GLOBAL PROTESTS AGAINST THE IMPERIALIST WAR ON SYRIA

Posted on March 16, 2013 by Libya 360°

Syrian Students Abroad Organize Events in Solidarity with Homeland

Mar 16, 2013

CAPITALS, (SANA)-The Syrian students and community in Iran gathered on Friday outside the UN headquarter in the Iranian capital, Tehran, in protest of the West and US support to the armed terrorist groups in Syria.

The protestors demanded in a statement that the UN shoulder its responsibilities in combating terrorism and punishing its backers, calling for commitment to the UN charter in respecting the sovereignty of states and non-interference in the domestic affairs of countries.

They also stressed that national unity and the comprehensive national dialogue is the only way to solve the crisis in Syria and restore security and stability to the country.

”Under the current conditions in our beloved country, Syria, we announce rejection to all forms of foreign meddling in the Syrian decision-making and demand that the UN shoulder its responsibilities in confronting terrorism that is targeting Syria,” the statement said.

The participants raised a big Syrian flag, posters of President Bashar al-Assad and chanted the national anthem, also raining illustrative images on the havoc and destruction wreaked by the terrorists in Syria.

They renewed pledge to stand up against the conspiracy hatched against their homeland, expressing readiness to offer the dearest of sacrifices for protecting Syria as undivided, strong country.

Head of the National Union of Syrian Students in Iran, Bassel Kadeh said that ”The protest seeks to send a clear message to the UN and all Syria’s enemies that the Syrian people stand united behind his government in this crisis until cleansing the country from the last terrorist.”

Syrian Students in Czech and Slovakia Organize Events in Solidarity with Homeland

Syrian students in Czech staged an event to express solidarity with their homeland, reiterating their support to the political program to solve the crisis in Syria and start a comprehensive national dialogue.

The participants in the event, held by the branch of the National Union of Syrian Students in front of the UN headquarters in Prague, expressed deep sorrow over the martyrdom of civilian and military Syrians, voicing strong support to the Army in confronting the terrorists.

Waving the Syrian flags and holding posters of President Bashar al-Assad, the participants, who included Arab supporters, offered thanks to the friendly countries that are defending the right and the resistance approach, particularly Russian and China.

In the same context, a delegation of Syrian students headed by Chairman of the Union’s branch, Ahmad Khaddour, met the UN representative in Czech at the organizations HQ and expressed their condemnation of funding and support offered to the armed terrorist groups in Syria by regional and international countries.

Meanwhile, the Union’s branch in Slovakia organized a stand of solidarity with the homeland in a square in the middle of the capital Bratislava with the participation of members of Arab communities and Slovak and other foreign citizens.

Waving the Russian and Chinese flags along with the Syrian ones, the participants denounced the conspiracy hatched against Syria in implementation of U.S. and Zionist agendas.

They also denounced some Western and regional media outlets over moving away from credibility and fabricating false news to mobilize the public opinion against Syria.

Syrian Students and Community in Russia Denounce UN Stances on Crisis in Syria

The Russian branch of the National Union of Syrian Students and members of the Syrian community in Russia issued a statement on Friday denouncing the UN stances regarding the crisis in Syria.

The statement also denounced the UN’s lack of support for the reforms issued by the Syrian government and the UN silence over terrorist bombings and acts of murder and destruction perpetrated by armed groups.

The statement decried the condoning silence over misleading media which alters facts and fabricates lies in support of terrorism in Syria, in addition to denouncing all acts of aggression against the safety of the country and citizens at the hands of terrorists who destroy public and private establishments, infrastructure, mosques and churches and slaughter innocent civilians in full sight of the whole world.

The statement said that the armed groups in Syria are supported by some Arab Gulf countries, primarily Qatar, Turkey, and some western countries including the US, France and Britain, all while Syria is fighting terrorism on its own.

The statement stressed that the UN must honor its obligations towards the people of the world and help realize security and stability according to international law, calling for trying all countries or sides that support terrorism.

Stand and March in Vienna in Support of Syria

Syrian students and members of the Syrian community in Austria organized a stand to support Syria in front of the US Embassy in Vienna.

The Participants, carrying Syrian flags and pictures of President Bashar al-Assad, denounced the arming of terrorist groups in Syria and decried the unjust sanctions imposed by the west on Syria, voicing their rejection of foreign interference in their homeland’s internal affairs.

The participants also denounced the US role in sending terrorist to it and working to destroy it along with its regional pawns, calling for an immediate cessation of all economic and political sanctions which harm the Syrian people.

They also voiced support for national dialogue and the political process to resolve the cirsis in Syria.

On a relevant note, the Austrian organization Christian Solidarity International and some Syrians, Arabs and people of other nationalities organized a march in Vienna, calling for protecting Syrians from the attacks of terrorists and extremists and stopping the amring of terrorist groups.

Participants in the march called for stopping all forms of foreign interference in Syria, decrying all forms of terrorism and the crimes committed by terrorist groups in Syria.

Afterwards, participants headed to St. Stephen’s Cathedral where they prayed for peace, security and stability in Syria and the return of displaced Syrians to their homes.

H. Said / H. Sabbagh

Syrian Community, Students in Spain Protest against Countries Backing Terrorism in Syria

Mar 16, 2013

MADRID, (SANA)_The Syrian community and students in Spain protested outside the European Commission headquarters in the Spanish capital, Madrid, against the countries which support armed terrorist groups in Syria.
The protestors stressed that the terrorists are being armed and sent to Syria to commit the most heinous of crimes against the Syrian people.
The Syrian students handed a communiqué on the situation in Syria to a Commission’s representative in Spain.
They stressed their support to national dialogue and standing by their leadership and army.
M. Ismael

Protest in Frankfurt against the war in Syria, 16 March 2013

Eretz Zen

Published on 16 Mar 2013

This protest in the city of Frankfurt, Germany is one of many demonstrations that took place this week in that country. Another major demonstration took place in Berlin. As can be seen from this video, Syrians and others from all walks of life are showing solidarity with Syria, its people, and its government who have been under an internationally-orchestrated Wahhabi invasion since 2011.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

Palestinian Authority ‘Consenting to Its Own Colonization’

Swimming pool in the Israeli West Bank Settlement of Ariel

By Richard Edmondson
In a way, what’s revealed in this article is not surprising. The Palestinian Authority, which does have some limited control over parts of the West Bank, has been obliged/coerced by Israel to provide water services to Israeli settlements there—settlements which are illegal under international law and which are the main obstacle to any peace agreement. But not only that, this practice has been going on for an incredible 15 years, a period during which the settlements have rapidly expanded and become more numerous.

As the author of the study puts it, the Palestinian Authority has essentially consented “to its own colonization and has not contested Israel’s cynical tactics as forcefully as it might have done.”

Researcher Uncovers Hidden Facts of Israeli-Palestinian Water Politics

Source: University of Sussex

The Israeli government has been forcing the Palestinian Authority into approving water infrastructure for illegal West Bank settlements for the past 15 years, according to research by a University of Sussex academic.

The research by Senior Lecturer in International Relations Dr Jan Selby  published (5 February 2013) in the journal Water Alternatives.¹

It presents the first known evidence of the Palestinian Authority lending its official consent to parts of Israel’s settlement expansion programme.

Settlements and related infrastructure are illegal under international law, and are recognised as one of the major obstacles to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The research is based on minutes of the Joint Water Committee – an Israeli-Palestinian body often upheld as an example of good Israeli-Palestinian relations – and interviews with participants. Dr Selby concludes that:

·         Israel has repeatedly made its approval of improvements to Palestinian water supplies conditional upon Palestinian Authority approval of new water facilities for Israeli settlements;

·         the Palestinians, who face serious water shortage issues and an underdeveloped supply system, have given this approval in almost every case;

·         the arrangement was known about by former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and current President Abu Mazen;

·         international donors have known that Israel’s approval of donor-funded projects for Palestinians is conditional on Palestinian approval of Israeli settlement infrastructures, but have preferred to remain silent on the issue;

·         the Palestinian water crisis in the West Bank has significantly worsened since the creation of the Joint Water Committee.

Dr Selby says: “None of the parties emerge very well from these findings. Israel has been exploiting Palestinian desperation for improved water supplies. The Palestinian Authority has been pressured into consenting to its own colonisation and has not contested Israel’s cynical tactics as forcefully as it might have done.

“And international donors have variously stood by or been complicit in activity which is contrary to international law, and contrary to their own policies on the peace process, and which has helped to undermine the possibility of a two state solution.”

---

Notes for Editors

 ^{1 ‘}Cooperation, domination and colonisation: The Israeli-Palestinian Joint Water Committee’ by Dr Jan Selby is published online by the journal Water Alternatives.

Dr Jan Selby is a Senior Lecturer in International Relations in the School of Global Studies, University of Sussex, and Director of the Sussex Centre for International Security (SCIS).

Dr Selby is widely published on Israeli-Palestinian and Middle Eastern water politics. He is author of Water, Power and Politics in the Middle East: The Other Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (IB Tauris, 2003), and more recently was Principal Investigator on the EU Framework 7-funded project Climate Change, Hydro-Conflicts and Human Security (CLICO), undertaking research on water-climate-conflict linkages in Cyprus, Israel-Palestine and Sudan. Dr Selby has served widely as a consultant and advisor on water policy issues.

For interviews please contact the University of Sussex Press office.

University of Sussex Press office contacts: Maggie Clune and Jacqui Bealing. Tel: 01273 678 888. Email:press@sussex.ac.uk

View press releases online at: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/newsandevents/

Stolen Land and Water: A Journey to Maale

Swimming pool at Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim

By Richard Edmondson

Yesterday after I posted an article about Israel forcing the Palestinian Authority to provide water infrastructure to its illegal settlements—an article which included a photo of a swimming pool in the West Bank settlement of Ariel—a reader emailed me: “I just noted the swimming pool on your blog accompanying the water research article. But that weeny pool is dwarfed by the Maale Adumim central Olympic pool.”

The reader’s email included a link to a web page promoting the settlement mentioned, Maale Adumim, located in the West Bank, approximately 7 kilometers from Jerusalem. If we go to the page and scroll just below midway down we find a photo of what appears to be, sure enough, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and—along with the photo—text informing us this is not the only swimming pool in Maale, but actually is one of four.

Yesterday’s post, entitled Palestinian Authority Consenting to Its Own Colonization, included a report by Dr. Jan Selby, a University of Sussex researcher, who found that the Israeli government “has repeatedly made its approval of improvements to Palestinian water supplies conditional upon Palestinian Authority approval of new water facilities for Israeli settlement.” Furthermore, “the Palestinians, who face serious water shortage issues and an underdeveloped supply system, have given this approval in almost every case.”

Selby additionally reported on something called the “Joint Water Committee,” presumably made up of both Israelis and Palestinians, which regulates water supplies in the West Bank, but which apparently leaves much to be desired—the researcher informs us the “Palestinian water crisis in the West Bank has significantly worsened” since the committee’s creation.

Significantly worsened for Palestinians, that is—but apparently not for the Israelis or their illegal settlements. In fact, water-wise everything seems to be just peachy in the settlements. If you look up Maale at Wikipedia, you find the following photo:

Artificial lake, Ma'ale Adumim

The caption underneath the photo reads, “Artificial lake, Ma’ale Adumim.” So the settlement has not only an Olympic pool (and three other pools as well), but also an artificial lake.

Passing reference to the lake is also made at the aforementioned web page, although the fact that the lake is artificial is omitted:

Maale Adumim has all the advantages of a city: an enclosed mall and several strip malls, a municipal government center, intra-city transportation, an extensive library, health services, an art museum, sports and recreational facilities, a lake, a music conservatory, parks and more. It also has many of the advantages of a small town. It is clean and pleasant, surrounded by palm trees and a breathtaking desert view, and is only 20 minutes from downtown Jerusalem.

I should probably here pause and mention that the website where the above appears is that of Nefesh B’Nefesh, an organization which exhorts Jews to make “aliyah” to Israel. I should also probably mention that Maale Adumim lies in the so-called “E1” area just east of Jerusalem. Last November, one day after Palestine’s successful statehood recognition campaign at the UN, Israel announced intentions to build 3,000 new settler homes in the E1 area. The move was widely seen as retaliation for the statehood vote.

The Nefesh B’Nefesh site provides a sort of virtual guided tour of the illegal settlement:

Maale Adumim's Matnas (community center) offers dozens of activities for all ages, such as: sports, concerts, music, dance, shows, 4 swimming pools and an outstanding music program. There are also tennis and basketball courts as well as soccer fields. A baseball team for boys ages 8-12 has also started in the city.

The local library has a large collection of English books for children and adults. There is an English book club for adults. There is also an active club for retirees (55+) which offers a multitude of social activities (some of which are in English), as well as a weekly English-speakers' senior club.

Maale sits at a very high elevation roughly midway between Jericho and Jerusalem. It is an area that is extremely dry and has little natural vegetation. If you look at the map below you can see that this area is strategically located between the northern and southern West Bank. Some critics have charged that the new settlement project will essentially bisect the West Bank, making a contiguous Palestinian state impossible.

 River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian   The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

Proof Islam's most holy relics are being demolished in Mecca

The photos Saudi Arabia doesn't want seen – and proof Islam's most holy relics are being demolished in Mecca The Washington-based Gulf Institute estimates that 95 per cent of Mecca's millennium-old buildings have been demolished in the past two decades alone.

 

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The authorities in Saudi Arabia have begun dismantling some of the oldest sections of Islam’s most important mosque as part of a highly controversial multi-billion expansion.

Photographs obtained by The Independent reveal how workers with drills and mechanical diggers have started demolishing some Ottoman and Abbasid sections on the eastern side of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca.

The building, which is also known as the Grand Mosque, is the holiest site in Islam because it contains the Kaaba –  the point to which all Muslims face when praying. The columns are the last remaining sections of the mosque which date back more than a few hundred years and form the inner perimeter on the outskirts of the white marble floor surrounding the Kaaba.

The new photos, taken over the last few weeks, have caused alarm among archaeologists and come as Prince Charles – a long term supporter of preserving architectural heritage – flew into Saudi Arabia yesterday for a visit with the Duchess of Cornwall. The timing of his tour has been criticised by human rights campaigners after the Saudis shot seven men in public earlier this week despite major concerns about their trial and the fact that some of the men were juveniles at the time of their alleged crimes.

Many of the Ottoman and Abbasid columns in Mecca were inscribed with intricate Arabic calligraphy marking the names of the Prophet Muhammad’s companions and key moments in the founder of Islam’s life.

To accommodate the ever increasing number of pilgrims heading to the twin holy cities of Mecca and Medina each year the Saudi authorities have embarked upon a massive expansion project. Billions of pounds have been poured in to increase the capacity of the Masjid al-Haram and the Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina which marks where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is buried. King Abdullah has put the prominent Wahabi cleric and imam of the Grand Mosque, Abdul Rahman al-Sudais, in charge of the expansion while the Saudi Binladin Group – the country’s largest firms – has won the construction contract.

While there is little disagreement over the need to expand, critics have accused the Saudi regime of wantonly disregarding the archaeological, historical and cultural heritage of Islam’s two holiest cities. In the last decade Mecca has been transformed from a dusty desert pilgrimage town into a gleaming metropolis of sky scrapers that tower of the Masjid al-Haram and are filled with a myriad of shopping malls, luxury apartments and five star hotels.

But such a transformation has come at a cost. The Washington-based Gulf Institute estimates that 95 per cent of Mecca's millennium-old buildings have been demolished in the past two decades alone. Dozens of key historical sites dating back to the birth of Islam have already been lost and there is a scramble among archaeologists and academics to try and encourage the authorities to preserve what little remains.

Many senior Wahabis are vehemently against the preservation of historical Islamic sites that are linked to the Prophet of Islam because they believe it encourages shirk – the sin of idol worshipping.

But Dr Irfan al-Alawi, executive director of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation which obtained the new photographs from inside the Grand Mosque, says the removal of the Ottoman and Abbasid columns will leave future generations of Muslims ignorant of their significance.

“It matters because many of these columns signified certain areas of the mosque where the Prophet sat and prayed,” he said. “The historical record is being deleted. A new Muslim would never have a clue because there’s nothing marking these locations now. There are ways you could expand Mecca and Medina while protecting the historical heritage of the mosque itself and the surrounding sites.”

There are signs that King Abdullah has listened to concerns about the historical destruction of Mecca and Medina. Last October The Independent revealed how new plans for the masjid an-Nabawi in Medina would  result in the destruction of three of the world’s oldest mosques on the west hand side of the main complex. However new plans approved by King Abdullah last week appear to show a change of heart with the bulk of the expansion now slated to take place to the north of the Masjid an-Nabawi.

However key sites are still at risk. The Independent has obtained a presentation used by the Saudis to illustrate how the expansion of Mecca’s main mosque will look. In one of the slides it is clear that the Bayt al-Mawlid, an area which is believed to be the house where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born it, will have to be removed unless plans change.

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River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

SOUTH AFRICA AND BRICS NATIONS SUPPORT GENEVA STATEMENT

Posted on March 16, 2013 by Libya 360°

President of South Africa: We, Along with BRIC S, will Spare No Effort to Implement Geneva Statement

Mar 16, 2013

JOHANNESBURG, (SANA) – President of South Africa Jacob Zuma stressed that his country will spare no effort to support the BRIC S countries in their efforts to implement the Geneva statement and put an end to violence in Syria as soon as possible as to launch political dialogue.

The remarks came during his meeting with Presidential Political and Media Advisor Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban, on Saturday.

President Zuma expressed regret over the current events in Syria, adding that it is useful to have information about the events through direct communication channels between the two countries.

For her part, Dr. Shaaban expressed appreciation for the stances of South Africa regarding the crisis in Syria.
Shaaban pointed out to the political program announced by President Bashar al-Assad to put an end to violence and launch national dialogue without preconditions, calling on President Zuma to support the program at the coming BRIC S summit due to be held in South Africa on March 26th.

She briefed President Zuma on the latest developments in Syria and the regional and international dimensions of the crisis in Syria in addition to its repercussions on the region.
She noted that some countries are seeking to ignite the situation in the country through funding and arming terrorist groups.

Dr. Shaaban also met with Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, Ebrahim Ebrahim, and discussed the situation in Syria and the importance of the upcoming BRIC S summit.

The meetings were attended by Syria’s Ambassador in South Africa, Bassam Darwish.
M. Nassr/ H. Sabbagh
 

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

British Labor leader Miliband pledges to oppose Israel boycott

Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at 9:53AM Gilad Atzmon

The Global News Service of the Jewish People reported:
http://www.jta.org

(JTA) -- Ed Miliband, the leader of Britain’s Labour Party, pledged to oppose boycotts of Israel and to protect Jewish customs, including circumcision and ritual slaughter.

Speaking Thursday before a crowd of 300 at an event organized by Britain's main Jewish umbrella group, the leader of the British opposition, who is Jewish, warned of the need to be “ever-vigilant” against anti-Semitism, the Jewish Chronicle reported.

Asked whether he would work to ensure religious slaughter and circumcision practices could continue in Britain, Miliband said: “Yes, these are important traditions. The kosher issue has recently been brought to my attention. Ways of life must be preserved.”

The Chronicle also quoted Miliband as saying that he takes anti-Semitism "very seriously" and that delegitimizing Israel is "something we should call out for what it is and not tolerate it.”
“I think the boycotts of Israel are totally wrong," he said. "We should have no tolerance for boycotts. I would say that to any trade union leaders.”

He also said people must “understand the anger and dismay about settlements."

The headline of the Jewish Chronicle report on the event was "I'm a Zionist and oppose boycotts of Israel.” Miliband's office later said his comments on Zionism were “misinterpreted.”
The Daily Telegraph reported that Miliband had been asked whether he was a Zionist and answered: “Yes, I am a supporter of Israel.”
 

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

QATAR BLACKAMAILS THE UKRAINE OVER ANHAR KOCHNEVA

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Libya 360°

Qatar Blackmails Ukraine Abusing the Kidnapping of Ukrainian Journalist Anhar in Syria

Arabi Souri

Published on 14 Mar 2013

All fingers lead to Qatar: Financing terrorist groups, aiding them with logistics, weapons, communication devices, supporting them with media and political coverage, intervening in other countries’ internal affairs, and latest revealed but known for a long time accomplice in kidnapping civilians to use them in blackmail.

Qatar tried to blackmail Ukraine and get a recognition of a group of exiled fanatics and opportunists as the legitimate representatives of the Syrian people, but Ukraine unlike Qatar is a real state that understands and abides by international law and practices.

ALSO SEE:
CAPTIVE JOURNALIST, ANHAR KOCHNEVA, ESCAPES FROM THE FSA
ANHAR KOCHNEVA SHARES HER HARROWING STORY OF ESCAPE FROM THE FSA

 

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

Genocidal Jews on Facebook

“May all Arabs die!” Israelis on Facebook express joy at Jordan bus crash that killed Palestinian pilgrims

Source

electronicintifada.net

Israelis, including at least one person identifying himself as a soldier, reacted with genocidal joy on Facebook to the horrifying news this morning that 17 Palestinians returning from a pilgrimage had been killed in a bus accident in Jordan and dozens more injured. Early reports had put the number of dead at 14.

According to The Jordan Times, the accident occurred as the bus descended toward the Jordan Valley “and slammed into a passenger vehicle causing it to overturn. The bus then slammed into a truck and the two vehicles crashed resulting in the deaths and the high number of injuries.”

Israelis overjoyed at horrifying deaths

“I couldn’t ask for a better morning than this,” wrote Facebook user Kobi Yaacov Saroussiunder an item about the accident on the Facebook page of Israel’s Channel 2, “Shame there isn’t another zero at the end [of the number of victims].”

kobi_saroussi.jpg

Kobi Yaacov Saroussi is disappointed there weren’t ten times as many deaths.

There were dozens more similar comments. Facebook user Demri Alice wrote “Finally it’s possible to ‘Like’ something,” to which she added a smiley face.

demri_alice.jpg

In horrifying deaths of Palestinians, Demri Alice finally find something to “Like” on Facebook.

Many were brief. Tomer Reuven simply commented “Very good.”

“Great! Let’s hope everyone on the bus was an Arab!” said Eitan Wolfer Eifergan.

eitan_eifergan.jpg

“I’ve never tolerated Arabs,” wrote Kobi Noga, “I’m an extreme rightist. We should kill them all.”

kobi_noga.jpg

Kobi Noga, self-described “extreme rightist,” thinks all Arabs should be killed.

Shenhav Sharbit, using the perjorative term “arboushim” – roughly the equivalent of the N-word – said Arabs could “all die” and that was “all good.”

shenhav_sharbit.jpg

Shenhav Sharbit uses a racist epithet for Arabs to express her joy at their deaths.

Golani Brigade soldier: “May all Arabs die … I am a proud racist.”

chen_shaptiban_golani.jpg

In a screenshot from his Facebook page, Chen Shaptiban is seen in a uniform bearing the tree symbol indicating that he is a member of the Israeli army’s Golani Brigade.
 

Among the most horrifying of the many horrifying comments were those of Chen Shaptiban who, based on a photo on his Facebook page, appears to be a member of the Israeli army’s notorious “Golani brigade” which was recently in the news because some of its members have posted shocking photographs on Instagram. One of Shaptiban’s reactions to the road accident was this:

May all Arabs die. There is no place for Arabs in the land of Israel. Maybe it sounds terrible to some people in north Tel Aviv, but they too do not deserve to live in this state, and yes, I am a proud racist, proud of my state and the soldiers guarding it!

chen_shaptiban.jpg

Objections to racism shut down with more racist abuse

Some Palestinian citizens of Israel and Israeli Jews objected to the pervasive racism. Facebook user Marwan Momo, for example, wrote, “You keep crying Holocaust Holocaust but look how you talk!”

 

Gilad Kapeliuk wrote, “The sickening racism does not surprise me …. I’m ashamed to be part of this nation.”

 

But Avigail Mishaiv replied to Kapeliuk, “Gaza is waiting for you with open arms. You can go and be proud over there.

 

Golani soldier Shaptiban also retorted, “Gilad, you leftists are the cancer in the state, traitors to the state, the garbage of Israeli society.”

 

Regev Cohen, responding to another Facebook user, whom he addressed with a homophobic epithet, wrote, “All the terrorists in the world, all the fucking martyrs, who are they? Arabs and Muslims” before referring to Arabs as “barbarians” and “human waste.”

 

Ori Avraham reacted to criticism of the racist statements from a user called “Irit” by telling her, “Do you know what the biggest dream of the Muslims is? To exterminate all the Jews by any means, so be quiet.”

Not an isolated incident

It is important to emphasize that the racist comments in this incident were not rare or exceptional, but numerous and pervasive.

While the comments above were collected from the Facebook page of Israel’s Channel 2, many similar racist comments could be seen just as frequently under the news item about the crash on the Facebook page of Walla! News, another major Israeli media outlet.

At Walla! for example, Elior Mizrahi commented, “Sabbath morning, a beautiful day!” and added a smiley face. Shai Hadad expressed the sentiment, “14 is too few, shame it wasn’t more.”

shai_hadad.jpg

Nor is this an isolated incident. The Electronic Intifada has previously documented numerous examples of Israelis expressing shocking racism and calls for racist and genocidal violence on Facebook.

 

Today’s disgusting comments are also reminiscent of what happened when some Israelis expressed delight after a number of Palestinian children were killed in a bus accident in February last year.

 

It is also notable that while the habitual expressions of joy by Israelis at the deaths and suffering of Palestinians go largely unremarked, an Egyptian activist, Samira Ibrahim, was the focus of worldwide condemnation recently after her nomination for a White House award was withdrawn when it came to light that she had expressed joy on Twitter at the deaths of Israelis in the July 2012 bombing of a bus in the Bulgarian resort town of Burgas among other objectionable and racist comments.

Words lead to killing

This shocking and pervasive racism is not harmless. Many of those expressing it are members of Israeli occupation forces who hold immense power over the Palestinian population.

In at least one case we know about, an Israeli occupation “border policeman,” Maxim Vinogradov, had expressed a desire on Facebook to assist in “annihilating” Arabs just one week before he shot dead Palestinian father Ziad Jilani at a checkpoint in eastern occupied Jerusalem, a killing for which Jilani’s family continues to seek justice.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

Pose a Threat to Israel's Security! Plant a Tree in Rachel's Memory!

By Richard Edmondson
 

Today, March 16, 2013, marks the tenth anniversary of the death of Rachel Corrie. One wonders: what can be said about her or her tragic death that hasn’t been said before? Well, how about that planting a tree in her memory poses a threat to Israel’s security? Really? you might ask. Indeed, this is what a group of Palestinians found out the other day.
It seems that Palestinians from the West Bank village of Asira al-Qiblya, in recognition of the approaching anniversary of Rachel’s death, set about planting some olive trees in her honor. This took place just a few days ago, on Tuesday, March 12. Despite the fact that the trees were being planted on land actually owned by one of the Palestinians, the act was deemed objectionable, threatening, etc., and not only by Israeli soldiers, but by settlers from a nearby settlement as well. Apparently trees, in some cases, are now viewed as an existential threat to the state of Israel.

Israeli soldiers immediately went into attack mode, and masked settlers from the settlement of Yizhar (One wonders where they get these names. Are they referred to as “Yizharites”?) began pouring into the area as well. A report on the incident is found here, and includes the following:

 Farmers attacked by Israel army and settlers, preventing them from planting olive trees in memory of Rachel Corrie

By Lisa Marchant

Farmers peacefully planting olive trees in the land of Asira al Qiblya were today disrupted by Israeli soldiers who halted the planting. The presence of Palestinians on their own land also attracted the attention of illegal settlers from the nearby settlement of Yizhar, leading to them attacking Palestinians farmers and volunteers, throwing and catapulting stones. The army moved immediately to protect the attackers, shooting tear gas and rubber bullets at Palestinians.

The olive trees were being planted in the vicinity of an Israeli military tower, recently built on a hill above Asira al Qiblya. Because of this, soldiers hassled farmers throughout the day, with an escalation of hostility mid-morning, when around 20 soldiers approached and demanded that farmers should stop planting trees and leave the land, despite the fact that the Palestinian owner of the land notified them that he wished to continue farming. The commander advised that the village should contact the Israeli district coordination office (DCO) to request permission – if permission was granted, he intimated, then the farmers would be allowed to access their land unhindered.

However, the villagers of Asira al Qiblya know this not to be the case. Just last week, access was requested and granted for three days through the DCO – despite this, a shepherd grazing his herd on the land during this “permitted time” was ordered to leave the land and was severely beaten by soldiers. It is clear that the outcome for villagers is the same whether permission is granted by Israel or not.

After a long confrontation with soldiers, farmers moved further down the hill to continue planting in an area arbitrarily deemed acceptable by the Israeli commander. At this point, around twenty masked settlers from Yizhar arrived and proceeded to attack the farmers from their vantage point higher up the hill – throwing stones by hand and with slingshots. Yizhar settlement is widely considered one of the most violent settlements in the West Bank, and all villages in its vicinity face regular attacks.

Yizharites descend down the mountain to thwart the tree-planting

 
Palestinian youths moved to fend off the settler attack, but the Israeli army intervened on behalf of the attackers, shooting tear gas and rubber bullets at the villagers of Asira, until both the Palestinian villagers and settlers left the area. No injuries or arrests were reported.

At the end of the day only around ten olive trees had been planted due to interruptions from the army and settlers – farmers were also not optimistic that the young trees would be allowed to remain on their land and suspected that either the army or settlers would destroy them. However, they refuse to relinquish access to their land despite these setbacks and will continue planting trees in the area.

The olive trees planted today were donated by the International Solidarity Movement to replace Palestinian trees destroyed by Israeli forces and settlers during previous years – a common occurrence throughout the year. They were planted in memory of ISM activist Rachel Corrie as the tenth anniversary of her death approaches. She was crushed to death with an Israeli army bulldozer in Gaza in 2003 whilst protesting non-violently in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Note that the army “intervened on behalf of the attackers.” This is typical behavior on the part of the Israeli army. The Yizharites could have set off a small nuclear device, and doubtless it would have been interpreted as an act of aggression on the part of the tree-planters. I’m often struck by what seems to be a bottomless well of courage exhibited by some Palestinians in resisting their occupiers, and invariably wonder whether, should the ground ever become slightly more leveled, the latter could come close to exhibiting the same. Or put another way, would the gangsterish, masked Yizharites be so keen on throwing rocks at people if they didn’t have the Israeli army to protect them?

But let’s get back to Rachel Corrie and the threat to Israel’s security posed by planting trees in her name. For indeed, there may actually be such a threat. A bright, young idealistic girl goes to Palestine and gives her life in the cause of freedom—this is what people often will inevitably think of when they think of Rachel. But at the same time, so much more goes through their minds even than that.

On March 16, 2003, Corrie was in Gaza, along with other ISMers, non-violently defending a Palestinian family and trying to prevent the demolition of their home. When the bulldozer approached, young Rachel, wearing a fluorescent orange vest and speaking through a bullhorn, stood in its way and shouted for the driver to stop. But as we all know, he didn’t stop. Instead, he ran over her.

No criminal charges ever were filed against the Israeli soldier operating the bulldozer, and for seven years, the Corrie family fought a legal battle in the Israeli courts, trying to win some measure of justice in a civil suit. Their legal efforts came to an end on August 28 last year, when the Haifa District Court ruled against them. The judge in the case, Oded Gershon, asserted that “the accident was caused by the deceased”—this of course despite testimony from eyewitnesses that the running-over of Rachel had been no accident, much less that the “accident” had been caused by the activist herself.

And so all of this, like a stirring of some tall grass, is what passes through people’s minds when the name Rachel Corrie is spoken. In response to the judicial action, Cindy Corrie, Rachel’s mother, issued a statement to the media, calling it a “bad day for humanity.” It was a true and accurate statement, made all the more so by the enormous power wielded by Israeli lobbies in Western countries, for such-like as these have been responsible for unleashing quite a number of “bad days for humanity”—in Iraq, Libya, Syria, and perhaps soon Iran as well. And this too hitches itself to the name Rachel Corrie.

Following the court verdict, the cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, issued the following cartoon…

And like the statement by Cindy Corrie, it also speaks volumes. Volumes because the death of Rachel Corrie, and the heinous ruling by Judge Oded Gershon, are small but significant parts of the history of Israel’s growing and irreversible “delegitimizing.” One cannot escape certain things in life, and this seems to be the one thing from which Israel cannot escape. “Delegitimization,” in fact, has become the one thing Israel’s leaders and supporters fear, perhaps more so than anything else. And if planting a tree in Rachel’s memory furthers this process along, and thereby represents a threat to the Jewish state’s security, then I say let’s go out and plant trees. Lots of them!

I would also like to pose a theory here—that the soldiers and the Yizharites were acting out of gut fear when they attacked the tree planters. They are afraid that the love Rachel Corrie showed the Palestinians in particular, and oppressed people in general, will grow into a mighty oak tree whose branches will spread throughout the world, a gurgling brook whose life-giving waters will cool and neutralize the debilitating fevers of greed and deception. And there is good reason for their fear.

“A notable aspect of Rachel Corrie’s legacy is the sheer volume of art her life and sacrificed evoked,” one commenter observed recently. “Between March 19^th 2003 and April 24^th 2004, I collected over 160 poems written in the young woman’s honor, and posted on the web, in the English language.”

Thus, the Israeli soldiers who attacked the Palestinians planting trees in Rachel’s memory were not merely afraid—they were terrified. They were terrified the day will come that mountain chains will be named “The Rachel Corrie Mountains,” that parks, schools, roads and hospitals will bear her name as well, that lovers will one day walk through such places as “Rachel Corrie Cove,” holding hands, perhaps sharing a kiss.

Rachel Corrie picked a flower, placed it in a vase, and it grew into Palestine—this too they fear—the Rachel Corrie call of the wild, the ringing of the Rachel Corrie freedom bells, and, perhaps most of all, the Rachel Corrie moon rising in the hearts of poet, visionaries, for whom the idea of “world peace” is a warm zephyr in the soft, fragrant night.

So please, go out and plant some trees today!


Following are a couple of videos that seem especially apropos on this tenth anniversary. The first features Alice Walker reading Rachel, while in the second Rachel’s parents, Craig and Cindy Corrie, comment on the tenth anniversary of their daughter’s death.




See also:

Rachel Corrie and Daniel Pearl—A Curious Comparison

No Right To Exist: The Corrie Verdict and the Jewish State’s Belligerence

 

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian   The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!