Good News General Ratko Mladic is probably now going be tried at the Hague, for crimes against humanity. In July 1995 he commanded troops who killed 8000 Muslim men and boys from the Bosnian town of Srebrenica. He is recorded on the notoriously propagandist Serbian State Television before the massacre as saying
"Here we are, on July 11, 1995, in Serbian Srebrenica, just before a great Serb Holy day. We give this town to the Serb nation. Remembering the uprising against the Turks [in 1875?] , the time has come to take revenge on the Muslims."
The Dutch UN peace keepers were utterly useless, and lacked meaningful support. 15,000 men and boys fled into the hills after the town was taken. The Bosnian Serbs under Mladic hunted down and murdered 8000 of them. Some where beaten to death, some men and boys were made to endure mock executions before being finally shot, some were killed by grenades in confined spaces, some were made to run for their lives while being shot for sport, some where made to sit in buses and witness the execution of others before their own .... the relatively lucky ones were just shot.
He was also in ultimate command of the Serbian troops who besieged the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo from April 1992 to February 1996. 12,000 of the city's inhabitants were killed, many by sniping and the systematic artillery barrages from the surrounding hills. He denied them water in summer and fuel during the harsh winters.
Mladic is only 69 and certainly should face trial. His victims have been denied justice for too long. He should not be denied the opportunity to look objectively on his crimes.
The war in Bosnia was a bitter dispute with crimes committed by Serbs, Muslims and Croats. The crime of the Srebrenica Massacre stands above all this. In any case, the real distinction to be made is between soldiers and war criminals, rather which side they belong to.
The war occurred after the breakup of Yugoslavia, when the Serbs effectively acquired the majority of the weaponry of the old Yugoslav armed forces. The West then put an arms embargo on all sides. Meanwhile Russia supported the now well armed attempt to create a "Greater Serbia". Only after the Srebrenica Massacre did public opinion finally force the West to really intervene, and managed to bring the conflict to halt by taking the breaks off the Muslims and Croats, after which the Serbs rediscovered their willingness to negotiate. There must surely be a lesson from this conflict that "Power Will Not Negotiate".
Monday, May 30, 2011
Israel and Netanyahu Are Trying To Make Racism Respectable
Netanyahu's speech was not shocking in it's content, as many of us have heard the same Zionist propaganda a hundred times. The shocking aspect was the 29 standing ovations with which a packed Congress responded to the speech. What is happening to American democracy, without which the World would have sunk into dictatorship and tyranny long ago?
Supporters of Israeli government policies (just like any other country we must be careful to distinguish between these people (many of them non Israelis) and Israelis in general) often state that the reason Israel receives so much criticism is antisemitism, and they then correctly state that there are other countries with worst human rights records. People who have been involved in the struggle against racism for a long time, will recall that the South African supporters of Apartheid used a very similar argument.
The developed world is supposed to be involved in a process called "progress", in which technology and society improve together. Israel like the white minority in South Africa pride themselves on following Western values, and so they must expect justified and vigorous criticism for abandoning the social aspect of progress by embracing racism.
A secondary and still important argument, is that logically, someone cannot justify their evil by comparing it to a greater unconnected evil.
As the famous Israeli author and peace activist Amos Oz pointed out sometime ago, it is hypocritical to excuse Palestinians their violent response to ethnic cleansing by Israelis, while not excusing Zionists the violence they used to establish their state after centuries of European Antisemitism culminating in the Holocaust.
Israel is now firmly established, with a military capability that overshadows any other in the Middle East (fifth largest army in the World, 400 nuclear war heads, third largest arms exporter). As Amos Oz points out in this collection of essays "The Slopes of Lebanon" (1987) when he parodies and summarizes right wing Zionist propaganda as follows:
" Our sufferings have granted us immunity papers, as it were . . . After what all those dirty goyim [non Jews] have done to us, none of them is entitled to preach morality to us. We, on the other hand, have carte blanche, because we were victims and have suffered so much. Once a victim, always a victim, and victimhood entitles its owners to a moral exemption."
Now there is a new racism emerging in Europe and the USA called "Islamophobia", which uses many of the arguments of the old antisemitism. Far right groups throughput Europe and the USA regularly appear at demonstrations with Israeli flags, because Israel has become the most acceptable face of racism. Far right well funded Zionist groups are even providing practical support to these groups. Then there is the growing popularity of so called Christian Zionism, with it's associated anti Muslim misinformation.
It is blackly ironic that Zionism is now giving support to the possibility of a new Holocaust. Clearly they can only be held responsible for a small slice of the responsibility, but still this must be exposed. Now should be the time to realize the deep madness of all this and change direction.
Already American politics through the Tea Party movement is moving towards racially segregated politics, while the far right throughout Europe have been having significant success at the polls. Given the deep enduring economic problems of America and Europe, the possibility of the far right gaining even more ground is high.
This could then be followed by the same system employed in Israel, in which only some of the people under the government's control are officially considered citizens. If the non-citizens resist, then they must have more of their rights stolen to encourage them to negotiate. If they do not accept the empty terms dictated to them, they are unreasonable. On the other hand is they do not resist then they will be quietly ignored and squeezed year by year. Could this happen in a civilized country? How could this be justified by a nominally democratic government with a free media? Look at Israel for all the answers.
So when the Congress of the USA gives 29 standing ovations to the right wing Likud Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, you know that now is the time to worry.
Supporters of Israeli government policies (just like any other country we must be careful to distinguish between these people (many of them non Israelis) and Israelis in general) often state that the reason Israel receives so much criticism is antisemitism, and they then correctly state that there are other countries with worst human rights records. People who have been involved in the struggle against racism for a long time, will recall that the South African supporters of Apartheid used a very similar argument.
The developed world is supposed to be involved in a process called "progress", in which technology and society improve together. Israel like the white minority in South Africa pride themselves on following Western values, and so they must expect justified and vigorous criticism for abandoning the social aspect of progress by embracing racism.
A secondary and still important argument, is that logically, someone cannot justify their evil by comparing it to a greater unconnected evil.
As the famous Israeli author and peace activist Amos Oz pointed out sometime ago, it is hypocritical to excuse Palestinians their violent response to ethnic cleansing by Israelis, while not excusing Zionists the violence they used to establish their state after centuries of European Antisemitism culminating in the Holocaust.
Israel is now firmly established, with a military capability that overshadows any other in the Middle East (fifth largest army in the World, 400 nuclear war heads, third largest arms exporter). As Amos Oz points out in this collection of essays "The Slopes of Lebanon" (1987) when he parodies and summarizes right wing Zionist propaganda as follows:
" Our sufferings have granted us immunity papers, as it were . . . After what all those dirty goyim [non Jews] have done to us, none of them is entitled to preach morality to us. We, on the other hand, have carte blanche, because we were victims and have suffered so much. Once a victim, always a victim, and victimhood entitles its owners to a moral exemption."
Now there is a new racism emerging in Europe and the USA called "Islamophobia", which uses many of the arguments of the old antisemitism. Far right groups throughput Europe and the USA regularly appear at demonstrations with Israeli flags, because Israel has become the most acceptable face of racism. Far right well funded Zionist groups are even providing practical support to these groups. Then there is the growing popularity of so called Christian Zionism, with it's associated anti Muslim misinformation.
It is blackly ironic that Zionism is now giving support to the possibility of a new Holocaust. Clearly they can only be held responsible for a small slice of the responsibility, but still this must be exposed. Now should be the time to realize the deep madness of all this and change direction.
Already American politics through the Tea Party movement is moving towards racially segregated politics, while the far right throughout Europe have been having significant success at the polls. Given the deep enduring economic problems of America and Europe, the possibility of the far right gaining even more ground is high.
This could then be followed by the same system employed in Israel, in which only some of the people under the government's control are officially considered citizens. If the non-citizens resist, then they must have more of their rights stolen to encourage them to negotiate. If they do not accept the empty terms dictated to them, they are unreasonable. On the other hand is they do not resist then they will be quietly ignored and squeezed year by year. Could this happen in a civilized country? How could this be justified by a nominally democratic government with a free media? Look at Israel for all the answers.
So when the Congress of the USA gives 29 standing ovations to the right wing Likud Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, you know that now is the time to worry.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Transcript Rae Abileah interview after Netanyahu Speech May 2011.
Transcript of Rae Abileah interview with "Democracy Now", 25th May 2011.
AMY GOODMAN: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech was warmly received by Democrats and Republicans in Congress. According to ABC News, Netanyahu received 29 standing ovations during his address, four more than President Obama received during his State of the Union earlier this year. However, there was at least one dissenting voice inside the halls of Congress Tuesday.
PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: Yet, as we share their hopes—
RAE ABILEAH: No more occupation! End Israeli war crimes! No more occupation! End Israeli war crimes!
AMY GOODMAN: That was Rae Abileah, a Jewish-American activist with the group CodePink. She was disrupting Netanyahu’s speech. Standing in the congressional gallery, she was yelling, "No more occupation! Stop Israel war crimes! Equal rights for Palestinians! Occupation is indefensible!"
As she was screaming, members in the audience tackled her to the ground. Undercover security forces dragged her outside. She was taken to George Washington University Hospital, where she was treated for neck and shoulder injuries. At the hospital, police arrested Abileah and charged her with disorderly conduct for disrupting Congress. Her protest came as part a week-long series of actions organized by CodePink called Move Over AIPAC.
Rae Abileah is joining us in Washington, D.C.
Explain your protest yesterday, Rae.
RAE ABILEAH: Thanks, Amy, for having me on. Yesterday I stood up and unfurled a banner and spoke the truth about what’s going on in Israel. The war crimes and occupation, oppression and inequality that Palestinians are suffering from must end. And it was absolutely despicable to see our Congress pandering to Netanyahu as if he was the president of the United States. And I think after seeing the speech, every American should be outraged, and the progressive community needs to rise up and take courage and take action for justice, democracy, freedom and equality, in the Middle East as well as here at home.
I think that the act I took of courageously standing up in front of Congress doesn’t—the opportunity to do that doesn’t come along very often. But every day, as Americans, we have an opportunity to stand up. And whether it’s putting our money where our hearts are, by participating in economic pressure against Israel through the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, or calling our Congress people or taking other actions, it’s time for us to say no to this terrible policy that, just as Dr. Barghouti has illustrated, will not bring about peace. Netanyahu proved yesterday that he is the primary obstacle to peace and justice for Israelis and Palestinians. And to see our Congress giving away three billion of our tax dollars every year to Israeli war crimes, while our economy suffers, while our kids can’t go to college, while our needs aren’t being met here at home, is absolutely an outrage.
AMY GOODMAN: Rae, Rae, let me—
RAE ABILEAH: The thing I want to say is that when I stood up and was tackled yesterday—
AMY GOODMAN: Let me ask you—
RAE ABILEAH:—it was by members of AIPAC. Yes?
AMY GOODMAN: What were you just saying? You were tackled by members of AIPAC?
RAE ABILEAH: I just wanted to say that the people that were sitting around me in the gallery of Congress yesterday were mostly wearing badges from the AIPAC Israel lobby conference. And I did not expect that people holding such power and representing such a huge lobby group would respond so violently to my peaceful disruption. And after I spoke out, Netanyahu said, you know, "This is what’s possible in a democracy. And you wouldn’t be able to get away with this in other countries like Tunisia." And I think that is ridiculous and absurd. If this is what democracy looks like, that when you speak out for freedom and justice, you get tackled to the ground, you get physically violated and assaulted, and then you get hauled off to jail, that’s not the kind of democracy that I think I want to live in.
AMY GOODMAN: Ha’aretz newspaper in Israel identified you as a Jewish-American activist of Israeli descent. Is your family from Israel?
RAE ABILEAH: My father’s family is from Israel, yes.
AMY GOODMAN: And what does it mean for you to speak out? Often in this country, the Jewish community is portrayed as monolithic when it comes toward—to dealing with Israel policy and supporting the Israeli government. Your thoughts on that? And what does it mean for you to speak out, with your family from Israel?
RAE ABILEAH: I’ve been to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza several times. And after witnessing the destruction, the Jewish-only roads, the wall, the bombing of Gaza and the inequality there, I feel like, when I returned to the U.S., I had no option but to speak out for justice. And I feel this tremendous responsibility as a Jewish American to speak out for justice and against these war crimes that are being committed in my name as a Jew, as a U.S. taxpayer.
But it’s not easy, for sure. There’s a culture of silence and fear in the Jewish community around speaking out about this. And it’s certainly—I get some blowback from family and friends. But I think it’s so important to follow my principles, my integrity and my heart. And I urge other especially young Jews to do the same. I think that us, as the next generation, we see things differently than the kind of brainwashing—or, we call it "bluewashing"—that we’ve been fed, sometimes by our congregations or by Israel. We have to see through the veil of religious narrative to see that what Israel is doing is not in the best interest of Judaism either. And you were just asking Mr. Barghouti about the Jewish state. I think that what Israel is doing is completely out of line with Jewish values. The value of tikkun olam, of repairing and healing the world, is totally absent from the Netanyahu administration. So we have to reclaim those values—
AMY GOODMAN: I want to thank you—
RAE ABILEAH:—and say that it’s not in the best interest of any faith to do this.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to thank you for being with us, Rae Abileah, peace activist with the group CodePink, who was tackled yesterday as she shouted out during Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress.
AMY GOODMAN: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech was warmly received by Democrats and Republicans in Congress. According to ABC News, Netanyahu received 29 standing ovations during his address, four more than President Obama received during his State of the Union earlier this year. However, there was at least one dissenting voice inside the halls of Congress Tuesday.
PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: Yet, as we share their hopes—
RAE ABILEAH: No more occupation! End Israeli war crimes! No more occupation! End Israeli war crimes!
AMY GOODMAN: That was Rae Abileah, a Jewish-American activist with the group CodePink. She was disrupting Netanyahu’s speech. Standing in the congressional gallery, she was yelling, "No more occupation! Stop Israel war crimes! Equal rights for Palestinians! Occupation is indefensible!"
As she was screaming, members in the audience tackled her to the ground. Undercover security forces dragged her outside. She was taken to George Washington University Hospital, where she was treated for neck and shoulder injuries. At the hospital, police arrested Abileah and charged her with disorderly conduct for disrupting Congress. Her protest came as part a week-long series of actions organized by CodePink called Move Over AIPAC.
Rae Abileah is joining us in Washington, D.C.
Explain your protest yesterday, Rae.
RAE ABILEAH: Thanks, Amy, for having me on. Yesterday I stood up and unfurled a banner and spoke the truth about what’s going on in Israel. The war crimes and occupation, oppression and inequality that Palestinians are suffering from must end. And it was absolutely despicable to see our Congress pandering to Netanyahu as if he was the president of the United States. And I think after seeing the speech, every American should be outraged, and the progressive community needs to rise up and take courage and take action for justice, democracy, freedom and equality, in the Middle East as well as here at home.
I think that the act I took of courageously standing up in front of Congress doesn’t—the opportunity to do that doesn’t come along very often. But every day, as Americans, we have an opportunity to stand up. And whether it’s putting our money where our hearts are, by participating in economic pressure against Israel through the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, or calling our Congress people or taking other actions, it’s time for us to say no to this terrible policy that, just as Dr. Barghouti has illustrated, will not bring about peace. Netanyahu proved yesterday that he is the primary obstacle to peace and justice for Israelis and Palestinians. And to see our Congress giving away three billion of our tax dollars every year to Israeli war crimes, while our economy suffers, while our kids can’t go to college, while our needs aren’t being met here at home, is absolutely an outrage.
AMY GOODMAN: Rae, Rae, let me—
RAE ABILEAH: The thing I want to say is that when I stood up and was tackled yesterday—
AMY GOODMAN: Let me ask you—
RAE ABILEAH:—it was by members of AIPAC. Yes?
AMY GOODMAN: What were you just saying? You were tackled by members of AIPAC?
RAE ABILEAH: I just wanted to say that the people that were sitting around me in the gallery of Congress yesterday were mostly wearing badges from the AIPAC Israel lobby conference. And I did not expect that people holding such power and representing such a huge lobby group would respond so violently to my peaceful disruption. And after I spoke out, Netanyahu said, you know, "This is what’s possible in a democracy. And you wouldn’t be able to get away with this in other countries like Tunisia." And I think that is ridiculous and absurd. If this is what democracy looks like, that when you speak out for freedom and justice, you get tackled to the ground, you get physically violated and assaulted, and then you get hauled off to jail, that’s not the kind of democracy that I think I want to live in.
AMY GOODMAN: Ha’aretz newspaper in Israel identified you as a Jewish-American activist of Israeli descent. Is your family from Israel?
RAE ABILEAH: My father’s family is from Israel, yes.
AMY GOODMAN: And what does it mean for you to speak out? Often in this country, the Jewish community is portrayed as monolithic when it comes toward—to dealing with Israel policy and supporting the Israeli government. Your thoughts on that? And what does it mean for you to speak out, with your family from Israel?
RAE ABILEAH: I’ve been to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza several times. And after witnessing the destruction, the Jewish-only roads, the wall, the bombing of Gaza and the inequality there, I feel like, when I returned to the U.S., I had no option but to speak out for justice. And I feel this tremendous responsibility as a Jewish American to speak out for justice and against these war crimes that are being committed in my name as a Jew, as a U.S. taxpayer.
But it’s not easy, for sure. There’s a culture of silence and fear in the Jewish community around speaking out about this. And it’s certainly—I get some blowback from family and friends. But I think it’s so important to follow my principles, my integrity and my heart. And I urge other especially young Jews to do the same. I think that us, as the next generation, we see things differently than the kind of brainwashing—or, we call it "bluewashing"—that we’ve been fed, sometimes by our congregations or by Israel. We have to see through the veil of religious narrative to see that what Israel is doing is not in the best interest of Judaism either. And you were just asking Mr. Barghouti about the Jewish state. I think that what Israel is doing is completely out of line with Jewish values. The value of tikkun olam, of repairing and healing the world, is totally absent from the Netanyahu administration. So we have to reclaim those values—
AMY GOODMAN: I want to thank you—
RAE ABILEAH:—and say that it’s not in the best interest of any faith to do this.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to thank you for being with us, Rae Abileah, peace activist with the group CodePink, who was tackled yesterday as she shouted out during Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress.
The true voice of Judaism, Rae Abileah, interrupting Netanyahu's Congress speech.
During Netanyahu's Speech in Congress on Tuesday 24th May 2011 one person courageously spoke out against the collective madness. She was immediately dragged to the ground by AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) supporters in the public gallery, injured so she had to go to hospital and then arrested for disturbing Congress. Rae Abileah is an American Jewish woman in her late twenties of Israeli descent. She is a member of the women's anti war group Code Pink.
She was interviewed on the web based news outlet "Democracy Now".
In Congress she shouted “No more occupation! Stop Israel’s war crimes! Equal rights for Palestinians! Occupation is indefensible!”
Below is a short summary of the "democracy now" interview:
Rae Abileah said that the suffering and inequality suffered by the Palestinians must end, and that it was appalling to see "Netanyahu pandered to by Congress as if he was the President of the United States". The progressive community must rise up for freedom, democracy, justice and equality in the Middle East as well as at home in the USA. They should support sanctions and disinvestment against Israel, and put pressure on their own elected representatives.
"Netanyahu proved in his speech that he is primary obstacle to peace and justice for Israelis and Palestinians". It is an outrage to see the US give 3 billion dollars each year for Israeli war crimes. She was surprised to be attacked so violently by people wearing AIPAC badges. After visiting Palestine she felt she had no option but to speak out for freedom and justice. These war crimes were being carried out in her name as a Jew and a US tax payer.
There is a culture of fear and silence in the Jewish community in the US against speaking out against Israel's mistreatment of Palestinians. She urged young Jews to stand up against the "blue washing" that they have been fed. She said it was important for her to stand up for her principles, integrity and her heart. The new generation should look through the "veil of religious narrative" to see that what Israel is doing in not in the best interests of Judaism either. What Israel is doing is completely out of line with Jewish values, "...the value of Tikkun olam, to repair and heal the world, is completely absent from the Netanyahu administration. We have to reclaim these values, and say it is not in the best interests of any faith to do this."
End of short summary.
I think she deserves everyone's support. Absolutely spot on. Deep insight, matched by true religious conviction and real courage. Shine on Rae Abileah, may God bless you.
She was interviewed on the web based news outlet "Democracy Now".
In Congress she shouted “No more occupation! Stop Israel’s war crimes! Equal rights for Palestinians! Occupation is indefensible!”
Below is a short summary of the "democracy now" interview:
Rae Abileah said that the suffering and inequality suffered by the Palestinians must end, and that it was appalling to see "Netanyahu pandered to by Congress as if he was the President of the United States". The progressive community must rise up for freedom, democracy, justice and equality in the Middle East as well as at home in the USA. They should support sanctions and disinvestment against Israel, and put pressure on their own elected representatives.
"Netanyahu proved in his speech that he is primary obstacle to peace and justice for Israelis and Palestinians". It is an outrage to see the US give 3 billion dollars each year for Israeli war crimes. She was surprised to be attacked so violently by people wearing AIPAC badges. After visiting Palestine she felt she had no option but to speak out for freedom and justice. These war crimes were being carried out in her name as a Jew and a US tax payer.
There is a culture of fear and silence in the Jewish community in the US against speaking out against Israel's mistreatment of Palestinians. She urged young Jews to stand up against the "blue washing" that they have been fed. She said it was important for her to stand up for her principles, integrity and her heart. The new generation should look through the "veil of religious narrative" to see that what Israel is doing in not in the best interests of Judaism either. What Israel is doing is completely out of line with Jewish values, "...the value of Tikkun olam, to repair and heal the world, is completely absent from the Netanyahu administration. We have to reclaim these values, and say it is not in the best interests of any faith to do this."
End of short summary.
I think she deserves everyone's support. Absolutely spot on. Deep insight, matched by true religious conviction and real courage. Shine on Rae Abileah, may God bless you.
Netanyahu's Congress speech destroys the possibility of a Palestinian state.
In Congress on Tuesday the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu effectively denied the possibility of a Palestinian state, while producing the now familiar catalog of Israeli Government propaganda. How his position is really different from the old Hamas position (which he knows has changed) I do not really know. Except that Israel has the fifth largest army in the world, is the third biggest arms exporter and has 400 nuclear weapons, so I suppose the difference is that his government has the means to actually destroy the possibility of a Palestinian state. Netanyah's speech reminds me of Tom Lehar who said that giving Henry Kissinger the Nobel peace prize made political satire obsolete. Netanyah lied and distorted in a full Congress, to rounds of applause from genuinely enthusiastic Senators while talking about peace, democracy and even God, and nobody seems to have really noticed. Expect I must say for one remarkably brave Jewish woman. See a transcipt of the speech in the previous posting.
The central sections in the speech, in terms of actual position in the speech and meaning, were these:
" It's not easy, because I recognize that in a genuine peace, we'll be required to give up parts of the ancestral Jewish homeland. And you have to understand this: In Judea and Samaria, the Jewish people are not foreign occupiers. (Cheers, applause.) [Note: Judea and Samaria means the West Bank]
We're not the British in India. We're not the Belgians in the Congo. This is the land of our forefathers, the land of Israel, to which Abraham brought the idea of one God, where David set out to confront Goliath, and where Isaiah saw his vision of eternal peace. No distortion of history -- and boy am I reading a lot of distortions of history lately, old and new -- no distortion of history could deny the 4,000-year-old bond between the Jewish people and the Jewish land. (Sustained applause.)
But there is another truth. The Palestinians share this small land with us. (Applause.) We seek a peace in which they'll be neither Israel's subjects nor its citizens. They should enjoy a national life of dignity as a free, viable and independent people living in their own state. (Applause.) They should enjoy a prosperous economy, where their creativity and initiative can flourish."
The first paragraph states that all of Israel-Palestine belongs to the Jewish people. The second paragraph appeals to the 45% of Americans who insult themselves and God by actually believing in the literal truth of every word in the Bible. The third paragraph only acknowledges the existence of the Palestinians, and wishes them a future in their own state somewhere. I am sorry to sound inflammatory, but he is talking about Palestinian land. He talks as if no one was there between the 2nd and 20th centuries. What can satire do, when politicians are talking such absurd "no sense", and nobody seems to notice?
The truth is that Israel controls 80% of Israel-Palestine. In the West Bank the settlements already control 85% of the water resources, which in a semi-arid area is of absolute importance. [Note: This is why the Golan Heights matters so much to Syria] Later on he talks about "We'll be generous about the size of the future Palestinian state." Where? He talks nonsense about the distribution of settlers on the West Bank, which is crisscrossed throughout by "settler only" roads. Israel is currently building a nationwide road hub which fully integrates these settler roads in the West Bank. Construction speaks louder than speeches.
He then gives a rosy picture of economic development in the West Bank which is a huge distortion. Followed by the official story that Palestinians have been offered real peace many times in the past but have refused it, and so peace has not been possible because:
" Because so far, the Palestinians have been unwilling to accept a Palestinian state if it meant accepting a Jewish state alongside it.
You see, our conflict has never been about the establishment of a Palestinian state; it's always been about the existence of the Jewish state. (Applause.) This is what this conflict is about. (Extended applause.)"
Two questions. 1. In a Jewish State what will happen to the 1.5 million Israeli Palestinian Arabs? Israeli politicians like the leader of the opposition Tzipi Livni have already spoken of transferring them out of Israel to any newly established Palestinian State (which will in reality be a series of disconnected refugee camps on waste ground on the West Bank which is wholly controlled by Israel). In this speech quoted above he says "We seek a peace in which they'll [Palestinians] be neither Israel's subjects nor its citizens." 2. Where is or where will be the Palestinian State that Israeli politicians say that they recognize?
This is like a bully playing with words, while demanding that his victim apologizes for being beaten up. Israeli and our Western politicians must say that they believe that Jews and Palestinians have EQUAL RIGHTS. If either live in a country where there rights are protected then they should stay there, while if not it is up to West, whose Horrific Antisemitism and colonialism created this situation, to find a way to guarantee the equal rights of the rest. FULL STOP. Sorry to get bombastic.
He then goes on to say that:
" Jerusalem must never again be divided. (Applause.) Jerusalem must remain the united capital of Israel. (Applause.)"
What will happen about the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam (remember that gap 2nd to 20th century mentioned above) from which site the prophet Mohamed is said to have ascended into heaven? Where will the capital of the Palestinian state be, if not in East Jerusalem?
He then goes on to give the official distortion of the Gaza conflict, omitting the siege and the continual air strikes. Just as he began the speech with a description of the democratic rights of Israeli Palestinian Arabs. Who can elect a dozen MPs, but omitting that these are then ignored in the Knesset. Also omitting that they cannot peacefully demonstrate without being beaten up by the police. Some rights, but better than military rule by Israel in the occupied territories. [Note: Hence the much reported propaganda that 80% Palestinians would rather live in Israel proper that the territories.] He also talks about Iran and it's nuclear threat, a rare oasis of truth in an ocean of deceit. This deceit also includes hinting at the threat of Islamic Extremism in the Arab Democratic Uprising, which he claims to support. Shame on you Netanyahu.
He then speaks about the threat of Hamas' almost exclusively home made rockets to justify the following:
" But Israel under 1967 lines would be only nine miles wide. So much for strategic depth. So it's therefore vital -- absolutely vital -- that a Palestinian state be fully demilitarized, and it's vital -- absolutely vital -- that Israel maintain a long-term military presence along the Jordan River. (Applause.)"
This means the Palestinian State on the West bank would be fully surrounded by Israel. When Israel controls the borders and water supply of a physically divided, crowded and unarmed Palestinian State, who is going to provide for the security of the Palestinians against any demand that the Israelis make? This is completely absurd.
He then finishes with the biggest distortion of all....
"....I speak on behalf of the Jewish people and the Jewish state when I say to you, representatives of America: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you for your unwavering support for Israel. Thank you for ensuring that the flame of freedom burns bright throughout the world.
May God bless all of you, and may God forever bless the United States of America. (Cheers, extended applause.) "
He does not speak for the Jewish people or for all of the Israeli Jews. God does not approve of this ethnic cleansing. This is not an example of America defending freedom. Rather the response to his speech is a warning about the failing state of freedom in the USA. God help us.
The central sections in the speech, in terms of actual position in the speech and meaning, were these:
" It's not easy, because I recognize that in a genuine peace, we'll be required to give up parts of the ancestral Jewish homeland. And you have to understand this: In Judea and Samaria, the Jewish people are not foreign occupiers. (Cheers, applause.) [Note: Judea and Samaria means the West Bank]
We're not the British in India. We're not the Belgians in the Congo. This is the land of our forefathers, the land of Israel, to which Abraham brought the idea of one God, where David set out to confront Goliath, and where Isaiah saw his vision of eternal peace. No distortion of history -- and boy am I reading a lot of distortions of history lately, old and new -- no distortion of history could deny the 4,000-year-old bond between the Jewish people and the Jewish land. (Sustained applause.)
But there is another truth. The Palestinians share this small land with us. (Applause.) We seek a peace in which they'll be neither Israel's subjects nor its citizens. They should enjoy a national life of dignity as a free, viable and independent people living in their own state. (Applause.) They should enjoy a prosperous economy, where their creativity and initiative can flourish."
The first paragraph states that all of Israel-Palestine belongs to the Jewish people. The second paragraph appeals to the 45% of Americans who insult themselves and God by actually believing in the literal truth of every word in the Bible. The third paragraph only acknowledges the existence of the Palestinians, and wishes them a future in their own state somewhere. I am sorry to sound inflammatory, but he is talking about Palestinian land. He talks as if no one was there between the 2nd and 20th centuries. What can satire do, when politicians are talking such absurd "no sense", and nobody seems to notice?
The truth is that Israel controls 80% of Israel-Palestine. In the West Bank the settlements already control 85% of the water resources, which in a semi-arid area is of absolute importance. [Note: This is why the Golan Heights matters so much to Syria] Later on he talks about "We'll be generous about the size of the future Palestinian state." Where? He talks nonsense about the distribution of settlers on the West Bank, which is crisscrossed throughout by "settler only" roads. Israel is currently building a nationwide road hub which fully integrates these settler roads in the West Bank. Construction speaks louder than speeches.
He then gives a rosy picture of economic development in the West Bank which is a huge distortion. Followed by the official story that Palestinians have been offered real peace many times in the past but have refused it, and so peace has not been possible because:
" Because so far, the Palestinians have been unwilling to accept a Palestinian state if it meant accepting a Jewish state alongside it.
You see, our conflict has never been about the establishment of a Palestinian state; it's always been about the existence of the Jewish state. (Applause.) This is what this conflict is about. (Extended applause.)"
Two questions. 1. In a Jewish State what will happen to the 1.5 million Israeli Palestinian Arabs? Israeli politicians like the leader of the opposition Tzipi Livni have already spoken of transferring them out of Israel to any newly established Palestinian State (which will in reality be a series of disconnected refugee camps on waste ground on the West Bank which is wholly controlled by Israel). In this speech quoted above he says "We seek a peace in which they'll [Palestinians] be neither Israel's subjects nor its citizens." 2. Where is or where will be the Palestinian State that Israeli politicians say that they recognize?
This is like a bully playing with words, while demanding that his victim apologizes for being beaten up. Israeli and our Western politicians must say that they believe that Jews and Palestinians have EQUAL RIGHTS. If either live in a country where there rights are protected then they should stay there, while if not it is up to West, whose Horrific Antisemitism and colonialism created this situation, to find a way to guarantee the equal rights of the rest. FULL STOP. Sorry to get bombastic.
He then goes on to say that:
" Jerusalem must never again be divided. (Applause.) Jerusalem must remain the united capital of Israel. (Applause.)"
What will happen about the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam (remember that gap 2nd to 20th century mentioned above) from which site the prophet Mohamed is said to have ascended into heaven? Where will the capital of the Palestinian state be, if not in East Jerusalem?
He then goes on to give the official distortion of the Gaza conflict, omitting the siege and the continual air strikes. Just as he began the speech with a description of the democratic rights of Israeli Palestinian Arabs. Who can elect a dozen MPs, but omitting that these are then ignored in the Knesset. Also omitting that they cannot peacefully demonstrate without being beaten up by the police. Some rights, but better than military rule by Israel in the occupied territories. [Note: Hence the much reported propaganda that 80% Palestinians would rather live in Israel proper that the territories.] He also talks about Iran and it's nuclear threat, a rare oasis of truth in an ocean of deceit. This deceit also includes hinting at the threat of Islamic Extremism in the Arab Democratic Uprising, which he claims to support. Shame on you Netanyahu.
He then speaks about the threat of Hamas' almost exclusively home made rockets to justify the following:
" But Israel under 1967 lines would be only nine miles wide. So much for strategic depth. So it's therefore vital -- absolutely vital -- that a Palestinian state be fully demilitarized, and it's vital -- absolutely vital -- that Israel maintain a long-term military presence along the Jordan River. (Applause.)"
This means the Palestinian State on the West bank would be fully surrounded by Israel. When Israel controls the borders and water supply of a physically divided, crowded and unarmed Palestinian State, who is going to provide for the security of the Palestinians against any demand that the Israelis make? This is completely absurd.
He then finishes with the biggest distortion of all....
"....I speak on behalf of the Jewish people and the Jewish state when I say to you, representatives of America: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you for your unwavering support for Israel. Thank you for ensuring that the flame of freedom burns bright throughout the world.
May God bless all of you, and may God forever bless the United States of America. (Cheers, extended applause.) "
He does not speak for the Jewish people or for all of the Israeli Jews. God does not approve of this ethnic cleansing. This is not an example of America defending freedom. Rather the response to his speech is a warning about the failing state of freedom in the USA. God help us.
Transcript Speech Israeli PM Netanyahu Congress 24th May 2011
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint session of U.S. Congress on May 24, 2011:
Vice President Biden, Speaker Boehner, distinguished senators, members of the House, honored guests, I'm deeply moved by this warm welcome, and I'm deeply honored that you've given me the opportunity to address Congress a second time.
Mr. Vice President, do you remember the time that we were the new kids in town? (Laughter, applause.) And I do see a lot of old friends here, and I see a lot of new friends of Israel here as well -- Democrats and Republicans alike. (Applause.)
Israel has no better friend than America, and America has no better friend than Israel. (Applause.) We stand together to defend democracy. We stand together to advance peace. We stand together to fight terrorism. Congratulations, America. Congratulations, Mr. President: You got bin Laden. Good riddance! (Cheers, applause.)
In an unstable Middle East, Israel is the one anchor of stability. In a region of shifting alliances, Israel is America's unwavering ally. Israel has always been pro-American. Israel will always be pro-American. (Applause.)
My friends, you don't have to -- you don't need to do nation- building in Israel. We're already built. (Laughter, applause.) You don't need to export democracy to Israel. We've already got it. (Applause.) And you don't need to send American troops to Israel. We defend ourselves. (Cheers, applause.)
You've been very generous in giving us tools to do the job of defending Israel on our own. Thank you all, and thank you, President Obama, for your steadfast commitment to Israel's security. I know economic times are tough. I deeply appreciate this. (Applause.)
Some of you have been telling me that your belief has been reaffirmed in recent months that support for Israel's security is a wise investment in our common future, for an epic battle is now under way in the Middle East between tyranny and freedom. A great convulsion is shaking the earth from the Khyber Pass to the Straits of Gibraltar.
The tremors have shattered states. They've toppled governments. And we can all see that the ground is still shifting.
Now, this historic moment holds the promise of a new dawn of freedom and opportunity. There are millions of young people out there who are determined to change their future. We all look at them. They muster courage. They risk their lives. They demand dignity. They desire liberty. These extraordinary scenes in Tunis, in Cairo, evoke those of Berlin and Prague in 1989. Yet, as we share their hopes --
You know, I take it as a badge of honor, and so should you, that in our free societies you can now protest. You can't have these protests in the farcical parliaments in Tehran or in Tripoli. This is real democracy. (Cheers, applause.)
So as we share the hopes of these young people throughout the Middle East and Iran, that they'll be able to do what that young woman just did -- I think she's young; I couldn't see quite that far --(laughter) -- we must also remember that those hopes could be snuffed out, as they were in Tehran in 1979. You remember what happened then.
The brief democratic spring in Tehran was cut short by a ferocious and unforgiving tyranny. And it's this same tyranny that smothered Lebanon's democratic Cedar Revolution and inflicted on that long- suffering country the medieval rule of Hezbollah.
So today the Middle East stands at a fateful crossroads. And like all of you, I pray that the peoples of the region choose the path less traveled, the path of liberty. (Applause.)
No one knows what this path consists of better than you.
Nobody. This path of liberty is not paved by elections alone. It's paved when governments permit protests in town squares, when limits are placed on the powers of rulers, when judges are beholden to laws and not men, and when human rights cannot be crushed by tribal loyalties or mob rule. Israel has always embraced this path in a Middle East that has long rejected it. In a region where women are stoned, gays are hanged, Christians are persecuted, Israel stands out. It is different. And this was seen -- (applause) -- thank you.
There was a great English writer in the 19th century, George Eliot. It's a she; that was a pseudonym in those days. George Eliot predicted over a century ago that, once established, the Jewish state -- here's what she said: "The Jewish state will shine like a bright star of freedom amid the despotisms of the East." Well, she was right.
We have a free press, independent courts, an open economy, rambunctious parliamentary debates -- (laughter) -- now, don't laugh -- (laughter) -- ah, you see? You think you're tough on another -- on one another here in Congress? Come spend a day in the Knesset. Be my guest! (Laughter, applause.)
Courageous Arab protesters are now struggling to secure these very same rights for their peoples, for their societies. We're proud in Israel that over 1 million Arab citizens of Israel have been enjoying these rights for decades. (Applause.) Of the 300 million Arabs in the Middle East and North Africa, only Israel's Arab citizens enjoy real democratic rights. (Applause.) Now, I want you to stop for a second and think about that. Of those 300 million Arabs, less than one-half of 1 percent are truly free, and they're all citizens of Israel. (Applause.)
This startling fact reveals a basic truth: Israel is not what is wrong about the Middle East; Israel is what's right about the Middle East. (Applause.)
Israel fully supports the desire of Arab peoples in our region to live freely. We long for the day when Israel will be one of many real democracies in the -- in the Middle East.
Fifteen years ago, I stood at this very podium. By the way, it hasn't changed. (Laughter.) I stood here and I said that democracy must start to take root in the Arab world. Well, it's begun to take root, and this beginning holds the promise of a brilliant future of peace and prosperity, because I believe that a Middle East that is genuinely democratic will be a Middle East truly at peace.
But while we hope for the best and while we work for the best, we must also recognize that powerful forces oppose this future. They oppose modernity. They oppose democracy. They oppose peace.
Foremost among these forces is Iran. The tyranny in Tehran brutalizes its own people. It supports attacks against Americans troops in Afghanistan and in Iraq. It subjugates Lebanon and Gaza. It sponsors terror worldwide.
When I last stood here, I spoke of the consequences of Iran developing nuclear weapons. Now time is running out. The hinge of history may soon turn, for the greatest danger of all could soon be upon us: a militant Islamic regime armed with nuclear weapons.
Militant Islam threatens the world. It threatens Islam.
Now, I have no doubt -- I'm absolutely convinced -- that it will ultimately be defeated. I believe it will eventually succumb to the forces of freedom and progress. It depends on cloistering young minds for a given amount of years, and the process of opening up information will ultimately defeat this movement. But like other fanatacisms that were doomed to fail, militant Islam could exact an horrific price from all of us before its eventual demise.
A nuclear-armed Iran would ignite a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. It would give terrorists a nuclear umbrella. It would make the nightmare of nuclear terrorism a clear and present danger throughout the world.
See, I want you to understand what this means, because if we don't stop it, it's coming. They could put a bomb anywhere. They could put it in a missile; they're working on missiles that could reach this city. They could put it on a -- on a ship inside a container; could reach every port. They could eventually put it in a suitcase or in a subway.
Now, the threat to my country cannot be overstated. Those who dismiss it are sticking their heads on the stand. Less than seven decades after 6 million Jews were murdered, Iran's leaders deny the Holocaust of the Jewish people while calling for the annihilation of the Jewish state. Leaders who spew such venom should be banned from every respectable forum on the planet. (Applause.)
But there's something that makes the outrage even greater. Do you know what that is? It's the lack of outrage, because in much of the international community, the call(s) for our destruction are met with utter silence. It's even worse because there are many who rush to condemn Israel for defending itself against Iran's terror proxies. Not you. Not America. (Applause.)
You've acted differently. You've condemned the Iranian regime for its genocidal aims. You've passed tough sanctions against Iran.
History will salute you, America. (Applause.)
President Obama has said that the United States is determined to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. The president successfully led the Security Council at the U.N. to adopt sanctions against Iran. You in Congress passed even tougher sanctions.
Now, these words and deeds are vitally important, yet the ayatollah regime briefly suspended its nuclear program only once, in 2003, when it feared the possibility of military action. In that same year, Moammar Gadhafi gave up his nuclear weapons program, and for the same reason. The more Iran believes that all options are on the table, the less the chance of confrontation. (Applause.) And this is why I ask you to continue to send an unequivocal message that America will never permit Iran to develop nuclear weapons. (Applause.)
Now, as for Israel, if history has taught the Jewish people anything, it is that we must take calls for our destruction seriously.
We are a nation that rose from the ashes of the Holocaust. When we say never again, we mean never again. (Applause.) Israel always reserves -- (applause) -- Israel always reserves the right to defend itself. (Applause.)
My friends, while Israel will be ever-vigilant in its defense, we'll never give up our quest for peace. I guess we'll give it up when we achieve it. (Applause.) Because we want peace. Because we need peace. Now, we've achieved historic peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan, and these have held up for decades.
I remember what it was like before we had peace. I was nearly killed in a firefight inside the Suez Canal -- I mean that literally -- inside the Suez Canal.
And I was going down to the bottom with a 40-pound pack -- ammunition pack -- on my back, and somebody reached out to grab me.
And they're still looking for the guy who did such a stupid thing. (Laughter.) I was nearly killed there. And I remember battling terrorists along both banks of the Jordan.
Too many Israelis have lost loved ones, and I know their grief. I lost my brother. So no one in Israel wants a return to those terrible days.
The peace with Egypt and Jordan has long served as an anchor of stability and peace in the heart of the Middle East. (Applause.) And this peace -- this peace should be bolstered by economic and political support to all those who remain committed to peace. (Applause.) The peace agreements between Israel and Egypt and Israel and Jordan are vital, but they're not enough. We must also find a way to forge a lasting peace with the Palestinians. (Applause.)
Two years ago, I publicly committed to a solution of two states for two peoples -- a Palestinian state alongside a Jewish state.
(Applause.) I'm willing to make painful compromises to achieve this historic peace. As the leader of Israel, it's my responsibility to lead my people to peace. (Applause.)
Now, this is not easy for me. It's not easy, because I recognize that in a genuine peace, we'll be required to give up parts of the ancestral Jewish homeland. And you have to understand this: In Judea and Samaria, the Jewish people are not foreign occupiers. (Cheers, applause.)
We're not the British in India. We're not the Belgians in the Congo. This is the land of our forefathers, the land of Israel, to which Abraham brought the idea of one god, where David set out to confront Goliath, and where Isaiah saw his vision of eternal peace. No distortion of history -- and boy am I reading a lot of distortions of history lately, old and new -- no distortion of history could deny the 4,000-year-old bond between the Jewish people and the Jewish land. (Sustained applause.)
But there is another truth. The Palestinians share this small land with us. (Applause.) We seek a peace in which they'll be neither Israel's subjects nor its citizens. They should enjoy a national life of dignity as a free, viable and independent people living in their own state. (Applause.) They should enjoy a prosperous economy, where their creativity and initiative can flourish.
Now, we've already seen the beginnings of what is possible. In the last two years, the Palestinians have begun to build a better life for themselves. By the way, Prime Minister Fayyad has led this effort on their part, and I -- I wish him a speedy recovery from his recent operation. (Applause.)
We've helped -- on our side, we've helped the Palestinian economic growth by removing hundreds of barriers and roadblocks to the free flow of goods and people, and the results have been nothing short of remarkable. The Palestinian economy is booming; it's growing by more than 10 percent a year. And Palestinian cities -- they look very different today than what they looked just a few years -- a few years ago. They have shopping malls, movie theaters, restaurants, banks.
They even have e-businesses, but you can't see that when you visit them. (Scattered laughter.)
That's what they have. It's a great change. And all of this is happening without peace. So imagine what could happen with peace. (Applause.)
Peace would herald a new day for both our peoples, and it could also make the dream of a broader Arab-Israeli peace a realistic possibility. So now, here's the question. You've got to ask it: If the benefits of peace with the Palestinians are so clear, why has peace eluded us? Because all six Israeli prime ministers since the signing of the Oslo Accords agreed to establish a Palestinian state, myself included; so why has peace not been achieved?
Because so far, the Palestinians have been unwilling to accept a Palestinian state if it meant accepting a Jewish state alongside it.
You see, our conflict has never been about the establishment of a Palestinian state; it's always been about the existence of the Jewish state. (Applause.) This is what this conflict is about. (Extended applause.)
In 1947, the U.N. voted to partition the land into a Jewish state and an Arab state. The Jews said yes; the Palestinians said no.
In recent years, the Palestinians twice refused generous offers by Israeli prime ministers to establish a Palestinian state on virtually all the territory won by Israel in the Six Day War. They were simply unwilling to end the conflict. And I regret to say this: They continue to educate their children to hate. They continue to name public squares after terrorists. And worst of all, they continue to perpetuate the fantasy that Israel will one day be flooded by the descendants of Palestinian refugees. My friends, this must come to an end. (Applause.)
President Abbas must do what I have done. I stood before my people -- and I told you, it wasn't easy for me -- I stood before my people and I said, "I will accept a Palestinian state." It's time for President Abbas to stand before his people and say, "I will accept a Jewish state." (Cheers, applause.)
Those six words will change history. They'll make it clear to the Palestinians that this conflict must come to an end; that they're not building a Palestinian state to continue the conflict with Israel, but to end it.
And those six words will convince the people of Israel that they have a true partner for peace.
With such a partner, the Palestinian -- or rather the Israeli people will be prepared to make a far-reaching compromise. I will be prepared to make a far-reaching compromise. (Applause.)
This compromise must reflect the dramatic demographic changes that have occurred since 1967. The vast majority of the 650,000 Israelis who live beyond the 1967 lines reside in neighborhoods and suburbs of Jerusalem and Greater Tel Aviv.
Now these areas are densely populated, but they're geographically quite small. And under any realistic peace agreement, these areas, as well as other places of critical strategic and national importance, we'd -- be incorporated into the final borders of Israel. (Applause.)
The status of the settlements will be decided only in negotiations, but we must also be honest. So I'm saying today something that should be said publicly by all those who are serious about peace. In any real peace agreement, in any peace agreement that ends the conflict, some settlements will end up beyond Israel's borders. Now the precise delineation of those borders must be negotiated. We'll be generous about the size of the future Palestinian state. But as President Obama said, the border will be different than the one that existed on June 4th, 1967. (Applause.) Israel will not return to the indefensible boundaries of 1967. (Cheers, applause.)
So I want to be very clear on this point. Israel will be generous on the size of a Palestinian state but will be very firm on where we put the border with it. This is an important principle, shouldn't be lost.
We recognize that a Palestinian state must be big enough to be viable, to be independent, to be prosperous. All of you -- and the president too -- have referred to Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people, just as you've been talking about a future Palestinian state as the homeland of the Palestinian people. Well, Jews from around the world have a right to immigrate to the one and only Jewish state, and Palestinians from around the world should have a right to immigrate, if they so choose, to a Palestinian state.
And here is what this means. It means that the Palestinian refugee problem will be resolved outside the borders of Israel. (Applause.)
You know, everybody knows this. It's time to say it. It's important.
And as for Jerusalem, only a democratic Israel has protected the freedom of worship for all faiths in the city. (Applause.) Throughout the millennial history of the Jewish capital, the only time that Jews, Christians and Moslems could worship freely, could have unfettered access to their holy sites has been during Israel's sovereignty over Jerusalem.
Jerusalem must never again be divided. (Applause.) Jerusalem must remain the united capital of Israel. (Applause.)
I know this is a difficult issue for Palestinians. But I believe that, with creativity and with good will, a solution can be found.
So this is the peace I plan to forge with a Palestinian partner committed to peace. But you know very well that in the Middle East, the only peace that will hold is the peace you can defend. So peace must be anchored in security. (Applause.)
In recent years, Israel withdrew from south Lebanon and from Gaza. We thought we'd get peace. That's not what we got. We got 12,000 rockets fired from those areas on our cities, on our children, by Hezbollah and Hamas. The U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon, they failed to prevent the smuggling of this weaponry. The European observers in Gaza, they evaporated overnight. So if Israel simply walked out of the territories, the flow of weapons into a future Palestinian state would be unchecked, and missiles fired from it could reach virtually every home in Israel in less than a minute.
I want you to think about that, too. Imagine there's a siren going on now and we have less than 60 seconds to find shelter from an incoming rocket. Would you live that way? Do you think anybody can live that way? Well, we're not going to live that way either. (Cheers, applause.)
The truth is that Israel needs unique security arrangements because of its unique size. It's one of the smallest countries in the world. Mr. Vice President, I'll grant you this: It's bigger than Delaware. (Laughter.) It's even bigger than Rhode Island. But that's about it. (Laughter.) Israel under 1967 lines would be half the width of the Washington Beltway.
Now, here's a bit of nostalgia. I came to Washington 30 years ago as a young diplomat. It took me a while, but I finally figured it out: there is an America beyond the Beltway. (Laughter, applause.)
But Israel under 1967 lines would be only nine miles wide. So much for strategic depth. So it's therefore vital -- absolutely vital -- that a Palestinian state be fully demilitarized, and it's vital -- absolutely vital -- that Israel maintain a long-term military presence along the Jordan River. (Applause.)
Solid security arrangements on the ground are necessary not only to protect the peace; they're necessary to protect Israel in case the peace unravels, because in our unstable region, no one can guarantee that our peace partners today will be there tomorrow. And my friends, when I say tomorrow, I don't mean some distant time in the future; I mean tomorrow. (Applause.)
Peace can only be achieved around the negotiating table.
The Palestinian attempt to impose a settlement through the United Nations will not bring peace. (Applause.) It should be forcefully opposed by all those who want to see this conflict end. I appreciate the president's clear position on these -- on this issue.
Peace cannot be imposed. It must be negotiated. (Applause.)
But peace can only be negotiated with partners committed to peace, and Hamas is not a partner for peace. (Applause.) Hamas -- Hamas remains committed to Israel's destruction and to terrorism. They have a charter. That charter not only calls for the obliteration of Israel, it says: Kill the Jews everywhere you find them.
Hamas' leader condemned the killing of Osama bin Laden and praised him as a holy warrior. Now, again, I want to make this clear:
Israel is prepared to sit down today and negotiate peace with the Palestinian Authority. I believe we can fashion a brilliant future for our children. But Israel will not negotiate with a Palestinian government backed by the Palestinian version of al-Qaeda. That we will not do. (Applause.)
So I say to President Abbas: Tear up your pact with Hamas! Sit down and negotiate. Make peace with the Jewish state. (Applause.) And if you do, I promise you this: Israel will not be the last country to welcome a Palestinian state as a new member of the United Nations; it will be the first to do so. (Extended applause.)
My friends, the momentous trials over the last century and the unfolding events of this century attest to the decisive role of the United States in defending peace and advancing freedom. Providence entrusted the United States to be the guardian of liberty. All people who cherish freedom owe a profound debt of gratitude to your great nation. Among the most grateful nations is my nation, the people of Israel, who have fought for their liberty and survival against impossible odds in ancient and modern times alike. I speak on behalf of the Jewish people and the Jewish state when I say to you, representatives of America: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you for your unwavering support for Israel. Thank you for ensuring that the flame of freedom burns bright throughout the world.
May God bless all of you, and may God forever bless the United States of America. (Cheers, extended applause.)
Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you.
(Extended applause.)
---------------- THE END -----------------------
Vice President Biden, Speaker Boehner, distinguished senators, members of the House, honored guests, I'm deeply moved by this warm welcome, and I'm deeply honored that you've given me the opportunity to address Congress a second time.
Mr. Vice President, do you remember the time that we were the new kids in town? (Laughter, applause.) And I do see a lot of old friends here, and I see a lot of new friends of Israel here as well -- Democrats and Republicans alike. (Applause.)
Israel has no better friend than America, and America has no better friend than Israel. (Applause.) We stand together to defend democracy. We stand together to advance peace. We stand together to fight terrorism. Congratulations, America. Congratulations, Mr. President: You got bin Laden. Good riddance! (Cheers, applause.)
In an unstable Middle East, Israel is the one anchor of stability. In a region of shifting alliances, Israel is America's unwavering ally. Israel has always been pro-American. Israel will always be pro-American. (Applause.)
My friends, you don't have to -- you don't need to do nation- building in Israel. We're already built. (Laughter, applause.) You don't need to export democracy to Israel. We've already got it. (Applause.) And you don't need to send American troops to Israel. We defend ourselves. (Cheers, applause.)
You've been very generous in giving us tools to do the job of defending Israel on our own. Thank you all, and thank you, President Obama, for your steadfast commitment to Israel's security. I know economic times are tough. I deeply appreciate this. (Applause.)
Some of you have been telling me that your belief has been reaffirmed in recent months that support for Israel's security is a wise investment in our common future, for an epic battle is now under way in the Middle East between tyranny and freedom. A great convulsion is shaking the earth from the Khyber Pass to the Straits of Gibraltar.
The tremors have shattered states. They've toppled governments. And we can all see that the ground is still shifting.
Now, this historic moment holds the promise of a new dawn of freedom and opportunity. There are millions of young people out there who are determined to change their future. We all look at them. They muster courage. They risk their lives. They demand dignity. They desire liberty. These extraordinary scenes in Tunis, in Cairo, evoke those of Berlin and Prague in 1989. Yet, as we share their hopes --
You know, I take it as a badge of honor, and so should you, that in our free societies you can now protest. You can't have these protests in the farcical parliaments in Tehran or in Tripoli. This is real democracy. (Cheers, applause.)
So as we share the hopes of these young people throughout the Middle East and Iran, that they'll be able to do what that young woman just did -- I think she's young; I couldn't see quite that far --(laughter) -- we must also remember that those hopes could be snuffed out, as they were in Tehran in 1979. You remember what happened then.
The brief democratic spring in Tehran was cut short by a ferocious and unforgiving tyranny. And it's this same tyranny that smothered Lebanon's democratic Cedar Revolution and inflicted on that long- suffering country the medieval rule of Hezbollah.
So today the Middle East stands at a fateful crossroads. And like all of you, I pray that the peoples of the region choose the path less traveled, the path of liberty. (Applause.)
No one knows what this path consists of better than you.
Nobody. This path of liberty is not paved by elections alone. It's paved when governments permit protests in town squares, when limits are placed on the powers of rulers, when judges are beholden to laws and not men, and when human rights cannot be crushed by tribal loyalties or mob rule. Israel has always embraced this path in a Middle East that has long rejected it. In a region where women are stoned, gays are hanged, Christians are persecuted, Israel stands out. It is different. And this was seen -- (applause) -- thank you.
There was a great English writer in the 19th century, George Eliot. It's a she; that was a pseudonym in those days. George Eliot predicted over a century ago that, once established, the Jewish state -- here's what she said: "The Jewish state will shine like a bright star of freedom amid the despotisms of the East." Well, she was right.
We have a free press, independent courts, an open economy, rambunctious parliamentary debates -- (laughter) -- now, don't laugh -- (laughter) -- ah, you see? You think you're tough on another -- on one another here in Congress? Come spend a day in the Knesset. Be my guest! (Laughter, applause.)
Courageous Arab protesters are now struggling to secure these very same rights for their peoples, for their societies. We're proud in Israel that over 1 million Arab citizens of Israel have been enjoying these rights for decades. (Applause.) Of the 300 million Arabs in the Middle East and North Africa, only Israel's Arab citizens enjoy real democratic rights. (Applause.) Now, I want you to stop for a second and think about that. Of those 300 million Arabs, less than one-half of 1 percent are truly free, and they're all citizens of Israel. (Applause.)
This startling fact reveals a basic truth: Israel is not what is wrong about the Middle East; Israel is what's right about the Middle East. (Applause.)
Israel fully supports the desire of Arab peoples in our region to live freely. We long for the day when Israel will be one of many real democracies in the -- in the Middle East.
Fifteen years ago, I stood at this very podium. By the way, it hasn't changed. (Laughter.) I stood here and I said that democracy must start to take root in the Arab world. Well, it's begun to take root, and this beginning holds the promise of a brilliant future of peace and prosperity, because I believe that a Middle East that is genuinely democratic will be a Middle East truly at peace.
But while we hope for the best and while we work for the best, we must also recognize that powerful forces oppose this future. They oppose modernity. They oppose democracy. They oppose peace.
Foremost among these forces is Iran. The tyranny in Tehran brutalizes its own people. It supports attacks against Americans troops in Afghanistan and in Iraq. It subjugates Lebanon and Gaza. It sponsors terror worldwide.
When I last stood here, I spoke of the consequences of Iran developing nuclear weapons. Now time is running out. The hinge of history may soon turn, for the greatest danger of all could soon be upon us: a militant Islamic regime armed with nuclear weapons.
Militant Islam threatens the world. It threatens Islam.
Now, I have no doubt -- I'm absolutely convinced -- that it will ultimately be defeated. I believe it will eventually succumb to the forces of freedom and progress. It depends on cloistering young minds for a given amount of years, and the process of opening up information will ultimately defeat this movement. But like other fanatacisms that were doomed to fail, militant Islam could exact an horrific price from all of us before its eventual demise.
A nuclear-armed Iran would ignite a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. It would give terrorists a nuclear umbrella. It would make the nightmare of nuclear terrorism a clear and present danger throughout the world.
See, I want you to understand what this means, because if we don't stop it, it's coming. They could put a bomb anywhere. They could put it in a missile; they're working on missiles that could reach this city. They could put it on a -- on a ship inside a container; could reach every port. They could eventually put it in a suitcase or in a subway.
Now, the threat to my country cannot be overstated. Those who dismiss it are sticking their heads on the stand. Less than seven decades after 6 million Jews were murdered, Iran's leaders deny the Holocaust of the Jewish people while calling for the annihilation of the Jewish state. Leaders who spew such venom should be banned from every respectable forum on the planet. (Applause.)
But there's something that makes the outrage even greater. Do you know what that is? It's the lack of outrage, because in much of the international community, the call(s) for our destruction are met with utter silence. It's even worse because there are many who rush to condemn Israel for defending itself against Iran's terror proxies. Not you. Not America. (Applause.)
You've acted differently. You've condemned the Iranian regime for its genocidal aims. You've passed tough sanctions against Iran.
History will salute you, America. (Applause.)
President Obama has said that the United States is determined to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. The president successfully led the Security Council at the U.N. to adopt sanctions against Iran. You in Congress passed even tougher sanctions.
Now, these words and deeds are vitally important, yet the ayatollah regime briefly suspended its nuclear program only once, in 2003, when it feared the possibility of military action. In that same year, Moammar Gadhafi gave up his nuclear weapons program, and for the same reason. The more Iran believes that all options are on the table, the less the chance of confrontation. (Applause.) And this is why I ask you to continue to send an unequivocal message that America will never permit Iran to develop nuclear weapons. (Applause.)
Now, as for Israel, if history has taught the Jewish people anything, it is that we must take calls for our destruction seriously.
We are a nation that rose from the ashes of the Holocaust. When we say never again, we mean never again. (Applause.) Israel always reserves -- (applause) -- Israel always reserves the right to defend itself. (Applause.)
My friends, while Israel will be ever-vigilant in its defense, we'll never give up our quest for peace. I guess we'll give it up when we achieve it. (Applause.) Because we want peace. Because we need peace. Now, we've achieved historic peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan, and these have held up for decades.
I remember what it was like before we had peace. I was nearly killed in a firefight inside the Suez Canal -- I mean that literally -- inside the Suez Canal.
And I was going down to the bottom with a 40-pound pack -- ammunition pack -- on my back, and somebody reached out to grab me.
And they're still looking for the guy who did such a stupid thing. (Laughter.) I was nearly killed there. And I remember battling terrorists along both banks of the Jordan.
Too many Israelis have lost loved ones, and I know their grief. I lost my brother. So no one in Israel wants a return to those terrible days.
The peace with Egypt and Jordan has long served as an anchor of stability and peace in the heart of the Middle East. (Applause.) And this peace -- this peace should be bolstered by economic and political support to all those who remain committed to peace. (Applause.) The peace agreements between Israel and Egypt and Israel and Jordan are vital, but they're not enough. We must also find a way to forge a lasting peace with the Palestinians. (Applause.)
Two years ago, I publicly committed to a solution of two states for two peoples -- a Palestinian state alongside a Jewish state.
(Applause.) I'm willing to make painful compromises to achieve this historic peace. As the leader of Israel, it's my responsibility to lead my people to peace. (Applause.)
Now, this is not easy for me. It's not easy, because I recognize that in a genuine peace, we'll be required to give up parts of the ancestral Jewish homeland. And you have to understand this: In Judea and Samaria, the Jewish people are not foreign occupiers. (Cheers, applause.)
We're not the British in India. We're not the Belgians in the Congo. This is the land of our forefathers, the land of Israel, to which Abraham brought the idea of one god, where David set out to confront Goliath, and where Isaiah saw his vision of eternal peace. No distortion of history -- and boy am I reading a lot of distortions of history lately, old and new -- no distortion of history could deny the 4,000-year-old bond between the Jewish people and the Jewish land. (Sustained applause.)
But there is another truth. The Palestinians share this small land with us. (Applause.) We seek a peace in which they'll be neither Israel's subjects nor its citizens. They should enjoy a national life of dignity as a free, viable and independent people living in their own state. (Applause.) They should enjoy a prosperous economy, where their creativity and initiative can flourish.
Now, we've already seen the beginnings of what is possible. In the last two years, the Palestinians have begun to build a better life for themselves. By the way, Prime Minister Fayyad has led this effort on their part, and I -- I wish him a speedy recovery from his recent operation. (Applause.)
We've helped -- on our side, we've helped the Palestinian economic growth by removing hundreds of barriers and roadblocks to the free flow of goods and people, and the results have been nothing short of remarkable. The Palestinian economy is booming; it's growing by more than 10 percent a year. And Palestinian cities -- they look very different today than what they looked just a few years -- a few years ago. They have shopping malls, movie theaters, restaurants, banks.
They even have e-businesses, but you can't see that when you visit them. (Scattered laughter.)
That's what they have. It's a great change. And all of this is happening without peace. So imagine what could happen with peace. (Applause.)
Peace would herald a new day for both our peoples, and it could also make the dream of a broader Arab-Israeli peace a realistic possibility. So now, here's the question. You've got to ask it: If the benefits of peace with the Palestinians are so clear, why has peace eluded us? Because all six Israeli prime ministers since the signing of the Oslo Accords agreed to establish a Palestinian state, myself included; so why has peace not been achieved?
Because so far, the Palestinians have been unwilling to accept a Palestinian state if it meant accepting a Jewish state alongside it.
You see, our conflict has never been about the establishment of a Palestinian state; it's always been about the existence of the Jewish state. (Applause.) This is what this conflict is about. (Extended applause.)
In 1947, the U.N. voted to partition the land into a Jewish state and an Arab state. The Jews said yes; the Palestinians said no.
In recent years, the Palestinians twice refused generous offers by Israeli prime ministers to establish a Palestinian state on virtually all the territory won by Israel in the Six Day War. They were simply unwilling to end the conflict. And I regret to say this: They continue to educate their children to hate. They continue to name public squares after terrorists. And worst of all, they continue to perpetuate the fantasy that Israel will one day be flooded by the descendants of Palestinian refugees. My friends, this must come to an end. (Applause.)
President Abbas must do what I have done. I stood before my people -- and I told you, it wasn't easy for me -- I stood before my people and I said, "I will accept a Palestinian state." It's time for President Abbas to stand before his people and say, "I will accept a Jewish state." (Cheers, applause.)
Those six words will change history. They'll make it clear to the Palestinians that this conflict must come to an end; that they're not building a Palestinian state to continue the conflict with Israel, but to end it.
And those six words will convince the people of Israel that they have a true partner for peace.
With such a partner, the Palestinian -- or rather the Israeli people will be prepared to make a far-reaching compromise. I will be prepared to make a far-reaching compromise. (Applause.)
This compromise must reflect the dramatic demographic changes that have occurred since 1967. The vast majority of the 650,000 Israelis who live beyond the 1967 lines reside in neighborhoods and suburbs of Jerusalem and Greater Tel Aviv.
Now these areas are densely populated, but they're geographically quite small. And under any realistic peace agreement, these areas, as well as other places of critical strategic and national importance, we'd -- be incorporated into the final borders of Israel. (Applause.)
The status of the settlements will be decided only in negotiations, but we must also be honest. So I'm saying today something that should be said publicly by all those who are serious about peace. In any real peace agreement, in any peace agreement that ends the conflict, some settlements will end up beyond Israel's borders. Now the precise delineation of those borders must be negotiated. We'll be generous about the size of the future Palestinian state. But as President Obama said, the border will be different than the one that existed on June 4th, 1967. (Applause.) Israel will not return to the indefensible boundaries of 1967. (Cheers, applause.)
So I want to be very clear on this point. Israel will be generous on the size of a Palestinian state but will be very firm on where we put the border with it. This is an important principle, shouldn't be lost.
We recognize that a Palestinian state must be big enough to be viable, to be independent, to be prosperous. All of you -- and the president too -- have referred to Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people, just as you've been talking about a future Palestinian state as the homeland of the Palestinian people. Well, Jews from around the world have a right to immigrate to the one and only Jewish state, and Palestinians from around the world should have a right to immigrate, if they so choose, to a Palestinian state.
And here is what this means. It means that the Palestinian refugee problem will be resolved outside the borders of Israel. (Applause.)
You know, everybody knows this. It's time to say it. It's important.
And as for Jerusalem, only a democratic Israel has protected the freedom of worship for all faiths in the city. (Applause.) Throughout the millennial history of the Jewish capital, the only time that Jews, Christians and Moslems could worship freely, could have unfettered access to their holy sites has been during Israel's sovereignty over Jerusalem.
Jerusalem must never again be divided. (Applause.) Jerusalem must remain the united capital of Israel. (Applause.)
I know this is a difficult issue for Palestinians. But I believe that, with creativity and with good will, a solution can be found.
So this is the peace I plan to forge with a Palestinian partner committed to peace. But you know very well that in the Middle East, the only peace that will hold is the peace you can defend. So peace must be anchored in security. (Applause.)
In recent years, Israel withdrew from south Lebanon and from Gaza. We thought we'd get peace. That's not what we got. We got 12,000 rockets fired from those areas on our cities, on our children, by Hezbollah and Hamas. The U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon, they failed to prevent the smuggling of this weaponry. The European observers in Gaza, they evaporated overnight. So if Israel simply walked out of the territories, the flow of weapons into a future Palestinian state would be unchecked, and missiles fired from it could reach virtually every home in Israel in less than a minute.
I want you to think about that, too. Imagine there's a siren going on now and we have less than 60 seconds to find shelter from an incoming rocket. Would you live that way? Do you think anybody can live that way? Well, we're not going to live that way either. (Cheers, applause.)
The truth is that Israel needs unique security arrangements because of its unique size. It's one of the smallest countries in the world. Mr. Vice President, I'll grant you this: It's bigger than Delaware. (Laughter.) It's even bigger than Rhode Island. But that's about it. (Laughter.) Israel under 1967 lines would be half the width of the Washington Beltway.
Now, here's a bit of nostalgia. I came to Washington 30 years ago as a young diplomat. It took me a while, but I finally figured it out: there is an America beyond the Beltway. (Laughter, applause.)
But Israel under 1967 lines would be only nine miles wide. So much for strategic depth. So it's therefore vital -- absolutely vital -- that a Palestinian state be fully demilitarized, and it's vital -- absolutely vital -- that Israel maintain a long-term military presence along the Jordan River. (Applause.)
Solid security arrangements on the ground are necessary not only to protect the peace; they're necessary to protect Israel in case the peace unravels, because in our unstable region, no one can guarantee that our peace partners today will be there tomorrow. And my friends, when I say tomorrow, I don't mean some distant time in the future; I mean tomorrow. (Applause.)
Peace can only be achieved around the negotiating table.
The Palestinian attempt to impose a settlement through the United Nations will not bring peace. (Applause.) It should be forcefully opposed by all those who want to see this conflict end. I appreciate the president's clear position on these -- on this issue.
Peace cannot be imposed. It must be negotiated. (Applause.)
But peace can only be negotiated with partners committed to peace, and Hamas is not a partner for peace. (Applause.) Hamas -- Hamas remains committed to Israel's destruction and to terrorism. They have a charter. That charter not only calls for the obliteration of Israel, it says: Kill the Jews everywhere you find them.
Hamas' leader condemned the killing of Osama bin Laden and praised him as a holy warrior. Now, again, I want to make this clear:
Israel is prepared to sit down today and negotiate peace with the Palestinian Authority. I believe we can fashion a brilliant future for our children. But Israel will not negotiate with a Palestinian government backed by the Palestinian version of al-Qaeda. That we will not do. (Applause.)
So I say to President Abbas: Tear up your pact with Hamas! Sit down and negotiate. Make peace with the Jewish state. (Applause.) And if you do, I promise you this: Israel will not be the last country to welcome a Palestinian state as a new member of the United Nations; it will be the first to do so. (Extended applause.)
My friends, the momentous trials over the last century and the unfolding events of this century attest to the decisive role of the United States in defending peace and advancing freedom. Providence entrusted the United States to be the guardian of liberty. All people who cherish freedom owe a profound debt of gratitude to your great nation. Among the most grateful nations is my nation, the people of Israel, who have fought for their liberty and survival against impossible odds in ancient and modern times alike. I speak on behalf of the Jewish people and the Jewish state when I say to you, representatives of America: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you for your unwavering support for Israel. Thank you for ensuring that the flame of freedom burns bright throughout the world.
May God bless all of you, and may God forever bless the United States of America. (Cheers, extended applause.)
Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you.
(Extended applause.)
---------------- THE END -----------------------
Monday, May 23, 2011
Gaza Youth Loath Hamas, Israel, Fatah, UN, UNWRA, USA ....
Back it January a group called “Gaza Youth Breaks Out”, issued the Manifesto reproduced below which perfectly sums up the problems of ordinary Palestinians young and old. Remember that Gaza has been virtually sealed off from the world since Hamas was elected to power back in 2006.
The manifesto ends with "We want three things. We want to be free. We want to be able to live a normal life. We want peace. Is that too much to ask?" Unfortunately the answer seems to be yes.
In the British Newspaper “Observer“ article one of the activists comments "Politics is bollocks, it is screwing our lives up. Politicians only care about money and about their supporters. The Israelis are the only ones benefiting from the division."
Fatah who run the West Bank have been effectively bought by the USA to give Palestine away in the endless farcical “peace process”, while the families of it’s leaders live abroad in relative luxury. Meanwhile Hamas is paid by Syria and Iran to run a proxy conflict with Israel. The REAL QUESTION for the “Likud Israeli Lobby” with branches in every Western capital, who seize on this to justify Israeli government policies, what other choice do Palestinians have to finance their resistance. Blame as always lies with the strong who have the space to make choices.
Hamas and Fatah have now agreed to work together. When the Palestinians gain their rights they will then have to fight their own politicians to keep them.
Here is the manifesto, I particularly liked the comment in the last paragraph about being sick of “religious bullshit”. There seems more of this than real faith in the world. Who will make this change? …………………………………..
"Fuck Hamas. Fuck Israel. Fuck Fatah. Fuck UN. Fuck UNWRA. Fuck USA! We, the youth in Gaza, are so fed up with Israel, Hamas, the occupation, the violations of human rights and the indifference of the international community!
"We want to scream and break this wall of silence, injustice and indifference like the Israeli F16s breaking the wall of sound; scream with all the power in our souls in order to release this immense frustration that consumes us because of this fucking situation we live in...
"We are sick of being caught in this political struggle; sick of coal-dark nights with airplanes circling above our homes; sick of innocent farmers getting shot in the buffer zone because they are taking care of their lands; sick of bearded guys walking around with their guns abusing their power, beating up or incarcerating young people demonstrating for what they believe in; sick of the wall of shame that separates us from the rest of our country and keeps us imprisoned in a stamp-sized piece of land; sick of being portrayed as terrorists, home-made fanatics with explosives in our pockets and evil in our eyes; sick of the indifference we meet from the international community, the so-called experts in expressing concerns and drafting resolutions but cowards in enforcing anything they agree on; we are sick and tired of living a shitty life, being kept in jail by Israel, beaten up by Hamas and completely ignored by the rest of the world.
"There is a revolution growing inside of us, an immense dissatisfaction and frustration that will destroy us unless we find a way of canalizing this energy into something that can challenge the status quo and give us some kind of hope.
"We barely survived the Operation Cast Lead, where Israel very effectively bombed the shit out of us, destroying thousands of homes and even more lives and dreams. During the war we got the unmistakable feeling that Israel wanted to erase us from the face of the Earth. During the last years, Hamas has been doing all they can to control our thoughts, behavior and aspirations. Here in Gaza we are scared of being incarcerated, interrogated, hit, tortured, bombed, killed. We cannot move as we want, say what we want, do what we want.
"ENOUGH! Enough pain, enough tears, enough suffering, enough control, limitations, unjust justifications, terror, torture, excuses, bombings, sleepless nights, dead civilians, black memories, bleak future, heart-aching present, disturbed politics, fanatic politicians, religious bullshit, enough incarceration! WE SAY STOP! This is not the future we want! We want to be free. We want to be able to live a normal life. We want peace. Is that too much to ask?"
The manifesto ends with "We want three things. We want to be free. We want to be able to live a normal life. We want peace. Is that too much to ask?" Unfortunately the answer seems to be yes.
In the British Newspaper “Observer“ article one of the activists comments "Politics is bollocks, it is screwing our lives up. Politicians only care about money and about their supporters. The Israelis are the only ones benefiting from the division."
Fatah who run the West Bank have been effectively bought by the USA to give Palestine away in the endless farcical “peace process”, while the families of it’s leaders live abroad in relative luxury. Meanwhile Hamas is paid by Syria and Iran to run a proxy conflict with Israel. The REAL QUESTION for the “Likud Israeli Lobby” with branches in every Western capital, who seize on this to justify Israeli government policies, what other choice do Palestinians have to finance their resistance. Blame as always lies with the strong who have the space to make choices.
Hamas and Fatah have now agreed to work together. When the Palestinians gain their rights they will then have to fight their own politicians to keep them.
Here is the manifesto, I particularly liked the comment in the last paragraph about being sick of “religious bullshit”. There seems more of this than real faith in the world. Who will make this change? …………………………………..
"Fuck Hamas. Fuck Israel. Fuck Fatah. Fuck UN. Fuck UNWRA. Fuck USA! We, the youth in Gaza, are so fed up with Israel, Hamas, the occupation, the violations of human rights and the indifference of the international community!
"We want to scream and break this wall of silence, injustice and indifference like the Israeli F16s breaking the wall of sound; scream with all the power in our souls in order to release this immense frustration that consumes us because of this fucking situation we live in...
"We are sick of being caught in this political struggle; sick of coal-dark nights with airplanes circling above our homes; sick of innocent farmers getting shot in the buffer zone because they are taking care of their lands; sick of bearded guys walking around with their guns abusing their power, beating up or incarcerating young people demonstrating for what they believe in; sick of the wall of shame that separates us from the rest of our country and keeps us imprisoned in a stamp-sized piece of land; sick of being portrayed as terrorists, home-made fanatics with explosives in our pockets and evil in our eyes; sick of the indifference we meet from the international community, the so-called experts in expressing concerns and drafting resolutions but cowards in enforcing anything they agree on; we are sick and tired of living a shitty life, being kept in jail by Israel, beaten up by Hamas and completely ignored by the rest of the world.
"There is a revolution growing inside of us, an immense dissatisfaction and frustration that will destroy us unless we find a way of canalizing this energy into something that can challenge the status quo and give us some kind of hope.
"We barely survived the Operation Cast Lead, where Israel very effectively bombed the shit out of us, destroying thousands of homes and even more lives and dreams. During the war we got the unmistakable feeling that Israel wanted to erase us from the face of the Earth. During the last years, Hamas has been doing all they can to control our thoughts, behavior and aspirations. Here in Gaza we are scared of being incarcerated, interrogated, hit, tortured, bombed, killed. We cannot move as we want, say what we want, do what we want.
"ENOUGH! Enough pain, enough tears, enough suffering, enough control, limitations, unjust justifications, terror, torture, excuses, bombings, sleepless nights, dead civilians, black memories, bleak future, heart-aching present, disturbed politics, fanatic politicians, religious bullshit, enough incarceration! WE SAY STOP! This is not the future we want! We want to be free. We want to be able to live a normal life. We want peace. Is that too much to ask?"
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Israel Is The Future: Advanced, Secure and Racist.
Every possible sign points to the chances of Israel allowing a viable Palestinian state as nil. The Mainstream Zionist position is that the only people with rights in all of the land of Israel-Palestine are the Jewish people. A careful examination of all the facts shows that the Jewish and Palestinian people should have an equal right to Israel-Palestine. The people to blame ultimately are Europeans, due to European Antisemitism which culminated after centuries in the Holocaust. So if these equal rights cannot be exercised in the relatively small area of Israel-Palestine, then Europe is responsible for finding the alternatives to guarantee these rights elsewhere.
The lies told in Israeli propaganda to justify the mistreatment of Palestinians are incredible. This allows them to appear moral to themselves and still be oppressive, by creating an alternative reality. Example: "There were no Palestinians before Israel" .... "Zionists wanted to improve the lives of Palestinians, but they insisted on resisting help." .... "Israel must colonize the occupied territories to get Palestinians to negotiate." .... "Israel must defend itself against unprovoked attacks by racist Palestinians (ie: Gaza, ignoring the Israeli settlers, the Palestinian resistance to this, the Israeli retreat, the Hamas election, the Israeli air strikes and then the endless Israeli blockade and the Palestinian homemade rockets)." It goes on .... and no informed person really believes it anymore.
Then there is the "they hate us" argument. Israel is like a muscle building bully beating up a starving man, who after 90 years starts saying "You must stop hating me, I want peace but I can only stop beating you when you stop hating me." It is and always will be up to the strong to acknowledge the equal rights of the weaker side. This will never happen.
Israel has a first rate highly developed economy and educational system, but also runs a racist system which only recognizes the rights of one people while it controls two peoples. Far right groups in Europe now routinely take Israeli flags on their demonstrations to taunt Muslims and others. The far right are winning elections in significant numbers from Finland, Austria to Holland. Israel could be the future shape of Europe. Be aware....
The lies told in Israeli propaganda to justify the mistreatment of Palestinians are incredible. This allows them to appear moral to themselves and still be oppressive, by creating an alternative reality. Example: "There were no Palestinians before Israel" .... "Zionists wanted to improve the lives of Palestinians, but they insisted on resisting help." .... "Israel must colonize the occupied territories to get Palestinians to negotiate." .... "Israel must defend itself against unprovoked attacks by racist Palestinians (ie: Gaza, ignoring the Israeli settlers, the Palestinian resistance to this, the Israeli retreat, the Hamas election, the Israeli air strikes and then the endless Israeli blockade and the Palestinian homemade rockets)." It goes on .... and no informed person really believes it anymore.
Then there is the "they hate us" argument. Israel is like a muscle building bully beating up a starving man, who after 90 years starts saying "You must stop hating me, I want peace but I can only stop beating you when you stop hating me." It is and always will be up to the strong to acknowledge the equal rights of the weaker side. This will never happen.
Israel has a first rate highly developed economy and educational system, but also runs a racist system which only recognizes the rights of one people while it controls two peoples. Far right groups in Europe now routinely take Israeli flags on their demonstrations to taunt Muslims and others. The far right are winning elections in significant numbers from Finland, Austria to Holland. Israel could be the future shape of Europe. Be aware....
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Osama Bin Laden Is Dead What Of His Vision ?
Osama Bin Laden one of the founders of Al-Qaeda ("The Base") is dead. Killed on the 1st May by US marines in a house just next to one of Pakistan's major military colleges, where he had lived for five years. He joined the fight against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the 1980s when he became disgusted with the greed of the Saudi elite, of which he was a part. The Al-Qaeda doctrine is that the Muslim world has lost it's way morally and politically. Only their form of radical Sunni theology can free it from the overwhelming external and internal colonization that dominates it today. Their only success seems to have been the Taliban rule of Afghanistan of the 1990s , which became a byword for the cruelty of fundamentalist religion.
If countries in the Middle East achieve democracy then this will be a real death blow to Al-Qaeda. Will Egypt and Tunisia achieve real democracy? Will the war in Libya end, with the pro democracy rebels still in charge? Will the Assad regime fall in Syria, or will it continue to be propped up by Iran, China, Russia, Turkey ....? Will the Saudi and Gulf oil states move to constitutional monarchy, and take seriously their Islamic duty to invest in the human resources of the Arab world? When all this has happened is the time to celebrate, and say that all that Osama Bin Laden stood for was wrong. I pray for that day. God bless you.
If countries in the Middle East achieve democracy then this will be a real death blow to Al-Qaeda. Will Egypt and Tunisia achieve real democracy? Will the war in Libya end, with the pro democracy rebels still in charge? Will the Assad regime fall in Syria, or will it continue to be propped up by Iran, China, Russia, Turkey ....? Will the Saudi and Gulf oil states move to constitutional monarchy, and take seriously their Islamic duty to invest in the human resources of the Arab world? When all this has happened is the time to celebrate, and say that all that Osama Bin Laden stood for was wrong. I pray for that day. God bless you.
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