Obama Gov’t Refuses To Recognize Jerusalem As Part Of Israel

The President of the United States arrived, transformed the King David Hotel into his (and his entourage’s) home away from home, and then began a series of meetings and visits – to the official residences of President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, to the Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book, to the Jerusalem Convention Center, to Mount Herzl, Yad Vashem, and to the grave of former Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin. All of these sites are in Jerusalem. But are they in Israel?

 

According to the U.S. State Department they are not. The State Department refuses to recognize Jerusalem as being in Israel and says that the city’s status must be determined in future peace negotiations.

My father, Nathan Lewin, and I were in court this week – the day before President Obama arrived in the Middle East – on a case that concerns this very issue. The case is Zivotofsky v. Secretary of State, and it involves the right of a Jerusalem-born American citizen to self-identify as born in “Israel” on his or her U.S. passport and birth certificate.

The general rule for American citizens born abroad is that their U.S. passports list their country of birth as their place of birth. So American citizens born in Paris, have “France” listed as their place of birth on their passports. Citizens born in Rome list “Italy.” Those born in Tel Aviv or Haifa list “Israel.” But because the U.S. does not recognize Jerusalem as being in Israel, the State Department lists the city – “Jerusalem” – instead of the country as the place of birth for Jerusalem-born American citizens.

Most people do not know that the State Department permits American citizens who wish to remove any reference to “Israel” from their passports to do so. For example, American citizens born in Tel Aviv or in Haifa may choose to list their place of birth as “Tel Aviv” or “Haifa” instead of “Israel” if they are offended by having “Israel” listed on their passports. The U.S. also permits “West Bank,” “Gaza Strip,” and “Palestine” (for those born before 1948) to be listed as “place of birth” on a U.S. passport. The State Department refuses to be equally accommodating to individual convictions, however, when it prohibits American citizens born in Jerusalem to list “Israel” as their place of birth.

In 2002, Congress passed a law that directed the Secretary of State to record the birthplace of American citizens born in Jerusalem as “Israel” on the U.S. passports and birth certificates of those who so request. Since the bill’s enactment, the Executive Branch has refused to enforce the law, claiming that to do so would infringe on the President’s authority to “recognize foreign sovereigns.”

Our client, Menachem Binyamin Zivotofsky, was born in October 2002 in Shaare Zedek hospital (just a few weeks after the law was enacted). His parents invoked the new statute and asked that his place of birth be listed as “Israel.” The State Department refused because it claimed that Congress’ law was unconstitutional, and it listed his place of birth as “Jerusalem.” Zivotofsky then became our firm’s youngest pro bono client when he (and his parents) sued in September 2003 to compel the State Department to comply with the law.

Now the end Begins

Exo-Vaticana: Pope Francis Poised For Extraterrestrial Disclosure

Exo-Vaticana documents the Vatican Observatory Research Group’s (VORG) endorsement of the astrobiological project and theological revisionism in expectation of extraterrestrial contact. In light of our extraordinary exposé concerning the Vatican’s plans for the arrival of an alien savior, the unexpected election of Pope Francis comes into a brilliant new focus. As a young adult, Bergoglio earned a master’s degree in chemistry from the University of Buenos Aires and had scientific ambitions prior to entering the Jesuit order. When the current leader of the VORG, José Gabriel Funes, S.J., also from Argentina, entered the Jesuit order, one of the three examiners was Bergoglio. Funes, who astounded the world with his essay The Alien is my Brother, is infamous for invoking St. Francis of Assisi as an apologetic for accepting ET, “To say it with St. Francis, if we can consider some earthly creatures as ‘brothers’ or ‘sisters’, why could we not speak of a ‘brother alien’? He would also belong to the creation.” In other words, Funes and the VORG are leading the charge to accept extraterrestrials at face value even arguing they could be morally superior to humans.



Funes believes the first Jesuit Pope will soon turn his attention to issues like astrobiology once his papacy is established:

One Jesuit who shares the pope’s Argentine roots and has known him since his own days as a novice, said the election of the man he first knew as Father Bergoglio is “a joy for the country.”

Father Jose Funes, head of the Vatican Observatory, told Catholic News Service that the election of an Argentine Jesuit with a background in science (he studied chemistry at a trade school before entering the Jesuits) can only be good for all those interests. However, he said, “I think the pope will be focused on other priorities first.”

Pope Francis’ intimate association with the VORG leader implies a surprising new relevance to his election in the role of Petrus Romanus. The Pontifical Academy of Science’s 2009 Astrobiology Conference key note speaker Dr. Chris Impey predicted a forthcoming extraterrestrial disclosure saying, “the first discovery is only a few years away.” Impey’s few years are now upon us and recent exoplanet discoveries seem to offer promise. Thus, it appears that Pope Francis will indeed be the sitting Pontiff when that disclosure event occurs. In Exo-Vaticana we offer evidence and arguments that this entails the strong delusion that leads the world to believe the lie that the Apostle Paul warned us to expect (2 Thessalonians 2: 11).


Logos Apologia

Russia-China proximity bad omen for US

Chinese President Xi Jinping started his first foreign tour with a three-day state visit to Russia on March 23, just nine days after he took office.

On Friday, the two countries signed a set of agreements on a further promotion and development of cooperation in the energy and banking sectors.

The documents, signed with the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Xi, are aimed at broadening cooperation in the energy sector and in the construction process of a petroleum treatment facility and a petrochemical plant in China’s Tianjin metropolitan area.

Chinese and Russian companies have also agreed to invest $2 billion in eastern Siberia to develop coal mines.

For the third year in a row in 2012, China remained Russia’s top trade partner. In 2012 alone, the volume of trade exchanges between the two countries reached $88.16 billion, up 11 percent from the year before. Besides oil and gas, China imports sophisticated arms from Russia.

China was the world’s fifth largest arms exporter in 2012, but it has shown willingness to buy Russia’s most modern weapons.

The Russian and Chinese leaders hope they would diversify their trade. They plan to raise their trade exchanges to $100 billion by 2015 and to $200 billion by 2020.

The relations between Russia and China are currently at their best. The new Chinese leader’s visit to Russia in his first foreign trip indicates the strategic significance of Beijing-Moscow relations.
This trip also carries a clear message for the United States and the European Union (EU) that China and Russia are determined to boost their influence on international developments.

Since the US foreign policy’s strategy for the coming decade is focused on further clout with Asia, China is expanding its ties with Russia and other members of the BRICS group of emerging economies -- Brazil, India, and South Africa.

Energy is the most important sector Russia and China would cooperate in. Russia sits atop huge energy reserves which can serve energy-starving China. Through energy cooperation, the two countries can counter US financial and geopolitical influence.

Putin and Xi are not expected to finalize the deal for a pipeline to carry natural gas from Russia to China so soon. However, Putin is set to take advantage of China to keep Russia’s economy running.

Xi has estimated that his country’s economy would overtake that the US during his ten-year term in office.

Over recent years, Russia and China have largely expanded their cooperation particularly within the framework of international organizations. They are now two leading members of the influential Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a counterweight to US expansionist policies in Central Asia and Eurasia.

Russia and China also share similar views on Syria, particularly in opposing Western interference in the affairs of this Arab state. Since the start of crisis in Syria in 2011, Russia and China have vetoed three resolutions drafted by other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
In Putin’s view, strategic relations between Beijing and Moscow are of great significance due to their influence on the world’s stability and security.

In their Friday meeting, Xi told Putin that his first foreign visit to Moscow showed to what extent his country lent credence to its ties with Russia.

China’s ties with US have become complicated. It has practically cut its ties with Japan while its relations with India are fraught with tensions. Amid such tumult, good and strong bonds with Russia would mean too much.

Economy is China’s top priority, but cooperation about Iran, Syria, and North Korea are also of high significance in its foreign policy. Furthermore, China expects Russia to make up for their reduced oil imports from Iran.

The head of Russia’s biggest oil consumer Rosneft, Igor Sechin, said on Friday that the company plans to increase its oil supplies to China to 45-50 million tons a year, from a current 15 million tons a year via the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean pipeline.

Following his talks with Xi, Putin said the two countries have agreed to cooperate further in space technology, telecommunications and aircraft manufacturing.

The US, EU and Japan are anxiously following up on Xi’s ongoing visit to Russia.

A possible proximity between China, Russia, and India would present the world powers with new puzzles.


PressTV

Uk should divorce from Europe, and run from the banks

Israeli folly on Iran will cost its existence: Top MP

A senior Iranian legislator says Israel will receive a crushing response and cease to exist in case it makes the folly of launching a military strike against the Islamic Republic.

Chairman of Iran Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Alaeddin Boroujerdi said on Saturday that the Israeli regime represents the US hegemony in the Middle East.

“Although the Zionist lobbies are exerting great influence on the US administration, the (Israeli) regime will have no power of its own in the absence of the US support,” he stated.
Blaming Britain for the formation of Israel on parts of the Muslim territories in 1948, Boroujerdi asserted that Tel Aviv lacks strategic depth and national identity.

The Iranian lawmaker went on to say that Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000, and its failure in the 33-day war with Lebanon in the summer of 2006, the 22-day offensive against the blockaded Gaza Strip at the turn of 2011, and the eight-day aggression against the Gaza Strip in November 2012 clearly demonstrated Tel Aviv’s vulnerability against anti-Israel resistance front in the region.

“Despite its claims of being the fourth strongest military power in the world, the Zionist regime is too powerless to be regarded as a major power in the regional strategic equations,” Boroujerdi pointed out.
“The question is how the Zionist regime can face a strong state like the Islamic Republic of Iran while it cannot defeat guerilla groups and politico-military groups like Lebanon’s Hezbollah or (Palestinian) Islamic Jihad and Hamas [movements]?” Boroujerdi asked.

On March 21, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Iran will raze Tel Aviv to the ground if Israel launches a military strike against the Islamic Republic.

“Israel’s leaders sometimes threaten Iran, but they know that if they do a damn thing, the Islamic Republic will raze Tel Aviv and [the occupied city of] Haifa to the ground,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.



PressTV

36 hours of snow chaos on the way in UK

HEAVY snow is expected over the next 36 hours as Britain shivers on the coldest March weekend for 50 years.

Up to 16ins will fall over high ground with several inches likely across much of the UK, the Met Office said last night.

Over 1,000 schools were shut and transport was disrupted as any hopes of spring were dashed by yet another onslaught of snow and flooding today as temperatures fell as low as -12C (10F).

Emergency services saw an early surge in weather-related call-outs as some parts of the country were hit by blizzard conditions. Government agencies issued a string of warnings urging the public to take care on the roads.

The South-west, which will escape the worst of the winter blast, faces flooding with up to 100mm of rain – almost two months’ worth – over the next 24 hours as yesterday's heavy rain continues.

In total The Environment Agency issued 12 flood warnings tonight across the country and 81 less serious flood alerts.

In east Cornwall emergency services were searching for a missing woman her partially property collapsed during heavy rainfall overnight.

It is believed the severe weather triggered a landslide, and while a dozen residents were evacuated Susan Norman has not been accounted for.

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said they believed the woman in her 60s is still in the building.

Further north, snow blanketed many parts with up to eight inches expected to hit the worst affected areas of north west England, north Wales and south west Scotland.

Higher areas could even see up to 16 inches, while bitterly cold gale-force winds create blizzard-like conditions and plunge temperatures down to well below freezing.

Over 1,500 homes in Cumbria had to cope without power and road closure was preveting access to some communites to carry out repair work.

Energy firm Electricity North West said they were considering using helicopters to transport engineers to conduct repairs around Cumbria.

Elsewhere, more than 28,000 homes and businesses in Northern Ireland were left freezing and without power today after snow, sleet and storm force winds hit the province.

Thousands of gritters were on standby last night as councils ­prepared for the “worst winter onslaught” of the year.

A spring lamb follows its mother through a snow covered field in Wales


It is looking absolutely atrocious and people should be prepared for disruption with very heavy snow on the way

Helen Chivers, forecaster

Officials advised people to avoid all but essential travel and the Met Office issued a level-3 cold weather health alert.

Darron Burness, the AA's head of special operations, said: "It's going to be a real witch's brew of driving wind, rain and snow, which will inevitably cause disruption on the roads.

"Drivers should be well prepared as even short journeys can quickly turn bad."

Forecaster Helen Chivers said: “It is looking absolutely atrocious and people should be prepared for disruption with very heavy snow on the way. It is going to be central and northern regions which will be worst hit to start with, and appalling conditions are likely.

“Very heavy snow will be accompanied by strong winds and virtually everywhere should be prepared for very severe weather.

“The South-west, which may escape the snow, will see heavy rain, with up to 100mm likely.”

Jonathan Powell, forecaster for Vantage Weather Services, said despite the official start of spring Britain faces the worst winter weather of the year.

Blizzards driven by 60mph gales will sweep across central and northern regions, bringing chaos to road, rail and air travel.

“Britain is on alert for what is undoubtedly going to be the worst onslaught of the winter,” he said.

“From Friday morning virtually the entire country is going to see extreme and severe weather with inches of snow on the way and strong gales driving devastating blizzards.

“This is going to last until Sunday, with the North and parts of central and western England in for an absolute deluge.”

The threat of extreme weather last night triggered reports of panic buying with winter essentials flying off supermarket shelves.

A spokesman for Sainsbury’s in Matlock, Derbyshire, said: “We’re extremely busy. Customers are stocking up and talking about buying more due to the snow.”

 Britain will face the coldest March weekend since 1962

A Morrisons spokesman said: “It’s safe to say we’re busier than usual with people buying essentials.”

The Local Government Association said gritters and snowplough teams were out in force to keep roads as passable as possible.

Peter Box, chairman of the association’s Economy and Transport Board, said: “Council websites will be updated with information on weather, gritting routes, road conditions, school closures and bin collections.

“Leaflets have been sent to homes advising people about council services, driving in the snow, where grit bins are and how to clear their pavements.

“Council staff will be out and about over the next few days checking on the people they know to be vulnerable and delivering hot meals and portable heaters, collecting prescriptions, defrosting pipes, fixing frozen boilers and making sure they have what they need.”

 Blizzard conditions are experienced at the scene of an accident where a bus came off the road

While the snowstorm that has hit large parts of Northern Ireland has resulted in their World Cup qualifying match being postponed.

The fixture against Russia was due to take place at Belfast's Windsor Park tonight, but has been pushed forward to tomorrow afternoon.

Stadium staff had been working throughout the day to clear the pitch, but the date of the match was shifted after continued heavy snowfall.

Overnight in Yorkshire, Leeds Bradford International Airport suspended all flights due to "adverse weather conditions".

Gatwick airport said it was as “prepared as we can be” with volunteers on standby to make sure disruption is kept to a minimum. Heathrow said it had a “wellrehearsed” contingency plan in place. Leon Brown, forecaster for The Weather Channel, said Britainfaces the coldest March weekend since 1962 as strong winds whip up snowdrifts in the worst-hit areas.

“Much of the UK can expect to see some snow by Saturday, even the South-east and southern England,” he said.

“Heaviest falls will be over Wales and the Pennines with 12ins possible, plus signifi cant drifting over the mountains.”

Jim Dale, forecaster for British Weather Services, said: “Be in no doubt, parts of the UK are in for a spell of very severe weather indeed.

People really need to sit up and take notice. This is a very serious situation.”

The Environment Agency last night urged people living in the South-west to prepare for flooding and stay away from rivers and areas likely to flood. 

 

Express

Snow chaos in Russia and Ukraine