In an affront to free speech, Canadian committee declares that criticism of Israel should be considered anti-Semitic.
A fucking shame. Leave my country alone you damn right-wing nutjobs.
In an affront to free speech, Canadian committee declares that criticism of Israel should be considered anti-Semitic.
A fucking shame. Leave my country alone you damn right-wing nutjobs.
One year ago, an elite Mossad hit squad traveled to Dubai to kill a high-ranking member of Hamas. They completed the mission, but their covers were blown, and Israel was humiliated by the twenty-seven-minute video of their movements that was posted online for all the world to see. Ronen Bergman reveals the intricate, chilling details of the mission and investigates how Israel’s vaunted spy agency did things so spectacularly wrong.
The Norwegian newspaper Aftenpost has released a March, 2008, US embassy cable describing the Israeli blockade and siege of Occupied Gaza as an attempt to reduce the society to the lowest possible level of functioning without provoking a “humanitarian crisis” (presumably mass starvation).
“Israeli officials have confirmed to Embassy officials on multiple occasions that they intend to keep the Gazan economy functioning at the lowest level possible consistent with avoiding a humanitarian crisis.”
And, with regard to taking money out of circulation in Gaza, a deflationary policy used as a tool of oppression:
‘ As part of their overall embargo plan against Gaza, Israeli officials have confirmed to econoffs on multiple occasions that they intend to keep the Gazan economy on the brink of collapse without quite pushing it over the edge ‘
It seems to me the Israeli right-wingers missed their mark, since 55% of Palestinians in Gaza are food-insecure and 10% of children show signs of stunting from malnutrition. I’d call that a humanitarian crisis. What the despicable Israeli officials meant by their phrase, of course, is that a mass die-off should be avoided that would bring to bear world pressure to abandon this criminal policy.
The Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten has summarized an Israeli military briefing by Israeli Chief of Staff Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi of a US congressional delegation a little over a year ago and concludes that
‘ The memo on the talks between Ashkenazi and [Congressman Ike] Skelton, as well as numerous other documents from the same period of time, to which Aftenposten has gained access, leave a clear message: The Israeli military is forging ahead at full speed with preparations for a new war in the Middle East.
The paper says that US cables quote Ashkenazi telling the US congressmen, “I’m preparing the Israeli army for a major war, since it is easier to scale down to a smaller operation than to do the opposite.”
Taking a cue from its European neighbours, Britain was on Wednesday reported to be considering upgrading the status of the Palestinian representative’s office in London to that of a diplomatic “mission” to put pressure on Israel to allow resumption of peace talks stalled because of its refusal to halt illegal construction of Jewish settlements on occupied Palestinian lands.
France, Spain, Portugal and Norway have already taken similar initiatives and more European countries are expected to follow suit.
Read more at The Hindu
The problem with the nonviolence bandwagon is that it is grossly misrepresentative of the reality on the ground. It also takes the focus away from the violence imparted by the Israeli occupation – in its routine and lethal use in the West Bank, and the untold savagery in Gaza - and places it solely on the shoulders of the Palestinians.
As for the gross misrepresentation of reality, Palestinians have used mass nonviolent resistance for generations - as early as the long strike of 1936. Nonviolent resistance has been and continues to be the bread and butter of Palestinian moqawama, from the time of British colonialism to the Israeli occupation. At the same time, some Palestinians fought violently as well, compelled by a great sense of urgency and the extreme violence applied against them by their oppressors. It is similar to the way many Indians fought violently, even during the time that Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas were in full bloom.
Those who reduce and simplify India’s history of anti-colonial struggle are doing the same to Palestinians.
havissard replied to your link: US House passes anti-Palestine bill »
Did they just pick a side, or had they done that previously?
They’ve always picked a side. But now they have come out squarely against the basic Palestinian right to even suggest that they may want to declare statehood. This despite the fact that Israel has been the guilty side every step of the way since the latest round of peace talks began. This is infuriating. Really, I am a patient man, but this is just off the wall in its audacity. I am livid right now.
Dear Palestinian,
I’ll occupy your land. I’ll kick out your uncles and brothers and sisters and moms and make them refugees. I will not let you travel unchecked and undisturbed on your own lands. I will stop medical care and food from reaching you. I will stop you from traveling abroad and getting a good education. I will do everything in my powe to keep you subservient and throw every wrench in your way to delay/negate your ability to be free.
And after all that if you even dream of bypassing my mighty favor and declaring independence from my tyranny without first asking me and getting my blessing, then I will condemn you for even dreaming. I will make sure that you are told clearly that you are a worthless piece of shit and your value is that of nothing more than a slave. Forever. You are nothing. And I will remind you of that everyday.
signed,
Israel
Brazilian President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said today that, “Considering that the demand presented by his excellency [Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas] is just and consistent with the principles upheld by Brazil with regard to the Palestinian issue, Brazil, through this letter, recognises a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders,” it said.
The letter refers to the “legitimate aspiration of the Palestinian people for a secure, united, democratic and economically viable state coexisting peacefully with Israel.”
Read more at Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera | Faultlines - The Other Special Relationship
In Canada, a high-stakes battle is being waged between a powerful pro-Israel lobby close to the conservative government, and a growing Palestinian solidarity movement that calls Israel an apartheid state that should be subject to boycott, divestment and sanctions.
But there is one point on which both sides agree: over the past five or six years, Canada has become one of Israel’s most fervent supporters on the world stage.
India has the world’s third largest Muslim population, and political and economic ties with Arab nations. It is also buying weapons and military expertise from its new friend Israel.
