Free Republic

In stark contrast to the PLO songs he recited growing up, with words like, “Sharpen my bones into swords and make my flesh into Molotov cocktails,” Shoebat, now 44, sings a very different tune. Walid Shoebat’s visit to the University of Toronto, together with Israel National Radio’s Tovia Singer, was but the latest of the former terrorist’s endeavors on behalf his latest cause: Israel and the Jewish people. Shoebat has related his extraordinary journey over the airwaves and before audiences across North America, encouraging people to “wake up and smell the hummus” before Islam succeeds in implementing its program of...

CONTROVERSIAL Palestinian MP Hanan Ashrawi arrived in Sydney this morning ahead of a ceremony to award her a peace prize. Dr Ashrawi was chosen by the Sydney Peace Foundation to receive the Sydney Peace Prize for her commitment to human rights, to the peace process in the Middle East and for her courage in speaking against oppression, against corruption and for justice. Dr Ashrawi will deliver the 2003 Sydney Peace Prize lecture tonight at the Seymour Centre in Sydney, a Sydney Peace Foundation spokesman said. NSW Premier Bob Carr will award the peace prize to Dr Ashrawi at a dinner...

Ahmed Qurei, known as Abu Ala, has still not accepted the position of prime minister in the Palestinian Authority. Abu Mazen, who resigned from the position two days ago, has said that he will not serve in a government formed by Abu Ala. Arutz-7's Haggai Huberman reports that Abu Ala presented fairly moderate positions when he served as one of the PA's chief negotiators in the early days of the Oslo process, "but has recently expressed much more extremist positions. He is very demanding of Jerusalem, and has said that both the west and east of the city must be...