Is Israel Sliding Towards a Police State?

A Very Good Piece

By Mel Frykberg

"RAMALLAH, May 12, 2010 (IPS) - Israeli nuclear whistle-blower Mordechai Vanunu has been sentenced to another three months imprisonment for allegedly refusing to perform community service in West Jerusalem. Vanunu, a former employee at Israel’s secret Dimona nuclear facility in the Negev desert, spent 18 years in jail after he revealed information about the facility to the international media.

He was kidnapped by Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad in Rome and brought back to Israel where he served his sentence, most of it in solitary confinement.....

Just how much power Israel’s domestic intelligence agency the Shin Bet has and whether Israel might be turning into a police state has also been the subject of media speculation recently.

This follows the secret midnight arrests of a Turkish national and several Israeli-Arabs on espionage allegations and the gag orders surrounding the arrests.

There are a number of other incidents involving the Shin Bet.....

A number of other Palestinian grassroots activists, involved in the Boycott, Disinvestment Sanctions (BDS) campaign and protests against Israel’s separation barrier, remain incarcerated in Israeli jails in administrative detention or without trial. Abdullah Abu Rahme, a member of Bili’in’s village committee against Israel’s separation barrier, which has expropriated large swathes of the village’s land, has been held for more than five months in administrative detention......"

The Danger of Israel's Nuke Hypocrisy

(Cartoon by Carlos Latuff)

By Robert Parry
May 12, 2010

"The United States finds itself in the curious position of going to the mat on behalf of Israel’s top security concern – preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb – while Israel and its supporters continue to insist that U.S. officials maintain Israel’s decades-old “ambiguity” about whether or not it possesses a nuclear arsenal of its own.

This extraordinary double standard – demanding transparency from Iran, which doesn’t have the bomb and disavows wanting one, and protecting the secrets of Israel, which is believed to have one of the most sophisticated nuclear stockpiles on earth – has forced the Obama administration and many U.S. news organizations into logical and moral contortions....."

Many Voices Singing One Song

by Philip Giraldi, May 13, 2010

"Several weeks ago the redoubtable Charles Schumer of New York announced that Yahweh himself had anointed him Israel’s defender in the US Senate. In a radio interview Schumer explained "You know, my name …. comes from the word shomer, guardian, watcher. My ancestors were guardians of the ghetto wall in Chortkov. And I believe Hashem (God) actually gave me that name. One of my roles, very important in the United States senate, is to be a shomer — to be the shomer Yisrael. And I will continue to be that with every bone in my body …"

Schumer’s very interesting comments, suggesting that he has a rather narrow view of his responsibility to represent all the people of New York State, were not reported anywhere in the mainstream media.....

Are these people dangerous? Well, maybe. Many foreigners have come to the United States to make their fortunes and there is nothing wrong with that. But, in this case, there would appear to be a certain unanimity of viewpoint and a marching in lock step that is just a tad disconcerting, particularly as it has helped shape the foreign policy narrative. There is no deviation from hard right Likud positions, never any criticism of Israel, and always complete agreement on the need to confront Iran militarily. One might reasonably ask to what extent it is a coordinated effort to steer Washington in a certain direction, not unlike the neocons in the Pentagon under President George W. Bush. In any event, the presence of so many self-styled agenda-driven "experts" possessing regular media access raises questions about the objectivity of the policy-making process in Washington. If you seed enough partisans into the system and they are all singing the same tune that is then played and replayed in the media even a whole parcel of lies can eventually seem to be the truth."

Surprise, Surprise! What a Convenient Coincidence! Iraq violence set to delay US troop withdrawal

Withdrawal of first large phase of combat troops likely to be delayed for at least a month due to Iraq's instability

The Guardian

"The White House is likely to delay the withdrawal of the first large phase of combat troops from Iraq for at least a month after escalating bloodshed and political instability in the country.

General Ray Odierno, the US commander, had been due to give the order within 60 days of the general election held in Iraq on 7 March, when the cross-sectarian candidate Ayad Allawi edged out the incumbent leader, Nouri al-Maliki.

American officials had been prepared for delays in negotiations to form a government, but now appear to have balked after Maliki's coalition aligned itself with the theocratic Shia bloc to the exclusion of Allawi, who attracted the bulk of the minority Sunni vote. There is also concern over interference from Iraq's neighbours, Iran, Turkey and Syria....."

Al-Rai Reports Suspicious UNIFIL Activity in South Lebanon

Al-Manar

"13/05/2010 The Kuwaiti newspaper “Al-Rai” quoted “very close sources to the UNIFIL – U.N. Interim Forces in South Lebanon” as saying that a UNFIL topographic force had secretly went to the “Slouki” Valley in south Lebanon with a GPS-equipped laptop and without official authorization from UNIFIL chief Alberto Asarta Cuevas, to record “coordinates of covert defensive stations for the resistance.” The Kuwaiti newspaper added that the UNIFIL force did not request a Lebanese Army backup. The sources also told Al-Rai that “residents, including Hezbollah activists, blocked the force believing what this UNFIL unit was doing only served Israel, especially that the Slouki Valley is known for its sensitive military nature.”

The Kuwaiti daily report also quoted sources it said were close to the resistance in Lebanon as questioning the goal of this operation. “This could also be a provocative act to draw a reaction that would later be exploited against the resistance,” the source said, according to “Al-Rai.”...."

رائحة كريهة تنبعث رغم التحفظ.

نزار السهلي

"....
إن توسيع دائرة العجز و الفساد عن القيام بمواجهة حقيقية فاعلة على الأرض أصبحت من مسؤوليات م.ت. ف الحالية والسلطة الفلسطينية، وهما باتا لا يمثلان الشعب الفلسطيني ولا قضيته الوطنية، فابن حيفا ويافا وصفد والناصرة وسمخ وطبريا وعكا إلى آخر مدينة وقرية تم اقتلاع أهلها منها لم يفوض السلطة ولا المنظمة بالتفاوض عنه، ومخيمات سوريا ولبنان والضفة والقطاع والأردن والشتات المنتشر بين القطبين، لم يستشرها "كبير المفاوضين" الذي درس علم التفاوض في الجامعات الأمريكية والبريطانية، لم يدرس قضية شعبه على نحو صائب، وهو أمر ينسحب على باقي قطاعات المنظمة والسلطة وهرمها وقاعدتها. وهو أيضا متصل بعمل الفصائل المتمسكة والممسكة بعضويتها بالمنظمة كشاهد زور على ما يجري.

والسؤال المطروح من الشارع الفلسطيني لها: هل إصدار بيانات الرفض بالتفريط بالحقوق الفلسطينية هو ما يتطلبه العمل الوطني؟ ومن جهة أخرى اليد ممدودة للدول المانحة لتقبض مرتباتها كل آخر شهر، من حكومة فياض التي عملت على تدجين هذه الفصائل ضمن البيانات الصادرة عنها، واختيار لغة مدروسة بعناية فائقة كي لا تتهم بالتحريض على العنف و"الإرهاب"، اللغة الفصائلية المتحولة لغوا وهرجا في بياناتها، لم تعد تشكل حائط صد أمام الهجمة الصهيونية، وأمام الدور الوظيفي للسلطة والمنظمة اللتين ابتعدتا عن الشعب الفلسطيني، وبالتالي فقدتا قاعدتهما الشعبية. وأنا لا اقصد إقامة المهرجانات والمسيرات الغاضبة، التي استبدلت بيافطات وبيانات تتلى من وراء الميكروفونات لتوزعها وكالات الإنباء، لتصل للشارع الفلسطيني من خلال شريط الأخبار وكفى الله المؤمنين شر القتال.

مع حال كهذه أصبحت الرائحة الكريهة، للمفاوضات، ومن يديرها، ومن يدعمها، ومن يدعو لها، تزكم العقول
والتصدي للمشروع الصهيوني ومخططاته، لا تحتاج لبيانات التحفظ و"التحفض" حتى بأغلى أنواع الـ"بامبرز"
المستورد، فإن عقولنا قادرة على تحسس رائحة المؤامرة من عقول وضعت عليها "حفاضات"، للتحفظ على ما يجري. "

FM tells Haaretz that while Israel had made countless gestures, all it got in return from the Palestinians was 'the glorification of terror.'

HAARETZ

".....He said that "I think we made countless gestures, and what did we get in return? The glorification of terror." He added that "the day before Israel's acceptance by the OECD, [Palestinian Authority Prime Minister] Salam Fayyad approached dozens of countries with a request to sabotage that acceptance. They keep going on with their stories about war crimes during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza. After all, [PA President] Mahmoud Abbas himself called and asked us, pressured us to continue the military campaign and overthrow Hamas."

Lieberman insisted that no agreement exists to freeze construction in East Jerusalem, that the United States has not dictated anything to Israel. He called the issue "a misunderstanding."....."

Irish activists urge divestment at CRH annual meeting

(Protestors in Bilin carry signs urging CRH to divest from Mashav.)

Adri Nieuwhof and John Dorman, The Electronic Intifada, 12 May 2010

"Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) activists are pressuring the Ireland-based international building materials group CRH to divest from its Israeli subsidiary Mashav. Last week, IPSC members attended the annual CRH general shareholders meeting as activist shareholders. Their aim was to discuss the involvement of CRH subsidiary Mashav in illegal construction activities in the occupied West Bank. The four IPSC shareholders dominated the hour-long question and answer session and received support from actual CRH shareholders for the company to divest from Israel...

Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank village of Bilin, the weekly demonstration on 30 April focused on CRH's role in the construction of Israel's wall which effectively annexes to Israel's settlements the agricultural land of villages like Bilin. Carrying placards calling on CRH to divest from Mashav, villagers marched to the site where resident and grassroots leader Bassem Abu Rahmah was killed by the Israeli military last year. While filming the 30 April demonstration, Irish national Tommy Donnellan was injured and detained by Israeli soldiers. He was released after two hours...."

The Nakba and the Two-State Solution

(Click on map to enlarge)

Why Talk of "Realism" is Unrealistic

By DINA JADALLAH
CounterPunch

".....When one listens to the words of a Mahmoud ‘Abbas or a Salim Fayyad, it becomes obvious that it makes no difference who among the “leaders” of the Palestinian Authority (PA) talks. The content is the same, for they are simply delivery mechanisms and not the creators of the message. (The same applies to most other Arab leaders.) Having reached the inevitable terminus of the Peace Process and the Road Map and their interminable negotiations, they are now clutching the straw of the Indirect Proximity Talks. ‘Abbas, desperate to sustain a role for himself, was busy throwing the hot potato to equally ineffectual Arab leaders. The latter, if they do anything at all, they pass on the hot potato to the United Nations or some future conference of the Arab League. In other words, they try to freeze the hot potato to death.

Such “leaders” do not acknowledge that there is no justification for the assumption that a Two State solution is a teleological goal. It has failings that must be examined in light of new forms of reasoning, new events, and new practices. (4) For while, the “vision” of the Two State is “legitimate” in “the international consensus,” legitimacy is in the eye of the beholder. “Whose consensus?” is a legitimate question. What about the point of view of the people who most affected by this consensus?

One need only to look at borders, roads, contiguity, sovereignty dimensions, economic sufficiency, and so forth to realize that the Two State Solution is hardly “realistic.” While the Palestinian Authority is entrenched in political quietism, self-censorship, and obeisance, they nonetheless must confront the effects of that path.....

It is therefore time to re-assess the “realistic” approach. For many years now, the dominant view of Israel in much of the Arab world has reflected an internalization of the myth of Israeli superiority, not morally or ethically, but militarily and economically. Conveniently, it was parroted and propagated by successive different Arab governments in order to rationalize and justify the shirking of their historic responsibility to help Palestinians in achieving self-determination and independence based on the liberation of all usurped land....."

Al-Jazeera Video: Egypt extends emergency law

"May 11, 2010 — The Egyptian parliament has just given the go-ahead for some of the country's emergency laws to be extended.

The decades-old regulations were put in place after the assasination of Anwar Sadat, the former Egyptian president, almost 30 years ago.

Now the government has decided to lift some of those original restrictions - the changes state that the law would only apply to terror and drugs cases.

Analysts argue that the latest step is a legal ploy that masks the law's violation of basic human rights.

Al Jazeera's Amr El-Kahky reports. "

Real News Video with Transcript: Training that makes killing civilians acceptable

Josh Stieber: In boot camp we trained with songs that joked about killing women and children



"Josh Stieber enlisted in the army after graduating high school. He was deployed to Baghdad from Feb 07- Apr 08 with the military company shown on the ground in the Collater Murder video. Upon his return from Iraq, Josh was granted conscientious objector status."

Real News Video: Modern history of Lebanon Pt6

Traboulsi on the expulsion of the PLO and the start of a Lebanese resistance to Israeli occupation



"Fawwaz Traboulsi is Associate Professor teaching history and politics at the Lebanese American University in Beirut and American University in Beirut. is an associate professor of Political Science and History at the Lebanese American University in Beirut. Dr. Traboulsi has been a visiting professor at New York University; University of Michigan, Columbia University and Cairo University and a visiting fellow at St. Antony’s College, Oxford. Dr Traboulsi has translated several works, including Edward Said’s Out of Place and Humanism and Democratic Critique. He writes in both English and Arabic on Lebanese history, Arab politics, and social movements, with his most recent book A History of Modern Lebanon (published by Pluto Books, London, 2007)."

Real News Video: Israel lifts gag order on new arrests

Two Israeli activist leaders of Palestinian origin were secretly arrested in recent weeks.



"In the past two weeks the Israeli internal intelligence agency, the Shabak / Shin Bet, arrested two prominent Israeli activists in the middle of the night. The men are well known leaders of Palestinian organizations inside Israel but were arrested and prevented the right to see counsel under emergency regulations, akin to those Palestinians in the occupied territories are subjected to. The men were arrested under secret evidence and a gag order was issued to the Israeli press regarding their arrests. The Real News' Lia Tarachansky spoke to the men's relatives, the legal organization representing them, and to one of them, prior to his arrest last week."

Join Us at the Launch to Gaza

The Free Gaza Movement
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29205195@N02/

"When: Wednesday, May 12

Where: Dundalk Docks, 40 Quay Street, Dundalk, Ireland

10:00-11:00 come to the ship and be introduced to the MV Rachel Corrie and the organizers, donors and high profile passengers.

11:00-12:00 We will rename her with a bottle of Palestinian olive oil as a celebration of Palestinian land rights, and international solidarity for justice and peace.

12:00-16:00 Tours of the ship will be available for the media. Organizers and supporters will be available for interviews

18:00-22:00 Farewell gathering and launch to Gaza of the MV Rachel Corrie....."

The World Is Kagan’s Battlefield

Why she shouldn’t join the Supremes

by Justin Raimondo, May 12, 2010

".....Kagan backs the Obama administration’s policy of indefinite detention, a blatantly unconstitutional and dangerous position that continues the Bush era assault on what is left of our liberties – and she would even extend it, if we take seriously her colloquy with Sen. Lindsey Graham. Asked by the Senator if she would apply “battlefield law” instead of criminal law to someone suspected – suspected – of providing material support to a terrorist organization, such as al Qaeda, she answered that she would indeed.

Going further than even the Bush administration, Kagan insisted that the “battlefield” extends far beyond any war zone – including the Philippines, in the context of Senator Graham’s question, and, theoretically, even the US. So if, for instance, some little old lady is bamboozled into giving to a charity that supports, say, Hamas – designated a terrorist organization by the US State Department – she could be charged with giving “material support” to a terrorist entity, and held indefinitely, without trial, for the rest of her natural life. If the whole world’s a battlefield, then there’s bound to be a lot of collateral damage......

The final nail in the coffin of the Kagan nomination, as far as I’m concerned, is her close association, for a number of years, with the firm of Goldman Sachs, serving on its legal “advisory board.” This board is being portrayed, by Kagan’s defenders, as a chiefly ceremonial body, which held a few conferences and did nothing much else. This is given as a reason to downplay the Goldman Sachs connection, but it doesn’t ameliorate the moral meaning of her role in putting a legalistic face on the naked avarice and influence-buying engaged in by those crooks.

Glenn Greenwald calls Kagan Obama’s “natural choice,” which is true enough, including in ways Glenn probably never thought of. After all, it’s only natural that the biggest contributor to Obama’s presidential campaign would be rewarded in this way: it’s a natural development of the kind of crony capitalism the Obama administration – and the Bush administration before it – exemplify."

Arabs have a complex relationship with the Holocaust

Reports of Holocaust denial fail to reflect the many Arabs who believe the genocide bears lessons for all persecuted peoples

Gilbert Achcar
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 12 May 2010

( Gilbert Achcar's book, The Arabs and the Holocaust, is published this month by Saqi.)

"......Most stunning of all, on 9 January 2009, at the peak of the brutal Israeli onslaught on Gaza, inhabitants of Bi'lin, another West Bank village known for standing at the forefront of the struggle against the Israeli occupation, organised a demonstration in protest, wearing striped pyjamas similar to those of Nazi concentration camp inmates. An account by the Bil'in Popular Committee states: "Protesters also wore small yellow cutouts in the shape of Gaza with the word 'Gazan' written on them to symbolise the yellow 'Jude' stars of David worn by European Jews during World War II." The BBC briefly broadcast a glance at this astounding event: a video is still available. That the message the Palestinian demonstrators conveyed was "exaggerated" is obvious (and natural); but the point is that they were identifying with the Jewish victims of Nazism and regarding the Holocaust as the highest standard of horror, rather than denying it........"

Hizballah Prepares for the Next War

By Nicholas Blanford / Jezzine, South Lebanon
Time

"....Whether these rugged hills will see yet another war depends less on the likely combatants than on the U.S. and Iran. Hizballah is viewed as one component of Iran's deterrence against a possible attack on its nuclear sites, should diplomatic efforts fail to resolve the standoff with the West over its enrichment of uranium. And recent conversations with Hizballah fighters reveal an organization at the peak of its military powers, with an army of well-trained, disciplined and highly motivated combatants wielding advanced weaponry, cultivating new tactics and brimming with confidence....

"Israel is living in a state of confusion because it perceives that any aggression it would launch against Lebanon would be lost," boasted Hizballah deputy leader Sheik Naim Qassem this week, adding that he did not believe a new war with Israel was on the horizon. Perhaps not, but the look in the eyes of Hizballah's combatants suggest that not only are they fully prepared to fight one, they actually look forward to it.

"It doesn't matter. We can always rebuild. Our dignity is more important than roofs over our heads," says Haj Rida, a square-jawed unit commander. Such sangfroid illustrates the single-minded determination of the Hizballah combatant, nurtured by years of relentless religious instruction and military training...

Reports over the past year suggest that Hizballah has received advanced Russian shoulder-fired antiaircraft missiles, and some fighters have been trained in Syria on larger truck-mounted missile systems. U.S. and Israeli intelligence sources say Hizballah has also augmented its arsenal with larger, longer-range rockets with guidance capabilities. Many analysts believe that in the event of another war, Hizballah plans to strike strategic targets deep inside Israel. In February, movement leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah hinted that Hizballah now had the ability to strike targets in Tel Aviv.....

Hizballah's battle plans may also include having fighters infiltrate Israel to carry out raids and sabotage missions — a move that would be unprecedented in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Israeli doctrine is to fight its wars in the territory of its enemies rather than on its home front. Says Ali: "God willing, we will go into Palestine next time."....."

التبلد العربي مقدمة للانتحار الجماعي!

"ليست مشكلة غزة، لكنها مشكلة التبلد الذي ران على العالم العربي، بحيث صار يتذرع بالانقسام لينفض يده من القضية الفلسطينية وهي تصفى، ناسيا أنها إذا ضاعت ضعنا جميعا.
....
المقابلة بين الموقفين تكشف عن مفارقة محزنة ومخجلة، فما نشرته "هآرتس" يفضح الحصار ويدين الاحتلال، أما ما نشرته "الأهرام" فلا ذكر فيه للحصار والاحتلال، لكنه يعبر عن الشماتة بحكومة حماس التي اضطرت في العام الثالث للحصار إلى أن تفرض على الناس ضرائب جديدة لتسير عجلة الحياة في القطاع، وفي الوقت ذاته اعتبر التقرير أن هذه الضائقة بمثابة "إنجاز" تحقق جراء الجهد المصري لإغلاق الأنفاق (لم يشر إلى دور السور الفولاذي الذي أقيم باتفاق أميركي إسرائيلي).
....
الممارسات الإسرائيلية التي تتواصل بصفة يومية، وتؤدي إلى تآكل القضية الفلسطينية وطمس معالمها، لم يكن لها أي صدى من جانب الأنظمة العربية، إن استثنينا البيانات البلاغية والتصريحات الصحفية الخجولة
.....
لم يقف مسلسل التنازلات عند حد تراجع أولوية القضية وتقدم مسيرة التطبيع باسم ذرائع مختلفة، وإنما بدا أن تفكيك القضية والتفريط في ثوابتها أصبح أمرا ميسورا ومقبولا
....
حيث يطل المرء على الساحة العربية من علٍ، يجد أن العالم العربي يساق ذاهلا ومستسلما في طريق رسمه الأميركيون لتصفية القضية الفلسطينية, وتمكين إسرائيل من تحقيق ابتلاع فلسطين وإخضاع العالم العربي بأسره
وهي الجائزة الكبرى التي ينتظرها الطرفان على أحر من الجمر. إننا نساق إلى الانتحار بخطى حثيثة.
"

Comment on the article by Fatima (in Arabic):

"فاطمة من الجزائر
مواقف عربية غير مشرفة
كنت اخجل من نفسي و لان صرت اكره نفسي لانني عربية. براك الله في ايران الشجاعة التي لم و لن تستسلم للصهاينة.
"

Israel seeks to silence dissent

Repressive practices long used in the West Bank and Gaza are now being used to limit civil liberties within Israel

Ben White
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 11 May 2010

"Last Thursday, in the early hours of the morning, a Palestinian community leader's home was raided by Israeli security forces. In front of his family, the wanted man was hauled off to detention without access to a lawyer, while his home and offices were ransacked and property confiscated.


While this sounds like an all-too typical occurrence in West Bank villages such as Bil'in and Beit Omar, in fact, the target in question this time was Ameer Makhoul, a Palestinian citizen of Israel and head of internationally renowned NGO network Ittijah.....

Hussein Abu Hussein, the lawyer for both Makhoul and Said, stressed the role of someone like Makhoul in being a prominent advocate internationally for "the need for accountability" – in other words, "the state has enough reasons to stop this voice". Mohammad Zeidan, of the Arab Association for Human Rights (HRA), says that the arrests are "clearly political". He believes that for some in Israel, the work being done by NGOs and Arab parties on the international level is "crossing a red line" – "they want to remind us that this is not a democracy"."

Tariq Ali on Britain’s Political Deadlock, Gordon Brown’s Resignation and Pakistan’s Role in the Times Square Bombing Attempt

Democracy Now!
With Amy Goodman



"In Britain the unfolding political drama following last week’s inconclusive elections has taken a new twist. On Monday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown offered to resign as head of the Labor Party later this year. He announced the opening of formal negotiations with the rival Liberal-Democratic party to form a progressive alliance and block the Conservative Party from retaking power. The Conservatives, led by David Cameron, won most seats in parliament in last week’s elections but fell short of a majority. We speak with longtime political commentator and writer Tariq Ali in London....."

“The People Of Greece Are Fighting For The Whole Of Europe”: Tariq Ali and Mark Weisbrot Discuss Greek’s Economic Crisis and the Popular Uprising

Democracy Now!
With Amy Goodman



"European Union and the International Monetary Fund have approved a nearly 1 trillion dollar package to stop Greece’s debt crisis from spilling beyond its borders into the rest of the eurozone. Stocks surged in Europe, Asia, and the United States Monday after EU leaders agreed to a 960 billion dollar package to contain Greece’s financial troubles. Meanwhile the austerity measures demanded by the IMF and the European Union as a condition of their loan are continuing to exact their toll. Greece’s two main unions have continued to hold protests against the reforms. In a statement one of the unions said, “The crisis should be paid by .. all those who looted public finances.” Last week nearly 100,000 people participated in a mass demonstration and a 24-hour general strike against the austerity measures....."

Al-Jazeera Video: Questioning Netanyahu

"May 10, 2010 — Al Jazeera's Sherine Tadros, questioned Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, following a press conference a day after indirect talks between Israel and Palestine resumed.

Tadros: What guarantees or gestures did you offer the palestinians, via the americans to get them to change their minds and agree to proximity talks?"

Netanyahu: What a narrow view you have.

Tadros : Were there any gestures?

Netanyahu: There is a built in assumption in your question and that's for the next news conference. Its the axiom in the question thats wrong.

Sherine: Were there any guarantees?

Netanyahu: Thank you "

The American Taliban are coming

By Pepe Escobar
Asia Times

"The United States initially said that Faisal Shahzad, charged in connection with a failed car-bombing in New York, had no connection with the Pakistani Taliban. Washington now says he did. The Taliban have also reversed their position, saying he is not tied to them. Either way, the age of the virtual jihadi nomad is a go.Forget the Osamas; now it's the time for the Shahzads. Illegal, covert drone wars are bound to spawn - spin or no spin - a terrible, absurd and deadly string of blowback. Lookout, the American Taliban are coming. "

Israel Negotiates Only to Extort Concessions

By Hasan Afif El-Hasan
Palestine Chronicle

"Palestinians, let down by the betrayed promises of peace, are at a loss on how to achieve liberation without using violence against the tyranny of a state that has been subjecting them to violence, repression and racism. Since they refuse to buy into the Zionists narrative, the Palestinians view the Zionist enterprise in many forms but none suggests it was a peaceful movement. The Zionist project to colonize Palestine is just another European colonialist expedition whose white settlers used the power imbalance to overwhelm the indigenous population, carried out the ethnic cleansing of North and South America, Africa, New Zealand and Australia, and routinely committed unspeakable crimes....

There is a possibility that Abbas negotiating team may capitulate to the Israelis intransigence and the US pressure. In an interview with Akiva Elder of Haaretz, the Palestinian Authority Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad suggested that the refugees may be settled in the future State of Palestine. The Palestinians should put Abbas on notice that many issues including the refugees’ right of return are not negotiable. Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states: “Individual or mass forcible transfers, as well as deportation of protected persons from occupied territory to the territory of the occupying power or to that of any country, occupied or not, are prohibited, regardless of their motive”. Abbas or any person or group for that matter does not have the legal authority to give up the right of return to the victims of Israel’s ethnic cleansing crimes. "

Pentagon Doubts Grow on McChrystal War Plan

by Gareth Porter, May 11, 2010

"Although Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal’s plan for wresting the Afghan provinces of Helmand and Kandahar from the Taliban is still in its early stages of implementation, there are already signs that setbacks and obstacles it has encountered have raised serious doubts among top military officials in Washington about whether the plan is going to work.....

McChrystal’s staff has made no secret of their hope to convince the U.S. public that his strategy is making such progress in Helmand and Kandahar that it should be extended past mid-2011, when President Obama has said he would begin a U.S. military withdrawal and transition to Afghan responsibility for security.

After interviewing members of McChrystal’s team in Kabul, pro-war journalist Robert Kaplan wrote in the April issue of The Atlantic magazine, “The very prospect of some success by July 2011 increases the likelihood that U.S. forces will be in Afghanistan in substantial numbers for years.”"

Lebanon: From Victory to Victory! Can Anything Stop the Lebanese Kitchen?

من جديد لبنان يصنع أكبر صحن حمص في العالم

Al-Jazeera Cartoon

Resumption of the "Negotiations!"

Israel primed for war on Iran: Netanyahu deputy

Reuters

"Israel is primed for a war on Iran, a deputy to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday, in a rare break with his government's reticence as world powers try to talk Tehran into curbing its nuclear plans.

By spearheading assaults on guerrillas in neighboring Lebanon and Palestinian territories, the Israeli air force had gained the techniques necessary for any future strikes on Iranian sites, Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon said..... "

Israeli religious forces on the march

By Marwan Bishara
Al-Jazeera

"As the Israeli Palestinian 'peace process' marches in place, religious-Zionism is marching into the leadership of the Israeli army, rendering an improbable peace mission impossible.

If as expected their number continues to increase at the same rate, no future Israeli leader will be able to evacuate Jewish settlements in the context of a peace agreement.

The radicalisation of Israeli society and polity is evident not only in the most right wing government in the country's history, but also in the make up of its professional military....

In 1990, the year before the peace process started between Israel and its neighbours, two per cent of the cadets enrolled in the officers' course for the infantry corps were religious; by 2007, that figure had shot up to 30 per cent....

Soldiers and settlers

Lately, there have been reports about tensions between the Israeli military and some of the most violent settlers as the military tries to reign in some of their more extreme provocations.

In general, however, the military has been the settlers' best friend and defender in the occupied territories.

And despite increased settler violence and vandalism against adjacent Palestinian towns and villages, the occupation army has been no less than complicit in the daily harassment of Palestinian residents and farmers....."

Oil Spill, by Khalil Bendib

مفاوضات يجب التبرؤ منها

مفاوضات يجب التبرؤ منها
عبد الباري عطوان


"منظمة التحــــرير الفلسطينية، وعــندما كانت في أسوأ أيامها (عام 1991) بسبب حصار دول الخليج المالي والسياسي ضدها لموقفها من حرب العراق الأولى، لم تذهب الى مؤتمر مدريد للسلام الا بعد عقد جلسة للمجلس الوطني الفلسطيني، وأخرى للمجلس المركزي وحوالي عشر جلسات للجنتها التنفيذية، وجاءت الموافقة مشروطة بتحقيق خمسة شروط ابرزها الاعتراف بها، والتمسك بالثوابت الفلسطينية.
الآن يذهبون الى المفاوضات دون مجلس وطني ولا مركزي، وبعد اجتماع ناقص النصاب للجنة تنفيذية منتهية صلاحيتها أساسا، وتمثل نصف الشعب الفلسطيني ان لم يكن اقل.

هذه المفاوضات غير المباشرة التي بدأت يوم امس، حسب اعلان الدكتور صائب عريقات، رئيس دائرة المفاوضات في السلطة الفلسطينية، جاءت وفق الشروط الاسرائيلية، ولأهداف ليس لها علاقة بالشعب الفلسطيني وتطلعاته في العودة واستعادة جميع الحقوق المغتصبة.
الموافقة 'المكتوبة' التي صدرت بالمشاركة فيها غير شرعية، وجميع المشاركين فيها، وعلى المستويات كافة، لا يتمتعون بأي تفويض شرعي من الشعب، في الوطن والشتات، ولهذا فإن أي اتفاقات قد تتمخض عنها، غير ملزمة للشعب الفلسطيني، والادعاء بأنها ستعرض عليه في استفتاء عام مرفوض، لأنه تزوير لإرادة هذا الشعب.
الفصائل الأبرز في منظمة التحرير، التي طالما وفرت الغطاء للسلطة لانتزاع التمثيل الفلسطيني دون وجه حق، قاطعت اجتماع اللجنة الاخير، واعترضت رسميا على المفاوضات، ونحن نتحدث هنا عن الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين ذات الثقل الابرز في اللجنة على وجه الخصوص، التي طفح كيلها فيما يبدو، وانحازت الى الثوابت الوطنية أخيرا، وتراجعت عن مواقفها الاخيرة التي أدت الى فقدانها للكثير من رصيدها في الشارع الفلسطيني، وهو موقف يحسب لها ويستحق التثمين.
ما يسمى بأمناء الفصائل الذين 'وافقوا' على قرار المشاركة هذا، لأسباب نعرفها جميعا، ليس لمعظمهم أي تمثيل حقيقي في الشارع الفلسطيني، سواء في الوطن أو المنفى، وباتوا مجرد قطع أثاث في كيان مهترئ اسمه اللجنة التنفيذية لمنظمة التحرير الفلسطينية، فهذه انصاف أو أرباع فصائل، لم تفز معظمها بمقعد واحد في انتخابات المجلس التشريعي الاخيرة، وأصبحت في معظمها مقتصرة العضوية على أمينها العام وزوجته وأولاده وحراس مكتبه.
القرار الفلسطيني بات وللأسف الشديد محصورا في مجموعة من الافراد يعدون على أصابع اليد الواحدة، ليس لهم أي مرجعية، وطنية، تناقشهم أو تحاسبهم، وهذا أمر خطير لا يجب السكوت عليه، حتى لا تورط الشعب الفلسطيني في اتفاقات تفرط بالحقوق المشروعة يصعب الفكاك منها، وتقيد الاجيال المقبلة.
' ' '
نحن أمام خدعة كبرى، يجري تغليفها بالقول بأن الذهاب الى المفاوضات غير المباشرة، جاء بقرار عربي، وعبر ما يسمى 'لجنة مبادرة السلام العربية'، تبنّته أثناء اجتماعها الاخير في مقر الجامعة العربية في القاهرة.
قرار لجنة المتابعة هذا ليس عربيا، وانما قرار أملته الولايات المتحدة الامريكية، على مجموعة من 'دول الاعتدال'، اجتمعت في ليل، وعلى عجل، وقررت توفير مظلة يستظل بها من أرادوا الذهاب الى المفاوضات... فهناك دول عربية، عديدة لم تستشر، ومعظمها لا يوافق على هذه الخطوة.
وعّاظ التبرير في السلطة، قالوا انهم بالموافقة على العودة الى المفاوضات غير المباشرة هذه، أرادوا تعرية اسرائيل أمام المجتمع الدولي، وكشف عوراتها وسياساتها الاستيطانية المعرقلة للعملية السلمية.
... سبحان الله، سمعنا هذه الكلمة أكثر من مليون مرة، على مدى السنوات الماضية، وكأن السياسات الاسرائيلية العدوانية والاستيطانية لم تكن عارية وبطريقة استفزازية، وكأن اسرائيل ومسؤوليها لا يتباهون بهذا العري ويفتخرون به.
إنه الافلاس في أبشع صوره، وأشكاله، والأخطر من كل ذلك ان هؤلاء المفلسين يكابرون، يكذبون ويتجملون، ويتعاملون مع الشعب الفلسطيني وكأنه قطيع يعلفونه بالوعود المعسولة المعلبة، ويستغلون فقره، وحصاره، ومعاناته، من أجل لقمة العيش، للانخراط في مخططات يعرفون سلفا انه يمقتها ويعارضها.
اسرائيل لم توقف بناء المستوطنات وتوسيعها ولن تتخلى عن عمليات تهويد القدس، وباقي الاراضي العربية المحتلة، وبالامس فقط جرى الاعلان عن بناء منازل جديدة في حي راس العامود بالقدس المحتلة، في اليوم الاول لبدء المفاوضات غير المباشرة في تحد واضح، واذلال متعمد للطرف الفلسطيني الذي سينخرط فيها. ومن أعلن ذلك ليس المتحدثون باسم السلطة، وانما حركة 'السلام الآن' الاسرائيلية، ولن نستغرب اذا ما نفى هؤلاء هذا النبأ.
' ' '
الادارة الامريكية، مثل كل الادارات التي سبقتها، تعرف جيدا الطرف المعرقل لعملية السلام، ولا تحتاج الى الاشراف على مفاوضات، مباشرة أو غير مباشرة، للتأكد من ذلك، فقد كانت أمريكا الراعي الوحيد لكل جولات المفاوضات المباشرة التي انطلقت قبل سبعة عشر عاما، ومنذ توقيع اتفاقات أوسلو على وجه التحديد، ولكن هناك من أدمنوا عمليات التبرير وباتت جزءا أصيلا من سياساتهم.
المسألة مسألة كسب وقت، لا أكثر ولا اقل، ريثما تكتمل الاستعدادات اللازمة، عسكريا، أو دبلوماسيا (عقوبات اقتصادية) للتعاطي مع الملف النووي الايراني، والتسليح المتضخم للمقاومة الاسلامية في جنوب لبنان بقيادة حزب الله، ودعم سورية له بالصواريخ والعتاد العسكري.
' ' '
نشعر بالألم ونحن نرى طرفا فلسطينيا يُوظَف، وبطريقة بشعة، في خدمة هذا المخطط الخطير، وهو مفتوح العينين، وعلى اطلاع على معظم تفاصيله، ان لم يكن كلها. ويجتهد في الدفاع عنه.
عارضنا القرار الوطني الفلسطيني المستقل، انطلاقا من ايماننا بعروبة هذه القضية وإسلاميتها، وعندما كانت الحكومات العربية تبني سياساتها الامنية والعسكرية من أجل تحرير فلسطين من البحر الى النهر، وتتبنى لاءات الخرطوم الثلاث، وتسخر كل امكانياتها من اجل خوض معارك الشرف والكرامة، ولكن الآن، وبعد أن أصبحت معظم الحكومات العربية أدوات في خدمة المخططات الامريكية والاسرائيلية، فاننا نطالب بالتمسك بالقرار الفلسطيني المستقل، ونرفض ان تختطف هذا القرار لجنة عربية هجين، تسمى بلجنة متابعة مبادرة سلام تعفــــنت وفاحت رائحـــتها... لجــنة رئيستها الحالــــية الحقيقية هي السيدة هـــيلاري كلينتون، وزيرة الخارجية الأمريكية، التي تسلمت زمام القيادة من سلفها غير الصالح السيدة الأخرى كوندوليزا رايس.
المفاوضات غير المباشرة هي 'مسجد ضرار' آخر لإجهاض حراك فلسطيني بدأ يتبلور، يدفع باتجاه المقاومة بأشكالها خاصة، بعد أن ترسخت القناعات بسقوط حل الدولتين، وفشل العملية السلمية، ولذلك يجب أن يتبرأ منها الشعب الفلسطيني، والمشاركون فيها، قبل فوات الأوان، ونحن اول المتبرئين.
الشعب الفلسطيني، ليس حـــــقل تجارب، ولا يجب أن يكــــون، لأنه شــــعب كريـــم أبي، تاريخه العريق والمشرف، يشهد على تضحياته وبطولاته وصموده في مواجهة أبشع أنـــواع الحصار والعدوان. ومشكلته أن بعضا من أبـــنائه يتجــــاهلون هذه الحـــقائق، ويتعامــــون عنها، ويلهـــثون خلف سراب حلول وتســـويات دون كلل أو ملل.
"

Current Al-Jazeera (Arabic) Online Poll

This new poll asks:

Do you think that the major world powers are serious about preventing the spread of nuclear weapons?

With about 800 responding so far, 94% said no.

Has Faisal Shahzad Started a War?

Remember the Maine?

by Justin Raimondo, May 10, 2010


"The Obama administration is determined to link the Times Square Fizzler, Faisal Shahzad, to the Pakistani Taliban, and isn’t about to let logic, reality, or anything remotely related to the facts get in its way. With the complicity of the Obama-stricken media, they just might get away with it, opening the way for expanded military operations in Pakistan, in “retaliation” for an attack that never even happened.....

Years from now, if we go into Pakistan with “boots on the ground,” as some are suggesting, in “retaliation” for this “attack” by the Taliban, Shahzad will go down in history as the nutjob who started a major war. How fitting for a nation that has itself gone crazy – a nation whose elites are now considering abolishing the last of our civil liberties on account of this failed act of mental aberration and alienation. Imagine if Richard Nixon or anyone in his administration had suggested abolishing or even “modifying” Miranda rights when that Weatherman bomb-making factory exploded by accident all those years ago in Manhattan. The ensuing uproar would have deafened the gods on Olympus. Yet Holder suggested the administration is taking this very course – and nary a peep of protest, or even surprise...."

Al-Jazeera Video: Born in Gaza

" May 10, 2010 — It is a tale of bureaucracy; a stifling blockade and a sick child in need of help. We follow one family trying to get their son out of Gaza to save his life. "

The Cover-up: BP's Crude Politics and the Looming Environmental Mega-Disaster

by Wayne Madsen
Global Research, May 9, 2010

"WMR has been informed by sources in the US Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Florida Department of Environmental Protection that the Obama White House and British Petroleum (BP), which pumped $71,000 into Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign -- more than John McCain or Hillary Clinton--, are covering up the magnitude of the volcanic-level oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and working together to limit BP's liability for damage caused by what can be called a "mega-disaster."....."

After Religion Fizzles, We’re Stuck with Nietzsche

By Chris Hedges

"It is hard to muster much sympathy over the implosion of the Catholic Church, traditional Protestant denominations or Jewish synagogues. These institutions were passive as the Christian right, which peddles magical thinking and a Jesus-as-warrior philosophy, hijacked the language and iconography of traditional Christianity. They have busied themselves with the boutique activism of the culture wars. They have failed to unequivocally denounce unfettered capitalism, globalization and pre-emptive war. The obsession with personal piety and “How-is-it-with-me?” spirituality that permeates most congregations is undiluted narcissism. And while the Protestant church and reformed Judaism have not replicated the perfidiousness of the Catholic bishops, who protect child-molesting priests, they have little to say in an age when we desperately need moral guidance....

The consumer culture, as Nietzsche feared, has turned us into what Chalmers Johnson calls a “consumerist Sparta.” The immigrants and the poor, all but invisible to us, work as serfs in this new temple of greed and imperialism. Curtis White in “The Middle Mind” argues that most Americans are aware of the brutality and injustice used to maintain the excesses of their consumer society and empire. He suspects they do not care. They don’t want to see what is done in their name. They do not want to look at the rows of flag-draped coffins or the horribly maimed bodies and faces of veterans or the human suffering in the blighted and deserted former manufacturing centers. It is too upsetting. Government and corporate censorship is welcomed and appreciated. It ensures that we remain Last Men. And the death of religious institutions will only cement into place the new secular religion of the Last Man, the one that worships military power, personal advancement, hedonism and greed, the one that justifies our ruthless callousness toward the weak and the poor."

The Journey to Gaza Begins in Ireland

The Free Gaza Movement

"For immediate release
Monday May 10th 2010

When: Wednesday, May 12 10:00-12:00
Where: Dundalk Docks, 40 Quay Street, Dundalk, Ireland
What: Photo-call and press launch for the MV Rachel Corrie,

http://www.flickr.com/photos/freegaza

Volunteers will load last construction supplies denied entry into Gaza onto Free Gaza’s Irish cargo ship.

Freedom Flotilla participants will christen the Irish cargo ship, the MV Rachel Corrie. A bottle of Palestinian olive oil will be smashed against the ship as a celebration of Palestinian land rights, and international solidarity for justice and peace.

High profile Irish supporters and Freedom Flotilla partners IHH (Turkish human rights organisation), European Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza (ECESG), The Perdana Global Peace Organisation from Malaysia, and the Greek and Irish Ship to Gaza campaigns will join Free Gaza organizers to send the Rachel Corrie off to Gaza.

Contact:
Greta Berlin: 00353 851302199, Caoimhe Butterly: 00353 876 114 553, Niamh Moloughney 00353 857747257, Ewa Jasiewicz: 00353 876114 553, Fintan Lane: 00353 87 1258325"

Israeli Settlers Step Up Attacks on Palestinian Mosques

By Mel Frykberg

"LUBBAN ASH SHARQIYA, West Bank, May 10, 2010 (IPS) - "There is immense anger as well as a feeling of vulnerability and fear when a place of sanctuary and holiness is subject to indiscriminate violence," says Issa Hussein.

"Despite living under a brutal military occupation and being subjected to regular attacks by Israeli settlers for decades, normally places of worship were spared," Hussein, a spokesman from this Palestinian village, near Nablus, in the northern West Bank, told IPS.

"People could forget about the economic hardship, the political oppression and their personal problems for a few hours a week as they retreated to pray in the mosque."

All this changed dramatically for the agricultural village of 3,000 residents a few weeks ago.

Israeli settlers from one of the three surrounding illegal settlements, which have been built on land belonging to Lubban Ash Shariqiya and other Palestinian villages, carried out an arson attack on the local mosque...."

A massacre of arabs masked by a state of national amnesia

Sixty years on, the true story of the slaughter of Palestinians at Deir Yassin may finally come out

By Catrina Stewart in Jerusalem
The Independent

"....Sixty-two years on, what really happened at Deir Yassin on 9 April remains obscured by lies, exaggerations and contradictions. Now Ha'aretz, a liberal Israeli newspaper, is seeking to crack open the mystery by petitioning Israel's High Court of Justice to release written and photographic evidence buried deep in military archives. Palestinian survivors of Deir Yassin, a village of around 400 inhabitants, claim the Jews committed a wholesale massacre there, spurring Palestinians to flee in the thousands, and undermining the long-held Israeli narrative that they left of their own accord.....

Judges, who have viewed all the archived evidence held by the Israeli state on Deir Yassin, have yet to make a decision on what, if anything, to release. Among the documents believed to be in the state's possession is a damning report written by Meir Pa'il, a Jewish officer who condemned his compatriots for bloodthirsty and shameful conduct on that day. Equally incriminating are the many photographs that survive.

"The photos clearly show there was a massacre," says Daniel McGowan, a US retired professor who works with Deir Yassin Remembered. "Those photos show [villagers] lined up against a quarry wall and shot."......"

Deir Yassin Remembered

Lebanon sets world record in Falafel

[Now War is definitely going to take place. Israel will not stay silent after this weekend humiliation at the Hand of the Lebanese 300]

BEIRUT — A day after firing a 10-tonne hummus broadside in a food fight with Israel, chefs in Lebanon weighed in with another first for a Guinness record on Sunday -- five tonnes of falafel.

More than 300 chefs mixed a ton of chickpeas with an equal portion of broad beans, adding onions, garlic, coriander, onion, pepper and cumin to concoct 5,173 kilos (11,381 pounds) of falafel, a deep-fried patty popular in Lebanon and many parts of the Middle East.

With a Guinness World Records representative at hand to record the feat, organisers said it was the first time any country had tried to set such a high-frying falafel record.

On Saturday, Lebanon claimed another victory in its continuing battle with Israel over which country can make the largest plate of the chickpea delicacy hummus -- with a 10-tonne platter.

الخطأ الإيراني

A Superb Comment and Highly Recommended Reading
By the Respected Egyptian Opposition Leader Abdul-Halim Qandil

Read it if you Read Arabic!

الخطأ الإيراني
عبد الحليم قنديل

"تبدو وجوه إيران مضيئة على جبهة فلسطين، بينما تبدو الوجوه نفسها منقبضة على جبهة العراق.
ففي قلب الدنيا العربية، وبأثر من إحلال الدور الإيراني محل الدور المصري الغائب، يبدو وجه إيران الثوري التحرري، فطهران تساند سورية، وتدعم جماعات المقاومة العربية بلا تمييز أيديولوجي ولا طائفي، وترفد بزاد المال والسلاح جماعات حزب الله وحركة حماس والجهاد الإسلامي وجبهات اليسار الفلسطيني المقاوم، بل وحتى شرائح راديكالية من حركة 'فتح' ذاتها.
وعلى طرف الدنيا العربية المجاور لإيران، تبدو الصورة جد مختلفة، وحيث يختفي وجه إيران المقاوم، ويظهر الوجه المساوم، وحيث تبدو إيران كسند حقيقي مؤثر لوجوه تجمع بين الموالاة لأمريكا والنزعة العرقية والطائفية المفرطة، فطهران تسند جلال الطالباني الكردي الذي نصبوه رئيسا للعراق العربي، وتسند عناوين من نوع أحمد الجلبي، والذي كان عميل أمريكا الأول، وأصبح رجل إيران الأول، وتسند دمى طائفية مريبة من نوع المالكي وعمار الحكيم، وربما يكون الطرف العراقي الوحيد الذي تسنده إيران، ويحمل ظلا من شعور عروبي حقيقي، وظلا من رغبة عفوية في مقاومة الاحتلال الأمريكي، هو التيار الصدري، والذي يحظى بشعبية جارفة في أوساط شيعة العراق، ويقيم رأسه الشاب مقتدى الصدر في مدينة 'قم' الإيرانية، وكان يمكن له أن يكون طرفا في مقاومة عراقية متسعة الأطياف، لولا خطوط الفصل والعزل ومتاريس الطوائف التي تصورت إيران أنها تكرس نفوذا أبديا لها في العراق.
نعرف أن الصورة في العراق بالغة التعقيد والتركيب، وأن مواريث دم مرعبة تملي التصرفات، وأنه لايصح حساب شيعة العراق جميعا في خانة عملاء أمريكا، كما لايصح حساب سنة العراق جميعا في خانة المقاومين، فالصحيح أن العملاء شيعة وسنة، وأن المقاومين سنة وشيعة، وأن السنة الذين شاركوا فيما يسمى بالعملية السياسية، وسواء كانوا من أتباع علاوي ـ الشيعي العلماني ـ ذي الهوى الأمريكي، أو من أتباع طارق الهاشمي، أو من جماعة جبهة التوافق القريبة من خط الإخوان المسلمين، هؤلاء جميعا موالون بالمعنى الحرفي أو بالمعنى السياسي للاحتلال الأمريكي، وروابطهم عبر الحدود ممتدة إلى الرياض أو إلى النظام المصري، ويعملون على استنفار مظلومية السنة، وتأجيج العداء لإيران ونفوذها المتزايد في الداخل العراقي، لكن إيران ـ على الطرف المقابل ـ لا تبدو سندا للمقاومة العراقية، بل وتبدو حربا عليها، وميالة أكثر لتفاهم خفي مع الأمريكيين، واتباع سياسة براغماتية وألعاب ورق، وتحويل ما تيسر من جغرافيا العراق إلى منطقة نفوذ إيراني ولو بالمشاركة مع أمريكا.
وقد نفهم ما يجري من إيران في العراق على النحو التالي، فالحياة لا تعرف الفراغ، والفراغ الذي تتركه خلفك يحتله غيرك، وقد وجد فراغ حقيقي في العراق بعد غزوه واحتلاله أمريكيا، وعمد الاحتلال إلى التحطيم الكامل لجهاز الدولة والجيش العراقي، والمحصلة : فراغ يغرى في العراق الذي كانت قوته موازنة لقوة إيران، وتمدد القوة الإيرانية بالتداعي في الفراغ العراقي الناشئ، واختيار الحلفاء على أساس الجوار الجغرافي والقرابة الطائفية، فطهران تحسن صلاتها بأكراد العراق الانفصاليين قطعا لخطوط الدعم عن أكراد إيران، وتمد خرائط نفوذها في الجنوب والوسط دون تمييز إلا على الأساس الطائفي، وعلى طريقة تصفية الحساب مع حزب البعث وحكم صدام حسين الذي دخل حربا فادحة التكاليف مع إيران، وهكذا ارتبط اسم إيران في العراق بما يسيء إلى صورتها التحررية العامة، ودخلت على خطوط قتل وتصفية علماء وقادة عسكريين وقادة مقاومة، ومضت السياسة الإيرانية على حال التناقض، اعتياد لفظي على معارضة الاحتلال الأمريكي، وتصرفات عملية جعلتها خصما للمقاومة ولعروبة العراق، وعلى العكس من وضوح وتألق صورتها ـ بل وعروبيتها الضمنية- على جبهات المقاومة في لبنان وفلسطين.
وكاتب السطور ليس من أنصار نظرية عداوة الفرس الأبدية للعرب، فقد كان الفرس شركاء للعرب في العصور الزاهية لحضارة الإسلام، وإيران الراهنة ـ على أي حال ـ دولة متعددة القوميات، وفي نسيجها الداخلي قومية عربية حتى لو كانت مهضومة الحقوق، وإسلامية إيران ـ مقابل النزعة الفارسية القحة ـ تجعل منها سندا لنزعة العروبة التحررية، غير أن اختلاط النزعتين في العراق، واستحكامات العداوة في الماضي القريب، تجعل الغلبة لنزعة 'تفريس' وعداء منهجي دفين لعروبة التكوين العراقي، وربما يكون ذلك هو جوهر الخطأ الإيراني في العراق، فالعداوة مع حزب البعث وجماعات المقاومة المرتبطة به قد تكون مفهومة، لكن جماعات المقاومة بأطيافها الأوسع تعاني من التجاهل والعداوة الإيرانية نفسها، وعلى نحو ما يجري ـ مثلا ـ مع جبهة علماء المسلمين وجماعات المقاومة المرتبطة برمزها الجليل الشيخ حارث الضاري، وقد كنت شاهدا على موقف سياسي مميز أبداه الشيخ في نقاش مغلق بعاصــــمة عربية، فقد شبه الشيخ النفوذ الإيراني في العراق بطيور حطت على نخلة الاحتلال الأمريكي، ورأى أن الأولوية في الجهاد لقطع نخلة الاحتلال الأمريكي من جذورها، وهو موقف بدت إيران معرضة عنه، رغم أن أولوية قطع نخلة الاحـــتلال تخدم المعنى التحرري الإسلامي للدولة والثورة الإيرانية، وتضيف قوة العراق ـ حين يتحرر ـ إلى قوة إيـــران، ولا تجعل الأخيرة خصما لهدف تحرير العراق، وتقيم مصالحة تاريخية تطوي صفحة الثأر القديم المتجدد بين حزب البعث وأحزاب إيران في العراق.
وتتصور ـ من باب الأمل في رشد ـ أن السياسة الإيرانية بحاجة إلى تصحيح شامل في العراق، فلا يصح لإيران أن تلعب في العراق نفس دور السعودية في لبنان، كان سنة لبنان -دائما ـ هم سند العروبة والمقاومة، لكن السياسة السعودية شجعت سنة لبنان على عروبة تخاصم المقاومة بدعوى شيعيتها، فيما تبدو السياسة الإيرانية على جبهة العراق قريبة في المغزى، فهي تشجع شيعة العراق ـ وهم أكثرية العرب فيه ـ على سياسة تخاصم العروبة، وتخاصم المقاومة العراقية بدعوى سنيتها هذه المرة، وقد يكون السلوك السعودي مفهوما بدواعي ارتباط الرياض بأولويات واشنطن، لكن السلوك الإيراني ـ حتى لو كان مفهوما ـ لايبدو مبررا ولا سائغا، وجاذبية السياسة الإيرانية تقوم على مخاصمة أولويات واشنطن، وهي تخوض حربا مع أمريكا دفاعا عن استقلالها ومشروعها النووي ونزعتها الإسلامية المعادية لإسرائيل، وهي الحرب التي تتحول ـ بالمفارقة ـ إلى ما يشبه التواطؤ الضمني وتقاسم الغنائم في العراق، واعتبار شيعة العراق في مقام الوديعة الإيرانية، وهو ما يشجع على عداوات مفتعلة وحروب طوائف، تتوه فيها الحقائق الاصلية، ويؤخذ فيها السنة بذنب جرائم تنظيم القاعدة، فيما يؤخذ الشيعة بذنب الجلبي والمالكي وبقية الدمى.
"

Hey, Who Said the Arabs Can't Do Anything? Lebanon Back on Top for Hummus World Record! Celebrate Now!

Al-Manar

Read it and Weep!

"09/05/2010 Lebanon on Saturday claimed another victory in the continuing battle with Israel over which country can make the largest plate of hummus. More than 300 chefs helped set the new record for the largest serving of the chickpea dip. A Guinness World Records representative confirmed the plate weighed in at 10,452 kilograms.

In January, 50 chefs in the village of Abu Ghosh near occupied Jerusalem mashed up more than four tons of hummus, beating a Guinness record set in Lebanon just months previously. With a 10-tonne hummus record under their belt, the Lebanese have now set their sights on falafel [WATCH OUT WORLD!] . On Sunday, they will try to set a world record for that as well."

Real News Video: Modern history of Lebanon Pt5

Traboulsi on the buildup towards the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon

Woman jailed for kiss denounces 'hypocrisy'

The Independent

"A British woman jailed for kissing a man in public in Dubai today spoke of the "hypocrisy" of the Emirate's strict decency laws.

Charlotte Adams was arrested with Ayman Najafi last November after a local woman complained they had been seen kissing on the mouth in a restaurant.

Ms Adams, an estate agent, and Mr Najafi insisted they had given each other only a peck on the cheek but were sentenced to a month in prison by a Dubai court last month.

The 26-year-old, from Mersea Island, Essex, served 23 days and was freed on Friday and deported.....

She said hotels in Dubai regularly offer free alcohol, particularly to women, though drinking in public is still officially illegal in the Gulf state.

"Everyone gets so drunk they forget where they are, particularly the Westerners, which is when their behaviour can become dangerous legally."

The British Embassy issued a formal "don't-do" list on its website, warning against drinking and kissing or holding in hands in public in Dubai...."

Poor Habila! He Sent Two Letters to Obama, but Obama didn't Even See Them or Respond. Keep Trying Habila, Rahm Emanuel will Feel Pity for You, Soon.

يديعوت": هنية بعث برسالتين لأوباما...

"عـ48ـرب

ادعت صحيفة "يديعوت احرونوت"، اليوم، إستناداً لمصادر وصفتها بالأميركية أن رئيس الحكومة الفلسطينية المقالة، اسماعيل، ان الإدارة الأميركية تجاهلت تماماً رسالتين من رئيس الحكومة الفلسطينية المقالة، اسماعيل هنية، تطرف فيها إلى الأوضاع السياسية الراهنة وافاق الحل.

وحسب مصادر الصحيفة الذين وصفتهم بالموظفين الكبار في الإدارة الأميركية فإن رهينة بعث برسالتين سياسيتين للرئيس الأميركي، باراك أوباما، بحثت "القضايا السياسية الإقليمية" وشملت مقترحات للحل والتسوية في الشرق الأوسط. وادعت الصحيفة ان هنية كتب في رسالته لأوباما إن حركة المقاومة الإسلامية (حماس) مستعدة بشروط معينة الإعتراف بحدود 1967، كجزء من تسوية إقليمية مرحلية تشمل وقف اطلاق النار بين اسرائيل والفلسطينيين.

وقالت المصادر ذاتها للصحيفة إنها ترى في الرسالتين محاولة اخرى للحركة لكسر العزلة الدولية المفروضة عليها، حسب تعبيرها، لكن دون جدوى. وأضافت أن أوباما لم يرد على الرسالتين ولم توضع الرسالتين على مكتبه ولم يطلع عليها، موضحة أن الحركة تعلم ان قبولها مطالب الرباعية الدولية شرط للتعامل معها.
"

Breaking News and a Major Revelation: Assad: Israel no peace partner

Press TV

"Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says no "viable peace" with Israel can be achieved in the Middle East since the regime does not seek peace....

"Peace, as it appears, is not a demand of the Israelis, but we are committed to this mediation and Turkey's role, but we also emphasize the fact that Israel is not a partner, at least at the present stage, and I do not think they were a partner in the past either," Reuters quoted the Syrian leader as saying.....

For his part, Gul said Damascus had expressed its readiness to resume the talks a number of times, but the proposal had not been reciprocated by Tel Aviv....."