Courtesy of Carl in Jerusalem & HonestReporting (both sites are places you should visit regularly!), here’s the latest HonestReporting podcast. A very telling analysis of photo bias.

If, as the press coming out of that part of the world would have you believe, Israel’s goal with the blockade of Gaza is to starve the people and destroy their economy, then Israel is doing a terrible job of it!

HT: Israel Matzav

HT: Palestinian Media Watch

Unfortunately, this is going to be another in a long line of bad press problems for Israel. The story being told is that Israel attacked a flotilla providing humanitarian aid.

However, Israel tried to peacefully enforce its blockade of Gaza, and as the above video shows, the “peace activists” attacked first. As usual, Israeli forces cannot defend themselves without accusations of terrorism or similar acts.

Obama runs out of patience with Israel

US envoy cancels Mideast trip amid US-Israel feud

US Israel criticism ignites firestorm in Congress

Netanyahu defies U.S. over Jerusalem settlement

None of this is surprising, though.  Obama’s sympathies are on the Islamic side of the Arab-Israeli conflict; we’ve known this from day one.  In addition, peace is always placed above Israel’s national security in these situations.  All I can say is that I really hope Israel stands its ground here.  At the end of the day the Jewish state is an independent nation, and really needs to stop buckling to U.S. pressure and take care of its own needs.

With all due respect Mr. Vice President, who the hell do you think you are? Peace is not achieved through the giving up of land, and regardless of how much of a super power the U.S. is, the United States has no right to tell the government of another country where they can and cannot build within the confines of their own territory.

I realize that big brass ring labeled “Peace In The Middle East” has been enticing Presidents for decades (Bush promised a Palestinian state by the end of ’08 in a last-ditch to have that as his legacy), but seriously, Israel giving up half of Jerusalem and going to the 1948 borders won’t end anything. As long as there’s a Jewish state in the Middle East, that state’s neighbors will cause trouble.

Recommended viewing: FreeMiddleEast.com – The Phased Plan

Looks like an interesting documentary. I’ll try to order a copy this week and get a review up sometime soon.

HT: One Jerusalem

Now, I don’t put it past Ahmadinejad to lie about this, but honestly, it may be too late to stop Iran without someone getting nuked.