Posts with the tag Gaza

Israel Palestine Peace Treaty

"Voice for Humanity" — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:05:19 EST

By Padmini Arhant

The fate of the two state solutions is hanging in balance and the peace process has once again come to a screeching halt. Initially, there appeared to be momentum on both sides until the controversial yet credible issues surfaced and ignored by the parties in default.

The contentious issues are -

Freezing Jewish settlements in West Bank and East Jerusalem in its entirety.

Honoring the Gaza report compiled by the Head of the UN Fact Finding Mission, Justice Richard Goldstone, overwhelmingly approved by the U.N. Human Rights Council and the U.N. General Assembly recently.

Article continued @http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Expansion of Jewish Settlements’ Impact on Mid-East Peace Process

"Voice for Humanity" — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:54:51 EDT

By Padmini Arhant

Israeli authorities’ determination to expand Jewish Settlements in Palestinian West Bank along the borders and on the private Palestinian land as well as the colonization of East Jerusalem is provocative. Besides, it is reflective of the Likud Party hard line policy to disregard the universally applicable International treaty on territorial issues and the will of the Israeli democracy for a viable two state solution necessary to end the half-a-century old conflict.

Remaining @http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

German President Horst Koehler

Unknown user — Sat, 23 May 2009 22:12:09 EDT

Members of the Federal Assembly of Germany on Saturday, May 23, re-elected for a second term of current President Horst Koehler. From 1 thousand 223 voters the meeting to voice support for his candidacy gave 613 people. This is the minimum to win the election. Meeting of the Federal Assembly was broadcasted live TV Phoenix. Koehler supports party alliance of CDU / CSU, a member of the Christian Democratic Union is the Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel. For the main opponent Koehler Gesine Schwan voted 503 member assembly. Actor Peter Zodann, supported by the left, got 91 votes. Bard, Frank Rennike, supported by the National Democratic Party, received only 4 votes in support. Koehler and the first and the second time elected in the first round of elections. Horst Köhler (Horst Koehler) was born in 1943 in the Polish Skirbishove family Bavarian Germans. From 1965 to 1969 at the University of Tuebingen studied economics and law, graduated from University with a diploma of a national economy. From 1969 to 1976 was a scientific associate at the Institute of Applied Economic Research Tübingen. In 1977 defended a Ph.D thesis. From 1976 to 1980, Koehler served in the Ministry of Economy of Germany. In 1981 joined the Christian Democratic Union, which is to this day. From 1990 to 1993, the future president served as Deputy Minister of Finance. Since 1990, as the representative (Sherpas), Germany has participated in the Summit of Eight in Houston, London, Munich and Tokyo. From 1993 to 1998, Koehler led the Union of the German Savings Banks, and then two years - until 2000 - was president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. At the invitation of Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Koehler in 2000 led by the International Monetary Fund. 23 May 2004 was elected to head the Federal Republic of Germany. Since 1969, Horst Köhler, is married to Eve Louise Bonet, in marriage Koehler. In the family, the president has two children, son and daughter.

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A few points about the racist UN - Durban "anti-racism" conference

Natalia from Acampo, CA — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 03:38:40 EDT

A few points about the racist UN - Durban "anti-racism" conference

1) When will Arab racists & Islamic bigots let go of the UN and stop hijacking it with it's lobbies (silencing Arab racist genocide in Darfur, yet daming innocent Israelis who merely try to survive)?

2) Why is Arab terror singling out Jews not racist?

3) Why is the essence of the entire "conflict'" in the M.E. not a form of bigotry by Arab Muslims who can't "accept" the non Arab non Muslim pluralistic democratic Israel?

4) Are Jews living, or even allowed to live in racist "Palestinian" controlled territories (Judenrein - ethnic cleaning)?

5) When will lefty radicals (Meretz/B'Tzelem) talk about preferential treatments to Arabs OVER Jews inside Israel, like in Hebron and in other cases?

6) Why are (Arab Palestinian or Hezbollah) the ones using its own kids as cannon fodders considered "innocent victims"?

7) Is Israel battling just terrorism or an ARAB MUSLIM CAMPAIGN OF GENOCIDE since the 1920's?

8) Since Muslim nations (OIC & Iran) push to criminalize criticism of Islamists' bigotry, doesn't it mean that anything being said in that conference is the opposite of tolerance and of truth?

9) How can the UN avoid the largest practitioner of racism, which is Arabism (against: Kurds, Berbers, Africans, Jews, Assyrians, Asians, etc.), but focuses on the so called "anti-Arab racism"?
[ http://geocities.com/panarabism - Arabism is racism! ]

10) How more racist can the Durban-conference get, If the two oppressive regimes: Libya & Iran are the "stars"?
Libya - whose Muamar Qaddafi (besides his own persecution of non-Arabs, especially blacks in his country) the one of the champions in today's racist Arabization, and Arabist racism against Africa (whose "vision" has been compared to Hitler's "lebensraum"), in: Chad, Nigeria, etc., ultimately his crimes in the Sudan region helped in leading the current Al-Bashir's genocide on Millions of Africans (financed mainly by Libya and S. Arabia).
Iran, the regime of Islamic bigotry's oppression on its own population with an added special persecution on all on-Muslims: Christians, Baha'i, Jews, etc. or on non-"pure-Persians" like: Ahwazi - Arabs, Kurds, Azeris, Baluchis, etc. now under the leadership of: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad [EichmannJihad - the Islamic Hitler] who plays as if he "denies" the holocaust only in order to prepare for (his wishful) the second, "wiping off Israel".
Thus, the shame of the UN, kidnapped by the epitome of intolerance today, the infamous twin fascism: Arab racism, as in Gadhafi, and Islamic bigotry as in Amadinejad, are going to be "preaching" (and determine) to the world on tolerance.

The Islamo Arab CRIME on the 6,000,000 holy innocent victims of the [real] HOLOCAUST

Unknown user — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:11:41 EDT

The Islamo Arab CRIME on the 6,000,000 holy innocent victims of the [real] HOLOCAUST

It seems that there's serious desperation on the parts of Arab racist & Muslim fascist propaganda machine, wether originating from 'Palestinian' Pallywood or using the Arab "palestinians" to further the radical Jihadization of their people by the false perception of being the "victim".

Not so long ago it was the usual tirade of terminology like: "massacres", translation, each time the Arab Palestinian butchers (in the name of bigoted Islamism and and/or racist Arabism) failed, or rather succeeded in causing civilian casualties, the Zionists are automatically blamed for the deaths, the higher the civilian casualties, higher is rated their propaganda, such "massacres" have been orchestrated for years.

Then it grew to the term "genocide", it doesn't help how careful Israelis are to minimize civilian casualties by notifying civilians to leave and by risking young soldiers' lives in going door to door on a selective mission to root out terrorists, Israel was, still is, blamed for Palestinians dirty tricks to cause casualties, seeing that the term "massacre" is no longer "fresh", the "genocide" slogan started to appear more and more on 'Palestinian', Islamic mainstream media.

The latest "bombshell" they came up with, all in an attempt to "shock" us is shouting: "Holocaust", translation, Israel's fight against Arab Muslim genocidal campaign in a clear set out goal of total annihilation, is branded so "atrocious", labeling that unique crime title on cowardice (their powerful weapons, which Israel does NOT have are the women and children they hide under) Palestinian (or Hezbollah) lost battles.It entails a few fascist points, First: it seeks to dramatize the fallen as if it is not a battle but a "cold blooded campaign", second: it seeks to diminish the uniqueness of that most outrageous crime in history, that of WW2 (where there was a clear plan to erase an entire creed from the face of the earth, there were no attacks from Jews upon Germans, nor were there any "battles" between the Nazis and all the 6 million or the 1.5 Million Jewish kids slaughtered only for pertaining to a certain origin), third: it seeks to hurt feeling of ALL Jews in the world.

Why? You ask? because they hate, because their hatred of the "other", in particular of the one that is neither all Arab nor all Muslim but pluralistic democracy (though primarily a shelter for Jews seeking refuge), this tiny innocent "entity" in the middle east is too "different" from the Arab Muslim reign of racism, bigotry.

The only silver lining in it is that, they have used up all our sensitivity by now, there's no room for more drama since they have pretty much "used" it all, including the ultimate word though so ridiculously in even mentioning it on their desperation in between their lost attacks on innocent Israelis.

Here we go again, Fake "war crimes" by Israel bashers exposed - damning effect still on

Natalia from Acampo, CA — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 01:16:38 EDT

Here we go again, Fake "war crimes" by Israel bashers exposed - damning effect still on

Reports of IDF Crimes: Fiction Based on Rumors - Defense/Middle ...Claims that IDF soldiers deliberately killed civilians during Operation Cast Lead were based in hearsay, a military investigation has concluded. The two soldiers who first reported the alleged incidents several weeks ago had not seen the incidents themselves, and had no personal knowledge to support the allegations... B'Tselem, accused the IDF... ...
www.israelnationalnews.co...

Then again, it (false accusations by the infamous un-reliable radical political group: B'tzelem) reminds us all the UN's such loud & harsh "accusation" of Israel of "killing Kids in Gaza", then later on "woke up" told the truth, AKA retracted it ,

UN retracts claim over Gaza school attack [Feb 4, 2009] ... The UN has retracted a claim that an Israeli strike, which killed more than 40 people in northern Gaza last month, hit a school run by a UN ...
www.rte.ie/news/2009/0204...
www.abc.net.au/news/stori...
news.yahoo.com.au/a/-/wor...
www.worthychristianforums...
yet, the damage of the false accusations on innocent Israel is still there, full force.

More revelations on Arab Palestinians fake "victimhood" - Israel's Gaza toll far lower than Palestinian tally (Pallywood, Jeninitis)

Natalia from Acampo, CA — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:45:46 EDT

More revelations on Arab Palestinians fake "victimhood" - Israel's Gaza toll far lower than Palestinian tally (Pallywood, Jeninitis)

Israel's Gaza toll far lower than Palestinian tally (Pallywood, Jeninitis)
Thu Mar 26, 2009 11:56am EDT
JERUSALEM, March 26 (Reuters) - Israel says far more armed fighters and far fewer Palestinian civilians were killed during its 22-day offensive in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip in January than reported in widely-used Palestinian figures.
In the first Israeli death tally to appear in an official publication since the Dec 27-Jan 18 war, it said a total of 1,166 Palestinians were killed, not 1,417 as reported by Palestinian human rights activists.
The figures were contained in a briefing paper issued by the public affairs department of the Israeli embassy in London on Wednesday (http://london/mfa/gov/il). They were later confirmed in a press release by the Israeli army.
The tally says 295 civilians lost their lives -- about a third of the figure of 926 reported by Gaza's Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (www.pchrgaza.org), which published a full list of names earlier this month.
The army statement, citing data gathered by its research department, said its count was based on "the names of Palestinians killed". It said at least 709 of the dead in Gaza were armed militants, not 236 as reported by the Palestinians.
The Palestinian group said "255 police and 236 fighters" died in Israeli bombing and shelling -- a total of 491.
Israel has made clear it regards police under the control of the Islamist Hamas rulers of Gaza as the equivalent of armed fighters.
The Israeli embassy paper said the "degree of involvement" in the armed conflict of a further 162 killed in its offensive was "still under investigation". The army statement said they are "162 names of men that have not yet been yet attributed to any organisation".
It did not say how the list of names was obtained.

DIED NATURALLY
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights on Thursday reaffirmed its own figures, saying "extensive investigation and cross-checking .. determined that a total of 1,417 Palestinians died in the offensive" of whom 926 were civilians, including 313 children and 116 women.
The group's Hamdi Shaqoura told Reuters the centre took a long time and employed great efforts to research the numbers and identities of Palestinians killed.
"We have the numbers and the names of the victims. The process was very well and carefully researched and our numbers reflected the truth," he said.
"International law regards policemen who are not engaged in fighting as non-combatants or civilians," he added.
An Israeli security source said the army's research made clear "about a quarter" of those killed were uninvolved in the fighting "and that's relatively low on any scale" for conflict in an urban environment.
The source suggested that the Palestinian count may have included death by natural causes during the period, which he said statistically would account for approximately 400 deaths.
Shaqoura said Palestinian researchers made sure not to include deaths caused by "internal events" or natural deaths.
He added: "When speaking about Israeli people, Israel regards all people under 18 years of age as children. But when speaking about the Palestinians Israel lowers the age to 16, in order to provide a cover for its army."
The central aim of the Israel embassy briefing paper was to reject charges of war crimes by Israeli forces in Gaza from human rights groups.
Human Rights Watch said this week Israel's use of white phosphorus shells over densely populated Gaza areas was evidence of war crimes, and United Nations investigators said Israel had targeted civilians. Israel rejected both charges.
The embassy paper said there was so far no adequate ethical code of war "to regulate the war on terror" in which "amoral" adversaries flouted the rules of war and used human shields with total indifference to human suffering.

http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSLQ977827

What is bias in the middle east conflict? [March, 2009]

Natalia from Acampo, CA — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:57:01 EDT

What is bias in the middle east conflict? [March, 2009]

Arabs’ racist killing (specifically) Jews *, is accepted “freedom fighting’'.

Israelis worried of Arab terror *, branded as “racists”.

War crimes, crimes against humanity by Palestinian Arab leadership - regime in Gaza * * * of using Arab civilians, making sure their kids die, for the “greater good (Jihadi-fascism’s goodness) of making Israel look bad…” * * * * * * *, using hospitals *, schools, UN medical vehicles * *, even aid material sent by humanitarian Israel * for murder, targeting at Israeli civilians, - shoved aside, ignored *.

Israel’s humane army’s extreme measures not to hit civilians (including 250,000 warning phone calls to Arab residents to evacuate a particular area designated to be included in an op., knowing full well terrorists can cease the opportunity and flea, as well as risking young soldiers’ lives in going door to door) * * * * aiming only at Hamas terrorists is denounced of “random shooting” and “war crimes”.

[Arab led pressure forcing Israel to conduct] Uprooting Jews from their homes and their ancestors’, AKA Transfer * * AKA Arab Palestinian Apartheid * is “good for peace”.

Transfer of Arabs (who don’t have more than 2 or 3 generations of history in Judea / Israel / Palestine * * * *) is “apartheid, fascist and racist” * (AKA Avigdor Lieberman).

While Hamas or even “Moderate” Fatah refuses to recognize Israel *, international aid is flowing their way.

UN is “busy” condemning Israel * * on whatever is being told (forced) by the global Arab Muslim oil lobby.

Terrorists - justifier Rashid Khalidi has a "new" book - yet he's the same old "average Arab racist"

Natalia from Acampo, CA — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 01:08:57 EDT

Terrorists - justifier Rashid Khalidi has a "new" book - yet he's the same old "average Arab racist"

Rashid Khalidi (on c-span 2, books) (Author: 'Sowing Crisis') wants us to believe that Islamic republic of Iran is "not" linked to the terror organizations: Hamas, Hezbollah and that these groups have "legitimate" concerns.

Desperate as he is to act as if he's on a 'research' row and making a show of someone who's really "looking at the region from a broader angle", he did talk at first quite smoothly, dancing around and mentioning "other" problems we the USA have (supposedly) created in the region, like Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran (no, he didn't mention Carter's role in indirectly overthrowing the Shah, that led to the current Islamofascistic totalitarianism), you almost thought that Rashid might really be an academic, in the real sense of the word.

But as an average Arab Muslim "academic" he can never escape his burning Arab-racism against the Jews, though polishing his way to the maximum, he had to come to his essential venomous point, all in all, his punch line is really, the same old hateful cliche theme, "It's all Israel's fault", especially towards the end, when he was asked some questions, you could see how he was "lit" as if by a switch that turns on the Arab "moderates" hatred flames - they can never seem to resist, and fall into it each and every time.To his credit, most Arab propagandists are less patient... you don't have to wait even that long to see their outbursts.It was a small room, filled by either Arabs, or the gullible, one Arab "American" journalist is even a brazen open Jihadists-Hamas-Hezbollah supporter, none has asked about his propaganda statement that Iran fears Israel's nukes - as a "reason" for why they might be pursuing nuclear weapons, no one has asked the obvious: Did (democratic) Israel ever threaten to wipe out (oppressive) Iran like the Islamic fascist genocidal Republic did? or did Israel ever attack Iran like Iran attacked Israel via Hezbullah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad?

Never mind his Pro-Jihad statement defending Hamas, Hezbollah, portraying them as "political" movements with "concerns", and no one was refuting him - pointing to the true nature of these Jihadists that openly declare their real goal - to erase Israel.If you were to turn in towards the end, all you could hear is repeated word "occupation", more than a few times... (as you know), all crimes under the sun are all washed by this excuse, used by the children of Arab immigrants, (that have invaded the land of Israel - "Palestine," since the 1800's), and is being heard by him, as by any Arab "journalist" like a spiral.

_______________________

Related:
Khalidi's New Book and Old Story
http://myrightword.blogspot.com/2009/03/khalidis-new-book-and-old-story.html

Solomonia Archive: Columbia Watch: Rashid Khalidi On the other hand, this is Rashid Khalidi, and he does represent Columbia ... .
http://www.solomonia.com/blog/archives/009032.shtml

Rashid Khalidi's Appointment at Columbia University...
http://www.danielpipes.org/1234/rashid-khalidis-appointment-at-columbia-university

Jan 20, 2009 ... Hamas's Academic Cheerleaders [incl. Hamid Dabashi, Rashid Khalidi, Fawaz Gerges, Joseph Massad, Muqtedar Khan, Mark LeVine, et al.
http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/6708

Camera-Ready Victims [incl. Rashid Khalidi]: Hamas practices human sacrifice; the world shrugs. - Campus Watch.
http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/6622

Beyond Gaza: An Abrahamic Peace

Curtis — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 12:16:36 EST

by Rabbi Arthur Waskow 01-29-2009

http://blog.sojo.net/2009/01/29/beyond-gaza-an-abrahamic-peace/

Beyond anguish, what can we say about the massive death and destruction in Gaza and the traumatic fear of falling rockets in Israel? How do we shape not just the temporary palliative of “cease-fire,” but a true alternative? Not just in pretty theory, but in political practicality?

The Obama administration could start by insisting that the Israeli and Egyptian governments open the borders of Gaza to shipments of food and medicine and fuel, while improving the prevention of importing weapons. At the same time, it could refuse to supply Israel with white phosphorus and other weapons that the Israeli government illegally used against the civilian population of Gaza.

But such changes –- only the beginning –- will not happen without public demand for change from a new political alliance inside the U.S. and a new nonviolent campaign by Palestinians, Israelis, and Europeans.

First of all, Palestinians could change reality on the ground by mounting vigorous, assertive, nonviolent resistance to the blockade/embargo. In the weeks just before the invasion of Gaza, small boatloads of people were bringing food and medical supplies to Gaza, ignoring or violating the Israeli blockade. After the invasion began, two more such boats were forced to turn back by the Israeli Navy.

These “ship-ins” were building support in much of the world, pointing out the injustice and violence of the blockade. Instead of canceling the cease-fire and firing rockets once again, Hamas could have turned those boats into a multitude. They might have built an enormous popular pressure in Europe and the U.S. for an end to the blockade and negotiations between Israel, the various powers, and Hamas.

Even now, with or without support from Hamas, European doctors, academics, clergy, political leaders, and peace activists could sponsor a flotilla of “ship-ins.” And Palestinians who live in Israel and in the allegedly “annexed” East Jerusalem could start blockading Israeli roads in a strictly nonviolent way –- not even stone-throwing. They could and would be joined by some Israelis.

Such an effort to challenge in a new way the assumptions behind Israeli power could galvanize a new response from the world at large –- even from the United States. But even if such a nonviolent campaign does not emerge, there are the beginnings of a more conventional approach to peacemaking.

Any effort to heal the wounds of the Middle East must include the Palestinian-Israeli relationship but cannot stop there. For years, the Arab League, led by Saudi Arabia, has proposed a regional peace settlement that would bring peace to Israel in exchange for the recognition of a new and viable Palestinian state. The Israeli government, with support from the U.S. government, has ignored the proposal. But for many Israelis, this would actually be the fulfillment of the dream of a secure and peaceful life.

Can an Israeli government now say, “We are ready to join in these negotiations”? We are ready to deal with a new Palestinian government of national unity that includes Hamas, which obviously has considerable strength among the Palestinian community. For us the deal must include only very small symbolic numbers of Palestinian refugees returning to Israel itself, and control of the Jewish Quarter and the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Perhaps now, after the Gaza invasion, any Israeli government can do this and say that they have not rewarded terrorism, are not negotiating from weakness, have shown they can be bloody. But would they want to? That would require a deep rethinking because it would mean a serious commitment to ending the occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, as well as the blockade of Gaza. Settlers and other opponents of doing this, though fewer in numbers than those who will support it, will be much more intense in their opposition. So the government is likely to be paralyzed, refusing to do what is necessary for peace, resorting to old slogans and the institutional and cultural power of the military to justify paralysis.

So the necessary counterweight for this domestic paralysis will have to come from outside -– that is, the United States. Appointing George Mitchell, the weaver of the Irish peace settlement, as peace envoy to the Middle East is an excellent start. But it will mean little unless the U.S. adopts a whole new policy toward the region.

The alternative policy for the U.S. government would be to use the disaster of Gaza to insist on a regional Middle East peace conference; to insist that even a Netanyahu government of Israel and even a Hamas leadership of Gaza or Palestine take part and accept a decent peace; to connect the end of the U.S. occupation of Iraq with serious diplomacy with Iran and a political settlement of the Afghan agony; and to move swiftly off the fossil fuel addiction that drives a planetary disaster and drives American policy into corruption or conquest in the Middle Eastern oil pools.

Only the biggest response can meet the need. Half-measures, the normal response of governments facing complex conflict, will not work.

And what might make such a break with automatic U.S. policy possible? The presidency of an unusual person chanting “change” is not enough. There are only two clusters of power in the U.S. with enough passion about the Middle East to matter. One is Big Oil. The other is the ethnic and religious passion of American Christians, Jews, and Muslims. If sizeable parts of these groups could work together for such a policy, it might be possible.

For many Jews and Muslims, that is even harder now than it was a month ago. But for others, the shock of so much blood has already brought about unexpected alliances -– and could make it possible.

At the grassroots in some American communities, some Jews have joined with some Muslims in local demonstrations calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. The peace-oriented American Jewish organizations might be willing to take their previous positions one step further. They might be able to work with American Arabs, Muslims, Christians, and others to press the new administration toward a grand peace.

The building blocks for such a coalition now exist. Can they be mortared together? A roused Muslim-American community, not yet well organized for political action but speedily getting more so; the beginnings of an independent base in the Jewish community (Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, J Street, Americans for Peace Now, The Shalom Center, the Israel Policy Forum, Tikkun, Jewish Voice for Peace) that could draw strength from the majority of real live American Jews – who support such a result but whose politics are unvoiced by the big American Jewish organizations; mainstream Protestant groups that are raring to go and will be effective if they can focus on changing U.S. policy instead of parading their own personal purity as in the divestment campaigns, and if they have Jewish allies so as not to be accused (or accuse themselves) of anti-Semitism; a vague Roman Catholic support for the same result, which might be stimulated into action; black community support, pro-peace and ready to affirm Palestinian self-determination, but so far not focused on this issue because there are other urgencies and they feel the need for Jewish allies to address those urgencies; and non-religiously or ethnically identified progressives, if they can get over their habit of treating the word “Zionist” as a curse word and start clearly condemning terrorist attacks on civilians by the underdogs, as well as military attacks, occupation, and blockade by the uber-dogs.

The effort to shape such a Grand Abrahamic Alliance should begin now.

Rabbi Arthur Waskow is director of The Shalom Center, which voices a new prophetic agenda in Jewish, multireligious, and American life. He is co-author of The Tent of Abraham: Stories of Hope and Peace for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, as well as the author of many books on Jewish thought and practice and U.S. public policy.

Courage vs Arab Muslim racist hijacking of Durban

Natalia from Acampo, CA — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 04:27:41 EST

Courage vs Arab Muslim racist (anti Jewish apartheid) hijacking of Durban

European states consider boycotting Durban 2 summit - Haaretz ...Mar 1, 2009 ... following United States' footsteps...
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1067540.html

Canada: Durban II Promotes Racism
http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/016733.php

Denmark threatens boycott of Durban II ... Other European countries have warned against crossing EU "red lines."...
http://www.cjnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15657&Itemid=86

Danish foreign minister threatens Western boycott of Durban II ...Oct 28, 2008 ... Why the UN's Durban Review Conference Must Be Boycotted ... European MPs earning £1 million profits in a term, report finds ...
http://europenews.dk/en/node/15473

Learning the lessons from the Arab racist hijacking of the UN
link...

Gazan children psychologically damaged after war

Egyptian Civil Engineer — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:20:06 EST

Gazan children psychologically damaged after war 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 nowhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq2a6F8VRbI

...a world without Islam...

The Ranting Dream — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:57:46 EST

…quoting Graham Fuller’s thought provoking article which asserts that the ’terrorism’ that our corrupt goons in politics so desperately want us to believe as being at the ‘root’ of Islam, isn’t about Islam at all - it is about Western imperialism and oppression, and had Islam never existed, the world would look about the same as it does today…

The 'Qassam Kindergarten' Jihad

Natalia from Acampo, CA — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 04:51:05 EST

The 'Qassam Kindergarten' Jihad

'Palestinians' Islamic Hamas, "loves" children, well, in their special 'death cult' type of way anyway.You already know how they love their own children... to die for propaganda, and make every effort in succeeding in it - unfortunately.But there are also other children under the "wings of Jihadi love" of Hamas, the Israeli children in schools, in kindergartens, they are "favorites", favorites in Hamas' targets that is, planning the time/place when/where they go to school, thank God for so many miracles where children weren't harmed.Call it 'Qassam kindergarten', 'Kindergarten Jihad', or plain 'Jihad on kids' the broader reality.

---

Qassam Kindergarten
[Dec 2007]
http://www.solomonia.com/blog/archive/2007/12/qassam-kindergarten/index.shtml

May 15, 2007 ...Major Injuries In Sderot Rocket Barrage. Children Wounded As Rockets Score Direct Hits On School and Home.
http://www.mererhetoric.com/archives/11273760.html

The reality of Sderot, the city where I live
By Noam Bedein January 22, 2008
Barrage of rockets hits Sderot as kids go to school ... ...
http://web.israelinsider.com/views/12586.htm

Kassam alert- kindergarten http://sderotmedia.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFss6p5sTPE

SderotMedia - 'Kindergarten'
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1T4HPID_enCR310US204&q=site%3Asderotmedia.com+kindergarten

Qassam hits kindergarten; 2 children lightly wounded - [Jul 28, 2006] ... News: Rocket lands next to kindergarten in town south of Ashkelon; 2 children hurt, 8 suffer shock. Earlier a number of rockets hit central ...
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3282603,00.html

Qassam lands near Sderot kindergarten
Rocket hits neighborhood in southern town, causes damage to private house located near kindergarten; several people suffer from shock, one woman loses consciousness. Military sources say IDF policy in Gaza may change
[Published: 05.07.07]
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3396608,00.html

12 Sderot Children Hospitalized for Shock After Kassam Attacks ...Sep 3, 2007
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/123570

Two IDF soldiers, civilian lightly hurt as Gaza mortars hit Negev
Three rockets struck the Eshkol region, two of them landing in open fields and the third between two kindergartens. [01/02/2009]
http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasen/spages/1060562.html

Rocket hits Ashdod kindergarten - "Thankfully, no children were in the kindergarten, and no one was badly hurt... [Jan 11, 2009 8:08 | Updated Jan 12, 2009 2:37]
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1231424913241

Pat Dollard | Hamas Violates Humanitarian Cease Fire, Shells Kindergarten ... hit a house next to a school in the Israeli southern city of Sderot, ... Children would also drill evacuating their class rooms...
http://patdollard.com/2009/01/hamas-violates-humanitarian-cease-fire-shells-kindergarten/

[January 6, 2009] a Hamas leader warned that the Islamists would kill Jewish children anywhere in the world
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5454204.ece?Submitted=true

STRATEGIC QASSAM vs. DIPLOMATIC BLITZ Harari, now an analyst at the Herzliya Center, warned that if a Qassam rocket hits a crowded synagogue or kindergarten it will trigger a massive IDF ...
http://www.isracast.com/article.aspx?ID=769

---

The "brave" masked "freedom fighters" Islamic butchers

The Israeli innocent Victims

...is peace out of reach???...

The Ranting Dream — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:30:17 EST

From CBS' 60 Minutes:...has peace in the Middle East become nothing more than a pipe dream? As Bob Simon reports, a growing number of Israelis and Palestinians feel that a two-state solution is no longer possible...

Disgraceful 'Jihad Appeaser' Jimmy Carter LIES openly on CNN's Larry King and no one refutes him?

Unknown user — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 01:43:20 EST

Disgraceful 'Jihad Appeaser' Jimmy Carter LIES openly on CNN's Larry King and no one refutes him? Sat. (Feb. 7, 2009) night, Jimmy Carter said: ’Israel, it could have responded to the rocket attacks without firing on churches (excuse me, what churches in Islamic Gaza is he talking about???) and on Mosques’.

A short while after that Larry confronted the worst-ex-president “You said earlier that Israel fired on mosques and on schools, what was Israel supposed to do as they responded to where the FIRING CAME FROM”?

Jimmy, "I don’t known I wasn’t there, I only know that the UN said that Israel fired on them and there were only civilians there".

Hey, Jimmy, so what if we show you now the updated version by the UN where they retracted their false accusation on Israel will you have the guts and say the truth about humane Israel that Israel was (as always is) humane on targeting only Islamic terrorists but Palestinian (”legitimate voted govt in Gaza - Hamas”.) Muslims commit crimes against humanity - target civilians?

—

UN: IDF did not shell UNRWA school Feb. 4, 2009. A clerical error led the UN to falsely accuse Israel... http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304687916&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter

UN retracts claim strike hit Gaza school …The United Nations has retracted a claim that an Israeli strike which killed more than 40 people in northern Gaza city of Jabaliya last month hit a school … http://www.republicanoperative.com/forums/international-politics/17399-un-retracts-claim-strike-hit-gaza-school.html

Jimmy, "I don’t known I wasn’t there, I only know that the UN said that Israel fired on them and there were only civilians there".

—

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

Egyptian Civil Engineer — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 09:22:52 EST

OPINION: CRISIS IN GAZA
http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/crisisingaza/2009/02/20092191518941246.html

By Mark LeVine, Middle East historian

The Gaza-Warsaw comparison was inevitable, especially after the war started [GALLO/GETTY]
Within days of the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, critics of the war, on blogs and in the mainstream media, began to compare the situation of Palestinians in Gaza to that of Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Second World War.

In the last few years comparisons between the Israeli occupation and apartheid in South Africa had become increasingly acceptable around the world, including in Israel.

However, the carnage caused by Israel's latest war has apparently rendered the apartheid comparison too weak to evoke the full horror of what Palestinians have suffered.

Israelis have suffered as well, but the levels of death and destruction on each side is so mind-numbingly lopsided - at least 1,300 versus 13 dead - that simply juxtaposing them seems almost nonsensical.

The Gaza-Warsaw comparisons have not just been made, predictably, by Hamas leaders such as Mahmoud al-Zahar.

They have also been made by Arabs and Muslims around the world, by anti-war movements in Europe and the US, on the opinion pages of major US newspapers, by Richard Falk, the UN Human Rights Rapporteur, by Jewish members of the British parliament, and even by some American Jewish and Israeli critics of the war.

Images from Gaza have been juxtaposed next to images from the Warsaw Ghetto, with the aim of demonstrating the similarities between the two.

Evoking memories

It was inevitable that the Gaza-Warsaw comparison would be made, especially once the war started. It is so difficult to get the mainstream media in the West, and particularly in the US, to pay attention to the suffering of Palestinians, that many seem to have concluded that only the most powerful comparisons will get peoples' attention.

There are, indeed, disturbing similarities between the two situations.

Pictures of the Warsaw Ghetto have been shown next to those of Gaza [GALLO/GETTY] The Warsaw Ghetto was composed of Jews forced out of their homes and herded into one small section of the city.

Gaza is composed largely of refugees and their descendents, most of whom were forced to flee their homes during the 1948 war.

Like the Ghetto, in the last decade the Gaza Strip has been surrounded by a barrier that has literally imprisoned 1.5 million in a territory that has become one of the most densely populated in the world.

Once the war started, Gazan civilians were trapped within a war zone, while Israel - crucially, with Egyptian help - had full command of the territory in and around Gaza. This situation prompted comparisons with the absolute Nazi control of the Ghetto and its surrounding area during the uprising.

Increasing restrictions on food, water and medical supplies by the Israeli military, and severe levels of malnutrition and unemployment "evoked" memories of the Nazi's slow strangulation of the Ghetto, as Richard Falk described it.

Even the tunnels of Gaza have been compared to those used by Jews to smuggle food and other essential goods into the Ghetto from the "Aryan side".

Psychological harm

These comparisons reflect an intolerable situation that is not just a humanitarian disaster, but has included the systematic commission of war crimes, and through them, crimes against humanity. The fact that the situation in Gaza has existed for decades has deepened the suffering, and the level of culpability.

Indeed, the UN has reported that 50 per cent of Gaza's children have become so scarred by the occupation and siege that they have no will to live. An occupation that causes this level of psychological harm warrants not just the world's condemnation, but the prosecution of those responsible for administering this state of affairs.

But thank God, Gaza is not the Warsaw Ghetto. Even after the latest war, Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank remain rooted to the soil, not buried beneath it.

Hamas's Mahmoud al-Zahar has described Israel's attack on Gaza as "total war". This language is clearly intended to link Israel's actions in Gaza to genocide, and particularly Germany's total war against the Jews during the Second World War, in their effect if not their intention.

If such a comparison has merits, the Gaza-Warsaw comparison would similarly hold true, giving the accusations of a Palestinian Holocaust merit.

The February 29, 2008 warning by Matan Vilnai, Israel's deputy defence minister, that Palestinians risked "bringing an even bigger Shoah" (the Hebrew word for Holocaust) upon themselves if they did not stop firing Qassam rockets into Israel, reveals that Israeli officials are well aware of the magnitude of the suffering they have inflicted on the people of Gaza.

Defining genocide

Yet, however horrific the situation in Gaza, it does not meet the definition of genocide used by the main bodies that prosecute such crimes, such as the European Court of Human Rights, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice.

All of these bodies define genocide as involving the intention to bring about the "physical-biological destruction" of a large enough share of an "entire human group" (national, ethnic, racial or religious) as to put the group's continued physical existence in jeopardy.

The Warsaw Ghetto was used by the Nazis to confine Jews into the smallest possible space, eventually in preparation for their ultimate extermination - which became official Nazi policy within a year of the ghetto's creation.

Out of an initial population of over 400,000 Jews, 100,000 had died of disease and starvation by the time the uprising began in 1943. To be comparable, by 2007 over 300,000 Gazans would have to have died from similar causes.

Ultimately, more than 300,000 Jews were shipped to the Treblinka extermination camp and murdered. At most, only about 200 Jews survived the uprising.

Ninety-eight per cent of Warsaw's Jews perished. More broadly, about 63 per cent of Europe's pre-war Jewish population were killed during the Holocaust.

The roughly 6,500 Gazans killed by Israel since it unilaterally withdrew its soldiers and settlers in 2005 equals 0.4 per cent of the population of the Strip.

In comparison, upwards of 75 per cent of Rwanda's Tutsi population, about 800,000 people, were murdered during the 100 days of genocide in 1994. Over 200,000 Bosnian Muslims (10 per cent of the pre-war Muslim population) were killed by Serbs between 1993 and 1995.

The Gazan death toll would have to be more than 20 times greater to approach Bosnia, 175 times more to approach Rwanda.

Historical context

Pointing out that the suffering endured by Gazans is not comparable in scope to the Holocaust or other well-known genocides, does not diminish it. However, it is crucial to provide accurate historical context to the current conflict, for two reasons.

If Gaza is today's Warsaw, then Palestinians have no hope [GALLO/GETTY] Firstly, the use of highly charged historical comparisons that do not hold up to scrutiny unnecessarily weakens the Palestinian case against the occupation.

In a propaganda war in which Palestinians have always struggled to compete, handing Israel's supporters the gift of inaccurate or exaggerated comparisons does not help this struggle, particularly not in Israel and the US, the two most important battlegrounds in this conflict.

To cite just one example, Israel and its supporters still use the exaggerated casualty figures of the early days of the 2002 siege of Jenin - hundreds were claimed to have been massacred, "only" 56 people were ultimately found to have died - to support their argument that Palestinians "lie" about the human toll of Israeli attacks.

When the argument is shifted from the basic illegality and intolerability of the occupation to an argument over numbers in which Palestinians seem to overstate their case, Israel has created more room to continue the occupation.

Egyptian complicity

It also has to be recognised that the sealing of Gaza has occurred with the complicity of Egypt. While Israel remains the de jure occupying power of the Gaza Strip, the Gaza-Egypt border has remained closed or open depending on the wishes of the Egyptian government - something Israeli officials regularly point out, and millions of protesters against Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, across the Arab world affirm.

Egypt allowed the crossing to remain open for several days when Hamas blew up part of the wall in January 2008. It has since kept it largely sealed despite the dire humanitarian situation, putting its relationship with Israel - and more importantly, with the US - ahead of the welfare of Gaza's 1.5 million residents.

Indeed, the collusion of Israel's neighbour, Egypt, and its biggest patron, the US, in ghettoizing Gaza creates a triangular network of responsibility that has no parallel with the Nazi control over Warsaw, and Poland more broadly.

The second and more important reason for developing a more accurate historical model for Gaza is that comparing Gaza and the Warsaw Ghetto diminishes Palestinian agency.

If Gaza is today's Warsaw, then Palestinians have no hope. There is no solution, no new strategies worth considering besides nihilistic violence that invites a far more deadly response.

Such a view, which has long characterised Hamas's worldview, limits if not closes the horizons of political action by Palestinians, making it harder to come up with more creative strategies to resist and even transcend the occupation.

Ultimately, it creates a self-fulfilling prophecy, as the inertia of hopeless violence produces ever more intense responses.

Politicide, not genocide

After visiting Gaza in 2003, Oona King, a Jewish British politician, compared Gaza and Warsaw, explaining that they are "the same in nature but not extent".

However, it is impossible to separate the extent of Nazi policies in and surrounding the Warsaw Ghetto from the nature of the ghetto, since each determined and reinforced the other.

The Warsaw Ghetto was essentially a holding pen for livestock headed for slaughter.
The Gaza ghetto is a "concentration camp" - as Cardinal Renato Martino, the Vatican's justice and peace minister, termed it - intended to force Palestinians to accept a rump state with a few trappings of sovereignty, bisected by huge Jewish settlement blocs, severed from East Jerusalem, and without hope for returning anything but a miniscule percentage of refugees to their homeland.

This intolerable situation was labelled by the late Israeli sociologist Baruch Kimmerling as politicide. Its goal is clearly to make the creation of a viable Palestinian state all but impossible to achieve.

But Gaza in 2009 is not Warsaw in 1943. It is worth remembering that the Jewish uprising did little if anything to stop the Holocaust.

The Gaza ghetto has its own historical roots and therefore the possibility of a different trajectory and, hopefully, a more positive denouement than did Warsaw.

Only with a clear and objective understanding of the roots, nature and purpose of the Gaza ghetto, and of the ongoing occupation of the West Bank and Gaza more broadly, can a different and more positive ending to the Palestinian - and Israeli - narratives be written.

Mark LeVine is a professor of Middle East history at the University of California, Irvine, and is the author of Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam and the soon to be published An Impossible Peace: Israel/Palestine Since 1989.

Gaza fishermen face daily dangers

Egyptian Civil Engineer — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 09:04:49 EST

Weeks after Israel's war on Gaza, the suffering of people in the Strip has not ended.

Israel maintains a blockade, on land, in the air and at sea. For fishermen in Gaza, making a living has become harder and more dangerous, as Al Jazeera's Mike Kirsch reports.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNG0updjaX4

What good does it do now, UN's apology and retracting from fake 'war crimes charges' after UN's criminal tarnishing Innocent Israel damage is already done?

Natalia from Acampo, CA — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 13:57:17 EST

What good does it do now, UN's apology and retracting from fake 'war crimes charges' after UN's criminal tarnishing Innocent Israel damage is already done?

UN retracts claim over Gaza school attackFeb 4, 2009 http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0204/gaza.html

UN retracts claim deadly Israeli strike hit Gaza school - ABC News ...Feb 5, 2009 ... The United Nations has retracted a claim that an Israeli strike which killed more than 40 people in northern Gaza city of Jabaliya last ... http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/05/2482698.htm

UN retracts claim deadly Israeli strike hit Gaza school Feb 4, 2009 ... The News International - Get breaking news, latest top stories, business, sports and entertainment news. See the news happening as the ... http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=67566

UN retracts claim deadly Israeli strike hit Gaza school All ...Feb 4, 2009 ... remember all those viral emails that you have received - here are all of them. http://allviralemails.com/2009/02/04/un-retracts-claim-deadly-israeli-strike-hit-gaza-school

Abbas, Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, American Muslims, Arab lobby, Arabs, CAIR, Cast Lead, Council of American Islamic Relations, counter terrorism, Fatah, FBI, Gaza, GWOT, Hamas, HLS, human shields, IAF, IDF, Islam, Islamic Jihad, Islamic Lobby, Islamofascism, Jews, Jihad, Muslim, Muslims, oil, oil lobby, Palestine, Palestinians, Qassam, rockets attack, Suicide bombing, terrorism, US, war on terror, Zionism, UN, War crimes - lies, Zionists

Israel VS Genocide (updated Feb. 2009)

Natalia from Acampo, CA — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:39:38 EST

Israel VS Genocide

Israel VS Islamo Arab campaign of Genocide.

Attempted Genocide From the Start [1] Israel has always faced (radical) Arab genocide, To fully understand current conflicts in the Middle East, history must be recalled. [2] It exist a common phrase: 'If the Jews would just lay down their weapons there would be no more Israel' [3].

Table of Contents

1 1920s
2 1967
3 Current
4 Radical Islam (as a whole)
5 Mainstream [Palestinian & other] Arabs
- 5.1 Genocidal Agenda under 'Pro Palestinian' propaganda

1920s

The first Arab sponsored terrorist attacks upon Jews occurred in 1920 [4] a highlighted tragedy is The Hebron Massacre of 1929 where thousands of Arabs descended from Har Hebron, shouting "Kill the Jews!" in Arabic [5] [6].

This was not the first mass racist attack by Arabs against unarmed civilian Jews in British Mandate ‘Palestine,’ nor would it be the last attempted extermination. [7].

It was the Mufti who sought to annihilate the tiny State of Israel [8], The Palestinian Mufti's Deal with Hitler: 'Kill All the Jews in the Middle East' [9].

1967

Though Haim Weizmann declared he would accept a Jewish state even with the size of a tablecloth — still, even that was rejected by the Arabs who swore to "throw the Jews into the sea" and attacked in force to fulfill that oath. [10].

What the Fight in Israel Is All About... Spring of 1967 the Arab countries, led by Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt, prepared to attack Israel and, in their own words, “throw the Jews into the sea. [11] [12], the Arab leaders' slogan : We’ll Throw Them into the Sea" [13]

CurrentRadical Islam (as a whole)

New Radical Islamic Thinking Justifying The Genocide of Infidels [14], Specifically Radical Islam's Threat of Genocide against the Jews is more and more revealed [15][16] [17].

The Palestinians Encourage Genocide [18] and on Palestinian TV openly call: Kill All The Jews [19], Palestinian Muslim cleric urges all Arabs to kill Jews, Christians [20], (Even calling to Kill all Americans [21]), Islamic sermons broadcast on Palestinian Authority have also been openly genocidal [22] An ideology of genocidal radical Islamism - Jihad-Islamism.[23]

At the second Palestinian violent Intifada, they came up with a new (tool in) Genocide: Suicide Bombing, designed to massacre the most masses of civilians possible [24] [25].

An emphasis in radicals' work is indoctrinating Palestinian Children to Genocidal Hate, Imams are extremely influential in successfully emphasizing the goals of jihad and martyrdom [26] Especially the Islamic party: Hamas promotes Islamic supremacy over the world, "The Hamas Ideology of Hatred and Genocide: Islamic supremacy over the world, destroying Israel and Jews [27], vows to 'drink' Jewish blood, group would drink the blood of Jews [28], Hamas Mickey-Mouse-like character to incite for genocide [29], Genocide of Jews remains Hamas goal [30] and declare: "The Final Goal of the Resistance is to Wipe This Entity Off the Face of the Earth" "We are making the preparations for a confrontation. This is not because we need to be prepared for an Israeli act of aggression - after all, aggression is intrinsic to this entity - but because the final goal of the resistance is to wipe this entity off the face of the Earth. This goal necessitates the development of the capabilities of the resistance, until this entity is wiped out." [31]

Hamas, the Muslim-Brotherhood-linked terror group dedicated to the annihilation of Israel through jihad [32], The people who comprise Hamas are dedicated to the annihilation of Israel and the slaughter of every Jew who lives there [33] in its Charter 1988 it states: 'Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it' ... Hamas wants the ‘islamisation’ of all the Middle East (as a first phase) [34].

Al Qaeda

In Al-Qaeda's Intellectual Legacy - Islamic Thinking justifying the genocide of infidels, According to al- Ali, all citizens of Israel are to be considered combatants. [35].

Hezbollah

In her book 'Lebanon's Hezbollah' (2003, Page 49) Ann Byers writes: 'In the 1990s, Hezbollah was training members of the terrorist groups Al Qaeda... (it supported the PLO as) in its early days the PLO was dedicated to the annihilation of Israel'. [36].

The Hezbollah Founding Statement contains a section titled “The Necessity for the Destruction of Israel,” which reads as follows: “We see in Israel the vanguard of the United States in our Islamic world. It is the hated enemy that must be fought until the hated ones get what they deserve . . . Therefore our struggle will end only when this entity is obliterated. [37]

Hezbollah calling on Muslims to kill all Jewish Israelis with firearms, knives and poison [38]

The widening arena of Hezbollah's attacks stemmed from Nasrallah's perception that Jews anywhere are legitimate targets. In fact, Hasan Nasarallah has said: If they (Jews) all gather in Israel, it will save us the trouble of going after them worldwide. (Daily Star, Oct. 23, 2002) [39].

More from Hassan Nasrallah, Leader of Hezbollah on Al Manar: "Let the entire world hear me. Our hostility to the Great Satan, America, is absolute. Regardless of how the world has changed after September 11, death to America will remain our reverberating and powerful slogan: Death to America." (House Record: 'war is ugly but tyranny is uglier'). [40], "Martyrdom operations -- suicide bombings -- should be exported outside Palestine. I encourage Palestinians to take suicide bombings worldwide. Don't be shy about it." [41]

Hezbollah’s renewal of Jihad Genocide on Global “Jewish Targets” (June, 2008) [42].

The Muslim Brotherhood

The 'Muslim Brotherhood's Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradhawi: 'There is No Dialogue between Us and the Jews Except by the Sword and the Rifle' [43]

Ahmadinejad

Islamic Republic of Iran's President Mahmud Ahmadinejad's call for Israel to be "wiped off the map" has triggered a sharp international response and widespread condemnation [44] [45] (It was not mistranslated [46]). has been described as wanting to carry out another genocide aimed at destroying the State of Israel [47], He 'faced genocide case', in 14 Dec 2006 was expected to be the target of a lawsuit which accuses him of inciting genocide against Israel. [48] [49].

In 2007, Ahmadinejad has threatened (again) the State of Israel with annihilation, Iran: 'Israel, US will soon die' [50]

Mainstream [Palestinian & other] Arabs

Even many of 'moderate Arabs' have been accused of this [51], in a poll of February 16, 2007 '75% of Palestinians do not think that Israel has the right to exist' [52].

Jerusalem Post's C. Glick: No Tolerance for Genocide , Genocide: The Spirit of Palestine... in Palestinian society today. It is not just Hamas or Tanzim or Islamic Jihad that we must fight, but Palestinian society itself must be transformed for there to be peaceful coexistence. Poll after poll shows that a solid majority of Palestinians from all socio-economic levels supports suicide bombers and other forms of terrorism against Israel. In fact the polls show that the higher the socio-economic level of the respondents, the stronger their support for terrorism. Virulent, Nazi-style Jew hatred and dehumanization has become for the Palestinians, as for the Germans before them, the central unifying theme of society. The best-seller lists in the PA for years have included such works as Mein Kampf and the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. [53] [54] [55] [56].

Genocidal Agenda under 'Pro Palestinian' propaganda

On the so called 'Palestinian documentaries'. T. Menaker: 'College Film Festival: Kill the Jews', It is understandable that the mere existence of Israel in such close proximity is unbearable. What is strikingly serious in all these films is that if one were to count the most often used words, these words would be "humiliation" and "Kill the Jews!" Even in the most peaceful and idealistic documentary... a young boy asked what he wants to do when he grows up is prompted by his father: "Kill the Jews!" When asked to draw a picture of his future he draws himself killing Israelis. [57]

The International Solidarity Movement - a 'Palestinian' propaganda machine, organized many activities, including on US campus, both, the ISM and PSM support in thinly veiled language suicide bombings... in their gatherings the audience chanted "Kill the Jews" - "Ittbach al yahood" in Arabic [58].

The International Solidarity Movement (ISM), its American, student affiliate the Palestinian Solidarity Movement, and other radical left-wing groups label every inch of Israeli territory as “occupied Palestine,” advocate destroying the Jewish State by “any means necessary,” and openly condone terrorism and Muslim suicide bombers as a means for accomplishing this goal. These groups are working to eliminate a population of six million Jews. [59].

At Israel's operation against Hamas terrorists in 'cast lead' [60] December 2008-January 2009, anti Israel Arab Muslim protesters called for Jews to 'Go Back to the Oven', to 'kill all the Jews', or: “Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas” [61], Other demonstrators held signs that said "Nuke Israel," and a number made comparisons to the Holocaust [62] [63] [64] [65] [66] [67].

Phyllis Chesler: Today, we have grown used to seeing Palestinian and Hamas supporters goose-step, Nazi-style, shoot out their arms as they deliver the Hitlerian "Sieg Heil" salute. They also chant and scream: "Jews to the ovens," "Hitler did not kill enough of you," "Jews to the gas chambers." [68].

Needs Related to Gaza

Jill 4 Obama — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:25:10 EST

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release February 2, 2009
January 27, 2009
Presidential Determination

No. 2009-15

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE
SUBJECT: Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration

Needs Related to Gaza

By the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 2(c)(1) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962 (the "Act"), as amended (22 U.S.C. 2601), I hereby determine, pursuant to section 2(c)(1) of the Act, that it is important to the national interest to furnish assistance under the Act in an amount not to exceed $20.3 million from the United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund for the purpose of meeting unexpected and urgent refugee and migration needs, including by contributions to international, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations and payment of administrative expenses of the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration of the Department of State, related to humanitarian needs of Palestinian refugees and conflict victims in Gaza.

You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

BARACK OBAMA

Mosques not spared in Gaza war

Egyptian Civil Engineer — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 11:44:39 EST

Gazans have started the massive task of rebuilding, after Israel's three-week war on the strip.

Even its 24 mosques weren't spared.

But for the first time since the offensive ended, Muslims will be able to hold Friday prayers.

Zeina Awad reports from Gaza City.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXLDQgRIiiA

Re: Prez. Obama's intervierw on Al Arabiya

Ginah from Washington, DC — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:26:14 EST

Obama: U.S. not your enemy “I have Muslim members of my family. I have lived in Muslim countries,” Obama said, according to a White House transcript. ...Obama's shift Monday was one of tone, not of policy, and he also affirmed America's support for Israel.

"Israel is a strong ally of the United States. They will not stop being a strong ally of the United States. And I will continue to believe that Israel's security is paramount," he said. "But I also believe that there are Israelis who recognize that it is important to achieve peace. They will be willing to make sacrifices if the time is...
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/18016.html

____________________________________

The answer to these spinning words (hinting a possiblity to interpret it by the Muslim world, as if peace and pro Israel are contradictory), in fact, you can be pro democracy, pro freedom, pro Israel (anti Jihad) and wanting to achieve peace.

How about some true words, like: 'Pro Palestinian' means more Jihadism, oppression and dictatorship in the name of Islam, terrorism masked as "freedom fighting", war using kids in the theater of war under the banner of "freeing land"?

Next time Mr. Obama, please be clear in what you say don't intentionally mislead and create room for different "versions".

JENINITIS

Unknown user — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:45:33 EST

JENINITIS

Jeninitis is Islamic Palestinian Pallywood’s syndrome of lying, 1) inflating numbers of casualties, collateral by-standers in Israel’s anti terrorists operation (heck, they even had the audacity to add dead bodies dug out of graves),

2) Lying about the authentic percentage of combatants vs non-combatants, all as part of its staged drama hype, their strategy is, first lie, after the anti Israel bigoted tarnishing bombarding propaganda is done, whatever real facts surface later on, don’t matter, as the damage to Israel is already done.

In Jenin 2002, the Arab Palestinians have been exposed as inflating the numbers of casualties on Israel’s operation, Saeb Erekat initially claimed on CNN that there were more than 500 dead, at the end it turned out that there were no more than (around) 50, mostly combatants.
When confronted on CNN on the ‘numbers’, he stuttered, spun, and changed subject.
So was the case in Dec. - Jan. 2009, at operation ‘Cast Lead’ against Palestinian Islamic terrorists Hamas (who openly seeks annihilation of all Jews in the area) rockets targeting of Israeli southern zone, where about a Million civilians were under their range, fear of terror, and using Arab civilians to mingle with them and as shields to cause as many civilian casualties, the world TV have been broadcasting constantly from Jihadists’

Hamas hospitals with invented exaggerated numbers up to 1,200 and up.

Later on it turned out that no more than 500-600 have died, and of course, 90% were Hamas terror combatants.

Point is, that a death cult “people” that are willing to murder

(directly or indirectly) its own civilians for the sake of gaining sympathy

to its fake victimhood, there is never a shred of logic to take seriously

anything coming from their “source”.

Augean Stables » Jenin Redux: Casualty Figures Reconsidered
22 Jan 2009 … The UN’s humanitarian chief began a tour of the Gaza Strip on Thursday to examine the extent …
http://www.theaugeanstables.com/2009/01/22/1610/

‘Maximum 600 Palestinians died in Gaza’ , (Jan 22, 2009) Israel Cremonesi interviewed Gazans who echoed Israel’s insistence of how Hamas gunmen used civilians as human shields. One Gazan recalled civilians in Gaza …
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1232292939271&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Gazan doctor says death toll inflated - Ynetnews
22 Jan 2009 …Gaza’s Shifa Hospital claimed that Hamas has intentionally …
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3660423,00.html

Gaza doctor: Hamas exaggerated Gaza death toll – 500 to 600 killed, mostly fighters, not 1,250
January 22, 2009
* Italy’s leading newspaper, after a thorough investigation in Gaza, reports that the Gaza death toll was 500 to 600, mostly fighters, not 1,250 as other media have claimed. Other media relying on thoroughly impartial, bigoted UN sources
* “Hamas using UNRWA school buildings and hospitals as torture centers”

* Torture by Hamas of Palestinian opponents continues at a children’s hospital, but Western media and NGOs are suddenly silent

* Pro-Gaza demonstration in Ramallah canceled for a lack of protesters. Third Intifada? Not anytime soon

* New polls show only a minority of Americans now think Palestinians should have their own state

[This is a further dispatch on this month’s Israel-Hamas mini-war. This dispatch contains various notes and comments, mainly by myself. Another dispatch with articles by others on the war’s outcome, provisionally titled “Israel refuses to win,” will follow over the weekend. (Previous dispatches can be read here.)
http://www.tomgrossmedia.com/mideastdispatches/archives/001004.html

IMRA - Saturday, April 27, 2002 The Palestinians in the Jenin ...
investigate the happenings in the Jenin refugee camp, Palestinians are ... bodies recently added, those from the hospital cemetery, bring the number up ..
http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=11656

The Truth About Jenin [PPT]
File Format: Microsoft Powerpoint
Israel’s casualties in Jenin were the highest of all West bank fighting: 23. … The bodies recently added, those from the hospital cemetery, …
http://www.deolhonamidia.org.br/includes/redirect.asp?URL=../Slides/TruthJenin.ppt

The Big Jenin Lie
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/001/218vnicq.asp

Jenin Lie
http://www.honestreporting.com/articles/critiques/Jenin_Lies.asp

Anatomy of Anti-Israel Incitement:Jenin, World Opinion and the Massacre That Wasn’t. International organizations, non-governmental agencies and many foreign …
http://www.adl.org/Israel/jenin/

Jenin: Massacring Truth
http://www.aish.com/jewishissues/mediaobjectivity/Jenin_Massacring_Truth.asp

Radio Show Update

"Voice for Humanity" — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:01:25 EST

Schedule Update:

January 24, 2009, Air time - 8.00 - 10.00 P.M(PST)

Category: Current Events

Topic: Wall Street Bailout

Discussion:

What should financial institutions do with taxpayers’ bailout?

Why haven’t the financial institutions invested funds to stimulate economy?

What is public demand from them and the legislators?

——————————————————————————————————————-

January 25, 2009, Air Time 2.00 - 4.00P.M (PST) - (5.00 - 7.00P.M EST)

Topic: Free Palestine

Discussion:

1. How can we help to expedite independent state for Palestinians free of Israeli blockade, occupation and aggression?

2. What should the new administration do to be a trustworthy partner and unbiased peace broker in the Middle East conflict?

3. How can we help Israeli population elect a moderate government in early February favoring peace and diplomacy over military action for their national security and sovereignty?

——————————————————————————————————————

January 30, 2009, 120 minutes 2.00P.M - 4.00P.M - Cancelled due to restrictions on segments at frequent intervals.

Category: Current Events

Topic: Economy and Health Care - Please refer to blog post on www.padminiarhant.com for details and I invite you to post comments.

What should the new administration do for you and the economy?

How do we fix the Health Care system?

———————————————————————————-

Podcast live : http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Padmini-A

Guest Call-in-number: (646) 727 -3778

I invite you all to participate in the public forum and share your concerns, ideas and knowledge.

Your comments and thoughts are welcome in the political discourse.

Let us keep democracy alive and help our new President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in rebuilding our nation.

Your participation is a huge encouragement and always appreciated - Thank you again.

Look forward to the session.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Has Israel Abandoned Its Ideals?

Ricardo — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:12:25 EST

Israel is being condemned by all and sundry for its latest incursion or as some would define it, invasion of Gaza. The shelling of UN compounds sheltering innocent civilians, the bombing of a UN school, the destruction of UN facilities storing much needed and scarce supplies and the use of phosphorous shells proscribed for use in civilian and populated theatres make some of us wonder what happened to Israel, the land we used defend till blue in the face?

I am saddened especially by the latest debacle and I seem to have the most peace when Israel is not in the news, because it would appear that the last decade or so has only brought about negativity for that young state.

A sad testament to what happens when a nation abandon its ideals under the ubiquitous guise of security.

If there ever was a nation on God's Earth, which should be very sensitive to attacks on civilians, women and children that state ought to be Israel. A just cause must carry world opinion. And yes, world opinion does matter, especially to places like Israel!

But then again, when you can get away with impunity time and again it becomes habitual. "The Palestinians started it", I can hear the apologists say. But what makes a nation civilized, is that it maintains its human decency especially in the face of unwarranted provocation.

When we stoop to the same levels of barbarity as those we seem to chastise, we reduce ourselves to a level even lower than that of which we chastise others and with that comes the erosion of our moral authority. Being the most powerful state or nation does not necessarily engender respect. Ask George W Bush.

The World is changing and Israel will do very well to change with it! And if anything Israel ought to listen to its friends and note that as others are already tagging this latest adventure as genocide or extermination demonstrates one thing; This world, our world, would not sit idly by and witness the wiping out of the Palestinians as an entity or as a people, only for a car or an aircraft to be named after them, generations down the line. No mas!

This is a very sad period in Israel's current state that the only way a once beacon of hope, excellence and freedom, in an otherwise pitiful ocean of despotism can maintain political cohesion is in a bogus and fatuous adventurism not borne out of necessity but expedience. Now that is not growing out of childish things and it is very dangerous!

Israel Faces War Crimes Charges Following Gaza Slaughter

Mark C. Eades — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:51:27 EST

(Your Tax Dollars at Work in the Middle East)

The state of Israel is facing charges of war crimes following the slaughter of innocent civilians including hundreds of children in its recent campaign against Palestinian militants on the Gaza Strip. Israel's powerful ally, the United States, also faces charges of complicity in the slaughter as Palestinians declare: "This Damage Made in USA."

UN human rights expert Richard Falk said on Thursday that the recent Israeli military operation on the Gaza Strip "raises the specter of systematic war crimes" and needs to be investigated. Falk told journalists in Geneva from his home in California that he had little doubt as to the "unavoidably inhuman character of a large-scale military operation of the sort that Israel has initiated... against an essentially defenseless population." Charging that "unlawful targets have been selected" by Israeli forces during the fighting, Falk insisted that Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip including children and the wounded were effectively trapped in a war zone and prevented from fleeing.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has issued demands for a full explanation of "outrageous" Israeli attacks on UN facilities on the Gaza Strip including a school used as a refuge for civilians, killing dozens. The UN chief noted that Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert had promised to provide results of an Israeli inquiry into the attacks "on an urgent basis" and said he would then decide on "appropriate follow-up action." On January 12, the 47-member UN Human Rights Council voted by a large majority to launch an investigation into "grave" human rights violations by Israeli forces against Palestinians. Israel is also facing questions from human rights groups regarding the use of illegal weapons, including white phosphorus munitions, against Palestinian civilians on the Gaza Strip.

These charges come amid renewed calls for a global boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel from groups such as the Global BDS Movement. Recently, Canadian journalist Naomi Klein wrote in support of such a boycott: "The best strategy to end the increasingly bloody occupation is for Israel to become the target of the kind of global movement that put an end to apartheid in South Africa." Some are also calling for a boycott of US exports for its continuing support of Israeli actions against Palestinians.

The Palestinian death toll from Israel's recent war on Gaza currently stands at around 1300, most of whom were innocent civilians, and around a third of whom were children. Ten Israeli soldiers and three civilians were killed in Israel during the same period, an indicator of Israel's massively disproportionate response to Palestinian attacks on Israelis. A total of twenty-eight Israelis have been killed by Palestinian rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip since 2001, a tiny fraction of the number of Palestinians killed in Israel's recent Gaza actions alone. These numbers echo casualty figures from the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict which consistently show innocent Palestinian dead including children massively outnumbering Israelis.

Rocket attacks on Israel from the Gaza Strip deserve both condemnation by the international community and a proportionate response by Israel. The killing of one Israeli in a rocket attack does not, however, entitle Israel to respond by slaughtering twenty, thirty, or forty innocent Palestinian civilians. Such slaughter, furthermore, will no more stop Hamas' rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip than it stopped Hezbollah's rocket attacks from Lebanon in 2006. Just as Hezbollah could declare victory in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war simply by surviving to fight another day, so Hamas can declare victory in Gaza this day. Meanwhile, Israel increasingly becomes a pariah state in the eyes of the world, as does the United States for its complicity in the slaughter. Ever-growing anger particularly in the Arab world serves America's national security interests no better than it serves Israel's.

Behold, America: Your tax dollars at work in the Middle East.

Out of the tragedy of Gaza, perhaps, will come renewed opportunity to hold Israel accountable for its actions, to press for a new US policy on the Middle East, for peace, and for an end to Israel's long and bloody occupation of the Palestinian Territories. Boycott, divestment, and sanctions efforts such as those promoted by the Global BDS Movement have a proven track record of success as in the case of South Africa, and deserve our support. UN efforts to hold Israel accountable for its actions also deserve our support, but are likely to require UN Security Council action of the type America with its power of veto most often and most notoriously obstructs. Pressure, therefore, needs to be applied to the White House and Congress for a new US approach to the conflict and a new US attitude in the UN Security Council. Whether our new ambassador to the UN offers active support with a "yes" vote or passive permission by abstaining on UN efforts to hold Israel accountable for its actions, our message to the new administration regarding these efforts can be stated clearly and briefly as follows: NO VETO!

Sources: Agence France Presse, Time, Los Angeles Times, Haaretz, New Straits Times, Bay Area Indymedia, B'Tselem, Human Rights Watch.

Slide show: Gaza Massacre by Sabbah.

Photo gallery: Child victims of Gaza violence.

Contacts:

The White House

US Mission to the UN

Contact your US Senators

Contact your US Representative

Mark C. Eades
http://www.mceades.com

Only 'Maximum 600 Palestinians died in Gaza' (re: Pallywood inflated numbers)

Unknown user — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:34:46 EST

'Maximum 600 Palestinians died in Gaza' Jerusalem Post, Israel (Jan 22, 2009)
Cremonesi interviewed Gazans who echoed Israel's insistence of how Hamas gunmen
used civilians as human shields. One Gazan recalled civilians in Gaza ...

'Video: Palestinians in Gaza Reopen Smuggling Tunnels' - http://www.youtube.com/v/w1_CJXAzows

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1232292939271&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

More Palestinian Crimes on their kids - Hamas TV calls Gaza Children to form a human shield [video] liveleak.com — News flash on Hamas TV - following a threatened air strike, Hamas calls all Gaza CHILDREN to gather near the house of Abu Hatai to form a hu

Natalia from Acampo, CA — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:16:47 EST

Hamas TV calls Gaza Children to form a human shield [video] liveleak.com — News flash on Hamas TV - following a threatened air strike, Hamas calls all Gaza CHILDREN to gather near the house of Abu Hatai to form a human shield. (Jan 2009)
Video - http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=351_1231430391 Hamas calls upon all Gaza children to gather near a house to form a human shield
http://digg.com/world_news/Hamas_TV_calls_Gaza_Children_to_form_a_human_shield_video

---

Then we will see the dead Arab kids parading on global TV screens again!

Palestinian Muslims' crimes on their people never stops!

National Security and Foreign Affairs

Janice C. from Chicago, IL — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 03:12:31 EST

The National Security and Foreign Affairs (NSFA) sub-committee of Team Obama Hyde Park is engaged in the following: (1. Participating in Camp Hope which is "Organized by a coalition of social justice, religious and peace organizations from the Chicago area, Camp Hope's goal is to remind President-elect Obama of the progressive themes he sounded in his campaign and urge him to follow through with policy changes when he takes office later this month" (http://camphope2009.org/) Among the sessions members are attending are:Discussion Withdrawal of Troops from Iraq; Jan. 7, Myths and Realities about U.S. in Afghanistan; Jan. 10, Witness Against Torture Reform; Jan.11, The Gaza Crisis; Jan. 14. (2. Arranging presentations to community groups of the state of readiness of Hyde Park to respond to a natural or man-made disaster. We will be working with the Red Cross (http://www.usa.redcross.org/) and others with an emphasis on educating the public on preparedness.

Sharon Klopner, Committee Chair

How the BBC does it - legitimizing monsters in the M.E. (Hamas palestinian bloody Jihad, etc.)

Natalia from Acampo, CA — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:26:28 EST

BBC's way of how to legitimize monsters in the middle east

Forget BBC bias, BBC is totally anti Israel committed, 100% on the side of most radical Islamic group on the middle east, the Genocidal Hamas!

When it interviewed (Jan 18, 2009) the Hamas spokesperson in Syria Osama Hamdan (the monster who said that the purpose of the "resistance" is to wipe off Israel) it handled him in such a manner as if he is a "normal" and average statesman.

Despite the 'big words' by the jihadi group who on top of all has that stupidity of arrogance that is only laughable if it weren't such a serious bunch of bloody murderous thugs, but BBC's audacity of replaying Hamas' phrase of: '"giving" Israel a week to pull out', as if we all don't know that Israel pulls out or back in, when it sees the situation fit to do so.

Later on (on the same day) BBC said: who is responsible for the civilian causalities in Gaza will be disputed between Israel and Hamas, (besides the fact that BBC never to explain that its all Hamas fault, but I want to talk about BCC's worse part than just bias anyway) again this "en par" equation between a democratic free for all unique country in the middle east (where an Arab can get to highest position in Israel's govt.) vs the Islamic group that oppresses any non Muslims and acts towards a totalitarian repressive Caliphate.

Listen to the cries of the children

Compassion — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 11:30:40 EST

This morning I read the world blog post by an NBC producer and was brought to tears. We must demand in America a new direction in our policy towards the Middle East. We are not a nation that condones the shelling of schools and shelters where children are hiding from the ravages of war. Our tax dollars paid for the bullets which have ended up in the bodies of hundreds of young innocent children. We can no longer subscribe to this carnage. A new direction in American policy must be set. Here is the link to the NBC blog:

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/01/16/1747060.aspx

"No room at the Inn"

"NERVIE" — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:55:46 EST

BLOG January 7, 2009. Bush is still the President of the United States until January 20, 2009 which is in 13 days. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Meantime, ladies and gentlemen there is only one President in the United States at a time.

The fact that the media is constantly asking President Elect Barack Obama or members of his staff for Obama’s point of view is staggering. Why aren’t the cameras and microphones still rolling on Bush’s face and demanding answers from him for his numerous discretions? Could it be that someone is worried about Obama not continuing the Bush Administrations “shoot them up” conciliatory reaction to the Israeli government on the Palestinians?

We are talking about the same Bush Administration who couldn’t find room at the Blair Manor inn, 35 rooms and 34 bathrooms in a 70,000 sq. ft. home with its own florist designated for heads of state when they are visiting White House officials. Knowing that the Obama girls needed grounding to prepare for school, the Bush Administration, gave the excuse that “because the place

was booked already” they could not be accommodated”. So even though this request was sent to the Bush staff by the 15th of December, the Obama family moved to another hotel across the street from the White House. Now we learn Monday night from the New York Times and reporter Carlson, that there wasn’t anyone at the Manor at the time and that “the past” Australian leader, was staying only on one day, isn’t due to be here until the 13th of January was asked to come by Bush once they realized that there could be a check. Bush couldn’t find a room at the Hilton for this guy? He isn’t a head of state now. Makes you wonder what is really behind the Manor excuse? Why isn’t the media slamming Bush for this?

“The coalition of the willing” is suppose to be behind the loyality to the Australian leader but rumor has it that Bush is meeting with this leader inorder to coerce him into accepting the prisoners of Guatanamo since Obama plans on closing Guatanamo. Alledgedly the purpose is to move the prisoners so that they don’t have media contact or the possibility of speaking to any members of the Obama team who are believed to have suffered torture, waterboarding, and maiming in the hope

CBS “Hot Sheet” reports today that President elect Barack Obama is deflecting responses regarding the Israeli and Hamas violence and killing with the following comments:

"We can't have two administrations running foreign policy at the same time. We simply can't do it," Mr. Obama said. "Until I take office, it would be imprudent of me to start sending out signals that we are running foreign policy."

On a follow-up, he was asked whether how his silence on the issue should be interpreted.

"I can't control how people interpret what I'm saying," he said. "The silence is not a consequence of lack of concern."

Israel needs to open up Gaza and allow the residents to move back and forth over the border, especially to acquire food, medicine and business. There needs to be a discussion over the representation of the Palestine community:

Why did the people choose Hamas to represent them?

Why does Israel always use military means to negotiate?

Haven’t we learned that war should be the last resort?

A master negotiator needs to come forth and find a means to an ever ending saga.

Imagine the mentally unstability of all the families in this region. We see the whole mental health community turn out in our area when a child dies. We are taking about hundreds of children dying from both sides of the conflict.

This morning on CNN Lee Hamilton says that the “opportunity to move decisively needs to be addressed and he hopes that based on Obama’s normal response to situations that he will be as concise and deliberate in responding to the Israeli situation. He believes the Bush Administration have performed poorly in this regard.”

Obama, I'm disappointed in you.

Jedidiah Palosaari — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:00:06 EST

I've been waiting. I've been thinking, "There's still some time for him to say something. He's biding his time." I've been believing him when he says there can only be one President at a time. Then he spoke out on the economy during the transition, and I believed him when he said, "Especially on foreign affairs, there can only be one President at a time." That makes sense. Sure, he spoke out against the terrorists in Mumbai, but that was more of an expression of sadness for those who lost their lives, as the terrorist action was relatively short. I could justify that. And there were so many others who were already speaking out against the atrocity better than I could.

Then Obama, while still President Elect, began speaking on foreign policy, letting it be known he'd negotiate with Hamas, and would be closing the Guantanamo Prison. Yet, still, nothing. Nothing from the man who ran on the principle that he's for justice, because his Lord is for justice. Nothing on the man who spoke of equality, and bringing righteousness back to American foreign policy.

So President Obama, I ask you, if you do not speak out when 1,000 people are murdered by a foreign power in only three weeks, when at least 50% and probably 70% of them are civilians, when the population of the area is 50% below the age of 15 and 75% of the population is below the age of 25, leading to a high percentage of those killed being children, when that population is refused the right to leave the small, concentrated area that's being bombed, so that we can not refer to this in any other way than to say it is localized ethnic cleansing- if you do not speak out now, Obama, then when? We now know you actually do speak out on foreign policy issues, even when you are still only the President-Designate. Where is your voice? What are you waiting for?

For if you wait too long you face the same situation that Martin Neimoller experienced:

In Germany they first came for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me -
and by that time no one was left to speak up.

How long will you wait, President Obama? For we are starting to get the sinking impression, that you are not actually waiting, but instead, will not bring the change we hope for- you will do the same as nearly every President before you, and support the actions of Israel, no matter what they do.

Or is there actually something Israel could do that you would disapprove of? Or will you surprise us all in your inaugeration speech, and finally speak out against the apartheid and ethnic cleansing of Ghaza? Give me hope again, Obama.

JEWISH ANTI-SEMITISM

WEBMASTER — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:32:55 EST

Amid anti-Semitic storm, Europe’s Jews stand for Israel
By Dinah Spritzer · 13 January 2009

see http://jta.org/news/article/2009/01/13/1002216/amid-anti-semitic-storm-europes-jews-stand-for-israel

PRAGUE (JTA) -- Confronting a rising storm of anti-Semitism as the conflict in Gaza intensifies, European Jews are grappling with the best way to express their support for Israel's fight against Hamas.

Recent assaults on Jews in European capitals range from the beating of a Jewish teenager in a Paris suburb by assailants who vowed she would “pay for Israel's acts” to the compilation on an Islamist Web site of a hit list of prominent British Jews. Jewish monuments in France and Sweden have been firebombed. And in Italy, a workers’ political party called for a boycott of Jewish stores.

While Jews have taken to the streets in the hundreds or thousands to demonstrate for peace and Israel’s right to defend itself, they are dwarfed by the tens and hundreds of thousands participating in protests against Israel. In many cases, top European political figures have supported the protests. Sometimes the rallies have turned violent.

The 27-country European Union has approximately 1.8 million Jews and 17 million Muslims, and that difference is keenly visible in the size of events relating to the war in Gaza and southern Israel.

After some 1,000 Jews turned out last week for a rally in Brussels in support of Israel -- held opposite the Embassy of Iran, which funds Hamas -- tens of thousands showed up Sunday for a march against what they called Israel's “massacre in Gaza.” The pro-Palestinian rally was organized by three of the four main political parities in the French-speaking part of Belgium, along with some 100 or so nongovernmental organizations.

Chanting “Death to Jews!” in Arabic, the crowd burned Israeli flags and carried signs calling Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni “Hitler's wife.”

“In a way, Jews feel alone,” said Joel Rubinfeld, the president of the umbrella group of French-speaking Jews in Belgium, known by the acronym CCOJB. “But lots of non-Jews are disgusted, too” with the anti-Semitic messages, he added.

Massive anti-Israel demonstrations last weekend in France, Brussels and Madrid have included anti-Semitic chants such as “Jews to the gas” and swastikas paired with the Star of David.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry, the European Jewish Congress, the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Anti-Defamation League have implored European officials to acknowledge and combat the importing of the Middle East conflict to Europe and the scapegoating of Jews.

Countries with large Muslims populations, including France, Belgium and Britain, have seen the largest number of anti-Semitic incidents.

Britain's Community Security Trust, which monitors Jewish security issues, recorded a huge surge in anti-Semitic attacks -- 80 in total -- since Israel began bombing Hamas targets in Gaza on Dec. 27.

Undeterred, British Jews staged the largest European demonstration in support of Israel's right to security in this conflict. Sunday's demonstration, which also expressed sympathy for Palestinian civilians, drew 17,000 people to London's Trafalgar Square.

“I decided to do something after watching too much television and seeing the huge coverage of the anti-Israel demonstrations,” said one Jewish Londoner, Matt Freelander, who participated in a pro-Israel rally last week.

In France, Nicole Yardeni, the president of the CRIF Jewish umbrella group in Toulouse, decided not to hold a pro-Israel rally in the region after a car filled with Molotov cocktails rammed into the front gate of a synagogue Jan. 5.

“It's not that we are afraid,” she said of the community of approximately 20,000. But faced with consistent pro-Palestinian rallies that outnumber Toulouse Jews, Yardeni said the community “could not hold its own on the street” and thus could not have a “successful” protest.

In recent days, the CRIF held pro-Israel rallies in Paris, Marseilles and near Lyon.

The Marseilles rally was unusual in that every major local politician joined the crowd of about 4,000. The Paris rally did not have the same political backing. Many attendees said they left family and friends behind because they were afraid of publicly supporting Israel after seeing the violence and virulent anti-Zionism in a pro-Palestinian protest a day earlier.

"Once again, when in trouble, we've found ourselves alone," Patrick Gaubert, the president of the International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism, wrote in a letter published Jan. 8 in a French Jewish weekly.

In Italy, whose prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has been honored by Jewish groups for being pro-Israel, pro-Israel rallies drew government officials.

In Germany, anti-Israel marches were relatively calm, but some marchers carried signs reading “Out with Jews” or "Israelis are child murderers.”

German Jews have turned out for pro-Israel rallies, too, albeit in small numbers. A rally in Frankfurt drew 2,000, while one in Berlin had 1,500 participants.

“When people see our small group,” said Sharon Adler, who co-organized the Berlin rally on Sunday, "perhaps they will understand that Israel is also a much smaller country than all the Arab countries around it, and that Jews in Germany are also a small minority."

In Stockholm, where the Jewish community numbers 5,000, a peace event in support of Israel held Saturday night at a church drew 800 people -- about half of whom were not Jewish, according to Lena Posner, the president of the Swedish Jewish community.

“There were about 100 people outside the church shouting insults against Israel,” Posner said. “The police had to close off the whole area around the church and we were escorted back to our cars in groups of 15.”

Earlier in the day, 8,000 protesters chanting anti-Israel slogans gathered for a mostly Muslim demonstration in Stockholm that included the head of the Swedish Socialist Party and the country’s former foreign minister. A Liberal Party legislator attended the pro-Israel event.

Elsewhere in the country, a burial chapel in the Jewish cemetery in central Malmo was firebombed for the third time since Israel began its operation in Gaza.

In Spain, violent incidents have been minimal, although an anti-Israel rally there on Saturday was Europe’s biggest such rally thus far, with crowd estimates ranging from 50,000 to 250,000.

Representatives of Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and his ruling Socialist Party were among those who participated. Some participants called for jihad, or holy war, praised Hezbollah and cursed Israel. The Israeli Embassy in Madrid took the rare step of openly chastising the prime minister for fueling anti-Israel anger.

“There was hate speech definitely, and a few marched to the Israeli Embassy and threw stones and the police had to intervene,” said Derek Wise, the general manager of Madrid’s Jewish community. “Our prime minister incited what was going on.''

Wise said Spanish Friends of Israel was planning a public pro-Israel event for Jan. 18.

“I understand there might be people afraid to come," he said, "but we want to show it is not only Jews, it's normal Spaniards who also understand that a democratic state like Israel has a right to defend itself.”

(JTA correspondents Devorah Lauter contributed to this story from Paris, Toby Axelrod from Berlin and Daphna Vardi from London.)

source: http://jewishamericans.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxbN2

…a letter to the official opposition party of Canada…

The Ranting Dream — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:09:52 EST

...I have yet to see a single politician muster the courage to do the right thing and to 'tell the "TRUTH" like it is' - they've chosen to silently side with the 'spin' and let the status-quo be - either they're afraid of consequences to their political careers, or they're simply corrupt, or they're just plain stupid - or all of the above (and beyond) - whatever the reason, while I'm not shocked or surprised at the behavior of the puppet morons in politics, I'm disgusted at their complete lack of integrity and conscience...and to not have a SINGLE one of them telling the 'real' story behind this attack on humanity is just ticking me off...

Interfaith Vigil to End the Israeli-Palestinian Crisis - TOMORROW, Tues. 1/13

Hayyim Feldman — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:02:50 EST

Dear Friends,

There has been a growing cry for a community gathering about the Gaza crisis that calls for an end to the violence while expressing our anguish for both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples.

Boston-area Muslim, Christian, and Jewish leaders have jointly written a statement calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and expressing our desire to demonstrate that during these most difficult of times we are prepared to stretch our hands out to each other. The statement with initial signatures can be found at the URL below.

Join us for a silent INTERFAITH VIGIL to make the declaration public and stand shoulder to shoulder with members of Boston’s Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities. Signs (drawn from the statement) will be provided. No other signs please.

Please stop brutal killing !!!

Unknown user — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:00:19 EST

I would like to draw your kind attention Mr. Obama, the most powereful president in the world to stop the brutal killing of thousands of innocent children and vulnerable women in Gaza. One of our IMAM while he was giving khutba in a Mosque on the last Friday during Jumma prayer, he stated that none in the world can stop the bloodshed except the US president. I do believe he is absolutely right. I also believe that most of the people of the world also believe the same. We as human being would like to request you earnestly not to make delay until your take over the charge, you can take necessary steps immediately to stop this inhumanitarian bloodshed. You should also take necessary measures to teach the proper lesson to the Isreally leaders who like to swim in the blood of innocent people and doing war crime everyday. Please think of it, do the needful to stop this brutality. Don't forget the world is looking towards you to see the the bloodshed stopped.

How Islamists (Palestinian Hamas & Hezbollah) murders its own kids to blame Israel (human shields of its own population)

Unknown user — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 01:02:25 EST

Photos showing Palestinian use of its own kids as shields

How Islamists make sure Arab kids die, so they can kill more innocent Israelis!

The death cult of radical Islamists (Hamas/Hezbollah) that murders its own children for the sake of tarnishing Israel

While humane Israel asks Arabs to stay away from Hamas areas, goes from house to house searching for terrorists only - risking their lives to minimize civilian casualties, the animalistic Jihadists keeps on using women and children so that more 'dead Arab kids' can show on Al Jazeera and galvanize the Islamo Arab world towards the (sick) Palestinian victimhood and to hate the "common zionist enemy", thus legitimizing their real goal, which is Genocide of course.

Op ' cast Lead' Israel/Gaza: Triple Islamic Crime: 1) Firing upon Israeli civilians, 2) using its own populations' women and children to make sure they die, so they can bash Israel even more, 3) Calling for genocide on Israelis or on all Jews.

Natalia from Acampo, CA — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:41:37 EST

December, 2008 - January 2009

Triple Islamic Crime: 1) Firing upon Israeli civilians, 2) using its own populations' women and children to make sure they die, so they can bash Israel even more, 3) Calling for genocide on Israelis or on all Jews.

Operation 'Cast Lead' - Israel decided it had (1) - enough of: Years of Islamic 'Palestinian' Hamas' barrage of rocket attacks aimed intentionally on Israeli civilians, preferably children (at the times they go to schools and kindergartens), around a Millions Israelis are under this threatening range.
(2) - The Islamic terror Hamas fights the Israeli humane anti-terror defensive forces via most inhumane tactics - using its own civilians, women and children as human shields in order to cause Arab kids' deaths and then parade with them on global TV cameras.

(3) - An expolsion of Islamofascism's hatred and call for genocide on (all) Jews in wordlwide demonstrations under the flag of "free Palestine".

On Dec. 27, Israel began defensive operations to dismantle Iran-backed Hamas’s terrorist infrastructure in Gaza and stop the terrorist group from its 8-years-long campaign of attacking Israeli civilians with 10,000 rockets, missiles and mortars.

Despite Hamas’s unrelenting rocket attacks, Israel continues to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, warning the civilian population to stay clear of terrorist sites. Said Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, "Israel has made it clear that we are fighting against terrorism, not the Gazan residents, and the extremists are the ones who are taking advantage of the concern of the humanitarian organizations and the international community as a means of pressuring Israel."
http://www.theisraelproject.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=hsJPK0PIJpH&b=689705&ct=6479 919

Harris noted that Israel has always gone to great lengths in an attempt to avoid civilian casualties, but that, tragically, Hamas uses civilians "as human shields," making Israel's efforts still more challenging. (Dec 27, 2008)

http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/12-27-2008/00049 47081&EDATE=

Hamas Prepares 15,000 Soldiers, Civilian Human Shields For Full Confrontation With Israel (Dec 27, 2008)

http://www.mererhetoric.com/archives/11275253.html

Hamas took no heed of the plight of their own brethren, "and just as they have used human shields in their terror operations, they are now taking the whole ...

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1229868820574&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Israel's Challenge Family Security Matters, NJ - Dec 26, 2008 Why is criticism never leveled at Hamas or Hezbollah who regularly use children as human shields to protect their leaders and their weapons? ...

http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.2115/pub_detail.asp

Israel retaliation in Gaza, Hamas hit hard Canada Free Press, Canada Any suspected hideouts of Hamas leadership must be taken out. Israel had opportunities in earlier decades to do this and refused because of the human shield

http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/7171

Hamas Explains Use of Civilians as Human Shields
By Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook
"We desire death as you desire life."
The UN announcement that 51 civilians have died in the conflict in Gaza must be understood in the context of Hamas's declared ideology to use civilians as human shields for Hamas fighters. Indeed, Hamas continues to emphasize and promote the religious ideology that death for Allah is an ideal to be actively pursued.
The goal is to convince Palestinians, including women and children, not to fear death but even to face it at the front to protect Hamas fighters. Hamas's placement of its military installations and fighters among civilians reflects this ideology, and has led to these 51 deaths.
A Hamas representative in the PA legislative council this year expressed pride in the fact that women and children are used as human shields in fighting Israel. He described it as part of a "death industry" at which Palestinians excel, and explained that the Palestinians "desire death" with the same intensity that Israelis "desire life."
The following is the full text of the comments by Hamas representative Fathi Hamad: "For the Palestinian people death became an industry, at which women excel and so do all people on this land: the elderly excel, the Jihad fighters excel, and the children excel. Accordingly [Palestinians] created a human shield of women, children, the elderly and the Jihad fighters against the Zionist bombing machine, as if they were saying to the Zionist enemy: We desire death as you desire life."

http://newsblaze.com/story/20081229092838zzzz.nb/topstory.html

Injured Palestinian girl: Hamas is the cause of all wars
A haunting clip from an outfit that specializes in them: Portrait of a human shield, her four-year-old sister one of 60 civilians killed...

http://hotair.com/archives/2008/12/30/injured-palestinian-girl-hamas-is-the-cause-of-all-wars/

The suffering that Hamas causes (Dec 2008) ...
But it isn't only Israelis whose fundamental human rights Hamas is violating. It is those of the Palestinian population about whose welfare Hamas professes to care.
In direct contravention of international law, Hamas uses Palestinian civilians as human shields, utilizing homes, schools and community centers as launching pads, content in the knowledge that if innocent Palestinian civilians are caught in the cross-fire, it will be Israel that is criticized. This amounts to a sort of Daily Double of human rights violations: the use of innocent Palestinians as human shields for the infliction of violence upon innocent Israelis.

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/12/30/the_suffering_that_hama s_causes/

The Father of the Human Shield Dead
DigitalJournal.com - 2 Jan 2009
Nizar al-Rayyan invented the Human Shields method. IsraelPolitik reports that Hamas has released an official statement “declaring that Dr. Nizar al-Rayyan, ...

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/264390

Ground push / Mission: Break Hamas Ha'aretz - Jan 3, 2009
Hamas may also use children as "human shields" for weapons caches inside mosques.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1052336.html

IDF launches Gaza ground operation
Ha'aretz - Jan 3, 2009
Those who use civilians, the elderly, women and children as "human shields" are responsible for any and all injuries to the civilian population.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1052341.html

They Asked For It! Hamas goads Israeli military to invade Gaza Strip
Gather.com - Jan 3, 2009
They're showing no regard for the high, civilian casualties due to the upcoming, street fighting. They're using their countrymen as human shields.

http://www.russiatoday.com/news/news/35544

NETANYAHU: This humanitarian crisis is the direct result of the Hamas tactic of firing at our civilians and hiding behind their civilians, and it’s something that we cannot tolerate. No nation would tolerate 6,000 rockets fired on its cities, and Israel finally decided to take action.

We have to make sure that we don’t just have a cease-fire, but that this criminal rocketing of our cities is not resumed a few months from now. Because that’s exactly what happened a few months ago. They were firing rockets at us, the Hamas. We had a cease-fire. They used the cease-fire to get further range — longer-range rockets, which they have now fired at Beersheba and Ashdod and into the southern suburbs of Tel Aviv. So obviously, we have to remove the threat, not just stop the firing. And that’s what Israel is engaged in right now.

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000003002618

Crush Hamas and brave the backlash | The Australian - But as was pointed out - Israel attempts to target military and political sites. hamas attacks civilians. there is no such thing as disproportionate attacks …

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24853482-7583,00.html

Rocket alert sends New York’s Bloomberg running for cover in Sderot…
the onus of the civilian deaths was on Hamas for using them as human shields.
“They have been the main victimizers of the innocent Palestinian people by inviting these kinds of attacks,” he said.

http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1052557.html

IDF coordination chief: There is no humanitarian crisis

Hamas terrorists are using civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip - including hospitals, mosques and areas next to offices of international aid groups - to conduct terrorist activity and fire rockets at Israel, Col. Moshe Levi, commander of the IDF’s Gaza Coordination and Liaison Administration (CLA), said Thursday.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1230733138893

Hamas Exploitation of Civilians as Human Shields
Right Side News
This study examines how Hamas and the other terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip make extensive use of Palestinian civilians as human shields. ...

http://rightsidenews.com/200901063218/global-terrorism/hamas-exploitation-of-civilians-as-human-shie lds.html

'Hamas is guilty of war crime'
BBC News
... artillery attack near a UN school in the Gaza Strip. On Radio 4's The World Tonight he claimed that Hamas were guilty of using civilians as "human shields".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7814762.stm

Yes, free Gaza — from terrorist tyranny
By REDA MANSOUR
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Some of the Arab and Muslim demonstrators who recently came to our offices were holding signs that said “Free Gaza.” Many Israelis would raise that same sign, me included, but for different reasons. People tend to forget that as of August 2005, Israel has not been in Gaza, and that the Gazans have been under Hamas control since June 2007. Indeed, Gaza needs to be freed from many different extremist forces.
Gaza should be freed from Hamas, a terrorist organization that seized the strip by force. Since the takeover, Hamas has run Gaza’s economy into the ground and now nearly half of the work force is unemployed. Hamas has built a Taliban-style state in Gaza and introduced many of the Islamic Shari’a laws, institutionalizing the persecution of women and minorities.
Hamas has transformed Gaza from a free territory to a large bunker, a place where rockets are stored under families, schools and places of prayer. Unfortunately, Gazans not only live among this militarization, but are now a tool in Hamas’ aggression. The terrorist organization has developed a strategy of using innocent civilians as human shields. When Israel warns that the houses of Hamas operatives and commanders will be targeted, the terrorists bring in innocent citizens, often by force, in an effort to increase the likelihood of civilian casualties. Hamas’ leaders rely on the strict Israeli moral code, hoping to avoid being attacked or that a strike will allow them to score points in the media by sacrificing their own people, creating what looks like acts of Israeli military aggression.
Gaza should be freed from the intervention of Iran, a state that openly admits to financing Hamas. Iran is also helping Palestinian terror organizations with training, intelligence and equipment. Some of this “aid” is channeled through Hezbollah in Lebanon — yet another Iranian proxy organization. Hezbollah and Iran use the Gazans to maintain regional political relevance in their empty agenda against Israel.
Gaza should be freed from some of the Arab satellite channels like Al-Jazeera. These television stations engage in the direct incitement of the Arab and Muslim world. Everything is acceptable in their eyes to raise their ratings: including long shots of bodies and injuries. Some of these channels do not dismiss any editing trick and consider propaganda as a normal part of their news reporting.
As far as Israel is concerned, Gaza is free and it is the decision of its inhabitants what the area’s destiny will be. They can continue to buy into the self-defeating promises of terrorist organizations and extremist ideologies. Even worse, they can continue to let these organizations use them as human shields and demolish their hopes and futures.
Gazans can only truly be free by declaring Gaza a terror-free zone. The people of Gaza have many resources in their hands to achieve success. Gaza could use its beautiful Mediterranean coast to attract Israeli and Egyptian tourists. It can renew the flower and fruit exports to Europe that Israel left behind. The airport that was built there can be reopened. The seaport that is planned and even the natural gas fields in its waters could be built.
The people of this region need to make the decision that Gaza will become a model of peace and stability and hopefully, the beginning of the two-state solution: Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace.

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/stories/2009/01/07/mansoured_0107.html

Hamas uses people as shields
Updated: 01/06/2009 06:53:52 AM EST
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has heated up again. A cease-fire agreement has collapsed and Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist organization, immediately renewed its rocket attacks from Gaza into Israeli civilian areas.
Hamas does not attack military targets. They openly declare their intent to kill civilians, including women and children.
These rocket attacks have gone on for years and have steadily increased in intensity. The range of these weapons has increased as well, bringing more civilian areas in Israel under attack, with an increase in danger to civilians.
There is no warning for these attacks, no air-raid sirens, just the sudden explosion of a rocket missile in your neighborhood with the possibility of death and destruction.
During the several years that these rocket attacks have continued, never has anyone raised a voice condemning these attacks, which are knowingly directed against civilians.
Hamas deliberately sets its rocket launchers and mortars in densely populated areas using their own people as human shields against retaliation.
Now that Israel is striking back, the Israelis are being condemned for causing civilian casualties. Where were these voices during the years that Hamas was deliberately and admittedly killing Israeli civilians? Where were these voices when Hamas implemented its policy of using its own people as human shields against retaliation?
Two facts become obvious:
Israel values the lives of its citizens and is now doing and will continue doing what is necessary to protect its citizens.
Hamas views its own people as expendable pawns and willingly and knowingly places them in danger in order to gain a propaganda victory against Israel.

http://www.newstimes.com/ci_11376001

Hamas at fault, not Israelis
Sir:It amazes me that every time Israel makes a move to protect its citizens and sovereignty, bleeding hearts at the CBC continue to pester Israel over its alleged unbalanced response.
Even when the ceasefire was signed, Hamas militants fire rockets haphazardly into Israel.
Hit a military compound, that's nice. Hit a school or hospital, equally nice.
This is terrorism on a daily basis.
To feel sorry for the Palestinian people is a stretch considering they voted for Hamas, knowing the blow-back they would receive not only from their immediate neighbours but from most western powers as well.
As a matter of fact, Palestinians should be thankful that Israel still considers its targets as carefully as it does and not use the laissez faire targeting of Hamas.
The reason why there are civilian casualties at all is again due to the cowardice of the militants using civilians as human shields.
I would certainly hope that those at the liberal CBC that think Israel should open its borders to incoming Palestinian workers when such a threat exists for suicide bombers never end up with the job of minister for public safety in this country.
Hard hats and bomb shelters for all!

http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1374059

The Volokh Conspiracy - Human Shields in Gaza:
But it takes a special kind of depravity to use your own civilians as human ... If the Hamas civilians *know* they are acting as human shields for the ...

http://volokh.com/posts/1230756039.shtml

Children of Hamas
Hamas has been firing these rockets from within densely populated areas using the Palestinian people as human shields. Mosques, hospitals, kindergartens

http://anadafreepress.com/index.php/article/7366

Peres: Europe must 'open eyes' on Gaza
United Press International
Peres blamed Hamas for the deaths of innocent civilians in the siege, saying the militants use them as human shields...

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/01/06/Peres_Europe_must_open_eyes_on_Gaza/UPI-94771231247258/

Hamas exploits public opinion
Newstimes Updated: 01/06/2009 07:23:35 PM EST
It is time to support Israel in her time of need. After living in a war zone with relentless rockets firing on innocent citizens even in a "cease-fire" agreement with Hamas, Israel has no choice but to destroy the terrorists who have one goal and that is to destroy Israel.
If the press would comment on Hamas' tactics of using women and children as human shields, of firing rockets from residential neighborhoods, of dressing Hamas officials in medical uniforms in hospitals, the tragic deaths of innocent Palestinians may be understood.
Israel has no choice but to destroy the point of rocket fire. If it comes from a mosque, a hospital, a home, a school, it is designed that way by the terrorists to hurt Israel.
They have no regard for their citizens and use them as propaganda tools to affect world opinion.
It would be helpful if the press would mention the tactics at the same time as they mention the tragic deaths of innocent bystanders. It is all calculated by Hamas and unfortunately not everyone is aware of their depth of cruelty.
Our tradition teaches us, "He who saves a single life, it is as if he saved an entire world." Israel reveres life and the terrorists revere death. It is unfortunate and tragic.
When the terrorists will show the same passion for peace as they do for death and hatred, there will be peace.

http://www.newstimes.com/ci_11387960

We have counseled our ally Israel to be very cautious about protecting innocents, and I do think that the Israelis take great care to do so. I saw the reports about the school. I don't have any information about that. I think that we should not jump to conclusions, and we should wait to find out what the evidence says. What we do know is that Hamas often hides amongst innocents, and uses innocent people, including children, as human shields.

http://www.enewspf.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5435:press-briefing-by-p ress-secretary-dana-perino-&catid=88888933&Itemid=88889535

Evidence of Hamas Use of Human Shields

http://yaakov.newsvine.com/_news/2009/01/06/2278116-evidence-of-hamas-use-of-human-shields

Global Islamo fascism's Genocidal Anti - Jewish demonstrations using the Gaza anti terror operation ' cast lead' as a cover (Dec 2008 - Jan 2009)
(Jan 2009) Jihad Watch reports that in the Netherlands, anti-Israel demonstrators have once again been chanting
Hamas Hamas, Jews to the gas
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/024231.php
Atlas has pictures of the Muslims that have taken over Europe chanting “Jews to the gas.”
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2009/01/video-anne-fran.html
Demonstrators cry 'nuke Israel,' carry Hezbollah flags at U.S. ... 6 Jan 2009 ... ... Florida last week featured demonstrators carrying signs reading ...
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1052901.html
Florida demonstrator: Jews - you need a big oven' - 6 Jan 2009 ... Florida demonstrator: Jews - you need a big oven' ... Nuke, nuke Israel," followed by "Go to hell; go to hell; go to hell!" ...Another woman, wearing a (Muslim) headscarf, shouted: "Go steal other lands. Go! Murderers! Go back to the oven! You need a big oven."
Other signs accused Israel of "ethnic cleansing." "Israel is the terrorist," read a second, while a third wondered whether Israel had taken "notes during the Holocaust?"
An imam led the crowd in prayer. "Allahu Akhbar," they chanted before prostrating themselves on their prayer mats.
"We want to educate the people about what Islam really is so that they can appreciate the beauty of it," the imam told a reporter. "Once people understand the real beauty of Islam they will have no choice but to accept it because they will realize that it's part of their nature."
Following their (Islamic) prayers, the crowd crossed the road and confronted the pro-Israel group
http://www.jnewswire.com/article/2606
Genocidal hatred from pro-Hamas demonstrators -- "Nuke, nuke Israel." Chilling video from Tom Trento of WatchObsession.org. .... Florida A Tampa highway was lined with anti-Gaza War demonstrators on ...The stone, which is thrown at the Jews, hates these Jews, these Zionists, because Allah .... Muslims in American mosques praying for destruction of Israel ...
http://www.israelmilitary.net/showthread.php?p=36183
Protesting Against Israel or Hating Jews? - 6 Jan 2009 ... 'Muslim American Society'... The anti-Israel demonstration of some 200 to 300 people outside the ... for instance, carried signs saying "Nuke Israel,"...Now the notion of using of a nuclear device to eliminate Israel and thereby attempting to kill its roughly 5 million Jews is not a unique one, since words to that effect are regularly uttered, among others, by Iran's raving president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who dreams of such apocalyptic final solutions. What is unique is the morally-defective logic that would enable someone to justify a second Holocaust, the mass murder of Jews, on the basis of Israel having defended itself from years of rocket attacks and having killed several hundred murderous terrorists in the process. Making the Middle East free of Jews, Judenfrein, is exactly what Hamas, the group of murderous thugs being cheered on by the demonstrators here, ardently longs for; Hamas' charter, in fact, expresses as one of its core tenets that Israel should be eliminated, that "Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it."
http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/01/protesting_against_israel_or_h.html
December 31, 2008
"Death to all juice": Calling for genocide with plausible deniability?
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/024163.php
January 4, 2009 chill and evil wind is blowing over the world. Genocidal Eurabia Alert
Denmark (Islamic banner reads): "Kill Jewish people evry where in ther world"
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/024235.php
The banner reads, "Jews go to hell." Attached Images ...
http://www.goldtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=226463
Indonesian Muslim protesters hold a banner during a rally against . ... The banner reads, 'Jews go to hell.' REUTERS/Beawiharta. (INDONESIA) ...
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Israel--Indonesian-Muslim-protesters-hold-banner-during-rally-again st-Israeli-attacks-Gaza-Strip-Jakarta-January-2-2009-banner-reads-Jews-go/ss/events/wl/20070128_isra el/im:/02012009/6/photo/photos-n-news-indonesian-muslim-protesters-hold-banner-during-rally-against- israeli.html/
That Old Lovable “Jews Are Apes And Pigs” Canard
http://outoftheblu.wordpress.com/2009/01/04/that-old-lovable-jews-are-apes-and-pigs-canard/

End the Assault on Gaza!

Sheldon Laskin — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:14:17 EST

Dear President-Elect Obama,

I write as an American Jew who is deeply opposed to Israel’s unjustified and wanton assault on the civilian population of Gaza.

We learned today of the Israeli bombing of a school clearly labeled and identified by GPS, as a UN shelter for refugees. At least 40 innocent civilians were killed while seeking shelter from the Israeli assault that has killed hundreds of innocent civilians.

Yes, Israel has been the victim of Palestinian rocket attacks from Gaza that threaten Israel’s civilian population. But once again, the attack on the UN shelter reminds us that violence merely begets more violence; how many Palestinian terrorists have been created as a result of that attack?

Whether the US or Israel like it or not, by all accounts Hamas fairly won democratic elections in Gaza. While Hamas has refused for now to recognize Israel, it has nevertheless repeatedly indicated its willingness to abide by a long-term truce in Gaza, as long as Israel stops its efforts to strangle the Gaza government by starving and harassing the civilian population. Hamas largely abided by the truce that ended last month, launching missiles at Israel only when Israel assassinated Hamas leaders.

It is time for the US to lead the international community in forcefully asserting that the Israeli occupation of the West Bank is at the root of the conflict and must end now. Furthermore, the international community should clearly state that the basis of a lasting peace is a two-state solution with a Palestinian state on all of the territory occupied by Israel in 1967, with the exception of mutually negotiated border adjustments. Furthermore, the US should declare that the capital of that state should be East Jerusalem, although the city of Jerusalem would remain one undivided city under joint Israeli-Palestinian administration. Finally, Palestinian refugees in 1948 and 1967 should be compensated for their losses, and allowed to return to the new State of Palestine. A symbolic number should be allowed to return to Israel proper, as long as they are prepared to live in peace under Israeli law.

The window within which to implement a two-state solution is rapidly closing. If there is no solution soon, Israel will become a single state with a Jewish minority ruling a hostile Palestinian majority. This apartheid solution will be a disaster.

I urge you to reconsider this country’s unqualified support for Israeli government action and to adopt a policy that addresses the causes of the conflict. Otherwise, Israeli and Palestinian civilians will continue to needlessly die because of the cowardly obtuseness of their leaders.

Thank you.

Very truly yours,

Sheldon H. Laskin

“A Letter from a Diaspora Jew ”

hindy — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:29:26 EST

Dear Israel:

This is the kind of letter that a loving child would send to a parent in order to clear the air. First of all - like a child to a parent - I love and cherish your joy of life and the feeling of freedom I’ve always had on my numerous prolonged visits. I admire the fact that, despite all of the terror and hardships and threats that are always lurking, you cling to democracy. In spite of so many fanatics both within and outside of your borders, you maintain the separation of synagogue and state as well as freedom for all religions. I know that there are many countries in your position who would have long ago curtailed individual and religious freedoms and felt somewhat justified in doing so. With all of the wars and fighting and terror you have contributed disproportionately to the sciences, medicine and technology - more than many nations who live in relative peace. I also love your contrasts that span centuries and ideologies and include everything from ancient ruins to gay day parades and nude beaches.

As a child of holocaust survivors I understand your fears, your insecurities, your determination to defend Israelis and, for that matter, Jews around the world from fanatics who despise us - even more than they hate others in the west.

Now that I’ve established my affection, I want to lovingly share my discomfort, both as a Jew and as a citizen of the free world. As everyone who has gone through trauma knows, outsiders often see the situation much clearer than those who are immersed in it.

In some ways my personal experience mirrors Israel’s. Despite the benevolent views of my survivor parents, I grew up feeling that the world would always be an unreceptive place for Jews. As a result I immersed myself in the Jewish community. I lived, worked and socialized there. Ghettos can be warm and welcoming. Most importantly they feel safe. They can also reinforce unwarranted suspicions and fears.

It wasn’t till ventured into the broader world, that I saw people for what they are. Most are open. Many are interested. Bigots do exist - even among our own. However, often they too are willing to take a critical look at themselves.

What I’ve seen more recently is that, with the threat of terrorism facing so many, Jews and Israelis are finally being understood at a more profound level. I, who had never gone looking for compassion or understanding - was suddenly receiving it from many - until Gaza! Here’s my take on why we‘re losing support - yet again.

There’s no doubt for most that Hamas is a terrorist organization. Few question that Hamas uses civilians as human shields. Few doubt that they worship martyrdom and won’t give up till either they or we die. Few question whether Israel has a right to defend its citizens - as do Americans, Brits, Indians and all nations that have been victimized by this scourge. It’s probably true that none have experienced as much terror as Israel has. What saddens me no end however, is that even now - when the world finally understands - Israel still holds onto the holocaust mentality that says “we can’t count on anyone but ourselves”.

At a time when so many nations are cooperating in the global war on terror, Israel - like the wandering stateless Jew - still goes it alone. Rather than eliciting understanding and cooperation like India and Britain do, Israel marches in like an orphaned child and takes it upon itself to bomb Gaza. That’s what Bush did in Iraq. It didn’t bring him many allies either. On the contrary, by acting like the Lone Ranger, he simply fanned the flames of anti-Americanism from allies and foes alike. For every Moslem he killed in his self-proclaimed war on terror, he created hundreds of fanatics.

In this world, its no longer simply about being justified. Everyone claims justification. Its about being smart, strategic and cooperative. When it comes to PR and long term strategy, it pains me to tell you, my beloved country, how short-sighted and hasty you can be. That old saying that the definition of neurosis is engaging repeatedly in the same behavior while expecting a different result couldn’t be more true.

Let me paint an alternative scenario for you. What would have happened if you had launched your PR machine a month before you launched your bombs on Gaza? What if you would have invited the international press to southern Israel and armed them with images of innocent Israeli victims of terror? What would have happened had you brought this problem with Hamas (who everyone recognizes as a terrorist organization) to the attention of the free world - shortly after Mumbai - while there was so much empathy? What would have happened if you humbly asked for their assistance and, let them know that only failing that, would you be forced to act unilaterally? The results likely would have been the same - but your case would have been so much stronger.

Instead, as usual, there was no advanced PR campaign. There was no public consultation with potential allies. As usual Israel, the perennial resistance fighter, took on the enemy alone - just like they did in the ghettos and forests of Europe.

Now instead of empathy, the world cringes at the images - not of Israeli victims - but of Palestinian victims. And who can blame them? I certainly can’t. Its difficult for me to see children being killed and injured - despite the fact that Hamas has put them in that position. Hamas may be purposely indoctrinating them - but Israel is inadvertently killing them. Indoctrinated or not, they are still children and as such are innocent.

It matters little to the world, whether they are being targeted or are simply collateral damage. The end result is they are dead.

Instead of punishing Hamas after all international options failed, Israel again did it on their own timeframe and under their own conditions. In doing so you have played right into the hands of your enemies’ strategy and regrettably superior PR machine.

For those of you who will say that the world has a double standard - one for the Jews and another for the rest of the world, well…maybe they do! Maybe they have bought the myth which we ourselves perpetuated, that “Israel will be a light unto the nations” and that Jews, because of the catastrophes we suffered throughout history, are a bit more fair, a bit more understanding and a bit more humane than most.

If that’s the case, what would be so terrible if we actually behaved that way? What about Obama’s principle that you should keep your friends close and your enemies closer? Instead of hoping that, as a result of collective punishment, Gazans would turn against Hamas, what would happen if we dropped food and medicine rather than bombs? What if we rewarded civilians with Jewish benevolence instead of punishing them with Jewish might? Think of the amazing message that would have sent to the world and the ensuing PR Israeli‘s and Jews would have benefited from. Instead, you are inadvertently playing the game of our enemy while fanning the flames of anti-Semitism - exactly like Bush fanned the flames of anti-Americanism.

The Holocaust is over. We’re not homeless wanderers anymore. For the first time in thousands of years, Jews have their own country as well as one of the world's most powerful armies. And despite what some Israeli’s and Jews still believe, we do have legitimate standing - especially now when we‘re all victims of the same plague. Its time to stop squandering it with impulsivity, arrogance and self-righteousness. Its time to stop giving the world the finger then wondering why the world points it right back at us. Its time to start practicing the higher values of Judaism that may enable us to get closer to that fabled “light among the nations” myth that we continue to perpetrate and so many continue to expect.

Israel if you are as smart, strategic, mighty and idealistic as you claim to be, it may be time - for the sake of all of us - to start behaving that way.

If you’re going to reach out to the terrorists with a bomb in one hand, you had better reach out to the moderates (if there are any left after this incursion) with firm handshake of peace. Its time to bring an end to all of this - with the help of nations who also suffer from terror. We need guarantees for Israel’s security as well as its new neighbor. Its time to implement a two state solution - one with which neither side will be happy but that will grant both parties a somewhat equitable divorce.

That means that Palestinian radicals will have to let go of their pipe dream of a return to ‘48 borders as well as the right of return for millions of so-called refugees who should have been resettled by Arab nations decades ago. It also calls for the dismantling of settlements and the Israeli radicals’ dreams of a greater Israel. If it takes other countries to implement this, so be it. Its time for all to swallow their pride and let go of their fantasies! If, at that point, Israel accepts and its neighbors don’t, then at least the world will see what’s really happening and they can help deal with it.

Hindy Nosek-Abelson

Toronto, Canada

Collected Musings on Gaza

Mark Levin — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:16:40 EST

Even Jon Stewart had to make fun last night of how lockstep our politicians are on Israel, with never a criticism:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=213380&title=strip-maul

(the part I mention is from 3:40 till the end)

How is the killing of nearly 15 members of Nizar Rayyan's family different than what a suicide bomber does in Tel Aviv? Assassinate him extrajudicially - that's not something I'd prefer, but that can be justifiable. The others? I see no difference between the pain a victim feels from a suicide bomb and that an innocent "collateral damage" person feels from one of our "surgical strike" bombs controlled from afar. It's still shrapnel ripping into human flesh, of innocents. A suicide bomb that kills 10 innocents is as morally heinous as a smart bomb that kills 10 innocents as collateral damage. Why is it not? To argue otherwise is pure spin. Results matter. Actions matter more than words. What your actions result in matter more than what you claim you intended.

I'd be laughed out of court if I argued that "your Honor, I wanted to shoot this one guy who may have been behind the deaths of people from my town, but there were these 10 people around him - so I lobbed a grenade among them - please absolve me of their deaths, and blame him." And don't say "it's war, not law." Saying something is war doesn't absolve you of your actions. Morality doesn't pause when you utter the word "war."

The trigger-puller (and any chain of command above him) is responsible for any deaths. Whether that's a Qassam rocketer or Hamas suicide bomber, or an IDF pilot. Nobody else. Let's not redirect responsibility by saying "Hamas by using human shields" or "Israel's occupation" killed the people - you are soldiers/fighters fighting for your cause - take responsibility for what you do, and be prepared for the consequences. To act otherwise is cowardly. The pro-Israeli PR machine is in full swing, as it was in the 2006 war. Let's look at the reality: 550+ dead vs 9. Maybe 50 of the 550 helped build or launch Qassam rockets. The rest of the deaths are unjustifiable, most of them police and civilians. If a nation X killed 500 Israelis unjustifiably, not only would Israel engage in bombing that nation if it could pull it off, but we Americans would back their act of self-defense. For some strange reason, the people of Gaza don't have the same right. Why? Because their opponent made some very powerful friends.

And people are not asking "why" Hamas is lobbing inaccurate rockets at civilians - as if that comes from innate evil. There has been an economic blockade for months. If you were a prisoner, you would also try to lob stuff at your captors until they lift the siege. An occasionally fed prisoner is still a prisoner. Both sides have been violating the "truce" - the way out is simple - stop economic blockades, and negotiate a final deal with all parties - including Hamas. The big mistake was not letting Hamas be forced to govern when they won elections - that would have moderated them. The IRA became Sinn Fein. Irgun became the Likud. And when a people is under occupation or its airspace is not its own, New Hampshire's motto "Live Free or Die" applies.

As a memorial to those who have died and been injured in this conflict, we American Jews should be more like Gideon Levy of Haaretz and make more noise to make sure Israel lobbies in DC like the pro-peace J Street gain power vs the hawkish AIPAC.

Objectively looking at geopolitics, Israel should be as important to us as Taiwan - a small entrepreneurial, scrappy nation which has many Americans from that culture.. No more. Repeating "only Western democracy in the Mideast" mindlessly doesn't translate to greater strategic importance - if anything, it is paradoxically an ally, embracing whom actually weakens and endangers our people. And a true Western democracy should be secular, with no preference for any religion in its immigration laws. The billions in military gifts/yr we give Egypt and Israel would be better spent on people in far more risk of genocide, disease and malnutrition than Israelis or Egyptians are - Africans in Darfur, Congo, etc. But AIPAC has been impressively effective in forcing conformity in Congress on their take on Israel (members of Congress strangely agree on no other issue, and have taken a stand at odds with world opinion).

We need to see Israel through clear lenses, not the rose-colored ones of Jewish journalists, pundits and experts in think tanks that dominate our Mideast discourse. They cannot be blamed for an emotional preference for one side, probably having grown up in a Holocaust-sensitive household. It's in outsize proportion to our less than 2% of the US population. If most of the US analysis and commentary on this issue were coming from Arab Americans, we would expect a similar lean, and also couldn't expect full objectivity. And there would be howls of bias, unless their influence is so pervasive, it even squelches talk of bias due to ethnicity.

http://www.ifamericansknew.org/media/

And when considering Obama's Mideast Envoy the debate is between which Jewish diplomat should fill the role, not a Christian, and forget Arab. This has direct impact on our ability to (1) gain trust of the Arab side, and (2) have the cultural insight to pick up on potential negotiation pitfalls and surprises.

Our media and govt take on Israel stands absolutely isolated in the world and the UN, as was our decision to invade Iraq. Maybe some deference to world opinion is time, and will lead us out of a dangerous information bubble, the kind that made us ask after Sept 11 - why do they hate us? If our media had been doing their job, and telling us why Muslims and Arabs are mad at us (our Israel policy, military footprint, and support of Arab autocrats - not our "way of life") then it wouldn't have been a surprise. Surprises are never good.

I also want to address the religious stereotyping and labeling we do. I think lumping people is a strategy we use when we look down on them either culturally or racially. So calling all the policemen who were killed in Gaza "Hamas" is just another way to demean those we oppose and want to feel better about killing. Once we categorize someone as a "terrorist" it becomes so much easier to stomach it. "Terrorist" just a verbal club we use to describe the violence by groups we politically oppose. However, if you take the perspective of a victim - the innocent person dying or injured from shrapnel - whether that came from a suicide bomb, a Qassam or a IDF bomb - they feel the same. Terrorized. That is terrorism.

Let's look at individuals within Hamas, and not tar everyone with the same apocalyptic brush, just because our State Dept calls them a terrorist group.President Carter went to meet with them, and what Khaled Meshal believes is different from Haniyeh, and different from their militant wing. Not individualizing people dehumanizes them. Here's Meshal's BBC interview: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4693382.stm

The West has conducted and triggered far more violence that resulted in innocent civilian deaths (I call that terrorism) than any Arab or Muslim group. Just add up the numbers from the last 5, 10, or 100 years to see that it's true. Yet for some reason we see Islam as more violent, not Christianity or Judaism. The numbers don't agree. Since 2000, there has been a 10:1 ratio of innocents killed by Judaeo-Christian-affiliated groups and nations vs Islam-affiliated groups and nations. Is Christianity the most violent religion? The data would support it, but the oddness of how that sounds shows how our self-image doesn't gel with the data.

And some say that Israel and the US don't "intend" for any civilian casualties, and "regret" them, whereas the terrorists and their ilk target them. Whether you are trying to reduce or increase civilian death tolls, I would posit you are completely responsible for anyone you kill. Make a negligent manslaughter defence if you want, but it's still a life, and you're still guilty. A dead innocent's lot in life is not improved by her death being unintentional. Sarcasm intended!

The flexibility, ability and luxury to interrupt the natural tit-for-tat cycles of violence, even disproportionate force, lies more with parties that have more power. So we the US govt has more power than the Israelis who in turn have more power than the Pals. The more dire one's situation, the less long-term and dispassionate a view one can take - so primary responsibility to make concessions eventually lie with the US (and Israel, though less so, since they are also in the conflict). We know that a single clear US statement condemning further use of force by either party will make the Israeli guns fall silent. And a US call to end the blockade will make Israel do so - which in turn will force Hamas through Syrian and other Arab intermediaries to make the rockets stop.

I've noticed in most US coverage of the Mideast issue, we never actually talk to Arabs or Israelis on the street - instead we get the correspondent, spokesperson, spinmeister or analyst's version of reality. BBC actually tends to show us brief interviews of people on the ground. However just talking to combatants and victims while giving us a more factual look of the facts on the ground, and bringing home an unsanitized view of war, does not automatically give us a dispassionate view of the conflict. A conflict laden with emotion needs more analysis and less emotion (while being caring) and probably more involvement of people who have no cultural affinity with either side or a history of antisemitism or pro-Zionism - Chinese, Indians, Hispanics, etc.

The global geopolitical dynamic, the US protection, and the mainstream media embrace of the US position gives Israel an edge right now. But it won't last, as unfair power imbalances tend not to. So Israel would be best served to make a final status deal sooner rather than later. I would caution them to not drive too hard a bargain, because if there is unfairness embedded in the deal, it will not be a stable equilibrium. So it better be a healthy right of return, in the hundreds of thousands, not in the tens of thousands. In any case, I predict there will be a reunification of the two states that form within the next few years - about 70-100 years from now. This squabbling will seem quite stupid then. And the long winter of persecution of Jews will also be seen as over. We will not be so super-sensitive to loss of each Jewish life (which is honestly speaking, racist) vs the loss of other people. The ascendancy of other nations and cultures will also dilute the sway we've had over entertainment, media and govt. I will feel partly sad for that, but it will be for the greater good.

****************

For numbers in Gaza since 2000:

25 Israelis killed by Pals/yr

375 Pals killed by Israelis/yr

(from the respected Israeli human rights NGO B'Tselem)

Actually it's higher than 375 now because the B'Tselem numbers don't include the latest conflict. It's probably about 25 vs 500 or 1:20 over the last 8 years now.

http://www.btselem.org/English/Statistics/Casualties.asp

If one includes all the numbers, including suicide bombing, the data is still embarrassing from the last 8 years - we have about a 1000 Israelis dead and about 5000 Pals:

Israelis killed by Pals: 133/year

Pals killed by Israelis: 612/year

However this year the numbers are far more lopsided, probably 15 vs 600.

Including the 9 and 550 deaths from recent days to the B'Tselem numbers, we have for the last 8 years:

Israelis killed by Pals: 134/year

Pals killed by Israelis: 682/year

So since 2000, Israelis have killed about 5x more. The % of civilians killed is similar in both cases, about 31-35% according to B'Tselem (wikipedia).

**************

I think the Mideast conflict can be settled without a single drop of blood being shed, within a week:

Step 1:

Israel announces a unilateral truce and an end to the blockade, but will reserve the right to bomb Qassam teams that are on the road or in the act. No buildings will be bombed.

Step 2:

Next, through Syrian intermediaries, Israel negotiates a truce with Hamas - Hamas takes full responsibility of stopping rocket attacks from Gaza and returning the IDF soldier. Israel ends overflights, drone flights, and control of borders and sea access - handing it all over to Abbas' PA.

Step 3:

The PA negotiates with Hamas to give back control of government to it since it was undemocratically usurped, or forming a unity govt. This would proceed simultaneously with PA negotiations with Israel on a hybrid plan of the Arab Peace Initiative and Geneva Accord.

Step 4:

Israel announces it will accept the Geneva Accord (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Accord) and will offer approximately the 10% (who wish to live in Israel) of 4 million refugees the right to do so, with priority given to first and second generation refugees. The rest of the 90% would be resettled in Palestine, and receive some compensation from US, EU and Israel for helping Israel remain mostly Jewish. A similar amount of compensation will be paid to the descendants of Jewish refugees from Arab lands who were forced out in the 1940s by Arab countries.

Ok, this last step might take more than a week, I admit! The first two steps can be easily finished in a week and the other two within a couple of months of intense activity. The power lies with Obama to push this kind of a solution by overruling all those in the establishment that will resist pressuring Israel.

*************************

Interesting how the Bush administration quoted "17 UN Security Council Resolutions" that Iraq flouted that made it deserve invasion and the death of over a million people (Wikipedia figures that look at multiple studies), whereas our ally Israel has flouted many, many more than that:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_Nations_resolutions_concerning_Israel#United_Nations_Security_Council_resolutions

(full list of UNSC resolutions regarding Israel)

**************************

1. Religion-affiliated absolutist independence movements do not always stay that way if independence happens. The "terrorist" groups IRA and Irgun are examples of groups like Hamas, that either moderated or transformed under a different name. To presume that will not happen is shortsighted.

National Autodetermination: International Relations

Action Central — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:42:38 EST

The world awaits our new leader in Washington.

A leader that will actively represent the people of America through a Global perspective & identity of our nation.

The decisions our new President will bring and the causes he will support and impliment will be closely scrutinized by other Countries and Nations.

The reactions of the American people will also be viewed and publicized abroad.

The way we address and support Isreal with regards to the Gaza reaction will be crucial, because Arab nations will be watching particularly close and will deal with us based on how we relate with Isreal.

Therefore, the American People must also have a primary view of Israel as well, for us to better support our President's decisions.

Discussion Thread: Links about and Israel-Gaza...Your Thoughts...

EMK — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:16:43 EST

I was mulling around and I found this page with a YouTube link: http://palestinian.ning.com/video/propaganda-promised-land.

Watch it and what do you think.

I've also found another link within that site with photos, but some of the images are a bit disturbing.

That link is in the extended post, but please read the note before viewing.

What are your thoughts about them?

EMK

(NOTE: Please let me know if the links don't work. Thank you.)

[UPDATE: YT DISABLED THE VID LINK, DUE TO "A VIOLATION OF TERMS OF SERVICE," BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING THAT WAS A "VIOLATION." A SAD EXCUSE!]

...the Gaza rant...

The Ranting Dream — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:49:18 EST

I've also posted this rant on my blog: http://www.theparadigmshiftshere.com

...It's truly sad to see so much innocent blood spilt just because corrupt political goons will stop at nothing to fulfill their selfish greedy agendas...why do ordinary, innocent Israelis and Palestinians have to bear the brunt of the suffering on behalf of (and for the profit of) these corrupt political goons???

...This conflict has nothing to with the innocent Palestinians and innocent Israelis who have to live through this nightmare - nothing whatsoever - it is all about politics - 100 percent politics - on both sides - and the selfish greedy agendas of a handful of corrupt goons holding positions of authority on both sides...

MSM, stop showing the images! stop rewarding Jihadists' tricks in causing Arab civilians' deaths!

Natalia from Acampo, CA — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 23:27:32 EST

MSM, stop showing the images! stop rewarding Jihadists' tricks in causing Arab civilians' deaths!

Hey, BBC, CNN, Stop showing again and again 'Pallywood' TV from Gaza of Arab children killed due to Arab adults' using them as cannon fodders.

Jan 2009 Operation: Cast Lead

Islamic butchers know all too well they succeed toying with their kids on their death cult's death beds, no matter how you will explain the real cause how their civilians die, they are experienced in the power of 'a picture is worth a thousand words' when it comes to blooded Arab bodies.

What is the responsibility of the MSM BBC, CNN in serving the conveyer of these orchestrated images, Images that enrage the world against Israel who is nothing but a defender of it's people? The media owe's itself the professionalism not to show these images.

1) One can not take 'Palestinian' word for anything, much less about accuracy of photos or numbers of the so called "civilians', we have been here before [we still remember the inflated "numbers" in Jenin including added bodies].

2) These images influence anyone's mind (or heart), it is the most horrendous form of bias!

3) By showing these photos you guys are aiding Islamic Hamas (like Hezbollah), which is to bring about dead Arab kids to parade with them on world stage.

4) Moreover it is you who is (also) fueling Jihadism's best tool of: "We Muslims are victims of the west".

How could the U.S. have played Gaza so wrong? AN APRIL 2008 OVERVIEW BY DAVID ROSEN

Fire Is Born — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 17:07:17 EST

The Middle East

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and President George W. Bush, whose secret Palestinian intervention backfired in a big way. Photo illustration by Chris Mueller; left, by Debbie Hill/Sipa Press; right, by Issam Rimawi/ApaImages/Polaris; background by Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters/Corbis.

The Gaza Bombshell

After failing to anticipate Hamas’s victory over Fatah in the 2006 Palestinian election, the White House cooked up yet another scandalously covert and self-defeating Middle East debacle: part Iran-contra, part Bay of Pigs. With confidential documents, corroborated by outraged former and current U.S. officials, the author reveals how President Bush, Condoleezza Rice, and Deputy National-Security Adviser Elliott Abrams backed an armed force under Fatah strongman Muhammad Dahlan, touching off a bloody civil war in Gaza and leaving Hamas stronger than ever.

by David Rose April 2008

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/04/gaza200804?printable=true&currentPage=all

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

America's Role in Hamas' Rise to Power

Unknown user — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 15:22:13 EST

America's Hidden Role in Hamas's Rise to Power By Stephen Zunes, AlterNet
Posted on January 3, 2009, Printed on January 3, 2009
http://www.alternet.org/story/116855/

Editor’s note: In the U.S., the claim that the actions of Hamas forced Israel to launch a massive assault on the impoverished population of Gaza is almost universally accepted. But, as scholar Stephen Zunes explains below, the picture of Hamas as an organization of wide-eyed radicalism without electoral legitimacy or the support of a significant portion of the Palestinian population is simplistic. In this important piece, Zunes examines the ways in which Israeli and American policy-makers encouraged the rise of the conservative religious group Hamas in an effort to marginalize secular and leftist elements within the Occupied Territories.

The United States bears much of the blame for the ongoing bloodshed in the Gaza Strip and nearby parts of Israel. Indeed, were it not for misguided Israeli and American policies, Hamas would not be in control of the territory in the first place.

The Humane Aspect of anti terror airstrikes (on anti humane Hamas) in Gaza

Natalia from Acampo, CA — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 18:42:25 EST

The Humane Aspect of anti terror airstrikes in Gaza.

How does Israel’s humane army manage to cause only a few hundreds deaths (w/ 90% terrorists) after so many strikes in 5 days?

Let’s see, 5 days of continues bombardment of (specific terrorists’ targets) - hundreds of air strikes, and only about 400 are dead?

How do the cool and compassionate soldiers manage to avoid so many casualties, each bombing (coming from that famous “strong Israeli army” which the Arabs keep reminding us) could at least kill a few hundreds if one is not very careful.

This relative success - While the terrible Muslim radicals (Hamas or Hezbollah, etc.) keep tricking in civilians into dying (Let alone the sad fact of “densely populated” Gaza), especially little kids, for the goal of appearing as “victims” and tarnishing Israeli who is in fact the only party in the entire neighborhood that couldn’t care less about image but about saving lives, on both sides.

Yet, all the biased CNN, BBC can talk about is: “civilians” deaths.

YouTube, Twitter: Weapons in Israel's Info War

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:29:02 EST

YouTube, Twitter: Weapons in Israel's Info War

By Nathan Hodge @ wired.com - December 30, 2008 | 1:47:01 PMCategories: Info War, Sabras

Days after sending aircraft to strike Hamas militants in Gaza, the Israeli government is launching a campaign to dominate the blogosphere.

Among other things, the Israeli military has started its own YouTube channel to distribute footage of precision airstrikes. And as I type, the Israeli consulate in New York is hosting a press conference on microblogging site Twitter. It's pretty interesting to see the Israeli-Palestinian conflict reduced to tweets of 140 characters or less ("We hav 2 prtct R ctzens 2, only way fwd through neogtiations, & left Gaza in 05. y Hamas launch missiles not peace?"; "we're not at war with the PAL people. we're at war with a group declared by the EU& US a terrorist org").

The Jerusalem Post quotes Maj. Avital Leibovich, the head of the Israeli Defense Forces' foreign press branch on the digital media campaign. "The blogosphere and new media are another war zone," she says. "We have to be relevant there."

It appears, however, that some of the YouTube posts have already been scrubbed. A note on the page of the pro-Israel YouTube channel reads: "We are saddened that YouTube has taken down some of our exclusive footage showing the IDF's operational success in operation Cast Lead against Hamas extremists in the Gaza Strip. ... It is also worth noting that one of the videos removed had the highest number of hits (over 10,000) at the time of its removal."

SOURCE - http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/12/israels-info-wa.html

Americans Should Act to End Violence Against Gaza

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:11:20 EST

Americans Should Act to End Violence Against Gaza

by Jeremy R. Hammond @ smirkingchimp.com | December 31, 2008 - 9:36am

Israel's bombardment of Gaza has long been in the planning, and the purpose is to terrorize the Arab population in the hopes that they will revolt against the Hamas leadership and to punish them further for electing them. The siege Gaza has remained under since Israel withdrew its military from the Strip in 2006 has had the same intended purpose.

A comparable policy was implemented by the US against Iraq. The sanctions were intended to further the goal of regime change. The means by which this goal was pursued was to punish the Iraqi people, to deny them food and medical supplies. By United Nations estimates, more than a million Iraqis died as a result. More than half a million of those victims were children.

In the end, although then US ambassador to the UN Madeleine Albright publicly said that the "price" of half a million dead children was "worth it", the sanctions served only to strengthen the control of Saddam Hussein's regime over the people by making them totally dependent upon the regime for their very survival.

When it became clear that the genocidal sanctions were not sustainable due to overwhelming global opposition, the military option came to be seen as the only option for implementing regime change..........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/19473

Gaza Clouds Obama’s Prospects

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:06:57 EST

Gaza Clouds Obama’s Prospects

By Robert Scheer @ truthdig.com - Posted on Dec 30, 2008

So, why didn’t they give peace a chance? Why did the leaders of Hamas and Israel not wait for the incoming U.S. president’s inauguration before mutually escalating hostilities? Here was a president-elect chosen, in part, on the expectation that he could enhance prospects for Mideast peace, even if it meant negotiating with people thought to be enemies.

Why not give that approach an opportunity to succeed regarding the future of Palestine? Why not see if Hillary Rodham Clinton, whose husband had been more successful than any other president in advancing the prospects for peace in the Mideast, could have accomplished more than the lame-duck secretary of state she will soon replace?

The question answers itself.

Unfortunately, neither Hamas’ nor Israel’s leaders believe that a meaningful peace of the sort all U.S. presidents have endorsed is in their interest. That peace stipulates two independent and viable national entities, one Israeli and the other Palestinian. Clearly, Hamas and its hard-line supporters in the region reject the goal of an Israel at peace with its neighbors and secure within its boundaries, even if those borderlines return to those existing in 1967 at the time of the Six-Day War..........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20081230_gaza_clouds_obamas_prospects/

AP photo / Dan Balilty

A Palestinian runs with the flag of Hamas during clashes with Israeli troops in the Shuafat refugee camp, on the outskirts of Jerusalem. The camp has been beset by protests against the Israeli offensive in Gaza.

America is Primarily at Fault for the Conflict in Gaza

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:57:22 EST

America is Primarily at Fault for the Conflict in Gaza

by Cenk Uygur @ smirkingchimp.com | December 31, 2008 - 10:33am

If you're a conservative reading this, I know what you're thinking - typical liberal. Part of the blame America first crowd. How could this war between the Israelis and Palestinians be America's fault?

First, I love America. I chose to be an American. I think this is the greatest country on earth. And part of what makes it great is that it is self-correcting. It can take criticism and use it to make itself better. It is a country confident enough to not shout down dissenters.

So, let me offer you something you hardly ever hear in the American media. The American government had a great deal to do with the outbreak of violence in the Gaza Strip right now. The Bush administration demanded - against the advice of nearly every expert in the field and the Israeli government - that the Palestinians hold elections. They did. Hamas won.

When Hamas won, we could have pulled them in toward the direction of political action and reconciliation. Instead, we chose to isolate them, start a coup against them (read this terrific article in Vanity Fair about our attempt to overthrow Hamas) and further radicalize them. We made a mockery of the idea of democracy. We proved to them that we never meant a word of the so-called Freedom Doctrine. We only wanted elections in which our guys won.

This kind of hypocrisy has consequences. It sends a message that democracy and voting doesn't work. And our botched coup against Hamas had the effect of sending the message that violence is the answer. If you don't get your way, the proper course of action is to try to change the results through use of force...........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/19481

Israel and the Silent Partner: Who Wins What in Gaza?

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:41:56 EST

Darkness in Qassam-Land

By Julia Chaitin (Israeli) @ washingtonpost.com - Wednesday, December 31, 2008; Page A15

In the winter, the Negev becomes quite beautiful. Though it rains very little here, the rain we get turns everything green, and there is a cleanness in the air that we don't have during the dry summer months. But since Saturday, when a major Israeli offensive began in the Gaza Strip, less than 20 kilometers from my home and less than two kilometers from the college where I teach, all we have had is darkness, despair and fear.

This war is wrong. It is wrong because it cannot achieve its manifest goals -- long-term "normal" life for the residents of the Negev region. The war is morally wrong because most of the victims are Palestinian and Israeli civilians whose only "crime" is that they live in Negev or Gaza. This war is wrong because it is not heading toward a viable solution of the conflict but is instead creating more hatred and greater determination on the part of both peoples to harm one another. It is wrong because it is leading to stronger feelings that we have nothing to lose by striking further, with greater force. This war is wrong because, even before the last smoke rises from the rubble and the last ambulance carries the dead and wounded to hospitals, our leaders will find themselves signing a new agreement for a cease-fire......

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/30/AR2008123002661.html

My Brilliant Career: Rampage in Gaza for a Bump in the Polls

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:52:46 EST

Rampage in Gaza for a Bump in the Polls

(A poll taken on Sunday in Israel showed that Barak's Labor Party has already gained 50 percent since the bombing began!)

My Brilliant Career

By MIKE WHITNEY @ counterpunch.org

Come and see the blood in the streets.
Come and see
the blood in the streets.
Come and see the blood
in the streets.
Poem by Pablo Neruda, "I'm Explaining a Few Things"

Barack Obama has passed his first test with flying colors. He's made himself disappear so Israel can continue its killing spree in Gaza. The last time a president shrunk this small was when Ariel Sharon took his wrecking-ball through Jenin during the second intifada. Bush slipped down a mouse hole so Israel's "Man of Peace" could finish his dirty work unopposed. Now Obama has taken refuge in that same dark hideaway. What a relief it must be for his critics at AIPAC and the far-right think tanks to know that the next Commander in Chief will be every bit as compliant as the last. That's "continuity they can believe in".

Obama has remained serenely detached while American-made F-16's have dumped more than one hundred tons of lethal ordnance on the captive population of Gaza. In fact, the president-elect has spent more time working on his abs at the Semper Fit gym in Honolulu than trying to stop the bloody onslaught which has already resulted in the deaths of over 300 Palestinians, half of who are civilians.

When asked why he hasn't given his opinion on the conflict, Obama spokesman have blandly stated, "There's only one president at a time".

Uh-huh. So why was Obama so quick to condemn Russia's invasion of South Ossetia? Is the yardstick for measuring aggression different in the Caucasus than it is in the Middle East? Or is it because politicians are just too afraid to cross Israel?

"If somebody shot rockets at my house where my two daughters were sleeping at night, I'd do everything in my power to stop them," Obama proclaimed on a recent visit to Israel.

Right. It's too bad Palestinian parents can't claim that same right without being branded as terrorists..........

ARTICLE - http://www.counterpunch.org/whitney12312008.html

Mr. Mubarak, Tear Down That Wall!

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:47:01 EST

Accomplice in Cairo Mr. Mubarak, Tear Down That Wall!

By FRANKLIN LAMB

"I'm not calling for a coup d'etat, but go talk to your leaders and tell them you do not accept what is happening in Gaza".

-- Hezbollah Sec-Gen Hasan Nasrallah calling for Egyptians "in millions" to demonstrate their support for opening the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt, 28 December 2008

Giggling like smitten teenagers, exchanging Channakah and Eid greetings (neither acknowledges the more Shi'a associated Ashoura) Hosni Mubarak and Tzipi Livni 'hooked up' this past week in Cairo to discuss Gaza.

Both spoke of their desire to see Corporal Shalit returned safely. Both knew Israel's former Mossad operative, current Foreign Minister, and Prime Minister wannabe had a permission slip from the Bush Administration for all-out war against the Palestinians in the 25 by 6 mile territorial snippet along the Eastern Mediterranean. When the correct photo-op was selected for public distribution, it showed a concerned and dour Egyptian President brooding with arching brow.

The duo focused on ‘diplomatic logistics and cover’ and the urgency to crush Hamas. They appeared oblivious to all who happened to be in the vicinity of American rockets and bombs or institutions leveled by waves of F-16 fighter jets and missiles kept in ready use from the $ 200 million worth of spare parts supplied by US taxpayers from 200l-2006, as well as 186 million gallons of JP-8 aviation jet fuel , and thousands of TOW, Hellfire and “bunker buster” bombs and missiles, freed up for delivery to Israel last year when the Bush administration signed a $ 1.3 billion contract with Raytheon.

What was not on the agenda was what both knew but ignored. The fate of 1.5 million people.........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.counterpunch.org/lamb12312008.html

Franklin Lamb, an international lawyer and researcher currently based in Beirut, drafted for HOKOK, the International Coalition against Impunity, its Complaint/Submission filed on December 10, 2008 (the 60th Anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) with the Internationally Criminal Court in The Hague. The Case charges Israel with continuing crimes in Gaza and throughout Occupied Palestine. In January 2009 HOKOK will petition the ICC to include Mohammad Hosni Mubarak as an additional defendant in the Case. Lamb can be reached at fplamb@sabrashatila.org.

Israel ordered to let international media into Gaza

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:24:22 EST

Israel ordered to let international media into Gaza

Toni O'Loughlin in Jerusalem
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 31 December 2008 13.59 GMT
Article history

Israel's supreme court today ordered the government to allow the international media into Gaza to report on the effect of the air strikes on Palestinians.

Over the past two months, foreign journalists and representatives have increasingly been restricted from entering Gaza.

Israel has closed the border completely since it began bombing the besieged Palestinian territory on Saturday.

However, the supreme court told the government it must allow up to 12 journalists to enter whenever it opens the Erez crossing, a passenger gateway, for humanitarian reasons......

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/31/israelandthepalestinians-middleeast2

Israeli Peace Group Say Stop the Bombing

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:10:43 EST

Israeli Peace Group Say Stop the Bombing

Gush Shalom www.gush-shalom.org - Published on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 by The Progressive

This war is inhuman, superfluous and harmful. Nothing good for Israel will come out of it!

The killing of hundreds of Palestinians and the destruction of the infrastructure of life in the Gaza Strip are abominable acts. Those who hope to reap electoral profits from them are greatly mistaken.

A ground invasion will cause even greater harm, destroy what is left in Gaza and cause many casualties - Israelis and Palestinians, soldiers and civilians.

If, after hard battles, the Israeli army will succeed in conquering the ruins of Gaza, the result will be, at most, to drive Hamas underground and to increase their influence both in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank.

The attack, which has already deepened the hatred, will

AROUSE the whole civilized world against us,

RAISE all over the region a new generation that will hate the State of Israel even more,

INCREASE the impact of Hamas,

UNDERMINE even more the status of peace-seeking Palestinians,

PREVENT Palestinian unity, without which there can be no peace.

On behalf of thousands of Israelis who have demonstrated in the streets of Tel-Aviv within hours after the start of the war, we demand:

To stop at once the attack on Gaza!
To propose - and to maintain - a cease-fire that will include the end off all violent actions by both sides, a real opening of the border crossings and the termination of the blockade against the population of the Gaza Strip.
To start a dialogue with Hamas. Hamas is an integral part of Palestinian society and the Palestinian political system. Without their participation, all negotiations and agreements are meaningless.

SOURCE - http://www.progressive.org/mag/shalom123008.html

So What Have The Palestinians Got To Complain About?

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:04:01 EST

So What Have The Palestinians Got To Complain About?

by Mark Steel - Published on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 by The Independent/UK

When you read the statements from Israeli and US politicians, and try to match them with the pictures of devastation, there seems to be only one explanation. They must have one of those conditions, called something like "Visual Carnage Responsibility Back To Front Upside Down Massacre Disorder".

For example, Condoleezza Rice, having observed that more than 300 Gazans were dead, said: "We are deeply concerned about the escalating violence. We strongly condemn the attacks on Israel and hold Hamas responsible."

Someone should ask her to comment on teenage knife-crime, to see if she'd say: "I strongly condemn the people who've been stabbed, and until they abandon their practice of wandering around clutching their sides and bleeding, there is no hope for peace."

The Israeli government suffers terribly from this confusion. They probably have adverts on Israeli television in which a man falls off a ladder and screams, "Eeeeugh", then a voice says, "Have you caused an accident at work in the last 12 months?" and the bloke who pushed him gets £3,000.

The gap between the might of Israel's F-16 bombers and Apache helicopters, and the Palestinians' catapulty thing is so ridiculous that to try and portray the situation as between two equal sides requires the imagination of a children's story writer.....

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/mark-steel/mark-steel-so-what-have-the-palestinians-got-to-complain-about-1218135.html

A Palestinian man places a green Hamas flag on the rubble of a destroyed mosque after an Israeli air strike in Gaza

The Gaza War is Completely Stoppable

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:50:48 EST

The Gaza War is Completely Stoppable

by Robert Naiman - Published on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 by CommonDreams.org

We have seen this movie before. In the summer of 2006, Israel invaded Lebanon. Replace "Hizbullah" with "Hamas" and "Lebanon" with "Gaza," and much we have seen in the last few days is depressingly familiar. Once again, the Israeli military assault is justified on the basis of the need to stop rocket attacks on Israel, even though it is widely conceded that this will not be the result. Once again, establishment voices in Washington give carte blanche to the military action, even though few believe it will accomplish its stated objectives, and everyone understands that it will impose a huge political cost for the United States around the world, especially in the Arab and Muslim world.

But, although one can only be sick at the repeated, completely unnecessary loss of life, there is a silver lining to the Lebanon precedent: international outrage in 2006 effectively forced the United States government into a corner, in which it finally could no longer resist a ceasefire. And there is no reason to believe that what happened in 2006 can not and will not happen again now.

The question is then how long it will take international outrage to build to the level necessary to force the US government to stop backing the Israeli military action, and therefore how many Palestinians and Israelis will needlessly die in the meantime.........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/12/31-9

How Hypocrisy on 'Terrorism' Kills

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:35:32 EST

How Hypocrisy on 'Terrorism' Kills

by Robert Parry - Published on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 by Consortium News

Israel, a nation that was born out of Zionist terrorism, has launched massive airstrikes against targets in Gaza using high-tech weapons produced by the United States, a country that often has aided and abetted terrorism by its client military forces, such as Chile's Operation Condor and the Nicaraguan contras, and even today harbors right-wing Cuban terrorists implicated in blowing up a civilian airliner.

Yet, with that moral ambiguity excluded from the debate, the justification for the Israeli attacks, which have killed at least 364 people, is the righteous fight against "terrorism," since Gaza is ruled by the militant Palestinian group, Hamas.

Hamas rose to power in January 2006 through Palestinian elections, which ironically the Bush administration had demanded. However, after Hamas won a parliamentary majority, Israel and the United States denounced the outcome because they deem Hamas a "terrorist organization."

Hamas then wrested control of Gaza from Fatah, a rival group that once was considered "terrorist" but is now viewed as a U.S.-Israeli partner, so it has been cleansed of the "terrorist" label.

Unwilling to negotiate seriously with Hamas because of its acts of terrorism - which have included firing indiscriminate short-range missiles into southern Israel - the United States and Israel sat back as the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza worsened, with 1.5 million impoverished Palestinians packed into what amounts to a giant open-air prison..........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.consortiumnews.com/2008/123008.html

Gaza Attacks: Murder with Impunity

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:30:48 EST

Gaza Attacks: Murder with Impunity

by Mustafa Qadri @ Published on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 by Foreign Policy in Focus

It was about midnight last Sunday when my phone rang. "I'm not sure I will survive tonight, the Israelis are bombing us everywhere." It was Mahmoud, a young resident of Rafah, a city in the Gaza Strip on the border with Egypt. We first met when I visited the troubled coastal territory after Israel dismantled its settlements there in September 2005. On December 27, just before midday, Israel's powerful air force, the fourth largest in the world, commenced a deadly air assault on over 40 separate locations in the Gaza Strip. The strikes were as calculated as they were cold - the targets were almost entirely people and facilities vital to the Hamas government. In one of the areas hit, where police officers had gathered for a parade, body parts were strewn along a courtyard.

The present conflict is the deadliest since Israel occupied Gaza and the West Bank in the Six Day War of 1967. That is a surprising achievement given the bloody history of the Israel-Palestine conflict, particularly during the Palestinian uprisings, or intifadas, of 1987 and 2000.

Israel has targeted Hamas, but the vast majority of the casualties from its attacks have been civilian police officers, government workers, and other civilians. The Palestinian death toll currently stands at 350 while more than a thousand have sustained injuries. The figure is expected to increase as Israel's bombardment continues. Since Monday morning, Israel's navy has commenced bombing Gaza from the coast. Compounding the suffering is the fact that medical and other humanitarian supplies are in a dire state thanks to Israel's three-year-old blockade of the territory. Half the population of Gaza, even before this most recent attack, was living below the poverty line.

So far, rockets fired from Gaza have killed two Israelis and injured several others......

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/5769

Protesters Worldwide Keep up Pressure Over Gaza

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:25:09 EST

Protesters Worldwide Keep up Pressure Over Gaza

Published on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 by Agence France Presse

PARIS - Protesters denouncing Israel's deadly bombardment of the Gaza Strip returned to the streets in demonstrations around the world to keep up the pressure for an end to the violence.

In France, more than 7,000 protesters marched in a dozen cities across the country to denounce the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip , which continued for the fourth day running Tuesday.

In Paris, around 3,500 people according to police -- 5,000 according to the organisers -- marched towards the French foreign ministry on the Quai D'Orsay by the River Seine, shouting slogans and carrying banners denouncing Israel.

Police said another 700 marched in the western city of Nantes, while demonstrations in at least a dozen cities and towns across the country each attracted hundreds of protesters.

In London, between 200 and 300 demonstrators protested peacefully outside the Israeli embassy, after the two previous days' rallies had descended into violence.......

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2008/12/31-2

Protesters take part in a rally against Israel's air offensive in Gaza Strip, in front of the Israel embassy in Tokyo December 30, 2008. About 200 protesters participated in the rally criticizing Israel. The banner reads, "Stop air assault on Gaza."(Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon/Japan)As Israel, under increasing diplomatic pressure, mulled a proposed 48-hour truce and the death toll from its onslaught rose to at least 373 Palestinians, the protesters made their voices heard again.

Israel Rejects Truce Calls, Presses on With Gaza Offensive

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:17:16 EST

Israel Rejects Truce Calls, Presses on With Gaza Offensive

Published on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 by Agence France Presse

JERUSALEM - Israel on Wednesday rejected world calls for a truce and vowed to push on with its deadly Gaza offensive, as warplanes pounded Hamas targets for a fifth day and the Islamists shot back with rockets.

"The cabinet decided to continue with the military operation," a senior government official told AFP after a six-hour meeting of the country's security cabinet.

)"We did not launch the Gaza operation only to end it with the same rocket firing that we had at its start," he quoted Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as saying.

"If the conditions are ripe and we think that they might offer a solution that will guarantee a better security reality in the south then we would weigh the issue. We are not there yet."

Amid mushrooming protests around the globe , world diplomats have been scrambling to find a way to halt one of Israel's deadliest-ever offensives on Gaza that has so far killed at least 390 Palestinians.......

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2008/12/31-5

As Israel's Gaza offensive continues Palestinian civilians are dying amid the rubble, while survivors struggle just to find food. (AFPTV)

A Beginner's Guide: What is Hamas, Really?

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:12:45 EST

A Beginner's Guide

What is Hamas, Really?

By RON JACOBS @ counterpunch.org

Since it became clear that the intention of Israel's latest military assault on Gaza is to destroy Hamas, various newspapers in the US have printed opinion pieces echoing the Washington line that it is Hamas' fault that Gaza is being pummeled by Israeli warplanes. Now, there may be some things one can blame Hamas for, but firing missiles at people and buildings in Gaza from Israeli warplanes is not one of them. It has been the desire of Tel Aviv and Washington to eradicate Hamas as a political force for a long time. The military Israeli assault currently going on is but the latest installment in fulfilling that desire.

Just prior to the assault there was a Israeli-enforced blockade on Gaza. This blockade prevented necessary goods from reaching the people living there. There was also an Israeli incursion in November that was the culmination of a series of border clashes between Israel and Palestinian gunmen. These clashes resulted in the deaths of at least 16 Palestinians. Of course, these occurrences were but a continuation of the low-intensity conflict between Hamas and Israel that in themselves are but a part of the conflict between Israel and Palestine that has continued since 1948. Hamas is but the most recent organization to represent the militant wing of the Palestinian resistance and, therefore be at the receiving end of Israel's most violent responses. At this point in history if Hamas did not resist, there would be no resistance to Tel Aviv's plans to render the Palestinians completely irrelevant in their own land. Most Palestinians understand this and are understandably angry at the current campaign in Gaza, no matter which political faction has their allegiance..........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.counterpunch.org/jacobs12312008.html

Gaza's One-Sided Images: Five Little Girls on a Sofa

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:06:57 EST

Five Little Girls on a Sofa Gaza's One-Sided Images

By BRIAN CLOUGHLEY @ counterpunch.org

You wouldn't know from the western media that Israel's foreign minister (and would-be prime minister), Tzipi Livni, made a disastrous appearance on al-Jazeera television last week, just as you wouldn't have seen dreadful pictures of dead children and their screaming distraught mothers in Gaza unless you watch al-J TV, which is almost impossible in the US. Here in France we can receive al-Jazeera, and the images are truly horrific. But Ms Livni doesn't want us to see them. Nor do most western governments. She declared that "when you show one-sided images from Gaza you're not helping peace. I understand that pictures which create provocation lead to anger and hostility among the citizens, but we want a better future for this region." In other words – don't look at pictures that tell the truth because they will make you angry about people who blast children into ragged fragments. What we don't see, says Livni, won't harm us, which is the theme of authoritarian censors through the ages.

This woman, with all the compassion of a raging shark that has smelled blood in flesh-strewn water, is furious that pictures have appeared in public of the mangled bloody bodies of children her country has slaughtered in its frenzy of vicious bombing and rocketing. But they'll never be seen by the great majority of people in the west, simply because media outlets don't want to upset readers and viewers. Nor, of course, do they want to upset Israel, that bastion of kindly morality which wields so much influence over US politicians that they dare not speak out against airstrikes that kill children........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.counterpunch.org/cloughley12312008.html

Gaza crisis: a crossroads for Obama

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:08:26 EST

Gaza crisis: a crossroads for ObamaIt could bring renewal – if Obama is bold enough to stand up to Israel.

By Sandy Tolan - from the December 31, 2008 edition of "The Christian Science Monitor"

Los Angeles - The catastrophe unfolding in Gaza has the dark force of a recurring Middle Eastern nightmare: Scattered guerrilla-like attacks from the weak lead to massive retaliation by the strong. Excessive lethal force provokes enraged recriminations. Fresh bloodshed fuels the hard-liners on both sides.

We have seen this cycle many times before: throughout Lebanon (2006), across the occupied territories during the first intifada (1987-93), in east and west Beirut (1982), and even during the founding of modern Israel and the subsequent dispossession of the Palestinians in 1948.

When the smoke finally drifts from Gaza, and the human rights investigations begin – into the death of schoolchildren in midday rocket attacks or the demolition of a women's dormitory – sober voices will ask why Israel has still not learned a fundamental lesson: By trying to crush your enemy, you only make him stronger.

Two years ago, despite killing hundreds of Lebanese fighters and civilians, and driving some 800,000 from their homes, Israel could not defeat the radical Shiite militant group Hezbollah, which emerged stronger than ever. For Israel, again, the lesson was lost – ironically, on a nation whose tragic motto is "never again."

The difference now is that from the ashes of this war, new lands can be seeded – if President-elect Obama is bold enough to do what his predecessors would not. Like the financial meltdown in the US, Israel's grave and massive blunder in Gaza provides Mr. Obama with an opportunity for sweeping changes unimaginable on Election Day.

Obama could begin by making clear that the days of Israel's impunity are over.......

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/1231/p09s01-coop.html

SLAVE MENTALITY.

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:42:05 EST

SLAVE MENTALITY.

from the group blog of "The American Prospect" - by A. Serwer

It always fascinates me how, in the context of the Arab Israeli conflict, Jews who err on the side of Israel in all things suddenly become immediate arbiters of ethnic authenticity, as Marty Peretz does here, going after, among others, my colleague Ezra Klein and roll dog Spencer Ackerman, as a result of their criticisms of Israel's Gaza operation:

I pity them their hatred of their inheritance. Actually of both their inheritances, Jewish and American. They are pip-squeaks, and I do not much read them. But when any one of them writes a real doozey it is likely to come to my attention.

I guess I find this fascinating because when Jews do this, they sound like no one more than Malcolm X divvying up black folks into Field Negroes and House Negroes. In the minds of folks like Peretz, any Jew who does not acquiesce, without criticism, to whatever military actions Israel deems necessary is caught, like a house slave, in the throes of their own self-hatred. They are unable to unshackle themselves from centuries of anti-Semitism and self-loathing, and are doomed to justify whatever viciousness undertaken against their people out of a twisted desire to be accepted by those who hate them. Rather than looking after massa, self-hating Jews look after Hamas......

ENTIRE POST - http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/tapped_archive?month=12&year=2008&base_name=slave_mentality

Israel's 'victories' in Gaza come at a steep price

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:32:46 EST

Israel's 'victories' in Gaza come at a steep price

The Jewish ethical tradition means embracing Palestinians, too.

By Sara Roy @ "The Christian Science Monitor" - from the January 2, 2009 edition

Cambridge, Mass. - I hear the voices of my friends in Gaza as clearly as if we were still on the phone; their agony echoes inside me. They weep and moan over the death of their children, some, little girls like mine, taken, their bodies burned and destroyed so senselessly.

One Palestinian friend asked me, "Why did Israel attack when the children were leaving school and the women were in the markets?" There are reports that some parents cannot find their dead children and are desperately roaming overflowing hospitals.

As Jews celebrated the last night of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights commemorating our resurgence as a people, I asked myself: How am I to celebrate my Jewishness while Palestinians are being killed?

The religious scholar Marc Ellis challenges us further by asking whether the Jewish covenant with God is present or absent in the face of Jewish oppression of Palestinians? Is the Jewish ethical tradition still available to us? Is the promise of holiness – so central to our existence – now beyond our ability to reclaim?

The lucky ones in Gaza are locked in their homes living lives that have long been suspended – hungry, thirsty, and without light but their children are alive.........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0102/p09s01-coop.html

How to think about the missiles that terrorize Sderot, by Adam Horowitz, who's been there

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:16:53 EST

How to think about the missiles that terrorize Sderot, by Adam Horowitz, who's been there

by Phil Weiss @ "Mondoweiss"

Adam Horowitz writes:

Today the Christian Science Monitor has a piece by Alan Dershowitz defending Israel's actions. I could respond to his article point by point, but it's really just the same justifications for collective punishment that he and other Jewish luminaries have been offering for decades. In a tired tradition, Dershowitz tries to blame the Palestinians for making Israel kill them - "The firing of rockets at civilians from densely populated civilian areas is the newest tactic in the war between terrorists who love death and democracies that love life." Golda Meir articulated this sentiment most famously and succinctly after the 1967 war: "When peace comes we will perhaps in time be able to forgive the Arabs for killing our sons, but it will be harder for us to forgive them for having forced us to kill their sons."

The one piece of the Dershowitz article that is worth responding to is his comments on Sderot: "The residents of Sderot were demanding that their nation take action to protect them," which he takes as a demand that Israel obliterate Gaza.

Like Dershowitz I've been to Sderot: a year ago in November, 2007.....

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2008/12/how-to-think-about-the-missiles-that-terrorize-sderot-by-adam-horowitz-whos-been-there.html#more

The First Casualty of Israel's War

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:10:29 EST

There Aren't Two Sides to the Story of a Real Rape

The First Casualty of Israel's War

By TED HONDERICH @ counterpunch.org

It is said truth is the first casualty of war. It is rather the first casualty of inhumanity. You have to lie, maybe to yourself as well, when your are engaged in inhumanity. You wouldn't have to lie about a war that really was right.

By Zionism I mean the founding and actually necessary defence of the state of Israel in roughly its 1948 boundaries. It was justified by the Holocaust in the past and is justified by the existence of a Jewish homeland now. By neo-Zionism I mean the taking from the suffering Palestinians, the only indigenous people of historic Palestine, at least their autonomy in the last fifth of their homeland.

A decent humanity, the Principle of Humanity, ultimately justifies Zionism. It condemns neo-Zionism absolutely. There aren't two sides to the story of a real rape.

The neo-Zionist government of Israel says that in attacking the democracy of Gaza it is doing no more than engaging in self-defence. It is saving lives of its own citizens from rocket attacks.

That is not its aim. If that were its aim, Israel would achieve it immediately by embracing the solution to the Palestinian problem, in no way complex. It would give up neo-Zionism. It would withdraw, without negotiation, from the remaining homeland of another people............

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.counterpunch.org/honderich12312008.html

Where's the Academic Outrage Over the Bombing of a University in Gaza?

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:05:30 EST

Targeting Islamic University

Where's the Academic Outrage Over the Bombing of a University in Gaza?

By NEVE GORDON and JEFF HALPER @ counterpunch.org

Not one of the nearly 450 presidents of American colleges and universities who prominently denounced an effort by British academics to boycott Israeli universities in September 2007 have raised their voice in opposition to Israel’s bombardment of the Islamic University of Gaza earlier this week. Lee C. Bollinger, president of Columbia University, who organized the petition, has been silent, as have his co-signatories from Princeton, Northwestern, and Cornell Universities, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Most others who signed similar petitions, like the 11,000 professors from nearly 1,000 universities around the world, have also refrained from expressing their outrage at Israel’s attack on the leading university in Gaza. The artfully named Scholars for Peace in the Middle East, which organized the latter appeal, has said nothing about the assault.

While the extent of the damage to the Islamic University, which was hit in six separate airstrikes, is still unknown, recent reports indicate that at least two major buildings were targeted, a science laboratory and the Ladies’ Building, where female students attended classes. There were no casualties, as the university was evacuated when the Israeli assault began on Saturday.

Virtually all the commentators agree that the Islamic University was attacked, in part, because it is a cultural symbol of Hamas, the ruling party in the elected Palestinian government, which Israel has targeted in its continuing attacks in Gaza. Mysteriously, hardly any of the news coverage has emphasized the educational significance of the university, which far exceeds its cultural or political symbolism............

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.counterpunch.org/gordon12312008.html

Israel stifles free press covering Gaza

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:01:29 EST

Monday, Dec. 29, 2008Israel stifles free press covering Gaza

By DION NISSENBAUM - McClatchy Newspapers

JERUSALEM -- On one hand, one can't blame the Israeli government for wanting to do what it can to prevent the world from seeing the effects of its devastating Gaza airstrikes that have killed hundreds of Palestinians.

In 48-hours, Israel has decimated the Gaza Strip, killed more than 300 Palestinians and injured 1,400 others in a "shock and awe" air campaign.

Israeli airstrikes have targeted a mosque, universities, and private homes as part of the military campaign aimed at destabilizing Hamas rulers and preventing Gaza militants from continuing to fire endless rounds of rockets into southern Israel.

But, as the BBC's Jo Floto noted last month after Israel first barred journalists from entering Gaza, Israel has joined a notorious and small list of countries preventing reporters from doing their job.

Israel, which prides itself on being the healthiest democracy in the Middle East, joins North Korea, Zimbabwe and Burma in denying media access to a major story.

In essence, Israel has transformed the entire Gaza Strip into a closed military zone.......

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.thestate.com/world/story/634467.html

George Washington's warnings and U.S. policy towards Israel

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:42:44 EST

George Washington's warnings and U.S. policy towards Israel

Glenn Greenwald @ salon.com - Tuesday Dec. 30, 2008 05:33 EST

University of Maryland's Program on International Policy Attitudes -- July 1, 2008:

A new WorldPublicOpinion.org poll of 18 countries finds that in 14 of them people mostly say their government should not take sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Just three countries favor taking the Palestinian side (Egypt, Iran, and Turkey) and one is divided (India). No country favors taking Israel's side, including the United States, where 71 percent favor taking neither side.

CQ Politics, yesterday:

Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle rallied to Israel’s cause Monday as it pressed forward with large-scale air attacks against Islamic militants in the Gaza Strip. . . .
“I strongly support Israel’s right to defend its citizens against rocket and mortar attacks from Hamas-controlled Gaza, which have killed and injured Israeli citizens, and to restore security to its residents,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev. . . .
His view was echoed by leaders of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
“Israel has a right, indeed a duty, to defend itself in response to the hundreds of rockets and mortars fired from Gaza over the past week,” Howard L. Berman , D-Calif., chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, the ranking Republican on the House committee, also expressed support for the Israeli offensive. . . .
The White House on Monday also took Israel’s side in the fighting, demanding that Hamas halt its rocket fire into Israel and agree to a last ceasefire.

Earlier this week, Nancy Pelosi issued an identical statement, and yesterday Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer did the same.

There sure is a lot of agreeing going on -- one might describe it as "absolute." The degree of mandated orthodoxy on the Israel question among America's political elites is so great that if one took the statements on Gaza from George Bush, Pelosi, Hoyer, Berman, Ros-Lehtinen, and randomly chosen Bill Kristol-acolytes and redacted their names, it would be impossible to know which statements came from whom..........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/12/30/democracy/index.html

Several Jewish Organizations Call For End to Gaza Bombings

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:34:51 EST

Jewish Organizations Call For End to Gaza Bombings
by Ali Gharib @ antiwar.com

With a fresh outbreak of violence between Israel and Palestine, a battle of a different sort is being waged in Washington between various interests in Mideast policy circles.

As Israeli air strikes continue to pummel the Gaza Strip for a fourth day and crude homemade rockets launched by Palestinian militants land in Israeli towns near the densely populated and besieged Strip, Jewish groups in the U.S. are taking two distinctly differing tacks at addressing the latest Middle East bloodshed.

Some of what are traditionally thought of as pro-Israel groups are undertaking a major public relations campaign to support the bombing runs against Hamas that have claimed more than 370 Palestinian lives – largely parroting the Israeli government line that the attacks are a justified defense of Israelis.....

.....But instead of offering unquestioning support of Israel's latest military venture in the decades-long conflict, four major Jewish organizations are calling for an immediate end to the bombings, and for humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip......

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.antiwar.com/ips/gharib.php?articleid=13980

Gaza Becomes a Chessboard for Israeli Leaders

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:22:41 EST

Gaza Becomes a Chessboard for Israeli Leaders

by Mel Frykberg @ antiwar.com

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Israel's devastating bombardment of Gaza, and the mounting death toll continue as Operation Cast Lead entered its fourth day Tuesday.

Despite massive damage to Hamas' infrastructure and the enormous loss of life inflicted on Gaza, the Islamic resistance organization continues to fire rockets at Israel, with three Israelis killed to date.

The Palestinian death toll currently stands at more than 350, with about 1,400 injured. The UN released figures several days ago stating that at a conservative estimate more than 50 of the dead were civilian, and expected the figure to rise within the coming days.

Israel's stated goals that its massive aerial campaign was meant to stop Hamas and its allies launching rockets at Israel have so far failed to materialize.

Although the firing of projectiles at Israel had been problematic, hundreds of rockets caused little damage and no casualties for many months prior to Operation Cast Lead. The rockets were fired mostly in response to Israeli attacks.

Following a six-month cease-fire, Israel launched a cross-border military incursion into Gaza last month, provoking a barrage of missiles.

Analysts, and some politicians, argue that the real motivation behind the military operation is ambitious Israeli politicians and the upcoming Israeli elections due Feb. 10.........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.antiwar.com/ips/frykberg.php?articleid=13977

Electioneering With Bombs

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:16:19 EST

Electioneering With Bombs
Livni and Barak pin their hopes on Gaza rampageby Jonathan Cook @ antiwar.com

Of the three politicians who announced the military assault on Gaza to the world on Saturday, perhaps only outgoing prime minister Ehud Olmert has little to lose – or gain – from its outcome.

Flanking the Israeli prime minister were two of the main contenders for his job: Tzipi Livni, the foreign minister and the new leader of Olmert's centrist party, Kadima, and Ehud Barak, the defense minister and leader of the left-wing Labor Party.

The attack on Gaza may make or break this pair's political fortunes as they jostle for position against Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing party, Likud, before a general election little more than a month away.

Until now Livni and Barak have been facing the imminent demise of their ruling coalition as Netanyahu and the far Right have surged in the polls and looked set to form the next government.

Both have strenuously denied that the election has any bearing on the timing of the Gaza operation. But they equally hope a successful strike against Hamas may yet save them from electoral humiliation.

In the run-up to the election, observed Michael Warschawski, a founder of the Alternative Information Center in Jerusalem, "all Israeli leaders are competing over who is the toughest and who is ready to kill more."

Netanyahu, pushed out of the spotlight, has had to turn his fire away from the two other parties and instead lambaste easy political targets: in recent speeches he has questioned the loyalty of Israel's 1.2 million Arab citizens and demanded the resignation of the only Arab government minister...........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.antiwar.com/orig/cook.php?articleid=13975

Israel's Constant Crisis

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:04:32 EST

Israel's Constant Crisis

It's a survival mechanismby Justin Raimondo @ antiwar.com

As the Israelis continue to pound Gaza, killing Hamas cadre, traffic cops, and civilians alike, Americans shake their heads and wonder: why can't they all just get along? Why must we be involved? The answer to both questions lies in understanding the peculiar nature of the Israeli state and its "special relationship" to the West, specifically the U.S.

Defenders of the Israeli government and its policies often complain that Israel just wants to be treated as a "normal country," like any other. They cavil that the Jewish state is treated like an outsider, a pariah, and held up to standards that don't apply anywhere else. The big problem for these complainants, however, is that Israel is not a normal country, and never has been.

From the day of its birth, Israel has been a Western project, a unique creation of European ideologues whose vision of a Jewish state was rooted in myth, custom, and remembrance, rather than blood and soil.......

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=13978

Israeli Military Declares Online Media ‘Another War Zone’

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 21:09:08 EST

Israeli Military Declares Online Media ‘Another War Zone’

Journalists Kept Carefully Away From Gaza as Israel Tries to Restrict Coverage

compiled by Jason Ditz @ antiwar.com - Posted December 30, 2008

Across the world, mainstream journalists are expressing increasing disquiet at the way the Israeli government is trying to manage international coverage of its war on the Gaza Strip. Journalists have been barred not just from the strip itself, but the government is now prohibiting journalists from going to parts of Israel near the Gaza Strip.

The Foreign Press Association is petitioning the Israeli Supreme Court to overturn the ban, which is limiting the ability of media outlets to cover the attacks, and forces them to rely on second and third hand reports from Israeli military and Hamas spokesmen regarding the situation on the ground.

As the media struggles to get up-to-date information, television news coverage is narrow, and often relies on interviews with Israeli government officials explaining why the killings are righteous and legitimate expressions of democracy and freedom, more and more people are turning to online news sites (like Antiwar.com) for their war coverage.

The Israeli military has therefore announced that online media and the blogosphere are another warzone for the military to manage. To that end, the military is launching its own Youtube channel to bring the viewing public footage of “precision bombing operations” in the strip.

In ensuring that the only footage of their military operation is provided directly from them, the Israeli military is another step closer to completely managing public perception of the ongoing attacks. The military says the footage will allow the public to “know that people killed did not have peaceful intentions toward Israel,” which presumably means coverage of the killing of five children in their beds in a refugee camp last night, and the scores of other civilian deaths, will be carefully omitted from the official coverage.

SOURCE - http://news.antiwar.com/2008/12/30/israeli-military-declares-online-media-another-war-zone/

Remembering How Gaza Got Like This

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:54:40 EST

Remembering How Gaza Got Like This (+)

by: Daniel De Groot @ openleft.com - Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 09:00

Those debating how much condemnation to allocate to Israel or the Palestinians need to save a bunch for the current crew in the Bush Administration. It's a good time to dig up a piece from Vanity Fair in April of this year, which goes into great detail about how Hamas came to power in Gaza almost entirely because of Bush Administration bungling. I re-present, David Rose and The Gaza Bombshell:

Vanity Fair has obtained confidential documents, since corroborated by sources in the U.S. and Palestine, which lay bare a covert initiative, approved by Bush and implemented by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Deputy National Security Adviser Elliott Abrams, to provoke a Palestinian civil war. The plan was for forces led by Dahlan, and armed with new weapons supplied at America's behest, to give Fatah the muscle it needed to remove the democratically elected Hamas-led government from power. (The State Department declined to comment.)
But the secret plan backfired, resulting in a further setback for American foreign policy under Bush. Instead of driving its enemies out of power, the U.S.-backed Fatah fighters inadvertently provoked Hamas to seize total control of Gaza.

Yes, that Elliott Abrhams, the Iran-Contra one. Neoconservatives really do never ever learn from their mistakes and manage to be always wrong about everything. It's their superpower...........

ENTIRE ARTICLE-http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=0B305E255D070ECCC8275FFC2B4AF58C?diaryId=10659

Bush Refuses To Interrupt His Final Vacation As Middle East Crisis Escalates

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:49:03 EST

Bush Refuses To Interrupt His Final Vacation As Middle East Crisis Escalates»

By Faiz Shakir on Dec 29th, 2008 at 3:13 pm @ thinkprogress.org

In an effort to “prevent Palestinians from attacking towns in southern Israel” with rockets, Israel today undertook its third day of offensive military airstrikes in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, raising the death toll to more than 300. The Palestinian casualty numbers have been described as the highest over such a brief period since the 1967 Six-Day war. Scores of Israelis have been wounded — and at least one killed — by rocket attacks fired by Palestinians. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak called the situation “all out war.”

While Bush has been briefed on the situation by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, he has opted not to interrupt his final vacation as president to make a public statement on the crisis. For someone who has enjoyed the most vacation days as sitting president — including days spent relaxing in comfort during Hurricane Katrina and in the lead-up to 9/11 — it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that Bush prioritizes vacationing over crisis management........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://thinkprogress.org/2008/12/29/bush-vaca-middle-east/

Former Powell aide: Bush was ‘Sarah Palin-like’ in his knowledge of foreign policy.

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:41:40 EST

Former Powell aide: Bush was ‘Sarah Palin-like’ in his knowledge of foreign policy.»

By Satyam Khanna at 10:22 am @ thinkprogress.com

In an interview with Vanity Fair for its upcoming issue on the Bush White House, Lawrence Wilkerson, former chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell, ripped President Bush, saying that after the 2000 election, Bush’s knowledge of foreign affairs was as poor as that of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R):

We had this confluence of characters—and I use that term very carefully—that included people like Powell, Dick Cheney, Condi Rice, and so forth, which allowed one perception to be “the dream team.” It allowed everybody to believe that this Sarah Palin–like president—because, let’s face it, that’s what he was—was going to be protected by this national- security elite, tested in the cauldrons of fire.

Bush famously was unable to name the leaders of Pakistan, Chechnya, and India when running for President in 1999. In a recent interview, he reflected on his early days as President, stating, “I think I was unprepared for war.” Similarly, in 2004, Bush said he “was not on point” prior to 9/11. “I didn’t feel that sense of urgency, and my blood was not nearly as boiling.”

SOURCE - http://thinkprogress.org/2008/12/30/bush-sarah-palin/

Bolton: Gaza Crisis Means We Should Attack Iran Now

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:34:11 EST

Bolton: Gaza Crisis Means We Should Attack Iran Now»

By Satyam Khanna at 3:23 pm @ thinkprogress.com

Yesterday, on Fox’s Hannity and Colmes, Iran war hawk John Bolton said that Israel’s recent bombing campaign in Gaza is all the more reason for the United States to bomb Iran now. “So while our focus obviously is on Gaza right now, this could turn out to be a much larger conflict,” he said, adding that “we’re looking at potentially a multi-front war here.”

“You would strike Iran right now?” asked host Alan Colmes. “I would have done it before this,” Bolton responded. Colmes asked whether tensions and war across Middle East would escalate if the U.S. or Israel were to bomb Iran. Bolton said that the many Arab countries would secretly be cheering if Iran were attacked......

ENTIRE ARTICE - http://thinkprogress.org/2008/12/30/bolton-iran-israel/

‘Key Ally In The War On Terror’ Breaks With U.S., Condemns Israel For Gaza Strikes

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:31:00 EST

‘Key Ally In The War On Terror’ Breaks With U.S., Condemns Israel For Gaza Strikes»

By Faiz Shakir at 7:00 pm @ thinkprogress.org

After disastrously invading and occupying Iraq, one of the justifications President Bush frequently offered for sustaining the enormous U.S. costs in lives and resources was that we were developing a “key ally” in the Middle East:

Together we’ll help Iraq become a strong democracy that protects the rights of its people and is a key ally in the war on terror. [9/22/05]
Our mission in Iraq is clear. … We’re helping Iraqis build a free nation that is an ally in the war on terror. We’re advancing freedom in the broader Middle East. [6/28/05]
Freedom will prevail in Iraq; freedom will prevail in the Middle East; and as the hope of freedom spreads to nations that have not known it, these countries will become allies in the cause of peace. [3/20/06]

The Wonk Room’s Matt Duss notes that — in a central test of the U.S. alliance with Iraq — our “key ally” is instead more eager to disassociate itself completely from the United States:

Just as they did during Israel’s 2006 war against Hezbollah, Iraq’s leaders are now showing where their true sympathies lie. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s Da’wa Party “issued a statement condemning the attacks and calling on Islamic countries to cut relations with Israel and end all ’secret and public talks’ with it.”
Khalid Hussain of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI) told Gulf News “We have obligations towards Palestine and all Iraqi people are in solidarity with the people in Palestine, and we will support the people in Gaza.” […]
“Iraqi resistance groups have to retaliate against the Israeli aggression on Gaza by escalating their operations against the US military in Iraq since the US position is in favour of this aggression, firstly, and secondly because the United States and Israel are both enemies of the Arabs,” Omar Al Kubaisi, an activist of the Sunni Muslim Clerics Association.

Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Sistani has also condemned the Gaza strikes. Duss concludes, “Looking on the bright side, if one can call it that, as with opposition to the U.S. occupation, Gaza is an issue on which Iraqis have achieved rare political consensus.”

SOURCE - http://thinkprogress.org/2008/12/30/iraqis-on-gaza-strikes/

Has Israel Revived Hamas?

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:53:17 EST

Has Israel Revived Hamas?

By Daoud Kuttab @ washingtonpost.com

Tuesday, December 30, 2008; Page A15

JERUSALEM -- In its efforts to stop amateur rockets from nagging the residents of some of its southern cities, Israel appears to have given new life to the fledging Islamic movement in Palestine.

This Story

For two years, the Islamic Resistance Movement (known by its Arabic acronym, Hamas) has been losing support internally and externally. This wasn't the case in the days after the party came to power democratically in early 2006; despite being unjustly ostracized by the international community for its anti-Israeli stance, Hamas enjoyed the backing of Palestinians and other Arabs. Having won a decisive parliamentary majority on an anti-corruption platform promising change and reform, Hamas worked hard to govern better than had Fatah, its rival and predecessor.

Things began to sour when Hamas violently seized control of Gaza, but even then, Hamas enjoyed considerable domestic support -- and much goodwill externally. Then the movement turned down every legitimate offer from its nationalist PLO rivals and Egyptian mediators to pursue reconciliation, and support for it began to slip.......

ARTICLE - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/29/AR2008122901901.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

Commentary Magazine: Howling In The Abyss

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:37:23 EST

Commentary Magazine: Howling In The Abyss

By: Jane Hamsher @ firedoglake.com - Tuesday December 30, 2008 7:02 am

As JPod prepares to man the helm of Commentary Magazine, he assumes quite a legacy.

Fresh off joining with the ADL to condemn Joe Klein as an anti-semite for criticizing Israel, Commentary dismisses the critiques of Ezra Klein, Matt Yglesias and Spencer Ackerman because they "have nothing invested in Israel other than their American liberalism and their Jewish surnames," trot out the always classic "soft bigotry of low expectations," and conclude that FDL and our commenters are "objectively pro-Hamas" (based on this post by Siun, where she herself says nothing about Hamas).

I'll let others defend themselves, but as to FDL being "pro Hamas," I don't think you'd be able to support that claim with any reasonable evidence, which is probably why they don't try. There is no official "FDL position" regarding the situation in Gaza, and individual writers have differing opinions, but I think Hugh had an interesting analysis with which many concur....

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/30/commentary-magazine-howling-in-the-abyss/

Why Israel Won’t Allow Journalists Into Gaza

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:28:36 EST

Why Israel Won’t Allow Journalists Into Gaza

By: Siun @ firedoglake.com - Tuesday December 30, 2008 7:55 am 63

Overnight, the Jerusalem Post carried a story titled Navy Sends Activist Boat Back to Cyprus which said:

The Navy has turned back a boat trying to carry pro-Palestinian protesters to the Gaza Strip, officials said Tuesday
Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said the boat ignored an Israeli radio order to turn back early Tuesday. He said the boat tried to outmaneuver the navy ship and crashed into it, lightly damaging both vessels. The navy then escorted the boat to the territorial waters of Cyprus.
ENTIRE POST - http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/30/why-israel-wont-allow-journalists-into-gaza/

Axelrod’s Refusal To Endorse Israel’s Actions

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:23:42 EST

Axelrod’s Refusal To Endorse Israel’s Actions

By: Jane Hamsher @ firedoglake.com - Tuesday December 30, 2008 11:23 am

I'm not generally one for projecting meaning into silence, but I think it's worthwhile to consider what David Axelrod didn't say about the Gaza strikes on Meet the Press this Sunday.

As Glenn Greenwald notes, 71% of Americans don't think the US should take sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Despite this fact, the statements of Republican and Democratic leaders alike are in lockstep with George Bush. Reid, Pelosi, Hoyer and Berman all unilaterally support Israel's actions -- their releases could have been written by Bill Kristol.

Barack Obama himself has demurred, saying "there's only one President." So the only statement so far coming out Team Obama is from Axelrod.

As M.J. Rosenberg writes:

On Meet The Press this morning, David Axelrod was asked about Gaza by David Gregory. Gregory reminded Axelrod that the President-Elect had visited Sderot earlier this year and said that Israel had the right to defend its people against the mortars. What does he think now?
Axelrod said, predictably, that we have one President at a time. He also said that Obama understood the "urge" to respond militarily..........
ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/30/axelrods-refusal-to-endorse-israels-actions/

Those Who Don’t Learn From George Bush’s Mistakes Are Destined To Repeat Them

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:14:54 EST

Those Who Don’t Learn From George Bush’s Mistakes Are Destined To Repeat Them

By: Jane Hamsher @ firedoglake.com - Tuesday December 30, 2008 3:00 pm

Benjamin Netanyahu was on CNN today saying "We'll have to bring down the Hamas regime." (It's the busy season for Josh Isay -- Caroline Kennedy and Joe Lieberman's handler also has Netanyahu as a client.)

If getting rid of Hamas is the objective of the Gaza strikes, the plan is backfiring says Daoud Kuttab in the Washington Post:

The lack of international support since the 2006 elections, followed by this rebuff to Gaza's only Arab neighbor, Egypt, compounded the deterioration of Hamas's internal support. By November, the survey showed, only 16.6 percent of Palestinians supported Hamas, compared with nearly 40 percent favoring Fatah. The decline in support for Hamas has been steady: A year earlier, the same pollster showed that Hamas's support was at 19.7
percent; in August 2007, it was at 21.6 percent; in March 2007, it was at 25.2 percent; and in September 2006, backing for the Islamists stood at 29.7 percent.

And now?

The disproportionate and heavy-handed Israeli attacks on Gaza have been a bonanza for Hamas. The movement has renewed its standing in the Arab world, secured international favor further afield and succeeded in scuttling indirect Israeli-Syrian talks and direct Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. It has also greatly embarrassed Israel's strongest Arab neighbors, Egypt and Jordan.
While it is not apparent how this violent confrontation will end, it is abundantly clear that the Islamic Hamas movement has been brought back from near political defeat while moderate Arab leaders have been forced to back away from their support for any reconciliation with Israel.
SOURCE - http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/30/those-who-dont-learn-from-george-bushs-mistakes-are-destined-to-repeat-them/

Israelis Get Truth About Gaza Attack

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:08:05 EST

Israelis Get Truth About Gaza Attack

by Ira Chernus @ smirkingchimp.com | December 30, 2008 - 8:50am

If you get your news from the American mass media, you know that there's a nice simple explanation for the massive Israeli attack on Gaza. That explanation comes straight from the Israeli government, via the White House: Hamas, the group that controls Gaza, is responsible for all the violence. "These people are nothing but thugs," a White House spokesman said. "Israel is going to defend its people against terrorists like Hamas." End of story. As usual, Israel is depicted as the innocent victim of an evil it did nothing to provoke.

But if you read Israel's most respected newspaper, Ha'aretz, you find out that things are rather more complicated. (All the quotes below come from Jewish journalists writing in recent editions of Ha'aretz.)

You know the reality of Gaza today: "The tremendous population density in the Gaza Strip does not allow a 'surgical operation' over an extended period that would minimize damage to civilian populations." "There are many corpses and wounded, every moment another casualty is added to the list of the dead, and there is no more room in the morgue. . A mother whose three school-age children were killed, and are piled one on top of top of the other in the morgue, screams and then cries, screams again and then is silent."

And you know that some Israelis are outraged: "Israel's violent responses, even if there is justification for them, exceed all proportion and cross every red line of humaneness, morality, international law and wisdom."

The justification Israel offers is the increased firing of rockets from Gaza. But Israelis can read that Hamas is responding to Israeli provocation.........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/19455

Palestine doesn't get to have a 9/11

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:01:53 EST

Palestine doesn't get to have a 9/11

by Justin Podur @ smirkingchimp.com | December 30, 2008 - 9:20am

In September 2001, a group of terrorists from al Qaeda killed several thousand Americans in New York. US friends and enemies alike condemned the attacks and the attackers. Debates that occurred were about how discriminate America should be in seeking revenge and justice. The horrors of 9/11 are invoked whenever questions arise about US occupations of Iraq or Afghanistan. The US is allowed to use the suffering and deaths of its people to justify what it has done.

In November 2008 a group of terrorists attacked several sites in Mumbai and killed almost two hundred civilians. We still don't know very much for certain about who they were or what they were after. Their planning took place in secret. The attackers were all killed or captured. The massacres were dubbed "India's 9/11." India's friends and enemies alike condemned the attacks and the attackers.

Right now, Israel is still attacking sites all over Gaza and has killed more than three hundred civilians (with more deaths to follow). Their planning has been slow, deliberate, and open. The killers are celebrated and encouraged to continue. The countries of the West are falling over themselves to endorse the atrocities as retaliation, with an occasional word of concern that Israel be judicious in its murders......

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/19457

barbarism in Gaza

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:55:54 EST

barbarism in Gaza by Dennis Rahkonen @ smirkingchimp.com | December 30, 2008 - 9:23am

We all have our bad dreams, but this is the ultimate nightmare:

A man takes a shortcut across a vacant lot and is abruptly swallowed by a hidden sinkhole.

He falls all the way to Hades, where he's press-ganged by Satan's enforcers. Throughout eternity, he's expected to endlessly shovel coal into the biggest, hottest boiler in Hell.

One day, however, that boiler belches, and its explosive force sends him, through a different hole, back to the earth's surface.

He finds himself in a strange, incredibly crowded place. Thousands teem in narrow streets bordered by tightly-packed dwellings and myriad businesses.

Suddenly, warplanes appear overhead and begin unleashing bombs and rockets, on everything and everyone. Men, women, and children run and scream. They're then blown apart in sprays of blood and bone.

Welcome to Gaza, after Christmas, 2008.......

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/19458

You say it best when you say nothing at all

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:51:10 EST

You say it best when you say nothing at all

By Cernig @ crooksandliars.com - Monday Dec 29, 2008 6:00pm

A lot of people seem to be wondering today whether Barack Obama will break his silence over Israel's attack on Gaza. The NY Times devotes a whole article to the question, noting that Team Obama's message discipline is strong and they are sticking to the mantra of "there is only one president at a time." Despite that, there are signs that Obama is broadly sympathetic to Israel - but if he's the more nuanced individual he has claimed to be then he has to realise that the current assault is deeply counter-productive.

Obama could, if he wished, stick to his "one president at a time" - which is only just and correct - while still pressuring the current president to end his hands-off stance on events in Gaza. He could, if he wished, make use of the tame stenographers of the press corps by planting questions to which he could answer "there's only one president at a time" in many, inventive ways.

Consider, for example, that the UK's Gordon Brown has been one of the first Western leaders to break their enabling silence and demand both a ceasefire and access for humanitarian aid to Gaza. Imagine a planted question leading from that.

Reporter: Mr President-Elect, Gordon Brown has called for a ceasefire and access for aid to Gaza. Do you agree the Israelis should now cease their assault?

O: Prime Minister Brown has my greatest respect, he's a strong friend and ally. However, the US only has one President at a time so I can only urge you to ask President Bush that question.

See how it would work? That would put the focus of the American media back on Bush, who has refused to cut short his final vacation to help deal with the crisis.

SOURCE - http://crooksandliars.com/node/24905

Operation Cast Lead - A familiar story in Gaza

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:41:35 EST

Operation Cast Lead - A familiar story in Gaza

By Hugo Foster @ thedailybanter.com

Life got a whole lot worse for the 1.5 million residents of Gaza over the weekend. With a death toll now exceeding 300, the latest war in the battered coastal strip has already surpassed in scope and brutality most previous Israeli assaults on the impoverished territory since the Six Day War of 1967. Yet the grim reality is that the futile and disproportionate incursion – known to Israel’s military as Operation Cast Lead – is only the latest episode in the cycle of bloodletting over Palestine, and will do nothing to alter the basic dynamic of periodic violence in the region. In fact, the latest fighting shows that nothing has been learnt over decades of flawed military policies in the region.

Since the recent expiry of a six-month ceasefire, or tahidiyeh, both Israel and Hamas have sought to renew the agreement but on more favourable terms. For Hamas, which has dropped suicide bombings as its modus operandi to gain leverage over Israel, this has meant once again allowing Israel’s southern towns to be terrorised by makeshift and highly inaccurate Qassam rockets and mortar shells. It figured that by raising the stakes it could force Israel into accommodating its aims, these being the reopening of crossings into Gaza, the cessation of Israeli operations in and around it, the release of Palestinian prisoners and an end to attacks on its infrastructure in the West Bank........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.thedailybanter.com/tdb/2008/12/operation-cast-lead-a-familiar-story-in-gaza-.html

Steve Walt on the reports of a truce

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:26:30 EST

Steve Walt on the reports of a truce

by Philip Weiss @ "Mondoweiss"

Last summer an Iraq veteran stood up in the balcony during John McCain's speech at the Republican convention with a sign "You Can't Win an Occupation." Steve Walt sent me an email that contained the same truth this afternoon, and has let me publish it:

If reports that Israel is now seeking a ceasefire are true, this is a tacit admission that Israel is reluctant to move to a ground offensive and doesn't have a clear sense of the end-game here. If so, then they may have repeated the key blunder of the 2006 Lebanon War: assuming that air power could accomplish major strategic objectives (i.e., destroying Hamas) and failing to consider what would happen if the adversary didn't collapse as planned.

At the same time, it presents Hamas with a difficult decision. They have two main choices: 1. Accept the ceasefire and start rebuilding, while emphasizing the brutality and ultimate futility of what Israel did. My guess here is that there will be immediate recriminations in Israel for not "finishing the job," and Netanyahu will sail to victory.........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2008/12/walt-israels-blunder-hamass-choice.html

Reuters: 'Jewish lobby' accounts for Obama's silence re Gaza

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:22:18 EST

Reuters: 'Jewish lobby' accounts for Obama's silence re Gaza

by Philip Weiss @ "Mondoweiss"

The discourse is changing under our feet. Good piece from Jonathan Wright in Cairo. To wit:

"Obama's position is very precarious. The Jewish lobby warned against his election, so he has chosen to remain silent (on Gaza)," added Hilal Khashan, a professor of political science at the American University of Beirut.

SOURCE - http://www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2008/12/reuters-jewish-lobby-accounts-for-obamas-silence-re-gaza.html

Zbigniew Brzezinski calls Joe Scarborough's Mideast views "stunningly superficial"

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:18:53 EST

Zbigniew Brzezinski calls Joe Scarborough's Mideast views "stunningly superficial"

By SilentPatriot @ crooksandliars.com - Tuesday Dec 30, 2008 3:00pm

Download | Play Download | Play

TO VIEW VIDEO - http://crooksandliars.com/node/24918

I've always had a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for Zbigniew Brzezinski. And after this epic smackdown of the eminently ignorant and simple-minded Joe Scarborough, I know that affection was well-placed.

Scarborough: "You cannot blame what's going on in Israel on the Bush administration."

Brzezinski: "You know, you have such a stunningly superficial knowledge of what went on that it's almost embarrassing to listen to you."

Ouch. Make sure to watch the entire clip because the intellectual beat down continues to the very end.

SOURCE - http://crooksandliars.com/node/24918

Why Bombing Ashkelon is The Most Tragic Irony

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:57:33 EST

Why Bombing Ashkelon is The Most Tragic Irony

by Robert Fisk - Published on Tuesday, December 30, 2008 by The Independent/UK

How easy it is to snap off the history of the Palestinians, to delete the narrative of their tragedy, to avoid a grotesque irony about Gaza which - in any other conflict - journalists would be writing about in their first reports: that the original, legal owners of the Israeli land on which Hamas rockets are detonating live in Gaza.

That is why Gaza exists: because the Palestinians who lived in Ashkelon and the fields around it - Askalaan in Arabic - were dispossessed from their lands in 1948 when Israel was created and ended up on the beaches of Gaza. They - or their children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren - are among the one and a half million Palestinian refugees crammed into the cesspool of Gaza, 80 per cent of whose families once lived in what is now Israel. This, historically, is the real story: most of the people of Gaza don't come from Gaza.

But watching the news shows, you'd think that history began yesterday, that a bunch of bearded anti-Semitic Islamist lunatics suddenly popped up in the slums of Gaza - a rubbish dump of destitute people of no origin - and began firing missiles into peace-loving, democratic Israel, only to meet with the righteous vengeance of the Israeli air force. The fact that the five sisters killed in Jabalya camp had grandparents who came from the very land whose more recent owners have now bombed them to death simply does not appear in the story...........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-why-bombing-ashkelon-is-the-most-tragic-irony-1216228.html

Haaretz describes the ethnic cleansing of Majdl (Ashkelon) in 1953 so as to explain Hamas's rockets!!

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:43:11 EST

Haaretz describes the ethnic cleansing of Majdl (Ashkelon) in 1953 so as to explain Hamas's rockets!!

by Phil Weiss @ "Mondoweiss"

Skyredoubt translated portions of a piece in Hebrew by Benny Tziper, in Haaretz, only Haaretz, and posted it on his flickr site.

[...]A nice man was there at the entrance to the museum, an invalid of IDF from the Yom Kippur War, who was born and lived all his life in Ashkelon. From his knowledge and enthusiasm one could tell that he loves the city very much. He had no problem telling me how in 1953 the Arabs were expelled, and the long process of looking for a new name for the place started (the Arab name was Majdl), till it was decided to call the place Ashkelon. The entire communications between the authorities regarding the cleansing of the city of Arabs and Hebrewisation of the name is exhibited in the museum. I think that nobody makes the connection today between the fact that the Qassams land on Ashkelon and the fact that poor Arabs who did nothing wrong to anybody were put on trucks and expelled from their city to Gaza fifty five years ago, and since then they are there and Ashkelon is here.............

ENTIRE POST - http://www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2008/12/to-explain-hamass-rockets-haaretz-describes-the-ethnic-cleansing-of-majdl-ashkelon-in-1953.html