What the Bleep?! This week's hot news

A lot of crazy #&#%$* happens in the Jewish world each week. Don’t miss these stories on: Israel bans iPads and a right-wing pamphlet, Berkeley’s divestment vote and un-vote, Goldstone & the Bar Mitzvah that wasn’t to be, and Obama gets in trouble with the Jews, again.
1. Beware at Customs: Gov’t has banned iPad imports. Haaretz. You are F–king kidding me. Israel’s wireless can’t handle the iPad? And it’s one thing if Israel’s highly advanced techno geeks can’t handle the iPad’s technology, but to have Customs confiscating (yes, you read me right) iPads that are brought into the country and charging those who bring in the iPads storage fees until they pick up the iPads on their exit from Israel? WTF! Are they TRYING to help people hate Israel?  Agh!
2. Goldstone pressured into not attending grandson’s bar mitzvah. JTA. Now that’s sad. Undoubtedly not the most “fair and balanced” researcher or writer about Israel, but should protesters have kept him from kvelling at his grandson’s Bar? I think not. I’m not the only one who thought keeping Goldstone from the Bar Mitzvah was B— S—. Check out what Democratic Rep. Gary Ackerman had to say.
3.. Berkeley student divestment veto upheld. JPost. So Berkely’s student govt votes to divest from countries that invest in Israel. Then a gutsy student body prez vetoes it. Good news for now – the veto was upheld (interesting tidbit – J Street was among the Jewish orgs encouraging the student govt to uphold the veto). But the article shows this is just the beginning.
4. Suppressing book bolsters settlers. The Guardian. Israel’s big chain bookstore decides to take an anti-Israeli settlements pamphlet off its shelves and provokes an outcry. What do you think (use the comments)? My opinion? Hypocritical for the store to say it doesn’t have a political affiliation, but they have every right to pull the book. This is WHY we’re all so scared of 1-2 book chains having all the power, in the U.S. or in Israel – they can pick what they want to sell.
5. Reality vs. Unreality II: Did Obama link “blood and treasure” to Israel? Capital J. Did you see the NY Times article where Obama allegedly linked loss of American “blood and treasure” to Israel? I didn’t. But the fabulous Ron Kampeas at the JTA helps us understand the full context of the NY Times piece, and what Obama actually said.