter.
So of course we had to try both (Slimming World who?).
Plate thoroughly greased with vegetable oil, I poured the mixture onto the plate.
I decided to cook the mixture for a minute - because from my past experiences I know our work microwave can be ferocious.
A minute passed and I was in pancake hell - it was like rubber. And so tastless.
Chewy, thick and pale - not what I had imagined when I confidently announced to the whole newsroom that this would be easy.
"Maybe butter will be better, the first pancake is always rubbish", she said not really believing it.
This time, I tried to cook it for a bit longer - hopeful that the chewy consistency was because the last one was underdone.
I also sprinkled sugar on the top of the batter, because I'm not sweet enough.
Microwave back on high, I decided to go for two minutes with 30 second intervals.
Here's how it went
At 30 seconds - It's promising, definitely better than last time.
At 1 minute - This is heading in the right direction.
At 1 minute 30 - This isn't cooked.
At 2 minutes - Nope, let's keep going.
At 2 minutes 30 - Now there is a pool of butter in the middle which squirts if you cut it.
At 3 minutes - I'm taking it out I've had enough.
Look at the grease
Time for the taste test
After three attempts of pancake making, I decided it was time to just cover them in sugar and lemon and be done with it.
It wasn't the easy tasty video I was hoping for.
In fact, it was pretty foul to be honest with you.
One taste tester picked up the pancake dripping in butter and looked at me as though I had just created Frankenstein's Monster.
Content Editor, Lauren Brown said: "I'm very sorry to say that the first pancake batch was nothing short of rancid. It was so chewy, so so chewy. I'm worried I'll never be able to so much as look at a pancake again to be honest."
Trainee reporter, Fiona Leishman said: "It was like eating a buttery rubber".
Marks out of 10? Two if I'm being really, really nice.
But there is hope yet...
We decided to skip across the pond to try out the fluffier pancakes of the USA.
Now these ones required a tad more work, needing oil, water and an egg added to the pre-mixed dry ingredients.
But the batter looked promising, after a whisk it was a thick batter ready to be dolloped out onto the plates.
I started off with a bit of butter, smeared onto the plate with greaseproof paper, similar to lining a cake pan. That one was definitely the trial run as it came out more like a rock cake than a pancake...
Attempt one
It had looked so promising, having even turned a nice golden colour, but it was completely solid and pretty much inedible.
Attempt number two fared slightly better, I lowered the microwave power and cooked it in short bursts, it still came out quite tough and dough-y, but smothered in Nutella almost anything is edible.
The third attempt may have been the most pancake-like of them all, it was springy, evenly cooked, and only slightly chewy. We had come close to perfecting it, with the microwave on 80 per cent power, and bursts of 45 seconds, then 30 and an extra 10 to finish it off - we almost had a pancake.
Attempt two
But that's when a stroke of genius hit me, you can make mug cakes in the microwave, so why not a mug pancake?
So I dropped some batter in the mug, put a dollop of Nutella in the middle for extra measure, covered it with more batter and into the microwave it went for a minute.
By far our most successful pancake, even if it wasn't a traditional pancake shape and it's texture was more like a cross between a cake and a scone.
So if you've missed out on pancake day, you don't have a hob or you're stuck in the office - get some fluffy American pancake mix and pop it in a mug.
Nutella stuffed chocolate pan-mug-cake
Have you tried to cook a pancake in the microwave? We're sure you did a better job than we did.
Send us your pancake pics - because we want to see them.
Happy Pancake Day everyone!


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