Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is heading to France together with Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman and Economy Minister Naftali Bennett, as well as MK Eli Yishai as the Knesset’s representative, to attend a unity rally in Paris today (Sunday, Jan 11).

The Israeli government leadership will join with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister David Cameron, King Abdullah II of Jordan and his Queen, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and a million more.

Abu Mazen – the Arab terrorist name of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas — initially said he wouldn’t be able to go because of inclement weather, but has since changed his mind.

The “silent march” is being held to protest terrorism, and to honor the memory of the 17 victims murdered last week in a three-day series of attacks in Paris by radical Islamist terrorists.

Rallies are also planned in numerous cities around the globe.

French police are still hunting for Hayat Boudienne, the common law wife of one of the terrorists slain on Friday. However, it is believed she has left the country and headed to the Middle East. Turkish police have told authorities Boudienne may have passed through Turkey on her way to Syria, Fox News reported Saturday night.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is also expected to participate in the solidarity rally in Paris, according to Turkey’s official Anatolia news agency.

The news follows a report last week that the exiled politiburo chief of the Hamas terror group, Khaled Mashaal, has been invited to establish a new headquarters in Turkey. Mashaal was allegedly expelled from Qatar, along with top officials of the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist organization.

The Al Qaeda affiliate in Yemen, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), has taken responsibility for the attack Wednesday at the Charlie Hebdo satirical weekly magazine office.

The terror group released a statement over the weekend claiming the assault was launched in revenge for the “honor” of the prophet Muhammed, the founder of Islam.

The statement issued by the group’s spokesperson said the leadership of AQAP directed the operations and chose their target carefully. He added that the terror organization delayed taking responsibility for the attack because of “security reasons.”

U.S. intelligence sources said that 34-year-old Said Kouachi, one of the suspects killed on Friday, had traveled to Yemen in 2011 and made “direct contact” with Al Qaeda training camps.

Incitement that heats up the atmosphere among Muslim worshipers at the Temple Mount is a regular offering at the Al Aqsa Mosque — but the Israeli government has yet to do anything concrete to stop it.

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) has translated video footage of a rally held just last week at the mosque by a radical Islamist group, the Hizb ut-Tahrir Islamic Liberation Party.

The group, which operates under the auspices and encouragement of the Palestinian Authority, is dedicated to uniting the world under a caliphate ruled by Islamic law (Shari’a) and has branches in Judea, Samaria and in Gaza.

The rally was held at the Al Aqsa mosque in the Temple Mount Plaza, located in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem, right next to the Western Wall. Among the crowd were many supporters waving black flags inscribed in white Arabic writing with the words, “There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is His Prophet.”

According to MEMRI, members of the group issued a call to the ‘Islamic nation’ and the army of Pakistan to liberate ‘al Quds’ (Jerusalem) from ‘Jewish filth.’

“Where is the Caliph of the Muslims? Don’t you care that the Jews are defiling the place of the Prophet’s nocturnal journey with their filth? The Jews are the most hostile people towards the believers. . . They conquered Jerusalem,” called the rally activists.

“O people of Pakistan! O people of Islam! The place of the Prophet’s ascent to Heaven is calling for your help! What are you doing? The Al Aqsa Mosque calls for your support! Will you heed the call?

“O Pakistani Army! America wants to destroy you. America is your enemy. Free yourselves from subordination to it. This is the call of Hizb Al-Tahrir:

“Advance with your mighty army to Jerusalem. You are worthy of the honor of liberating it.” A video clip of the rally was posted on the Internet by MEMRI with translated subtitles.

It is precisely incitement such as this that whips the mosque’s Muslim worshipers into a frenzy of hatred against Jews and Israel week after week and results in the violent riots that prompt police to close the site to anyone except Muslims prior to Jewish holidays.

Once cannot fathom why Israel does not close the site to Muslims when violence occurs, rather than the peaceful Jews and tourists who come to tour the area.

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Israel’s Labor-led government in 1967 immediately handed authority over the site to the Waqf Islamic Authority, which is linked to the Jordanian government, hoping to maintain peace in future years.

Sadly, this ‘solution’ has instead simply led to endless incitement and a ravenous hunger for war.

Last year MEMRI translated another Hizb ut-Tahrir video showing PA Arab children in the Al Aqsa mosque having been programmed to call for the “liberation of Palestine.”

In somber robes of white (for purity) and black (for purpose and death) boys who appeared to be as young as six and as old as 15 stood tall in the mosque, bands inscribed with religious slogans wound about their foreheads listened closely — and yelled into microphones when called upon to do so.

This is a perfect example of how the Palestinian Authority actively continues to pass on terrorism against Israel to the next generation. It is a clear message the PA is no ‘partner for peace.’

A ‘two state solution’ under these circumstances would be a signed death certificate with the coroner ready and waiting to deliver the document next door.

Protesters who plan to demonstrate today at the world’s largest shofar-blowing event in history in New York City have drawn praise from the Israeli government coalition chairman, who expressed his admiration for their “courage.”

Israeli government coalition chairman MK Yariv Levin  is “deeply moved” by demonstrators who are to gather to protest participation in the Israel Day Parade of groups promoting the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.

In a letter sent to Richard Allen, founder of JCCWatch – organizer of the rally being held in New York – Levin praised the rally, set for Tuesday April 29 at  5 pm, “courageous stance of so many friends of Israel involved in the parade, calling to delegitimize those who delegitimize Israel.

“It is not logical or reasonable for Israel supporters to condone or overlook or indirectly cooperate with BDS groups which represent the antithesis of support for Israel. Refusing to recognize the State of Israel’s sovereign right to develop and maintain an independent legal position on any issue of national importance is not legitimate.”

The UJA-Federation and Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) which sponsors the annual Israel Day Parade, agreed this year to permit a number of anti-Israel groups to march this year in the parade, setting off a tsunami of protest over their participation. Among those  are:

• Partners for Progressive Israel: which encourages the public to boycott Ahava Cosmetics, SodaStream and wine from nine Israeli vineyards.
• The New Israel Fund: which finances NGOs (non-governmental organizations) that promote BDS activities against Israel. NIF funds Machsom Watch, the Coalition of Women for Peace, Women Against violence, Social TV and Mossawa, all of which signed a letter to the Norwegian government pension fund, urging it to divest from Israel.
• B’Tselem: A major recipient of funds from NIF, the group has produced the anti-israel video shown at Israel Apartheid Week events held at various universities around the world. The organization’s board chairman, Oren Yiftachel, has publicly called for “effective sanctions” against Israel.

The rally, promoted as the “largest shofar blowing event in Jewish history,” is set to take place this afternoon (April 29) at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time (New York City) in front of the UJA-Federation building at 130 East 59th Street, between Park and Lexington Avenues. Participants are urged to bring their shofars to the rally. Those who do not have a shofar but who wish to participate can receive one to use on site.

Scheduled speakers include Rabbi David Algaze from the World Committee for the Land of Israel / Havurat Yisrael; Richard Allen, JCCWatch; Dr. Paul Brody of the Jewish Political Education Foundation; Helen Freedman of Americans for a Safe Israel; Beth Gilinsky of National Conference on Jewish Affairs; Mort Klein, head of Zionist Organization of America; Robert Muchnick of Manhigut Yehudit, and Lauri Regan of Endowment for Middle East Truth.

There were two blocks debating each other in many of the settlements this Shabbat, and both sides raised some very valid points.

On one side are the pro-rally settlers who plan to go join in the Haredi anti-draft protest.

Their positions are as follows:

1. Haredim are currently on target for the army’s annual draft expectations from the Haredi community. At this growth rate, they’ll definitely reach the army’s goals in 2017.

So why in the world is the government suddenly introducing criminal sanctions onto the Haredi community, when, despite the difficulties, they’re meeting their numbers?

2. If this were about all citizens sharing the burden, why are Lapid and friends ignoring the Arabs?

3. If this were really only about the draft, then why were Lapid and friends going after Hesder, until Bennett cut some sort of deal with him?

4. If we don’t stand with the Haredim now, when Lapid and friends go after the settlements (and Hesder), we won’t be able to count on the Haredim as allies.

5. If Lapid and friends succeed, in the next elections, they’ll be big enough to not need Bennett and the restrictions he’s placed on them, and then Hesder, the Settlements and the National-Religious community are really going to really be in trouble.

The pro-rally groups raises some very important points, that seem to indicate that this bill and the attacks on the Haredi community are more about populism, elections, hurting the Torah and the religious sector as a whole.

On the anti-Rally side, the following arguments were put forth:

1. Everyone should do the army, and its not fair to everyone else that the Haredim aren’t doing their share.

2. If the Haredi position was really only about Torah learning and how Torah learning protects the State and they’re sharing in the burden by learning – and not based on an anti-Zionist ideology, then why aren’t they at least saying the prayers for the State and IDF soldiers in their shuls.

Since they don’t, it proves this protest is not about being drafted, but rather not wanting to be a partner in the State of Israel itself and not caring for anyone else outside their community.

3. Lapid won’t be able to hurt the Hesder programs and the religious in the army, because we make up 50% of the combat units, so we don’t need the Haredim as allies for that.

4. The Dati-Leumi and Settler communities simply can’t count on the Haredim to stand by us. They didn’t stand with us during Gush Katif, and they only care about their own communities and whoever pays them enough to support their lifestyles. They don’t care about anyone else’s Torah community besides their own (see Gafni’s threats to destroy Hesder and the settlements).

We gain nothing by standing with them, and some people even said, they’re getting what they deserve.

The anti-Rally group also raises some extremely valid points – essentially the isolationist approach of the Haredi community has proven that Haredim are unreliable allies, and incapable of seeing themselves as part of the greater religious and Jewish community in Israel, and acting on that partnership, so why should we act for them, when we think they should be drafted anyway, just like we are.

What do I conclude from all this?

First of all, there’s no doubt the Haredi community has shot itself in the foot, and the Dati-Leumi community may very well follow in their footsteps.

Some big name rabbis in the National-Religious (Dati-Leumi) community plan to participate in the Haredi anti-draft rally on Sunday, to show their solidarity with the Haredim.

Among these rabbis are Rav Shmuel Eliyahu, Rav Shlomo Aviner and Rav Yaakov Shapira.

The Haredim are protesting the Shaked Committee Bill, which will require that Haredim begin serving in the IDF and criminalizes draft dodging. MK Ayelet Shaked is member of the National Religious Jewish Home Party.

The position these Dati-Leumi rabbis are taking is that they will “not let the government divide the Dati-Leumi and Haredi communities… and harm Torah learning.”

Other Dati-Leumi rabbis are against the three rabbis’ participation in the rally.

Haredi MK Moshe Gafni (Yahadut HaTorah) told Makor Rishon that, to avenge the Shaked law, as soon as he is back in power, he will destroy the Hesder Yeshivas — where students both study Torah and serve in elite combat units.

MK Gafni also threatened to end all funding to the settlements, and to dry them out, as soon as he is back in a government role. For the record, his one government role so far has been, during the 12th Knesset (this one is the 19th): Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs.

In the past, in retaliation for budget cuts that hurt Haredi families, MK Gafni, who Chairs the Knesset Science and Technology Committee, also threatened to intentionally create problems the Finance Ministry would have to spend a lot of state money to fix.

There’s no doubt that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has made a lot of fans during his official state visit to Israel, Monday. Israeli Canadians went absolutely gaga over him, lining up the streets (well, one street) to welcome his procession.

It’s so rare that someone out there should be on our side these days, that we go nuts (especially, like I said, the Canadians among us).

One woman was not celebrating: Zehava Gal-On, chair of the leftist Meretz party reacted to Harper’s loving speech in the Knesset by saying: “He sounds like a spokesman for the Foreign Office.”

She meant the Israeli Foreign office. She meant it was inconceivable that a high official outside Israel would say nice things about us. It really made her angry.

And, of course, the Arab MKs left the assembly in anger.

So, not entirely a bad day…

Photo credit: Meital Cohen/Flash 90

British media sources are reporting that the bloggers Pamela Geller (Atlas Shrugs) and Robert Spencer (Jihad Watch) have been banned from entering the UK. They were banned as their entry was considered to be “not conducive to the public good,” following a campaign by left-wing activists to block their entry into the country.

The two bloggers were planning on attending and speaking at a rally in Woolwich organized by the right-wing EDL (English Defense League). Woolwich is the location were British soldier Drummer Lee Rigby was beheaded by a Muslim man in May.

The EDL is a street protest movement which opposes what it considers to be a spread of Islamism, Sharia law and Islamic extremism in the United Kingdom.

But Geller and Spencer shouldn’t think themselves exceptional here. Likud MK Feiglin is permanently banned from entering the UK, while other Israeli government officials have been afraid to enter England under threat of arrest. At one time that even included the left-wing Minister Tzipi Livni, for her involvement in defending Israel against the attacks from Gaza.