Arab Parties Face Most Hostile Knesset in History
By JONATHAN COOK
CounterPunch
Nazareth.
".....Sitting in her home in Nazareth, the effective capital of Israel’s 1.2 million Palestinian citizens, she is dismissive of her predecessors, two women elected on behalf of Zionist parties. “They were worse than decorations,” she said. “Decorations don’t do any harm, but these women damaged our society. They were no role models at all.”......
But she is critical of the Palestinian minority’s dominant political demand for many decades: equality. “The struggle solely for equality treats me as a number, it reduces me to part of a mathematical formula. It ignores my history, identity and narrative as a Palestinian. I want to be a full Israeli citizen, but it must not come at the expense of my people’s collective rights to an identity and a past.”"
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Altering Bailout Rules, US Moves Closer to Nationalizing Troubled Banks
Democracy Now!
With Amy Goodman
"The Obama administration has revamped the terms of its emergency aid to troubled financial firms that could lead to the government nationalizing some of the country’s largest banks. With nationalized banks on the horizon, we speak to Robert Johnson, former chief economist of the Senate Banking Committee, and former investment banker turned journalist, Nomi Prins..."
With Amy Goodman
"The Obama administration has revamped the terms of its emergency aid to troubled financial firms that could lead to the government nationalizing some of the country’s largest banks. With nationalized banks on the horizon, we speak to Robert Johnson, former chief economist of the Senate Banking Committee, and former investment banker turned journalist, Nomi Prins..."
Al-Jazeera Video: Afghanistan's complex nature of fighting - 24 Feb 09
"The US is fighting against many fragmented groups along Afghanistan's north-eastern border.
Many of them fight under the Taliban leadership, but are not themselves Taliban.
But Whether you can deal with the Taliban as one entity remains to be seen....."
Al-Jazeera Video: Inside Story - Eviction in East Jerusalem - Feb 23
Part 1:
Part 2:
"Inside Story looks at the eviction of 1500 Palestinians from East Jerusalem and the prospect for peace under Netanyahu's leadership. "
Part 2:
"Inside Story looks at the eviction of 1500 Palestinians from East Jerusalem and the prospect for peace under Netanyahu's leadership. "
Real News Video with Gareth Porter: The Pakistan puzzle
The unraveling situation in Pakistan confounds US policy in Afghanistan Pt. 3
Robert Fisk on Gaza and the media
An unembedded reporter tells us how he really feels about the mainstream Western press
"Reporting independently from the front lines of war is an increasingly rare engagement for journalists working for major international media outlets. From Iraq to Afghanistan, reporters are increasingly embedded with Western military forces, operating without independence.
When Israeli military forces launched an invasion into the Gaza Strip, international journalists were barred entry into the territory by the Israeli government for the majority of the conflict, despite a ruling from the Israeli Supreme Court that called on the government to allow international reporters into the territory. Major international media outlets, including CNN and the BBC, ended up reporting from hilltops in Israeli-controlled territory kilometres away from the actual conflict.
British journalist Robert Fisk has offered fiercely independent accounts of conflicts throughout the Middle East for decades. Stationed in Beirut, Lebanon, Fisk reports for the UK-based Independent newspaper and is widely read around the world. Fisk spoke with community activist and journalist Stefan Christoff about the media response to the recent war on Gaza......."
"Reporting independently from the front lines of war is an increasingly rare engagement for journalists working for major international media outlets. From Iraq to Afghanistan, reporters are increasingly embedded with Western military forces, operating without independence.
When Israeli military forces launched an invasion into the Gaza Strip, international journalists were barred entry into the territory by the Israeli government for the majority of the conflict, despite a ruling from the Israeli Supreme Court that called on the government to allow international reporters into the territory. Major international media outlets, including CNN and the BBC, ended up reporting from hilltops in Israeli-controlled territory kilometres away from the actual conflict.
British journalist Robert Fisk has offered fiercely independent accounts of conflicts throughout the Middle East for decades. Stationed in Beirut, Lebanon, Fisk reports for the UK-based Independent newspaper and is widely read around the world. Fisk spoke with community activist and journalist Stefan Christoff about the media response to the recent war on Gaza......."
Amnesty’s scandalous obliquity
By Khalid Amayreh in occupied East Jerusalem
"In an apparent effort to sound “balanced” and “unbiased,” the London-based human rights group, Amnesty International ( AI ) , has urged the international community to halt arms sales to the Israeli apartheid regime and the Palestinian Islamic liberation movement, Hamas.
A report issued by the group on Sunday, 22 February, pointed out that arms supplied to “the two sides” were used in attacks on civilians and civilian objects” which constituted war crimes.
Non the less, a careful examination of the report shows a clear propensity on the part of AI to create a false symmetry between Hamas, a small liberation movement resisting a decades-old Nazi-like foreign military occupation, and Israel, a manifestly criminal state armed to the teeth, which has been committing every conceivable crime under the sun for the purpose of maintaining its colonialist occupation and brutal domination over the Palestinian people......
Indeed, instead of blaming the victims for resisting their oppressors, the world, including AI , ought to tell Israel that it can’t just incarcerate 1.5 million civilians within the confines of an open-air prison, surrounded by barbed wire, watchtowers, tanks, landmines, and other state-of-the-art machines of death, and then expect the victims to display love and understanding toward their tormentors and oppressors.
Israel did transform the Gaza Strip into a real concentration camp, by denying the prisoner population access to fuel, electricity, food, medicine, medical care, and basic consumer products.
Meanwhile, the Israeli death machine never stopped murdering innocent Palestinians, nearly on a daily basis......"
"In an apparent effort to sound “balanced” and “unbiased,” the London-based human rights group, Amnesty International ( AI ) , has urged the international community to halt arms sales to the Israeli apartheid regime and the Palestinian Islamic liberation movement, Hamas.
A report issued by the group on Sunday, 22 February, pointed out that arms supplied to “the two sides” were used in attacks on civilians and civilian objects” which constituted war crimes.
Non the less, a careful examination of the report shows a clear propensity on the part of AI to create a false symmetry between Hamas, a small liberation movement resisting a decades-old Nazi-like foreign military occupation, and Israel, a manifestly criminal state armed to the teeth, which has been committing every conceivable crime under the sun for the purpose of maintaining its colonialist occupation and brutal domination over the Palestinian people......
Indeed, instead of blaming the victims for resisting their oppressors, the world, including AI , ought to tell Israel that it can’t just incarcerate 1.5 million civilians within the confines of an open-air prison, surrounded by barbed wire, watchtowers, tanks, landmines, and other state-of-the-art machines of death, and then expect the victims to display love and understanding toward their tormentors and oppressors.
Israel did transform the Gaza Strip into a real concentration camp, by denying the prisoner population access to fuel, electricity, food, medicine, medical care, and basic consumer products.
Meanwhile, the Israeli death machine never stopped murdering innocent Palestinians, nearly on a daily basis......"
Hezbollah Condemns Campaign to Displace Palestinians, Egypt Blast
Al-Manar
"24/02/2009 Hezbollah vehemently condemned on Tuesday the Zionist enemy's implementation of the "transfer" plan against the Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem, noting that it was the largest displacement campaign of the Palestinians since 1967.
In a statement it released, Hezbollah called on "the masses of our Arab and Islamic countries to launch the widest campaign to denounce and condemn the renewed Zionist crime, in solidarity with our brothers in occupied Palestine and their cause, which is the primary cause of the Arabs and Muslims."
The Resistance party considered "the aggressive Zionist attack on occupied Jerusalem an alarming move in the framework of attempts to liquidate and terminate the Palestinian cause," emphasizing at the same time that the attack has reached "its most dangerous levels".
Hezbollah strongly appealed "the formal Arab systems, presidents and kings, governments and organizations to shoulder their historical responsibility." It also called on "the international, humanitarian and Islamic bodies to immediately take action in response to the Israeli criminality." ........"
WELCOME TO OBAMA’S WAR
By Eric Margolis
(Cartoon by Carlos Latuff)
"As Santayana observed, those who forget history are doomed to relive it. However overused used, his maxim is as true today as when he made it.
On 15 February, 1989, the 40th Soviet Army pulled out of Afghanistan, marking the end of Moscow’s bloody and disastrous occupation. Its able commander, Gen. Boris Gromov, was the last Soviet solider to leave Afghanistan, leading his men over a bridge spanning the Amu Darya River (Oxus, in Greek) – which Alexander the Great had crossed on his ill-fated invasion of Afghanistan (327-325 BC)......
Talk about fiddling while Rome burns. It turns out the real national security threat to America was not Osama bin Laden or Mullah Omar, but the unsupervised, crooked financiers and reckless gamblers on Wall Street who wrecked America’s economy and endangered global financial stability.
They were not in Afghanistan, but downtown New York City."
(Cartoon by Carlos Latuff)
"As Santayana observed, those who forget history are doomed to relive it. However overused used, his maxim is as true today as when he made it.
On 15 February, 1989, the 40th Soviet Army pulled out of Afghanistan, marking the end of Moscow’s bloody and disastrous occupation. Its able commander, Gen. Boris Gromov, was the last Soviet solider to leave Afghanistan, leading his men over a bridge spanning the Amu Darya River (Oxus, in Greek) – which Alexander the Great had crossed on his ill-fated invasion of Afghanistan (327-325 BC)......
Talk about fiddling while Rome burns. It turns out the real national security threat to America was not Osama bin Laden or Mullah Omar, but the unsupervised, crooked financiers and reckless gamblers on Wall Street who wrecked America’s economy and endangered global financial stability.
They were not in Afghanistan, but downtown New York City."
Obama's Bananastan
by Jeff Huber
"If you know neither your enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle."
- Sun Tzu
"Sun Tzu maintained that proper planning secures victory before the battle begins. Carl von Clausewitz insisted that war must focus on the political aim. How is it, then, that we are about to put more troops into a war we know is unwinnable and in which we have no coherent objective for them to pursue?......"
"If you know neither your enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle."
- Sun Tzu
"Sun Tzu maintained that proper planning secures victory before the battle begins. Carl von Clausewitz insisted that war must focus on the political aim. How is it, then, that we are about to put more troops into a war we know is unwinnable and in which we have no coherent objective for them to pursue?......"
Courting Syria
Policy advisers in Washington increasingly see improved relations with Damascus as crucial to peace in the Middle East
Simon Tisdall
guardian.co.uk, Monday 23 February 2009
"......Officially Obama maintains the standard US positions that Syria must "change its behaviour" – meaning curb its backing for Hamas and Hezbollah, end political meddling in Lebanon and more closely support US objectives in Iraq and Iran.
But behind the scenes, it's becoming clearer to Washington's policy reviewers that better relations with Syria would serve multiple American purposes and that, with a bit of imagination and flexibility, previous sticking points might be finessed.
The US, for example, would not in practice demand an all-out Syrian break with Iran – an unrealistic aim. Rather it would look for a unilateral ending of some of their more objectionable joint activities, such as arms supplies to Hezbollah in Lebanon, pending a mooted US-Iranian dialogue and a possible change of government in Tehran.
Other parts of this nascent two-way bargain could include Syrian help in securing a smooth transition in Iraq; and bridge-building between Hamas and Fatah prior to the resumption of talks on a two-state solution....."
Simon Tisdall
guardian.co.uk, Monday 23 February 2009
"......Officially Obama maintains the standard US positions that Syria must "change its behaviour" – meaning curb its backing for Hamas and Hezbollah, end political meddling in Lebanon and more closely support US objectives in Iraq and Iran.
But behind the scenes, it's becoming clearer to Washington's policy reviewers that better relations with Syria would serve multiple American purposes and that, with a bit of imagination and flexibility, previous sticking points might be finessed.
The US, for example, would not in practice demand an all-out Syrian break with Iran – an unrealistic aim. Rather it would look for a unilateral ending of some of their more objectionable joint activities, such as arms supplies to Hezbollah in Lebanon, pending a mooted US-Iranian dialogue and a possible change of government in Tehran.
Other parts of this nascent two-way bargain could include Syrian help in securing a smooth transition in Iraq; and bridge-building between Hamas and Fatah prior to the resumption of talks on a two-state solution....."
Hello, democracy – and goodbye
Saudi Arabia has quietly abandoned the municipal elections that were due to take place this year
Brian Whitaker
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 24 February 2009
"Four years ago this month Saudi Arabia, one of the world's most conservative absolute monarchies, took a cautious step towards democracy by holding local government elections – the first in more than 40 years.
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 24 February 2009
"Four years ago this month Saudi Arabia, one of the world's most conservative absolute monarchies, took a cautious step towards democracy by holding local government elections – the first in more than 40 years.
It was a very cautious step indeed. To make sure that nothing untoward could happen when the votes were counted, only 50% of seats in the 178 municipal councils were up for election, with the remaining 50% to be filled by royal appointees......
But what about the 2009 elections? Will they turn out any better? Will women finally be allowed to vote?
Er, no. In fact, there's no sign of any elections at all. They are said to have been "postponed" for a few years to allow for an "evaluation" process.
As the blogger Saudijeans remarked: "Sounds like a lame excuse, if you ask me.""
As the blogger Saudijeans remarked: "Sounds like a lame excuse, if you ask me.""
Europe hands its soul to the right
By refusing to debate with extreme rightwing parties, we have let their populist policies win the day
Tariq Ramadan
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 24 February 2009
".....The ideas of the extreme rightwing parties must be met head on; we must develop critical, reasoned arguments based on facts and figures to counter the populist manipulation of impressions and feelings. We must refuse, out of principle and conviction, to lend a "cultural", "religious" or, worse still, "Islamic" colouration to social questions. New realistic and effective social policies must be developed, policies that combine the principle of equality with respect for diversity.
Every country in Europe needs immigrants for its economic survival. Instead of brandishing the peril of colonisation, viable, long-term policies must be drawn up – in opposition to the narrow focus on upcoming elections. Parties must reconcile themselves with healthy political practices and reject the logic imposed on them by the extreme right. Far from faith in one's principles, refusal to debate with such parties is little better than a cosmetic device. As we look on, the extreme rightwing parties have achieved their aims: they can play the victim, while looking on as their outlook gains ground in the absence of any real opposition. They have won twice over. And we, defenders of the principles of democracy, have lost almost everything."
Tariq Ramadan
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 24 February 2009
".....The ideas of the extreme rightwing parties must be met head on; we must develop critical, reasoned arguments based on facts and figures to counter the populist manipulation of impressions and feelings. We must refuse, out of principle and conviction, to lend a "cultural", "religious" or, worse still, "Islamic" colouration to social questions. New realistic and effective social policies must be developed, policies that combine the principle of equality with respect for diversity.
Every country in Europe needs immigrants for its economic survival. Instead of brandishing the peril of colonisation, viable, long-term policies must be drawn up – in opposition to the narrow focus on upcoming elections. Parties must reconcile themselves with healthy political practices and reject the logic imposed on them by the extreme right. Far from faith in one's principles, refusal to debate with such parties is little better than a cosmetic device. As we look on, the extreme rightwing parties have achieved their aims: they can play the victim, while looking on as their outlook gains ground in the absence of any real opposition. They have won twice over. And we, defenders of the principles of democracy, have lost almost everything."
Yes We Con!
Obama picks anti-Iran man for Iran post
Press TV
"The White House names controversial Middle East negotiator Dennis Ross as its special foreign policy adviser for Persian Gulf affairs.
The US State Department announced the veteran US diplomat's appointment as special advisor on the Persian Gulf and southwest Asia to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday after weeks of speculation.......
Ross will provide Mrs. Clinton with "strategic advice and perspective on the region, offer assessments and also act to ensure effective policy integration throughout the region," Wood added.
"Ambassador Ross brings a wealth of experience not just to issues within the region but also to larger political-military challenges that flow from the area and have an impact outside of the [Persian] Gulf and Southwest Asia, and the secretary looks forward to drawing on that experience and diplomatic perspective," explained the US spokesman.
Ross, who advised President Barack Obama during his campaign, is best known for his lengthy negotiations to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.....
In light of its supposed "policy U-turn" toward Iran, the Obama administration has managed to raise eyebrows by giving the post to Ross as he seeks a tough anti-Iran approach.
In the heat of the presidential race, Ross co-chaired a group called United Against Nuclear Iran -- an organization working to "stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons".
Ross, as a member of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, also put his signature on a September report saying that "the Europeans make war more likely if they do not strengthen sanctions against Iran and effectively end all commercial relations."
The report by think tanks believed to be an integral part of the so-called Israel Lobby in the US described Iran's nuclear program as "one of the most critical national security challenges facing the United States".
"Only if Israeli policymakers believe that US and European policymakers will ensure that the Islamic Republic does not gain nuclear weapons will the Israelis be unlikely to strike Iran independently," added the report."
Press TV
"The White House names controversial Middle East negotiator Dennis Ross as its special foreign policy adviser for Persian Gulf affairs.
The US State Department announced the veteran US diplomat's appointment as special advisor on the Persian Gulf and southwest Asia to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday after weeks of speculation.......
Ross will provide Mrs. Clinton with "strategic advice and perspective on the region, offer assessments and also act to ensure effective policy integration throughout the region," Wood added.
"Ambassador Ross brings a wealth of experience not just to issues within the region but also to larger political-military challenges that flow from the area and have an impact outside of the [Persian] Gulf and Southwest Asia, and the secretary looks forward to drawing on that experience and diplomatic perspective," explained the US spokesman.
Ross, who advised President Barack Obama during his campaign, is best known for his lengthy negotiations to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.....
In light of its supposed "policy U-turn" toward Iran, the Obama administration has managed to raise eyebrows by giving the post to Ross as he seeks a tough anti-Iran approach.
In the heat of the presidential race, Ross co-chaired a group called United Against Nuclear Iran -- an organization working to "stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons".
Ross, as a member of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, also put his signature on a September report saying that "the Europeans make war more likely if they do not strengthen sanctions against Iran and effectively end all commercial relations."
The report by think tanks believed to be an integral part of the so-called Israel Lobby in the US described Iran's nuclear program as "one of the most critical national security challenges facing the United States".
"Only if Israeli policymakers believe that US and European policymakers will ensure that the Islamic Republic does not gain nuclear weapons will the Israelis be unlikely to strike Iran independently," added the report."
Monday, February 23, 2009
'Ramallah helped Israel hit Hamas, Gaza'
Press TV
"Hamas accuses the Palestinian Authority of providing Tel Aviv with a map of the locations targeted by the Israeli army during the Gaza War.
"With the help of Google Earth program, those groups prepared maps to local mosques, institutions, tunnels or workshops," said Abu Abdallah, a senior Hamas intelligence officer.
The intelligence allegedly included the location of weapon caches, mosques, and tunnels at the Rafah border.
The movement also said Ramallah provided Israel with the blueprints of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyah's home, according to AFP. "This information was sent to Ramallah then transmitted to the enemy which hit targets on the basis of this information collected before and during the war," said Ihab al-Ghossein, a spokesman for Hamas' Interior Ministry.
"Officers and members of the Ramallah security services in (the West Bank city of) Ramallah tasked their agents with tracking the movements of the resistance in Gaza," Ghossein, said.
Israeli warplanes struck hundreds of targets including, mosques, residential homes, schools, hospitals as well as UN compounds and government buildings across the Gaza Strip during its offensive against the populated region......"
"Hamas accuses the Palestinian Authority of providing Tel Aviv with a map of the locations targeted by the Israeli army during the Gaza War.
"With the help of Google Earth program, those groups prepared maps to local mosques, institutions, tunnels or workshops," said Abu Abdallah, a senior Hamas intelligence officer.
The intelligence allegedly included the location of weapon caches, mosques, and tunnels at the Rafah border.
The movement also said Ramallah provided Israel with the blueprints of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyah's home, according to AFP. "This information was sent to Ramallah then transmitted to the enemy which hit targets on the basis of this information collected before and during the war," said Ihab al-Ghossein, a spokesman for Hamas' Interior Ministry.
"Officers and members of the Ramallah security services in (the West Bank city of) Ramallah tasked their agents with tracking the movements of the resistance in Gaza," Ghossein, said.
Israeli warplanes struck hundreds of targets including, mosques, residential homes, schools, hospitals as well as UN compounds and government buildings across the Gaza Strip during its offensive against the populated region......"
The New War in Iraq
Tensions Flare Between Kurds and Arabs
By PATRICK COCKBURN
CounterPunch
"A new war is threatening Iraq just as the world believes the country is returning to peace. While violence is dropping in Baghdad and in the south of the country, Arabs and Kurds in the north are beginning to battle over territories in an arc of land stretching from Syria to Iranian border......"
By PATRICK COCKBURN
CounterPunch
"A new war is threatening Iraq just as the world believes the country is returning to peace. While violence is dropping in Baghdad and in the south of the country, Arabs and Kurds in the north are beginning to battle over territories in an arc of land stretching from Syria to Iranian border......"
Al-Jazeera Video: Gazan children psychologically damaged after war - 23 Feb 09
"Aid agencies say the psychological effects of the Israeli offensive on Gaza have been heavy, particularly on children.
Al Jazeera's Jonah Hull talks to one nine year old boy about his experiences and how he is dealing with them now..."
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