"We stop killing you in Iraq,...you allow us to carry on with our nuclear programme.."

Source

In the BBC, here

"...But now a senior British official has revealed that not only did the Iranians privately admit their involvement, they even made an astonishing offer to switch off the attacks in Iraq if in return the West would stop blocking Iran's controversial nuclear programme. "The Iranians wanted to be able to strike a deal whereby they stopped killing our forces in Iraq in return for them being allowed to carry on with their nuclear programme: 'We stop killing you in Iraq, stop undermining the political process there, you allow us to carry on with our nuclear programme without let or hindrance.'....

" "We had advocated regime change," said Mr Burns. "We had a very threatening posture towards Iran for a number of years. It didn't produce any movement whatsoever."

Lieberman's firm suspected of doing business with PA officials

Lieberman's firm suspected of doing business with PA officials

By Uri Blau

Lieberman's firm suspected of doing business with PA officials


(.....) It was in 1999 that millions of shekels began to flow into the company's coffers from firms dealing with wood and construction materials, in which officials from the Palestinian Authority were involved, Haaretz has learned. At this time Lieberman was already an MK and supposedly not involved in the dealings.

"In the period in question Avigdor Lieberman was already an MK and was not involved in the activities of the company," Lieberman's office said. "Any further response could be considered obstruction of justice."

It is surprising to some observers that Lieberman, with his hawkish opinions on the Palestinians, would have had such dealings. In May 2001, for example, Lieberman said that to stop Palestinian violence, Israel should go into Area A in the West Bank and "crush" the Palestinians.

Also in 2001, in a eulogy to a terror victim, Lieberman compared Yasser Arafat to Osama bin Laden and said "you don't talk to them ... you send planes."

After Nativ el Hamizrach began to flourish in 1999, just before Lieberman became an MK, he established another company, Cyprus-based Trasimeno Trading Ltd. The two firms are mentioned together in Trasimeno's books, as revealed in Haaretz Magazine in April 2007. For example, in March 2001, the Israeli company transferred some $35 million to the Cypriot company.

In April 2001, Nativ el Hamizrach was taken over by the accounting and consulting firm Strauss Lazar and Co. The latter, and Lieberman's wife, Ella, who were the declared shareholders of Nativ el Hamizrach, transferred the shares to a Belgian citizen, Yosef Schuldiner, a close friend of Lieberman, who died in 2006. In June 2001, Schuldiner deposited about $450,000 in Trasimeno's account.

Thus, although Lieberman is not officially listed as the owner of the company he founded, people who worked with him in the Knesset and the cabinet say they recall executives from Nativ el Hamizrach visiting his office frequently when he was an MK and a minister.

Justifying Israeli War Crimes

Reem Salahi

By Guest Post • Feb 19th, 2009 at 21:56 • Category: Analysis, Children's Corner, Counter-terrorism, No thanks!, Israel, Newswire, Palestine, Resistance, Somoud: Arab Voices of Resistance, War, Zionism

Having left Gaza now, I am trying to come to terms with what I saw, what I heard and honestly, what I don't think I will ever understand is the justification. While Israel's recent offensive has been the most egregious of any historical attack upon the Palestinians in Gaza, it is just that, one of many. Gaza has been under Israeli bombardment and sanctions for many years. Prior to the Israeli pullout in 2005, Gaza was under the complete control and occupation of Israel. Nearly 8000 Israeli settlers occupied 40% of Gaza while the 1.5 million Palestinians occupied the remaining 60%. Settlements were located on the most fertile lands and along Gaza's beautiful coastal regions and checkpoints prevented Palestinian mobility. Despite being one-fifth the size of Rhode Island, 25 miles long by 4-7.5 miles wide, Gaza was divided into three sections and Palestinians had to pass through multiple checkpoints to get from one section to the next. Often Israeli forces would close these checkpoints and not allow the Palestinians access to the other regions in Gaza as a form of collective punishment.

Yet with Israel's pullout in 2005, the Palestinian experience has not improved. Rather, it has become even more unpredictable and isolated. Palestinians who celebrated the exodus of the Israeli settlers and the return of their land could not have imagined what would follow and how Israel would subsequently unleash its brutal force against them. As the saying goes, nothing in life is free and the Palestinians have paid, and continue to pay, a dear and unforgivable price for Israel's withdrawal from their legally rightful land.

From the first moments of Israel's military campaign on December 27, Israel's indifference to civilian casualties was clear. Its first attacks started at around 11:30 AM, at a time when children leave the morning session of school and the afternoon students arrive. The streets were packed with civilians,­ children no less. Within moments, hundreds of Palestinians were killed and even more Palestinians were injured (at least 280 Palestinians were killed on the first day, and 700 wounded, including more than a dozen policemen attending a graduation ceremony at the Gaza City police station). One of the little girls in Jabalia told me that she was in school when the attacks started. She fainted from the overwhelming fear and was not able to go home and see her family for days. When she did go home, she remembers seeing dead and injured bodies stranded all over street and hearing the thundering sound of missiles falling.

In its offensive, Israel attacked UNRWA warehouses, schools, mosques, civilian neighborhoods, businesses, factories, hospitals, universities and the media center. Its attacks took place during the day, night, during temporary ceasefires, and often without any notice or warning. I would ask the Palestinians I met who had lost loved ones in the recent incursion whether they were warned about an oncoming attack by some flyer or radio announcement. The majority would laugh at my question. "Why would I stay in my home if I knew that it was going to be attacked? Do you think I want to die? Do you think I would want to put my family and children in danger?" Most of the Palestinians had no notice that they were going to be attacked and bombarded until it was too late, and at that point, all they could do was stay in their homes, far from any window or door, and pray that their house would not be next.

Those, like Majid Fathi Abd al-Aziz al-Najjar, who were warned, tended to flee to "safer" areas. Majid and his wife and children resided in a border town in Khan Younis. Shortly after the start of its incursion, the Israeli military dropped flyers on his town, a copy of which he showed me. It said in Arabic that militants had entered your area and as a result we are forced to react and attack this area. Yet these flyers were only dropped in the center of town and Majid did not even realize that they were dropped until after the attacks on his way to see the rubble that used to be his home. Realizing that Israeli tanks were planning on entering Gaza and would destroy anything that would block their entry, Majid packed his family and fled to his relative's home far from the border, in an area deemed safe. Yet at 10 PM on January 3, 2009, a white phosphorus missile strayed off course and rammed right into the home that Majid and his family had taken refuge in, along with 15-20 other Palestinians. The missile came through the roof and broke through the wall and hit Majid's wife, Hanan Abd al-Ghani al-Najjar, dead center in her chest. She died immediately upon impact. Six or seven others, including Hanan's elderly mother and Hanan and Majid's daughter were severely injured by shrapnel and rushed to the hospital. Whereas Majid thought he had fled from certain death in his home on the border, death followed him to his place of refuge. Yet the sad reality is that no matter where Majid fled, no place in Gaza was safe. Hanan's death was not the unpredictable result of a misguided missile, but rather the predictable consequence of a one-sided war waged by the fifth largest army against a population that is trapped within a prison and weakened by decades of occupation and years of blockade.

While Israel has perfected its many excuses in justifying innocent Palestinian death and destruction ("there were militants present…well we thought there were militants present" ,"we warned them but they did not to leave", "missiles were being fired from that [insert location here]", "we are investigating this attack", "it was an accident"), Israel has fallen short of providing actual evidence to substantiate killing people like Hanan Al-Najjar, Kassab Shurrab, Mahmoud Masharrawi, Sabha's husband and the majority of others killed. After attacking the UN-operated al-Fakhura School in Jabalia on January 6, where many families had taken refuge and killing at least 40 innocent women and children and injuring dozens more, Israel made a rare attempt to actually justify its attacks. Not only did Israel use one of its staple excuses ("militants were firing from inside the school"), but it actually showed a video of militants firing mortars from the school. Within a matter of days, though, the video was dated to 2007 and till now, Israel has not provided us with another staple excuse of why, two years later, the al-Fakhura School was attacked and the hundreds of Palestinian civilians were killed and injured.

How does Israel explain the executions, the shooting of Palestinians point blank in cold blood? How does it justify Israeli soldiers shooting Kassab Shurrab with five bullets across the chest as he came out of his car with his hands to his side, especially as one of the Palestinian hostages sitting blindfolded by the soldiers heard the commander tell the soldier in Hebrew to shoot the civilians that were driving down the road. What about the two daughters of Khaled Abed Rabbo, Amal, age 2, and Suaad, age 7, murdered by an Israeli soldier using a semi-automatic rifle before their father's eyes as the other Israeli soldiers ate chips and chocolate? Let us not forget about Sameer Rashid Mohammad Mohammad, a 43 year old UNRWA worker, who was separated from his family by Israeli soldiers and taken to a separate room and shot in the chest? For four days after killing Sameer, Israeli soldiers held his family hostage and would make the family prepare the murdered Sameer food. Only when the Israeli soldiers left their home, did Sameer's children see that their father was executed and by their father's dead and bleeding body were piles of food. How about Farah al-Halo, 1.5 years of age, who was shot in the stomach when her family was forced to evacuate from their home at 6:30 PM by Israeli soldiers who assured them of their safety? Only 50 meters down the road they were shot at by other Israeli soldiers. Farah, with her intestines spilling from her stomach, died on the side of the road a few hours later as the same soldiers that had assured their safety watched.

Further, how can Israel explain its use of the Palestinians as human shields? Upon entering a village, Israeli soldiers would separate the men from the women. Sami Rashid Mohammad Mohammad, Sameer's brother, was taken as a hostage and forced to accompany the Israeli soldiers for four days. He was handcuffed and blindfolded and made to walk in front of the Israeli tanks and soldiers as bullets would whiz by. At other times, he was made to sit on his knees in an open field for hours while Israeli soldiers would shoot from behind him and often at his feet. These Palestinians were nothing more than entertainment for the soldiers, a child's play toy. When I asked Sami whether he saw any Palestinian militants during his time as a human shield, he laughed and said that he only saw Israeli soldiers with their blackened faces and camouflage outfits. "It was only Israeli soldiers shooting at each other," he remarked. It is thus no wonder that between four to six Israeli soldiers were killed and 24 others injured in "friendly fire."

Additionally, how can Israel explain the humiliation tactics it used against the Palestinians such as forcing Palestinian ambulance drivers to abandon their ambulance cars and drive donkey carts to pick up the dead and wounded as if to equate Palestinians with donkeys? The soldiers would grant the ambulance drivers half an hour to clear the area using donkey carts and threatened to shoot after half an hour. And what about the racist remarks painted on the walls of the Palestinian homes? One of my co-delegates took pictures of the Hebrew writings graffitied on the walls of some of the Palestinian homes we visited in Zeitoun and had a friend translate them. Among the things written were: "Death to Arabs", "War now between Arabs and Jews", "An Arab brave is an Arab in a grave" "Bad to the Arab=good for me", "He who dreams Givati [Israeli infantry brigade] does not expel Jews. He who dreams Givati kills Arabs!!!"

The reality is that Israel cannot explain or justify any of these things, nor does it even care to do so. When Israel's staple excuses are not readily consumed or when it is examined under a critical lens, Israel applies another tactic­ threat and demonization. Israel has created one of the strongest lobby organizations in the U.S., AIPAC, which actively demonizes any opponent or criticizer of the State of Israel. Due to John Ging's, the Director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), open opposition to Israel's attacks in Gaza and his call for the investigation of Israeli attacks, he has been demonized and AIPAC recently introduced House Resolution 29 attacking UNRWA and alleging that it supports terrorists. Even I have received a few threatening emails upon the issuance of NLG's Press Report which documented some of our findings. One of the emails indicated that I, along with the other attorneys, will have our careers followed. As the email stated, "Israel is smart not stupid, and will continue to do what they must as will America to survive even over the bodies of their leaders if necessary."

Almost every Palestinian I met in Gaza believes that Israel's recent attack will only be followed by another bloodier and more deadly attack on Gaza that will exterminate the Palestinians once and for all. Considering the history of attacks on Gaza, the level of atrocities recently committed in Gaza and the lack of international redress, I do not think that these statements are mere paranoia. Israel must be held accountable for its crimes in Gaza lest it commit larger and more egregious crimes in the future. As one who has been trained in the legal profession, I demand that Israel engage the legal arena and provide the international community with real evidence, and not just staple excuses and dated videos, that can justify every single civilian murder and the widespread d estruction of Palestinian civil society. Until Israel is able to do so, the evidence in Gaza leads anyone willing to visit to the inevitable conclusion that Israel has committed war crimes.

Tagged as: gaza, IDF, Israel's war against Gaza, Palestine, Somoud: Arab Voices of Resistance, war crimes, Zionism

US Policy toward Lebanon

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There is an undeclared new shift in US policy toward Lebanon. This policy started under Bush and continues under Obama. The policy is this: boycott of the Shi`ites in Lebanon. All US dignitaries in Lebanon now strictly boycott all meetings with Shi`ite officials. Of course, I am not talking about Hizbullah as they never met with them, although a Hizbullah minister, Trad Hamadi, did visit Washington, DC and met with US officials in the Bush administration. But American officials used to meet with Nabih Birri and now they meet only with Druze, Sunni, and Christian officials only. Another smart twist to US Middle East policy. Why bother and meet with representatives of the single largest sect in Lebanon? Really. I mean, Sen. Kerry yesterday refused to meet with the Foreign Minister of Lebanon, just becasue he is Shi`ite (and the man is neither a member of Hizbullah nor of Amal).

Zionism is s a revolt against Judaism.

Professor Yakov Rabkin: Zionism is s a revolt against Judaism.

The Prince: Assad in the Middle East

"For the student of politics, these are lessons to be learned, for the ignorant, they simply shake their heads and wonder what on earth we are talking about, or they get smart and say that Syria is "back in from the cold", which actually sounds ridiculous once recognise what really happened, and betrays a narrow and Westernised view of the world. What nobody can dispute at this moment in time is that Assad has played his cards right and that he is the king of this jungle and you will deal with him on his terms:

• "We are a player in the region. If you want to talk about peace, you can't advance without Syria."
• "you must deal with Syria on her terms".

The Prince: Assad in the Middle East

President Assad's interview with the Guardian's Ian Black is the most recent in a series of events which have marked a watershed moment in the Middle East. Assad's Syria has, over the past eight years, survived the first serious set of crises to his rule and come through with flying colours. The message to the United States and its regional allies is clear and business-like, "you must deal with Syria on her terms". Once this key fact is recognised, discussions can begin and no grudges will be held. Assad has proven himself capable of being a lion as well as a fox - in textbook Macchiavellian style.

When Assad first assumed power in Damascus there was a lot of speculation as to whether the young prince would be tough enough for the byzantine politics of the region. Whether it is himself or those who are advising him, we will only know many years from now, but the reality is that he has proved adept internally and externally in dealing with his foes. One of his first priorities as the new ruler of Damascus was to consolidate his rule internally and put together a reliable and trustworthy team. The "Damascus Spring" helped bring out of the woodwork any movements or individuals which had kept a low profile during the long years of his father's rule and that might prove a thorn in his side later. The quick freeze which followed took many of the regimes most outspoken (and usually careful) critics by surprise and out of the equation. Some, such as Michel Kilo and Riad Seif, are still languishing in a cell, whilst others of that period are now silenced or in exile. A good prince knows when to make a promise and, more crucially, when to break it. He also knows that it is better to be feared than to be loved.

In Lebanon, the Valentines day killing of Rafik Hariri in 2005 might have led to a withdrawal of Syrian troops after 30 years, but it helped consolidate Assad's rule in Syria and move Lebanon firmly into the "Resistance" camp. Abdul Halim Khaddam resigned in June 2005 and moved from there shortly to France in what was to become a permanent exile. In December Ghazi Kanaan "killed himself", followed shortly by his brother, who chose to "commit" suicide by letting a train run over him. In Lebanon Hezbullah quickly filled the vacuum left by the Syrians and a series of bombings, assassinations and tit-for-tat killings quickly silenced the Lebanese 14th of March movement. Not even an attempted Israeli invasion in 2006 would dislodge the "Party of God", who emerged victorious, and the following year Hezbullah took over Beirut in about 6 hours of fighting, easily eliminating the militias that were being built up by the pro-Western 14th of March figureheads. At times of danger the prince can only test the loyalty of those around him once, and only once. Since these opportunities arise from situations which are beyond his control, the prince must prepare himself for them as best he could. Assad was prepared, and his reaction was swift and brutal.

In Iraq, Syria's strategic alliance with Iran made it impossible for the Americans to succeed in any kind of victory there without cutting a deal first. Bush's message to the insurgents to "bring it on", was a thinly veiled challenge for a scuffle which he quickly lost. American officials were soon in "talks" with the Iranians, after which the levels of violence in the region dropped sharply - coinciding with the American "surge". Syria obligingly tightened its control over the border and it became more difficult for fighters to cross over to Iraq. The United States also dropped its heavy criticism of Iran and Syria in the media, which had reached fever pitch, unless in passing. An unsteady compromise was reached over the situation of Iraq. When entering a foreign arena, always ally yourself with the weaker party rather than the stronger, who will always be grateful for your assistance but will not be able to turn on you. The combined strength would be more effective against the stronger power and, should you win, you would still be in a position of strength now that they are defeated and with an ally grateful for your assistance in their time of need. This needed to be done with unwavering resolve and the same principles apply with regards to Palestine as they do to Iraq.

Syria, through its support of Hezbullah and its patronage of Khaled Meshaal, made sure that Hamas remained a strategic asset for itself and Iran. Israel's last ditch effort to clip Hamas' wings showed just how low it has fallen in its expectations when it has to fight a powerful and dug in opponent that is virtually within its own borders - and still fail. The ensuing civilian casualties helped bolster Assad and his angry speech at the time of the Gaza invasion made full use of the anger and dissatisfaction felt amongst the people at the time.

Now that he has beaten the bully back, Assad wants the bully to sit down and have a chat. In his interview, Assad had "noticeably unclenched fists", a reference by Ian Black to Obama's earlier call for America's enemies to do so. Criticism of internal policies in Syria is brushed aside, Gaza has been useful in that regards as it is blatantly obvious to the Arab world that the West did give a nod to the slaughter of 3000 Palestinians by their ally Israel, or in Iraq, which has over a million dead because of the American invasion. Besides, there are no credible figures left who could mount any sort of threat to the regime internally therefore when it comes to domestic policies, the Syrian president knows his position is impregnable. As for the Israelis, Assad was dismissive, whoever leads Israel's next government is irrelevant, there will be others later and in the meantime Israel's might is useless as was demonstrated in the 2006 defeat in Lebanon and their impotence against Hamas.

Syria will send an ambassador to Lebanon when it is good and ready, the West knows this. It is the Saudi intelligence chief, the Jordanian satrap and other minions who are making their way to Damascus to mend ties and not Syrians going the other way. It is Syria which is telling the West to talk to Iran, to stop being ridiculous about thinking that the Islamic revolution is going anywhere. The Hariri tribunal is going to be forgotten by the West, a small price to pay and a tool past its usefulness. Those who were involved in this incident in Syria are now either dead, in exile or safe, so again, this is the least of anybody's concern. It is America who is now considering resending an Ambassador to Damascus, and it was Jimmy Carter who came to Damascus, the doddering old fool, to pave the way for this, even deigning to give an interview to a local English language magazine. For the student of politics, these are lessons to be learned, for the ignorant, they simply shake their heads and wonder what on earth we are talking about, or they get smart and say that Syria is "back in from the cold", which actually sounds ridiculous once recognise what really happened, and betrays a narrow and Westernised view of the world. What nobody can dispute at this moment in time is that Assad has played his cards right and that he is the king of this jungle and you will deal with him on his terms:

"We are a player in the region. If you want to talk about peace, you can't advance without Syria."

Posted by Maysaloon at 10:47 AM

Comment

Anal-ysists shall never stop shaking their shitty "heads"

THE ISRAELI-AMERICAN WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF IS THE SON OF A TERRORIST?

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This Article was written two years ago by Christopher Bollyn , but it is significant to post it since Mr. Rahm is now the White House chief of Staff. You can read more of Mr. Bollyn’s his articles at this website.

by Christopher Bollyn
The new “golden boy” of the Democrat Party, the Israeli-American congressman Rahm Emanuel, is the son of a terrorist.

Really, I am not making this up, the chief power-broker of the Democrat Party, the 5-and-a-half foot foul-mouthed Israeli named Rahm, is the son of terrorist – a real living terrorist.

So, what do we do as citizens of the land of the free and the home of the brave fighting the War on Terror?

Do we run and hide from the foul-mouthed little Israeli who danced ballet and swears for effect - or do we laugh? Or do we demand answers? How can we respect a U.S. Congressman who served in a foreign army and whose father was a terrorist?

Rep. Rahm Emanuel, the Democrat congressman for the 5th District of Illinois in Chicago is the son of an Israeli terrorist. Rahm’s father, Benjamin, was a member of the Irgun, the Zionist terrorist organization that coined a new word as they blew up hotels, train stations, and other buildings in Palestine in the 1930s and 40s.

Rahm was an Israeli citizen until he was 18 years old, when for obvious reasons he hid his Israeli passport in his underwear drawer. In 1991, however, he pulled his Israeli passport out and went and reportedly joined the Israeli Army to defend Zion from Saddam’s Scuds.

Irgun, the army of his father, is short for Irgun Zvai Leumi, which supposedly means something like “National Military Organization” in Hebrew. As a matter of fact, the Irgun was simply a terrorist Zionist group that operated in Palestine from 1931 to 1948. They killed innocent Palestinians and British soldiers and blew up buildings.

After 1948 they became part of the new Israeli government and did the same thing. In September 2001 they put their skills to work in New York City and Washington to kick start the “war on terror” - a conflict long promoted by their chief architect, Bibi Netanyahu, son of the former secretary of Ze’ev Jabotinsky.

The Irgun even has a website with pictures of the buildings they blew up before they demolished the World Trade Center with Thermite and high explosives:
www.etzel.org.il In Israel, the Irgun is referred to as Etzel, an acronym of the group’s Hebrew initials. The Irgun was considered a terrorist organization by the British authorities as well as by mainstream Zionist and Jewish organizations, such as the Jewish Agency, the Haganah and the Histadrut. (It just has not made it onto the U.S. State Department’s list of terrorist organizations – even after blowing up the World Trade Center. Some people are slow to learn.)

Irgun was founded by Ze’ev Jabotinsky and the relationship with Jabotinsky’s Revisionist Zionism made it the predecessor to Israel’s right-wing Herut and Likud parties.

Guess who runs Israel today?

Answer: The sons and daughters of Irgun. (Check out the commander list on the Etzel website if you don’t believe me.)

Guess who runs the United States today? The same people – let’s start with Rahm Emanuel.

Of course you won’t find anything about Rep. Emanuel’s father’s exploits in Palestine on Rahm’s website: http://www.house.gov/emanuel/aboutrahm.shtml The late Sherman Skolnick of Chicago called Rahm Emanuel the “Acting Deputy Chief for North America of the Mossad – Israeli Intelligence.”
cloakanddagger.de Rahm Emanuel

Skolnick went on to say that Emanuel’s father Benjamin had been “part of the Israeli assassin team that murdered Sweden’s Count [Folke] Bernadotte” in 1948. Bernadotte was the envoy of the United Nations in Palestine who sought to find a solution to the UN Partition Plan that gave Palestinian land to Jews from “beyond the pale.”

Was Skolnick correct? Skolnick does not document his claims so I checked into his allegations.

“Beyond the pale” would certainly describe where Rahm Emanuel’s family came from. His father’s family came to Palestine from somewhere in the Ukraine in 1917, according to what Dr. Benjamin M. Emanuel told me the other day. Dr. Emanuel now lives on the appropriately named Locust Road in Wilmette, Illinois.

Benjamin, speaking with a thick Israeli accent, told me that his father’s name was Ezekiel Auerbach and that his mother’s name was Pinina or something like that. He said it meant “pearl” in Hebrew. Asked about his role in the Irgun, Ben told me he had been a “simple soldier.”

Yes, Ben, but serving as “simple soldier” in a terrorist organization makes you a terrorist. And the fact that you served in a terrorist organization 60 years ago makes no difference. You know, same rules for Nazis and terrorists.

Is that not what all those fellows in Guantanamo are being held for?

The Emanuel family name was Auerbach until 1936, although they are not related to the famous rabbinical family of Germany and Krakow named Auerbach. Ben said that his family was from Russia. (Well, the pale but not quite Russia.)

His father Ezekiel supposedly changed the family name to Emanuel when his son with that name died fighting Palestinians in 1936.

Many Jewish families in Palestine changed their names to make themselves sound like they actually came from Palestine. And you wondered where all those Jews disappeared during World War II?

Sheinerman became Sharon, Yezernitzky became Shamir, and Auerbach became Emanuel, and so on. And then multiply by a few hundred thousand. Voila! Millions of European Jews vanish from the face of the Earth - and build new lives in Palestine.

Ben told me that Emanuel Auerbach had died from “shrapnel in the knee” in 1936. When I asked him today for details on this incident he suddenly decided that he did not want to do an interview on the phone and hung up.

But before he terminated the conversation, Dr. Benjamin Auerbach-cum-Emanuel told me that he had been a member of the Irgun and had served under Menachem Begin. He told me that he had never met Begin and had not smuggled weapons into Palestine, other news reports notwithstanding.

Naftali Bendavid (not a local reporter) with The Chicago Tribune spent 18 months working with Rahm Emanuel to prepare a story for the week after the mid-term elections although Naftali did not think that there was enough room in the 9-page story to mention the salient fact that Dr. Benjamin Emanuel had been a member of the terrorist organization – the Irgun.

No. In 9 pages of Bendavid’s fluff piece there was simply no room to mention the ugly fact that Rahm’s father had been a member of a terrorist organization.

Naftali Bendavid (clearly of Israeli persuasion) wrote a 9-page cover story for last Sunday’s paper, which took up the entire second section of the now-failing Chicago Tribune. (The latest rumor in Chicago is that the indicted but not convicted Zionist criminal Maurice Greenberg may buy the Tribune.)

(This is the same paper that actually hired an outside writer from TIME magazine to co-author a short piece in order to properly smear me and misrepresent the story of my brutal arrest at the hands of Homeland Security goons last August.)

Naftali, at his office in Washington, knew all about Irgun when I spoke with him on the phone. When I said it was an egregious omission to leave out the fact that Rahm’s father had been in the Irgun, he said he just couldn’t figure how to squeeze that bit into a 9-page article.

Naftali, let me help, as English is my mother tongue: “Rahm Emanuel’s father Benjamin was a member of the Irgun, a Zionist terrorist group that operated in Palestine from 1931 to 1948. The Irgun blew up buildings and killed hundreds of innocent people in order to achieve the goals of militant Zionism in occupied Palestine.”

Rahm’s mother is Martha Smulevitz, who married the Israeli doctor in August 1955. Ben told me that they met in Chicago. I asked if she was related to the Smulevitz family that was living in Palestine in the 1930s. He said no.

There are Smulevitz’s and Shmuelevitz’s all throughout the Zionist invasion of Palestine. One was hanged by the Brits, one dealt with the Nazis in Berlin, and another was the chief of staff for Menachem Begin – take your pick.

It would, however, be most interesting if Rahm’s father were actually related to Moshe Auerbach, the Zionist who went to Berlin with Pino Ginzburg to arrange the transfer of Jews and money to Palestine – with the Nazi regime.

On February 28 1937, Feivel Polkes, head of the Haganah told Adolf Eichmann that he was interested most of all in “accelerating Jewish migration to Palestine so that the Jews would obtain a majority over the Arabs in his country.”

In The Secret Contacts: Zionism and Nazi Germany -1933-1941 by Klaus Polkehn, he revealed that collaboration between the Zionists and the Third Reich was cemented by the “Mossad Aliyah Beth” which had been created by Haganah as an illegal immigration organization. Pina Ginsburg and Moshe Auerbach, with the blessings of the Reich, set up offices in Berlin to carry out their immigration activities in 1938.

Here is a page from Klaus Polkehn’s book.

And you wonder where Rahm Emanuel got his “chutzpah” from?

Photo: “I said before the election that if the Democrats win the House, the lion’s share of the credit should go to Rahm,” says Rep. Ray LaHood, an Illinois Republican. “He legitimately can be called the golden boy of the Democratic Party today. He recruited the right candidates, found the money and funded them, and provided issues for them. Rahm did what no one else could do in seven cycles.”
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/08/AR2006110802239.html

And the fact that more than 70 percent of the American population is opposed to wasting U.S. blood and treasure to fight a Zionist war in Iraq means nothing?

Lets Talk Rahm Emanuel (Obama's Chief of Staff)

Videos. Some commentary by Greg Palino

ISRAEL’S FOREIGIN MINISTER TZIPI LIVNI WAS A MEMBER OF AN ELITE ASSASSINATION UNIT!

Source

Re: Israel: on Tzipi Livni and Mossad

(Alain de Benoist, France)
Alain de Benoist writes:

The most interesting fact in Tzipi (Tzipora Malka) Livni’s biography is not that her two parents, Eitan Livni and Sara Rosenberg, were prominent Irgun members who were arrested in the 1940s for terrorist activities (see Massoud Malek’s post, 11 February ), but the fact she was herself member of an elite assassination unit when she was in Paris serving for the Mossad.

Livni served in Mossad from 1980 till 1983, between the ages of 22 and 26. She had been recruited after her National Service, which she left with the rank of lieutenant, by a childhood friend, Mira Gal, who served herself for two decades in the agency and became later her ministry bureau chief. In Paris, Livni covertly ran a “safe house” that was used by hit squads at a time when the Israeli agency ran a series of assassinations in European capitals. After the Six-Day War (1967), Paris had become an important intelligence base for Mossad. There were two stations of the agency in the French capital, and Israeli agents operating out of Paris carried out assassinations.

Tzipi Livni was on active service when Mamoun Meraish, a senior official in the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) was shot dead by a Mossad hit squad in the streets of Athens on 21 August 1983 . According the Times of London ( 1 June 2008 ), she was implicated in this assassination. She was part of the unit that fatally poisoned the Iraqi nuclear scientist Abdul Rasul at a lunch in Paris in 1983. She was also involved in the murder, in June 1980, of an Egyptian-born scientist working on the Iraqi atomic programme, who was found murdered in his hotel room in Paris. A prostitute who could have seen something of the circumstances of this murder was killed a month later in a mysterious hit-and-run accident.

After her stay in Paris, Livni returned to Israel to participate in a course which would have qualified her as a field operative of Mossad. While she was successful in the course, she did not conclude it, leaving the agency in August 1983 to marry. Since that time, she has never talked about her years with Mossad.

World Association of International Studies, Stanford University, CA

Jewish Magazine: How to Cook a Gentile

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I missed it but the Jewish magazine Heeb, issued #15, The Goy Issue, carried artist Kevin Dorkin’s cartoon ‘How to Cook a Gentile.' Text and illustrations were done by Dorkin and coloring was done by Sarah Dyer.

Wikipedia describes Heeb magazine as "a Jewish magazine aimed at young intellectual Jews. The name of the magazine is a variation of the anti-Semitic ethnic slur hebe. However, in this case, the word "heeb" seeks to function as empowerment for the Jewish community, thus eliminating the hatred associated with the word."

Dorkin proudly announced the placement of his work in the magazine from his online blog thusly:

Heeb #16 [it’s actually #15] ("the Goy issue"), is now on their website, which is where you can read our one-page contribution, a family-friendly little comic strip entitled, "How to Cook a Gentile".

If you don't know what a Gentile is, well, then you're probably a Gentile. Or very stupid.

The entire strip has been posted to the site (just click on the above link to get there), so there's something free for you from the notoriously penny-clenching Jewish community. Oy, Gevalt! Will miracles never cease?

And FYI, the full and complete and collectible print edition of Heeb #16 [it’s #15] ships in a week or so.

Shalom!

P.S. Oy, Gevalt! The amazing tolerance of the goyim!

Hezballah SG Speech on Feb 16th,09

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Thursday, 19 February 2009 19:59

The text of the speech delivered by Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in the Leader Martyrs Ceremony held in Sayyed Ashuhada (pbuh) Compound in Rweiss on Monday February 16, 2009

First, I like to welcome you all in the ceremony held to commemorate the anniversary of the leader martyrs: starting with the Sheikh of martyrs Sheikh Ragheb Harb to the Sayyed of martyrs Sayyed Abbass Mossawi to the leader martyr Imad Moghniyah. This year the ceremony is so blessed, virtuous and precious as it coincides with the Arbeen anniversary – the occasion of the passing of 40 days on the martyrdom of Sayyed Ashuhada the grandson of the Prophet – Abi Abdullah Al Hussein (pbuh). On this dear anniversary and great day we renew the true concept of Arbeen – the journey of steadfastness after martyrdom on the 10th of Muharram. It's the journey of the captive women and orphaned children led by Zeinab (pbuh) and Imam Zein Al Abdeen (pbuh). It's the journey of endless pains but also the journey of eternal steadfastness, patience, determination and strong will. It's the journey to say a righteous word before a tyrant ruler whatever the risks and the threats are and whatever might await the captives. The journey of the Arbeen is the journey of the voice raised with righteousness which we need after every bloodshed. It's the journey of the throats reverberating with righteousness which we need after each battle. The journey of the Arbeen is the journey of assertion of the cause, revealing oppression, arousing the nation, disclosing falsehood, wiping delusion and spreading the sunny light of all the chaste blood which was shed in the battle.

Thus history records on the Arbeen great words on the intellect, beliefs, emotions, culture, steadfastness, courage, zeal and adherence to one's position whatever the difficulties were. History records words, sayings and speeches from which I recall the following to bless our occasion before ushering on our speech on the leader martyrs in the Resistance, in Palestine and in Lebanon. I recall two stances. When the captives stood before the ruler of Kufa – Bin Ziad – he wanted to rejoice over their misfortune as every enemy tries to do with the family of the martyr. He looked at Zeinab and said: "How did you find what Allah befell your brother?" What does the world expect that woman - who had lost her brothers, Imam and leader, sons and nephews all in one day and in a few hours and bore the pains of captivity and constraint – to say? Zeinab stands there to say: "I didn't find that but kind."

This is the culture of martyrdom. Those martyrs did not die. Those martyrs crossed through martyrdom to an eternal life and to happiness, delight, pride, peace and security. I didn't find that but kind. Those are people whom Allah doomed to fight so they headed towards their death places. As for you O Bin Ziad – you will be questioned on Doom's Day when you raise from the dead to confront them. So those willfully chose heading to their death places through which Allah doomed they'll reach honor, pride and nobleness so that their chaste blood becomes a way of life to the (Prophet's) mission and to the nation until Doom's Day. Still on the other hand, there is he who threatens to kill Zein Al Abdeen for what he said in that Counsel. Thus was the stance which you have always heard all through the past years.

Still I will recall it today before Sayyed Abbass, Hajj Imad and Sheikh Ragheb and every martyr whether man, woman or child: "With death you are threatening us O son of the freed captives! No! Being killed is a habit of ours and Allah blesses us with martyrdom." Because being killed is a habit of ours and Allah blesses us with martyrdom, it's natural that we offer martyrs on the way of our resistance. Thus was the martyrdom of leader Sheikh Ragheb Harb in the very first days of the resistance. His blood highlighted a great title then: the takeoff of the people, the integrity of oil with the stone and stick and steadfastness. One's position is a weapon that backs every weapon with which one fights. Then came the martyrdom of leader Sayyed Abbass Mossawi with his wife and child. This came to stress the resistance as a trend, thought, organization and school in its show in the battlefield which may potentially be organized and developed in all directions. Then came the martyr of leader fighter Hajj Imad Moghniyah which was the embodiment of the resistance development in quality, quantity, intellect, presence, plotting, organization and development in all directions.

With pride and glory we say that we owe our loyalty, blood, might, zeal and culture to those great leaders who fell in Karbala to let Badr and Khaibar battles kindle in the mind of the nation. Henceforth started our resistance and thus our procession was launched and martyrs were offered. Today we meet to commemorate the anniversary of the leader martyrs first to show our respect, and esteem to the sacrifices they offered for Lebanon – all of Lebanon - and the nation – the whole nation. The blood of these martyrs did not restore houses for definite factions or parties on occupied Lebanese territories. They did not restore homes for the Opposition or the Loyalists. No. their blood restored the people of Marjoun to Marjoun, the people of Hasbayya to Hasbayya, the people of Shabaa to Shabaa, the people of Bint Jbeil to Bint Jbeil… They restored the people of every village in the South and West Bekaa to their villages, houses, yards and fields with honor and pride and without anyone begrudging them that. What they offered to the nation in the battle of the resistance yielded fruit very soon on the overall consequences of the struggle with the Israeli enemy and its impact on Palestine and the region. We owe them now this stand of reverence and respect to express our commitment to their path and choice.

There is a disagreement in Lebanon on the great political choices. This disagreement is not new and accidental. In fact it exits since a long time. Let's talk at least about what happened after 1982 and the vast Israeli invasion. Yes, there is a disagreement on the great political choices especially on categorizing Israel, approaching the Israeli project and the means of confronting this project. In Lebanon there are more than one trend and choice. As we are handling events and not a philosophy or an intellect but rather we are describing external events we are living in Lebanon and our nation is passing through. This also extends outside Lebanon to offer more than one choice, viewpoint, trend, suggestion to deal with the greatest catastrophe witnessed by the region for 60 years – this catastrophe is the establishment of the state of Israel on the land of Palestine.

So there are three choices. The first choice - which is in fact not a choice - is recognizing the enemy, submitting to the enemy, collaborating with the enemy, integrating with the enemy and melting in the enemy. Perhaps this was the choice of some groups and some forces or figures but it did not develop in Lebanon or Palestine or in any other country in the Arab world to become a public choice or a popular choice. But aren't there Arab collaborators in Lebanon, Palestine and the Arab world? Aren't there groups that dealt with the Israelis as collaborating groups and not as a political ally? This existed and still exists. But let's put aside this choice. When talking about governments and peoples, practically there are two choices: the choice of a settlement – and I'll be very polite in choosing my expressions because what I care for is the idea and not hurting anyone. So there is the choice of a settlement. What does a settlement mean? It means offering concessions to restore some of what the enemy usurped from us. We make settlements on the land, Al Qods (Jerusalem), the refugees, the water, the security so that the enemy gives us in return a piece of land here or returns some refugees there and the like. This is the choice of a settlement. Practically this choice has proven its failure through all the previous experiences with the enemy.

There is another choice which says: No. This is a usurper enemy. He is an occupier, an aggressor and a war criminal. This enemy has perpetrated war crimes. He established his entity with massacres, killing women and stabbing the wombs of pregnant women and slaughtering children. Consequently, there is no settlement. We hold no rewards for him but rather he must return the right to its owners – whether in good means or through fighting this is another issue. In return to our evaluation of the first choice we find that whenever the Arabs did offer concessions, the Israelis did what in return. They headed towards more wars, assassinations, killing and settlements erecting and more conditions imposing. Can anyone say other than that? This is the truth. I'll give a brief presentation. In 1978, when the final touches were to be put to Camp David Agreement, the enemy executed Allitani Operation in March 1978. The response to Camp David was an attack on Lebanon. Unfortunately many have forgotten that.

I would like to remind you that horrible massacres were perpetrated in Allitani Operation in 1978 including the massacre in the village of Abbassiyeh when scores were martyred in the mosque of the village. After 1978 and in 1982, what was called then the Peace Initiative was presented under the rule of King Fahd. The Arabs were getting ready to agree on this initiative and in fact they did agree on it on 1982 during Fas Summit. During the preparation for the Arab agreement on the Initiative in Fas Summit the greatest Israeli aggression against Lebanon was staged in 1982. Then, that was not called Lebanon War I. After July War, it was called so. In 1991, the Arabs headed to Madrid. Few months later Israel assassinated Sayyed Abbass Mossawi. In 1993, Israel staged the aggression on Lebanon and Oslo Agreement was signed in 1993. The Israeli response was always more assassinations and killing of leaders of the Palestinian Intifada from all factions.

Then came the Aggression of the Grapes of Wrath in April 1996. The victory was in 2000. The Arabs in 2002 went from Beirut – the capital of Lebanon, the capital of the resistance which made the first Arab historic victory on Israel and the Arab Peace Initiative was launched. After a few days – and not months or years – Israel invaded the West Bank in what was called the Preventive War Operation and besieged late President Yasser Arafat in his headquarters in Ramallah. Jenin Massacre was perpetrated against Jenin Camp.

Then in 2006, July War was staged. Following the war, instead of taking the initiative to back the resistance in Lebanon and Palestine, the Arabs made louder cries that support the peace initiative. They set forth their peace initiative which hasn't yet and for years been furnished by an answer from Israel. The first answer came from Sharon. It isn't worth the ink it was written with. The second answer was the invasion of the West Bank. Still the Arabs used to insist and stress on the Arab Peace Initiatives. Thus was Gaza War in 2008. So I am giving evidences and I am not narrating ancient history. I'm talking about modern history and am giving evidences. Whenever we as Arabs used to offer concessions, the Israelis used to add to their haughtiness, arrogance, corruption, killing, assassination and disavowal from previous agreements and greed of our land, holy sites and wealth.

Isn't this the truth? Here I tell you, to the over exaggerated Arab assertion – indeed until before Kuwait Summit because Kuwait Summit gave a good sign that this initiative will not remain for long on the table – the Israeli answer was moving more towards extremism. These were the results of the recent Israeli elections. Before these facts, what is the Arab response, on the level of the nation? What is the Lebanese response to the outcome of the Israeli elections? When such parties and figures come to power, will there be more concessions, award offering and conciliations? Or will there be embracing of the resistance, supporting it, benefiting from the power of the resistance in whatever settlement or negotiation? (I want to give a pragmatic speech). Even if we don't believe in this path, we still tell them: you have a force called the resistance in Lebanon and the resistance in Palestine. Why do you want to sacrifice it for free? Why don't you benefit from these elements of power? In the path you believe in and we believe is wrong – I tell you brothers and sisters and this is a valid question: should we offer all the demanded concessions to Israel and submitted to Israel's current conditions, will that mean achieving true peace in the region? Will that mean that Israel will give up killing, assassinating, corrupting, being insolent and interfering in the others' affairs? Does that mean that Israel will not come – after a settlement is made – to demand water as the world is heading towards a water crisis and demand opening markets as the world is living a serious financial crisis?

A day might come after the alleged peace in which additional millions of Jews in the world would gather and then Israel would demand additional lands as the land of Israel has become overpopulated. Who would guarantee such peace? We are facing a fierce and greedy enemy who always asks for more. Thus on the Leader Martyrs Day, I address you all saying: Indeed from our perspective, it's true we must highlight the serious outcome of the Israeli elections. Still we must not make the people live in illusions and fear. I frankly tell you and recent history stresses this conclusion: there is no difference between all these parties. I even say more: Labor Party is worse that Kadima and not vice versa. Kadima is worse than Likud Party. Likud is worse than Yisrael Beiteinu. Why? That's because the more right and extreme the party is, the less Israeli lying and delusion become and the less Israeli belittling of Arab minds becomes.

History gives evidence: most of the Israeli wars on the Arabs were launched by Labor Party cabinets. So there is no difference between Israeli parties. They might differ in internal economic, social and cultural affairs. But as far as Israel, the Zionist project, the stance towards the rights of the Palestinians, the rights of the Arab peoples, and the viewpoint towards the Arab world, they are all racial, aggressive and savage. They all are children-killers and crimes-perpetrators. What's the difference should Labor, Likud, Kadima or Lieberman come to power on one hand? On the other hand, the good point here is that Israel becomes clearer and more frank. The second point which I want to mention is that there must not be any fear.

We have tried them all. Brothers and sisters if anyone tries to frighten us by them, I say they were all defeated in Lebanon: Begen, Sharon, Rabin, Barak, Netanyahu, Olmert, Livney… Only one is not tried yet. Lieberman. What will he be able to do? Since the Lebanese resistance in all its factions – on top of which the Islamic Resistance - get involved in the battlefield and the fight, Israel did not face in Lebanon but defeat whether in 1984, 1985, 1993, 1996, 2000 and 2006. That's why I tell you don't be frightened by them not because they are not ugly but because you are strong and able to defeat those killers and criminals. Brothers and sisters, following July War, the Israelis made an investigation and formed Vingrad Committee. Among what Israeli generals and political leaders agreed unanimously on is the following: air force alone is not able to win a battle. To decisively win any battle, a vast fierce and swift land incursion is inevitable as did Barak, Ashkenazi, Livney and Olmert used to say.

Here I want to make clear to you that Israel is not as powerful as it used to be in the past. We are not as weak as we used to be in the past – that is if we were so. So they reached this conclusion. Practically in July War, the Israeli Navy came out of the balance following the typical operation staged by the resistance which targeted (Saer) along the coasts of Beirut. All through the war, the Israel Navy was not in the balance. Now the Israelis came to say the Air Force alone is not enough and in whatever future confrontation we will resort to land forces and they talked about plots and demolitions. If you still remember Israeli War Minister then talked about five squads saying he will send these squads to southern Lebanon to occupy the towns and villages and exterminate Hezbollah and resistance fighters from all factions in a quick operation. He said this is unequivocally clear. Some said Israel is making use of lessons. Israel is training, equipping, maneuvering, arming and developing weapons. It has been doing so for more than two years. Then came the experience of Gaza with the miraculous heroic steadfastness of the resistance in Gaza, the people of Gaza, the political leadership, the Palestinian resistance and all the leaders and fighters in the field. It made an excellent additional supplement to the outcome of July War. What is this supplement?

In Gaza. Israel made the same mistakes. For seven or eight days, Israel air-bombarded Gaza thinking again that the air-force is able to win the battle. I tell you again, the air-force is not able to win a battle if there is a brave political leadership and a steadfast people. Indeed with a weak defeated political leadership – I am speaking in general – in any place in the world and with a people who can't bear hardships – the air force is able to win any battle. For seven or eight days, the air force shelled in vain. Then they headed to the second stage which they called the land stage. They went to open areas. Nobody expects the Palestinian resistance to fight in the desert and in that open area. The enemy would beat them. The fighters fortified themselves in towns and residential areas. Still confrontations took place. They fought in many places. The third stage planned by the Zionists was entering Palestinian cities and towns in Gaza Strip. But they didn't enter. Why? Is it because they had no time? This is a poor political analysis. There is no problem if the battle is to be won if it takes one or two weeks. The Americans would overlook that. No they did not enter because they were frightened from entering because they know what is awaiting them in Gaza and its neighborhoods and camps and in Deir Balah and Khan Yunis… Fighters ready to fight until martyrdom were awaiting them. That's why they realized that entering will be costly. They will be afflicted with great losses. That's why they stopped on the doorstep. So their lingering there was not a result of political pressures from any place in the world or of public pressure. Indeed political and public pressures are auxiliary elements, but if the enemy leaders are sure that should they enter Palestinian towns, camps and villages that will be easy and but a ride they would have done that. Knowingly, the brigades fighting in Gaza were the Elite Brigades themselves which entered Southern Lebanon in Aggression 2006. What does that mean? That means that the Israeli Navy fell from the balance in Aggression 2006.

Today I also say that one of the most important strategic lessens drawn from Gaza War is that the Israeli land forces also failed to win a battle. They are even weaker than entering a true war. If this was their fear from besieged Gaza which is still besieged and from Gaza who is suffering and has suffered for year - if this is the extent of their fear - why are they threatening to invade Lebanon or southern Lebanon? Today on the anniversary of the leader martyrs I recall what I said before. They threaten us and we threaten them. We threaten them of what (Imad) had prepared for them from the love of (Abbass) and the will of (Ragheb). Yes, if any upcoming Israeli cabinet thinks at any time to dispatch its brigades or squads or army to our land and villages to invade or occupy them, they will be destroyed on the hands of the students of Imad Moghniyah, Abbass Mossawi and Ragheb Harb. That's why we don't feel frightened and I tell you not to be scared or worried. Netanyahu ruled for three years. He didn't do anything. At last he concurred with Barak over who will retreat first from Lebanon in 2000. This is Lebanon: a different battlefield. The Israelis don't have but their superiority in air force. We acknowledge that. But still they are worried.

Everyday we hear a story that the Resistance acquired anti-aircraft weapons and advanced anti-aircraft rockets. Indeed I don't affirm or deny that. They say that if the resistance owns air-defense force, that will change the balance of the war. True, there is no exaggeration in that. That's because there are the navy, the land force and the air force. As for the navy, it is settled. Should they step our waters, we'll be there for them. In the land, we have fierce lions and all-ready fighters. Only the air force remains. If the air force balance changed, the whole balance of the struggle will change. Why there is anxiety lest the Resistance acquires an air-defensive force? There is a difference. The resistance has the will and courage to use this weapon. That's why Israel fears it and threatens openly and sends messages via diplomats saying: if you possess such a weapon you will pay for that. If you shot down an Israeli plane in Lebanese airspace, you will pay for that.

How shameless! Israel has the right to fly freely in Lebanese skies and no one has the right to open his mouth. The Israeli air force surpasses factions and regions. But, you Lebanese, you Resistance in Lebanon as well as the government, if an Israeli airplane in Lebanese airspace was shot down, the price will be costly and the retaliation massive. Today we don't want to get engaged in another battle but I want to say the following. We have the right to possess whatever weapon to defend our nation and people. Do we own or not? This is another issue and we haven't fought our enemy on the basis of bullying and overbidding but rather by taking them by surprise. So what I want to stress today is that we have the right to own any weapon including air-defense force. We also have the right to use this weaponry if we want. Time has gone when we used to behave as if we were weak. Our nation was never weak. Our armies were never weak. Our Arab and Islamic peoples were never weak. They were rather deemed weak. What's weak is the political decision. When the political decision restores its strength, it will find Arab and Islamic peoples and armies who equal the decision in its strength. This is the truth. In Lebanon we will not tolerate any aggression on our nation and people.

Some in Lebanon say that the resistance in Lebanon did not protect women and children in April Aggression and July Aggression. The resistance in Gaza failed to protect women and children. When you talk about an army as strong as the Israeli army and about an air force, is there any army in the world that is able to protect women and children? There are victims in any war. This is a war and not a demonstration. What's important is that the resistance prevents the enemy from occupying, imposing conditions and achieving goals. This is the victory and there is no other way to achieve it. We will not tolerate Israel – the historical enemy of the nation. Before moving to the internal status to handle with some words I say: As for Hajj Imad, a year ago they killed Hajj Imad to get rid of him. But they were haunted by Imad Moghniyah. They were afraid of him this year more than in the past 25 years. Imad Moghniyah will pursue them everywhere and all day and night. The oath and pledge we made to Hajj Imad remain valid. Hajj Imad is part of our war with Israel. Here also I find myself not obliged to make any clarifications.

Frankly speaking, I like to comment on many of what have been written especially this month where we find in the same article many contradictions. On one side, they blame Hezbollah for not retaliating. At the same time they criticize Hezbollah that should the party retaliate that will lead to such and such. We are really baffled. You want us to retaliate or not. Anyway we are not waiting for you. I only tell you I am not concerned by clarifying what has happened through this year and what will happen in the coming stage. We are not concerned by denying or asserting anything. This is a battlefield. Let events take place in this field away from overbidding. Yet in the first anniversary of the martyrdom of leader Hajj Imad Moghniyah, I like to assert that we don't need to renew the vow and oath. We stick to our vow and oath. Imad will always scare them day and night. The promise will be achieved God willing. Pursuant to what I have said, today on the anniversary of the leader martyrs, I call the whole nation to embrace the choice of resistance.

I call on the Arab and Islamic governments – even if some of them make negotiations or believe in negotiations – to embrace the resistance because it's an element of strength for us all. It's wrong to hold the resistance in Lebanon or Palestine accountable pursuant to internal limited considerations when it is a national point of strength and a force to the nation. You must act accordingly. In this framework, we renew our support to all forms of dialogue and Palestinian-Palestinian reconciliation-making which has got started. We also welcome any Arab reconciliation and affiliation especially between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Syria. This is indeed a force for us all. I like to tackle for a while the Lebanese issue, but first I will conclude with the leader martyrs. Two days ago was an anniversary dear to all the Lebanese. The Lebanese have consensually agreed on February 14, 2005 on condemning the horrible assassination of premier martyr Rafik Hariri and all who was martyred in that event. All the Lebanese cooperated, showed solidarity and met together. It was a true national occasion then. I renew today the natural stance towards this anniversary and event. I renew our incessant wish that this anniversary be a united national occasion, but political divisions in Lebanon have imposed another statue quo unfortunately. We hope that we will be able in the future to be united by the blood of martyrs especially great martyrs so that we ascend to their high status. Indeed all have the right to honor their martyrs especially when these martyrs belong to their families, organizations, trends, parties and human groups besides being the martyrs of the nation. We see that as natural and even as an obligation. We must respect martyrs. This is a good culture because marking the anniversary of martyrs and showing respect to them promotes many national and religious concepts that our generations need all through history.

We respect the martyrs of the second party and the most obvious evidence is that when we start our talk on them, the first word we say is that they are martyrs. We refer to them as martyrs even if we differ with some of them in our political stance, position and speech. But even after their martyrdom, we overlook the previous differences - which were legitimate whether from our or their behalf - as a show of respect to their martyrdom. We also call on the other party to respect our martyrs. If some of them respect our martyrs, some don't. It's our obligation to respect their martyrs as it's their obligation to respect our martyrs pursuant to our intellectual, religious and moral values. From another perspective other than marking anniversaries, indeed we back overlooking the past troubles, sufferings, divisions and difficulties apart from making evaluations - for each of us has his evaluation. You believe I wronged you and you want to forgive me, you are free. I believe you wronged me and I want to forgive you, I am free. Everyone has his own evaluation of the events that took place in the past years. But there is a central point on which we must reflect on: overlooking the past and making use of the past lessons in the future and not to retaliate and avenge. Henceforth, we are not talking about an enemy but about Lebanese political trends or various Lebanese political groups which differ in their choices, viewpoints and stances. We are not talking about Israel which we don't tolerate and keep quiet on its transgressions. It's natural that we behave with such a sense of responsibility. That's why we were and are still calling for calmness.

I again call for calmness in political speeches and on the ground. The responsibility of the political leaderships in Lebanon is great. I remember that following every incident, the incident is evaluated in different ways. For example, after Mar Mikhail event, some said we must hold accountable those who pushed these men to hit the streets and not who opened fire. Some said we must hold accountable those who opened fire. (Even in such issues we differ in our evaluations). But there is a clear and granted fate: the masses answer their political leaderships. The latest experience proved that. When we agreed on calmness and the political atmosphere calmed down, there weren't anymore troubles in any place whereas before that there were daily incidents and fire opening… When the political speeches calmed down, the country became calm. What happened two days ago - whether the security incidents and violence - is denounced? When we address any topic, let's also address the reasons behind it. We pointed before to this point. In political speeches, it's not enough that for example I in Hezbollah make a calm speech and my colleagues make very harsh speeches. This will not do. If my speech was calm, well people hear my speeches occasionally. But my brothers might speak daily or every two days. This is a problem which we must address to avoid escalation. Thus we call for calmness and a calm political speech. Sure we are heading towards elections, but for elections we can present ideas, programs, suggestions, options.... Well now I could present the choice of a settlement and the choice of resistance without using even one word that harms anyone. Still I made my evaluations. So we can in handling whatever topic avoid resorting to provocations. We can also in confronting provocations practice control on ourselves. It's not enough to say that what took place is provocative from the other party. Is provocation to be met with what is even worse and more dangerous? Henceforth, it's our responsibility to say that the events that took place are denounced. Whoever commits a transgression and especially if that developed to killing with knives or bullets – whether in action or in counteraction - is condemned and denounced. In Lebanon we must all be able to express our viewpoints and stances and mark our occasions freely – indeed while respecting others. We mustn't insult others or provoke them. I would like above all to address the youth who nurture agitated emotions which might be used in a wrong way: Fear God and assume responsibility.

No one has the right to be driven by his emotions or wrath to express such emotions in a way that destroys the country and drags him to Hell. (How can anyone all alone and without pre-set conditions kill or wound someone even if a superficial wound not to mention wounds that might cause death?) The martyrdom of Citizen Lotfi Zeineddine is a painful incident for us all as was the martyrdom of all others in similar incidents. Whoever among the Lebanese is killed in such occasions is a loss for all of us. In the name of the leadership of Hezbollah, I offer my condolence to the family of Zeieddine, the people of the village of Shbaniyeh, the people of Mount Liban and the Progressive Socialist Party. That's how we must all act in such dramatic incidents. I also have to condemn all the events that preceded and followed the incident. Every violence and counter violence and every wrong act and wrong reaction are denounced. I also have to praise all the efforts exerted within the past 48 hours by a number of political, military, security and political leaderships to calm down the country. That's because we are heading to an important stage. We must always resort in such incidents – as in previous hard and painful incidents – to the Lebanese judiciary and to the governmental institutions and military and security bodies.

Allow me to tackle another local topic which we'll handle later with more details, but it's a must that we touch on it now: the parliamentary elections which are due in a few months. I call for a massive participation in the parliamentary elections because they are important and influential on the political choices in the country. Indeed the upcoming parliamentary elections might have characteristics which we might accept or not. We don't have enough time to tackle this point now but to a certain point these elections are very important. All people are supposed to get ready to participate in these elections: prepare their IDs, make sure their names are enlisted in the electoral lists, cooperate with the electoral bodies and think fully before making their electoral choices. So no one is to deal with the upcoming elections as a marginal or transient incident. It is an important and influential issue. The other point is I hope we can all as political forces make calm speeches. We have dialogue, debates, and viewpoints and there are disparities in viewpoints and choices. But still we must not push towards provocation and confrontation.
Thirdly: on the doors of the parliamentary elections, I like to stress one point in which we believe. Well this is Lebanon and not Switzerland. So it's not Switzerland to furnish it with a Swiss defense strategy. It's not Switzerland as well when talking about the administration and the rule. That is valid when we have political parties only. But whether we liked it or not, Lebanon has a sectarian structure. Some parties surpass sects. Others are non-sectarian in their mentality but after all their members are from definite sects. When it comes to Lebanon we can't say: "Suppose that the Opposition – I will not say the Loyalists – took the majority in the parliament and had two or three more MPs and thus headed to form the government, while a large sect or two who won the majority in their sects but still did not win the parliamentary elections – because of the special division and electoral law. Well that doesn't mean the Opposition will rule the country and do what it wants. This is valid in a country were there are political parties but not sects and factions as in Lebanon. I would like to recall that one of the most important reasons for the flop of the Quartet alliance was because it ignored parties which represent the actual majority for example as in the Christian milieu and pursuant to the outcome of elections 2005. So we are in a country doomed to participation and harmony. Some say in the current cabinet, things are being crippled or are moving slowing. No problem. Quarrel in the cabinet instead of having people fighting in the streets. Let them conflict in the cabinet instead of people exchanging fire in the streets. I don't mean that if they did not reach an agreement, people will fight in the streets. This has been the formula of this country for a long time. We were born in this country and it was as such. That's why we insist that this country is doomed to participation and communication whether the Opposition or the Loyalists won. I'm not saying so because we in Hezbollah insist in sharing in the government! Even in the current government, for fear of being accused of being unhelpful or of crippling the government, we would have preferred that the minister from Hezbollah be represented by someone from another party in the Opposition. We have no problem. I'm not saying so because if the Loyalists won the elections our share in the government will be lost. No! Should the Opposition win and tell us: Rest aside and dedicate yourselves to the resistance and we'll rule the country. I would kiss their forehead. So the question is not that we as Hezbollah want to share in the government or not. It's the interest of the country. I'd like to say something. The time of duality - i.e. when two large sects used to rule the country at the expense of the other sects – has gone. I even say more: the time of tripartite – i.e. when three large sects used to rule and annul the other sects – has also gone. This is unacceptable. What is demanded is participation and harmony. As such we might move on slowly but at least we'd guard our country. With monopoly and annulations there'll be no country anymore to be ruled neither by us or them. In all cases, let not some believe that when we insist on participation and harmony that we are afraid that the Opposition rules alone should it win. Let me clarify that. There are financial and economic difficulties which any new government would meet. The debt is 45 or 50 billion dollars, I am not sure. But there is an international financial crisis. Even the countries which will help us needs help. There are many financial, economic and security difficulties in the region. Any government which wants to rule Lebanon in the coming stage will meet great and serious responsibilities. No one must scare the Lebanese as well as us saying if you gave the Opposition the majority we will not partake. There is no need for such bullying. I like to say: Should the opposition win the upcoming parliamentary elections, I suggest that the Opposition presents to the other party a national unity government with a blocking minority and insists on that. Now should the other party insist on not participating, I suggest that the Opposition forms a government and assumes the responsibility of ruling the country while giving a new model for ruling and administering Lebanon which achieves goals not on the basis of monopoly but rather on the basis or calling for harmony and participation. Even if the government was formed without harmony and participation, it must rule with a national mentality and not with the mentality of revenge and provocation of the other party. This is what we need though I stress that Lebanon in the coming stage and due to the economic, financial, political and security conditions in the world, region and the country needs more than ever a national unity government. However as for us, whatever the difficulties were, we are to be responsible in addressing national crises and not to turn our back to them. Never. Indeed I have to renew my call to the MPs who will meet in the coming few days in the general assembly of the Lebanese Parliament to fulfill their promises to the youths who are 18, 19 and 20 years old and give them the right to vote even if in the next elections.

Brothers and sisters.

From the souls of the martyrs and leader martyrs we inspire determination, steadfastness and resolution. From their minds we inspire the clear view and righteous school. From their struggle and blood we learn to sacrifice our souls and lives and to sacrifice our dear and loved ones. As such was Karbala – the model in which leaders get martyred side by side to fighters, women and children. With the blessings of your awareness, responsibility, presence, belief and sacrifices – especially the sacrifices of the martyrs' families in general and the families of the leader martyrs: Moghniyah, Harb and Mossawi – we will continue on this path and achieve our goals and aspirations. Finally, I address the leaders and masters and all those who love the martyrs in general and the leader martyrs in particular: Sayyed Abbass, Hajj Imad and Sheikh Ragheb and say:

O dear and loved ones! Be at peace in Heaven. Those who follow you will continue the path and achieve the goals. There they are. They never altered despite all the difficulties. The path you initiated and promoted with your blood will carry on leading the nation to one victory after the other as defeats have gone forever and it has become the time of victorious occasions.
May Allah reward you kindly and bless you. Peace be upon you and Allah's blessing and mercy.

Organize for boycott Israel day of action

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Appeal, Secretariat of the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee, 19 February 2009

In December 2008, Israel decided to mark the 60th anniversary of its existence the same way it had established itself -- perpetrating massacres against the Palestinian people. In 23 days, Israel killed more than 1,300 and injured at least 5,000 Palestinians in Gaza. The irony of history is that Israel targeted those Palestinians -- and their descendants -- whom it had expelled from their homes and pushed into refugeehood in Gaza in 1948, whose land it has stolen, whom it has oppressed since 1967 by means of a brutal military occupation, and whom it had tried to starve into submission by means of a criminal blockade of food, fuel and electricity in the 18 months preceding the military assault. We cannot wait for Israel to zero in on its next objective. Palestine has today become the test of our indispensable morality and our common humanity.

We therefore call on all to unite our different capacities and struggles in a Global Day of Action in Solidarity with the Palestinian people and for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel on 30 March 2009.

The mobilization coincides with the Palestinian Land Day, the annual commemoration of the 1976 Israeli massacre of Palestinians in the Galilee in struggle against massive land expropriation, and forms part of the Global Week of Action against the Crises and War from 28 March 28 to 4 April.

We urge the people and their organizations around the globe to mobilize in concrete and visible boycott, divestment, sanctions (BDS) actions to make this day a historic step in this new anti-apartheid movementand for the fulfilment of the rights and dignity of the people and the accountability of the powerful. In our 30 March BDS actions, we will particularly focus on:

• Boycotts and divestment from Israeli corporations and international corporations that sustain Israeli apartheid and occupation.
  
• Legal action to end Israel's impunity and prosecute its war criminals through national court cases and international tribunals.
  
• Cancelling and blocking free trade and other preferential agreements with Israel and imposing an arms embargo as the first steps towards fully fledged sanctions against Israel.

The time for the world to fully adopt and implement the Palestinian call for boycotts, divestment and sanctions is now. This campaign has to become an urgent part of every struggle for justice and humanity, by adopting widespread action against Israeli products, companies, academic and cultural institutions, sports groups, international corporations supporting Israeli policies of racism, ethnic cleansing and military occupation and pressuring governments for sanctions. It must be sustained until Israel provides free access to Gaza, dismantles the Apartheid Wall and ends its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands; recognizes the right of the Arab Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and respects, protects and promotes the rights of the Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties.

The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) includes: Council of National and Islamic Forces in Palestine; General Union of Palestinian Workers; Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions; Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations' Network (PNGO); Federation of Independent Trade Unions; Union of Palestinian Charitable Organizations; Global Palestine Right of Return Coalition; Occupied Palestine and Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative (OPGAI); General Union of Palestinian Women; Palestinian Farmers Union (PFU); Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (STW); Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI); National Committee to Commemorate the Nakba; Civic Coalition for the Defense of Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem (CCDPRJ); Coalition for Jerusalem; and Palestinian Economic Monitor.


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Boycott and Disinvest in Israel, in Solidarity and Self-Defense