Israellycool

JUST YOUR AVERAGE UNIVERSITY The LA Times decries the fact that the security fence will slice through the Al Quds University, painting the picture of a regular university, replete with students just wanting to learn. On the verge of completing a law degree, Amjad Abu Asab is now learning a real-life legal lesson. Every day on the campus of Al Quds University, the college senior exercises his right to lawful protest, planting himself in a shady spot on a patch of brown, parched earth. Nearby is a basketball court and an open lot used as a soccer field - the only sports facilities the university owns, serving more than 6,000 students. But if the Israeli government has its way, even that small oasis of recreation will soon vanish, plowed under to make way for a security barrier that will slice the Al Quds campus in two. Israeli authorities say the fence is designed to keep would-be Palestinian terrorists from entering Jerusalem. But it will bite off more than a quarter of the...

THE HAM, BURG The Labour Party's Avraham Burg has written a truly disgusting piece , which has been published in the Guardian. The Zionist revolution has always rested on two pillars: a just path and an ethical leadership. Neither of these is operative any longer. The Israeli nation today rests on a scaffolding of corruption, and on foundations of oppression and injustice. As such, the end of the Zionist enterprise is already on our doorstep. There is a real chance that ours will be the last Zionist generation. There may yet be a Jewish state here, but it will be a different sort, strange and ugly. It gets worse. Burg manages to accuse Israel of racism and repeats the oft-used mantra of desperation leading to suicide bombings (rather than hatred). I could pick this piece apart like a bird of prey feasting on a carcass, but I have rebutted the very same arguments on numerous occasions. Only this time, the venom is coming from the mouth of one of our very own, a member of the ...

YASSER SCISSORHANDS Johnny Depp seemingly hates freedom and America, much like Arafat. Could it be that AFatRat models himself on the actor?

QUOTE OF THE DAY Colin Powell had this to say about suggestions that Israel may kill Arafat: "The consequences would not be good ones. I think you can anticipate that there would be rage throughout the Arab world, the Muslim world and in many other parts of the world." *Sarcasm Alert* We wouldn't want to cause rage throughout the Arab world, since up until now, they have been so quiet. They were especially quiet during the Iraq war, which Mr Powell would not have supported had it caused some rage.

DOWNER ON THE UN Here is another reason why I am proud to be Australian.

EATING WITH TONY SOPRANO Yesterday, Saeb Erekat likened Israel's talk of killing Arafat to "the thinking and action of the mafia -not a government." If the truth be known, there is an Israeli official with a mafia connection. According to the Jerusalem Post weekend edition, Israel's New York city consul-general, Along Pinkas, and his wife, are appearing as extras on the Sopranos . Alon and his wife, long-time fans of the show, have used their connections to land the parts, which put them at dinner with Tony and Carmela during an episode set to air in the US in March. Perhaps Alon can ask Tony to deal with Arafat?

RUNNING SCARED Palestinian propaganda expert, the "boy who cried wolf" Saeb Erekat, is expressing his opinion on Arafat's possible expulsion in his usual hyperbolic way : My home town Jericho will be taken by Palestinian militias, in Nablus and Rafah and Khan Younis (as well). Probably the first thing they will do is come to my house and shoot me, and kill me and kill all Palestinian moderates." Given that the palestinian "militias" have been run to a large extent by Arafat, I doubt that his expulsion would lead to this scenario, just like I doubt anything that comes out of Erekat's mouth. But even if this was the case, I would suggest that Mr Erekat starts running because he isn't going to get much sympathy from Israel. After all, Israel has repeatedly asked the PA to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure, as the Road Map provides. Now if these terrorists decide to eliminate PA members, so be it. The PA have no-one but to blame but themselves....