Palestinians in Gaza Ask Jimmy Carter: Former U.S. President Answers Videotaped Questions

24 May 2008

Question 1:

"The USA boycott and Israeli siege imposed on the Palestinian people and Hamas is so severe, but do you think that this siege has benefited or gotten Hamas' leadership lost?" Thank you.

- Bahjat El Helou
The Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizens' Rights

www.piccr.org

President Carter:
First, let me thank Donna Baranski-Walker of The Rebuilding Alliance for helping me connect with the people of Gaza, despite having been refused entry to go in person. I am very grateful. Thank you also to Raji Sourani and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, who have been the voice for human rights in Gaza for decades.

RESPONSE: The boycott of Hamas after winning a free and fair election in 2006, and subsequent punishment of the people of Gaza, have backfired and the group may be more popular than ever. Polls show that Palestinians voted for Hamas members because of frustration with corruption in the dominant party, Fatah, and because Hamas' humanitarian efforts and good governance of municipalities had helped people educate and provide for their children amidst a crippling occupation. The same polls show that popular support for Hamas in 2006 was not based on support for the group's religious or political ideologies. The international community and Israel should have seized on the opportunity to persuade more Palestinians to participate in the political process, which would have done more to undermine extremist ideologies than the current course......

Question 6:

"After you were prevented to enter Gaza, how do you feel? And you have an open invitation to visit Gaza again and try again. Thank you."

- Ayman Quader
The Palestinian International Campaign to end the siege on Gaza
www.end-gaza-siege.ps

RESPONSE: I was very disappointed not to be able to visit Gaza, so receiving and having the chance to answer your questions is very important to me. I hope that soon I can visit you at "the Palestinian International Campaign to End the siege on Gaza".

Question 7:

"Mr. President, in your press conference, you spoke about occupation, but you didn't speak about occupation as the main and the only problem of violence in the Middle East. Do you think there are now different interpretations of occupation? Has the United Nations interpretation of occupation or the international order changed and is the United Nations no longer involved in the struggle?"

- Salah Abo Hatab
Human rights activist in Gaza

RESPONSE: Occupation is a terrible circumstance because it deprives people of the ability to control their own lives and larger societies, and it prevents the emergences of national autonomous and sovereign institutions. It must be rejected and permanent self-government must prevail everywhere on earth. This should be the position of the international community, but enormous political pressures in the United Nations have resulted in permanent occupation, with the confiscation and colonization of Palestinian land.

Question 8:

Our regards, from the biggest prison in the world where dozens of patients have died because of lack of medication or inability to reach medical facilities outside Gaza Strip. Mr. President, what would you say to the mother of Islam Al Asouli, a three-year-old child who is suffering from Leukemia and dying now because he has been denied access to medication outside of Gaza?

- Dr. A'aed Yaghi
The Palestinian Medical Relief Society
www.pmrs.ps

RESPONSE: My answer will be similar to the one I gave for the previous question. It is inconceivable to me, and most people who stop to think about it, that a three-year-old child would be deprived of life-saving available medical attention because of an Israeli policy to refuse passage for a child and his family to a hospital. Sadly, there are too many stories like this in the occupied territories. The Carter Center and other human rights organizations can help publicize these cases. During my recent visit, I witnessed very good cooperation between some dedicated Israeli medical personnel and Palestinians to ensure that Palestinian children who are able to reach hospitals in Israel receive the treatment they need. I hope this can grow and sow the seeds of trust and compassion. Also, I have pushed very hard to persuade the parties to find a way to open the crossings in order to allow children like Islam, and others in need, to be able to reach the care they require.

Question 9:

"I am an ex-Palestinian prisoner who served 5261 days in Israeli jails and shifted from military violent resistance to human rights defending. When the Oslo Accord was concluded I was still in the jail, and I rejected it for one reason: it was not based on a firm bedrock of human rights. Do you, Mr. President, believe that any peaceful accord or agreement, which is not built on a firm bedrock of human rights, will it last?"

- Jaber Weshah
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
www.pchrgaza.org

Question 10:

Second question, Mr. President:
You mentioned repeatedly Shalit's name, the Israeli captured soldier within the Palestinian militant group. I respect the suffering of Shalit's mother, but I think at the same level the whole world must respect the suffering of thousands of the Palestinian and Arab prisoners in the Israeli jails. Suffering has no passport. Would you believe, Mr. President, that any peace accord that does not bring the release of those prisoners -- will it last? Thank you.

- Jaber Weshah
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
www.pchrgaza.org

RESPONSE: I will answer these two questions together. Peace cannot last without a real and tangible protection of human rights. Like in Northern Ireland, prisoners -- some who were called "terrorists," who had "blood on their hands" -- were freed as part of the peace agreement there. Palestinian society must see the return of their 11,600 sons and daughters who are in Israeli jails, 110 of whom are women, and 350 being children. Since 1967, Israel has detained 700,000 people, 24 percent of the Palestinian population. Since the Annapolis Conference, 2,437 Palestinians have been arrested, three times more than the number released during the same period, according to Palestinian sources. 41 members of the freely elected Palestinian Legislative Council continue to be jailed without charge, apparently for having been elected in the 2006 elections. Reconciliation cannot happen without remedying this fact of life in Palestinian society. Every family is missing loved ones. There must be healing and a renunciation of violence together......
....."

Finkelstein and me

By Khalid Amayreh in the Occupied West Bank

"Seeking to punish critics for communicating the truth about Israel to the world, Israel has barred an American scholar from entering the country and a Palestinian journalist from leaving the occupied territories for a brief trip to Germany......

Finkelstein is the son of survivors of the Warsaw Ghetto and concentration camps. He wrote in his book that “I do care about the memory of my family’s persecution. The current campaign of the Holocaust industry to extort money from Europe in the name of the needy Holocaust victims has shrunk the moral stature of their martyrdom to that of a Monte Carol casino.” Predictably the powerful Zionist establishment, both in Israel and North America, couldn’t tolerate his daring and meticulously-documented criticisms.....

And now my story: A few weeks ago, I received an invitation from the German Institute for External Relations to attend a conference on how journalists ought to reconcile patriotism with journalistic professionalism in wartime.....

I have made laborious efforts and knocked on many doors to obtain a permit that would enable me to travel abroad for the two-day conference. Interestingly, I have not been allowed to travel abroad for 13 years.....

Last week, I went to the local District Coordination Office (DCO) in Dura, my town, hoping that they would be able to help. The office forwarded my personal details to the Shin Beth office in Hebron. However, the next day, I was told rather tersely that I was “barred from traveling for security reasons.” No further details were given.

In the process, I discovered that painful truth the Palestinian Authority DCO officials were no more than insignificant middle-men between the Israeli occupation authorities and Palestinian citizens. They had absolutely no authority or influence, which generally epitomizes the overall status of the entire PA vis-à-vis Israel.....

Needless to say, Israel, which classifies Palestinians into either terrorists who ought to be annihilated or quisling-like collaborators, has no right to deny Palestinian journalists freedom of movement, internally or externally. Indeed, without this freedom, a journalist can hardly carry out his job properly......

Is Israel worried that people like Khalid Amayreh and Norman Finkelstein would expose its criminality more than it has already been exposed? Is this the reason why the Israeli authorities are trying to fetter people’s freedom of movement?.....

We are not Israeli citizens, and Israel has no sovereignty over us. Hence, the draconian repression is incompatible with international law.

Hence, I call on my colleagues around the world to strongly protest this violation of my natural and human rights to travel, first as a human being and second as a journalist.

Finally, a few words to the Palestinian Authority: You are maintaining a huge bureaucracy of thousands of officials and operatives whose main job is supposed to help Palestinian citizens bypass or overcome the stringent restrictions of the occupation. However, it is obvious these people have failed to carry out their tasks.

It is really sad and embarrassing that while Israel allows certain VIPs to travel freely (probably in the hope that the preferential treatment would pernicious Israeli goals) the Israeli occupation regime continues to deny the vast bulk of the Palestinian people their basic rights, including the right to travel.

It is time that you insist that Israel refrain from interfering with Palestinian freedom of movement. If you can’t do it, then just pack up and leave. This would be much better for your own dignity and the dignity of the Palestinian people. "

Saudi King extends invite to Jews for interfaith meet. When is The Israeli Ambassador to KSA arriving in Riyadh?

"Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has sent an invitation to the World Jewish Congress for an interfaith dialogue with Muslim and Christian leaders, Haaretz has learned.

While the date and location of the meeting has not been announced, sources have told Haaretz that King Abdullah seeks to hold the meet in Saudi Arabia, no small feat as the country is ruled by Islamic Sharia law and currently does not allow the entry of holders of Israeli passports or those whose passports bear entry visas from Israel. The country also bans all non-Muslim prayer in public.

WJC President Ronald Lauder issued a statement Monday saying that "despite all the obstacles that may still be in the way, King Abdullah's initiative is a laudable step forward. We hope that other religious leaders and political leaders throughout the world will be encouraged to join."......"

Hezbollah 'to back Iraq resistance'

Al-Jazeera

"Hassan Nasrallah, 'the secretary-general of Hezbollah, has said that his organisation "is siding with the resistance in Iraq" in a speech to hundreds of thousands of supporters in Beirut, the Lebanese capital.

"The Iraqis, Shia and Sunni, who took part in the political process wanted to give it a chance," he said in his address on Monday.

"But now that the real American goal in Iraq has been exposed the Iraqi government is put to a test."

It is the first time Nasrallah has issued a challenge to the Iraqi government to take a stand against the US military presence in Iraq.

"The Americans allowed the elections and the formation of parliament and a government so that they get an Iraqi legitimisation of the occupation," he said, referring to a reported Iraqi-American agreement that would allow the US to have a permanent presence in Iraq.......

Amal Saad-Ghorayeb, a political analyst and expert on Hezbollah, told Al Jazeera that Nasrallah's speech was "quite historic and strategic".

"On the one hand, many people expected him to be more apologetic about the events [clashes between pro- and anti-government fighters] of the last two weeks, but he was quite assertive," she said.

"For example, he talked not only about a defence strategy but a liberation strategy for Lebanon, in relation to the Shebaa Farms region [which is still occupied by Israeli forces].".....

Lamis Andoni, Al Jazeera's Middle East analyst, said Nasrallah's speech, in regard to Lebanese politics, was conciliatory in tone.

She said: "Nasrallah is aiming to recast himself as a nationalist leader and distance himself from the sectarian overtones that have marred the recent fighting."

"His commitment to a pluralistic Lebanon reflects his keen awareness that recent confrontations have fuelled secterian fears and widened the divide."

"However, Nasrallah did not compromise on rejecting any attempt, even if it carried out by the Lebanese army, to disarm Hezbollah."......."

السيد نصرالله يجدد الدعوة للشراكة مرحبا بانتخاب سليمان

Al-Manar

".....
وهنا اهم المواقف في خطاب السيد نصرالله:
.....
السيد نصرالله: أدخل إلى الوضع اللبناني أيضا من 25 أيار 2000 في بنت جبيل حيث وقفت الحشود ووقفت خطيبا باسمها وكان لي شرف إعلان انتصارها وتضحياتها والاعتزاز بدماء شهدائها وإهداء نصرها إلى كل لبنان وفلسطين والأمة
السيد نصرالله: في العيد الثامن للمقاومة والتحرير أدعو الشعوب العربية والحكومات العربية لدراسة جدية لاستراتيجيتي التحرير والدفاع في ظل موازين القوى وفي لبنان دائما نتحدث عن استراتيجية دفاع وطني لكننا بحاجة أيضا لاستراتيجية تحرير لمزارع شبعا وكفرشوبا فالدفاع هو بحاجة لعدوان لكننا بحاجة لخطة تحرير لهذه الأراضي وكذلك للأسرى مع أننا نقول أريحوا نفسهم من قصة الأسرى فهي قضيتنا وعهدنا وقريبا جدا سيكون سمير القنطار وإخوة سمير بينكم في لبنان
السيد نصرالله: بعد حرب تموز استراتيجية الدفاع لدى المقاومة نشاهدها في قطاع غزة واسرائيل تقاتل قطاع غزة حرب عصابات كما يقاتلها ولا تجتاحها لا كرم أخلاق ولا خوف من رأي عام وهي التي تملك ضوءا أخضر كاملا من فرعون الزمان بوش لكنها تحسب كل حساب لقطاع غزة وشعبه الأبي ومقاوميه الشجعان تقف إسرائيل أمام القطاع الموجوع عاجزة وهنا أيضا استراتيجية الدفاع تنجح في لبنان وغزة بالرغم من عدم وجود أي توازن وتكافؤ ولذلك نجد أن فرعون الزمان الراحل إن شاء الله بوش عندما جاء لفلسطين وتجاهل نكبة شعبها صب جام غضبه على حركات المقاومة في لبنان وفلسطين والعراق وعلى الدول المساندة والداعمة للمقاومة ووعد العالم بان اسرائيل ستحتفل بالستين عاما الجديدة وهم بوش وخاب ظنه إسرائيل هذه إلى زوال ووعد العالم أن الهزيمة ستلحق بحزب الله وحركات المقاومة وأنا أقول لبوش ورايس التي تحدثت عن خسارة حزب الله ما دام حزب الله يلتزم الحق ويتكل على الله ولديه شعب كأشرف الناس هؤلاء أنتم المهزومون
السيد نصرالله: تراجعت احتمالات حرب أميركا على إيران بعد درس حرب لبنان وكذلك حرب إٍسرائيل على سوريا أما الحرب على لبنان من قبل الأميركي أو الاسرائيلي أو من يراهن عليهما فنحن أشرف الناس الذين قاتلنا في حرب تموز سنقاتل في أي حرب أخرى
السيد نصرالله: نحن أيضا قدمنا نموذجا في استراتيجية الدفاع وكانت حرب تموز آب 2006 هي النموذج كيف يمكن لمقاومة شعبية كما قال القاضي فينوغراد لعدة آلاف أن يقفوا أمام الجيش الأقوى في الشرق الأوسط إذا نحن لا نتحدث عن استراتيجية مكتوبة في الكتب وإنما تم تطبيقها فألحقت هزيمة بالمعتدي والغازي باعتراف مجتمعه وهذه الحرب غيرت الكثير من المعادلات وأضعفت خيارات الحرب في المنطقة فصمودكم في المنطقة وشجاعتكم ومقاومتكم التي أفشلت حرب إسرائيل على لبنان خففت احتمالات الحرب في المنطقة
السيد نصرالله: باسم أحرار العالمين العربي والاسلامي أناشد الشعب العراقي وجميع قياداته أن يتخذوا الموقف التاريخي الذي يمنع سقوط العراق نهائيا في يد المحتل، والمقاومة في العراق استطاعت أن تلحق الهزيمة تلو الهزيمة بالجيش الأميركي وهنا أيضا العراق مدعو لاعتماد استراتيجية التحرير وهي السبيل الوحيد لاعادة العراق الجريح الى شعبه وأمته

السيد نصرالله: يأتي اليوم الذي يطلب فيه من الحكومة والمجلس العراقي ليشرعن الاحتلال ويوقع على اتفاقية تعطي الأميركي سيطرة سيادية على العراق تجعل خيرات العراق في تصرف الأميركي وهنا يصبح المؤمنون بالعملية السياسية سواء أكانوا شيعة أم سنة أم وطنيين أمام الامتحان الصعب هل تسلمون العراق للأميركي أبد الآبدين أم تتخذون الموقف الذي يمليه عليكم دينكم وعروبتكم ووطنيتكم وأخلاقكم وانسانيتكم
السيد نصرالله: في العراق احتلال أميركي واضح وسيطرة أميركية على الأرض والخيرات لعب الأميركي في السنوات الأخيرة لعبة الاحتلال والديمقراطية واليوم بدأت تنكشف أهداف الديمقراطية الأميركية في العراق فانقسم الشعب العراقي ككل الشعوب ولكن كجمعين كبيرين بين مؤمن بالعملية السياسية وبين مؤمن بالمقاومة وخصوصا المسلحة نحن في حزب الله من الطبيعي أن ننحاز إلى تيار المقاومة في العراق ومع ذلك فقد أخذ مؤيدو العملية السياسية العراقية وقتهم والآن وصلوا الى الامتحان العسير والفيصل وهو الموقف من المعاهدات التي تريد أميركا أن تفرضها على العراق وتطلب من الحكومة والمجلس أن يوقع عليها هنا ينكشف هدف الأميركيين الحقيقي من لعبة الديمقراطية
السيد نصرالله: أثبتت التجربة أننا كعرب وأمة ومسلمين مخرجنا الوحيد من النكبة من كل تداعياتها وآثارها هو المقاومة نهجها ثقافتها ارادتها وفعلها
السيد نصرالله: في فلسطين بعد نكبة 1948 كانت فلسطين تنتظر أيضا اخوانها وأهلها العرب ليكون لهم استراتيجية عربية واحدة بلا طائل وانتظرت المجتمع الدولي بلا طائل وكادت أن تصبح نسيا لولا انطلاقة العمل الفدائي التي كان من أولى نتائجها تذكير العالم والمحتلين أن هناك شعبا وأرضا وقضية وطالبا للحق يحمل السلاح ويقدم الدماء مهما غلت التضحيات وانطلق الشعار الفلسطيني من جديد ليردد أننا بالملايين ذاهبون إلى القدس وحتى اليوم فإن أي مكسب فلسطيني تحقق إنما هو بالدرجة الأولى بفضل المقاومة والجهاد لشعب فسطين وصولا الى الانجاز الكبير والانتصار المهم في ظل تغير معادلات العالم فكان قطاع غزة المحاصر المقطوع قادرا على الحاق الهزيمة بجيش الصهاينة وفرض عليها للمرة الثانية بعد لبنان انسحابا ذليلا بلا قيد مرة أخرى نجحت استراتيجية التحرير فيما كانت المفاوضات تعيد الأرض شبرا شبرا ليتم التنازل في مقابل الأشبار عما لا يمكن أن يتنازل عنه
السيد نصرالله: اعتمدت المقاومة التي كانت جزءا من شعب لبنان ولم تكن كل شعب لبنان من أحزاب وطوائف مختلفة وكان هناك شهداء من كل الأحزاب والطوائف واعتمدت المقاومة على ارادتها وجهادها وفعلها الميداني وكان على العالم العربي والاسلامي أن يقدم لها العون فتخلف الكثيرون وتقدمت سوريا وايران مشكورتين ومعهما كثير من القوى الحية وكان الانتصار الأول وتواصلت المقاومة وكان الانتصار التاريخي في 25 أيار 2000 نصر واضح للبنان والمقاومة والعرب والأمة وهزيمة كاملة واضحة لاسرائيل ومشروع اسرائيل الكبرى التي تريد أن تمتد من النيل الى الفرات فاذا بها تتقطع أوصالها في جنوب لبنان والبقاع الغربي وخروج مذل للصهاينة فلا جوائز ولا مكاسب ولا ضمانات وهنا نجحت استراتيجية التحرير المعتمدة من قبل المقاومة أما استراتيجية المفاوضات فلم تعد للبنان شبرا واحدا من الأرض أما استراتيجية الانتظار فكانت تزيد عدونا قوة وبلدنا يأسا وضعفا
السيد نصرالله: المقاومة لا تنتظر إجماعا وطنيا وشعبيا إنما يجب أن تحمل السلاح وتمضي لانجاز واجب التحرير بالسلاح والدم والتضحيات الغالية
السيد نصرالله: ليس هناك إجماع وطني على الحياد ولا على العمالة ولا على التعاون ولا على اللامبالاة إذا أي خيار لا يحظى باجماع وطني وكل مجموعة تأخذ خيارها وتمضي وتمشي وهذا ما حصل في لبنان
السيد نصرالله: هذا الانقسام طبيعي وتاريخي واجتماعي وليس حكرا على أحد ومن نتائجه فقدان الاجماع الشعبي والوطني على أي خيار
السيد نصرالله: في مقابل استحقاق الاحتلال وكيفية التعاطي معه ينقسم الناس لمجموعات: مجموعة كبيرة تقف على الحياد في المرحلة الأولى مجموعة أخرى أساسا لا يعنيها ما يحصل المهم أنها تأكل وتشرب و"تشم الهواء يوم الأحد" مجموعة ثالثة من العملاء والأدوات كجيش أنطوان لحد رخيصون مرتزقة ولكن لبنانيون ورابعة تتقاطع مصالحها مع مصالح الاحتلال فتتعاون معه خامسة مهزومة من الداخل ويائسة ولكنها تنظر للتعاون مع الاحتلال للحد من الخسائر الوطنية وغالبا ما تكون من النخب وسادسة ترفض الاحتلال سياسيا واعلاميا لكنها ليست حاضرة لدفع ضريبة الدم وأخيرة تعتبر أن واجبها الانساني والأخلاقي والديني والوطني هو تحرير بلدها من الاحتلال مهما كان الثمن وهي حاضرة لتدفع الثمن وهذه المجموعة هي مجموعة المقاومة التي تؤمن بالمقاومة وتقاوم بالفعل
السيد نصرالله: هذا هو الحال في لبنان عام 82 هكذا كان الحال في فلسطين وما زال نسبيا هكذا هو الحال في العراق
السيد نصرالله: اسرائيل استضعفت لبنان ووثقت أنه عاجز عن المواجهة فكان الاجتياح الكبير عام 1982 الذي أراد أن يلحق لبنان باسرائيل نهائيا لتتجدد نكبة عربية ثانية وقد انقسم اللبنانيون أمام هذا الاستحقاق كما هو حال كل شعب ونحن اللبنانيون لسنا استثناء في هذه المسألة

السيد نصرالله: لم يحرك المجتمع الدولي ساكنا ولم يكن الرهان هنا فقط لأن السيد موسى الصدر كان قد أسس خيارا آخر ورهانا آخر هو خيار المقاومة اللبنانية بسواعد أبناء الجنوب وأهل لبنان والاستفادة من الامكانات الذاتية المتاحة
السيد نصرالله: عندما اجتاحت اسرائيل الجنوب في 1978 أصدر مجلس الأمن القرار 425 وانتظرنا تنفيذه وراهنا على المجتمع الدولي وطرح في لبنان الحاجة لاستراتيجية عربية موحدة للمواجهة بدعوى أن لبنان ليس قادرا على مواجهة إسرائيل وحده فكلاهما لم يحصل
السيد نصرالله: المقاومة قدمت نموذجا واستراتيجية في مجالين وليس في مجال واحد فهناك استراتيجية التحرير وطرد الاحتلال لدى المقاومة وهناك استراتيجية الدفاع عن الوطن والشعب في مواجهة العدوان والاجتياح والتهديد هنا إذا نموذج لاستراتيجيتين ورؤيتين وهذه رسالة عيدنا اليوم إلى لبنان والعالم العربي والاسلامي وهي رسالة مشتركة يقدمها كل المقاومين رسالة واضحة للأمة
السيد نصرالله: للمناسبة فكرها وعاطفتها وحقوقها لكنني سأدخل دون مقدمات لأن لدينا الكثير لنتحدث عنه اليوم
السيد نصرالله: عيدنا الثامن عيد ذكرى التحرير وانتصار المقاومة والوطن والشعب والأمة يصادف هذا العام ذكرى مضي 60 عاما على ذكرى النكبة وضياع فلسطين وقيام الكيان الغاصب وأيضاً مضي 30 عاماً على الاجتياح الاسرائيلي لجنوب لبنان عام 1978 وإقامة الشريط الحدودي المحتل الذي توسع لاحقا وهي بالتالي بحق مناسبة للتأمل والمراجعة واستخلاص العبر والدروس على مستوى لبنان والعالمين العربي والاسلامي
السيد نصرالله: إنه العيد الثامن للمقاومة والتحرير وها أنتم اليوم تملأون الساحات من جديد لتثبتوا هويتكم وحقيقتكم أنكم أشرف الناس وأكرم الناس وأطهر الناس
السيد نصرالله: نتوجه بالتحية إلى أرواح الشهداء الطاهرة شهداء المقاومة والوطن كل الوطن إلى سيد شهداء المقاوم السيد الموسوي وشيخ شهداء المقاومة راغب حرب والقائد الشهيد عماد مغنية.
"

Olmert’s Peace Spin

By Gilad Atzmon

"Yesterday Olmert assured Haaretz that the negotiation with Syria is nothing less than an ‘historic breakthrough’. He is absolutely correct. It’s the first time in Israel’s history that a PM initiates a peace negotiation just to escape a police probe into his own unlawful doings. Apparently, Olmert is seeking a quick escape route that would bring the investigation of his corruption to an immediate halt.

The Israeli Knesset has always been a haven for Israeli criminals and Jewish gangsters who seek to take advantage of the immunity membership guarantees. This is nothing new, unlawful activity is rather common amongst Israeli leaders.......

Olmert is no Tolstoy, yet he had two options to choose from: war and peace. Not a single Israeli police detective would put pressure on a serving PM in time of a war. Similarly, no one would mount pressure on a PM in the midst of an historic peacemaking effort with Israel’s most hostile neighbour. Though we were preparing for Olmert to flatten Gaza or strike Hezbollah, he went for the peace option. He obviously remembered the colossal defeat of the IDF in Lebanon less than two years ago, so in doubt, Olmert has decided to not put his trust in generals. To all appearances, the latter do not trust themselves either, they realise that Arabs are not easy targets anymore, Arabs fight back and are getting very good at it........

By bearing in mind the recent Israeli military defeat in Lebanon and the cowardly tactics the IDF performs in Gaza to avoid a ground battle, taking into no account the presence of civilians and the inevitable innocent victims that are the outcome of each and every raid, any Israeli withdrawal in Golan would be considered by Israelis and Arabs as a white flag. Not many people would support such an initiative in Israel politics, nor in its military and intelligence branches. Hence, we have to conclude that the emerging peace spin is there to serve Olmert’s immediate personal needs. It is there to postpone criminal investigation of his activities. It is there to give the corrupt man a few more days in office.

According to Haaretz, “sources close to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday said that he was unable to conceal his disappointment and surprise at the news of renewed Israeli-Syrian peace talks.” My dear President Ahmadinejad, do not hold your breath. Nothing has changed and nothing is going to happen. The Israelis are not going to buy the new spin. They just can’t. Israel thrives on conflict, it defines itself by negation. By the time the Israelis start to seek peace for real they won’t be Israelis anymore."

Video About The Bedouin Plight in Israel

Contributed by v

Facing House Demolitions – Israel's 'Unrecognized' Bedouin
Uploaded by TheMediaLine

Salam Fayyad's cynical party

Adri Nieuwhof, The Electronic Intifada, 26 May 2008

"The Palestine Investment Conference held from 21 until 23 May in Bethlehem has incited broad resistance from Palestinian popular organizations. In his invitation to investors appointed Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Salam Fayyad wrote, "We are throwing a party and the whole world is invited." The organizers performed a tour de force by putting "Revitalizing Gaza" on the agenda of the conference, explicitly excluding a debate on political issues. It is obvious that ordinary Palestinians, who are battling every day with the endless rigorous Israeli occupation, will find it hard to relate to this "festive occasion" heavily advocated by the Quartet and its Middle East envoy, Tony Blair, the Portland Trust and various other donors.

For the occasion the (PA) deployed 2,000 security personnel in Bethlehem during the conference. According to the Alternative Information Center, based in Bethlehem and Jerusalem, the PA ensured that Fayyad and Blair's party would not be spoiled by "the extensive Palestinian grassroots opposition and cynicism towards the conference. Local groups in the Bethlehem area were explicitly told to not organize protests or 'there would be problems.'"......."

A change needs to come

Avigail Abarbanel, The Electronic Intifada, 26 May 2008

(Avigail Abarbanel is a former citizen of Israel and a psychotherapist in private practice in Canberra Australia.)

"Earlier this month I had the privilege of hearing Ali Abunimah speak at a dinner organized by an Australian pro-Palestinian activist group. Abunimah, an author and a co-founder of The Electronic Intifada, is a supporter of the one-state solution in Palestine/Israel, and so am I. One democratic and secular state for both peoples with a right of return for the Palestinian refugees is the only just solution to the long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Abunimah is optimistic about what is possible. I would like to be as optimistic but am not so sure I can.

Growing up as an Israeli provided me with an intimate understanding of Israeli-Jewish psychology. Ever since I can remember, we in Israel were told that Jews have nowhere else to go because the world didn't like Jews. Seventeen years ago, when my former husband and I were about to migrate to Australia, most of the people we knew were dismayed by our decision. I was told by many that I was making a big mistake. My father's heart surgeon for example, was in complete shock when he heard our news. He took me aside and said that he did not understand how I could leave; that he would never be prepared to live anywhere where there might be even one anti-Semite alive. Like many others he believed that Jews can only safely live in Israel.

This idea that Israel is the only safe place for Jews is critical to understanding the roots of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and Israel's policies and perspective in the present. The majority of Jewish people do not trust non-Jews as life-long compatriots......

It is clear to me that if justice is to be achieved for the Palestinians this fear-based, racist and immoral ideology has to be overcome because the fear of one people cannot and must not justify the destruction of another. But I do not believe that the Palestinians can afford to wait until Jewish psychology changed by itself, and Jews felt sufficiently safe in the world to let go of the idea of an exclusively Jewish safe haven.

I believe it will take serious international pressure on Israel, or a real change of heart on the part of Israelis for a one state solution to become a reality. I would like to be optimistic and think that this change of heart will happen eventually but am not sure I can. My doubts come from my own experience -- after all it used to be my psychology too. Thus, in order to save the Palestinian people the world must take decisive action in this conflict, as it did in South Africa, or continue sacrificing one people for the sake of another."

What's driving Lebanon's crisis?

By Rania Masri
and Lee Sustar

".....Rania Masri is a Lebanese-American writer and antiwar activist currently living in Beirut. She spoke to Lee Sustar on the crisis in Lebanon today.

THE FIGHTING in Lebanon was portrayed in the Western media as an attempted coup by Hezbollah. What's the reality?......

WHAT WERE the demands of the May 7 strike?......

IS THE situation for workers the same across the country's sectarian divides?......

WHAT IS Hezbollah's economic program?

THE PROBLEM is that Hezbollah is aligned in the opposition with the Free Patriotic Movement, a Christian party under the leadership of Gen. Michel Aoun. His economic program is to the right of the government's. He believes in neoliberalism, in privatization. His only positive claim is that he is against corruption.

When I asked Hezbollah members about their economic platform, they told me that they have been working on it for months, but aren't ready to disclose it.

Hezbollah doesn't have a pro-union history. But it does have a history of support for the poor, based on what it has done institutionally in the South. It has been able to build a very effective social network.

But Hezbollah doesn't support building institutions that can replace it. Once you build up a strong labor union, you are building up a democratic force that could serve to fight against you politically, or replace your decision-making role.

So Hezbollah is not pro-union. But they are pro-poor people. They are not in favor of the privatization of electricity or water, for example. But they have not come out with an economic program, out of fear that it would cause a division with their allies.

The only ones in the country who have an economic platform are the Lebanese Communist Party--and other smaller left-wing parties, all of whom have aligned themselves quite strongly with the opposition.

So, unfortunately, the economy is put on the back burner. The argument is, "let's solve the political crisis first, then we can discuss the economy."

THE U.S. complains about Syria's and Iran's support of Hezbollah. Is this accurate?.....

WHAT KIND of activism is the secular left involved in?..... "

Real News Video: US and Iran: Is an Iraq grand bargain possible?

Gareth Porter: Iraq regime torn between US and Iran; US wants a deal, but on its own terms (4 of 4)



"The Real News Network's Paul Jay talks to Gareth Porter about Iran, Iraq and the Bush administration. One of the fundamental reasons The White House is giving for a possible attack on Iran is that it is arming Iraqi militias that are killing American soldiers. The administration and the US military first began to talk about Iran as a source of weapons in 2005 but have yet to present concrete evidence to back the charges. Complicating matters is the fact that both Iran and the US support Iraq's al-Maliki government at the same time. While the White House hints at a possible attack on Iran, the US military talks about a deal over Iraq. But what kind of deal could it be?"

Animated Cartoon: Blackwater Business School

By Mark Fiore

Report: Carter says Israel has 150 nuclear weapons

"Former United States president Jimmy Carter on Sunday asserted that Israel has 150 nuclear weapons in its arsenal, The Times newspaper quoted him on Monday as saying.

According to The Times, Carter made the allegations about Israel's nuclear arms while arguing that the U.S. should engage in direct negotiations with Iran to persuade it to halt its nuclear program.

"My advice to the U.S. would be to start talking to Iran now," Carter said. He made the comments at the Hay-on-Wye literary festival in Wales......."

Israel Targets Iran Through Syrian Friendship

Analysis by Peter Hirschberg

"JERUSALEM, May 26 (IPS) - "Spin" was the chorus that predictably emanated from Israel's parliament when the office of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced last week that Israel and Syria had initiated talks ultimately aimed at reaching a peace agreement. But to reduce the renewal of peace talks between Jerusalem and Damascus, after an eight-year hiatus, to mere "spin" is to underestimate how it currently serves the strategic interests of both countries.

That doesn't mean Olmert didn't benefit from the timing of the announcement, with headlines about talks with Syria nudging aside headlines about a police investigation into suspicions of corruption against the prime minister, regarding large sums of cash he received from a U.S. businessman. But the contacts with Syria began already a year ago, long before Olmert's latest legal woes, and they have the strong backing of many in Israel's defence establishment.

Security officials are convinced that the chances of doing a deal with Damascus are greater than the likelihood of reaching an agreement with the Palestinians. The Syrian track is less complicated. Israel knows what Syria wants: the return of the Golan Heights, the strategic mountain range that Israel captured during the 1967 war. Syria knows what Israel wants: an end to its strategic relationship with Iran, an end to its backing of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, and normal relations.......

But the overriding consideration driving those who support talks with Syria is the desire to pry President Bashar Assad from the clutches of Iran and erode his support for Hezbollah and Hamas. Undermining ties between Damascus and Tehran, they argue, could retard Iran's efforts to achieve nuclear capability.

It could undercut Iran's influence in the region and also significantly lessen the combined missile and rocket threat posed to Israel by Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas. Were Israel ever to attack Iran's nuclear sites -- Israel, like the U.S. and much of Europe, believes Tehran is bent on building nuclear weapons -- defence officials would prefer to have Syria sitting on the sidelines rather than actively involved, along with Hezbollah and Hamas, in a concerted, retaliatory missile attack on the Jewish state......."

EGYPT: People Go One Way Over Israel, Regime Another

By Adam Morrow and Khaled Moussa al-Omrani

"CAIRO, May 26 (IPS) - The anniversary of Israel's 60th year of nationhood this month drew hearty congratulations from capitals around the world. But in Egypt, official acceptance of the Hebrew state contrasts starkly with popular disgust over Israel's continued mistreatment of the Palestinian people.

"When it comes to Israel, the position of most Arab regimes -- including Cairo -- is directly opposed to that of the people," Abdel Wahab al-Masiri, prominent historian and author of a three-volume Arabic-language encyclopaedia on Zionism told IPS. "After 60 years, the Arab public still broadly rejects Israel and its policies."......

On May 15, 1948, an estimated 750,000 Palestinians were driven out from their homes by invading Zionist forces -- often by means of terrorism. As hundreds of thousands were turned into refugees overnight, the event has been referred to ever since as "al-nakba" -- Arabic for "the catastrophe".

"Israel was, and remains to this day, founded on the criminal occupation of Palestinian land," Essam al-Arian, prominent member of Muslim Brotherhood, which controls the largest opposition bloc in Egypt's parliament, told IPS.

According to al-Masiri, Israel's foundation in 1948 "coincided with the ethnic cleansing of Palestine's original inhabitants."......

Another 30 years on, however, the peace remains a cold one. Although Egypt and Israel maintain formal diplomatic relations, vast swathes of Egyptian public opinion is still consistently outraged by Israeli policies vis-à-vis the Palestinian people.

These policies include regular military assaults on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, usually resulting in high civilian death tolls among Palestinians, the ongoing siege of the Gaza Strip (which shares a border with Egypt), continued settlement-building on occupied Palestinian land, and efforts to "Judaise" the city of Jerusalem......

"The current negotiations will never lead anywhere," Abdel-Halim Kandil, political analyst and former editor-in-chief of opposition weekly al-Karama told IPS. "Abbas has abandoned armed resistance -- the only means of extracting concessions from Israel -- for fruitless talks."

In a stark indication of the gap between official and popular attitudes, the local independent press -- citing Israeli sources -- reported on May 11 that President Hosni Mubarak had sent a congratulatory telegram to Israeli President Shimon Perez on the occasion of the Hebrew state's anniversary.

"That Mubarak would send a letter of congratulations to Perez reveals the level of the Arab regimes' subservience to Israel," said al-Masiri......

In any event, said al-Arian, most Arab governments are hardly representative of the popular Arab will -- especially when it comes to Israel.

"These regimes represent small ruling elites that were never elected by the public," he said. "If governments were elected democratically, they -- like the people -- would most assuredly reject the state of Israel.""

Citizens, but second-class

The bedouins of the Negev desert carry Israeli ID, but they've been treated appallingly by the state of which they form a part

By Seth Freedman
The Guardian

"A group of Arab families, who have ample proof of their historic claim to a tract of land, are evicted by the Israeli army. Whilst they attempt to challenge their forced removal from the area via legal process, a Jewish settlement is established on the site overnight. The settlement grows and grows until it is just one more, immovable "fact on the ground", leaving the uprooted families little or no chance of returning to their ancestral home, nor of achieving even a modicum of justice from the courts.

A familiar enough story, of course, but made all the more intolerable given that the land in question is well inside the Green Line, and the families involved are all fully-fledged Israeli citizens. Or, to be precise, they are fully-fledged Israeli citizens on paper. Since they are bedouins, rather than Jews, their rights are by no means assured simply because they possess blue Israeli ID cards, as history has proved time and again to their cost......."

Clinton has run her campaign the same way Bush has run the country

By Gary Younge
The Guardian, Monday May 26 2008

"We all saw it. Indeed, that was the whole point. In the US, the networks stopped regular programming so we had little choice. The White House wanted to make sure we caught the full dramatic impact of the US president landing on the USS Abraham Lincoln in a navy jet against a backdrop of a clear sky and the sign "Mission Accomplished". America the beautiful. America the invincible.

The soundtrack to this most flamboyant and flawed of photo opportunities was similarly unequivocal. "Major combat operations in Iraq have ended," said President George Bush. "The battle of Iraq is one victory in a war on terror that began on September 11 2001 and still goes on."

"We are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue," wrote George Orwell in his essay In Front of Your Nose. "And then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield."

And so it was, this month, that on the fifth anniversary of that stunt the White House spokeswoman, Dana Perino, insisted we did not see what we thought we saw. Indeed, we were all mistaken. The president wasn't referring to the Iraq war as such. Instead, claimed Perino, he made all that effort and secured all that airtime to congratulate just that "particular" crew on having accomplished its "particular" 10-month mission.

"President Bush is well aware that the banner should have been much more specific and said 'mission accomplished' for these sailors who are on this ship on their mission," she explained. "And we have certainly paid a price for not being more specific on that banner."

This kind of thing gives chutzpah a bad name. And yet, with this administration it is a practice with which we have become all too familiar. As median wages fall, Bush tells Americans they are better off; as the torture continues at Guantánamo Bay - the only part of Cuba Bush actually controls - he calls on Raul Castro to honour human rights; as he cuts taxes and starts wars, he calls on Congress to practise fiscal rectitude. Not content with pissing on your leg and telling you it's raining, he tries to convince you that your leg has been dry all along.

As the primary season draws to a close it has become increasingly apparent that Hillary Clinton has run her campaign with the same contempt for intelligence, decency and democracy that Bush has run the country. Like the Bush administration, her campaign has been sustained by cynicism, divisiveness and fear-mongering, leaving a toxic and rancorous rift in its wake. Like the White House, her aim has been to win at all costs. And like the White House, it has produced the same result. Failure........"

Michel Sleiman Making Sure That The Tea Servers Are Ready....
Celebrate The Best Tea Service to The IOF in The Middle East!

Despite The Brave Pronouncements, Iran is Getting Cold Feet About Bashar Assad

Ahmadinejad Sure Syria Will Press Struggle on Israel

Al-Manar

"26/05/2008 Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday that he remains confident Iran's close ally Syria will keep up the struggle against Israel [What struggle??]despite its announcement of renewed peace negotiations. "I am sure that the Syrian leadership will manage the situation with wisdom and will not abandon the front line [I have news for you Mr. Ahmadinejad: The Syrian leadership abandoned the front line on the Golan back in 1973! Not a single shot has been fired from Syria since then. Hell, Syria did not fire a shot when its facility in Deir El-Zur was recently obliterated by Israel! Where was your "military alliance" then? So, please stop the empty rhetoric and deal with the reality; we know what is going on. Soon, your "ally" Assad will be addressing the Israeli Knesset from the podium in Jerusalem, as a part of his resistance, no doubt.] until the complete removal of the Zionist threats," Ahmadinejad told visiting Syrian Defense Minister Hassan Turkmani.

"So far the cooperation between Iran and Syria in different areas has been beneficial for both sides and our defense ties should be expanded as far as possible," the official IRNA news agency quoted the president as saying.

Turkmani's visit is the first to Iran by a Syrian official since Syria and Israel announced last Wednesday that they had resumed indirect peace negotiations through Turkish mediators, ending an eight-year freeze.

Turkmani held talks on Sunday with his Iranian counterpart Mostafa Mohammad Najjar, during which the Iranian side underlined the importance of "collective security". On Saturday, Syria rejected any preconditions to the new peace negotiations with Israel involving either breaking its three-decade alliance with Iran or its support for Lebanese and Palestinian resistance groups. Israeli officials have in the past conditioned any peace deal with Syria on its agreement to end both."

Sayyed Nasrallah to Hold Speech on Resistance Day

Al-Manar

"26/05/2008 Eight years on the liberation of most of south Lebanon from Israeli occupation, the Lebanese remember their Resistance and the great victory it accomplished with pride, glory and honor. They find in it an opportunity to vow once again their adherence to the resistance choice until the complete liberation of the land as well as the detainees in Israeli prisons.

Hezbollah organizes on Monday afternoon a festival in the southern suburb of Beirut to commemorate the Resistance and Liberation day. Everything was prepared for the rally, from flags, pictures, sound systems and thousands of chairs.

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah is expected to give a comprehensive political speech that would tackle the latest events internally in light of the Doha agreement and the election of Gen. Michel Suleiman as head of the State.

During the last few hours, Sayyed Nasrallah was discussing with Hezbollah leadership the main speech points. Sources noted that it will concentrate on everything that serves the internal situation." Sayyed Nasrallah will basically address the Sunni community in Lebanon and the Arab World. He will also launch a collection of stances concerning the resistance movements in Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq. "

Hamas: Liberation of south Lebanon proved success of resistance

"GAZA, (PIC)-- The Hamas Movement on Monday said that the liberation of south Lebanon from Israeli occupation in May 2000 at the hands of Lebanese resistance proved success of the resistance option.

Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, said in a press release that the successful Lebanese resistance had preserved higher interests and expelled Israeli occupiers from almost all occupied lands.

He said that the Israeli occupation government's repeated aggressions on Lebanon were meant to uproot resistance and weaken the Lebanese people's determination but the Lebanese resistance proved its strength in protecting the country's national interests and in defeating occupation.

The anniversary of the Lebanese success affirms to the Palestinian people and resistance that all settlement projects and negotiations with occupation would not bring about any positive result, Barhoum underlined.

He stressed that unity and determination of the people alongside resistance would be able to achieve the Palestinian people's goals in cleansing their lands of occupation."

Carter urges 'supine' Europe to break with US over Gaza blockade

Ex-president says EU is colluding in a human rights crime

By Jonathan Steele and Jonathan Freedland
The Guardian, Monday May 26 2008

"Britain and other European governments should break from the US over the international embargo on Gaza, former US president Jimmy Carter told the Guardian yesterday. Carter, visiting the Welsh border town of Hay for the Guardian literary festival, described the EU's position on the Israeli-Palestinian dispute as "supine" and its failure to criticise the Israeli blockade of Gaza as "embarrassing".

Referring to the possibility of Europe breaking with the US in an interview with the Guardian, he said: "Why not? They're not our vassals. They occupy an equal position with the US."

The blockade on Hamas-ruled Gaza, imposed by the US, EU, UN and Russia - the so-called Quartet - after the organisation's election victory in 2006, was "one of the greatest human rights crimes on Earth," since it meant the "imprisonment of 1.6 million people, 1 million of whom are refugees". "Most families in Gaza are eating only one meal per day. To see Europeans going along with this is embarrassing," Carter said.....

While being scrupulously polite to the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, and prime minister, Salam Fayyad, who represent the Fatah movement, he was scathing about their exclusion of Hamas. He described the Fatah-only government as a "subterfuge" aimed at getting round Hamas's election victory two years ago. "The top opinion pollster in Ramallah told me the other day that opinion on the West Bank is shifting to Hamas, because people believe Fatah has sold out to Israel and the US," he said.

Carter said the Quartet's policy of not talking to Hamas unless it recognised Israel and fulfilled two other conditions had been drafted by Elliot Abrams, an official in the national security council at the White House. He called Abrams "a very militant supporter of Israel"......"The Quartet's final document had been drafted in Washington in advance, and not a line was changed," he said......"

When it comes to Israel , Europe is hypocritical, submissive and obsequious

Comment by Khalid Amayreh in Occupied Ramallah

"In comparison to the madman in the White House, Europe may look less bellicose, less confrontational and less unreasonable in its overall approach to contentious international issues.

However, when the issue is the Palestinian plight, the US and Europe look very much like tweedledee and tweedledum.

In recent months and years, European leaders from Germany’s Merkel, to France’s Sarkozy, to Britain’s Brown and Italy’s Berlusconi were shamelessly pandering to Israeli savagery to the extent of embracing relentless Israeli criminality against the Palestinian people , including the ongoing genocidal ethnic cleansing in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in the Gaza Strip.

True, the European tone of speech often sounds less odious especially when compared with the unmitigated saber-rattling coming from Washington. But, in the final analysis, the outcome in both cases is similar. In fact, the US and Europe collaborate and even collude to effect the same unethical goals often by playing the old game of Mutt and Jeff (good cop and bad cop), with their persecuted victims, whether in Palestine, Sudan or Iran.......

Hence, European inaction or reluctance to call the spade a spade so long as Israel is concerned is not due to ignorance of reality in Palestine, but rather to a willful European decision to play blind, deaf and dumb and look the other way, thus effectively leaving the Palestinians alone to face their fate at the hands of a state that is very much a crime against humanity.......

Needless to say, a morally-inconsistent European approach toward the Palestinian plight doesn’t auger well, neither for Europe nor for the world at large.

Indeed, if Europe, along with the US, continues to allow the “forces of the jungle” to determine the rule of the game (international politics), then all states will have to draw their conclusions because survival is paramount for nations as well as individuals. And if strength only respects strength, then everyone will have to be strong or risk extinction or at least enslavement by the powerful.

I am saying this because what America and Europe seem to be telling the Palestinians is that as long as you are weak, you will continue to be killed, raped, persecuted and starved to death, otherwise you’ve got to settle for a life of perpetual enslavement by the “chosen people.”

Some states, such as Iran, have already got and internalized the message, and sooner or later, other states will follow suit.

Is this the ideal world Europe would want to see?"

Negotiating Away The Right of Return?
By Emad Hajjaj

Provocations as Pretexts for Imperial War: From Pearl Harbor to 9/11

By James Petras

"Wars in an imperialist democracy cannot simply be dictated by executive fiat, they require the consent of highly motivated masses who will make the human and material sacrifices.

Imperialist leaders have to create a visible and highly charged emotional sense of injustice and righteousness to secure national cohesion and overcome the natural opposition to early death, destruction and disruption of civilian life and to the brutal regimentation that goes with submission to absolutist rule by the military.

The need to invent a cause is especially the case with imperialist countries because their national territory is not under threat. There is no visible occupation army oppressing the mass of the people in their everyday life. The ‘enemy’ does not disrupt everyday normal life – as forced conscription would and does. Under normal peaceful time, who would be willing to sacrifice their constitutional rights and their participation in civil society to subject themselves to martial rule that precludes the exercise of all their civil freedoms?

The task of imperial rulers is to fabricate a world in which the enemy to be attacked (an emerging imperial power like Japan) is portrayed as an ‘invader’ or an ‘aggressor’ in the case of revolutionary movements (Korean and Indo-Chinese communists) engaged in a civil war against an imperial client ruler or a ‘terrorist conspiracy’ linked to an anti-imperialist, anti-colonial Islamic movements and secular states. Imperialist-democracies in the past did not need to consult or secure mass support for their expansionist wars; they relied on volunteer armies, mercenaries and colonial subjects led and directed by colonial officers. Only with the confluence of imperialism, electoral politics and total war did the need arise to secure not only consent, but also enthusiasm, to facilitate mass recruitment and obligatory conscription......

Professor Zelikow – Where do we go from here?

The key figure in and around the Bush Administration who actively promoted a ‘new Pearl Harbor’ and was at least in part responsible for the policy of complicity with the 9/11 terrorists was Philip Zelikow. Zelikow, a prominent Israel-Firster, is a government academic, whose expertise was in the nebulous area of ‘catastrophic terrorism’ – events which enabled US political leaders to concentrate executive powers and violate constitutional freedoms in pursuit of offensive imperial wars and in developing the ‘public myth’. Philip Shenon’s book, The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation pinpoints Zelikow’s strategic role in the Bush Administration in the lead up to 9/11, the period of ‘complicit neglect’, in its aftermath, the offensive global war period, and in the government’s cover-up of its complicity in the terror attack.

Prior to 9/11 Zelikow provided a‘blueprint’ for the process of an executive seizing extreme power for global warfare. He outlined a sequence in which a ‘catastrophic terrorist event’ could facilitate the absolute concentration of power, followed by the launching of offensive wars for Israel (as he publicly admitted). In the run-up to 9/11 and the multiple wars, he served as a member of National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice’s National Security Council transition team (2000-2001), which had intimate knowledge of terrorist plans to seize US commercial flights, as Rice herself publicly admitted (‘conventional hijackings’ was her term). Zelikow was instrumental in demoting and disabling the counter-terrorism expert Richard Clark from the National Security Council, the one agency tracking the terrorist operation. Between 2001-2003, Zelikow was a member of the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board. This was the agency, which had failed to follow-up and failed to pursue the key intelligence reports identifying terrorist plans. Zelikow, after playing a major role in undermining intelligence efforts to prevent the terrorist attack, became the principle author of the 2002 National Security Strategy of the United States, which prescribed Bush’s policy of military invasion of Iraq and targeted Syria, Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and other independent Arab and Muslim countries and political entities. Zelikow’s ‘National Security Strategy’ paper was the most influential directive shaping the global state terrorist policies of the Bush regime. It also brought US war policies in the closest alignment with the regional military aspirations of the Israeli state since the founding of Israel. Indeed, this was why the former Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated at Bar Ilan University that the 9/11 attack and the US invasion of Iraq were ‘good for Israel’ (see Haaretz, April 16, 2008).

Finally Zelikow, as Bush’s personal appointee as the Executive Director of the 9/11 Commission, coordinated the cover-up of the Administration policy of complicity in 9/11 with the Vice President’s office. While Zelikow is not considered an academic heavyweight, his ubiquitous role in the design, execution and cover-up of the world-shattering events surrounding 9/11 and its aftermath mark him as one of the most dangerous and destructive political ‘influentials’ in the shaping and launching of Washington’s past, present and future catastrophic wars."

Happy "Liberation and Resistance Day" to all those who resist!

From The Vineyard of The Saker

"On May 25th Lebanon, at least that part of Lebanon which cares about its freedom, marks "Liberation and Resistance Day": the day when Hezbollah defeated Israel after a brutal 22 year long occupation and expelled the Zionists out of Lebanon.

This day, however, should be celebrated by all those who believe "that resistance is life and life is resistance" because what happened 8 years ago was the first (post-Cold War) victory by a popular resistance movement against the Empire. Not only did May 25th, 2000, mark a huge imperial defeat, but it proved to be the opening battle in a long war for the liberation of the entire Middle-East and, hopefully, the rest of the planet from the oppression and exploitation of the USraelian Empire.......

Here below is the story of May 25 as told by Hezbollah's al-Manar TV.

Happy Liberation and Resistance Day!

The Saker"

Jews for Jesus' in Israel demand inquiry into burning of bibles by Orthodox Jews

"After a massive 'bible burning' by the deputy mayor and orthodox Jewish students in the town of Or Yehuda, in Israel, a group of Messianic Jews, or 'Jews for Jesus' as they are known, have called for an inquiry into the incident.

Apparently the Ethiopian Jews living in the town were visited by Messianic Jewish missionaries, who believe in Jesus as their saviour. The missionaries dropped off bibles and pamphlets for the residents to peruse. Several days later, the deputy mayor of the town went through the town shouting through a loudspeaker for everyone to hand over the bibles to a group of Orthodox Jewish students who were going around and collecting them. The students then piled up the bibles and burned them.

The incident brings out an increasing tension between Orthodox and Messianic Jews in Israel. Orthodox Jewish groups have cheered the book burning, while Messianic Jews have criticized the town and the students for burning the holy books.

Proselytizing to Ethiopian Jews is a sensitive issue, as some Ethiopians claim that they were forced to convert to Christianity while in Ethiopia. Some Israelis have voiced concern that many of the Ethiopians who came to Israel in recent years claiming to be Jewish may in fact be Christian, thus adding to the tension."

Lebanese army chief Michel Sleiman, responsible for the destruction of Nahr Al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp, the killing of more than 47 Palestinians and making 30,000 Palestinians refugees again, is "elected" president.....
Celebrate now!



"...However, for most of the 30,000 Palestinians who once populated Nahr al-Bared, their return to the camp is still far off. As of late April, only between 1,500 and 2,000 families have been allowed to return to the so-called "new" camp that is located outside the core of Nahr al-Bared. The "old'" camp refers to the original site of Nahr al-Bared which is now completely destroyed and sealed off by the Lebanese army for, it states, "de-mining" purposes...."

تل أبيب طالبت القاهرة باعتقال 250 مصريًا بتهمة تهريب الأسلحة لغزة

اللوبي الإسرائيلي يطالب بزيادة التعاون الاستخباراتي مع مصر

"تسعى منظمات تابعة للوبي الإسرائيلي بالولايات المتحدة في الوقت الراهن إلى دفع الكونجرس الأمريكي للضغط على مصر من أجل مزيد من التعاون الاستخباراتي في سيناء وعلى الحدود مع غزة للحد من تدفق الأسلحة إلى غزة عبر الحدود المصرية.
وذكرت وكالة أنباء "أمريكا إن أرابيك" أن إسرائيل سلمت مصر أسماء 250 مصريا تتهمهم بالمساعدة في تهريب الأسلحة إلى غزة، وطلبت اعتقالهم فورا، وأشارت في ذات الوقت إلى ضغوط يقوم بها اللوبي الإسرائيلي في واشنطن من أجل الإسراع بإرسال مهندسين أمريكيين تابعين لسلاح المهندسين الأمريكي ومعدات يتحكم فيها عن بعد لإغلاق حوالي 40 نفقا بين مصر وغزة.
وأفادت الوكالة أنها حصلت على وثيقة تقدم بها مركز أبحاث مرتبط باللوبي الإسرائيلي إلى اللجنة الفرعية لشئون الشرق الأوسط، التابعة للجنة العلاقات الخارجية الأمريكية، زعم فيها إن إسرائيل تمكنت من الحصول على معلومات استخباراتية تفيد تورط 250 مصريا، معظمهم من سيناء، في عمليات تهريب مزعومة إلى غزة.
وجاء في الوثيقة التي قام بكتابتها الباحث المخضرم ديفيد ماكوفسكي، التابع لمعهد واشنطن لدراسات الشرق الأدنى، وهو المعهد المتفرع عن لجنة العلاقات الأمريكية - الإسرائيلية العامة (إيباك) وهي أكبر منظمات اللوبي الإسرائيلي وأكثرها تنظيما، ان إسرائيل قامت بتسليم مصر قائمة بها 250 أسما لأشخاص مصريين، معظمهم من سيناء، وطالبت بسرعة اعتقالهم لدورهم المزعوم في تهريب الأسلحة والصواريخ إلى غزة، الأمر الذي لم تنفذ مصر حتى الآن.
غير أن الوثيقة التي تم تقديمها للكونجرس في 21 مايو لا تشرح كيفية ولا توقيت حصول إسرائيل على أسماء المصريين، أو إذا ما كان هناك لإسرائيل عملاء داخل سيناء تمكنوا من رصد هؤلاء المهربين وحصلوا على أسمائهم.
....
...."

American Israel critic denied entry to country

(Click on cartoon by Carlos Latuff to enlarge)

"American political scientist and fierce critic of Israel, Prof. Norman Finkelstein, was denied entry to Israel and deported from the country early Saturday morning. Officials said that the decision to deport Finkelstein was connected to his anti-Zionist opinions and fierce public criticism of Israel around the world......."

Fearing Gaza rockets, IDF moves troops, civilian staff from Erez

"Israel will transfer dozens of Israel Defense Forces soldiers and civilian employees stationed at the Erez crossing's Coordination and Liaison Administration to a base removed from the range of rockets and mortars being launched from the Gaza Strip, it was announced Sunday.

Defense officials opted for the move following Thursday's attempted bomb attack in which a truck carrying significant amounts of explosives blew up on the Palestinian side of the Erez crossing.

Last year, a public outcry ensued after a Qassam rocket struck the Zikim inductee base, prompting parents to demand that the army move the soldiers to a base outside of rocket and mortar range. IDF officers were strenuous in resisting the calls, insisting that "wherever there are civilians present, soldiers will not be evacuated." ....."

Escaping Forwards

By Uri Avnery

".......A PERTINENT question: if Olmert has indeed decided to "escape forwards"' why escape forwards towards peace and not towards war? This is what usually happens: leaders on the threshold of disaster prefer to start a little (or sometimes big) war. There is nothing like war to divert attention, and waging war is almost always more popular, at least at the beginning, than making peace.

Here there are also two possibilities:

The first: like Paul, Olmert had a revelation, and has really become a man of peace. The nationalist demagogue has matured and now understands that the national interest demands peace. A cynic will laugh out loud. But stranger things have happened on the road to Damascus.

The second: Olmert believes that the Israeli public prefers peace with Syria to war with Syria, and hopes to gain some popularity as a peace-maker. (I believe this to be true.)

The third: Olmert knows that all the chiefs of the Security Establishment (with the notable exception of the Mossad boss) support peace with Syria out of cold strategic calculation. In the eyes of the army General Staff, the loss of the Golan Heights is a reasonable price to pay for breaking Syria loose from Iran and lessening its support for Hizbullah and Hamas, especially if an international force is stationed there after they revert to being the "Syrian Heights".

Syria is a Sunni country, even if it is ruled by members of the small Alawite sect, which is closer to the Shia. (The Alawis derive their name from Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet, who the Shiites consider his rightful heir.) The alliance between secular Sunni Syria and orthodox Shiite Iran is a marriage of convenience, without an ideological basis. The alliance with Shiite Hizbullah is also based on interests: since Syria does not dare to attack Israel in order to get the Golan back, it supports Hizbullah as a proxy......

During his visit to Jerusalem a few days ago, Bush railed against talking with enemies. This was understood to be a rebuke aimed at Barack Obama, who has announced his willingness to speak with the leaders of Iran. Perhaps Olmert is already betting on Obama's entering the White House.

But Bush is not finished yet. He has got eight more months to go, and he, too, may come to the conclusion that he should "escape forwards". In his case: by attacking Iran.

HOW IS all this going to affect the mother of all problems, the core of the Israeli-Arab conflict: the question of Palestine?

Menachem Begin made a separate peace with Egypt and gave back the whole of the Sinai Peninsula in order to concentrate on the war with the Palestinians. Undoubtedly, Begin was ready to do the same on the Syrian front. According to the map used by Vladimir (Ze'ev) Jabotinsky, which Olmert was brought up on, the Golan, like Sinai, is not a part of Eretz Israel.

A separate peace harbors great dangers for the Palestinians. If the Israeli government reaches a peace agreement with Syria (and then Lebanon), it will have peace with all the neighboring states. The Palestinians will be isolated and the Israeli government will be able to deal with them as it wishes......"

One State: Coexistence, Not Apartheid

By Ramzy Baroud

Palestine Chronicle

"For the last 60 years, all those who have sought a genuinely peaceful and fair solution for Israel and Palestine have faced the same obstacle — Israel's sense of invincibility and military arrogance, abetted by the US and other Western governments' unwavering support.

Despite recent setbacks on the military front, the Israeli government is yet to awaken to the reality that Israel is simply not invincible. The wheel of history, which has seen the rise and fall of many great powers, won't grind to a halt. Experiences have also repeatedly shown that neither Israel's nuclear arms nor Washington's billions of dollars in annual funds could create 'security' for the former.......

If Israel is indeed interested in a peaceful resolution to this bloody conflict, one that is based on equal human and legal rights, justice, security and lasting peace, then it must add a new word to its lexicon: coexistence. Jews and Arabs coexisted peacefully prior to the rise of Zionism, and they are capable of doing so in the future. Any other solution would simply institutionalise racism and apartheid, undermine democracy and human rights and thus further perpetuate violence.

It's time for a secular, democratic state to cease being part of a removed academic discussion, and instead be integrated into mainstream debate, if not dialogue in Palestine and Israel. This is the right, moral and indeed urgent course of action required now. "

Manufacturing Consent For The Attack on Iran And Greasing The Skids For War

Iran 'paid Iraq insurgents to kill UK soldiers'

The Telegraph

"Iran has secretly paid Iraqi insurgents hundreds of thousands of American dollars to kill British soldiers, according to a leaked government document obtained by The Telegraph.

The allegations are contained in a confidential "field report" written by a British officer who served in Basra during one of the most dangerous periods of the conflict. The report, which has never been made public, shows the full level of Iran's involvement in the insurgency for the first time.

The document states that the Jaish al-Mahdi (JAM) – also known as the Mahdi Army – one of the most violent insurgent groups operating in Basra, used money from Iran to recruit and pay young unemployed men up to $300 (£150) a month to carry out attacks against the British. The findings have been passed to the highest levels in the military........"

Al-Jazeera Video: The Continuing Catastrophe - 24 May 08

A Very Good Video

Part 1



Part 2



Part 3



Part 4



"To conclude Al Jazeera's special coverage of the 60th anniversary of the creation of Israel - an event known to Palestinians as 'al Nakba' (the catastrophe) - senior political analyst Marwan Bishara hosts a debate examining why the events of 1948 still have wide-ranging political ramifications today. "

Syria's Contribution to Restoring Palestinian National Rights?
A Palestinian Flag....
But Not Just Like Any Other Flag.....
This One is The Largest in The World!
It Covers 28,000 Square Meters, and Cost Only $28,000
Go Bashar!

فلسطيني يفوز بجائزة صحفية أميركية

"حقق الصحفي الفلسطيني الشاب محمد عمر المغيَّر، من سكان مخيم بدر للاجئين برفح جنوبي قطاع غزة فوزًا جديدًا، أضيف إلى سلسلة إنجازاته الصحفية، بحصوله على جائزة مارثا غيلبورن 'Martha Gelhorn Journalism Prize 2008' الأميركية عن أفضل مجموعة قصص صحفية على مستوى العالم.

وجاء فوز المغير بالجائزة عن مجموعة من القصص الإخبارية نشرها في مجلة "تقرير واشنطن لشؤون الشرق الأوسط" الأميركية (باللغة الإنجليزية) تناولت فصول المعاناة التي يعيشها الشعب الفلسطيني في ظل الحصار، من بينها قصة بعنوان "أريد أن أعيش"، وأخرى بعنوان "أولمرت: أريد أبي".

ولم يكن الفوز الذي حققه المغير الوحيد فقد حظي العام الماضي بجائزة إثنيك ميديا Ethnic Media Award بالولايات المتحدة لأفضل قصة صحفية على مستوى العالم عن قصته "شارون.. لماذا هدمت منزلي".

ما يميز فوز المغير هذه المرة أنه لامس الواقع الإنساني للفلسطينيين في غزة، ومثل فوزه نجاحاً لأول صحفي فلسطيني شاب استطاع انتزاع مكان له إلى جانب عمالقة الصحافة المكتوبة في العالم.

ويقول المغير إن أهم ما يميز القصص الصحفية التي يكتبها "اتصافها بعمقها الإنساني وملامستها للواقع ومتابعتها لأدق تفاصيل المعاناة اليومية التي يمر بها الإنسان الفلسطيني
....
....."

Current Al-Jazeera (Arabic) Online Poll

The question is:

Do you support Hamas taking any measure to break the Gaza siege?

With about 800 responding so far (it is early), 90% said yes.

Barghouthi: Israel lies when it talks about easing movement in WB

"GAZA, (PIC)-- Dr. Mustafa Al-Barghouthi, a Palestinian lawmaker, stated Saturday that the IOA is persisting in its policy of deception through its allegation that it eased the movement of Palestinian citizens in the West Bank.

He affirmed that Israel is stalling to gain time and use negotiations to cover up its crimes against the Palestinians and to impose the status quo.

Commenting on the UN report on the 7% increase in Israeli roadblocks in the West Bank, Dr. Barghouthi said that the number of Israeli military checkpoints had increased from 521 to 607 roadblocks since the Annapolis conference.

In a written statement, the Palestinian lawmaker underlined that the UN report "confirmed what we had earlier mentioned about Israel's misleading policy and the increase of the West Bank checkpoints by seven per cent since September 2007".

The lawmaker recalled that Israel placed weeks ago barriers in the Balaa area in Tulkarem and invited journalists to cover their removal in an attempt to mislead the international public opinion.

In another context, the PLC presidency strongly denounced the Israeli military court for extending the administrative detention of a number of kidnapped MPs, considering such trials aimed to undermine the steadfastness of the Palestinian representatives and humiliate them through the way the Israeli wardens brings them to court.

The Israeli military court in the Salem area in the West Bank decided Saturday to postpone the trial of four detained MPs at the pretext that the Israeli prosecution was not able to bring its witnesses.

The PLC held the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the safety of the Palestinian MPs in its jails especially since many of those detained MPs suffer from diseases in addition to maltreatment."