Group says anti-Semitic acts soar in France in '09
       
The Associated Press
Wednesday, February 3, 2010; 3:35 PM

PARIS -- A group founded to protect France's Jewish community says anti-Semitic acts in France soared 75 percent last year - many coming as Israel pressed an offensive against Hamas in the Middle East in January.

The Jewish Community Protection Service tallied 832 anti-Semitic acts in 2009, up from 474 a year earlier. Most involved graffiti and threatening gestures; about 17 percent involved vandalism and violence.

The group said Wednesday that 354 took place in January 2009 alone, when Israel ended a three-week offensive against Palestinian militant group Hamas in response to rocket attacks from Gaza.

France is home to western Europe's largest communities of Muslims and Jews. Flare-ups of anti-Semitic acts have often coincided with Mideast violence.

Sen. Grassley: Trials of terrorists do not belong in civilian courts or on U.S. soil

In his weekly address of February 5, 2010, Senator Grassley  talks about holding the trials of terrorists on U.S. soil in civilian courts.

"Representative government worked and the people were heard at the grassroots of America when public pressure forced the Obama administration to move the trial of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed out of New York City.  While New York City is off the hook, this administration appears to remain committed to a civilian trial.  This means the man who plotted the 9/11 attacks that killed more than 3000 Americans will receive more constitutional rights than our own military men and women will receive if they are court marshaled.

This to me is a ridiculous proposition.  A civilian trial on U.S. soil not only gives these terrorists the same constitutional rights as American citizens, but also risks releasing valuable intelligence information, creates an increased security risk, causes undue financial constraints on an already busted budget, and provides a large microphone for people to spew their hateful rhetoric.

These terrorists should not be brought to the United States for trial even though others may be tried in military commission.

I recently co-sponsored a bill with Senator Lindsey Graham and a group of bipartisan Senators that would prohibit the use of any federal funds for civilian trials of the September 11 terrorists.  If I get a chance to vote on legislation, either appropriating money to not bring the terrorists here, or that these folks not be tried in civilian courts, but be tried in military commission, I’ll be very inclined to support that legislation."
      
-30-               Comment to: Grassley_Press@grassley.senate.gov

ADL National Director rates Obama's First Year re: Middle East Diplomacy

Foxman:  White House Gets "A" for Effort, "F" for Results

ADL Issues Report Card On President Obama's First Year In Middle East Diplomacy

Palm Beach, FL, February 5, 2010 … Saying that "the one-year anniversary of a presidency is always an occasion to assess how a new president is doing," the head of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today rated the Obama Administration's first year in Middle East diplomacy, with suggestions for areas of improvement and possible next steps.

In a speech to the League's National Executive Committee, meeting today in Palm Beach, Florida, Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, gave the following grades to President Obama and his foreign policy staff for their efforts thus far on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:

• "A" for Effort, with good intentions and efforts to create the conditions necessary for bringing together the Palestinians and Israelis for negotiations;
• "C-minus" for Strategy, pointing to the administration's "unrealistic expectations" and heavy-handed focus on Israeli settlement policy;
• "F" for Failure to achieve results, with little movement achieved thus far, with few prospects for talks on the horizon, and for what was essentially, "…a wasted year without any negotiations."

"I believe that it's fair to say that the president fits nicely into a long tradition of American presidents on the Middle East and Israel, and he tried very hard in his first year to bring the parties together with good intentions," said Mr. Foxman in his address to ADL leaders from across the country. "So, I sincerely believe President Obama deserves a solid 'A' for his efforts."

However, "The administration … focused on trying to speed up the process toward peace, and is now questioning its own strategy," said Mr. Foxman. "So in my estimation, the Obama administration earned a 'C-minus' for strategy."

"Since there are no prospects of talks on the horizon, and in many ways what their efforts wrought was a wasted year without any negotiations, I believe the administration deserves an 'F' for its failure to deliver on results."
Mr. Foxman said that while the conditions for a comprehensive peace -- including issues of Jerusalem, refugees and a demilitarized Palestinian state -- are "not yet ripe," he holds out hope that improved economic and security cooperation between the sides could lead to an eventual return to negotiations.

"I'd like to see the president focus on what is truly achievable in a region where the Palestinians continue to be divided between Palestinian Authority control of the West Bank and Hamas control of Gaza and where it remains unclear if the Palestinians truly accept a Jewish state," said Mr. Foxman.

The National Executive Committee, the League's highest policymaking body, meets annually in Palm Beach.