Israeli flotilla inquiry committee- what's the point?

Just take the IDF statements and Netanyhu's statements. There you have it. What the committee will "decide".

A few links:

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/gaza-flotilla-probe-panel-to-hold-first-meeting-on-wednesday-1.296466

http://www.linktv.org/scripts/episode_transcript.php?episode=mosaic20100614

One that quotes Netanyahu's statement about what the committee's purpose is:
http://www.paltelegraph.com/palestine/west-bank/6393-israel-composes-a-committee-to-investigate-flotilla-attack

The 3 (just 3?!) men that will decide what went on with the IDF and Mavi Marmara:

• Yaakov Turkel, a retired Israeli supreme court judge, head of this committee
• Shaftai Rouzain, an international law expert, Israel Prize laureate
  
• Amos Huraiv, retired Major-General, former member of the Israeli Haganah mob (Haaretz simply calls him "military expert and former president of the Technion")
  

Really? Were Nazi war criminals allowed to sit at the Nuremburg trials to judge their peers and "operations" against Jews??

Some time has passed, sure, since the horrific crimes of 1948, but doesn't Israel view it- once a terrorist, always a terrorist? Look at how many ancient Nazi war criminals they work hard to bring to justice. Call me crazy, but that guy is not really in a position to have an honest discussion about Palestinians or war crimes.


The 2 (non-voting) observers are:

David Trimble, a Northern Irish Nobel Peace Prize laureate
Ken Watkin, a former military judge advocate general from Canada

Some key "facts" about teh committee:

• No army personnel will appear before the committee
• I'm guessing that means no survivors will testify, either
• Netanyahu, Minister for the Army Ehud Barak, and chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi are all expected to testify before the Committee
• They cannot question "political mechanism that triggered the attack on the Marmara"
• The sole "evidence" under consideration is the summary report by the "experts" the chief of staff appointed (IDF internal "investigation")- yet another big clue as to what the committee will decide
• No authority to make procedural recommendations

Netanyahu assures us the investigation will be fair and impartial, while defending the army furiously.

Does anyone honestly have any doubt what the results of this will be?

They didn't accomplish the objective, but they did what they needed to do to protect it's citizens.

Complete rubbish!

Netanyahu said:

I’m convinced that finding the facts by the committee will prove that the objective behind the operation of the state of Israel and its army’s defensive action was acceptable and conformed to international standards.

That tends to happen when one stacks the deck!


This is a Guardian blog or opinion piece I think. The author is as incredulous as I am:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/16/israel-gaza-flotilla-inquiry

It talks about other times Israel has investigated itself. Telling.


Two videos about flotilla stuff:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FcPqvl38c8&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oMQeYOkSBA

Ron Suskind's The Way of the World: A Story of Truth and Hope in an Age of Extremism

The Way of the World: A Story of Truth and Hope in an Age of Extremism
by
Ron Suskind

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Way-World-Story-Truth-Extremism/dp/0061430625
Two shows/interviews:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93319762
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/8/13/the_way_of_the_world_ron

My thoughts:

Wow. Bush should have been impeached. He and his admin did in fact break the law. It was bad that they lied in the run up to Iraq (not illegal necessarily, unfortunately), but forging a letter from an Iraqi official "confirming" their list of lies in a covert action to alter public opinion tipped the scale. Ironically, the guy they wanted to copy the info in his own handwriting and sign it was the Iraqi intel guy who confirmed other reports from British intel and our own agencies that Iraq had no WMD (months before the invasion). He and those who reported this were ignored by Bush and only "used" when they wanted him to copy down this fabricated (by the White House) letter and have it planted in Baghdad by CIA. Of course their outing of him ( with a total lie only to save them some shame and from having to come clean) would put him and his family in danger, being collaborators and all, but hey, when has that ever mattered with Bush admin officials? Plame, anyone?

The book starts out with personal stories of a handful or people and how they experienced America or its decline in those 8 years. I was really enjoying that, then the second part really dove into 9/11, the run up to Iraq, Guantanamo, Bhutto's death and the admin's mishandling (to put it mildly) of it all (every last bit). We had the sympathy of the world after 9/11 and blew it. The British opened back channels in Iraq and then Iran to get solid intel and future negotiations started and we slammed the door because they wouldn't fall in line with our assumptions of WMD, etc.

When the story abruptly changed from personal stories to Bush admin stuff (I've about had enough) I was tempted to stop reading, but it actually was tied together quite nicely in the end. I think it was a bad decision to not fully investigate everything to find out who knew what and when and put it out for all eyes. Only then can apologies and amends be made and perhaps our reputation restored. We can and I hope we do repair our image by doing the right thing, but apologies and admissions of guilt (taking responsibility) are always a solid, healthy way to go.

I fully agree with the sentiment in the book that America needs to get back its moral authority -honesty, compassion, respect for others- and stop imposing our will on others. Giving without leaving the recipient in our debt. Bush was not a leader that helped us build on these principles. He destroyed them. Obama has had to start from scratch- or a negative position.

Israel's problem- image or moral?

Can Israel Learn How to Make Its Case?

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1995850,00.html


I've been sticking to alternative sources of news for this event and so I was unaware of how the stroy was being framed by the mainstram news sources. Until TIME arrived in the mail. I was under the impression that all were in agreement that Israel is at fault and can't play the victim card too much longer. Guess not. The story is not actually how do we make Israel follow the law and respect human rights. The story in the US is that Israel has an "image problem." Silly me!

Under George Bush, the US had an image problem. We invaded Iraq, probably knowing full well there weren't any WMD, and didn't apologize after everyone else found out the truth. Truth telling and admitting fault is seen as weakness by some, but it does wonders for one's image as it is the hardest and right thing to do. There is a Biblical lesson for the individual here, temptimg to address, but that's a digression perhaps for another time or place. :)

The only way for Israel to fix this pesky "image problem," is to stop flouting international law, let Palestinians have the self determination that everyone else on this planet sees as a God-given right, end the occupation. apologize for past wrongs, begin reconciliation, refugee return, compensation, trials for those in Israel who are guilty of crimes against humanity, etc.

Gaza flotilla- more incredible Israeli lies

In progress...

USS Liberty survivor was seized by flotilla
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/6/4/43_years_after_surviving_israeli_attack

Will we abandon and dishonor him yet again?
***

Activists: Israeli boat raiders had ‘assassination list’
http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0605/israeli-raiders-assassination-list/
***

Many musical groups cancelled performances in Israel in recent months because of Gaza, occupation, flotilla

Elvis Costello, Carlos Santana and Gil Scott-Heron, British group Gorillaz, Pixies

Given what you'll read next, why aren't we separating ourselves from this nonsense?
***

This show on 6/7/10 has a ton of crazy things. Just wrong! Who believes Israel??
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/6/7/israel_rejects_call_for_international_probe

• Arab Knesset member, Hanin Zoabi, is targeted in a FB group inciting her assassination. She was assaulted in the Knesset for trying to share her experiences on the flotilla.
• IDF retracted press release it put out saying flotilla members were Al Qaeda mercenaries upon inquiries by Blumenthal. The "evidence" was that they had night vision goggles. Wow. The criteria for being a terrorist is getting more and more general.
• IDF admitted to doctoring the audio it originally put out with a flotilla person supposedly saying "go back to Auschwitz." They released the "full" version later. NY Times an dWahington Post reported on these initial IDF responses, but didn't report the corrections. Way to follow up and ask the questions. Instead of Blumenthal, they could have been the ones to break the story about the false IDF reports.
• Yedioth Ahronoth - apparently an author of some sort said Israel should plant guns and rockets on the next flotilla and display them at the prot of Ashdod for journalists to photograph.

***


And they think they can conduct a serious investigation of themselves. They don't want the international community or any other country involved. That way, they wouldn't be able to manufacture the story they want. Heaven forbid we get the truth!

Abbas speaks

Maybe recent events by Israel have given Abbas some leverage or space to speak more forcefully about the situation. He doesn't mention refugees, though, and if I remember correctly this is where he sells out.

I like these statements and the fact that he puts an old favorite Israeli argument right back to them- we've extended our hand in peace... and we're still waiting.

OPINION: Peacemaking takes courage, leaders

By Mahmoud Abbas - 06/08/10 06:00 AM ET

http://thehill.com/opinion/op-ed/101843-a-moment-of-truth-peacemaking-requires-courage-and-leadership

Meaningful negotiations and Israeli settlement activity do not go hand in hand because the continued building of settlements will not leave enough land for us to establish our own contiguous and viable state.

In the Arab Peace Initiative, 57 Arab and Muslim countries offered Israel peace and normalized relations in return for Israel’s withdrawal from the Palestinian and Arab territories it conquered by force in the 1967 War and has occupied since. Israeli leaders have so far failed to grasp this historic opportunity and instead are actively working toward making the two-state solution impossible.

Helen Thomas retires because of controversial comments?

Edit: 6/14/10- I found this article and that 3rd paragraph I could have written myself. I probably have, it's just not as nice and succinct. :) And, she gives more examples of bigoted statements by Jews against Arabs that didn't provoke so much as a story.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-oe-makdisi-palestinians-20100613,0,3488415.story

Also here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/06/17/536557/anti-palestinian-comments-too.html

I will say that the soundbite was rough. Especially the portion that keeps getting replayed. When you hear the whole thing, you get a bit more context and those who are keeping up with events in the Middle East see that it’s not quite as bad as it first seemed.

Edit 6/10/10: I have a bit of the comments below. They provide more context than "tell them to get out of Palestine", but this transcript of sorts explains it better. It seems it was a pretty lighthearted exchange and Thomas was definitely calling attention to the Occupation, not showing her anti-Semitic cards or that she was senile.

BBC's story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/us_and_canada/10259646.stm

She's not really calling for Jews to leave, but calling attention to the Occupation and blame that no one ever wants to mention in these parts. She was kind of getting at the fact that Israel and it's "democratic values" are a bit of a joke until it lets Palestinians go back home, just like Jews can go back to their homes in Eastern Europe, Europe, America, etc or stay in Israel as they please. The idea was totally in character and I totally can get behind her saying Israel is occupying Palestine, but the wording was oh so wrong.

I wish she hadn't gone out on that note. She's done a lot for women in journalism and has been the only one asking the hard questions at various times- about Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel.

Thomas’s point was that Palestine is occupied and no one will say that in the US. Perhaps one approach is to say something a little stronger or more provocative than one’s actual opinion. People certainly are taking notice. Ideally, since Jewish terrorists took over parts of Palestine, kicked out the inhabitants and won’t let them go back home (and the ones who managed to stay don’t have the same rights as Jews), one could think the just thing to do would be to send Israelis packing or force them to allow the inhabitants to go home and have rights. Regardless of whether or not one thinks sending Jews packing is just or not, it is not realistic. Everyone knows this. Helen, I would imagine, knows this. This is the only fact on the ground I’d say that we have to honor. All other things Israel has done to create certain facts on the ground to prevent a Palestinian state, provoke violence, etc are absolutely on the table, however.

She probably did choose the wrong venue to express herself in this fashion. It was a Jewish heritage celebration at the White House in May. Prominent Jews were in attendance. If they included the likes of Pipes and Dershowitz, you can bet Thomas had heard more than a few incendiary things about Arabs, not to mention the rewritten, sterilized history that normally accompanies high praise for Israel. Even so, it was the wrong venue and poor choice of words. She really should have passed when asked "any comments on Israel?" by the good Rabbi wielding a video camera. A "no comment" would have done nicely.

In her defense, it kind of sounded like people with video cameras were baiting her and waiting for her. They begged her to go on. Everyone knows who she is, so it’s not like they were just asking random people. She wasn’t speaking for the White House or any publication. Not to mention that in context, she was talking about the fact that Israel is an Occupier and how many don’t even think about it that way anymore- if they ever did.

The two quotes are from this site:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127538667

THE comments:

(Soundbite of Internet video)

Rabbi DAVID F. NESENOFF (Founder, RabbiLIVE.com): Any comments on Israel? We're asking everybody today, any comments on Israel?
Ms. HELEN THOMAS (Former Columnist, Hearst News Service): Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine.
Rabbi NESENOFF: Ooh. Any better comments on Israel?
(Soundbite of laughter)
Unidentified Woman: Helen has one.
Ms. THOMAS: Remember, these people are occupied, and it's their land. Not German. It's not Poland.
Rabbi NESENOFF: So where should they go? What should they do?
Ms. THOMAS: They can go home.
Rabbi NESENOFF: Where is their home?
Ms. THOMAS: Poland...
Rabbi NESENOFF: So the Jews...
Ms. THOMAS: Germany.
Rabbi NESENOFF: You think Jews should go back to Poland and Germany?
Ms. THOMAS: And America and everywhere else.

This is from the NPR Talk of the Nation link above-
My view exactly. Good points. Thank you, Lina:

LINA: First of all, I think that Helen Thomas is a human being before being a columnist or before being into whatever job she is doing, so she has the right to say her opinion. And we live in a free country. And, you know, she was hired to say her opinions and to be seated in that first seat. And everybody knew that she was controversial, but everybody liked her opinion. Plus, I would like to add a little bit about my opinion. You know, Palestine has been Palestine until 1948, until Israel existed. And it is an occupation. And I really feel that it is unfair that people don't recognize that it is an occupation.

CONAN: Do you think the analogies some drew, including Ari Fleischer, the former White House press secretary, was how would you have responded if she had substituted the words, African-Americans should go back to Africa?

LINA: Well, you know what, African-Americans did not occupy the United States of America. They were brought here as slaves. And they - if they would like to go back to Africa, that is their prerogative, but it is not the same - you cannot analyze apples based on oranges. It is not the same situation.

***

This blow up reminded me of an article I read with a quote by a film maker ( a Jew in fact) in a similar vein to Thomas’s recent soundbite. It probably didn’t hit as hard because it’s telling the person to go back to Israel instead of vacating it, but the idea is the same- it’s not theirs; they are occupiers.

It is pretty ironic that Thomas’s quote hit harder because of the idea of “transfer”. Israel is engaged in this form of ethnic cleansing and many are becoming more outspoken in endorsing it. It is seen as one of the keys, besides murder, to maintaining the Jewish majority that the Jewish state thinks it needs to “survive” as such.

How Israel Gives Jews a Bad Name
http://www.counterpunch.org/landau03132009.html
By SAUL LANDAU

“Long Live Israel,” scream the US fans. “Anyone who doesn’t like our team is an anti-Semite.”

I want to shout: “Go Back to Israel where you didn’t come from.”

--

The world is condemning Helen Thomas for her poor choice of words. But what about Israel’s supporters who say equally incendiary things? Are they asked to resign? Do we end their careers? Do we back away from them? No. On the contrary, we embrace them and appoint them to the US Institute of Peace! We meet with them (Avigdor Lieberman) and share and discuss as though they were some human rights champion- or at least not cautiously as an egregious human rights violator.

--

Daniel Pipes

And unlike Helen Thomas, this guy is a virtual fountain of slurs and inflammatory language about Palestinians and Muslims. He compiles/compiled "dossiers" on all University professors that were "pro-Palestinain," were critical of Israel, taught or said anything in speeches that was "against" the Israeli hard line view. Why not call for his resignation from all things related to the Middle East? End his career?

"The Palestinians must be made to understand in the deepest recesses of their consciousness that they are a defeated people. "

“The Palestinians are a miserable people,” he added, “and they deserve to be.”
http://www.wrmea.com/archives/july01/0107057.html

About his USIP recess appointment by Bush:
http://www.slate.com/id/2086844/

--

Alan Dershowitz

“Palestinians invented terrorism”

Is this so absurd, there’s no need to comment? Or do people take this in stride?
It certainly didn’t ruin this joker’s career.
http://www.counterpunch.org/atapattu1014.html

Nothing can, apparently.

--

I had never heard about this one. Where was the ruckus about that? Why not banish this guy and force the famous Dershowitz to denounce him?

“Hoenleie suggested that if Arab students are to be admitted to US universities their studies should be confined to "Liberal Arts, not physics and nuclear science". “

http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/3156

--

Remember what Rahm Emanuel's dad said about Arabs?

"Obviously, he will influence the president to be pro-Israel. Why wouldn't he? What is he, an Arab? He's not going to clean the floors of the White House."

No one really considered it beyond the pale and a quick apology fixed everything right up. Was it because father and son have different views or because no one was bothered by a slur against an Arab? Honestly, I don't know. True, Emauel and his dad are different people, but I really don't know how different Emanuel's views are from his dad's at all.

--

Golda Meir, 4th PM of Israel, once said “there’s no such thing as Palestinians” and instead of denouncing her, many people embrace this nonsense. She’s considered a hero. Not a crazy lunatic.

--

Avigdor Lieberman (Israel's FM and Deputy PM):

Israel bans Arab parties, embraces ethnic cleansing
http://notanotherpoliticalblog-j.blogspot.com/2009/02/much-is-made-of-israel-being-only.html

A step backwards for Israel; a step forward for EU
http://notanotherpoliticalblog-j.blogspot.com/2009/03/step-backwards-for-israel-step-forward.html

Clinton's meeting with the terrorist
http://notanotherpoliticalblog-j.blogspot.com/2009/06/clintons-metting-with-terrorist.html

If Hilary were KKK, what would our reaction be?
http://notanotherpoliticalblog-j.blogspot.com/2009/06/against-settlements-or-not.html

Palestinians stop rockets; Lieberman threatens against a Palestinian state
http://notanotherpoliticalblog-j.blogspot.com/2010/04/palestinians-stop-rockets-lieberman.html

Flotilla spoof video: "important Israeli contribution to the discussion of recent events"

Really??

The title says Israel apologizes for it, but the article mentions one condemnation from a blog. The Prime Minister's spokesman was apparently ROTFL and forwarded it to friends. That doesn't sound very apologetic to me.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/middle_east/10253357.stm

This tasteless nonsense was made by an editor at Jerusalem Post. Mark Regev thought it was so funny he called his kids and told them to watch it. Surely this guy could keep his cool and say it isn't right to laugh at people dying. But, no. Maybe it's good he shows his true colors.

Some might say this is what happens in free societies. This is merely the free expression of ideas.

I say, when you think things like this are funny (especially when you are an official who can't maintain one's decorum), it says something about you- your morals and your respect for human life- that you have none!


Huff Post has the YouTube video if you want to see the garbage for yourself:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/07/israel-apologizes-for-cir_n_603459.html


"There's no people dying" - how is this anywhere near true about the flotilla or Gaza and the IDF??

"The truth will never find the way to your TV." - That's probably actually true! The US will believe Israel every time, no matter the crime. Kill our own people, kill some other countries' people- we love us some Israel. In all the stories on major network news, they are intent on finding and playing up Turkish "terrorist" ties of some of the participants rather than the IDF massacre and executions.

"Hamas as Mother Teresa" - This whole thing has nothing to do with Hamas and yet Israel is trying to say aid to Gaza is equal to giving missiles to Hamas?? ??????????

Israel must be an alternate universe. Similar to the bubble Bush lived in in the White House where Iraq was an imminent threat and everyone was supposed to bow to his will or be accused of being agaisnt us and therefore for the terrorists and gut feeling was a substitute for evidence an common sense.

Prohibited items in Gaza- what is the objective?

This is an ever-changing list. There were stories awhile back about pasta not being allowed and the question was posed to an American official. The exchange was absurd.

See the latest list below.

My related posts:
http://tinyurl.com/24yofjn
http://tinyurl.com/2er9ojp

Here is the pasta question by the journalist- it didn't make it to my blog I don't think, so here it is:


Feb. 25, 2009: U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing by Acting Spokesman Robert A. Wood

So, I'm confused. Is pasta a weapon or not? Our own State Department can't answer this burning question that thousands upon thousands of starving Palestinians in Israel's stranglehold are dying to find the answer to.

If it's that dangerous, perhaps there should be a worldwide ban on it- along with other dangers like chickpeas, soap, toilet paper, cluster bombs, and white phosphorus.

(Times are where in the video it occurs)

3:08 The questions on Gaza start
4:58 Dual use items are discussed some
5:32 The question is asked about aid to Gaza being tied to Shalit's release (food as a political weapon)
6:20 Honoring the ceasefire is asked about
7:09 The question is asked about pasta being a weapon and Wood can't commit either way (???)

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1857622883?bctid=14090183001
or
http://www.state.gov/video/?videoid=14090183001

Full text-- http://www.state.gov/video/?videoid=14090183001

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Back to today- June 5, 2010....

PDF of "prohibited items" in Gaza - the current list, anyway:
http://gisha.org/UserFiles/File/HiddenMessages/ItemsGazaStrip060510.pdf


Why does Israel ban these items in Gaza?? Self defense or collecive punishment? Depriving the population of another entity to effect a "favorable" change in their government. Sounds like what some would call terrorism...

Which are used ot make bombs or rockets? Toys? Jam? A picture of a character in Toy Story shooting a gun that shoots jam runs through my head... Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, too...

Prohibited Items*
sage
cardamom
cumin
coriander
ginger
jam
halva
vinegar
nutmeg
chocolate
fruit preserves
seeds and nuts
biscuits and sweets
potato chips
gas for soft drinks
dried fruit
fresh meat
plaster
tar
wood for construction
cement
iron
glucose
industrial salt
plastic/glass/metal containers
industrial margarine
tarpaulin sheets for huts
fabric (for clothing)
flavor and smell enhancers
fishing rods
various fishing nets
buoys
ropes for fishing
nylon nets for greenhouses
hatcheries and spare parts for hatcheries
spare parts for tractors
dairies for cowsheds
irrigation pipe systems
ropes to tie greenhouses
planters for saplings
heaters for chicken farms
musical instruments
size A4 paper
writing implements
notebooks
newspapers
toys
razors
sewing machines and spare parts
heaters
horses
donkeys
goats
cattle
chicks

Gaza Flotilla- Self Defense?? Shots ot the Head and Back?

As usual, the evidence points to Israeli misconduct. Israeli official statements are proven no more true than a police state's propaganda. And an American citizen was murdered.

Will it change US policy? One can always hope.



http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/04/gaza-flotilla-activists-autopsy-results

The results revealed that a 60-year-old man, Ibrahim Bilgen, was shot four times
in the temple, chest, hip and back. A 19-year-old, named as Fulkan Dogan, who
also has US citizenship, was shot five times from less that 45cm, in the face,
in the back of the head, twice in the leg and once in the back. Two other men
were shot four times, and five of the victims were shot either in the back of
the head or in the back, said Yalcin Buyuk, vice-chairman of the council of
forensic medicine.

Dr Haluk Ince, the chairman of the council of forensic medicine in Istanbul,
said that in only one case was there a single bullet wound, to the forehead from
a distant shot, while every other victim suffered multiple wounds. "All [the
bullets] were intact. This is important in a forensic context. When a bullet
strikes another place it comes into the body deformed. If it directly comes into
the body, the bullet is all intact."

The only one shot with one bullet was shot between the eyes from a longer range. That screams sniper and a shoot to kill policy, does it not? Does it say self defense to anyone?

Also, that is quite a few shots in the head and backs and backs of heads to be self defense. If you're truly in a struggle for your life, how do you shoot someone in the back of the head? What would our American courts say about that? I guess a buddy (or 5) could have come from the opposite direction to save the day. If in each of these cases, the soldier's life was hanging in the balance, and in each case that soldier had a buddy on the opposite side (to shoot the guy in the back of the head), then one could argue that the lethal situation could have been avoided.

Also, there is an account of a guy shot through the top of the head from a helicopter. If that is looked into, surely that could provide some insight as to who started it, whether Israelis acted in self defense, whether they shot ot kill, etc. Proof of shooting from the air certainly would disprove the Israeli line as well.

In the Democracy Now reports, eyewitnesses have said they heard shots before the soldiers boarded. If the soldiers are claiming the protesters stole the sidearms, I guess the shots would have come from Israeli commandos, contradicting the official Israeli line they are feeding us- protesters attacked first. We still have no credible info on who started this thing.

You have to wonder what the Israeli definition of attack is, though. I, and probably most folks, assume guns aimed at Israelis. In the past, rocks and school backpacks have justified murder by tank and automatic weapon fire, so there's no telling what they consider an "attack" or "threat".

A question that remains for me is why send commandos in to meet an aid ship about to supposedly violate the Gaza blockade that Israel contends is totally legal- much like settlements and the occupation and the rest of the collective punishment. Why not send diplomats, lawyers, etc to ask to board or discuss instead? Why not offer for UN or other international group to inspect the cargo at the Gaza port before sending in commandos?

Gaza Flotilla Murder Protest photos

I thought the protest went well. It was my first ever. I had wanted to before, especially in the run up ot the Iraq war when I was so mad that journalists had fallen asleep and weren't asking anyone anything, but just haven't until now. I was bigger on writing Congress, but when you get so many letters back about how great Israel is in response to concerns about Israel killing civilians, collectively punishing Palestinians, building illegal settlements, us supporting such horrible crimes against humanity both verbally and with billions of dollars in aid, you want to do more. Feinstein sent me a reply on Iraq once when I sent her a letter about Israeli war crimes in Palestine, as if there was any doubt that Senators didn't read my emails.

A lot of folks honked their support, waved, gave a peace sign, etc. More than I expected. I did see a middle finger and a few shouts of "I love Israel." The latter was obviously meant as a counter to us, but loving Israel and wanting them to follow the law are not opposites (we don't hate Israel), so it was a strange choice of words to counter the demonstration, I thought.

This is my sign, front and back- above and below. I bought supplies in the morning and put it together after work. The supplies. That was a near miss. The store I went ot had next ot nothing. No colored posterboard? Really? Cardstock taped together on the only foamboard I found saved the day and didn't look horrible. I was worried that the only thing I found to write on the black - window paint- wouldn't work, but with much effort, it came through for me.

I felt a bit like the kid who didn't do his homework, slapping it together in the car a few feet from the protest, but I think it turned out ok. I like making a poster. One of the few things I liked about school.

This is the end of the protest, above.

There were lots of Israeli flags present; here's a Palestinian flag. A local TV station said the Israeli flags were a counter protest, but since the event was by Jewish Voice For Peace, I'm not sure about that.

I should have moved the camera a bit to get "Free Gaza" instead of "Ree Gaza" !
Lebanon is here!

Lots of great signs!

Shouts of "Free Gilad Shalit" emanated from this corner at times...

What that has to do with Israel starving more than a milion people, forcing them to drink contaminated water, and killing those who try and help them, I sure don't know.

This criticism of Israel will undoubtedly make people say that I support terrorism and kidnapping. For the record, I don't support either.

Another great sign. Good idea with the pole. A good walking demonstration sign.

Enough is enough! was one chant. I can't remember them all.

The venue.

Poll: Should Israel face censure over an attack on a Gaza aid convoy?

Should Israel face censure over an attack on a Gaza aid convoy?

YES!!

http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/

This is a CNN poll- quick vote. Scroll to towards the bottom.

It must have been up just for one day. In the morning, yes waas leading by some 20-30 points. By evening, it was 50/50.

Israel getting away with murder- literally- Gaza freedom flotilla

So the answer to this question I posed in my last post is a yes:

"Will this be yet another non-violent tactic met with Israeli gunfire?"

I really didn't expect it to come to that; just detentions. Just detentions. Can't believe I just thought that.

"Israel cannot clean the blood off its hands through any excuse," said
Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "It is no longer possible to cover up or ignore Israel's
lawlessness. This bloody massacre by Israel on ships that were taking
humanitarian aid to Gaza deserves every kind of curse."

I wholeheartedly agree with Erdogan! It is awesome that someone is doing something- Turkey took its ambassador out of Israel.

I'm sure this will be a good account. There were supposed to be some good guests on. I hope to listen to it soon myself:

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/6/1/global_condemnation_of_israeli_armed_attack

Obama’s response to the massacre of 20 people on board whose goal was to deliver supplies to help rebuild Gaza’s infrastructure and help them get clean water on Memorial Day was the same old feeble one- “we regret the loss of life.” Nearly the same line as Israel, minus the outright blame placed solely on the aid workers. When Palestinians used to suicide bomb, they were killers, murderers, homicide bombers, etc. We had no qualms about conferring these monikers meant for the perps on the entire population. When Israel kills people, we cleanse it and remove the blame- “stuff happens” or “what can you do” or “both sides need to adopt peaceful means”, etc.

Not that the weak response was surprising. Look what we "did" with the Goldstone report on war crimes in the Gaza offensive, when Noam Chomsky was denied entry to Israel because they don't like what he writes, and then when at the UN Monday, we abstained from calling for an immediate end to the blockade, unlike the rest of the Security Council, who did its job. What did we "do"? Nothing. Which means Israel keeps committing crimes with our money, which violates our US laws, by the way. Why should that matter to us, though. We don't care when they kill our citizens, so why on earth would we care about them breaking the law?

A couple of things struck me as ironic when I heard the news due to what day it was and what I was reading at the time.

I was finishing Roxana Saberi’s book about her imprisonment in Iran on Monday when I heard about it. Israel’s demands, assertions and denials resemble Iran’s quite a bit. You can't believe a word either of them say. Why not release the names of the dead? Why not release the names of the jailed? Why not let the jailed contact family, lawyers, embassies, etc? Why are they keeping the possessions of those released - money, film, tape, cameras, equipment, etc?

We all know about Iran, but think about how Israel called their nuclear reactor a textile factory and still won't acknowledge it, even though we all know the truth, how they never confirm that their Mossad was responsible when everyone knows they were. There are too many lies associated with the conflict to properly address here.

I heard about this on Memorial Day. I read so many well wishes to troops and thank yous to the military past and present on Facebook, teh news and various places. I don't hate America, teh flag, the troops or anything else, but certain things struck me as ironic in thinking about US policy on/with Israel and the Middle East on this day.

In the USS Liberty disaster, we chose to believe Israel over our own soldiers, we chose to support Israel and bury those soldiers’ accounts and statements rather than show them the same honor many enjoyed on Memorial Day. Why? And Rachel Corrie. She wasn’t military, but she was a US citizen who fought (and was murdered) for others’ right to have what we enjoy- she made the same sacrifice as many a US soldier. Given a record like this (protecting Israel over the lives and interests of our own citizens and international law), what hope, honestly, is there for justice and fairness in the Middle East as far as the US is concerned?

It’s apparently great to thank and respect soldiers- except when their story contradicts that of Israel’s. In that case, you need to shut your mouth and be ashamed of your service and contribution to this country. If you do choose ot talk about it, you need to fall in line and lie. There aren’t always two sides to every story. In the case of Israel and the US, there is only one side. Israel’s.

Well, Israel hasn't admitted to much of anything, but they do admit that they attacked a civilian ship with attack helicopters, speedboats and commandos.

Hopefully I will organize these later...
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/6/1/global_condemnation_of_israeli_armed_attack
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/10195838.stm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2010/may/31/israel-troops-gaza-ships
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/10196585.stm
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/05/31/gaza.protest/index.html
http://www.freegaza.org/
http://www.juancole.com/2010/05/mercy-flotilla-for-gaza-about-to-set-off-israelis-threaten-to-block-it-with-war-ships.html

http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=176998

Israel calls Gaza blockade-busting flotilla a provocation

Israel calls Gaza blockade-busting flotilla a provocation
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100526/wl_mideast_afp/mideastconflictaidflotilla

Israel claimed on Wednesday that a flotilla of pro-Palestinian activists seeking to bust the Gaza blockade is a provocation and that the aid it is carrying is "unnecessary".


"I don't see the need for any ship with these materials. We allow these materials into Gaza,"

"The sail is a provocative act that is unnecessary in light of the figures, which indicate that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is good and stable,"

Nonsense! Aid is unnecessary? A provocation? Garbage!


Gaza's markets of unaffordable goods conceal reality of people under siege
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/04/gaza-flotilla-humanitarian-crisis


They are detaining the civilians and will send the supplies (or some) through border crossings. Gazans are in need because of these very border crossings that have in the past banned toilet paper, toothpaste, and pasta, among other ordinary things. Many humanitarian organizations agree that Israel lets items in, but also agree that not nearly enough is let in for the need that exists.

Court documents reveal that Israel made estimates of calories Gazans need. They are getting far below what they need to thrive due to Israel’s blockade. They say the calorie count wasn’t used in policy making, but that looks mighty suspicious, don’t you think? When one party is constantly living in "fear" of a "demographic threat," that would be an awfully convenient way to ethnically cleanse a population, wouldn’t it? (that sentence makes me want to go nuts with air quotes, btw) Did this also not happen to many a Jew in Hitler’s time?? Why can’t we see this for what it is now?

"While they have wrapped themselves in a humanitarian cloak, they are engaging in political propaganda and not in pro-Palestinian aid," said foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor.

This is humanitarian aid for an area that has many times over been declared to be in a desperate humanitarian situation. Propaganda?! Unbelievable!

They have also called this humanitarian aid a provocation. Do they mean one that will get a military response? Will this be yet another non-violent tactic met with Israeli gunfire?


No humanitarian situation? Not like it hasn’t been in the news…

Amnesty International
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/middle-east/gaza-blockade-amnesty-international-delivers-23000-signatures-to-clinton/

http://www.jta.org/news/article/2010/05/27/2739353/amnesty-international-report-israel-mistreats-palestinians

Oxfam
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/oxfam_in_action/emergencies/gaza_crisis.html

2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7191359.stm
2009
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=6573496&page=1
2010
http://reneefrompalestine.wordpress.com/2010/03/29/update-on-the-gaza-humanitarian-situation/

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11272.shtml

LOST episode 617/618 - The End

617/618 The End

So, don’t call me a hater, but I didn’t love the finale. I thought it was enough, though. I’m satisfied. I’m not as mad or anxious for answers as I was during the series. What’s answered is and what isn’t isn’t and I’m ok with that. Maybe I didn’t love it because it is the end of a great show. Or maybe the great mysteries and questions throughout made it impossible for any finale to possibly live up to the phenomena that was LOST.

In this and the previous episode, characters kept saying “we’re near the end” and “it will all be over soon”. Maybe that breaking 4th wall stuff is funny for the writers, but I have to say I didn’t enjoy it in LOST. It’s either a dying fad or it was just wrong or overused in LOST. I liked how Boston Legal broke the 4th wall occasionally. That was funny, but then the show was funnier than LOST was or was supposed to be.

A line that grabbed me was when Locke said Jack didn’t have a son? So… does David exist or doesn’t he? I don’t think so. Crazy! The whole flash sideways is really a nanosecond before one “crosses over” from just dead to eternity, if that’s what one believes. They are dead and there is no “now” as Christian told Jack. Some died before Jack and some after and they are all there together in that nanosecond. But I guess in eternity time isn’t as it is here… Hard to wrap one’s head around. When characters in the flash sideways “remember” the island time line, they realize they are dead and they can see everyone they love or who meant a lot to them, so they get kind of goofy and smiley.

Jack’s ex was… Juliet! Many fans predicted this. I was really thinking it would be Sarah, his wife from the original time line. But if Jack doesn’t really have a son, then giving Jack Juliet is ok. If he did have a son, then having a different wife/mother wouldn’t make sense. Speaking of making sense, if the flash sideways is made up of dead people, how did Keamy die and why is Sawyer concerned with catching dead people (Sayid) murdering dead people? Is that a part of the place they created as Christian said? If I was going to create a place, it wouldn’t have death, murder, injustice, (or justice for that matter), etc, that’s for sure.

Jack in the flash sideways was trying to get Locke to want to have the spinal surgery and get fixed. Jacob brought these people to the island because he thought they were leading pretty sorry lives. On both Jack and Jacob’s part, I thought that was rather judgmental, presumptuous, and wrong. Who are they to intervene in people’s lives to make it turn out how they think it should and not stay out of it and leave it totally up to them? Maybe that wasn’t what I was supposed to take from it. I think I’m supposed to see that the Oceanic 815 people really were better off meeting each other and spending that time together to work out their issues. I can see that, but that’s definitely not the only message, there.

I like that Jack and Locke were betting on Desmond and neither knew which plan would actually work.

I liked Jack’s loophole for killing MIB and how we found out about it- Locke suddenly having blood in his mouth from Jack’s punch (reminded me of Jacob’s pummeling of him). Alpert also was excited when Miles found the gray hair. Nice. I kind of think, though, that maybe the light being out made MIB mortal, but that Jacob’s job changing hands may have released Alpert since they made that deal and he didn’t become immortal when the light came back on.

Hurley’s line in “What They Died For” did mean something! I had thought it meant he was going to be Jacob, but them Jack did and I gave up on it. Hurley said something like – “glad it’s not me” when Jack volunteered to be Jacob’s replacement.

I like how Ben said “that’s how Jacob ran things” when Hurley was distressed about people being confined to the island. Some think the flash sideways are Jack’s way of running things, but I think it’s Hurley’s. Hurley was definitely in the know early on in picking people up to go to the church and Jack didn’t even know he was dead, so I don’t think that was his doing.

The ending in the church. With all the hugging and all the cast there I felt it was more of a goodbye for the benefit of the cast and perhaps fans, but didn’t sit well with me plot-wise. I would have liked to see the cast hugging or taking a bow or whatever in the credits, rather than spending that much time on it in the show. But maybe that’s just me enjoying the series as a whole more than the much anticipated plot resolution.

So, Sayid’s true love is Shannon?? I was a bit disappointed in this. I liked him and Nadia together way better than him and Shannon. I guess there could be reasons it was Shannon, other than she was with the original cast and Nadia wasn’t. ☺ It could be that she was connected to his past as a torturer, the past that convinced him he was evil, so maybe to move on he couldn’t be with her. Or, it could be that the flash sideways is from Hurley’s perspective, so he saw them as good for each other. Kind of like the Jacob thing- he brought them to the island because they had sorry lives… Another thing is that Christian said these are the people most important to them. Maybe that’s really true and not anyone’s judgment.

An interesting tidbit from Geronimo Jack’s Beard on efforts to keep the finale a secret:

The script talked about the church scene as “Sun and Jin’s wedding” and they even had a Sun look-a-like in a wedding dress come around the back of the set. They shuttled the cast around in Santa Rosa vans, too. And even with heroic efforts like those, 6 pages of the script still got out. They were legit, btw.

Palestinian non-violent resistance: Renewed boycott effort

May 24, 2010 - Mosaic on LinkTV
'Palestinians intensify settlement boycott campaign'
(New TV, Lebanon)
http://www.linktv.org/mosaic/20100524/mosaic-news-5-24-10-world-news-from-the-middle-east

This latest effort has purportedly caused some 17 or so businesses in the settlements to close their doors. I really hope this continues, there and abroad. They are encouraging Palestinians to buy Palestinian. That in an of itself is probably going to improve the Palestinian economic situation.

Could Palestinian leaders be getting a spine, a conscience? Given the US position, I doubt we knew about it or gave any sort of ok. I hope they can withstand any US pressure. This doesn't exactly make up for years of bad leadership and bowing to outside interests instead of sticking to the goal of returning home and getting basic rights back, but it seems like a welcome step in the right direction.

I first wanted to call attention to this because so many say Palestinians are terrorists or cheerleaders for terrorists; they don't peacefully protest. Wrong in the first place, but here's further proof. Peaceful protest doesn't make good news- that's why you don't hear about it, not because it doesn't happen. This time, we are sitting up and noticing probably only because Israel is upset, crying foul, victim, terrorism, hostile act, etc.

Another reason to look at this is the ridiculous reaction by the settlers. They are complaining of being victims of economic terrorism! Really? When Palestinians embrace non-violence and choose a boycott rather than strapping bombs to their bodies, this is objectionable??? So when Israelis and others in the wake of a suicide bombing said Palestinians will never get anywhere with violence, they should "try" peaceful means (as though they don't or haven't)-- what exactly did they mean? Rolling over and dying, or at the very least, lining up voluntarily for wholesale incarceration of the entire population??? Will peaceful protest get Palestinians statehood and rights like everyone claims? Or will Israel react the same as if the boycott was a suicide bombing? If they try and counter boycott, they will be in violation of international law. But what's one more, right? What law? We will see.

*** *** ***

Funny line from this blog...

Settler groups, who you can imagine may see a Palestinian sneezing and call it germ warfare, have decided that this boycott amounts to "economic terror".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/may/26/palestinian-boycott-jewish-settlement-goods

*** *** ***
MIFTAH, a great site. Here's an article on this boycott:

http://www.miftah.org/Display.cfm?DocId=22132&CategoryId=5


*** *** ***
A more pro-Israel look:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3892107,00.html


****************************************************
More on boycott:

http://bdsmovement.net/
http://www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-israel.php
http://www.bigcampaign.org/

Australia joins Britain in sticking it to Israel over Dubai debacle

Go Australia!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_pacific/10145459.stm

We in the US would never do such a thing. "Punish" a friend for acting against our interests? And by punish I mean fire them for breaking the rules. What kind of friend does that anyway? Anti-Semites of the worst kind. And don't forget the self-hating Jews.

Australia's foreign minister said these were "not the actions of a friend".

How dare they accuse Israel of not being a friend? Don't they know that Israel is always right, always a victim? Even when they trample other peoples' rights and lives. Never forget. Never again. Never again let it happen to anyone because we value human life/rights- or never let it happen to Jews again; we will trample anyone in our path?

Sarcasm aside, it's pretty sad that I think this quote is profound and worth posting, but such is the state of the US relationship with Israel. It has become so big that it dwarfs even our own interests, laws and safety.


Edit June 2010: Ireland also expels an official over this mess.
http://www.france24.com/en/20100615-ireland-expels-israeli-diplomat-over-dubai-hit

**********
**********
And Israel sticks it back to the world... banning Chomsky, yet another intellectual on their "list."

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/after-denied-entry-to-west-bank-chomsky-likens-israel-to-stalinist-regime-1.290736

Now Chomsky, too? Add him to the list. Some democracy!

After denied entry to West Bank, Chomsky likens Israel to 'Stalinist regime.'

"The official asked me why I was lecturing only at Bir Zeit and not an Israeli university," Chomsky recalled. "I told him that I have lectured a great deal in Israel. The official read the following statement: 'Israel does not like what you say.'"

Chomsky replied: "Find one government in the world which does."

"The young man asked me whether I had ever been denied entry into other countries. I told him that once, to Czechoslovakia, after the Soviet invasion in 1968," he said, adding that he had gone to visit ousted Czechoslovak leader Alexander Dubcek, whose reforms the Soviets crushed.

Republicans want to cut spending? Let's do it!

It would be pretty funny if cutting funding to Israel went up as a suggestion on Eric Cantor's site. Doubt it's going to show up; there is probably a block on things "against" Israel. If you want them to follow the law, is that really "against"? Oh well.

This website allows citizens the opportunity to suggest government programs to cut. You guessed it--let's tell Congress that it's time to cut more than $3 billion in military aid for Israel's illegal military occupation of Palestinian territory. Let's force Congress to address this misuse of U.S. taxpayer dollars.

http://republicanwhip.house.gov/YouCut/YourIdea.htm
http://tiny.cc/tjve0


I wrote:

CUT ALL FUNDING TO ISRAEL! At least until they comply with international (and US) law and allow Palestinians equal rights, including right of return.

Mornings In Jenin

Mornings in Jenin also known as The Scar of David
by Susan Abulhawa

http://www.morningsinjenin.com/

This book is in many ways profoundly sad, but it was awesome and beautiful too. It is about time there is a book from the Palestinian perspective. It will be new territory to many, but if you're going to discuss Israel or the Middle East at all, you've got to have this perspective along with the others. It has been neglected too long.

Imagine if the Jews had to experience the holocaust several times in one lifetime and each generation had to endure such crimes- and on top of that imagine if the Nazis were able to convince people they were the victims. That is this book. That is the Palestinian experience. Massacre and loss in the past, ethnic cleansing in the future. Jews at least endured it only once, were rescued, and picked up the pieces. Palestinians have to endure it continually and many still insist they are the cause of the bloodshed.

This is the missing piece. I hope more fiction and non-fiction is written in the Palestinian narrative. Growing up, we read The Diary of Anne Frank and discuss and respect the Jewish experience- both their trials and triumphs; we graduate learning virtually nothing about the people the holocaust victims killed to make their dream come true beyond maybe some slurs and stereotypes from TV and the peanut gallery in class.

Palestinians are often spoken about, but not given a chance to speak in discussions on US-Israel relationship or the Nazi Holocaust or the Middle East in general. Even thogh the characters are ficitional, I hope this book goes a long way to educate people on the Palestinian perspective so that we remember to include that narrative (not specifically the one in the book, but of actual Palestinians) when talking about Palestine and Israel.

This book follows one family mainly and travels through time from before 1948, 1967, Lebanon 1982, and Jenin 2002.

If you want to understand the Palestinian experience like we in the US know and feel for the Jewish experience, this is the book to read. It's characters are fictional, but events and certain historical figures are accurate. Many of the things that happen to this family I have seen many times in the news and humanitarian reports. While I don't know if it is possible that all these events have actually happened to one family, it seems representative of the experience as a whole from what I have read. There is the 1948 Nakba, the truces and pacts with Jews that were violated, the feeling of temporary refugee status, the attempts to return in the years after '48, children born as refugees in the first camps and later more permanent camps, the sad realization that the tents had become concrete. Then there is 1967 with the military occupation when people are refugees a second time in their lives, the loss of much of ones family and all of ones rights and land for a second time after picking up the scant pieces after 1948. Then there is 1982 in Lebanon where unarmed civilians were brutally murdered in the worst ways after the PLO had already been chased out- women raped, people lined up and shot in the head, pregnant bellies sliced open, even babies shot- which was unbelievably declared self-defense. The book ends dramatically in 2002 with the massacre in Jenin with very few of the family we are following alive.

I thought the parallel of the Arab baby being stolen to complete a Jewish family's dream for a child was a good touch. The Jewish woman wasn't able to have kids due to the horrors she suffered by the SS and she felt entitled to this stolen child as if it was God's will or something- she refused the details of how her husband stole the child. This is a great parallel to 1948 and how Jews felt entitled to Palestinian land and were lied to that this was a "land without a people for a people with no land" and that is or was taboo in Israel to talk about what really happened- the Jewish terorrist groups that murdered and pillaged their way to a state and continue to this day. When the child grows up and finds out who he is, he feels neither Jewish nor Muslim, Palestinian nor Israeli, which brings him closer to his real Arab family and could represent Palestinian Israelis or Palestinian refugees in the literal and figurative displacement.

This book makes you think about why it was ok for Palestinians to pay for Nazi crimes, why it's not ok for Palestinians to defend themselves or have basic rights, why on earth is it considered tantamount to anti-Semitism when you compare the Holocuast to the Nakba despite the obvious similarities, or how could Holocaust survivors commit the same types of crimes against so many other humans.

Two more things stand out.

I have often thought the words thank you lacking myself and I have never known another culture or language. I have wondered what else I could do or say to express my true gratitude. Amal also noticed this upon her arrival in America from Palestine. I have to say I want to learn Arabic more now. Here are some example thank yous from the book.

May Allah bless the hands that give me this gift.
Beauty is in your eyes that find me pretty.
May God extend your life.
May Allah never deny your prayer.
May the next meal you cook be in celebration of your son's wedding ...of your mothers recovery, etc.

Also, I thought this description below was brilliant. Amal, the main character, born a refugee, tutored in West Philidelphia while in college.

"Opportunity took a detour around Thirtieth Street, and Liberty for All slouched in its chair like a lazy student."


Palestinian Solidarity Day is May 15. Read a book!


This site is a place to collect things to do with susan abulhawa, compiled by Mark Miller:
http://susanabulhawastuff.blogspot.com/