Hello friends i've been in bed Saturday,
Monday and Tuesday and a good part of today.
just a winter virus. will be back soon
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
The right of the Palestinian people to resist their oppression
Watching the Zionist regime (and I say Zionist
because not every Jewish person is a Zionist, and not every
Zionist is a Jew...Joe Biden claims he is a Zionist) of Israel
pummel the brave and good people of Palestine, especially Gaza
is like watching a full grown adult man kicking an 8 year old
child with steel toe boots, and repeatedly punching him or her
with massive clenched fists while the victim has no means to defend
themselves.
That is like using them as a human punching bag. That is what
Israel is doing to the Palestinian peoples. And, it reminds me of
what Malcolm X once said:
'I have no mercy or compassion in me for a society that will crush
people, and then penalize them for not being able to stand up under
the weight.'
How is it that the people of whom in America and always through history
everywhere stood up for the oppressed, gave comfort to those less fortunate....
have become one of the most brutal regimes...facist when they have made their
own country?
Andrew Goodman, Michael Henry Schwerner, were two Jewish-Americans who gave
their lives along with James Earl "J.E." Chaney, and African-American in Philadelphia, Mississippi on June 21, 1964; they were killed by Klu Klux Klan
members whilst part of an effort to register African-Americans to vote. I cannot
see them wearing an IOF uniform; they stood with the side of the oppressed, and for freedom, justice and equality...the very things denied to the Palestinian peoples.
It should be noted that America has always been a state that sponsored
terrorism. From slavery, and the kidnapping it required to the genocide of
the native peoples to the KKK, and its murder and lynchings America was a
place where terrorist were safe.
It is not that the Israelis are in danger of being pushed to the sea; it is the
people of Gaza that are in danger of being shoved right into the sea, or
running there to escape the napalm, white phosphorus, dime weapons.and more.
No it is not any imminent threat to their existence, nor any existential
threat to their existence; it is a threat that they have created themselves.
It is the way that they came to own the country known as Palestine/Israel.
The 1948 war was not a 'War of Independence'; it was a war of conquest by
people from from abroad, mainly European Jews with military training and
combat experience in World War II.
It is as if they took a fleet of bulldozers and cleared the buildings,
homes and businesses, farms, olive trees, lemon groves to destroy what had
been for thousands of years. What they did do in 1948 is:
-blow up houses and plant explosives to kill anyone who returned
-poisoned wells
-shot people
-massacred people
-ethnically cleansed much of Palestine
and then waged to more wars and stole more of their land, and
despite having one of the most formidable military units in the world
they have the population that have been displaced...and they are committing
genocide against the to rid themselves of this perpetual problem.
It is arguable that what the Israeli regimes have and are doing is
worse than what the South African regime did under Apartheid because they
did not try to exterminate wholesale the indigenous population.
We are coming up to another Cast Lead invasion. the Palestinian
people have every right to defend themselves, and to do so with force;
violent resistance to prevent their extermination.
It maybe that only when greater numbers of soldiers are are casualties
that Israeli society will consider the injustice of the present situation.
In the Vietnam War the increase of casualties meant more resistance from within
the military, and in American society as well.
If other governments in Europe, africa, Asia and the Americas turn a blind
eye and do not confront Israel, then the Palestinian people must show the Zionist's
regime that they, the Palestinians are David and that Israel is Goliath.
Guerilla war if necessary, can stop a larger military power. It happened
in Vietnam. The Russian partisans had very effective methods of dealing with
Nazi tanks. they trained dogs that there was food under tanks, and then they put
mines on the dogs backs.
And where the Nazis Panzers entered smaller roads like those in the steppes
they partisans immobilized the first and last tank.
It is better to use peaceful non-violent resistance to highlight the
barbarity of the zionist regime, but the right to use force is a part of
international law. And, it is the right of the people to not only to defend themselves, but to return to the villages, towns, cities, homes, farms and fields that they once owned.
And, while we are at it the biggest Goliath, the US must be stopped in its tracks from waging aggressive war.
It is right to rebel!
because not every Jewish person is a Zionist, and not every
Zionist is a Jew...Joe Biden claims he is a Zionist) of Israel
pummel the brave and good people of Palestine, especially Gaza
is like watching a full grown adult man kicking an 8 year old
child with steel toe boots, and repeatedly punching him or her
with massive clenched fists while the victim has no means to defend
themselves.
That is like using them as a human punching bag. That is what
Israel is doing to the Palestinian peoples. And, it reminds me of
what Malcolm X once said:
'I have no mercy or compassion in me for a society that will crush
people, and then penalize them for not being able to stand up under
the weight.'
How is it that the people of whom in America and always through history
everywhere stood up for the oppressed, gave comfort to those less fortunate....
have become one of the most brutal regimes...facist when they have made their
own country?
Andrew Goodman, Michael Henry Schwerner, were two Jewish-Americans who gave
their lives along with James Earl "J.E." Chaney, and African-American in Philadelphia, Mississippi on June 21, 1964; they were killed by Klu Klux Klan
members whilst part of an effort to register African-Americans to vote. I cannot
see them wearing an IOF uniform; they stood with the side of the oppressed, and for freedom, justice and equality...the very things denied to the Palestinian peoples.
It should be noted that America has always been a state that sponsored
terrorism. From slavery, and the kidnapping it required to the genocide of
the native peoples to the KKK, and its murder and lynchings America was a
place where terrorist were safe.
It is not that the Israelis are in danger of being pushed to the sea; it is the
people of Gaza that are in danger of being shoved right into the sea, or
running there to escape the napalm, white phosphorus, dime weapons.and more.
No it is not any imminent threat to their existence, nor any existential
threat to their existence; it is a threat that they have created themselves.
It is the way that they came to own the country known as Palestine/Israel.
The 1948 war was not a 'War of Independence'; it was a war of conquest by
people from from abroad, mainly European Jews with military training and
combat experience in World War II.
It is as if they took a fleet of bulldozers and cleared the buildings,
homes and businesses, farms, olive trees, lemon groves to destroy what had
been for thousands of years. What they did do in 1948 is:
-blow up houses and plant explosives to kill anyone who returned
-poisoned wells
-shot people
-massacred people
-ethnically cleansed much of Palestine
and then waged to more wars and stole more of their land, and
despite having one of the most formidable military units in the world
they have the population that have been displaced...and they are committing
genocide against the to rid themselves of this perpetual problem.
It is arguable that what the Israeli regimes have and are doing is
worse than what the South African regime did under Apartheid because they
did not try to exterminate wholesale the indigenous population.
We are coming up to another Cast Lead invasion. the Palestinian
people have every right to defend themselves, and to do so with force;
violent resistance to prevent their extermination.
It maybe that only when greater numbers of soldiers are are casualties
that Israeli society will consider the injustice of the present situation.
In the Vietnam War the increase of casualties meant more resistance from within
the military, and in American society as well.
If other governments in Europe, africa, Asia and the Americas turn a blind
eye and do not confront Israel, then the Palestinian people must show the Zionist's
regime that they, the Palestinians are David and that Israel is Goliath.
Guerilla war if necessary, can stop a larger military power. It happened
in Vietnam. The Russian partisans had very effective methods of dealing with
Nazi tanks. they trained dogs that there was food under tanks, and then they put
mines on the dogs backs.
And where the Nazis Panzers entered smaller roads like those in the steppes
they partisans immobilized the first and last tank.
It is better to use peaceful non-violent resistance to highlight the
barbarity of the zionist regime, but the right to use force is a part of
international law. And, it is the right of the people to not only to defend themselves, but to return to the villages, towns, cities, homes, farms and fields that they once owned.
And, while we are at it the biggest Goliath, the US must be stopped in its tracks from waging aggressive war.
It is right to rebel!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
A few Words on: 'The Culture of the Occupation. 1'
"That is why, when I hear shits of Westerners talk of the Iraq of before and after, in particular the garbage Americans the so called experts who made a fortune dissecting us like insects, in occupied Iraq, I honestly want to go for their jugular, literally... These are opportunistic bastards who came late on the scene and are still aiming for a best seller. They sicken me, my contempt for them sickens me..."
One point that stood right out is describing 'shits of Westerners...
in particular the garbage Americans the so called experts...'
without naming names? who? Noam Chomsky. Howard Zinn? the
average American? Who, and what specifically that she disagrees with,
or why...as a way to demolish their agruments is not stated at all.
As for 'These are opportunistic bastards who came late on the scene and
are still aiming for a best seller.'
There are two parts to the above.
First is who?
Secondly, is again who? which person are aiming 'for a best seller.'
If someone writes a book or essays about the war that exposes the evils and
educates people...and it becomes a best seller what is wrong with that?
Is it okay for Julian Assange, but not others??
And, what is it about these persons or their intentions and views that
are so wretched? By saying what it is then you prevent others from
being misled by these nameless people.
As for 'who came late on the scene.' Does it matter if a soldier
in Iraq comes to a full awareness after two or three tours, and
turns against the war?
Or the same with other people...that they see the wrong that their
country is doing and become determined to do what they can to change
their countries policies?
One may even say that Malcolm X came 'late on the scene' in that it was
a relatively short time after he converted to Islam that he was killed.
Do such statements mean that he and ones like him were 'opportunistic'??
To trash everyone is to paint all people 'with one stroke of the paint brush'
as the Irish say. I've been actively against and speaking out against my
governments policies since 1973...so I don't know what 'late on the scene
means.'
I do know this. If I were to trash someone without using the opportunity
to state what it is/was that they were wrong about...it may/would be because I
did not know how to/or felt ill-equipped to address their views and
systematically and critically show the flaws in their thinking or views.
To me, that is a duty, nay it is an obligation of all good and serious people
to do, so that those others don't spread their wrong headed views to others,
especially on such life and death issues like war and peace.
It's easier just to trash people. That way one does not have to try to show
their views (except in trashing a people based upon their race or nationality),
and, not on what you think they are wrong about.
Finally, as for arguments such as the other has no business speaking
about a matter because 'I grew up there or such things...it is reminicent of
what right wing Vietnam and other veterans said to those opposed to their views...
I was there...you have no right to speak...
Wrong. Allah God put us on this earth to use our brains in part, and
growing up in one part of the world does not mean that one should not,
or can not learn and express very intelligent views on any matter.
When I read this it reminded me of a few things.
First, the National Liberation Front in Vietnam during
the Vietnam War did not espouse this. It is arrogance.
The Vietnamese Front national de libération had a saying:
That is that they made a distinction between the American
Government and the American people.
And, as such, they were very effective in reaching out and
building stronger links with the American anti-war movement.
And, as such, they were very effective in reaching out and
building stronger links with the American anti-war movement
And, the fact is that during the Vietnam War it was mostlty
Americans, and especiallys students and later veterans of that
war that built such a resistance that helped to end that war.
To condemn only is to set oneself above all others, and to say
the others do not have a bit of wisdom or insight.
I also believe in the words of Jesus (Isa) as recorded in
Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged:
condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned:
forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
As for the below:
'That is why I refuse, categorically to read ANYTHING, any
analysis of the War on Iraq by an American - apart from an
occasional article that never fails to make me cringe with disgust.'
It does not bother me personally in the least when I read such things.
I went to war twice, and faced horror; words do not harm. I let them
roll off like water rolls of the back of a duck. But, I feel bad for persons
that carry so much hate.
And it puts oneself above all others as if to have more wisdom than all
others, and unable to learn anything from the others. Malcolm X came back
from Mecca a very changed man.
But, i ignore such things...and do weep for what my country has
become, but even then, I draw distinctions between the leaders
and the people, and then between some sections of the people and others.
One point that stood right out is describing 'shits of Westerners...
in particular the garbage Americans the so called experts...'
without naming names? who? Noam Chomsky. Howard Zinn? the
average American? Who, and what specifically that she disagrees with,
or why...as a way to demolish their agruments is not stated at all.
As for 'These are opportunistic bastards who came late on the scene and
are still aiming for a best seller.'
There are two parts to the above.
First is who?
Secondly, is again who? which person are aiming 'for a best seller.'
If someone writes a book or essays about the war that exposes the evils and
educates people...and it becomes a best seller what is wrong with that?
Is it okay for Julian Assange, but not others??
And, what is it about these persons or their intentions and views that
are so wretched? By saying what it is then you prevent others from
being misled by these nameless people.
As for 'who came late on the scene.' Does it matter if a soldier
in Iraq comes to a full awareness after two or three tours, and
turns against the war?
Or the same with other people...that they see the wrong that their
country is doing and become determined to do what they can to change
their countries policies?
One may even say that Malcolm X came 'late on the scene' in that it was
a relatively short time after he converted to Islam that he was killed.
Do such statements mean that he and ones like him were 'opportunistic'??
To trash everyone is to paint all people 'with one stroke of the paint brush'
as the Irish say. I've been actively against and speaking out against my
governments policies since 1973...so I don't know what 'late on the scene
means.'
I do know this. If I were to trash someone without using the opportunity
to state what it is/was that they were wrong about...it may/would be because I
did not know how to/or felt ill-equipped to address their views and
systematically and critically show the flaws in their thinking or views.
To me, that is a duty, nay it is an obligation of all good and serious people
to do, so that those others don't spread their wrong headed views to others,
especially on such life and death issues like war and peace.
It's easier just to trash people. That way one does not have to try to show
their views (except in trashing a people based upon their race or nationality),
and, not on what you think they are wrong about.
Finally, as for arguments such as the other has no business speaking
about a matter because 'I grew up there or such things...it is reminicent of
what right wing Vietnam and other veterans said to those opposed to their views...
I was there...you have no right to speak...
Wrong. Allah God put us on this earth to use our brains in part, and
growing up in one part of the world does not mean that one should not,
or can not learn and express very intelligent views on any matter.
When I read this it reminded me of a few things.
First, the National Liberation Front in Vietnam during
the Vietnam War did not espouse this. It is arrogance.
The Vietnamese Front national de libération had a saying:
That is that they made a distinction between the American
Government and the American people.
And, as such, they were very effective in reaching out and
building stronger links with the American anti-war movement.
And, as such, they were very effective in reaching out and
building stronger links with the American anti-war movement
And, the fact is that during the Vietnam War it was mostlty
Americans, and especiallys students and later veterans of that
war that built such a resistance that helped to end that war.
To condemn only is to set oneself above all others, and to say
the others do not have a bit of wisdom or insight.
I also believe in the words of Jesus (Isa) as recorded in
Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged:
condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned:
forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
As for the below:
'That is why I refuse, categorically to read ANYTHING, any
analysis of the War on Iraq by an American - apart from an
occasional article that never fails to make me cringe with disgust.'
It does not bother me personally in the least when I read such things.
I went to war twice, and faced horror; words do not harm. I let them
roll off like water rolls of the back of a duck. But, I feel bad for persons
that carry so much hate.
And it puts oneself above all others as if to have more wisdom than all
others, and unable to learn anything from the others. Malcolm X came back
from Mecca a very changed man.
But, i ignore such things...and do weep for what my country has
become, but even then, I draw distinctions between the leaders
and the people, and then between some sections of the people and others.
Facism in America a link to two videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVQRMrlQ95U
Mobile Prison Guard Towers Coming to a Walmart near You! Unbelievable.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8451.htm
Torture Inc. Americas Brutal Prisons
Mobile Prison Guard Towers Coming to a Walmart near You! Unbelievable.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8451.htm
Torture Inc. Americas Brutal Prisons
Reprinted with link Happy New Year from the Israeli Occupation Forces: The Story of the Abu Rahme Family
http://www.bilin-village.org/english/articles/different-look/Happy-New-Year-from-the-Israeli-Occupation-Forces-The-Story-of-the-Abu-Rahme-Family
Happy New Year from the Israeli Occupation Forces: The Story of the Abu Rahme Family
02/01/2011
While hundreds of millions of people celebrated New Year’s eve last night by going out in the streets, hugging, chanting and drinking, the people of Bil’in did not change their routine much. New Year Eve or not, Friday in Bil’in means demonstrating against the Illegal Apartheid Wall carving the West Bank into bantustans and stealing their land.
The Wall was deemed illegal by the highest judicial body in the world, the International Court of Justice, in 2004 (1). The ‘World Court’ took the Israeli argument that the wall was built for security reasons and dismantled it in a 54 pages document. There is no valid security reason for this wall to have been built, and this illegal wall should be dismantled now, was their verdict. Their report also asked all members States of the 4th Geneva convention not to aid Israel in building this wall and to make sure that Israel dismantled the wall. This was not optional, in the words of the ICJ. This was the duty of all members States to make sure that International Law was applied even when Israel was concerned.
The route of the wall has also been deemed illegal by Israeli Supreme Court (2) in 2006. The Israeli Supreme Court asked the army to re-route the wall and give back some of the land the Wall construction had stolen from the Palestinians. As of today, nothing has changed. As usual in Israel, the army rules and is even above its own laws.
The “Security” argument thrown about by Israel to justify the building of the wall is nonsense. Only because of the power of Israel’s Hasbara (propaganda) machine it is still used by the media and people around the world. Anyone looking at the facts, should be able to rubbish this idea in a few minutes.
If the Wall was for security, why not building it around the 1967 Green Line? The wall carves into the West Bank, stealing most arable lands and water resources and including the huge illegal Israeli settlements. But more importantly, if the Wall was built to stop suicide bombers entering Israel, why has it not been completed yet? ‘Terrorists’ are clever people. There is still a 200kms zone where there is no wall, and where Palestinians ‘terrorists’ could enter Israel at will. Also, there is still today many Palestinians entering Israel illegally to work. If they wanted to, they could do a lot of harm. They do not, and that’s the main point. Palestine civil society resistance has been mostly non violent, ever since the beginning of the first intifada.
The people of Bil’in, led by the village committee, continued this process. They have the high moral ground and they are stronger than bullets. For more than 5 years now, every Friday, at around 1pm, hundreds (if not thousands) of Palestinians, Israelis and Internationals have been demonstrating against the route of the wall and Israel’s apartheid like policies. Palestinians ‘Sumud’ (steadfastness) at its best.
As usual with oppressive regimes, Israel’s response to those peaceful demonstrations has been indiscriminate force. Sometimes lethal.
The story of the Abu Rahme family is a telling one.
In 2008, Ashraf Abu Rahme, was shot at very close range, while bounded, by an Israeli Soldier (3).
In April 2009, Bassem Abu Rahme his brother, was shot at very close range by a tear gas and died from his wounds (4 and 5).
Even though, Jawaher Abu Rahme, their sister and thousands of others kept going, kept demonstrating, Friday after Fridays after Fridays. Because that the whole point of non violence resistance. To expose the monstrosity of your oppressor by not responding to the most cruel acts and by nevertheless continuing to stand up against them. They’ve got U.S bullets, U.S weapons and one of the most sophisticated army on their side (thanks in part to a 3 billions dollars US cheque every year), the people of Bil’in have got the truth, the law and the high moral ground. The point about this weekly demonstration is to show the Israeli army and its government that their violence will not stop the Palestinians.
On New Year’s Day, thousands had joined the people of Bil’in to demonstrate and celebrate New Year in the best way possible. Resisting, together, regardless of your country of birth, race or religion and standing up against oppression.
Jawaher probably chanted “la la el jidar” (no, no, to the wall) and walked, side by side with others, towards the Apartheid Wall and the line of soldiers, waiting on top of the hill. She then probably run away when the first tear gas were fired, regrouped, and walked back towards the wall again.
……Or maybe she did not. Not this time.
She inhaled a huge quantity of this most poisonous substance and was taken to a Ramallah hospital. She never recovered and died (6). The Holy Land is not the land of miracles.
The Israeli government and its army have been for years now using the West Bank and Gaza as their testing ground. The Palestinians are their guinea pigs. The Israeli army uses tear gas that would probably be banned in any other countries in the world. They shoot tear gas, directly at protesters, once again, an illegal act. But a very rewarding one. Israel’s security industry is booming. It’s never been that good. Countries all over the world are buying Israel’s expertise in security, crowd control and weaponry every day. Israeli soldiers are training other countries commandos all over the planet.
When there is a profit to be made, the law does not count.
An investigation will probably be launched into the incident by the Israeli Army itself. The aggressor investigating itself. Because Israel, under cover of democracy, investigates itself. The problem is that no one is never held to account and those investigations often end in a whitewash. Bassem’s death was investigated, but closed a few months later. Ashraf’s case was also investigated, we’re still waiting for the verdict. In total, only 6% of the Israeli soldiers investigated over the last decades have ever been convicted for their actions. Most of the time, those held to account were only reprimanded and never faced jail or any serious actions. That’s Israel’s democracy in full flown.
The good thing is that less and less people are fooled by this. Israel, a self proclaimed Jewish State, as the only democracy in the Middle East sounds more and more like a laughable quote. It is becoming easier and easier to show that Israel is not a democracy. Activists around the globe do not have to look to hard. Israel’s is doing a good job of demolishing its own myth by passing laws discriminating it’s own populations (Palestinian minority), by arresting and imprisoning Palestinian’s peace activists without providing any evidence, by demolishing houses, bedouin’s villages, by striping Palestinians of their residency in Jerusalem, by building more Jewish only settlements in East Jerusalem, by kicking Palestinians out of their homes and putting extremists settlers in their place, by bombing a Ghetto (Gaza), by killing peace activists (Freedom Flotilla), by repeatedly ignoring UN resolutions….the list is endless.
The issue now is how, for the Palestinians and their supporters to use this to make sure changes for the best happen on the ground. The Boycott Divestment and Sanctions strategy is working very well and is a mean for activists to unite under one manisfesto. Corporations are divesting from Israel, Trade Unions and passing motions to boycott settlements goods, Universities are refusing to collaborate with their Israeli counterpart.
The point of all this for the Palestinians to show the whole world, that they will not remain silent, they will not disappear.
As Howard Zinn said: "The reward for participating in a movement for social justice is not the prospect of future victory. It is the exhilaration of standing together with other people, taking risks together, enjoying small triumphs and enduring disheartening setbacks-together. "
Jawaher death was another disheartening setback for anyone with a conscience.
It is also a very powerful wake up call for anyone that has remained silent so far. This is not an option. In the universal struggle for human rights, everyone needs to be involved, in the hope that one day, change will happen and another powerful page of history will be written, by us, the people.
Notes:
(1) Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
(2) High Court: State must explain why it won’t move separation fence in Bil’in
(3) Video - Soldier fire ‘rubber’ bullet at Palestinian detainee
(4) The Death of Bassem
(5) Video - The shooting of Bassem Abu Rahme
(6) Sister of Bilin victim dies in anti-fence protest
Happy New Year from the Israeli Occupation Forces: The Story of the Abu Rahme Family
02/01/2011
While hundreds of millions of people celebrated New Year’s eve last night by going out in the streets, hugging, chanting and drinking, the people of Bil’in did not change their routine much. New Year Eve or not, Friday in Bil’in means demonstrating against the Illegal Apartheid Wall carving the West Bank into bantustans and stealing their land.
The Wall was deemed illegal by the highest judicial body in the world, the International Court of Justice, in 2004 (1). The ‘World Court’ took the Israeli argument that the wall was built for security reasons and dismantled it in a 54 pages document. There is no valid security reason for this wall to have been built, and this illegal wall should be dismantled now, was their verdict. Their report also asked all members States of the 4th Geneva convention not to aid Israel in building this wall and to make sure that Israel dismantled the wall. This was not optional, in the words of the ICJ. This was the duty of all members States to make sure that International Law was applied even when Israel was concerned.
The route of the wall has also been deemed illegal by Israeli Supreme Court (2) in 2006. The Israeli Supreme Court asked the army to re-route the wall and give back some of the land the Wall construction had stolen from the Palestinians. As of today, nothing has changed. As usual in Israel, the army rules and is even above its own laws.
The “Security” argument thrown about by Israel to justify the building of the wall is nonsense. Only because of the power of Israel’s Hasbara (propaganda) machine it is still used by the media and people around the world. Anyone looking at the facts, should be able to rubbish this idea in a few minutes.
If the Wall was for security, why not building it around the 1967 Green Line? The wall carves into the West Bank, stealing most arable lands and water resources and including the huge illegal Israeli settlements. But more importantly, if the Wall was built to stop suicide bombers entering Israel, why has it not been completed yet? ‘Terrorists’ are clever people. There is still a 200kms zone where there is no wall, and where Palestinians ‘terrorists’ could enter Israel at will. Also, there is still today many Palestinians entering Israel illegally to work. If they wanted to, they could do a lot of harm. They do not, and that’s the main point. Palestine civil society resistance has been mostly non violent, ever since the beginning of the first intifada.
The people of Bil’in, led by the village committee, continued this process. They have the high moral ground and they are stronger than bullets. For more than 5 years now, every Friday, at around 1pm, hundreds (if not thousands) of Palestinians, Israelis and Internationals have been demonstrating against the route of the wall and Israel’s apartheid like policies. Palestinians ‘Sumud’ (steadfastness) at its best.
As usual with oppressive regimes, Israel’s response to those peaceful demonstrations has been indiscriminate force. Sometimes lethal.
The story of the Abu Rahme family is a telling one.
In 2008, Ashraf Abu Rahme, was shot at very close range, while bounded, by an Israeli Soldier (3).
In April 2009, Bassem Abu Rahme his brother, was shot at very close range by a tear gas and died from his wounds (4 and 5).
Even though, Jawaher Abu Rahme, their sister and thousands of others kept going, kept demonstrating, Friday after Fridays after Fridays. Because that the whole point of non violence resistance. To expose the monstrosity of your oppressor by not responding to the most cruel acts and by nevertheless continuing to stand up against them. They’ve got U.S bullets, U.S weapons and one of the most sophisticated army on their side (thanks in part to a 3 billions dollars US cheque every year), the people of Bil’in have got the truth, the law and the high moral ground. The point about this weekly demonstration is to show the Israeli army and its government that their violence will not stop the Palestinians.
On New Year’s Day, thousands had joined the people of Bil’in to demonstrate and celebrate New Year in the best way possible. Resisting, together, regardless of your country of birth, race or religion and standing up against oppression.
Jawaher probably chanted “la la el jidar” (no, no, to the wall) and walked, side by side with others, towards the Apartheid Wall and the line of soldiers, waiting on top of the hill. She then probably run away when the first tear gas were fired, regrouped, and walked back towards the wall again.
……Or maybe she did not. Not this time.
She inhaled a huge quantity of this most poisonous substance and was taken to a Ramallah hospital. She never recovered and died (6). The Holy Land is not the land of miracles.
The Israeli government and its army have been for years now using the West Bank and Gaza as their testing ground. The Palestinians are their guinea pigs. The Israeli army uses tear gas that would probably be banned in any other countries in the world. They shoot tear gas, directly at protesters, once again, an illegal act. But a very rewarding one. Israel’s security industry is booming. It’s never been that good. Countries all over the world are buying Israel’s expertise in security, crowd control and weaponry every day. Israeli soldiers are training other countries commandos all over the planet.
When there is a profit to be made, the law does not count.
An investigation will probably be launched into the incident by the Israeli Army itself. The aggressor investigating itself. Because Israel, under cover of democracy, investigates itself. The problem is that no one is never held to account and those investigations often end in a whitewash. Bassem’s death was investigated, but closed a few months later. Ashraf’s case was also investigated, we’re still waiting for the verdict. In total, only 6% of the Israeli soldiers investigated over the last decades have ever been convicted for their actions. Most of the time, those held to account were only reprimanded and never faced jail or any serious actions. That’s Israel’s democracy in full flown.
The good thing is that less and less people are fooled by this. Israel, a self proclaimed Jewish State, as the only democracy in the Middle East sounds more and more like a laughable quote. It is becoming easier and easier to show that Israel is not a democracy. Activists around the globe do not have to look to hard. Israel’s is doing a good job of demolishing its own myth by passing laws discriminating it’s own populations (Palestinian minority), by arresting and imprisoning Palestinian’s peace activists without providing any evidence, by demolishing houses, bedouin’s villages, by striping Palestinians of their residency in Jerusalem, by building more Jewish only settlements in East Jerusalem, by kicking Palestinians out of their homes and putting extremists settlers in their place, by bombing a Ghetto (Gaza), by killing peace activists (Freedom Flotilla), by repeatedly ignoring UN resolutions….the list is endless.
The issue now is how, for the Palestinians and their supporters to use this to make sure changes for the best happen on the ground. The Boycott Divestment and Sanctions strategy is working very well and is a mean for activists to unite under one manisfesto. Corporations are divesting from Israel, Trade Unions and passing motions to boycott settlements goods, Universities are refusing to collaborate with their Israeli counterpart.
The point of all this for the Palestinians to show the whole world, that they will not remain silent, they will not disappear.
As Howard Zinn said: "The reward for participating in a movement for social justice is not the prospect of future victory. It is the exhilaration of standing together with other people, taking risks together, enjoying small triumphs and enduring disheartening setbacks-together. "
Jawaher death was another disheartening setback for anyone with a conscience.
It is also a very powerful wake up call for anyone that has remained silent so far. This is not an option. In the universal struggle for human rights, everyone needs to be involved, in the hope that one day, change will happen and another powerful page of history will be written, by us, the people.
Notes:
(1) Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
(2) High Court: State must explain why it won’t move separation fence in Bil’in
(3) Video - Soldier fire ‘rubber’ bullet at Palestinian detainee
(4) The Death of Bassem
(5) Video - The shooting of Bassem Abu Rahme
(6) Sister of Bilin victim dies in anti-fence protest
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
SOUTH LEBANON: Israel dropped over 3,000 tons of explosives on Ga...
SOUTH LEBANON: Israel dropped over 3,000 tons of explosives on Ga...: "GAZA, (PIC)-- Major Tahseen Saad, director of the police explosives engineering department in Gaza, said that Israel used over 3,000 tons..."
Monday, January 3, 2011
Proposal for a Sustained Action Campiagn Against Israeli Apartheid and its American supporters
We who are not living in Gaza, or the West Bank,
or the Negev where the Israeli government is trying to
force the Bedouin out of the Negev...the desert!! We
those who do not live in Israel must find a way to dramatize
(as if it needs to be) what Israel is doing to the Palestinian
people.
The same must be done to stop the US from waging it's criminal
wars of aggression. The country where I was born is, in the words
of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 'the greatest purveyor of violence
on the planet.' And, it's rulers are waging war upon the world, and
it is just a matter of time, months perhaps, or a year at the most
before these wars are called WW III.
In the 1960's at the height of the Vietnam War there were protests
across the planet against that war. Many were against the US embassies;
they were sometimes under seige. They were the symbols of the imperial
power, oppression, and of the government that waged a criminal war against
people of colour around the world.
There were also many protests at US military bases in the US and abroad,
and their symbols of power: aircraft carriers.
In today's world we have access to unprecedented amounts of information
at such a rapid pace that it is astonishing to anyone who grew up before
the internet, and had to research and access their information by hand via
newspapers, in libraries, or places containing official records.
But, there is a downside. Twitter, and other such site can put a staggering
amount of articles, videos and information at one's disposal that they
cannot possibly read even half of it, unless all they do is just sit at a
monitor and read. And, I'd need an IV drip of caffeine in my arms.
All the information, all the brilliant articles are no good unless it is
to serve action. And, the internet can connect people together, but it can
also keep them/us from taking more direct action as I did in the 1970's.
I was in the takeover of the Statue of Liberty June 6, 1976.
By the way it's an excellent way to see it. No tourists, no hassle, well
except for those guys trying to shove some kind of court order through the
door. But, hey we couldn't read that night;-
But, to go back to what the Israel government has and is doing to the Palestinian people. They are treating them as they had once been treated in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. The Zionists don't have gas chambers; they just drop White Phosphorous,
and napalm on populated areas, and fire bombs and rockets into them.
Those of us in the rest of the world must conduct a sustained campaign against
Zionists and Nazi-like American regimes.
For one: we must build a movement this year to shut down every Israeli and
American embassy and Consulate office throughout the world, or to to make it
very difficult for those offices to operate.
We must not allow ourselves to be beaten, but to let them know that they will not
be able to club people without facing the most forceful resistance.
This is a battle to stop brutatlity, and genocide from being waged against defenseless peoples by these two governments. Protests can be non-violent but forcefully so...chaining of people across the gates of these buildings, for starters.
And every Israeli company that has offices operating outside of Israel should
face disruption to make business as usual impossible.
The same with US companies. The focus needs to be narrowed..oil, banks,
energy, investment firms, insurance too,CIA and Mossad front companies.
This is why. What is happening in Israel is Apartheid (and 'slow drip
genocide')to the Palestinian people because of the weapons used: Depleted
Uranium, White Phosphorous, deadly CS-tear gas, the destruction of communities.
And what has beeb and is happening in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia...anyplace the US
uses its horrible weapons...is genocide
It is better put by the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the
Crime of Genocide:
Article II: In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
(a) Killing members of the group;
(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
Both the United States and Israel were the strongest supporters of the South
African apartheid regime...and without that support, particularly that of the
US the Apartheid regime would have collapsed earlier.
These are the two main countries oppressing the Palestinian and all Muslim
peoples, and we must begin a sustained campaigned of action to force change.
or the Negev where the Israeli government is trying to
force the Bedouin out of the Negev...the desert!! We
those who do not live in Israel must find a way to dramatize
(as if it needs to be) what Israel is doing to the Palestinian
people.
The same must be done to stop the US from waging it's criminal
wars of aggression. The country where I was born is, in the words
of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 'the greatest purveyor of violence
on the planet.' And, it's rulers are waging war upon the world, and
it is just a matter of time, months perhaps, or a year at the most
before these wars are called WW III.
In the 1960's at the height of the Vietnam War there were protests
across the planet against that war. Many were against the US embassies;
they were sometimes under seige. They were the symbols of the imperial
power, oppression, and of the government that waged a criminal war against
people of colour around the world.
There were also many protests at US military bases in the US and abroad,
and their symbols of power: aircraft carriers.
In today's world we have access to unprecedented amounts of information
at such a rapid pace that it is astonishing to anyone who grew up before
the internet, and had to research and access their information by hand via
newspapers, in libraries, or places containing official records.
But, there is a downside. Twitter, and other such site can put a staggering
amount of articles, videos and information at one's disposal that they
cannot possibly read even half of it, unless all they do is just sit at a
monitor and read. And, I'd need an IV drip of caffeine in my arms.
All the information, all the brilliant articles are no good unless it is
to serve action. And, the internet can connect people together, but it can
also keep them/us from taking more direct action as I did in the 1970's.
I was in the takeover of the Statue of Liberty June 6, 1976.
By the way it's an excellent way to see it. No tourists, no hassle, well
except for those guys trying to shove some kind of court order through the
door. But, hey we couldn't read that night;-
But, to go back to what the Israel government has and is doing to the Palestinian people. They are treating them as they had once been treated in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. The Zionists don't have gas chambers; they just drop White Phosphorous,
and napalm on populated areas, and fire bombs and rockets into them.
Those of us in the rest of the world must conduct a sustained campaign against
Zionists and Nazi-like American regimes.
For one: we must build a movement this year to shut down every Israeli and
American embassy and Consulate office throughout the world, or to to make it
very difficult for those offices to operate.
We must not allow ourselves to be beaten, but to let them know that they will not
be able to club people without facing the most forceful resistance.
This is a battle to stop brutatlity, and genocide from being waged against defenseless peoples by these two governments. Protests can be non-violent but forcefully so...chaining of people across the gates of these buildings, for starters.
And every Israeli company that has offices operating outside of Israel should
face disruption to make business as usual impossible.
The same with US companies. The focus needs to be narrowed..oil, banks,
energy, investment firms, insurance too,CIA and Mossad front companies.
This is why. What is happening in Israel is Apartheid (and 'slow drip
genocide')to the Palestinian people because of the weapons used: Depleted
Uranium, White Phosphorous, deadly CS-tear gas, the destruction of communities.
And what has beeb and is happening in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia...anyplace the US
uses its horrible weapons...is genocide
It is better put by the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the
Crime of Genocide:
Article II: In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
(a) Killing members of the group;
(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
Both the United States and Israel were the strongest supporters of the South
African apartheid regime...and without that support, particularly that of the
US the Apartheid regime would have collapsed earlier.
These are the two main countries oppressing the Palestinian and all Muslim
peoples, and we must begin a sustained campaigned of action to force change.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)