Iran's Leader Blames Enemies for Unrest, As Death Toll Rises

NEW BREED: Opinion. Tradition. BOURBON SEMANTICS: OF WHAT STYLE DEFINING WAS MOSES ISRAELI ‘OCCUPIED’ AFRAID? WHISKEY A2. A10. A11. THE algemeiner JOURNAL $1.00 - PRINTED IN NEW YORK FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2018 | 14 CHESHVAN 5778 VOL. XLV NO. 2338 Iran’s Leader Blames EU Maintains Cautious Enemies for Unrest, Response to Iran as Death Toll Rises Protests BY BEN COHEN Th e international divide on the continuing anti- government protests in Iran was starkly illustrated on Tuesday, as the Tehran regime’s regional allies issued state- ments dismissing the unrest as a domestic issue, while the European Union restricted itself to a plea for the avoidance of further bloodshed. As nationwide demonstrations completed their their sixth day with little sign of easing, the Russian Foreign Ministry described the protests as “Iran’s internal aff air.” In Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Photo: Wikimedia Commons. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini – far left. Photo: Nazanin Tabatabaee Yazdi / TIMA via Reuters. BY REUTERS on Monday night, including two struggle to contain the boldest members of the security forces, challenge to Iran’s clerical leader- a nod to Iranian offi cial claims that the protests have been & ALGEMEINER STAFF state television said. ship since unrest in 2009. orchestrated by Israel and the US, the Russian statement Iranian Ayatollah Ali Six protesters were killed In his fi rst reaction to the added that “external interference destabilizing the situation Khamenei on Tuesday accused during an attack on a police demonstrations, Khamenei said: is inadmissible.” enemies of the Islamic Republic of station in the town of Qahderijan. “In recent days, enemies of Iran Turkey — which has long competed with Iran for the stirring unrest across the country Th e governor of Falavarjan County used diff erent tools including cash, loyalties of the Islamic world — adopted a similar line. “We as the death toll from anti-govern- said the protesters were armed. weapons, politics and intelligence believe it is necessary to avoid violence and not succumb ment demonstrations that began Th e deputy provincialapparatus to create troubles for to provocations,” a statement from the Foreign Ministry in last week rose to 21. governor of Tehran said police the Islamic Republic.” Ankara declared. Meanwhile, the regime of Syrian President Nine Iranians were killed in have arrested more than 450 Khamenei said on his website Continued on Page A3 Isfahan province during protests protesters in the capital over the that he would address the nation past three days as security forces Continued on Page A4 Th e Christian ShabbatCalendar Parshat SHEMOT Times for New York City, Friday Candle Lighting Shabbat Begins: 4:25pm | Shabbat Ends: 5:29pm פרשת שמות Community and Jerusalem P.O.B. 250746, Brooklyn, NY 11225-3203 Tel: (718) 771.0400 | Fax: (718) 771.0308 page A8 Email: [email protected] www.algemeiner.com © Copyright 2016 Th e Algemeiner Journal - All Rights Reserved. A2 | FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2018 Opinion. Defining ‘Occupied’ — and the Semantic Battle for Peace as well as geographic term that was applied to instead of peace, a cross-party the area before 1949, “Judea and Samaria” — is consensus now exists that deems JONATHAN S. TOBIN a matter of dispute in which both sides have further withdrawals foolhardy a legitimate argument. To call the territories until the Palestinians give up a JNS.ORG Judea and Samaria is also a political state- political culture rooted in hatred ment, just like “occupied territories.” and rejectionism. But the use of words as weapons can lead “Occupation” isn’t the In a demonstration of how completely at to a muddle. The term “West Bank” is itself only semantic battle. Critics of odds his views are from those of the foreign geographic nonsense. It is a relic of the illegal President Trump’s statement policy establishment, US Ambassador to Jordanian occupation of this area, as well as recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s Israel David Friedman reportedly asked the the Old City of Jerusalem from 1949-1967. At capital dismissed it as mere State Department to stop using the term that time, the Hashemite kingdom had two words, since the US embassy isn’t “occupied territories” and instead refer to the “banks,” with an East — the area currently being moved from Tel Aviv to area as the “West Bank.” known as Jordan — as well as the West, which Jerusalem anytime soon. Trump’s According to accounts that have filtered was taken by Israel during the Six-Day War. statement didn’t preclude a out of Foggy Bottom, the State Department Although Gaza functions as an indepen- two-state solution or a redivision US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman at the Western said no. But we are also told that after pressure dent Palestinian Hamas terror state, and of Jerusalem — in order for part Wall in Jerusalem, May 15, 2017. Photo: Rob Ghost / Flash90. “from above” — i.e. President Donald Trump much of that territory, as well as most of the of it to serve as the Palestinians’ Arab population of the West Bank is governed capital. Far from demonstrating all of Israel, and not just the West Bank and — the issue has yet to be decided. Jerusalem, as “occupied” territory. That’s If this strikes you as a lot of bother about by the Palestinian Authority (PA), the fact is US favoritism to Israel, his was actually a that the Palestinians do consider themselves neutral stance that acknowledged that at not just symbolism or semantics. That’s a mere words, you’re wrong. These words are prescription for endless conflict. part of a high-stakes battle to determine the “occupied” by Israel. The reason? Because least some of the city belongs to Israel. It is Israel exercises security control over the area. those who insist on the term “occupied,” and Seen in that light, what Trump and outcome of the debate about the Israeli-Pales- Friedman have said doesn’t seem quite as tinian conflict. Many Israelis also want to rid themselves of in denying recognition of Jerusalem, who are that burden, which brings their troops into the ones showing favoritism, though not to outrageous as their detractors assert. Until For some observers, Friedman’s request the Palestinians are ready to concede that demonstrated anew that he was a bad choice contact with Palestinians in a way that further Israel. embitters both sides. PA leader Mahmoud Abbas responded their century-old war on Zionism has been for ambassador — since he has a record of lost, the debate over whether the West Bank is support for the Jewish presence in the West Only a minority of Israelis support the to Trump by denying that Jews have rights settlement movement, which wishes to hold over any of Jerusalem. Though at times disputed or occupied will be moot. As long as Bank. But Friedman is correct that using the they think that all land under Jewish control term “occupied” isn’t neutral. It backs up the on to all of the West Bank forever. A majority of Abbas has spoken in support of peace, his Israelis would probably embrace a two-state stand reaffirmed the steady stream of PA on either side of the 1967 lines is occupied, Palestinian narrative that Israelis are alien peace will remain a purely academic concept, colonists in territories where only Arabs solution that would mean giving up many, propaganda that denies the legitimacy of a but not all of the settlements. But after the last Jewish state — no matter where its borders no matter which words are used. should have rights. Jonathan S. Tobin is the editor-in- Israel’s position is that the ultimate dispo- 25 years, during which the Jewish state has might be drawn. When push comes to shove, repeatedly traded land and gotten more terror even Palestinian moderates still think of chief of JNS. Follow him on Twitter at: @ sition of the West Bank — or, to use the biblical jonathans_tobin. Debating BDS With Cornel West has increased considerably since 1948. Even causing unemployment among Palestinian the situation on the West Bank — where Pales- workers in companies such as SodaStream, ALAN DERSHOWITZ tinians have the right to vote for their leaders which was pressured to move out of the West the BOSTON and criticize Israel, and where in cities such as Bank, where it paid high wages to Palestinian Ramallah there is no Israeli military or police men and women who worked side by side Algemeiner Journal presence — the situation is no way compa- with Israeli men and women. I explained that (USPS 927800) is published weekly rable to apartheid South Africa. the leadership of the Palestinian Authority is (except for the week of Passover West then argued that BDS was a opposed to broad boycotts of Israeli products, and Succos) I recently debated Professor Cornel West non-violent movement that was the best way artist and academics. Subscription rate $40 per year of Harvard about the boycott movement to protest Israel’s “occupation” and settlement West argued that BDS would encourage against Israel. The topic was resolved: “The policies. Israel to make peace with the Palestinians. Algemeiner Journal boycott, divestiture and sanctions (BDS) I responded that BDS is not a “movement” I replied that Israel would never be black- 508 Montgomery Street movement will help bring about the resolu- — a movement requires universality, like the mailed into compromising its security, and Brooklyn, N.Y. 11225-3023 tion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” feminist, gay rights and civil rights movements. that the Palestinians are disincentivized into West argued that Israel was a “colonialist- BDS is an antisemitic tactic directed only making compromises by the fantasy that they Periodicals Postage settler” state and that apartheid in the West against the Jewish citizens and supporters of will get a state through economic and cultural Paid at Brooklyn, N.Y.

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