White House: "Syria would be a much better place without President Assad!"

Via FLC

"... The two leaders agreed that the bloodshed must immediately end, the White House said. Separately, presidential spokesman Jay Carney stopped just short of calling for President Bashar Assad's ouster, saying that Syria "would be a much better place without him ...  

We believe that President Assad's opportunity to lead the transition has passed," Carney told reporters traveling on Air Force One with Obama to Michigan...  

The White House said Obama and Erdogan also agreed that the demands of the Syrian people for a transition to democracy must be met, and that the pair agreed to consult closely in the coming days as the situation in Syria develops..."

Clinton: "We are going to say 'he has to go', but we need others to follow!"

"... Clinton: Well, I think we've been very clear in what we have said about his loss of legitamacy. But what we really need to do to put the pressure on Assad is to sanction the oil and gas industry. And we want to see Europe take more steps ... And we wanna see China... We wanna see India... We want to see Russia ...
Pelley: You're not going to say he has to go?
Clinton: We are, I think, building the chorus of international condemnation. And, rather than, you know, us saying it and nobody else following, we think it's important to lead and have others follow as well..."

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

PA security officials meet in-camera with American counterparts

[ 13/08/2011 - 10:55 AM ]

RAMALLAH, (PIC)-- US security officials held a secret meeting in Ramallah with Palestinian Authority security leaders to discuss security developments, the Hebrew radio reported on Saturday.

It quoted well informed Palestinian sources as saying that several such meetings were held before in Ramallah to discuss “horizons of security cooperation with Israel”.

They said that the meetings, held away from the media, were also meant to discuss possible field developments in light of the PA insistence on asking for UN recognition of a Palestine state next month.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

"Rebels Without a Cause in London’s Tahrir Square"

A building in London set on fire after it was ransacked by the looters.

“Could those riots be related to the Norway bombing? Will the aftermath reveal the true reason behind these copycat lootings and arsons? Are we going to witness another example of multiculturalism failure, or rather provoked to the point of failure, in yet another European capital?”

Dr. Ashraf Ezzat

A lot of pundits and opinion makers held back from rushing into commenting on the rioting that’s been taking place in London and other British main cities over the last few days simply because they were overawed by the unbelievably horrifying and unprecedented pictures of the seemingly mindless thuggery, vandalism and theft that were being broadcast live around the globe.
Great Britain, the European nation with the long legacy of unshakeable social traditions and respect for freedoms and private properties was being humiliated and embarrassed before the whole world by some groups of its new generation of small boys and girls.
You can comment on events you can understand but how could you react to eventualities that you don’t even believe you’re beholding.

Rioting for fun

The brazen looting by often drunk kids, who seemed to get a kick out of setting the city ablaze, made this whole inferno in need of behavioral sociology and psychiatry experts, and not the op-ed writers, to delve into this grotesque situation and analyze the reasons behind it.


YouTube - Veterans Today -London Riot Girls 'Brag' About Violence

The British police has not been the only party caught by surprise by this unprecedented rioting the British government, as clearly shown by Mr. Cameron statements, has not been less startled or bewildered but that doesn’t make him or his government less responsible for it.

Mr. Cameron has referred to the riots as acts of pure criminality that could not be accepted or justified by any means but while that statement struck a chord in the British house of parliament it demonstrated a total ignorance and lack of understanding on the part of Cameron’s government of the nature of the breakdown in the British society.

Mark Duggan

Looking at the footages and pictures of the London riots, released by the mainstream media and uploaded on the web, we couldn’t help noticing that all of the rioters are simply kids in their mid-teens. And yet those kids sowed fear and did harm to their communities like never been witnessed since the London blitz.
All this talk about how this anarchy was triggered by the killing of a Tottenham black man, 29 -year-old, Mark Duggan or trying to historically relate it to the Brixton riots of the early eighties somehow seems hardly relevant to the completely disproportionate violence and copycat looting and vandalism that erupted afterwards.

Remembering Egypt riots

In Egypt a similar incident of the killing of an Alexandria resident, 28-year-old, Khalid Saeed, by two police detectives who beat him to death last year has considerably sparked and contributed to the first mass rallies that led to the January 25 uprising.

Khalid Saeed

But the rallies and the thousands who took to the streets of Alexandria and Cairo were peaceful protesters who rallied for undeniably good and just cause with specific demands that primarily called for political freedoms, equality and social justice.

But when we turn back to the British riots we fail to see any obvious criteria to help us recognize it as political or socio-economic upheaval and as the famous comedian, John Bishop condemned the violence on Richard Bacon’s BBC 5 live programme and said: “None of us really know what’s driving it. It’s not rioting for any political reason, it’s not rioting for any social motivation, it’s not even rioting for a materialistic reason because once the lootings done why set fire to the building? And that to me, gives some sort of indication that people don’t feel socially connected to the environment they’re in.”
Similar looting and arson have racked major Egyptian cities during the uprising but later we discovered that those acts of vandalism were preplanned by the Mubarak regime loyalists and his state security apparatus. Will the coming days reveal a hidden link to the London riots?

Could those riots be related to the Norway bombing? Will the aftermath reveal the true reason behind these copycat lootings and arsons? Are we going to witness another example of multiculturalism failure, or rather provoked to the point of failure, in yet another European capital?

War on terrorism and the European looming recession

Young Londeners wearing hoods looting stores in broad daylight.

I think while the successive British governments have been engaged and fully preoccupied in allying with the United States in the so called global war on terrorism, the British policy makers, and a lot of other European governments, have overlooked the plausibility that by their military overspending in the illegal wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and now in Libya they were not only full speed into bankruptcy but also falling short in tackling other vital domestic issues like proper education and employment.
The taxpayer bailout of corrupt banks initiated by predecessor Prime ministers and now overseen by Cameron, paid for in large part by austerity in public spending cuts that have consequently weighed down on the housing, proper education and employment of the new generation is but the latest realization of Karl Marx words “An accumulation of wealth at one pole of society indicates an accumulation of misery and overwork at the other”. That is the hallmark of capitalism in today’s Britain, the US and Europe.
What on earth were those marginalized British teens thinking?
Well, that is not so hard to figure out. If you can control what people see, hear and read you can pretty much control what they think. And the crimes those young Londoners have apathetically committed testify To the reality that those teens were brought up under the street laws, forsaken by their government, addicted to violent video games and booze and subjected to too much Harry potter and street gangs’ movies.

Emulating Tahrir Square sit-in.

Potests in Tel Aviv, the first of its kind, that attracted the world's attention to israel as a nation

Mr. Cameron mentioned that he will not allow a culture of fear to prevail in England but somehow ignored the fact that many governments dating back to Mr. tony Blair’s contributed to this culture of fear by allowing a whole new generation to grow up with no sense of national belonging and with extremely worrying anti-social attitude.

Ever since the Egyptian uprising erupted and the Tahrir square sit-in example has been emulated in so many countries, we have seen it in Bahrain, Yemen, Spain and lately in Israel.

In Yemen and Bahrain the protests were calling for pro-democracy measures, in Spain they were protesting unemployment and in Israel, besides protesting the high cost of living and housing the Israelis subconsciously are trying to linger this unprecedented moment not only to pressure Netanyahu’s government into making economical concessions but also to bask in the warm feeling that the world is watching them, and may be for the first time, not as an aggressive military Middle-Eastern enclave but as a nation, for a change.

But in England we failed to see through all the riots and the arsons except the fear and a society on the verge of anarchy and Reeves’ Corner, Croyden, didn’t certainly look like London’s Tahrir square.
Mr. Cameron can blame this whole anarchy on hoodies and facemasks, on blackberry and Twitter, on discriminatory police conduct and lack of proper parenting but the fact will remain that the British society is evolving into some new polarized society the lower classes of which have exhibited in the past few days a nationwide tendency towards forsaking an old British value of respecting pro-sociability and adopting instead the primitive comradeship that is only a good value for street mobs and rebels without a cause.
For more articles by Dr. Ashraf Ezzat visit his website


YouTube - Veterans Today -London riots - Rebels without a cause

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Rep. King: ‘Thou shalt not make movie on OBL’

Posted on August 13, 2011 by rehmat1

“The moral standing of the IRA (a terrorist organization) is equal to that of the British army,” said Rep. Peter King in 1995.

Rep. King who as Chair of the Congressional Committee on Homeland Security has been holding investigations to question American Muslims’ loyalty to the country they live in while believing that ‘every Muslim is not a terrorist, but all terrorists are Muslims’.

Interestingly, Peter King refuses to conduct similar investigation involving Jewish and Christian American, especially those who carry dual citizenship and are welknown to work for the interests of a foreign entity, Israel.

On August 9, 2011 – Rep. King sent a letter to the CIA and the Department of Defense, asking for an investigation into whether the White House has passed-on some sensitive information to Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker, 2009) for her coming movie on the life and murder of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan a few months ago. It’s rumoured that title of the movie will be Kill Bin Laden.

One wonders, why Rep. King is so paranoid about a movie, on which shooting has not even started as yet. Is he afraid that the movie may give an impression to the viewers that OBL and Al-Qaeda were not behind the 9/11 tragedy or that murder of OBL was a movie stunt played on some OBL-look-alike pasty?

For example Dr. Alan Sabrosky believes that Israel was behind 9/11. Eric L. Wattree, an American poet and columnist, says OBL’s death was a Hoax. Gordon Duff, senior editor Veterans Today wrote that the Navy Seals who were credited for murdering OBL – were killed themselves in helicopter crash in Afghanistan to cover-up Obama’s lies about the death of OBL in Abbotabad.

King also shows his concern about the political ramifications of the movie’s release – one month before the 2012 presidential election. King is also worried that the movie could tip off terrorists (I think he has underestood Mossad’s expertise!).

On Wednesday, Obama’s press secretary Jay Carney acknowleged the film makers have been in touch with the administration, but called King’s claims “ridiculous”. Carney said information provided about the raid was focussed on Obama’s role and is available to anyone writing about the official story.
Sony Picture released Bigelow’s response to the paranoid Islamophobe King: “Our upcoming project about the decade-long pursuit of bin Laden has been in the works for many years and integrates the collective efforts of three administrations, including those of presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama, as well as the cooperative strategies and implementation by the Department of Defence and the CIA.
However, with the powerful Jewish Lobby behind Rep. King – there is very rare chance that the movie will see the screen.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Hariri Monopolizes War and Peace Decision, Assad Will not Forgive Anyone

By Nader Ezzeddnie
In the past few days, there was no surprise at the attitudes of some Arab and Foreign countries towards the riots in Syria. It was expected, upon moving into the third phase in the operation of toppling down the last Arab resisting regime, that some Arab countries would join the orchestra of the U.S.A. and demand that the Syrian regime be overthrown although the rather latest ones who have joined the U.S.A. have not formally demanded President Assad that he step down as the shareholders like the new Middle East project have done. The escalation was expected, and the party which lay down the plot never imagined that he would move into a third phase in the plot and that he would put the moderate Arab countries in an annoying position, yet he was absolutely certain that the regime would be toppled down in the first three weeks counting from the moment of unleashing ruining and horrifying.

The phase of escalation which was supposed to start by the Arabs after the blessed month of Ramadan, according to Al-Manar Channel sources, unwillingly had to launch it on the first of August different from what was stated in their agenda.

In fact, the preemptive measure taken by the Syrian regime in advance to the series produced by the West so that it would be broadcast during the Month of Ramadan in the Syrian streets has baffled the conspirators. Actually, the regime started preemptive strikes against the armed rioters in Hama, Deir Al-Zour, Homs and other cities, and against those who were supposed to loot and plunder in the streets after every sunset after every Ramadan breakfast and raise a horrifying hell at the hearts of the citizens. This measure by the regime has baffled the West and the Arabs, and it forced them to make a miscalculated move after they lost the Saudi influence in Hama and the Turkish influence in Deir Al-Zour. As a start, Riyadh inspired by an American instruction exhorted Sa'ad Al-Hariri along with the remaining Sunni followers whom he represents to stir up the fire of discord between both the Sunnis-Shiites and between the Sunnis-Alawites by provoking protestations burning the pictures of the Syrian President Assad and the Iranian flag every day. After that, there came the American-Saudi demand of Sa'ad Al-Hariri that he issue a declaration as an introduction for the Saudi position in order to tense up the sectarian nerves in both Lebanon and Syria, and here the third phase would start.

Al-Hariri Exploits a Monopoly of the War and Peace Decision

Al-Hariri issued the first disgraceful announcement decrying the "slaughter" the Syrian cities are being exposed to and requested the "moderate Arabs" to interfere, he, moreover, allowed himself to speak for all the Lebanese and said they would not be able to stand silent for long before the "bloody incidents" going on in Syria. It was by all means a declaration of war against a sister country! And it was also he who has always attacked the resistance accusing it of monopolizing the decision of "war and peace" in Lebanon, when the whole guilt of the resistance was merely defending Lebanon in the face of who was described by Al-Taif Accord as an enemy. Here we have the right to ask: Has Al-Taif Accord been turned into Al-Hariri's "doormat" and his "advocacy" simultaneously, one time he holds onto it, but he would tear it apart another time? This question has become on every Lebanese citizen's tongue, and it never emerged from the unknown but from the accord which had terminated the fifteen year civil war in Lebanon in 1989, and which was, also, drafted in the City of Al-Taif of Saudi Arabia.

In the Fourth Clause of this Accord under the title "THE LEBANESE-SYRIAN RELATIONS" the following states as such:
"Lebanon, a country of Arab affiliation and identity, is tied to all Arab States with true fraternal relations; and there exist between Lebanon and Syria distinguished relationships which draw their strength from the roots of kinship, history and common fraternal interests, which is the concept on which the coordination and cooperation between both countries are founded and will be manifested in agreements between them, in various domains, and in the manner which serves the interests of both countries within the framework of sovereignty and independence of each of them.

Based on that, and because strengthening the bases of security provides the needed atmosphere for the development of these distinguished ties, Lebanon shall under no circumstances be made a source of threat to the security of Syria, nor Syria to the security of Lebanon. Therefore, Lebanon shall not permit itself to become a passageway or a dwelling to any force, state or organization which aims to undermine its security or the security of Syria. And Syria, which is keen on preserving the security, independence and unity of Lebanon and concurrence among its people, shall not permit of any act which may threaten Lebanon's security, sovereignty and independence."

Based on this Clause, sources close to the Syrian authorities are questioning the extent of Al-Hariri's actual realization of the snare he has put himself into; those sources declared to Al-Manar Website an extreme annoyance resulting from Al-Hariri's violation of Taif Accord and his declaration of an open war by one party against the Syrian regime. They also say that President Assad " is not going to forgive anyone, and that from today on, he is not going to welcome people like Al-Hariri at Al-Muhajerin Palace especially after his recent positions, and after the Lebanese Army Intelligence uncovering of networks smuggling weaponry from Tripoli to the plunderers in Syria.

Merhej: Al-Hariri is overturning against his positions in line with some Arabs

In his turn, former MP Bsharah Merhej in his statement to Al-Manar Channel said," Al-Hariri has pulled back from his positions he had declared in the previous period and is overturning against them; his new position is homogeneous with some Arab and international parties which intend to reduce Syria's role in the region and to disengage Syria's alliance with the Islamic Republic of Iran on the one hand and with the resistance forces in the region on the other hand." Merhej considered that "such a biased position is a violation for the tradition followed by all Lebanese former prime ministers in regard to the way they deal with other states and in their non-biased position for one axis against another, then how such a violation could be committed against a sister state?" Merhej proceeds saying that, "The traditional national Lebanese mission is to invite the Syrians for a dialogue and to play a positive role in this direction; also, an endeavor to resolve the conflict and help in protecting the Syrian stability is an obligation stated in our National Reconciliation Charter which dictates on us to be on the best terms with Syria and never to allow Lebanon to be a gateway for conspiracies against it."

What Follows the Saudi King's Statement is Unlike What Preceded it!

After Sa'ad Al-Hariri has initiated for a series of coming confrontations, the Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdel A'ziz came out with a speech that some people described as historical and decisive, and it was considered by Al-Hariri in his second disgraceful announcement a turn in the course of the developments in Syria! However, the truth is that Sa'ad Eddin Al-Hariri has misjudged the evaluation according to the circle close to the regime in Syria. Those sources assured us that "the Saudi King's speech which was meant to be a formal introduction for the third phase was never and is not going to be a turn in the course of the incidents, it would rather be a drastic change in the Syrian regime vision in what concerns future relations with countries the regime used to consider them sister countries in addition to the influence upon Lebanon that may ensue in particular." The same source notes that the withdrawal of the ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain for "consultations" is not going to be absolutely overlooked generously; also, Al-Assad regime is indignant at the King's role being played as a key for the Arabs' attack against Syria especially after the The Arabian Gulf Council statement which obviously appeared that it had already been coordinated in advance before it was released in addition to the withdrawal of the ambassadors after the speech by Abdullah Bin Abdel Aziz."

In this context, former minister and former MP Bsharah Merhej considers that "It is the right of the Arab countries to announce their opinions, and we can realize their request for reformation had they been democratic countries and had they been applying the principles of freedom of thought and expression themselves in their countries. But for such countries to request Syria to apply what they in principle do not apply does project to us a big question mark about their intentions." Merhej comments on the position of Turkey by saying, "After the honorable positions taken by Turkey towards the aggression against Gaza, we see it today falling under heavy pressures coming from the West that make it change its current policies towards Syria. However, we assure that it is in the interest of Turkey to set up the best relations with Syria, and if Turkey is actually so keen, the path to reformation can never be laid through sieging, blockade and sanctions but rather through continuing dialogue, especially that Syria and President Assad are determined on proceeding in the course of reformation."

Upon the third phase reaching the executive section which is expected by observers to be the last one, if it does not produce a regional war, Sa'ad Al-Hariri has thrusted a part of the Lebanese people in a war against a brother country; he did not only exploit a monopoly of the war and peace decision but he also breached the Taif Accord dragging in some people to confrontations that are not going to turn out well. Thus, Al-Hariri group's position has changed into supporting "the Syrian citizen" after he had disrespectfully considered him as a cake vendor. All of this is but for the sake of kings who never provide the simplest rights for a dignified living in their own countries, but they rather rule with no constitutions and with no parliaments; they even prohibit free press, freedom of expression, and even prohibit women from driving cars! Kings who militarily marched forcibly into a country to slaughter 80% of its people for their mere peaceful asking for reformation that could do them justice! Hence, they confiscated mosques and destroyed them over the heads of those inside, they disgraced and killed women, children and reverend sheikhs who were geared with nothing in the confrontation but with their voices screaming due to excessive injustice; however, unfortunately, their voices could not go beyond the boundaries of Riyadh.

Source: Al-Manar Website

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Professor James Petras on The Wandering Who?

Friday, August 12, 2011 at 5:40AM Gilad Atzmon

‘Gilad Atzmon‘s The Wandering Who? is a series of brilliant  illuminations and critical reflections on Jewish ethnocentrism and  the hypocrisy of those who speak in the name of universal values  and act tribal. Relying on autobiographical and existential experiences, as well as intimate observations of everyday life, both informed by profound psychological insights, Atzmon does what  many critics of Israel fail to do; he uncovers the links between  Jewish identity politics in the Diaspora with their ardent support  for the oppressive policies of the Israeli state.

 Atzmon provides deep insights into “neo-ghetto” politics. He  has the courage – so profoundly lacking among western intellectuals  - to speak truth to the power of highly placed and affluent  Zionists who shape the agendas of war and peace in the Englishspeaking  world. With wit and imagination, Atzmon’s passionate  confrontation with neo-conservative power grabbers and liberal yea sayers sets this book apart for its original understanding of the  dangers of closed minds with hands on the levers of power.

 This book is more than a “study of Jewish identity politics”  insofar as we are dealing with a matrix of power that affects all  who cherish self-determination and personal freedom in the face  of imperial and colonial dictates.’


Professor James Petras, Bartle Professor of Sociology at Binghamton  University, New York, author of more than 62 books including The  Power of Israel in the United States.

You can now pre-order the book on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

The ‘Wailing Wall’ is not Jewish

Posted on August 12, 2011 by rehmat1

American archaeologist and author, Professor Dr. Ernest L. Martin (1932-2002) had conducted archaeology work in East jerusalem. In his controversial book ‘The Temples that Jerusalem Forgot’, published in 1999 – Dr. Martin claimed that Muslim sacred places, Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of Rock are not built on top of the Temple Mount ruins.

Several other historians in the past had made similar conclusion that the 45-acre landmass known as Haram al-Sharif to the Muslim world since 638 CE – is in fact a Roman fortress built by King Herold and the Jewish holy Wailing Wall (the Western Wall) had never been part of the second Temple of Solomon destroyed in 70 CE.

British archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon discovered in 1962 that the entire City of David in the past had been only that little rock ridge on the western bank of the Kidron Valley. In early 1970s, Professor Benjamin Mazar, former President of Hebrew University too, confirmed that Haram al-Sharif was indeed a Roman fortress.

According to Dr. Martin, the two Hebrew Temples in fact were built a fourth of mile south over Gihon Spring. Martin identifies the Haram al-Sharif as the remaining Fort Antonia, which Herold named after Mark Anthony. Martin shows how Haram al-Sharif was comparable in size and water supply to other Roman fortresses built to guard Roman occupied cities. Martin quotes Bible (2 Sam 6:17, 1 Kg 1:38-39, Ps 46: 3, 4; 87:1-2, 7) to prove his theory.

The 1st century Roman Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus in book ‘The War of Jews’ had quoted Jewish rebel commader at Masada in 73 CE, saying: “Where is this city that was believed to have God himself inhabiting therein? It is now demolished to the very foundations, and hath nothing left but that monument of it preserved, I mean the camp of those that hath destroyed it, which still dwells upon its ruins”.

The lunatic Zionist Jews and Christians are calling for the demolition of Muslims’ third most sacred sanctuary, Al-Aqsa Mosque, so that the Zionist regime can build the so-called ‘promised’ third Jewish Temple, which will hasten the second-coming of Jesus. The radical Jewish ‘Temple Mount Faithful’ group leader, Gershon Solomon is sharing bed with anti-Muslim evangelist Pat Robinson.

Professor George Wesley Buchanan, a United Methodist minister, has written a research article entitled Misunderstanding about Temple Mount, published by the Washington Report (August 2011).
“In biblical times the Haram was not a sacred place. Instead it was the place that Orthodox Jews considered defiled and the most despised place in the world. Within these walls were found no remnants of any of the earlier temples but rather an image of Mars, the Roman god of war,” wrote Buchnan.
“After two violent wars with Rome, the City of David was so completely destroyed that it could not be recognized as a city. The Roman emperor Hadrian decreed that it would be used as an area where the Upper City could dump trash and garbage. It continued in that condition for hundreds of years,” wrote Buchanan. In Muslim Arab army which took control of Jerusalem in 638 CE – did see that place being used as city garbage dump.

“It is not likely that a fourth temple (3rd Temple being Al-Aqsa Mosque) will ever be constructed, either in the City of David or in the Haram. Israel already has diverted the water formerly used for sacrifices away from the former temple area and is making the City of David into a park. Orthodox Jews would oppose having a temple in Herod’s hated fortress. Jews had no interest in the Haram until after the Crusades, when they misunderstood that it was the Temple Mount. If the temple were ever built, it would have to be placed somewhere in the Upper City or a suburb of Jerusalem—not in its former site or in the old Roman Fortress,” wrote Dr. Buchanan.

“Because innocent Evangelical Christians in America, under the guidance of Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and John Hagee, have not been informed of these facts, they have thought there was some biblical or religious reason why it was necessary to destroy Islam’s third most sacred building in the world, together with the Dome of Rock. It is my hope that, once Christians learn of this mistake, they will stop following Mars and Phineas (Num 25; Ps 106:30-31) and work as zealously for peace, following the teachings of Abraham, the 8th century prophets (Mica 6:8), Jesus, and Paul, as they once worked to promote war in the Middle East. This would make a tremendous difference to Jerusalem – and to the world, concludes Dr. Buchanan.

• Dr. Ashraf Ezzat: THE EGYPTIAN TORAH
• On Top of the Ten Reasons East Jerusalem does not belong to Jewish-Israelis: "The Bible Came From Arabia",

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Israeli Ambassador: "Events in the Middle East offer one last chance to liberate the Lebanese people!"

Via FLC

"... Israel invaded the country in 1982. It sought to free the country from terror and Syrian occupation, and to support the emergence of a pro-Western democratic government committed to peace. The vacuum in Lebanon was filled by Hezbollah—the Party of Allah, in Arabic. The presence of Israeli troops in Lebanon did not create Hezbollah, no more than the presence of American troops in Saudi Arabia created al Qaeda. Rather, Hezbollah sprang from the resentment of Lebanon's long-oppressed Shiite population, and the bounteous backing of Iran....

 

These goals—a distant dream for Lebanon today—were nearly achieved. But the massacre of Palestinians by Christian militiamen in Beirut generated international pressure on Israel to withdraw its forces. They remained in a defensive belt along the border for the next 18 years, before fully withdrawing. On May 25, 2000, the First Lebanon War, as it is now known, ended.Hezbollah ambushed an Israeli border patrol, killing 10 soldiers, two of whose bodies were held for ransom. The Israeli government under then-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ordered an immediate counterstrike ...  

The long-term results of the Second Lebanon War were, in fact, diametrically different. Israeli forces succeeded in deterring Hezbollah. ... Once revered by Arabs, Nasrallah is now reviled for his support of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.... 

The unfortunate truth is that Lebanon is no longer an independent and Western-leaning state, but a terrorist stronghold supplied by Syria and subservient to Iran.Israel does not want a third Lebanon war. Still, we must not forget the lessons of the previous conflicts.While committed to a two-state solution with the Palestinians, we cannot rely on international forces to guard the borders of a future Palestinian state. Only the Israel Defense Forces can prevent that state from becoming another Lebanon. Next, we can never afford to be complacent and assume that Hezbollah, though deterred, will remain so and not act precipitously on orders from Damascus or Tehran.Lastly and crucially, events in the Middle East may offer one last chance to liberate the Lebanese people. The Syrian regime might crumble and, with it, Iranian influence. If so, that moment should not be missed."

Posted by G, M, Z, or B at 3:38 AM
River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

CONFERENCE ON BOUNDARIES OF OPEN DISCUSSION-Update

Thursday, August 11, 2011 at 8:26PM Gilad Atzmon

Intoduction by Gilad Atzmon: The following is a message from Dr Gabi Weber re: "PALESTINE, ISRAEL, GERMANY - THE BOUNDARIES OF OPEN DISCUSSION" Conference.

It is almost amusing to find out that, so far, the only people who attempted to stop the conference were some elements within the so-called Jewish 'anti' Zionist network. In due time, their names and tactics will be exposed.

The conference is an attempt to liberate our discourse. We will elaborate on some 'contentious' topics such as suppression of truth, history, narration, mainstream-media complicity and media coverage, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism vs. criticism of Israel and responsability. We will also try to look into practical solutions for Palestinian self-determination.
You really want to be there!!!

G. Atzmon

                                                 
Dear All,

While attempts made by the usual suspects(1) to destroy Palestine Days in Freiburg are still going on, Cafe Palestine Freiburg very pleased to present to you our programme update.
Two of the speakers pulled out due to pressure, intimidation and personal disagreement.
Ramzy Baroud had to cancel a whole German tour as important tasks are waiting for him in September. However he will make a video appearence in the conference and copies of his speech will be distributed in German and English.

Three amazing Palestinian speakers who will join the conference and make an important contribution to the event: Dr. Samir Abed-Rabbo from Dallas (One Democratic State), Sameh Habeeb from London (Palestine Telegraph) and Dr. Makram Khoury-Machool from Cambridge (Middle East Media Specialist) .
You will find their topics and biographies on our conference blog
http://paltagefreiburg2011.blogspot.com/

The speeches will be translated simultaneously into German and/or English.

A counter-event will take place at the same time. Antifa Freiburg, a pro-Israeli organisation is giving talks on anti-Semitism and the hatred towards Israeal after 9/11.
What is amazing with their programme - they chose the same venue on Sunday, September11th where Cafe Palestine took place for the first time in May 2010. Our topic then was "The Children of Gaza". Antifa-'specialist' Feuerherdt will talk about the blockade of Gaza.

What an exciting time we are living in!
Welcome to Freiburg!

Kind regards
Gabi Weber

Cafe Palestine Freiburg
PALESTINE DAYS FREIBURG 2011
SATURDAY, 10th of September 2011
at 21:00
CONCERT
by
Gilad Atzmon (Sax, Clarinet, UK)
Frank Harrison (Piano, UK)
Moamen Khatib (Oud, Palestine)
Fadi (Tabla, Palestine)
------
at 23:00ARABIAN NIGHT
with
DJ Tarek Hammoud
(Palestine)


Arabian Food from 8 pm


Location Jos Fritz Café , Wilhelmstr. 15/1, 79098 Freiburg


Sunday, 11th of September 2011
from 10:00 to 20:00

CONFERENCE
'PALESTINE, ISRAEL, GERMANY-
THE BOUNDARIES OF OPEN DISCUSSION'

WITHSamir Abed-Rabbo
Gilad Atzmon
Ramzy Baroud (on video)
Ibrahim El-Zayat
Sameh Habeeb
Alan Hart
Evelyn Hecht-Galinski
Makram Khoury-Machool
Ken O´Keefe
MODERATION
Dr. Tilman Lüdke
Prof. Dr. Dr. Bernhard Uhde
Prof. Dr. Heribert Weiland
EXHIBITION OF GRAPHIC ARTS
Viqar Ali
David Borrington

Location
Bürgerhaus Zähringen
Lameystr. 2, 79108 Freiburg

Further Information
http://paltagefreiburg2011.blogspot.com/
cafepalestine@sin-nom.com
‘COUNTER EVENT’
ANTIFA FREIBURG
9th to 12^th of September 2011
„Antisemitism-Days – 9/11 and the Hatred towards Israel”
http://www.thementage.tk/


(1) Largely Jewish 'anti' Zionists to be named soon (GA).

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

‘Israel’ Recalls Defeat each August

Eslam al-Rihani

The story of 34-day military war on Lebanon started on July 12, 2006 when Hezbollah Mujahedeen captured two Zionist soldiers in the Lebanese occupied town of Khallet Wardeh, and destroyed armored Humvees patrolling the area, in order to exchange the captured soldiers by Lebanese prisoners in Zionist jails.

Zionist war machine responded with massive airstrikes and artillery fire on targets in Lebanon that damaged almost all the vital Lebanese infrastructure, including Beirut's international airport, imposed an air and naval blockade, and launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon.

In response, the Mujahedeen launched more rockets into northern Occupied Territories and engaged the IOF in guerrilla warfare from hardened positions. The fiercest clashes were in the southern Lebanese towns of Aita Al-shaab, Maroun al-Ras and Bentjbeil.

SURPRISES

Hezbollah’s surprises started on the third day of the war, when ‘Israeli’ INS Hanit - a Sa'ar 5-class corvette - was targeted by Mujahedeen’s rocket, where at least 4 of its crew members were killed.

The second card was Hezbollah rockets reaching Tebrias on the fifth day of the war, followed by bombing Haifa on the same day as the third surprise.

On 17 July, 2006, Afoula surprisingly became under Mujahedeen’s Fajr rockets attacks. Yet, anti-armor missiles were the fifth element launched against the Zionist ground campaign in Lebanon. Merkava massacre in Hojeir Valley took place during the last three days of the war, where around 90 tanks were partially or completely destroyed.

Hezbollah promised to launch the sixth surprise; however, it hasn’t been declared yet ..
1701
On August 13, a final text of Resolution 1701 was distributed to the full UN Security Council, which unanimously accepted it.

It demanded a full cessation of all hostilities, the release of captured Zionist soldiers, and the deployment of 15,000 international troops to police the Lebanese border with the Occupied Palestine. The UN troops in the area would be joined by 15,000 Lebanese troops.
Moreover, Tzipi Livni, the then Zionist foreign minister, insisted that occupation troops would remain in southern Lebanon until a multinational UN force would be deployed, implying that deployment of Lebanese forces would not be sufficient for their withdrawal.

The war continued until August 14, 2006. Hezbollah took on the responsibility for thousands of rocket attacks against Zionist towns and cities in northern Occupied Territories, which Mujahedeen announced were in retaliation for Zionist killing of civilians and targeting Lebanese infrastructure, while breaching international norms and regulations.

RESULTS

On Lebanon's side, the war showed that Hezbollah, though seemingly just a guerilla, possessed the training and fighting ability of a well-trained regular army.

Technologically, the Mujahedeen surprised the ‘deterring power of Israel’ with the depth and range of their rockets. Fajr, Zelzal and Raad missiles landed as far south as Haifa. For the first time since before the 1967 war, major Zionist civilian population centers became under attack.
The war showed once again that the Lebanese government cannot defend alone its own territory or to keep other countries from attacking its people. July war had proved, since its early days, that the formula of ‘People, Army and Resistance’ is the only way to defeat Lebanon’s enemy.

By August 14, 2006, at 08:00 am, no more rockets were launched into the Occupied Territories. None of the Mujahedeen were on the scene. They all disappeared. They were only to defeat Israel and they are ready to defeat it anytime. On the Anniversary of the Divine Victory, we will exclaim our slogan: Disgrace.. NEVER EVER!

Source: Website Team

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'I said no more settlments!'

Via FLC

Haaretz

 

Congress Curls into the Fetal Position

The recently disclosed junket to Israel this month by 81 members of Congress is analyzed below by longtime Palestine solidarity activist Alison Weir. As I have stated previously, Congress is comprised of 535 specimens of the lowest species of life on the planet, although it's interesting to note that one of them at one point still retained a sufficient number of human genes to feel compelled, apparently in a fleeting moment of self reflection, to crawl into a fetal position after finding himself pressured excessively—by Israelis no less. This year's all-expenses paid trip of the American division of the Israeli Knesset is led by Steny Hoyer and Eric Cantor, the same two microbial perversions who baton-conducted the 30 standing ovations given to Benjamin Netanyahu this past May 24. Quite a pair they make.

And of course, once the junketeers return to Washington they will go back into session under the ceremonial, Roberts-Rules direction of their congressional overseers, including House Majority Leader John Boehner, the cardboard stick man who respectfully addresses the Israeli prime minister as His Excellency.

***

Israeli Lobby Dominates Congress, Media Covers it Up

By Alison Weir

August 11, 2011

You might think that 20 percent of the American Congress going on all-expenses-paid, weeklong junkets to a foreign country — paid for by a lobby for that country —would be newsworthy, especially when the top congressional leaders of both parties are leading the trips.

You would be wrong.

Eighty-one congressional representatives from all over the country, led by Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, are traveling to Israel this month. Most are freshmen congressmen, and the group includes half of all the freshmen Republicans voted into office in 2010.

The weeklong trips are being paid for by the American Israel Education Foundation (AIEF), which was created in 1990 as a supporting organization of AIPAC, America’s major pro-Israel lobbying organization, and they are located in the same building. AIEF, which is only one of numerous organizations pushing pro-Israel policies, has an annual budget of over $24 million, with an even larger endowment.

This is an extraordinary situation. No other lobby on behalf of a foreign countrycomes anywhere near controlling such wealth or taking so many of America’s elected representatives on a propaganda trip to its favorite country.

Not all those going on these trips are enthusiastic. The wife of one congressman who made a similar trip some years ago said that she and her husband had never been exposed to such pressure in all their lives. She said that at one point on their trip, her husband — a normally extremely tough man — was curled up in a fetal position.

A staff member of one representative participating in this month’s junkets said the representative had no choice. If the congressional rep didn’t go on the trip, the rep would be targeted by AIPAC; large quantities of money, including massive out-of-state money, would be raised for the opponent in the next election; and quite likely the representative would be defeated. The staffer said that the Israel Lobby is far too powerful to ignore and that American voters have no knowledge of what’s going on.

It’s no surprise that voters are unaware that their representatives are being propagandized and pressured by a foreign lobby. Their news media almost never tells them.

The Associated Press, America’s number one news service, has decided not to report on a lobbying group taking 81 representatives to a foreign country in order to influence their votes.

Even though the trips are being reported by news media in Britain, Iran, India, Israel, Lebanon, and elsewhere, AP has decided to give the story a pass. When contacted about this, an AP editor in Washington, D.C., said AP knew about the trips and was “looking into it.”

Taking a similar tack, The New York Times, USA Today, Fox News, CNN, ABC, et al., failed to inform Americans about the trips. The Washington Post, after the story was posted throughout the blogosphere, finally covered it belatedly on Page 13. The CBS website had a story on the situation, but CBS News made no mention of the junkets on-air.

The only AP stories on the subject are scattered local stories about individual representatives. For example, AP’s Chicago bureau reported that Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. is taking part, without reporting that he was one of 81 representatives accepting these all-expenses-paid junkets and that his trip was being paid for by the pro-Israel lobby.

A few other American media outlets reported the story in interestingly diverse ways:

Washington’s Politico covered it twice; The Atlantic‘s website reported on people who were“kvetching” about the one-sided nature of the junkets, pointing out that some of the reps were also going to meet with some Palestinian leaders, without telling how many (no one will say) and for how long (apparently for a few hours of the weeklong trip). Los Angeles’ Jewish Journal was remarkably forthright, reporting that “the congressional reps will be getting the dog and pony show,” and Commentary gloated at the “astonishing” number of representatives going on the trip, noting that “Congress is the backstop that gives Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu the ability to say ‘no’” to the president of the United States.

While Commentary claims that the willingness of congressional representatives to go on all-expenses-paid trips by one of the country’s most powerful lobbies “is a good reflection of American public opinion on the Middle East,” this is actually not accurate.

Surveys find that an extraordinarily strong majority of Americans — typically between two-thirds tothree-quarters — do not wish the U.S. to take sides on Israel-Palestine. Such widespread desire for neutrality is particularly noteworthy given that U.S. news sources across the political spectrum are consistently highly Israel-centric in their reporting.

It is quite likely that such voters would be unhappy to learn that a foreign lobby has such power over their elected representatives, leading them to give the favored nation, one of the smallest and wealthiest countries on the planet, over $8 million per dayof American tax money when the U.S. is in the middle of a financial crisis.

Perhaps that’s why AP and the others don’t tell them.


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UK: Walking in Egypt’s shoes

by Dave Brown

Posted by realistic bird on August 12, 2011

by Nour Rida, Moqawama

Not long ago, Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron was praising revolutions which used social networking in Egypt and Tunisia.Today, the British PM is using social media as a scapegoat. Only a few months after Egypt’s revolution and the avalanches of Western criticism that showered the Egyptian regime for using violence against the protesters and for banning the internet and new media, Cameron is walking in Egypt’s shoes.

Only a few days after the unrest in the UK, Cameron said his government may block social media, as police have arrested over 1,700 rioters across the United Kingdom. Among those arrested and charged were a teaching assistant, a charity worker and an 11-year-old boy.

In a speech at the House of Common, David Cameron said on Thursday he was considering all options to control the riots, including deployment of army and restricting social media, like Twitter and BlackBerry.

“Free flow of information can be used for good. But it can also be used for ill. And when people are using social media for violence we need to stop them”, said Cameron.

He added that 16,000 officers would remain in London streets through the weekend and that “whatever resources the police need, they will get. Whatever tactics the police feel they need to employ, they have legal backing to do it.”

At the time the British government considers banning new media, the police, meanwhile, are making use of London’s intricate surveillance system to identify suspected “rioters”. Officials have set up a Flickr account on which they are posting screen grabs from those videos and asking people to turn in anyone they might know.

Cameron dismissed the idea that the posting of such photos was a violation of peoples’ privacy.
The British PM promised to arrest everyone related to the recent violence in the country, saying: “We are making technology work for us, by capturing the images of the perpetrators on CCTV – so even if they haven’t yet been arrested, their faces are known and they will not escape the law.”

“No phony human rights concerns about publishing photographs will get in the way of bringing these criminals to justice,” he said.

Cameron, also on exploring curbs on the use of social media tools if these were being used to plot “violence, disorder and criminality” as he claims, has already authorized police to use baton rounds and water cannon where necessary.

Also, a curfew may ban people from the streets at night, and the Army could take over guard duties to free police to tackle those running rampage.

Shutting down social media, of course, was a favorite tactic of Middle Eastern despots throughout the Arab Spring – one which was routinely condemned by the Western world.

On the other hand, the number of people killed during massive unrest across England has climbed as a 68-year-old retired man died in hospital on Thursday night.

Richard Mannington Bowes, who went in a coma after being attacked by an angry crowd in Ealing during Monday’s violence, died late Thursday night, prompting detectives to launch a murder inquiry.
His death came only after the suspicious death of three Muslim men that were run down by a car when trying to protect their fellow community members during the persisting unrest in Birmingham, and the murder of a 26-year-old man that was shot in a car in Croydon.

Jim Killock, the executive director of online advocacy organization Open Rights Group, said Cameron risked attacking the “fundamental” right of free speech. “Events like the recent riots are frequently used to attack civil liberties. Policing should be targeted at actual offenders, with the proper protection of the courts,” Killock added.

“Citizens also have the right to secure communications. Business, politics and free speech relies on security and privacy. David Cameron must be careful not to attack these fundamental needs because of concerns about the actions of a small minority.”

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