A Voice of America story from November 6 says that Israel isn't too happy with a United Nations resolution accusing Israel of committing war crimes in the Gaza Strip while fighting with Palestinians almost a year ago.
The story says Israel characterized the UN General Assembly as "completely detached from reality." I can sympathize with Israel on this one. The UN has demonstrated an anti-Israeli bias for decades, and the one-sided nature of debate in UN concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has become increasingly ridiculous over recent years.
VOA says, "The resolution was approved by 114 countries with 18 opposed and 44 abstentions. It calls on both Israel and Hamas to open credible investigations into the report's charges within three months. Israel's Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor says the investigation by the U.N.-appointed Goldstone Commission was one-sided and biased from the beginning. 'The mandate of the commission already pre-establishes Israel's guilt; it says clearly that Israel is guilty of massive human rights violations and a number of crimes that are already listed in a mandate,' said Palmor."
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Comments: 23
This is BS. The head of the Commission, who is Jewish himself, made numerous requests for Israeli cooperation & was always rebuffed.
"If I were an Arab leader I would never make terms with Israel. This is natural, we have taken their country."
Gaza is an example of a society that has been deliberately reduced to a state of abject destitution and the quotes of Israeli leaders throughout history explain clearly why. It has led to mass suffering and is aided by the active participation of the United States, European Union, and Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.
The UN recently reported that 1.1 million people, or 75% of the population there are food insecure. Some 70-80% of Gazans live on less than a dollar a day and the unemployment rate is around 60%.
The UN says about 10,000 Gaza residents have no access to a water network – while about 60% — about 1 million people – don’t have access to water daily and receive water only intermittently. The water consumption of Gazans is less than a third of what Israelis who live a short distance away use.
In a similarly precarious situation, the sewage system is also being prevented from being repaired by the blockage of spare parts. As a result, twenty million gallons of raw and untreated sewage has to be dumped into the Mediterranean every day, according to local officials.
Forty-six percent of all children suffer from acute anemia there, former UN official and international Law Prof. Richard Falk said. He adds that thousands of hearing aids are needed for widespread deafness due to sonic booms from Israeli jets. The restrictions on travel access alone has killed an estimated 260 Palestinians since the blockade escalated in 2007, Palestinians denied travel visas who are/were in need of medical care not available in Gaza.
Greg, please try to imagine if three quarters of the people in your city could not find enough food and water to feed themselves or their children, where the overwhelming majority of them were unemployed, where nearly everyone lived on less than a dollar a day, and this is crucial, that all of this was the planned result of political decisions of a foreign government that has held you under military occupation for over four decades.
Even today, the most basic commodities for life still continue to be barred by the Israeli government. Materials like wood for doors or cement for rebuilding in the aftermath of the destruction left by the last attack remained barred.
No electrical appliances, like refrigerators or washing machines, and no parts for cars are allowed. Also restricted are fabrics, threads, needles, candles, matches, mattresses, sheets, blankets, cutlery, crockery, cups, glasses, musical instruments, books, tea, coffee, sausages, semolina, chocolate, sesame seeds, nuts, milk products in large packages, most baking products, light bulbs, crayons, clothing and shoes. Yes, crayons.
School supplies too, are blocked from entering. More than 100 trucks full of stationary are still awaiting clearance to enter Gaza. All of the 387 government-run and 33 private schools, which serve more than 250,000 students, lack essential supplies. Draconian restrictions on glass, wood, and other building materials, has kept the hundreds of schools damaged during the assault remaining in terrible condition.
When an occupying army blocks, tea, blankets, crayons, and school stationary from entering the largest prison on Earth, severely restricts essentials like fuel and medicine, makes travel in and out all but impossible, and exercises complete control over its borders, airspace, and seas, the pretense of 'security' seems dubious at best, and suggests that turning Gazans into beggars and Gaza into a 'depoliticized humanitarian catastrophe' is precisely the plan.
Again, Greg, we differ tremendously on a subject of great importance. I do want to mention that I had my Barmitzvah in New Jersey, one of our states populated most densely with Jews and my grandmother has surely rolled over in her grave numerous times as a result of illegal Israeli aggression. She knows what illegal aggression looks like. She barely escaped Poland at the age of 14, a mere child.
She recognized that Zionism was born of terror. Lest we all forget, the Irgun and the Haganah were termed 'terrorist organizations' by both the UK and the US yet over the course of many, many years the political leaders of Israel came from those very organizations. These are organizations responsible for the purposeful murder of Brits, Arabs and Americans and some of us just won't forget.
The Palestinians are attempting to defend themselves against what is generally considered by the people of the globe to be a terrible repression and what borders on genocide, committed by Israel for the past 40 years.
Have the people of my city been harboring terrorists who fire rockets at civilians? Have the people of my city committed torture and other atrocities against their fellow citizens because those fellow citizens belonged to a different political party?
By the way, Israel tried trading land for peace in Gaza. Remember, Israel was told that if it left Gaza it would not be attacked from Gaza. How'd that work out for the Israelis? The rockets coming from Gaza would seem to indicate that the Palestinians did not live up to their end of the bargain.
How is it that you fail to mention once the continued attacks on Israel instigated by Palestinians?
However, Gaza has been under siege since its inception and land has been stolen quite consistently additionally. The people of Gaza are only responding the way both you and I would under the same circumstances. And Greg, we both surely would.
"By the way, Israel tried trading land for peace in Gaza. Remember, Israel was told that if it left Gaza it would not be attacked from Gaza. How'd that work out for the Israelis?"
Greg, Israel never owned any land to trade. Giving back to someone what was once theirs isn't a fair trade. The Balfour Declaration was promoted by the Rothschild family to provide a place for Jews to live. Neither the Rothschilds or the Brits had the right to make that declaration. It's an abomination.
The facts on the ground? The Brits were simply exhausted, tired of losing lives to the terrorist organizations called the Irgun and the Haganah. They capitulated and they gave to the Jews that which really wasn't theirs to give.
Currently there is an effort underway in the UK to correct this wrong by admonishing the UK government for ever having made the Balfour Declaration in the first place.
What would happen if Iran decided to give Iowa to the Shia? We don't now give away the land of others to religious groups. We did. It just hasn't worked out very well. Of course we here in the western world often make mistakes. This was clearly one of the most egregious ever.
The crux of the problem is that human social, political and economic concepts are predetermined simply by place of birth. You weren't born in Palestine. You were born in the USA. That's where your perceptions were shaped. Were you born in Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan or other Arab countries your perceptions would be much different; not certainly but more than likely.
Good that you were born here Greg. Fortunate. And fortunate for me too. Yet it's a shame that you can't shake the perceptions that your society has molded into you and recognize the real human suffering, the true carnage, the mass murders committed by western societies in the name of democracy, which, when exercised in a way we deem inappropriate is then vilified. The very first democratically elected government in the Arab world is reviled and denigrated.
Had it been accepted by the western world we might very well have made some progress but that progress would have entailed Israel giving up valuable land, which they won't do. Why should they? It would mean their demise. They are plagued with a lack of water resources, natural resources and a lack of land. They have no choice but to continue to wage war against Arab nations, or perish. That doesn't make it right.
Gaza has been under seige not because Israel wants Gaza, but because attacks on Israel have originated from Gaza since Gaza's inception. And land has not been stolen. It has been appropriated militarily as a means to stop attacks against Israel. The taking of land is in response to Palestinian actions.
"Greg, Israel never owned any land to trade."
To the victor go the spoils. If attacks from Gaza had not made seizure by the Israelis a necessity, we wouldn't be having this conversation.
"What would happen if Iran decided to give Iowa to the Shia?"
Iran doesn't have the ability to do more than give Iowa to the Shia through rhetoric. Given that, the hypothetical doesn't really matter.
"The very first democratically elected government in the Arab world is reviled and denigrated."
Perhaps that's because it practices terrorism.
Out of curiosity, what would you do with the people of Israel, given that you seem to want them gone from Palestine?
Israel dismally fails the requirements of a tolerant pluralistic society, according to a new report from the U.S. State Department.
Despite boasting religious freedom and protection of all holy sites, Israel falls short in tolerance toward minorities, equal treatment of ethnic groups, openness toward various streams within society, and respect for holy and other sites.
The comprehensive report, written by the State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, says Israel discriminates against groups including Muslims, Jehova's Witnesses, Reform Jews, Christians, women and Bedouin.
The report says that the 1967 law on the protection of holy places refers to all religious groups in the country, including in Jerusalem, but "the government implements regulations only for Jewish sites. Non-Jewish holy sites do not enjoy legal protection under it because the government does not recognize them as official holy sites."
At the end of 2008, for example, all of the 137 officially recognized holy sites were Jewish. Moreover, Israel issued regulations for the identification, preservation and guarding of Jewish sites only. Many Christian and Muslim sites are said to be neglected, inaccessible or at risk of exploitation by real estate entrepreneurs and local authorities.
The report makes it clear that practices that have become routine in Israel are considered unacceptable in enlightened countries and should be corrected.
Among other examples, the report notes that more than 300,000 immigrants who are not considered Jewish under rabbinical law are not allowed to marry and divorce in Israel or be buried in Jewish cemeteries.
They have gay bars, liberal movies, comic books, and a super dooper symphony - for now. Until the Muslims close it down.
In the arsenal of freedom we have two categories of victims. The innocent people killed in the Twin Towers were worthy victims. The innocent people killed by Nato bombers in Afghanistan, in wedding parties no less, are unworthy victims. Israelis are worthy. Palestinians are unworthy. It gets complicated. Kurds who rose against Saddam Hussein were worthy. But Kurds who rise against the Turkish regime are unworthy.
"Gaza has been under seige not because Israel wants Gaza, but because attacks on Israel have originated from Gaza since Gaza's inception. And land has not been stolen. It has been appropriated militarily as a means to stop attacks against Israel. The taking of land is in response to Palestinian actions."
Greg, that's all pure fantasy although I recognize that you truly believe it.
When an individual is fully propagandized by the social, economic and political constructs developed by the elites of their society through schooling, employment and media indoctrination over many years not only can't they recognize reality they can't even recognize that they can't recognize reality.
"The taking of land is in response to Palestinian actions."
The taking of land is in response to nothing. It's a necessary part of the racist regimes social, economic and political agenda. The land would have been taken regardless of what the Palestinians had or had not done.
It's all smoke and mirrors Greg. What's so surprising is that a bright and intelligent guy like yourself has fallen for it. So sad.
The web site 'Criminalize War' has it right.
Some people think war is necessary. They posit that we've had war for 7,000 years and more.
Well, women at one time couldn't vote and equal rights for black skinned people were unheard of. Social paradigms change over time and the current social paradigms fomented by the global elite are slowly, ever so slowly, changing. The people are simply tired of war.
War benefits a very, very few filthy rich people. They convince the masses to participate with a job and medals. They would NEVER participate themselves. They use the media and schools to promote their agenda.
We imprison people that murder, unless they commit mass murder, then we legalize it by naming it 'war.' For those that believe war is necessary, think again. It isn't.
"Until the Muslims close it down."
A purely racist comment, since Muslims have movies and symphonies too Greg. The ones that don't are the ones that live in Totalitarian regimes only capable of life as the result of US support. Egypt and Saudi Arabia come to mind.
Something like Yossi & Jagger, a bitter sweet story about gay Israeli soldiers in love, would never never never play in any Muslim movie theater.
Are you disputing that attacks against Israel have been launched from Gaza since its inception? Somehow I doubt the folks on the receiving end of those rockets would agree with you. It's a simple cycle, really. Rockets are launched from Gaza. Israel occupies Gaza and the rockets stop (or at least decrease significantly). Israel leaves Gaza and the rockets return. Military necessity, John.
"When an individual is fully propagandized...."
That's pretty insulting. I'm a fairly well educated guy, but I somehow missed the fact that you were so much more enlightened than us common folk.
"A purely racist comment...."
It wasn't my comment.
Upton Sinclair
Henry Kissinger is both well respected internationally and also equally vilified. Depends who you listen to. I'll end with his quote. It wreaks of reality.
"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State."
- Joseph Goebbels, Nazi Propaganda Minister　
"Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
-Hermann Goering, President of the Nazi Reichstag
It is precisely this "Islamo-fascist/War on Terror" lie which is propagated by not only right-wing media personalities such as Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly among many others, but an increasing amount of left-wing media talking-heads like Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow as well now that "their guy" is in power. The war is suddenly OK. "Obama is just doing his best to clean up Bush’ mess. There’s only so much he can do, you know." Yeah, right.
Well, my fellow patriotic Americans, it’s not OK.
It’s not OK that we went into Iraq, killled over 1 million innocent civilians, polluted their soil and water with depleted uranium munitions, displaced millions of other Iraqis, and have turned their country into a third-world cesspool so that we could control their oil. We bombed them back into the stone age. It’s not OK that we went into Afghanistan so that we could re-invigorate the opium trade (which had been all but decimated by the Taliban), keep the black market money flowing to fund the CIA, ISI, MI6, Mossad, etc., and ensure record crops of poppy fields while "our troops" stand guard. Pat Tillman was about to come home and expose it all until he was murdered by his own government.
So, Greg, please understand that when you blindly say you "support the troops" because that’s what good Americans do, you are only supporting the individual and NOT their command or their mission. For it has been proven that their mission is a lie, a fraud, unconstitutional and illegal. Support the individual and pray for their safety - not only from our "supposed" enemies who are merely defending their own homeland, sovereignty, property and natural resources, but from those in our own government who use them merely as instruments in their sick and twisted game of global empire and world domination.
Listen to two videos by Craig Murray, Greg, the former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan. The pertinent portion begins at 3 minutes 20 seconds into the second video although the entire 20 minute speech is interesting. The link is below,
As Henry Kissinger, one of the long-time establishment’s "elite" minions and another questionable winner of the Nobel "Peace" Prize, so bluntly put it, "Military men are just dumb stupid animals to be used as pawns in foreign policy." This is the same attitude of your leaders in DC.
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people-to-be-%E2%80%98raped-with-broken-
bottles%E2%80%99-2/
Yes, of course, it is deplorable that I would want people who fire rockets at civilians in Israeli towns and who allow suicide bombers to cross into Israel to attack restaurants, buses, and theaters to be held accountable for their actions.
"Perhaps Hamas, though they are a duly and democratically elected government that was never even given a chance to negotiate at length."
Isn't funny how that whole terrorism thing makes people averse to negotiating with Hamas?
"It’s not OK that we went into Iraq, killled over 1 million innocent civilians...."
The UN estimates don't even come close to that number. They say a couple of hundred thousand. IraqBodyCount says 93,000 - 102,000. The Pentagon says 95,000.
Pat Tillman was murdered by our government? Okay, credibility's gone.