Saturday, September 23, 2006
Syria and the US: Fellow Travelers at the Crossroads for Terrorism
By Amy Goodman and David Goodman
MotherJones
"At his address to United Nations this week, George W. Bush declared that Syria was “the crossroads for terrorism.” Maher Arar knows this first hand. He was kidnapped and sent to be tortured in Syria at the behest of the Bush administration.
Arar was arrested in September 2002 at JFK Airport in New York while changing planes on his way home to Toronto. Twelve days later he was placed on a private jet with CIA agents who were part of a “special removal unit,” flown to Jordan, and driven to Syria, where he was handed over to Syrian military intelligence for interrogation. In Syria, Arar was severely beaten with metal cables, and spent ten months confined to a grave-like cell before being released without charge.
Since September 11, 2001, the extraordinary rendition program has morphed into a global round-up. Suspects are being abducted around the world and dumped in places like Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and Bagram, Afghanistan. These two off-shore American prisons now hold over 1,000 people. Many of these prisoners have never been charged and they languish out of view and outside protection of the law. Others, like the German citizen Khaled el-Masri, have been kidnapped by the U.S. and tortured only to be found to have no ties whatsoever to terrorism.
The Bush administration is now ensnared in its own web of deceit. On September 19, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales responded to the Canadian findings by claiming that the U.S. acted lawfully in sending Arar to Syria. “Mr. Arar was deported under our immigration laws,” said Gonzales, who insisted that Arar was not the victim of a rendition. It was an absurd claim: why wouldn’t the U.S. deport Arar to Canada, where he is a citizen? The answer is obvious: the Bush administration wanted Arar to be tortured, and could be confident of this outcome if he were handed to the Syrians.
When President Bush made torture a centerpiece of his foreign policy, he bound himself intimately to the world’s worst human rights abusers. When it comes to torture, as Maher Arar learned, Syria and the U.S. are fellow travelers at the “crossroads for terrorism.”"
MotherJones
"At his address to United Nations this week, George W. Bush declared that Syria was “the crossroads for terrorism.” Maher Arar knows this first hand. He was kidnapped and sent to be tortured in Syria at the behest of the Bush administration.
Arar was arrested in September 2002 at JFK Airport in New York while changing planes on his way home to Toronto. Twelve days later he was placed on a private jet with CIA agents who were part of a “special removal unit,” flown to Jordan, and driven to Syria, where he was handed over to Syrian military intelligence for interrogation. In Syria, Arar was severely beaten with metal cables, and spent ten months confined to a grave-like cell before being released without charge.
Since September 11, 2001, the extraordinary rendition program has morphed into a global round-up. Suspects are being abducted around the world and dumped in places like Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and Bagram, Afghanistan. These two off-shore American prisons now hold over 1,000 people. Many of these prisoners have never been charged and they languish out of view and outside protection of the law. Others, like the German citizen Khaled el-Masri, have been kidnapped by the U.S. and tortured only to be found to have no ties whatsoever to terrorism.
The Bush administration is now ensnared in its own web of deceit. On September 19, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales responded to the Canadian findings by claiming that the U.S. acted lawfully in sending Arar to Syria. “Mr. Arar was deported under our immigration laws,” said Gonzales, who insisted that Arar was not the victim of a rendition. It was an absurd claim: why wouldn’t the U.S. deport Arar to Canada, where he is a citizen? The answer is obvious: the Bush administration wanted Arar to be tortured, and could be confident of this outcome if he were handed to the Syrians.
When President Bush made torture a centerpiece of his foreign policy, he bound himself intimately to the world’s worst human rights abusers. When it comes to torture, as Maher Arar learned, Syria and the U.S. are fellow travelers at the “crossroads for terrorism.”"
ANOTHER CENTURY MARK REACHED
US Troops Killed in Iraq-----------------2,700
"Coalition" Troops Killed in Iraq-------2,935
US Troops Wounded in Iraq-----------20,322
But Bush is still making progress. Hail the DECIDER!
CARTOON OF THE DAY
BUSH REAFFIRMS HIS VISION OF A TWO-STATE PALESTINIAN SOLUTION
The Facts on the Ground:Mini-Gulags, Hired Guns, Lobbyists, and a Reality Built on Fear
By Tom Engelhardt
"Of course, its prisoners who remained generally uncharged and without access to Iraqi courts, weren't just released to the winds. Quite the opposite, over 3,000 of them were redistributed to two other U.S. prisons, Camp Bucca in Iraq's south and Camp Cropper at the huge U.S. base adjoining Baghdad International Airport, once dedicated to the holding of "high-value" detainees like Saddam Hussein and top officials of his regime.
Had anyone paid the slightest attention – other than the Pentagon, the Bush administration, and whatever company or companies had the contract to construct the facility – it would still have been taken for granted that Camp Cropper wasn't the business of ordinary Americans (or even their representatives in Congress). Despite the fact that the $60 million dollars, which made the camp "state of the art," was surely ours, no one in the United States debated or discussed the upgrade and there was no serious consideration of it in Congress before the money was anted up – any more than Congress or the American people are in any way involved in the constant upgrading of our military bases in Iraq.
Camp Bucca is a story you can't read anywhere – and yet it may, in a sense, be the most important American story in Iraq right now. While arguments spin endlessly here at home about the nature of withdrawal "timetables," and who's cutting and running from what, and how many troops we will or won't have in-country in 2007, 2008, or 2009, on the ground a process continues that makes mockery of the debate in Washington and in the country. While the "reconstruction" of Iraq has come to look ever more like the deconstruction of Iraq, the construction of an ever more permanent-looking American landscape in that country has proceeded apace and with reasonable efficiency.
First, we had those huge military bases that officials were careful never to label "permanent." (For a while, they were given the charming name of "enduring camps" by the Pentagon.) Just about no one in the mainstream bothered to write about them for a couple of years as quite literally billions of dollars were poured into them and they morphed into the size of American towns with their own bus routes, sports facilities, Pizza Huts, Subways, Burger Kings, and mini-golf courses. Huge as they now are, elaborate as they now are, they are still continually being upgraded. Now, it seems that on one of them we have $60 million worth of the first "permanent U.S. prison" in Iraq. Meanwhile, in the heart of Baghdad, the Bush administration is building what's probably the largest, best fortified "embassy" in the solar system with its own elaborate apartment complexes and entertainment facilities, meant for a staff of 3,500.
These are increasingly the crucial realities of our world – and it's not the world of a republic. It's not a world of checks and balances. It's not a world where even a change of ownership in one or both houses of Congress in November would prove a determining factor. It's not a world where people out there are just "starting to question whether we're following our own high standards." It's distinctly not the world as we Americans like to imagine it, but it is the world we are, regrettably enough, lost in. It's the world created not just by a commander-in-chief presidency, but by a Pentagon-in-chief-dominated government, and by a corporation-in-chief style of imperial rule.
It is a world striving for permanence, which doesn't faintly mean that it's permanent – not in Iraq and not here. But it might be helpful if we began to register more fully not just the latest flurry of whatever passes for news, but the facts-on-the-ground that are, every minute, every hour, every day, transforming our lives and our planet."
"Of course, its prisoners who remained generally uncharged and without access to Iraqi courts, weren't just released to the winds. Quite the opposite, over 3,000 of them were redistributed to two other U.S. prisons, Camp Bucca in Iraq's south and Camp Cropper at the huge U.S. base adjoining Baghdad International Airport, once dedicated to the holding of "high-value" detainees like Saddam Hussein and top officials of his regime.
Had anyone paid the slightest attention – other than the Pentagon, the Bush administration, and whatever company or companies had the contract to construct the facility – it would still have been taken for granted that Camp Cropper wasn't the business of ordinary Americans (or even their representatives in Congress). Despite the fact that the $60 million dollars, which made the camp "state of the art," was surely ours, no one in the United States debated or discussed the upgrade and there was no serious consideration of it in Congress before the money was anted up – any more than Congress or the American people are in any way involved in the constant upgrading of our military bases in Iraq.
Camp Bucca is a story you can't read anywhere – and yet it may, in a sense, be the most important American story in Iraq right now. While arguments spin endlessly here at home about the nature of withdrawal "timetables," and who's cutting and running from what, and how many troops we will or won't have in-country in 2007, 2008, or 2009, on the ground a process continues that makes mockery of the debate in Washington and in the country. While the "reconstruction" of Iraq has come to look ever more like the deconstruction of Iraq, the construction of an ever more permanent-looking American landscape in that country has proceeded apace and with reasonable efficiency.
First, we had those huge military bases that officials were careful never to label "permanent." (For a while, they were given the charming name of "enduring camps" by the Pentagon.) Just about no one in the mainstream bothered to write about them for a couple of years as quite literally billions of dollars were poured into them and they morphed into the size of American towns with their own bus routes, sports facilities, Pizza Huts, Subways, Burger Kings, and mini-golf courses. Huge as they now are, elaborate as they now are, they are still continually being upgraded. Now, it seems that on one of them we have $60 million worth of the first "permanent U.S. prison" in Iraq. Meanwhile, in the heart of Baghdad, the Bush administration is building what's probably the largest, best fortified "embassy" in the solar system with its own elaborate apartment complexes and entertainment facilities, meant for a staff of 3,500.
These are increasingly the crucial realities of our world – and it's not the world of a republic. It's not a world of checks and balances. It's not a world where even a change of ownership in one or both houses of Congress in November would prove a determining factor. It's not a world where people out there are just "starting to question whether we're following our own high standards." It's distinctly not the world as we Americans like to imagine it, but it is the world we are, regrettably enough, lost in. It's the world created not just by a commander-in-chief presidency, but by a Pentagon-in-chief-dominated government, and by a corporation-in-chief style of imperial rule.
It is a world striving for permanence, which doesn't faintly mean that it's permanent – not in Iraq and not here. But it might be helpful if we began to register more fully not just the latest flurry of whatever passes for news, but the facts-on-the-ground that are, every minute, every hour, every day, transforming our lives and our planet."
How Israel is Engineering the "Clash of Civilizations"
From the New "Anti-Semitism" to Nuclear Holocaust
By JONATHAN COOK
Nazareth.
"It is now clear that Israel and its loyalists had three main goals in mind as they began their campaign. Two were familiar motives from previous attempts at highlighting a "new anti-Semitism". The third was new.
The first aim, and possibly the best understood, was to stifle all criticism of Israel, particularly in the US. During the course of 2003 it became increasingly apparent to journalists like myself that the American media, and soon much of the European media, was growing shy of printing even the mild criticism of Israel it usually allowed. By the time Israel began stepping up the pace of construction of its monstrous wall across the West Bank in spring 2003, editors were reluctant to touch the story.
As the fourth estate fell silent, so did many of the progressive voices in our universities and churches. Divestment was entirely removed from the agenda. McCarthyite organisations like CampusWatch helped enforce the reign of intimidation. Academics who stood their ground, like Columbia University's Joseph Massad, attracted the vindictive attention of new activist groups like the David Project.
A second, less noticed, goal was an urgent desire to prevent any slippage in the numbers of Jews inside Israel that might benefit the Palestinians as the two ethnic groups approached demographic parity in the area know to Israelis as Greater Israel and to Palestinians as historic Palestine.
By suggesting that Europe in particular had become a hotbed of Islamic fundamentalism, it was hoped that Israeli Jews, many of whom have more than one passport, would be afraid to leave.
The third goal, however, had not seen before. It tied the rise of a new anti-Semitism with the increase of Islamic fundamentalism in the West, implying that Muslim extremists were asserting an ideological control over Western thinking. It chimed well with the post 9-11 atmosphere.
"International terrorism is a mistaken term," Netanyahu added, "not because it doesn't exist, but because the problem is international militant Islam. That is the movement that operates terror on the international level, and that is the movement that is preparing the ultimate terror, nuclear terrorism."
Faced with the evil designs of the "Islamic fascists", such as those in Iran, Israel's nuclear arsenal -- and the nuclear Holocaust Israel can and appears prepared to unleash -- may be presented as the civilised world's salvation."
By JONATHAN COOK
Nazareth.
"It is now clear that Israel and its loyalists had three main goals in mind as they began their campaign. Two were familiar motives from previous attempts at highlighting a "new anti-Semitism". The third was new.
The first aim, and possibly the best understood, was to stifle all criticism of Israel, particularly in the US. During the course of 2003 it became increasingly apparent to journalists like myself that the American media, and soon much of the European media, was growing shy of printing even the mild criticism of Israel it usually allowed. By the time Israel began stepping up the pace of construction of its monstrous wall across the West Bank in spring 2003, editors were reluctant to touch the story.
As the fourth estate fell silent, so did many of the progressive voices in our universities and churches. Divestment was entirely removed from the agenda. McCarthyite organisations like CampusWatch helped enforce the reign of intimidation. Academics who stood their ground, like Columbia University's Joseph Massad, attracted the vindictive attention of new activist groups like the David Project.
A second, less noticed, goal was an urgent desire to prevent any slippage in the numbers of Jews inside Israel that might benefit the Palestinians as the two ethnic groups approached demographic parity in the area know to Israelis as Greater Israel and to Palestinians as historic Palestine.
By suggesting that Europe in particular had become a hotbed of Islamic fundamentalism, it was hoped that Israeli Jews, many of whom have more than one passport, would be afraid to leave.
The third goal, however, had not seen before. It tied the rise of a new anti-Semitism with the increase of Islamic fundamentalism in the West, implying that Muslim extremists were asserting an ideological control over Western thinking. It chimed well with the post 9-11 atmosphere.
"International terrorism is a mistaken term," Netanyahu added, "not because it doesn't exist, but because the problem is international militant Islam. That is the movement that operates terror on the international level, and that is the movement that is preparing the ultimate terror, nuclear terrorism."
Faced with the evil designs of the "Islamic fascists", such as those in Iran, Israel's nuclear arsenal -- and the nuclear Holocaust Israel can and appears prepared to unleash -- may be presented as the civilised world's salvation."
Book Review: A History of Modern Palestine
By Jim Miles
PalestineChronicle.com
A History of Modern Palestine – Second Edition. Ilan Pappe. Cambridge University Press, N.Y. 2006. 361 p.
"Without an exact replication of events, the facts will always present a bias, but by choosing from a broader range of information and looking at the “alternative narratives” a more accurate approximate representation of the truth can be made. Pappe’s general view is highly sympathetic to the Palestinian people, recognizing the general trend of Zionist goals acting as a colonial and occupying force in Mandatory Palestine (itself “the façade of an independent state that was in fact a colony”).
Within that framework several themes are clearly evident throughout the history of Palestine. These include the over-riding objective of Jewish land occupation, the dual colonialism of Britain and the Zionists over the Palestinians, followed by that of the Israelis, and concomitant with that, the rise of American support for that colonialism and occupation. Other patterns emerge, including the severe nature of Jewish retaliation for Palestinian guerrilla actions, as they grew with “ferocity and brutality…often out of all proportion.” This has carried through into the recent Lebanon war and the ongoing displacement of Palestinians inside the prison-based Bantustans that the remaining Palestinian territory has become. Militarism as a part of the national culture emerged in 1936, well before the Mandate ended, and negated any form of real negotiative stance except as a diversion to the real purpose of gaining more land.
War obviously created a huge return in land possession and parallel dispossession of the Palestinian people. In 1948, 370 villages were “wiped out” that led to the “almost complete disappearance” of rural Palestine. Terror, forced evacuations, murder, genocide, and the physical erasure of the villages were applied systematically, after which the Zionists moved in to occupy and rename them, the latter “as part of an attempt to prevent future land claim to the villages.”
The other narrative is the ongoing dispossession of the Palestinians under military rule with arbitrary laws, restricted movement, the creation of ongoing settlements throughout the Westbank, the arrests, harassment, torture of the people and the destruction of the infrastructure of their remnant society. More recently, these methods operated under Sharon’s so called Peace Plan and later Bush’s Roadmap to Peace, neither of which provided anything authoritative as a basis to constructively work from, but provided a smokescreen for the ongoing dispossession of Palestinian land."
***
This and other books are on the list of recommended books, link is on the right.
Molly
PalestineChronicle.com
A History of Modern Palestine – Second Edition. Ilan Pappe. Cambridge University Press, N.Y. 2006. 361 p.
"Without an exact replication of events, the facts will always present a bias, but by choosing from a broader range of information and looking at the “alternative narratives” a more accurate approximate representation of the truth can be made. Pappe’s general view is highly sympathetic to the Palestinian people, recognizing the general trend of Zionist goals acting as a colonial and occupying force in Mandatory Palestine (itself “the façade of an independent state that was in fact a colony”).
Within that framework several themes are clearly evident throughout the history of Palestine. These include the over-riding objective of Jewish land occupation, the dual colonialism of Britain and the Zionists over the Palestinians, followed by that of the Israelis, and concomitant with that, the rise of American support for that colonialism and occupation. Other patterns emerge, including the severe nature of Jewish retaliation for Palestinian guerrilla actions, as they grew with “ferocity and brutality…often out of all proportion.” This has carried through into the recent Lebanon war and the ongoing displacement of Palestinians inside the prison-based Bantustans that the remaining Palestinian territory has become. Militarism as a part of the national culture emerged in 1936, well before the Mandate ended, and negated any form of real negotiative stance except as a diversion to the real purpose of gaining more land.
War obviously created a huge return in land possession and parallel dispossession of the Palestinian people. In 1948, 370 villages were “wiped out” that led to the “almost complete disappearance” of rural Palestine. Terror, forced evacuations, murder, genocide, and the physical erasure of the villages were applied systematically, after which the Zionists moved in to occupy and rename them, the latter “as part of an attempt to prevent future land claim to the villages.”
The other narrative is the ongoing dispossession of the Palestinians under military rule with arbitrary laws, restricted movement, the creation of ongoing settlements throughout the Westbank, the arrests, harassment, torture of the people and the destruction of the infrastructure of their remnant society. More recently, these methods operated under Sharon’s so called Peace Plan and later Bush’s Roadmap to Peace, neither of which provided anything authoritative as a basis to constructively work from, but provided a smokescreen for the ongoing dispossession of Palestinian land."
***
This and other books are on the list of recommended books, link is on the right.
Molly
Nasrallah appears; war-time casualty tolls
by Helena Cobban
"By the way, human rights researchers in Lebanon say that in recent weeks they have been able to travel extensively around south Lebanon. Families of Hizbullah fighters are nearly always eager to note that affiliation on the tombstones and the memorial notices that are widely posted throughout the whole region. Based on this evidence, the researchers estimate that the ratio of Hizbullah fighters to civilians killed in Lebanon is somewhere around 1:7 or 1:8 .
With a total Lebanese casualty toll of about 1,200, that would give a total of about 150 to 170 Hizbullah fighters killed. Among Israelis, the casualty toll was 118 IDF members killed and 39 civilians. RIP, all of them."
"By the way, human rights researchers in Lebanon say that in recent weeks they have been able to travel extensively around south Lebanon. Families of Hizbullah fighters are nearly always eager to note that affiliation on the tombstones and the memorial notices that are widely posted throughout the whole region. Based on this evidence, the researchers estimate that the ratio of Hizbullah fighters to civilians killed in Lebanon is somewhere around 1:7 or 1:8 .
With a total Lebanese casualty toll of about 1,200, that would give a total of about 150 to 170 Hizbullah fighters killed. Among Israelis, the casualty toll was 118 IDF members killed and 39 civilians. RIP, all of them."
Friday, September 22, 2006
Secret contacts between Israel, Saudi Arabia: report
"Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot said Israel and Saudi Arabia have been conducting secret negotiations. "Secret negotiations between Israel and Saudi Arabia," headlined, reporting that contacts had begun during the recent 34-day Israeli war against Lebanon. Asked whether there were secret talks going on with Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was quoted as saying: "I don't have to answer every question". Olmert was quoted as saying, however, he was "very impressed with various acts and statements connected with Saudi Arabia, both those that were made publicly and others as well. "I am very impressed with King Abdullah's insight and sense of responsibility," he added. In March 2002, the Arab League adopted the Saudi proposal that would see the Arab world normalise relations with Israel in exchange for a withdrawal from all land occupied since 1967 and a negotiated solution to the Palestinian refugee issue."
Security reports reveal plots for the assassination of Haneyya
"Gaza – Well informed sources in Gaza revealed that there calls within certain Palestinian political quarters for a policy of physical liquidation of political opponents if talks fail to produce desired results.
Those sources talked about scenarios for the assassination of Ismail Haneyya, the PA Premier, whom they consider to be a hurdle in the face of reaching a final agreement with Israel liquidating the Palestinian question.
The sources pointed the finger of accusation at Muhammad Dahlan in particular, whom the sources described as an influential man as a former head of the preventive security who has his own militia and has got a personal interest in frustrating any possible harmony between the PA president Mahmoud Abbas and the PA government of Hamas.
The sources cited past meetings between Dahlan and Israeli security officers in Rome in January 1994 to discuss plans to contain Hamas.
45-year-old Dahlan was praised personally by George Bush, but Col. Muneer Meqdah, a prominent Fatah military leader described Dahlan as the most dangerous man for the Palestinian issue because of his secret relations with foreign powers."
Those sources talked about scenarios for the assassination of Ismail Haneyya, the PA Premier, whom they consider to be a hurdle in the face of reaching a final agreement with Israel liquidating the Palestinian question.
The sources pointed the finger of accusation at Muhammad Dahlan in particular, whom the sources described as an influential man as a former head of the preventive security who has his own militia and has got a personal interest in frustrating any possible harmony between the PA president Mahmoud Abbas and the PA government of Hamas.
The sources cited past meetings between Dahlan and Israeli security officers in Rome in January 1994 to discuss plans to contain Hamas.
45-year-old Dahlan was praised personally by George Bush, but Col. Muneer Meqdah, a prominent Fatah military leader described Dahlan as the most dangerous man for the Palestinian issue because of his secret relations with foreign powers."
Sayyed Nasrallah: We have entered an era in which we can dictate our conditions on our enemy
AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF NASRALLAH'S SPEECH
"Hundreds of thousands of people stretched over more than 140 thousand square meters of land in Beirut's southern suburb, coming fom everywhre in Lebanon, at the invitation of Hezbollah secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah to mark the "Divine Victory Festival." Al-Manar said late Thursday that Friday's rally would be "the biggest referendum on the resistance choice."
We should be strong and support our army by demanding that it becomes fully equipped to protect the Lebanese people. The government's responsibility is to protect the people and the UNIFIL should not interfere in internal affairs." Sayyed Nasrallah renewd his pledge to bring back the Lebanese detainees from Israeli jails, through indirect talks and a swap deal to exchange the two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah on June 12 with them. His eminence stressed: "We have entered an era in which we can dictate our conditions on our enemy." "
Republic of Fear
Torture in Bush's Iraq Worse Than Under Saddam
By PATRICK COCKBURN
CounterPunch
"The republic of fear is born again. The state of terror now gripping Iraq is as bad as it was under Saddam Hussein. Torture in the country may even be worse than it was during his rule, the United Nation's special investigator on torture said yesterday.
The horrors of the torture chamber that led to Saddam Hussein's Iraq being labelled "The Republic of Fear", after the book of that title by Kanan Makiya, have again become commonplace. The bodies in Baghdad's morgue " often bear signs of severe torture including acid-induced injuries and burns caused by chemical substances, missing skin, broken bones (back, hands and legs), missing eyes and wounds caused by power drills or nails", the UN report said. Those not killed by these abuses are shot in the head.
Iraq is in a state of primal anarchy. Paradoxically, the final collapse of security this summer is masked from the outside world because the country is too dangerous for journalists to report what is happening. Some 134 journalists, mostly Iraqi, have been killed since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.
The real number of civilians killed in Iraq is probably much higher because, outside Baghdad, deaths are not recorded.
The new government shows no signs of being more effective than the old. "It is just a government of the Green Zone," said an Iraqi official, referring to the fortified zone in central Baghdad housing the Iraqi government as well as the US and British embassies.
It has long been a matter of amusement and disgust in Iraq that government ministers travel abroad to give press conferences claiming that the insurgency is on its last legs. One former minister said: "I know of ministers who have never been to their ministries but get their officials to bring documents to the Green Zone where they sign them.""
By PATRICK COCKBURN
CounterPunch
"The republic of fear is born again. The state of terror now gripping Iraq is as bad as it was under Saddam Hussein. Torture in the country may even be worse than it was during his rule, the United Nation's special investigator on torture said yesterday.
The horrors of the torture chamber that led to Saddam Hussein's Iraq being labelled "The Republic of Fear", after the book of that title by Kanan Makiya, have again become commonplace. The bodies in Baghdad's morgue " often bear signs of severe torture including acid-induced injuries and burns caused by chemical substances, missing skin, broken bones (back, hands and legs), missing eyes and wounds caused by power drills or nails", the UN report said. Those not killed by these abuses are shot in the head.
Iraq is in a state of primal anarchy. Paradoxically, the final collapse of security this summer is masked from the outside world because the country is too dangerous for journalists to report what is happening. Some 134 journalists, mostly Iraqi, have been killed since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.
The real number of civilians killed in Iraq is probably much higher because, outside Baghdad, deaths are not recorded.
The new government shows no signs of being more effective than the old. "It is just a government of the Green Zone," said an Iraqi official, referring to the fortified zone in central Baghdad housing the Iraqi government as well as the US and British embassies.
It has long been a matter of amusement and disgust in Iraq that government ministers travel abroad to give press conferences claiming that the insurgency is on its last legs. One former minister said: "I know of ministers who have never been to their ministries but get their officials to bring documents to the Green Zone where they sign them.""
Address to the United Nations
We Need Partners, Not Bosses
By EVO MORALES
"I want to say to you within this framework, I don't come here to tell you how to govern or to threaten a country, or to begin to put conditions on a country, I only want you as international organisations, as a state with solidarity, as nations with principals of reciprocity, of brotherhood, to participate in this process of democratic change.
We feel greatly that the politics of hegemonist competitions are destroying the planet. I feel that all countries, social forces, international organisms are important, let us begin to debate truthfully, in order to save the planet, to save humanity.
This new millennium, the millennium that we find ourselves in needs to be a millennium of life, not of war, a millennium of people and not of empire, a millennium of justice and equality and that any economic policy needs to be orientated towards ending, of at least lessening these so-called asymmetric differences between one country and another country, those social inequalities.
We are not trying to implement policies that allow the economic humiliation or economic looting; when they cannot loot according to the norms, they use troops.
I want to ask with great respect, that it is important to withdraw troops from Iraq if we want to respect human rights, it is important to withdraw economic policies that allow the concentration of capital in only a few hands."
By EVO MORALES
"I want to say to you within this framework, I don't come here to tell you how to govern or to threaten a country, or to begin to put conditions on a country, I only want you as international organisations, as a state with solidarity, as nations with principals of reciprocity, of brotherhood, to participate in this process of democratic change.
We feel greatly that the politics of hegemonist competitions are destroying the planet. I feel that all countries, social forces, international organisms are important, let us begin to debate truthfully, in order to save the planet, to save humanity.
This new millennium, the millennium that we find ourselves in needs to be a millennium of life, not of war, a millennium of people and not of empire, a millennium of justice and equality and that any economic policy needs to be orientated towards ending, of at least lessening these so-called asymmetric differences between one country and another country, those social inequalities.
We are not trying to implement policies that allow the economic humiliation or economic looting; when they cannot loot according to the norms, they use troops.
I want to ask with great respect, that it is important to withdraw troops from Iraq if we want to respect human rights, it is important to withdraw economic policies that allow the concentration of capital in only a few hands."
Israel Believes New Assault On Gaza Will Be Necessary
Ryan R. Jones - All Headline News Middle East Correspondent
Jerusalem, Israel (AHN) - Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Dan Halutz was backed by members of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Tuesday in his assessment that a large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip will be necessary in the short term.
In his briefing to the committee, Halutz noted that Gaza-based terror groups continue to import large supplies of war material, including advanced anti-tank missiles. The aim, he said, is to create a situation like that faced by Israel in southern Lebanon this summer.
Former committee chairman and Likud lawmaker Yuval Steinitz urged an immediate and comprehensive air and ground assault to eliminate the terrorist threat before it reaches the level of that posed by Hezbollah.
Right-wing MK Effi Eitam told Ynet that judging by Halutz's comments, it sounds as though the IDF is already preparing such an operation.
Likud MK Silvan Shalom noted that "after two unilateral withdrawals in Lebanon, we saw that the territories cleared have turned into terror bases," and added that "in order to prevent the same situation in Gaza, the IDF must prepare for a preemptive attack."
Gaza-based militants continue to fire Kassam and Katyusha rockets into southern Israel at a rate of several per day, and attempted cross-border assaults are not uncommon.
A terrorist infiltration on June 25 that led to the abduction of an IDF soldier sparked a military response far more limited in scope to the one being proposed by the committee members.
Salman Abu Sitta: The Geography of Occupation (2006), A Video
Professor Salman H. Abu-Sitta of the London-based Palestine Land Society gives a personal account of how he became a refugee in Palestine in 1948. Using data from his research, Abu-Sitta shows how over 600 Palestinian villages were systematically depopulated by the advancing Israeli forces, leaving many others dismembered by an arbitrary cease-fire line. With maps and demographic statistics, Abu-Sitta shows that, in effect, Zionist policies were an ethnic cleasing campaign that resulted in a massive transfer of native Palestinians to the countries bordering Israel, where thousands remain within 100 miles from their original communities. Producer: John Odam
QUOTES FROM SAYYED NASRALLAH'S SPEECH
Nasrallah addresses Beirut rally estimated at 500,000 people (CNN)
He urged support of the Palestinian resistance with money and arms.
He implored the Arab nation to enter a new era in which it imposes its terms and conditions on the enemy. He criticized the Arab leaders and said that they will fail in any political settlement with Israel as long as they are unwilling to use any weapon, including the oil weapon.
Hizbullah's military capabilities have been completely replinished. Naval and/or land blockades will not affect us.
Hisbullah's arms are not Shiite, they belong to every Lebanese intent on protecting Lebanon, its sovereignty and independence.
The Israeli prisoners will not be released until all Lebanese prisoners are released.
We will not remain patient in the face of Israeli violations for long. If the Lebanese government does not bear its responsibilities of protecting the Lebanese and their land, then the resistance will.
Hezbollah`s capabilities are stronger than ever (Sky News)
Group still has 20,000 rockets (Reuters)
Nasrallah calls for new Lebanese government (Reuters)
No army in the world can disarm Hezbollah (Reuters)
Despite media reports, we have shown enemy has failed (Sky News)
God is on our side; we are not afraid of death (CNN)
He urged support of the Palestinian resistance with money and arms.
He implored the Arab nation to enter a new era in which it imposes its terms and conditions on the enemy. He criticized the Arab leaders and said that they will fail in any political settlement with Israel as long as they are unwilling to use any weapon, including the oil weapon.
Hizbullah's military capabilities have been completely replinished. Naval and/or land blockades will not affect us.
Hisbullah's arms are not Shiite, they belong to every Lebanese intent on protecting Lebanon, its sovereignty and independence.
The Israeli prisoners will not be released until all Lebanese prisoners are released.
We will not remain patient in the face of Israeli violations for long. If the Lebanese government does not bear its responsibilities of protecting the Lebanese and their land, then the resistance will.
Hezbollah`s capabilities are stronger than ever (Sky News)
Group still has 20,000 rockets (Reuters)
Nasrallah calls for new Lebanese government (Reuters)
No army in the world can disarm Hezbollah (Reuters)
Despite media reports, we have shown enemy has failed (Sky News)
God is on our side; we are not afraid of death (CNN)
THE PATHETIC ARAB REGIMES AND THEIR "NEW PEACE PLAN" AT THE UN
...............................A SEA OF SUPPORTERS................................
Hezbollah supporters wave the group's yellow flags at a rally in a southern suburb of Beirut as they surround a huge poster showing Israeli soldiers crying at a funeral. (AFP)
A MASSIVE RALLY SUPPORTING HIZBULLAH IN BEIRUT TODAY
SAYYED NASRALLAH MADE A PUBLIC APPEARANCE AND ADDRESSED THE HUGE CROWD
Osama bin Robertson speaks
Robertson: "[A] holy war between Islam and Christianity" is "going to come"
During a segment on the September 19 edition of the Christian Broadcasting Network's The 700 Club about Pope Benedict XVI's recent controversial comments about Islam and Al Qaeda's reaction, host Pat Robertson stated: "[W]e understand the leaders of Al Qaeda are calling for a holy war between Islam and Christianity. It's going to come, ladies and gentlemen."
As Media Matters for America noted, Robertson stated on the August 29 edition of The 700 Club that "Osama bin Laden may be one of the true disciples of the teaching of the Quran ... because he's following through literally word-for-word what it says." Robertson added: "Islam is not a religion of peace. No way."
From the September 19 edition of the Christian Broadcasting Network's The 700 Club:
Watch the video hereROBERTSON: When somebody gives the clear, historic record and just says, "Let's have a dialogue," that person is set up for death. And now we understand the leaders of Al Qaeda are calling for a holy war between Islam and Christianity. It's going to come, ladies and gentlemen, and I hope that those of you who care about this pope will support him. He's a wonderful man.
The Next Palestinian Struggle
By Ramzy Baroud
"The Palestinian declaration of independence of 1988 in Algeria was structured in a way that would allow the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee to devise foreign policy, thus representing the Palestinian people in any future settlements with Israel. The signing of the Oslo Accords in September 1993 and onward demoted the function of the Executive Committee and eventually undermined the import of the PLO altogether, concentrated the power in the hands of a few at the helm of the Palestinian Authority (PA): the late President Yasser Arafat and a clique of business contractors and ex-revolutionaries turned wartime profiteers.
That combination destroyed the achievements of the first Palestinian uprising of 1987-1993 in ways that Israel could only dream of: It cemented a faintly existing class society, destroyed the impressive national unity achieved by the Palestine-based leadership of various parties, hijacked the people's struggle, reducing it to mere slogans, and damaged Palestinian credibility regionally and internationally. Israel, of course, enjoyed the spectacle, as Palestinians bickered endlessly and as the PA's security carried out daily onslaughts against those who opposed the autocratic methods of the government, desperately trying to demonstrate its worthiness to Israel and the United States.
The U.S., Europe and Canada responded with a most inhumane economic siege, and a promise to punish anyone daring enough to aid the Palestinian economy in any way. Succumbing to pressure, even Arab neighbors helped ensure the tightness of the siege. Some in Fatah seemed also determined to ensure the collapse of the government even if at the expense of ordinary Palestinians. The so-called liberated Gaza, once hoped to be the cornerstone of Palestinian independence, was deliberately turned into a hub of lawlessness and violence, where hired guns ruled the streets, threatening the safety of an already crushed people.
But Hamas, too, was learning the harsh reality of being in the position of leadership. Unlike Arafat, Hamas wanted to seek support from its Arab and Muslim milieu, the devastatingly unexplored strategic alliances undermined by the PA's reliance on the West. But even Hamas itself seemed unaware of the extent of weakness and political deficiency of the Arabs and Muslims, who could barely assert their own rights, much less that of the Palestinians. Hamas learned, the hard way, that the U.S.' rapport with Israel would hardly weaken even if an entire nation must go hungry and hospitals run out of badly needed medicine. That hard lesson in real politic is what the Palestinian government is now scrambling to learn, amid dismay and confusion.
This quandary was the cause of distraught for my friend, and should be for anyone who wishes to see a real and lasting peace. If any peace settlement fails to adhere to the democratic concept, according to which Palestinians wish to govern themselves, then Palestinians should ready themselves for another Oslo-style agreement, imposed from the top and rubber stamped by the PLO's Executive Committee, long-devoid of its democratic principles and dominated by the elitist few.
I, too, am worried. The Palestinian democratic experience should not be squandered again."
"The Palestinian declaration of independence of 1988 in Algeria was structured in a way that would allow the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee to devise foreign policy, thus representing the Palestinian people in any future settlements with Israel. The signing of the Oslo Accords in September 1993 and onward demoted the function of the Executive Committee and eventually undermined the import of the PLO altogether, concentrated the power in the hands of a few at the helm of the Palestinian Authority (PA): the late President Yasser Arafat and a clique of business contractors and ex-revolutionaries turned wartime profiteers.
That combination destroyed the achievements of the first Palestinian uprising of 1987-1993 in ways that Israel could only dream of: It cemented a faintly existing class society, destroyed the impressive national unity achieved by the Palestine-based leadership of various parties, hijacked the people's struggle, reducing it to mere slogans, and damaged Palestinian credibility regionally and internationally. Israel, of course, enjoyed the spectacle, as Palestinians bickered endlessly and as the PA's security carried out daily onslaughts against those who opposed the autocratic methods of the government, desperately trying to demonstrate its worthiness to Israel and the United States.
The U.S., Europe and Canada responded with a most inhumane economic siege, and a promise to punish anyone daring enough to aid the Palestinian economy in any way. Succumbing to pressure, even Arab neighbors helped ensure the tightness of the siege. Some in Fatah seemed also determined to ensure the collapse of the government even if at the expense of ordinary Palestinians. The so-called liberated Gaza, once hoped to be the cornerstone of Palestinian independence, was deliberately turned into a hub of lawlessness and violence, where hired guns ruled the streets, threatening the safety of an already crushed people.
But Hamas, too, was learning the harsh reality of being in the position of leadership. Unlike Arafat, Hamas wanted to seek support from its Arab and Muslim milieu, the devastatingly unexplored strategic alliances undermined by the PA's reliance on the West. But even Hamas itself seemed unaware of the extent of weakness and political deficiency of the Arabs and Muslims, who could barely assert their own rights, much less that of the Palestinians. Hamas learned, the hard way, that the U.S.' rapport with Israel would hardly weaken even if an entire nation must go hungry and hospitals run out of badly needed medicine. That hard lesson in real politic is what the Palestinian government is now scrambling to learn, amid dismay and confusion.
This quandary was the cause of distraught for my friend, and should be for anyone who wishes to see a real and lasting peace. If any peace settlement fails to adhere to the democratic concept, according to which Palestinians wish to govern themselves, then Palestinians should ready themselves for another Oslo-style agreement, imposed from the top and rubber stamped by the PLO's Executive Committee, long-devoid of its democratic principles and dominated by the elitist few.
I, too, am worried. The Palestinian democratic experience should not be squandered again."
تيارات من "فتح" تسعى لـ "انقلاب عسكري"
PLANS FOR A MILITARY COUP AGAINST THE HAMAS GOVERNMENT
"غزة – المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام
يبدو أنّ التفاؤل الذي أبداه الكثير من الفلسطينيين، بعد الإعلان عن تكليف رئيس الوزراء إسماعيل هنية بتشكيل حكومة الوحدة الوطنية؛ انقلب إلى تشاؤم وحذر كبيرين مما تحمله الأيام القادمة، لا سيما بعد الإعلان عن تجميد مشاورات تشكيل هذه الحكومة والأحداث التي تلتها وتداعيات أخرى محتملة.
وتسود في الضفة الغربية وقطاع غزة أجواء ملبدة بغيوم قاتمة؛ كما يراها متابعون للشأن الداخلي الفلسطيني، تنذر بعواصف وعواقب وخيمة، لا سيما بعد التصريحات التحريضية الأخيرة لبعض قادة حركة "فتح"، بجيليها (الشبان والشيوخ)، التي يرى فيها مراقبون أنها تحمل في طياتها الكثير من النوايا التي تثير العديد من علامات الاستفهام، لا سيما وأنها تسعى للزج بكل ما هو مثير "للفتن".
فالتخريب، كما يعتبر هؤلاء المتابعين، ومن ثم المناكفة السياسية، وبعد ذلك التخطيط للانقلاب "العسكري" هذه المرة، بعد أن أخفقت وعلمت بعجزها في تمرير انقلاب سياسي لإسقاط الحكومة؛ هي عناوين كبيرة لمسيرة تيارات فتحاوية في تعاملها مع الحكومة الفلسطينية الحالية، حيث وجد قادتها صعوبة في الإقرار بالهزيمة، وبدؤوا ينادون أن لا مشاركة مع "حماس" في أي حكومة تشكلها، وعندما تم تكليف "حماس" بتشكيل الحكومة وضعوا شروطاً يستحيل تحقيقها للمشاركة، وكأنهم هم الفائزون في الانتخابات وليس "حماس".
ولم يستبعد بعض المراقبين أن يكون هناك اتفاق بين أطراف فلسطينية وأخرى عربية أمريكية في سبيل الانقلاب على الحكومة، كما هو الحال بشأن الحصار السياسي والاقتصادي للشعب الفلسطيني، وما يمكن أن يدلل على ذلك "اللغة الأمريكية" التي تحدث بها القيادي في حركة فتح، زياد أبو عين، عندما وصف الحكومة الفلسطينية بـ "الإرهابية".
ومع كل المعطيات السابقة؛ فإنّ الأمور تتجه نحو التأزم إذا استمر الإصرار على تجاوز القانون والدستور والعمل على الالتفاف على الحكومة، لا سيما هذه بضوء أخضر أمريكي، كان واضحاً خلال لقاء محمود عباس، رئيس السلطة الفلسطينية، بوزيرة الخارجية الأمريكية كوندليزا رايس، التي أكدت أنّ واشنطن ستدعم "المعتدلين" في السلطة، ولن تقبل بحكومة وحدة تشارك فيها "حماس" دون أن تعترف بالكيان الصهيوني."
"غزة – المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام
يبدو أنّ التفاؤل الذي أبداه الكثير من الفلسطينيين، بعد الإعلان عن تكليف رئيس الوزراء إسماعيل هنية بتشكيل حكومة الوحدة الوطنية؛ انقلب إلى تشاؤم وحذر كبيرين مما تحمله الأيام القادمة، لا سيما بعد الإعلان عن تجميد مشاورات تشكيل هذه الحكومة والأحداث التي تلتها وتداعيات أخرى محتملة.
وتسود في الضفة الغربية وقطاع غزة أجواء ملبدة بغيوم قاتمة؛ كما يراها متابعون للشأن الداخلي الفلسطيني، تنذر بعواصف وعواقب وخيمة، لا سيما بعد التصريحات التحريضية الأخيرة لبعض قادة حركة "فتح"، بجيليها (الشبان والشيوخ)، التي يرى فيها مراقبون أنها تحمل في طياتها الكثير من النوايا التي تثير العديد من علامات الاستفهام، لا سيما وأنها تسعى للزج بكل ما هو مثير "للفتن".
فالتخريب، كما يعتبر هؤلاء المتابعين، ومن ثم المناكفة السياسية، وبعد ذلك التخطيط للانقلاب "العسكري" هذه المرة، بعد أن أخفقت وعلمت بعجزها في تمرير انقلاب سياسي لإسقاط الحكومة؛ هي عناوين كبيرة لمسيرة تيارات فتحاوية في تعاملها مع الحكومة الفلسطينية الحالية، حيث وجد قادتها صعوبة في الإقرار بالهزيمة، وبدؤوا ينادون أن لا مشاركة مع "حماس" في أي حكومة تشكلها، وعندما تم تكليف "حماس" بتشكيل الحكومة وضعوا شروطاً يستحيل تحقيقها للمشاركة، وكأنهم هم الفائزون في الانتخابات وليس "حماس".
ولم يستبعد بعض المراقبين أن يكون هناك اتفاق بين أطراف فلسطينية وأخرى عربية أمريكية في سبيل الانقلاب على الحكومة، كما هو الحال بشأن الحصار السياسي والاقتصادي للشعب الفلسطيني، وما يمكن أن يدلل على ذلك "اللغة الأمريكية" التي تحدث بها القيادي في حركة فتح، زياد أبو عين، عندما وصف الحكومة الفلسطينية بـ "الإرهابية".
ومع كل المعطيات السابقة؛ فإنّ الأمور تتجه نحو التأزم إذا استمر الإصرار على تجاوز القانون والدستور والعمل على الالتفاف على الحكومة، لا سيما هذه بضوء أخضر أمريكي، كان واضحاً خلال لقاء محمود عباس، رئيس السلطة الفلسطينية، بوزيرة الخارجية الأمريكية كوندليزا رايس، التي أكدت أنّ واشنطن ستدعم "المعتدلين" في السلطة، ولن تقبل بحكومة وحدة تشارك فيها "حماس" دون أن تعترف بالكيان الصهيوني."
Thursday, September 21, 2006
EXPRESSING GRATITUDE TO ISRAEL FOR KILLING 5 PALESTINIANS TODAY ALONE!
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (L) embraces Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Dan Gillerman (R) after they attended a U.N. Security Council meeting September 21, 2006. (REUTERS)
HOW CAN YOU FORGE "NATIONAL UNITY" WITH THIS TRAITOR??
Meanwhile in Iraq
UN: Nearly 6,600 civilians killed in Iraq in two months: In July at least 3,590 people were killed and in August 3,009 died in bloody attacks on civilians, according to the UN human rights report.
U.S. Occupation Forces Among At least 33 killed :"Insurgents" killed six policemen and wounded two others when they attacked a police station in western Baghdad's Sunni Amiriya district, police said.
Anti Occupation Forces Gain Alarming Support Among Iraq's Sunni Muslims : A confidential Pentagon assessment finds that an overwhelming majority of Iraq's Sunni Muslims support the insurgency that has been fighting against U.S. troops and the Iraqi government
Analysts say violence will continue to increase: Violence in Iraq will continue despite different reconciliation plans being proposed because insurgency and militia actions are a response to the US-led occupation.
Halliburton ambush in Iraq caught on video: The video, shot on Sept. 20, 2005 by KBR truck driver Preston Wheeler, shows what initially appears to be a routine convoy of sixteen-wheeler trucks delivering supplies to U.S. troops. Three KBR truck drivers were killed. - WARNING - This video contains images that depict the reality and horror of war. It should only be viewed by a mature audience.
US troops in Iraq are Tehran's 'hostages': Three and a half years after the occupation began, the US military is no longer the real power in Iraq. As the chief of intelligence for the US Marine Corps revealed in a recent report, US troops have been unable to shake the hold that Sunni insurgents have on the vast western province of al-Anbar.
Torture reaches new depths in Iraq: Torture in Iraq is reportedly worse now than it was under deposed president Saddam Hussein, the United Nations' chief anti-torture expert said Thursday.
Widespread lawlessness in Baghdad with kidnappings, bombings and a brazen bank heist: As car bombings continued throughout the country, the Defense Ministry warned that insurgents were using unwitting kidnap victims as suicide bombers — seizing them, boobytrapping their cars without their knowledge, then releasing them only to remotely blow the cars up when they made it to a checkpoint.
Meanwhile in Palestine
Israel opens ancient site near Jerusalem shrine: Israel's opening of an archaeological tunnel near al-Haram al-Sharif, the site of the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque where the biblical Jewish Temples once stood, sparked Palestinian anger in 1996. Sixty-one Arabs and 15 Israeli soldiers were killed in clashes.
Livni: “Two-state solution does not mean withdrawing to the borders of 1967”: Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday in New York, said that the solution of the Palestinian cause does not mean an Israeli withdrawal to the borders of June 4, 1967, “but means creating a new reality that did not exist back then”.
In 9 hours in Gaza, IDF kills 5, including 3 children, and injures 7: Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) has used excessive force in the north and south of the Gaza Strip during a 9-hour span today, Thursday, 21 September 2006, resulting in the death of 5 Palestinian civilians and the injury of 7 others, including a father and 2 of his children. Two of the victims including a woman were killed in cold blood in Rafah. They were left to bleed to death inside their houses. The other 3 victims were children from the town of Jabalia who were killed by a surface-to-surface rocket as they were herding sheep.
Ynet: “Israeli army’s complicity with settlers must end”: For years human rights organizations have pointed out the complicity between the Israel Defense Forces command headquarters in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israeli settlers, nurtured by policies intended to facilitate the Judaization of the West Bank. The army’s bond with the settlers leads to a policy of non-action as far as maintaining the law and the security of Palestinians, who are subject to constant violent harassment by their illegal neighbors.
Hamas hopes Quartet backing for unity gov't will ease embargo: "The decision by the Quartet... is a progressive position, and we hope that this position will contribute to stopping all forms of political and economic siege," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said.
UK politician: Israeli lobby controls West: Senior sources in the Liberal-Democrat party expressed revulsion from her comments. Jewish and Israeli sources in Britain described her comments as being anti-Semitic, and pointed out that Tone was removed from her parliamentary job in 2004, after she said she understood the hearts of Palestinian suicide bombers.
The legal status of fighters: On Tuesday, the trial of three Hezbollah fighters started. They are charged with murder, weapons possession, undergoing military training and membership in a terrorist organization. On the same day, a military court extended the remands of 21 Hamas ministers and legislators, who have been charged with membership in a terrorist organization. And also on that day, police began questioning a Balad member who visited Damascus - the "capital of terrorism" - and praised Hezbollah's victory.
Peretz orders full New Year's closure on territories: During a meeting with security establishment officials, Peretz also ordered the opening of the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt in accordance with periodical security assessments.
The next Palestinian struggle: Unlike Arafat, Hamas wanted to seek support from its Arab and Muslim milieu, the devastatingly unexplored strategic alliances undermined by the PA's reliance on the West. But even Hamas itself seemed unaware of the extent of weakness and political deficiency of the Arabs and Muslims, who could barely assert their own rights, much less that of the Palestinians. Hamas learned, the hard way, that the U.S.' rapport with Israel would hardly weaken even if an entire nation must go hungry and hospitals run out of badly needed medicine.
US may ban sale of cluster bombs to Israel: The bomb was made before the Vietnam War had ended, because there is a marking showing that its warranty ended on 7 February 1974. There is no indication of when the cluster bomb was transferred from the US to Israel.
Damien Hirst's £50 masterpiece: Their work may be worth a fortune, but under the rules of a new exhibition, As If By Magic, 25 world-class artists agreed to spend no more than £50 on materials and deliver a set of instructions to the modest Bethlehem Peace Centre in the occupied West Bank. As If By Magic runs at the Bethlehem Peace Centre until 6 October.
Eitam sends New Year greeting – Tibi unimpressed: “Hopefully Israel will have less racists and settlers in the coming year. In any case, we intend on staying in this country and on this land. And that is a promise,” the letter concluded.
Book review: Palestine, by Joe Sacco: In the winter of 1991-92, at the tail-end of the first Palestinian 'intifada', the Maltese-American author Joe Sacco spent two months in the Occupied Territories. During this time he shared the homes and the lives of ordinary Palestinians, and over seemingly endless cups of tea and coffee, he listened to the people he met talk not only of their past and present despair, but also of their hopes for the future in a free, independent Palestine.
Livni: “Two-state solution does not mean withdrawing to the borders of 1967”: Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday in New York, said that the solution of the Palestinian cause does not mean an Israeli withdrawal to the borders of June 4, 1967, “but means creating a new reality that did not exist back then”.
In 9 hours in Gaza, IDF kills 5, including 3 children, and injures 7: Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) has used excessive force in the north and south of the Gaza Strip during a 9-hour span today, Thursday, 21 September 2006, resulting in the death of 5 Palestinian civilians and the injury of 7 others, including a father and 2 of his children. Two of the victims including a woman were killed in cold blood in Rafah. They were left to bleed to death inside their houses. The other 3 victims were children from the town of Jabalia who were killed by a surface-to-surface rocket as they were herding sheep.
Ynet: “Israeli army’s complicity with settlers must end”: For years human rights organizations have pointed out the complicity between the Israel Defense Forces command headquarters in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israeli settlers, nurtured by policies intended to facilitate the Judaization of the West Bank. The army’s bond with the settlers leads to a policy of non-action as far as maintaining the law and the security of Palestinians, who are subject to constant violent harassment by their illegal neighbors.
Hamas hopes Quartet backing for unity gov't will ease embargo: "The decision by the Quartet... is a progressive position, and we hope that this position will contribute to stopping all forms of political and economic siege," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said.
UK politician: Israeli lobby controls West: Senior sources in the Liberal-Democrat party expressed revulsion from her comments. Jewish and Israeli sources in Britain described her comments as being anti-Semitic, and pointed out that Tone was removed from her parliamentary job in 2004, after she said she understood the hearts of Palestinian suicide bombers.
The legal status of fighters: On Tuesday, the trial of three Hezbollah fighters started. They are charged with murder, weapons possession, undergoing military training and membership in a terrorist organization. On the same day, a military court extended the remands of 21 Hamas ministers and legislators, who have been charged with membership in a terrorist organization. And also on that day, police began questioning a Balad member who visited Damascus - the "capital of terrorism" - and praised Hezbollah's victory.
Peretz orders full New Year's closure on territories: During a meeting with security establishment officials, Peretz also ordered the opening of the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt in accordance with periodical security assessments.
The next Palestinian struggle: Unlike Arafat, Hamas wanted to seek support from its Arab and Muslim milieu, the devastatingly unexplored strategic alliances undermined by the PA's reliance on the West. But even Hamas itself seemed unaware of the extent of weakness and political deficiency of the Arabs and Muslims, who could barely assert their own rights, much less that of the Palestinians. Hamas learned, the hard way, that the U.S.' rapport with Israel would hardly weaken even if an entire nation must go hungry and hospitals run out of badly needed medicine.
US may ban sale of cluster bombs to Israel: The bomb was made before the Vietnam War had ended, because there is a marking showing that its warranty ended on 7 February 1974. There is no indication of when the cluster bomb was transferred from the US to Israel.
Damien Hirst's £50 masterpiece: Their work may be worth a fortune, but under the rules of a new exhibition, As If By Magic, 25 world-class artists agreed to spend no more than £50 on materials and deliver a set of instructions to the modest Bethlehem Peace Centre in the occupied West Bank. As If By Magic runs at the Bethlehem Peace Centre until 6 October.
Eitam sends New Year greeting – Tibi unimpressed: “Hopefully Israel will have less racists and settlers in the coming year. In any case, we intend on staying in this country and on this land. And that is a promise,” the letter concluded.
Book review: Palestine, by Joe Sacco: In the winter of 1991-92, at the tail-end of the first Palestinian 'intifada', the Maltese-American author Joe Sacco spent two months in the Occupied Territories. During this time he shared the homes and the lives of ordinary Palestinians, and over seemingly endless cups of tea and coffee, he listened to the people he met talk not only of their past and present despair, but also of their hopes for the future in a free, independent Palestine.
5 Killed In Israeli Attack On Occupied Gaza: : Israeli occupation forces backed by a transport helicopter killed a woman in a raid on a house in the southern Gaza Strip.
Israeli High Court questions lack of IOF probe into shooting of U.S. activist : The High Court of Justice on Wednesday questioned the Israel Defense Forces' decision not to launch a criminal investigation into an incident in the West Bank city of Jenin in 2003, during which an American peace activist was shot in the face.
Livni rejects Palestinian right to return home: Tzipi Livni, the Israeli foreign minister, has used a speech at the United Nations to tell Palestinian refugees that they should not expect to be allowed to return to their homes in Israel.
Senior intel official: Pentagon moves to second-stage planning for Iran strike option
AN IMPORTANT NEWS ITEM BY:
RAW STORY
"The Pentagon's top brass has moved into second-stage contingency planning for a potential military strike on Iran, one senior intelligence official familiar with the plans tells RAW STORY.
The official, who is close to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest ranking officials of each branch of the US military, says the Chiefs have started what is called "branches and sequels" contingency planning.
"The JCS has accepted the inevitable," the intelligence official said, "and is engaged in serious contingency planning to deal with the worst case scenarios that the intelligence community has been painting."
A second military official, although unfamiliar with these latest scenarios, said there is a difference between contingency planning -- which he described as "what if, then what" planning -- and "branches and sequels," which takes place after an initial plan has been decided upon.
The senior intelligence official who spoke to RAW STORY, along with several military intelligence sources, confirmed that the nuclear option remains on the table. In addition, the senior official added that the Joint Chiefs have "come around on to the administration's thinking."
"The Joint Chiefs have no longer imposed roadblocks on a possible bombing campaign against Iran's nuclear production facilities," the intelligence official said. "In the past, only the Air Force had endorsed the contingency, saying that it could carry out the mission of destroying, or at least significantly delaying, Iran's ability to develop a nuclear weapon."
"Bahrain will be a battleground as it is majority Shi'a and has had Shi'a riots stimulated by Iran in the past," the official said. "The US Fifth Fleet is also based there. A system for [protection of] oil transport in the Gulf will have to be devised by the US Navy to protect against attacks.""
RAW STORY
"The Pentagon's top brass has moved into second-stage contingency planning for a potential military strike on Iran, one senior intelligence official familiar with the plans tells RAW STORY.
The official, who is close to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest ranking officials of each branch of the US military, says the Chiefs have started what is called "branches and sequels" contingency planning.
"The JCS has accepted the inevitable," the intelligence official said, "and is engaged in serious contingency planning to deal with the worst case scenarios that the intelligence community has been painting."
A second military official, although unfamiliar with these latest scenarios, said there is a difference between contingency planning -- which he described as "what if, then what" planning -- and "branches and sequels," which takes place after an initial plan has been decided upon.
The senior intelligence official who spoke to RAW STORY, along with several military intelligence sources, confirmed that the nuclear option remains on the table. In addition, the senior official added that the Joint Chiefs have "come around on to the administration's thinking."
"The Joint Chiefs have no longer imposed roadblocks on a possible bombing campaign against Iran's nuclear production facilities," the intelligence official said. "In the past, only the Air Force had endorsed the contingency, saying that it could carry out the mission of destroying, or at least significantly delaying, Iran's ability to develop a nuclear weapon."
"Bahrain will be a battleground as it is majority Shi'a and has had Shi'a riots stimulated by Iran in the past," the official said. "The US Fifth Fleet is also based there. A system for [protection of] oil transport in the Gulf will have to be devised by the US Navy to protect against attacks.""
Bush Rages: “I am not Beelzebub, Lord of Sulfur”
By Mike Whitney
"My oh my, has Hugo Chavez caused a furor. Looking at the news reports filed in the last 24 hours, one would think that he snuck a dirty-bomb into the United Nations rather than gave a speech. In fact, the plucky Chavez may have delivered the finest 30 minute presentation that august assembly has ever heard. In that short span of time he publicly throttled the Global Emperor in front of 6 billion people and left his bruised and bloodied carcass splattered across the canvas like Roberto Duran in Round 9 of the middleweight championship match…..
Chavez matched Pinter word for word, exposing the hypocrisy, lies and brutality of an administration that never stops lecturing about freedom and liberation even though it grinds out mountains of carnage everywhere it goes.
In any case, Bush was not missed at the UN massacre yesterday. Chavez held-forth like a preacher at a brothel; scattering the bodies and kicking open the windows to let the sunlight in. He delivered one, ferocious roundhouse punch after another….
Boom, boom, boom…until the crowd rose in a thunderous 5 minute ovation. (which was carefully omitted from the TV coverage)
“What would the people of the world tell (Bush) if they were given the floor?” Chavez asked. “What would they have to say? I have some inkling of what they would say, what the oppressed people think. They would say, ‘Yankee imperialist, go home.”
“He spoke to the people of Lebanon,” Chavez added. “Many of you have seen, he said, how your homes and communities were caught in the crossfire. How cynical can you get? What a capacity to lie shamefacedly. The bombs in Beirut were delivered with laser precision….This is imperialist (and) genocidal; the empire and Israel firing on the people of Palestine and Lebanon. That is what happened. And now we hear, ‘We’re suffering because we see homes destroyed.’”"
تقارير أمنية تؤكد وجود سيناريو لاغتيال "هنية"
"غزة – المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام
كشفت مصادر أمنية مطلعة في غزة، النقاب عن وجود جهات سياسية فلسطينية محدّدة تدفع باتجاه خيار ممارسة "التصفيات الجسدية" ضد الخصوم السياسيين، في حال أخفقت المفاوضات الدبلوماسية
وتحدثت هذه المصادر عن سيناريوهات تم التخطيط لها لاغتيال رئيس الوزراء الفلسطيني إسماعيل هنية، للتخلص من عقبة كأداء تحول دونهم والتعجيل بتوقيع اتفاقيات نهائية مع الجانب الصهيوني تصفي القضية الفلسطينية .
ووجهت هذه المصادر أصابع الاتهام بالتحديد إلى شخص محمد دحلان، الرئيس السابق لجهاز الأمن الوقائي في قطاع غزة، الذي قالت إنه "شخصية مخضرمة نافذة داخل أجهزة فتح، وله ميليشيات أمنية بالكامل تأتمر بأوامره، وهو صاحب مصلحة مباشرة في إفشال أي خطوة من خطوات التقارب بين الرئيس محمود عباس أبو مازن وحكومة "حماس" برئاسة إسماعيل هنية"، الذي تم تكليفه مجدداً بتشكيل حكومة الوحدة الوطنية التي يعوِّل الفلسطينيون عليها لكي تعيدهم إلى المشهد السياسي الدولي، وترفع عنهم حالة الحصار التي يعانونها منذ ستة أشهر، أي منذ شكلت حماس حكومتها بعد فوزها في الانتخابات .
ويرشح المراقبون، استمرار التخندق بين حركتي "حماس" و"فتح"، ليس لما بينهما من خلافات فكرية وأيديولوجية يراها بعضهم أنها تصل حد التناقض؛ بل ولما بين الفريقين من تباعد في الخيارات السياسية وخصوصاً منها المتصلة بإدارة الشأن العام والمفاوضات مع الاحتلال وإعادة هيكلة منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية لتتلاءم، مع مستجدات الوضع الفلسطيني المعاصر، وتصبح أكثر تمثيلية للخارطة السياسية الفلسطينية، وهو أمر لا يروق لحركة "فتح" التي يقول محللون إنها تستند إلى الشرعية التاريخية في سيطرتها على مؤسسات منظمة التحرير، وتعمل على فرضها على باقي الفصائل الفلسطينية، وخاصة "حماس" التي أثبتت الانتخابات الأخيرة أنها الأكثر شعبية لدى الفلسطينيين .
وتذكّر مصادر فلسطينية بمشاركة دحلان في إعداد اتفاق في اجتماع بروما في كانون ثاني (يناير) من سنة 1994 مع مسؤولين من جيش الاحتلال وجهاز المخابرات الصهيونية، لوضع خطة لاحتواء حركة المقاومة الإسلامية "حماس". "
The Israeli-Kurdish Alliance
by Justin Raimondo
September 21, 2006
GlobalResearch.ca
"Seymour Hersh did the initial reporting (http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/040628fa_fact) on this development, and now the BBC has the pictures — a stunning video (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/5363116.stm) showing Israeli "ex"-military personnel training Kurdish pershmerga and setting up a base in Kurdistan.
The idea is to establish an outpost from which Israeli planes can strike at Iran's alleged nuclear facilities, and also create a presence on the ground that can strike, at will, across the Kurdish-Iranian border. The war in Iraq, in this context, has to be seen as a necessary preparatory step before the real target — Iran — could be attacked. And now that they are getting ready to do it, we can see more clearly that Israel, and not the U.S., was and is the main beneficiary of American military operations in the region. http://www.antiwar.com/blog/2006/09/20/the-israeli-kurdish-alliance/"
September 21, 2006
GlobalResearch.ca
"Seymour Hersh did the initial reporting (http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/040628fa_fact) on this development, and now the BBC has the pictures — a stunning video (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/5363116.stm) showing Israeli "ex"-military personnel training Kurdish pershmerga and setting up a base in Kurdistan.
The idea is to establish an outpost from which Israeli planes can strike at Iran's alleged nuclear facilities, and also create a presence on the ground that can strike, at will, across the Kurdish-Iranian border. The war in Iraq, in this context, has to be seen as a necessary preparatory step before the real target — Iran — could be attacked. And now that they are getting ready to do it, we can see more clearly that Israel, and not the U.S., was and is the main beneficiary of American military operations in the region. http://www.antiwar.com/blog/2006/09/20/the-israeli-kurdish-alliance/"
U.N. expert: Iraq torture may be worse now than it was under Saddam
"GENEVA - Torture in Iraq may be worse now than it was under Saddam Hussein, with militias, terrorist groups and government forces disregarding rules on the humane treatment of prisoners, the U.N. anti-torture chief said Thursday.
Manfred Nowak, the U.N. special investigator on torture, made the remarks as he was presenting a report on detainee conditions at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay as well as to brief the U.N. Human Rights Council, the global body's top rights watchdog, on torture worldwide.
Reports from Iraq indicate that torture "is totally out of hand," he said. "The situation is so bad many people say it is worse than it has been in the times of Saddam Hussein."
Nowak added, "That means something, because the torture methods applied under Saddam Hussein were the worst you could imagine."
Some allegations of torture were undoubtedly credible, with government forces among the perpetrators, he said, citing "very serious allegations of torture within the official Iraqi detention centers.""
Manfred Nowak, the U.N. special investigator on torture, made the remarks as he was presenting a report on detainee conditions at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay as well as to brief the U.N. Human Rights Council, the global body's top rights watchdog, on torture worldwide.
Reports from Iraq indicate that torture "is totally out of hand," he said. "The situation is so bad many people say it is worse than it has been in the times of Saddam Hussein."
Nowak added, "That means something, because the torture methods applied under Saddam Hussein were the worst you could imagine."
Some allegations of torture were undoubtedly credible, with government forces among the perpetrators, he said, citing "very serious allegations of torture within the official Iraqi detention centers.""
The End of The "Summer of Diplomacy." Assessing U.S. Military Options On Iran
BY SAM GARDINER,COLONEL,USAF (RET.)
(A 26-page report in pdf format)
"WHEN IS THE STRIKE?
When does it all come together? When could the United States pull the trigger
on the military option? The most important point in understanding the window
for an attack is that the military preparations will not be the determining factor.
This operation will not resemble the six months of preparations for Operation
Desert Shield in 1990. The preparations will be much less visible than the
movements to the region in early 2003. We will not read about discussions with
Turkey for basing permission. It will not be a major CNN event.
Instead, preparations will involve the quiet deployment of Air Force tankers
to staging bases. We will see additional Navy assets moved to the region.
Over the past few months, we have seen numerous leaks and administration
documents that raise an Iran–al Qaeda connection. But more importantly, it opens the way for an argument that a strike on Iran was part of the global war on terrorism
already authorized by Congress.In other words, approval by Congress does not necessarily have to be part of the calculation of when an attack could take place.13 If the determining factor of timing is neither the preparation of military forces nor congressional approval, one question remains: How much public support do decisionmakers believe they need before pulling the trigger?14 And that question brings us back to the beginning of the summer of diplomacy. Vice President Cheney had to be convinced that it was necessary to give some lip service to diplomacy, checking that box in order to secure public support. President Bush seems to be con-vinced of the rightness of his cause and vision. He repeats often that he does not
care about public opinion.
By redrawing the red line in this manner, U.S. policymakers are creating
pressure to go to war with Iran. In saying that Iran could not be permitted to
have the knowledge to develop nuclear weapons, the president used almost the
exact words the Israeli Foreign Minister had used a year earlier.
After going through the analysis, I believe that the United States can and
will conduct the operation by itself. There may be low-visibility support from
Israel and the U.K., and France may be consulted. But it will be an American
operation.
The window for a strike on Iran stands open."
(A 26-page report in pdf format)
"WHEN IS THE STRIKE?
When does it all come together? When could the United States pull the trigger
on the military option? The most important point in understanding the window
for an attack is that the military preparations will not be the determining factor.
This operation will not resemble the six months of preparations for Operation
Desert Shield in 1990. The preparations will be much less visible than the
movements to the region in early 2003. We will not read about discussions with
Turkey for basing permission. It will not be a major CNN event.
Instead, preparations will involve the quiet deployment of Air Force tankers
to staging bases. We will see additional Navy assets moved to the region.
Over the past few months, we have seen numerous leaks and administration
documents that raise an Iran–al Qaeda connection. But more importantly, it opens the way for an argument that a strike on Iran was part of the global war on terrorism
already authorized by Congress.In other words, approval by Congress does not necessarily have to be part of the calculation of when an attack could take place.13 If the determining factor of timing is neither the preparation of military forces nor congressional approval, one question remains: How much public support do decisionmakers believe they need before pulling the trigger?14 And that question brings us back to the beginning of the summer of diplomacy. Vice President Cheney had to be convinced that it was necessary to give some lip service to diplomacy, checking that box in order to secure public support. President Bush seems to be con-vinced of the rightness of his cause and vision. He repeats often that he does not
care about public opinion.
By redrawing the red line in this manner, U.S. policymakers are creating
pressure to go to war with Iran. In saying that Iran could not be permitted to
have the knowledge to develop nuclear weapons, the president used almost the
exact words the Israeli Foreign Minister had used a year earlier.
After going through the analysis, I believe that the United States can and
will conduct the operation by itself. There may be low-visibility support from
Israel and the U.K., and France may be consulted. But it will be an American
operation.
The window for a strike on Iran stands open."
In 9 hours in Gaza, IDF kills 5, including 3 children, and injures 7
A Palestinian woman sits amidst the rubble of a house after it was demolished by Israeli troops during a raid in Rafah camp in the southern Gaza strip September 21, 2006. (Reuters)
A Palestinian medic evacuates a boy who was injured when Israeli troops demolished his house during a raid in Rafah camp in the southern Gaza strip September 21, 2006. (Reuters)
Palestinian mourners look at the body of Alaa Abu Dahrouj, 16, who was killed early Thursday by an Israeli artillery shell, at the mosque during his funeral in the town of Jebaliya, northern Gaza Strip, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2006. (AP Photo)
In less than 9 hours, IOF Kill 5 Civilians in the Gaza Strip, including 3 Children, & Injures 7 others; Two of the Victims Bled to Death when IOF Prevented Ambulances from Rescuing them
"Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) has used excessive force in the north and south of the Gaza Strip during a 9-hour span today, Thursday, 21 September 2006, resulting in the death of 5 Palestinian civilians and the injury of 7 others, including a father and 2 of his children. Two of the victims including a woman were killed in cold blood in Rafah. They were left to bleed to death inside their houses. The other 3 victims were children from the town of Jabalia who were killed by a surface-to-surface rocket as they were herding sheep.
PCHR seriously views this latest escalation by IOF, which comes within the context of the open ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip for the past three months, which inflicted hundreds of casualties among the civilian population. In addition, the IOF attacks have inflicted great material damage on civilian property and infrastructure."
A Catholic Stamp to a US War
by Nicola Nasser
(Nicola Nasser is a veteran Arab journalist in Kuwait, Jordan, UAE and Palestine. He is based in Ramallah, West Bank)
"The Pope’s quotation is also going down into Muslims’ collective memory as fitting into the U.S.-led war on “Islamic terror,” which is cloaked in anti-Islam terminology like President Bush’s blunders of “crusade,” “Islamic terrorists,” and his latest “Islamic Fascists.”
It boils down to be serving as a Catholic justification for an American political-military anti-Islam campaign. “Many Muslims are on the defensive in our modern world with its dominance of western secular perspectives, backed up by brutal military force which is often indistinguishable from the terrorism it claims to be fighting.” (7)
The Pope’s attempts to portray his speech as a scholarly and theological matter is not convincing enough to distance the Vatican from being embroiled in political involvement or to shadow the fact that the Pontiff is also a politician and a head of a state, which helped to undermine communism; no one can expect him to be happy or eager to see a U.S. defeat whether in Iraq, Afghanistan or the overall war on terror.
“Why the pope chose to throw a hand grenade into a powder keg, and why he chose to do it at this moment in history”? asked George Friedman.
“Bush has been trying to portray the war against Islamist militants as a clash of civilizations, one that will last for generations and will determine the future of mankind. Benedict, whether he accepts Bush's view or not, offered an intellectual foundation for Bush's position,” Friedman added. (8)
Nor Muslim observers can isolate the Pope’s defaming quotation from his record of anti-Islam indications:
Benedict XVI during his 17-month papacy has been lecturing Muslims on the need to teach their young to shun violence, suggesting that violence is part of Islam.
Recent statements by senior Catholic bishops have singled out Lebanon’s Hizbullah and the Palestinian Hamas in names as violent groups under his papacy.
“I wish the Catholic pope had considered the reaction to his remarks,” the head of the Egypt's Coptic Orthodox church, Pope Shenouda III, told journalists, adding: “Being enthusiastic about one's religion shouldn't lead to judging other peoples' religions. Criticizing others' faith breeds enmity and divisions.” (11)"
(Nicola Nasser is a veteran Arab journalist in Kuwait, Jordan, UAE and Palestine. He is based in Ramallah, West Bank)
"The Pope’s quotation is also going down into Muslims’ collective memory as fitting into the U.S.-led war on “Islamic terror,” which is cloaked in anti-Islam terminology like President Bush’s blunders of “crusade,” “Islamic terrorists,” and his latest “Islamic Fascists.”
It boils down to be serving as a Catholic justification for an American political-military anti-Islam campaign. “Many Muslims are on the defensive in our modern world with its dominance of western secular perspectives, backed up by brutal military force which is often indistinguishable from the terrorism it claims to be fighting.” (7)
The Pope’s attempts to portray his speech as a scholarly and theological matter is not convincing enough to distance the Vatican from being embroiled in political involvement or to shadow the fact that the Pontiff is also a politician and a head of a state, which helped to undermine communism; no one can expect him to be happy or eager to see a U.S. defeat whether in Iraq, Afghanistan or the overall war on terror.
“Why the pope chose to throw a hand grenade into a powder keg, and why he chose to do it at this moment in history”? asked George Friedman.
“Bush has been trying to portray the war against Islamist militants as a clash of civilizations, one that will last for generations and will determine the future of mankind. Benedict, whether he accepts Bush's view or not, offered an intellectual foundation for Bush's position,” Friedman added. (8)
Nor Muslim observers can isolate the Pope’s defaming quotation from his record of anti-Islam indications:
Benedict XVI during his 17-month papacy has been lecturing Muslims on the need to teach their young to shun violence, suggesting that violence is part of Islam.
Recent statements by senior Catholic bishops have singled out Lebanon’s Hizbullah and the Palestinian Hamas in names as violent groups under his papacy.
“I wish the Catholic pope had considered the reaction to his remarks,” the head of the Egypt's Coptic Orthodox church, Pope Shenouda III, told journalists, adding: “Being enthusiastic about one's religion shouldn't lead to judging other peoples' religions. Criticizing others' faith breeds enmity and divisions.” (11)"
Government issues tenders for 164 new homes in the West Bank
By Reuters
The government is planning to build 164 new homes in three settlements in the West Bank, despite an obligation under a U.S.-backed peace road map to halt such construction on land Palestinians seek for a state.
The Israel Lands Administration, a government agency, issued a tender inviting bids on 88 plots in the Ariel settlement, 56 in Alfei Menashe and 20 in Karnei Shomron.
Israel's Peace Now settlement watchdog criticized the move. "This tender hurts the interests of the state of Israel. It is a provocative step which goes against the majority of the Israeli public," said Mossi Raz, a senior member of the group.
The latest tender follows one published on September 4 to build 690 new homes in the settlements of Maaleh Adumim and Beitar Ilit, the largest number of housing bids for settlement building offered since Prime Minister Ehud Olmert took office in May.
Israel Lands Administration data showed that 98 housing plots were marketed in the West Bank from January to August.
The new tender brings to 952 the number of plots offered this year. That compares with 1,180 plots in 2005 and 1,075 in 2004.
While Israel has failed to suspend settlement building under the first stage of the road map, the Palestinians have not met their own obligation to dismantle militant groups.
Before the Lebanon war, Olmert had planned to unilaterally withdraw from swathes of the West Bank in the absence of peace talks with the Palestinians.
He shelved that plan after a month-long war with Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon that ended with an August 14 cease-fire.
Hezbollah fired nearly 4,000 rockets at towns in northern Israel during the war, raising concern among Israelis that a West Bank pullback could leave cities in the center of the country vulnerable to similar attacks by Palestinians.
The World Court has branded all Jewish settlements on occupied land as illegal. Israel disputes this.
Some 240,000 Jewish settlers and 2.4 million Palestinians live in the West Bank, territory Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 Six-Day War.
The government is planning to build 164 new homes in three settlements in the West Bank, despite an obligation under a U.S.-backed peace road map to halt such construction on land Palestinians seek for a state.
The Israel Lands Administration, a government agency, issued a tender inviting bids on 88 plots in the Ariel settlement, 56 in Alfei Menashe and 20 in Karnei Shomron.
Israel's Peace Now settlement watchdog criticized the move. "This tender hurts the interests of the state of Israel. It is a provocative step which goes against the majority of the Israeli public," said Mossi Raz, a senior member of the group.
The latest tender follows one published on September 4 to build 690 new homes in the settlements of Maaleh Adumim and Beitar Ilit, the largest number of housing bids for settlement building offered since Prime Minister Ehud Olmert took office in May.
Israel Lands Administration data showed that 98 housing plots were marketed in the West Bank from January to August.
The new tender brings to 952 the number of plots offered this year. That compares with 1,180 plots in 2005 and 1,075 in 2004.
While Israel has failed to suspend settlement building under the first stage of the road map, the Palestinians have not met their own obligation to dismantle militant groups.
Before the Lebanon war, Olmert had planned to unilaterally withdraw from swathes of the West Bank in the absence of peace talks with the Palestinians.
He shelved that plan after a month-long war with Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon that ended with an August 14 cease-fire.
Hezbollah fired nearly 4,000 rockets at towns in northern Israel during the war, raising concern among Israelis that a West Bank pullback could leave cities in the center of the country vulnerable to similar attacks by Palestinians.
The World Court has branded all Jewish settlements on occupied land as illegal. Israel disputes this.
Some 240,000 Jewish settlers and 2.4 million Palestinians live in the West Bank, territory Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 Six-Day War.
Conservative websites claim Rove has been promising GOP insiders an 'October surprise'
WASHINGTON -- In the past week, Karl Rove has been promising Republican insiders an "October surprise" to help win the November congressional elections.
President Bush's political strategist is also saying that the final two weeks before the elections will see a blitz of advertising, and the Republican National Committee is deploying an army of volunteers to key locations to help the grass-roots effort and monitor the elections. Continued.
-----------------And then there is this one:
"The Times quoted Ahmadinejad as saying "The U.S. doesn't speak for the whole world" in its opposition to Iran's nuclear program. It also quoted Robert Blackwill, a former deputy national security adviser under President Bush, as wondering after the session whether negotiations with Ahmadinejad's government would ever be possible.
"If this man represents the prevailing government opinion in Tehran, we are headed for a massive confrontation with Iran," Blackwill said."
|
Iran: War drums and peace pipes
By Jim Lobe
Asia Times
"Retired US Air Force Colonel Sam Gardiner, a well-connected analyst who has been extensively involved in government war-gaming on Iran, reported this week that war plans had moved from the Pentagon to the White House, suggesting that preparations for an attack on Iran were much more advanced than previously assumed.
Gardiner, who just completed a report, "Considering the US Military Option for Iran", for the New York-based Century Foundation, also told CNN that the evidence that military operations - confined mostly to intelligence-gathering - had been under way inside Iran for "at least 18 months ... is overwhelming".
At the same time, analysts who believe that the administration sees war as inevitable cite the creation by the Pentagon last spring of a new office on Iran staffed by some of the same individuals who worked for the Office of Special Plans (OSP), a group of mainly political appointees that sent questionable and now discredited intelligence regarding Baghdad's alleged programs for weapons of mass destruction and ties to al-Qaeda directly to Cheney's office and the White House in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq.
"It seems like Iran is becoming the new Iraq," one unnamed "US counter-terrorism official" told the same reporters from the McClatchy Newspapers (formerly Knight-Ridder) who first uncovered OSP's operations last week in an article titled "In a replay of Iraq, a battle is brewing over intelligence on Iran".
One difference between Iran now and the run-up to Iraq, however, is that the hawks lack the same eagerness for war that they showed in 2002 and 2003. While they saw the invasion of Iraq as a no-lose proposition, they clearly recognize that the costs of attacking Iran will be, in Krauthammer's words, "terrible" - yet slightly less than acquiescence in a nuclear-armed Tehran."
Asia Times
"Retired US Air Force Colonel Sam Gardiner, a well-connected analyst who has been extensively involved in government war-gaming on Iran, reported this week that war plans had moved from the Pentagon to the White House, suggesting that preparations for an attack on Iran were much more advanced than previously assumed.
Gardiner, who just completed a report, "Considering the US Military Option for Iran", for the New York-based Century Foundation, also told CNN that the evidence that military operations - confined mostly to intelligence-gathering - had been under way inside Iran for "at least 18 months ... is overwhelming".
At the same time, analysts who believe that the administration sees war as inevitable cite the creation by the Pentagon last spring of a new office on Iran staffed by some of the same individuals who worked for the Office of Special Plans (OSP), a group of mainly political appointees that sent questionable and now discredited intelligence regarding Baghdad's alleged programs for weapons of mass destruction and ties to al-Qaeda directly to Cheney's office and the White House in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq.
"It seems like Iran is becoming the new Iraq," one unnamed "US counter-terrorism official" told the same reporters from the McClatchy Newspapers (formerly Knight-Ridder) who first uncovered OSP's operations last week in an article titled "In a replay of Iraq, a battle is brewing over intelligence on Iran".
One difference between Iran now and the run-up to Iraq, however, is that the hawks lack the same eagerness for war that they showed in 2002 and 2003. While they saw the invasion of Iraq as a no-lose proposition, they clearly recognize that the costs of attacking Iran will be, in Krauthammer's words, "terrible" - yet slightly less than acquiescence in a nuclear-armed Tehran."
Is This What Motivates U.S. Foreign Policy?
Tony Robinson investigates the people with powerful political friends in the White House, who are trying to bring about the end of the world. Julia Bard reports.
Broadcast 09/16/06 - Channel 4 Documentary - Runtime 100 Minutes
Click here to watch.
US troops in Iraq are Tehran's 'hostages'
By Gareth Porter
Asia Times
"The underlying reality in Iraq, which the Bush administration does not appear to grasp fully, is that the United States is now dependent on the sufferance of Iran and its Iraqi Shi'ite political-military allies to continue the occupation.
Since then, US officials have avoided giving any estimate of the Mehdi Army's strength. But according to a report published last month by London's Chatham House, which undoubtedly reflected the views of British intelligence in Iraq, the Mehdi Army may now be "several hundred thousand strong".
Patrick Lang, former head of human-intelligence collection and Middle East intelligence at the Defense Intelligence Agency, explained why in an important analysis in the Christian Science Monitor of July 21: US troops must be supplied by convoys of trucks that go across hundreds of kilometers of roads through this Shi'ite heartland, and the Mehdi Army and its allies in the south could turn those supply routes into a "shooting gallery".
Last week, a "senior coalition official" admitted to the Washington Post that "there's not a military solution" to the Mehdi Army.
Most of them never supported the current occupation in the first place. Wayne White, principal Iraq analyst for the US State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research, recalls that polling done by the department soon after the US occupation began but never made public showed that a clear majority of Shi'ites were already opposed to it.
If Muqtada and his followers are already preparing for a showdown with the US occupation forces, the only factor that appears to be restraining the Mehdi Army now is Iran. After all, Tehran's interest lies not in forcing an immediate withdrawal of US forces, but in keeping them in Iraq as virtual hostages. The potential threat to US forces in Iraq in retaliation for an attack on Iran is probably Tehran's most effective deterrent to such an attack."
Asia Times
"The underlying reality in Iraq, which the Bush administration does not appear to grasp fully, is that the United States is now dependent on the sufferance of Iran and its Iraqi Shi'ite political-military allies to continue the occupation.
Since then, US officials have avoided giving any estimate of the Mehdi Army's strength. But according to a report published last month by London's Chatham House, which undoubtedly reflected the views of British intelligence in Iraq, the Mehdi Army may now be "several hundred thousand strong".
Patrick Lang, former head of human-intelligence collection and Middle East intelligence at the Defense Intelligence Agency, explained why in an important analysis in the Christian Science Monitor of July 21: US troops must be supplied by convoys of trucks that go across hundreds of kilometers of roads through this Shi'ite heartland, and the Mehdi Army and its allies in the south could turn those supply routes into a "shooting gallery".
Last week, a "senior coalition official" admitted to the Washington Post that "there's not a military solution" to the Mehdi Army.
Most of them never supported the current occupation in the first place. Wayne White, principal Iraq analyst for the US State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research, recalls that polling done by the department soon after the US occupation began but never made public showed that a clear majority of Shi'ites were already opposed to it.
If Muqtada and his followers are already preparing for a showdown with the US occupation forces, the only factor that appears to be restraining the Mehdi Army now is Iran. After all, Tehran's interest lies not in forcing an immediate withdrawal of US forces, but in keeping them in Iraq as virtual hostages. The potential threat to US forces in Iraq in retaliation for an attack on Iran is probably Tehran's most effective deterrent to such an attack."
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Great white hope.
Sen. Clinton calls on Red Cross to aid kidnapped soldiers
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) today placed a statement in the Congressional Record that called on Jakob Kellenberger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, "to do whatever he can to verify the health and well-being" of three Israeli soldiers kidnapped several months ago.
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) today placed a statement in the Congressional Record that called on Jakob Kellenberger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, "to do whatever he can to verify the health and well-being" of three Israeli soldiers kidnapped several months ago.
Clinton additionally called on the Red Cross to "ensure that [the soldiers] have their full rights under the Geneva Conventions" and that Kellenberger "do what he can" to obtain their release.
"I have met with family members of one of the soldiers abducted in Israel," Clinton added, "who spoke eloquently and movingly about the importance of securing the safe return of the captured soldiers."
In case anyone was wondering... this evil witch did not ask the Red Cross to check on the safety of Palestinian children being held in Israeli jails--some of those children are as young as nine years old and they are being held for throwing stones at TANKS. This evil witch also did not ask the Israelis to make sure that they are applying the Geneva Conventions to Palestinian kids either. This is the great American Democratic hope that the left keeps blabbing about. What a joke.
U.S. appeals granting of citizenship to alleged ex-PLO member
By The Associated Press
The Bush administration has appealed a U.S. judge's ruling granting a petition for citizenship to a Palestinian man who the government has claimed has terrorist ties.
The appeal comes two months after U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson ruled Aiad Barakat, 45, of Arcadia, California, should become a citizen. The judge said Barakat did not lack good moral character and his application should never have been denied.
The Justice Department filed its notice of appeal on Sept. 14 without giving a reason for the action. Authorities had refused citizenship to Barakat because of his alleged terrorist links, saying Barakat lied about ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a radical offshoot of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Barakat was detained in 1987, along with six other Palestinians and a Kenyan in a case that became known as the "L.A. Eight," but charges were never filed. Immigrant rights groups said the case was politically motivated.
Barakat's lawyer Marc Van Der Hout said he believes Wilson's June 28 ruling will stand.
"We don't think there is a strong appeal on the government's part," Van Der Hout said. "Judge Wilson heard the evidence and made some credibility findings. It is exceedingly unlikely a Court of Appeals will disturb that ruling."
The Justice Department declined comment.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine has opposed peace negotiations between the PLO and Israel, and the U.S. government considers it a terrorist organization. All of the so-called "L.A. Eight" have denied being members.
The group won a victory in 1989 when a judge struck down as unconstitutional portions of a federal law that allowed deportation to be based on political affiliation and advocacy.
In 1997, Barakat and another Palestinian in the group were granted legal residency after the government had initially tried to deport all eight.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Virginia Kice said two of the Palestinians were currently in deportation hearings. The immigration status of the others was not known.
The Bush administration has appealed a U.S. judge's ruling granting a petition for citizenship to a Palestinian man who the government has claimed has terrorist ties.
The appeal comes two months after U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson ruled Aiad Barakat, 45, of Arcadia, California, should become a citizen. The judge said Barakat did not lack good moral character and his application should never have been denied.
The Justice Department filed its notice of appeal on Sept. 14 without giving a reason for the action. Authorities had refused citizenship to Barakat because of his alleged terrorist links, saying Barakat lied about ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a radical offshoot of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Barakat was detained in 1987, along with six other Palestinians and a Kenyan in a case that became known as the "L.A. Eight," but charges were never filed. Immigrant rights groups said the case was politically motivated.
Barakat's lawyer Marc Van Der Hout said he believes Wilson's June 28 ruling will stand.
"We don't think there is a strong appeal on the government's part," Van Der Hout said. "Judge Wilson heard the evidence and made some credibility findings. It is exceedingly unlikely a Court of Appeals will disturb that ruling."
The Justice Department declined comment.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine has opposed peace negotiations between the PLO and Israel, and the U.S. government considers it a terrorist organization. All of the so-called "L.A. Eight" have denied being members.
The group won a victory in 1989 when a judge struck down as unconstitutional portions of a federal law that allowed deportation to be based on political affiliation and advocacy.
In 1997, Barakat and another Palestinian in the group were granted legal residency after the government had initially tried to deport all eight.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Virginia Kice said two of the Palestinians were currently in deportation hearings. The immigration status of the others was not known.
Women's demostration in Gaza against the blocade imposed on the Palestinian people and government
Palestinian traitors getting into shape as they await their orders from Washington to topple the democratically elected government in Palestine.
Members of the Palestinian security forces take part in a training session in the West Bank town of Qalqilya Tuesday Sept. 19, 2006. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas promised Israel's foreign minister to 'exert maximum effort' to secure the release of an Israeli soldier abducted by Palestinian militants three months ago, a senior Palestinian official said. (AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)
Members of the Palestinian security forces take part in a training session in the West Bank town of Qalqilya Tuesday Sept. 19, 2006. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas promised Israel's foreign minister to 'exert maximum effort' to secure the release of an Israeli soldier abducted by Palestinian militants three months ago, a senior Palestinian official said. (AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)
Brian Avery
American activist Brian Avery from Chapel Hill, N.C., speaks to reporters before a hearing in his case at Israel's Supreme Court in Jerusalem in this Feb. 28, 2005, file photo. Israel's Supreme Court on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2006, called on the army to respond to accusations that it did not properly investigate the case of Avery, who accused Israeli troops of shooting and seriously wounding him in the West Bank three years ago without provocation. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
Meanwhile in Iraq
Iraqi captive died with 93 injuries: Captive Iraqis were beaten with iron bars, kicked, starved, and forced to drink their own urine during abuse which led to the death of a prisoner, the first court martial of British troops accused of war crimes was told yesterday.
Iraq: At least 61 Killed As Bloody U.S Occupation Grinds On: A total of 35 bodies were found in the last 24 hours in Baghdad, police said.
Four US soldiers die across occupied Iraq: Another four US soldiers have died in series of incidents across Iraq, the US military reported on Tuesday.
No One Dares to Help: The wounded die alone on Baghdad's streets. An offer of aid could be your own death sentence, an Iraqi reporter writes.
U.S. general says attacks against American troops have increased : The attacks against U.S. troops were mostly carried out by suicide car bombers or roadside bombs. He added that the number of killings by death squads also had increased in the past week.
Did the U.S. choose the correct puppet?: Doubts Rise on Iraqi Premier’s Strength : Senior Iraqi and American officials are beginning to question whether Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki has the political muscle and decisiveness to hold Iraq together as it hovers on the edge of a full civil war.
Time running out for Iraqis, study group leaders warn: Iraq's government has only until the end of 2006 to make major progress in curbing violence and improving basic services before the country's situation turns even more dire, the two leaders of a bipartisan, blue-ribbon study group on U.S. policy in Iraq warned Tuesday.
UK soldier 'enjoyed' Iraqis' pain : A British soldier "enjoyed" hearing Iraqis call out in pain as they were kicked and punched while in a detention centre, a court martial has heard.
The Ground Truth: Iraq War Veterans Speak Out : Drill instructors are shown dehumanizing recruits as part of the process of training them to dehumanize the adversary. Rare video footage from Iraq, accompanied by first-hand accounts from soldiers featured in the film, reveal the ways their training to "Kill, kill" leads them to target Iraqi civilians.
Israelis trained Kurdish troops in Iraq-BBC report: Former Israeli special forces soldiers entered Iraq from Turkey in 2004 to train two groups of Kurdish troops, one of the former Israeli trainers told the BBC's "Newsnight" programme.
Annan warns of civil war in Iraq: "If current patterns of alienation and violence persist much longer, there is a grave danger that the Iraqi state will break down, possibly in the midst of full- scale civil war," he said on Monday. Asked about Annan's comments, Barham Salih, Iraqi's deputy prime minister, said that his government faced many security challenges and obstacles "but that does not mean we are facing a civil war."
Shia community watchdogs 'will spy for death squads': The Sciri has its own 15,000-man militia, the Badr Corps, which Sunnis blame, along with the radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army, for much of Iraq's sectarian violence. Sunnis are threatening to form their own citizen groups. "Sciri's proposal aims to bring new militias into communities. This is unacceptable," said the MP Ayad al- Samarrai, who belongs to Iraq's largest Sunni political group, the Islamic Party.
British soldier admits war crime: Corporal Donald Payne today became the first member of the British armed forces to admit a war crime when he pleaded guilty to inhumanely treating civilians detained in Iraq. He is one of seven British troops who went on trial today.
Ties to GOP Trumped Know-How Among Staff Sent to Rebuild Iraq: A 24-year-old who had never worked in finance -- but had applied for a White House job -- was sent to reopen Baghdad's stock exchange. The daughter of a prominent neoconservative commentator and a recent graduate from an evangelical university for home-schooled children were tapped to manage Iraq's $13 billion budget, even though they didn't have a background in accounting.
Journalist shot dead in Baghdad: Report: Militants murdered a Baghdad TV journalist in the western Iraqi city of Ramadi, the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported on Tuesday.
U.S. Resorting to 'Collective Punishment': Ahmad, a local doctor who withheld his last name for security purposes told IPS. "This city has been facing the worst of the American terror and destruction for more than two years now, and the world is silent."
There is more than one triangle of resistance: What the occupiers of Iraq still refuse to accept is that the resistance is supported and protected by Iraqis.
Turkey official warns on Iraq federalism: "The core of the problem is that if Iraq is divided, definitely there will be civil war and definitely neighboring countries will be involved in this," Abdullah Gul said. "The Middle East can't shoulder this. It's too much."
Kurdish party to get shut down in Iraq : The Iraqi government said Tuesday it will shut down all offices belonging to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, around the country.
Meanwhile in Palestine
A concert cry severs the silence: Jubran seemed nonplussed by the pressure of such a complex production - one which he worked on with friends for three months - as he stood onstage at the Ramallah Cultural Center, juxtaposed by a couch and an enormous screen. He kicked off the event with a moving virtuoso, solo performance on the Arab buzuk and then proceeded to navigate the event smoothly. He joked with artists who appeared onscreen, but did not conceal his strident opposition to oppression and occupation. Such was the artists' objective for the evening: to break the silence. Satellite technology made it possible to mock the limits to freedom of movement imposed on them by appearing in tandem, despite prohibitions.
Beit Hanoun girl dies of wounds sustained last month: Abu Odah was injured when Israeli army opened fire at her and her family killing her father and brother Ismai'l, her younger sister received three bullet wounds in the attack while Hannan was wounded by eight live rounds and was moved to a hospital in Israeli for treatment were she died, her brother Ayman reported.
Israel Believes Assault On Gaza Will Be Necessary: Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Dan Halutz was backed by members of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Tuesday in his assessment that a large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip will be necessary in the short term.
High Court questions lack of IDF probe into shooting of U.S. activist: Avery's disabilities from the shooting include impaired vision in his left eye and several missing teeth. Avery had bone grafts to reconstruct his upper left jaw bone, and his left eye also was damaged. "Today marks a major turning point in the case," said Sfard, adding that the decision should send a message to soldiers that "there are still people who are asking the army for accountability."
Israeli army attacks Palestinian Banks and money exchange shops, stealing millions: The Israeli army invaded several cities in the West Bank and broke into money changers' shops and banks, confiscating some 1.5 million USD, on Wednesday morning. The seizure of cash comes after months of seige by the Israeli authorities, who are attempting to 'starve out' the Palestinian people for the results of their democratic election in January.
Israeli army invades Beit Fourik near Nablus, sets one house ablaze, takes one prisoner: Soldiers surrounded the house of Ferass Militat, 30, and then took him to an unknown location. The army claims that Militat is a member of the Islamic Jihad. Troops fired sound bombs into resident's houses in the village, setting the house of Abdullah Hannini on fire causing massive damage. Also, soldiers detained several children and took them to a nearby military post where they where held over night, interrogated and abused.
In the name of security, but not for its sake: Cohen's research relies mainly on police documents from the period, which have recently been opened for public perusal (the Shin Bet documents are still classified). They relate, for example, that the provision of weapons to collaborators by the local authorities was a way of rewarding them. However, the security forces' liaison committee mentioned in 1949 that "the distribution of weapons to an element or members of one group is likely to be useful to us; it will create the desired tension among the various parts of the population and enable us to control the situation." The security agencies, Cohen reveals on the basis of written documents, occasionally even initiated internal conflicts.
Gladwin man fights home demolition in Occupied Territories: While some college students spent their summer taking some extra classes, working or enjoying some time off, Cody O’Rourke of Gladwin spent some time using skills he’d learned in construction to help rebuild homes in the heart of the Occupied Territories of Palestine. O’Rourke participated in a peaceful resistance movement with the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD), a group which uses non-violent, direct action to resist the destruction of Palestinian homes in the Occupied Territories.
Congressman Nye and Jack Abramoff: Justice versus lobbies: Native American leaders contributed millions to the foundation. In 2002, the foundation reported it had given away more than $330,000 in grants to four organizations that said they never received the money. Instead, Abramoff used the organization for his pet projects. These included over $4 million to a Jewish school allied with the Zionist movement, $248,742 for Abramoff's house in Silver Spring, Maryland and hundreds of thousands for sniper training of extremist and illegal Israeli colonial settlers living on Palestinian land.
Palestinian killed by Israeli shells in northern Gaza: Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported on Wednesday that one resident was killed, another was injured, after the Israeli army fired a tank shell at a group of residents who were present close to the border line in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces fire missiles into southern Gaza Strip home and bulldoze land in the north: At least one of the rockets hit the house, as reported by eyewitnesses. Home owner Fat’hi Abu Jarad and his family made it out safely before Israeli forces launched the missiles. An afternoon account from eyewitnesses indicated that Israeli warplanes fired into Beit Lahia, killing a Palestinian. Also this morning Israeli forces bulldozed agricultural land east of Gaza City near the town of Jabaliya’s cemetery.
Israel confirms: Letter received from Shalit: Israel on Wednesday night confirmed for the first time that a letter has been received from Gilad Shalit. Channel 2 reported that the letter, which was reported by Arab media in recent days, indeed exists and was received by Israel.
Report: Former IDF commandos secretly trained Kurdish soldiers: Former Israeli special forces soldiers crossed into Iraq from Turkey in 2004 to train two sets of Kurdish troops, one of the former Israeli trainers told the BBC's Newsnight program. They also trained more than 100 Peshmerga or Kurdish fighters for "special assignments" that included how to use rifles and how to shoot militants in a crowd, he said.
Following visit to Syria, two Arab legislators banned from Knesset: Israeli Knesset “Ethics Committee “ decided to ban Arab members of Knesset Jamal Zahalka and Ibrahim Sarsour from the Knesset for three days over a trip they made to Syria about two weeks ago, Israeli sources reported.
Hamas retracts support for Arab League peace initiative: "You can't mention the Arab initiative only," Salah Bardawil, head of Hamas's parliamentary faction, told Haaretz yesterday. "The prisoners' document [an earlier proposed blueprint for a unity government] explicitly talks about 'recognizing the Arab source of authority,' while the agreement talks only about the Arab peace initiative. It must be changed and the initiative should be noted in a more general manner."
Palestinian airlines to use Egyptian airport: According to the agreement with Egyptian authorities, the Palestinian airlines would be able to take off and land in northern Egyptian town of al-Ariesh which is located a few kilometers away from Gaza Strip, Minister Zeyad al-Zaza told reporters.
Annan: UN must end mideast conflict: Addressing world leaders for the last time as secretary-general, Kofi Annan painted a grim picture Tuesday of an unjust world economy, global disorder and widespread contempt for human rights, and appealed for nations and peoples to truly unite. He said the Arab-Israeli conflict was the most potent and emotionally charged conflict in the world today."
Wild thoughts about the Palestinian issue: America is threatened; it needs a coalition to fight the threat; the coalition's members include Europe and the moderate Arab countries; these other members must be taken into account; and they want progress. Period. Whoever rejects this logic is apparently ready to compromise America's security. And after all, it is easier to look for a solution in Israel, which is so dependent on the United States, than to make an effort to force American policy on a recalcitrant Hamas or the obstinate Europeans.
Saudi Arabia sends relief to Gaza: The U.N. World Food Program is supplying Gaza with $2.6 million worth of flour, donated by Saudi Arabia, to assist impoverished Palestinians. Some 2,050 metric tons of flour, procured in Egypt, started entering the Gaza Strip this week to feed 50,000 families. (Gee thanks for the flour, KSA!)
Tulkarem Farmers in Boycott of Israeli goods: Palestinian traders and farmers will gather in the Tulkarem Refugee Camp on September 20th for a Palestinian goods market, boycotting Israeli products as a statement of resistance against Israel's ongoing occupation, The Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign said.
Two killed in the West Bank one of them a pregnant woman: Bushra Sultan, 27, from the Saflit region of the West Bank, died at an Israeli military checkpoint - East of Saflit - which had been closed by Israeli soldiers on Tuesday morning. Medical teams tried to revive Sultan but all attempts failed, leading to her death due to being unnecessarily held at the checkpoint.
Human rights group claims 90% of police investigations end in failure: The farmer was lying on the blood-soaked earth with crows circling above him when his son found him. Saber Shteia, 74, was battered by four settlers in his olive groves and left to die. As his son, Thourri, and another farmer loaded Mr Shteia on his donkey, he muttered, "They have killed me". The attack happened outside the village of Salem in the West Bank, which is under the jurisdiction of the Israeli police.
Palestinian woman dies at the Rafah Crossing: At least eight residents died at the Rafah Border Crossing since August after they were stranded there for several weeks due to the Israeli closure and siege imposed on the Gaza Strip after Palestinian fighters captured an Israeli soldier in a raid that targeted a military post near the Gaza borders.
Warning: Social intifada to break out in east J'lem: According to Amos Gil, chairman of the Ir-Amim organization, the issue can be solved only if it is treated on a national level. According to the organization, there are about 14,000 students which are not listed in the city's education system. Jerusalem City Council member Papa Alalu said that if the problem is not solved, "we will have a social intifada (uprising) on our hands."
TOMORROW: Brian Avery Shooting Investigation Appeal: On Wednesday, September 20, Israeli attorney Michael Sfard will again apply to the Israeli Supreme Court in Jerusalem demanding that the Israeli military open an investigation into the circumstances of the shooting of Brian Avery in Jenin on 5th April 2003. The application will be heard by judges Beinish, Arbel and Heshin at 9am.
National boycott action targets Irish stores selling Israeli goods: IPSC members targetted retail outlets in Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Sligo, to send a message to Irish retailers that continuing to trade with Israel while it obliterates Palestine is grossly unethical and gives both financial support, succour and legitimacy to Israel's escalating and unchecked violations of Palestinian human rights. The National Boycott Day was also intended to educate consumers as to the extent of Israeli goods in their shops.
Arab MK suspended for calling Peretz ‘murderer': The Knesset Ethics Committee decided on Tuesday to suspend United Arab List-Ta’al MK Ibrahim Sarsur for one day after he refereed to Defense Minister Amir Peretz as a “murderer.” Arab MK Jamal Zahalka (National Democratic Assembly) was suspended from the Knesset for three days for making similar remarks.
Study shows growing divide in life expectancy for Jews, Arabs: The Central Bureau of Statistics annual report on the Israeli population, issued Tuesday, shows a widening gap between the life expectancies of Jews and Arabs in Israel. The life expectancy of an Arab male in 2005 was 3.1 years shorter than that of a Jewish male, as opposed to a two-year difference in 1999.
Israel's Jewish population decreasing: Israel’s Jewish population decreasing According to Central Bureau of Statistics data published on Tuesday, the population of the State of Israel at the end of 2005 was comprised of 6,990,700 people, of which 5,313,800 were Jewish (76 percent of the entire population), and 1,377,100 were Arab (19.7 percent) according to data published by the Central Bureau of Statistics.
IDF: Arab MK barred from Gaza due to personal dangers of such a trip: The defense establishment on Tuesday said it had forbidden MK Talab al-Sana from traveling to the Gaza Strip to meet with senior Palestinian officials over the release of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, due to the personal dangers of such a trip.
Author Finkelstein to talk about Palestine-Israel conflict at UVM: Finkelstein will draw from his most recent book, Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History to address the most recent developments in the Middle East, according to a press release from the event sponsors. Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now! says Beyond Chutzpah is “a must read for anyone committed to a just and enduring peace in the Middle East.”
Palestine Economy May Crash: The Palestinian economy is at the edge of a collapse after months of Israeli aggressions and the closing of border routes, the spokesman of the World Food Program, Christiane Berthiaume, said on Tuesday. The spokesman said that if changes are not made, the crisis will not have solution because the aid only mitigates the problem.
Beit Hanoun girl dies of wounds sustained last month: Abu Odah was injured when Israeli army opened fire at her and her family killing her father and brother Ismai'l, her younger sister received three bullet wounds in the attack while Hannan was wounded by eight live rounds and was moved to a hospital in Israeli for treatment were she died, her brother Ayman reported.
Israel Believes Assault On Gaza Will Be Necessary: Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Dan Halutz was backed by members of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Tuesday in his assessment that a large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip will be necessary in the short term.
High Court questions lack of IDF probe into shooting of U.S. activist: Avery's disabilities from the shooting include impaired vision in his left eye and several missing teeth. Avery had bone grafts to reconstruct his upper left jaw bone, and his left eye also was damaged. "Today marks a major turning point in the case," said Sfard, adding that the decision should send a message to soldiers that "there are still people who are asking the army for accountability."
Israeli army attacks Palestinian Banks and money exchange shops, stealing millions: The Israeli army invaded several cities in the West Bank and broke into money changers' shops and banks, confiscating some 1.5 million USD, on Wednesday morning. The seizure of cash comes after months of seige by the Israeli authorities, who are attempting to 'starve out' the Palestinian people for the results of their democratic election in January.
Israeli army invades Beit Fourik near Nablus, sets one house ablaze, takes one prisoner: Soldiers surrounded the house of Ferass Militat, 30, and then took him to an unknown location. The army claims that Militat is a member of the Islamic Jihad. Troops fired sound bombs into resident's houses in the village, setting the house of Abdullah Hannini on fire causing massive damage. Also, soldiers detained several children and took them to a nearby military post where they where held over night, interrogated and abused.
In the name of security, but not for its sake: Cohen's research relies mainly on police documents from the period, which have recently been opened for public perusal (the Shin Bet documents are still classified). They relate, for example, that the provision of weapons to collaborators by the local authorities was a way of rewarding them. However, the security forces' liaison committee mentioned in 1949 that "the distribution of weapons to an element or members of one group is likely to be useful to us; it will create the desired tension among the various parts of the population and enable us to control the situation." The security agencies, Cohen reveals on the basis of written documents, occasionally even initiated internal conflicts.
Gladwin man fights home demolition in Occupied Territories: While some college students spent their summer taking some extra classes, working or enjoying some time off, Cody O’Rourke of Gladwin spent some time using skills he’d learned in construction to help rebuild homes in the heart of the Occupied Territories of Palestine. O’Rourke participated in a peaceful resistance movement with the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD), a group which uses non-violent, direct action to resist the destruction of Palestinian homes in the Occupied Territories.
Congressman Nye and Jack Abramoff: Justice versus lobbies: Native American leaders contributed millions to the foundation. In 2002, the foundation reported it had given away more than $330,000 in grants to four organizations that said they never received the money. Instead, Abramoff used the organization for his pet projects. These included over $4 million to a Jewish school allied with the Zionist movement, $248,742 for Abramoff's house in Silver Spring, Maryland and hundreds of thousands for sniper training of extremist and illegal Israeli colonial settlers living on Palestinian land.
Palestinian killed by Israeli shells in northern Gaza: Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported on Wednesday that one resident was killed, another was injured, after the Israeli army fired a tank shell at a group of residents who were present close to the border line in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces fire missiles into southern Gaza Strip home and bulldoze land in the north: At least one of the rockets hit the house, as reported by eyewitnesses. Home owner Fat’hi Abu Jarad and his family made it out safely before Israeli forces launched the missiles. An afternoon account from eyewitnesses indicated that Israeli warplanes fired into Beit Lahia, killing a Palestinian. Also this morning Israeli forces bulldozed agricultural land east of Gaza City near the town of Jabaliya’s cemetery.
Israel confirms: Letter received from Shalit: Israel on Wednesday night confirmed for the first time that a letter has been received from Gilad Shalit. Channel 2 reported that the letter, which was reported by Arab media in recent days, indeed exists and was received by Israel.
Report: Former IDF commandos secretly trained Kurdish soldiers: Former Israeli special forces soldiers crossed into Iraq from Turkey in 2004 to train two sets of Kurdish troops, one of the former Israeli trainers told the BBC's Newsnight program. They also trained more than 100 Peshmerga or Kurdish fighters for "special assignments" that included how to use rifles and how to shoot militants in a crowd, he said.
Following visit to Syria, two Arab legislators banned from Knesset: Israeli Knesset “Ethics Committee “ decided to ban Arab members of Knesset Jamal Zahalka and Ibrahim Sarsour from the Knesset for three days over a trip they made to Syria about two weeks ago, Israeli sources reported.
Hamas retracts support for Arab League peace initiative: "You can't mention the Arab initiative only," Salah Bardawil, head of Hamas's parliamentary faction, told Haaretz yesterday. "The prisoners' document [an earlier proposed blueprint for a unity government] explicitly talks about 'recognizing the Arab source of authority,' while the agreement talks only about the Arab peace initiative. It must be changed and the initiative should be noted in a more general manner."
Palestinian airlines to use Egyptian airport: According to the agreement with Egyptian authorities, the Palestinian airlines would be able to take off and land in northern Egyptian town of al-Ariesh which is located a few kilometers away from Gaza Strip, Minister Zeyad al-Zaza told reporters.
Annan: UN must end mideast conflict: Addressing world leaders for the last time as secretary-general, Kofi Annan painted a grim picture Tuesday of an unjust world economy, global disorder and widespread contempt for human rights, and appealed for nations and peoples to truly unite. He said the Arab-Israeli conflict was the most potent and emotionally charged conflict in the world today."
Wild thoughts about the Palestinian issue: America is threatened; it needs a coalition to fight the threat; the coalition's members include Europe and the moderate Arab countries; these other members must be taken into account; and they want progress. Period. Whoever rejects this logic is apparently ready to compromise America's security. And after all, it is easier to look for a solution in Israel, which is so dependent on the United States, than to make an effort to force American policy on a recalcitrant Hamas or the obstinate Europeans.
Saudi Arabia sends relief to Gaza: The U.N. World Food Program is supplying Gaza with $2.6 million worth of flour, donated by Saudi Arabia, to assist impoverished Palestinians. Some 2,050 metric tons of flour, procured in Egypt, started entering the Gaza Strip this week to feed 50,000 families. (Gee thanks for the flour, KSA!)
Tulkarem Farmers in Boycott of Israeli goods: Palestinian traders and farmers will gather in the Tulkarem Refugee Camp on September 20th for a Palestinian goods market, boycotting Israeli products as a statement of resistance against Israel's ongoing occupation, The Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign said.
Two killed in the West Bank one of them a pregnant woman: Bushra Sultan, 27, from the Saflit region of the West Bank, died at an Israeli military checkpoint - East of Saflit - which had been closed by Israeli soldiers on Tuesday morning. Medical teams tried to revive Sultan but all attempts failed, leading to her death due to being unnecessarily held at the checkpoint.
Human rights group claims 90% of police investigations end in failure: The farmer was lying on the blood-soaked earth with crows circling above him when his son found him. Saber Shteia, 74, was battered by four settlers in his olive groves and left to die. As his son, Thourri, and another farmer loaded Mr Shteia on his donkey, he muttered, "They have killed me". The attack happened outside the village of Salem in the West Bank, which is under the jurisdiction of the Israeli police.
Palestinian woman dies at the Rafah Crossing: At least eight residents died at the Rafah Border Crossing since August after they were stranded there for several weeks due to the Israeli closure and siege imposed on the Gaza Strip after Palestinian fighters captured an Israeli soldier in a raid that targeted a military post near the Gaza borders.
Warning: Social intifada to break out in east J'lem: According to Amos Gil, chairman of the Ir-Amim organization, the issue can be solved only if it is treated on a national level. According to the organization, there are about 14,000 students which are not listed in the city's education system. Jerusalem City Council member Papa Alalu said that if the problem is not solved, "we will have a social intifada (uprising) on our hands."
TOMORROW: Brian Avery Shooting Investigation Appeal: On Wednesday, September 20, Israeli attorney Michael Sfard will again apply to the Israeli Supreme Court in Jerusalem demanding that the Israeli military open an investigation into the circumstances of the shooting of Brian Avery in Jenin on 5th April 2003. The application will be heard by judges Beinish, Arbel and Heshin at 9am.
National boycott action targets Irish stores selling Israeli goods: IPSC members targetted retail outlets in Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Sligo, to send a message to Irish retailers that continuing to trade with Israel while it obliterates Palestine is grossly unethical and gives both financial support, succour and legitimacy to Israel's escalating and unchecked violations of Palestinian human rights. The National Boycott Day was also intended to educate consumers as to the extent of Israeli goods in their shops.
Arab MK suspended for calling Peretz ‘murderer': The Knesset Ethics Committee decided on Tuesday to suspend United Arab List-Ta’al MK Ibrahim Sarsur for one day after he refereed to Defense Minister Amir Peretz as a “murderer.” Arab MK Jamal Zahalka (National Democratic Assembly) was suspended from the Knesset for three days for making similar remarks.
Study shows growing divide in life expectancy for Jews, Arabs: The Central Bureau of Statistics annual report on the Israeli population, issued Tuesday, shows a widening gap between the life expectancies of Jews and Arabs in Israel. The life expectancy of an Arab male in 2005 was 3.1 years shorter than that of a Jewish male, as opposed to a two-year difference in 1999.
Israel's Jewish population decreasing: Israel’s Jewish population decreasing According to Central Bureau of Statistics data published on Tuesday, the population of the State of Israel at the end of 2005 was comprised of 6,990,700 people, of which 5,313,800 were Jewish (76 percent of the entire population), and 1,377,100 were Arab (19.7 percent) according to data published by the Central Bureau of Statistics.
IDF: Arab MK barred from Gaza due to personal dangers of such a trip: The defense establishment on Tuesday said it had forbidden MK Talab al-Sana from traveling to the Gaza Strip to meet with senior Palestinian officials over the release of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, due to the personal dangers of such a trip.
Author Finkelstein to talk about Palestine-Israel conflict at UVM: Finkelstein will draw from his most recent book, Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History to address the most recent developments in the Middle East, according to a press release from the event sponsors. Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now! says Beyond Chutzpah is “a must read for anyone committed to a just and enduring peace in the Middle East.”
Palestine Economy May Crash: The Palestinian economy is at the edge of a collapse after months of Israeli aggressions and the closing of border routes, the spokesman of the World Food Program, Christiane Berthiaume, said on Tuesday. The spokesman said that if changes are not made, the crisis will not have solution because the aid only mitigates the problem.
The Surprising End of the New American Century
By Mike Whitney
"The decision to attack Iran was made long ago and features prominently in many of the neoconservative policy-documents including The Project for the New American Century and A Clean Break; a New Strategy for Securing the Realm. Iran cannot be allowed to develop nuclear technology for fear that it may provide them with the means to defend their oil. That would be catastrophic for western elites who plan to oversee the distribution of the world’s dwindling resources.
Iran has no choice but to take Bush’s saber rattling seriously and prepare for war. The administration’s stated goal of “regime change” poses a credible “existential threat” to current Iranian government and they must plan accordingly. They should expect that the US will prevail handily in the massive air campaign which will destroy much of Iran’s civil infrastructure leaving it in a state similar to that of Lebanon. But, following the aerial bombardment the real war will begin. (As was true in Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon) If Iran intends to remove the persistent threat created by the neocon plan for regional hegemony, it must anticipate a decades-long struggle which will be aimed at undermining the ability of the United States to wage war. That means they will probably focus on targets that will destroy the US economy; asymmetrical attacks on the currency, attacks on tankers, pipelines, oil-platforms and energy sites around the world, destabilizing regional allies of America (particularly Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan) arming guerilla groups in Afghanistan and Iraq, and a concerted campaign to disrupt the flow of oil to western markets.
It will also do what it can to realign the world in a way that challenges and ultimately discards the United Nations which merely serves the imperial ambitions of the US and its European allies. To that end, it must strengthen ties with Russia, China, India, Venezuela, Brazil and the non-aligned states. It will focus on isolating the US from its allies by turning world opinion against the aggressor and doing whatever is possible to shatter the trans-Atlantic Alliance. Once the US is separated from Europe, NATO and the UN will collapse, and the war will quickly come to a close."
"The decision to attack Iran was made long ago and features prominently in many of the neoconservative policy-documents including The Project for the New American Century and A Clean Break; a New Strategy for Securing the Realm. Iran cannot be allowed to develop nuclear technology for fear that it may provide them with the means to defend their oil. That would be catastrophic for western elites who plan to oversee the distribution of the world’s dwindling resources.
Iran has no choice but to take Bush’s saber rattling seriously and prepare for war. The administration’s stated goal of “regime change” poses a credible “existential threat” to current Iranian government and they must plan accordingly. They should expect that the US will prevail handily in the massive air campaign which will destroy much of Iran’s civil infrastructure leaving it in a state similar to that of Lebanon. But, following the aerial bombardment the real war will begin. (As was true in Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon) If Iran intends to remove the persistent threat created by the neocon plan for regional hegemony, it must anticipate a decades-long struggle which will be aimed at undermining the ability of the United States to wage war. That means they will probably focus on targets that will destroy the US economy; asymmetrical attacks on the currency, attacks on tankers, pipelines, oil-platforms and energy sites around the world, destabilizing regional allies of America (particularly Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan) arming guerilla groups in Afghanistan and Iraq, and a concerted campaign to disrupt the flow of oil to western markets.
It will also do what it can to realign the world in a way that challenges and ultimately discards the United Nations which merely serves the imperial ambitions of the US and its European allies. To that end, it must strengthen ties with Russia, China, India, Venezuela, Brazil and the non-aligned states. It will focus on isolating the US from its allies by turning world opinion against the aggressor and doing whatever is possible to shatter the trans-Atlantic Alliance. Once the US is separated from Europe, NATO and the UN will collapse, and the war will quickly come to a close."
Rise Up Against the Empire
Address to the United Nations
By HUGO CHAVEZ
"Representatives of the governments of the world, good morning to all of you. First of all, I would like to invite you, very respectfully, to those who have not read this book, to read it.
Noam Chomsky, one of the most prestigious American and world intellectuals, Noam Chomsky, and this is one of his most recent books, 'Hegemony or Survival: The Imperialist Strategy of the United States.'" [Holds up book, waves it in front of General Assembly.] "It's an excellent book to help us understand what has been happening in the world throughout the 20th century, and what's happening now, and the greatest threat looming over our planet.
The hegemonic pretensions of the American empire are placing at risk the very survival of the human species. We continue to warn you about this danger and we appeal to the people of the United States and the world to halt this threat, which is like a sword hanging over our heads.
"And the devil came here yesterday. Yesterday the devil came here. Right here." [crosses himself] "And it smells of sulfur still today.
Yesterday, ladies and gentlemen, from this rostrum, the president of the United States, the gentleman to whom I refer as the devil, came here, talking as if he owned the world. Truly. As the owner of the world.
They say they want to impose a democratic model. But that's their democratic model. It's the false democracy of elites, and, I would say, a very original democracy that's imposed by weapons and bombs and firing weapons.
The imperialists see extremists everywhere. It's not that we are extremists. It's that the world is waking up. It's waking up all over. And people are standing up.
It wants peace. But what's happening in Iraq? What happened in Lebanon? In Palestine? What's happening? What's happened over the last 100 years in Latin America and in the world? And now threatening Venezuela -- new threats against Venezuela, against Iran?
This is imperialist, fascist, assassin, genocidal, the empire and Israel firing on the people of Palestine and Lebanon. That is what happened. And now we hear, "We're suffering because we see homes destroyed.'
I don't think anybody in this room could defend the system. Let's accept -- let's be honest. The U.N. system, born after the Second World War, collapsed. It's worthless.
Let me give you a recent example. The immoral veto of the United States allowed the Israelis, with impunity, to destroy Lebanon. Right in front of all of us as we stood there watching, a resolution in the council was prevented.
Over and above all of this, Madam President, I think there are reasons to be optimistic. A poet would have said "helplessly optimistic," because over and above the wars and the bombs and the aggressive and the preventive war and the destruction of entire peoples, one can see that a new era is dawning."
***
VIVA CHAVEZ!
The Clenched Fist of the Phoenix
What Made Israel Burn Lebanon, Again?
By ARTHUR NESLEN
CounterPunch
(Arthur Neslen is a journalist working in Tel Aviv. The first Jewish employee of Aljazeera.net and a four-year veteran of the BBC, Neslen has contributed to numerous periodicals over the years, including The Guardian, The Observer, The Independent and Red Pepper.)
"But why pursue this objective by force of arms, at the cost of hundreds of lives, before even considering the diplomatic option that was available from day one?
Partly because Israeli society holds a longstanding inclination towards overwhelming force preferably involving collective punishment whenever an Arab force militarily defies it. But where does this prejudice come from, and why has it proved so pernicious?
'We strike like the wolf strikes,
We come like the wind and are gone,
And the fascist feels our clenched fist,
Our clenched fist, our clenched fist...'
The clenched fist allegory evokes two defining characteristics of Israeli Jewish identity, eternal victimhood and its Zionist riposte, the 'new Jew'. Early Zionist leaders such as David Ben Gurion, Ze'ev Jabotinsky and Arthur Ruppin were anxious to construct Israeli national identity around this unyielding and aggressive prototype. Nordau called it 'muscular Judaism'.
Zionist groups had not been distinguished in their physical resistance to anti-Semites in Europe but they were gladiatorial in their assaults on Palestinian communities. Moshe Dayan was frank about it: 'We are a generation of settlers and without the steel helmet and gun barrel, we shall not be able to plant a tree or build a house."
Those who resisted learned how Moshe Dayan's steel helmets and gun barrels provided their housing insurance. 'If we try to search for the Arab it has no value, but if we harass the nearby village,' Dayan said, 'then the population there comes out against the [infiltrators]. The method of collective punishment so far has proved effective.'
As successive waves of migrants arrived in the holy land, the "new Jew trope required them to prove their worth as Israelis. Holocaust survivors became the most merciless warriors of 1948; Arab Jews, the most fearful anti-Arab racists. The meek Orthodox establishment won their spurs as gun-toting hilltop bigots, while Russians today flock to Avigdor Liebermann's Yisrael Beitenu party of ethnic cleansing. They marched there all with fingernails piercing their palms.
Safer to say the phoenix will prevail, and each time more barbaric. For the poisoned bird of prey feeds on the hatred it creates as it hovers above the ruins, unable to fly, its talons clenched and bloody, its screech of 'a nation's right to self-defence' an agonised cry for help that might better translate as 'Stop me before I kill again'.
Washington listens, and sends more bombs."
By ARTHUR NESLEN
CounterPunch
(Arthur Neslen is a journalist working in Tel Aviv. The first Jewish employee of Aljazeera.net and a four-year veteran of the BBC, Neslen has contributed to numerous periodicals over the years, including The Guardian, The Observer, The Independent and Red Pepper.)
"But why pursue this objective by force of arms, at the cost of hundreds of lives, before even considering the diplomatic option that was available from day one?
Partly because Israeli society holds a longstanding inclination towards overwhelming force preferably involving collective punishment whenever an Arab force militarily defies it. But where does this prejudice come from, and why has it proved so pernicious?
'We strike like the wolf strikes,
We come like the wind and are gone,
And the fascist feels our clenched fist,
Our clenched fist, our clenched fist...'
The clenched fist allegory evokes two defining characteristics of Israeli Jewish identity, eternal victimhood and its Zionist riposte, the 'new Jew'. Early Zionist leaders such as David Ben Gurion, Ze'ev Jabotinsky and Arthur Ruppin were anxious to construct Israeli national identity around this unyielding and aggressive prototype. Nordau called it 'muscular Judaism'.
Zionist groups had not been distinguished in their physical resistance to anti-Semites in Europe but they were gladiatorial in their assaults on Palestinian communities. Moshe Dayan was frank about it: 'We are a generation of settlers and without the steel helmet and gun barrel, we shall not be able to plant a tree or build a house."
Those who resisted learned how Moshe Dayan's steel helmets and gun barrels provided their housing insurance. 'If we try to search for the Arab it has no value, but if we harass the nearby village,' Dayan said, 'then the population there comes out against the [infiltrators]. The method of collective punishment so far has proved effective.'
As successive waves of migrants arrived in the holy land, the "new Jew trope required them to prove their worth as Israelis. Holocaust survivors became the most merciless warriors of 1948; Arab Jews, the most fearful anti-Arab racists. The meek Orthodox establishment won their spurs as gun-toting hilltop bigots, while Russians today flock to Avigdor Liebermann's Yisrael Beitenu party of ethnic cleansing. They marched there all with fingernails piercing their palms.
Safer to say the phoenix will prevail, and each time more barbaric. For the poisoned bird of prey feeds on the hatred it creates as it hovers above the ruins, unable to fly, its talons clenched and bloody, its screech of 'a nation's right to self-defence' an agonised cry for help that might better translate as 'Stop me before I kill again'.
Washington listens, and sends more bombs."
One Day After Complete Exoneration, Maher Arar Yet to Receive Apology From Canada, US for Year-Long Imprisonment, Torture in Syrian Jail
DEMOCRACY NOW!
With Amy Goodman
Canada and the US are refusing to apologize to Maher Arar despite his exoneration by a Canadian government inquiry. The Syrian-born Canadian was detained nearly four years ago by U.S. authorities at JFK airport and was sent to Syria where he was jailed for a year and repeatedly tortured. Maher Arar joins us with his reaction.
"Four years ago, Maher Arar was on his way back to Canada from a family vacation in Tunisia. The Syrian-born Canadian citizen had a stopover at JFK airport in New York. After being questioned at the airport, U.S. officials took him to a New York immigration facility. Two weeks later he was secretly flown to Jordan aboard a Gulfstream Jet. Maher Arar ended up in Syria where he was held in a cell, the size of a grave. He was physically and psychologically tortured. He was forced to confess to having trained in Afghanistan -- where he has never been. He was released after a year and never charged with a crime.
On Monday, the Canadian government admitted for the first time that Arar was a completely innocent man. Justice Dennis O’Connor, who led the inquiry, said the U.S. government’s decision to send Arar to Syria was likely based on inaccurate and misleading information provided by Canadian authorities.
On Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper acknowledged that a tremendous injustice had taken place but he declined to apologize to Arar. Maher Arar joins us now on the phone from Canada.
MAHER ARAR: Well, my question to him is very simple. I think his answer really is -- he is underestimating how smart the American people are. You know, we've seen over the past couple of years other cases where individuals have been rendered to other countries for the sole purpose of extracting information, and this information extracted under torture ended up in the hands of American authorities. Now, you know, so for him to say that we do not send -- we get assurances from people, well, you know, how do you believe?
Let's take this as a fact. We don't really know whether they actually sought assurances. But let's say, let's assume they did get assurances from the Syrians. Why would they believe the Syrians, given that the State Department on a yearly basis criticizes the human rights record in Syria? In fact, just a couple of days, if I remember correctly, after I went public about my story in November of 2003, President Bush himself clearly spoke critically of Syria. And he, if I remember the expression he used, he said Syria left its people with a legacy of torture.
Well, clearly, everyone knows that Syria has practiced torture for many years. And for them to say, 'Well, we sought assurances," I don't think is an acceptable answer. The American government and those people who are responsible for what they did to me, they should be held accountable in a court of law."
Perhaps the most important lesson Americans can learn from this incident is that torture does not work. Mr. Arrar told CNN viewers today that after severe beatings, he told his Syrian tormenters what they wanted to hear. -Molly
Hamas PM rejects quartet conditions for aid
"GAZA CITY (AFP) - Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniya has rejected conditions set by the so-called Middle East quartet for resuming direct financial aid to the Palestinian administration.
"Conditions are being imposed on the Palestinian people. They want us to condemn the resistance and that we recognise (international) agreements," he told hundreds of Palestinians rallying in support of his Hamas-led government on Wednesday.
"We are sticking by the national reconciliation document which does not recognise the legality of the occupation and reaffirms the legality of the resistance" that will "continue," Haniya added.
The quartet has demanded Haniya's radical governing movement Hamas formally recognise Israel, renounce violence and abide by past peace agreements.
"We do not want to damage the interests of the Palestinian people," added Haniya, making clear that in his eyes, that meant not capitulating."
CARTOON OF THE DAY
In the name of security, but not for its sake
RECOMMENDED READING
By Amira Hass
"Six Palestinian churches in the West Bank and Gaza Strip suffered damage and arson attempts in reaction to the words of Pope Benedict XVI. Palestinian spokesmen of all stripes condemned these attacks and said that the Palestinian nation - Christians and Muslims alike - is one, and is united in its struggle against the occupation. Reports on the attacks in the Palestinian media described the perpetrators as "unknown." In the Palestinian subtext, "unknown" implies "of suspicious identity," a phrase that borders on a half-concealed accusation that Israel's Shin Bet security services sent agents provocateurs.
But is it possible to separate these ills completely from the Israeli occupation? The latest book by historian Hillel Cohen, Aravim Tovim ("Good Arabs"), offers several historical proofs of the validity of Palestinian "paranoia" about the political motives behind security control. Although the subject of the book is the activity of Israeli security and intelligence agencies among Israeli Arabs immediately after 1948, a consistent policy of action and thought that stretches from the Mandate years until the present allows us to draw conclusions that also apply to Israeli control over the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
Cohen's research relies mainly on police documents from the period, which have recently been opened for public perusal (the Shin Bet documents are still classified). They relate, for example, that the provision of weapons to collaborators by the local authorities was a way of rewarding them. However, the security forces' liaison committee mentioned in 1949 that "the distribution of weapons to an element or members of one group is likely to be useful to us; it will create the desired tension among the various parts of the population and enable us to control the situation." The security agencies, Cohen reveals on the basis of written documents, occasionally even initiated internal conflicts.
In other words, the security services - even if they acted on their own initiative in various places - operated in the context of an official paradigm: continued theft of lands, continued fragmentation and weakening of Arab society, and undermining the possibility of the Arabs developing an independent leadership.
According to this analysis, for which there is no shortage of evidence, the Israeli security services are careful to act within the framework of a clear political paradigm: maximum weakening, in every possible way, of the Palestinian national collective, so that it will not be able to realize its goal and establish a state worthy of the name, in accordance with international resolutions."
By Amira Hass
"Six Palestinian churches in the West Bank and Gaza Strip suffered damage and arson attempts in reaction to the words of Pope Benedict XVI. Palestinian spokesmen of all stripes condemned these attacks and said that the Palestinian nation - Christians and Muslims alike - is one, and is united in its struggle against the occupation. Reports on the attacks in the Palestinian media described the perpetrators as "unknown." In the Palestinian subtext, "unknown" implies "of suspicious identity," a phrase that borders on a half-concealed accusation that Israel's Shin Bet security services sent agents provocateurs.
But is it possible to separate these ills completely from the Israeli occupation? The latest book by historian Hillel Cohen, Aravim Tovim ("Good Arabs"), offers several historical proofs of the validity of Palestinian "paranoia" about the political motives behind security control. Although the subject of the book is the activity of Israeli security and intelligence agencies among Israeli Arabs immediately after 1948, a consistent policy of action and thought that stretches from the Mandate years until the present allows us to draw conclusions that also apply to Israeli control over the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
Cohen's research relies mainly on police documents from the period, which have recently been opened for public perusal (the Shin Bet documents are still classified). They relate, for example, that the provision of weapons to collaborators by the local authorities was a way of rewarding them. However, the security forces' liaison committee mentioned in 1949 that "the distribution of weapons to an element or members of one group is likely to be useful to us; it will create the desired tension among the various parts of the population and enable us to control the situation." The security agencies, Cohen reveals on the basis of written documents, occasionally even initiated internal conflicts.
In other words, the security services - even if they acted on their own initiative in various places - operated in the context of an official paradigm: continued theft of lands, continued fragmentation and weakening of Arab society, and undermining the possibility of the Arabs developing an independent leadership.
According to this analysis, for which there is no shortage of evidence, the Israeli security services are careful to act within the framework of a clear political paradigm: maximum weakening, in every possible way, of the Palestinian national collective, so that it will not be able to realize its goal and establish a state worthy of the name, in accordance with international resolutions."
Rendering Unto Syria
By Robert Scheer
"What an outrage for the president to invoke the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in his address to the United Nations, a day after a Canadian government commission accused the U.S. of rendering a Canadian to Syria for torture. Did no one on his staff inform the president that Article 5 of that declaration explicitly states, “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”?
For those, like Bush, who regard torture as a variant of college fraternity hazing, it would be instructive to consider the fate of Maher Arar as revealed in that devastating Canadian judicial report released on Monday. Arar, a Canadian citizen and engineer who had fled repressive Syria two decades earlier as a teenager, was seized by the FBI at JFK Airport and “rendered” to the government of Syria for nearly a year of being whipped with a “shredded electrical cable until he was disoriented”—that is, when he was not confined to his coffin-size cage.
The United States transported Arar to the very same Syria which Bush has been condemning since his first days in office, and as he did again on Tuesday, calling Syria “a crossroad for terrorism.” So, will anyone in that somnambulant White House press corps dare ask the president why he would turn over a prisoner to such a government? And an innocent one at that?
To put it a bit more bluntly: U.S. officials lied to their Canadian counterparts and never revealed that Arar was “rendered” to Syria precisely to be tortured."
"What an outrage for the president to invoke the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in his address to the United Nations, a day after a Canadian government commission accused the U.S. of rendering a Canadian to Syria for torture. Did no one on his staff inform the president that Article 5 of that declaration explicitly states, “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”?
For those, like Bush, who regard torture as a variant of college fraternity hazing, it would be instructive to consider the fate of Maher Arar as revealed in that devastating Canadian judicial report released on Monday. Arar, a Canadian citizen and engineer who had fled repressive Syria two decades earlier as a teenager, was seized by the FBI at JFK Airport and “rendered” to the government of Syria for nearly a year of being whipped with a “shredded electrical cable until he was disoriented”—that is, when he was not confined to his coffin-size cage.
The United States transported Arar to the very same Syria which Bush has been condemning since his first days in office, and as he did again on Tuesday, calling Syria “a crossroad for terrorism.” So, will anyone in that somnambulant White House press corps dare ask the president why he would turn over a prisoner to such a government? And an innocent one at that?
To put it a bit more bluntly: U.S. officials lied to their Canadian counterparts and never revealed that Arar was “rendered” to Syria precisely to be tortured."
Israeli troops storm banks, money-exchange offices in West Bank, steal millions of dollars
One of the money-exchanges broken into by the IOF
By Khalid Amayreh
"like gangsters, armed robbers and common criminals, Israeli occupation troops last night stormed, vandalized and partially destroyed several banks and financial institutions in several Palestinian towns, stealing millions of dollars, victims and Palestinian security sources said.
The sources said Israeli soldiers, using explosives, blasted the outer doors of many money-changer offices before smashing computers and furniture and stealing large amounts of cash.
In Nablus , soldiers stormed the Ahli Bank, causing widespread havoc. Moreover, six money-changer premises were raided shortly after midnight after their metal doors were blasted using explosives.
“This is not the behavior of a state, this is the behavior of gangsters and common criminals. Even the mafia doesn’t behave this way.”
“They took me from home and forced me to open the door and took everything I have: Money, checks, dollars, shekels. They didn’t leave me anything except for the rubble.”
Similar raids reportedly took place in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Ramallah where financial institutions were broken into and large amounts of cash were stolen by soldiers.
Israeli army spokespersons refused to answer questions on why the raids were ordered. However, the Israeli media quoted an army officer as saying that the targeted institutions may have been involved in bringing money from outside Palestine in violation of a hermetic Israeli financial blockade on the Palestinian Authority.
Israel which is withholding hundreds of millions of dollars of Palestinian customs money is refusing to allow Palestinian banks to bring Arab and Islamic aid money into the occupied territories.
Israel is also barring Palestinians from accessing food and work, pushing numerous families, especially in the Gaza Strip, to the brink of starvation.
Palestinians are generally denied serious legal protection in Israel since the Jewish state uses defunct draconian emergency laws dating back to the British mandate era. According to these law, a military officer can order the confiscation of property, including homes and land, without any court warrant."
Official Arab sources: Abbas to declare state of emergency on returning from New York
"Occupied Jerusalem - PA chief Mahmoud Abbas is to declare a state of emergency in the PA-run lands on his return from New York where he is attending the UN general assembly's session and where he is expected to meet US president George W. Bush on Wednesday, official Arab sources affirmed Tuesday.
The sources, which opted to remain anonymous, said that Abbas held consultations with a number of Arab leaders, who had rejected re-appointing PA premier Ismail Haneyya to lead the new national unity government, over the past few weeks.
The sources noted that those Arab leaders supported Abbas' step, and pointed out that the escalating violence in the PA lands constituted a suitable atmosphere to justify Abbas' step.
They noted that the EU promised to release all PA money detained by Israel over the past six months and to grant him additional aid to ward off any possible adverse reaction on the part of the Palestinian masses toward such a step.
Abbas met at dawn Tuesday with the Israeli foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, at the UN headquarters for the first time in five months. He emerged after the meeting to describe it as "extremely positive"."
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Hamas supporters wave green Islamic flags during a protest supporting the Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, at the Palestinian Parliament in Gaza City, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2006.(AP Photo)
Members of the Presidential Guard try to protect the office of the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, as Hamas supporters take part in a protest supporting the Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, in Gaza City, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2006. (AP Photo)
Palestinian Hamas supporters take part in a Hamas protest supporting Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza September 19, 2006. (REUTERS)
Palestinian Hamas supporters shout slogans in front of President Abbas' guards during a Hamas protest in support of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza, September 19, 2006. (Reuters)
There is more than one triangle of resistance
By Haifa Zangana
(Haifa Zangana is a novelist and former prisoner of Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi regime. She is a weekly columnist for al-Quds newspaper and an occasional commentator for the Guardian, Red Pepper and al-Ahram Weekly. She lectures regularly on Iraqi culture, literature, and women issues)
The Guardian
"Psychologically, it was useful to gain the American people's empathy with their courageous soldiers; "For an American soldier in Iraq, there is no more dangerous neighbourhood than what has come to be known as the Sunni Triangle, the area west of Baghdad, around the town of Falluja."
More important was the success of the brand name to dehumanize Iraqis, to justify the occupation's atrocities, civilian's killings in particular; because; "in the Sunni Triangle, it is not easy to determine who is a combatant and who is not. And this sometimes results in unintended consequences that the military says it can't avoid. Civilians sometimes get caught in the crossfire. They get shot, or worse, they get killed."
For Iraqis, the "Sunni Triangle" has become synonymous with the US-led occupation's brutality - Falluja's destruction, followed by Samara, Tel Afar and parts of Najaf. It is symonymous with daily killings , air-strikes, arbitrary arrests, detentions and torture; with Abu Ghraib, house raids and search and destroy operations; with massacres in Haditha, Al Qaem, and Al Ishaqi. It is also the brand name for all the US-UK military operations that have killed, to date, over 100,000 civilians and driven the country into a sectarian civil war to "establish democracy". The US president recently expressed the aim: "We will fight the terrorists overseas so we don't have to fight them here at home, in the streets of our own cities"."
The increase in attacks on occupation troops in recent months - in Basra, Amara, Diwaniya, Kirkuk, Mosul and Baghdad - clearly defies the " Triangulation" and "Sunnization" of the resistance.
What the occupation and its puppets have chosen not to see is that the Iraqi resistance would not have continued and sustained its attacks, over three years, in 13 provinces unless it was first Iraqi, second national, third and above all supported and protected by Iraqi people through various social networks, communities, tribes, NGOs, and political parties."
(Haifa Zangana is a novelist and former prisoner of Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi regime. She is a weekly columnist for al-Quds newspaper and an occasional commentator for the Guardian, Red Pepper and al-Ahram Weekly. She lectures regularly on Iraqi culture, literature, and women issues)
The Guardian
"Psychologically, it was useful to gain the American people's empathy with their courageous soldiers; "For an American soldier in Iraq, there is no more dangerous neighbourhood than what has come to be known as the Sunni Triangle, the area west of Baghdad, around the town of Falluja."
More important was the success of the brand name to dehumanize Iraqis, to justify the occupation's atrocities, civilian's killings in particular; because; "in the Sunni Triangle, it is not easy to determine who is a combatant and who is not. And this sometimes results in unintended consequences that the military says it can't avoid. Civilians sometimes get caught in the crossfire. They get shot, or worse, they get killed."
For Iraqis, the "Sunni Triangle" has become synonymous with the US-led occupation's brutality - Falluja's destruction, followed by Samara, Tel Afar and parts of Najaf. It is symonymous with daily killings , air-strikes, arbitrary arrests, detentions and torture; with Abu Ghraib, house raids and search and destroy operations; with massacres in Haditha, Al Qaem, and Al Ishaqi. It is also the brand name for all the US-UK military operations that have killed, to date, over 100,000 civilians and driven the country into a sectarian civil war to "establish democracy". The US president recently expressed the aim: "We will fight the terrorists overseas so we don't have to fight them here at home, in the streets of our own cities"."
The increase in attacks on occupation troops in recent months - in Basra, Amara, Diwaniya, Kirkuk, Mosul and Baghdad - clearly defies the " Triangulation" and "Sunnization" of the resistance.
What the occupation and its puppets have chosen not to see is that the Iraqi resistance would not have continued and sustained its attacks, over three years, in 13 provinces unless it was first Iraqi, second national, third and above all supported and protected by Iraqi people through various social networks, communities, tribes, NGOs, and political parties."
مصادر رسمية عربية تؤكد نيّة "أبو مازن" إعلان حالة الطوارئ
IMPORTANT BREAKING NEWS
The Puppet Has Received His Marching Orders!
مصادر رسمية عربية تؤكد نيّة "أبو مازن" إعلان حالة الطوارئ في السّلطة حال عودته من نيويورك
كشفت مصادر عربية رسمية عن عزم رئيس السلطة الفلسطينية محمود عباس"أبو مازن" إعلان حالة الطوارئ في الأراضي الفلسطينية حال عودته من لقائه المقرَّر الأربعاء المقبل في نيويورك مع الرئيس الأميركي جورج بوش.
وقالت تلك المصادر؛ التي فضَّلت عدم الكشف عن نفسها: إن عباس أجرى خلال الأسابيع الماضية سلسلة من المشاورات مع بعض الزعماء العرب، ممن أعلنوا رفضهم تكليف الأستاذ إسماعيل هنية بتشكيل حكومة الوحدة الوطنية، حول نيته إعلان حالة الطوارئ في الأراضي الفلسطينية حال عودته من نيويورك، مشيرة إلى أنه نال تأييدهم حيال هذه الخطوة.
وأشارت المصادر للمركز الفلسطيني للإعلام، إلى أن تصاعد موجة العنف الأخيرة التي شهدتها أراضي السلطة، والتي يقف خلفها متنفِّذون في الأجهزة الأمنية، وشخصيات ترفض مبدأ تشكيل حكومة الوحدة الوطنية، أو أيّ تقارب بين حركتي المقاومة الإسلامية "حماس" وفتح، تعدّ مقدّمة لتبرير خطوة عباس إعلان حالة الطوارئ.
وأكدت أن "أبو مازن" تلقَّى وعداً من الاتحاد الأوروبي بالإفراج عن أموال السلطة التي يحتجزها الكيان الصهيوني منذ ستة أشهر، إضافة إلى منحه مساعدات عاجلة، بهدف امتصاص ردَّة الفعل الجماهيرية تجاه هذه الخطوة.
وكان عباس التقى فجر اليوم الثلاثاء (19/9) بوزيرة الخارجية الصهيونية تسيبني ليفني في مقر الأمم المتحدة، وذلك للمرة الأولى منذ خمسة أشهر. ووصف عباس هذا اللقاء بأنه "إيجابي جدا جدا"، مضيفاً أننا "تحدثنا في كل شيء". بينما قالت ليفني: إن الاجتماع كان "جيدا جدا ومهِّماً وبنَّاءً". كما التقى عباس مساء أمس في نيويورك وزيرة الخارجية الأميركية كوندوليزا رايس.
يشار إلى أن الشعب الفلسطيني يتعرض منذ انتخابه لحركة حماس في الانتخابات التشريعية الأخيرة التي جرت في الخامس والعشرين من يناير/كانون الأول 2006، حيث حازت على أكثر من 60% من مقاعد المجلس التشريعي الفلسطيني لحصار محكم، وذلك عقاباً له على خياره الديمقراطي الحر الذي شهد العالم بنزاهته وشفافيته، ويشارك في هذا الحصار بجانب الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية والكيان الصهيوني والاتحاد الأوروبي بعضُ الأنظمة العربية وجهات فلسطينية عملت منذ تشكيل "حماس" للحكومة الفلسطينية، على عرقلة عمل الحكومة المنتخبة، وسحب الصلاحيات من يدها، لشلِّ حركتها وإظهارها بالعاجز أمام شعبها، في مقابل تحميلها مسؤولية كلّ ما يلاقيه من أزمات يقف خلفها منْ يفرض الحصار ويشارك فيه.
***
Official Arabic sources confirmed that Abbas will declare a state of emergency when he returns from New York!
The sources said that Abbas will declare a state of emergency after he returns from meeting Bush on Wednesday. The sources revealed that Abbas has concluded a series of meetings during the past few weeks with some Arab leaders who opposed the idea of naming Haniyeh to head a national unity government. Those same leaders were consulted by Abbas about declaring a state of emergency and they supported this step.
The sources further revealed that the state of unrest and violence seen in the past few weeks, which was instigated by the security services of the PA and by people within Fatah who do not want a government of national unity or any conciliation between Hamas and Fatah, will be used to rationalize and justify the state of emergency.
It was also revealed that the EU has promised Abbas to release the PA funds that Israel is holding as well as urgent additional funds to help Abbas overcome the popular anger resulting from the declaration of emergency.
It was noted that Abbas had meetings with Livni and Rice. He described the meeting with Livni as being very, very positive! He said, "we discussed everything."
Ramadi caught in US street fight
By Dahr Jamail and Ali al-Fadhily
Asia Times
"RAMADI, Iraq - US forces are taking to collective punishment of civilians in several cities across al-Anbar province west of Baghdad, residents and officials say.
"Ramadi, the capital of al-Anbar province, is still living with the daily terror of its people getting killed by snipers and its infrastructure being destroyed," said Ahmad, a local doctor who withheld his last name for security purposes. "This city has been facing the worst of the American terror and destruction for more than two years now, and the world is silent."
Destroying infrastructure and cutting water and electricity "for days and even weeks is routine reaction to the resistance", he said. "Guys of the resistance do not need water and electricity, it's the families that are being harmed, and their lives which are at stake."
This month, a classified report written by the chief of intelligence for the US Marine Corps in Iraq concluded that the United States had lost control of Anbar, at least politically.
Inter Press Service (IPS) reported on September 5 that the US military was bulldozing entire blocks of buildings near the governorate to dampen resistance attacks on government offices. Such US action seems most severe in Anbar province, where resistance is strongest, and which has seen the highest US casualties.
While Baghdad is not in Anbar province, occupation forces have used similar tactics there. In January 2005, IPS reported that the military used bulldozers to level palm groves, cut electricity, destroy a fuel station and block access roads in response to attacks from resistance fighters."
Asia Times
"RAMADI, Iraq - US forces are taking to collective punishment of civilians in several cities across al-Anbar province west of Baghdad, residents and officials say.
"Ramadi, the capital of al-Anbar province, is still living with the daily terror of its people getting killed by snipers and its infrastructure being destroyed," said Ahmad, a local doctor who withheld his last name for security purposes. "This city has been facing the worst of the American terror and destruction for more than two years now, and the world is silent."
Destroying infrastructure and cutting water and electricity "for days and even weeks is routine reaction to the resistance", he said. "Guys of the resistance do not need water and electricity, it's the families that are being harmed, and their lives which are at stake."
This month, a classified report written by the chief of intelligence for the US Marine Corps in Iraq concluded that the United States had lost control of Anbar, at least politically.
Inter Press Service (IPS) reported on September 5 that the US military was bulldozing entire blocks of buildings near the governorate to dampen resistance attacks on government offices. Such US action seems most severe in Anbar province, where resistance is strongest, and which has seen the highest US casualties.
While Baghdad is not in Anbar province, occupation forces have used similar tactics there. In January 2005, IPS reported that the military used bulldozers to level palm groves, cut electricity, destroy a fuel station and block access roads in response to attacks from resistance fighters."
UN: Israel cluster bomb use in Lebanon ‘outrageous’
Organization’s humanitarian coordinator in Lebanon says ‘most bomblets were fired by the time the conflict had been largely resolved in the form of Resolution 1701’; adds: it seems to me extraordinary that they were fired off in the last hours of the war into areas where civilian populations were known to be going
Reuters
"A UN official said on Tuesday that Israel dropped at least 350,000 cluster bomblets on south Lebanon in its war with Hizbullah guerrillas, mostly when the conflict was all but over, leaving a deadly legacy for civilians,. “The outrageous fact is that nearly all of these munitions were fired in the last three to four days of the war,” David Shearer, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Lebanon, told a news conference in Beirut.
“Outrageous because by that stage the conflict had been largely resolved in the form of (UN Security Council) Resolution 1701,” he said.
Shearer said Israel had not explained why it fired so many cluster bombs across the south as the war drew to a close. Nor had it responded to a UN Request for the map coordinates of the cluster bomb strikes to hasten clearance efforts.
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland has called Israel “Completely immoral” for using them in residential areas.
The United Nations has so far identified 516 cluster bomb strike locations and says 30 to 40 percent of the bomblets they scattered over the south failed to explode at the time."
Reuters
"A UN official said on Tuesday that Israel dropped at least 350,000 cluster bomblets on south Lebanon in its war with Hizbullah guerrillas, mostly when the conflict was all but over, leaving a deadly legacy for civilians,. “The outrageous fact is that nearly all of these munitions were fired in the last three to four days of the war,” David Shearer, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Lebanon, told a news conference in Beirut.
“Outrageous because by that stage the conflict had been largely resolved in the form of (UN Security Council) Resolution 1701,” he said.
Shearer said Israel had not explained why it fired so many cluster bombs across the south as the war drew to a close. Nor had it responded to a UN Request for the map coordinates of the cluster bomb strikes to hasten clearance efforts.
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland has called Israel “Completely immoral” for using them in residential areas.
The United Nations has so far identified 516 cluster bomb strike locations and says 30 to 40 percent of the bomblets they scattered over the south failed to explode at the time."
The Sabra and Shatilla Massacres: September 1982.
We Cannot and Will not Forget.
(Baha Boukhari, Al-Ayyam, 9/18/06)
Gaza: The children killed in a war the world doesn't want to know about
By Donald Macintyre, The Independent, In Rafah
Published: 19 September 2006
"Jihad Abu Snaima was just the most recent of more than 37 children and teenagers under 18 killed [out of a total death toll, including militants, of 228] in the operations mounted by the Israeli military in Gaza since 25 June, according to figures from the Palestinian Centre of Human Rights (PCHR).
The conflict in Gaza has attracted relatively little international attention, not least because for five weeks it was overshadowed by that in Lebanon. But the death toll has continued to rise.
But Hamdi Shaqqura of PCHR's Gaza office which accuses Israel of using repeated closures and destruction of the power supply to operate a policy of "collective punishment" in breach of international law in Gaza, argues that the excuse of "collateral damage" cannot justify the " very high" death toll in the operations since 15 June. He adds: " Israel's forces have been acting excessively and disproportionately, and this explains the high figures for the number of innocent civilians killed by them.""
Names of children under the age of 18 killed during the operations mounted by the Israeli military in Gaza since 25 June, according to the Palestinian Centre of Human Rights
Bara Nasser Habib, 3 (hit by shrapnel to the head and body, Gaza City, 26 July) Shahed Saleh Al-Sheikh Eid, 3 days old (bled to death after airstrike, Al-Shouka, 4 August) Rajaa Salam Abu Shaban, 3 (died of fractured skull in air raid, Gaza City, 9 August) Jihad Selmi Abu Snaima, 14 (killed by a shell, Al-Shoukha, 10 september) Khaled Nidal Wahba, 15 months (died of wounds from an airstrike, 10 July) Rawan Farid Hajjaj, 6 (killed with his mother and sister in an airstrike, Gaza City, 8 July) Anwar Ismail Abdul Ghani Atallah, 12 (shot in the head, Erez, 5 July) Shadi Yousef Omar 16 (shot in the chest by IDF, Beit Lahya, 7 July) Mahfouth Farid Nuseir, 16 (killed by missile while playing football, Beit Hanoun, 11 July) Ahmad Ghalib Abu Amsha, 16, (killed by missile while playing football, Beit Hanoun, 11 July) Ahmad Fathi Shabat, 16 (killed by missile while playing football, Beit Hanoun, 11 July) Walid Mahmoud El-Zeinati, 12 (died of shrapnel wounds, Gaza City, 11 July) Basma Salmeya, 16 (killed in Israeli airstrike, 12 July, Jabalia) Somaya Salmeya, 17 (killed in Israeli airstrike, 12 July, Jabalia) Aya Salmeya, 9 (killed in Israeli airstrike, Jabalia, 12 July) Yehya Salmeya, 10 (killed in Israeli airstrike, Jabalia, 12 July) Nasr Salmeya, 7 (killed in Israeli airstrike, Jabalia, 12 July) Huda Salmeya, 13 (killed in Israeli airstrike, Jabalia, 12 July) Eman Salmeya, 12 (killed in Israeli airstrike, Jabalia, 12 July) Raji Omar Jaber Daifallah, 16 (died of shrapnel wounds from missile, Gaza City, 13 July) Ali Kamel Al-Najjar, 16 (killed by Israeli tank shell, Al-Maghazi refugee camp, 19 July) Ahmed Ali Al-Na'ami, 16 (killed by Israeli tank shell, Al-Maghazi refugee camp, 19 July) Ahmed Rawhi Abu Abdu, 14 (killed by drone missile, Al Nusairat refugee camp, 19 July) Mohammed 'awad Muhra, 14 (killed by Israeli bullet to the chest, Al-Maghazi refugee camp, 20 July) Fadwa Faisal Al-'arrouqi, 13 (died from shrapnel wounds, Gaza City, 20 July) Saleh Ibrahim Nasser, 14 (killed by artillery fire, Beit Hanoun, 24 July) Khitam Mohammed Rebhi Tayeh, 11 (killed by artillery fire, Beit Hanoun, 24 July) Ashraf 'abdullah 'awad Abu Zaher, 14 (shot in the back, Khan Younis, 25 July) Nahid Mohammed Fawzi Al-Shanbari, 16 (killed by artillery fire, Beit Hanoun, 31 July) 'aaref Ahmed Abu Qaida, 14 (killed by artillery fire, Beit Hanoun, 1 August) Anis Salem Abu Awad, 12 (killed by airstike, Al-Shouka, 2 August) Ammar Rajaa Al-Natour, 17 (killed by drone missile, Al Shouka, 5 August) Kifah Rajaa Al-Natour, 15 (killed by drone missile, Al Shouka, 5 August) Ibrahim Suleiman Al-Rumailat, 13 (killed by drone missile, Al Shouka, 5 August) Ahmed Yousef 'abed 'aashour, 13 (killed by missile fire, Beit Hanoun, 14 August) Mohammed 'abdullah Al-Ziq, 14 (killed by drone missile, Gaza City, 29 August) Nidal 'abdul 'aziz Al-Dahdouh, 14 (killed by rifle fire, Gaza City, 30 August) Jihad Selmi Abu Snaima, 14 (killed by artillery fire, Rafah, 10 September)
Pre-Traumatic Stress Disorder-A Glimpse Into Israeli Collective Psychosis
DIAGNOSIS AND SHARP WIT BY
Gilad Atzmon
"Indeed, a growing number of people want to see an end to Israel, the ‘Jew Only State’. Yet, no one around expresses any murderous or terminal plans against world Jewry or even against their Jewish State. No one in the political or the media spheres is calling for a homicidal act against the Jews or their Jewish State. Thus the well-established Judeocentric tendency to interpret almost any legitimate political and ideological criticism as a perpetration of an upcoming Judeocide should be comprehended as a severe form of paranoia verging on collective psychosis, which I define as Pre-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Pre-TSD).
Within the condition of the Pre-Traumatic Stress Disorder, the stress is the outcome of a phantasmic event, an imaginary episode set in the future; an event that has never taken place. Unlike the PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) in which stress comes as the direct reaction to an event that (may) have taken place in the past, within the state of Pre-TSD, the stress is the clearly the outcome of an imaginary potential event. Within the Pre-TSD, an illusion pre-empts reality and the condition in which the fantasy of terror is focussed is itself becoming grave reality. If it is taken to extremes, even an agenda of total war against the rest of the world is not an unthinkable reaction.
Let us face it once and for all. Since no one voices a call to throw the Israelis into the sea or to nuke them instead, one is entitled to argue that the Israeli inclination to blame Muslims and Arabs for holding such murderous tendencies themselves must be understood in terms of projection. The people who rained Lebanon with ‘more than a million cluster bombs’ are projecting their murderous zeal onto their victims and even onto their victims to come.
This is indeed very sad but far from being unique. The case of America’s Cold War paranoia is not that different from the case of Israel. Since America was the first and so far, the only country to use the atomic bomb against other people, it was the Americans who were actually caught in a cold war Pre-TSD. They simply projected their collective murderous tendencies onto the Soviets.
Other early Zionists were stimulated by some East European anti-Jewish riots and pogroms. In general, Zionism can be realised as an urge to formulate a general political agenda based on self-inflicting fright. This is probably why Zionism must maintain terror in order to sustain its power. It is evident that Bush and the Neocons use exactly the same tactic. "
Gilad Atzmon
"Indeed, a growing number of people want to see an end to Israel, the ‘Jew Only State’. Yet, no one around expresses any murderous or terminal plans against world Jewry or even against their Jewish State. No one in the political or the media spheres is calling for a homicidal act against the Jews or their Jewish State. Thus the well-established Judeocentric tendency to interpret almost any legitimate political and ideological criticism as a perpetration of an upcoming Judeocide should be comprehended as a severe form of paranoia verging on collective psychosis, which I define as Pre-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Pre-TSD).
Within the condition of the Pre-Traumatic Stress Disorder, the stress is the outcome of a phantasmic event, an imaginary episode set in the future; an event that has never taken place. Unlike the PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) in which stress comes as the direct reaction to an event that (may) have taken place in the past, within the state of Pre-TSD, the stress is the clearly the outcome of an imaginary potential event. Within the Pre-TSD, an illusion pre-empts reality and the condition in which the fantasy of terror is focussed is itself becoming grave reality. If it is taken to extremes, even an agenda of total war against the rest of the world is not an unthinkable reaction.
Let us face it once and for all. Since no one voices a call to throw the Israelis into the sea or to nuke them instead, one is entitled to argue that the Israeli inclination to blame Muslims and Arabs for holding such murderous tendencies themselves must be understood in terms of projection. The people who rained Lebanon with ‘more than a million cluster bombs’ are projecting their murderous zeal onto their victims and even onto their victims to come.
This is indeed very sad but far from being unique. The case of America’s Cold War paranoia is not that different from the case of Israel. Since America was the first and so far, the only country to use the atomic bomb against other people, it was the Americans who were actually caught in a cold war Pre-TSD. They simply projected their collective murderous tendencies onto the Soviets.
Other early Zionists were stimulated by some East European anti-Jewish riots and pogroms. In general, Zionism can be realised as an urge to formulate a general political agenda based on self-inflicting fright. This is probably why Zionism must maintain terror in order to sustain its power. It is evident that Bush and the Neocons use exactly the same tactic. "
Monday, September 18, 2006
Painful Deception In Palestine
AN ARTICLE THAT IS ON THE MARK!
By Rami G. Khouri
(Rami G. Khouri is an internationally syndicated columnist, the director of the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut, and editor-at-large of the Beirut-based Daily Star)
"Rather, the national unity government being contemplated is a show of Palestinian weakness, vulnerability and irresoluteness. It is largely a desperate response to the Israeli-American-European financial embargo that is slowly starving the Palestinians. To avoid death by strangulation and malnutrition, the Palestinians must practice diplomatic submission and subservience to Israel-American positions. In return for a resumption of financial aid and normal diplomatic contacts, the Palestinians must meet the three conditions that were set after the Hamas election victory in January. The Middle East "Quartet"—the U.S., EU, U.N. and Russia—established those conditions as recognition of Israel's right to exist, renunciation of violence, and recognition of previous peace accords with the Israelis.
This waste of time and massive deception deceives nobody. It neither responds to the Quartet’s demands nor offers any hope of a diplomatic breakthrough to a negotiated peace. It is not even sure to resume financial aid to the Palestinians, as the ongoing United States-Israel-Europe debate reveals. As a forced response to inhuman strangulation by the U.S.-Israel, the Palestinian national unity government only perpetuates a low quality American-Israeli-Palestinian tradition of dancing around the tough decisions that need to be made, without grasping them. This always turns into a dance of death on both sides, as we witness today.
Adding forced capitulation and new levels of ambiguity to the already limp legacy of Palestinian national leadership behavior will only generate new forms of political frustration and tension; these will ultimately express themselves in unpredictable manifestations of contestation, resistance and perhaps violence. Israeli-American attempts to punish, strangle, starve, boycott, jail, kill, bankrupt and generally humiliate the Palestinians into submission and surrender will fail, as surely as the sun will rise in the east tomorrow. Bringing the elected Hamas leadership into this cycle of false hopes and slightly delusional expectations will only add Hamas to the list of discredited political amateurs."
By Rami G. Khouri
(Rami G. Khouri is an internationally syndicated columnist, the director of the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut, and editor-at-large of the Beirut-based Daily Star)
"Rather, the national unity government being contemplated is a show of Palestinian weakness, vulnerability and irresoluteness. It is largely a desperate response to the Israeli-American-European financial embargo that is slowly starving the Palestinians. To avoid death by strangulation and malnutrition, the Palestinians must practice diplomatic submission and subservience to Israel-American positions. In return for a resumption of financial aid and normal diplomatic contacts, the Palestinians must meet the three conditions that were set after the Hamas election victory in January. The Middle East "Quartet"—the U.S., EU, U.N. and Russia—established those conditions as recognition of Israel's right to exist, renunciation of violence, and recognition of previous peace accords with the Israelis.
This waste of time and massive deception deceives nobody. It neither responds to the Quartet’s demands nor offers any hope of a diplomatic breakthrough to a negotiated peace. It is not even sure to resume financial aid to the Palestinians, as the ongoing United States-Israel-Europe debate reveals. As a forced response to inhuman strangulation by the U.S.-Israel, the Palestinian national unity government only perpetuates a low quality American-Israeli-Palestinian tradition of dancing around the tough decisions that need to be made, without grasping them. This always turns into a dance of death on both sides, as we witness today.
Adding forced capitulation and new levels of ambiguity to the already limp legacy of Palestinian national leadership behavior will only generate new forms of political frustration and tension; these will ultimately express themselves in unpredictable manifestations of contestation, resistance and perhaps violence. Israeli-American attempts to punish, strangle, starve, boycott, jail, kill, bankrupt and generally humiliate the Palestinians into submission and surrender will fail, as surely as the sun will rise in the east tomorrow. Bringing the elected Hamas leadership into this cycle of false hopes and slightly delusional expectations will only add Hamas to the list of discredited political amateurs."
Poll: Most Palestinians think Hamas should not recognize Israel
"Some 66 percent of Palestinians think Hamas should not recognize Israel, said a poll by the Ramallah-based Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR), which questioned more than 1,200 adults in the West Bank and Gaza between Thursday and Saturday.
Hamas' popularity has plummeted from 47 percent since it took office in March to 38 percent currently.
Some 41 percent of those asked said they would vote for Fatah if elections were held today, putting the party slightly ahead of Hamas for the first time in months.
A small majority of Palestinians 54 percent also said they were dissatisfied with the Hamas government's performance, mostly because of its failure to pay salaries and address poverty, said the poll, which had a margin of error of 3 percent."
***
THE ILLOGIC (DESPERATION?) OF THE PALESTINIANS
On the one hand a clear majority (66%) don't want Hamas to recognize Israel (as a Zionist, racist state). On the other hand the support for Hamas is dropping and 54% are dissatisfied with Hamas because of its failure to pay salaries!
I never realized that hunger causes schizophrenia! The refusal of Hamas to recognize Israel (what the majority supports) is one of the key reasons for the total blockade against the Palestinians imposed by Usrael, hence the inability of Hamas to pay the salaries (which is upsetting a majority).
Go figure!
Tony Sayegh
Hamas' popularity has plummeted from 47 percent since it took office in March to 38 percent currently.
Some 41 percent of those asked said they would vote for Fatah if elections were held today, putting the party slightly ahead of Hamas for the first time in months.
A small majority of Palestinians 54 percent also said they were dissatisfied with the Hamas government's performance, mostly because of its failure to pay salaries and address poverty, said the poll, which had a margin of error of 3 percent."
***
THE ILLOGIC (DESPERATION?) OF THE PALESTINIANS
On the one hand a clear majority (66%) don't want Hamas to recognize Israel (as a Zionist, racist state). On the other hand the support for Hamas is dropping and 54% are dissatisfied with Hamas because of its failure to pay salaries!
I never realized that hunger causes schizophrenia! The refusal of Hamas to recognize Israel (what the majority supports) is one of the key reasons for the total blockade against the Palestinians imposed by Usrael, hence the inability of Hamas to pay the salaries (which is upsetting a majority).
Go figure!
Tony Sayegh
Bush Demands Lebanese Commit Suicide
By Kurt Nimmo
"Hassan Nasrallah understands what will happen to the people of Lebanon if Hezbollah disarms. In 1982, when Israel invaded Lebanon, 20,000 Palestinians and Lebanese were slaughtered and 400,000 were made homeless. “The tonnages dropped on Beirut alone surpassed those of the atomic bomb which devastated Hiroshima. Schools and hospitals were particularly targeted,” writes Ralph Schoenman, who experienced the carnage firsthand. “Virtually all rolling stock and heavy equipment from Lebanese factories were looted and taken to Israel… The citrus and olive production of Lebanon south of Beirut was destroyed. The Lebanese economy, whose exports had competed with Israel’s, became moribund.”
If the residents of the Sabra and Shatila refugee camp had weapons in September of 1982, as Hezbollah now has weapons, no doubt over 2,000 Palestinians would not have fallen victim to the brutality of Major Saad Haddad of the Christian (Phalangist, i.e., fascist) South Lebanon Army, a militia armed, supplied, and uniformed by the Israelis. "
What Would War (On Iran) Look Like?
Time Magazine
A flurry of military maneuvers in the Middle East increases speculation that conflict with Iran is no longer quite so unthinkable. Here's how the U.S. would fight such a war--and the huge price it would have to pay to win it
"What's going on? The two orders offered tantalizing clues. There are only a few places in the world where minesweepers top the list of U.S. naval requirements. And every sailor, petroleum engineer and hedge-fund manager knows the name of the most important: the Strait of Hormuz, the 20-mile-wide bottleneck in the Persian Gulf through which roughly 40% of the world's oil needs to pass each day. Coupled with the CNO's request for a blockade review, a deployment of minesweepers to the west coast of Iran would seem to suggest that a much discussed--but until now largely theoretical--prospect has become real: that the U.S. may be preparing for war with Iran.
But superpowers don't always get to choose their enemies or the timing of their confrontations. The fact that all sides would risk losing so much in armed conflict doesn't mean they won't stumble into one anyway. And for all the good arguments against any war now, much less this one, there are just as many indications that a genuine, eyeball-to-eyeball crisis between the U.S. and Iran may be looming, and sooner than many realize. "At the moment," says Ali Ansari, a top Iran authority at London's Chatham House, a foreign-policy think tank, "we are headed for conflict."
Next, Iran might try to foment as much mayhem as possible inside the two nations on its flanks, Afghanistan and Iraq, where more than 160,000 U.S. troops hold a tenuous grip on local populations. Iran has already dabbled in partnership with warlords in western Afghanistan, where U.S. military authority has never been strong; it would be a small step to lend aid to Taliban forces gaining strength in the south. Meanwhile, Tehran has links to the main factions in Iraq, which would welcome a boost in money and weapons, if just to strengthen their hand against rivals. Analysts generally believe that Iran could in a short time orchestrate a dramatic increase in the number and severity of attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq. As Syed Ayad, a secular Shi'ite cleric and Iraqi Member of Parliament says, "America owns the sky of Iraq with their Apaches, but Iran owns the ground.""
A flurry of military maneuvers in the Middle East increases speculation that conflict with Iran is no longer quite so unthinkable. Here's how the U.S. would fight such a war--and the huge price it would have to pay to win it
"What's going on? The two orders offered tantalizing clues. There are only a few places in the world where minesweepers top the list of U.S. naval requirements. And every sailor, petroleum engineer and hedge-fund manager knows the name of the most important: the Strait of Hormuz, the 20-mile-wide bottleneck in the Persian Gulf through which roughly 40% of the world's oil needs to pass each day. Coupled with the CNO's request for a blockade review, a deployment of minesweepers to the west coast of Iran would seem to suggest that a much discussed--but until now largely theoretical--prospect has become real: that the U.S. may be preparing for war with Iran.
But superpowers don't always get to choose their enemies or the timing of their confrontations. The fact that all sides would risk losing so much in armed conflict doesn't mean they won't stumble into one anyway. And for all the good arguments against any war now, much less this one, there are just as many indications that a genuine, eyeball-to-eyeball crisis between the U.S. and Iran may be looming, and sooner than many realize. "At the moment," says Ali Ansari, a top Iran authority at London's Chatham House, a foreign-policy think tank, "we are headed for conflict."
Next, Iran might try to foment as much mayhem as possible inside the two nations on its flanks, Afghanistan and Iraq, where more than 160,000 U.S. troops hold a tenuous grip on local populations. Iran has already dabbled in partnership with warlords in western Afghanistan, where U.S. military authority has never been strong; it would be a small step to lend aid to Taliban forces gaining strength in the south. Meanwhile, Tehran has links to the main factions in Iraq, which would welcome a boost in money and weapons, if just to strengthen their hand against rivals. Analysts generally believe that Iran could in a short time orchestrate a dramatic increase in the number and severity of attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq. As Syed Ayad, a secular Shi'ite cleric and Iraqi Member of Parliament says, "America owns the sky of Iraq with their Apaches, but Iran owns the ground.""
إقليمية وقطرية حقبة العولمة... صهينة!
د. عادل سمارة
"ولكن ماذا قدمنا نحن للعرب؟ ببساطة لا شيىء. وهم لا يريدون منا شيئاً، هم يقولون، إصمدوا في مكانكم ريثما نتمكن من وصولكم. ومع ذلك يبرز هنا وهناك من يهاجم العرب. لا بل قدمنا للعرب، تنظيم عميل لهذا النظام وآخر لذاك، فوضى في لبنان، وعنجهية في الاردن، وأخيراً قدمنا للعرب اتفاقات أوسلو وطابا وواشنطن وواي ريفر وباريس...والقادم اخطر. قدمنا للعرب كتابات من فلسطينيين يقترحون وحدة فدرالية بين لبنان وسوريا والاردن والكيان. ولم تقترح الولايات المتحدة مشروعا ضد العروبة إلا وكان فلسطينيون من مسوقيه ومروجيه. أما أجهزة المخابرت العربية فتنضح عملاء فلسطينيين."
"ولكن ماذا قدمنا نحن للعرب؟ ببساطة لا شيىء. وهم لا يريدون منا شيئاً، هم يقولون، إصمدوا في مكانكم ريثما نتمكن من وصولكم. ومع ذلك يبرز هنا وهناك من يهاجم العرب. لا بل قدمنا للعرب، تنظيم عميل لهذا النظام وآخر لذاك، فوضى في لبنان، وعنجهية في الاردن، وأخيراً قدمنا للعرب اتفاقات أوسلو وطابا وواشنطن وواي ريفر وباريس...والقادم اخطر. قدمنا للعرب كتابات من فلسطينيين يقترحون وحدة فدرالية بين لبنان وسوريا والاردن والكيان. ولم تقترح الولايات المتحدة مشروعا ضد العروبة إلا وكان فلسطينيون من مسوقيه ومروجيه. أما أجهزة المخابرت العربية فتنضح عملاء فلسطينيين."
IRAQ FOR SALE
The Blog For Robert Greenwald's Latest Film.
Murdoch Almighty: When the Public Loses Opinion
by Ramzy Baroud
"German philosopher and political scientist Juergen Habermas is often credited for his immense contribution to sociology and critical theory among other areas of scholarly endeavour. His most memorable achievement, however, is his introduction of the concept of the "public sphere", a phenomenon, he argued, that rose in Europe in the 18th century and was forced into an untimely hibernation by the same forces that led to its inception.
Regardless of where "the public sphere" begins and where it ends -- for at times it failed to fairly represent women, minorities, labourers and other historically marginalised groups -- it at least succeeded in establishing and defining the boundaries between the "life-world" and the "system"; the first representing the mutual solidarity of those involved in making the public sphere and the latter concerned with the state, its apparatus, and its own concern with power and authority.
Habermas's ideas require no compelling reason to be discussed; they are compelling on their own. However, an article in The Guardian on 1 July by Lance Price, former media advisor to the British prime minister, brought the topic back to mind. Price asserted that media tycoon Rupert Murdoch was arguably the most powerful man in the media world today. Murdoch, an Australian-born US citizen, literally owns a significant share in public opinion through his control of the world's largest media conglomerates. "I have never met Mr Murdoch, but at times when I worked at Downing Street he seemed like the 24th member of the cabinet. His voice was rarely heard [but, then, the same could have been said of many of the other 23] but his presence was always felt," Price wrote.
Shocking as they may seem, the revelations of Price, a man once intimately involved in the workings of the British government, appear utterly consistent with the strengthening bond between the mainstream media and governments in Western democracies. Such a bond is equally, but especially visible in the United States.
But the relationship between states and media become even the more dangerous when both team up -- and not by accident -- on the same ideological turf. Murdoch is a right-wing, pro-Israeli (widely known to be a personal friend of Ariel Sharon), pro-war ideologue. In 2003, every editorial page of his raft of 175 newspapers around the world touted the same pro-war mantras. Some might have innocently deduced that the "world's media" were all inadvertently converging on a consensus that sees President Bush as someone who is "acting very morally [and] very correctly", to borrow Murdoch's own language, and that such convergence is a reflection of the overall international public consensus on the matter. Reality, however, was starkly different."
Irish academics call on EU to stop funding Israeli academic institutions
In a letter published in the Irish Times today (text below), 61 Irish academics from a wide variety of disciplines called for a moratorium on EU support of Israeli academic institutions until Israel abides by UN resolutions and ends the occupation of Palestinian territories.
The letter was organized in response to the Palestinian call for an academic and cultural boycott. The ongoing Israeli occupation has meant that educational establishments are closed off for many Palestinians. The checkpoints, closures and curfews Israel has imposed, as well as the ongoing harassment of academics and students, have played havoc with university life. In addition, military attacks on universities and schools and the occupation of many schools by Israeli soldiers have turned education into a life-threatening activity. Continued
The letter was organized in response to the Palestinian call for an academic and cultural boycott. The ongoing Israeli occupation has meant that educational establishments are closed off for many Palestinians. The checkpoints, closures and curfews Israel has imposed, as well as the ongoing harassment of academics and students, have played havoc with university life. In addition, military attacks on universities and schools and the occupation of many schools by Israeli soldiers have turned education into a life-threatening activity. Continued
Deadly harvest: The Lebanese fields sown with cluster bombs
By Patrick Cockburn in Nabatiyeh
The Independent
18 September 2006
The war in Lebanon has not ended. Every day, some of the million bomblets which were fired by Israeli artillery during the last three days of the conflict kill four people in southern Lebanon and wound many more.
The casualty figures will rise sharply in the next month as villagers begin the harvest, picking olives from trees whose leaves and branches hide bombs that explode at the smallest movement. Lebanon's farmers are caught in a deadly dilemma: to risk the harvest, or to leave the produce on which they depend to rot in the fields.
In a coma in a hospital bed in Nabatiyeh lies Hussein Ali Ahmad, a 70-year-old man from the village of Yohmor. He was pruning an orange tree outside his house last week when he dislodged a bomblet; it exploded, sending pieces of shrapnel into his brain, lungs and kidneys. "I know he
can hear me because he squeezes my hand when I talk to him," said his daughter, Suwad, as she sat beside her father's bed in the hospital. Continued.
The Independent
18 September 2006
The war in Lebanon has not ended. Every day, some of the million bomblets which were fired by Israeli artillery during the last three days of the conflict kill four people in southern Lebanon and wound many more.
The casualty figures will rise sharply in the next month as villagers begin the harvest, picking olives from trees whose leaves and branches hide bombs that explode at the smallest movement. Lebanon's farmers are caught in a deadly dilemma: to risk the harvest, or to leave the produce on which they depend to rot in the fields.
In a coma in a hospital bed in Nabatiyeh lies Hussein Ali Ahmad, a 70-year-old man from the village of Yohmor. He was pruning an orange tree outside his house last week when he dislodged a bomblet; it exploded, sending pieces of shrapnel into his brain, lungs and kidneys. "I know he
can hear me because he squeezes my hand when I talk to him," said his daughter, Suwad, as she sat beside her father's bed in the hospital. Continued.
Gaza faces major food problems
Palestinians face major difficulties in Gaza, including shortages of food and a crippled fishing industry because of the continued conflict with Israel, the United Nations food agency warned today, as it distributes aid to almost a quarter of a million of those most in need.
"Gaza's food security remains an issue of serious concern, the World Food Programme (WFP) says. Naval restrictions continue to block all boats from fishing off-shore, crippling the fishing industry," UN spokesman Marie Okabe told reporters in New York.
"Furthermore, Gaza's agricultural markets continue to suffer from access restrictions. WFP is distributing food to 220,000 of the most vulnerable people among Gaza's non-refugee population."
Continued.
"Gaza's food security remains an issue of serious concern, the World Food Programme (WFP) says. Naval restrictions continue to block all boats from fishing off-shore, crippling the fishing industry," UN spokesman Marie Okabe told reporters in New York.
"Furthermore, Gaza's agricultural markets continue to suffer from access restrictions. WFP is distributing food to 220,000 of the most vulnerable people among Gaza's non-refugee population."
Continued.
State Dept. adviser: U.S. tying Iran policy to Palestinian issue
"WASHINGTON - The United States is making a connection between efforts to block Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, and progress in the diplomatic front between Israel and the Arab world - especially along the Palestinian track.
This was one of the messages in a speech given by Philip Zelikow, a senior adviser to Secretary State Condoleezza Rice, at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy on Friday.
In an address that opened the institute's annual conference, Zelikow said that American policy was undergoing changes that have not been sufficiently acknowledged by the international community.
A special adviser to Rice and a consultant on major foreign policy issues, Zelikow gave his address at a time when America is making efforts to convince UN Security Council members of the need to impose sanctions against Iran in order to force it to meet UN demands to freeze its uranium enrichment program.
The senior State Department official explained that the United States must ensure progress in the Israeli-Palestinian track, so that it can preserve a coalition of Arab and European states that are interested in containing Iran and international terrorism.
In the absence of such progress, Zelikow argued, these states will find it difficult to support America in its policies vis-a-vis Iran. Preserving this coalition is also an Israeli interest, he added."
This was one of the messages in a speech given by Philip Zelikow, a senior adviser to Secretary State Condoleezza Rice, at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy on Friday.
In an address that opened the institute's annual conference, Zelikow said that American policy was undergoing changes that have not been sufficiently acknowledged by the international community.
A special adviser to Rice and a consultant on major foreign policy issues, Zelikow gave his address at a time when America is making efforts to convince UN Security Council members of the need to impose sanctions against Iran in order to force it to meet UN demands to freeze its uranium enrichment program.
The senior State Department official explained that the United States must ensure progress in the Israeli-Palestinian track, so that it can preserve a coalition of Arab and European states that are interested in containing Iran and international terrorism.
In the absence of such progress, Zelikow argued, these states will find it difficult to support America in its policies vis-a-vis Iran. Preserving this coalition is also an Israeli interest, he added."
Help! Peacemongers!
By Uri Avnery
"Against this danger of the Arab peacemongers, the Olmert government is calling up all its forces. In spite of the fact the entire political and military leadership is now busy fighting for its survival after the Lebanon fiasco, it is uniting in the face of this frightening menace.
Tzipi Livni was sent head over heels to the United States, in order to avert the danger. She went to convince President Bush (who happened to "pass" the room when she was talking with Condoleezza Rice and who calls her "Tsiffi") to use the deadly American veto against any Security Council resolution that might support peace. She is going to meet with some 20 heads of governments and foreign ministers to enlist their support against this menace.
For this, she took down from the Foreign Office attic a diplomatic rag called "the Road Map". It has never even entered the mind of the Israeli government to carry out this agreement, whose sole purpose was, right from the beginning, to create the impression that President Bush has achieved something in the Middle East. From its inception, all the parties knew that this was a document that cannot be implemented.
Israel and the US will, therefore, declare that the Arab peace plan is damaging peace, because it contradicts the Road Map. The Palestinian unity government, when it is set up, must be boycotted, because it does not explicitly state that all its members recognize the State of Israel (as if all the members of the Israeli government were prepared to recognize the State of Palestine and its government, not to mention foreswearing violence and accepting all the existing agreements.) Therefore, the blockade of the Palestinian population must go on, until it sinks to its knees."
"Against this danger of the Arab peacemongers, the Olmert government is calling up all its forces. In spite of the fact the entire political and military leadership is now busy fighting for its survival after the Lebanon fiasco, it is uniting in the face of this frightening menace.
Tzipi Livni was sent head over heels to the United States, in order to avert the danger. She went to convince President Bush (who happened to "pass" the room when she was talking with Condoleezza Rice and who calls her "Tsiffi") to use the deadly American veto against any Security Council resolution that might support peace. She is going to meet with some 20 heads of governments and foreign ministers to enlist their support against this menace.
For this, she took down from the Foreign Office attic a diplomatic rag called "the Road Map". It has never even entered the mind of the Israeli government to carry out this agreement, whose sole purpose was, right from the beginning, to create the impression that President Bush has achieved something in the Middle East. From its inception, all the parties knew that this was a document that cannot be implemented.
Israel and the US will, therefore, declare that the Arab peace plan is damaging peace, because it contradicts the Road Map. The Palestinian unity government, when it is set up, must be boycotted, because it does not explicitly state that all its members recognize the State of Israel (as if all the members of the Israeli government were prepared to recognize the State of Palestine and its government, not to mention foreswearing violence and accepting all the existing agreements.) Therefore, the blockade of the Palestinian population must go on, until it sinks to its knees."
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Israeli Visa Policy Traps Thousands of Palestinians in a Legal Quandary
New York Times
September 18, 2006
By GREG MYRE
RAMALLAH, West Bank, Sept. 16 — Sam Bahour, an American citizen of Palestinian descent, would seem to be the kind of neighbor Israel would welcome.
Mr. Bahour, 41, has a master’s degree in business from Tel Aviv University and runs a successful consulting firm. He developed a gleaming $10 million shopping center in Ramallah, where he has lived for 13 years with his Palestinian wife, Abeer, and their two daughters.
Yet in all that time, Israel has never approved Mr. Bahour’s application for a Palestinian identity document, which would allow him to live permanently in the West Bank with his family. He has had to rely instead on repeated renewals of a three-month tourist visa since he moved from Ohio to Ramallah in 1993. And now Israel says he cannot renew it anymore.
“I’m facing a tough choice,” Mr. Bahour said. “If I leave, I may not be able to come back here, which is where my life is. If I stay, I will be here illegally.”
Mr. Bahour is one of thousands, or perhaps tens of thousands, of people ensnared by an Israeli policy that has effectively frozen immigration to the Palestinian areas of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip since the current Palestinian uprising began in 2000. This spring, after the radical Islamic group Hamas came to power, Israel severed most contacts with the Palestinian Authority and moved to close the last loophole in its immigration policy — the renewable tourist visa.
Over the past six years, more than 70,000 people, a vast majority of them of Palestinian descent, have applied without success to immigrate to the West Bank or Gaza to join relatives, according to B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights group that tracks the issue. Many who followed Mr. Bahour’s route and worked around the ban with tourist visas now have no legal way to remain.
“These people are not really tourists — they are living and working without legal permits,” said Shlomo Dror, the spokesman for the Israeli government agency that handles Palestinian affairs.
“I know these people have a difficult life living this way, and I feel sorry for them,” he said. “I think we can solve this when we renew relations with the Palestinian Authority, but right now, we are not talking to them.”
Mr. Bahour acknowledges that he has options that others in the same situation may lack. His daughters, ages 12 and 6, are also American citizens, and his wife has a green card that would allow her to live and work in the United States. He and his wife own a second home in Youngstown, Ohio, where Mr. Bahour was born and raised, and his profession as a business consultant is portable.
But the family is committed to building a future here, he said.
“People ask why I don’t just leave,” Mr. Bahour said. “I tell them it’s because I want to make a contribution here.”
More common are families in which one spouse has only a Palestinian identity document while the other has a foreign passport, making it difficult or impractical for them to live elsewhere.
Many Palestinians say Israel is pursuing a systematic policy of limiting the population in the Palestinian areas, even if it means separating family members.
“Most every Palestinian knows someone with this kind of problem,” said Sarit Michaeli, a spokeswoman for B’Tselem.
In her view, the Israeli policy has several purposes: to apply political pressure on the Palestinians, to create a bargaining chip that could be used in future negotiations and to be a tool in a battle of demographics.
The largest single category of people affected by the Israeli policy is Jordanian women of Palestinian descent who have married Palestinian men and want to move to the West Bank to live with their husbands, Ms. Michaeli said.
Many of those women come to the West Bank on tourist visas and stay on after their visas expire. Complications arise when the women eventually want to travel or visit relatives in Jordan. If they leave the West Bank or Gaza, they face the risk that Israeli authorities will not allow them to return.
Palestinians also say the Israel policy will keep out well-educated, middle-class and politically moderate members of the Palestinian diaspora who could play an important role in developing Palestinian society.
Ali Aggad, a Jordanian citizen of Palestinian origin, has been working in the West Bank since 1999. He is now the general manager at the Unipal General Trading Company, which distributes consumer products for international companies like Procter & Gamble.
For seven years, Israel has routinely granted him a tourist visa that has allowed him to spend weekdays working in the West Bank and weekends in Amman, Jordan, with his wife and two sons. Without warning, Israeli authorities denied him entry to the West Bank twice recently, he said.
Procter & Gamble’s office in Tel Aviv is trying to resolve his case with the Israeli authorities, Mr. Aggad said, adding, “All I can do now is wait and hope it works out.”
In the past few months, about 50 United States citizens have notified American diplomatic offices that Israel has prevented them from entering the West Bank, said Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm, a spokeswoman at the United States Consulate in Jerusalem.
“This is an issue we’ve been monitoring for several months, and it has been raised with the Israeli authorities,” she said.
Many people of Palestinian origin sought to return to the Palestinian areas of the West Bank and Gaza after Israel and the Palestinians signed an interim peace agreement in 1993.
Under a 1995 accord, Israel initially agreed to allow 3,000 immigrants to the Palestinian areas each year, as part of a family reunification process, said Mr. Dror, the Israeli official.
Demand proved to be so great, he said, that Israel later increased the number to as many as 20,000 a year. Even so, there was a backlog of some 50,000 applications when Israel froze the process in 2000. Israel resumed allowing immigration last year, but soon froze it again when Hamas won power.
One of the applications stuck in the pile is Mr. Bahour’s. He said he applied for permanent residency in 1994 and had not received a reply.
Meanwhile, his current tourist visa expires Oct. 1, and Israeli authorities have written “last permit” in his United States passport.
“I still don’t know what I’m going to do,” he said. But he will not leave if he can help it. “If I walked away now,” he said, “I feel I would be letting my community down.”
Faith, Reason and the University
Complete Transcript of Controversial Speech
by Pope Benedict XIV
September 17, 2006
The Vatican
APOSTOLIC JOURNEY OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
TO MÜNCHEN, ALTÖTTING AND REGENSBURG
(SEPTEMBER 9-14, 2006)
MEETING WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF SCIENCE
LECTURE OF THE HOLY FATHER
Aula Magna of the University of Regensburg
Tuesday, 12 September 2006
Faith, Reason and the University
Memories and Reflections
by Pope Benedict XIV
September 17, 2006
The Vatican
APOSTOLIC JOURNEY OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
TO MÜNCHEN, ALTÖTTING AND REGENSBURG
(SEPTEMBER 9-14, 2006)
MEETING WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF SCIENCE
LECTURE OF THE HOLY FATHER
Aula Magna of the University of Regensburg
Tuesday, 12 September 2006
Faith, Reason and the University
Memories and Reflections
Palestinian officials allege torture
MOHAMMED BARGHOUTHI: The Palestinian Authority's minister of labor spent six weeks incarcerated this summer and says he was tied in a painful position for hours at a time.
Three ministers claim Israel used a banned method of interrogation on them known as the shabah.
"RAMALLAH, WEST BANK – A government minister in the Palestinian Authority, who was arrested and held by Israeli authorities for more than six weeks this summer, says that during his interrogation he was tied for hours in a painful position known as the shabah. The technique, which Israeli security officials had argued was an effective way to put pressure on a suspect, was banned by Israel's Supreme Court in 1999.
"For five, six, seven hours, they would take me and tie my hands behind my back like this, and with my feet up, in the shabah," says Minister of Labor Mohammed Barghouthi, recalling his interrogation in an interview in his office." It caused a lot of pain in my neck and back, but the psychological pain is much worse."
In 1999, a nine-judge panel of the Supreme Court unanimously outlawed methods of physical force that were routinely used by Shin Bet. Techniques banned in the decision included holding and tying the prisoner in painful positions, violent shaking, sleep deprivation, covering the head with a sack, and playing loud music.
Barghouthi says he was never beaten, but on the day of his arrest he was shackled, blindfolded, and had his cellphone confiscated. He says that the incarceration included 35 days in a windowless, solitary cell in Jerusalem's Russian Compound. "Night and day, I never knew what time it was," he says. "I never saw my face. I never saw the sun. I had no change of clothes." He says interrogators threatened to arrest his wife or his father if he didn't cooperate. By the time of his release, he says he had lost 26 pounds.
One of the arguments Kawasmi used to secure their release was that Israel had not acted until now as if being a member of Hamas's Change and Reform Party was illegal. Israel, he points out, allowed the Palestinian elections to take place in January and for the Hamas-affiliated candidates to run in East Jerusalem, which has officially been annexed to Israel. "You let them participate," Kawasmi says. "You can't come and arrest them now and accuse them of being members of a parliament chosen by an election in which you allowed them to run.""
Hezbollah chief Nasrallah calls for 'victory' rally in Beirut
By Reuters Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah invited Lebanese on Sunday to attend a "victory" rally in the guerrilla group's stronghold in Beirut, battered by Israel Defense Forces in a 34-day war.
"I call on you all to participate in a victory rally, your victory ... next Friday afternoon in the southern suburb, the suburb of honour, glory, faith, steadfastness and victory for the whole country and the whole nation," he said in a message aired on Hizbollah's Al-Manar Television.
"Let us renew our covenant and declare our joy at the divine victory to the whole world," he said.
Meanwhile in Palestine
Israel announces construction of new 'Jews-only' road and land confiscation in Bethlehem area: Israeli authorities announced Sunday a new plan to isolate over 7000 dunums of Palestinian land in the Bethlehem and Hebron areas in preparation for the continuation of the Wall and the construction of a 'Jews-only' road which will carve through the south of West Bank.
Eight Palestinians injured as Occupation raids houses at the Bil'in weekly demonstration: Eight Palestinians were injured yesterday during clashes between demonstrators and Israeli occupation forces yesterday at the weekly demonstration in the West Bank town of Bil'in. After violently dispersing the demonstration with clubs, tear-gas, rubber bullets and experimental weapons, Israeli occupation fighters pursued demonstrators into the village and went from house to house searching for them.
British Trade Unions: “Tear down the Apartheid Wall”: The Trade Union Council, which represents 66 affiliated unions and nearly seven million workers, passed the motion at its annual conference in Brighton, UK, calling for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from all occupied territories, for the British government and EU to restore funding to the Palestinian Authority and for the Israeli government to restore withheld tax revenues due to the PA.
The olive harvest test: Israel's objection to the nascent agreement for a Palestinian unity government, and the frozen plans for a unilateral withdrawal, require, among other things, that Israel continue to bear responsibility for the well-being of the Palestinian population in the West Bank. According to a June High Court ruling, "Protecting the security and possessions of the local residents is among the most basic obligations of the military commander in the field."
Join the Free Palestine Contingent, Manchester, UK 23rd September: The demonstration will meet at 12:30 by the 'Peace Garden' in St Peter's Square, about 200yds away from Albert Square’ in front of Library/by the metro stop. A specially hired train will take supporters to Manchester on the day from London. The train will be covered by national and international TV companies. Al-Jazeera TV will be travelling on the special train, and is doing a major feature on the demonstration.
OPT: Fishermen suffer naval restrictions: As some Palestinian fishermen were heading towards the sea for their daily fishing trips, 25-year-old Shadi Bakr waited anxiously at the pier for a boat owner to hire him for the day. Bakr's own boat was destroyed by the Israeli navy five weeks ago. "My boat was worth US $8,000, and I used to make $300 a week, but now I only make $3 or $4 a day, which is not enough even to buy bread and salt for my family,"
Nonaligned Movement's Final Declaration: Strongly condemns "the relentless Israeli aggression launched against Lebanon." Promotes a revival of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Supports the Palestinian people's "inalienable right to self-determination in their independent and sovereign State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital."
Four Palestinians, including two security officers, taken prisoner from Qalqilia and Hebron: Israeli soldiers, backed by jeeps and armored vehicles, invaded several areas of the northern and southern West Bank on Sunday morning and took four Palestinians prisoner from the West Bank cities of Qalqilia and Hebron.
Israeli soldiers and settlers take over house in Qalqilia, turn it into a military post: The head of the Rural Council of Kufr Qaddom town, east of Qalqilya, told WAFA News Agency that the colonisers attacked Adnan Ali's house in the eastern neighbourhood in the town, positioned themselves on its roof and confined its family members in one room. Witnesses said that there were Israeli soldiers among the attackers, who spread a state of fear and panic among children.
Palestinian collapse hurts all: Donors have been forced to watch impotently as their investments in Palestinian infrastructure and institutions have been destroyed or eroded. Israel has seen a once lucrative and dependent - if not altogether captive - market become increasingly pauperized and separated as walls, border terminals and hi-tech security arrangements dominate Israeli-Palestinian economic relations.
Police expand probe of Israeli Arab MKs' visit to Syria, Lebanon: Police on Sunday summoned former Balad MK Mohammed Miari... He is the fourth member of the Israeli Arab Knesset faction to be summoned by police for his tour of neighboring Arab countries. Current Balad MKs Azmi Bishara, Jamal Zahalka and Wasil Taha, who led the delegation, were warned before their trip that they would be questioned upon their return.
It's all a question of timing: Palestinian sources said yesterday that Corporal Gilad Shalit could very well be moved from the Gaza Strip to Egypt tonight. The sources based their remarks on statements by Palestinian figures, including Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, according to which important developments relating to Shalit's release and the release of Palestinian security prisoners were expected within the next several hours.
Hamas PM denounces ongoing attacks on West Bank churches: The head of the Hamas-led government, Ismail Haniya, denounced a spate of attacks on Christian churches in the Palestinian territories after assailants targeted two West Bank churches following Pope Benedict XVI 's comments on Islam.
Farmers: Too few permits into Gaza Strip issued: Israeli farmers who ship goods into the Gaza Strip have complained that too few produce trucks are being authorized to pass through Karni Crossing. The farmers, who are holding some 3000 tons of produce in refrigeration, have been issued only 105 permits into Gaza, Israel Radio reported.
Genocide in Gaza - By Ilan Pappe: The Israeli leadership is at lost of what to do with the Gaza Strip. It has vague ideas about the West Bank. The current government assumes that the West Bank, unlike the Strip, is an open space, at least on its eastern side. Hence if Israel, under the ingathering program of the government, annexes the parts it covets - half of the West Bank - and cleanses it of its native population, the other half would naturally lean towards Jordan, at least for a while and would not concern Israel.
Abbas now: Ehud Olmert is clutching to a straw - Road Map now. He has no other option. The suppression of pro-Iranian terror groups has failed. The new political order in Lebanon is barely enough. The Americans don't want to hear about the initiation of a diplomatic process with the Syrians. And realignment is out.
Eight Palestinians injured as Occupation raids houses at the Bil'in weekly demonstration: Eight Palestinians were injured yesterday during clashes between demonstrators and Israeli occupation forces yesterday at the weekly demonstration in the West Bank town of Bil'in. After violently dispersing the demonstration with clubs, tear-gas, rubber bullets and experimental weapons, Israeli occupation fighters pursued demonstrators into the village and went from house to house searching for them.
British Trade Unions: “Tear down the Apartheid Wall”: The Trade Union Council, which represents 66 affiliated unions and nearly seven million workers, passed the motion at its annual conference in Brighton, UK, calling for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from all occupied territories, for the British government and EU to restore funding to the Palestinian Authority and for the Israeli government to restore withheld tax revenues due to the PA.
The olive harvest test: Israel's objection to the nascent agreement for a Palestinian unity government, and the frozen plans for a unilateral withdrawal, require, among other things, that Israel continue to bear responsibility for the well-being of the Palestinian population in the West Bank. According to a June High Court ruling, "Protecting the security and possessions of the local residents is among the most basic obligations of the military commander in the field."
Join the Free Palestine Contingent, Manchester, UK 23rd September: The demonstration will meet at 12:30 by the 'Peace Garden' in St Peter's Square, about 200yds away from Albert Square’ in front of Library/by the metro stop. A specially hired train will take supporters to Manchester on the day from London. The train will be covered by national and international TV companies. Al-Jazeera TV will be travelling on the special train, and is doing a major feature on the demonstration.
OPT: Fishermen suffer naval restrictions: As some Palestinian fishermen were heading towards the sea for their daily fishing trips, 25-year-old Shadi Bakr waited anxiously at the pier for a boat owner to hire him for the day. Bakr's own boat was destroyed by the Israeli navy five weeks ago. "My boat was worth US $8,000, and I used to make $300 a week, but now I only make $3 or $4 a day, which is not enough even to buy bread and salt for my family,"
Nonaligned Movement's Final Declaration: Strongly condemns "the relentless Israeli aggression launched against Lebanon." Promotes a revival of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Supports the Palestinian people's "inalienable right to self-determination in their independent and sovereign State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital."
Four Palestinians, including two security officers, taken prisoner from Qalqilia and Hebron: Israeli soldiers, backed by jeeps and armored vehicles, invaded several areas of the northern and southern West Bank on Sunday morning and took four Palestinians prisoner from the West Bank cities of Qalqilia and Hebron.
Israeli soldiers and settlers take over house in Qalqilia, turn it into a military post: The head of the Rural Council of Kufr Qaddom town, east of Qalqilya, told WAFA News Agency that the colonisers attacked Adnan Ali's house in the eastern neighbourhood in the town, positioned themselves on its roof and confined its family members in one room. Witnesses said that there were Israeli soldiers among the attackers, who spread a state of fear and panic among children.
Palestinian collapse hurts all: Donors have been forced to watch impotently as their investments in Palestinian infrastructure and institutions have been destroyed or eroded. Israel has seen a once lucrative and dependent - if not altogether captive - market become increasingly pauperized and separated as walls, border terminals and hi-tech security arrangements dominate Israeli-Palestinian economic relations.
Police expand probe of Israeli Arab MKs' visit to Syria, Lebanon: Police on Sunday summoned former Balad MK Mohammed Miari... He is the fourth member of the Israeli Arab Knesset faction to be summoned by police for his tour of neighboring Arab countries. Current Balad MKs Azmi Bishara, Jamal Zahalka and Wasil Taha, who led the delegation, were warned before their trip that they would be questioned upon their return.
It's all a question of timing: Palestinian sources said yesterday that Corporal Gilad Shalit could very well be moved from the Gaza Strip to Egypt tonight. The sources based their remarks on statements by Palestinian figures, including Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, according to which important developments relating to Shalit's release and the release of Palestinian security prisoners were expected within the next several hours.
Hamas PM denounces ongoing attacks on West Bank churches: The head of the Hamas-led government, Ismail Haniya, denounced a spate of attacks on Christian churches in the Palestinian territories after assailants targeted two West Bank churches following Pope Benedict XVI 's comments on Islam.
Farmers: Too few permits into Gaza Strip issued: Israeli farmers who ship goods into the Gaza Strip have complained that too few produce trucks are being authorized to pass through Karni Crossing. The farmers, who are holding some 3000 tons of produce in refrigeration, have been issued only 105 permits into Gaza, Israel Radio reported.
Genocide in Gaza - By Ilan Pappe: The Israeli leadership is at lost of what to do with the Gaza Strip. It has vague ideas about the West Bank. The current government assumes that the West Bank, unlike the Strip, is an open space, at least on its eastern side. Hence if Israel, under the ingathering program of the government, annexes the parts it covets - half of the West Bank - and cleanses it of its native population, the other half would naturally lean towards Jordan, at least for a while and would not concern Israel.
Abbas now: Ehud Olmert is clutching to a straw - Road Map now. He has no other option. The suppression of pro-Iranian terror groups has failed. The new political order in Lebanon is barely enough. The Americans don't want to hear about the initiation of a diplomatic process with the Syrians. And realignment is out.
People and the Land: The Documentary Israel Tried to Block
“People and the Land” (PDF file) by Tom Hayes; a 24 page article about how hard this film was to make, how Israel sought to make it illegal doing all they could to prevent the film. It was made in 1997, but the occupation is always the same. The story alone if you take time to read it is amazing. You’ll really like the scenes where the Israelis say how to take care of the “problem”. One American holds up a sign saying “transfer all the Arabs to Oklahoma..."
Palestina
Palestine: The Cartoon.
Warning: Parts of this video may be graphic in nature, especially to those offended by truth.
Thanks for letting me swipe this, Kabobfest.
Palestine: The Cartoon.
Warning: Parts of this video may be graphic in nature, especially to those offended by truth.
Thanks for letting me swipe this, Kabobfest.
Palestinians suspect Israeli agents behind fire-bombing of Churches
17 September, 2006
from Khalid Amayreh in the West Bank
Palestinian nationalist and Islamic leaders on Sunday strongly condemned fire-bombing attacks against a few churches in the West Bank, calling the incidents “suspicious” and “incompatible with Palestinian and Islamic culture.”
Three churches in Nablus, Tulkarm and Tubas in the northern West Bank have been attacked with fire-bombs by unknown perpetrators resulting in minor damage.
The mayor of Tubas, where a small Greek Orthodox Church was attacked, accused “suspicious elements,” a reference to Israeli Shin Bet (Israel’s chief domestic intelligence agency) agents of “having embarked on this ugly act and criminal act.”
“It is either Israeli collaborators or some overzealous fools upset by the remarks of the Pope,” said Iqab Darghmeh (Abu Ahmed), in a telephone interview.
Darghmeh and Muslim notables, including representatives of Fatah, Hamas and civic leaders visited the church Sunday morning to show solidarity with the small Christian community in the town.
“Christians here are not a separate sect. They are our flesh and blood. They are our brothers. An attack on their churches is an attack on Islam and the Palestinian people.”
The fire-bombings have been widely condemned by religious and political leaders throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Sheikh Muhammed Hussein, the highest-ranking Muslim clergyman in East Jerusalem described the bombing as “immoral, unethical and injurious to Palestinian unity.”
“Those who perpetrated these acts don’t represent the Palestinian people. They are a gang of ignoramuses and fanatics, or suspicious elements.” In the Palestinian political lexicon, “suspicious elements” is an allusion to Israeli collaborators and informers.
Earlier, the Mufti of Ramallah, Jamal Bawatneh, called on all Palestinians to inform on any person seen attacking or vandalizing Christian churches and property.
“I urge our people to inform on any person carrying out a crime against people and property. Failing to do so amounts to treason and complicity, “ read a statement issued by the Palestinian Interior Ministry in Gaza.
Hamas condemns vandalism
Meanwhile, the Islamic Resistance group, Hamas, strongly condemned attacks on churches in parts of the West Bank, calling such attacks “criminal and harmful to the Palestinian cause.”
“I am sure that Israel is enjoying this. Israel always wants to create problems and divisions between Muslims and Christians. And those who committed these acts are only serving Zionist propaganda and goals,” said Yousuf Ibrahim, a Hamas spokesperson in the Bethlehem region.
“I am nearly certain that at least some of the perpetrators are Israeli agents.”
On Sunday, the Palestinian Authority (PA) Interior Minister, Sa’eed Siyam, ordered the security apparatus to step up security measures around churches in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Pope’s remarks condemned
Muslim and most Christian religious and secular leaders did condemn anti-Islam remarks made by Pope Benedict XVI in Germany on 14 September.
The Pope, quoting a medieval Byzantine emperor as saying that “Show me just what Muhammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.”
The remarks drew angry but mostly non-violent reactions from across the Muslim world, with Muslim leaders calling on the Pope to apologize for offending Muslim sensibilities.
Some Muslim scholars interpreted the remarks as “a declaration of war on Islam.”
“When you say that Islam is evil, you are not only de-legitimizing it, but encouraging open war on its followers,” said the Supreme Sharia Judge in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Sheikh Taysir Tamimi.
The pope more or less apologized during a Sunday mass.
“I wish also to add that I am deeply sorry for the reactions in some countries to a few passages of my address at the University of Regensburg, which were considered offensive to the sensibility of Muslims.
“These in fact were a quotation from a medieval text, which do not in any way express my personal thought.”
from Khalid Amayreh in the West Bank
Palestinian nationalist and Islamic leaders on Sunday strongly condemned fire-bombing attacks against a few churches in the West Bank, calling the incidents “suspicious” and “incompatible with Palestinian and Islamic culture.”
Three churches in Nablus, Tulkarm and Tubas in the northern West Bank have been attacked with fire-bombs by unknown perpetrators resulting in minor damage.
The mayor of Tubas, where a small Greek Orthodox Church was attacked, accused “suspicious elements,” a reference to Israeli Shin Bet (Israel’s chief domestic intelligence agency) agents of “having embarked on this ugly act and criminal act.”
“It is either Israeli collaborators or some overzealous fools upset by the remarks of the Pope,” said Iqab Darghmeh (Abu Ahmed), in a telephone interview.
Darghmeh and Muslim notables, including representatives of Fatah, Hamas and civic leaders visited the church Sunday morning to show solidarity with the small Christian community in the town.
“Christians here are not a separate sect. They are our flesh and blood. They are our brothers. An attack on their churches is an attack on Islam and the Palestinian people.”
The fire-bombings have been widely condemned by religious and political leaders throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Sheikh Muhammed Hussein, the highest-ranking Muslim clergyman in East Jerusalem described the bombing as “immoral, unethical and injurious to Palestinian unity.”
“Those who perpetrated these acts don’t represent the Palestinian people. They are a gang of ignoramuses and fanatics, or suspicious elements.” In the Palestinian political lexicon, “suspicious elements” is an allusion to Israeli collaborators and informers.
Earlier, the Mufti of Ramallah, Jamal Bawatneh, called on all Palestinians to inform on any person seen attacking or vandalizing Christian churches and property.
“I urge our people to inform on any person carrying out a crime against people and property. Failing to do so amounts to treason and complicity, “ read a statement issued by the Palestinian Interior Ministry in Gaza.
Hamas condemns vandalism
Meanwhile, the Islamic Resistance group, Hamas, strongly condemned attacks on churches in parts of the West Bank, calling such attacks “criminal and harmful to the Palestinian cause.”
“I am sure that Israel is enjoying this. Israel always wants to create problems and divisions between Muslims and Christians. And those who committed these acts are only serving Zionist propaganda and goals,” said Yousuf Ibrahim, a Hamas spokesperson in the Bethlehem region.
“I am nearly certain that at least some of the perpetrators are Israeli agents.”
On Sunday, the Palestinian Authority (PA) Interior Minister, Sa’eed Siyam, ordered the security apparatus to step up security measures around churches in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Pope’s remarks condemned
Muslim and most Christian religious and secular leaders did condemn anti-Islam remarks made by Pope Benedict XVI in Germany on 14 September.
The Pope, quoting a medieval Byzantine emperor as saying that “Show me just what Muhammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.”
The remarks drew angry but mostly non-violent reactions from across the Muslim world, with Muslim leaders calling on the Pope to apologize for offending Muslim sensibilities.
Some Muslim scholars interpreted the remarks as “a declaration of war on Islam.”
“When you say that Islam is evil, you are not only de-legitimizing it, but encouraging open war on its followers,” said the Supreme Sharia Judge in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Sheikh Taysir Tamimi.
The pope more or less apologized during a Sunday mass.
“I wish also to add that I am deeply sorry for the reactions in some countries to a few passages of my address at the University of Regensburg, which were considered offensive to the sensibility of Muslims.
“These in fact were a quotation from a medieval text, which do not in any way express my personal thought.”
The best (PR) war ever
By Bill Berkowitz
OAKLAND, California - In a recent speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld declared, "The enemy is so much better at communicating. I wish we were better at countering that, because the constant drumbeat of things they say - all of which are not true - is harmful."
Later, during a question-and-answer session at Fallon Naval Air Station in Nevada, Rumsfeld complained about terrorist groups that have "media committees" that "manipulate the media".
"What bothers me the most is how clever the enemy is," he said. "They are actively manipulating the media in this country ... They can lie with impunity."
During the three-plus years since the United States invaded Iraq, the administration of President George W Bush has repeatedly criticized the media for reporting only the "bad" news from Iraq. Bush himself has frequently maintained that the consequences of the media's preoccupation with negative stories demoralizes the troops on the ground, and undercuts support for the war at home.
There were few complaints from the administration at the beginning of the war when embedded and compliant media filed mostly positive reports.
In their new book titled The Best War Ever: Lies, Damned Lies, and the Mess in Iraq (Tarcher/Penguin, 2006), which was to go on sale on Thursday, co-authors John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton assert that television reporters "actually underplayed rather than overplayed the negative" in their reporting from Iraq, while "newspaper coverage during the subsequent occupation has also been sanitized".
Stauber and Rampton cite a study by researchers at George Washington University that analyzed 1,820 stories on the five main US television networks, as well as the Arab satellite channel Al-Jazeera, and found that "all of the American media largely shied away from showing visuals of coalition, Iraqi military, or civilian casualties. Despite advanced technologies offering reporters the chance to transmit the reality of war in real time, reporters chose instead to present a largely bloodless conflict to viewers even when they did broadcast during firefights."
Print journalists didn't perform much better. A May 2005 review by Los Angeles Times writer James Rainey of the coverage of a six-month period - when 559 US and other Western allies died in Iraq - by six major US newspapers and two popular newsmagazines found that "readers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, St Louis Post-Dispatch, and Washington Post did not see a single picture of a dead serviceman".
"Rumsfeld's complaints are an interesting twist of the truth, since the reality is that the US has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on media campaigns that have been spectacularly ineffective," Rampton said in a telephone interview. "That the enemy has been more effective in communicating its message to the world is not so much a reflection of their media savvy as it is on the ineffective message of the United States.
"You can't expect a better messaging strategy to compensate for the fact that the underlining policy is based on falsehoods and deliberate deception," Rampton said.
As the occupation of Iraq proved unmanageable and the total number of dead and wounded US military personnel mounted, stories about the revamping of schoolhouses and the building of soccer fields were given a back seat by the media.
With things continuing to spiral out of control in Iraq, the Bush administration has once again decided that it's a public relations problem; a question of propaganda, not policy. Around the same time that Rumsfeld was on the road railing about anti-war appeasers and confused critics who were enabling terrorism and how much better the terrorists were at handling the media, the Washington Post reported that "US military leaders in Baghdad have put out for bid a two-year, [US]$20 million public relations contract that calls for extensive monitoring of US and Middle Eastern media in an effort to promote more positive coverage of news from Iraq".
According to the Post's Walter Pincus, the "contract calls for assembling a database of selected news stories and assessing their tone as part of a program to provide 'public relations products' that would improve coverage of the military command's performance, according to a statement-of-work attached to the proposal".
Pincus pointed out that the proposal "calls in part for extensive monitoring and analysis of Iraqi, Middle Eastern and American media, [and] is designed to help the coalition forces understand ]the communications environment'. Its goal is to 'develop communication strategies and tactics, identify opportunities, and execute events ... to effectively communicate Iraqi government and coalition's goals, and build support among our strategic audiences in achieving these goals'," according to a statement publicly available through the FBO Daily's website.
"From what I've seen, the thing about this proposal that most concerns me is the component calling for the monitoring of the media, especially when journalists will be rated as to how favorable they are toward US policy objectives," Rampton pointed out.
"Monitoring journalists and maintaining a database of their stories raises a number of serious questions: Who knows where that database will wind up in two years or five years from now? What kind of retribution might be exacted against those reporters whose work is seen as unfavorable to US policy?"
The Bush administration's new maneuver appears to be deja vu. As early as September 2003, less than six months after the invasion of Iraq, it determined that the best way to sell its policy was to make its highest-ranking officials - including the president - available for safe media opportunities.
Bush gave the Fox News Channel a 30-minute interview and a 20-minute on-camera tour of the White House while then-national security adviser and current Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice appeared on the American Broadcasting Co's Nightline and gave interviews to Fox Television's Brit Hume, Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity.
A later campaign was aimed at sidestepping the national media entirely by dispatching administration spokespeople to talk only to local news outlets. Another campaign had the administration hiring the Lincoln Group, a high-powered public relations firm, to plant positive stories in the Iraqi news media and to pay friendly Iraqi journalists monthly stipends.
"In the first chapter of The Best War Ever, we discuss the failures of recent attempts by the US to plant stories in the Iraq media," Rampton noted. "You can't throw money at a messaging problem and expect to be effective when the people you are trying to persuade are deeply outraged at what you are doing."
Over the course of the war and the occupation of Iraq, even the parameters of what constitutes "good" news has changed dramatically. Early on, the "good" news consisted of reports on the rebuilding of schools and hospitals, the delivery of new fire trucks to a small town, or the opening of soccer field for Iraqi children.
These days, the "good" news has more to do with whether Iraqi troops have the stuff necessary to militarily confront sectarian militias, whether attacks by insurgents have dropped from 50 a day to 25, whether daily Iraqi civilian deaths are in the dozens instead of the hundreds, and whether the situation has descended into a full-blown civil war or whether a civil war is still in the offing.
To paraphrase bluesman Albert King's song "Born Under a Bad Sign", "If it wasn't for bad news, there would be no news at all."
Bill Berkowitz is a longtime observer of the conservative movement. His WorkingForChange column "Conservative Watch" documents the strategies, players, institutions, victories and defeats of the US right wing.
(Inter Press Service)
OAKLAND, California - In a recent speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld declared, "The enemy is so much better at communicating. I wish we were better at countering that, because the constant drumbeat of things they say - all of which are not true - is harmful."
Later, during a question-and-answer session at Fallon Naval Air Station in Nevada, Rumsfeld complained about terrorist groups that have "media committees" that "manipulate the media".
"What bothers me the most is how clever the enemy is," he said. "They are actively manipulating the media in this country ... They can lie with impunity."
During the three-plus years since the United States invaded Iraq, the administration of President George W Bush has repeatedly criticized the media for reporting only the "bad" news from Iraq. Bush himself has frequently maintained that the consequences of the media's preoccupation with negative stories demoralizes the troops on the ground, and undercuts support for the war at home.
There were few complaints from the administration at the beginning of the war when embedded and compliant media filed mostly positive reports.
In their new book titled The Best War Ever: Lies, Damned Lies, and the Mess in Iraq (Tarcher/Penguin, 2006), which was to go on sale on Thursday, co-authors John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton assert that television reporters "actually underplayed rather than overplayed the negative" in their reporting from Iraq, while "newspaper coverage during the subsequent occupation has also been sanitized".
Stauber and Rampton cite a study by researchers at George Washington University that analyzed 1,820 stories on the five main US television networks, as well as the Arab satellite channel Al-Jazeera, and found that "all of the American media largely shied away from showing visuals of coalition, Iraqi military, or civilian casualties. Despite advanced technologies offering reporters the chance to transmit the reality of war in real time, reporters chose instead to present a largely bloodless conflict to viewers even when they did broadcast during firefights."
Print journalists didn't perform much better. A May 2005 review by Los Angeles Times writer James Rainey of the coverage of a six-month period - when 559 US and other Western allies died in Iraq - by six major US newspapers and two popular newsmagazines found that "readers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, St Louis Post-Dispatch, and Washington Post did not see a single picture of a dead serviceman".
"Rumsfeld's complaints are an interesting twist of the truth, since the reality is that the US has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on media campaigns that have been spectacularly ineffective," Rampton said in a telephone interview. "That the enemy has been more effective in communicating its message to the world is not so much a reflection of their media savvy as it is on the ineffective message of the United States.
"You can't expect a better messaging strategy to compensate for the fact that the underlining policy is based on falsehoods and deliberate deception," Rampton said.
As the occupation of Iraq proved unmanageable and the total number of dead and wounded US military personnel mounted, stories about the revamping of schoolhouses and the building of soccer fields were given a back seat by the media.
With things continuing to spiral out of control in Iraq, the Bush administration has once again decided that it's a public relations problem; a question of propaganda, not policy. Around the same time that Rumsfeld was on the road railing about anti-war appeasers and confused critics who were enabling terrorism and how much better the terrorists were at handling the media, the Washington Post reported that "US military leaders in Baghdad have put out for bid a two-year, [US]$20 million public relations contract that calls for extensive monitoring of US and Middle Eastern media in an effort to promote more positive coverage of news from Iraq".
According to the Post's Walter Pincus, the "contract calls for assembling a database of selected news stories and assessing their tone as part of a program to provide 'public relations products' that would improve coverage of the military command's performance, according to a statement-of-work attached to the proposal".
Pincus pointed out that the proposal "calls in part for extensive monitoring and analysis of Iraqi, Middle Eastern and American media, [and] is designed to help the coalition forces understand ]the communications environment'. Its goal is to 'develop communication strategies and tactics, identify opportunities, and execute events ... to effectively communicate Iraqi government and coalition's goals, and build support among our strategic audiences in achieving these goals'," according to a statement publicly available through the FBO Daily's website.
"From what I've seen, the thing about this proposal that most concerns me is the component calling for the monitoring of the media, especially when journalists will be rated as to how favorable they are toward US policy objectives," Rampton pointed out.
"Monitoring journalists and maintaining a database of their stories raises a number of serious questions: Who knows where that database will wind up in two years or five years from now? What kind of retribution might be exacted against those reporters whose work is seen as unfavorable to US policy?"
The Bush administration's new maneuver appears to be deja vu. As early as September 2003, less than six months after the invasion of Iraq, it determined that the best way to sell its policy was to make its highest-ranking officials - including the president - available for safe media opportunities.
Bush gave the Fox News Channel a 30-minute interview and a 20-minute on-camera tour of the White House while then-national security adviser and current Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice appeared on the American Broadcasting Co's Nightline and gave interviews to Fox Television's Brit Hume, Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity.
A later campaign was aimed at sidestepping the national media entirely by dispatching administration spokespeople to talk only to local news outlets. Another campaign had the administration hiring the Lincoln Group, a high-powered public relations firm, to plant positive stories in the Iraqi news media and to pay friendly Iraqi journalists monthly stipends.
"In the first chapter of The Best War Ever, we discuss the failures of recent attempts by the US to plant stories in the Iraq media," Rampton noted. "You can't throw money at a messaging problem and expect to be effective when the people you are trying to persuade are deeply outraged at what you are doing."
Over the course of the war and the occupation of Iraq, even the parameters of what constitutes "good" news has changed dramatically. Early on, the "good" news consisted of reports on the rebuilding of schools and hospitals, the delivery of new fire trucks to a small town, or the opening of soccer field for Iraqi children.
These days, the "good" news has more to do with whether Iraqi troops have the stuff necessary to militarily confront sectarian militias, whether attacks by insurgents have dropped from 50 a day to 25, whether daily Iraqi civilian deaths are in the dozens instead of the hundreds, and whether the situation has descended into a full-blown civil war or whether a civil war is still in the offing.
To paraphrase bluesman Albert King's song "Born Under a Bad Sign", "If it wasn't for bad news, there would be no news at all."
Bill Berkowitz is a longtime observer of the conservative movement. His WorkingForChange column "Conservative Watch" documents the strategies, players, institutions, victories and defeats of the US right wing.
(Inter Press Service)
West Won’t Win Afghan War
by Eric Margolis
(Toronto Sun, Canada)
"As Canadian, American and British soldiers continue to die in Afghanistan, it is time the truth be told about this ugly little war. Much of what we’ve so far been told by our governments and media has been untrue, wishful thinking, or crass jingoism.
Claims that withdrawing Western garrisons from Afghanistan or Iraq will leave a void certain to be filled by extremists are nonsense. Half of Afghanistan and a third of Iraq are already largely controlled by anti-Western resistance forces.
“Good Morning, Afghanistan!” Doesn’t anyone remember the Vietnam War’s fruitless search-and-destroy missions and inflated body counts? Don’t NATO commanders know their every move is telegraphed in advance to Taliban forces? Did Canadian officers making such fanciful claims really believe the Taliban’s veteran guerillas would be stupid enough to sit still and be destroyed by U.S. air power?
What the West calls “Taliban” is actually a growing coalition of veteran Taliban fighters led by Mullah Dadullah, other clans of Pashtun tribal warriors, and nationalist resistance forces under Jalalladin Hakkani and former prime minister Gulbadin Hekmatyar. Many are former mujahadeen once hailed as “freedom fighters” by the West, and branded “terrorists” by the Soviets.
The U.S. and its allies are not going to win the Afghan war. They will be lucky, the way things are going, not to lose it in the same humiliating manner the Soviets did in 1989. Ottawa’s deepening involvement in a conflict in which it lacks any national interests — save pleasing Washington and selling lumber — jeopardizes Canada’s security. Western troops are not fighting “terrorism” in Afghanistan, as Prime Minister Stephen Harper claims. They are fighting the Afghan people. Every new civilian killed, and every village bombed, breeds new enemies for the West."
(Toronto Sun, Canada)
"As Canadian, American and British soldiers continue to die in Afghanistan, it is time the truth be told about this ugly little war. Much of what we’ve so far been told by our governments and media has been untrue, wishful thinking, or crass jingoism.
Claims that withdrawing Western garrisons from Afghanistan or Iraq will leave a void certain to be filled by extremists are nonsense. Half of Afghanistan and a third of Iraq are already largely controlled by anti-Western resistance forces.
“Good Morning, Afghanistan!” Doesn’t anyone remember the Vietnam War’s fruitless search-and-destroy missions and inflated body counts? Don’t NATO commanders know their every move is telegraphed in advance to Taliban forces? Did Canadian officers making such fanciful claims really believe the Taliban’s veteran guerillas would be stupid enough to sit still and be destroyed by U.S. air power?
What the West calls “Taliban” is actually a growing coalition of veteran Taliban fighters led by Mullah Dadullah, other clans of Pashtun tribal warriors, and nationalist resistance forces under Jalalladin Hakkani and former prime minister Gulbadin Hekmatyar. Many are former mujahadeen once hailed as “freedom fighters” by the West, and branded “terrorists” by the Soviets.
The U.S. and its allies are not going to win the Afghan war. They will be lucky, the way things are going, not to lose it in the same humiliating manner the Soviets did in 1989. Ottawa’s deepening involvement in a conflict in which it lacks any national interests — save pleasing Washington and selling lumber — jeopardizes Canada’s security. Western troops are not fighting “terrorism” in Afghanistan, as Prime Minister Stephen Harper claims. They are fighting the Afghan people. Every new civilian killed, and every village bombed, breeds new enemies for the West."
Palestinian president halts talks with Hamas, demands more concessions
The Little Dictator Will Probably Form an Usraeli-Dictated "Emergency Government."
"U.S. demands that a new Palestinian government recognize Israel have forced moderate President Mahmoud Abbas and the militant group Hamas to delay talks on forming a coalition, Palestinian officials said Sunday.
"What's the point of forming a government if this government is saying that it won't recognize agreements signed with Israel," Palestinian lawmaker Saeb Erekat, an Abbas confidant, told The Associated Press. "The whole point is to break the deadlock in the peace process and bring an end to the siege." "We expect any government to accept the Quartet principles," said Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm, a spokeswoman at the consulate in Jerusalem.
U.S. Consul-General Jacob Walles told Abbas Saturday that the new government would be unacceptable unless these conditions are met, officials said. "America was not very happy, Europe was not so happy. Nobody was happy, but Abbas was doing his best to convince them," said Yasser Abed Rabbo, an Abbas aide. "Hamas has undermined his efforts." Abbas will try to convince Bush that the alternative to a Fatah-Hamas government is civil war and ask him to soften the demands to allow Hamas to sign on to a coalition, officials said.
Although Hamas-Fatah talks will continue, Erekat and Abed Rabbo both questioned whether it would be possible in the end for the sides to bridge their differences and establish a joint government.
"I don't know if the deal is aborted. We will see in the near future," Abed Rabbo said."
***
MY PREDICTION:
The government of "national unity" is dead in the water. Abbas' cheerleaders Abed Rabbo and Erekat are already writing its obituary. The story on which I commented on Thursday has proved to be true; namely the Hamas government was dissolved without forming a new government to replace it. The fact that no one has noticed the effects of the resulting government "vacuum" says loads about the irrelevance and impotence of the PA and any "government" based on the Oslo agreements.
My prediction is that during the coming week, the stooge-in-chief Abbas will receive his marching orders from Usrael, delivered to him by the Princess of Darkness herself who received her orders from Livni. The orders will instruct him to form an "emergency government" and to use his recently expanded and armed "presidential guard" to militarily crack down and to confront Hamas. The irony is that Abbas who "will try to convince Bush that the alternative to a Fatah-Hamas government is civil war" will be instructed to start precisely such a civil war. And why not? Isn’t Usrael behind the raging civil war in Iraq? Hasn't Usrael been laying the foundation of and accelerating the process for a civil war in Lebanon? Why not in Palestine? Welcome to "creative destruction" from the Nile to the Euphrates.
Tony Sayegh
الطائفة الأرثوذكسية في غزة: من يجهل التاريخ عليه أن يعرف أن المسيحيين في الشرق العربي تعامل معهم الإسلام بكل محبة وصدق
غزة ـ المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام
أعربت الطائفة الأرثوذكسية في مدينة غزة، عن استنكارها لـ " تطاول بابا الفاتيكان بينديكت السادس عشر في تصريحاته الأخيرة والمسيئة للديانة الإسلامية"، مطالبة البابا بالتراجع عن تصريحاته وسحبها، مؤكدة أن المسيحيين في الشرق العربي تعامل معهم الإسلام بكل محبة وصدق.
وعبرت رئاسة الطائفة ومجلس وكلائها وجميع مؤسساتها، في بيان لها، عن استهجانها لتصريحات بابا الفاتيكان، معتبرة ما يمس المسلمين يمس المسيحيين الذين عاشوا سوية على مدى العصور وباحترام وتقدير متبادل.
وقالت الطائفة في بيانها: "هل هناك أحد يجرؤ على الإساءة لأبناء شعبنا من إخواننا المسلمين والمساس بمعتقداتهم، وليعلم القاصي والداني أننا جميعاً مسلمون ومسيحيون نعيش في خندق واحد، ونطالب البابا بسحب تصريحاته المسيئة لنا ولإخواننا المسلمين".
وأضافت: "إذا كان إخواننا المسلمون يؤمنون بما جاء في القرآن الكريم من تكريس واحترام لرجال الدين المسيحيين، فهل كان بابا الفاتيكان يجهل هذه الحقيقة؟". وأكدت أن المسيحيين والمسلمين في غزة وفي كل فلسطين أخوة وأحباء وشركاء في السراء والضراء.
وقالت الطائفة الأرثوذكسية: "إن من يجهل التاريخ عليه أن يعرف أن المسيحيين في الشرق العربي قد تعامل معهم الإسلام بكل محبة وصدق، كما ورد في العهدة المحمدية والعمرية التي يعرفها كل أبناء شعبنا العربي".
وأشارت إلى أن تلك العهدة وما أقرته من حماية المسيحيين وممتلكاتهم وعلى اختلاف طوائفهم، كانت وصية من الخليفة عمر بن الخطاب –رضي الله عنه- اختتمها باعتبار من يخالفها "لعهد الله ناكثاً ولرسوله الحبيب باغضاً".
غزة ـ المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام
أعربت الطائفة الأرثوذكسية في مدينة غزة، عن استنكارها لـ " تطاول بابا الفاتيكان بينديكت السادس عشر في تصريحاته الأخيرة والمسيئة للديانة الإسلامية"، مطالبة البابا بالتراجع عن تصريحاته وسحبها، مؤكدة أن المسيحيين في الشرق العربي تعامل معهم الإسلام بكل محبة وصدق.
وعبرت رئاسة الطائفة ومجلس وكلائها وجميع مؤسساتها، في بيان لها، عن استهجانها لتصريحات بابا الفاتيكان، معتبرة ما يمس المسلمين يمس المسيحيين الذين عاشوا سوية على مدى العصور وباحترام وتقدير متبادل.
وقالت الطائفة في بيانها: "هل هناك أحد يجرؤ على الإساءة لأبناء شعبنا من إخواننا المسلمين والمساس بمعتقداتهم، وليعلم القاصي والداني أننا جميعاً مسلمون ومسيحيون نعيش في خندق واحد، ونطالب البابا بسحب تصريحاته المسيئة لنا ولإخواننا المسلمين".
وأضافت: "إذا كان إخواننا المسلمون يؤمنون بما جاء في القرآن الكريم من تكريس واحترام لرجال الدين المسيحيين، فهل كان بابا الفاتيكان يجهل هذه الحقيقة؟". وأكدت أن المسيحيين والمسلمين في غزة وفي كل فلسطين أخوة وأحباء وشركاء في السراء والضراء.
وقالت الطائفة الأرثوذكسية: "إن من يجهل التاريخ عليه أن يعرف أن المسيحيين في الشرق العربي قد تعامل معهم الإسلام بكل محبة وصدق، كما ورد في العهدة المحمدية والعمرية التي يعرفها كل أبناء شعبنا العربي".
وأشارت إلى أن تلك العهدة وما أقرته من حماية المسيحيين وممتلكاتهم وعلى اختلاف طوائفهم، كانت وصية من الخليفة عمر بن الخطاب –رضي الله عنه- اختتمها باعتبار من يخالفها "لعهد الله ناكثاً ولرسوله الحبيب باغضاً".
Papal ignorance
AN EXCELLENT COMMENT
By Khalid Amayreh
Palestine-info
"Yes, we both have our misunderstandings and misgivings and peculiar beliefs and convictions, both as individuals and as religious and cultural communities. However, it would be unforgivable if we allowed these differences to marginalize let alone neutralize the fundamental common grounds between our religions, commonly called the Abrahamic religions.
There is always a huge reservoir of quotes, positive and negative, about religions and religious symbols. A Muslim or non-Muslim could easily amass a preponderance of quotes and texts from the Old Testament, for example, to prove that the Bible advocates murder.
In truth, the Prophet of Islam, Muahmmed (Peace be on him), never ever really called for spreading religion with the sword. The Quran states in Surat (chapter) al-Nahl, v. 134, “Invite to the path of thy Lord with wisdom and good advice, and argue with them kindly, for Thy Lord is well aware of those who go astray and He is aware of those who follow true guidance.”
Indeed, the very next verse states that “if thou should punish (aggressors) punish only in proportion to the aggression inflicted upon you, but if ye be patient, it will be better for the patient.”
Let us take Indonesia , the largest Muslim country in terms of population size, as an example. Historically, it is well known that no Muslim armies had ever set foot on the huge archipelago. Yet all these millions chose to embrace the religion endeared to them by Arabian merchants and sailors who had exemplified to the natives the Islamic ideals of honesty, purity and faithfulness.
A few days ago, a Jewish lady, who had lost 8 relatives in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, appeared on Aljazeera TV, explaining why she decided to revert to Islam only a few months after the landmark tragedy. She simply said that “I found truth in Islam.” The same can be said about the estimated 20,000 Americans who have embraced Islam after 9/11.
Besides, what modicum of objectivity and honesty can there be in the words of an emperor who had lost his throne and empire because of Islam.? What else would we expect from the mouth of that loser?
Furthermore, the Pope should have realized that he lives in a glass house. I want to remind him of the history of the Catholic Church upon the helm of which he now sits. It was the Church that burned scientists alive, it was the Church that invented the Indulgences and Simony systems, it was the Catholic world that invented the Inquisitions, the pogroms, and all other abominations associated with its dark practices against critics and opponents, including Christians who didn’t extend fealty to Rome .
And the Crusades? And the Holocaust? Must we re-open these dark chapters again? Do we have to remind his holiness that in the past century alone, over a hundred million Christians were killed by other Christians in numerous wars, including two world wars? May we remind his holiness that he himself sixty years ago was a member of the Hitler Youth? And then how about the spread of Catholicism in South America ? Was it done through the example of platonic love and self-abnegation?"
By Khalid Amayreh
Palestine-info
"Yes, we both have our misunderstandings and misgivings and peculiar beliefs and convictions, both as individuals and as religious and cultural communities. However, it would be unforgivable if we allowed these differences to marginalize let alone neutralize the fundamental common grounds between our religions, commonly called the Abrahamic religions.
There is always a huge reservoir of quotes, positive and negative, about religions and religious symbols. A Muslim or non-Muslim could easily amass a preponderance of quotes and texts from the Old Testament, for example, to prove that the Bible advocates murder.
In truth, the Prophet of Islam, Muahmmed (Peace be on him), never ever really called for spreading religion with the sword. The Quran states in Surat (chapter) al-Nahl, v. 134, “Invite to the path of thy Lord with wisdom and good advice, and argue with them kindly, for Thy Lord is well aware of those who go astray and He is aware of those who follow true guidance.”
Indeed, the very next verse states that “if thou should punish (aggressors) punish only in proportion to the aggression inflicted upon you, but if ye be patient, it will be better for the patient.”
Let us take Indonesia , the largest Muslim country in terms of population size, as an example. Historically, it is well known that no Muslim armies had ever set foot on the huge archipelago. Yet all these millions chose to embrace the religion endeared to them by Arabian merchants and sailors who had exemplified to the natives the Islamic ideals of honesty, purity and faithfulness.
A few days ago, a Jewish lady, who had lost 8 relatives in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, appeared on Aljazeera TV, explaining why she decided to revert to Islam only a few months after the landmark tragedy. She simply said that “I found truth in Islam.” The same can be said about the estimated 20,000 Americans who have embraced Islam after 9/11.
Besides, what modicum of objectivity and honesty can there be in the words of an emperor who had lost his throne and empire because of Islam.? What else would we expect from the mouth of that loser?
Furthermore, the Pope should have realized that he lives in a glass house. I want to remind him of the history of the Catholic Church upon the helm of which he now sits. It was the Church that burned scientists alive, it was the Church that invented the Indulgences and Simony systems, it was the Catholic world that invented the Inquisitions, the pogroms, and all other abominations associated with its dark practices against critics and opponents, including Christians who didn’t extend fealty to Rome .
And the Crusades? And the Holocaust? Must we re-open these dark chapters again? Do we have to remind his holiness that in the past century alone, over a hundred million Christians were killed by other Christians in numerous wars, including two world wars? May we remind his holiness that he himself sixty years ago was a member of the Hitler Youth? And then how about the spread of Catholicism in South America ? Was it done through the example of platonic love and self-abnegation?"
Papal Insults
A Bavarian Provocation
A GREAT PIECE
By TARIQ ALI
"I think he knew what he was saying and why. Choosing a quote from Manuel II Paleologos, not the most intelligent of the Byzantine rulers, was somewhat disingenuous, especially on the eve of a visit to Turkey.
The Muslim world with two of its countries---Iraq and Afghanistan-- directly occupied by Western troops does not need to be reminded of the language of the Crusades.
It was the Catholic Church that declared War on Islam in the Iberian Peninsula and Sicily. Mass expulsions, killings, forced conversions and a vicious Inquisition to police the cleansed Europe and the reformist Protestant enemy. Jews and Protestants alike were granted refuge by the Ottoman Empire, a refuge they would have been denied had Istanbul remained Constantinople.
'Slaves, obey your human masters.For Christ is the real master you serve' said Paul (Colossians 3: 22-24) in establishing a collaborationist tradition which fell on its knees before wealth and power and which reached its apogee during the Second World War where the leadership of the Church collaborated with fascism and did not speak up against the judeocide or the butchery on the Eastern Front. Islam does not need pacifist lessons from this Church.
Not all Christians joined in the crusades old and new. When Pope Urban launched the crusades the Norman king of Sicily refused to send troops in which Sicilian Muslims would be compelled to fight against Muslims in the East. His son, Roger II, refused to back the Second Crusade. In doing so they showed more courage than the leaders of contemporary Italy, who are only too willing to join the imperial crusades against the Muslim world.
'To make sure of being right in all things', said the founder of the Jesuits, Ignatius Loyola, 'we ought always to hold to the principle that the white I see I should believe to be black if the hierarchical church were so to rule.'
Today most Catholic prelates in the West (including the Bavarian in the Vatican) and politicians of Centre-Left/Right worship the real Pope who lives in the White House and tells them when black is white.
Amen."
A GREAT PIECE
By TARIQ ALI
"I think he knew what he was saying and why. Choosing a quote from Manuel II Paleologos, not the most intelligent of the Byzantine rulers, was somewhat disingenuous, especially on the eve of a visit to Turkey.
The Muslim world with two of its countries---Iraq and Afghanistan-- directly occupied by Western troops does not need to be reminded of the language of the Crusades.
It was the Catholic Church that declared War on Islam in the Iberian Peninsula and Sicily. Mass expulsions, killings, forced conversions and a vicious Inquisition to police the cleansed Europe and the reformist Protestant enemy. Jews and Protestants alike were granted refuge by the Ottoman Empire, a refuge they would have been denied had Istanbul remained Constantinople.
'Slaves, obey your human masters.For Christ is the real master you serve' said Paul (Colossians 3: 22-24) in establishing a collaborationist tradition which fell on its knees before wealth and power and which reached its apogee during the Second World War where the leadership of the Church collaborated with fascism and did not speak up against the judeocide or the butchery on the Eastern Front. Islam does not need pacifist lessons from this Church.
Not all Christians joined in the crusades old and new. When Pope Urban launched the crusades the Norman king of Sicily refused to send troops in which Sicilian Muslims would be compelled to fight against Muslims in the East. His son, Roger II, refused to back the Second Crusade. In doing so they showed more courage than the leaders of contemporary Italy, who are only too willing to join the imperial crusades against the Muslim world.
'To make sure of being right in all things', said the founder of the Jesuits, Ignatius Loyola, 'we ought always to hold to the principle that the white I see I should believe to be black if the hierarchical church were so to rule.'
Today most Catholic prelates in the West (including the Bavarian in the Vatican) and politicians of Centre-Left/Right worship the real Pope who lives in the White House and tells them when black is white.
Amen."
