SlideShare una empresa de Scribd logo
1 de 13
Descargar para leer sin conexión
AN AMERICAN JEWISH – GERMAN INFORMATION & OPINION
                   NEWSLETTER
                      dubowdigest@optonline.net

AMERICAN EDITION

December 12, 2012

Dear Friends:

First and foremost, for my Jewish readers, my best wishes for a wonderful Hanukkah
holiday. For my Christian readers, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas. In
anticipation of a great 2013 let me be among the first to wish you all a Happy New
Year.

The last month or so has been difficult. The conflict in Gaza, the vote on Palestinian
observer status at the UN and here in the U.S. the battle over the “Fiscal Cliff” all
highlight the difficulties groups of people have with other groups of people. Let’s all
hope that as we approach a brand New Year in 2013 somehow it can bring with it
genuine attempts to bridge peacefully the various gaps that separate us. Let’s focus
on “13“normally thought to be an unlucky number. However, In Judaism, 13 is the
age at which children achieve Bar and Bat Mitzvah – adulthood. Perhaps 2013 will
bring about a little more adult behavior among the leaders of our groups and the
groups themselves.

Best wishes,

Gene (aka Eugene)


Enough philosophy! On to the news…

IN THIS EDITION

ANGELA MERKEL & THE JEWS – The Chancellor is recognized for what she is –
the best friend the Jews have in Europe.

THE PALESTINIANS, THE GERMANS & THE UN – A disappointment.

ISRAELI & GERMAN CABINETS MEET – In spite of the disappointment.


                                                                                      1
SAVING GERMAN JEWISH CULTURE – Guess who’s in the forefront of trying.

BANNING THE NEO-NAZIS – It looks as if they’re going to attempt to do it.

A POLITICAL UPDATE – The German elections are 10 months away. Who’s in
front?


ANGELA MERKEL & THE JEWS

Perhaps you are already convinced that German Chancellor Angela Merkel is about
the best friend among important European politicians that the Jews and Israel have.
This in spite of Germany’s abstention vote in the UN on the Palestinian observer
issue. If that is your mindset you’d be right. However, if you have any doubts read
on…

JTA recently reported, “German Chancellor Angela Merkel has renewed her pledge
to stand up for Jewish life in Germany and for Israel's right to self-defense.

Speaking … at the annual assembly of the Central Council of Jews in Germany --
the first time a German chancellor had visited the assembly -- Merkel reiterated her
longtime commitment to Israel's security, which she had stated during the recent
Gaza conflict. She said it was not only Israel's right but its duty to protect its citizens
from rocket attacks.

"Germany also has that right," she added.

Merkel told a crowd of approximately 200, including the council's 99 delegates, that
she wanted the Jewish community to know that it is supported and cherished.
Recent anti-Semitic attacks on individuals, plus months of debate over the right to
ritual circumcision -- a discussion often tinged with anti-Semitism -- have put the
Jewish community under stress, she acknowledged.

"There are still major indications of anti-Semitism here," said Merkel, who shared the
podium with Central Council President Dieter Graumann.

Merkel said she hoped a bill designed to protect the right to religious circumcision of
boys by Jews and Muslims would be passed before the end of December.
Observers have suggested that opponents might challenge the law all the way to
Germany's Supreme Court and even to the European Court.

Graumann, who is in his third year as head of the umbrella organization, praised
Merkel's courage in standing up for Israel and for religious freedom in Germany. He
said the community had a difficult summer, including the brutal attack on a rabbi in




                                                                                              2
Berlin, the debate on circumcision and "countless thousands of hateful Internet
entries that shocked all of us."

"We experienced many fanatical finger waggers, people who express a profound
lack of understanding," he said, adding that "it really hurt us."

Merkel said she also noted the negative tone in the ritual circumcision discussion.

"It reminds us to think again about the meaning of religious tolerance," she said,
adding that all basic rights have to be balanced so as not to infringe on each other. It
is clear, she said, that the rights of children are just as important to Jews as to any
other community in Germany. "But the respect for and practice of religious rituals
are also a higher good because evidence of religious freedom is also the fact that it
can be practiced."

What more is there to say? Such a speech coming from any German politician would
be welcomed with applause and gratitude. Coming from a Chancellor makes it
almost historic. I have always thought and frequently said that this woman is
something special. I think her presentation moves her from “special” to “unique”.

Shortly after making her speech and another one in accepting the Berlin Jewish
Community’s Heinz Galinski Prize, which is given to an individual or organization
who has fostered understanding in German-Jewish relations and promoted
tolerance, Germany voted to “abstain” in the UN on the Palestinian matter. While
temporarily clouding the picture of the Chancellor in some Jewish eyes, I believe that
that view will only be temporary. We just do not have many friends the quality of Fr.
Merkel.


THE PALESTINIANS, THE GERMANS & THE UN

There is no question that Israel & the U.S. suffered a seeming diplomatic defeat in
the UN over the matter of the Palestinian status. Only the U.S., Israel itself, Canada
and the Czech Republic among the important nations supported a “no” vote when it
came to non-member observer state for Palestine.

Following the vote almost anybody who is anybody gave their opinion on who won
and who lost and what the implications for the future were. Taking into consideration
the recent Gaza War (I don’t know what else to call it) and now the UN vote, I’m not
sure the Palestinians won anything. Maybe they got some sort of an emotional
feeling of victory but they got a lot of people killed, much of their infrastructure
destroyed and some sort of recognition by the UN. However, the facts on the ground
remain unchanged except that Israel has announced some new construction in the
West Bank. Such was the Palestinian victory!




                                                                                         3
I’m going to leave it up to you to read the general media so you can make up your
own mind about winners and losers. I will only deal with the action Germany took (or
didn’t take) and then you can make a personal decision on that as well.

On the basis that there can be no peace without direct face to face negotiations, it
was the hope of Israel, the U.S. and most of the organized American Jewish
community that Germany would vote “no” on the Palestine matter and, perhaps,
bring other Western European along with it. It didn’t happen. How come?

Haaretz

According to Haaretz, “…the hardest blow came from Berlin. In Jerusalem, Germany
was considered a certainty to vote against the UN resolution, and the German
decision not to oppose the Palestinian bid but rather to abstain shocked the top
brass at the Foreign Ministry and Prime Minister's office. A top German official who
took part in discussions in Berlin, however, stressed that the writing was on the wall.

The senior German official, who has requested anonymity because of the sensitivity
of the issue, told Haaretz that Germany has been trying to help Israel on the
Palestinian issue for a long time but Israel has not taken the necessary steps to
advance the peace process. "The Israelis," he said, "did not respond in any way to
our request to make a gesture on settlements."

Israeli officials were furious with the Germans. "The turnaround in the British position
caused the Germans to change their vote since they did not want to remain isolated
within the European Union," said a Foreign Ministry official.

Indecisive and confusing Israeli conduct surrounding the Palestinians' move at the
UN has angered decision-makers in Germany. The Germans feel they have been
taken advantage of, and that Israeli officials have been secretive and uncooperative.

The high-ranking German official said "the resolution" to recognize a Palestinian
state "is positive in one sense - it clearly recognizes the two-state solution and the
right of existence of the State of Israel."

The German decision to abstain in the UN vote is expected to exacerbate the
considerable tension between Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, which has been an issue in recent years, regardless of the
current situation. There is a great deal of anger among officials in the Prime
Minister's Office over the change in Germany's position, especially since the
messages coming from the Germans until yesterday morning indicated it was their
intention to vote against the resolution.

There is no question that the abstention was not a happy outcome. However, a
planned summit meeting in Berlin between the governments of Israel and Germany
went ahead. (More on that later). The disagreement concerning the vote at the UN



                                                                                         4
did, somewhat, cast a shadow on the discussions. Ever since Netanyahu became
prime minister four years ago, his relations with Merkel have been strained. One
hears that numerous times Merkel felt Netanyahu did not keep promises he had
made to her, and she was especially angry at the continuation of the construction in
the settlements.

Spiegel On-Line

Interestingly Spiegel On-Line seemed more interested in the fact that the European
nations did not vote as a bloc than in the issue itself at hand. They opined, “For the
European Union, however, the vote once again exposed the 27-member bloc's
inability to reach consensus on foreign policy issues. Most EU countries, to be sure,
voted in favor of Palestinian observer status, including France, Italy, Spain, Portugal,
Austria, Luxembourg and Denmark. Non-EU states Switzerland and Norway also
supported Abbas. But others, including Great Britain, the Netherlands and Germany,
abstained in an effort at neutrality. Only one EU member state, the Czech Republic,
voted against the Palestinians.

"We have doubts that today's resolution brings the peace process forward," said
German UN Ambassador Peter Wittig, echoing the statement released earlier in the
day from the Foreign Ministry in Berlin. He said he feared it would do more harm
than good.

Unconfirmed rumors & discussion

Who knows if any of this is accurate but it seems to confirm what was published in
Haaretz. It is said that the Chancellor herself, according to numerous sources, is
upset with the issue of settlements (she has expressed herself publicly and harshly
on this for some time) and the ongoing weakening of Abbas through the lack of
tangible progress on negotiations. There is a feeling among the Germans that with
Israel’s security situation collapsing on all sides due to Arab political instability, the
situation with the Palestinians must be settled soon and Abbas strengthened.

The final deciding factor for the Chancellor, the rumor goes, was evidently the
language of the resolution itself and its emphasis on the two-state solution.
Chancellor Merkel is committed to a two-state solution, which she feels is the only
option for maintaining a democratic Jewish state.

Deutsche Welle

As disappointing to many as the German Government’s abstention was, the
opposition party Social Democrats (SPD) seem even to have been more pro-
Palestinian. DW reported, “The fact that the EU could not agree on a policy was a
serious problem, said Rolf Mützenich, foreign policy spokesman for Germany's
center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD). He told Deutsche Welle that a "yes" from
Germany would have been perfectly feasible. "I believe we must do everything we



                                                                                             5
can to support the forces in Palestine that want a peaceful agreement with Israel
and a fair two-state solution. And that is what President Abbas stands for."

Abstaining from the vote was the least that Germany could have done for the
Palestinian president, Mützenich continued. The internal Palestinian conflict
between Hamas and Fatah, which Abbas leads, was enough for him to deal with, he
argued. "It would have been a fatal signal if on top of that he hadn't had the support
of important European governments on the international stage, or even been
weakened by them," he said.

While the abstention vote caused ill feeling and ruffled personal feathers life goes
on. The position of nations is almost always based on perceived national interest,
rarely personal feelings. In this case the interests of the two countries involved
diverged. Germany has to consider its interests with the Arab and Islamic countries
while Israel is dealing at the forefront with immediate national security issues. This
does not mean that there was or will be a rupture of relations between the two as
exemplified by the joint cabinet meeting which took place a week or so following the
UN vote.

Read on about it…


ISRAELI & GERMAN CABINETS MEET

A week after the UN vote the annual get-together of the Israeli and German cabinets
took place in Berlin. This annual happening underscores the closeness of the two
countries though their governments might have strong differences concerning policy
– which, indeed, they have.

After the UN vote, but prior to the joint cabinet meeting, Chancellor Merkel
reaffirmed her commitment to Israel’s security. A Jerusalem Post article noted,
"Germany will always stand on the side of Israel on the issue (of Israeli security),"
Merkel said in her weekly podcast, and spoke of Berlin's vocal backing for Israel
during its latest clashes with Hamas. Israel has not only the right but the duty to
protect its citizens," she added.

Shortly thereafter “Netanyahu and his ministers [held] consultations with their
German counterparts in Berlin. Their talks cover[ed] economic and trade ties and
cooperation in science and education as well as regional security issues.

Agree to Disagree

As the cabinets came together Spiegel On-Line reported, “Despite recent
differences between Germany and Israel over settlement construction plans on the
West Bank, Angela Merkel and Benjamin Netanyahu pledged friendship on
Thursday in Berlin. They have, said the chancellor, agreed to disagree.



                                                                                         6
Given that horrific history, Merkel told Netanyahu that she is fully aware "what a
pleasure it is that we can cooperate today." She praised the two countries'
collaboration when it comes to education and research, and extolled Israel as being
the only democracy in the Middle East. The message was clear: The German-Israeli
relationship is so solid that occasional differences of opinion are not a threat. And on
Thursday in Berlin, the pair made little effort to hide those differences.

On Wednesday evening, prior to Thursday's high-level meetings between Israeli and
German cabinet members, Netanyahu joined Merkel for dinner in the Chancellery.
The two talked about bilateral cooperation, but also about the current situation in the
Middle East, including in Egypt, and the danger of chemical weapons in Syria. They
also talked, of course, about the plans recently announced by Netanyahu's
government to build 3,000 new housing units for settlers near Jerusalem.

Brief and to the Point

The construction plans, intended as a punishment of the Palestinians for their
successful application to the United Nations last week for non-member observer
status, involve area E-1 between East Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim, and would
essentially cut the West Bank in two [Ed. Note: That is not accurate]. And it is an
issue that has long been a point of contention in Merkel's relationship with
Netanyahu. In September 2011, Merkel even became irate in a telephone
conversation with the Israeli prime minister during a discussion of West Bank
settlements. The differences have not disappeared in the meantime.

"On the settlement question, we have agreed to disagree," said Merkel on Thursday.
Netanyahu struck a similar tone: "One should be able to voice different opinions
among friends.

The foundations of German-Israeli relations are "untouchable" Merkel affirmed,
adding "and they withstand differences of opinion."

To read the article click here http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/merkel-and-
netanyahu-pledge-friendship-in-berlin-despite-differences-a-871458.html

Something else to worry about. There is little doubt that the German government’s
attitude toward Israel is far more positive than that of the general population. For
instance the Israeli government position on the extension of building in the E-1 area
is seen as a hindrance to any possible peace. Many in Germany see the
Palestinians as an oppressed minority and the Israelis as oppressors. That attitude
is one that is not unique to Germany but is apparent throughout Europe. My guess is
that even in the Czech Republic, which alone voted with Israel in the UN on the
Palestinian matter, the attitudes of the populace is far more pro-Palestinian than pro-
Israeli.




                                                                                       7
It is very far from clear as to how that situation might be reversed. The rocketing of
Israel by Hamas triggered statements by various governments saying that they had
the right to defend themselves but I doubt if that moved public opinion.

It is a very difficult and troubling situation.


SAVING GERMAN JEWISH CULTURE

One of the strange paradoxes in German history is that after trying to eradicate Jews
in the Holocaust the German government has now launched (and is underwriting) a
worldwide attempt to preserve German Jewish culture before it is lost forever.

The Times of Israel reported, “…a major project by national German broadcaster
Deutsche Welle documenting the remnants of Germany’s once-thriving Jewish
community around the world.

The project, called “Spurensuche, Deutsch-Jüdisches Kulturerbe Weltweit” in
German and “Traces, German-Jewish Heritage in the world” in English, will go live
on the Internet Dec. 4 and include radio and television broadcasts in four languages.

“In general, when people in Germany think of German Jews, they think about the
Holocaust and the genocide of the Jews—the crime and its remembrance–but not
about how rich this culture was and what was lost,” said Cornelia Rabitz, an editor at
Deutsche Welle and coordinator of the project,

“We hope, through the project, that the rest of the story comes into the common
conscience,” Rabitz said.

“Traces,” underwritten by a 250,000 euro grant by the German Foreign Office, was
inspired by the German-Jewish Cultural Heritage Project sponsored by the Moses
Mendelssohn Center for European Jewish Studies at the University of Potsdam. The
project seeks to save German-Jewish documents around the world from decay by
creating a databank of information and then linking it to existing databases to make
information universally accessible, said Alisa Jachnowitsch, a Moses Mendelssohn
Center researcher.

“We want to locate German-Jewish heritage abroad and preserve it, not to bring it
home to Germany, but to let people know how they can preserve their own historical
memory and legacy in their home countries,” Jachnowitsch said. She recently
traveled to Buenos Aires, for instance, to speak to the Jewish community there
about preserving their records.

But the German-Jewish heritage resides not just in records, she stressed, but in
everything they were able to bring with them, their china, their volumes of Thomas




                                                                                         8
Mann, their oriental carpets, as well as intangibles, such as their attitudes, tastes,
values, even ways of studying.

Stefan Messerer, spokesman at the German Embassy in Washington, D.C., said
that as part of the historic responsibility Germany bears toward the Jewish
community and toward the State of Israel for the Holocaust, “the German
Government is committed to maintain German Jewish cultural heritage in German-
speaking countries as well as in the countries of emigration.” Besides supporting the
project, the German Government also helps with the upkeep of Jewish cemeteries
and synagogues, subsidizes religious research centers and provides money to train
rabbis and cantors.

There are many paradoxes when one contemplates German history of the 20 th and
early 21st Centuries. The relationship Germany now has with Israel and the Jewish
people worldwide is certainly one of them. Its attempt to save German Jewish
culture ranks pretty close to being at the top of that list.

There is more to the story which you can read by clicking here.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/yekke-renewal-a-new-project-traces-the-remnants-of-german-
jewish-culture/


BANNING THE NEO-NAZIS

There has been discussion in Germany for quite a while about legally banning the
neo-Nazi National Democratic Party (NPD). DW reported, “Germany’s politicians
and citizens are debating a renewed attempt to ban the country's largest right-wing
extremist party, the NPD. But opponents insist that a ban does little to address the
core issues of extremism.

Advising communities throughout Germany on how to deal with violence and right-
wing extremism has been part of Dierk Borstel's work for 15 years. The political
scientist from Dortmund researches democratic development and how to combat
right-wing extremism. Yet Borstel is very critical of renewed attempts to ban the
right-wing NPD party in Germany - after a similar attempt failed in 2003.

"The plans to ban the party could make the NPD seem more important than it is,"
Borstel warned. Banning a party, he explained, is one of the most extreme
measures a democracy can take, but Germany is in no way "facing a coup" from the
NPD. Instead, Borstel views the debate on banning the party as providing massive
attention for an otherwise weak group.

"The NPD is currently a party in decline," the expert on extremism told DW. Borstel
points to its loss of members and influence and its lack of influence anywhere in
Germany - even within the right-wing scene.




                                                                                         9
"Even in its core areas like Saxony, there are entire regional groups that are leaving
the party," Borstel said.

According to German domestic intelligence reports, the NPD had some 6,300
members in 2011. Despite the downward trend, it remains Germany's largest right-
wing party.

However, the party's success with voters is very limited. In the 2009 federal
elections, the NPD secured just 1.5 percent of the vote, providing it with parliament
seats in only two states: Saxony and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The
extremists use the parliament as a platform to voice their ideas, Borstel says. But he
advocates combating their views in the same way that teachers are instructed to
deal with extremist students - by defeating their arguments rather than simply
silencing them.

The money that the party receives as standard compensation for its election
campaign is among the major points cited by those in favor of a ban.

Borstel agrees the money needs to stop flowing. But he maintains that this should
be achieved by dissuading voters from supporting the party, and, thus, preventing it
from reaching the threshold necessary to secure government funding.

The political scientist notes that the majority of the right-wing scene is not dependent
on such funding anyway. In the state of Saxony, research suggests that selling CDs,
concerts or other merchandise are playing a far bigger role than the NPD's money.

"Repression always leads to innovation," Borstel argues, adding that the right-wing
scene will not disappear if there's a ban - in fact, it could simply reappear under a
new name, as has happened in the past.

His opposition to outlawing the NPD puts him outside of the mainstream in
Germany. According to a recent study, the majority of Germans favor legislation that
would bar the right-wing NPD. Almost three in four people support a law along these
lines.

The opinion of Dierk Borstel is one side of the coin and as noted above it is not a
popular side. Recently The Local ran a piece which noted, “The premiers of the
country's 16 federal states, which comprise the upper house of parliament, on
Thursday voted unanimously to outlaw the far-right party despite concerns it could
fail like an effort in 2003.

Funke said a successful ban and the consistent and decisive prosecution of neo-
Nazis would be a fitting response to the shocking racist murders of nine people
across Germany by the so-called National Socialist Underground (NSU), a neo-Nazi
terror gang.




                                                                                      10
"It would a legacy that would show respect to the victims and their families - it would
be a suitable reaction," said Funke, a professor at Berlin's Free University Otto Suhr
Institute of Political Science.

It would also force the police and intelligence services to crack down on far-right
violence and intimidation, he said.

Only Germany's Constitutional Court has the power to ban a political party - and it
requires an application from either the upper or lower house of parliament, or the
government to consider the idea. That application must be backed with legal
arguments and proof to show that a party is aggressively working against the
constitution.

It is a ticklish matter. The original attempt to outlaw the NPD in 2003 failed.
According to Wikipedia, “…in 2003 after it was discovered that a number of the
NPD's inner circle were in fact undercover agents or informants of the German
secret services, like the federal Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz. They include a
former deputy chairman of the party and author of an anti-Semitic tract that formed a
central part of the government's case. Since the government assemblies were
unwilling to fully disclose their agents' identities and activities, the court found it
impossible to decide which moves by the party were based on genuine party
decisions and which were controlled by the secret services in an attempt to further
the ban. “The party was, in part, responding to the government's dictates”, the court
said. “The presence of the state at the leadership level makes influence on its aims
and activities unavoidable”, it concluded.

Therefore, the court’s decision was not made on constitutional grounds. However, if
the BfV (like the FBI) is involved in the NPD, as it assuredly is, a case could again
fail. If that was to happen that might, once and for all kill off any chance of an
outlawing of the Party. It might strengthen it and bring new recruits claiming
discrimination against it.

In addition, Germany being a democracy must take into account the issue of free
speech. While their rules are not as liberal as ours, it is still something that has to be
considered.

My guess is that the move to make it illegal will continue especially since the
“Premiers” (Better known as the Minister Presidents. We would call the Governors)
of the States have voted for it. Perhaps this time the best legal minds in Germany
will be involved in writing the brief so that it will past muster with the Constitutional
Court. Let’s hope so.


A POLITICAL UPDATE

The Social Democrats (SPD) have formally chosen a former finance minister Peer



                                                                                        11
Steinbrück to represent their party as the Chancellor candidate in next year’s
national election. He will, of course, be going up against Germany’s most popular
politician, Angela Merkel.

Poor Hr. Steinbrück! Since his informal selection a couple of months ago he has
been saddled with controversy. The controversy or scandal or whatever you want to
call it may sound very strange to American ears. He has been accused of making
too much money from speaking engagements. There is no accusation of anything
illegal.

When Mitt Romney, during our own election campaign, noted that he earned
$374,327 from speeches no one castigated him for that. It was only when he said
that it was “not very much” that he was landed on by the Democrats for not
understanding what that sort of money meant to the poor and middle class. I guess it
was the $1.6 million Steinbrück made that got his critics angry. How angry?
According to Spiegel On-Line, “Greenpeace activists unfurled a banner behind the
podium that read: "Did you rake in enough dough?"

[Steinbrück] faces an uphill struggle to beat Merkel. An Infratest dimap survey
showed that, were Germans able to vote directly for their chancellor, 49 percent
would support the incumbent chancellor with just 39 percent of respondents saying
they would vote for Steinbrück. Still, that gap has narrowed in recent weeks.

More to the point, Merkel's Christian Democratic Union party (CDU), together with its
Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), stood at 39 percent in the
poll, well ahead of the SPD at 30 percent. The Greens scored 14 percent and the
pro-business FDP, Merkel's junior coalition party, was at 4 percent, below the 5
percent threshold it would need to be able to stay in parliament. The survey was
carried out between December 3 and 5 and commissioned by public television
channel ARD.

The FDP is Merkel's Achilles heel. She remains popular because Germans credit
her with having defended the nation's interests in the euro crisis so far, by blocking
calls for the introduction of common euro bonds, for example. And she has deftly
nudged the CDU to the left, backing proposals for a minimum wage and better state
support for childcare, and thereby encroaching on core SPD territory. But the FDP is
so weak that she may need a new coalition partner to stay in power. The SPD or the
Greens seem to be her only options.

Steinbrück, 65, ruled out serving in another grand coalition. "I don't just want a
partial change of government," he said to loud applause. "I want an entirely new
government. I want an SPD-Greens government for our country. I'm not available for
any grand coalition."

Political analysts say, however, that such a coalition is the most likely outcome of
the next election.



                                                                                       12
The election is more than 9 months away. As everybody knows, 9 months is eons in
political time. Much can happen between now and September. If the FDP can pull
itself together we might have a totally new ballgame but that is doubtful. If not, a
Grand Coalition looks like the likely outcome with Merkel remaining Chancellor and
Steinbrück (or some other SPD politician) taking over as Foreign Minister.

No matter what, we’ll keep following it and let you know what happens.

********************************************************************************************

DuBow Digest is written and published by Eugene DuBow who can be contacted by
clicking here

Both the American and Germany editions are posted at
www.dubowdigest.typepad.com
Click here to connect




                                                                                               13

Más contenido relacionado

La actualidad más candente

Du bow digest american edition feb. 20, 2011
Du bow digest american edition feb. 20, 2011Du bow digest american edition feb. 20, 2011
Du bow digest american edition feb. 20, 2011dubowdigest
 
Du bow digest germany edition march 6, 2013
Du bow digest germany edition march 6, 2013Du bow digest germany edition march 6, 2013
Du bow digest germany edition march 6, 2013dubowdigest
 
DuBow Digest Germany Edition August 12, 2013
DuBow Digest Germany Edition  August 12, 2013DuBow Digest Germany Edition  August 12, 2013
DuBow Digest Germany Edition August 12, 2013dubowdigest
 
american_avoidance_2_revusl_0
american_avoidance_2_revusl_0american_avoidance_2_revusl_0
american_avoidance_2_revusl_0David Cirillo
 
Du bow digest germany edition june 5, 2012
Du bow digest germany edition june 5, 2012Du bow digest germany edition june 5, 2012
Du bow digest germany edition june 5, 2012dubowdigest
 
Du bow Digest Germany Edition June 30, 2011
Du bow Digest Germany Edition June 30, 2011Du bow Digest Germany Edition June 30, 2011
Du bow Digest Germany Edition June 30, 2011dubowdigest
 
Du bow digest germany edition february 27, 2014
Du bow digest germany edition february 27, 2014Du bow digest germany edition february 27, 2014
Du bow digest germany edition february 27, 2014dubowdigest
 
DuBow Digest Germany Edition Novemebr 25, 2013
DuBow Digest Germany Edition Novemebr 25, 2013DuBow Digest Germany Edition Novemebr 25, 2013
DuBow Digest Germany Edition Novemebr 25, 2013dubowdigest
 
American edition august 30, 2010
American edition august 30, 2010American edition august 30, 2010
American edition august 30, 2010dubowdigest
 
The battle Against Credit Card Fraud: Cooperation between Airlines and Law En...
The battle Against Credit Card Fraud: Cooperation between Airlines and Law En...The battle Against Credit Card Fraud: Cooperation between Airlines and Law En...
The battle Against Credit Card Fraud: Cooperation between Airlines and Law En...Shalini Levens
 
DuBow Digest American Edition oct. 16, 2012a
DuBow Digest American Edition oct. 16, 2012aDuBow Digest American Edition oct. 16, 2012a
DuBow Digest American Edition oct. 16, 2012adubowdigest
 
American edition november 9, 2010
American edition november 9, 2010American edition november 9, 2010
American edition november 9, 2010dubowdigest
 
DuBow Digest Germany Edition April 30, 2014
DuBow Digest Germany Edition April 30, 2014DuBow Digest Germany Edition April 30, 2014
DuBow Digest Germany Edition April 30, 2014dubowdigest
 
Du bow digest germany edition july 11, 2013
Du bow digest germany edition july 11, 2013Du bow digest germany edition july 11, 2013
Du bow digest germany edition july 11, 2013dubowdigest
 
FIRST WON ELECTION / TUTORIALOUTLET DOT COM
FIRST WON ELECTION / TUTORIALOUTLET DOT COMFIRST WON ELECTION / TUTORIALOUTLET DOT COM
FIRST WON ELECTION / TUTORIALOUTLET DOT COMalbert0087
 
Zurich Files - Revelations of a Swiss Banker
Zurich Files - Revelations of a Swiss BankerZurich Files - Revelations of a Swiss Banker
Zurich Files - Revelations of a Swiss BankerZurich Files
 
The rise of enemies of democracy in turkey under the power of erdogan, in the...
The rise of enemies of democracy in turkey under the power of erdogan, in the...The rise of enemies of democracy in turkey under the power of erdogan, in the...
The rise of enemies of democracy in turkey under the power of erdogan, in the...Fernando Alcoforado
 
DuBbow Digest Germany Edition February 2015
DuBbow Digest Germany Edition February 2015DuBbow Digest Germany Edition February 2015
DuBbow Digest Germany Edition February 2015dubowdigest
 

La actualidad más candente (19)

Du bow digest american edition feb. 20, 2011
Du bow digest american edition feb. 20, 2011Du bow digest american edition feb. 20, 2011
Du bow digest american edition feb. 20, 2011
 
Du bow digest germany edition march 6, 2013
Du bow digest germany edition march 6, 2013Du bow digest germany edition march 6, 2013
Du bow digest germany edition march 6, 2013
 
DuBow Digest Germany Edition August 12, 2013
DuBow Digest Germany Edition  August 12, 2013DuBow Digest Germany Edition  August 12, 2013
DuBow Digest Germany Edition August 12, 2013
 
american_avoidance_2_revusl_0
american_avoidance_2_revusl_0american_avoidance_2_revusl_0
american_avoidance_2_revusl_0
 
Du bow digest germany edition june 5, 2012
Du bow digest germany edition june 5, 2012Du bow digest germany edition june 5, 2012
Du bow digest germany edition june 5, 2012
 
Du bow Digest Germany Edition June 30, 2011
Du bow Digest Germany Edition June 30, 2011Du bow Digest Germany Edition June 30, 2011
Du bow Digest Germany Edition June 30, 2011
 
Du bow digest germany edition february 27, 2014
Du bow digest germany edition february 27, 2014Du bow digest germany edition february 27, 2014
Du bow digest germany edition february 27, 2014
 
DuBow Digest Germany Edition Novemebr 25, 2013
DuBow Digest Germany Edition Novemebr 25, 2013DuBow Digest Germany Edition Novemebr 25, 2013
DuBow Digest Germany Edition Novemebr 25, 2013
 
American edition august 30, 2010
American edition august 30, 2010American edition august 30, 2010
American edition august 30, 2010
 
The battle Against Credit Card Fraud: Cooperation between Airlines and Law En...
The battle Against Credit Card Fraud: Cooperation between Airlines and Law En...The battle Against Credit Card Fraud: Cooperation between Airlines and Law En...
The battle Against Credit Card Fraud: Cooperation between Airlines and Law En...
 
DuBow Digest American Edition oct. 16, 2012a
DuBow Digest American Edition oct. 16, 2012aDuBow Digest American Edition oct. 16, 2012a
DuBow Digest American Edition oct. 16, 2012a
 
American edition november 9, 2010
American edition november 9, 2010American edition november 9, 2010
American edition november 9, 2010
 
DuBow Digest Germany Edition April 30, 2014
DuBow Digest Germany Edition April 30, 2014DuBow Digest Germany Edition April 30, 2014
DuBow Digest Germany Edition April 30, 2014
 
The Fall of Trump
The Fall of TrumpThe Fall of Trump
The Fall of Trump
 
Du bow digest germany edition july 11, 2013
Du bow digest germany edition july 11, 2013Du bow digest germany edition july 11, 2013
Du bow digest germany edition july 11, 2013
 
FIRST WON ELECTION / TUTORIALOUTLET DOT COM
FIRST WON ELECTION / TUTORIALOUTLET DOT COMFIRST WON ELECTION / TUTORIALOUTLET DOT COM
FIRST WON ELECTION / TUTORIALOUTLET DOT COM
 
Zurich Files - Revelations of a Swiss Banker
Zurich Files - Revelations of a Swiss BankerZurich Files - Revelations of a Swiss Banker
Zurich Files - Revelations of a Swiss Banker
 
The rise of enemies of democracy in turkey under the power of erdogan, in the...
The rise of enemies of democracy in turkey under the power of erdogan, in the...The rise of enemies of democracy in turkey under the power of erdogan, in the...
The rise of enemies of democracy in turkey under the power of erdogan, in the...
 
DuBbow Digest Germany Edition February 2015
DuBbow Digest Germany Edition February 2015DuBbow Digest Germany Edition February 2015
DuBbow Digest Germany Edition February 2015
 

Destacado

LaveryAutomotive.org_AAA Cell Phones and Driving
LaveryAutomotive.org_AAA Cell Phones and DrivingLaveryAutomotive.org_AAA Cell Phones and Driving
LaveryAutomotive.org_AAA Cell Phones and DrivingLavery Automotive
 
DuBow Digest American Edition April 2015
DuBow Digest American Edition April 2015DuBow Digest American Edition April 2015
DuBow Digest American Edition April 2015dubowdigest
 
DuBow Digest Germany Edition June 30, 2014
DuBow Digest Germany Edition June 30, 2014DuBow Digest Germany Edition June 30, 2014
DuBow Digest Germany Edition June 30, 2014dubowdigest
 
Business Planning by Bode Pedro
Business Planning by Bode PedroBusiness Planning by Bode Pedro
Business Planning by Bode PedroDavid Lanre Messan
 
DuBow Digest American Edition april 27,2014
DuBow Digest American Edition april 27,2014DuBow Digest American Edition april 27,2014
DuBow Digest American Edition april 27,2014dubowdigest
 
Unlocking Africa's Youth Potentials through Mass Market Innovations
Unlocking Africa's Youth Potentials through Mass Market InnovationsUnlocking Africa's Youth Potentials through Mass Market Innovations
Unlocking Africa's Youth Potentials through Mass Market InnovationsDavid Lanre Messan
 
Olodo Certified Series 51 - 100
Olodo  Certified Series 51 - 100Olodo  Certified Series 51 - 100
Olodo Certified Series 51 - 100David Lanre Messan
 
The 12 innovation rules for 2012
The 12 innovation rules for 2012The 12 innovation rules for 2012
The 12 innovation rules for 2012David Lanre Messan
 
LaveryAutomotive.org_AAA Traffic Safety Index
LaveryAutomotive.org_AAA Traffic Safety IndexLaveryAutomotive.org_AAA Traffic Safety Index
LaveryAutomotive.org_AAA Traffic Safety IndexLavery Automotive
 
Du bow digest american edition november 2014
Du bow digest american edition november 2014Du bow digest american edition november 2014
Du bow digest american edition november 2014dubowdigest
 
DuBow Digest Germany Edition July 2014
DuBow Digest Germany Edition July 2014DuBow Digest Germany Edition July 2014
DuBow Digest Germany Edition July 2014dubowdigest
 
Du bow digest germany edition july 26, 2012
Du bow digest germany edition july 26, 2012Du bow digest germany edition july 26, 2012
Du bow digest germany edition july 26, 2012dubowdigest
 

Destacado (20)

DLM Wallpaper Series
DLM Wallpaper SeriesDLM Wallpaper Series
DLM Wallpaper Series
 
LaveryAutomotive.org_AAA Cell Phones and Driving
LaveryAutomotive.org_AAA Cell Phones and DrivingLaveryAutomotive.org_AAA Cell Phones and Driving
LaveryAutomotive.org_AAA Cell Phones and Driving
 
DuBow Digest American Edition April 2015
DuBow Digest American Edition April 2015DuBow Digest American Edition April 2015
DuBow Digest American Edition April 2015
 
DuBow Digest Germany Edition June 30, 2014
DuBow Digest Germany Edition June 30, 2014DuBow Digest Germany Edition June 30, 2014
DuBow Digest Germany Edition June 30, 2014
 
Youth Bliss
Youth BlissYouth Bliss
Youth Bliss
 
Focus Zone
Focus ZoneFocus Zone
Focus Zone
 
Business Planning by Bode Pedro
Business Planning by Bode PedroBusiness Planning by Bode Pedro
Business Planning by Bode Pedro
 
DuBow Digest American Edition april 27,2014
DuBow Digest American Edition april 27,2014DuBow Digest American Edition april 27,2014
DuBow Digest American Edition april 27,2014
 
Innovator next presentation
Innovator next presentationInnovator next presentation
Innovator next presentation
 
Unlocking Africa's Youth Potentials through Mass Market Innovations
Unlocking Africa's Youth Potentials through Mass Market InnovationsUnlocking Africa's Youth Potentials through Mass Market Innovations
Unlocking Africa's Youth Potentials through Mass Market Innovations
 
Be like God
Be like GodBe like God
Be like God
 
Olodo certified series 1 50
Olodo certified series 1  50Olodo certified series 1  50
Olodo certified series 1 50
 
Watch List 2014
Watch List 2014Watch List 2014
Watch List 2014
 
Olodo Certified Series 51 - 100
Olodo  Certified Series 51 - 100Olodo  Certified Series 51 - 100
Olodo Certified Series 51 - 100
 
The 12 innovation rules for 2012
The 12 innovation rules for 2012The 12 innovation rules for 2012
The 12 innovation rules for 2012
 
LaveryAutomotive.org_AAA Traffic Safety Index
LaveryAutomotive.org_AAA Traffic Safety IndexLaveryAutomotive.org_AAA Traffic Safety Index
LaveryAutomotive.org_AAA Traffic Safety Index
 
Du bow digest american edition november 2014
Du bow digest american edition november 2014Du bow digest american edition november 2014
Du bow digest american edition november 2014
 
DuBow Digest Germany Edition July 2014
DuBow Digest Germany Edition July 2014DuBow Digest Germany Edition July 2014
DuBow Digest Germany Edition July 2014
 
R43 with DLM
R43 with DLMR43 with DLM
R43 with DLM
 
Du bow digest germany edition july 26, 2012
Du bow digest germany edition july 26, 2012Du bow digest germany edition july 26, 2012
Du bow digest germany edition july 26, 2012
 

Similar a Du Bow Digest American Edition dec. 12, 2012

DuBow Digest American Edition September 2014
DuBow Digest  American Edition September 2014 DuBow Digest  American Edition September 2014
DuBow Digest American Edition September 2014 dubowdigest
 
Du bow digest american edition june 12, 2011
Du bow digest american edition june 12, 2011Du bow digest american edition june 12, 2011
Du bow digest american edition june 12, 2011dubowdigest
 
Du Bow digestamerican edition july 29, 2011
Du Bow digestamerican edition july 29, 2011Du Bow digestamerican edition july 29, 2011
Du Bow digestamerican edition july 29, 2011dubowdigest
 
DuBow Digest american edition feb. 8, 2011 (2)
DuBow Digest american edition feb. 8, 2011 (2)DuBow Digest american edition feb. 8, 2011 (2)
DuBow Digest american edition feb. 8, 2011 (2)dubowdigest
 
Du bow Digest Germany Edition June 12, 2011
Du bow Digest Germany Edition June 12, 2011Du bow Digest Germany Edition June 12, 2011
Du bow Digest Germany Edition June 12, 2011dubowdigest
 
DuBow Digest American Edition July 2014
DuBow Digest American Edition July 2014DuBow Digest American Edition July 2014
DuBow Digest American Edition July 2014dubowdigest
 
Du bow digest american edition september 25, 2011
Du bow digest american edition september 25, 2011Du bow digest american edition september 25, 2011
Du bow digest american edition september 25, 2011dubowdigest
 
Du Bow Digest Germany Edition Sept. 24, 2013 a
Du Bow Digest Germany Edition Sept. 24, 2013 aDu Bow Digest Germany Edition Sept. 24, 2013 a
Du Bow Digest Germany Edition Sept. 24, 2013 adubowdigest
 
Du bow digest american edition may 8, 2012 a
Du bow digest american edition may 8, 2012 aDu bow digest american edition may 8, 2012 a
Du bow digest american edition may 8, 2012 adubowdigest
 
DuBow Digest American Edition march 6, 2013 a
DuBow Digest American Edition march 6, 2013 aDuBow Digest American Edition march 6, 2013 a
DuBow Digest American Edition march 6, 2013 adubowdigest
 
Du Bow Digest Germany edition feb. 6, 2011
Du Bow Digest Germany edition feb. 6, 2011Du Bow Digest Germany edition feb. 6, 2011
Du Bow Digest Germany edition feb. 6, 2011dubowdigest
 
DuBow Digest American Edition May 15, 2013
DuBow Digest American Edition May 15, 2013DuBow Digest American Edition May 15, 2013
DuBow Digest American Edition May 15, 2013dubowdigest
 
Du bow digest american edition may 7, 2011
Du bow digest american edition may 7, 2011Du bow digest american edition may 7, 2011
Du bow digest american edition may 7, 2011dubowdigest
 
American edition september 13, 2010
American edition september 13, 2010American edition september 13, 2010
American edition september 13, 2010dubowdigest
 
Du bow digest germany edition may 15, 2013
Du bow digest germany edition may 15, 2013Du bow digest germany edition may 15, 2013
Du bow digest germany edition may 15, 2013dubowdigest
 
Du bow digest american edition april 16, 2011
Du bow digest american edition april 16, 2011Du bow digest american edition april 16, 2011
Du bow digest american edition april 16, 2011dubowdigest
 
Du bow digest american edition nov. 23, 2010
Du bow digest american edition nov. 23, 2010Du bow digest american edition nov. 23, 2010
Du bow digest american edition nov. 23, 2010dubowdigest
 
DuBow Digest American Edition. May 2015
DuBow Digest American Edition. May 2015DuBow Digest American Edition. May 2015
DuBow Digest American Edition. May 2015dubowdigest
 
Nazi Propagand The Most Strategic Scheme
Nazi Propagand The Most Strategic SchemeNazi Propagand The Most Strategic Scheme
Nazi Propagand The Most Strategic SchemeJennifer Reither
 
DuBow Digest Germany Edition Oct.18, 2012
DuBow Digest Germany Edition Oct.18, 2012DuBow Digest Germany Edition Oct.18, 2012
DuBow Digest Germany Edition Oct.18, 2012dubowdigest
 

Similar a Du Bow Digest American Edition dec. 12, 2012 (20)

DuBow Digest American Edition September 2014
DuBow Digest  American Edition September 2014 DuBow Digest  American Edition September 2014
DuBow Digest American Edition September 2014
 
Du bow digest american edition june 12, 2011
Du bow digest american edition june 12, 2011Du bow digest american edition june 12, 2011
Du bow digest american edition june 12, 2011
 
Du Bow digestamerican edition july 29, 2011
Du Bow digestamerican edition july 29, 2011Du Bow digestamerican edition july 29, 2011
Du Bow digestamerican edition july 29, 2011
 
DuBow Digest american edition feb. 8, 2011 (2)
DuBow Digest american edition feb. 8, 2011 (2)DuBow Digest american edition feb. 8, 2011 (2)
DuBow Digest american edition feb. 8, 2011 (2)
 
Du bow Digest Germany Edition June 12, 2011
Du bow Digest Germany Edition June 12, 2011Du bow Digest Germany Edition June 12, 2011
Du bow Digest Germany Edition June 12, 2011
 
DuBow Digest American Edition July 2014
DuBow Digest American Edition July 2014DuBow Digest American Edition July 2014
DuBow Digest American Edition July 2014
 
Du bow digest american edition september 25, 2011
Du bow digest american edition september 25, 2011Du bow digest american edition september 25, 2011
Du bow digest american edition september 25, 2011
 
Du Bow Digest Germany Edition Sept. 24, 2013 a
Du Bow Digest Germany Edition Sept. 24, 2013 aDu Bow Digest Germany Edition Sept. 24, 2013 a
Du Bow Digest Germany Edition Sept. 24, 2013 a
 
Du bow digest american edition may 8, 2012 a
Du bow digest american edition may 8, 2012 aDu bow digest american edition may 8, 2012 a
Du bow digest american edition may 8, 2012 a
 
DuBow Digest American Edition march 6, 2013 a
DuBow Digest American Edition march 6, 2013 aDuBow Digest American Edition march 6, 2013 a
DuBow Digest American Edition march 6, 2013 a
 
Du Bow Digest Germany edition feb. 6, 2011
Du Bow Digest Germany edition feb. 6, 2011Du Bow Digest Germany edition feb. 6, 2011
Du Bow Digest Germany edition feb. 6, 2011
 
DuBow Digest American Edition May 15, 2013
DuBow Digest American Edition May 15, 2013DuBow Digest American Edition May 15, 2013
DuBow Digest American Edition May 15, 2013
 
Du bow digest american edition may 7, 2011
Du bow digest american edition may 7, 2011Du bow digest american edition may 7, 2011
Du bow digest american edition may 7, 2011
 
American edition september 13, 2010
American edition september 13, 2010American edition september 13, 2010
American edition september 13, 2010
 
Du bow digest germany edition may 15, 2013
Du bow digest germany edition may 15, 2013Du bow digest germany edition may 15, 2013
Du bow digest germany edition may 15, 2013
 
Du bow digest american edition april 16, 2011
Du bow digest american edition april 16, 2011Du bow digest american edition april 16, 2011
Du bow digest american edition april 16, 2011
 
Du bow digest american edition nov. 23, 2010
Du bow digest american edition nov. 23, 2010Du bow digest american edition nov. 23, 2010
Du bow digest american edition nov. 23, 2010
 
DuBow Digest American Edition. May 2015
DuBow Digest American Edition. May 2015DuBow Digest American Edition. May 2015
DuBow Digest American Edition. May 2015
 
Nazi Propagand The Most Strategic Scheme
Nazi Propagand The Most Strategic SchemeNazi Propagand The Most Strategic Scheme
Nazi Propagand The Most Strategic Scheme
 
DuBow Digest Germany Edition Oct.18, 2012
DuBow Digest Germany Edition Oct.18, 2012DuBow Digest Germany Edition Oct.18, 2012
DuBow Digest Germany Edition Oct.18, 2012
 

Último

19032024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdf
19032024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdf19032024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdf
19032024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
 
Anantkumar Hegde
Anantkumar Hegde  Anantkumar Hegde
Anantkumar Hegde NewsFeed1
 
Green Aesthetic Ripped Paper Thesis Defense Presentation_20240311_111012_0000...
Green Aesthetic Ripped Paper Thesis Defense Presentation_20240311_111012_0000...Green Aesthetic Ripped Paper Thesis Defense Presentation_20240311_111012_0000...
Green Aesthetic Ripped Paper Thesis Defense Presentation_20240311_111012_0000...virgfern3011
 
Ministry of Justice Extradition Eswatini 3.pdf
Ministry of Justice Extradition Eswatini 3.pdfMinistry of Justice Extradition Eswatini 3.pdf
Ministry of Justice Extradition Eswatini 3.pdfSABC News
 
Light Rail in Canberra: Too much, too little, too late: Is the price worth th...
Light Rail in Canberra: Too much, too little, too late: Is the price worth th...Light Rail in Canberra: Too much, too little, too late: Is the price worth th...
Light Rail in Canberra: Too much, too little, too late: Is the price worth th...University of Canberra
 
One India vs United India by Dream Tamilnadu
One India vs United India by Dream TamilnaduOne India vs United India by Dream Tamilnadu
One India vs United India by Dream TamilnaduDreamTamilnadu
 
Por estos dos motivos, defensa de JOH solicita repetir juicio
Por estos dos motivos, defensa de JOH solicita repetir juicioPor estos dos motivos, defensa de JOH solicita repetir juicio
Por estos dos motivos, defensa de JOH solicita repetir juicioAlexisTorres963861
 
Another Day, Another Default Judgment Against Gabe Whitley
Another Day, Another Default Judgment Against Gabe WhitleyAnother Day, Another Default Judgment Against Gabe Whitley
Another Day, Another Default Judgment Against Gabe WhitleyAbdul-Hakim Shabazz
 
Européennes 2024 : projection du Parlement européen à trois mois du scrutin
Européennes 2024 : projection du Parlement européen à trois mois du scrutinEuropéennes 2024 : projection du Parlement européen à trois mois du scrutin
Européennes 2024 : projection du Parlement européen à trois mois du scrutinIpsos France
 

Último (9)

19032024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdf
19032024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdf19032024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdf
19032024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdf
 
Anantkumar Hegde
Anantkumar Hegde  Anantkumar Hegde
Anantkumar Hegde
 
Green Aesthetic Ripped Paper Thesis Defense Presentation_20240311_111012_0000...
Green Aesthetic Ripped Paper Thesis Defense Presentation_20240311_111012_0000...Green Aesthetic Ripped Paper Thesis Defense Presentation_20240311_111012_0000...
Green Aesthetic Ripped Paper Thesis Defense Presentation_20240311_111012_0000...
 
Ministry of Justice Extradition Eswatini 3.pdf
Ministry of Justice Extradition Eswatini 3.pdfMinistry of Justice Extradition Eswatini 3.pdf
Ministry of Justice Extradition Eswatini 3.pdf
 
Light Rail in Canberra: Too much, too little, too late: Is the price worth th...
Light Rail in Canberra: Too much, too little, too late: Is the price worth th...Light Rail in Canberra: Too much, too little, too late: Is the price worth th...
Light Rail in Canberra: Too much, too little, too late: Is the price worth th...
 
One India vs United India by Dream Tamilnadu
One India vs United India by Dream TamilnaduOne India vs United India by Dream Tamilnadu
One India vs United India by Dream Tamilnadu
 
Por estos dos motivos, defensa de JOH solicita repetir juicio
Por estos dos motivos, defensa de JOH solicita repetir juicioPor estos dos motivos, defensa de JOH solicita repetir juicio
Por estos dos motivos, defensa de JOH solicita repetir juicio
 
Another Day, Another Default Judgment Against Gabe Whitley
Another Day, Another Default Judgment Against Gabe WhitleyAnother Day, Another Default Judgment Against Gabe Whitley
Another Day, Another Default Judgment Against Gabe Whitley
 
Européennes 2024 : projection du Parlement européen à trois mois du scrutin
Européennes 2024 : projection du Parlement européen à trois mois du scrutinEuropéennes 2024 : projection du Parlement européen à trois mois du scrutin
Européennes 2024 : projection du Parlement européen à trois mois du scrutin
 

Du Bow Digest American Edition dec. 12, 2012

  • 1. AN AMERICAN JEWISH – GERMAN INFORMATION & OPINION NEWSLETTER dubowdigest@optonline.net AMERICAN EDITION December 12, 2012 Dear Friends: First and foremost, for my Jewish readers, my best wishes for a wonderful Hanukkah holiday. For my Christian readers, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas. In anticipation of a great 2013 let me be among the first to wish you all a Happy New Year. The last month or so has been difficult. The conflict in Gaza, the vote on Palestinian observer status at the UN and here in the U.S. the battle over the “Fiscal Cliff” all highlight the difficulties groups of people have with other groups of people. Let’s all hope that as we approach a brand New Year in 2013 somehow it can bring with it genuine attempts to bridge peacefully the various gaps that separate us. Let’s focus on “13“normally thought to be an unlucky number. However, In Judaism, 13 is the age at which children achieve Bar and Bat Mitzvah – adulthood. Perhaps 2013 will bring about a little more adult behavior among the leaders of our groups and the groups themselves. Best wishes, Gene (aka Eugene) Enough philosophy! On to the news… IN THIS EDITION ANGELA MERKEL & THE JEWS – The Chancellor is recognized for what she is – the best friend the Jews have in Europe. THE PALESTINIANS, THE GERMANS & THE UN – A disappointment. ISRAELI & GERMAN CABINETS MEET – In spite of the disappointment. 1
  • 2. SAVING GERMAN JEWISH CULTURE – Guess who’s in the forefront of trying. BANNING THE NEO-NAZIS – It looks as if they’re going to attempt to do it. A POLITICAL UPDATE – The German elections are 10 months away. Who’s in front? ANGELA MERKEL & THE JEWS Perhaps you are already convinced that German Chancellor Angela Merkel is about the best friend among important European politicians that the Jews and Israel have. This in spite of Germany’s abstention vote in the UN on the Palestinian observer issue. If that is your mindset you’d be right. However, if you have any doubts read on… JTA recently reported, “German Chancellor Angela Merkel has renewed her pledge to stand up for Jewish life in Germany and for Israel's right to self-defense. Speaking … at the annual assembly of the Central Council of Jews in Germany -- the first time a German chancellor had visited the assembly -- Merkel reiterated her longtime commitment to Israel's security, which she had stated during the recent Gaza conflict. She said it was not only Israel's right but its duty to protect its citizens from rocket attacks. "Germany also has that right," she added. Merkel told a crowd of approximately 200, including the council's 99 delegates, that she wanted the Jewish community to know that it is supported and cherished. Recent anti-Semitic attacks on individuals, plus months of debate over the right to ritual circumcision -- a discussion often tinged with anti-Semitism -- have put the Jewish community under stress, she acknowledged. "There are still major indications of anti-Semitism here," said Merkel, who shared the podium with Central Council President Dieter Graumann. Merkel said she hoped a bill designed to protect the right to religious circumcision of boys by Jews and Muslims would be passed before the end of December. Observers have suggested that opponents might challenge the law all the way to Germany's Supreme Court and even to the European Court. Graumann, who is in his third year as head of the umbrella organization, praised Merkel's courage in standing up for Israel and for religious freedom in Germany. He said the community had a difficult summer, including the brutal attack on a rabbi in 2
  • 3. Berlin, the debate on circumcision and "countless thousands of hateful Internet entries that shocked all of us." "We experienced many fanatical finger waggers, people who express a profound lack of understanding," he said, adding that "it really hurt us." Merkel said she also noted the negative tone in the ritual circumcision discussion. "It reminds us to think again about the meaning of religious tolerance," she said, adding that all basic rights have to be balanced so as not to infringe on each other. It is clear, she said, that the rights of children are just as important to Jews as to any other community in Germany. "But the respect for and practice of religious rituals are also a higher good because evidence of religious freedom is also the fact that it can be practiced." What more is there to say? Such a speech coming from any German politician would be welcomed with applause and gratitude. Coming from a Chancellor makes it almost historic. I have always thought and frequently said that this woman is something special. I think her presentation moves her from “special” to “unique”. Shortly after making her speech and another one in accepting the Berlin Jewish Community’s Heinz Galinski Prize, which is given to an individual or organization who has fostered understanding in German-Jewish relations and promoted tolerance, Germany voted to “abstain” in the UN on the Palestinian matter. While temporarily clouding the picture of the Chancellor in some Jewish eyes, I believe that that view will only be temporary. We just do not have many friends the quality of Fr. Merkel. THE PALESTINIANS, THE GERMANS & THE UN There is no question that Israel & the U.S. suffered a seeming diplomatic defeat in the UN over the matter of the Palestinian status. Only the U.S., Israel itself, Canada and the Czech Republic among the important nations supported a “no” vote when it came to non-member observer state for Palestine. Following the vote almost anybody who is anybody gave their opinion on who won and who lost and what the implications for the future were. Taking into consideration the recent Gaza War (I don’t know what else to call it) and now the UN vote, I’m not sure the Palestinians won anything. Maybe they got some sort of an emotional feeling of victory but they got a lot of people killed, much of their infrastructure destroyed and some sort of recognition by the UN. However, the facts on the ground remain unchanged except that Israel has announced some new construction in the West Bank. Such was the Palestinian victory! 3
  • 4. I’m going to leave it up to you to read the general media so you can make up your own mind about winners and losers. I will only deal with the action Germany took (or didn’t take) and then you can make a personal decision on that as well. On the basis that there can be no peace without direct face to face negotiations, it was the hope of Israel, the U.S. and most of the organized American Jewish community that Germany would vote “no” on the Palestine matter and, perhaps, bring other Western European along with it. It didn’t happen. How come? Haaretz According to Haaretz, “…the hardest blow came from Berlin. In Jerusalem, Germany was considered a certainty to vote against the UN resolution, and the German decision not to oppose the Palestinian bid but rather to abstain shocked the top brass at the Foreign Ministry and Prime Minister's office. A top German official who took part in discussions in Berlin, however, stressed that the writing was on the wall. The senior German official, who has requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, told Haaretz that Germany has been trying to help Israel on the Palestinian issue for a long time but Israel has not taken the necessary steps to advance the peace process. "The Israelis," he said, "did not respond in any way to our request to make a gesture on settlements." Israeli officials were furious with the Germans. "The turnaround in the British position caused the Germans to change their vote since they did not want to remain isolated within the European Union," said a Foreign Ministry official. Indecisive and confusing Israeli conduct surrounding the Palestinians' move at the UN has angered decision-makers in Germany. The Germans feel they have been taken advantage of, and that Israeli officials have been secretive and uncooperative. The high-ranking German official said "the resolution" to recognize a Palestinian state "is positive in one sense - it clearly recognizes the two-state solution and the right of existence of the State of Israel." The German decision to abstain in the UN vote is expected to exacerbate the considerable tension between Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which has been an issue in recent years, regardless of the current situation. There is a great deal of anger among officials in the Prime Minister's Office over the change in Germany's position, especially since the messages coming from the Germans until yesterday morning indicated it was their intention to vote against the resolution. There is no question that the abstention was not a happy outcome. However, a planned summit meeting in Berlin between the governments of Israel and Germany went ahead. (More on that later). The disagreement concerning the vote at the UN 4
  • 5. did, somewhat, cast a shadow on the discussions. Ever since Netanyahu became prime minister four years ago, his relations with Merkel have been strained. One hears that numerous times Merkel felt Netanyahu did not keep promises he had made to her, and she was especially angry at the continuation of the construction in the settlements. Spiegel On-Line Interestingly Spiegel On-Line seemed more interested in the fact that the European nations did not vote as a bloc than in the issue itself at hand. They opined, “For the European Union, however, the vote once again exposed the 27-member bloc's inability to reach consensus on foreign policy issues. Most EU countries, to be sure, voted in favor of Palestinian observer status, including France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Luxembourg and Denmark. Non-EU states Switzerland and Norway also supported Abbas. But others, including Great Britain, the Netherlands and Germany, abstained in an effort at neutrality. Only one EU member state, the Czech Republic, voted against the Palestinians. "We have doubts that today's resolution brings the peace process forward," said German UN Ambassador Peter Wittig, echoing the statement released earlier in the day from the Foreign Ministry in Berlin. He said he feared it would do more harm than good. Unconfirmed rumors & discussion Who knows if any of this is accurate but it seems to confirm what was published in Haaretz. It is said that the Chancellor herself, according to numerous sources, is upset with the issue of settlements (she has expressed herself publicly and harshly on this for some time) and the ongoing weakening of Abbas through the lack of tangible progress on negotiations. There is a feeling among the Germans that with Israel’s security situation collapsing on all sides due to Arab political instability, the situation with the Palestinians must be settled soon and Abbas strengthened. The final deciding factor for the Chancellor, the rumor goes, was evidently the language of the resolution itself and its emphasis on the two-state solution. Chancellor Merkel is committed to a two-state solution, which she feels is the only option for maintaining a democratic Jewish state. Deutsche Welle As disappointing to many as the German Government’s abstention was, the opposition party Social Democrats (SPD) seem even to have been more pro- Palestinian. DW reported, “The fact that the EU could not agree on a policy was a serious problem, said Rolf Mützenich, foreign policy spokesman for Germany's center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD). He told Deutsche Welle that a "yes" from Germany would have been perfectly feasible. "I believe we must do everything we 5
  • 6. can to support the forces in Palestine that want a peaceful agreement with Israel and a fair two-state solution. And that is what President Abbas stands for." Abstaining from the vote was the least that Germany could have done for the Palestinian president, Mützenich continued. The internal Palestinian conflict between Hamas and Fatah, which Abbas leads, was enough for him to deal with, he argued. "It would have been a fatal signal if on top of that he hadn't had the support of important European governments on the international stage, or even been weakened by them," he said. While the abstention vote caused ill feeling and ruffled personal feathers life goes on. The position of nations is almost always based on perceived national interest, rarely personal feelings. In this case the interests of the two countries involved diverged. Germany has to consider its interests with the Arab and Islamic countries while Israel is dealing at the forefront with immediate national security issues. This does not mean that there was or will be a rupture of relations between the two as exemplified by the joint cabinet meeting which took place a week or so following the UN vote. Read on about it… ISRAELI & GERMAN CABINETS MEET A week after the UN vote the annual get-together of the Israeli and German cabinets took place in Berlin. This annual happening underscores the closeness of the two countries though their governments might have strong differences concerning policy – which, indeed, they have. After the UN vote, but prior to the joint cabinet meeting, Chancellor Merkel reaffirmed her commitment to Israel’s security. A Jerusalem Post article noted, "Germany will always stand on the side of Israel on the issue (of Israeli security)," Merkel said in her weekly podcast, and spoke of Berlin's vocal backing for Israel during its latest clashes with Hamas. Israel has not only the right but the duty to protect its citizens," she added. Shortly thereafter “Netanyahu and his ministers [held] consultations with their German counterparts in Berlin. Their talks cover[ed] economic and trade ties and cooperation in science and education as well as regional security issues. Agree to Disagree As the cabinets came together Spiegel On-Line reported, “Despite recent differences between Germany and Israel over settlement construction plans on the West Bank, Angela Merkel and Benjamin Netanyahu pledged friendship on Thursday in Berlin. They have, said the chancellor, agreed to disagree. 6
  • 7. Given that horrific history, Merkel told Netanyahu that she is fully aware "what a pleasure it is that we can cooperate today." She praised the two countries' collaboration when it comes to education and research, and extolled Israel as being the only democracy in the Middle East. The message was clear: The German-Israeli relationship is so solid that occasional differences of opinion are not a threat. And on Thursday in Berlin, the pair made little effort to hide those differences. On Wednesday evening, prior to Thursday's high-level meetings between Israeli and German cabinet members, Netanyahu joined Merkel for dinner in the Chancellery. The two talked about bilateral cooperation, but also about the current situation in the Middle East, including in Egypt, and the danger of chemical weapons in Syria. They also talked, of course, about the plans recently announced by Netanyahu's government to build 3,000 new housing units for settlers near Jerusalem. Brief and to the Point The construction plans, intended as a punishment of the Palestinians for their successful application to the United Nations last week for non-member observer status, involve area E-1 between East Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim, and would essentially cut the West Bank in two [Ed. Note: That is not accurate]. And it is an issue that has long been a point of contention in Merkel's relationship with Netanyahu. In September 2011, Merkel even became irate in a telephone conversation with the Israeli prime minister during a discussion of West Bank settlements. The differences have not disappeared in the meantime. "On the settlement question, we have agreed to disagree," said Merkel on Thursday. Netanyahu struck a similar tone: "One should be able to voice different opinions among friends. The foundations of German-Israeli relations are "untouchable" Merkel affirmed, adding "and they withstand differences of opinion." To read the article click here http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/merkel-and- netanyahu-pledge-friendship-in-berlin-despite-differences-a-871458.html Something else to worry about. There is little doubt that the German government’s attitude toward Israel is far more positive than that of the general population. For instance the Israeli government position on the extension of building in the E-1 area is seen as a hindrance to any possible peace. Many in Germany see the Palestinians as an oppressed minority and the Israelis as oppressors. That attitude is one that is not unique to Germany but is apparent throughout Europe. My guess is that even in the Czech Republic, which alone voted with Israel in the UN on the Palestinian matter, the attitudes of the populace is far more pro-Palestinian than pro- Israeli. 7
  • 8. It is very far from clear as to how that situation might be reversed. The rocketing of Israel by Hamas triggered statements by various governments saying that they had the right to defend themselves but I doubt if that moved public opinion. It is a very difficult and troubling situation. SAVING GERMAN JEWISH CULTURE One of the strange paradoxes in German history is that after trying to eradicate Jews in the Holocaust the German government has now launched (and is underwriting) a worldwide attempt to preserve German Jewish culture before it is lost forever. The Times of Israel reported, “…a major project by national German broadcaster Deutsche Welle documenting the remnants of Germany’s once-thriving Jewish community around the world. The project, called “Spurensuche, Deutsch-Jüdisches Kulturerbe Weltweit” in German and “Traces, German-Jewish Heritage in the world” in English, will go live on the Internet Dec. 4 and include radio and television broadcasts in four languages. “In general, when people in Germany think of German Jews, they think about the Holocaust and the genocide of the Jews—the crime and its remembrance–but not about how rich this culture was and what was lost,” said Cornelia Rabitz, an editor at Deutsche Welle and coordinator of the project, “We hope, through the project, that the rest of the story comes into the common conscience,” Rabitz said. “Traces,” underwritten by a 250,000 euro grant by the German Foreign Office, was inspired by the German-Jewish Cultural Heritage Project sponsored by the Moses Mendelssohn Center for European Jewish Studies at the University of Potsdam. The project seeks to save German-Jewish documents around the world from decay by creating a databank of information and then linking it to existing databases to make information universally accessible, said Alisa Jachnowitsch, a Moses Mendelssohn Center researcher. “We want to locate German-Jewish heritage abroad and preserve it, not to bring it home to Germany, but to let people know how they can preserve their own historical memory and legacy in their home countries,” Jachnowitsch said. She recently traveled to Buenos Aires, for instance, to speak to the Jewish community there about preserving their records. But the German-Jewish heritage resides not just in records, she stressed, but in everything they were able to bring with them, their china, their volumes of Thomas 8
  • 9. Mann, their oriental carpets, as well as intangibles, such as their attitudes, tastes, values, even ways of studying. Stefan Messerer, spokesman at the German Embassy in Washington, D.C., said that as part of the historic responsibility Germany bears toward the Jewish community and toward the State of Israel for the Holocaust, “the German Government is committed to maintain German Jewish cultural heritage in German- speaking countries as well as in the countries of emigration.” Besides supporting the project, the German Government also helps with the upkeep of Jewish cemeteries and synagogues, subsidizes religious research centers and provides money to train rabbis and cantors. There are many paradoxes when one contemplates German history of the 20 th and early 21st Centuries. The relationship Germany now has with Israel and the Jewish people worldwide is certainly one of them. Its attempt to save German Jewish culture ranks pretty close to being at the top of that list. There is more to the story which you can read by clicking here. http://www.timesofisrael.com/yekke-renewal-a-new-project-traces-the-remnants-of-german- jewish-culture/ BANNING THE NEO-NAZIS There has been discussion in Germany for quite a while about legally banning the neo-Nazi National Democratic Party (NPD). DW reported, “Germany’s politicians and citizens are debating a renewed attempt to ban the country's largest right-wing extremist party, the NPD. But opponents insist that a ban does little to address the core issues of extremism. Advising communities throughout Germany on how to deal with violence and right- wing extremism has been part of Dierk Borstel's work for 15 years. The political scientist from Dortmund researches democratic development and how to combat right-wing extremism. Yet Borstel is very critical of renewed attempts to ban the right-wing NPD party in Germany - after a similar attempt failed in 2003. "The plans to ban the party could make the NPD seem more important than it is," Borstel warned. Banning a party, he explained, is one of the most extreme measures a democracy can take, but Germany is in no way "facing a coup" from the NPD. Instead, Borstel views the debate on banning the party as providing massive attention for an otherwise weak group. "The NPD is currently a party in decline," the expert on extremism told DW. Borstel points to its loss of members and influence and its lack of influence anywhere in Germany - even within the right-wing scene. 9
  • 10. "Even in its core areas like Saxony, there are entire regional groups that are leaving the party," Borstel said. According to German domestic intelligence reports, the NPD had some 6,300 members in 2011. Despite the downward trend, it remains Germany's largest right- wing party. However, the party's success with voters is very limited. In the 2009 federal elections, the NPD secured just 1.5 percent of the vote, providing it with parliament seats in only two states: Saxony and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The extremists use the parliament as a platform to voice their ideas, Borstel says. But he advocates combating their views in the same way that teachers are instructed to deal with extremist students - by defeating their arguments rather than simply silencing them. The money that the party receives as standard compensation for its election campaign is among the major points cited by those in favor of a ban. Borstel agrees the money needs to stop flowing. But he maintains that this should be achieved by dissuading voters from supporting the party, and, thus, preventing it from reaching the threshold necessary to secure government funding. The political scientist notes that the majority of the right-wing scene is not dependent on such funding anyway. In the state of Saxony, research suggests that selling CDs, concerts or other merchandise are playing a far bigger role than the NPD's money. "Repression always leads to innovation," Borstel argues, adding that the right-wing scene will not disappear if there's a ban - in fact, it could simply reappear under a new name, as has happened in the past. His opposition to outlawing the NPD puts him outside of the mainstream in Germany. According to a recent study, the majority of Germans favor legislation that would bar the right-wing NPD. Almost three in four people support a law along these lines. The opinion of Dierk Borstel is one side of the coin and as noted above it is not a popular side. Recently The Local ran a piece which noted, “The premiers of the country's 16 federal states, which comprise the upper house of parliament, on Thursday voted unanimously to outlaw the far-right party despite concerns it could fail like an effort in 2003. Funke said a successful ban and the consistent and decisive prosecution of neo- Nazis would be a fitting response to the shocking racist murders of nine people across Germany by the so-called National Socialist Underground (NSU), a neo-Nazi terror gang. 10
  • 11. "It would a legacy that would show respect to the victims and their families - it would be a suitable reaction," said Funke, a professor at Berlin's Free University Otto Suhr Institute of Political Science. It would also force the police and intelligence services to crack down on far-right violence and intimidation, he said. Only Germany's Constitutional Court has the power to ban a political party - and it requires an application from either the upper or lower house of parliament, or the government to consider the idea. That application must be backed with legal arguments and proof to show that a party is aggressively working against the constitution. It is a ticklish matter. The original attempt to outlaw the NPD in 2003 failed. According to Wikipedia, “…in 2003 after it was discovered that a number of the NPD's inner circle were in fact undercover agents or informants of the German secret services, like the federal Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz. They include a former deputy chairman of the party and author of an anti-Semitic tract that formed a central part of the government's case. Since the government assemblies were unwilling to fully disclose their agents' identities and activities, the court found it impossible to decide which moves by the party were based on genuine party decisions and which were controlled by the secret services in an attempt to further the ban. “The party was, in part, responding to the government's dictates”, the court said. “The presence of the state at the leadership level makes influence on its aims and activities unavoidable”, it concluded. Therefore, the court’s decision was not made on constitutional grounds. However, if the BfV (like the FBI) is involved in the NPD, as it assuredly is, a case could again fail. If that was to happen that might, once and for all kill off any chance of an outlawing of the Party. It might strengthen it and bring new recruits claiming discrimination against it. In addition, Germany being a democracy must take into account the issue of free speech. While their rules are not as liberal as ours, it is still something that has to be considered. My guess is that the move to make it illegal will continue especially since the “Premiers” (Better known as the Minister Presidents. We would call the Governors) of the States have voted for it. Perhaps this time the best legal minds in Germany will be involved in writing the brief so that it will past muster with the Constitutional Court. Let’s hope so. A POLITICAL UPDATE The Social Democrats (SPD) have formally chosen a former finance minister Peer 11
  • 12. Steinbrück to represent their party as the Chancellor candidate in next year’s national election. He will, of course, be going up against Germany’s most popular politician, Angela Merkel. Poor Hr. Steinbrück! Since his informal selection a couple of months ago he has been saddled with controversy. The controversy or scandal or whatever you want to call it may sound very strange to American ears. He has been accused of making too much money from speaking engagements. There is no accusation of anything illegal. When Mitt Romney, during our own election campaign, noted that he earned $374,327 from speeches no one castigated him for that. It was only when he said that it was “not very much” that he was landed on by the Democrats for not understanding what that sort of money meant to the poor and middle class. I guess it was the $1.6 million Steinbrück made that got his critics angry. How angry? According to Spiegel On-Line, “Greenpeace activists unfurled a banner behind the podium that read: "Did you rake in enough dough?" [Steinbrück] faces an uphill struggle to beat Merkel. An Infratest dimap survey showed that, were Germans able to vote directly for their chancellor, 49 percent would support the incumbent chancellor with just 39 percent of respondents saying they would vote for Steinbrück. Still, that gap has narrowed in recent weeks. More to the point, Merkel's Christian Democratic Union party (CDU), together with its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), stood at 39 percent in the poll, well ahead of the SPD at 30 percent. The Greens scored 14 percent and the pro-business FDP, Merkel's junior coalition party, was at 4 percent, below the 5 percent threshold it would need to be able to stay in parliament. The survey was carried out between December 3 and 5 and commissioned by public television channel ARD. The FDP is Merkel's Achilles heel. She remains popular because Germans credit her with having defended the nation's interests in the euro crisis so far, by blocking calls for the introduction of common euro bonds, for example. And she has deftly nudged the CDU to the left, backing proposals for a minimum wage and better state support for childcare, and thereby encroaching on core SPD territory. But the FDP is so weak that she may need a new coalition partner to stay in power. The SPD or the Greens seem to be her only options. Steinbrück, 65, ruled out serving in another grand coalition. "I don't just want a partial change of government," he said to loud applause. "I want an entirely new government. I want an SPD-Greens government for our country. I'm not available for any grand coalition." Political analysts say, however, that such a coalition is the most likely outcome of the next election. 12
  • 13. The election is more than 9 months away. As everybody knows, 9 months is eons in political time. Much can happen between now and September. If the FDP can pull itself together we might have a totally new ballgame but that is doubtful. If not, a Grand Coalition looks like the likely outcome with Merkel remaining Chancellor and Steinbrück (or some other SPD politician) taking over as Foreign Minister. No matter what, we’ll keep following it and let you know what happens. ******************************************************************************************** DuBow Digest is written and published by Eugene DuBow who can be contacted by clicking here Both the American and Germany editions are posted at www.dubowdigest.typepad.com Click here to connect 13