Uprooted Palestinians are at the heart of the conflict in the M.E Palestinians uprooted by force of arms. Yet faced immense difficulties have survived, kept alive their history and culture, passed keys of family homes in occupied Palestine from one generation to the next.
GAZA, (PIC)-- The Egyptian authorities on Friday refused, without giving reasons, to allow an Algerian aid convoy into the Gaza Strip.
An informed source told the Palestinian information center (PIC) that the authorities in Egypt did not allow 16 Algerians including three lawmakers, national figures and dignitaries to enter Gaza with their humanitarian aid.
According to the source, the authorities told the delegation that they can allow the three lawmakers to pass into Gaza without the aid, the thing which was rejected by the Algerian delegation.
The source said that the participants in the convoy were outraged by the obstacles placed by Egypt, especially as this visit was coordinated through the Algerian embassy and was already approved by the Egyptian side.
In another incident, Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahhar, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, spoke by phone on Friday with the organizers of the Egyptian grassroots convoy and told them that his Movement welcomes them anytime in Gaza.
These remarks came following rumors saying that the Palestinian government in Gaza refused to receive the convoy.
For its part, the Palestinian government headed by premier Ismail Haneyya denied in a press statement to the PIC on the same day that it refused the entry of the Egyptian convoy and affirmed that it is ready to receive it anytime.
Spokesman for the government Taher Al-Nunu said that the government in Gaza is always ready round-the-clock to receive any convoy coming to break the blockade on Gaza.
About 500 Egyptian citizens arrived in the Egyptian side of Rafah crossing and failed to enter Gaza, while some media outlets rumored that the Palestinian side was not ready to receive them.
The Egyptian authorities are still persistent in impeding the flow of aid convoys into Gaza, not allowing in any humanitarian aid and imposing tight restrictions on the entry of activists.
Washington – Reuters’ Tom Perry sat down with Palestinian PM Salam Fayyad in Ramallah Thursday.
There Fayyad called for a reopening of Gaza based on a 2005 agreement meant to reunify the West Bank and Gaza.
“Reopening the crossings actually creates a much better environment for reuniting the country and the Palestinian institutions with it,” the prime minister said.
Fayyad said the renewed international attention on Gaza should result in the opening of land crossings immediately. Other wise, Gaza runs the risk of becoming more isolated, Fayyad said.
While the sea vessels attempting to run the Gaza blockade has brought greatly needed attention to the beleaguered territory, Fayyad warned that, “If the approach of reopening Gaza focuses on, let’s say, … exclusively maritime traffic, I see a serious risk of that putting us in a situation where we end up having Gaza as a stand-alone entity.”
To most effectively address the reopening of Gaza, Fayyad advocated the 2005 agreement, brokered by the US and EU after Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza.
Perry reported:
“The most logical way of going about it is to once again reactivate that,” Fayyad said of an agreement which included understandings on Gaza’s land crossings to Israel, its seaport, airport and the Rafah crossing to Egypt.
It also provided for the passage of goods and people between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. “I understand that not all the elements included in that agreement … can be implemented tomorrow,” Fayyad said.
But land crossings could be opened immediately, he said. “The framework is there, let’s get on with that and approach it this way,” he said.
Restoring the deal would result in the Palestinian Authority managing the Gaza crossings. “That’s what actually existed before and that’s what that framework that I referred to provides for and I see no reason why that can’t also happen,” said Fayyad.
This could be problematic for Hamas which remains hostile to Abbas and has built a Gaza police force numbering some 13,000.
Asked whether Hamas would accept, Fayyad said: “I have no reason to believe otherwise. All Palestinians are unified in wanting to see the siege lifted.” Freedom of movement between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank is essential, Fayyad added. “Safe passage has got to be part of the structure of the state of Palestine in accordance with the two-state solution concept,” he said.
A critique through the eyes of an exiled Palestinian
By nahida the Exiled Palestinian
After almost one century of Zionist terrorism in Palestine, the world is gradually waking up to this racist and destructive ideology.
Contributing to the heroic Palestinian Resistance, this growing awareness will incidentally precipitate the abolition of the Zionist ideology and its hideous manifestation, just like slavery or Nazism were abolished.
The Palestinian Resistance and its allies represent an exemplary model of diversity and cooperation across borders, race, age, economic circumstances, religion or nationality.
In essence, the Palestinian Resistance is a model of inclusion, the radical contrary of the exclusivist Zionist ideology.
Contrary to the gory Zionist project, our true and sincere aspirations are long lasting Peace, Justice and Freedom. For us, this will restore of the true foundations of Palestinian society.
After almost a century of unrepentant Zionist terrorism in Palestine, all doubts have vanished: The only real road to Peace is a full and unconditional Liberation of Palestine, liberation from this supremacist ideology and liberation from the perpetrators. That will inevitably mean a return to the original, peaceful society Palestine was before the Zionist invasion.
To be called again “The Holy Land”, Palestine must be reunified with its people, the Palestinians.
Only Palestinians can heal the disfigured landscape and Holy City of Jerusalem, for the benefit of humanity. Only Palestinians will open its doors to all those who come in Peace, as they had in the past, contrary to the present day Zionist occupiers and their apocalyptic weaponry and dishonesty, their bulldozers uprooting millennial olive groves, destroying biblical World Heritages, evicting entire families from their ancestral houses and neighbourhoods, bringing harm and destabilization all across the Middle-East and to the world.
To aim towards the Liberation of Palestine, it is vital to establish a clear, firm and visionary strategy, one that is not sabotaged by diversions, deflections, dilutions, obfuscation or control by anyone with slightly different objectives than the Palestinians themselves.
As a person who holds this Liberation dear to my heart, and as someone who was involved for many years- with various shades and colours of activism in support of the Palestinian struggle, I can testify personally of the significant change in people’s awareness and level of support to this just cause; thanks to the endurance and perseverance of Palestinians and the passionate hard work of our supporters across the globe.
In order to plan a successful strategy, the global solidarity movement needs to:
·Define clearly its aims in a way that does not contradict or lower the aims and objectives of Palestinians themselves
·Identify the parameters of struggle -that keeps the movement’s aims unambiguously resolute and persistent- as well as keeping the core issues on focus
·Select themethods and tactics that are most likely to function in their locality while supporting Palestinians on the ground –under occupation- to select and implement their own
This requires a system of communication for consultation, synchronization, and support of the Palestinian people and their representatives, at home and in the Diaspora.
So far, the international solidarity movement (in the wider sense) has been wonderful. It has to a certain extent provided some of these requirements.
However, despite its sincerity and ceaseless efforts to mobilize and generate support, it fails to notice a “small detail”; namely the lack of representation of Palestinians at the decisive level of its action, both in strategy planning and implementation. Consequently, the real aspirations of the Palestinians risk to remain vague and not easily defined. Hence it falls a little short in representing, conveying and carrying forward all of Palestinian aims of Justice, Freedom and legitimate Self Determination.
To fill these positions by Palestinians can be a challenge for various reasons, but it causes a huge gap in authentic representation. In addition, the solidarity movement being made up of so many quite diverse groups, the task of acquiring consent for cohesive objectives of all parties becomes almost an impossibility.
Nevertheless, to rise up to the task of defeating one of the most brutal regimes and militarized societies in history, a profound understanding and comprehensive vision of the Palestinian aspirations is needed, including the capacity of swift coordination and cooperation within the whole spectrum of Palestinians, i.e. their political diversity and geographical dispersal.
Furthermore, one cannot fail to notice that there is a level of subtle steering and goal-planning of the movement by some groups, especially anti-zionist Jewish solidarity groups, some of which (knowingly or not) share with the zionists FINAL AIMS of conquest and colonization more than they realize or dare to admit, and more than what they actually share with the Palestinians
Let me explain;
Many of our Jewish supporters, individuals and groups (including leading intellectuals) vigorously oppose Zionism, and condemn “Israel’s” crimes and brutality. At various degrees, they also play a significant role in documenting and exposing “Israel’s” crimes, and are unambiguously critical of the Zionist apartheid discrimination policies towards Palestinians. Yet their vision of a solution always keeps at heart the interests of their co-religionists, co-culturalists (Jewish zionists, occupiers of Palestine), as they seek to secure a good future for the perpetrators hand-in-hand with that of their victims:
§.. Some persist in supporting the obsolete two-state solution, irrespective the fact that this would subjugate Palestinians to the crushing “iron fist” of the occupier’s military, and force them to accept the annexation of 80% of their land !
§. Others oppose boycott campaigns under the pretence that this tactic is ineffective and it would harm Palestinians, irrespective of the almost unanimous call by most Palestinian political affiliations in support of a Boycott and Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)
§S. Some categorically oppose the inalienable Right of Return of Palestinians on the grounds that it is allegedly unpractical, hence unrealistic, that the “Israelis will never agree to it”, as it would cause political suicide of the Jewish state. On such grounds Algeria, all other colonial entities, would have never liberated themselves!
§. Others go as far as supporting BDS, the Right of Return of refugees and a one state solution, but they fail to go all the way toward Justice, since they request from Palestinians acceptance of their form of government, their judicial organization, their decision to accept the final stay of the formerly “Israeli” population! This tramples most elementary rights of ownership that can not be obliterated by violent conquest, right of Self-Determination that can not be obliterated by assassinations, Sovereign rights that can not be obliterated by mere “facts on the ground” perpetrated by violent invaders. The times of “wiping indigenous populations off the map” are over. The time has come for Palestinian indigenous people to reign and decide over their own land, and Palestinian state affairs are the sole decision of the Palestinians themselves, and not of the occupiers.
Disturbingly, our Jewish supporters promote the unwarranted contention that final status of liberated Palestine should be decided jointly with the invaders, irrespective the fact that these invaders have absolutely no rights whatsoever, neither to the land (robbed by force) nor to the policy/ law making, moreover in light of their abysmal record of genocidal activities against Palestinians.
Establishing an independent judicial system will enable Palestinian to prosecute criminals, restore property rights to the rightful owners, and eventually decide upon compensations.
Depriving the victims of their inherent rights to freedom and justice by forcing upon them the permanent presence of the occupier on their stolen lands, imposing “equal rights” in favour of the occupiers, giving them free hand to shape the future status of Palestine, unequivocally equates to give high reward for crimes. And this thrice:
First: by giving the occupier the privilege to stay in the land they robbed by force (making a mockery of any rule of law, as did the contrived Law of “return” and the “absentee” laws), again all under the pretext of “facts on the ground, we are here, nothing can be done about it”
Second: by the sheer fact that the occupier is empowered, even militarily, and his assaulted victims are disempowered, giving the occupier “equal rights” to plan and shape the state of Palestine, unequivocally sets up the Palestinians to be on the shorter end again, de facto limited to only minor input, to the sole profit of the Zionist occupier.
Third: under the most absurd pretence that restitution “would create another injustice”, some are hoodwinked to believe that the Zionist occupiers should be granted the privilege to “keep the loot”, lands, property, rights, everything!
A few examples of “supportive” Jewish anti-zionist groups and excerpts of some aims as quoted from their own websites:
1)Jews for Justice for Palestinians (UK)
Peace in the Middle East will only come about with mutual recognition and respect and must be seen as just by both sides.
A lasting peace must be seen as just by both sides.
We support the right of Israelis to live in freedom and security within Israel’s 1967 borders.
To secure a lasting settlement to the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis so they can live in peace and security, thrive side by side, and co-operate together, Jews today are obligated to pursue justice on behalf of both peoples.
2) JUST PEACE LEICESTER (UK)
We believe that a peace settlement taking equal account of the needs and human rights of Palestinians and Israelis, Arabs and Jews and all other
3) Scottish Jews for a Just Peace (UK)
SJJP is a diverse group of Jews committed to peace, social justice, and human rights in the Middle East. We support the right ofboth Palestinians and Israelisto self-determination and to live without fear of violence or oppression.
support for the right of Israelis to live in freedom and securitywithin Israel's 1967 borders.
4) British Shalom-Salaam Trust (UK)
Supports projects both within Israel’s 1967 borders (the ‘Green Line’) and the Occupied Territories. We work closely with Palestinians andIsraeli Jews committed to a just resolution of theconflict in Israel/Palestine based on equality and mutual respect.
5) European Jews for a Just Peace (a federation of Jewish groups in ten European countries), whose principles include:
recognition of Israel’s 1967 ‘green line’ borders
the recognition of the right ofboth states to have Jerusalem as their capital
6) Jewish voice for peace (USA)
Mission Statement includes:
JVP seeks an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem; security and self-determination for Israelis and Palestinians
Wesupporttheaspirations of Israelisand Palestinians for security and self-determination.
Israelisand Palestinians have the right tosecurity, sovereignty, and self-determinationwithin political entities of their own choosing.
7) Independent Jewish Voices (Canada)
Palestinians andIsraelis alike have the right to peaceful and secure lives.
8) Independent Australian Jewish voices (Australia)
We are committed to ensuring a just peace that recognizes the legitimate national aspirationsof bothIsraelisand Palestinians with a solution that protects the human rights of all.
9) J Street
the organization seeks provide a political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans who believe that a "two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is essential to Israel’s survival as the national home of the Jewish people and as a vibrant democracy."
J Street supports Israeland its desire for securityas the Jewish homeland, as well as the right of the Palestinians to a sovereign state of their own
J Street would support [...] a two-state solution under which the Jewish neighborhoods of Jerusalem would fall under Israeli sovereignty and the Arab neighborhoods would be under Palestinian sovereignty.
J Street believes that reaching a sustainable two-statesolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is both a fundamental American interest and essential to the survival and security of Israel as a democracy and home for the Jewish people
Another example from a supportive intellectual:
Professor John J. Mearsheimer : “it is essential that the Palestinians make clear that they do not intend to seek revenge against the Israeli Jews for their past crimes, but instead are deeply committed to creating a bi-national democracy in which Jews and Palestinians can live together peacefully”
“Palestinians should definitely not employ violence to defeat apartheid”
The only exception I found throughout my research of anti-zionist Jewish groups was the example of IJAN, “International Jewish Anti-zionist Network”. I can only praise and commend IJAN for their declarations and charter. One beautiful example of how our supporter should be in their understanding and respect of Palestinians:
From IJAN Charter:
We commit our hearts, minds and political energy to support the varied and vibrant resistance movement of the Palestinian people and to confront the injustices for which the countries we live in are responsible.
We respond wholeheartedly to the call from Palestine for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel.
It is not our job to prescribewhat road the Palestinian people should take toward definingtheir future. We do not presume to substitute our voices for theirs. Our strategies and actions will emerge from our active relationships with those who are engaged in the range of liberation struggles within Palestine and in the broader region. We will support their struggle to survive, to hold their ground and to advance their movement as best as they can, on their own terms.
We are partners in the vibrant popular resistance movements of our time that defend and cherish the lives of all people and of the planet itself. We are partners in movements that are led by those most impacted by imperial conquest, occupation, racism and the global control and exploitation of people and resources. We stand for the protection of the natural world. We stand by the rights of indigenous peoples to their land and sovereignty.
Solidarity with the struggle for Palestinianself-determination, including full political, economic, cultural, social and land rights for all those living in the historic Palestine, and the right of returnfor its refugees;
Rejection of the Israeli apartheid state, premised on Jewish supremacy and Zionist ideology, and support for all struggles for legal and economic equality against it;
Challenging the current use of Islamophobia as a strategy for defending and justifying an imperialist US-European agenda;
Challengingwhite racism, including its manifestations as Ashkenazi racism against Mizrahi Jews;
Challenging the privileging of Jewish voices in conversations and negotiations about Palestine;
IJAN an amazing model of how our supporters could/ should be like; supportive without being condescending, determined but not directing the struggle, advising but not imposing their vision, proactive but not taking the lead
But unfortunately, the fact is that the majority of our Jewish supporters display a completely different attitude and behaviour, as demonstrated clearly by their aims and objectives, by their lead-taking, imposing their agenda on the solidarity movement as well as on Palestinians, and promoting the permanent colonization of Palestine by zionist Ashkenazi invaders, though using soft and humane tactics
The pushiness and doggedness of such influential cluster of these groups and intellectuals, have managed skilfully to direct the vibrant and dedicated solidarity movement and caused the subtle steering of its direction, away –as far as I am concerned - from attaining the true aims and full aspirations of the Palestinians, victims of almost one century of ruthless, sadistic occupation.
Bottom line is: Almost all the so called “anti-zionist” Jewish groups who “support” the Palestinians, have exactly the same aims and objectives as their zionist “enemy”; i.e. enabling, supporting,and securing the Jewish-zionist project and their permanent illegal, and immoral colonization of Palestine, be it as it may under a different name and altered regime.
This troubling conclusion urges to scrutinize how these facts have been translated as strategy on the ground:
It appears that the strategy is manifested in three main aspects: diversion, steeringandholding back:
. . . Diversion:
Fighting Anti-Semitism has been strategically inserted at the CORE of the Palestinian struggle, and made to be an essential part of it:
By highlighting and placing the “Jewish concerns”, “Jewish problems”, “Jewish interests”, “Jewish peace groups and activists”, “Jewish suffering”, “Jewish hopes” and “anti-Jewish racism” at the heart of the debate, rather than the fundamentals of “Palestinian oppression”, “Palestinian concerns”, “Palestinian problems”, “Palestinian interests”, “Palestinian resistance”, “Palestinian dreams”, “Palestinian hopes” and “anti-Muslim racism”.
Another focus is the promoting of “Israeli” peace camp way beyond their real size, importance and effect, giving them a prime value and prominent platforms to advance their agenda which in almost all groups fall very short from fulfilling the minimum requirement of justice
As they celebrate these groups -who are in fact an integral part of the colonial zionist project, inadvertently, they would be beautifying and glossing over the face of an army of conquest and presenting an illusive fake image of the occupation -who consist of both extremist as well as less extremists, or the so called “peace groups”.
Furthermore; some activists happily attach and emphasize the word “Jewish” or “Jews” to any good organizations, honourable ideologies and positive actions: “Jews for peace”, “Jews for justice”, “Jews against zionism”, “Jewish voices for peace”, “Jews are at the helm of social justice and intellectual progress”…etc ,while at the same time they get incensed if the word “Jews” or “Jewish” is used factually to describe some negative actions, immoral /supremacist ideologies or corrupt organizations.
Moreover, under the pretext of fighting anti-Semitism, they engage in downplaying, suppressing, ignoring or dismissing information that exposes the role of “Israel” lobby, or the problematic and extremely serious aspects of racism, supremacy, financial corruption, media control, political manipulation and intimidation within the Jewish-zionist community, or worse, they might even go as far as accusing with anti-Semitism, those who raise eye brows or dare to question such pervasive ideologies, infiltration and control.
As such, they would be neglecting the alarming outcome of such silent or vocal dismissal, which might be inescapably viewed as passive complaisancy if not active complicity.
Another observation, is that some anti-zionists supporters would be more than willing to debate with, hold civil discussions and dialogue with zionists of all shades (soft and extreme), with the pretext of hoping to enlighten them and win them to our camp, YET, they are fanatical objectors of engaging other Jewish supporters, they boycott, isolate and even label with anti-Semitism those supporters who go all the way in their support of Palestine; because they advocate the right of Palestinians and Palestinians alone to lead the struggle and shape their future, they dare to blow the whistle on and bring to light the racism and supremacy that exist within some branches of Judaism, and they dare to underline, criticise and disapprove the colossal influence of the Jewish-zionists in the Western political sphere
In the meantime, and as a consequence to this diversion and muddle, and instead of purely focusing on the Palestinian struggle, the solidarity movement finds itself spellbound, orbiting the trajectory predicament of (is it anti-Semitic? does it hurt the sensitivity of “Jewish people”?)
As a consequence:
“Comparing Palestinian suffering to the suffering of Jewish people becomes a taboo, as it would upset “their sensitivity” and hurt their feelings”.
“Palestinians need to understand their fears”.
“Palestinians ought to give them time to comprehend that the theft of another country is wrong as they are traumatized by the holocaust”.
“Palestinians must appreciate the magnitude of their pain and as such must break it very gently and very s…l…o…w…l…y to the zionist oppressors that they are actually engaged in holocausting and ethnically cleansing them!
The insistence on the implant of “anti-Semitism” and the “holocaust” at the heart of the Palestinian struggle, and the false contention that organized anti-Semitic activities is alive and kicking is of course a grotesque deception, an absurdity when you contemplate the level of prosperity and influence many Jewish groups and lobbies have achieved all over the Western world since the end of WW2.
This insertion serves many purposes:
Firstly: to protect and perpetuate the concept of “Jews are eternal victims”, which in turn belittles the unrelenting ongoing suffering of the Palestinians compared to the “unique”, “millennia-old” Jewish suffering
-->, and gives the occupiers a head start by a priori winning of the hearts and sympathy of the neutral observer
Secondly: to hoodwink the naïve “progressives” to focus on the sparse “anti-Jewish prejudice”, and by doing so detracting them from focusing on the alarmingly widespread anti-Arab, anti-Muslim hatred.
Thirdly: to legitimize the very core of the Zionist ideology; by validating their dogma of “Jewish nationalism” and endorsing the idea of the necessity for a Jewish “homeland” (be as it may, at the cost of another nation).
Fourthly It justifies the final takeover of some/entire lands of Palestine as an obligation to compensate, protect, and secure the future of Jewish people. Under the ploy: “Their eternal suffering needs to stop and they undeniably deserve to get their own land and self determination”
Influenced by the agenda of supportive Jewish anti zionist groups, the aims of the solidarity movement and the perimeters of argument for Palestine ends up confined and defined primarily by the “unique” case of racism “Anti-Semitism”, and its omnipresence materialization, the holocaust. That evidently, pushes the Palestinian cause to the periphery.
Supportive organizations of Palestine find themselves obliged to express disdain of anti-Semitism, before even asserting its support of Palestine.
In other words, before being eligible as a supporter for Palestine one must vigorously, repeatedly and at every juncture proclaim his/her innocence from the dreaded charge of anti-Semitism, one must also convey his/her innermost grief and sincere apologies for the “unique” crime of the holocaust, furthermore, one must express sympathy with the victims of the holocaust by wishing them “peace, security and prosperity” on the land they’ve stolen! Then one must confirm his support for equal rights for “both” peoples (criminal and victim, oppressed and oppressor alike)
As such, supportive organizations find themselves cornered into accepting the fallacy and the bizarre depravity that a foreign invader has as much right to the land he subjugated by force and robbed by deceit, as the rightful owner!
ØNever mind that Palestinians have nothing to do with neither European anti-Semitism nor the holocaust
ØNever mind that since the end of WW2, there is no real anti-Semitism except amongst those racist fringe groups who are naturally inclined to hate any “other” and everything that is different
ØNever mind that in most countries of the Western world, Jewish-zionist organizations (secular and religious) have accumulated an inordinate level of power and influence, a reality inconsistent with the claims of “thriving” anti-Semitism.
ØNever mind that the holocaust is stopped and publicly shunned since over sixty five years ago, yet the incessant, chronic holocaust of Palestinians is ongoing
ØNever mind that at present, the most vehement form of racism in the West (fomented and inflamed by hasbara zionists) is anti-Muslim hatred and racism
ØNever mind that the permanent highlighting and celebrating the marginal “Jewish israeli peace camp”, only reinforces the zionist agenda of concealment of truth about their bloodthirsty entity, and gives the false impression of a “balanced”, “democratic” and “civilized” society whose only problem is its corrupt government, and if a change of “israeli” establishment occurs the Palestinian problem would be instantaneously solved.
ØNever mind that these peace groups (international or “Israeli”) are not representative neither of the international Jewish community nor the zionist Jewish community in occupied Palestine
ØNever mind that these peace-groups are a tiny minority labelled, ostracised and despised by the pro-zionist Jewish majority, whether in occupied Palestine or outside
ØNever mind that ALL Zionists share the same aim as anti-zionist groups with regard to this issue of highlighting anti-Semitism. Zionists put enormous amount of resources and energies to the same cause; namely vociferously keeping the issue of anti-Semitism and the holocaust “religion” alive, inserted at the core of the Palestinian struggle, as a charade of “fighting” anti-Semitism when in fact all it does is to distract and divert from the REAL ONGOING holocaust against Palestinians.
2). Holding back:
Our anti-zionist Jewish supporters opt to impose their views on forms of resistance, limiting the choice of tactics of Palestinians by suggesting that the only path that Palestinians should take in order to achieve their aims is to abandon all form of armed resistance, and confine only to non-violent resistance.
ØNever mind that Palestine is a nation sitting at the edge of annihilation, virtually abandoned by the international community
ØNever mind the inconceivable impact of continuous oppression on the psychological health of any human being subjected to such abominable circumstances
ØNever mind the timeline, of almost one century of being the object of zionist aggression, bloodshed, torture and utter disrespect for life
ØNever mind the basic human right given to every human being to defend ones’ self when attacked
ØNever mind the international law which granted an oppressed group or nation to seek its liberation by all means necessary; including armed resistance
ØNever mind that real historical examples -ancient and contemporary- had shown us time and again that occupied nations have used armed resistance successfully and effectively in order to free themselves from invaders
ØNever mind that by restricting the resistance with the non-violent tactics they serve perfectly the zionist occupier and create a buffer zone of safety, security and breathing space for him which helps him to continue his aggression without worry, and to persist creating of facts on the grounds without hindrance.
3) . Steering:
The end of the struggle and the future solution -as defined by our anti-zionist Jewish supporters- must be either “two states” with 1967 borders, or “one SECULAR state, for TWO peoples”:
With the pretext that “no one can change the facts on the ground”, “they are there now and nothing can be done about it”, “this kind of colonization happened before and some natives have lost their homelands to invaders”, “migration of populations is a normal human thing”, “Jewish people have the right to a homeland and self determination”, “we cannot solve an injustice by creating another injustice”
ØNever mind that one of these people is an invading impostor “nation”
ØNever mind that the fraud “nation” had ethnically-cleansed the indigenous nation and caused it an inconceivable amount of suffering and horror for over a century
ØNever mind that this imposer “nation” gathered itself from all corners of the planet and illegally implanted itself replacing the authentic nation
ØNever mind that this impostor “nation” claims the ownership of the land on falsified mythical ground
ØNever mind that a fake “nation” have no right to exercise its “self-determination” at the expense of another authentic nation
ØNever mind that other previous historic colonisations happened centuries ago and we have no time-machine to go and fix them, yet what is happening in Palestine is happening NOW before our eyes, it can be stopped and reversed
ØNever mind that “never again” is used very conveniently and becomes obsolete when it comes to Palestinians
ØNever mind if the majority of the authentic inhabitants of the land –namely the Palestinians- might actually aspire to have their own choice of future government, and might like to exercise their freedom to choose their representatives whom might not be to the liking of their anti-zionist supporters, but may rather be genuine and natural representation of their authentic culture and civilization of the ME
ØNever mind that the goals of the anti-zionist here, yet again, coincides and fits perfectly with the goals of zionist; namely, ensuring and securing the PERMANENT stay of the invaders in the land of Palestine
Let me be clear:
The road to Palestine does not pass either through Nazi-Germany or through Auschwitz for that matter.
Fighting the zionist occupiers of our land does not begin with fighting anti-Semitism
Palestinians do not have to “convert” to the holocaust “religion” in order to gain “salvation” and liberation
No decent human-being would demand to live on STOLEN land and still claims to have some humanity
No decent human-being could claim that the perpetrator should have the same rights as the victim
Palestinians are under no obligation to hold back their march for freedom, to curtail their aims or to smother their rights for the sake of accommodating and not offending their Jewish supporters
Palestinians are always grateful and appreciative of the hard work and dedication of all their supporters whomever they are, however, Palestinians have NO obligation to adopt the aims and objectives of the anti-zionist Jewish supporters instead of their own
Dismissing the Palestinian voice as radical, reactionary, intolerant, or unreasonable, and requiring the Jewish-anti-zionist validation to have legitimacy to speak for Palestine, contradicts basic concepts of human rights and does not do justice to Palestinians.
Palestinians have the ultimate right to choose their strategy and tactics of resistance that they deem most suitable for achieving their freedom, reinstatement of rights, and aspirations
Those tactics should not be manufactured or imposed upon them, leading in effect to more protection of the occupier and sheltering him from pain and from facing the consequences of his actions.
Palestinians have the ultimate right to choose their vision for their future, of FREE Palestine including the type of government, the writing of constitution, the construction and implementation of their legal and juristic system, which stems from and corresponds to their ethics and reflects and protects their culture.
Palestinians have the ultimate right to make the final decision on who is allowed to stay in liberated Palestine and who is not, using the legal procedure of their own choice.
The future of the Palestinian struggle and the aim of liberation of Palestine should not be designed to shield the occupier from paying the full price of his crimes; including the punishment of all those who participated in transgression, and the deportation of the illegitimate Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants who colonized Palestine forcefully and were engaged in acts of aggression against Palestinians including serving in the IOF
All refugee and their descendents have the unconditional right to come back home, they, the rightful indigenous owners are also entitled to the reinstatement of ALL confiscated (stolen) land and property, compensation for all their losses over the many years of exile and they are also entitled to Palestinian citizenship wherever they are.
The aims and dreams of most Palestinians are not confined to the change of zionist regime or the vacuous declaration of abandonment of zionism by the Jewish-zionist occupiers, but rather to the FULL Liberation of Palestine and the restoration of all their rights
It is the privilege of Palestinian to decide who should stay in their homeland and who’s not.
After a century of terror, theft and crimes, had the Zionist shown any signs of remorse, respect or willingness to be decent guests, had they embraced with open arms the hospitable people of Palestine rather than destroying them with fire-arms; they might have had a chance to be accepted and forgiven. Not any more, as far as I am concerned. They have lost that opportunity
For all the above, I repeat; the strategy of liberation requires emancipation
12/06/2010 The United States on Friday denied reports that the White House would back a United Nations investigation into Israel's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla two weeks ago.
"We are not aware of any resolution that will be introduced at the UN next week," State Department Spokesman Philip Crowley said at a White House press conference.
"We are in discussions with the UN, and I think UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is evaluating the situation."
"We support an Israeli led investigation and we are open to the potential ways in which the international community can participate in it," Crowley said.
Nine pro-Palestinian activists were killed when Israeli commandos intercepted a six-boat convoy trying to break Israel's maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Crowley said: "The investigation has to be impartial so it can been seen as credible. International participation in some fashion can enhance the result, the outcome and the support for the investigation."
According to a report by The Weekly Standard, an American journal, senior White House officials had told foreign governments that U.S President Barack Obama's administration would back a UN push for an independent committee to probe the Gaza raid.
The report claimed that the White House had shrugged off concerns that an international probe would unfairly single out Israel.
According to the Standard, U.S. officials said they had no fear the investigation would be biased - even though it would focus only on the behavior of the Israeli occupation army, leaving out any part by Turkey or Hamas in events that led to the fatal confrontation aboard the Turkish-flagged 'Mavi Marmara'.
Meanwhile, Israel and the U.S. agreed Thursday on the nature of an Israeli inquiry into the flotilla interception.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to make an announcement on committee in the coming days, also giving details of its make-up and powers.
Whenever the gang that has seized power in Israel wants to move forward their agenda—their plan to use American lives to dominate not only the Middle East but Central Asia—they reach into their bag of tricks.
Sometimes it’s a simple story: “rockets from Gaza” or another phony bin Laden audio tape. However, too often, as we have learned time and time again, something very bad happens at just the right time. Some imaginary terrorist group with no planning ability, no logistics, and no influence or history of being able to move men or material shows up in New York, Detroit, London, Dubai, Madrid or Mumbai. The signature is always the same: help through airports, high quality documents and timed perfectly to advance the Israeli agenda. This time, with two stolen nuclear weapons in play, bombs built by South Africa and Israel available for detonation in a shipping container at any American or European port, we wonder, “Would Israel really go this far?”
The stolen nukes are part of the original ten weapons, Uranium-235 based, built by Israel in South Africa. The first one was tested on September 22, 1979 in the Indian Ocean and discovered by an array of sensors and satellites. The Israeli lobby in the US suppressed an American reaction and kept the story out of the press. However, as the story of these nuclear weapons is now established fact and subject of a recent speech by President Obama, denial is a waste of time. But what President Obama wasn’t told when he thanked South Africa for destroying these weapons is that three of them “went missing.”
While six weapons were shipped to the US and destroyed, three were in British hands but were hijacked, we were told initially, by Saddam Hussein and later Syria. This was the real reason for the invasion of Iraq. This was a useful story that killed off a rival of Israel’s—a useful lie that also killed 5,000 Americans.
Israel also told us Syria had them but we didn’t buy it. Then, Israel convinced the US that these bombs might show up in Gaza and be smuggled through tunnels into Israel. America agreed to support turning Gaza into a prison camp with us building the wall around it, using the Army Corps of Engineers.
This is another lie. The bombs have been in Israel all along, for the past 18 years—except for one that mysteriously exploded in North Korea.
Israel has been trying to hang that one on Pakistan. They are also setting the stage for nuclear terrorism by spreading continual stories about terrorists having access to Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. It isn’t to get America to go in and seize it. Pakistan has a one million-man army, highly trained and well equipped. Not only are terrorists not going to get Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, the United States isn’t up to the task either. Pakistan has never lost nuclear material but America has—several times. But that is another story.
Some time ago, Israel began preparing the US for a nuclear weapon to be detonated in a shipping container. Through Israeli assets in the US, starting with Senators Schumer, Waxman, Lieberman and McCain, to the mainstream media, to Chertoff, to the storytellers of Hollywood, the story has been planted in the minds of every American. “America can’t protect her ports.” “A ‘loose nuke’ can be used at any time.” “Billions need to be spent on Israeli technology to protect America.” “A weapon is ready to be unleashed at any time…”
The continual stories, the daily fabrications that Israeli security forces feed America’s intelligence network are never seen by most Americans. First, we are told Saddam has them. Then, Israel says Syria has them. Then, Israel tells us Syria sent them to Lebanon. Then, we are told they are in Iran. Then, we are told Hezbollah has them and is trying to smuggle them into Israel from Lebanon. Then, Israel tells us that they are on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla on a Turkish ship, loaded by “Islamic extremists.”
There is one way to really secure the world from nuclear blackmail. The world must demand that Israel give up her nuclear weapons. The world must demand regime change in Israel. Not since the end of WWII has any government represented as severe a danger to world peace as the current extremist regime that has hijacked power in Israel, turning it into a military dictatorship.
When things were going well for Israel, with America “eating out of her hand,” the only terror attacks we had were the joke in Times Square and the Detroit “crotch bomber”—all dripping with the Mossad signature. Now, with the free people of the world descending on Israel like avenging angels, it is time to worry.
Israel, arms merchant to the world, with billions of dollars of weapons sales, has a long history of working with weapons of mass destruction. Along with the nuclear plants in South Africa and the bomb facility at Dimona, poisons, diseases and toxic gasses of every kind were developed for years. The Israeli-South African “axis of evil” churned out filth of every kind, sold to the highest bidder. The South African Truth Commission has made the records public for any to see—but nobody is looking. Having that kind of power in the hands of sociopaths can have dire consequences—acts of murder and piracy, unanswered questions about why the Mossad was in place filming 9/11, or where the missing nuclear weapons are.
----------
Gordon Duff is the senior editor of Veterans Today.
Anguished Suicide Note Cites ‘Deluge of Doublethink’ In Driving Kind-Hearted Shrink to Despair
Moshe Yatom, a prominent Israeli psychiatrist who successfully cured the most extreme forms of mental illness throughout a distinguished career, was found dead at his home in Tel Aviv yesterday from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A suicide note at his side explained that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been his patient for the last nine years, had“sucked the life right out of me.”
“I can’t take it anymore,” wrote Yatom. “Robbery is redemption, apartheid is freedom, peace activists are terrorists, murder is self-defense, piracy is legality, Palestinians are Jordanians, annexation is liberation, there’s no end to his contradictions. Freud promised rationality would reign in the instinctual passions, but he never met Bibi Netanyahu. This guy would say Gandhi invented brass knuckes.”
Psychiatrists are familiar with the human tendency to massage the truth to avoid confronting emotionally troubling material, but Yatom was apparently stunned at what he called the “waterfall of lies” gushing from his most illustrious patient. His personal diary details the steady disintegration of his once invincible personality under the barrage of self-serving rationalizations put forth by Netanyahu.
“I’m completely shocked,” said neighbor Yossi Bechor, whose family regularly vacationed with Yatom’s family. “Moshe was the epitome of the fully-integrated personality and had cured dozens of schizophrenics before beginning work on Bibi. There was no outward indication that his case was any different from the others.”
But it was. Yatom grew increasingly depressed at his complete lack of progress in getting the Prime Minister to acknowledge reality, and he eventually suffered a series of strokes when attempting to grasp Netanyahu’s thinking, which he characterized in one diary entry as “a black hole of self-contradiction.”
The first of Yatom’s strokes occurred when Netanyahu offered his opinion that the 911 attacks on Washington and New York “were good.” The second followed a session in which Netanyahu insisted that Iran and Nazi Germany were identical. And the third occurred after the Prime Minister declared Iran’s nuclear energy program was a “flying gas chamber,” and that all Jews everywhere “lived permanently in Auschwitz.” Yatom’s efforts to calm Netanyahu’s hysteria were extremely taxing emotionally and routinely ended in failure. “The alibi is always the same with him,” complained another diary entry. “The Jews are on the verge of annihilation at the hands of the racist goyim and the only way to save the day is to carry out one final massacre.”
Yatom was apparently working on converting his diary into a book about the Netanyahu case. Several chapters of an unfinished manuscript, entitled “Psychotic On Steroids,” were found in his study. The excerpt below offers a rare glimpse at the inner workings of a Prime Minister’s mind, at the same time as it reveals the daunting challenge Yatom faced in seeking to guide it to rationality:
Monday, March 8
“Bibi came by at three for his afternoon session. At four he refused to leave and claimed my house was actually his. Then he locked me in the basement overnight while he lavishly entertained his friends upstairs. When I tried to escape, he called me a terrorist and put me in shackles. I begged for mercy, but he said he could hardly grant it to someone who didn’t even exist.”
Michael K. Smith is the author of "Portraits of Empire" and "The Madness of King George," from Common Courage Press. He can be reached at
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- Al-Quds newspaper revealed Friday secret documents indicating that the Israeli municipal council in occupied Jerusalem and the interior ministry’s planning and construction committee assigned a committee to Judaize the whole Al-Buraq square (wailing wall).
The newspaper said that the committee was composed of head of the municipal council Nir Barakat, his deputy, the head of the planning and construction committee, the rabbi in charge of the Buraq wall, and representatives of Zionist companies.
This committee met three times between November 2009 and January 2010 and approved plans to construct new buildings in the Buraq square and expand Jewish structures already built illegally in the area.
These plans include a three-story building, a museum for the Jewish religion, and the expansion of Davidson center located in the so-called archaeological park, south of the Buraq wall.
In later meetings, the committee will discuss other plans to build new buildings in the Buraq wall, according to the newspaper.
Lawyer Qais Nasser, a specialist in settlement affairs, told the newspaper that the work of this committee is not legal at all because it lays plans in compliance with the Judaization goals of the Israeli government and the interests of the Zionist companies that want to turn the Buraq wall and the area around the Aqsa Mosque into a shrine for the Jewish people.
He noted that the committee did not tell the Jordanian and Palestinian sides about these plans and ignored the UNESCO which classified Jerusalem as a world heritage property that must be protected according to its charter issued in 1972.
12/06/2010 “Saudi Arabia has practiced standing down its anti-aircraft systems to allow Israeli warplanes passage on their way to attack Iran's nuclear installations,” a British newspaper reported on Saturday.
“The Saudis have allocated a narrow corridor of airspace in the north of the country that would cut flying time from Israel to Iran,” the London Times reported.
“The Saudis have given their permission for the Israelis to pass over and they will look the other way,” the Times quoted an unnamed U.S. defense source in the area as saying. “They have already done tests to make sure their own jets aren’t scrambled and no one gets shot down. This has all been done with the agreement of the [U.S.] State Department.”
Once the Israelis had passed, the kingdom’s air defenses would return to full alert, the Times said. “We all know this. We will let them [the Israelis] through and see nothing,” the Times quoted a Saudi government source as saying.
According to the report, the four main targets for an Israeli raid on Iran would be uranium enrichment facilities at Natanz and Qom, a gas storage development at Isfahan and a heavy-water reactor at Arak. “Secondary targets may include a Russian-built light water reactor at Bushehr, which could produce weapons-grade plutonium when complete”.
“Even with midair refueling, the targets would be as the far edge of Israeli bombers' range at a distance of some 2,250km. An attack would likely involve several waves of aircraft, possibly crossing Jordan, northern Saudi Arabia and Iraq”, the report said.
Aircraft attacking Bushehr, on the Gulf coast, could swing beneath Kuwait to strike from the southwest, the Times said. Passing over Iraq would require at least tacit consent to the raid from the United States, whose troops are occupying the country. So far, the Obama Administration has refused this, the report claimed.
RAMALLAH, (PIC)-- Israeli occupation forces (IOF) as usual used force to quell Palestinian anti wall marches in a number of West Bank village on Friday, detaining a number of marchers in the process.
Local sources said that the IOF soldiers fired teargas bombs and rubber-coated bullets at demonstrators in Nilin village, Ramallah district, while heading to confiscated land lots.
On the other side of the wall Zionist settlers chanted anti-Arab slogans such as "Death to the Arabs", and supported the IOF in their violent quelling of the march.
In Bilin, Ramallah district, IOF troops arrested five journalists, and released three of them later, locals said, adding that a reporter was wounded in the confrontations while dozens were treated for breathing difficulties.
Locals said that the IOF soldiers blocked foreigners from entering Bilin, telling them that the village is a closed military zone and that if they were present near the area close to the wall they would be detained and deported.
IOF soldiers detained a Palestinian taking part in the anti wall march in Ma'sara village, Bethlehem district, and blocked the marchers from reaching the wall.
Tens of Palestinians also took part in a similar demonstration in Wadi Rahal village, Bethlehem district, but were blocked by the IOF soldiers from reaching the separation wall.
GAZA, (PIC)-- Hamas MP Dr. Salah Al-Bardawil has asked the Fatah faction to stop media stunts about its wish to reconcile with Hamas, doubting its bid to forge national reconciliation.
Bardawil in a press release on Friday said that Fatah, which is involved in the siege on Gaza and in security coordination with the Israeli occupation authority, would not wish for such reconciliation to take place.
Hamas is ready to sign real national partnership agreement with Fatah that would not give up Palestinian constants, he said, calling on Fatah not to try to impose foreign agendas on Hamas or ask his movement to recognize Israel and agreements signed with it.
Why would Israel, in a deliberate and methodical operation planned over a week in advance - according to statements by senior Israeli military commanders made in Hebrew-language media days before the attack - target an unarmed ship on a humanitarian mission flying the flag of Comoros? (Unlike Turkey, Comoros is a party of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which has jurisdiction over war crimes committed on vessels of member states.)
Why would Israeli commandos shoot nine unarmed activists dead with nine millimeter bullets at close range, between the eyes, in the top of the head, in the back of the head, in the chest, in the back, and in the legs - including an American citizen? (The final death toll may be 15, as six activists are still missing; Israeli army radio reported 16 dead early last Monday when the attack took place on the Mavi Marmara, a part of the Free Gaza flotilla.)
How could Israel think it would get away with it by censoring video and photos - and then getting away with it all over again by refusing an international, independent commission to investigate the incident and subsequent cover-up?
Why, geopolitically, would Israel declare war on the de facto international community - from Muslim nations to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member-countries to global public opinion?
Is this merely a case of a "dysfunctional government", as Bradley Burston wrote in the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz. And strategically speaking, is there any method behind the madness? Or is the method actually the madness?
Be afraid, be very afraid
There may be a very simple answer to all these questions: fear.
Let's survey Israel's possible motivations. A key Israeli motive to attack the humanitarian flotilla was to send a "signal" to Turkey about the Brazil and Turkey-mediated Iran nuclear fuel-swap deal - as its success pre-empted Israel's pleas for a military strike on Tehran's nuclear facilities. Israel wants conflict between Washington and Tehran - and that means using the Israel lobby in Washington to sabotage US President Barack Obama's half-hearted attempts at finding any sort of agreement with Tehran over its uranium-enrichment program.
Israel wants a weak Turkey - out of the loop both in the Middle East and the European Union (EU). Turkey is an emerging, key regional power now with good, stable relations with its neighbors. Turkey is key for the US: 70% of all supplies for US troops in Iraq go through the Incirlik base in Turkey. Turkey has troops fighting the US war in Afghanistan. Not to mention that Turkey - in Obama's own terms - represents the key bridge between the West and the Muslim world.
The White House gave a wimpy response, "The United States deeply regrets the loss of life and injuries sustained and is currently working to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragedy." This was also Washington's signal to Turkey that the Brazil-Turkey mediation on the Iran nuclear fuel swap deal was not exactly welcome.
Iran agreed last month with the leaders of Brazil and Turkey to send most of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey to be held in escrow pending delivery of fuel rods for the Tehran Research Reactor.
As much as Israel wants Turkey immersed in deep trouble with both Syria and Greece, and fighting a nasty internal Kurdish problem, Ankara is not exactly trembling because of Israel's "message". In terms of conventional military strength, Turkey is ahead of Israel itself; and moreover it is a very important US NATO ally.
Another key Israeli motive was to undermine and in fact abort any possibility of meaningful peaceful negotiations with the Palestinians and the Syrians - and to cut Turkey from the loop. Turkey is very much involved in the Palestinian tragedy. It is trying hard to breach the gap between Fatah and Hamas. A key Israeli aim appears to be to sabotage any Turkish-led peace initiative to solve the Palestinian problem that includes the essential provision of a fully denuclearized Middle East - anathema to (undeclared) nuclear power Israel.
To round it all up, there is the crucial element of fear itself. As the once-fabled Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have struggled in battles with Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006 and Hamas in Gaza in 2008, they have had to come to grips with the fact that their tanks are now vulnerable to Russian-made rocket-propelled grenades; their ships are now vulnerable to Hezbollah's made in China missiles; and their planes will soon be vulnerable to Russian S-300 surface-to-air missiles.
The new axis in town
And this has led to the ultimate Israeli nightmare. The new key axis in the Middle East is Turkey, Iran and Syria. It used to be only Iran and Syria. Its historical legitimacy simply cannot be questioned, as it unites Shi'ite Iran, secular Syria and post-Ottoman Sunni Turkey. There are many fascinating side-effects of this cross-fertilization - such as more than a million Iraqis, many of them very well educated, finding a new life in Syria. But the most remarkable effect of this axis is that it has smashed the same old divide-and-rule logic Western colonialism has been imposing on the Middle East for more than a century. Turkey's destiny may not be firmly attached to a fearful Europe that really does not want to embrace it after all; Turkey is to become once again a leader of the Muslim world.Iraqi Kurdistan is now virtually independent - according to Washington's designs. Israel is robustly active everywhere in Iraqi Kurdistan. At the same time, the US actively supports the Iraq-based Kurdish Workers' Party separatists in eastern Anatolia as well as Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK) separatists in Iran and Kurdish separatists in Syria. The Turkish military spent no time analyzing these crucial developments. Their conclusion: NATO is not exactly a panacea. We must focus on the Middle East.
Life for the new axis won't be easy. United States covert operations have tried to destabilize Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - to no avail. The same for US Central Intelligence Agency black ops in Sistan-Balochistan province in southeast Iran, as a means to destabilize the regime in Tehran. And the same for shady covert ops meant to bring a new military dictatorship in Turkey. But while US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton perfects her vociferousness, Assad, Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad got together this February in Syria and advanced their partnership.
Crucially, Russia immediately stepped in to fill the US-provoked void. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has been to Ankara and Damascus and has positioned himself in favor of full reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas and a fully functional Palestinian state side-by-side with Israel.
Even US Central Command commander General David “I'm always positioning myself to 2012” Petraeus has been forced to publicly admit that US strategic ally Israel - because of the non-stop colonization of Palestine and the blockade it is enforcing in Gaza - has become an immense burden for US strategic designs.
Russia on the other hand supports the new Turkey, Syria and Iran politico-economic axis. Visa-free travel between Ankara and Moscow is now on. Russia's Rosatom and Atomstroyexport are finishing Iran's Bushehr nuclear power station this August; are discussing the building of other plants; and have clinched a Turkish nuclear power station deal worth US$20 billion (Syria is also interested). Stroitransgaz and Gazprom will bring Syrian gas to Lebanon - as Israel prevents Lebanon from exploiting its considerable offshore reserves. Russia is on a roll. Tehran will soon receive its already paid-for S-300 missiles. And Syria will soon get a new naval base.
In Pipelineistan, Russia and Turkey are now brothers in arms. Russia will build a crucial Samsun-Ceyhan pipeline to bring Russian oil from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. Moreover, Turkey is about to join the Russian South Stream gas pipeline - and that means a direct blow to the troubled US/EU-supported Nabucco.
Russia - just like Turkey - also wants a fully denuclearized Middle East, which implies a non-nuclear Israel. This will be discussed at the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency.
Thus, essentially, Israel fears the new Turkey, Syria and Iran as much as it fears Russian support for it. A new Middle East is being born - and there seems to be only one place for Israel: isolation.
Israel's "mad dog" strategy - conceived by former military leader Moshe Dayan - is not exactly an exercise in fitting in. Even centrist Middle East analyst Anthony Cordesman, an establishment icon at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, wrote an essay under the title "Israel as a Strategic Liability?"
Big Brother Washington may be - forever - blind to it; but if you are a state and your strategy is to configure yourself as South Africa at the twilight of apartheid - by the way, at the time Israel was trying to sell nuclear weapons to South Africa - method is the last thing to be found in your madness.
Uprooted Palestinian
