SIZE MATTERS. What’s the geographic difference between Iran and Israel? Iran – which has not invaded/attacked another country in 200 years –is slightly larger than the US state of Alaska. Israel is the size of New Jersey. But then, Zionist Israel may have expansion plans and needs more $$$ military hardware. Cough up, American taxpayers…
I was also at the London demonstration: to express solidarity with Palestine, and protest Netanyahu, the ‘Gauleiter of Gaza,’ who murdered thousands – including 500 children – last year.
I would estimate the crowds at the Downing Street demonstration to be 2,000 for Palestine, with about 400 Zionists/Likud supporters showing up, and kept corralled in their own patch by police. I would rate the UK police as firm but fair.
Considering it was a Wednesday (workweek) morning, it was a good turnout for Palestine. I also signed the UK petition: encourage our MPs to debate this in the House of Commons.
Good to note that other Mondoweiss commentators/readers were there!
While US congress people are dancing in Israel to the tune of their Likud paymasters, things are changing in Europe:
Today, August 13, 2015:
Paris: major pro-palestinian rights protest planned today over Paris Plage (beach) ‘celebration’ of Tel Aviv beach. (As one commentator remarked, with the heavy police presence now expected, it will be just like an Israeli beach resort).
London: A government petition calling for the arrest of Netanyahu for war crimes goes viral. Only UK citizens can sign petition, which currently has over 45,000 signatures. Netanyahu expected in London next month.
UK citizens seek justice for the 2,00 victims of the Gaza Massacre last summer, and hold Netanyahu responsible.
I get the same boilerplate letters from my Senators and Reps. Always the same la-la-la about US and Israel joined at the hip, our best ally, America’s best friend, and generally concluding with the standard ‘what are you, an anti-semite?’
Listen to me, US Senators and US Representatives. I am not an anti-semite, but a concerned American citizen who backs justice for the Palestinians, and strongly objects to my tax money being sent to the government of Israel to kill hundreds of Palestinian children.
My only encouraging news so far: one brave Senator from my state DID NOT attend the Congressional love-in for Netanyahu earlier this year. This Senator replied to my protesting email with thoughtful consideration; he supported an American president rather than a foreign politician. My other Senator replied to my email with the standard hasbara boilerplate, and she was there for Netanyahu, yo-yoing up and down for the standing ovations with the rest of the bought-and-paid-for US congress audience.
Excellent, thought-provoking Q&A. I greatly admire the courage of Jewish activists who oppose the status quo in Israel. I’m an American citizen; I deeply loathe my US taxes bankrolling the Israeli regime’s military horrors unleashed against their captive Palestinians.
For me, personally, the Gaza massacre of last summer was the last straw.
I’ve gone from years of watching the Israel/Palestine situation from the sidelines, thinking ‘this situation is wrong,’ to becoming more involved.
I see a parallel with the 19th century US abolitionists who confronted the American slaveowners (religious slaveowners who claimed “slavery is God’s will – it’s in the Bible,” slaveowners who controlled the US Congress, and slaveowners who warped the US legal system to bolster their claims to do as they wished with another human being).
Viva Mondoweiss – the liberating internet “Underground Railroad” channelling the right to change!
BDS: “NOTHING CAN WITHSTAND THE FORCE OF AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME.”
(Victor Hugo)
Absolutely, completely, heartbreaking situation. How do the Palestinians bear it? For those of us who live in Europe – and condemn Israeli state brutality – roll on BDS. I personally haven’t bought any product ‘made in Israel’ since the Gaza massacre last year.
If I were in Palestine today, I would go to the Catholic church of the “Loaves and Fishes” miracle in Tabgha and pray for justice. No. Wait. The Israeli settler terrorists just torched, destroyed, and desecrated this christian sacred monument.
Brilliant comments – and links to sources. Right on, Kris!
I’m not going to visit Israel for the very reasons you post. Much as I would like to see the Christian sites in Palestine, I’m not going to put myself under the menacing control of occupation Israeli border guards, Israeli military, and Israeli religious fanatics and settlers.
I’m a secular Catholic, and enjoy going to European pilgrim sites like Rome, Canterbury, Walsingham, Fatima, Santiago de Compostela, and Rocio. (Where travellers from all religions and the non-religious are welcome). Great pilgrimage destinations with a wonderful spiritual vibe, good food, international camaraderie, music, and culture.
Sigh. Sad, sad situation: watching American senators and wannabe US presidents grovelling to a foreign power.
When will the American electorate wake up?
Guess who settled in Spain before the Jewish and Muslim communities? You could call them proto-Palestinians: the levantine Phoenicians arriving in Andalucia in 1100BC. Yes, that’s 1100 BC, when they founded the city of Cadiz.
(Geographic note to Max and the touring group: just head south of Seville to to find Cadiz).
Could some of those Phoenicians have sailed from Gaza? (No Israeli gunboats to blow them out of the water for straying more than three miles offshore in those days..)
The Phoenicians came to Andalucia as traders, not armed conquerers. Interesting current DNA research establishing links: ngm.nationalgeographic.com/features/world/asia/lebanon/phoenicians-text.html