How long can American leaders hold out? Yahoo's top story at this hour is an Agence France-Presse story headlined "Gaza civilians bearing brunt of violence…"
Another sign that the media are changing: Richard Engel on NBC Nightly News tonight said that many of the people in the Gaza strip were "forced out" of or fled Israel in 1948. Nakba, discovered…
A Gaza Health Ministry official says 20 children were killed today. Leila Abu-Saba responds angrily:
First we will hear that it was the fault of their fathers that they
died. We will then hear that the number was not twenty, but only
eleven, or four children. The other nine or sixteen were not really
children, or they were the children of terrorists so therefore not
included in the count of children killed, or they were children
pretending to be dead, posed by nefarious Palestinians in order to
gain the sympathy of the world while they complain under their
justifiable and merciful punishment.
Finally, when we mourn too long and remember in years to come the day
that Israel killed twenty children in Gaza, we will be told that we
must let the past be past. Let bygones be bygones. Mistakes were made,
all of them regrettable, and we must forget.
Never forgetting is not for the likes of us who love our Arab
children. Refusing to forget is a privilege reserved for other people
whose children are more precious than ours.
You know those Arabs are always angry, and never for any good reason. Best not to pay them any attention. If they get too angry, better put them on a list, or silence them, because Angry Arabs are much more dangerous than any other kind of angry people. In fact, no insult or tactic is too harsh to use on an Angry Arab, because they only understand brute force, those Arabs.
And they're always so angry!
Yes, things are a-changin–even Jon Stewart is breaking his usual silence. It took him less than 10 minutes to pretty much sum it up tonight.
Time for a parade!! Sweets handed out to Jewish children everywhere.
Wally Shawn at the Nation seems to be saying that Israeli insanity is the fault of "antisemitism"–
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090112/shawn
It's an interesting example of that genre of Jewish writing where absolutely everything — even Palestinian suffering — is judged by whether it's good or bad for the Jews.
How long can American leaders hold out?
About 10 years probably. Israel has a window here to do what needs to be done. If they can pull this off then we can go into forgetting about the past or at least recasting it into some kind of myth of the nobel savage fighting against the inevitible progress of Western Civilization.
Forgive me for not complimenting your piece, Leila. Nicely put. (And soon someone will claim that the photos of the dead children are not real but faked. And besides, they will say, why aren't you worrying about Tibet?)
dialectically, jewish actions and 'anti-semitic' reactions cauae each other.
please note that the term was deliberately chosen and raised to canonical status because it implies a specific set of european racial and religious anti-jewish theories, whether they are relevant today or not, and thus automatically presets a major propaganda claim.
Many were forced out in the 1950s too. Forcefully deported to Gaza, their houses and lands taken over. This was years after the end of the war. We are told that Palestinians "fled" of their own accord during the war. Did they also "flee" of their own accord in the 1950s? Will they also flee Israel of their own accord in 2020 or some date in the future when Israel decides it's time to rid itself of the headache posed by its Palestinian citizens?
Truman's regrets….
Israel Truman diary reveals scorn 'for cruel Jews'
By Toby Harnden in Washington
Last Updated: 10:00PM BST 11 Jul 2003
President Harry S Truman, long hailed by Zionists for recognising the state of Israel at its inception, viewed Jews with disdain and believed they were crueller than Hitler, according to newly discovered diaries.
"The Jews, I find, are very, very selfish," Truman wrote in July 1947, 10 months before the British mandate in Palestine expired and David Ben-Gurion declared Israel's independence.
"They care not how many Estonians, Latvians, Finns, Poles, Yugoslavs or Greeks get murdered or mistreated as D[isplaced] P[ersons] as long as the Jews get special treatment."
He continued: "Yet when they have power, physical, financial or political neither Hitler nor Stalin has anything on them for cruelty or mistreatment to the underdog."
And you will find similar comments by every single President since Truman in the Presidential libraries.
The ADL thinks Truman was an anti-semite. In the past four days the whole world has become anti semites =anti Israel. Wonder why?
Witty's cherished dream of world wide anti-semitism has come true. Hope he enjoys the experience as much as he enjoyed talking about it.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1052866.html
Gaza War Diary III: If Mexico shelled Texas, like Hamas shells Israel
By Bradley Burston
Tags: Israel News, Israel, Hamas
Analogy One: A fanatical religious party wins a string of elections in Mexico's northern states, then stages a civil war to drive out the federal government and take full control.
The party's charter demands the return to Mexico of the occupied territories of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Texas.
Dear Richard Witty,
Thank you for your excellent work recently. Unfortunately, we are unable to send the usual check, as we invested the bulk of our endowment with Bernard Madoff, and that fact, coupled with the failing fortunes of S. Adelson and our usual funders, have left us facing a severe shortage of funds.
We hope you can utilize the following talking point of the blogs that you have worked so hard to "balance":
1. What if fanatical Mexicans attacked the southwestern United States? Wouldn't it be the right and indeed the responsibility of the US military to indiscriminately kill as many Mexican children as possible. I'm sorry, I mean, wouldn't it be the right and indeed the responsibility of the US military to defend its people against TERRORISTS.
2. Point out that Hamas broke the cease-fire. Repeat endlessly, and when your debate opponents rightfully insist that it was Israel who actually broke the cease-fire, first deny it, then point out that one must choose carefully from news sources, depending naturally on "fair and balanced" reporting, that is, those articles written by Jewish American Zionists.
3. Hammer the idea that Hamas has NEVER agreed to negotiate with Israel, even though they agreed to a long-term hudna if Israel returned to the 67 borders. When your opponents point out this fact, refer them to the fact that Hamas believes that Jews are descended from pigs.
4. Hammer the idea that Hamas has rocketed ALL of southern Israel, causing great trauma to those people in Sderot sitting on their roofs in lawn chairs enjoying the carnage.
Keep up the good work Richard. It's people like you that will kindle the fires of anti-semitism worldwide, causing more Jews to make aliyah.
Sincerely,
Hasbara Central
D. said:
"Wally Shawn at the Nation seems to be saying that Israeli insanity is the fault of "antisemitism"–
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090112/shawn
It's an interesting example of that genre of Jewish writing where absolutely everything — even Palestinian suffering — is judged by whether it's good or bad for the Jews."
——————————
Wally Shawn doesn't say that at all. In fact what he says is that Israel uses antisemitism to justify unjustifiable atrocities like Gaza.
He does say at the end, that such justifications are not in Israel's interests, and of course he is correct.
Well, actually "in fact" Shawn concludes twice within the short piece:
"And now we have the spectacle of American politicians encouraging and financing Israeli policies which will ultimately lead to more disaster and destruction for Jews.
As poor and oppressed people around the world are very well aware of the events in the occupied territories, and as they strongly identify with the Palestinian struggle and point of view, the future of the Jews looks increasingly dim."
Justice served: 3 of the four soldiers whose death the Israeli army admitted to are West Bank settlers. Good riddance. Here's hoping for more.
A lot of people don't read very clearly.
The idea of migration to escape persecution and to reestablish oneself is central to Prophet Muhammadâs life and to the experience of the early Muslim community. I wish Muslim leaders open their borders and let the Palestinians escape the terror they are living in. For a sustainable migration plan I hope Muslim leaders build a modern day Medina that provides a safe haven for all Muslims living under persecution. Review and comment on the short article Medina2009 at link to medina2009.blogspot.com<
I'm curious why people like Witty, SoG, etc. even post on this blog.
Phil is very optimistic but public opinion and world opinion will never change American foreign policy.
Zionism is here to stay and slowly but surely the Palestinians will end up like the Native Americans. (The middle east overall will become completely subjugated to US economic interests).
So as a political reality, I don't think these Zionists douches have anything to worry about. They should just sit back and relax and let the IDF do what they do best (killing and maiming a far weaker opponent/civilians).
A spokesman for the "light onto the nations" just stated that "the only democracy in the Middle East" had killed 130 Hamas soldiers. The United Nations has announced that at least 560 Palestinians have been killed. Do the math.
The UN also reported that two United Nations Schools had been hit, killing a number of people who had taken refuge there.
"This is something we are doing that is according to our values", said Tzipi in her last press conference.
beautiful shot paul mafara! a clear goal from an acute angle!
I personally post for two reasons:
1. I am a long-time peace-seeking Zionist that values both Palestinian AND Jewish/Israeli culture and people.
2. I know Phil and his family personally. (I was originally more sympathetic with his views, but his views have changed, for the negative to my perspective.)
Aaron David Miller WHO'LL BE ON CSPAN AT 9:10 AM, is–finally–pressuring/giving cover to Obama:
'If Obama Is Serious
He Should Get Tough with Israel'
Progress, though Miller is still focused on "what is best for the Jews," as D says.
Miller:
'for the past 16 years, the United States has allowed that special bond to become exclusive in ways that undermine America's, and Israel's, national interests.'
And, Miller doesn't yet understand that "settlements" aren't just obstacles to peace, they are WAR by Israel.
'…the settlements issue. In 25 years of working on this issue for six secretaries of state, I can't recall one meeting where we had a serious discussion with an Israeli prime minister about the damage that settlement activityâincluding land confiscation, bypass roads and housing demolitionsâdoes to the peacemaking process. There is a need to impose some accountability. And this can only come from the president. But Obama should make it clear that America will not lend its auspices to a peacemaking process in which the actions of either side willfully undermine the chances of an agreement America is trying to broker. No process at all would be better than a dishonest one that hurts America's credibility.'
Just turned on the cable teevee. Took one minute flat to get a full daily ration of lies.
The 'Mideast Crisis' graphic contains a prominent Israeli flag, but no Palestinian flag.
Richard Haass (Jewish, I presume) smirked that Israel is a 21st century state, surrounded by Muslims who want to live in the 7th century. 'Ethnic Slurs R Us' oughta be a zionist 'service mark.'
Then Chris Matthews asserted that 'most Americans support Israel because no state can allow rockets to be fired on it.' No evidence (such as poll results) offered; no mention of the three-year Israeli seige; just blind repetition of Bushco propaganda.
If CFR poobah Richard Haass could take a break from his odious ethnic bigotry, he might have observed that the MSM want to live in the 20th century, the era of one-way, top-down mass communication. In the more egalitarian 21st century internet era, such anachronism is a death sentence. Goodbye and good riddance!
Here's the stated goals of Zionism:
http://www.wzo.org.il/en/resources/view.asp?id=1647
Note particularly the fear of assimilation in Western democracies and flight from Israel to Western democracies. Also note that Israel is not to be viewed as a democracy in the classic Western sense of that word, for example in the USA. In fact Zioinism is logically opposed to the POV represented by the US Constitution and its
Bill Of Rights
Judge for yourself if the Zionist POV, means, and principles declared
represent an aggregate whole recipe for peace in this world.
"Justice served: 3 of the four soldiers whose death the Israeli army admitted to are West Bank settlers. Good riddance. Here's hoping for more."
Sweety–where are the PRISONERS!!!!!
What have you done with the dozens and dozens of Israeli prisoners, tanks, and helicopters?
Where is Colonel Doron!!!!!!
Yesterday, there was a brief report in that evil Zionist outlet, the Jerusalem post, reporting that a kindergarten in Ashdod was rocketed.
There were no casualties, thank g-d, because Israeli Home Front Command had evacuated the school. Lots of Israeli kids can't go to school now. But Philip doesn't care. Philip likes it when Jewish kids can't learn, particularly if they are taught by Jewish adults. Philip actually takes glee when programs allowing Jewish youths to visit Israel lose money.
But I digress.
The point is that Israel actually prioritizes taking care of its citizens, and has developed the infrastructure to protect them in the event of attacks. Israel digs underground bunkers to protect civilians, while Hamas digs underground tunnels to smuggle weapons (often under buildings used by civilians).
So you will not, thank g-d, hear a story today of one dozen Israel kindergartners being slaughtered by Palestinian fire. Israel may lose the PR battle, but it will protect its civilians lives. And in the end, that is more important than a certificate of approval from Philip Weiss, who in any event was stridently anti-Israel even before that country entered Gaza.
America's Hidden Role in Hamas's Rise to Power
By Stephen Zunes, AlterNet. Posted January 3, 2009.
http://www.alternet.org/audits/116855/?page=1
Not only Israel, but US aided Hamas; US officials allowed to meet regularly with Hamas, but not with PLO:
'Up until 1993, U.S. officials in the consular office in Jerusalem met periodically with Hamas leaders, while they were barred from meeting with anyone from the PLO, including leading moderates within the coalition. This policy continued despite the fact that the PLO had renounced terrorism and unilaterally recognized Israel as far back as 1988.'
On Alternet and Antiwar.com
'Hasbara Central' — LOL!
Agent Witty has implied in the past that his Israeli handler is a mysterious, seductive young Mata Hari type, who meets him at a midtown hotel for 'debriefing.'
I leave it to the great Paul Malfara to write the screenplay of this comic TV series. The Witty character should be cast along the lines of Agent Maxwell Smart. [Not only because 'Agent Witty' is an obvious reference to 'Agent Smart,' but also since Smart's 'shoe phone' presciently foreshadowed the great al Zaida of Iraq, no?]
Post no. 24 beginning with 'Sweety' is by the imposter, not by me. As is obvious. Perhaps by the same author as post no. 25.
Jim:
Was the real Jim Haygood in Israel in October, or was that the fake one?
Phil!
CHECK MARC AMBINDER'S BLOG ***RIGHT NOW***
Post on Jeffrey Goldberg's personal paralysis. Money quote from Goldberg hisself:
" My paralysis isn't an analytical paralysis. It's the paralysis that comes from thinking that maybe there's no way out. Not out of Gaza, out of the whole thing."
CHECK IT NOW!!!
Norwegian doctor: Israel intentionally targeting civilians
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Norwegian_doctor_in_Gaza_Israel_targeting_0105.html
YOu can also see an interview with Gilbert on BBCAmerica.
Group: Israel deliberately attacked Palestinian journalists
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Group_Israel_deliberately_attacked_Palestinian_journalists_0105.html
Richard,
I still stand firmly behind my statement that you found so attractive:
I want zero Israeli deaths and
I want zero Palestinian deaths and
I want a just solution.
However, it's really pissing me off that the Palestinian death count is getting so damn far above zero, and you continue to place all the blame on Hamas!!! And now you and your ilk label all males in the Gaza Strip Hamas militants!!! The bile, it's bitter, I have to spit it out!!!
PM
A lot of people don't read very clearly.
Posted by: Richard Witty | January 06, 2009 at 06:31 AM
I absolutely agree!!!! Everyone here should follow the example of Richard's careful reading of Phil's blog.
I want to thank the steaming turd Witty for his comments on how the USA should give back the Southwest States to Mexico. As usual, he puts his complete state of UnAmericanism on full display for us all to witness. It somewhat reminds me of his comments last year when Witty noted the moral failings of the American military relative to the vaunted IDF where he would prefer to have his sons serve.
Please Witty, make aliyah soon and permanently. You never fit into this country anyway. And as a practicing idiot you don't even understand the difference between "imply" and "infer."
lets see how israel felt about rescuing europes jews….
and jews to this day think that israel is the land to run for safety…what a monumental crock of crap that you have bought into.
Yitzchak Greenbaum
Yitzhak Gruenbaum was chairperson of the Jewish Agency's Rescue Committee.
In the beginning of February, 1943, Yitzchak Greenbaum addressed a meeting in Tel Aviv on the subject, "The Diaspora and the Redemption" in which he stated:
"For the rescue of Jews in the Diaspora, we should consolidate our excess strength and the surplus of powers that we have. When they come to us with two plans–the rescue of the masses of Jews in Europe or the redemption of the land–I vote, without a second thought, for the redemption of the land. The more said about the slaughter of our people, the greater the minimization of our efforts to strengthen and promote the Hebraization of the land. If there would be a possibility today of buying packages of food with the money of the "Keren Hayesod" (United Jewish Appeal) to send it through Lisbon, would we do such a thing? No! and once again No!"
…Holocaust Victims Accuse, pp 26.
http://jewsagainstzionism.com/
Excerpted from a speech in 1943
Hey Witty, should we invade Mexico? Self-Defense, no?
1- Mexico is not under occupation but Gaza and the West Bank are.
2-Palestian weopons are primitive and are no match for The most advanced weapons in the USA arsenel.
3-Israel broke the hudna not Hamas
4-What lead to this violence is Israel`s blockade and deliberate starvation of the populations in Gaza.
5-To justify Israeli violence on the Palestinian is absurd and will invite more violence
"Gaza War Diary III: If Mexico shelled Texas, like Hamas shells Israel"
Like. Hamas. Shells. Israel.
Followed by a Burston hypothetical that does not remotely match "like Hamas shells Israel".
Because:
1) No mention that Mexico – all of it – has been under US occupation for 40 years.
2) No mention that the USA does not recognize the right of the Mexicans to have a state.
2) No mention that the city of Tijuana has been under a total siege by the US Army that began *before* the fundamentalist were voted in.
3) No mention that the US Army refuses to allow Tijuanans to leave the city, refuses to allow the Tijuanans to trade with the outside world, and allows no imports other than "emergency aid".
4) Oh, and then expresses outrage when the people inside Tijuana (and only Tijuana) make home-made rockets and fire them over the border into the USA.
That`s rather more like it…..
Daniel Levy provides a more truthful analogy:
We also frequently hear the claim â what would America do if it came under rocket fire from Canada or Mexico? Again, there can be no justification for rockets targeting Israel`s south, and of course America would respond if it were under fire from Canada or Mexico. But let`s at least complete the analogy and here is that bigger picture. Gaza constitutes under 6 percent of the `67 territory in which a Palestinian state is supposed to be created (Gaza, West Bank, Palestinian East Jerusalem), about 94 percent remains under occupation so under our scenario 94 percent of Canada or Mexico would have remained under a 40 plus year American occupation with settlements and roadblocks, and with the "liberated" 6 percent still under siege. Is it totally inconceivable that under such circumstances some of them would have formed hardline armed groups that would even becomvery popular and use that 6 percent of territory to launch attacks against America?
If it is to be accurate then you would have to claim that Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Austin, San Antonio and Houston, and Las Vegas were all originally Mexican cities before the USA invaded, ejecting all the Mexicans from those cities and locking them all up inside Tijuana.
And that all of the rocket fire is coming from Tijuana, and it is all landing inside territory that was supposed to belong to those Mexicans but which has been claimed by the USA without ***any*** treaty or agreement that would legitimize that claim.
There is one major point you unfortunately overlooked: Texas has not occupied Mexico for the last 41 years.
That makes all the difference
The difference between Israel and the USA in conquering territory is that the Isralis drove out the native people (the Palestinians) and will not let them back in. In the USA the native Indians are allowed now to live anywhere in the USA. The Palestinian refugees are not even allowed to return to their own lands inside Israel to work. How unjust can that be? Of course they are very angry. Especially since Israel has not even allowed Gaza to trade with the rest of the world–trade is absolutely essential for the Palestinian refugees to make a living.
–from various peeps who knew a shallow analogy when they saw
it–not one blind like Witty, Mister Reason himself.
What happens when a ruthless military machine meets a fanatical religious cult?
Tragedy upon tragedy.
The UN announcement that 51 civilians have died in the conflict in Gaza must be understood in the context of Hamas's declared ideology to use civilians as human shields for Hamas fighters.
Indeed, Hamas continues to emphasize and promote the religious ideology that death for Allah is an ideal to be actively pursued. The goal is to convince Palestinians, including women and children, not to fear death but even to face it at the front to protect Hamas fighters.
Hamas's placement of its military installations and fighters among civilians reflects this ideology, and has led to these 51 deaths.
A Hamas representative in the PA legislative council this year expressed pride in the fact that women and children are used as human shields in fighting Israel. He described it as part of a "death industry" at which Palestinians excel, and explained that the Palestinians "desire death" with the same intensity that Israelis "desire life."
The following is the full text of the comments by Hamas representative Fathi Hamad:
"For the Palestinian people death became an industry, at which women excel and so do all people on this land: the elderly excel, the Jihad fighters excel, and the children excel. Accordingly [Palestinians] created a human shield of women, children, the elderly and the Jihad fighters against the Zionist bombing machine, as if they were saying to the Zionist enemy: We desire death as you desire life."
Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas) Feb. 29, 2008
———————————-
The cold indifference to the deaths of women and children is widespread.
After the suicide bombing, Palestinian university students at the An-Najah University in the West Bank city of Nablus created an exhibition celebrating the one year anniversary of the Second Intifada.[9][10] The exhibitâs main attraction was a room-sized re-enactment of the bombing at Sbarro. The installation featured broken furniture splattered with fake blood and human body parts as well as an idealized portrait of the suicide bomber holding a Koran and an automatic rifle. Also featured in the exhibition is a room with mannequins dressed as suicide bombers carrying automatic rifles in one hand and the Koran in the other, and aside another mannequin dressed up to resemble an Orthodox Jew with a taped voice quoting from the Muslim Hadith[11]:: "O believer, there is a Jewish man behind me. Come and kill him."[9] The entrance to the exhibition was illustrated with a mural depicting the bombing. The exhibit was later shut-down by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.[12]
link to en.wikipedia.org
———————————-
Surest way on how to harden one's heart
link to youtube.com
No child or civilian deserves to die regardless of their religion or ethnicity.
Israel has forfeited its right among the civilized nations of the world, and Jews such as Joshua the right to be called human.
Shimon Peres
Office of the President
3 Hanassi St
92188 Jerusalem
Email: president@president.gov.il
Ehud Olmert
Prime Minister
eMail: eulmert@knesset.gov.il
Tsipi Livni, MK
9 Yitzhak Rabin Blvd
Kiryat Ben-Gurion
91035 Jerusalem
sar@mfa.gov.il
Hamas has forfeited its right among the civilized nations of the world, and Muslims such as Kassandra the right to be called human.
See how idiotic it sounds?
The analogy Bradley Burston (and Witty) omit:
A stranger comes and steals your house. You and your family are expelled and forced to live in a fenced dog kennel in the backyard.
You angrily throw stones at the people occupying your old home. They stop allowing food into the kennel. You throw more stones.
They drop a bomb on the kennel killing you – along with your wife and children — all the while claiming they are victims of your agression and had no choice but "self-defense."
"Where is Colonel Doron!!!!!!"
Hopefully being butchered and barbecued to feed the children of Gaza. I, for one, would have done that with my bare hands. And I am not even in Gaza. Do the math. The bones of your fascist soldiers will be like litter on the streets of Gaza. And Gaza will continue to resist until it wipes off all scum like you and Col. Doron and fascist Gilad Shalit, from Palestine.
Blogger from Lebanon,
Wankers like you almost make me sympathetic to the IDF. Almost.
If that makes you 'almost' sympathetic to the IDF than it is you who is the wanker, Joe.
Almost. Maybe in light of that you're just a twat instead of a wanker.