Israeli-Palestinian Group Launches Antarctic Expedition

Voice of America ^ | 12/28/03 | Ross Dunn

[Valin]

A group of Israelis and Palestinians have launched an expedition to Antarctica, in a bid to show their two communities can work together for the betterment of mankind. A group of four Arabs and four Jews have joined forces for a project called Breaking the Ice. Their objective is to climb an unnamed and unexplored mountain near a plateau in Antarctica.

But the participants also have another goal, to build strong bonds in situations where they will be forced to depend on each other to survive.

The makeup of the team is a demonstration of how some Israelis and Palestinians are able to put aside their hostilities in pursuit of a common goal.

The group includes one Palestinian who served three years in Israeli jails for firebombing Israeli soldiers, and two former members of an elite Israeli commando unit. Another member is an Ethiopian woman who trekked across the wilderness of Sudan at the age of 14 to emigrate to Israel.

The team flew from Tel Aviv for Chile on Saturday to start their expedition. Shortly before departing, the members were seen hugging each other in excitement and posing for photos with relatives who came to bid them farewell.

The team is to set sail from Patagonia in southern Chile, and then anchor off the coast of Antarctica.

From there, the group will start preparing for the ascent of a previously unclimbed mountain and conduct a naming ceremony at its peak.

The expedition is being sponsored by Israel's Peres Center for Peace. The institute, named after the former Israeli prime minister and now opposition leader, Shimon Peres, seeks to promote reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.

The project also includes the making of a documentary film, set to be completed by the middle of next year.

[thoughtomator]

Swami says: At some point the Arabs will shout "Allah Akbar" and kill the entire expedition.

[RightWhale]

This is kind of interesting. Antipathy seems to be on some state level rather than personal level. People must be tiring of the BS.

[cake_crumb]

"A group of Israelis and Palestinians have launched an expedition to Antarctica, in a bid to show their two communities can work together for the betterment of mankind"

Oh....does this mean my fondest dreams are going to come true? All the Demofascists are ALL gonna move to Antarctica and this is just the opening expedition? If not, who gives a big, fat, hairy rat's rearend about a stupid Antarctic expedition? It's not like it hasn't been DONE before, NOR has it bettered mankind in any way. When Palis and their enablers stop murdering innocent people, then we'll listen to their talk about 'bettering mankind'

[Pearls Before Swine]

A group of Israelis and Palestinians have launched an expedition to Antarctica, in a bid to show their two communities can work together for the betterment of mankind.

What better place to demonstrate the phrase "when hell freezes over" than Antarctica?

[10mm]

The real purpose of this expedition is to explore new territory for a Palestinian state.

[Valin]

You see things like this and you start thinking well maybe..only to have some Palestinian strap a bomb to themself and go for a bus ride.

I do think that at a lower level it does happen. I'll start having more hope when I see a Palestinian version of peace now hold a vigal on the Gaza Strip.

[Old Professer]

I wonder how long it will be until we have to go dig their sorry butts out of the snow and haul them back home?

[Alouette]

The Palestinians will murder all the Israelis and then freeze to death when they realize that no one is going to come to save their sorry butts.

Can we nominated this entire expedition for a group Darwin?

[Thinkin' Gal]

[Alouette]

FRmail me to be added or removed from this pro-Israel ping list.

[Dutch Boy]

It kind of reminds me of the join US/Russia space missions. Something very small but with a lasting memory of good will. Now that's thinking out of the box. I hope it works.

[Alouette]

the join US/Russia space missions.

Bad analogy. For one thing, the US and USSR already have space programs of their own. The Palestinians have nothing of their own but a murder program. A bunch of Israeli leftists signed them up for the ride. This is not a scientific expedition, it is a PR stunt.

[dennisw]

Swami says: At some point the Arabs will shout "Allah Akbar" and kill the entire expedition.

They yelled Allah Akbar when they crashed airplanes into the world trade center and when the Egypt air pilot pushed his plane into the ocean, killing all. In Israel they yell "Itbach Al-Yahud!" [Slaughter the Jews] when they gun down, throw grenades at Israelis

Arutz Sheva - Israel National News
... by Shoshana Rubin 02 December, 2003. "Itbach Al-Yahud!" [Slaughter the Jews] the
muezzin screams, while sounding the loud, wailing call for Muslim prayer. ...
www.israelnationalnews.com/ articles.php3?type=0&from=81 - 19k - Dec 27, 2003 - Cached - Similar pages

About Us
... The same twisted faces, the same hate the same cry of "Itbach-al-Yahud" massacre
the Jew! - that hear and see today, were seen and heard then. ...
jewishxpress.com/issue26/Theworld.htm - 10k - Cached - Similar pages

lgf: "Arabs and Jews"
... I'll bet these teenage punks are yelling "Itbach al-Yahud". ... Itbach al-Yahud"
is a slogan that has special meaning for the Jews of Hebron. ...
www.littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=9098 - 101k - Cached - Similar pages

[thatdewd]

the group will start preparing for the ascent of a previously unclimbed mountain and conduct a naming ceremony at its peak.

Just think, the PLO murder rag will fly from the top of a pristine Antarctic mountain. I've got half a mind to go climb it first before they can name it "Mount Arafat". The "palestinians" will probably go insane before they can climb the mountain, though. Seeing an entire continent devoid of fire and destruction, the only two things they believe in, will probably be more than they can handle.