January 20, 2005

CCD press release: Should the University of Toronto host "Israeli Apartheid Week"?. The Canadian Coalition for Democracies, CCD, has issued the following statement, most appropriate for the anniversary of the 1942 Wannsee Conference: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, January 19, 2005, Toronto ON -- The Institute for Women’s Studies and Gender Studies (IWSGS) at the University of Toronto recently announced on its email distribution service an “Israeli Apartheid Week” on campus starting January 31 (announcement below). Speakers will represent the Arab Students Collective, International Solidarity Movement, Political Prisoners Working Group, Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights, the Palestinian Right of Return Group, and others. "Those who fund universities, including taxpayers and private donors, generally expect their hard earned dollars will support open debate on major issues," said Alastair Gordon, VP Communications for the Canadian Coalition for Democracies (CCD). "The title of this conference appears to be a conclusion, not a call for debate, and the roster of speakers is almost laughably one-sided." The branding of Israel as an apartheid state is the latest attempt to de-legitimize Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East. Wars, terrorism, UN resolutions, media condemnation and academic boycotts have all failed to destroy this tiny state. Now, those who seek Israel’s destruction are attempting to identify Israel as the next South Africa, an apartheid state to be brought down through economic sanctions. The problem with this campaign is that Israel is not apartheid. Israel is the only country in the Middle East where Arabs, Christians and Jews can vote for their representatives in free and open elections with a real choice of candidates. Arabs are full members of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) and sit as judges in the Israeli judiciary, including Abdel Rahman Zuabi who is a permanent member of the Israeli Supreme Court. Abdulmalik Dehamshe, an Arab representative, sits on the State Control Committee and was the Deputy Speaker of the Knesset. Both Israeli Arabs and Palestinians regularly bring cases to the Israeli Supreme Court. Ironically, Israel is the only Middle Eastern country where women enjoy full and equal rights, the stated mandate of IWSGS.   [Israpundit] 9:51:48 AM

Find them! Feds hunt ‘terror team’ as pols appeal for calm Boston Herald - Authorities are scouring Boston for four Chinese nationals and two Iraqi men who may pose a nuclear threat to the city based on a report from an unidentified man calling from Mexico who claims to have smuggled them over the U.S. border. "They got a call from across the border in Mexico to the California Highway Patrol several days ago, and he said he brought two Iraqis and four Chinese (individuals) across the border and according to him, they stated soon to follow behind them would be some sort of (nuclear) material,'' said a law enforcement source. 6:13:47 AM

Four-year high for PC sales ITWeb - Worldwide PC shipments saw strong growth last year, with research firms Gartner and International Data Corporation reporting increases of 11.8% and 14.7% respectively. This year looks set to continue the trend. This meant that total PC shipments throughout the world came to 169 million units by Gartner's count, and 177.5 million units according to IDC 6:10:56 AM