Good news briefs

Ami Isseroff’s (and many others) efforts pay off: Seattle is cancelling the anti-Israel bus ads that were scheduled to run for a month. Jewish groups launched a strong protest movement, and the King County government decided that it wasn’t worth the paltry amount of ad dollars coming in to fight a wave of protesters. Wow, for once, the protesting on our side worked. Here’s the thing: This isn’t the first time in recent months something like this has happened. I think some of the world is starting to wake up to being part of the delegitimization of Israel process, and realizing that they don’t have to be. Or maybe it’s just self-preservation on their part. Either way, we win. And if you’re interested in learning how, go over to Elder of Ziyon’s blog and learn about Hasbara.

What? Israel let hundreds of Gazans out? To go to the Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem. Contrast this with Hamas refusing to let Fatah members out to go on Hajj last year. And oh yeah, tourism is up. There was almost no criticism of their dhimmi overlords, but some slipped out:

Rev. David Neuhaus, the Roman Catholic vicar for the Hebrew-speaking Christian population in the Holy Land, said violence against Gaza Christians was largely the work of “Islamic fundamental vigilante justice,” and not the Hamas regime. Nonetheless, he said Christian daily life was extremely difficult.

“They are not targeted by authorities but life is not simple when you live minute by minute according to the mores of a different religion,” he said. “The Islamic lifestyle that is being imposed is foreign to how Christians lead their lives.”

Oh, yeah. Tourism in Bethlehem is way up over the last few years, but nobody’s making as big a stink about that as they did several years ago when they essentially accused Israel of killing Christmas (though it was the terrorism that did the trick). Let’s see, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2005, 2005, and the one in 2005 where the news services admitted that Christmas was happening in Bethlehem, after all. Mostly unmentioned: Muslim persecution of Christians.

The Really, Really Free Market: Apparently, my city has a Christmas giveaway going on. Well, that’s nice. It’s like a yard sale, but free! (Wait ’til the IRS finds out people are trading things to one another without paying taxes. It’ll get shut down. Oh, wait. Good news! Good news!)

It’s a Saturnalia miracle*: A woman who lost the use of her legs 13 years ago can walk again.

*I did remember to tell you that I’m currently obsessed with Big Bang Theory, didn’t I?