City Harvest Kosher Initiative Transforms Ancient Rite Into Modern Mitzvah

By Eric Katzman

Food Rescue Organization Teams Up With Met Council for Two Food Drives in One. City Harvest, the world’s first food rescue organization, and the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, New York City’s foremost Jewish anti-poverty organization, are teaming up again this year to help feed hungry New Yorkers in the Jewish community. They will run two simultaneous food drives that will provide fruits, vegetables and other nutritious meals for those in need, and fulfill a centuries-old Passover rule that requires Jewish households to remove all leavened products from their home. Each year, hundreds of thousands of Jewish New Yorkers prepare to celebrate the holiday by discarding, selling or giving away all leavened products such as bread or mixtures containing grains like wheat, known as chometz. This year, as part of its successful Kosher Initiative, City Harvest will pick up any canned or packaged chometz from schools, synagogues and other locations in all five boroughs to distribute to some of the more than 500 agencies they serve throughout New York City. Chometz items will be picked up by April 11^th. “I can’t think of a more rewarding and simple way to give back to the New York community during Passover than to donate chometz to our hungry neighbors,” said Rabbi Mayer Mayerfeld, head of the Kosher Initiative at City Harvest. City Harvest is also running a Kosher for Passover food drive in conjunction with the chometz drive, beginning Purim (March 14) and lasting until April 11, in an effort to help feed the 44,000 hungry Jews in New York who keep kosher for the holiday. Last year, they were able to distribute over 227,000 pounds of food to their network of 35 kosher agencies. Kosher items for Passover will be picked up by March 30^th. For more information, tips on running a food drive, and ways you can help, please visit www.cityharvest.org. Launched in 1999, City Harvest’s Kosher Initiative primarily provides food to hungry Jewish New Yorkers who observe Kashrut, Jewish dietary law. Over the years, the Kosher Initiative has grown from one van supporting three agencies to a fully integrated part of City Harvest’s operations, working with 35 agencies that help to feed more than 44,000 people every month. The Kosher Initiative is a collaborative project of City Harvest and the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, New York City’s foremost Jewish anti-poverty organization. The Kosher Initiative is made possible in part by the generosity of the Nash Family Foundation and Kraft Foods. Founded in 1982, City Harvest is the world’s first food rescue organization, dedicated to feeding New York City's hungry men, women and children. This year, City Harvest will collect over 19 million pounds of excess, nutritious food from all segments of the food industry, including restaurants, grocers, corporate cafeterias, manufacturers and farms. This food is then delivered free of charge to more than 500 agencies throughout New York City using their fleet of 15trucks and volunteers on foot. Each week, City Harvest helps over 260,000 hungry New Yorkers find their next meal.

Passover Food Drive: March 14 - April 11, 2006

City Harvest's Kosher Initiative needs your help to feed New York City's hungry men, women, and children this Passover. The Kosher Initiative is a collaborative project of City Harvest and the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty. During the Passover holiday we are especially mindful of our neighbors in need. You can help by running a food drive at your office, place of worship, school or community center and collecting kosher for Passover food or chometz. Below are some tips on how to run a successful Passover food drive:1. Select a collection site that is highly visible and in a secure area. If you'd like a general food drive poster you can download one here. 2. If you are collecting both kosher for Passover food and chometz, please keep in separate, clearly marked boxes. 3. All types of canned and non-perishable sealed, packaged foods are acceptable for collection. NO PERISHABLE FOODS AND NO OPENED PACKAGES, PLEASE. 4. If you have collected 100 pounds or more call Jill Kogan at 917.351.8765 to set up a date for City Harvest to pick up the food. Please indicate if you have collected kosher food. Kosher food must be picked up by March 30th. For chometz, please have it picked up April 11th so it is off your premises in time for Passover. 5. Please provide the names and phone numbers of two contacts for our drivers. Please pack the food in boxes weighing no more than 50 pounds each. Copy paper or similar size boxes are the best. 6. City Harvest must limit its resources to picking up food only. 7. Please spread the word beyond your organization. There are over one million people in New York City who rely on emergency food.

HOWARD STERN: CHILDREN'S BOOK CHARACTER?!

Katharine DeBrecht's latest book, “Help! Mom! Hollywood’s in My Hamper,” features shock jock Stern along with Barbra Streisand, Madonna, Britney Spears, Tom Cruise and Oprah as cartoon villains. This Hollywood satire -- just in time for the Oscars -- is the sequel to last fall's #1 Bestseller, "Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed," the children's book praised by Rush Limbaugh and condemned by Hillary Clinton. Who would’ve thought that shock jock Howard Stern, formerly the target of federal regulators for his crude on-air antics, would ever appear as a character in a book intended for children? But that’s exactly what happens later this month as Stern and a host of other celebrities become characters in a new illustrated book by a conservative kid’s author. Barbra Streisand, Madonna, Britney Spears, Tom Cruise, and Sean Penn all join Stern as cartoon villains in the new book Help! Mom! Hollywood’s in My Hamper! The book reunites the best-selling team of “Security Mom for Bush” author Katharine DeBrecht and award-winning illustrator Jim Hummel for a tale of traditional values that skewers many high profile left-wing celebrities in the process. Help! Mom! Hollywood’s in My Hamper! tells the story of Janie and Sam, two girls who were happy just being kids until Hollywood celebrities start popping out of their hamper to tell them how to behave and to sell them useless clothes and trinkets. The girls encounter a number of goofy celebrities along the way—including look-alikes for Ben Affleck, Katie Couric, Jack Nicholson, an improbably impish Michael Moore, and revered daytime host Oprah Winfrey—and in the process learn that stars don’t always know best. “Know-it-all liberal celebrities are in our faces every day, telling people how to live, what to buy, and often how to vote,” says DeBrecht, a mother of three. “Children need to understand that just because these people show up on television doesn’t mean they know what’s best for the rest of America. In fact, it’s usually quite the opposite!” The book is the highly anticipated sequel to last fall’s surprise hit Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed! which reached #1 on Barnes & Noble’s website but drew fiery criticism from liberals for its portrayal of Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy as cartoon villains who tax and regulate a lemonade stand. Fox News host Alan Colmes said the book was “brainwashing,” MSNBC host Ron Reagan told DeBrecht that he wanted to write a children's book portraying conservatives as “hating black people,” and the Democratic Underground named the author to its “Top 10 Conservative Idiots” list. Even Hillary Clinton’s spokesman took a swipe at the book. “Oddly enough, I didn’t get my invitation to the Academy Awards this year,” laughs DeBrecht, whose book also features cameos by several conservative icons, including Rush Limbaugh. “But if Hollywood insists on handing out Oscars to movies about gay cowboys, sympathetic terrorists, and communist apologizers, then I guess my time is better served in writing books that stand up for traditional values.”

Journalist: Olmert received apartment bribe

Journalist Yoav Yitzhak says acting prime minister got apartment discount in exchange for expediting construction permits. Olmert: Claims are ridiculous and untrue. Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert received a USD 320,000 discount on an apartment in an upscale Jerusalem project in exchange for expediting construction permits, journalist Yoav Yitzhak charged. The apartment was purchased in October 2004 for USD 1.2 million, which according to Yitzhak means the developers lost money on the transaction. The journalist says a separate case currently probed by the State Comptroller - another Olmert house, which reportedly sold for more than the market price - pales in comparison to the amounts of money involved in the other deal. Yitzhak claims that Olmert expedited construction permits on behalf of the contractors while he served as Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor and oversaw the Israel Land Administration. The developers admitted to giving Olmert a discounted price, but said they did so because Olmert was the first to purchase an apartment in the project. The Prime Minister's Office, however, dismissed the charges. "Today, as is the case every day, Yoav Yitzhak tries to 'expose a new sensation', and today, as is the case every day, the exposure has no truth to it". The response also notes that Olmert contract with the developers clearly notes he is entitled to cancel the deal if the contractor cannot obtain all the permits. "In complete contradiction to Yoav Yitzhak's claims, thus far, a year and half after the transaction, the project didn't obtain the permits," the statement reads. Meanwhile, according to real-estate agents familiar with the area in question, Olmert paid a legitimate, fair price, considering the location and the fact the acting prime minister purchased the apartment long before it is slated to be completed. Ronny Sofer, Neta Sela and Ido Efrati contributed to the report.

WESTERN INTEL RECRUITS PALESTINIANS

GAZA CITY [MENL] -- Western intelligence agencies were said to have been recruiting Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Palestinian sources said Western diplomatic installations have been recruiting Palestinians for security positions. They said the Palestinians were initially offered to work as security guards but later some of them were given intelligence duties. Palestinian legislator Abdul Rahman Zaydan said Western intelligence agencies have been seeking Palestinian recruits. Zaydan said Western embassies and consulates have placed anonymous ads in Palestinian
Authority-owned newspapers for Palestinian security personnel. Zaydan called on PA intelligence agencies to investigate and stop the recruitment of Palestinians by Western agencies. He termed the purported Western effort a danger to Palestinian security.

Textbook of American school in capital seized over 'smell of racism'
By Ajana Sankar

ABU DHABI - Close on the heels of the cartoon controversy raging across the Muslim world, it is the turn of an upscale American school in Abu Dhabi to ruffle Muslim sentiments by teaching lessons that allegedly ''smell of racism.'' Over 100 copies of the social studies text book, 'World Cultures' taught to the sixth grade children were confiscated by the Ministry of Education for allegedly presenting Islam and the Muslim countries including Gulf states in a negative light while glorifying Israel on the other hand, Khaleej Times has learnt. It has been accused that chapter 25 of the book running from page 599 to 614 contains a deluge of derogatory remarks against Islam and the Muslim world, for example, dubbing Middle East as one of the most dangerously explosive areas in the world and the Muslim conquest of India as the most bloodiest in the world history, to mention a few. The sub chapters clubbed under the title 'North Africa and the Middle East' also elaborate on the religion and life-style of Israel with pictures. "Israel is one of a few democracies in North Africa and the Middle East today. Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Morocco are all kingdoms; the country of Syria has sponsored terrorism by giving aid to radicals in the Palestine Liberation Organisation, known as the PLO," read excerpts from page 610 of the book, copies of which Khaleej Times possess. Juma Salami, Assistant Undersecretary to Foreign Private Education said that the book published by Silver Burdett Ginn has a racist tone and is insulting to the country's religion and culture. "It is not a community school and a good number of Muslim and Arab children are studying there. By incorporating the book in the syllabus, the schools have failed to show respect to the religious sentiments of the host country." Accusing the book of promoting a hate culture, the Asst. Under Secretary said the "World Cultures' is least objective and balanced in its political and social content and hence is unfit to be taught in schools. "While there are clamour for change in the Middle East, one has to understand that these are the books coming from the so called 'free world'. This is a typical example of how textbooks are used to manipulate the thoughts of young minds," affirmed Juma. On the question how the text book made it through the approval formalities of the Ministry and education zone, the Asst. Undersecretary held that though the ministry's role cannot be denied, the ultimate responsibility lies with the school to ensure that they respect the sensibilities of the country they are in. "We will delve into the details of the text and will take appropriate action, including circulating the name of the publisher among all people concerned. The book will be withdrawn from the syllabus, for sure," added Juma. When this reporter contacted the school, the director said that the school had been following 'World Cultures' for a couple of years and did not face any problems. "The ministry officials came to our classes and checked the books. They took away all copies as they found contents that were considered inappropriate and insensitive. We do our best to follow the ministry guidelines and send the copies of all our books. To the best of my knowledge, this book was also sent for approval. We normally take care to delete materials or replace text books that carry sensitive content. But the the reality is that in a school of this size, there are new books coming in every year, and there are hundreds and thousands of pages to be checked. So chances are there that we might have missed out on something," maintained the school director.

Rigorous Monitoring System: A more rigorous monitoring system to keep an eye on the private schools and the so called embassy schools in the country would be implemented, Dr. Haniff Hassan Al Qassimi, Minister of education has said. Dr. Haniff noted that the ministry will exercise control over the content that is being taught in the private schools as they are offering their services in the country.The syllabus followed in each country differs as some incorporate more nationalistic content, while others concentrate on something else. By monitoring the educational content, the aim is to bring the private and embassy schools more closer to the society in which they operate, noted the minister. "UAE is a multi-cultural society where so many nationalities live in close harmony. This should be reflected in the curriculum taught in the UAE schools, Dr. Haniff told Dubai Television in an interview.

UCI Office Opens in Israel

Shawnee Mission, Kansas - Celebrating its fifteenth year, Unity Coalition for Israel's CEO/Founder, Esther Levens, announced today the opening of a new office in Israel. "This is a culmination of years of hard work with so many great people by our side," Levens said. Levens' purpose of opening an office in Israel "is to give our membership a direct pulse of what is going on in the country. We can't just simply rely on what is reported in the media to direct our course of action. We need to be ahead of the curve by being proactive to help Israel's future." Former Director of Community and Christian Relations for Consulate General of Israel in New York, David Nekrutman, will head this office. Nekrutman was instrumental in enhancing the relations between Christians and the State of Israel during his 2000-2004 tenure with the Israeli government. He has worked extensively with the major leaders in the Christian world and was instrumental in creating such initiatives as the International Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem and The Israel Experience, a Christian college student ambassador program for the State of Israel. "It is an honor and a privilege to advance UCI's work," Nekrutman said. Eight months ago, Nekrutman and his family made Aliyah and now they reside in Netanya. He pointed out that UCI is a very unique organization, whereby, Christians and Jews are proactively working together to advocate on Israel's behalf. Nekrutman said that "As an Orthodox Jew, faith is an important part of my life. To see people from both faiths coming together to help support and advocate for Israel is an historic moment. I want to play an active role in enhancing this remarkable relationship." Nekrutman will partner with Judith Nusbaum and Chana Givon in the Israel office. Nusbaum and Givon are long time volunteers for UCI and have worked extensively with the Knesset's Christian Allies Caucus. For those interested in contacting the Israel office you may reach the UCI's Israel team by phone at 011-972-52-591-7901 or by e-mail at israelpulse@israelunitycoalition.org FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact UCI's Headquarters at 913-648-0022. Founded in 1991, we are the largest worldwide coalition of Jewish and Christian organizations, with more than 200 groups representing millions of people dedicated to Israel. Though we have many different backgrounds, we have one common goal: A Safe and Secure Israel. Israel is not just a Jewish issue. Millions of Christians resolutely endorse the principle of peace with security for the state of Israel. Because we work closely together and speak with a united voice, our message is being heard!

Graft & Sex Scandals Running Rampant in UN

Photo: Ambassador John Bolton

U.S. Ambassador John Bolton criticizes the United Nations for rampant graft by insiders and sex scandals involving UN peacekeepers. Joe Klein, FrontPage columnist and author of the new UN book "Global Deception" (a book on Bolton's reading list) lauds the charges and explains why Kofi Annan does not want to reform the international organization. The American Ambassador to the United Nations turned heads this past weekend by calling out the international organization as riled with financial corruption and plagued by sex scandals involving its own peacekeepers. "The UN has thus far turned a blind eye to the horrible reports of sexual abuse on the part of the peacekeepers they've sent to the world's worst regions," notes Klein, who is also a NY attorney who studied at Harvard Law under the late Archibald Cox. "The globalists in charge of the United Nations have no interest in reform -- they only care about increasing the UN's power and turning it into a mechanism for global governance and massive wealth re-distribution on a global scale that American taxpayers are supposed to pay for," concluded Klein. Earlier this month Bolton's office informed Klein they would pass a copy of Global Deception along to the ambassador. This came on the heels of grassroots interest in the book on the part of UN employees and delegates, many of whom contacted the publisher seeking copies of this candid new book. The publisher subsequently contacted Kofi Annan's office for assistance in distributing the book to all UN employees, but the Secretary-General's office has not yet responded to the offer. "Kofi Annan and his fellow globalists love to 'talk the talk' about reforming the UN but, as we have seen over and over again, the only 'reform' they really want is to transfer more power to the UN bureaucracy and their free-riding supporters in the General Assembly at the expense of United States. Speaking truth to power, Ambassador Bolton is making sure that our huge investment in the United Nations - nearly a quarter of its multibillion dollar budget - is not entirely wasted. The Senate should not wait for Ambassador Bolton's recess appointment to expire. It should make up for its past wrongs by confirming him immediately."

JORDAN LABELS U.S. AS SOURCE OF IRAQI TROUBLE

By Dr. Joseph Lerner

The Islamic Action Frront (IAF)and the Professional Associations Council (PAC) are the two most powerful groups in Jordan. Both oppose the peace treaty with Israel, vilify Israel, strive to to minimize normalization with Israel and strongly defended Saddam Husein. Hamas' election victory and the gains of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood in its election impact the prospective stance and long-term character of Hashemite rule. These were key elements stimulating General Yair Navy's remarks which were leaked and were so firmly denounced in Israel and elsewhere. His message was important regarding Israeli policy. Whether it should have become public is another matter whose evaluation needs to take account of Israel's unilateral withdrawal policies. Iraq's situation is more urgent. Principal Jordanian authorities vigorously declare that the U.S. occupation. is the source of all of Iraq's problems. In the first of the following two articles The Islamic Action Front and the Professional Associations Council charge the U.S. with "conspiring to divide Iraq". In the second article, an editorial from the official Jordan Times, the "US-led occupation" is charged with offsetting Iraq's favorable factors. For Jordan, there are no limits on what may be said against the U.S. while Jordan is to be protected from criticism. JORDAN TIMES 27 Feb.'06:"IAF, PAC call for an end to sectarian violence in Iraq" By Mohammed Ben Hussein. QUOTES FROM TEXT: "The two groups called on Iraqis to unify their efforts against the American occupation and accused the United States of 'conspiring to divide Iraq'."... " 'We call on Muslim leaders in Iraq and the rest of the Arab and Muslim worlds to be aware of the American and Zionist, agendas in Iraq, ". AMMAN - The Islamic Action Front (IAF) and the Professional Associations Council (PAC) on Saturday appealed for Iraqis to practise self-restraint in the wake of sectarian violence between Shiites and Sunnis that has left hundreds killed and wounded. The two groups called on Iraqis to unify their efforts against the American occupation and accused the United States of "conspiring to divide Iraq." They described a recent spate of attacks against Shiite and Sunni mosques and imams as "reckless and criminal. While condemning recent attacks on Shiite holy places, the IAF, the most influential political party in the Kingdom, pleaded for Shiite religious leaders "to stand firm against" attacks on Sunni mosques to prevent the country from sliding into civil war. Bloodshed and attacks on mosques must end and efforts must focus on condemning the attacks on both sides," said the movement in a statement to The Jordan Times. The latest crisis erupted on Wednesday, when unidentified attackers bombed the golden-domed Askariya shrine in Samarra, a site sacred to Shiites. In the four days since, militias affiliated with Shiite political parties have carried out revenge attacks on Sunni mosques and worshippers. Sunni Arabs have responded by forming local defence forces and have conducted their own attacks. A number of clerics from both branches of Islam have been killed. Since Wednesday, the tit-for-tat attacks have left over 200 dead and many mosques damaged, despite a daytime curfew on Baghdad that entered its third day on Sunday .In a separate statement, PAC said it was deeply worried by recent developments in Iraq and called on the Arab League to work to "preserve the Iraqi peoples' unity."..."We call on Muslim leaders in Iraq and rest of the Arab and Muslim worlds to be aware of the American and Zionist, agendas in Iraq," said the statement. Shiite religious leader Muqtada Sadr, at a rally on Saturday, called for Muslim unity against the US occupation and summoned his followers to hold joint prayers next Friday at Sunni mosques, especially those damaged by sectarian attacks. JORDAN TIMES 27 Feb.'06:"Editorial:The damage done". QUOTES FROM TEXT: "One single most important element was capable of annulling the influence of all these and many other factors that could keep Iraq away from the brink of civil war: The US-led occupation."..."As the universally recognized occupying power, the US has to accept responsibility for all this." FULL TEXT: A few countries have more reasons than Jordan to look with utmost apprehension at the looming threat of civil war in Iraq. As His Majesty King Abdullah spelled out yet again during a meeting with Moqtada Sadr last week, Iraq's unity is in as much the interest of Jordan as it is in the interest of Iraq itself. Beyond geographic proximity, the deep historic ties between the two countries and peoples, and the economic interdependence make it a "duty" - in the King's own words - for Jordan to protect Iraq's future. An inclusive political process which paves the way for the participation of all factions in a really representative government provides the only guarantee for Iraq's unity, and therefore security and stability. But the tragic bloodshed, which is the result of the sectarian violence of the past few days, makes these goals appear more and more distant, if attainable at all. What Jordan has been warning against all along - the message that the King has been untiringly conveying to all capitals across the world over the months, actually years, prior to the war, the danger of which this and other countries have been talking about since the beginning of the occupation - is materialising with all its horrific potential: Civil war. Should Iraq eventually be ripped apart by sectarian conflict, the impact on the whole region will be disastrous. So much for the experts who, three years ago, swore that a Sunni-Shiite conflict was highly unlikely because of factors such as nationalism, high rates of intermarriage and the moderating influence of prominent Shiite clerics. One single most important element was capable of annulling the influence of all these and many other factors that could keep Iraq away from the brink of civil war: The US-led occupation. The rage of the insurgency was fed by the many unkept promises of reconstruction, the failure to put sound development projects in place, to restore public confidence in the system and the economy, and to grant average Iraqis at least the minimum necessary to pick up the pieces of their shuttered lives with some dignity. Gross abuses and human rights violations did the rest: Death squads, systematic torture and summary justice fuelled the growth of criminality, bred terrorism and spread desperation. As the universally recognised occupying power, the US has to accept responsibility for all this. Little matters that today American troops sit in Iraq at the request of a new government: The damage has already been done.

Trump could face fines

Did "The Apprentice" star pack too many people into an Elton John show?

Photo: Donald Trump could face fines for allegedly allowing too many people into the ballroom of his Palm Beach resort for an Elton John show.

Donald Trump could be facing charges after allegedly crowding too many people into a concert by Elton John. Civic officials in Palm Beach, Florida, are investigating reports that the ballroom of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort was over capacity during the singer's show. Some reports suggest as many as 900 people were in attendance, well over the room's limit of 700 people. Trump's staff reportedly packed more people into the ballroom to maximize revenues since Elton demanded $1 million for his AIDS Foundation and another $250,000 for his band. Tickets went for $1,000 each. Palm Beach zoning director Veronica Close confirmed the investigation and said Trump could be fined. Fire Chief Ed Moran said his department stopped organizers from adding two rows of seating just before the concert. Trump, whose wife gave birth in New York on Monday morning, was on hand for the 90-minute show.

Hamas Duplicity:Talk Peace in English and deny it Arabic

By Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook

[Haniyah, Prime Minister Designate]

In its attempt to gain international legitimacy, Hamas is presenting a conciliatory face to the Western media, while rejecting peace to its own people in Arabic, and even denying that the conciliatory statements were made.In the latest example, Hamas Prime Minister-designate Ismail Haniyah told CBS on March 16 that he hoped to some day sign a peace agreement with Israel. A Hamas member of Parliament immediately told the Palestinian Authority media that the CBS report was "unfounded," and part of a "crazy campaign which aims at embarrassing and confusing the Palestinians and undermining the trust of the masses in Hamas." [Al Hayat Al Jadida, March 19, 2006]Haniyah was interviewed on CBS news and said, among other things, that he was "seeking a peace settlement and stability in this region," "looking forward to peace and tranquility in this region," and "seeking American administration to create this missing peace." [www.cbsnews.com]

Hamas Denies statements were made:A Hamas MP, speaking in Arabic to a PA newspaper, immediately denied these statements as lies, and part of a conspiracy of the US media to damage the true image of the Hamas:

"[Hamas] MP Mushir Al-Masri denied what was reported in various places in the media about Hamas abandoning its principles, relying on statements attributed to the Prime Minister designate, Ismail Haniyah, according to which he hopes that a peace treaty will be signed with the Israelis. He said that these statements, released on CBS, are unfounded [lit: naked of all truth]. Al-Masri said that these matters are part of a crazy campaign which aims at embarrassing and confusing the Palestinian arena and undermining the trust of the masses in Hamas movement… He added: "the Palestinian media grasps that this campaign should not be related to… and it understands that America endeavors to undermine the [Hamas] movement in the eyes of the Palestinian people…" As to the PM's statements, which have been distorted, Al-Masri said: "the American channel [CBS] broadcast that Sheikh Ismail Haniyah had said in an interview that he hoped that a treaty with Israel would be signed in the White House. I believe that the basis for the controversy over the [Hamas] political plan are the [peace] agreements, which in our opinion bring no benefit…"
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadidah, March 19, 2006]

It should be noted that the reason for this strong rejection of the willingness for peace with Israel is that it violates the most basic tenet of Hamas' belief, that Islam demands the destruction of Israel. Article 13 of the Hamas charter states: ". . . Renouncing any part of Palestine [i.e. accepting Israel] means renouncing part of the religion." Hamas would have to scrap and recreate the basis of its religious ideology to accept Israel.

King of Jordan Receives Phone Call for Israeli Prime Minister

Amman, Jordan, (Petra - Jordan News Agency) -- His Majesty King Abdullah II received a phone call from Acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, in which he apologized for King Abdullah and the Jordanian people over the statements against Jordan from the Commander of the Central Region in Israel. Olmert expressed condemnation over these statements which were reported by a number of news agencies, adding that they do not represent the Israeli government nor the Israeli official stand. The Israeli prime minister expressed appreciation over the efforts exerted by His Majesty King Abdullah to restore peace and stability in the region.

MADONNA ENDORSES HILLARY!

Life Imitates Cartoon Art: Madonna, the diva of decadency has endorsed Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Presidential election with an eerie resemblance to a page out of the new children’s book, “Help Mom! Hollywood is in my Hamper,” by Katharine DeBrecht. "Hillary Clinton should go for it, definitely," Madonna told ContactMusic.com. "You've got to start somewhere in terms of women leading the US." Madonna’s endorsement ironically comes at a time when a new children’s book by best-selling author Katharine DeBrecht hit bookstore shelves March 7. Conducting Talk Show interviews on this topic is author Katharine DeBrecht, whose illustrated book features characters reminiscent of Barbra Streisand, Madonna, Britney Spears, Tom Cruise, and Sean Penn as cartoon villains in her book that depicts a Madonna-type character comfortably at Hillary’s side as she kicks off a presidential campaign. Sexism was the main reason for not having women in high offices, Madonna claimed, saying, "In America, men are still afraid of women. And women, I don't think, trust women. I find that amazing." When asked about the coincidence, DeBrecht laughed “Sexism? Pardon me, but didn't she make millions in her career portraying women as sex objects?”

DeBrecht also noted the Clinton Administration’s years of exploiting women including the Lewinsky affair and Juanita Broderick allegations. When asked about Madonna’s metamorphosis from queen of smut to queen of suburbia, DeBrecht quipped, “Oh, right, that is in the past. Now she is a mother and writes children's books that no one reads. Meanwhile, she and all the others – Britney Spears, Angelina Jolie ,etc., and others who wind up on Oprah’s couch after many have had babies out of wedlock, have made my job as a mother much harder.” The book reunites DeBrecht with award-winning illustrator Jim Hummel to tell the story of Janie and Sam, two girls who were happy just being kids until celebrities start popping out of their hamper to tell them how to behave and to sell them useless clothes and trinkets. The girls encounter a number of goofy celebrities along the way and in the process learn that stars don’t always know best. The book is the highly anticipated sequel to last fall’s surprise hit Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed! which reached #1 on Barnes & Noble’s website but drew fiery criticism from liberals for its portrayal of Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy as cartoon villains who tax and regulate a lemonade stand. Much to the chagrin of many of the Hollywood stars parodied in the book, it ironically made its way into the gift bags at one of the big Oscar parties. “Oddly enough, I didn’t get my invitation to the Academy Awards this year,” laughs DeBrecht. Regarding George Clooney’s latest comments on out-of-touch Hollywood, DeBrecht responds, “Know-it-all liberal celebrities are in our faces every day, telling people how to live, what to buy, and often how to vote. Children need to understand that just because these people show up on television doesn’t mean they know what’s best for the rest of America. In fact, it’s usually quite the opposite!” says DeBrecht Madonna, however, may have taken what DeBrecht calls the Implosion of the Democratic Party to heart, noting, "I don't think maybe now is her time, or the Democrat's time." DeBrecht laughs “Unfortunately for the likes of Dean, Clinton, Pelosi, and the rest of the Hollywood’s “Heart and Soul of America – just like movies about gay sheep herders and sympathizers to terrorists, Real America are just not buying what they are selling.”

Katharine DeBrecht is an author of children's books and a mother of three. Her first book Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed! hit #1 on the Barnes & Noble website in September 2005 and was profiled by the Wall Street Journal, Publisher