Mashaal to Obama: we appreciate your words, but actions speak louder

COMMENT:
5 days ago, commented on Khalid Amayreh's article: Fatah deadlock continues

I wrote;

"Hamas Basher mocked Hamas expected that Cairo dialogue will deliver a domesticated Hamas, that Hamas would join the Happy family:

"There is Love in the Air: All Together Now.....I Love You....You Love Me..We're A Happy Family..."

Let Abbas deliver a Fatah Happy Family.

Yes, Hamas delivered a Happy family in Damuscus, and deepened the rift in Fatah.

Mubarak failed to deliver a domesticated Hamas, therefore, Abbas came to Assad for help.

"We agree with Syria that the dialogue should succeed," Abbas's aide Nabil Abu Rdainah told reporters. He was referring to Egyptian mediation between Abbas's Fatah faction and Hamas. Abbas's visit to Syria is the second since May. His aides said ... Details "

No meeting between Mishaal and Uraikat, So nothing achieved, and nothing real is agreed upon with Assad."


Now I would add,

As I predicted, Assad told Abbas: Palestinian "dialoque should succeed", and to succeed he has to talk to Mashaal.

Abbas failing to domesticate Fateh decided to hold the Sixth Congress Bethlehem under the canopy of the Israeli occupation.

Ahead of Abbas congress, in Bethlehem, and next session of Palestinian dialoque in Cairo, Mashaal delivered his landmark speech from Damascus, sending messages/replies to all concerned (Netanyaho, Obama and his Carter, Moderate Arabs).

• No to Jewish State killing the Uproted Palestinians right of return, and 1948 Arabs right to stay



• No to Naturalizing Palestinian Refugees



• Yes to an Arab state with its capital in occupied Jerusalem and full sovereignty in the areas liberated by Israel in 1967, dismantling of Jewish communities in those areas.

Khalid Amayreh's article on Mashaal's Landmark speech shall, as I bet, not be posted at PP

Mashaal to Obama: we appreciate your words, but actions speak louder
[ 25/06/2009 - 08:46 PM ]



From Khalid Amayreh in occupied Palestine

In a landmark speech in Damascus Thursday afternoon, Hamas leader Khalid Mashaal urged President Barack Obama to transform his positive words about the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people into “concrete actions.”

“We do appreciate Obama’s new language, we think it is a step in the right direction. However, we expect the American administration to put these words into actions and to refrain from imposing conditions on Hamas.”

Mashaal said dealing with Hamas must be based on respecting the Palestinian people’s democratic choice, not imposing conditions such as those imposed by the Quartet, which included demands for unconditional recognition of the apartheid Israeli regime, giving up resistance entirely and accepting without reservation all the vague agreements and understandings reached by Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Mashaal pointed out that conditions such as these had been imposed by Israel and the U.S. and carried out (by the PA), but nothing changed on the ground as the Israeli occupation remained entrenched, the settlement expansion continued unabated and the Palestinian horizons narrowed further and further.

He argued that whenever the PA budged to Israeli demands and conditions, fresh demands and conditions were imposed.

“They asked the PA to recognize Israel , and the PA recognized Israel . But, look, now they want the Palestinians to recognize the Jewish nature of Israel , to recognize that al-Quds al Sharif is Israel’s capital, and to give up the right of return for the refugees. You see, Israel’s conditions and demands are endless.”

Mashaal stressed that Hamas was not terribly concerned about getting itself recognized by foreign powers.

“Hamas’s priority is not getting itself recognized by others, but rather getting others to recognize the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights. The Palestinian national cause has a priority over Hamas, and concerns over the national cause takes precedence over concerns over all other interests and considerations. And no faction has the right to give concessions at the expense of the national cause for the sake of making factional political gains.”

On Netanyahu speech

Mashaal reserved some of his strongest words for Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu who two weeks ago proposed the creation of a vaguely-defined Palestinian entity which would be nearly completely controlled by Israel and not encompassing Jerusalem .

“Netanyahu wants to give our people a state with a name but without any substance. He may continue to entertain his fascist whims for ever, but he won’t find a Palestinian who would listen to him.”

He said that Netanyahu’s racist speech reflected an inherently racist mindset and hell-bent desire to keep up the occupation of our motherland.

He further pointed out that recognizing Israel as a Jewish state meant in real terms killing the right of return as well as undermining the future of the 1.5 million Palestinians who are Israeli citizens.

Mashaal addressed Arab leaders, saying they should withdraw the so-called Arab peace plan because Israel is viewing it with contempt.

“Netanyahu has turned the table upside down, hence it is futile to keep our hands extended to an insolent Israeli leadership. Therefore, and in response to the Israeli arrogance and insolence, I urge Arab leaders to behave in a dignified manner and make available new choices and gather our assets of power, which are available, provided there is the will“

He said Hamas was willing and ready to cooperate with any party for the sake of expediting the national interests of the Arab people. He added that begging Israel for peace would give a sign of weakness.

Hamas’ politburo chief devoted a significant part of his speech to the national rift with Fatah, saying that Palestinian national unity was paramount, not necessarily for the sake of expediting peace talks with Israel, but rather in order to strengthen the Palestinian people and enhance their ability to extract legitimate Palestinian rights from Zionist hands.

“National unity is paramount because it consolidates our internal front in Israel’s face.”

He said that Hamas adopted a decision to act expeditiously to end this rift through Egyptian-mediated efforts.

However, Mashaal said that there were three requirements without which inter-Palestinian reconciliation wouldn’t be accomplished.

First, Palestinians must not allow foreign interference in their internal affairs;
Second, Palestinians must agree on all contentious issues in one package; and,
third, the Palestinian Authority must put an end to the provocative policy of arresting Hamas’ supporters and sympathizers.

“The problem is not a mere internal disagreement. We are talking about systematic practices carried out by the Fayyadh government under the supervision of the American Gen. Keith Dayton. There is a close coordination with the Israeli occupation army against resistance elements, for the sake of arresting or killing them as happened recently in Qalqilya.”

Mashaal pointed out that as many as 830 men and women, including scholars, academics, students, business people and other professionals were languishing in PA jails.

“Many are tortured and some have died while others were transferred to hospital for treatment of torture-related illnesses.

“There is a systematic process of eradication. Nothing like this has happened since 1967. All institutions have been closed down, Zakat (Alms) committees confiscated, funds destined to prisoners and orphans stolen…”

Mashaal argued that the provocative and repressive practices of the PA were the main obstacle impeding national unity between Fatah and Hamas.

Underscoring Dayton’s disastrous role in fomenting Palestinian division, Mashaal called on President Obama to withdraw Gen. Dayton from the West Bank immediately.

“I believe that building a repressive authority is incompatible with Obama’s calls for spreading democracy in this part of the world. Hence.”

Mashaal scoffed at the PA for meticulously carrying out “commitments” to appease Israel while Israel was continuing to build settlements and steal land and Judaize Jerusalem and imposing siege on Gaza .

Mashaal recognized that some political prisoners were being released from PA jails.

However, he pointed out that even more people were being arrested, accusing the PA of following the rolling-gate policy.

“I am sorry to say that what the PA is doing in the West Bank doesn’t really give us a reason for hope. This is why I am urging our brothers in Egypt to deal with this matter urgently.

Finally, Mashaal reasserted Hamas’ commitment to free Palestinian prisoners languishing in Zionist jails, detention camps and dungeons.

He pointed out that there were as many as 12, 000 Palestinian prisoners detained in Zionist custody, including 400 children, the youngest of whom is Yousuf al Zeq, who is only 15 months’ old.

“What is preventing a prisoner swap deal from seeing the light is Israeli intransigence. Otherwise, we are willing to carry out a serious deal that would release our prisoners from Zionist jails.”

Al Manar

Mashaal said the minimum his group would accept was establishment of an Arab state with its capital in occupied Jerusalem and full sovereignty in the areas liberated by Israel in 1967, dismantling of Jewish communities in those areas, and permission for return of the families of Arabs who left when the Zionist entity was founded in 1948.

*******************************

However, "Progressive" assholes shall continue preying and fishing in muddy water.

"This is an interesting piece and I will post the English version as soon as it is available; it is worth a read. "

# posted by Tony : 9:53 AM

"The Spineless Hamas Backtracks on its Own Article!

How do you spell spineless? This is how you speak from both corners of your mouth in Arabic: From one side to domestic audience and from the other side to the White Man!

# posted by Tony : 7:26 AM"


Yes ton tfuuuuuu, “The game is clear: Obama has started it, Netanyahu is investing it and Carter is playing in networking relations and taking advantage of direct reactions practically,” as Hamas lawmaker opined....."

I don't care for speaking from both corners of the mouth, and I am sure the domestic audience are able to realize which corner is true.

Moreover, Mashall set the record straight;

Flashback:

Two State Solution VS Two stage solution

Anal-ysis, Hamas, Netanyahu, Obama, Palestinian reconciliation, Ramallah Traitors

American historian: I read in faces of Gazans immense strength and confidence

Link

[ 26/06/2009 - 08:54 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- The American historian, Professor Paul Aron, who is visiting the Gaza Strip said that the situation in Gaza after the war is horrifying adding that he expected this situation to persist for a long time.

He said, during an interview with Quds Press on Friday, that the USA was not concerned about Gaza and held Israel, Egypt and the west responsible for the siege.

About the situation of the people of Gaza after the war and under the continous siege Aron said: "I visited a people who are living in a tragic situation, but they have not been defeated from inside [..] I expected to find a people who were full of anger and animosity, but what I read in the faces of people here was immense strength and confidence, they might have something else inside them, I don't know."

"I saw in the people of Gaza emotional stability, I did not see them crying, they keep their feeling inside," he added

Professor Aron also said that he expected to find people in the Gaza Strip at each others' throats, but that was not the case, and when he asked for the reason, someone told him that the residents of Gaza have always suffered and the Israelis could not do anything worse to them than they have already done.

He added that he talked to a mother who lost two of her children who were mutilated by an Israeli bomb. She told him that during the war she lived with her children for ten days, without food or water, then he says that he did not find her broken, but she was strong and her children who are still alive are full of hope and did not show any signs of being broken.

He expressed admiration for the family, which despite its losses was full of hope for a better life, adding that the outside media tries to portray Gaza as a place full of people who love death and destruction, but that what he found was people who want to live a dignified life and connect with others.

[Note: This news item was translated from Arabic]

Meetings of the Lebanon's Happy Family continues

Sayyed Nasrallah Receives MP Saad Hariri; Praise Calm Atmosphere

Readers Number : 367

26/06/2009 Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah received Thursday night the head of the Future Movement MP and PM hopeful Saad Hariri. Sayyed Nasrallah and Hariri discussed the political situation in the country and the assumed preparations for the coming phase in light of general elections’ results.
They also stressed dialogue was crucial for clam to continue and praised the atmosphere of stability in Lebanon.



Sayyed Nasrallah Hold Lengthy Meeting With Jumblatt

19/06/2009 Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah received Thursday night the head of the Democratic Gathering MOP Walid Jumblatt. The two leaders held a lengthy meeting during which they made an in-depth review of the past stage and discussed the coming stage in Lebanon and the region. Sayyed Nasrallah and Jumblatt stressed the necessity to work together to enable Lebanon and its people to face the great challenges lying ahead. They also praised the efforts exerted by Youth and Sports Minister Talal Areslan during the May 7, 2008 incidents. Sayyed Nasrallah and Jumblatt also agreed to continue communicating and deliberating during the next phase.

Sincerity

On May 7th, 2008, Hasan Nasrallah described Walid Jumblat as "liar, thief, and killer." Last week, Hasan Nasrallah and Walid Jumblat had a 3 hours tete-a-tete.
Posted by As'ad at 8:56 AM


Comment

I DISAGREE with angry arab, but I respect him, using the same measuring stick.

Don't Expect the Bitch to post or say a word on that. He will not drop his last fig leaf.

Nasralla meeting the same Jumblat, the warlord, the liar who betrayed resistance after 2005 elections.

Yes he, Nasrallah, did it, after 13 months of Dialogue, and after losing 2009 elections. This is politics, the politics that cracked March 14 movement, and forced Clinton and Bidin to come to Beirut to tighten the M14 Screws, with Saudi petrodollar.

Don't be surprised if you see Jumblat quitting M14.

Prey Prey Prey:

Beg....Beg....Beg....

Let me explain it to you Mr. politburo chief: Iran has clout and is a regional power, so Obama has to deal with it. Also, Iran (under the right conditions) has been beneficial to the Empire, as in Iraq and Afghanistan, so Obama is trying to put the [Domesticated] ayatollahs to good use. Syria has some influence (especially in Lebanon) and Obama is trying to divide and conquer, by moving Syria away from Iran.

But Hamas, Mr. politburo chief, regardless of how much "moderation" it shows, and how much begging it does, has no clout, and is safely caged in the Gaza concentration camp while Dayton destroys any presence it has left in the West Bank.

By removing Iran and Syria from the equation, Hamas will be cut off and the plan is to destroy it or at least domesticate it, just as Arafat was domesticated and finally destroyed.

You got that now, Mr. politburo chief?

# posted by Tony : 11:01 PM

Mashaal to Obama: we appreciate your words, but actions speak louder
Hamas Says Dweik “Real President” until Elections are Held
Majority Juggle Shakes Positive Atmosphere Ahead of Naming PM

Asha'l: Abbas has to choose between heading the PA or the occupation authority

Asha'l: Abbas has to choose between heading the PA or the occupation authority

[ 26/06/2009 - 10:50 AM ]

CAIRO, (PIC)-- Dr. Abdullah al-Asha'l, lecturer in international law and former aide to the Egyptian Foreign Minister, expressed his full support for the speech of Khalid Misha'al, the head of the Hamas political bureau, in which he called on the United States to withdraw Gen. Keith Dayton from the West Bank if Palestinian reconciliation was to take place.

"Palestinian reconciliation could not materialize while the PA [in Ramallah] is implementing Dayton's instructions, pursuing the resistance in the West Bank, arresting its activists and working towards liquidating it," Asha'l said, in a statement he made to PIC.

He also criticised the security coordination between the Palestinian authority and the Israeli occupation and said: "Abu Mazen has to choose between being a President of the Palestinian authority or the President of the Israeli occupation authority,"

Asha'l called on the Arab countries to heed Mishaal's call for following a new strategy which marries between resistance and politics, and gathers assets of strength.

He added that the Arab countries know, through years of experience with Israel that they will not get any of the Palestinian rights restored through Israeli willingness, because it is insistent on swallowing the land of Palestine, adding that the USA will not get into a confrontation with Israel for the sake of Arab countries. Thus, he added, the Arab countries should recognise that words are not substitute for actions, and they should take a serious stand because acquiescence to the USA has caused the loss of Palestine.

He also said that Arab countries should support the resistance and that an office for the resistance should be set up in each Arab capital, unless the Arabs have decided to liquidate the Palestinian cause and such a case they should clearly declare it.

MOHAMMED OMER; ONE YEAR AND COUNTING

link

By Steve Amsel • Jun 26th, 2009 at 7:47 • Category: Action Alert, Biography, Israel, Newswire, Palestine, Resistance, Zionism

WRITTEN BY MOHAMMED OMER AND STEVE AMSEL

A Journalist Beaten — One Year Later

---

June 26, 2008 is a day I will never forget. For the events of that day irrevocably changed my life. That day I was detained, interrogated, strip searched, and tortured while attempting to return home from a European speaking tour, which culminated in independent American journalist Dahr Jamil and I sharing the Martha Gellhorn Journalism Prize in London — an award given to journalists who expose propaganda which often masks egregious human rights abuses.

I want to address the denials from Israel and the inaccurate reporting by a few journalists in addition to requesting state of Israel to acknowledge what it did to me, prosecute the members of the Shin Bet responsible for it and put in place procedures that protect other journalists from such treatment.

Since 2003, I’ve been the voice to the voiceless in the besieged Gaza Strip for a number of publications and news programs ranging from The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs to the BBC and, Morgenbladet in Norway as well as Democracy Now! These stories exposed a carefully-crafted fiction continuing control and exploitation of five-million people. Their impact, coupled with the reporting of others served to change public opinion in the United States and Europe concerning the dynamics of Israel and its occupation of Palestine.

After receiving the Martha Gellhorn prize I returned home through the Allenby Bridge Crossing in the Occupied West Bank between Jordan and Israel. It was here I was detained, interrogated, and tortured for several hours by Shin Bet and border officers. When it appeared I may be close to death an ambulance was called to transport me to a hospital. From that day my life has been a year of continued medical treatments, pain — and a search for justice.

Lisa Dvir from the Israeli Airport Authority (IAA), the agency responsible for controlling Israel’s borders in an June 29th article by Mel Frykberg for the Inter Press Service stated, “the IAA was neither aware of Omer’s journalist credentials nor of his coordination.”

The statement is wholly inaccurate and impossible on two counts. First, because I’m Palestinian, I am unable to enter Israel or leave Gaza, even through the Rafah border with Egypt, without Israeli permission, something quite difficult to get. Each time I’ve left Gaza for speaking tours required substantial lobbying and political maneuvering by several governments. In 2006, it was the American governments who ultimately won my visa. In 2007 the Dutch Parliament invited me back to speak to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and in 2008 when it was announced I won the Martha Gellhorn Prize, several European countries requested Israel grant me a visa but it was MP Hans Van Baalen of the Netherlands who, with great efforts, secured and guaranteed my passage out of Gaza and Israel, as well as the return for both the 2007 and 2008 trips on the condition I travel and be escorted by members of the Dutch Embassy in Tel Aviv while within Israel or the occupied West Bank. Therefore I was under diplomatic escort with the full knowledge of the Israeli government when I arrived at Allenby on June 26th. In fact Israeli security had blocked my re-entry for four days, causing me to miss a family wedding and wait in Jordan.

Secondly Dvir’s claim that the IAA didn’t know I was a journalist is proved false by the actions of the Shin Bet and border police. During the interrogation an Israeli security personnel searching my belongings repeatedly asked ‘Where’s the money from the prize, Mohammed?’ The prize is only given to journalists. Not only were they fully aware I am a journalist. They knew exactly how much I received, for what and where.

Dvir further perjured herself when she claimed, “We would like to know who Omer spoke to in regard to receiving coordination to pass through Allenby. We offer journalists a special service when passing through our border crossings, and had we known about his arrival this would not have happened.” Her denial shocked a Dutch diplomat in Tel Aviv who had confirmed with the state permission for me to cross on June 26. Again, I was traveling under diplomatic escort and when I asked to phone the escort — waiting on the other side of the terminal — Shin Bet’s response was they knew and didn’t care.

While not admitting that the interrogation and torture took place, Divr then dismissed any actions by the Shin Bet as out of her department’s control: “I’m not aware of the events that followed his detention, and we are not responsible for the behavior of the Shin Bet.” But the Israeli Airport Authority, Divr’s department, like most port authorities, is responsible for border security and those who enforce that security in Israel are members of the army and the Shin Bet.

Unfortunately Dvir’s diversions were just the beginning. In the days following my detention and torture, the Israeli Government Press Office acknowledged that despite traveling under diplomatic escort I was searched “due to suspicion that he had been in contact with hostile elements and had been asked by them to deliver items to Judea and Samaria (Occupied West Bank).” This has been mentioned and quoted in different papers. Like everyone else entering, my bags were x-rayed and cleared multiple times excluding the possibility I was carrying some type of contraband. And I was traveling in the Dutch Embassy’s car directly to Erez crossing with Gaza , as communicated to the Israeli authorities. There was zero possibility of me delivering ‘items’ to anyone.

Confronted with the medical reports and injuries including bruised ribs Israeli officials told the BBC on July 1, 2008 that, “He lost balance and fell, for reasons unknown to us,” other officers suggest, “Mr. Omer had a nervous breakdown due to the high temperature.”

Despite the attempts at denials, the emergency medical technician who sat in the back of the ambulance with me reported, “We noted fingerprints on his neck and chest,” the type bruising caused by excessive force often used in forensics to identify an attacker.

When Associated Press reporter Karin Laub called me on my cell phone for an interview after my ordeal, I detailed how I was stripped and held at gunpoint. Her reply? “Go on,” she stated. “This is normal about what we hear happening at Ben Gurion Airport. It’s nothing new.”

Torture, strip searches and holding award winning journalists or any other human beings at gun point is normal at Israel ’s largest airport? Ms. Laub’s apathy continued. In her article for the Associated Press on June 29th she wrote that she interviewed “Dr. Husseini who claims there were no signs of physical trauma.”

There’s only one problem with this. This Dr. Husseini never treated me. The Minister of Health in Ramallah confirmed that Husseini never made any such statement to the AP reporter. For reasons known only to her, Ms. Laub appears to have fabricated this comment and purposely ignored the medical reports and the statements by the attending paramedics — counter to journalistic ethics and standards upheld by the Associated Press. Despite this, no independent investigation took place.

Meanwhile the Jerusalem correspondent for the Los Angles Times, Ashraf Khalil, conducted an investigation into my case and noted in his article on November 3, 2008, that my medical records describe: “Tenderness on the anterior part of the neck and upper back mainly along the right ribs moderate to severe pain,” and “by examination the scrotum due to pain varicocele (varicose veins in the spermatic cord) at left side detected and surgery was decided later.” Fevers and falls do not cause such distinctive marks. Kicks, punches and beatings do. Continuing Khalil explains that, “Paramedic Mahmoud Tararya arrived in a Palestinian Red Crescent Society ambulance and said he found Omer semiconscious with bruises on his neck and chest. Tararya said Israeli security officers were asking Omer to sign “some sort of form written in Hebrew. The paramedic said he intervened, separated Omer from the soldiers and loaded him into the ambulance, where he remained semiconscious for most of the trip to a hospital.”

Khalil notes in his article that Richard Falk, the U.N. human rights official wrote to Verhagen, the Minster of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands and stated: “I have checked out Mr. Omer’s credibility and narrative of events, and I find them fully credible and accurate.”

Recovering mentally and physically from torture and interrogation is far from easy. This should not happen to anyone. My objective is for my case to focus attention on universal human rights, the right of freedom of expression and freedom of movement. There are places in this world where these freedoms do not exist. Israel insists it is not one of those places, but both the government and the complicity of individual journalists in covering up what they did to me prove otherwise. Ironically, the day the Shin Bet chose to detain, interrogate and torture me — June 26 — is the date set aside by human rights groups as the International Day Against Torture.

Mohammed Omer has reported for numerous media outlets, including the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, Pacifica Radio, Electronic Intifada, The Nation, and Inter Press Service; he also founded the Rafah Today blog. He was awarded the 2007 Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism.

Copyright © 2009 Mohammed Omer Distributed BY

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A CALL FOR ACTION…… From DesertPeace

Today, the 26th of June marks the one year anniversary of the near beating to death and torture of Mohammed Omer. He was returning to his home in the Rafah Refugee Camp in Gaza from a trip to Europe where he was the recipient of a prestigious award for journalism. A complete recap of the events that took place upon his entry to Israel on his return trip can be read HERE. Mohammed was escorted on his return trip by Dutch diplomats of Her Majesty’s embassy in Tel Aviv. After his torture and beatings, those same diplomats returned with him to the Erez Crossing where he continued on to a hospital in Gaza.

Kenneth Ring had the following to add to the situation in a brilliant report that he wrote about the situation. He interviewed Mohammed while he was in the hospital in Gaza…. By clicking HERE, you can read the full report.
The investigation referred to still has not been launched after a complete year. Mohammed is presently in the Netherlands where he is still receiving medical treatment as a result of his injuries. He is scheduled to undergo surgery one more time in the very near future.

It is now up to YOU to do something about the situation. We ask that you write to the local representative of the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, DEMANDING that they put pressure on the Israeli government to bring the criminals involved in this case to justice. It was Dutch Government representatives that were witness to this horrendous act, it is their responsibility as human beings to help bring justice in this case and to help guarantee that this never happens again to anyone.

It is extremely urgent that residents of Israel and Palestine take part in this letter writing campaign. All contact information is available below…. worldwide.

Thank you for your efforts and watch this site for updates on the situation.

*********************************************
Contact info for Royal Netherlands Embassies WORLDWIDE (alpabetical)

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Edificio Porteno II
Olga Cossenttini 831, piso 3
(C1107BVA) Buenos Aires
Argentina
City: Buenos Aires
Phone: (54-11) 4338-0050
Fax: (54-11) 4338-0060
Web Site: http://www.mfa.nl/bue-es/
Email: bue@minbuza.nl

The Royal Netherlands Embassy in Canberra, Australia
120 Empire Circuit
Yarralumla ACT 2600
Canberra, Australia
City: Canberra
Phone: +61 (0)2 6220 9400
Fax: +61 (0)2 6273 3206
Web Site: http://www.netherlands.org.au
Email: can@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Vienna, Austria
Opernring 5/7
A-1010 Vienna
Austria
City: Vienna
Phone: +43 (1) 589 39
Fax: +43 (1) 589 39 – 265
Web Site: http://www.mfa.nl/wen
Email: nlgovwen@eunet.at

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Road nr. 90, House 49
Gulshan II
Dhaka, Bangladesh
City: Dhaka
Phone: +880-2-8822715-18
Fax: +880-2-8823326
Web Site: http://www.netherlandsembassydhaka.org
Email: dha@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Brussels, Belgium
Avenue Herrmann-Debrouxlaan 48
1160 Brussel
City: Brussels
Phone: (+32) 02 679 17 11
Fax: (+32) 02 679 17 75
Web Site: http://www.mfa.nl/bru-fr
Email: bru@minbuza.nl

Embassy of Netherlands in Cotonou, Benin
Avenue Pape Jean Paul II
Cotonou
Benin
City: Cotonou
Phone: 00-229-21- 30 04 39 / 30 21 39
Fax: 00-229-21- 30 41 50
Web Site: http://www.mfa.nl/cot/ambassade
Email: cot@minbuza.nl

Embassy of Netherlands in La Paz, Bolivia
Avenida 6 de Agosto 2455
Edificio Hilda, piso 7
La Paz, Bolivia
City: La Paz
Phone: +591 2 2444040
Fax: +591 2 2443804
Web Site: http://www.mfa.nl/lap-es
Email: lap@minbuza.nl.

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Sarajevo, Bosnia
Grbavicka 4
71000 Sarajevo
Bosnia-Herzegovina
City: Sarajevo
Phone: (+387) (0)33 562 600
Fax: (+387) (0)33-223 413
Email: sar@minbuza.nl,sar-ca@minbuza.nl

Embassy of Netherlands in Brasilia, Brazil
SES – Qd. 801, Lote 05
CEP 70405-900
Brasilia – DF – Brasil
City: Brasilia
Phone: +55 (0)61-3961.3200
Fax: +55 (0)61-3961.3234
Web Site: http://www.mfa.nl/bra
Email: bra@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Bulgaria
Oborishte Street 15
1504 Sofia
Bulgaria
City: Sofia
Phone: (+359) 02-8160300
Fax: (+359) 02-8160301
Web Site: http://www.mfa.nl/sof-en/
Email: sof@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Ottawa, Canada
Constitution Square
Building 350 Albert Street,
suite 2020
Ottawa, ON K1R 1A4
Canada
City: Ottawa
Phone: +1 613 237 5030
Fax: +1 613 237 6471
Web Site: http://www.netherlandsembassy.ca/
Email: nlgovott@netherlandsembassy.ca

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Santiago, Chile
Apoquindo 3500 Piso 13
Las Condes, Santiago
P.O. Box:
Casilla 56-D
Santiago, Chile
City: Santiago
Phone: (+56) 2-7569200
Fax: (+56) 2-7569226
Web Site: http://www.holanda-paisesbajos.cl/
Email: stg@minbuza.nl

Embassy of Holland, Netherlands in Bogota, Colombia
Carrera 13 No. 93-40 Floor 5
Apartado Aereo 4385
Bogota
Colombia
City: Bogota
Phone: (+57) 1-638 4200
Fax: (+57) 1-623 3020
Email: bog@minbuza.nl

Embassy of Netherlands in San Jose, Costa Rica
Oficentro Ejecutivo La Sabana
(detras de la Contraloria)
Tercer Edificio, Tercer Piso
Apartado 10,285
1000 San Jose, Costa Rica
City: San Jose
Phone: +506 296 1490
Fax: +506 296 2933
Web Site: http://www.nethemb.or.cr
Email: nethemb@racsa.co.cr

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Zagreb, Croatia
Medvescak 56
10000 Zagreb
Croatia
City: Zagreb
Phone: + (385) 1 4642 200
Fax: + (385) 1 4642 211
Web Site: http://www.mfa.nl/zag-en/
Email: zag@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Nicosia, Cyprus
34 Demosthenis
Severis Avenue
P.O. Box 23835
1686 Nicosia,
Cyprus
City: Nicosia
Phone: +357-22-873666
Fax: +357-22-872399
Web Site: http://cyprus.nlembassy.org/
Email: nic@minbuza.nl

Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Prague
Gotthardska 6/27
160 00 Praha 6, Bubenec
Czech Republic
City: Prague
Phone: (+420) 233 015 200
Fax: (+420) 233 015 254
Web Site: http://www.netherlandsembassy.cz/
Email: nlgovpra@ti.cz

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark
Toldbodgade 33
1253 Copenhagen K
Denmark
City: Copenhagen
Phone: (+45) 33 70 72 00
Fax: (+45) 33 14 03 50
Web Site: http://www.nlembassy.dk/
Email: kop@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Max Henriquez Urena #50
(tussen Av. Lincoln en Av. Churchill)
P.O. Box 855
Ens. Piantini
Santo Domingo
City: Santo Domingo
Phone: (+1 809) 262-0320 (Ambassade)
Fax: (+1 809) 565-4685
Web Site: http://www.holanda.org.do/
Email: STD@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Cairo, Egypt
18, Hassan Sabri
11211 Zamalek
Cairo, Egypt
City: Cairo
Phone: +20-2-7395500
Fax: +20-2-7365249
Web Site: http://www.hollandemb.org.eg/
Email: az-cz@hollandemb.org.eg,kai-ca@minbuza.nl

Netherlands Embassy in Helsinki
Erottajankatu 19 B
00130 Helsinki
Finland
P.O. Box 886
00101 Helsinki, Finland
City: Helsinki
Phone: +358 9 228 920
Fax: +358 9 228 92 228
Web Site: http://www.mfa.nl/hel/
Email: nlgovhel@kolumbus.fi

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Paris, France
7-9 rue EBLE
75007 Paris
France
City: Paris
Phone: 01.40.62.33.00
Fax: 01.40.62.34.56
Web Site: http://www.amb-pays-bas.fr/
Email: ambassade@amb-pays-bas.fr

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Berlin, Germany
Monastery route 50
10179 Berlin
Germany
City: Berlin
Phone: +49 30 20956-0
Fax: +49 30 20956-441
Web Site: http://www.niederlandeweb.de/
Email: nlgovbln@blnnlambde

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Athens, Greece
Leof. Vass. Konstantinou 5-7
106 74 Athens
Greece
City: Athens
Phone: +30 210 7254900
Fax: +30 210 7254907
Web Site: http://www.mfa.nl/ath
Email: ath@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Guatemala
16 Calle 0-55, Zona 10
Edificio Torre Internacional
Nivel 13, Guatemala
City: Guatemala
Phone: (502)- 2381 4300
Fax: (502)- 2381 4350
Web Site: http://www.embajadadeholanda-gua.org/
Email: nlgovgua@intelnet.net.gt

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Budapest, Hungary
Budapest
Fuge utca 5-7
1022
Hungary
City: Budabest
Phone: 336-6300
Fax: 3265978
Web Site: http://www.netherlandsembassy.hu/en/
Email: bdp@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy in New Delhi, India
6/50 F, Shanti Path
Chanakyapuri
New Delhi 110021
City: New Delhi
Phone: +91-11-24197600
Fax: +91-11-24197710
Web Site: http://www.mfa.nl/nde-en/
Email: nde@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia
Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav.
S-3, Kuningan Jakarta 12950
Indonesia
City: Jakarta
Phone: +62-21-524 8200
Fax: +62-21-570 0734
Web Site: http://indonesia.nlembassy.org/
Email: jak@minbuza.nl

The Royal Netherlands Embassy, Tehran
Sonbol Street #7 Farmanieh
City: Tehran
Phone: 0935 2111299
Email: teh@minbuza.nl

Embassy of Netherlands in Repubic of Iraq
Park Al-Sadoun
Hay Al-Nidhal 103
Street No. 38, House No.10
Baghdad, Iraq
City: Baghdad
Phone: 00-964-1-7782571 / 00-873-762953520
Email: bad@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Dublin, Ireland
160 Merrion Road
Dublin 4
Ireland
City: Dublin,
Phone: 00-353-1-2693444
Fax: 00-353-1-2839690
Email: dub-info@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel
Beit Oz 14, Abba Hillel St
Ramat Gan 52506
City: Tel Aviv
Phone: 03-7540777
Fax: 03-7540748
Web Site: http://www.netherlands-embassy.co.il
Email: nlgovtel@012.net.il

Netherlands Embassy in Rome, Italy
Via Michele Mercati, 8
00197 Rome
Italy
City: Rome
Phone: +39 06 32286.001
Fax: +39 06 32286.256
Web Site: http://www.mfa.nl/rom-nl
Email: rom@minbuza.nlwww.olanda.it

Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Amman, Jordan
22 Ibrahim Ayoub Street (former name: Embassy Street)
4th Circle
(opposite the offices of the prime minister in the Alico building)
Amman, Jordan
City: Amman
Phone: 00962 – 6 – 5902222
Fax: 00962 – 6 – 5930214
Web Site: http://www.netherlandsembassy.com.jo/
Email: amm-info@minbuza.

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Kuwait
Jabriyah, Area 9, Street 1, House 76
P.O. Box 21822
Safat 13079
State of Kuwait
City: Safat
Phone: 00.965.531.2650 / 1 / 2 / 3
Fax: 00.965.532.6334
Web Site: http://www.mfa.nl/kwe/
Email: KWE@minbuza.nl

Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Beirut, Lebanon
Netherlands Tower
Charles Malek Avenue,
Opposite Centre Sofil
2073-0802 Achrafieh
1100-2190
City: Beirut
Phone: 00-961-1-204663
Fax: 00-961-1-204664/00-961-1-339393
Web Site: http://www.netherlandsembassy.org.lb/
Email: nlgovbei@sodetel.net.lb

Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Luxembourg
6, rue Sainte Zithe
L-2763 Luxembourg
City: Luxembourg
Phone: +352 22 75 70
Fax: +352 40 30 16
Web Site: http://www.mfa.nl/lux
Email: lux@minbuza.nl

Embassy of the Netherlands in Skopje, Macedonia
Leninova 69-71
1000 Skopje
Macedonia
City: Skopje
Phone: +389 91 129-319/+389 2 3109-250
Fax: +389 2 3129-309
Web Site: http://www.nlembassy.org.mk/
Email: nethemb@mt.net.mk,SKO@minbuza.nl

Netherlands Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
7th Floor, South Block. The Ampwalk
218, Jalan Ampang
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
City: Kuala Lumpur
Phone: 00-60-3-21686200
Fax: 00-60-3-21686240
Web Site: http://malaysia.nlembassy.org/
Email: kll@minbuza.nl

Embassy of Netherland in Mexico
Avenida Vasco de Quiroga 3000
Edificio Calakmul, piso 7
Colonia Santa Fe
01210 Mexico D.F.
City: Mexico City
Phone: (+52) 5552589921
Fax: (+52) 5552588138
Web Site: http://www.paisesbajos.com.mx
Email: nlgovmex@nlgovmex.com

Embassy of Netherlands in Rabat, Morocco
40 Rue de Tunis,
Quartier Tour Hassan,
Rabat, Maroc
Potal Address:
B.P. 329, Rabat, Maroc
City: Rabat
Phone: +212 37 219600
Fax: +212 37 219665
Web Site: http://www.ambassadepaysbasrabat.org/
Email: nlgovrab@mtds.com

Royal Netherlands Embassy of Wellington, New Zealand
P.O.Box 840
Cnr. Ballance & Featherston Street
Wellington
City: Wellington
Phone: +64 04 471 6390
Fax: +64 04 471 2923
Web Site: http://www.netherlandsembassy.co.nz/
Email: WEL@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Oslo, Norway
Oscarsgate 29
0244 Oslo
Norway
City: Oslo
Phone: +47 23 33 36 00
Fax: +47 23 33 36 01
Web Site: http://www.netherlands-embassy.no/
Email: nlgovosl@online.no

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Warsaw, Poland
Ul. Kawalerii 10
00-468 Warsaw
Poland
City: Warsaw
Phone: 00-48-22-5591200
Fax: 00-48-22-8402638
Web Site: http://www.mfa.nl/war-en/
Email: war@minbuza.nl

Embassy o Netherlands in Moscow, Russian Federation
Kalashny pereulok 6
131000 Moscow
Russia
City: Moscow
Phone: +7 495 7972900
Fax: +7 495 7972904
Web Site: http://www.netherlands.ru
Email: mos@minbuza.nl

Embassy of Netherlands in Madrid, Spain
Avenida Comandante Franco, 32
28016 Madrid
Spain
City: Madrid
Phone: 91 353 75 00
Fax: 91 353 75 65
Web Site: http://www.embajadapaisesbajos.es/
Email: mad-info@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden
Gotgatan 16A
Stockholm
P.O. Box 15048
104 65 Stockholm
Sweden
City: Stockholm
Phone: (+46) (0)8 556 933 00
Fax: (+46) (0)8 556 933 11 (general)
Email: sto@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Bern, Switzerland
Seftigenstrasse 7
3007 Bern, Switzerland
City: Bern
Phone: +41-(0)31-350 87 00
Fax: + 41-(0)31-350 87 10
Web Site: http://www.nlembassy.ch/
Email: ben@minbuza.nl

Embassy of Netherlands in Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
Abou Roumaneh
Al-Jalaa Street
Imm Tello
Damascus
Syria
City: Damascus
Phone: 00-963-11-3336871
Fax: 00-963-11-3339369
Email: dmc@minbuza.nl

Embassy of Netherlands in Vatican
Piazza Della Citta Leonina 9/ II
00193 Rome
City: Vatican City
Phone: 00-39-06-6868044
Fax: 00-39-06-6879593
Email: vat@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy in Ankara, Turkey
Hollanda Caddesi 3
06550 Yildiz
Ankara, Turkey
City: Ankara
Phone: (0312) 409 18 00 visa: (0312) 409 18 20
Fax: (0312) 409 18 98
Web Site: http://www.mfa.nl/ank-en
Email: ank@minbuza.nl

Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kyiv, Ukraine
Kontraktova Ploshcha 7
01901 Kyiv, Ukraine
City: Kyiv
Phone: +38 044 4908 200
Fax: +38 044 4908 209/267
Web Site: http://www.netherlands-embassy.com.ua/
Email: kie@minbuza.nl

Royal Embassy of Netherlands in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Hamdan Street
Al Masaood Tower
6th floor, Suite 602
P.O. box 46560
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
City: Abu Dhabi
Phone: (+971) 2- 6321920
Fax: (+971) 2- 6313158
Web Site: http://www.netherlands.ae/index.htm
Email: abu@minbuza.nl

Royal Netherlands Embassy in London, England (UK)
38 Hyde Park Gate
London SW7 5DP
England, UK
City: London
Phone: 0044-(0)20-75903200
Fax: 0044-(0)20-72250947
Web Site: http://www.netherlands-embassy.org.uk/

Embassy of Netherlands in Washington DC, U.S.A.
4200 Linnean Avenue, NW,
Washington DC 20008 – USA
City: Washington DC
Phone: (202) 244-5300
Fax: 202-362-3430
Web Site: http://www.netherlands-embassy.org/homepage.asp

Embassy of Netherlands in Montevideo, Uruguay
Leyenda Patria 2880 2o. piso
11300 Montevideo
Uruguay
City: Montevideo
Phone: +598 – 2 – 711 2956
Fax: +598 – 2 – 711 3301
Web Site: http://www.holanda.org.uy/index.html
Email: mtv@minbuza.nl

Embassy of Netherlands in Caracas, Venezuela
Edificio San Juan, Piso 9
Avenida San Juan Bosco
con 2a Transversal
Altamira, Caracas
Venezuela
City: Caracas
Phone: +58-(0)-212-276-9300
Fax: +58-(0)-212-276-9311
Web Site: http://www.mfa.nl/car/homepage
Email: car@minbuza.nl
**********************************
Contact info for the United States http://www.netherlands-embassy.org/location.asp

Contact info for Great Britain http://www.netherlands-embassy.org.uk/passports/index.php?l=1&i=46&d=

Contact info Internationally http://www.dutchgovernment.com

/index.htm Contact info for the Internet challenged (easy links) Selected areas in the United States….. all others can be found HERE

California (South)

Consulate-General
Los Angeles, CA
310-268-1598 (phone)
310-312-0989 (fax)
los@minbuza.nl (email)
Please call or e-mail us for an appointment.

Jurisdiction: Consulate-General Los Angeles
Honorary Consulate: NO

District of Columbia Netherlands Embassy
Washington, DC
202-244-5300 (phone)
202-362-3430 (fax)
was@minbuza.nl (email)

Jurisdiction: Embassy Washington
Honorary Consulate: NO Illinois Consulate-General Chicago
Chicago, IL
312-856-0110 (phone)
312-856-9218 (fax)
chi@minbuza.nl (email)
Please call or e-mail us for an appointment.

Jurisdiction: Consulate-General Chicago
Honorary Consulate: NO Massachusetts Netherlands Consulate
Boston, MA
617-542-8452 (phone)
617-542-3304 (fax)
nl.govbos@verizon.net (email)
Office hours are Monday – Friday from 10.00 am until 1.00 pm.

Jurisdiction: Consulate-General New York
Honorary Consulate: YES
Consul: Mr. Hans Gieskes New York Consulate-General
New York, NY
212-246-1429 (phone)
212-333-3603 (fax)
netherlandsnyc@cgnewyork.org (email)
Please call or e-mail us for an appointment.

Jurisdiction: Consulate-General New York
Honorary Consulate: NO

Selected areas in Great Britain …. all others can be found HERE Address:
Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
38 Hyde Park Gate
London SW7 5DP
United Kingdom
tel.: 0044 (0)20 7590 3200
fax: 0044 (0)20 7225 0947.
london@netherlands-embassy.org.uk

Netherlands Consulate Manchester
Apex House
266 Moseley Road
Levenshulme
Manchester M19 2LH
Tel: 0161 – 248 2390
Fax: 0161 – 248 2401
E-mail: mieke.slater@harvesthousing.org.uk

Israel and Palestine

Address

Beit Oz, 13th floor

14 Abba Hillel Street

Ramat Gan 52506

Tel: +972 3 75 40 777

Fax: +972 3 75 40 748

E-mail : nlgovtel@012.net.il

The Representative Office in Palestine

Visiting Address:

12, Holanda Street

(off Nablus Road)

El-Bireh, Ramallah

Click here for a map of the location

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 1899 Ramallah

P.O. Box 54706 Jerusalem

Tel.: 02-2406639 / 2409797

Fax: 02-2409638

---

Tagged as: Desert Peace, gaza, Israel, Mohammed Omer, Palestine, torture, Zionism

Steve Amsel is aka DesertPeace is a Human Rights activist living in Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem). He moderates the Blog http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/
Email this author All posts by Steve Amsel

PA-Fatah & Foreign Conspirators Banded Together Against Palestinian Representative Democracy

Link

6/11/2009 03:39:00 AM Reporter: Editor Publisher Hiyam Noir

Hundreds of thousands attend Hamas 21st Anniversary in Gaza City
Photo Fady Adwan PalestineFreeVoice Images

Hiyam Noir

GAZA - Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum, said in a statement on Wednesday, that the PA’s attempt to seize Dr Muhammad Ghazal from his Nablus home, indicate that the Fatah controlled PA attempt to hinder a success of the Egyptian mediation endeavour to unite Palestine political factions.

Fawzi Barhoum repeated his previous calls on Egypt to help bringing an end to the ongoing,PA-instigated political arrests in the West Bank. He said that; - “there will not be a pleasant atmosphere for a Palestinian unity dialogue in July, if the arrests of Hamas members continues. A success of Palestinian unity-talks are beyond doubt connected to Fatah activities towards Hamas movement in the West Bank,” -Barhoum said.

When Hamas statement arrived on Wednesday, after the PA’s attempt to abduct Dr Muhammad Ghazal in Nablus , a large group of the so called “security forces” also surrounded the home of a Hamas freedom fighter in the Tulkarem refugee camp.

Fatah and it's confederacy does not believe in representative democracy as a principal.Since Hamas won a landslide victory in the 2006 Palestinian democratic elections,and secured 76 seats in the Palestinian parliament, PA=Fatah security forces on the West Bank, pursued a relentless harassment campaign, carrying out a manhunt of Hamas affiliated members, destroyed their homes and charities, set fire on buildings and cars, belonging to Hamas members and its organization.

The outcome of the Palestinian elections shifted the Palestinian political landscape.The result of the Palestinian elections of 2006 was seen as the best democratic practice in the Arab world.The Hamas movement, capitalized on the widespread dissatisfaction among the Palestinians.Fatah, which held power since the creation of the Palestinian Authority, gathered only 43 seats.

Hamas, which boycotted the Palestinian elections a decade earlier, where dissatisfied with the corruption within the Palestinian Authority and Fatah, and a perceived inability by the Palestine authority to manage the affairs of the Palestinians. Fatah was formed in 1965 by Yasser Arafat,who died in November 2004.

Fatah a nationalist movement, held for long time a political monopole, they ruled the Palestinian politics for decades.When Hamas won the representative power in January 2006,PA-Fatah & foreign conspirators banded together in sinister acts. In the outset, a ceaseless global smear campaign began to discredit Hamas. Intended to scatter seed's of doubt among the hundreds of thousand s of Palestinians who voted Hamas in to power.Then came the brutal illegal siege on Gaza,aimed to crush the will of the Palestinian people.Then came the finale slaughter, a full scale criminal war on Gaza,to wipe out the stronghold of the Palestinian resistance.PA-Fatah and foreign allies bounded in conspiracy to kill Palestinian representative democracy.

© Copyright reserved 2003 - 2009 PalestineFreeVoice
Intellectual Rights Retained

link

A female supporter of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad displays her hand painted with the Iranian flag, also used as a sign for his party (Photo: AP)

The vast majority of reports and commentary on the situation in Iran by reputable scholars and journalists have been one-sided. For many of these commentators, the “other side” (though the extremely fragmented state of Iranian society has much more than just 2 sides to it) is either non-existent or not worthy of coverage. Below is another article by Abbas Barzegar of The Guardian who continues to be a voice of dissent amidst mounting pressure and incentive to join the “Green Wave” which is comprised of a variety of different groups who have united (at least momentarily) under the common goal of outing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from the presidency. However, even this goal seems to be evolving into something else entirely. If you are only going to read one article that provides a different perspective than the ones you are constantly being ambushed with, then read this one. Remember, there is nothing wrong with thinking critically. If we are truly devoted to principles of peace and justice then thinking critically is actually our obligation. (Thanks Carlos).

Media fantasies in Iran – Abbas Barzegar

It was only a matter of time before revolution in Iran, believed dissidents and media in the west. They were wrong
It’s not about the election, Ahmadinejad, or the even the protesters. The world has been captivated by the events in Iran because for many, Iran is to Islamism what the Soviet Union was to communism and presumably today we are somewhere near the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Indeed as the media has been telling us, all the right ingredients are here: a charismatic leader, fractions in the political hierarchy, and a critical mass of protesters. The opposition has begun shouting “Allahu Akbar” from the rooftops and wearing black to commemorate their martyrs just like they did 30 years ago. Iran’s diaspora pundits and dissidents have come out in droves to tell us about the unwillingness of the police to use force on the protesters … just like they did 30 years ago. There are even dissident clerics in the fight, and better yet the protesters now have Twitter and Facebook to help.
I don’t know whose cruel joke this is, but these protests have never been about a revolution nor have any of the opposition leaders ever suggested that. The accidental Mousavi social movement has been galvanised and sustained by bottled-up anger, not an ideological political vision for the future. It has rallied disparate sectors of society unhappy with the burdens of Islamic social restrictions, an economy whose horizon is always bleak, and three decades of international isolation. Crowds emerged to protest the election results but it wasn’t until the ever prudent Ahmadinejad dismissed them as rubbish and blamed them for the “sin” of homosexuality that they poured on to the streets in masses. Even as they grew to the hundreds of thousands, they raised posters of Mousavi next to Khomeini and were quick to silence any hints of provocation. Yet we said this was a revolt for democracy, liberty and a Big Mac.
Our fantastic political analyses spring from idealistic liberal hopes and are symptomatic of the larger problem we have in understanding political Islam. That this crisis has been presented as one between the “Iranian people” and its government is among the greatest errors of the media coverage this week. The competing crowds of millions for and against Ahmadinejad should have been enough to indicate that the conflict was as much a social issue as it was a political one. But phrases such as “a lot of Iranians” or “Mousavi’s broad constituency” make weaker soundbites than “the Iranian people.” So, from Sarkozy to Sky News, the only “Iranian people” that seemingly exist this week are those wearing green.
But bias is not my gripe; the good Muslim v bad Muslim game is an old one. I care about misrepresentation. By ignoring the millions of Ahmadinejad supporters (even after counting for mass fraud) journalists and pundits have mistaken Iranian Islamists as communist bureaucrats on a payroll that might easily fold when forced to attack other Iranians. Instead, we have seen Basiji volunteers jump at the opportunity to smash their batons across the faces of men, women, and anyone else in their way.
Iranian Islamists’ allegiances do not lie with saffron rice and Hafez’s poems. They love God, then country, grind through life as factory workers and farmhands in addition to getting PhDs in engineering and medicine. Iranians loyal to their Islamic project recite prayers for their president, relish the martyrdom of Hussein, and wait for the return of their messiah. So did anyone really think that his terrestrial representative would allow more than a week of bank burnings and highway closures? Are we really shocked that the military would close rank, dissidents would be arrested, and political threats be neutralised as 250,000 US troops sit on the country’s borders and Cheney’s $400m support for regime subversion gets stamped by Obama?
Instead of trying to understand the complexity of Iranian Islamism and its fusion into the international political system, intellectuals in the west have dismissed its architects and supporters as brainwashed fanatics controlled by wicked priests. We have lived vicariously through its dissidents and exiles. We have cherished stories such as Reading Lolita in Tehran and recommended films such as Not Without My Daughter and Persepolis to our closest family and friends. It was only a matter of time, we so desperately believed.
But a match can only be lit once. Mousavi was from a generation that stood in front of the Shah’s helicopter gunships, slept in trenches before Saddam’s tanks, and waited hours in line for flour. But Tehran’s tech-savvy are far from Frantz Fanon’s lumpenproletariat. The hundreds of thousands trickled down to a few hundred this week precisely because they never came to revolt. Had they wanted a revolution, they could have had one when they crammed the streets in front of the state television and radio station. The bazaar shop owners, much less the oil refinery workers, have not gone on strike, nor will they. The opposition’s tiny political infrastructure has all but been destroyed. The revolution will not be televised – or Twittered – because it was only going to happen in our imaginations.
Soon, Iran will fade from the news cycle and its horrors will blend with those of the rest of the world. Ahmadinejad will serve four years as a lame-duck president, tempered by Khamenei domestically and internationally. Mousavi, along with Khatami, will probably retire from politics while Rafsanjani secures his assets as quickly as possible. Larijani will be the supreme leader’s new man and after leading the charge on election reform will probably be the next president.
Meanwhile, the “Iranian people” will continue living under the double sanction of a repressive state and an international boycott regime designed to cripple their development. Then intellectuals, journalists and diaspora Iranians such as myself can return to imagining them any way we want.

Iran Election Wrap Up

Link

Moon of Alabama

June 26, 2009

It seems the Iranian election is now officially decided:

"After 10 days of examination, we did not see any major irregularities," Guardians Council spokesman Abbasali Kadkhodai told the state IRNA news agency, rejecting opposition allegations that have brought hundreds of thousands of demonstrators onto the streets.

"We have had no fraud in any presidential election and this one was the cleanest election we have had. I can say with certainty that there was no fraud in this election."

Well - who to believe? Unless we see some real proof of fraud I am content to believe that there was none.

The result is disappointing for the millions who voted for Mousavi and took to the streets in those big demonstrations. Pat Lang predicts:

I think there is likely to be a sine curve of resistance that fluctuates between relative quiet and street action. This will eventually either eliminate this [ruling] clique or cause a massive change in its policies.

I am not so sure. The last days street action were mostly youth riots that can be seen on and off again in any normal state and with the usual outcome. They are no danger to the government.

Most Iranian people, after thinking through the issue in calm, will probably also wonder about the absence of any proof for fraud. So there is a chance that this really may quiet down. Some changes in Ahmadinejad's policies could help too. It will be interesting to see what modifications he will make in his cabinet.

To prevent a repeat of such election protest, Iran should try to make the election process even more transparent. Publishing the local results immediately after the local counts are done by hanging them out at the front of each election place would certainly help to bring more clarity. Then, when the central tally is made and publish together with all local results on a website and in newspapers, everyone can compare and recalculate the totals.

We still do not know how much the whole protest was initiated from the outside. Those $475 million of U.S. government money invested into regime change in Iran certainly had some effects we may never learn about. What is certain is that official 'western' propaganda media like BBC Farsi and Voice of America's Farsi service did their very best to prepare and support the election fraud claims in Iran. The general 'western' mass media followed that claim to influence the 'western' public. Their lockstep has reached an amazing perfection that Hitler's best troops would have been proud of.

This week has been bad for Iran's international image in the 'west', but over time the public will forget the issue. Therefore the people who want to attack Iran are preparing a new campaign. Lang again:

The war parties in the US and Israel have taken up a new propaganda theme. They are now saying that a "military coup" by the IRGC and other "radicals" has taken place and that the resulting regime is no longer under the influence and control of the Shia 'ulema. The new theme insists that the new "coup junta" symbolically headed by Khamenei is even more dangerous and more likely to rashly use nuclear weapons as an expression of their lunacy.

This is an obvious attempt to twist the situation in the best agitprop tradition for the purpose of obtaining American popular consensus for war against Iran.

Ahmadinajad is a fool and he will undoubtedly play into the hands of the propagandists.

Lang knows the neocons, but I am not so sure about his judgment of Ahmadinejad. Ahmedinejad is first and foremost a smart politician. He can not be reelected as president and now has no pressing need to keep up the vote winning rhetoric he used over the last years. I expect him to now take a much calmer and more realist approach towards international issues.

Moon of Alabama has seen a lot of comments on the Iran election issue. I am really proud of all your comments even when, in the heat of the discussions, some drifted too much towards personal accusations. The various threads and discussion certainly gave room for everyone to look at every side of the issue. What counts in the end are facts. Opinions can be derived from those. In my view Arnold Evans' conclusion is very fact based and his opinion will likely survive historic scrutiny.

To the people of Iran I wish the very best. I hope your wounds, partly deepened by outer interference, will heal fast. Stay proud and confident in your abilities and independence.

at 10:56 AM

Labels: Media Theatrics, Warmongering