Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah said on Monday that Lebanon will be able to confront any psychological war launched by the Israeli enemy in the future just like it did in July 2006.
Speaking through a giant screen while commemorating the fifth night of Muharram, Sayyed Nasrallah addressed the Israelis telling them that they have tried all forms of psychological wars in the past but failed. "With every psychological war, we became even more courageous and firm. In any upcoming war, we will be the same or even better," his eminence declared.
Sayyed Nasrallah started his speech by noting that the purpose of the Israeli psychological wars is basically to terrorize and intimidate the other side in order to lead to its surrender and withdrawal from the battle. His eminence also noted that the Israeli maneuvers that took place following the July war sought to tell the "Israeli people" that their army is regaining its strength, durability, capacity and vitality.
"Over 33 days, Israelis saw with their own eyes the destroyed tanks, the killed soldiers, and the soldiers returning looking deplorable and sad. In the final end, the confidence of the Israeli people in its political leadership and military and army receded and suffered a major setback," Sayyed Nasrallah said.
While noting that the same happened again when the enemy went to war in Gaza in 2008, Hezbollah Secretary General recalled that Israel had placed two key objectives on its military map for that war: terrorizing the Palestinians and frightening the peoples of the region at one side and convincing Israelis that their defeated army in the July war regained its strength at the other.
Sayyed Nasrallah called on all the peoples of the region to confront the psychological war waged by the enemy just as we confronted its military war with similar means: the fighters confronted by fighters, tanks and armored personnel carriers with anti-armor weapons, aircraft with by available air defenses, and so on. "So each battle is countered according to its type, tools and means, a military means for military war, security for security, economic instruments for economic war, and so when a psychological war is being waged against us, we must face it with similar tools, means and methods that are similar, at times innovative and consistent with our values, culture, ethics and codes of legitimacy."
His eminence emphasized at this level the importance of faith in order to face all kinds of wars. "All our fighting, defending and confrontations whether military, security, economic, political or psychological must be consistent with our background of faith, religion, ideological legitimacy and morality," his eminence explained.
Sayyed Nasrallah recalled that psychological war today has become a science and a competence taught in colleges and universities, bearing in mind that when the Islamic resistance in Lebanon launched its media psychological war throughout all recent years, it did so without any college or university studies in the field. "Its war was based on our innate nature, divine teachings and guidance, which God promised to teach the Mujahideen and guide them to His paths," his eminence said. "It was also due to our constant referral to our faith, beliefs and Qoran which teaches us a great deal, sufficiently enabled us to confront the most powerful psychological warfare throughout history. What is taught in universities and colleges often depends on what is written or composed in the most common materialistically based schools."
¬
Source: AJP
After days of meetings of senior ministers, the Israeli inner cabinet met into the night Monday for final marathon discussions on the prisoner-swap deal. Israel's response to the prisoner exchange deal, which would secure the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for captured Israeli occupation soldier Gilad Shalit, is "Yes, but…"
The condition placed by Israel in its response refers to the names of "heavy prisoners" Israel demands are expelled to Gaza or abroad. According to Israel, these prisoners will not be allowed to return to the West Bank. This stance stems from a serious concern that these "heavy prisoners" may revive Hamas' resistance infrastructure in the West Bank and resume the armed conflict and attacks against the Israeli occupation.
A German mediator was expected on Tuesday to give Hamas the Israeli response, according to a Reuters report.
A Palestinian close to the negotiations said a German mediator carrying a proposal approved by Hamas has also set a Wednesday deadline for Israeli action. Former Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, who is serving multiple life sentences after being convicted in fatal attacks against Israelis, would be allowed to return to his West Bank home, a Palestinian close to the negotiations said. Hamas agreed that several other hard-core convicts would be deported, he said.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri insisted those high-level talks merely proved Israel was behind the delay in reaching deal. "The scene that took place yesterday inside the Israeli government is proof that Israel is responsible for hindering and delaying the prisoner exchange agreement," Abu Zuhri told AFP. "The division inside the Israeli government is responsible for hindering the agreement," he added. Abu Zuhri said Hamas had not "closed the door on the negotiations" but that it would adhere to its conditions.
In addition, an official familiar with the talks told the Reuters news agency that Hamas would not lessen its demands upon receiving Israel's latest response. He added that any agreement would have to be approved by the organization's leadership in Damascus.
According to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, the inner cabinet has given Israeli mediator Hagai Hadas a "green light" to continue negotiations with Hamas over the deal.
After more than four hours of talks, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's office released a statement early Tuesday morning saying only that instructions were given to the negotiating team about "the continuation of efforts to bring Gilad Schalit home safe and sound." There was no word of a decision, further meetings or steps. The decision to continue negotiations came in lieu of any final decision by the government to agree unequivocally to Hamas's demands.
¬
Source: AJP
The world has "betrayed" civilians in the Gaza Strip by failing to end a blockade of the Hamas-run enclave, 16 rights groups, including Amnesty International and Oxfam, said Tuesday.
"The international community has betrayed the people of Gaza by failing to back their words with effective action to secure the ending of the Israeli blockade which is preventing reconstruction and recovery," said the report.
Israel and Egypt have allowed only vital humanitarian aid into the territory since June 2007. "It is not only Israel that has failed the people of Gaza with a blockade that punishes everybody living there for the acts of a few," said Jeremy Hobbs, executive director of Oxfam International.
"World powers have also failed and even betrayed Gaza's ordinary citizens. They have wrung hands and issued statements, but have taken little meaningful action to attempt to change the damaging policy that prevents reconstruction."
The groups said that Israel had allowed only 41 truckloads of construction materials into Gaza since a devastating 22-day war launched by the Zionist entity nearly a year ago ended with mutual ceasefires on January 18.
"Little of the extensive damage the offensive caused to homes, civilian infrastructure, public services, farms and businesses has been repaired" because of the shortages, the report said.
More than 1,400 Palestinians were killed, including 420 children and over 5300 others were injured during the war, which flattened portions of Gaza, an impoverished territory where the vast majority of the population relies on foreign aid.
Israel controls all but one of Gaza's border crossings, the Rafah terminal with Egypt, which Cairo rarely opens. "Sick, traumatized and impoverished people are being collectively punished by a cruel, illegal policy imposed by the Israeli authorities," said Kate Allen, director of Amnesty International UK.
"Israel's responsibility to protect its citizens does not give it the right to punish every man, woman and child of Gaza," she added.
The groups also urged rival Palestinian factions to create a unified government capable of delivering aid, and said resistance groups should refrain from rocket attacks from Gaza. "Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups, too, must maintain their current de facto cessation of violence and permanently cease all indiscriminate firing of rockets into Israel," Hobbs wrote.
The report called on European foreign ministers to visit Gaza to see the damage for themselves and urged the EU to do all it can to lift the blockade.
Other groups signing the report include: Broederlijk Delen, CAFOD, CCFD Terre Solidaire, Christian Aid, Church of Sweden, Diakonia, Finn Church Aid, Medical Aid for Palestinians, medico international, medico international schweiz, Mercy Corps, MS ActionAid Denmark, Trocaire, and United Civilians for Peace.
¬
Source: AJP
Защо е нужен бойкот?
Бойкотът е едно от най-ефективните средства, с които обикновените хора разполагат, ако искат да променят политиката на дадена компания или дори държава.
Тъй като съществуват множество израелски и транснационални корпорации, които извличат ползи и печалби от израелския апартейд срещу палестинците, ние предлагаме списък на десет компании, на чиято дейност специално трябва да се акцентира. Много от стоките в списъка в редица случаи пряко нанасят щети на палестинците, напр. експлоатирайки работната им сила, развивайки технологии за военни цели или като осигуряват оборудване за заселническите селища, които са незаконни според международното публично право.
Много от тези стоки и компании са обект на бойкот и по други причини, например поради замърсяване на околната среда или експлоатация на работна ръка.
Масовостта е залогът за успех на всяка подобна кампания. Само във Великобритания студентите от различни университети (Съсекс, Манчестър) и над 7 млн. членове на различни профсъюзни организации вече са се присъединили към кампанията за бойкот.
По-долу, базирайки се на статия на канадската журналистка Наоми Клайн, предлагаме отговори на най-разпространените възражения срещу бойкота.
Наказателни мерки по-скоро биха отказали, отколкото убедили израелците. Светът опита така нареченото „конструктивно обещание”. То напълно се провали. От 2006 г. Израел непрестанно увеличава престъпните си действия: разширява заселването, започна жестока война срещу Ливан и налага колективно наказание на Газа, чрез брутална блокада.
Оръжията и 3-те милиарда долара годишна помощ от САЩ, изпращани на Израел, са само началото. През този ключов период Израел се наслаждава на драматично подобрение в дипломатическите, културните и търговските връзки с множество от съюзниците си. Например, през 2007 г. Израел стана първата не латинско-американска страна, която подписа договора за свободна търговия с Меркосур. През първите девет месеца от 2008 г. израелският износ към Канада се повиши с 45%. Нова търговка спогодба (търговско споразумение) се сключи с Европейския съюз, за да удвои износа от Израел на консервирана храна. На 8 декември европейските министри „подобриха” договора за асоцииране ЕС-Израел, една дългоочаквана от Тел Авив изгода.
Ето в този контекст израелските лидери започнаха последната война: уверени, че не биха се сблъскали със значими загуби. Забележително е как за седем дни търговия по време на война на стоковия пазар в Тел Авив индексът всъщност се вдигна с 10.7 процента.
Защитниците на бойкота твърдят, че бойкотът е дал много добри резултати срещу режима на апартейда в Южна Африка. Противниците на тази тактика изтъкват, че Израел не е Южна Африка. Разбира се, че не е. Има прилики и разлики. Някои, напр. Джон Дугарт, специален пратеник на ООН за човешките права в Близкия Изток, проф. Едуард Саид, Рони Касрилс, виден южно-африкански политик, твърдят, че положението в Палестина е дори по-лошо, но не това е най-важното. Южноафриканският модел доказва, че тактиката на бойкот може да бъде ефективна.
• Бойкотът е тактика, която има добри шансове да успее, когато е насочена срещу сравнително малка и търговски зависима държава като Израел.
• Бойкотът прекъсва комуникацията; нуждаем се от повече диалог, а не от по-малко. Тъкмо напротив. Веднага щом се задейства стратегията за бойкот, диалогът се увеличава драматично. Създаването на движение изисква безкрайна комуникация, като битката срещу сегрегацията ни напомня това. Също така, нуждата да обясняваш и защитаваш позицията си, също води до нарастване на диалога.
Освен това, огромен е броят на евтини и леснодостъпни информационни технологии и средства за комуникация. Давим се в средства да говорим помежду си през държавните граници. Никакъв бойкот не може да ни спре.
Кои фирми печелят от геноцида в окупираните палестински земи?
1.AHAVA
Тази козметична марка произвежда сол, минерали и лечебна кал от Мъртво море – ресурси, взети от окупирания Западен бряг. Самите продукти се обработват в незаконното селище Мицпе Шалем. Ahava е цел и на кампанията на CODEPINK “Stolen Beauty”.
2.Delta Galil Industries
Израелската текстилна индустрия е представена от големи марки като Gap, J-Crew, J.C. Penny, Calvin Klein, Playtex, Victoria’s Secret и много други. Президентът на Delta Galil, Дов Лаутман, е близък до бившия премиер на Израел Ехуд Барак. Срещу тази комнапия има повдигнати обвинения за експлоатация на труда в страни като Йордания, Египет и Турция.
3.Motorola
Въпреки че много от нас познават тази марка единствено като производител на телефони, едва ли предполагате, че същата фирма произвежда и оръжия. Вероятно сте изненадани. Компоненти, произведени от Motorola, се използват също и в безпилотни летателни апарати, системи за наблюдение, използвани в населени места, контролно-пропусквателни пунктове, както и по стената на Западния бряг. Кампанията, която е насочена срещу тази марка, започна от САЩ и се казва “Hang Up on Motorola”.
4.L’Oreal / The Body Shop
Тази козметична компания е известна със своите инвестиции и производствени дейности в Израел, включително в Мигдал Хемек, „Силиконовата долина“ на Израел, построена на мястото на палестинското село Ал-Муджайдил, етнически прочистено през 1948 г. През 1998 г. L`Oreal получи юбилейна награда от израелския премиер Нетаняху за заслуги към израелската икономика.
5.Dorot Garlic and Herbs
Тези замразени билки, които се продават от Trader Joe’s, могат да бъдат намерени навсякъде в магазините на Trader Joe’s. Тази фирма продава също израелски кус-кус и сиренето фета Eden, произведено също в Израел. South Bay Mobilization и няколко други фирми, както и Trader Joe’s, са включени в кампанията “Don’t Buy into Apartheid”.
6.Estee Lauder
Тази компания е създадена от Роналд Лаудер, който е и председател на Еврейския национален фонд, квази-правителствена организация, създадена през 1901 г., за да спомогне придобиването на палестински земи, както е свързана и с изграждането на незаконни селища. Estee Lauder включва марки като Clinique, MAC, Origins, Bumble & Bumble, Aveda, както и много други. Те са обект на кампанията “Estee Slaughter Killer Products”.
7.Intel
В тази технологична компания за компютърни процесори и други хардуерни компоненти работят хиляди израелци, като износът от Израел е за над 1 млрд. евро годишно. Intel са едни от най-старите поддръжници на Израел, като първият офис извън САЩ е отворен през 1974 г. в Хайфа. Организацията за правата на палестинците и тяхното завръщане в земите им, Al-Awda, призова за акция срещу Intel, които искат да построят съоръжение в землището на бившето село Ирак Ал Маншия, прочистено през 1949 г.
8.Sabra
Тази марка е вторият по големина производител на хумус, „Баба Гануш“ и други храни, собственост на The Strauss Group и Pepsico.
9.Sara Lee
Sara Lee притежава 30% от Delta Galil. Един от най-големите производители на памук. Фирмата е свързана с марки като Hanes, Playtex, Champion, Leggs, Sara Lee Bakery, Ball Park hotdogs, Wonderbra. Подобно на L`Oreal, Sara Lee получи награда за принос към израелската икономика.
10.Victoria’s Secret
Повечето сутиени на Victoria's Secret са произведени от Delta Galil, като голяма част от памука се отглежда в Израел и палестинските окупирани територии. Victoria's Secret често попада под критиките на групи за защита правата на работниците, както и на еколози, които обвиняват фирмата, че не използва качествена хартия при производството на своито каталози. Това не е секси!
========
Този списък е съкратен. Смятам да ви занимая с по-голям кръг от фирми и компании, които печелят от окупацията или просто не ги е грижа от къде идва печалбата им. Не е само това обаче - за съжаление фирми като Моторола наемат на работа само граждани на Израел. Или фирми като Гатерпилар - които разработват специални строителни машини, оборудвани със стрелкови единици. Именно с машини на Гатерпилар - специално пригодени за целта, се разрушават палестински селища.
Фирми като Нестле многократно са били информирани за бойкота и за това откъде и по какъв начин идва печалбата на фирмата, но те са отговаряли, че печалбата им е търговска и няма политическа връзка. Така че след последната война в Газа, когато много световни компании се отказаха да работят с израелските си партньори в знак на протест, фирми като Нестле отказаха подобно действие.
Така че има срещу какво да се протестира. За съжаление...
Тук има още инфо на Бг за бойкота:
- блога на Руслан
- блога на Мариан
The Israeli offensive, Operation Cast Lead, killed 1417 Palestinians in an indiscriminate and heinous fashion between the 27th of December 2008 and the 18th of January 2009. As part of a series of events conducted by numerous group between the 27th December 2009 through till the 18th of January 2010 to commemorate those that died, a Die In is being staged in Trafalgar Square on the 16th January 2010.
We are calling for groups and individuals to take part and help to represent each of the 1417 victims that were killed during this period.
We hope that you will support this effort and be part of a unified effort to put pressure on our government and on the international community to take action and to pursue this issue, bringing justice to those that have died and have, and still are sufferring. Operation Cast Lead may have ended, but the sufferring hasn't.
We hope that you will participate in this event and forward it to your members, friends or colleagues. Although not essential, we encourage people to sign up via the website so we can begin to assign names of each of those that died and to get an idea of numbers. We hope each and every one of those that were killed will be represented.
http://gaza1417.wordpress.com/
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=205935931425
For additional information, please feel free to contact us via this email address or through the website.
Beyond this, please distribute widely - thank you.
In solidarity.
The team at Gaza1417
gaza1417@gmail.com
Adri Nieuwhof and Ziyaad Lunat, The Electronic Intifada, 18 December 2009
Efforts by human rights organizations, lawyers and activists in Palestine and Europe to hold Israeli war crimes suspects to account have gained momentum over the past few years. Last week, former Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni cancelled a visit to the UK over threats of a lawsuit under the country's universal jurisdiction laws.
The Goldstone report on the UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, published in September, favors universal jurisdiction as a tool for enforcing international law, preventing impunity and promoting international accountability.
The purpose of universal jurisdiction is to hold accountable in third-party states individuals suspected of war crimes from states that do not fulfill their obligations under international humanitarian law. The events of World War II showed the horrific consequences of the absence of the protection of civilians, leading to the adoption of the Fourth Geneva Convention in 1949 dealing with the laws of armed conflict. State signatories to the Convention are obliged to enforce and ensure the respect of international humanitarian law, or the law of armed conflict.
The authoritative commentary on the Fourth Geneva Convention, published by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), confirms that countries have an obligation to actively search for suspected war criminals. It follows that this duty should include maintaining border controls that enable a state to ensure that known suspects seeking to enter the jurisdiction are arrested upon arrival.
The Goldstone report concluded that there was strong enough evidence that Israel committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip. Therefore, the 194 states that signed the Geneva Conventions carry the responsibility to actively search for suspected war criminals and bring them before its courts.
Meanwhile, Israel makes no serious efforts to hold war crimes suspects to account in its own courts. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the Goldstone report in the Israeli parliament on 12 October by vowing never to allow Israeli leaders or soldiers to stand trial on war crimes charges for their military actions in the Gaza Strip. At the United Nations level, the US routinely vetoes any efforts to hold Israel accountable, leaving universal jurisdiction as one of the few avenues Palestinians have towards justice.
The warrant for the arrest of Tzipi Livni is not the first time universal jurisdiction has been used in an attempt to try Israeli war crimes suspects -- before last winter's attacks on Gaza, several suspects were already facing warrants. In September 2005, the evidence of Doron Almog's involvement in the destruction of 59 homes in Rafah in the Gaza Strip in January 2002 persuaded a district judge in London to grant a warrant for his arrest. However, Almog was tipped off before leaving the plane at Heathrow airport and did not leave the El Al aircraft that brought him to the UK.
Former Israeli intelligence head Ami Ayalon faced an arrest warrant in the Netherlands following a complaint by a Palestinian who said Ayalon was involved in his torture. However, the Dutch authorities colluded with Israel to undermine the effort to prosecute.
And in December 2007, Avi Dichter, then public security minister and head of the Shin Bet intelligence agency, cancelled a trip to the UK for a security conference at King's College London because of his involvement in the bombing of a house in Gaza that killed Hamas leader Salah Shehadeh and many members of his family.
In October, lawyers in the UK called for the arrest of Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak for his role in the Gaza attacks earlier this year. The British Foreign Office intervened, accepting Barak's claim of diplomatic immunity through a fringe meeting with the Labor party. The event might have had a deterrent effect on Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon, who turned down an invitation for an event with the Jewish National Fund in London after warnings he might face arrest. He has since announced his intention to "forego visits to European capitals." Livni was also asked to address the same Jewish National Fund event before canceling her visit.
However, third-party states with universal jurisdiction laws have frustrated efforts to bring Israeli war crimes suspects to their national courts.
In an affront to the independence of the British judiciary, Foreign Secretary David Miliband promised Israel a legal fix to guarantee immunity for Israeli officers. Upon Netanyahu's appeal for a "world-wide campaign" to lobby for changes in the international laws of war, Spain enacted a bill last month to limit the reach of its universal jurisdiction laws. This move was a response to Israeli pressure following the opening of a war crimes probe against Israeli officers in Spanish courts. This is despite the UK and Spain's cooperation in the application of universal jurisdiction in the case of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet a decade ago. Miliband's intent to change the law to appease Israel would be a setback not only for Palestine but for all other cases around the world deserving a fair hearing.
After World War II, many countries fulfilled their duties to try in courts suspects of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The principles of universal jurisdiction, a direct result of a renewed sense of duty to humanity and to universal justice following the horrors of the Holocaust, made this possible. Israel is now leading the efforts to revoke these laws while governments continue to fuel Israeli exceptionalism. The arrest warrant against Livni signifies a modest breakthrough in the efforts of activists worldwide towards the realization of justice long denied to the Palestinian people.
Adri Nieuwhof is a consultant and human rights advocate based in Switzerland. Ziyaad Lunat is one of the organizers of the Gaza Freedom March (www.gazafreedommarch.org) and an activist for Palestine. He can be contacted at z.lunat A T gmail D O T com.
Dear Milena,
Next week I'm flying to Cairo where MECA Program Director Josie Shields-Stromsness and MECA Director of Gaza Projects Dr. Mona El-Farra (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMShV5G4YpO_GVKgc9bo6hAPBAYdslYX7UfdbOQ5D-7yg6_mursXiAgcDpTh8bETmn1GHV9kgzg30QiyOoz3Nk80yXND7k2HDpHp2Zukj1Jv5A==) will meet me to join the Gaza Freedom March (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMR1cmHtZlKn7IFFhFT4yExMpUV4D6_7W80D9XqqwbS77I5iMzDXNUCFOrxHAn2tAS8hAaiZ0JFGdjPkvd0NLbnbMWdrMEr5TXCQqoYaEewsMw==)- along with hundreds of other activists from forty-two countries and thousands of Gazans.
While we are marching in Gaza, solidarity actions (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMR0rNzOsWo3CYnTRFb-N1Pf4z_wCYQQcZfnX6o7_YpAg76gefKLOMWkpaojLPOcfLzmA84B5Ds30jXYFfcu4J-xK0OvN4nsFbDoIsQHfH05VBA0NBV8Q8KaFdPJt_L8wQRPYxAaxASYn0owNOC-2Gp72Fa3CTBPY6ch5GUNVtFCLTM4XS7C7vHWvRAl4-Psg1p5WXkS0jtHuNuHBhyHxEQvzeuCFlhCsB2lKEwu1Belig==), and I urge you to take part in this historic, international effort to end the siege of Gaza. On the one-year anniversary of Israel's brutal three-week attack on the people of Gaza, we will tell the world that the war on the Palestinian people - whether carried out by
blockades, occupation, apartheid laws or US-made weapons - can and must end.
Who knows if, or for how long, the Israeli and Egyptian authorities will allow us to stay in Gaza. But either way, we will be making a powerful statement of solidarity,
and our determination to keep fighting for justice in Palestine.
As the director of the Middle East Children's Alliance, I have another very important
reason for going to Gaza now.
As you probably know, MECA recently launched The Maia Project (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMTG1_1TD1yTzL1IIDp61bFyBPdYBHcGIKx8IFklbPUzc6ejE-lfOl-2eK_60qAN1Fcpo90GC2nbtIV5hm5Tk6JqaKOA3Yr8MyRKmv5VlsIElQmUdf_CtKNs6S14d5L0Pqq9QD21DJPSow==), an ambitious, long-term, program to give Gaza's children the gift of clean, safe drinking water by purchasing and installing water purification units in schools and community centers throughout the Gaza Strip. Contributions from MECA supporters have made it possible to build systems in two schools and five more are underway.
After the March Josie, Mona and I will meet with our Gaza partners to discuss plans for new systems, and visit sites where there are existing or proposed systems. Electronic Intifada (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMS1S-MaTvELveeV_x_Nk3dQ4X3iNJN1ay5RjSgvQSESg4ViXeaREndUt8ZJ7fjPxYNzmtv68XKzf4ULlyzx96afq4cij6_8scgNbVxxZxCseg==) Founder Ali Abunimah and author Alice Walker (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMTer20LKJ07B0qxzoYpBazAjmRJKEQpoflKthImcMd3Tt5njV1q5s06WxFeLXIucnvwNZdytK3Y1CNuIPG9NjhDhi3nQI5vaN6iisRb_nGP63ApBD4ONUKIufaXKhnMgn_PBPxC8fDyOu5vpWh1WcQs)- both long-time friends of MECA -- will be in Gaza for the March, and they will got with us to visit the Maia Project sites.
There is nothing that would be more gratifying than to tell our friends in Gaza - who are struggling to rebuild their lives - one year after Israel's horrifying assault-that we will help them to install water systems in five more schools.
To do that, we need to raise an additional $28,000 by December 31.
Please give now (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMQmfSlDFV8CL10yEWSj-1GdEXSobtumxEB-ApwVXgb1SrkghubY-em8Q99np9UsK1scZo-sR4qQqRdxJCqfqQjnTooIrWSr66SIpv6GAjeaJeupjYd5347VagZP1y9kdKjA96r9-5b-HwbwsuRDDlzh)
so that we can give the children of Gaza-who live every day with terrible fear and
deprivation - the gift of clean, safe drinking water.
Many thanks on behalf of the children,
Barbara Lubin
MECA Founder and Director
DONATE NOW (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMQmfSlDFV8CL10yEWSj-1GdEXSobtumxEB-ApwVXgb1SrkghubY-em8Q99np9UsK1scZo-sR4qQqRdxJCqfqQjnTooIrWSr66SIpv6GAjeaJeupjYd5347VagZP1y9kdKjA96r9-5b-HwbwsuRDDlzh)
PS I'll be sending you emails from Gaza to share photos and stories about the Gaza
Freedom March (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMRx3gEch_B7jYZxx3IrOO6WPMkes3kMgtptESb7S8e-9_RigLKwMEsubLYvdQnvjjWCZJT8YYeSmDev7ldJ76BL4HiazesuZ4y6-ohEu8Ckx2Jcy8BmnIED), and MECA's work in Gaza (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMTG1_1TD1yTzL1IIDp61bFyBPdYBHcGIKx8IFklbPUzc6ejE-lfOl-2eK_60qAN1Fcpo90GC2nbtIV5hm5Tk6JqaKOA3Yr8MyRKmv5VlsIElQmUdf_CtKNs6S14d5L0Pqq9QD21DJPSow==). You can also follow my trip on MECA's
blog (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMT_WfEfWRpLixAsKTZFSk_canBXqIFako4fPfQu9yXEA4uwbgigltLEoYJIotvOOwX_5k0D6EgkgcakWE44kpwj-E7qR5Ym3_LbswytRCERvHGyoFU-LMrF) and our Flickr
page (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMTnlThfljDVXl_bwTCM_1aWAfySOlh0QRFiHrC5nTmR6tm-y0jwPql6YKmRFRh89ap4PBTVRrvUCR45lwREUGquv6khglw6myhFTrev3IeDzi3RmL5w2SY3HTBTEI_E50x5g2QfLLOfWA==).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Help Bring Clean, Safe Water to the Children of Gaza
DONATE NOW (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMQmfSlDFV8CL10yEWSj-1GdEXSobtumxEB-ApwVXgb1SrkghubY-em8Q99np9UsK1scZo-sR4qQqRdxJCqfqQjnTooIrWSr66SIpv6GAjeaJeupjYd5347VagZP1y9kdKjA96r9-5b-HwbwsuRDDlzh)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gaza Freedom March
Solidarity ActionsBAY AREA ACTIONS Sun,
12/27, SF Gaza Memorial, Interfaith Service (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMSrXjyxi2NA46D1L09XQMGMt3O7GufxA6Sgy22yJiQWoe5Vj_BbngRRLYt-8n0XUYkUlO75S7kMH-42W9cJvso2XL89502y2lc0NstN4TIAxELyAfqUkCW1elgxRl3Wl_WKofKSUVuwkx9BD2CeJ7LWPRPi0sJEr1wMUOs4LHaxxQ6QIh9j3IWepmpQxV8CVwUmrvjNyPBGhmBX5_8jhQJ8hz2lkFizvJ0=)
4-6pm.
Union Square
Thurs. 12/31, SF
Gaza Freedom March (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMRbzIY4EONezTjIOfABDQs4xLw1eooRpTya3Lbwwmsu3Ykl9fB0h-5vz4ql-gWxzdOWFJKzXXmNn2dlD5iavkMEPvrzLxC_Cmo7Qefjc7lKYhUJlQwO2DA5Lod3jfrdUwCj6OaW7gai8CsdQb782oeUgNqO6PpmVeo6pa3qlHpPiWDEuVrpTNFqrtji4um77XTAs7gYPMfTNohUwif2WJ7yw9Bm9bsD75Y=) 12-2pm, Golden Gate Bridge
IN YOUR COMMUNITY
To find an upcoming event in your area simply enter your postal code in the search box on the Gaza Freedom March Website (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMR0rNzOsWo3CYnTRFb-N1Pf4z_wCYQQcZfnX6o7_YpAg76gefKLOMWkpaojLPOcfLzmA84B5Ds30jXYFfcu4J-xK0OvN4nsFbDoIsQHfH05VBA0NBV8Q8KaFdPJt_L8wQRPYxAaxASYn0owNOC-2Gp72Fa3CTBPY6ch5GUNVtFCLTM4XS7C7vHWvRAl4-Psg1p5WXkS0jtHuNuHBhyHxEQvzeuCFlhCsB2lKEwu1Belig==).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2/28, Berkeley: Robert Fisk Lies, Misreporting, and Crises in the Middle EastSunday, February 28 - 7pm King Middle School, 1781 Rose A Beneft for MECA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MORE BAY AREA EVENTS & VIDEO CONTESTSunday 12/20, 6:30, Berkeley Sulaiman Khatib, Co-Founder of Combatants for Peace Café Leila, 1724 San Pablo Ave.
Sun. 12/27, 7pm, SF
A Benefit Concert for the Children of Gaza (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMScc5FpNu7zZDSGmXKr5PsVU5Qro0b2IwRpJ1YeAu2fuSwA1jl-H77hHsLFL8K8wv10391XGWm9sBulH3Ps8UJ92Jwaa0yz-Q-jMH9_6KkZ4d2Q5LyJiurh) Brainwash Café, 1122 Folsom Street
Wed. 01/06, 6:30pm, SF Activist and Author Richard Becke Arab Cultural and Community Center (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMRKIJrBzcG6IRy3gC9cMwfC2RWN7vpFdHxaBZ5RFlnGQNkeD6XoTfearrECl2npciZMAiX2A5EdXopuAusvZyPcwea5IT7s5Ktk-gDxG4dPW8jCzxewio07jXSsC0ofkAY=), 2 Plaza Street
The First Annual Israeli Apartheid (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMTz5t2S488KfZznT8LRjYGhcq-Y28Ggj2dfzlsTOHnIqI741-WaB17r_DcGYs3qiiwTtN-RSFELufABUkeuepfa2R5gL57RcI292_J0PnVUGhX1SyHh4F4bCMDNKvu9nFptLh2EI35Xxw==) is now accepting submissions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Barbara LubinMiddle East Children's Alliance
------------------------------------------------------------
email: meca@mecaforpeace.orgweb: http://www.mecaforpeace.org
------------------------------------------------------------
Make A Year-End Gift to the Children now (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102894617101&s=5095&e=001aOJ5G7SWfMQmfSlDFV8CL10yEWSj-1GdEXSobtumxEB-ApwVXgb1SrkghubY-em8Q99np9UsK1scZo-sR4qQqRdxJCqfqQjnTooIrWSr66SIpv6GAjeaJeupjYd5347VagZP1y9kdKjA96r9-5b-HwbwsuRDDlzh)
This email was sent to irshad@abv.bg by meca@mecaforpeace.org.
Email Marketing by Constant Contact(R)www.constantcontact.com
Middle East Children's Alliance
1101 8th Street
Suite 100
Berkeley CA 94710
Posted by Zahi Damuni
December 17, 2009
Al-Awda's Refugee Support Committee is trying to identify members of our Arab and Palestinian community who reside in Salt Lake City Utah. We are looking for community members who may be able and willing to help a young Palestinian family with children, relocated a few days ago to Salt Lake City Utah from Al-Waleed refugee camp in Iraq on the border with Syria.
If you can help in this regard, please send contact information to office@al-awda.org as soon as possible. Thanks!
To help in other ways, Al-Awda is asking all its activists, community members and supporters to contribute to help our sisters and brothers in their move to the U.S. Fifty one families have already arrived in the US, and Al-Awda has so far connected local communities with most of them. Many more, 1350 individuals in total, are expected to come to the U.S. soon. All the refugees, who are being relocated to the U.S. from Al-Waleed, arrive with essentially nothing.
Please donate today!
Address your tax-deductible donation via check or money order to: PRRC, Al-Awda, PO Box 131352, Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA - Please note on the memo line of the check "Palestinians from Iraq"
Alternatively, please donate online using your credit card. Go to http://www.al-awda.org/donate.html and follow the simple instructions. Please indicate that your donation is for "Palestinians from Iraq" with your submission.
Also anyone from anywhere can help by making a simple purchase through our Refugee Support Wish List on Amazon at http://amzn.com/w/1E435VMMYK0FR.
The most urgent of causes - that of the Palestinian Refugees languishing in the camps - has now been brought to our doorsteps here in the US.
We must not fail them! Please give what you can!
Thank you.
Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA
Tel: 760-918-9441
Fax: 760-918-9442
E-mail: info@al-awda.org
WWW: http://al-awda.org
Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition (PRRC) is a not for profit tax-exempt educational and charitable 501(c)(3) organization as defined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the United States of America. Under IRS guidelines, your donations to PRRC are tax-deductible.
Open letter, Labor for Palestine, 15 December 2009
The following is an open letter from Labor for Palestine to AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on 4 December 2009 in response to his 27 October 2009 speech denouncing the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement in support of Palestinian rights:
"Sanctions alone cannot eradicate apartheid; that task is ultimately left to the people of South Africa themselves. But economic pressure and political isolation of the South African government can hasten the day when justice and freedom reign in that troubled land." --Richard L. Trumka, 23 June 1987
"We call on other workers and unions to ... do all that is necessary to ensure that they boycott all goods to and from Israel until Palestine is free" -- Congress of South African Trade Unions, 3 February 2009
"We urge all international trade unions to heed the call of Palestinian civil society, including the trade union movement, by endorsing [boycott, divestment and sanctions] BDS. We further urge all trade unions and trade union federations to sever their links with the Histadrut, a Zionist organization that has always played a key role in perpetuating Israel's occupation, colonization and system of racial discrimination, and that has justified and applauded Israel's war crimes in Gaza in December 2008 and January 2009." -- Palestinian Trade Union Movement Unanimously Confirms Support for BDS, 25 November 2009
Dear Brother Trumka:
As labor and anti-apartheid activists, we strongly disagree with your 27 October speech denouncing the movement for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel.
The BDS campaign was initiated in 2005 by Palestinian civil society -- including its entire labor movement. Inspired by the international boycott that helped topple apartheid South Africa, it demands Palestinian self-determination, including an end to Israeli military occupation, the right of refugees to return to the land from which they have been ethnically cleansed since the Nakba of 1947-1948, and equal rights for all throughout historic Palestine.
Support for BDS has grown rapidly, especially since 27 December 2008, when Israel broke a truce with the democratically-elected Palestinian government and attacked Gaza. In the resulting massacre, Israel killed more than 1,400 Palestinians, hundreds of them children; maimed and wounded thousands more; and utterly devastated Gaza's infrastructure, including the Gaza headquarters of the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions.
In the best tradition of labor solidarity, South African and Australian dockworkers responded by refusing to handle Israeli cargo, and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) "call[ed] on other workers and unions to follow suit and to do all that is necessary to ensure that they boycott all goods to and from Israel until Palestine is free."
Their action echoes the West Coast dock-workers who refused to handle cargo for Nazi Germany (1934) or fascist Italy (1935); those in Denmark and Sweden (1963), the San Francisco Bay Area (1984) and Liverpool (1988), who refused shipping for apartheid South Africa; those in Oakland who refused to load bombs for the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile (1978); and those at all 29 West Coast ports who held a May Day strike against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (2008).
Since Gaza, the 2005 BDS call also been endorsed or reaffirmed by numerous other labor bodies around the world, including the trades union congresses of Ireland, Scotland and the UK; UNISON (UK); Transport and General Workers' Union (UK); L'Union syndicale Solidaires Industrie (France); Canadian Union of Postal Workers; Canadian Union of Public Employees-Ontario; six Norwegian trade unions; and Intersindical Alternativa de Catallunya.
It is no accident that South African workers play a leading role in the BDS movement. They remember that Israel was apartheid South Africa's closest ally. They agree with Archbishop Desmond Tutu's observation that Israel's treatment of Palestinians is "worse than apartheid." They recognize that the Gaza massacre mirrors the infamous Sharpeville massacre of 1960, which gave birth to an international boycott against South African apartheid.
This rising tide of labor support for BDS has only been further vindicated by Israel's rejection of the war crimes indictments issued against it by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the UN's Goldstone report and numerous other bodies -- many of them Israeli.
The BDS campaign is particularly relevant to workers in the United States.
In the past ten years alone, US military aid to Israel was $17 billion; over the next decade, it will be another $30 billion. As in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, US aircraft, white phosphorous and bullets kill and maim on behalf of the occupiers, while both Democratic and Republican politicians condone the slaughter. Amidst deepening economic crisis, workers in this country pay a staggering human and financial price for US-Israeli war and occupation throughout the region.
Despite all of this, however, many US labor officials -- often without the knowledge or consent of union members -- have ignored Palestinian appeals for justice. Instead, they continue to collaborate with the Histadrut, the Zionist labor federation that not only supported Israel's war on Gaza, but which has spearheaded -- and whitewashed -- racism, apartheid, dispossession and ethnic cleansing against the Palestinians since the 1920s.
They have invested billions of our union pension funds and retirement plans in State of Israel Bonds. They have actively encouraged the US to provide the money and weapons that oppress Palestinian workers, and to ensure Israel's role as watchdog for US domination over the oil-rich Middle East.
The Jewish Labor Committee (JLC) has exploited its carefully groomed "progressive" image by hurling false accusations of "anti-Semitism" against those who challenge racism in the US labor movement, and who support affirmative action for workers of color, who criticize notorious "AFL-CIA" support for US war and empire, and -- above all -- who oppose apartheid Israel.
Thus, it was the JLC that in July 2007 mobilized top AFL-CIO and Change to Win officials to condemn British union support for BDS. It is the JLC that seeks to deflect outrage over the Gaza massacres by launching Trade Unions Linking Israel and Palestine, whose stated purpose is to sabotage the BDS campaign, while demanding boycotts against Iran, which -- unlike Israel -- receives no US aid and has no "weapons of mass destruction."
In the 1980s, as president of the United Mine Workers, you rightly argued that "economic pressure and political isolation of the South African government can hasten the day when justice and freedom reign in that troubled land." Two decades later, the cause of "justice and freedom" for Palestinians requires no less of you as president of the AFL-CIO. As trade unionists, we must immediately and completely:
1. Divest from State of Israel Bonds.
2. Support workers' refusal to handle Israeli cargo.
3. Break ties with the racist Histadrut.
4. Oppose US military and economic aid for Israel.
Initial Signers
(List in formation -- *For identification only):
Monadel Herzallah, President, Arab American Union Members Council, California
Larry Adams, Co-Convener, New York City Labor Against the War; Former President, NPMHU L. 300*
Michael Letwin, Co-Convener, New York City Labor Against the War; Former President, UAW L. 2325/ALAA*; Al-Awda NY; International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network/Labor
Brenda Stokely, Co-Convener, New York City Labor Against the War; Former President, AFSCME DC 1707*; Co-Chair, Million Worker March Movement
Sam Weinstein, Former President, UWUA L. 132*; International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network/Labor
Stanley Heller, AFT L. 1547*, Delegate, CT Central Labor Council*
Marty Goodman, Former Executive Board Member, TWU L.100*
Fred Mason, Maryland AFL-CIO*
Clayola Brown, A. Philip Randolph Institute, AFL-CIO*
Frank Rosen, General Vice President (retired), UE*
Steve Zeltzer, Producer, Labor Video Project
Anthony Arnove, National Writers Union/UAW L.1981*
Mike Gimbel, Chair, Labor-Community Unity Committee, AFSCME DC 37 L. 375*; Delegate, NYC Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO*
Dave Welsh, Delegate, San Francisco Labor Council*
Lee Sustar, Chicago Labor Against the War
Timothy Kaminski, UAW L. 110* (ret.)
Janice Rothstein, AFSCME L. 3299*
Andy Griggs, UTLA*; LA Palestine Labor Solidarity Committee, Cafe Intifada
Emma Rosenthal, UTLA*; LA Palestine Labor Solidarity Committee, Cafe Intifada
Pete Nowicki, AFSCME L. 145*
Jim Crampton, 1199SEIU/UHWE*
Allan Fisher, AFT L. 2121, SF Community College*
Alan Benjamin, OPEIU L. 3*
Sharon Black, AFT L. 2*; Bailout the People Movement
Bill Balderson, Oakland Education Assn.*
Sarah Ringler, AFT L. 1936, PVFT*
Frank Pinto, UPTE-CWA L. 9119*
Steve Desavouret, TCU/IAM 6608*
Louis LaFortune, AFT L. 1936, PVFT*
Azalia Torres, Former Executive Bd. Member, UAW Local 2325/ALAA*
Patrick Langhenry, UAW Local 2325/ALAA*
Lucy Herschel, Delegate 1199SEIU/UHWE*
Carol Seligman, South San Francisco California Teachers Association*
International Endorsers
Rubina Jamil, Working Women Organization; All Pakistan Trade Union Federation*
Tony Leon, Secretary General, Venezuelan Union of Oil Industry Workers*
True Lies: "Al Jazeera Blogs"
By Ayman Mohyeldin in Middle East on December 15th, 2009
Somebody is not telling the truth about the circumstances behind moves to arrest Tzipi Livni, the Israeli opposition leader, in the UK.
Its one of those stories that comes out of nowhere and few actually know what happened.
It began when Al Jazeera reported that a British court had issued an arrest warrant for former Israeli foreign minister and Gaza war architect Tzipi Livni.
For hours, Israeli and British officials denied the report. Then British and Israeli media got wind of the story and began to report it. By the end of Monday, it was irrefutable.
Livni had cancelled a speaking engagement at the Jewish National Fund in the UK, but why and when were still unanswered questions?
After a British court issued - then withdrew - the arrest warrant for Tzipi Livni, the Israeli government, after first denying the reports - suddenly shifted gears, going into damage control and launching a scathing criticism of the British government.
That's what we know. Here's where it gets murky...
Livni's people say she cancelled the event weeks ago because of scheduling conflicts. Israeli media say Livni cancelled on Sunday in a last minute move.
Somebody is not telling the truth.
Livni wanted to meet British PM Gordon Brown. He declined. The rationale behind Livni's desire to meet Brown, speculate some, was that if her trip was in an official capacity, she would have been granted diplomatic immunity.
When Brown declined to meet with the Kadima opposition chairwoman, the trip was reduced to a private one - leaving her susceptible to an arrest.
A similar arrest warrant against Ehud Barak, the Israeli defence minister, was deferred indefinitely because he had diplomatic immunity as a visiting official when he came to the UK in September.
Unfortunately, Livni did not enjoy that same immunity. It seems Barak was, after all, clever for joining PM Netanyahu's right-wing government - a move Livni and Kadima refused to do. At least Barak will now get to travel to the UK for a little bit longer hassle free!
What's surprising is that instead of standing up and defending its own legal system the British government is distancing itself from the issue and allowing Israel to clearly interfere in influencing its domestic affairs and governing system.
In a statement, the UK says it is determined to be "a strategic partner of Israel ... and that it is looking urgently at the implications of this case".
I would have expected the British government to say these are the laws of our land and we stand by them, but its not the first time the government seems to have caved to public pressure from Israel.
Back in 2005, then British foreign secretary Jack Straw apologised to his Israeli counterpart for a stand-off at Heathrow airport when an Israeli official wanted for alleged war crimes refused to get off a plane fearing he would have been arrested.
British security officials refused to arrest him on the plane fearing a confrontation with Israeli security agents would have led to a shoot out.
Let me see if I get this straight, the British foreign minister apologised that his government didn't actually enforce a standing order from its own judicial system?
But there could be a more interesting irony in all of this.
Israeli media have been carrying reactions from various politicians. One official put it this way: "British officials could find themselves in a similar situation due to airstrikes by British crews on population centres in Serbia, Iraq and Afghanistan"
Interesting? I wonder if the UK is more concerned with appeasing Israel or afraid of its own laundry being aired publicly if its officials start facing arrest warrants abroad.
Britain has advised UK supermarkets selling goods from the West Bank to state explicitly on the labels whether the content has come from Israeli settlement or Palestinian-owned farms.
The recommendation, issued by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), is not a legal requirement but Israeli officials and settler leaders have reacted angrily to the decision, saying it will lead to a boycott of their goods.
Until now, food has been labelled "Produce of the West Bank", but Defra's voluntary guidance says labels should give more precise information, like "Palestinian produce" or "Israeli settlement produce".
The Guardian, a British newspaper, said that 27 Israeli companies working in settlements and exporting to Britain had been identified, with stores selling such produce including Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury, Somerfield, John Lewis and B&Q.
'Hostile step'
Separately, Defra said retailers would be committing an offence if they declared produce from occupied Palestinian territories as "Produce of Israel".
The guidelines said: "Traders would be misleading consumers, and would therefore almost be certainly committing an offence, if they were to declare produce from the OPT, including from the West Bank, as 'Produce of Israel'.
"This would apply irrespective of whether the produce was from a Palestinian producer or from an Israeli settlement in the OPT [Occupied Palestinian Territories].
"This is because the area does not fall within the internationally recognised borders of the State of Israel."
Produce from the Israeli settlements includes cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, fruit and textiles.
European Union law already requires a distinction to be made between goods originating in Israel and those from the occupied territories, though pro-Palestinian campaigners say this is not always observed.
The Jerusalem Post, an Israeli newspaper, quoted Yigal Palmor, a spokesman for Israel's foreign minister, as saying that the guidelines were effectively "caving into Palestinian organisations, and will only radicalise Palestinian positions even more".
"The decision comes at a critical phase and harms Israeli and international efforts to renew the peace process on the basis of mutual agreements," Palmor said.
The Guardian quoted Dani Dayan, an Israeli settler representative, as saying that the decision was the "latest hostile step" from Britain.
Al Jazeera English - Europe - UK court 'issued warrant for Livni'
UK court 'issued warrant for Livni'
A British court reportedly issued an arrest warrant for Israel's former foreign minister on charges relating to Israel's 22-day war on Gaza, before apparently withdrawing it after it was found she was not in the country.
Tzipi Livni, the leader of the opposition Kadima party, had been expected to travel to London this week for an event organised by the Jewish National Fund, followed by meetings with British government officials.
Livni cancelled the visit two weeks before the event was due to take place.
Israeli media reported on Monday that Livni had called off the trip fearing that she would be arrested after a pro-Palestinian group won a warrant for her arrest.
But Livni's office said in a statement after the reports that she had declined a request to attend the event in London due to a scheduling conflict and not because of fears of being arrested.
'Threat of prosecution'
The British foreign office issued a statement on Monday saying it was looking into the incident and its possible effect on the peace process.
Al Jazeera's Lauren Patterson reports on the confusion over the Livni warrant
"The UK is determined to do all it can to promote peace in the Middle East and to be a strategic partner of Israel," it said.
"To do this, Israel's leaders need to be able to come to the UK for talks with the British government. We are looking urgently at the implications of this case."
Bill Bowring, a professor of law at the University of London, said the threat of prosecution is making international travel increasingly difficult for Israeli officials.
"This has happened before. It's under quite old legislation, under the fourth Geneva Convention of 1949," he told Al Jazeera.
"Basically what it says is that if a person anywhere in the world commits grave breaches against civilians then that person should be arrested and prosecuted wherever they turn up in the world."
Israeli land, air and naval forces began bombarding the Gaza Strip last December, saying that it wanted to stop rocket attacks by Palestinian fighters.
A UN-sponsored report, known as the Goldstone report, has called on both Israel and the Palestinians to investigate accusations of human-rights violations committed during the conflict.
The report accuses both Israel and Hamas of war crimes, and was endorsed by the UN General Assembly last month by a margin of 114 to 18, after two days of debate.
Forty-four member-nations abstained from voting.
The report, which was compiled by a panel led by Richard Goldstone, a South African judge, had already been endorsed by the UN Human Rights Council, which sponsored the fact-finding commission.
Most of the criticism in the Goldstone report was directed towards Israel's conduct during the offensive, in which it concluded that Israel used disproportionate force, deliberately targeting Gaza civilians, using them as human shields, and destroying civilian infrastructure.
More 1,400 Palestinians were killed in the offensive, while 13 Israelis, including 10 soldiers, died over the same time period.
Watch this beautiful tribute to Ramzi Baroud's father and the people of Gaza, then go out and buy the book. We can all admire what Ramzi has written, but we need to support him by inundating Amazon or Pluto Press with orders. I've read the book. You will laugh, and you will cry, and you will never forget what he has written or his love for Gaza and his mother and father.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K2VpARDkzw
--
Greta Berlin
Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyyeh has warned that Israel is planning another offensive on the Gaza Strip, Iran's Press TV reported on Friday.
According to Haniyyeh, it is Israel and not Hamas that is intent on keeping the conflict going between the two sides. Hamas is "not looking for more violence," Haniyyeh told a group of Red Cross delegates visiting the Gaza Strip earlier this week.
The Hamas leader, who was elected to head the movement's cabinet and took over leadership of Gaza in 2007, told the delegates that he hoped his prediction of war would not come into fruition.
Haniyyeh said that should such an offensive occur, Hamas would be prepared to retaliate. "Our people will not surrender; they will fight back," Prime Minister Haniyyeh's office said, in a statement.
He also said he hoped that "the world will stop Israel from killing more children," according to the Iranian network.
ASHKENAZI: ISRAEL WILL FIGHT IN GAZA AGAIN IF NEEDED
Meanwhile, Israeli occupation army Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi said Friday that the army would not hesitate to respond if Palestinian resistance fighters in the Gaza Strip continued to fire rockets at the occupied territories.
"We are prepared to contend with the whole arc of threats," Ashkenazi told students during a visit to a Be'er Sheva high school, citing both the local defense situation as well as Iran's nuclear program.
Although the Hamas rulers in Gaza have of late been "restraining themselves and others," said Ashkenazi, "we must not fool ourselves. If necessary, we will operate again in the Gaza Strip to stop the rocket fire."
In reference to the Goldstone Commission's damning report on Israel's conduct during the war on the Gaza Strip earlier this year, Ashkenazi emphasized that the Israeli army had the responsibility to defend itself at all costs.
His comments came amid an international frenzy over a UN-commissioned report accusing Israel of war crimes during the January aggression. Israel has denounced the Goldstone report as one-sided and biased. During that aggression, more than 1400 Palestinians were killed; including 420 children and over 5300 others were injured not to mention the severe destruction in the Strip and the displaced that lost their homes.
¬
Source: AJP
HaTens of thousands of Hamas supporters gathered at a central square in Gaza City to mark the 22nd anniversary of the Islamic resistance organization's establishment.
"Those that plotted Operation Cast Lead did not imagine that we would mark the anniversary of Hamas' establishment in such a large event," Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyyeh said at the rally.
"Those that planned the war, and executed it, when they bombed Gaza and killed thousands, did not imagine that such a day would come in the Gaza Strip."
He continued to say, "Hamas has not fallen despite the war, the Zionist enemy leaders are the ones that fell. Hamas has continued to grow and gain strength despite all the hardship it has suffered, all the arrests, the expulsions and the assassinations."
Haniyyeh said, "We've overcome the arrests of '96 by the Palestinian Authority, we've overcome the targeted killings, and prior to that we overcame the expulsion to Lebanon, which made us a central body in the region and the world and gave us the regional and depth we have."
Haniyyeh said that now, after four years of a siege, efforts to isolate Hamas have failed. "There has never in history been a siege like the one imposed on us in recent year. Hamas is steadfast despite all the hardship and the crises, and the masses here are simply a divine miracle."
He added, "We are not striving to form an Islamic emirate in the Strip. Our goal is to free Palestine – all of Palestine." He then reiterated his vow not to abandon the path of "resistance" and holy war.
"This movement liberated the Gaza Strip with the help of the resistance factions," said Haniyyeh, referring to the armed groups operating under the umbrella of Palestinian resistance. "Brothers and sisters, we will not be satisfied with Gaza," he declared. "Hamas looks toward the whole of Palestine."
Tens of thousands of supporters waved green flags and chanted pro-Hamas slogans. The rally's organizers had previously promised a surprise during the event.
Meanwhile, Hamas media outlets have reported that Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank have stepped up their arrest of Hamas operatives in order to stop them from celebrating the movement's establishment. Among those detained is the manager of the regional Hamas television station.
Israel Radio quoted Hamas sources as saying that captured Israeli occupation soldier Gilad Shalit would only see the light of day when Israel acquiesces to the Islamic resistance group's demands and releases the detainees that it has demanded.
¬
Source: AJP
By Gilad Atzmon 
According to new research conducted by Bielefeld University hatred towards Muslims decreased over the past year while hatred of Jews is growing. Israelis must be concerned. The sudden drop in European Islamophobia doesn't fit into the Zionist global plan in which Muslims are cornered and ostracised as reactionaries while Israel is dropping bombs in the name of democracy and liberalism. According to the leading Israeli paper Ynet, "the level of resentment against most minorities declined – sexism considerably, Islamophobia slightly. There were only two exceptions: homophobia and anti-Semitism."(1)
Interestingly enough Ynet reports that "the percentage of people who believe 'that there are too many Muslims' in their country is especially high in those countries that actually have a low percentage of Muslims living in them." One possible explanation may that within European countries benefiting from a large Muslim population, the fear of Islam is actually dissipating. This is not at all surprising given the fact that both Islamic and Christian cultures share very similar universal values and ethical precepts. Unlike Jewish ideology that maintains a certain level of tribal, cultural and social segregation and supremacy, Muslim communities seem to collectively merge into the working classes through the work place, education and economy.
According to the research very many Europeans are concerned with Jewish domination and power. "One-quarter of Europeans (24.5%) believe that "Jews have too much influence", and nearly one-third (31%) agree that "Jews in general do not care about anything or anyone but their own kind." Bearing in mind the embarrassing fact that 50% of MPs in Britain's shadow cabinet are Conservative Friends of Israel we can safely assume that, unlike our politicians, the voters out there are largely waking up to the danger of Zionist infiltration.
Ynet also has some 'good news' to report. "61.9% say that Jews "enrich our culture", especially in the Netherlands, Britain and Germany." The fact that Jews and ex Jews (in particular) enrich European life is indeed hard to ignore, yet setting aside Lord Cashpoint Levy and Uri 'Spoon Bending' Geller, it seems as if, amongst those Jews who contribute to European cultural life, not many openly identify with Israel and its crimes.
As much as Israel uses every possible means to drag us all into an endless war against Islam, the Europeans are coming to terms with the devastating reality of Zionist murderous brutality. Some 45.7% of the Europeans either "somewhat or strongly" agree that "Israel is conducting a war of extermination against the Palestinians." In case someone fails to understand the meaning of it all, I will say it plainly: almost half of the Europeans accept that Israel employs genocidal tactics. They basically agree that Israelis are the Nazis of our time. According to Ynet, about 37.4% agree with the following statement: "Considering Israel's policy, I can understand why people do not like Jews."
Zionism was there to create a civilized loveable Jew. Not only has it failed, thanks to Israel and Zionism, the resentment towards Jews seem to be greater than ever. The meaning of it all is rather obvious. Israel and its supporting lobbies failed to internalise the real universal meaning of the Holocaust: 'love thy neighbour'. Instead of ethnic cleansing, starving and dropping white phosphorous, Israel should have learned to live amongst others.
If Europe is as democratic as it claims to be, this clear, escalating animosity towards Israel, Zionism and their relentless lobbies will mature eventually into a political shift.
-- Gilad Atzmon (gilad.co.uk) is an Israeli-born writer and jazz musician living in London. He had previously served in the Israeli military but he is currently an anti-racism campaigner. His latest CD is In Loving Memory of America.
(1) A clarification is needed here: 'anti-Semitism' is a misleading notion. When people refer to 'anti Semitism' what they really mean is 'anti Jewish feelings'. The notion of 'anti-Semitism' is there to give a false impression that Jews are a racial group. The truth of the matter is obvious, Jews are neither a race nor have they established a racial continuum. In fact no one resents Jews for their racial belonging or ethnicity. Anti Jewish feelings is in most cases a political and ethical reaction to Jewish tribal politics, Zionism, Israel, Israeli lobbying, global Zionist affairs, Jewish ideology, Jewish supremacy, Israeli war crimes and so on.
Source: Middle East Online
By William A. Cook 
“After so many years of setting the tone, bribing UK politicians and controlling the BBC they (Zionists) are used to being untouchable.” - (Gilad Atzmon, “Britain Must de-Zionist Itself Immediately,” Nov. 17, 2009, MWC News).
This week the British people listened to the Daily Mall’s Peter Oborne present, on Channel 4, his devastating account of the Jewish lobby’s control of their government. Now we know that virtually all the principal politicians in the UK of both parties, like their brothers across the lake in our House and Senate, take “contributions” from the Israeli lobby machine ensuring that the Anglo-American mid-east policies follow the dictates of the Israeli government. Gilad Atzmon responded to this report in his article “Britain must de-Zionise itself immediately,” noting that this control has been in place for so many years the lobby feels “untouchable.”
How many years are “many” one might ask? In 1941, the High Commissioner of Palestine, Harold MacMichael, Senior Palestine Mandate officer for the British Mandate forces in Palestine, sent the following “Top Secret” “Memorandum on the Participation of the Jewish National Institutions in Palestine in Acts of Lawlessness and Violence” to the Secretary of State, dated October 16th, a report prepared by The Palestine Police, Criminal Investigation Department:
The memorandum illustrates—indeed, brings into full limelight—the fact that the Mandatory is faced potentially with as grave a danger in Palestine from Jewish violence as it ever faced from Arab violence, a danger infinitely less easy to meet by the methods of repression which have been employed against Arabs. In the first place, the Jews … have the moral and political support … of considerable sections of public opinion both in the United Kingdom and the United States of America … all the influence and political ability of the Zionists would be brought to bear to show that the Jews in Palestine were the victims of aggression, and that a substantial body of opinion abroad would be persuaded of the truth of the contention.
Quite obviously, MacMichael understands that the Mandatory has little power at home over the zealous actions of the Zionists as they manipulate public and political opinion even as they expand their terrorism against the British Mandate government in Palestine. This is an untenable position to be in, responsible for government control and security of those under its authority, i.e. Palestinians as well as Jews, and knowing that the Jews are set on driving the British out of Palestine, and knowing that the home government can offer little help.
The Zionists and their “gangs,” a euphemism for well equipped and well trained military forces, launched a full scale terrorist rebellion against the British by robbing banks, indiscriminate killing of British police, and the assassination of British minister-resident Lord Moyne in 1944. By the end of World War II things got even worse: “The Haganah carried out anti-British military operations—liberation of interned immigrants from the Atlit camp; the bombing of the country’s railroad network; sabotage raids on radar installations and bases of the British police mobile force; sabotage of British vessels … and the destruction of all road and railroad bridges on the borders.” All of this terrorism was conducted against the Mandate Government while the home government remained silent under the pall of Israeli Zionist propaganda (Meir Pa’il, “From Hashomer to the Israel Defense Forces: Armed Jewish Defense in Palestine,” World War II). www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/source/History/resist.htm.
But recording the acts of terrorism does not do justice to the conditions the Mandate government faced. MacMichael describes the reality of the forces aligned against the police in Palestine.
A second matter which deeply impressed me is the almost Nazi control exercised by the official Jewish organizations over the Jewish community, willy nilly, through the administration of funds from abroad, the issue of labor certificates in connection with the immigration quota, the forced contributions to funds and the power of the Histadruth. … The community is under the closed oligarchy of the Jewish official organizations which control Zionist policy and circumscribe the lives of the Jewish community in all directions…
Perhaps one of the most frightening observations MacMichael makes comes at the very end of his dispatch: “As matters now stand it seems to me inevitable that the Zionist Juggernaut which has been created with such intensity of zeal for a Jewish national state will be the cause of very serious trouble in the Near East.” Prophetic words indeed.
The memorandum provided by the Palestine Police Department includes approximately 50 0 pages of seized documents from the Jewish Agency and related organizations. These documents reveal the intention of the Zionists that controlled operations in Palestine as they worked to force into existence a Jewish State. “We regard it as our duty to caution you against any attempt to decide on an anti-Zionist solution … We regard it as a duty to utter another warning. Do not postpone the political solution for ten years … The Jews are a nation. The land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel. The Jewish State will be established. It is better that it should be established with your help and for your benefit, than against you” (The Jewish Resistance Movement, March 25th, 1946, Rhodes House Archives).
The Mandate Criminal Investigation Department was headed by Richard Catling. Catling’s memorandum begins with an understanding of the “intricate Jewish political, social and economic structure in Palestine.” A series of appendices chart these structures marking in passing that “… the Palestine Royal Commission Report of 1937 understood ‘The Agency (Jewish) is obviously not a governing body; it can only advise and cooperate in a certain wide field.’ But allied as it is with the Vaad Leumi, and commanding the allegiance of the great majority of the Jews in Palestine, it unquestionably exercises, both in Jerusalem and in London, a considerable influence on the conduct of government.” Catling’s frustration with the actual control of the Jews over British policy in Palestine glares through this document: “This powerful and efficient organization amounts in fact, to a government existing side by side with the Mandatory Government…”
The Zionist controlled Jewish Agency actively undermined the legal authority in Palestine even as it operated to undermine support for that government in Britain, placing UK forces in harms way as they attempted to fulfill their authorized responsibilities in Palestine. It also demonstrates the determination of the Agency’s leadership in undermining the very nation that gave it a means of establishing a “homeland” in Palestine through the Balfour Declaration. The wording of that declaration is rarely presented in its full form: “His Majesty’s government view with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.” The declaration did not intend to establish a Jewish State. Indeed, the wording, “national home,” was used intentionally instead of “state.” Additionally, the first draft referred to the principle ‘that Palestine should be’ reconstituted ‘as the national home of the Jewish people.’ In the final text, the word ‘that’ was replaced with ‘in’ to avoid committing all of Palestine to the Jews only.
Now perhaps we can answer the question, “How many years has the British government been under the control of the Zionist influence?” Three score and ten, the biblical age. Perhaps it’s time that Britain is reborn, free from the shackles that bind it to this corrupt power that flouts international law, wantonly commits crimes against humanity, and in brazen arrogance tells the Nations United to shove its demands to comply with the civilized communities of the world.
(Note: Sir Richard C. Catling’s files have been released to this writer by the chief Archivist of the Rhodes House Library of the Bodleian Libraries at Oxford University. Some of the material presented above comes from the “Introduction” of a yet to be published book due out this coming spring.)
-- William A. Cook is a Professor of English at the University of La Verne in southern California and serves as editor and writer for multiple Internet publications. His published books include Tracking Deception: Bush Mid-East Policy, Hope Destroyed, Justice Denied: The Rape of Palestine, and The Chronicles of Nefaria, a novella. Visit: www.drwilliamacook.com.
Source: Middle East Online
Posts
All Comments
