Total number of comments: 62 (since 2010-04-21 11:45:00)
ramzijaber
Palestinian, born in Palestine. All I want is freedom and dignity for my people.
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It's time for President Abbas to:
1. Call for a UNSC vote on Palestinian statehood to unmask those who doublespeak
2. (after UNSC resolution is vetoed by US and rejected by others) Order the PLO to submit Palestinian non-state member request to UNGA
3. (after being admitted as non-member state) File claims against the criminal zionist regime in the ICJ and ICC.
4. Shut down the PA.
5. Resign.
Unbelievable... USA President grovelling to criminal zionist money, congratulating murderers and thieves.
Enough is enough.
How long more do we wait. It's time we, the people of Palestine, take things in our hands and go to the streets in MASSIVE numbers... non-violent demonstrations, day in and day out, across all of Palestine, will end the occupation in three weeks.
Every Palestinian, in every city, in every town, in every village take to the streets, lock arms, and march towards the boarders. Yes, the criminal zionists will shoot at us and will martyr many of us but we shall continue, arms locked, marching each and every day, until this criminal and illegal occupation ends.
How long more are we, the people of Palestine, to wait? The world, the arabs, the muslim world, and our own leaders are all talk. It's time we take our own future in our own hands and liberate Palestine.
Enough is enough.
It's truly depressing to read such accounts.
The most powerful and the most prosperous nation on the planet
joins
the most criminal and the most spoiled nation on the planet
to gang up against
the most helpless and the most oppressed people on the planet.
Shame. Shame. Shame. Shame on the US politicians. Shame on the American people to let your politicians do this. I don't want to say shame on israel because israel is a shameless country full of people drunk with arrogance.
One thing I know for certain though: all the american zionists, both jew and christian, will have their day of reckoning. Why I know this? I know this because we, Palestinians, are Arabs and Arabs are VERY patient and history is measured over generations and centuries not over months or years.
To those who are enslaved to the zionist agenda I say: Don't crow lest you shall cry.
Thanks a lot Phil for this very emotional piece. It brought tears to my eyes and sent shivers down my spine.
Not only is the Nakba a fresh memory, not only does it define my existence, it defines my sense of survival. It is the lens through which I see the zionist occupier, the zionist colonialist, the zionist criminal regime. It is through the hard memory scorch of the Nakba etched in my being that I say "Never Again!". Yes, that's right, never again.
For peace to be realized, the zionist regime and the western world that supported it and gave it oxygen (regardless to their respective motives) since before 1948, must all recognize the Nakba and what it has inflicted on us. As Nelson Mandela saw before anyone else did, there could be no peace and democracy and prosperity in South Africa before recognizing the wrongs that were done. Not for retribution, but for reconciliation.
This feeling I have about the Nakba, I feel so strongly about not because of any politics, or peace deal that I love to see us reach, or whatever other reason may be but except for one fundamental reason: personal dignity.
How can one accept and celebrate israel without recognizing the Nakba? These are two sides of the same coin. These are two cause-and-effect events, irreversibly tied together for eternity.
So yes, the Nakba is seared into my conscious, my being, my who-I-am. The Nakba is my North Star. The Nakba is both my shame and my pride. The Nakba is my eternal flame that guides my inner Palestinian nationalist. The Nakba is me and I am the Nakba. It breathes, grows, frustrates, infuriates through me every day. I cannot shed the memory of the Nakba until my land is free, and yes, the mansions, houses, buildings, and lands in Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and Yafa (Jaffa) that my grandparents labored extremely hard to save towards and to build with their own blood, sweat, and tears are given back to my family... the rightful and wronged owners of these properties who, incidentally, happen to still have the keys and deeds for these properties.
But most important of all, we Palestinians cannot, would not, and do not want to shed the memory of the Nakba until we are a free people living in our free land with dignity and peace; and after the western world recognizes that they wronged us when they supported and advocated and lobbied for the establishment of israel on our land at our expense just to rinse their guilt and crimes of the Holocaust; and after israel owns up to its own crimes and acts of genocide and deliberate destruction and concerted efforts to eliminate any and all traces of Palestinian life, culture, and population centres and villages; and israel's explicit recognition that the zionist principle is deeply and foundationally flawed and that "a land with no people for people with no land" was THE BIG LIE. Only then can the reconciliation process start... then peace will follow a few generations after that.
Until then, the Nakba lives on in me and in every Palestinian born in Palestine and in every person with an ounce of Palestinian blood born outside Palestine regardless to where they may be living today.
Good point Blake, wasn't aware of that.
AIPAC and zionist christians continue their domination and dictation of USA policies and politics on Palestine. I'm losing hope that the American people will ever wake up.
We Palestinians must proceed with our path to statehood under the assumption that USA will NEVER do anything to help us but, on the contrary, they will so everything to stop us as they are under the TOTAL control of israel.
1- Force a vote in UNSC even if we don't have nine votes. We must know how is with us and who is not.
2- Go for recognition as a non-member state in UNGA.
3- Ensure membership in ICJ and ICC.
4- Apply to all possible UN agencies.
5- No Palestinians to work on any israeli project.
6- No purchase of any israeli good or services.
7- Diplomatic campaign for BDS globally supported by commitments of Arab governments as we can secure them
8- Underlying all of the above, massive and continuous non-violent demonstrations in occupied Palestine.
9- Also underlying all of the above, massive and continuous and COORDINATED non-violent demonstrations around Palestine... hundreds of thousands and even millions of people non-violently marching into occupied Palestine from all borders - Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and the Mediterranean.
10- Further underlying all of the above, massive and continuous non-violent demonstrations by supporters in other countries including sit-ins and vigils in front of US and israeli embassies/consulates/missions.
11- Arab League, led by Saudi Arabia, setting a final deadline for Israel to accept the Arab Peace Initiative where all Arabs and Moslem countries offered peace to israel in return of withdrawal to the pre-1967 border and establishing a Palestinian state. This initiative has gone unanswered by israel since 2002!!! The final deadline should be the 10th anniversary, March 27, 2012.
12- Intense Palestinian diplomacy to secure commitments from Arab and pro-Palestinian oil-exporting countries to double the price of oil on any country that votes against the Palestinians in the UN or that does not take a fair, balanced, and just position on the resolution of the Palestine issue.
(... and then I woke up ...)
All of this is part of the criminal zionist regime's modus operandi. It's what I talked about in past posts where it took me years to really believe my parents and grandparents when they would tell me about the deviousness, callousness, cold-blooded, calculated way zionists do things.
So, they blackmail Obama...
1- You're a moslem. Prove you are not. To prove you are not, you must kiss our ass and do exactly what we tell you to do.
>>> It's OK, keep building settlements.
2- We're not going to give you money for re-election. Remember 2010. We can do the same to YOU in 2012. Do exactly what we tell you to do.
>>> It's OK, our bond with israel is "unbreakable" and "unshakeable".
3- We will bomb Iran without tour support and without even telling you. We'll let you deal with the mess after.
>>> It's OK, we'll impose illegal but crippling sanctions on Iran and destroy the Iranian nation (who never attacked you) just for Israel.
What hope remains to the hopeless... sad. Very sad.
If he were moslem, or arab, or arab-american, or pro-palestinian...
- he would have been sent to GITMO in a split second.
- he would have been called a terrorist.
- his family, relatives, and acquaintances would have been interrogated.
- the paper would have been shut down.
- it would be a HUGE story on MSM accusing arabs and moslems of wanting to destroy america.
- the republican pres candidates would have been bumping into each other to use it right away to win more zionist christian votes.
- nutnyahoo would have rubbed it in.
- aipac would have linked it to a plot by iran and/or palestinians.
- neocons would have screamed outrage.
- ... ... ...
But, none of this happened because he's not moslem or arab or pro-palestinian. He's a zionist american jew.
Pitiful.
With the zinosit criminal regime of israel, nothing is EVER what it seems on the surface. The fact that there are all these "theories" serves israel.
Their strategy is simple: blackmail the USA so USA does what israel wants. It has worked since zionism was created.
And then AIPAC and the zionists in USA (and elsewhere) scream bloody anti-semitism when someone says that they have huge influence on public discourse and on muzzling anti-israel positions.
Yet another proof that that power is real and extreme and a threat to peace and global stability.
The general public in USA and elsewhere will soon start realizing that being against the israeli government's criminal actions does not equate to being against israel or jews. In fact, one might argue that those who are against the israeli government are in fact the true supporters of israel since they clearly see that the end of the two-state solution is the end of israel as a "democratic and jewish" state. As King Abdullah II said, israel will very soon have to choose between democracy or apartheid.
LOL!!!! I missed that episode of the West Wing.
Classic! So a propos today if not even more since USA politics and policies on Palestine are a hundred times more under AIPAC's and the zinoist christians' firm and misguided control.
Spread this video around to all your social network!
If there ever was truly intelligent foreign/world affairs statesmen in the past few decades, they have to be Pres. Carter, Pres. Nixon, and Dr. Brzezinski.
It's always a learning moment when I hear or read what Dr. Brzezinski has to say. His position on the Palestine issues has been a lightning rod. But since it is seen by AIPAC and the zionist christians as "anti-israel" (which it is NOT at all), he always get muzzled (or self-muzzled) in one way or another.
True, one can see the tide turning with what Dr. Brzezinski says, with the posting of Robert Fisk, with the work of Walt & Mearsheimer, with the advocacy of Norm Finkelstein. But I can see the tide really turning when I read Jesse Lieberfeld's essay.
Now that's change coming!
Oh, the lows that Santorum dips into, always amazing to watch him (and the other dems and reps). Time to stop AIPAC and the christian zionists!
Blinded by God. My God is better than your God. Disaster waiting to happen.
Where is the USA christians support for Palestinian christians?
Where is their adherence to the word of God about no killing, no stealing, respecting others, turning the other cheek?
Where is their support to basic human rights and dignity of Palestinians?
Should I continue???
We need actions, not words.
More power to us, Palestinians and Arabs, to do more hacking. If Mossad, CIA, MI6, and others conspire to hack Iranian and Arab sites, we can too. Game on!
Mr. Johnson, I respectfully and wholeheartedly disagree with you.
IMHO, Phil and Adam are doing a very good job moderating.
I find the large majority of writers and commentators in MW to be very thoughtful, responsible, reasonable, civil, and intelligent. Perfect? Certainly not. But I disagree totally with any type of "soft censorship" or "hypersensitivity" so as not to "hurt the feelings" of someone or some group.
Facts are facts. Let's not forget, the Palestine/israel debate and conflict is about people who are being TRULY HURT... murdered, imprisoned without cause and due process, not allowed to move without a permit, no freedom, no dignity, no human rights, ... ... ... ...
So Mr. Johnson, let's forget about sensitivity and focus on debating ideas while keeping in mind that Palestinians are being physically, emotionally, financially, and psychologically hurt daily.
Thank you.
Most of the world sees no daylight between CIA and Mossad. As President Obama himself continues to repeat ad-nausea the myopic, misguided, and very dangerous "unshakable" promise, one can only conclude with almost certainty that indeed...
CIA = Mossad and Mossad = CIA, pure and simple. QED.
Agreed Phil, it's high time to declare the CIA and Mossad as terrorist organizations.
Love it, thank Phil for this. I agree with Max totally except on one point: that AIPAC/Nutnyahoo can decide the US election. I say they can. Here's why:
- Obama will not win without OH, PA, and FL.
- OH is very tough for Obama and likely to go Republican.
- PA is a tossup and Biden will continue pushing to win it for Obama.
- FL becomes key. Here's where the silly "unshakable" promise comes into play.
- Get FL and Obama wins.
The question then is this: wold Obama have the courage in a second term to really take on Nutnyahoo and stick to it without the spectre of another election that he needs to win?
Over the years, my parents and grandparents and many Palestinians would always hope that a new President would be more balanced. It never happened to-date. I doubt it will happen with Obama second term. AIPAC and the zionists will find a way to control him. After all, they found Monica for Bill!!!
Thank you, thank you, than you "Occupy AIPAC"!!! Please, keep it up and expand it across the country. Stand tall for your country.
My dear American friends, it's time you put a stop to this foreign illegal meddling of AIPAC in US policies and politics. Your interests and future are best served by siding with the righteous and just cause of the Palestinian people. Blindly supporting the zionist criminal state (including statements like "unshakeable support") is costing you your future. Besides being proud to stand on principle, you will also have the support of and a market of over 350 million Arabs and over 1.5 billion moslems. With this wide support base, you can kiss your economic woes goodbye and you will continue to be the leader of the world!! Don't be controlled by a zionist minority that is bent on continuing their illegal acts including crimes against humanity just because your bought politicians are under the total control of AIPAC's money.
You are a proud nation "conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal" and that you are a "government of the people, by the people, for the people".
So my dear American friends, please act. Ditch AIPAC. For your sake and mine. You have your chance this November 6.
I agree with you Annie.
Funny thing when I was growing up, I would always hear my parents and grandparents point to israel when something happens... for example, a suspicious attack that results in israel attacking back much disproportionately or to gain ground advantage or to settle and colonize and steal more Palestinian land. Or when Hamas was created by Israel. Even engineering attacks on Jews (in occupied Palestine or abroad) to further their criminal cause. Etc. Etc. I always thought that was a stretch.
Now, with some years of wisdom behind me and proof from various incidents recent and otherwise (e.g. attack on Liberty), I firmly believe that my parents and grandparents were absolutely right.
The criminal zionist state has always been dishonest and is continually conniving and will do whatever it must to further its theft and colonization of Palestine at any cost, damn its "friends" or allies (ally actually, US) or anyone else.
As my parents and grandparents would go on to say: history is measured in hundreds of years not hundreds of days or weeks, and those standing on just grounds and principles will always prevail. I hope they are right. One thing that makes me believe so is that us Arabs are a truly patient bunch... maybe it's the desert thing! LOL...
Yes they did, Annie. But if there is evidence of CIA involvement, even if it was mossad masquerading as CIA, this will surely heat things up between Iran and the US.
Of course, the zionist backers in the US including fundamentalist christians will not allow any deterioration in relations with israel. Even Obama will not... election year or not since he already shackled himself big time with his repeated "unshakeable support" nonsense. How dumb can one be???
Israeli official: Report of Mossad agents posing as CIA spies 'absolute nonsense'
link to haaretz.com
This is totally expected given the enormity of this bombshell earthquake-grade revelation...
but...
Iran: We have evidence U.S. killed nuclear scientist in Tehran
link to haaretz.com
if THIS is true, it's a HUMONGOUS game changer even giving Iran the right to attack American civilians in the US (which they are too smart to do so they won't).
WOW, talk about ratcheting up the danger loop... This onion has still many layers left to peel!
After the recent terrorist act and murder of yet another Iranian citizen in the sovereign republic of Iran a few days back, I was extremely puzzled as to why Hillary and Panetta and other sources categorically and firmly stated that the US had nothing to do with this or any other murder or act of terrorism in Iran.
True, under US law political assassinations are illegal and the "US does not engage in acts of terror to combat terror" (not sure about this last point given Iraq and Afghanistan, but that's for another time). Why, then, such a vehement denial of any involvement?
Now it all becomes clear. With the murderous mossad and the terrorist zionist regime playing a dangerous clandestine game to force the US to hit Iran, the US needed to tell Iran that they did not do this. The last thing Obama wants now is another war, a war that is driven by US zionists for the sake of the zionist criminal state of israel.
A strong denial of involvement in that murder, coupled with this leak pointing the finger at mossad stealing US passports and identities, Obama hopes to keep things from blowing up between the US and Iran. If they are to blow up, let them blow up with israel. israel should be left alone to deal with the consequences of the zionist conniving and meddling.... oh, the snake that is israel, stabbing its close and only ally in the back. Keep your enemies close and your allies closer. LOL.
Mondoweissers, is this guy witty for real or is he just so totally dense???
If "The US regards the closing of the Straights of Hormuz as a violation of international law raised to the 4th power.", how come it doesn't regard what the criminal zionist state of israel does as a violation of international law especially that the entire world except USA and Israel agree? How come the defiance by israel and the usa of all those countless UNSC resolutions against israel are not considered violations against international law?
Really witty, I mean really?!!! You can't fool all the people all the time.........
Another proof point (who still needs one?!!!) that the USA
- NEVER WAS
- IS NOT
- NEVER WILL BE
a fair and impartial mediator to achieve peace. It's TOTALLY under the ABSOLUTE CONTROL of the Zionist criminal state of israel and its illegal and blackmailing lobby supported by the extreme and very ignorant fundamentalist zionist christians.
The fact is this: the only common, unchanging factor of the Palestine-israel situation over the years is the USA.
Get the USA out of the equation and peace will follow in ONE DAY!!
Great for Palestine if he wins. Unfortunately, he will not win...
IDF = Israel "Destruction & Death" Forces. They propagate and protect the murderous acts of the zionist criminal state. There is no "Defence" about them. They are the head criminals, murderers, and thieves. They are the indoctrinators of the entire israeli population to become murderers since everyone must serve in this criminal outfit to protect and propagate the illegal occupation. They will have their day at the ICC and ICJ soon starting with Barak, Nutunyahoo, and Peres.
I did, it is a sham. I agree Annie. Not sure if EU will vote for us in UNSC but all 14 lined up agains the US in the last meeting. We'll see.
Bottom line, I am not optimistic that things will get better before getting MUCH MUCH worse first such as a major war involving many countries in the region and several remote proxies, leading to major deaths, large numbers of injured, and heavy destruction. 2012 is likely to be a seminal year one or or another.
Thanks for this Annie. I would see "nothing from nothing leaves nothing" as the status quo continues. And that's what the criminal israeli government wants. Look at their actions; today in Haaretz...
Israel announces contentious Jerusalem construction ahead of peace talks meet
link to haaretz.com
However, I expect things to really blow up after this meeting and come end of January.
We Palestinians have had enough of the Zionist criminal state of Israel. The occupation will NOT stand. Things will start moving. The target date for that movement was Sep 2011. However, due to intense pressure on President Abbas, including from some "collaborator" Arab dictators like King Abdullah and King Abdullah. [Rumors had it that Jordan pressured President Abbas not to submit the statehood application to the UNSC.]
One Jan 26 passes with no real plan from Israel, our push in the UNSC, UNGA, UN Agencies including the ICJ, and the ICC. Coupled with a united Palestinian position, and MASS non-violent demonstrations across Occupied Palestine (including pre-1948) and in other countries in the world, we will start the final march to Palestinian statehood, be it 1-state or 2-state. Palestine 194!
President Obama is too deep into the Zionist lobby, kissing the feet of Zionist Likudnic US donors so he gets re-elected.
We hoped against hope that he'll change things. He sure did. He changed them to the worse. He is the most staunch supporter of Israel ever... more than Bush, Clinton, Johnson, and even Truman. He gave to Israel and the Zionist lobby much more than any other administration has ever done.
Saying our support for Israel is "unshakeable" is indeed the worst thing any president can say. The Zionists and fundamental christians are using this statement as a noose around Obama's neck. By saying that, he essentially surrendered any bargaining power or upper hand the USA might have had against israel.
So what's next, either an extreme Republican president or a second-term Obama who is already enslaved to the Zionist lobby and the US fundamentalist christian zionists.
It's going to get much worse. There will be a major war, that will likely be regional not local this time around.
Americans then wonder, "why do they hate us?". Well, the answer is within...
Another proof point, if any is still needed, that the zionist israeli state is a criminal state run by lunatics, criminals, and warmongers who are blood thirsty murderers. Pure ad simple. They must be brought to the ICC and the ICJ.
In Haaretz... IDF chief: Gaza war against Hamas was an 'excellent' operation
Second round of fighting in Gaza is not a matter of choice for Israel; it must be initiated by Israel and must be 'swift and painful,' Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz says.
link to haaretz.com
There you have it...
It is the Zionists and the US fundamentalist Christian Zionists that are merging "Zionist" and "Jew" in their discourse to gain advantage. The outcome is quite the opposite: Zionism is causing anti-Semitism.
The idea of Zionism:
1) Create a state that gives a particular religion more rights than others.
2) Call these people the "chosen people", implying that others are children of a lesser God.
3) Steal land by using the Bible as a real-estate guide with God as a real-estate broker.
4) Murder, imprison, oppress, and deport a whole people just because you are the "chosen people".
5) Refuse to integrate into other nations where you live and prefer instead to create a ghetto state since you are "unique" based on religion.
6) Use Nazi atrocities to gain advantage in a different age, different time, different situation.
The only automatic and axiomatic conclusion to the above policy is anti-Semitism. You cannot protect against anti-Semitism by insisting that you are different, better, special, unique, above the others, and that you cannot assimilate in the countries you live but rather you need a special religious state to "protect" yourself. Defies basic logic.
Oh, one more thing... Palestinians and Arabs are Semites too!
Israel descends into the abyss of religious extremism, guided and driven by its politicians and its Israel Destruction Forces. Israel = Iran.
How true, Phil! Thanks for that.
You know, I wold be lying to you if I said I care about the future of Israel. I have the future of Palestine to worry about and that's already a lot to handle. But having said that, what Hannah Arendt wrote so many years back is prophetic yet commonsensical. If I were Israeli Jew, I would totally separate Jew from Zionist and focus on preserving the Jew part in the ME. The Zionist part does not belong to the ME or anywhere else.
Merry Christmas to all Palestinian Christians on this very holy day, everywhere in Occupied Palestine and elsewhere in the World.
I call on President Abbas and the Palestinian Government including Hamas to clearly enshrine the protection of minorities, including religious ones whether Christians or Jews or other, in the constitution of the future Independent Palestinian State. That is the foundation of democracy - protection of minorities and separation of state & mosque/church/synagogue.
Peace to all.
Let's also not forget, not only the criminal Zionist state treats us as animals, they give us different ID cards to identify us as Palestinians, our cars have different license plates, and we cannot do anything without their approval. When one says we live in an open-air prison, it truly is. Then add the wall and you feel totally suffocated. No wonder some of us resort to armed resistance to liberate ourselves, to gain our freedom and dignity.
It is the Zionists and the US Christian Zionists who are anti-semites. Effectively, they blend "Jew" with "Zionism" and "Israel" in order to score political points and to advance their agendas. Read what Deborah Lipstadt said in Haaretz:
link to haaretz.com
The Palestinian struggle is against the OCCUPATION. That is against "Israel" the occupation force and "Zionism" the occupation ideology. Nothing to do with "Jew".
Likudnic Zionists (AIPAC, etc.), US Christian Zionists, and idiotic-ignorant US politicians mix in the "Jew" element since this is the ONLY way to bring the Holocaust into the discussion. By bringing in the "Jew" element, they are shamelessly using the sad and tragic memory of the Holocaust to achieve their current and immediate goals and their not-so-hidden agendas. That is done at the detriment and expense of the long-term position of Jews in the world. Thusly, they fan and enflame anti-semitism across the world by projecting the Palestine/Israel conflict as one against Jews, pitting Jews and Moslems against each other, instead of representing it as it is, a land theft by Zionists and a continuing execution of the Zionist ideology starting with Herzl and on to Ben Gurion and Netanyahoo.
Is it just faintly possible that a light breeze of change is beginning to blow out there??? May I dream a bit?
Martin Indyk saying this, IMAGINE! This is the Zionist of Zionists, the AIPAC guy since early 80s who then founded WINEP (an AIPAC baby and front) and also became US ambassador to Israel.
Obama saying "Ultimately, it is the Israelis and the Palestinians who must reach agreement on the issues that divide them." is a charade. Israel convinced the West that that's the only way and then it goes around ensuring an agreement never occurs. Israel was founded by the UN - there was NO AGREEMENT with the Palestinians on stealing our land and giving it away to Zionists from Europe. Palestine will soon be founded by the UN. Keep going President Abbas!
ROTFLMxxO... "peaceful settler movement". Now I see why you call yourself Witty... NOT!!! Did your AIPAC masters ask you to try a new balloon? This is more laughable than trying to defend Zionism as not being racism.
Let me tell you Witty about your "peaceful settler movement". Since the very first day these "peaceful settlers" stole my house and my land and killed my family members and relatives and friends, they had WEAPONS. Growing up, every time I walk in the souk of my town or down the main street or in the hills and valleys, I run into your "peaceful settlers" all armed with Uzis and M16s and other military gear. In addition to their own weapons, they were always protected by the Zionist criminal military (which I call Israel Demolition/Destruction Forces since they are defending nothing but rather killing and stealing and destroying). Your "peaceful settlers" were just a few years older than me, in their mid teens. Their sight and behaviour and arrogance and strutting around and threatening postures were intended to instil fear in all Palestinians. An they did. And I was so ashamed to be afraid. And I was so humiliated not to be able to push back and defend my country and my people and my family.
That was then. That was when we believed Israel had a "heart" and will withdraw by itself... How delusional we were. We've come now a long way where I so much adore, admire, respect, and is inspired everyday by the new generation of Palestinians who is fighting back. A generation that is better than mine and my parents's and grandparents' generations. A generation that had enough. A generation that has no fear. A generation that is redeeming our respect and dignity.
So go ahead Witty and talk about your "peaceful settler movement". It is a figment of your Zionist racist imagination. All settles are criminals, murderers, thieves, rapists, arsonists, and more. There is no peace about them, in them, by them, or from them. They are destroying any possible peace and will set the region aflame. Maybe only then will the Zionist racist entity be sent into the dustbin of history as what happened to all racist and fascist movements before it.
The most powerful person in the world kisses the feet of the criminal Zionist state and endorses its illegal activities. Shameful.
Yes Phil, there is a strong Zionist lobby in America with LOTS of money. That's why. And it's getting stronger due to the ignorance and racism of the Zionist Christians. Doubly shameful.
Thanks for this Phil. After seeing AIPAC's and the Zionists' machinations for all these years, I am a certified skeptic and die-hard cynic! Lanny Davis I do not trust. Heck, he'll throw his mama under the bus if it serves the Zionist cause.
I certainly hope that the "PEP wall" is starting to crack. But as Thomas in the New Testament, I need to put my finger in it.
What truly puzzles me is this: why, after all these years, we still do not have a true AIPAC whistleblower with documented proof of how AIPAC is a foreign agent working AGAINST the interests of the USA? Why??
DanMazella, every killing is wrong. Immoral.
Now, DanMazella, let me hear you say that about each killing and murder committed by the Zionists over the years. About the rape of Palestinians. About the destruction of hundred of Palestinian villages. About the deportations and genocide against Palestinians. About the theft of Palestinian houses and land, including mine. About the enslavement and imprisonemnt of Palestinians.
Do I hear you say what about that, DanMazella? Yes, TOTAL SILENCE, as I expected.
Allah yerhamu. (May he rest in peace.)
How tragic, barbaric, and murderous. The Zionists continue their work as directed since Jabotinsky and Ben Gurion.
The Israeli/Zionist genocide against Palestinian civilians must stop. Another reason for President Abbas to ensure we quickly become part of the ICC and the ICJ.
Thanks for that. You're right seafoid, no need to waste precious time on nonsense!
Thank you for supporting the Palestinian people, Annie. My apologies ToivoS for not attributing the quote to you.
"We have a situation where people with no proven attachment to a land are justified in seizing it because of spiritual reasons."
Very well said indeed, Annie!
Palestinians, including myself, have actual land deeds and solid proof of ownership that go back hundreds of years; and we've been living in Palestine for hundreds of years. AIPAC, the Likud Zionists of America, and US Christian Fundamentalist Zionists use the Bible as a real-estate guide.
Look at the Israeli Zionist politicians TODAY - more than 63 years after the so-called "Israel Independence" (from what, btw? but that's for another time!) - from Mr. Peres down, many of them are not even born in Palestine but some other country far from Palestine.
My message to Mr. Gingrich is clear: I am here. I am real. I am original. And I am not going anywhere.
Depressing. Demeaning. Discouraging. How can the American people accept this, I just don't understand. Where is your pride? Where are your principles? Where is your fighting spirit? Where is your independence?
I bet if President Obama gives an address to the American people revealing the destructive deeds and perverse power of AIPAC, the entire nation will rally around him. I am willing to predict that he will even coast to re-election victory. After all, the power of the Likud Zionist lobby (aka, AIPAC) is money not votes. President Obama will get all the money he needs from the people since they will be united behind him. AIPAC does not have enough votes to beat him. As to the 100 cowardly senators, toss them all out!!!
Any movement built on dividing people and demeaning one group while elevating another based or religion, race, or ethnicity is certainly doomed. So is Zionism. It will come to pass. As things are moving today, Zionism will come to pass rather soon.
I am just perplexed by the Zionist premise. Jews were badly treated in Europe at the time of Herzl. True and very sad. However, the idea of establishing a state only for Jews seems to me counterproductive. The best and surest way to protect Jews (and any minority for that matter) is to fight for democratic rights and human rights. These are universal ideals.
But creating an "Iran for Jews" is clearly misguided in my opinion. Especially so when the % of Jews in the world is going down rapidly, from 0.5% in 1945 to less than 0.2% in 2010 according to a study of the Berman Institute. At this rate, the % of Jews in the world will be less than 0.1% around 2075. If I were a Jew, I would focus on protecting the rights of minorities including Jews anywhere and everywhere in the world. That's what Israel should be about, not stealing Palestinian land and colonization of Palestinians. To this end, Israel must lead by example and start protecting and respecting the rights of Palestinian Christians and Moslems in Israel and withdraw immediately from Occupied Palestine and be the first to recognize it and to support it to prosper and succeed.
Could not agree more. Norma Musih is a visionary, a realist, and most of all, a humanist. These stories are similar to what my grandparents would tell us about. Christians, Jews, and Moslems living together in mutual respect, harmony, and peace ... until the Zionists came in.
There will not be peace in Palestine until Zionism is stopped and Palestinian rights returned. Israel must issue a sincere national apology, express true repentance, implement just restitution, and initiate honorable reconciliation to bring the two peoples together. Only then would there be peace and the full potential of Christians, Jews, and Moslems realized in Palestine.
I'd like to bring one finer point of distinction that Palestinians often make in debates and official positions: yes many of these people of great influence (finance, media, politics, etc.) are Jews, our struggle is not against Judaism. Our struggle is against Zionism. Chairman Arafat always used to say this.
In fact, there were no problems between Arabs and Jews in Palestine (or anywhere else in the world) prior to Zionism's invasion of Palestine. Jews and Arabs were coexisting, living very well together, collaborating, and respecting each other. I know. My grandfathers told me about that. It is they who ended up losing all their properties in Al-Quds (Jerusalem), Yaffa (Jaffa-TA), and others to Zionist colonialists. And more important than properties, their freedom, dignity, and self-respect to the point that one of my grandfathers could not recover from such a humiliation.
Zionism is a racist, oppressive, and regressive ideology. It is based on injustice and separation of people. As such, it will come to pass. Just like Communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe collapsed.
Again, our struggle is against Zionism. There are a lot of Jews out there who are for justice and freedom of Palestine. When these influential folks in media, business, and politics are Zionists, then it is our duty to educate them and pressure them to see the other side. The fact that they are Jews is not relevant to my disagreement with their pro-Zionist support and biased pro-Israel positions.
While the Palestinian majority is Moslem, Palestinian democracy will require protection of minority rights - both Christians and Jews and others including LGBT, foreign workers, etc. We Palestinians are a minority in Israel proper (pre 1967 borders) and we want to be protected in a democratic Israel.
This brings me to my last point: When I was about 10 growing up in Palestine, I heard a significant elder Rabbi at the time (don't recall his name) say something to the effect that "unfortunately, Israel over time will become just another Middle Eastern country". At that time, he was dismissed as a lunatic. However, that saying stayed with me all these years (and I am much older than 10 now!). How prophetic of that Rabbi. This is exactly what is happening now in Israel.
My fear is that in some strange way, Israel and the Arab Nations are in total harmony. When Israel was founded, it was democratic (with the exception being the Palestinian minority under Israel's rule where we were formally regarded as second class citizens, restricted to live in ghetto-like environments). At that time, Arab countries were all dictators. So both reinforced each other in an indirect way, needed each other to continue their own paths and interests. This gave us years of relative stability and non-war. Today, Israel is no longer democratic and Arab countries are slowly turning democratic with the Arab Spring. The next phase I am afraid will still see Arab countries and Israel in harmony but this tie around it will be founded on conflict, war, and deaths. I pray to God I am totally wrong.
stevelaudig, I will dig that info up. I just need some time to put it together.
Thanks for pointing that out, Nevada Ned. I will certainly take Abunimah research over mine anytime!! However, along the same lines of this quote, moving forward I would instead use what Netanyahoo said:
"I know what America is. America is a thing you can move very easily, move it in the right direction. They won’t get in their way." It is in that same clip where he called Bill Clinton "radically pro-Palestinian". WOW... gutsy hasbara.
link to mondoweiss.net
You can see and listen to the speech on YouTube with English subtitles... (Israel Channel 10)
link to youtube.com
Although I have not yet read "The Unmaking of Israel", it got me thinking about the MAKING of Israel. My mind wandered to prior statements and quotes from Israel's "founders". How appropriate it was to re-read these sayings and to see that whatever Israel did, is still doing, and will likely continue to do is on the path set by that master plan whose principles were clearly articulated by the top zionists that ever lived. This blueprint is right there in front of our eyes, laid out in much detail. I wish that every Palestinian, Israeli, and whomever is interested in I/P re-read these sayings as well. I share them below.
THEODOR HERZL: Zionism demands a publicly recognized and legally secured homeland in Palestine for the Jewish people. The process of expropriation and removal of the Arabs of Palestine must be carried out discreetly and circumspectly.
ZE'EV JABOTINSKY: We cannot give any compensation for Palestine, neither to the Palestinians nor to other Arabs. Therefore, a voluntary agreement is inconceivable. All colonization, even the most restricted, must continue in defiance of the will of the native population. Therefore, it can continue and develop only under the shield of force which comprises an Iron Wall which the local population can never break through. This is our Arab policy. To formulate it any other way would be hypocrisy. There is no justice, no law, and no God in heaven, only a single law which decides and supercedes all - Jewish settlements of all the land.
MOSHE SHARETT: There is no Arab who is not harmed by Jews' entry into Palestine. The state of Israel must, from time to time, prove clearly that it is strong, and able and willing to use force, in a devastating and highly effective way. When the Jewish state is established, it is very possible that the result will be transfer of Arabs. We are equally determined to explore all possibilities of getting rid, once and for all, of the huge Arab minority which originally threatened us. By the reduction of the Arabs on the one hand and Jewish immigration in the transition period on the other, we will ensure an absolute Hebrew majority in a parliamentary regime. Transfer could be the crowning achievement, the final stage in the development of policy, but certainly not the point of departure.
DAVID BEN GURION: If I were an Arab leader, I would never sign an agreement with Israel. It is normal; we have taken their country. There has been Anti - Semitism, the Nazis, Hitler, Auschwitz, but was that their fault ? They see but one thing: we have come and we have stolen their country. Why would they accept that? So, it's simple: we have to stay strong and maintain a powerful army. And unless we show the Arabs that there is a high price to pay for murdering Jews, we won't survive. We must use terror, assassination, intimidation, land confiscation, and the cutting of all social services to rid the Galilee of its Arab population. We must expel the Arabs and take their places. We must do everything to insure they ( the Palestinians) never do return. Let us not ignore the truth among ourselves ... politically we are the aggressors and they defend themselves... The country is theirs, because they inhabit it, whereas we want to come here and settle down, and take away from them their country. Behind the terrorism [by the Arabs] is a movement, which though primitive is not devoid of idealism and self sacrifice. To maintain the status quo will not do. We have to set up a dynamic state bent upon expansion. Take the American Declaration of Independence for instance. It contains no mention of the territorial limits. We are not obliged to state the limits of our State. After the formation of a large army in the wake of the establishment of the state, we will abolish partition and expand to the whole of Palestine.
CHAIM WEIZMANN: Palestine must be built up without violating the legitimate interests of the Arabs.. Palestine is not Rhodesia... 600,0000 Arabs live there, who before the sense of justice of the world have exactly the same rights to their homes as we have to our National Home. There must not be one law for the Jew and another for the Arabs....In saying this, I do not assume that there are tendencies toward inequality or discrimination. It is merely a timely warning which is particularly necessary because we shall have a very large Arab minority. I am certain that the world will judge the Jewish State by what it will do with the Arabs. We will establish ourselves in Palestine whether you like it or not. You can hasten our arrival or you can equally retard it. It is however better for you to help us so as to avoid our constructive powers being turned into a destructive power which will overthrow the world.
GOLDA MEIR: How can we return the occupied territories? There is nobody to return them to. There was no such thing as Palestinians, they never existed. This country exists as the fulfillment of a promise made by God Himself. It would be ridiculous to ask it to account for its legitimacy.
MOSHE DAYAN: What cause have we to complain about their fierce hatred to us? For eight years now, they sit in their refugee camps in Gaza, and before their eyes we turn into our homestead the land and villages in which they and their forefathers have lived. Jewish villages were built in the place of Arab villages. You do not even know the names of these Arab villages, and I do not blame you because geography books no longer exist. Not only do the books not exist, the Arab villages are not there either. Nahlal arose in the place of Mahlul; Kibbutz Gvat in the place of Jibta; Kibbutz Sarid in the place of Huneifis; and Kefar Yehushua in the place of Tal al-Shuman. There is not a single place built in this country that did not have a former Arab population. We came here to a country that was populated by Arabs and we are building here a Hebrew, a Jewish state; instead of the Arab villages, Jewish villages were established. Let us not today fling accusations at the murderers. During the last 100 years our people have been in a process of building up the country and the nation, of expansion, of getting additional Jews and additional settlements in order to expand the borders here. Let no Jew say that the process has ended. Let no Jew say that we are near the end of the road. I know how at least 80% of all the incidents with Syria started. We were sending a tractor to the demilitarized zone and we knew that the Syrians will shoot. If they did not shoot, we would instruct the tractor to go deeper, till the Syrians finally got upset and start shooting. Then we employed artillery, and later also the air-force... I did that... and Yitzhak Rabin did that....
ARIEL SHARON: Israel may have the right to put others on trial, but certainly no one has the right to put the Jewish people and the State of Israel on trial. Everybody has to move, run and grab as many hilltops as they can to enlarge the settlements because everything we take now will stay ours... Everything we don't grab will go to them. Every time we do something you tell me America will do this and will do that . . . I want to tell you something very clear: Don't worry about American pressure on Israel. We the Jewish people, control America and the Americans know it.
MENACHEM BEGIN: The Palestinians are beasts walking on two legs.
YITZHAK SHAMIR: The Palestinians would be crushed like grasshoppers ... heads smashed against the boulders and walls.
RAPHAEL EITAN: When we have settled the land, all the Arabs will be able to do about it will be to scurry around like drugged cockroaches in a bottle. We declare openly that the Arabs have no right to settle on even one centimeter of Eretz Israel... Force is all they do or ever will understand. We shall use the ultimate force until the Palestinians come crawling to us on all fours.
EHUD BARAK: I imagine that if I were a Palestinian of the right age, I would, at some stage, have joined one of the terror organizations.
YITZHAK RABIN: We walked outside, Ben-Gurion accompanying us. Allon repeated his question, what is to be done with the Palestinian population? Ben-Gurion waved his hand in a gesture which said 'Drive them out!'. We shall reduce the Arab population to a community of woodcutters and waiters. I believe that in the long run, separation between Israel and the Palestinians is the best solution for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I enter negotiations with Chairman Arafat, the leader of the PLO, the representative of the Palestinian people, with the purpose to have coexistence between our two entities, Israel as a Jewish state and Palestinian state, entity, next to us, living in peace. I would like Israel to be a Jewish state, and therefore not to annex over 2 million Palestinians who live in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to Israel, which will make Israel a bi-national state.
seafoid, you're right on ... "they (settlers) destroy Israeli democracy", that is exactly what's happening. Zionism and democracy are incompatible. Zionism is colonialism. Colonialism is racism.
History teaches that colonialist powers are either vanquished by force or rot from the inside. Israeli colonialists are our best friends! (I prefer the word "colonialist" over "settler" since the latter sounds peaceful and benign.)
If true, it seems that this is a tactical move as it is limited to end of January 2012. I hope President Abbas does not do this but for certain he will not stop the UNSC vote as he already said on several occasions.
The outlines of a winning strategy are emerging:
1) Unite. The reason stated in the UNSC report why the West opposes Palestine as a member is because we are not united. In response, the road is now clear to a unity government of technocrats with elections in May 2012.
2) Vote. Force an up/down vote at the UNSC even if the West abstains and the US vetos. I ask these Western countries: what will your reason be to vote no or abstain if 1) above occurs based on the UNSC report? 1) above might even give us "vote #9" but the US will veto.
NB: The US veto will have far reaching repercussions beyond Palestine. The non-West part of the world will demand equality at the UNSC as this structure is a remnant of the colonial past.
Wish: Would be great if Saudi Arabia (maybe also Kuwait, Qatar, and UAE) say to those who voted no or abstained that their price of oil just doubled.
3) UNGA. Go to the UNGA and get acceptance as a non-member STATE. That's progress.
4) UN Agencies. Go to ALL UN agencies and become a member including ICJ. That's MORE progress.
5) ICC. Become a member of the ICC. That's EVEN more progress.
6) Demonstrate. Start massive non-violent demonstrations across all villages, towns, and cities in Palestine. Initiate non-violent demonstrations in front of US and Israeli embassies worldwide, as well as those who voted no or abstained at the UNSC.
7) BDS.
If the above fails, dissolve the PA.
A winning strategy for certain. Palestine 194!
"Zionist democratic Jewish state"? Not really sure what this really means... is it achievable? If so, what happens to the over 25% non Jews? How does Barak propose to ensure a "solid Jewish majority for generations to come"? Force non-Jews not to have more than X children per family? per village? per city? This seems like a non-starter...
I salute the "Freedom Riders"! The only way to liberate Occupied Palestine is for ALL Palestinians under occupation and outside Palestine to take up non-violent resistance in addition to BDS, all day... every day... everyone together. When hundreds of thousands or millions of us lock arms in ALL streets of Palestine every day, the occupation will be over in a matter of weeks. It seems President Abbas is moving in this direction as per Haaretz today.
Abbas calls on Palestinians to mount non-violent resistance against Israel
link to haaretz.com
Congratulations Phil and Adam for this new look! It works real well. Probably like many, I have been a "silent follower and reader" for a very long time. I truly appreciate what you do for Palestine. With this new website, I felt compelled to publicly thank you both for your great work!
Disappointed. NYC, the city of the Statue of Liberty. France, the land of "liberté, égalité, fraternité", made this gift that represents the Roman goddess of freedom, Libertas. On the tablet, "July 4, 1776" is engraved. This is the symbol of freedom worldwide and the freedom of the United States. Mayor Bloomberg should visit the Statue of Liberty tomorrow and then support the demonstrators... as long as they are breaking no laws, and to my knowledge, they are not.