Blog about politics (mideast and pro-Israel, Canadian and local Montreal), world events, and random thoughts.

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The World I Know is updated on a semi-regular basis by segacs.

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11:33 PM
While I was gone...

...a bunch of stuff happened.

For one thing, the Martin government released a federal budget, which was another snoozer. Lots of promises to everyone that will deliver not a whole helluvalot to anyone. By my calculation, the "massive tax cuts" promised will save me exactly $14 in income tax next year. That's two movie tickets and a small popcorn on cheapy night. Yippee! The budget was designed with one purpose in mind: to keep the Liberals in power. Well, mission accomplished, I suppose.

From the maybe-yes-then-again-maybe-no department, Paul Martin has proven himself, in the grand tradition of Canadian leaders, to be incapable of making a decision if it might cost him a few votes. Martin has opted not to participate in the missile defense program with the United States, on the grounds that, well, it would give him bad press because of rampant anti-Americanism. Oh, and the NDP might use words like "Star Wars". Everyone knows that Star Wars are scary. Especially "Attack of the Clones". That was just awful.

Anyway, I don't quite get it. And neither does Paul Celluci:

"I personally don't think it's in Canada's sovereign interest to be outside the room when a decision is made about a missile that might be coming toward Canada."

Paul, Paul, Paul... haven't you learned anything in your years as ambassador to Canada? It's not that we're not interested in defending our country. It's that we Canadians have deluded ourselves into thinking that if we smile and are nice and polite to everyone and refuse to take a stand on much of anything, that nobody will ever attack us. As for those pesky terrorists, well, they're mainly just misunderstood, and we'll give them an immigration hearing in about 6 months.

Moving on. Syria might withdraw from Lebanon in response to massive public and international pressure following the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri... maybe. I guess the Syrians don't particularly relish the thought that the ever-pervasive "End the Occupation" posters at ANSWER rallies might be directed against them, instead of against Israel. Of course, everyone knows that Baby Assad is really just stalling, hoping that the issue will blow over and the world can go back to merrily ignoring Syria's sins and condemning Israel. That should happen in about 10 seconds, when the Israelis begin heightening security measures in reaction to today's suicide bombing in Tel Aviv. If there's one thing the Arab world can count on, it's the rest of the world's single-mindedness when it comes to Israel.

Finally, from the Good Riddance to Bad Rubbish department, Holocaust-denier Ernst Zundel will finally be deported from Canada, after hanging out in a Toronto jail for the past couple of years, trying to fight extradition to Germany on the grounds that he would immediately be prosecuted there for hate crimes. Somehow, I can't see anyone shedding any tears over his departure.

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11:06 PM
Who dared to hope this time?

Delusion can be defined as getting one's hopes up again and again, even when disappointment is a certainty.

Tonight in Tel Aviv, a bunch of people decided to go out to the promenade by the beach, maybe have a drink or two. Now, 4 are dead and over 50 injured because of a suicide bomber who decided to take advantage of the ease in restrictions by the Israelis to go out and murder them:

About 20 to 30 people queued up outside the "Stage" club on the generally packed Herbert Samuel Boulevard shortly after 11 pm Friday night when the bomber, dressed as a reveler himself, struck. As he reached the front of the line he detonated a nail-packed device just before being searched by one of the club's guards. The force of the blast ripped cars open like cans, and sprayed the victims' blood onto the club's smashed front fa ade. Shops and windows of nearby buildings were obliterated.

Israel agreed to speed up the pullout from Gaza. Israel released Palestinian prisoners. Israel agreed to resume security talks. Israel eased border restrictions.

The Palestinians responded as expected... with more terror, more violence.

Anyone who had dared to hope that maybe this time would be different - despite all evidence to the contrary - well, I don't know what to say. Because we all continue hoping. We're human. We think that there's got to be a way out of this mess and we'll grasp at straws to find one.

What is there left to even hope for anymore?

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10:10 PM
My beloved Zaida Nathan passed away on Friday morning at age "96 years young".

Our family lost a truly wonderful, generous, gentle, caring, respectful and special husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin and friend. The world lost a true tzadik in every sense of the word.

The shiva this week will be spent in the company of my large, zany, sometimes crazy family. Blogging should resume after that.

I love you, Zaida. I miss you.

Update: My cousin Elana has posted a tribute on her online journal.

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