A BIG MAJORITY OF ISRAELIS DON'T CONSIDER JUDEA/SAMARIA "OCCUPIED"

For Independence Day, a poll was taken just shortly before that provides wonderful news:

A new polling of Israeli public opinion, published just days ahead of Israel’s Independence Day, shows that the vast majority of citizens understand that the Judea and Samaria region is not “occupied Palestinian land,” and that Israel has a right to assert its full sovereignty over the area.

The monthly Peace Index, published by Israel Democracy Institute’s Guttman Center for Surveys and the Tel Aviv University, said that poll shows an “unequivocal slant of the public’s positions” on the question of whether it is right or not right to define Israel’s presence in Judea and Samaria as an “occupation,” with a large majority of the Israeli Jewish public, 71.5 percent, saying it is not “occupation.”

Now that's encouraging, and spells good news for the future.

Since we're on the subject, here's also a video of an air force performance special for Independence Day:

Also via United With Israel.

WHAT'S IT LIKE IN LONDON NOW THAT A MUSLIM MAYOR WAS ELECTED?

To note that Muslims there are celebrating doesn't even begin to describe all the problems that'll come about. Here's what Pamela Geller has to say, and one of the revelations, if correct, is definitely alarming and telling (via Israpundit):

At the same time, many Jews were prohibited from voting. Even the Chief Rabbi of London was turned away – leading to the Chief Executive of one London borough having to resign. Innumerable voters throughout the London Borough of Barnet – where much of the British Jewish community lives today – were prevented from voting by a suspicious and never-explained “error” at the area’s polling stations.

This is no surprise. Sadiq Khan has shared platforms with Muslim Jew-haters who want to “drown every Israeli Jew in the sea.” According to investigative journalist Soeren Kern: “In 2008, Khan gave a speech at the Global Peace and Unity Conference, an event organized by the Islam Channel, which has been censured repeatedly by British media regulators for extremism. Members of the audience were filmed flying the black flag of jihad while Khan was speaking.”

If Jewish voters could find their right to vote sabotaged, then you can be sure there's non-Jews living in London who experienced the same. Nevertheless, it's clear that quite a few non-Muslims of various backgrounds voted for Khan simultaneously, and have throughly forgotten what jihadism led to in 2005, when at least one public bus and a subway were bombed by terrorists. This is some of the worst defeatism to be found today in Britain.

REMEMBERING THE MANY VICTIMS ON MEMORIAL DAY

Today was Israel's Memorial Day for soldiers fallen in wars, and also victims of terrorism. As noted:

The number of civilians who have been killed in “hostile acts” since the end of the War of Independence is 2,576, Haaretz reported, citing the National Insurance Institute. Some 31 civilians died as a result of terrorist attacks in the last year.

Remembering victims of jihadism is something that had to be done ever since the Oslo accords. Here's more on the Jewish Press about the ceremony at the Western Wall plaza.

US NOT SEEKING DEATH PENALTY FOR BENGHAZI SUSPECT

The US government is showing weakness again in its pursuit of justice in the Benghazi case (Hat tip: The Weekly Standard):

The Justice Department will not seek the death penalty against Ahmed Abu Khattala, the suspected Libyan militant charged in the Benghazi attacks that killed a U.S. ambassador and three other Americans, federal officials announced Tuesday.

The department revealed its decision, which pushes the case forward toward trial, in a brief court filing that offered no additional explanation.

In a separate statement, spokeswoman Emily Pierce said Attorney General Loretta Lynch made the decision after reviewing the case and consulting with federal prosecutors. She said the department is "committed to ensuring that the defendant is held accountable" for the 2012 attacks.

But life imprisonment isn't enough for filth like that terrorist. They're being very weak in their position here, because scum like those Islamofascists are too dangerous to let live. Yet another example of the Obama administration's appointees becoming major disappointments.

LONDON ELECTS FIRST MUSLIM MAYOR

While it may have been a narrow lead, Sadiq Khan was sadly elected mayor of London, and the first Muslim in that position there:

At the Lahore Karahi restaurant in south London, customers and staff celebrated Friday as it became clear the capital was to have its first Muslim mayor, shouting out in Urdu, “Sadiq Khan Zinda Baad!” (Long Live Sadiq Khan!)

A favourite haunt of the Khan family, the restaurant in the south London district of Tooting — where the 45-year-old son of a Pakistani immigrant bus driver is the local MP — buzzed with excitement.

“We are happy now but he has to fulfil the promises he made,” said waiter Shehzad Azhar, 30. “The housing crisis and the transportation come first.”

“He will do good things,” added fellow employee Malik Ahmed, 32.

Khan’s victory came after a straight fight with his conservative opponent, ecologist Zac Goldsmith, son of the late tycoon financier James Goldsmith and a scion of one of Britain’s wealthiest families.

You can be quite sure he'll do bad things. VERY bad things. As I may have said before, it's clear more than just Muslims voted for Khan, and that's bad news. Now, he's bound to enable more sharia enclaves to build up in London, and certainly he's bound to exploit the city treasury for all sorts of shady activity. Another bad omen for Britain.

DUSTIN HOFFMAN'S REDISCOVERY OF JEWISH BACKGROUND

The Times of Israel spoke about how veteran actor Dustin Hoffman, who hadn't grown up with an understanding of his Jewish background, finally came to rediscover it.

JEWISH HOUSE IN MUSLIM QUARTER REDEEMED FOR HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY

Something very good took place this week as Holocaust Memorial Day was in session:

Ben Packer, Director of the Jerusalem Heritage House, revealed to Arutz Sheva on Thursday that in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, his organization redeemed a Jewish house in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City.

"There are different ways to commemorate Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)," noted Packer.

"We helped take back a Jewish house in the 'Muslim Quarter' of the Old City that was stolen in the 1930's," he added, indicating how the Muslim Quarter in the northeast of the Old City was only given that designation relatively recently.

He's certainly right, that naming/description is very recent, and obviously intended to damage Jewish legitimacy in the Old City.

Helping restore the house for Jewish living is a very fine thing to do, and very helpful.