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Category: Genocide

  • Protests haven’t stopped Israel’s genocide. How is the Palestine solidarity movement adjusting?


    This content originally appeared on The Real News Network and was authored by The Real News Network.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Plea in Defense of a Trade Unionist Facing Expulsion for Supporting Palestine

    For initiating a petition denouncing the French CGT Confederation’s stance on Palestine after October 7, Salah was defamed and expelled from the union. This troubling case, part of a global witch-hunt against supporters of Gaza, deserves some attention.

    Interventions and comments by Professor Bruno Drweski, who defended Salah L. during the proceedings for his permanent exclusion from the CGT Education union in Clermont-Ferrand, France. The CGT (General Confederation of Labor) is one of the largest and oldest trade union confederations in France. CGT Education, a branch of the CGT, specifically represents teachers and school personnel.

    Departmental Trade Union Council (CSD) of the Puy-de-Dôme section of the CGT Education syndicate, April 12, 2024.

    Salah initiated a petition urging the CGT to offer genuine support to Palestine in its hour of truth, published on change.org [here is the English version]. After his expulsion, a petition for his reinstatement was launched, nearing 10,000 signatures [here is the English version].

    Details in square brackets and endnotes by Alain Marshal. See also Crackdown on Pro-Palestinian Voices: Letter to a Unionist Facing Expulsion. For further information on this case, where Salah was deliberately endangered (see endnotes, especially the first and last ones), write to moc.liamgnull@enitselaptgcnoititep

    1. Opening Speech

    First of all, I’d like to apologize for having to read my intervention, hopefully in the least tedious way possible. As the subject is “quasi-legal”, I must refer to facts that I might otherwise forget.

    I must also apologize for the absence of Jean-Pierre Page [former member of the CGT Confederal Executive Committee and former Director of its International Department, and signatory of Salah’s petition], who cannot be with us today. He asked me to speak on his behalf, as we have known each other for a long time, having campaigned together and maintained links with a network of experienced comrades on both trade union and political fronts. It is thanks to this network that I have been able to build what I would hesitate to call a “plea”, because we hope to resolve this internally without resorting to bourgeois courts, which would harm all of us without exception.

    I therefore address all parties, calling on them to hear me and show a willingness to overcome personal tensions or differences that are secondary to what should unite us all here: the defense of workers. All other issues — political, societal, or otherwise — are the responsibility of political parties and associations created for that purpose. In the union, however, we must focus on defending workers’ rights, respecting their diversity, along a class-based and mass-oriented line, tied to our founding principles, which remain relevant today. As is often the case, I remind comrades that it would do us well to reread the Charter of Amiens, which has not aged a single day.

    To briefly introduce myself, I am a member of the CGT FERC Sup’ [sector of the CGT, specifically representing employees in higher education and research institutions] at INALCO in Paris [the INALCO is a French institution specializing in the study of languages and cultures from around the world, particularly focusing on non-Western regions]. I am a professor, lecturer, and researcher specializing in history and geopolitics, with a particular focus on Eastern European countries, though international relations have led me to study conflicts in the Middle East (Syria, Palestine, Sudan, etc.). I am also a member of the National Council of the Association Républicaine des Anciens Combattants (ARAC, or Republican Association of Veterans), which at our last congress became the Association Républicaine des Combattants pour l’Amitié, la Solidarité, la Mémoire, l’Antifascisme et la Paix (Republican Association of Veterans for Friendship, Solidarity, Remembrance, Antifascism, and Peace). ARAC was founded by Henri Barbusse, who played a key role in convening the Tours Congress, where the then Socialist Party split between its social-democratic and majority communist factions.

    *****

    On the issue at hand, I consulted several CGT comrades from different unions, departments, and regions, who expressed a range of opinions at the last CGT Congress and at the Confederation level. When the “Salah L. case” was brought to their attention, the general consensus was that the accusations against Salah seemed vague and convoluted. They believed the situation warranted clarification, but not an exclusion. Any exclusion should only happen after a neutral and impartial Conciliation Commission had thoroughly reviewed the case, heard all parties and witnesses, and allowed for proper confrontation to shed light on the core issues.

    As far as I am concerned, it seems to me that the criticisms directed at Salah vary from one document to the next, from one meeting to another, and from one report to the next. The dates often don’t align or appear delayed in relation to facts, differences, or discrepancies that were already known and that didn’t seem to provoke any criticism at the time they were put forward. I understand that constructing a case retrospectively is challenging, relying on people’s imperfect memories, and is further complicated when understandable but regrettable emotions come into play. Consequently, and I am not alone in this view, some people question whether the criticisms of Salah have other underlying causes or even conceal unspoken issues. In any case, we need to move past this today, as we are here to speak openly and attempt to ease tensions that, in my opinion, should not have escalated to the point where they might soon become uncontrollable and ultimately work against all of us.

    I believe that higher authorities within the CGT should have intervened earlier, especially since the UNSEN [National Union of CGT Education Unions] was contacted by Salah as early as November 2023, before the situation spiraled out of control. In any case, I sincerely hope we can resolve this matter today, without resorting to internal appeals or legal proceedings, which would tarnish the image of our union, and the CGT really doesn’t need this at the moment!.

    Indeed, in all cases, the dispute that brings us together today must remain internal, and we must be cautious: I specialize in Eastern European countries at INALCO, so I speak from experience. When you initiate a purge, you know whom it starts against, but you never know where it will end — because it might eventually turn against you, whether individually or collectively. Therefore, let’s avoid intensifying our attacks on either side, as this could ultimately lead to us being the ones caught in the crossfire. An exclusion measure can quickly affect both the comrade we are targeting today and those who initiated it. Moreover, it risks further damaging the image of our union, especially when the CGT and trade unionism as a whole are already facing significant challenges. As you know, the current situation of the CGT is far from ideal, and we need to keep that in mind. Let’s all proceed with caution. I urge you to be mindful.

    Salah has garnered support both within and outside the union, so it would be wiser to reach an honorable compromise, rather than engage in internal conflicts that could see our disputes aired in public. Salah is not alone and will not back down if he feels bullied. He has enough support to hold his ground for a long time, no matter what happens to him personally.

    I want to remind you that the CGT is a union with a strong working-class tradition, which entails not shying away from tough confrontations — whether on principled issues or, regrettably, on personal matters. However, this tradition also emphasizes camaraderie, as after a meeting and confrontation, we should be able to share a drink and pat each other on the back. In Salah’s case, I understand this might only extend to a fruit juice, but that should not be a problem in an internationalist union that is open to all workers, regardless of their origins or political, ideological, or religious beliefs, as outlined in our founding Statutes and the Amiens Charter. We need to maintain unity, especially when our differences are pronounced and our influence is waning.

    A public display of disputes is never beneficial, particularly when it highlights the divergent opinions within our union and exacerbates existing divisions. This is evident, for example, in debates over our stance on Palestinian resistance, Ukraine, or the WFTU (World Federation of Trade Unions), as well as differing interpretations among CGT members on political, societal, and moral issues. We understand that our members do not all vote alike and that there are varied approaches to societal and moral questions. Therefore, it is better to focus on our core mission: defending workers and promoting work and employment while opposing capitalism. We must respect differing opinions on other issues and uphold the equality of all our members. Reflecting on the principles upheld by Henri Krasucki, a distinguished figure who was both a child of immigrants and a notable resistance fighter, I want to emphasize his commitment to the CGT’s fundamental principles: a class-based and mass union that respects ethnic, ideological, and religious differences among workers, provided these differences are not imposed on others.

    *****

    Today, in the case at hand — which mirrors many similar situations affecting various unions — I have encountered a range of serious and speculative rumors, from accusations of religious fundamentalism to claims of Freemasonry, from suspicions of supporting terrorism to witch-hunts and racism, and from political disagreements to petty personal grievances. As you know, each of our activists perceives these issues differently. Ultimately, much of this is murky, often secondary, and regrettable. It fuels unhealthy rumors that I would like to see addressed and clarified today. I believe that as responsible trade unionists, we must prioritize the collective interest over personal opinions and behavioral choices. I hope we can resolve this matter through a compromise that serves the best interests of everyone present and, more broadly, the interests of our union and Confederation.

    I would like to understand the primary reason behind this eviction procedure. Observing the timeline from October 7 to November 10, 2023, it is evident that the tensions and accusations emerged immediately after the issue of Palestine came up. This was around the same time as the CGT Departmental Union Congress and the discussion of discharge hours [Salah’s application to be a CGT Education delegate was rejected on the grounds that he had no discharge hours]. At the General Meeting on October 17, following a presentation on Gaza by an AFPS [French organization supporting the Palestinian people] member, Salah made comments that several Board members described, and I quote, as a “disgrace” [because he criticized the Israeli propaganda about October 7th found in the presentation]. Similarly, his proposal for a videoconference with a global authority on Palestine was rejected without a vote or discussion. On October 18, Salah criticized a national CGT press release on the local CGT Education Whatsapp group, leading to criticism from other Board members who urged him not to open the debate. The same pattern occurred on October 24 and even more so on November 4, when Salah announced his intention to write a letter to the Confederation denouncing the CGT’s stance on Palestine [1]. This letter garnered significant attention both within and outside the CGT. On November 10, at the meeting where Salah was invited to leave the Board, his views on Palestine were highlighted as central: it was presented as the “salient point”, the “most serious” grievance, and a potential cause for union members to be upset and leave the union (even though these statements have largely been confirmed). Today, many citizens and union members share the positions Salah expressed regarding the events of October 7. This accumulation of evidence supports the view, held by many, that his expulsion is indeed linked to his stance on Palestine, despite the fact that many union members hold views similar to his.

    Today, worldwide, and with increasing intensity, the issue of Palestine is stirring growing emotions. Questions about the ongoing genocide, as well as accusations regarding events before and on October 7, 2023, challenge much of the Israeli narrative that dominated the media last October and November. I mention this because I have been closely following the issue as a leader of ARAC and other anti-imperialist, anti-fascist, and anti-militarist organizations. It is important to note that the global perspective on this issue is shifting, including in Western countries and even in France. Despite our lag in objective analysis of Palestinian resistance, due to the regrettable uniformity of French media and politics, things are changing. This is evident among our members, many of whom participate in demonstrations supporting Palestine or advocating for the release of Georges Ibrahim Abdallah [Lebanese pro-Palestinian militant, one of the longest-held political prisoners in Europe, having been imprisoned in France since 1984].

    In any case, we should strive to find a compromise that is acceptable to all. This means allowing everyone to maintain their differing opinions, which are completely understandable and justified, and to continue in their roles as elected by their colleagues at Congress. While it’s unfortunate that enmities have developed, there should no longer be an obligation for interaction if it is no longer feasible. Everyone should be able to pursue their trade union activities as they see fit until the next elections.

    If there have been defamatory remarks [2], stigmatizing requests [3], or misuse of union files outside normal activities, as well as differences of opinion [4], I propose that we leave it at that, after, if anyone wishes, a frank discussion with supporting evidence. It is regrettable that some elements have become public, but they may also reflect behaviors that are objectively stigmatizing or humiliating and thus unacceptable. The best approach might be to acknowledge these issues, regret the breach in propriety caused by heightened emotions, and move forward. Let each union member and colleague form their own opinions about each activist, and allow us to turn the page.

    *****

    The purpose of the CGT is to defend workers, and that is what I will focus on:

    · Can anyone here criticize Salah for failing to defend workers, at least during the time when he wasn’t preoccupied with defending himself within the union, a situation that is deeply regrettable?

    · The CGT welcomes all workers, regardless of their gender, orientation, political, ideological, or religious beliefs. Does anyone here have any specific grievances against Salah on this point? [Some have criticized Salah for abstaining from voting on a motion related to abortion and LGBT issues, which he believes fall outside the union’s scope.] Has Salah ever refused to defend a colleague on any of these grounds?

    · Has Salah ever attacked or insulted a CGT comrade based on these issues?

    · Conversely, can Salah claim that he has been attacked, defamed, or humiliated due to his origins or his political or religious views [5]?

    These, in my view, are the only questions we should be addressing today with full objectivity. We must be willing to put aside our personal biases and recognize that this issue has gone beyond acceptable boundaries. We are now called to demonstrate restraint and put our resentments aside. I sincerely hope there has been no ill intent from either side, nor any personal maneuvering that goes against the principles of our union. A formal reconciliation could take the form of a joint statement reaffirming the fundamental values and principles of the CGT.

    2. Closing remarks

    I’ll keep my comments brief, as much has already been said, and better than I could express, since although I’ve reviewed the file carefully, Salah knows it better than I do.

    If any contradiction appears between what I say and what Salah says, it is because I speak from a broader perspective. I am not speaking from within this departmental CGT Education section, which I do not know personally, but I have heard echoes from other departments. My primary concern is the broader CGT, and the ripple effects this case could have far beyond this particular section. You must understand that there are many CGT members, or even non-members who follow what the CGT does, who may have differing opinions. Whether those opinions are right or wrong is not the point. The real danger here is the risk of division, tension, or public conflict. This is a genuine threat that you must recognize and measure carefully. Because sooner or later, this situation may turn against your local section, whether through other teachers’ unions, other CGT sections, non-CGT unions, or even public opinion, especially as the question of Palestine continues to evolve rapidly. Admittedly, France is lagging behind the rest of the world and the Western world. For example, in England, 81 towns and cities have held demonstrations for Palestine, with 1.5 million demonstrators in London alone. However, this wave, which is beginning to reach France, will inevitably arrive in full force. The arguments used against Salah and others (like Jean-Paul Delescaut) will resurface, and those who adhered to media correctness after October 7 will likely face criticism in the future. This is to be expected.

    We need a broader perspective, not just a local one. This is a serious threat at a time when the CGT is not in a position of strength. The last CGT Congress was far from unanimous, and divisions remain deep — on class issues, on the WFTU, NATO, Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, the one- or two-state solution, and more. There are many unresolved issues, not to mention the challenges posed by capitalism and social problems. It’s important to understand that. I appeal to your sense of responsibility to ensure your union section doesn’t end up in the spotlight. There are other regions, unions, and forces within France that are not on our side. Even within the CGT, opinions differ. We have every right to hold our own views, but we must be cautious not to stir up trouble on either side.

    I’m not claiming Salah is without fault. From what I’ve observed, he’s as emotional as anyone, which can be interpreted as either good or bad — it doesn’t matter. For me, the focus should be on results, not emotional judgments, even if I come across as emotional myself. But, generally speaking, many who have defended Salah — and I’m far from alone in this — need to recognize that in France, 650 people are under investigation over the Palestine issue, not just Delescaut. Suspended sentences have already been handed down, and prison sentences with actual imprisonment could follow. You need to consider how that would reflect on the union.

    Regarding societal issues, it’s important to distinguish between what is core to the CGT and what belongs to other entities like associations or political parties, which are legitimate in their own right. For the CGT, the question is not whether we approve or disapprove of things like abortion. We’re all entitled to our own opinions, individually or collectively. But the real question is this: if someone — a homosexual, a woman, an Islamophobe, a practicing Muslim or Christian — is attacked over labor rights, will the CGT defend them? Will Salah defend a homosexual colleague in a labor dispute? That’s the crux of the matter. It’s not about personal identity or beliefs, but about whether we, as workers, can rise above our convictions to defend anyone who needs it, regardless of theirs. For now, I haven’t seen any sign that Salah opposes defending women, homosexuals, or perhaps tomorrow, even Islamophobes who may be falsely accused in labor disputes. I’m not condoning Islamophobia, but an Islamophobe accused over labor issues must be defended. That doesn’t mean we endorse their views — these are two separate things. This is the CGT’s foundation: we defend all workers, regardless of their political, religious, or ideological views, even when we don’t share them. Of course, there are limits. For example, I recall an election candidate from some department who belonged to far-right’s Front National and explicitly stated his CGT membership in his campaign materials. That was illegal and against our Statutes, and he was rightly expelled. But that’s not Salah’s case.

    We need to think carefully about the consequences of excluding Salah, considering not just local issues but broader implications. Like you, I’m a union member, and I naturally feel closer to the struggles at my own workplace or in my region than to what’s happening, say, in Brest, or randomly, in Nepal. But we must strive to think globally. That’s what we call internationalism, a principle that sets our union apart from others that are either less internationalist or claim to be without fully embracing it.

    Emotions are indeed valuable, but they must be managed effectively. We might criticize Salah for not controlling his emotions, but have those attacking him done any better on their side? Without delving into everyone’s opinions, it’s easier to be 20 than to stand alone! A psychologist would confirm that this is part of human nature. Let’s assume Salah was completely in the wrong — he was isolated, and his emotions were therefore intensified. This is something the more “powerful” group must take into account. Reflect on this too. Emotions are natural, and joining a union is often driven by them, but learning to control and manage emotions is essential for both parties involved. Over the past thirty years, we’ve been dealing with the dominance of neoliberalism. Unfortunately, emotion seems to have taken precedence over rational thought. Just switch on any news channel, and you’ll see how emotion has replaced reason. As a union, our role is to restore rationality, despite the challenges of living in a world that is increasingly emotional, and this often serves the interests of the ruling classes, as you already know.

    Regarding Palestine, as this issue was mentioned, I recommend that, instead of focusing solely on October 7, you read Karl Marx’s article in the New York Herald Tribune about the Sepoy rebellion in India. It might give you a new perspective on the events of October 7. Whether or not you agree with Marx, his cold, analytical approach remains valuable, as he is, in a way, our intellectual forebear.

    In conclusion, a final point: we’ve discussed Stalinism and the purges. We’re not going to rewrite history and reduce it to Stalin alone, but I want to emphasize one point: in the 1930s, the Soviet leaders achieved tactical victories. They got everything they wanted, including the power to lead repressive purges. Even though these purges eventually turned against them, their tactical goals were met. However, today we are paying the price strategically. It’s crucial to distinguish between tactics and strategy, as a tactical success can lead to a strategic defeat. And this isn’t just about a strategic defeat for you, me, or anyone personally; it’s a strategic defeat for the cause we all serve, or are supposed to serve. I urge you to seek compromise, no matter how challenging it may seem. I understand this might be difficult for you, and I don’t know how you feel about what I’ve said, but be very cautious: if we rise above our personal and union concerns and view the situation at a national level…

    I’m not claiming that Salah is the center of France, far from it. But, as I mentioned earlier, 650 people in France are under investigation for “glorification of terrorism”, meaning that potentially thousands of individuals, including Salah, could be under investigation soon. Opinions are shifting, particularly regarding Palestine. What is happening in Paris may be different from what you hear in local demonstrations, but in Paris, the slogans you hear now are vastly different from those heard in November’s pro-Palestine demonstrations. The two-state solution is losing traction worldwide, as we’ve seen in the UK and elsewhere. Constant criticism of Hamas is misplaced — there are 12 Palestinian Resistance groups working together, including two Marxist-Leninist and secular organizations fighting alongside Hamas. Whether we like it or not, this is a reality. We’re no longer dealing with “Hamas, Hamas, Hamas…” as we were in November. It’s important to think ahead.

    I’ll conclude here. Thank you for your attention.

    3. Retrospective comments on the proceedings

    The CSD meeting on the morning of Friday, April 12, 2024, was rather unusual:

    · We presented our perspective and raised several questions.

    · Those in favor of exclusion (the Board) presented their case, mainly by reading a prepared statement. This statement outlined six charges that hardly justified a permanent exclusion, without providing supporting evidence. It also included Salah’s remarks on Palestine, denominational schools, and IVG/LGBT issues, which were considered problematic.

    · Comments were made from the floor.

    · We were given the last word.

    However, the anticipated discussion, which was expected given the significance of the issues, never occurred. Salah L. protested against the process, which denied him any opportunity for a proper debate — a key element for clarifying the disputed points. He requested that at least a vote be taken, which passed unanimously in favour of this process, with the exception of his own vote.

    My questions regarding Salah L.’s capacity and impartiality in defending workers went unanswered, despite touching on fundamental matters relevant to any trade union activist, without delving into personal, moral, individual, or emotional areas. Nor was the issue of the timeline addressed: in fact, the exclusion process began after the Palestine petition, not before, even though the other cited differences had been known for some time.

    A secret ballot followed this series of monologues: 29 votes were cast in favor of exclusion, 1 against, and 1 abstention. This CGT section has around 160 union members, so approximately one-fifth were present.

    Salah L. left with a pre-printed notice of his exclusion. An appeal process is now underway.

    Bruno Drweski

    Notes

    [1] The main complaint against Salah at the November 10 Board meeting, where his colleagues tried to force his resignation, stemmed from a message he posted on the CGT Education local’s WhatsApp group on November 4:

    “I’ve just read the Gaza dossier in the CGT’s national magazine, and I’m truly appalled.

    History will remember all the ‘friends’ of Palestine who zealously spread the Israeli army’s propaganda about Hamas massacres that supposedly killed hundreds of women and children, even though available data refutes this claim. They provide cover for a very real genocide, while subtly reinforcing the racist cliché that Palestinians, like all Arabs, are nothing but murderers and rapists. After Kuwait’s incubators, Saddam’s weapons of mass destruction, and Kaddafi’s Viagra, there are still those who fall for this en masse.

    October 7 was not a massacre, but a military operation that wiped out the equivalent of a Gaza Brigade battalion or more. The only figures published so far (by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz) clearly show that at least half of the Israelis killed were soldiers (including many women, since military service is compulsory for them, and fewer than 20 children). Courageous Israelis are exposing the lies of the Israeli army, which deliberately conflates soldiers, heavily armed settlers/militiamen, and civilians. They accuse the IDF of deliberately sacrificing its civilians en masse, rather than allowing them to fall alive into the hands of Hamas (the official and well-known Hannibal Doctrine). Here’s just one example.

    I intend to write a letter to the CGT Confederation to denounce their shameful position.”

    Salah was also criticized for responding to a colleague on that same day, who questioned his absence at Palestine demonstrations, by stating he would no longer attend them. His reply was:

    “As for what I do or don’t do for Palestine, it’s in line with my principles. I attended the first demonstration and listened to most of the speakers, who were more eager to condemn ‘Hamas atrocities’, as if that was where it all began. I won’t be returning.”

    Although the Board members claimed that the exclusion procedure “is not, as Salah maintains, connected to his positions on Palestine,” the bold excerpts above were included in their brief, pre-written speech read as an indictment at the April 12 CSD.

    [2] Among the six “official” charges against Salah, the first is that he defamed the Board members (“defamation of all Board members”), accusing them internally of discriminating against him based on his ethnic and/or religious background, as well as his ideological and political beliefs. The second charge was that he threatened to make public the details of his “trial” if he were excluded, including these accusations (“threatening to make public defamatory statements”).

    [3] The third charge against Salah was his “stigmatizing request regarding a Board member’s origin.” When he claimed to be the only Arab-Muslim elected to the Board, other members informed him that this was untrue, as another member was of the Muslim faith. Salah responded that, as far as he knew, she wasn’t Arab. This so-called “stigmatizing request” was considered serious enough to be included in the list of offenses warranting permanent exclusion from the union. The proverb “He who wishes to drown his dog accuses it of rabies” comes to mind, but in the absence of fatal illnesses, a simple cough will suffice for good people…

    [4] The fourth charge was “using the union’s membership file for personal purposes.” Salah used a file containing members’ email addresses to send them the documents relating to the CSD case, including both his own and the opposing party’s. When the exclusion process was voted on, it was agreed that all documents would be emailed to union members to give them time to review them. However, the Board later decided that the documents could only be consulted in person at the House of the People, where CGT headquarters are located. Salah, therefore, took the initiative to send them to members himself.

    [5] In addition to being marginalized and excluded from Board activities long before October 7 and the petition, Salah was the target of several slanders. He was notably accused of calling one Board member a “miscreant” during the November 10 meeting, which painted him as a religious extremist and facilitated the exclusion process, with the added threat of legal action based on this slander. None of the eight Board members present at the meeting were willing to testify about the truth or falseness of this accusation, effectively confirming it by their silence. The CGT Education Executive Committee also refused to clarify the matter (when all they had to do was ask). In response, Salah internally distributed a complete recording of the November 10th meeting via an unlisted YouTube link, proving the accusation to be false. This led to two additional charges against him: “illicit recording of a Board meeting” and “distribution of this recording, notably on YouTube.” In addition, CGT Education’s lawyer sent him a formal notice, stating that “this was a private, internal union meeting” and that Article 226–1 of the Penal Code punishes with up to one year of imprisonment and a €45,000 fine for recording or transmitting private or confidential conversations without consent. Salah was asked to “immediately remove the YouTube video” and informed that he would be summoned by the police. Judicial intimidation, it seems, is not the sole domain of Macron’s government…

    *****

    The petition urging the CGT to offer genuine support to Palestine in its hour of truth can still be signed on change.org [here is the English version], as well as the petition calling for Salah’s reinstatement, nearing 10,000 signatures [here is the English version].

    Originally published in French here.

    The post Plea in Defense of a Trade Unionist Facing Expulsion for Supporting Palestine first appeared on Dissident Voice.

    This post was originally published on Dissident Voice.

  • Who are the Terrorists?

    The post Who are the Terrorists? first appeared on Dissident Voice.

    This post was originally published on Dissident Voice.

  • Unraveling the Mystery of the Middle East Crisis

    There are other issues I would prefer to write about; all are affected by the Middle East crisis.

    Economics

    Economics is a “dismal science” that has a postulate ─ all money is debt. This postulate leads to the realization that the capitalist economy grows and survives with mounting debt and only the government can carry the debt burden. Debt forces the government to manage the economy and a more managed economy continually develops. U.S. Middle East policy generates constant wars, promotes an arms race, and is partly responsible for the continually increasing debt and managed economy.

    Foreign Policy

    Establishing hegemony by making the world recognize American exceptionalism, regardless of opponents are killed in the process, defines U.S. foreign policy. This one-sided and arrogant policy aligns with Israel’s modus operandi. It has been historical, counterproductive in several adventures, is doomed to failure in the present crisis, and will continue to harm the American people.

    Politics

    Extravagant divisions in the electorate and political system demonstrate a lack of comprehension of the political system by government officials and political strategists. Israel’s supporters take advantage of the mayhem in the political system and influence politicians and voters.

    Media

    Knowledge leading to capable decisions has not accompanied the rapid expansion in communications. Money talks and media squawks. Media is a convenient means of controlling and manipulating minds. Israel supporters are adept in using the media to manipulate the American public.

    The Middle East crisis, engineered by Israel and the United States, overrides all other issues. It is unfathomable, an artificial construct that is incomprehensible. The issue can be resolved in one minute of time ─ stop the oppression of the Palestinians and grant them equal rights. Instead, deliberate destructions of the Palestinian community and of those who attempt to aid the Palestinians are the avenues of resolution. A spillover into greater destruction of other peoples, including the perpetrators of the genocide, is predicted. Get rid of everyone and the world’s problems will vanish.

    The unending crises are a mystery and unraveling the mystery has become more of a detective story than an academic pursuit. Why is there a genocide, why is it supported, and can it be stopped? Historians, foreign policy experts, journalists, political commentators, and wise old men have not provided adequate answers to the questions. There is more to committing genocide than power politics.

    At 10:54 PM, October 6, 2024, the world population was 8,226,477,186. Take a guess and estimate that 1.5 billion have sufficient awareness (not knowledge) of the Middle East crisis to attach themselves to a side in the crisis. Only a portion of inhabitants of the western world and India would favor the Israeli aggressive tactics; maybe 100 million in India and 200 million in the western world, compared to 1.2 billion in the rest of the Arab, African, Latin American, Central and Southeast Asia, and China worlds.

    Take a more rigid perspective on what is definitely a genocide ─ no mistake in characterizing the violence against the Palestinians by that term. How does the number of those who know it is a genocide and still favor Israel compare with those who view it as a genocide and want it stopped? My guess is that a small clique of 7 million Zionist Jews (the Christian Zionists may favor Israel but do not influence others) actively influence 100 million people to favor their cause, and a billion of the world’s population react in horror to the genocide. A small clique of 7 million people are moving the world to enormous destruction and one billion remain powerless to prevent it. How can that be?

    The mystery deepens with the revelation that this scenario has no reason. The argument that Jews, who are the wealthiest group in almost all western nations and occupy positions of prestige and importance in much greater portion than others, fear attack and need a land for themselves falls flat. In the land called Israel, only a small portion of the Jewish population can gain excessive wealth and dominance, while all live in constant fear of attack and animosity from much of the universe.

    A one-state Israel, where all ethnicities live together and have equal rights can function as any democratic state. The Israeli Palestinians and Druze have been good citizens. Palestinians in all parts of the world — Chile, United States, Germany, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon — have pursued activities that benefitted their adopted nations. If the Jews in the one-state followed a similar pattern of dominance that Jews in the western world exhibit, then a greater portion of Israeli Jews will achieve enhanced prosperity in the expanded economy. The one-state might benefit the lesser advantaged Israeli Jews.

    Let’s clarify nonsense. Jews can live almost any place throughout the western world and not be oppressed or subjected to violent anti-Jewish attacks. In 2020, Mexico had a population of 126,799,054 and a Jewish population of 58,876 people, 0.05 percent, and an infinitesimal part of the Mexican citizenry. On Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, Claudia Sheinbaum, one of the relatively few Jews in Mexico, was sworn in as president without incident. Worshippers of contrived anti-Semitism statistics, please explain that happening. There are few cases of physical attacks against Jews, and the ADL promotes the U.S. as a hotbed of anti-Semitism. Compare Jewish life in the United States with the centuries of life of African Americans, who live at the economic margin, are subjected to periodic police attacks that take their lives, and do not consider establishing a land of their own. Anti-Semitism is trivial compared to the discrimination that severely disrupts the lives of other Americans. Let’s not confuse anti-Jewish feeling, due to Jewish support of the genocide of the Palestinian people, with arbitrary prejudice against Jews.

    Why is there a genocide?

    Israeli murderous rampages lack compassion for Palestinian suffering, show no sympathy for the killed and no remorse for even “accidental” killings. Calculated dehumanization of the civilized, educated, endurable, and heroic Palestinian people certifies the inhumanity and criminal bent of the Zionist Jews.

    Israel’s genocidal reaction to Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023, a day that will be pressed forever in the American conscience, was unnecessary. The preferred strategy for a responsible military that values life is to reinforce the border, which could easily be made impenetrable. Using Mossad’s network of informers, infiltrators, and military drone and satellite surveillance, the Israeli military has mapped locations and movements of Hamas’ military leaders and fighting wing. Selective targets for drone and commando raids could have disrupted Hamas’ fighting capability. After crippling Hamas, the military could have developed a strategy that totally immobilizes Hamas and minimizes civilian casualties.

    Israeli tank battalions could have surrounded schools, apartment buildings, hospital and refugee centers before broadcasting evacuation and surrender orders. After evacuation, which saves civilian lives, the tanks could have probed or shelled buildings they claimed harvested Hamas. No armed brigades surrounded buildings, no evacuation advisories occurred, and no Hamas operatives have been shown to be present in the wreckage. Just the opposite has happened; the Gazans have been told to flee and then have been shot by snipers. Doctors are shocked at the casualties and reports that have an unusual number of children shot in the head. Whole extended families of 30-70 people have been killed without warning. Israel is fighting an army that has no antitank guns, no heavy weapons, and just a few cadres still willing to fight. There is no Hamas army and there is no real war.

    The Gaza campaign is not a military campaign; it is an excuse for a deliberate genocide. It has nothing to do with political and military strategies that are developed from able and astute minds. It comes from these minds — depraved, egocentric, inhuman, and criminal bent.

    These criminal bent cannot distinguish between right and wrong, are trained to attach themselves to a unique tribe, and emotionally detach themselves from others. The criminal mind drives a great portion of the Israel community. This was shown in an interview by Christine Amanpour with an Israeli woman whose daughter was kidnapped by Hamas. The woman tells Christine Amanpour that “October 7 was a catastrophe for the whole world. Hamas is terrorist and terrorizing its own people. The world thanks us for fighting for them. Hamas is seeking to eliminate us and the free world.”

    It is obvious the woman is reciting a script prepared by the Israeli propaganda machine. She does not concentrate on the travails of her daughter and displays a mind trained to attach itself to a unique tribe and emotionally detach itself from others. Only Israelis matter, and the world should recognize that damage to Israelis is damage to the entire word. Israelis are rescuing all of us. Hamas and its slingshots are “seeking to eliminate nuclear armed Israel and the free world.”

    Here is the difference between terrorist Hamas that terrorizes its own people and benevolent Israel.


    Image Courtesy of CNN Gaza before October 7


    Image courtesy of Reuters  Gaza after October 7

    Terrorist Hamas has terrorized the population by constructing housing, schools, universities, hospitals, sports arenas, and given Gazans the tools to live, while Israel did all it could to disrupt their lives. Benevolent Israel has no compunction in destroying housing, schools, universities, hospitals, and tools that terrorist Hamas has given its people to survive the continuous onslaught against them.

    It’s Gresham’s law ─ bad money drives out good money ─ applied to human existence — bad people drive out good people; in this case, the worst constantly replacing the less worst. There are many Israelis, even settlers, who want to cooperate with the Palestinians, but the plurality that gained government control permits and encourages robbery and murder of Palestinians. The settlers take advantage of the opportunities.

    The genocide proceeds from a criminal bent leadership that organizes criminal activities, which is rationalized. Provoke the Palestinians to respond to an attack and then accuse them of attacking ─ a favorite and successful trickster investment by the Zionist Jews, which has given them huge dividends. The Zionists expect those robbed and harmed will seek justice, from within and from without. Way to stop that is to get rid of them. With no them, there is nothing to worry about. There is no resurrection.

    Why are nations and groups supporting the genocide?

    All those who support the genocide of the Palestinian people are inflicted with the criminal bent plus gene — might makes right and anyone who does not recognize your might has no right to live. Bill Maher, a political comedian who posed as a human rights advocate, revealed how the American conscience reflects the Zionist conscience. In an HBO episode, Maher exclaimed, “The State of Israel is here to stay and the Palestinians will need to get used to it.” At other times, he defended Israel’s war on the Gazans and defended his positions with,

    History is brutal, and humans are not good people, and, I would submit that Israel did not steal anybody’s land. This is another thing I’ve heard the last couple of weeks, words like ‘occupiers’ and ‘colonizers’ and ‘apartheid,’ which I don’t think people understand the history there. The Jews have been in that area of the world since about 1200 BC, way before the first Muslim or Arab walked the earth. Other people do not understand the history there.

    Bill Maher is considered a political satirist with a large following. He must have been satirizing when stating, “The Jews have been in that area of the world since about 1200 BC, way before the first Muslim or Arab walked the earth.” Any existing Neanderthals to claim the land? Where have the Palestinians prevented Israel’s existence? If they did, how did Israel get so strong? Aren’t the Zionist Jews attempting to prevent Palestinian existence? Aren’t the Palestinians here to stay and shouldn’t the Jews get over it? Maher follows the usual Zionist scheme ─ attribute to the adversary the iniquities and guilt of the Zionists.

    The United States, beginning with the landing of the Pilgrims, and Israel, beginning with the landing of the Zionists, follow identical patterns of history. Both obtained assistance from the indigenous people and then obliterated them. Continuous wars, always in defense, never compromising, always killing mercilessly, and each convinced of their exceptionalism categorize the Israelis and Americans ─ partners in crime against humanity, willing accomplices to genocide.

    Can the genocide be stopped?

    Rays of hope indicate nations will take a firm stand against the genocide and rally support for the Palestinians.

    • China has taken an active role in promoting a ceasefire.
    • Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the United Nations General Assembly it should recommend use of force if the UN Security Council fails to stop Israel’s attacks on Gaza and Lebanon.
    • Russia has shown sympathy for the Palestinian cause but is unable to act while being tied up in Ukraine.
    • France’s President Macron has asked all nations to stop sending arms to Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s response to President Macron’s plea revealed his lack of responsible executive behavior in international relations, his twisted mind, escape from reality, and superior attitude.

    As Israel fights the forces of barbarism led by Iran, all civilized countries should be standing firmly by Israel’s side….Yet President Macron and some other Western leaders are now calling for an arms embargo against Israel. Shame on them.

    Let me tell you this, Israel will win with or without their support, but their shame will continue long after the war is won.

    • Spain, Norway and Ireland have recognized Palestine statehood. Spain announced it would join South Africa’s genocide case before the International Court of Justice against Israel’s actions in Gaza.

    Response from Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz repeated Netanyahu’s’ obsessive behavior, the twisted mind, the escape from reality, and the superior attitude. In an X message, addressed to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, Katz wrote,

    Hamas thanks you for your service….Khamenei, Sinwar, and deputy PM Yolanda Diaz (Spain’s deputy PM) call for the elimination of Israel and for the establishment of an Islamic Palestinian terror state from the river to the sea….Sanchez, when you don’t fire your deputy and declare recognition of a Palestinian state — you are a partner to incitement to the genocide of Jews and to war crimes.

    • Iran has entered the hostilities and defiantly said it will not back down. Does Iran have a power that allows its defiance?

    The minds and authorities that gave us genocide of the Native Americans, slavery, and genocide of the Palestinians cannot be changed. There is little hope that revolutions in the United States and Israel will occur and correct the situation. Where are the Obamas? Unfortunately, Israel, together with its supplicating ally, the mighty U.S., feels comfortable. It has destroyed its antagonists. Hamas is impotent, Hezbollah is in disarray, with Netanyahu boasting that “Lebanon could face destruction like Gaza,” a confession that destruction of Gaza and not Hamas guides Israel’s military actions. Iran awaits an attack that Defense Minister Gallant describes as “deadly, precise and, above all, surprising. They will not understand what happened and how it happened. They will see the results.”

    The rays of hope that indicate nations will take a firm stand against the genocide and rally support for the Palestinians is blocked by the knowledge that all will burn. The world is trapped. Israel has nuclear weapons and will not hesitate to use them, knowing that by its small size and close location to other nations, opponents realize that radioactive fallout from atomic bombs falling on Tel Aviv will jeopardize surrounding nations. The military option is not plausible.

    Israel has always posed the crisis as “it’s us or them,” another departure from reality that is used to justify its criminal behavior. “Us” refers to, “They intend to destroy us”(Israel.)” “Them “refers to, “We destroy them before we are destroyed.” Nobody has shown the power or proclivity to have it “us.” Battle maps show Arab nations with large arrows thrusting huge armies to batter Israel. Where are any of them?

    With Israel having atomic weapons and a mentality that will use them, stopping the genocide by military means predicts it will be “us” and “them,” where “us” are the peace loving people of the world and them are all the Israelis — Jews, Muslims and Christians. Israel has the world in a “lose-lose” situation and will never accept a “win-win” situation. This leaves little room to maneuver and ability to save the Palestinians. Social isolation and economic deprivation, including sanctions of the criminal nation, are paths to forcing the issue. They are long and difficult and have not proven effective in past genocides.

    The solution to stopping Israel’s massacre of the Palestinians lies with the Israelis and Jews around the world. Israel’s genocidal policies have generated internal detractors, social unrest, political divides, an economic decline, and military disagreements. All combat is neutralized by “us” or “them,” supplied by the constant war against the Palestinians, which demands absolute loyalty to the state that is shielding its Jews from another Holocaust. This steady stream of propaganda is similar to the manner in which the Nazi state convinced a plurality of Germans to support the Nazis until the end. It’s a toss up as to who better fits the image of Nazism ─ Deutschland or Zionistland?

    The “us” or “them,” reinforced by a population that has been nurtured on a daily cereal of holocaust and enjoys being a victim, explains the bewildering Israeli Jewish position on blithely, and it is blithely, committing genocide. The real Jews, those in the Western world, who understand Judaism and the struggles of their immigrant ancestors, have been thrust into a battle to rescue Judaism and the Palestinians.

    As mentioned before, Jews live well and peacefully everywhere, except in Israel. If their sleep is disturbed, it is because of Israel and its partners in crime. The anti-defamation League (ADL), better named the Defamation League, is a business; it exists to find anti-Jewish expressions and the more it can manufacture, the more successful it is as a business. The Israel Lobby is a conspiratorial lobbying arm of the Israeli government, reaching deeply into media, DC “Think Tanks,” government agencies, religious institutions, cultural institutions, and households, providing an invisible army of millions, many born in Israel and sent by Israel to corrode the political system, influence the electoral system, and delude the central nervous systems. Defeating the anti-Judaism branches of the anti-Jewish Zionist extremists is a challenge that is met by numbers, dollars, resources, energy, demonstrations, public relations, media advertisements and strategic thinking, which translates to being one step ahead of the most conniving, lying, cheating, and deceiving assortment of killers the world now sees. In the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald,

    Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us.

    It has eluded us now;
    Tomorrow, we will run a little faster,
    Stretch our arms a little longer.

    Boats against the current,
    Borne back ceaselessly into the Past.

    The post Unraveling the Mystery of the Middle East Crisis first appeared on Dissident Voice.

    This post was originally published on Dissident Voice.

  • Indigenous Peoples Day, Some History

    I was very surprised a few days ago to see the local bank where I have an account displaying a sign outside the front door which referred to what they called, “Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day.” Although I wish the first two words had not been there, it is still a positive thing that they went public in this compromise kind of way.

    There’s something personal to me about this day. I’m not Indigenous, am very much of European ancestry, but in 1992 at the time of the 500th anniversary, official celebrations in the US of Columbus’ arrival in the western hemisphere, I took part in a 42 day, water-only Fast for Justice and Peace in the Americas. It was initiated by Brian Willson, Scott Rutherford and Diane Fogliatti, and it went from September 1 to October 12.

    The overall message of this action and the much broader movement out of which it emerged was that it was long past time to turn away from all that Christopher Columbus represents—racism, slavery, militarism, imperialism and ecological destruction—and commit ourselves to working for a next 500 years very different than the one experienced between 1492 and 1992. One specific demand was for Columbus Day to be replaced by Indigenous Peoples Day.

    There was an Indigenous-led movement that had been taking action over many months in 1991-92 in support of this essential new direction for the USA and other countries in the Americas. The fast was inspired by that movement.

    20 years before I had taken part in two long fasts/hunger strikes, one in 1971 for 33 days while in prison for draft resistance and another in 1972, a 40 day, water-only fast to end the war in Indochina.

    When I heard about this initiative by Brian, Scott and Diane about a month before it was to begin, it struck a chord in me, and my life circumstances were such that I could join it. Then, toward the end of the fast, Diane Fogliatti came up with an idea for how to continue to build this movement: do an organized fast for 12 days, from October 1 to October, each year going forward. I ended up taking part in this, helping to lead a People’s Fast for Justice loose network which did so from 1993 to 2001. Our two demands were for Columbus Day to be renamed Indigenous Peoples Day and for political prisoner Leonard Peltier to be freed.

    Doing some research for this column, I have learned that since 1992 there have been a growing number of localities and states which have officially recognized in some way the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples Day, including the states of Alaska, California, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. What a surprise!

    And responding to this upsurge, in 2021 President Joe Biden signed a proclamation in support of Indigenous Peoples Day.

    There’s an awful lot of reasons to be anxious or depressed right now, but it is a very positive thing, something for which to be thankful, that Indigenous peoples throughout the Americas and elsewhere in the world continue to survive. Even more, they continue to give leadership in the existential battle to prevent cascading ecological and societal devastation and for a very different future in the years to come. La lucha continua!

    The post Indigenous Peoples Day, Some History first appeared on Dissident Voice.

    This post was originally published on Dissident Voice.

  • The Forceful Emptying of Northern Gaza by Israel

    The Israeli plan calling for the forceful emptying of northern Gaza and starving to death whoever remains behind is being aggressively promoted since its launch, including by prominent media figures.

    The post The Forceful Emptying of Northern Gaza by Israel first appeared on Dissident Voice.

    This post was originally published on Dissident Voice.

  • US Silent as Over 100 Nations Back UN Chief

    The U.S. was not among the more than 100 United Nations member states that signed a new letter of support for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres after Israel’s foreign minister declared him “persona non grata” and barred him from entering the country. The letter, spearheaded by Chile, said Israel’s attack on Guterres would “undermine the United Nations’ ability to carry out its mandate…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Chalking Bans and ID Checks at Protests Repress Palestine Solidarity on Campus

    As the genocide in Gaza rages on, U.S. universities welcomed students, faculty and staff back this fall by rolling out a red carpet of repression. The dedication to stifling pro-Palestine speech and action comes amidst unfathomable death and destruction brought by the siege on Gaza, the West Bank and now Lebanon. While official Palestinian Ministry of Health statistics report over 42,126…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Amid Genocide, Palestine Attempts to Qualify for Its First World Cup

    The Palestinian national soccer team played a formidable South Korean side to a goalless draw in Seoul last month, an impressive result for a team looking to clinch its first ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup. The team aims to build upon an impressive showing at this year’s Asian Cup, where it captured the hearts of fans from across the continent as it reached the knockout stage for the…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • One year of war in Gaza – protect journalists now, says IPI

    Pacific Media Watch

    This week marked the grim one-year anniversary of the surprise October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the beginning of the Israeli war on Gaza — a conflict that has taken a devastating toll on journalists and media outlets in Palestine, reports the International Press Institute.

    In Gaza, Israeli strikes have killed at least 123 journalists (Gaza media sources say 178 killed) — the largest number of journalists to be killed in any armed conflict in this span of time to date.

    Dozens of media outlets have been leveled. Independent investigations such as those conducted by Forbidden Stories have found that in several of these cases journalists were intentionally targeted by the Israeli military — which constitutes a war crime.

    Over the past year IPI has stood with its press freedom partners calling for an immediate end to the killing of journalists in Gaza as well as for international media to be allowed unfettered access to report independently from inside Gaza.

    In May, IPI and its partner IMS jointly presented the 2024 World Press Freedom Hero award to Palestinian journalists in Gaza. The award recognised the extraordinary courage and resilience that Palestinian journalists have demonstrated in being the world’s eyes and ears in Gaza.

    This week, IPI renewed its call on the international community to protect journalists in Gaza as well as in the West Bank and Lebanon. Allies of Israel, including Media Freedom Coalition members, must pressure the Israeli government to protect journalist safety and stop attacks on the press.

    This also includes the growing media censorship demonstrated by Israel’s recent closure of Al Jazeera’s Ramallah bureau.

    Raising awareness
    IPI was at the UN in Geneva this week with its partners Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters without Borders (RSF), and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), and others for high-level meetings aimed at raising awareness of the continued attacks on the press and urging the international community to protect journalists.

    Among the key messages: The continued killings of journalists in Gaza — and corresponding impunity — endangers journalists and press freedom everyone.

    On this sombre anniversary, the joint advert in this week’s Washington Post honours the journalists bravely reporting on the war, often at great personal risk, and underscores IPI’s solidarity with those that dedicate their lives to uncovering the truth.

    “But it is clear that solidarity is not enough. Action is needed,” said IPI in its statement.

    “The international community must place effective pressure on the Israeli authorities to comply with international law; protect the safety of journalists; investigate the killing of journalists by its forces and secure accountability; and grant international media outlets immediate and unfettered access to report independently from Gaza.

    “We urge the international community to meet this moment of crisis and stand up for the protection of journalists and freedom of the press in Gaza.

    “An attack against journalists anywhere is an attack against freedom and democracy everywhere.”


    This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by Pacific Media Watch.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Post-WWII “Never Again” Pledge Is Being Broken in Gaza, UN Experts Say

    Israel’s genocide in Gaza is the “most profound crisis” globally since World War II, UN experts have warned, adding that impunity for Israel as it has killed tens of thousands — if not hundreds of thousands — of Palestinians endangers the very structure of international humanitarian rights. On Friday, the group of 37 UN experts, including UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • A year of covering the ‘most documented genocide in history’


    This content originally appeared on The Real News Network and was authored by The Real News Network.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • NEW: Portal for Tracking Genocidal Incitement Against Palestinians

    For the last year, since October 7, Law For Palestine has been documenting genocidal incitement against Palestinians by Israeli government officials, military personnel, and public figures. We partnered with them to launch a new portal to house this crucial data, which they regularly update as a resource for legal action, advocacy, and ensuring justice for the Palestinian people. To date, the database has compiled over 400 instances of genocidal rhetoric. Users can filter by theme and sector, search by person or keyword, and view and download the datasheet.

    This database is a crucial resource for the international community, legal experts, human rights organizations, and policymakers. It provides an extensive, well-organized repository of evidence documenting how incitement to genocide has directly fueled Israel’s military and political strategies, including civilian harm, forced displacement, collective punishment, dehumanization, destruction of infrastructure, starvation, and torture.

    Explore other genocidal intent themes here or read the full press release from Law for Palestine. Special thanks to Nate Wright for his collaboration on this project.

    Each of these themes represent clear violations of international law, including the Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. By cataloging and categorizing these crimes, this database supports global efforts to hold Israeli officials accountable and builds a strong foundation for legal action in international courts, thus ensuring that these brutal crimes do not go unpunished.

    The post NEW: Portal for Tracking Genocidal Incitement Against Palestinians first appeared on Dissident Voice.

    This post was originally published on Dissident Voice.

  • The Cats of Gaza

    Nine-year-old Jana ignores the gunfire in the distance as she carries a cardboard box across the sand. The box contains her best friend: a four-month-old orange-white kitten that bears her name and cuddles with her when the bombs are falling. A few meters behind her, her twelve-year-old sister Nada carries one of the kitten’s siblings, a silver-grey tabby who likewise shares her name. Their father, Salah El-Din Youssef, named the kittens after his daughters so the girls would become attached to them. He didn’t have to bother. They would have loved the kittens no matter what their names were. And, judging from the calm, serene looks on the kittens’ faces as they peek out over the tops of the boxes, they trust the girls enough to love them back.

    Though the sisters occasionally stumble over rocks and debris beneath the hot summer sun, they don’t mind because they know their journey is almost over. Their father has secured a spot on the beaches of Der al-Balah where they can live. They can almost hear the cool sea breeze whispering their names as they get closer. Their father follows them with a box containing the mother cat, Kitty, and another silver-grey tabby kitten named Angie. Salah is relieved. No one in the family was killed or injured during the evacuation, and they were able to take what little they owned. Salah’s wife, Samaher, and their three other daughters, Dana, Yara, and Rahaf, are tidying up the new tarp and stick home when they arrive. They haven’t felt this safe in a while.

    Two days ago the Israelis dropped evacuation orders on their camp. We are liberating you from the tyranny of Hamas. Your zone will become a battlefield. You must leave immediately.

    Some screamed in response, others silently panicked. The attack could come at any moment. Scattered refugees ran here and there, unsure of where to go. Whole families scurried through the streets carrying as much as they could. Heavy items lay discarded in abandoned camps, too burdensome to move. Everything was pared down to food, clothing, and documents. Flour, lentils, cooking oil. Shoes, shirts, headscarves. ID, birth, and death certificates. Everyone carried something. The sick carried the sickest. The young carried the youngest.

    The cats are lucky. They’ve become items of necessity in the middle of a calamity. Who would want to face death without a friend? Salah found Kitty in early spring. Her kittens were born on April 25th. He adopted them all.

    “I treat them as if they were my children. I eat and drink from God’s provisions, and my children do the same.”

    Between the rockets and hunger, these bundles of soft, warm fur make life more tolerable.

    “All the children here love to play with Kitty and her kittens. They were all happy when she became a mother and gave birth to these beautiful babies.”

    In a far cry from his pastry chef days before the war, Salah and his family start each day collecting enough food for one meal which they share with the cats.

    “My older brother, Ezz, and my younger nephew, Hamoud, like to help. Sometimes Hamoud has to walk long distances to find the type of luncheon meat the cats like. They demand the best—standard cat behavior! Kitty supplements her diet with the occasional bird, though I have never seen her catch a mouse.”

    Kitty is often thirsty. This is the end of the dry season, and there is little water available on the streets. When Salah brings out a bowl of water, Kitty laps it down as fast as she can.

    Salah

    Salah feeds and frets about all of the homeless cats the way any animal lover would. When he has the time and money, he buys several cans of potted meat and goes to the areas with an abundance of strays. Dozens of cats come running whenever he calls. It reminds me of a Siamese cat I had as a kid. Every day after school I would stand behind our apartment building and yell out his name: Sudene! Within seconds he would come bounding out of the woods to greet me. Those were the happiest moments of my childhood. In a land where happiness is scarce, those moments mean even more. They help Jana and Nada cope. Salah shows me photographs of them before the war, dressed like pop stars. T-shirts, jeans, and purses. Sunglasses perched atop their heads. Faces decorated with smatterings of lipstick and blush, as they play grown-up. Now here they are in tattered clothes, singing lullabies to kittens in the middle of a genocide. Hush little baby, don’t you cry…sounds soothing no matter what the language.

    Like most Palestinians, Salah’s family mimics a feral cat colony full of multiple generations of felines trying to make it in the world. Besides his wife and five daughters, Salah has three brothers and two sisters, each with families of their own. Before October 7th, they all lived on the same block. Now, they live on the ruins of blocks, moving every few months during the forced evacuations, always keeping together. Like the cats he feeds, they live and die in close proximity to each other. And with each bombing, there’s a chance they will all be wiped out.

    The cats sense something is wrong when the humans leave the camps. But, unlike stray dogs, they don’t follow. They won’t leave their territories until it’s too late. Only the lucky survive.

    Refugees call the cats martyrs when they die. Every innocent creature in their beloved land becomes a martyr when it is murdered. Even their national symbol, the olive tree, is martyred by D9s, Israel’s armored bulldozers.

    The cats of Gaza watch our foolishness and folly, as well as our sacrifice and struggle. If they could talk, in between the pets and meows, they would have incredible stories to tell.

    Salah’s family has a story too. “My father was killed by the Occupation before the war. He needed surgery abroad, but the Israelis would not allow him to leave. Now my mother, Ummah, is in the same situation.”

    Ummah had been injured in a rocket attack. Their neighbor’s house had been blown to pieces and a cinder block fell on her leg, breaking her femur. She spends her days lying on a mattress on the dirt floor, unable to move. Sometimes Salah is able to get medicine for her diabetes. Often she goes without. Medical care in Gaza is limited, especially for adults. Children are more likely to get what little treatment is available. The old are requisitioned to die young. Mothers and fathers are forced to bury, or be buried by, their children. No family in Gaza escapes unscathed.

    In the middle of June, after eight months of war, Salah’s tent was burned down by incendiary weapons. The Occupation uses them to scorch the earth and make the land uninhabitable. The family evacuated, with Kitty and her kittens, to the Al-Mawasi/Khan Yunis “humanitarian zone,” where the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) could kill them more efficiently. They had no shelter when they arrived, and for a while, they slept out in the open beneath the stars, too poor to buy a two-hundred-dollar tarp or a thousand-dollar tent.

    In mid-July Salah’s twenty-something nephew, Adi, broke his hand running from a missile attack. Now he has to struggle to survive one-handed. No one gets time off to heal. A few days later Salah had to go to the hospital. The salty water they had been drinking gave him a kidney stone. He spent three days at the hospital waiting for the stone to pass, because it was too painful to walk back home. Salah sent me a video of Jana feeding the cats while he was gone, in addition to one of Nada singing for peace in Arabic. Google Translate filled in the main points of the lyrics, even if some of the sentences made no sense. Nada sang to the world, demanding the right to be heard, to play with friends, to be loved by her parents, to have her own home, to go to school, and to live without fear. In response, we pretend they’re all terrorists and encourage Israel to bomb them at taxpayers’ expense. Palestinians use their blood to pay the rent. Remember when the Zionists said, “Never forget!”

    On July 24th, Salah’s uncle Ramzi and two of his sons, Diaa and Badr, suffered severe burns in a missile attack. They were taken to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah. It has the best care in the Gaza Strip. And that’s a problem, because it’s full, and they’ve run out of supplies. Salah asked me to contact the medical charity I’m friends with, but I doubt they will be able to help.

    Badr al-Din Ramzi

    Badr dies first. He was only ten years old. Salah sends me a photograph of him playing games on a smartphone. He’s an innocent-looking boy with short black hair and dark brown framed glasses. Ramzi prayed for death when he learned of his son’s passing. His wish was granted a few hours later. Only Diaa survives, facing a long, nightmarish recovery sans skin grafts and painkillers.

    Badr’s older brother Ibrahim published a memorial to him on social media: My little brother, a piece of my heart, if it is true to say, you left us, returning to the gardens of eternity, God willing, a martyr and a bird in paradise. You were a full moon that illuminated my life. My words are powerless before you. I regret all the moments that I could not be by your side and the feeling of helplessness that possessed me in your last days, while you told me I would get out of here safely! I, who was your older brother, could not do anything for you in the midst of this cruel war. May God have mercy on you, Badr el-Din.

    I told Salah the people at the charity saw my message but never responded.

    “Don’t worry,” Salah replied. “God will help us.”

    On July 26th, Salah sent me a video of the funeral procession. Orange stretcher, white shroud, mass grave. They do about a hundred ceremonies a day. In this madness, guilt marries shame. Prayers and prostrations can’t overcome pain.

    On July 27th, the school adjacent to the area they were camping in was targeted with rockets. Thirty-one died and one-hundred-and-fifty were injured. I suppose God did help Salah—none of the casualties were family or friends.

    In the middle of August, Salah’s teenage nephew Qusay had his thumb torn off by shrapnel. His crime? He was shopping with his father. The IDF bombs markets when the refugees have enough food or merchandise to sell.

    Later that week, Salah receives flour from friends in Egypt and sends me photographs of it. Even simple things become important life events.

    The children get new clothes. Jana, in a black top, white and purple leopard print leggings, and a ponytail, feeds the cats. Nada, clad in a pink dress, hair undone, gives them water. The girls are blessed. How can God deny their entry into Paradise after death?

    In early September Salah’s cousin, Dr. Moin Fares Youssef, is killed. He spent fifteen years in Israeli prisons only to be martyred in his own home upon release. There’s a story there, but I never ask Salah what it is. I’ve already learned enough.

    As fall begins, Salah sends me a photograph of Kitty nursing four new kittens, eyes unopened. Two orange, one white, and one calico. Someday, when all the wars end and the humans disappear, the cats will still be there: purring and sunning themselves like they’ve always done.

    You can find out more about Salah El-Din Youssf at his GoFundMe.

    The post The Cats of Gaza first appeared on Dissident Voice.

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  • One Year of Genocide, 100 Years of Colonization

    Never in history has violence been initiated by the oppressed…There would be no oppressed had there been no prior situation of violence to establish their subjugation. Violence is initiated by those who oppress, who exploit, who fail to recognize others as persons…

    – Paulo Friere,  Pedagogy of the Oppressed

    This week marks one year of Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, violence the Israeli regime has been emboldened to escalate in the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. We are reflecting on this moment with a new visual and a re-release of the We Had Dreams platform.

    Using October 7 as a pretext, Israeli officials have targeted the Palestinian people as a whole, unleashing a relentless assault on the essential foundations of their life in Gaza. In this visual, we look at various concepts scholars have developed to capture the all-encompassing destructiveness of genocide.

    From “domicide,” which refers to the systemic destruction of homes, to “scholasticide,” highlighting the deliberate dismantling of education, Israel’s actions have rendered the entirety of the Gaza Strip uninhabitable. A recent report by UNRWA and a group of academics stated that if the genocide continues, it will “set children and young people’s education back by up to five years and risks creating a lost generation of permanently traumatized Palestinian youth.”

    The many “cides” encapsulated in this visual capture the multifaceted nature of this genocide, which will impact Palestinians for generations.

    The post One Year of Genocide, 100 Years of Colonization first appeared on Dissident Voice.

    This post was originally published on Dissident Voice.

  • How Israelis justify genocide to themselves | The Marc Steiner Show


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  • Israel Has Created “Extermination Zone” in North Gaza, Advocates Warn

    Human rights groups are demanding international powers intervene to stop Israel’s creation of an “extermination zone” in northern Gaza this week, as Israeli forces are attacking hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who they have trapped in the region, and are demanding that hospitals evacuate. Several advocacy groups have raised alarm as Israel has embarked on a campaign to seemingly…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • I Gave Birth During Genocide, Into a World I No Longer Know

    “We are waiting for you to arrive tomorrow!” my sister told me in our call on Saturday, October 6, 2023. It was midnight, the perfect ending to a beautiful and calm day. “We will spend such an enjoyable weekend together.” Then it was 6 am October 7, and my life turned into an indescribable nightmare. Rockets whistled everywhere, and no one understood why. Crying and trembling with fear…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Norman Solomon: The US government is responsible for the Gaza genocide


    This content originally appeared on The Real News Network and was authored by The Real News Network.

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  • “The First Live-Streamed Genocide”: Al Jazeera Exposes War Crimes Israeli Troops Filmed Themselves


    This content originally appeared on Democracy Now! and was authored by Democracy Now!.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • UN’s High Ideals Brought down by American Legislation

    After a full year of unbridled genocide in Gaza, escalating slaughter in the West Bank, and now similar crimes inflicted on the Lebanese, Britain’s brand-new prime minister Keir Starmer made this astounding announcement the other day: “We stand with Israel.”

    He also has the UK military helping to protect Israel from Iran’s rockets while doing nothing to defend unarmed Palestinian women and children from the daily carnage inflicted by Israel’s “most moral” military.

    He refers to Hamas’s murderous breakout last October 7 but never mentions Israel’s massacres and other atrocities against Palestinians in the decades leading up to October 7. Yet he practised as a human rights lawyer and was Director of Public Prosecutions. Would you believe it?

    So what makes Western leaders abandon all sense of justice, all common sense and all norms of human decency in order to support, protect and supply a rogue regime in its lust to dominate, oppress, steal and butcher? Why such adoration for Israel in our corridors of power? Nobody I’ve spoken to can understand it.

    But it looks like the culprit could be America’s QME doctrine. In 2008 Congress enacted legislation requiring that US arms sales to any country in the Middle East other than Israel must not adversely affect Israel’s “qualitative military edge” (QME).

    Ensuring the apartheid state always has the upper hand over it neighbours

    Legislation defines QME as “the ability to counter and defeat any credible conventional military threat from any individual state or possible coalition of states or from nonstate actors, while sustaining minimal damages and casualties, through the use of superior military means, possessed in sufficient quantity, including weapons, command, control, communication, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities that in their technical characteristics are superior in capability to those of such other individual or possible coalition of states or nonstate actors.”

    In a speech to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy on 4 November 2011, Andrew Shapiro (Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs at the State Department), enlarged on QME saying: “As a result of the Obama Administration’s commitment, our security relationship with Israel is broader, deeper and more intense than ever before. One of my primary responsibilities is to preserve Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge, or QME. This is not just a top priority for me, it is a top priority for the Secretary and for the President.

    “It is widely known that our two countries share a special bond that is rooted in our common values and interwoven cultures…. We are committed to that special bond, and we are going to do what’s required to back that up, not just with words but with actions.’

    “The cornerstone of America’s security commitment to Israel has been an assurance that the United States would help Israel uphold its qualitative military edge. This commitment was written into law in 2008 and each and every security assistance request from the Israeli Government is evaluated in light of our policy to uphold Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge.”

    ‘Strongly in sync’

    Shapiro explained how, for three decades, Israel had been the leading beneficiary of US security assistance through the Foreign Military Financing programme (FMF) which was providing $3 billion per year for training and equipment. A 2007 memorandum of understanding provided for $30 billion in security assistance over 10 years, allowing Israel to purchase the sophisticated defence equipment it needs to maintain its qualitative military edge. 60 percent of US security assistance funding to some 70 countries went to Israel.

    And here’s the funny bit. Shapiro claimed: “Our support for Israel’s security helps preserve peace and stability in the region. If Israel were weaker, its enemies would be bolder. This would make broader conflict more likely, which would be catastrophic to American interests in the region. It is the very strength of Israel’s military which deters potential aggressors and helps foster peace and stability. Ensuring Israel’s military strength and its superiority in the region, is therefore critical to regional stability and as a result is fundamentally a core interest of the United States.”

    That’s worked well, hasn’t it?

    “The United States also experiences a number of tangible benefits from our close partnership with Israel. For instance, joint exercises allow us to learn from Israel’s experience in urban warfare and counterterrorism.” Yes, gained from decades of assaults, bombardments and brutal persecution of the captive Palestinian people under Israeli military occupation.

    “Israeli technology is proving critical to improving our Homeland Security and protecting our troops. One only has to look at Afghanistan and Iraq…..

    “Israel is a vital ally and serves as a cornerstone of our regional security commitments. From confronting Iranian aggression, to working together to combat transnational terrorist networks, to stopping nuclear proliferation and supporting democratic change and economic development in the region – it is clear that both our strategic outlook, as well as our national interests are strongly in sync…. Our security assistance to Israel also helps support American jobs, since the vast majority of security assistance to Israel is spent on American-made goods and services.”

    It was then time for him to demonise Iran. “The Iranian regime continues to be committed to upsetting peace and stability in the region and beyond. Iran’s nuclear program is a serious concern, particularly in light of Iran’s expansion of the program over the past several years in defiance of its international obligations.”

    Speaking of international obligations, how safe is the region under the threat of Israel’s nukes? Why is Israel the only state in the region not to have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty? Are we all supposed to believe that Israel’s 200 (or is it 400?) nuclear warheads pose no threat? Why hasn’t Israel signed the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, and why has it signed but not ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, similarly the Chemical Weapons Convention?

    Shapiro went on: “Iran’s support for Hezbollah and Hamas enables these groups to fire rockets indiscriminately at Israeli population centers.” A bit like America’s support for the Israeli Offence Force then. “Iran’s extensive arms smuggling operations, many of which originate in Tehran and Damascus, weaken regional security and disrupt efforts to establish lasting peace between Israel and its neighbors. As change sweeps the region, Iran has and should be expected to continue its attempts to exploit much positive change for its own cynical ambitions.”

    And are we to believe that Israel’s long-term illegal occupation of its neighbours’ territories such as Gaza, the West Bank, the Golan Heights and Shebaa Farms has nothing whatsoever to do with the Zionists’ “cynical ambitions”? Has it never occurred to the Americans that Israel’s QME — all that power in the hands of an abusive regime — makes peace impossible? It is deeply worrying that successive US administration don’t seem to realise that Israel doesn’t want peace and never has — that peace gets in the way of its territorial ambitions. Or has America indeed realised this and made it part of the US’s “cynical ambition”.

    Shapiro complained that despite its instability Syria was still providing Hezbollah with critical military and logistical support and that Syria might be supplying sophisticated missile technology. Perhaps he forgets that Hezbollah was set up in 1982 by Muslim clerics to fight the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.

    “For six decades, Israelis have guarded their borders vigilantly,” he said. But he surely knows that Israel has never declared its borders for the simple reason it intends to constantly expand them.

    “We are taking steps to help Israel better defend itself from the threat of rockets from Hezbollah and Hamas. This is a very real daily concern for ordinary Israelis living in border towns such as Sderot, who know that a rocket fired from Gaza may come crashing down at any moment.” Funny he should mention Sderot, now home to Israeli land-grabbers. It is built on the lands of a Palestinian village called Najd, which was ethnically cleansed by Jewish terrorists in May 1948 before Israel declared itself a state. The 600+ villagers, all Muslim, were forced to flee for their lives.

    Najd was not allocated to the Jews in the 1947 UN Partition Plan, they stole it using armed force. Britain, the mandated government, was in charge while this and many other atrocities were committed by rampaging Jewish militia, Najd being one of 418 Palestinian villages and towns they wiped off the map. Its 82 homes were bulldozed and their inhabitants, presumably, became refugees in nearby Gaza. Their families are probably still living in camps there. The sweet irony is that some of them are quite likely manning the rocket launchers.

    Being a target for Gaza’s rockets and only a mile from the prison camp fence, Sderot has become known as ‘the bomb shelter capital of the world’, residents having little time to take cover. It is now a major propaganda asset of the Israeli regime and a compulsory stop on the brainwash tour for gullible politicians and journalists. When Barak Obama visited in 2008 he said: “If somebody was sending rockets into my house where my two daughters sleep at night, I would do everything to stop that, and would expect Israel to do the same thing.” Yes, Mr Obama. But hopefully you wouldn’t be such a plonker as to live on land stolen from your neighbour at gun-point.

    Shapiro revealed that the funding for Iron Dome was above and beyond the $3 billion from FMF. He also remarked that “many Israeli officers and enlisted personnel attend US military schools such as the National War College. These personnel exchanges allow Israel’s future military leaders to acquire essential professional skills, as well as build life-long relationships with their U.S. military counterparts.”

    So it really is a cosy setup.

    Additionally, “Israel benefits from a War Reserve Stockpile that is maintained in Israel by US European Command. This can be used to boost Israeli defenses in the case of a significant military emergency…. Israel is also able to access millions of dollars in free or discounted military equipment each year through the Department of Defense’s Excess Defense Articles program.”

    Sheer bribery

    Shapiro also touched on how the US keeps other nearby nations sweet. “Our longstanding friendship and our extraordinary relationship of cooperation is reflected in the more than $300 million in security assistance that we provide Jordan annually…. For the past 30 years, the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt has served as the basis for the $1.3 billion in annual Foreign Military Financing (FMF) that we provide Egypt. This assistance helps Egypt maintain a strong and disciplined professional defense force that is able to act as a regional leader and a moderating influence. Our assistance helps build ties between militaries, ensures that foreign militaries conduct themselves in restrained and professional ways, and creates strong incentives for recipient countries to maintain good ties with the United States.

    “We have continued to rely on Egypt to support and advance US interests in the region, including peace with Israel, confronting Iranian ambitions, interdicting smugglers, and supporting Iraq.”

    Shapiro was also aware of diplomatic efforts from some quarters to question Israel’s legitimacy. “As the President has said, Israel’s legitimacy is not a matter for debate. We have consistently opposed efforts to isolate Israel. We have stood up strongly for Israel and its right to defend itself…. We have refused to attend events that endorse or commemorate the flawed 2001 World Conference Against Racism, which outrageously singled out Israel for criticism. This Administration has also made clear that a lasting and sustainable peace can only come though negotiations and remains firmly opposed to one-sided efforts to seek recognition of statehood outside the framework of negotiations, whether in the UN Security Council or other international fora.”

    QME’s collision with international law

    He was referring, presumably, to those same old lopsided negotiations that have led nowhere. Israel has no claim to self-defence against a threat emanating from a territory it belligerently occupies. That has been made perfectly clear by the UN and other authorities. It’s the Palestinians who have a cast-iron right to self-defence, using “armed struggle” if necessary, against Israel’s illegal military occupation and murderous oppression (UN Resolutions 37/43 and 3246). UN Resolution 3246 also calls for all States to recognize the right to self-determination and independence for all peoples subjected to colonial and foreign domination and to assist them in their struggle.

    Furthermore Palestinians should not have to negotiate their freedom and self-determination – it’s theirs by right and doesn’t depend on anyone else, such as Israel or the US, agreeing to it. The US, UK and Israel (the latter stating repeatedly that it will not allow a Palestinian state to be created) arrogantly ignore the rights of others. But legal opinion (Wilde) has it that when 138 of the world’s states at the UN General Assembly voted in 2012 to re-designate Palestine’s status from ‘non-member Entity’ to ‘non-member State’, this had the effect of establishing statehood.

    Seriously, could no-one see that America’s crooked QME doctine would clash with justice and international law?

    A further boost to this US-Israel love affair came in July 2012 with an Act called the United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012. It included the following policy statement:

    (1) To reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the security of the State of Israel as a Jewish state. As President Barack Obama stated on December 16, 2011, ‘‘America’s commitment and my commitment to Israel and Israel’s security is unshakeable.’’ And as President George W. Bush stated before the Israeli Knesset on May 15, 2008, on the 60th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, ‘‘The alliance between our governments is unbreakable, yet the source of our friend ship runs deeper than any treaty.’’.

    (2) To help the Government of Israel preserve its qualitative military edge amid rapid and uncertain regional political trans-formation.

    (3) To veto any one-sided anti-Israel resolutions at the United Nations Security Council.

    (4) To support Israel’s inherent right to self-defense.

    (5) To pursue avenues to expand cooperation with the Government of Israel both in defense and across the spectrum of civilian sectors, including high technology, agriculture, medicine, health, pharmaceuticals, and energy.

    (6) To assist the Government of Israel with its ongoing efforts to forge a peaceful, negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that results in two states living side-by-side in peace and security, and to encourage Israel’s neighbors to recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.

    (7) To encourage further development of advanced technology programs between the United States and Israel given current trends and instability in the region.

    Policy (6) is nonsensical given the Israelis’ continuing refusal to recognize Palestine’s right to statehood, the recent passing of nation state laws reinforcing Israel’s apartheid, and the sidelining of international law and justice in seeking instead to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by arm-twisting negotiation.

    Need to eliminate the Zionist Tendency

    As Shapiro reminded his audience, President Truman famously took just 11 minutes to extend official, diplomatic recognition to the State of Israel when it was founded in 1948. He didn’t even have the sense to sleep on it, and the US’s unwavering commitment to Israel’s security has been one of the fundamental tenets of America’s national security ever since. While Truman, a self-declared Zionist, felt sorry for “the victims of Hitler’s madness” his hasty decision created millions of victims of Israel’s evil intent, which was so obvious from the start and is now laid bare for all to see.

    It seems as if the UK has been roped in and superglued to America’s ridiculous infatuation with the apartheid regime and its genocidal maniacs. Here it’s a criminal offence to show support for Hamas or Hezbollah, but it’s business as usual with the loathsome regime in Israel. Clubs supporting Israel are still allowed to flourish at Westminster.

    Our new trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds is reported to be in talks with a minister in Tel Aviv, Nir Barkat, who is one of the more extreme proponents of Israel’s brutal war in Gaza. The department says: “Our teams will be entering negotiating rooms as soon as possible, laser-focused on creating new opportunities for UK firms”, while British embassy officials in Israel talk about the “tremendous opportunity for collaboration between Israeli and British companies”.

    Reynolds was responsible for the decision to end a mere 30 out of the 350 arms export licences to Israel, which was widely considered insufficient for sending the right message. Unsurprisingly Reynolds is a vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel. As such he appears to be in breach of the Government’s Ministerial Code and Principles of Public Life which state that “holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work….. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.” But people with such dangerous affiliation are allowed to occupy many senior Government positions.

    The influence of the Israel lobby is so strong, and its enforcers so enmeshed in the fabric of Westminster politics, that politicians feel they must join their party’s Friends of Israel group and undergo indoctrination to qualify for a senior position.

    With American presidents and senior politicians “either side of the aisle” so firmly shackled to Israel’s nauseating ambitions, it’s no surprise that their poodle, the UK, is similarly compromised. Successive prime ministers and their foreign secretaries have been amazingly keen to endorse Israel’s sense of impunity and grovel to its stooges inside and outside Westminster. How are we to rid ourselves of this malign influence?

    One of the first tasks in securing peace is to purge the ‘Zionist tendency’ from all corridors of power in the West. This is where the problem lies. These are Israel’s pimps and stooges who identify with Zionism and promote its sinister and unlawful ambitions inside the UK and other Western parliaments. They are the root cause of strife in the Middle East. Time they were removed.

    The post UN’s High Ideals Brought down by American Legislation first appeared on Dissident Voice.

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  • “The First Live-Streamed Genocide”: Al Jazeera Exposes War Crimes Filmed by Israeli Troops Themselves

    Seg1 iof bombed gaza

    A new documentary from Al Jazeera takes a look at evidence of war crimes in Gaza in the form of social media posted by Israeli soldiers recording and celebrating their own attacks on Palestinians. We play excerpts from the film Investigating War Crimes in Gaza, now available online, and speak to two of the journalists involved in its production, director Richard Sanders and Gaza-based correspondent Youmna ElSayed. “Israelis themselves were telling us precisely what they were doing and why they were doing it,” says Sanders about the evidence the team reviewed. “They don’t think it’s complicated. They don’t think it’s nuanced. Their rhetoric is often overtly genocidal.” ElSayed adds, “They’ve had all the courage to do that because they know that they are not even going to be condemned.”


    This content originally appeared on Democracy Now! and was authored by Democracy Now!.

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  • Netanyahu Openly Threatens Lebanese Civilians With Violence “Like Gaza”

    In chilling remarks on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu openly threatened civilians in Lebanon with “destruction and suffering” similar to what the Israeli military has inflicted on Palestinians in Gaza. In a video statement, Netanyahu urged the people of Lebanon to fight against Hezbollah, a political group formed in the 1980s to resist Israeli occupation…

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  • Biden Officials Say Ceasefire Talks Are Suspended as Harris Names Iran Top Enemy

    Biden officials have reportedly admitted that ceasefire negotiations amid Israel’s war on Lebanon and genocide in Gaza have been suspended, despite public insistence by high-powered figures within the administration that they are working around the clock for a ceasefire. The Biden administration has given up on ceasefire talks after first proposing a deal for a 21-day ceasefire between…

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  • As Israel Extends Its Genocide Into the West Bank, It Targets and Kills Children

    The Israeli occupation forces have extended their genocidal campaign in Gaza to the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Using drone strikes, troops in armored vehicles and bulldozers, their regular raids since October 7, 2023, have escalated into extensive and deadly attacks. Between August 28 and September 6, Israel launched “Operation Summer Camps,” a major military invasion…

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  • Report: Blinken Signed Off on Israeli Policy to Attack Humanitarian Aid Trucks

    In the early days of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed off on a policy for Israeli forces to attack humanitarian convoys carrying much-needed aid for the millions of Palestinians trapped in Gaza, new reporting finds. Drop Site News, citing reports from Israeli media, revealed in a report this week that the powerful Israeli Security Cabinet developed a plan…

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  • US Has Sent Record $18B in Military Aid to Israel in Past Year — at a Minimum

    As Israel has committed a genocide in Gaza and now threatens to unleash its aggression across the Middle East, the U.S. has sent Israeli forces a record $17.9 billion in military assistance, a new report released on the one-year mark of the genocide finds. According to Brown University’s Costs of War, this is the highest amount of military aid sent to Israel in a year since the U.S.

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  • Movement Media Are Fighting for Palestinian Liberation and Against Censorship

    A bill currently making its way through Congress could kill independent media outlets like ours. HR 9495 is a bipartisan piece of legislation, ostensibly about allowing U.S. nationals wrongfully detained abroad to postpone their tax deadlines — it sounds relatively innocuous. But this bill also includes the text of another bill, one which made it through the House earlier this spring.

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    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Movement Media Are Fighting for Palestinian Liberation and Against Censorship

    A bill currently making its way through Congress could kill independent media outlets like ours. HR 9495 is a bipartisan piece of legislation, ostensibly about allowing U.S. nationals wrongfully detained abroad to postpone their tax deadlines — it sounds relatively innocuous. But this bill also includes the text of another bill, one which made it through the House earlier this spring.

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • American political prisoner reacts to genocide in Gaza


    This content originally appeared on The Real News Network and was authored by The Real News Network.

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