حين يمشي العار عاريا لا تحصل فضيحة

"من لم يلاحظ ملمحا جديا في ذهول الوجوه في جنيف؟ لقد ذهل حتى من سمكت جلودهم لكثرة استخدام مادة حقوق الإنسان أداة في السياسة والخطابة. لكنه الذهول من كون الفضيحة تكمن في عدم وجود فضيحة. فالفضائح تصدم عادة بعد انكشاف (أو ادعاء انكشاف)، أي انفضاح، معلومات استترت عن العيون حتى اللحظة. وتصاغ المعلومات الجديدة على شكل قصة مشينة بمعايير الغالبية، وبمعايير أبطال القصة: سرقة، خيانة وطنية، تآمر مع العدو لتسليم أصدقاء، مصالح مالية وراء موقف سياسي مفاجئ وغريب... في جنيف كان كل شيء واضحا إلى حد الذهول.

لقد ارتسم الذهول على النفوس والوجوه من شدة الوضوح والمجاهرة وليس من وطأة الانكشاف. ويكتفي المذهولون من الوضوح بالتعبير عن الدرجة بإضافة عبارتين: "كنت أعلم... ولكن لم أتوقع أنهم وصلوا إلى هذا الحد".
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مكتب رئيس السلطة يسرّب معلوماتٍ بأن الضغط للتراجع عن دعم التقرير جاء من مكتب رئيس الحكومة، والأخير يؤكد العكس. وطرف ممن كان يسارا فلسطينيا يدين "الموقف المخجل" للمندوب الفلسطيني في جنيف، وكأن الأخير هو صاحب قرار. في حين أن ممثل الفصيل اليساري يجلس في الحكومة صاحبة القرار، ويؤيد الرئيس صاحب القرار.
وخذ على هذا المنوال! عارنا في جنيف. الوجوه كالقديد، وفقدان ماء الوجه بلغ حد التحنط.
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يجري حاليا توليد مشروع دولة فلسطينية هزيلة فاقدة السيادة، وهي فاقدة للشرعية التاريخية لأنها تقوم على مقايضة الدولة بحق العودة وبالقدس وبالانسحاب
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التأجيل في عرف الهيئات التي تحشد رأيا عاما وترقّبًا وأصواتا هو تنفيسٌ لجهد، وهو في الواقع إفشالٌ لمشروع قرار. ثم عندما يتراجع "صاحب الشأن" عن القضية يصبح بإمكان الآخرين أن يتحرروا من العبء. لينتقل صاحب الشأن بعد ذلك إلى الاختباء وراء تحرر الآخرين من العبء
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تبنّي محمود عباس وطاقمه، الذي أصبح بعد مؤتمر فتح الأخير قيادةً رسمية للحركة، ما حاول ياسر عرفات التهرب منه طيلة فترة ترؤسه للسلطة الفلسطينية، وهو التنسيق الأمني (الجدي) مع إسرائيل......
يثبت هذا الواقع الذي وصلت إليه غزة أن حركة المقاومة لا يمكن أن تستخدم قواعد اللعبة التي يتحكم فيها الاحتلال دون أن تدفع الثمن. فالانتخابات هي لعبة على منصة الاحتلال وعلى حلبة العمل السياسي العلني في ظل الاحتلال، وتولّي السلطة هو لعبة تدور على حلبة اتفاقيات أوسلو وعلى حلبة النظام الدولي الذي يتبناها
وتعني تحمل مسؤولية القيام بأود الشعب تحت الاحتلال في ظروف تدعم فيها الدول العربية التسوية وشروط الرباعية رسميا (الاعتراف ونبذ العنف والالتزام بالاتفاقيات الموقعة)، وترفض فيها دعم سلطةِ مقاومة. كما تتبنى الموقف الدولي القائل بتخيير حماس بين السلطة وتولي حاجات وهموم الناس اليومية وبين المقاومة ورفض التسوية.

هنالك بعض الثغرات في هذا الحصار الإسرائيلي العربي الرسمي المضروب حول المقاومة (وحلقته الرئيسية هي السلطة الفلسطينية التي تتعاون مع إسرائيل ضد المقاومة باسم الممثل الشرعي والوحيد). ومنها خلافات عربية/عربية تنافسية أو مملوكية الطابع، ومنها غضب عربي من استغناء السلطة عن بعض الأنظمة في تنسيقها مع أميركا وإسرائيل. (وبالعكس تحاول السلطة مؤخرا استخدام هذه العلاقات المتميزة مع أوروبا والولايات المتحدة لعرض خدماتها على دول عربية معزولة غربيا لتقريبها من وجهة نظرها ضد المقاومة).

وتناور المقاومة حاليا بين هذه القوى مستغلَّة هذه الثغرات، ومن ضمنها إمكانية رفض مصري لإصرار محمود عباس على "إجراء الانتخابات في موعدها" (!!)، وتجنيد إصرار عربي على أن الانتخابات يجب أن تجري باتفاق وليس دون اتفاق فلسطيني، وأن إعادة بناء الأجهزة يجب أن تجري في الضفة الغربية أيضا، وليس في غزة وحدها... كما تناور مستغلة فشل مقولة تجميد الاستيطان الأميركية وتراجع أوباما أمام الموقف الإسرائيلي، واستمرار التواصل الفلسطيني الإسرائيلي على أعلى مستوى رغم ذلك، وإحباط إسرائيل لمهمة ميتشل. ولكنها مناورات تهدف للبقاء والحفاظ على الذات بانتظار فرص أفضل."

الأهرام المصرية: اتفاق المصالحة يتضمن عودة السلطة لإدارة غزة ومعبر رفح

الأهرام المصرية: اتفاق المصالحة يتضمن عودة السلطة لإدارة غزة ومعبر رفح

"القاهرة- قالت صحيفة الأهرام المصرية السبت إن اتفاق المصالحة الوطنية الفلسطينية الذي تعكف مصر على إعداد الصياغة النهائية له يتضمن عودة السلطة الفلسطينية لإدارة قطاع غزة‏.

ونقلت الصحيفة عن مصادر رسمية قولها إن الاتفاق يتضمن أيضا عودة السلطة إلى السيطرة على معبر رفح الحدودي بين مصر وقطاع غزة طبقا لاتفاق عام 2005.

وأكدت المصادر أنه لم يتحدد موعد توقيع الاتفاق‏، وأن مصر ستحدد هذا الموعد في الأسبوع الأخير من شهر تشرين الأول/ أكتوبر الحالي، مشيرة إلى‏‏ أن القاهرة ستبدأ يومي ‏19‏ و‏20‏ من الشهر الحالي باستقبال وفود الفصائل الفلسطينية‏ تمهيدا لتوقيع اتفاق المصالحة‏.

وأوضحت المصادر أن اتفاق المصالحة بين الفصائل الفلسطينية‏‏ يتضمن العديد من البنود‏، مؤكدة أن بينها عودة السلطة الفلسطينية‏ برئاسة محمود عباس‏، إلى إدارة الأوضاع في غزة.

وتابعت المصادر أن الاتفاق يقضي أيضا بتشكيل لجنة عربية عليا للإشراف على الانتخابات الرئاسية والتشريعية والمجلس الوطني.

كما تتضمن بنود الاتفاق عودة قوات السلطة إلى تولي المسؤوليات الأمنية في غزة‏، بما فيها منفذ رفح البري‏، وبالتالي عودة المراقبين الأوروبيين إلي المنفذ طبقا لاتفاق عام ‏2005، بما يتيح فتح المنفذ وعودة حركة التنقل إلى طبيعتها.

وكان رئيس المكتب السياسي لحركة حماس خالد مشعل أعلن في القاهرة الاثنين الماضي قبول حركته للورقة المصرية للمصالحة الفلسطينية، مؤكدا أنها أرضية جيدة للمصالحة.

وقال مشعل إن المصريين يعكفون على بلورة صيغة نهائية للمصالحة الوطنية، حيث سيتم دعوة كافة الفصائل الشهر المقبل لتوقيع اتفاق المصالحة، مشيرا إلى ما تبقى من مشاورات هو لتحديد بعض المواعيد.
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COMMENT:

This is really stunning. Coming just one day after the firestorm against the traitor Abbas and his "Authority" for siding with Israel and obeying US orders to prevent a vote on the Goldstone report in the UN Human Rights Council on Friday.

Most Palestinians have finally seen the PA as not only compliant with and complacent under the occupation, but also as an active arm of the IOF, militarily, diplomatically, economically and politically. This latest act by Fayyad and Abbas was described this way by Ali Abunimah:

"The PA's betrayal of the Palestinian people over the Goldstone report, as well as its continued "security coordination" with Israel to suppress resistance and political activity in the West Bank, should banish all doubt that it is an active arm of the Israeli occupation doing tangible and escalating harm to the Palestinian people and their just cause."

To have Khalid Mishaal describe such betrayal as simply "a shame," and to have agreed to a return of Abbas to Gaza, after his active complicity with the IOF in the slaughter and destruction in Gaza, as well as the cover up of the war crimes, is simply incredible.

If this proves to be true, then it is further proof that Hamas is simply looking for crumbs and narrow party gains. It is more interested in staying as a part of a treasonous so-called Authority and playing stupid games about elections and "parliament," while what is left of Palestine vanishes.

Mr. Mishaal is now willing to accept what Arafat accepted (and was not able to get) before; but this is 30 years later.

Pity the Palestinians! With such leaders, who needs enemies?

More Iran Hysteria from the NY Times

By Tony Karon

"The surest sign that another neocon bill of goods is being hawked in respect of the Iran “nuclear peril” is the revival of Rumsfeld-esque “unknowable unknowns”, a la Iraq WMD panic circa late 2002. In the real world, of course, solid progress is being made towards a plausible diplomatic deal to strengthen safeguards against Iran weaponizing the nuclear material it is producing. (See my latest on this at TIME.com)....."

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad revealed to have Jewish past

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's vitriolic attacks on the Jewish world hide an astonishing secret, evidence uncovered by The Daily Telegraph shows.

The Telegraph

"A photograph of the Iranian president holding up his identity card during elections in March 2008 clearly shows his family has Jewish roots.

A close-up of the document reveals he was previously known as Sabourjian – a Jewish name meaning cloth weaver.

The short note scrawled on the card suggests his family changed its name to Ahmadinejad when they converted to embrace Islam after his birth.

The Sabourjians traditionally hail from Aradan, Mr Ahmadinejad's birthplace, and the name derives from "weaver of the Sabour", the name for the Jewish Tallit shawl in Persia. The name is even on the list of reserved names for Iranian Jews compiled by Iran's Ministry of the Interior......"

Mishaal slams Abbas for not supporting UN report on Israeli war crimes in Gaza

"......“We are shocked today … this is a shame … the blood of children and women in Gaza will curse those who renounced the Palestinian blood,” Mishaal said in his speech during a ceremony held in the context of celebrating Jerusalem as the capital of Arab culture in Damascus......

With regard to the inter-Palestinian reconciliation, the Hamas leader said that despite the pains caused by the practices of Abbas’s authority, his Movement has no choice but to achieve the reconciliation in order to rearrange the Palestinian house....."

EGYPT: Virtually, Some Real Freedom

By Cam McGrath

"CAIRO, Oct 2 (IPS) - Egyptians critical of their government are using new media and the Internet to expose its improprieties and press for social change.

Twitter users in Egypt have provided minute-by-minute coverage of labour strikes, while Facebook groups are rallying opposition against the ruling party and its policies. But perhaps the most striking example of new media activism are the dozens of videos of police brutality - many filmed using mobile phone cameras - that have been uploaded to blogs and YouTube.

"The Internet has created a new type of activism," says blogger Sherif Abdel Aziz. "It took the political voice from activists and gave it to the average citizen."

Internet use is growing rapidly in Egypt as connection costs fall. More than 12 million Egyptians, about 15 percent of the population, are logging on regularly. And in doing so, they are being exposed to a flood of news and views outside the sphere of the state-dominated press......."

In a remote corner of China lies a tiny patch of Muslim freedom

I find a brace of outrageously polite children learning the Koran

By Robert Fisk

"....There are enough half-moons on the cracked concrete to tell you that this little corner of a foreign field owes its existence to a prophet in a far distant land – a desert so far away that when I asked a Chinese security guard for the nearest mosque, he directed me to a Sikh temple. Welcome to Hong Kong, People's Republic of China, home to almost a quarter of a million Muslims......"

The hawks are circling

Talk about Iran's nuclear weapons sounds eerily familiar. It's time to end the Bush-era bellicosity

George Galloway
guardian.co.uk, Friday 2 October 2009

".....And therein lies the rub. The pressure for a more aggressive policy, not least from Israel and its supporters, towards Iran and others has not gone away. What the hawks oppose is Iran playing any major role in the region, though that is exactly the position it has been bequeathed thanks to the war on Iraq and the alliances of convenience the occupation has had to forge there.

They now risk the same outcome in Afghanistan. The US top brass are pushing for large new deployments into a country which has been the graveyard of armies. Nato's commander in Kabul, General McChrystal, wants maybe 40,000 more troops. If he gets his way, Britain is likely to follow. And all into killing fields from which there is no exit strategy or clear idea of why we are there. Hamid Karzai's election carve-up put paid to claims that the occupation would bring democracy. When Brown next reads out the names of British dead, he might like to tell us why he sent them there to die.

Talking peace with Iran while pursuing a hopeless war in another of its neighbours is a policy for chaos. "

Fatah and Hamas set for surface unity

The two Palestinian factions may agree to an Egypt-brokered unity deal – but only by glossing over their core differences

Ben White
guardian.co.uk, Friday 2 October 2009

"After half a dozen unsuccessful attempts, there is now a strong sense that Egypt has managed to negotiate a national unity deal between Hamas and Fatah. Reports indicate that at the end of October, Palestinian factions will gather in Cairo to finalise an agreement, the result of a breakthrough in recent weeks. Next week, Mahmoud Abbas is expected to support the plan after meeting with senior Egyptian officials.

Hamas leaders have sounded optimistic about the chances of finally reaching a deal with their rivals, after agreeing to the specifics of the Egyptian-engineered compromise. Khaled Meshaal described discussions with Egyptian officials as very positive, while Ismail Haniyeh said that "the signing of the reconciliation agreement is near". Fatah leaders have been less effusive in public, though central committee member Nabil Shaath said that his movement is optimistic and hopes that the proposed conference "will lead to an agreement".

The highlights of the deal relate to the issues of substance that until now have divided the two parties, namely: elections, security forces, detainees, and a way of overseeing the implementation of the deal........

Undoubtedly the stakes are high – whether or not Egypt is serious in its message of "last chance" (or whether it is a way of notching up the pressure). While the situation for the Palestinians in the occupied territories has never been more desperate, that itself could make it more likely that a unity deal is finally reached."

Current Al-Jazeera (Arabic) Online Poll

This brand new poll asks the question of the hour:

Do you believe that suspending the vote on the Goldstone report serves Palestinian interests?

With 600 people responding so far (it is quite early), 90% said no.

A Word of Caution:

It will be interesting to see how the results change as the existence of the poll becomes known. As I stated before, early results are most accurate, and this 90% negative vote reflects the current public mood of Palestinians and Arabs in general.

As happened before, corrupt Arab money and the interest of the rotten Arab regimes (the PA included) will probably try to change these results by heavy "voting" in the yes direction. This bears watching.

US 'pressured Abbas on UN report'

Al-Jazeera

"Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, urged the Palestinian Authority (PA) not to accept the findings of a UN report into Israel's war on Gaza because of fears it might scupper attempts to restart peace talks, Palestinian sources have told Al Jazeera.

Clinton reportedly called Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, on Thursday to encourage him to withdraw PA support for the report, which heavily criticised the conduct of Israeli forces during the December-January conflict.

The UN Human Rights Council had been due to vote on Friday on the report by Richard Goldstone, an investigator appointed by the world body.

Though the PA did not reject the Goldstone report, it backed moves to postpone a vote on the findings until March, triggering widespread condemnation from Palestinian groups and human rights organisations....."

The public face of Zionist colonisation

Illegal West Bank settlers tell an audience how reasonable and God-abiding they are.

TGIA

EXCLUSIVE: Obama agrees to keep Israel's nukes secret

President Obama has reaffirmed a 4-decade-old secret understanding that has allowed Israel to keep a nuclear arsenal without opening it to international inspections, three officials familiar with the understanding said.

The officials, who spoke on the condition that they not be named because they were discussing private conversations, said Mr. Obama pledged to maintain the agreement when he first hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in May.

Thankgodimatheist

Declaration Of A Strike Within The Green Line Expressing The Unity Of Our Struggle Against Apartheid

Palestinian National Initiative
The Palestinian National Initiative declared its support and solidarity with Palestinians residing on 1948 land. On Thursday, a strike was announced in memory of the Intifada martyrs who were killed in Palestinian towns in Israel in October 2000 as a result of racial discrimination and apartheid.

MP Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative, considered the announcement of the strike in Palestinian cities and towns inside Israel a reflection of the similarity of racial discrimination that Palestinians are subjected to in the occupied territories as well as in Israel.

Barghouthi said: "We pay tribute to the Arab Monitoring Committee for its unifying role and involvement in the struggle against racial discrimination and for the sake of justice and the removal of apartheid and to support the struggle of the Palestinian people against occupation and oppression. We value the support of all Arab political forces for supporting the decision of the strike, which is a challenge to Israeli racism and affirms the unity and the common destiny of the people.”
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Thankgodimatheist(atheedieumerci): Many thanks to Tony and Molly who got the strange idea that my contributions to this blog could be of any value. Anyway, not being one to shy away when called upon, I hope being able to rise to their expectations and contribute to the best of my capabilities and availability..

COMMENT

Thankgodimatheist (atheedieumerci in French) has graciously agreed to join our blog. I think he will prove to be a major addition to PP.

I am familiar with his comments from the days when Angry Arab used to have comments. I was struck by his comments being well-thought, reasoned and intelligently expressed. I also like his sense of humor.

I do not know him personally, but I would like to know more about him. From his comments I have gathered this much:

He was born in Lebanon to a Christian mother and a Muslim father, and grew up there. Lived in Paris for a long time. He now lives in Sydney, Australia, and he is a successful artist.

Perhaps he, if he likes, can tell us more.

Please join me and welcome him. -- Tony.

انهم يتاجرون بدماء الشهداء

انهم يتاجرون بدماء الشهداء
عبد الباري عطوان

"لا يمكن وصف قرار السلطة الفلسطينية في رام الله بسحب مشروع القرار المقدم الى المجلس الدولي لحقوق الانسان في دورة انعقاده يوم امس في جنيف، الذي يتبنى تقرير ريتشارد غولدستون، ويتهم اسرائيل بارتكاب جرائم حرب ضد الانسانية، الا على انه 'وصمة عار' يستحق الذين يقفون خلفه المثول امام محكمة شعبية فلسطينية، بتهمة المتاجرة بدماء الشهداء وبيع الحقوق الوطنية الفلسطينية، دون مقابل، غير الرضا الامريكي ـ الاسرائيلي عليهم وعلى سلطتهم البائسة.
ماذا سنقول لشعوب العالم التي تظاهرت في الشوارع طوال ايام العدوان على قطاع غزة، في مختلف عواصم العالم، بل ماذا سيقول هؤلاء الذين اصدروا اوامرهم بسحب التصويت على التقرير، ومشروع قرار إحالته الى مجلس الامن الدولي، للشهداء والجرحى والمشردين في قطاع غزة؟
اكثر من خمس وثلاثين دولة ساندت مشروع القرار، ورفضت الضغوط الامريكية والاسرائيلية بإباء وشمم، مضحية بمصالحها، انتصارا لشهداء فلسطين، وتضامنا مع ذوي الضحايا، لتأتي مكالمة بائسة الى 'السفير الفلسطيني في جنيف، من رئيسه في رام الله السيد محمود عباس بسحب طلب التصويت، ليذهب هذا السفير الى 'نظيره' الاسرائيلي مبشرا بالخبر السار الذي ينتظره نتنياهو وباراك وكل مجرمي الحرب الاسرائيليين.
اسرائيل تفرج عن عشرين اسيرة مقابل شريط طوله دقيقة واحدة عن اسيرها الجندي شليط، ومئات من الاسرى في سجونها، مقابل رفاة جنود قتلوا في لبنان، بينما سلطتنا تفرّط بدماء شهدائنا وحرية أسرانا دون مقابل.
تنازل كبير لم يحلم به نتنياهو، ولا وزير خارجيته افيغدور ليبرمان، او وزير دفاعه ايهود باراك، الذي خطط ونفذ العدوان على قطاع غزة. تنازل مجاني يشكل اهانة مذلة لآلاف الشهداء، ومثلهم من الاسرى الذين ضحوا بحياتهم او حريتهم من اجل قضية عادلة، وانتظروا طويلا، ومعهم الملايين من ابناء شعبهم هذه اللحظة التاريخية التي يرون فيها مجرمي الحرب الاسرائيليين يقفون خلف القضبان، بتهمة ارتكاب مجازر حرب ضد الابرياء العزل والانسانية بأسرها.
لم يفوّض الشعب الفلسطيني السيد عباس ولا 'المجموعة' المحيطة به، لبيع دماء الشهداء بهذا الرخص، ومقابل وعود هزيلة باستئناف مفاوضات اكثر عبثية وسط ضجيج البلدوزرات وخلاّطات الاسمنت التي تقيم المستوطنات الجديدة، وتوسع القديمة وتهوّد المدينة المقدسة.
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من يتنازل عن دماء الشهداء بهذه السهولة، وبهذه الطريقة المخجلة، يبيع قضية فلسطين وحقوق شعبها دون ان يرف له جفن، وهذا ليس غريبا على هؤلاء الذين تواطأوا في الاساس مع العدوان على قطاع غزة، وتقـــدموا مع المــندوب الاسرائــيلي في مجلس الامن الدولي بمشروع قرار مشترك يعتبر قطاع غزة منطقة 'خارجة على القانون' يجب ان تخضع لأبشع انواع الحصار والتجويع من قبل المجتمع الدولي.
الرئيس عباس غير مفوّض من اي مرجعية فلسطينية لتقديم هذا التنازل المعيب. لم يفوّض من اللجنة التنفيذية للمنظمة، ولا من المجلس الوطني، ولا حتى اللجنة المركزية لحركة 'فتح' المنتخبة اخيرا، وفوق كل هذا وذاك انه رئيس منتهية ولايته منذ عشرة اشهر.
اللجنة المركزية لحركة 'فتح' التي تضم العديد من الشرفاء المناضلين من اصحاب التاريخ النضالي العريق، مطالبة بالتحرك الفوري، ليس للتحقيق في كيفية حدوث هذه المهزلة فقط، وانما لتقديم المسؤولين عنها الى محكمة حركية لمعاقبتهم وفق الاجراءات المتبعة، لمنع حدوث اي تكرار لهذا التفرد الخطير بالقرار الفلسطيني، والتفريط بالتالي بالثوابت الفلسطينية.
هذا التفريط المعيب والمخجل الذي حدث في جنيف تم باسم حركة 'فتح'، ومن قمة القيادة فيها، ولذلك فهي مطالبة بالكف عن الهروب من مسؤولياتها، تحت اعذار مختلفة، والتصدي بقوة لهذا الانحراف الخطير عن ميثاقها، وإرثها النضالي العريق. ففلسطين وقضيتها تتقدمان على كل الاعتبارات الفصائلية، وحركة 'فتح' عندما انطلقت واطلقت الرصاصة الأولى قدمت نموذجاً في الوطنية والتضحية من اجل قضية شعبها.
نذهب الى ما هو ابعد من ذلك ونقول إننا نسمع عن تحرك غاضب في اوساط اللجنة المركزية للحركة يريد ان يحمل المسؤولية الى اشخاص مثل ياسر عبد ربه، او سلام فياض، لأنهما من خارج الحركة، وتحميلهما مسؤولية هذه السقطة وتبرئة الرئيس محمود عباس بالتالي، وهذا قمة التضليل وهروب من الحقيقة لا نقبله لهم ولا للحركة، لأن هؤلاء لا يمكن ان يقدموا على اي خطوة دون موافقة 'الحبر الاعظم'.
' ' '
دماء الشهداء تُباع حالياً في سوق النخاسة ومن اجل صفقة هاتف محمول، ومقابل حفنة من ملايين الشيكلات، تذهب الى حسابات شركة اصحابها هم بعض المتنفذين وابناؤهم، والشعب الفلسطيني يعرف هؤلاء جميعاً، واحداً واحداً، ولن يصمت طويلاً، بل يجب ان لا يصمت على هذه المتاجرة بأعز واشرف ما يملك ، اي أبنائه الشهداء ودمائهم.
نشعر بالخجل ونحن نرى ريتشارد غولدستون، اليهودي الصهيوني، اكثر وطنية من قيادة السلطة وبعض حوارييها، عندما يتمسك بتقريره ويؤكد كل كلمة وردت فيه عن جرائم الحرب الاسرائيلية، ويرفـــض شتى انواع الابتزاز، ويصر على معاقبة المجرمين. ونشعر بالخجل أكثر، ونحن نرى سفراء دول مثل فيتنام وفنزويلا وبنغلاديش وروسيا وجنوب افريقيا ومعظم السفراء العرب والمسلمين اكثر حماسة من سفير فلسطين، في الاصرار على طرح مشروع القرار على التصويت.
نكتب بعاطفة، وانفعال، بعد ان ضاع المنطق، ولم يعد يفيد في التعاطي مع مثل هذه المواقف المخزية واصحابها، فالجرح جرحنا، والقضية قضيتنا، والشهداء شهداؤنا. فنحن اولياء الدم، وليس هؤلاء التجار الذين ينفذون اوامر سافكيه دون خجل او حياء.
' ' '
يملأنا الغضب والحنق ونحن نسمع 'الدكتور' صائب عريقات 'كبير' المفاوضين يمارس ابشع انواع التضليل امام عدسات التلفزة، وهو يقول ان الوفد الفلسطيني في جنيف لم يتخذ قرار سحب مشروع التصويت على تقرير غولدستون، لان فلسطين ليست عضواً في المجلس الحقوقي العالمي، وانما هي عضو مراقب. كيف يمارس 'الدكتور' هذا الاستخفاف بعقولنا، وهل يعتقد اننا جهلة قصّر، يمكن الضحك على ذقوننا بهذه السذاجة؟ فكيف اذن صدرت جميع القرارات المؤيدة للحق العربي في الامم المتحدة، وهي بالعشرات، وباسم من جرى تقديمها، وابرزها قرار ادانة اسرائيل كحركة عنصرية؟ ألم تكن فلسطين عضواً مراقباً، ألم تقدم مشاريع هذه القرارات الى الجمعية العامة ومجلس الامن باسم دول عربية، واسلامية وعالمثالثية مؤيدة للقضية العربية العادلة وكفاح شعبها المشروع لنيل حقوقه؟
ما حدث في جنيف، وباختصــار شديد، 'وصمة عار' لا يجب السكوت عليها، او السماح بتكرارها. ومــن شـــارك في هذه الجريمة يتساوى في رأينا مع الذين ادانهم التقرير الاممي بارتكاب جرائم حرب، يجب ان يعاقبوا وبصورة اشد وأقسى لانهم انحازوا لأعداء قضيتهم ومجازرهم ووفروا لهم صك البراءة لتجنب اي عقاب دولي، دون اي ذرة احترام لشعبهم ومعاناته وطموحاته الوطنية ونضالاته المشروعة.
"

السلطة تتنكر لتقرير غولدستون

"أكدت تصريحات صحفية للسفير الفلسطيني لدى الأمم المتحدة إبراهيم خريشة سعي السلطة الفلسطينية لسحب دعمها لمشروع قرار من المقرر أن يتم التصويت عليه في مجلس حقوق الإنسان التابع للأمم المتحدة يندد بالسلوك الإسرائيلي خلال الحرب الأخيرة على قطاع غزة، وهو ما أكدته أيضا مصادر دبلوماسية وصحفية عربية وغربية.

وتفيد هذه المصادر بأن السلطة تعرضت لضغوط أميركية وإسرائيلية لسحب دعمها للقرار بدعوى أن من شأنه أن يقوض جهود عملية السلام.

ففي إشارة إلى التحذيرات الأميركية من خطورة أن يؤدي اعتماد القرار في مجلس حقوق الإنسان إلى إعاقة عميلة السلام في الشرق الأوسط، نقلت صحيفة نيويورك تايمز عن خريشة قوله "نحن لا نريد أن نضع العقبات أمامهم".

ومضى خريشة يقول "نحن نريد استصدار قرار قوي للتعامل مع التقرير للحصول على أكبر قدر من الفائدة"، لكنه استدرك بأن مواصلة السعي في استصدار القرار حاليا تعني مواجهة الفيتو الأميركي، رغم إشارته إلى أن 33 عضوا من أصل 47 من أعضاء مجلس حقوق الإنسان يدعمون القرار.
......
وفي السياق نفسه نقلت صحيفة واشنطن بوست عن دبلوماسيين أوروبيين تأكيدهم أن السلطة الفلسطينية قررت سحب دعمها لمشروع القرار الذي كان موضع ترحيبها عند تقديمه الأسبوع الماضي من قبل دول عربية وإسلامية.

وأقر مصدر دبلوماسي أميركي رفيع للصحيفة بأن القرار الفلسطيني جاء بعد ضغوط أميركية قوية، وقال إن "الفلسطينيين يدركون أن قرارا كهذا سيشكل ضربة قاسية لعملية السلام، وهذا ليس هو الوقت المناسب للمضي في مثل هذه الأمور".

وبدورها كشفت مصادر فلسطينية مطلعة للجزيرة نت أن رئيس السلطة الفلسطينية محمود عباس تلقى خلال اليومين الأخيرين اتصالين من وزيرة الخارجية الأميركية هيلاري كلينتون التي دعته إلى عدم الموافقة على ما جاء في التقرير بدعوى أنه سيعمق الفجوة التي قل اتساعها مؤخرا مع الإسرائيليين.

وحسب المصادر فإن محمود عباس تعرض لضغوط شديدة من رئيس حكومة تصريف الأعمال سلام فياض لدفعه للموافقة على سحب الإقرار الفلسطيني الذي يعني اعتماد التقرير وبدء الإجراءات العملية لتنفيذ توصياته.

ووفقا للمصادر فإن سلام فياض تذرع بالوضع الاقتصادي وإمكانية عرقلة عمل شركة اتصالات فلسطينية جديدة واستغلال إسرائيل والإدارة الأميركية للموافقة الفلسطينية على التقرير بغية التراجع عن تعهدات بالعمل على تسوية سلمية للصراع.

وبينت أن فياض اعتبر أن الموافقة على التقرير والعمل على ترويجه خطأ "لأننا لا نستطيع الوقوف في وجه أميركا وإسرائيل".
....."

Surprise, Surprise! Whores Have No Morals and the Stooge Does Exactly What He Is Ordered to Do

Palestinians drop endorsement of Goldstone report

HAARETZ

"The Palestinian Authority on Thursday decided to drop its draft resolution condemning Israel's conduct during the Gaza Strip offensive, in effect deferring its adoption of the Goldstone's Commission report accusing both sides of war crimes.

The PA had originally planned to present the draft to the Human Rights Council for a vote in Geneva on Friday. The decision not to pursue the resolution means that any similar effort will have to wait until at least March, a political source in Jerusalem said.

The source added that the decision appears to be based on pressure from the Obama administration, exerted by way of U.S. representatives in Geneva, as well as through contacts between Washington and Ramallah.

The Obama administration has told the Palestinians that a renewal of the peace process must come before any diplomatic initiatives based on the Goldstone report, or any other initiatives that could stifle efforts to renew Israel-PA negotiations.


Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated in recent days that efforts to use the Goldstone report to advance anti-Israel measures in the Human Rights Council or the International Tribunal in The Hague will deal a death blow to the peace process.......

The source said that the PA's decision to pull the proposal shows that they understand the serious consequences of such actions.

"This proves that we were right not to cooperate, and also proves that the Goldstone report was completely political and through diplomatic efforts we were able to scuttle it."

"The clear Israeli message sent to all corners has been that it will be impossible to continue the peace process and extreme attacks on Israel at the same time.""

Abbas helps Israel bury its crimes in Gaza

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING

By Ali Abunimah
Electronic Intifada

"Just when it seemed that the Ramallah Palestinian Authority (PA) and its leader Mahmoud Abbas could not sink any lower in their complicity with Israel's occupation of the West Bank and the murderous blockade of Gaza, Ramallah has dealt a further stunning blow to the Palestinian people.

The Abbas delegation to the United Nations in Geneva (officially representing the moribund Palestine Liberation Organization) abandoned a resolution requesting the Human Rights Council to forward Judge Richard Goldstone's report on war crimes in Gaza to the UN Security Council for further action. Although the PA acted under US pressure, there are strong indications that the commercial interests of Palestinian and Gulf businessmen closely linked to Abbas also played a part.......

Israel was rightly terrified of the report, mobilizing all its diplomatic and political resources to discredit it. In recent days, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that if the report were acted on, it would "strike a severe blow to the war against terrorism," and "strike a fatal blow to the peace process, because Israel will no longer be able to take additional steps and take risks for peace if its right to self-defense is denied."

Unsurprisingly, an early ally in the Israeli campaign for impunity was the Obama Administration, whose UN ambassador, Susan Rice, expressed "very serious concerns" about the report and trashed Goldstone's mandate as "unbalanced, one-sided and basically unacceptable." (Rice was acting true to her word; in April she told the newspaper Politico that one of the main reasons the Obama Administration decided to join the UN Human Rights Council was to fight what she called "the anti-Israel crap.")........

That the Goldstone report was a severe blow to Israel's ability to commit future war crimes with impunity is not in doubt; this week bolstered by the report, lawyers in the UK asked a court to issue an arrest warrant for visiting Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. That action did not succeed, but Israel's government has taken extraordinary measures in recent months to try to shield its officials from prosecution, fearing that successful arrests are just a matter of time. Along with the growing international campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions, the fear of ending up in The Hague seems to be the only thing that causes the Israeli government and society to reconsider their destructive path.

One would think, then, that the self-described representatives of the Palestinian people would not casually throw away this weapon. And yet, according to Abbas ambassador Ibrahim Khraishi, the Ramallah PA shelved its effort at the request of the Americans because "We don't want to create an obstacle for them."

Khraishi's excuse that the resolution is merely being deferred until the spring does not pass muster. Unless action is taken now, the Goldstone report will be buried by then and evidence of Israel's crimes -- necessary for prosecutions -- may be harder to collect.

This latest surrender comes less than two weeks after Abbas appeared at a summit in New York with US President Barack Obama and Netanyahu despite Obama abandoning his demand that Israel halt construction of Jewish-only settlements on occupied Palestinian land. Also under US pressure, the PA abandoned its pledge not to resume negotiations unless settlement-building stopped, and agreed to take part in US-mediated "peace talks" with Israel in Washington this week. Israel, meanwhile, announced plans for the largest ever West Bank settlement since 1967.

What makes this even more galling, is the real possibility that the PA is helping Israel wash its hands of the blood it spilled in Gaza for something as base as the financial gain of businessmen closely linked to Abbas.

The Independent (UK) reported on 1 October:

"Shalom Kital, an aide to defense minister Ehud Barak, said today that Israel will not release a share of the radio spectrum that has long been sought by the Palestinian Authority to enable the launch of a second mobile telecommunications company unless the PA drops its efforts to put Israeli soldiers and officers in the dock over the Israeli operation." ("Palestinians cry 'blackmail' over Israel phone service threat," The Independent, 1 October).

Kital added that it was a "condition" that the PA specifically drop its efforts to advance the Goldstone report. The phone company, Wataniya, was described last April by Reuters as an "Abbas-backed company" which is a joint venture between Qatari and Kuwaiti investors and the Palestinian Investment Fund with which one of Abbas' sons is closely involved. Moreover, Reuters revealed that the start-up company apparently had no shortage of capital due to the Gulf investors receiving millions of dollars of "US aid in the form of loan guarantees meant for Palestinian farmers and other small to mid-sized businesses" (See "US aid goes to Abbas-backed Palestinian phone venture," Reuters, 24 April 2009).

Just a day before the Abbas delegation pulled its resolution in Geneva, Nabil Shaath, the PA "foreign minister" denounced the Israeli threat over Wataniya as "blackmail" and vowed that the Palestinians would never back down.

The PA's betrayal of the Palestinian people over the Goldstone report, as well as its continued "security coordination" with Israel to suppress resistance and political activity in the West Bank, should banish all doubt that it is an active arm of the Israeli occupation doing tangible and escalating harm to the Palestinian people and their just cause."

UN delays action on Gaza war report

Palestinian leaders drop backing for resolution on document critical of Israel and Hamas

Rory McCarthy in Jerusalem and agencies in Geneva
guardian.co.uk, Friday 2 October 2009

"The UN today put off action on a report criticising Israel's actions during the war in Gaza after Palestinian leaders suddenly dropped their support for a resolution, apparently under heavy US pressure.

The decision marked a surprising reversal in the Palestinian position which, until now, had backed the findings of the report by the South African judge Richard Goldstone.....
That vote will now be delayed until the council meets next, in March next year......

It appeared that the Palestinian leadership was reluctant to lose the chance to return to peace negotiations with Israel and unwilling to try other steps to put pressure on Israel such as international legal action.

Robert Blecher, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, said a similar decision had been taken last week when the Palestinians agreed to meet the Israelis in New York despite Israel's decision not to accept their call for a full halt to settlement construction.

"This is a further indication that the current Palestinian leadership is not considering any options except for negotiation and in that sense the climbdown, like the climbdown in the meeting in New York city, is not unexpected – just the speed with which it was taken," he said....."

Al-Jazeera Video: Jubilation for freed women

"Scenes of jubilation in the occupied West Bank as 18 released female Palestinian prisoners are reunited with their loved ones.

But these moments of emotion for the families are also politically significant as calls intensify for the release of a captured Israeli soldier in return for hundreds more Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli jails.

Nour Odeh, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Ramallah, reports."

Rethink Afghanistan: Filmmaker Robert Greenwald Launches Film Opposing Escalation of War

Democracy Now!
With Amy Goodman

"As the eighth anniversary of the US-led bombing of Afghanistan draws closer, the Obama administration continues to debate the best way to fight this ongoing war. Senate Democrats voted Thursday to delay a Congressional briefing by General Stanley McChrystal, the top US commander in Afghanistan. Meanwhile a NATO airstrike on a compound in southern Afghanistan has reportedly killed a family of six. As the civilian death toll in Afghanistan continues to rise we turn now to an excerpt from a new documentary by filmmaker Robert Greenwald of Brave New Films. Its called “Rethink Afghanistan” and premieres today in New York......"

UN: US, EU Undermine Justice for Gaza Conflict

Goldstone Report Offers Chance to End Impunity

09.30.2009 Human Rights Watch

"(Geneva, September 30, 2009) – The failure of the United States and European Union governments to endorse the report of the Gaza fact-finding mission sends a message that serious laws-of-war violations will be treated with kid gloves when committed by an ally, Human Rights Watch said today. On September 29, 2009 Justice Richard Goldstone presented the mission’s report on the conflict in Gaza last December and January to the UN Human Rights Council.

Goldstone called on council members to endorse the report’s recommendations, including those designed to ensure accountability for serious violations of the laws of war during the Gaza conflict by involving the stature and clout of the UN Security Council. In opposing that key recommendation, the United States resorted to calling the report “unbalanced” and “deeply flawed,” but provided no real facts to support those assertions.

PA's conflicting approaches as different as night and day

Oct. 2, 2009

Khaled Abu Toameh
THE JERUSALEM POST

"The Palestinian Authority's actions and rhetoric, especially in the past few weeks and months, show that hypocrisy has become a major component of its official policy.

One sometimes wonders whether the PA that speaks and acts during the day is the same PA that speaks and functions during the night.

During the day, the Palestinian Authority acts and speaks as if its leaders had never signed a peace treaty with Israel. During the day, Israel is the enemy that continues to deny the Palestinians their rights, seize their lands, arrest and kill their innocents, and expand existing settlements.

But during the night, the Palestinian Authority changes its colors and speaks and acts in a completely different manner. During the night, the Israeli enemy becomes a friend and peace partner with whom it's legitimate to conduct security coordination and eat in fancy restaurants....."

Nahr al-Bared reconstruction delays protested

Ray Smith, Electronic Lebanon, 1 October 2009

"Since the end of August, construction equipment in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared, near the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, has stood unused after the Lebanese State Council granted a two month moratorium for the reconstruction of the camp. Nahr al-Bared, home to approximately 30,000 refugees, was destroyed during a three-month-long battle between the Lebanese army and the militant group Fatah al-Islam in the summer of 2007.......

Nahr al-Bared's refugees meanwhile stick to a slogan they've been using since the first days of their displacement in 2007. At the nearby Baddawi refugee camp, displaced families had taken refuge in schools which they refused to leave for other temporary shelter, claiming that they would only be satisfied by a return to Nahr al-Bared camp -- or to their property in Palestine."

Bristol Gaza Link launched

The Free Gaza Movement

"The Bristol Gaza Link Association was launched in Bristol (England) on 28th September 2009 at a historical event supported by Bristol City Council and by members of all political parties, inclduing local members of Parliament. The BG link is working to build humanitarian, cultural and educational links between the people of Bristol and Gaza. Bristol has a long tradition of grassroots solidarity with the Palestinian people."

Bristol Gaza Link

Swap “Triumph” of Armed Resistance against Israel: Hamas

Al-Manar

"02/10/2009 Nineteen Palestinian women prisoners were freed on Friday in a swap for a video of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Friends, relatives and officials cheered and wept, as prisoners were driven out of a military base on their way to a ceremony in Ramallah......


Palestinian Prime Minister in Gaza chief Ismail Haniyeh said on Friday that the deal was a 'triumph' of the armed resistance against Israel. He congratulated the families of the female prisoners, saying Hamas would not rest until all the Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israel would be released......"

Goldstone Rejects Netanyahu Remarks

By Jim Lobe

"WASHINGTON, Oct 1 (IPS) - The head of the U.N. commission that investigated the December-January Gaza war Thursday rejected assertions by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that any action to pursue the recommendations of his commission's report could prove fatal to any renewed peace process with the Palestinians.

"For the life of me, I don't understand the reason for that [Netanyahu's assertion]," Richard Goldstone, a former South African supreme court judge who also served as chief prosecutor for war-crime tribunals on Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, told reporters at the National Press Club here......"

Jumpin’ Jack Verdi, It’s a Gas, Gas, Gas

by Pepe Escobar and Tom Engelhardt, October 02, 2009

"Back before email, a world traveler who wanted to keep in touch and couldn’t just pop into the nearest Internet café, might drop you a series of postcards from one exotic locale after another. Pepe Escobar, that edgy, peripatetic globe-trotting reporter for one of my favorite on-line publications, Asia Times, has been doing just that for TomDispatch readers as he explores the geography that undergirds our civilization, the pipelines that crisscross Eurasia through which flow energy — and trouble. This, then, is his third "postcard" from what he likes to call Pipelineistan. The first in March began laying out a great, ongoing energy struggle across Eurasia via an embattled energy corridor (and a key pipeline) that runs from the Caspian Sea to Europe through Georgia and Turkey — and the Great Game of business, diplomacy, and proxy war between Russia and the U.S. that has gone with it.

In May, he plunged eastward into tumultuous Central and South Asia and the devolving battleground that, in Washington, goes by the neologism AfPak (for the Afghanistan-Pakistan theater of operations).

Now, he heads west toward Europe and another developing struggle, this time over just how natural gas from the Caspian Sea will reach Europe........."

Debunking the War Party

Greenwald Slaps Down Huffington

by Justin Raimondo, October 02, 2009

"The long-awaited first top level meeting in thirty years between US diplomats and their Iranian counterparts in Geneva is over but we are far from done with what promises to be a long, involved, and often quite scary drama, likely to unfold slowly-but-ominously over the next year. Odds are that, at this time in 2010, we’ll still be talking about Iran’s completely nonexistent nuclear weapons program, with rival versions of what Tehran is really up to battling it out within the administration and in the arena of public opinion. The opening shots of that war have been fired, and,while the War Party, spearheaded by the powerful Israel lobby, is bound and determined to strike at Iran, the news out of Geneva is not good for the "bomb bomb bomb Iran" crowd.......

It’s interesting to note, in this context, how Greenwald’s slap-down of Huffington ended: the "moderator," a MSNBC hack, intervened on the pretext that Greenwald had somehow impugned the "integrity" of the media by accusing them of demonizing Iran – while, at that very moment, unbeknownst to Greenwald, MSNBC was running scary captions underneath his image as he was speaking: "Iran: Defiant and Dangerous"! What hypocrites!"

Turkey, Syria's new best friend

Turkish friendship has helped bring Damascus in from the cold, but may make the nation increasingly dependent on Ankara's will

Chris Phillips
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 1 October 2009

"Just over a decade ago, Turkey's army gathered on its southern border in anticipation of a war with Syria that was narrowly avoided. Just over a fortnight ago, the two neighbours signed accords allowing for visa-free passage between the two states. Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, now describes Turkey as Syria's best friend, while Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's prime minister, publicly calls Syrians his brothers......

This new friendship is therefore inherently unbalanced. Syria remains only one strand (admittedly a useful one) of a wider realist Turkish foreign policy – as seen by visa-free agreements with Iran and Iraq. Turkey, in contrast, is an essential ingredient in Syria's plans for international rehabilitation and economic recovery. It is highly unlikely that any major strategic realignment will take place as Turkey can get all it wants from a willing Syria without having to commit itself to a defensive alliance and an abrogation of its ties with Israel.

Nor is there likely to be much pressure from Erdogan on Assad to either reform internally or internationally, as this would be out of line with the "zero problems with neighbours" strategy. Turkey is trying to pursue an ambitious new foreign policy in the Middle East, and Syria is enjoying being along for the ride – at least for now."

Israel releases Palestinian women

Al-Jazeera

"Some 19 female Palestinian prisoners have been released from an Israeli prison in return for a videotape of a soldier captured by Gaza fighters in June 2006.

A twentieth woman prisoner will be released, probably next week, the office of Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has said.

Al Jazeera's Nour Odeh, reporting from the occupied West Bank, said those freed on Friday were handed over to the Red Cross after their release from the Hasharon prison.

Eighteen of these prisoners were released to the West Bank, and the other, Fatima al-Zeeq with her 18-month old baby, was returned to Gaza.

Israel said that while the women were jailed for security-related offences, they were not directly involved in killing Israelis and were all within two years of the end of their prison sentences......"

Palestinians cry 'blackmail' over Israel phone service threat

Israel is threatening to kill off a crucial West Bank economic project unless the Palestinian Authority withdraws a request to the International Criminal Court to investigate alleged Israeli crimes during last winter’s Gaza war.

Shalom Kital, an aide to defence minister Ehud Barak, said today that Israel will not release a share of the radio spectrum that has long been sought by the Palestinian Authority to enable the launch of a second mobile telecommunications company unless the PA drops its efforts to put Israeli soldiers and officers in the dock over the Israeli operation.

“It’s a condition. We are saying to the Palestinians that ‘if you want a normal life and are trying to embark on a new way, you must stop your incitement,” Mr. Kital said. “We are helping the Palestinian economy but one thing we ask them is to stop with these embarrassing charges.”

As long as the Wataniya Mobile company is unable to begin its operations, communications costs are likely to remain inordinately high for Palestinian businesses and individuals. But thwarting the company benefits four unauthorized Israeli operators who make sizeable profits in the Palestinian market using infrastructure they have set up in the illegal Israeli settlements across the West Bank.

The Qatari-owned Wataniya had begun making what was planned as the second largest private investment in West Bank history - to total seven hundred million dollars. But amid frustration at more than two years of Israeli foot-dragging over the frequencies it is now warning that if forced to miss its launch date of 15 October it may close down West Bank operations and seek the return from the Palestinian Authority of its $140m licensing fee and other damages. Mr Kital said the possibility of Wataniya closing “is something the PA will have to take into consideration.”

“This is sheer blackmail by the Israelis,” said Nabil Shaath, the former PA foreign minister. “Israel has no business stealing the frequencies, keeping them and using them as blackmail to escape an international inquiry into its violations.”

EU Investigators : Georgia started the war

The EU fact-finding mission on the Russia-Georgia war has published its findings in a much-anticipated report. The authors blame Georgia for the war but also assign partial responsibility to Russia. Both countries have reacted angrily to the findings, with the Russia ambassador to NATO saying the report is only "pseudo-balanced."

The truth about the war between Russia and Georgia over the breakaway republic of South Ossetia in August 2008 sounds somewhat convoluted, at least as expressed in the final report of the independent EU fact-finding mission charged with establishing the causes of the conflict. "Georgian claims of a large-scale presence of Russian armed forces in South Ossetia prior to the Georgian offensive on 7/8 August could not be substantiated by the mission," reads the document, which was published Wednesday. To put it more simply: It was Georgia who started the war.

Sentences like this one have irritated the Russian ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin. "This report has a pseudo-balanced approach," Rogozin told SPIEGEL ONLINE. "All the parties are criticized a little, including the Ossetians, the Russians and Georgia's Western patrons. But one no longer sees the wood for the trees."

According to Rogozin, the key thing is that the EU mission has clearly stated that Georgia started the hostilities. "But if the Russian military response has been criticized as being too harsh, then this is surely a matter of taste," Rogozin complained. "I certainly think it was still too lax."

A Simple Question to Hamas

COMMENT

While the release of 20 female Palestinian prisoners is to be cheered, one has to ask a basic question:

What is to prevent Israel or its hired mercenaries in the PA from re-arresting those released in the West Bank, or even in Gaza?

When the entire population lives in two large prisons, shuffling prisoners between small prisons and large prisons is almost academic. One should not forget the rotating door policy followed by the IOF and its surrogates in the PA where they take turns re-arresting those released by the other side. So, the goons of Abbas will likely re-arrest those released by Israel.

Therefore, celebrations should be postponed until real freedom for the entire population is achieved.

The Big Diversion

Iran's Nuclear Plant and the Goldstone Report

By RAMZY BAROUD
CounterPunch

"World events have taken an interesting turn recently, with the Goldstone report, which wreaked havoc in the beginning of the week being nearly completely overshadowed by Iran’s revelation of another nuclear facility, according to diplomats in Vienna on September 25.

The Iran nuclear threat - although theater is a more suitable term - was highlighted repeatedly, first by US President Barack Obama during a UN speech on September 23, then again by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the next day. The latter came armed with maps and relentlessly provoked Holocaust memories, following the ever so predictable, albeit insensitive and deceptive pattern.

This charade was meant to distract from the nearly 600 page UN report, prepared by South Africa judge Richard Goldstone and others, dedicated mostly to Israeli war crimes in Gaza......."

Current Al-Jazeera (Arabic) Online Poll

This poll, which appeared yesterday, illustrates an interesting phenomenon. I posted it yesterday, just after 1,300 people had responded to it. It asks the question,"Do you believe that Iran's nuclear program constitutes a threat to the Arab region?."

Well, an organized effort, most likely by several Arab governments led by Saudi Arabia with its financial muscle, has targeted this poll in a massive and uncharacteristic way. In just one day, the number of respondents has jumped to 17,000! That is unprecedented in Al-Jazeera polls. More importantly, those who believe that the Iranian program is a threat to the Arabs is now 72%; exactly a mirror image of the initial results, when 72% said no.

Anyone who knows about random sampling can tell you, the initial results are more representative, and those behind the current mass "voting" are trying to target Iran.

This is part of the USraeli campaign to beat the war drums and to lineup the Arabs behind Israel and against Iran.

Palestinian Unity, at Last.....
Under the REAL COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.

Celebrate it Now, or Else!

أبو الغيط: أيام حاسمة للفلسطينيين

"قال وزير الخارجية المصري أحمد أبو الغيط إن الأسابيع الثلاثة المقبلة ستشهد تطورات مهمة وحاسمة في مستقبل القضية الفلسطينية.

وأضاف في تصريحات صحفية أمس الأربعاء أن هناك من المؤشرات ما يؤكد أن الوساطة المصرية ستنجح الأيام القليلة المقبلة في المصالحة الفلسطينية، وإعادة اللحمة إلى العمل الوطني الفلسطيني.

وتأتي تلك التصريحات في وقت أعلنت فيه أوساط فلسطينية أن القاهرة ستدعو إلى لقاء في أكتوبر/ تشرين الأول الحالي يتم فيه توقيع اتفاق للمصالحة، وإنهاء الانقسام الفلسطيني
......"

Mishaal to Abbas:

I love you ,

you love me,

we're a happy family

with a great big hug, and a kiss from me to you xoxo won't you say you love me too?

Al-Jazeera Video: Prisoner release for Shalit tape - 30 Sep 09

"Israel has agreed to release 20 Palestinian women in exchange for a recently recorded videotape of a captured soldier. The prisoner release and the handing-over of the videotape are set for Friday, according to reports.

Gilad Shalit has been held since 2006 when he was taken during a raid by Palestinian fighters on an Israeli army position close to the Gaza border.

Israel holds about 10,000 Palestinians, including dozens of women.

Sherine Tadros reports from Gaza."

Al-Jazeera Video:Countdown - 01 October 09

Part 1:



Part 2:



Part 3:



Part 4:



"As mutual fear, mistrust and polarisation increases between Iran and Israel, an arms race between the two sworn enemies is gathering momentum. Central to this is the Russian-made S-300 missile system. Israel and Iran both are involved in arms deals with Russia, trying to win the arms race."

Real News Video: "Nothing happening" in Honduras

"Honduras is under martial law as executive decree PCM-M-016-2009 has suspended numerous constitutional freedoms including: personal freedom, the right to free thought, the right to organize and meet, the right to free movement, freedom of the press, rights to privacy in one's own home, and protection against arbitrary detentions. The coup regime has routinely infringed these rights throughout the past three months, but it used the current degree to mobilize the military to shut down all anti-coup media outlets, thus eliminating any news of the resistance from the media. As filmmaker and resistance member Oscar Estrada writes, "it's like we never existed.""