Welcome to IsraPundit!

The principal objective of IsraPundit is Pro-Israel advocacy.

The need for pro-Israel advocacy stems from the realization that the Arab propaganda machine has monopolized the

discourse in terms of topics (you never hear about occupied Tibet, but the “occupied” Palestinians are ubiquitously front and

center), as well as in the terminology used (“occupied Arab lands”, but never “disputed lands”, as Israelis see it).

IsraPundit may not succeed in reversing the damage that has already been done, but is sure will try.

To help reverse the tide, a group of pro-Israel bloggers has banded together to form BISI - “Bloggers In Support of Israel - ,

and IsraPundit will be the conduit for expressing our views. IsraPundit will carry articles we post in our individual blogs as well as

articles written specifically for IsraPundit.

IsraPundit also invites anyone who wishes to have an article posted to submit it to Joseph

Norland. This invitation is particularly open to contributors who are not bloggers and/or who are pro-Israel bloggers but not

members of our Group, BISI.

In addition to posting on IsraPundit, BISI will also engage in such activities as:

• Compilation of a link list (bloggers, data sources, other relevant sites)
  
• Cross-posting among bloggers
  
• Division of labour with regard to reviewing selected sites
  
• Exploring the possibility of co-operation with such organizations as ADL and AIPAC, which engage in pro-Israel advocacy
  
• Support for ongoing petitions and similar pro-Israel activities
  
• Letter-writing to corporations, universities and foreign embassies to protest their anti-Israel policies/actions
  
• Discussion concerning other measures BISI can take in support of Israel
  
• Automatic posting in a designated site, of the titles or summaries of articles posted by BISI members.

If you are a blogger and see pro-Israel advocacy as a major part of your blog, you are invited to join us.

May Israel Thrive.

David, Zionblog

Joseph, CitCUN

Steven

Israeli police are set to distribute a pamphlet that explains how to spot a suicide-bomber:

In the pamphlet, the police listed several basic external and behavioral signs that should raise public suspicions:

• Unseasonable dress;
  
• Youth who are attempting to blend into crowds, when they do not seem to belong;
  
• Conspicuous, bulky dress;
  
• Repeated and nervous handling of parts of clothing;
  
• Profuse sweating, slow-paced walking while focusing on sides;
  
• Attempts to maintain distance from security personnel, and hesitant, nervous muttering.

It's strange that Palestinian suicide-bombers should bear such a startling resemblance to homeless people and escaped mental patients.

700 visitors in eight hours! All hail the power of Glenn Reynolds! Mere mortal bloggers shall bow down before him and despair!

Anyway, this is a quick note just to explain that I jumped the gun a little and this site isn't kicking off for real until 1 September (some issues still to be resolved about wherefores and whytofores) - at which point thick wedges of Jewish (and Gentile, ahem) goodness will be on offer to all and sundry. Don't go away! We'll be right back...

Let's start the ball rolling with an announcement by the Palestinian Journalists Association that "it will punish any journalist or photographer who takes photographs of armed or masked Palestinian children."

According to the message, the reason for this new policy is that these photographs will damage the Palestinian image in the eyes of the world. The Foreign Reporters' Association said in response to this message, that it rejects the threat of punishments against the Palestinian journalists working in the foreign media. The International Journalists' Association requested that the Palestinian Journalists' Association cancel the prohibition on photographing armed children. It added that the problem is the very existence of these armed children, and not the journalists who are only trying to do their job.

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit adds:

The Palestinian Journalists' Association does not condemn the existence of the widespread phenomenon, in which Palestinian children are being educated in armed combat, nor that they are being shown armed and wearing explosive belts in demonstrations organized by various terrorist organizations in support of suicide bombings.

To coin an expression, this is not so much intifada as spintifada. Is Peter Mandelson employed in a part-time capacity by the PLA? We should be told.

Shalom! And welcome to Israpundit, your one-stop shop for news, views, and commentary on events in and around Israel. We hope you enjoy your stay. If it was Googling for the Robert Fisk fan club that brought you here - turn back now, before it's too late!