Irish4Palestine

FRIDAY COMEDY

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 23:13:00 +0000

I think this falls under the heading of "you couldn't make this stuff up"

Introducing ‘Judoku’: Sudoku for Jews

Instead of simply lining up the numbers one through nine in that familiar 81-cell matrix, puzzle-doers can choose to arrange Hebrew letters or Jewish symbols instead.

Charon promises all users a good time, regardless of religious origin, claiming, “Not Jewish? Don’t worry, you’ll still have fun with this unique and educational puzzle game

Um, no, I dont think so..................

Israel, Dinosaurs, and Amy Winehouse

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:37:00 +0000

So there I was listening to the report of the horrendous manifesto written by the Christian Terrorist, Pro Israel, islamophobic, Anders Behring Breivik, and then suddenly scrolling across the bottom of my screen I read that Amy Winehouse was found dead in her flat.

Wow, just wow! Poof, another one gone, just like Michael Jackson, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix and so many others who all suffered from a disease that happens to the rich, famous or "out of control." When the disease strikes, it causes them to alienate from everyone who tells them "no" even if it’s for their own good, and instead, they seek out only those who agree with their over indulgence, all the time, no matter what, just agree and say "yes"

So Amy Winehouse, like so many others, is now dead and gone from over indulgence, a mentality that says nothing can hurt me, I am powerful, and I am invincible.

.....................not!

So, this brings me to the evil rogue state of israel, which, funnily enough, as it turns out, has quite a lot in common with Amy Winehouse, exept she had a great voice and didnt kill people constantly, they both suffered from the same affliction.

Israel over indulges,it suffers terribly from over indulgence, it is a monster that is now utterly and totally out of control. It kills and murders at will, anywhere in the world, it steals passports from other countries to commit extra judicial murder, it spies on it’s best friend America, it holds an entire population of 1.5 million Palestinian people captive in a 20 by 5 mile strip of land and punishes them almost weekly by using them for target practice. And no one tells Israel “no” not even America, ever, never. And because they are never told “no” they are like spoilt brats who slap someone and then get away with it, so next time they punch them, and get away with it, but punching is no longer “fun” it’s time to escalate, next time they shoot someone, just because they can. It’s fun to be this powerful, almost like God.

But, guess what? Israel is not “God” and ultimately what killed Amy Winehouse will also kill off israel as well. All we have to do is wait, and just keep on chip, chip, chipping away at the out of control, over excessive, over indulgent, spoilt brat killer bully that we now know as Israel.

Once upon a time the mighty dinosaurs ruled the earth, and smaller life forms trembled at their feet, but nothing lasts forever, and just as the path chosen by Amy Winehouse caused her death, the path chosen by Israel will also cause it's ultimate destruction.

Just ask the Dinosaurs, remember, nothing lasts forever.

Another Misconception About Israel is Exposed

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 18:39:00 +0000

Poor wee israel, so very misunderstood by the world, and I agree. Countless arguments many have said "It's the israeli Government, not the population" well, there's another myth exposed, because except for a very small quantity of decent Jewish people the majority are absolute lawless nutters who are simply so used to literally "getting away with murder" that they know no boundaries, never a good thing. What happens when a journalist from the Jerusalem Post arrives at Ben Gurion Airport to cover the "Flytilla" So lets' all take a look at what un-checked lawlessness looks like:

Jerusalem Post's Larry Derfner surrounded at Ben Gurion airport (photo: Joseph Dana)

Anybody who believes the platitude that the people want peace, it’s just the leaders who want war, should have been at Ben-Gurion Airport today. It’s a good thing those Free Palestine activists got arrested; otherwise, the little mob that formed spontaneously would have punched them up pretty good.

Only minutes after I got to the Arrivals hall, a few activists stood in front of the phalanx of reporters and cameramen, held up their little signs and started chanting “Israel Apartheid” and ”Free Palestine!” The cops tore the signs from their hands and started pushing them toward the exit.

A couple of dozen people, mainly men but also a few women, followed very close behind the tightly-bunched demonstrators, cops and reporters to the police van. “Throw them in the garbage,” shouted one woman. An old man tried to get at one of the activists, but the police stopped him.

I was there ostensibly as a journalist, and I was scribbling notes, but I felt cowardly not saying anything to these nationalist hooligans, so I started telling them in Hebrew, “What are these people doing?” The woman who wanted them thrown in the garbage said, “They’re hurting us!” I said, “They’re talking,” and the little mob turned on me, a couple of the men raised their fists. The woman told me, “Go back home, get out of here,” I said, “I live here.” The cops mistook me for a demonstrator, put me in the police van, but when I showed them my press card, they let me go.

Let me repeat – the police started off arresting the demonstrators, but very shortly their main task was to keep them from being assaulted. They had to hold back the herd = and that’s what these people were, a herd incited by the idea that these protesters, non-violent protesters trying to get to the West Bank, were a menace, an immediate threat to their security.

Which is why these foreign activists on these flotillas, whatever I or anybody else thinks of the totality of their politics, are absolutely vital not only to the Palestinians, but to Israel. They’re bringing oxygen to a suffocating nation.

more HERE:

We are Back!!!

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 14:25:00 +0000

Yo heads up peeps we are coming back soon and we are covering the flotilla, so follow us here and on twitter.........................

see ya soon!!!!
FREEDOM FLOTILLA 2

ISRAELI MILITARY CRACKING DOWN ON CRIME

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 16:26:00 +0000

It’s an approved crime to murder a 10 year old Palestinian child in cold blood…..

Abir Aramin, murdered by Israeli forces four years ago as she was heading home from school…. one of over 100 Palestinian children killed by Israelis in 2007.

Click HERE to see many other photos of the victims.

It’s also approved to board a ship bringing humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip and brutally murder 9 of the (unarmed) passengers on board…..

Approved also is shooting out the eye of an American (Jew) protesting the above….

Emily Henochowicz lost an eye at a protest at the Qalandiyah checkpoint – she was struck by a teargas grenade

The list of approved crimes is endless. No charges were ever levied against any of the criminals involved in the examples cited above.

BUT……

The following was reported yesterday;

Israeli soldier jailed for stealing one pita

JERUSALEM – An Israeli soldier was sentenced to 20 days in jail for stealing a piece of pita bread from a Palestinian vendor in the West Bank town of Tulkarem, military sources said on Monday.

The incident took place in front of his fellow soldiers at a military checkpoint near the city.

The soldier expressed his regret and has since paid the vendor the price of the bread — one shekel (30 US cents).

Reported AT

Sam Bahour added the following…

Now I’ve heard it all!

Remembering Gaza: the dead, the living, and the living dead.

Can we put a price on the lives that were stolen?

APPEAL TO SUPPORT LIVE REPORTING FROM PALESTINIAN REFUGEE CAMPS

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 18:23:00 +0000

We want to inform our readers of an exciting development. One of the best Pro-Palestinian websites on the net, e.g. PoliticalTheatrics is planning to travel to Lebanon in order to take up the task of “on the ground” reporting.

PoliticalTheatrics will not only be assessing and reporting on Lebanese politics, BUT they will also be interning in Palestinian Refugee camps and of course keeping us all updated online with the brilliant reporting we have come to know and love!

You support for this worthy cause is much appreciated, please visit PoliticalTheatrics and give a few dollars, pounds, or Euros so that we can enjoy the chance to hear direct from Palestinians in Lebanon as well as the political reporting!!

Go HERE to donate and lend your support!!

ISRAEL RESPONDS TO THE UN's 'GUILTY VERDICT'

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 12:57:00 +0000

Murder apparently is not an act of extremism, neither is piracy….. but condemning them is…..

Cutting off an entire area from the outside world and denying the residents basic human needs is not an act of extremism ….. but attempting to end this blockade is…..

The Israeli Foreign Ministry responded late Wednesday by saying the Human Rights Council had a biased, politicized and extremist approach.

Israel has maintained that its soldiers acted in self-defense when they shot and killed eight Turkish activists and one Turkish-American aboard the Mavi Marmara on May 31. Israel Defense Forces released footage showing its troops coming under attack as they tried to board the boat.

Did anyone expect a different reaction to the Human Rights Council’s report on the Flottila raid?

Israel refused to cooperate with the panel, preferring instead to work with a separate UN group under New Zealand’s former Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer and Colombia’s former President Alvaro Uribe that is also examining the incident but has yet to publish its findings

“Israel is a democratic and law abiding country that carefully observes international law and, when need be, knows how to investigate itself,” the Foreign Ministry statement said.

“That is how Israel has always acted, and that is the way in which investigations were conducted following Operation Cast Lead, launched to protect the inhabitants of southern Israel from rockets and terror attacks carried out by Hamas from Gaza,” said the statement.

Full text (unedited) of the UN Report can be found HERE

The paragraphs in parenthesis were taken from THIS AP Report

Posted by DesertPeace

Ireland's Dirty Deal with Israel

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:50:00 +0000

This is a disgrace, the Irish Government should be disbanded

Israeli firm in second Irish army contract

John Downes, News Investigations Correspondent
A controversial Israeli defence company which was awarded a multimillion-euro contract by the Irish government before last May's attack on the Gaza aid flotilla received another lucrative contract from Ireland in the past three years.

A spokesman for the Department of Defence confirmed that the company, Elbit Systems, supplied an artillery fire control system to the defence forces for €3.2m between 2007 and 2009.

The contract to supply the system was in addition to a €2.37m contract to provide surveillance and target acquisition equipment to four light tactical armoured vehicles.

Defence minister Tony Killeen recently confirmed that this more recent contract will not be subject to any sanctions in light of the Israeli attack on the aid flotilla.

Elbit was dropped from Norway's pension fund last year over ethical concerns, after it emerged that it was involved in work on the separation wall between Israel and the West Bank. The company supplies surveillance equipment to monitor the barrier.

Norway's then finance minister Kristin Halvorsen said it did not wish "to fund companies that so directly contribute to violations of international humanitarian law".

However, a spokesman for the Department of Defence said Killeen does not intend to review his decision to award the contract.

Last week the government persuaded the EU Commission to withdraw a plan to allow Israel access to private information on European citizens in protest at the misuse of Irish passports by suspected Israeli agents.
September 5, 2010

IDF document: "Separating Gaza from West Bank”

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:47:00 +0000

This is a MUST read:

source An IDF Powerpoint slideshow, presented before the Turkel committee for the investigation of the Israeli raid on the Gaza-bound flotilla, reveals the official goals of the Israeli policy regarding the Gaza strip.

The slideshow, prepared by The Administration for the Coordination of Government Policy in the Territories – the IDF body in charge of carrying out Israeli government policies regarding the civilian population in the West Bank and Gaza – deals with the humanitarian conditions in the strip; with food, water, fuel and electricity supply and with the condition of medical facilities in Gaza.

download the IDF slideshow [Hebrew] here

The first set of slides details the background for the current activities of The Administration for the Coordination of Government Policy in the Territories. Slide number 15 details the principles of Israeli policy:

Responding to the humanitarian needs of the population.
- Upholding civilian and economic limitations on the [Gaza] strip.
- Separating [or differentiating, בידול] Judea and Samaria [i.e. West Bank] from Gaza – a security and diplomatic objective.
- Preserving the Quartet’s conditions on Hamas (Hamas as a terrorist entity).

Slide 20 deals with freedom of movement from and to the Gaza strip. Policy objectives are:

- Limiting people from entering or exiting the strip, in accordance with the government’s decision.
- Separating [differentiating] Judea and Samaria from Gaza.
- Dealing with humanitarian needs.
- Preserving the activity of humanitarian organizations in the strip.
- Keeping a coordinating mechanism with the Palestinian Authority.

The Israeli policy regarding Gaza could be seen as violation of official and unofficial principles of previous agreements and negotiations with the Palestinians and other parties. Gaza and the West Bank were regarded as “one entity” – though not officially declared as such – already in the 1978 peace agreement between Israel and Egypt. The Oslo Declaration of Principles, signed in September 1993 and still an abiding document, specifically states that:

The two sides view the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as a single territorial unit, whose integrity will be preserved during the interim period.

This declaration was ratified in following agreements from 1994 and 1995.

The recent IDF slideshow is the first time an Israeli official document publicly declares that the current policy objective is to create two separate political entities in the Palestinian territories.

Nirit Ben-Ari, spokeswoman for Gisha, an Israeli NGO dealing with the freedom of movement, export and import to and from the Palestinian territories, said that “while in Washington a Palestinian state is being negotiated and people are already discussing ‘a train line between Gaza and Ramallah‘, in reality Israel is working to separate Gaza from the West bank even further than the separation already caused by the split in the Palestinian leadership.

“This policy is aimed against civilian population and against people who have nothing to do with Israel’s security concerns. It hurts family ties, and harms any future possibility to develop commerce, education and economical life in the Palestinian society. Those policies should raise concerns regarding the intentions of the Israeli government in Gaza.”

Other slides in the IDF slideshow deals with the ways the IDF gather information on the humanitarian situation in the strip (mainly through NGO’s and media reports), how food and fuel supply is evaluated, and how the needs of the local population are calculated. According to the IDF assumptions, there are 1,600,000 people living in Gaza. The army does not occupy itself with the distribution of supply, so there is no way of knowing if the population’s needs are actually met – only that according to the IDF, enough food and water is entering Gaza.

The slideshow doesn’t deal with the export of goods from the strip, nor does it explains the mechanism that is used to determine which civilian goods could be brought in.

Slide 50 details the goods found on the Gaza-bound flotilla: medical supply, toys, school gear, construction materials and powered wheelchairs.

Almost Killed by Israel, Tristan finally Goes Home

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 21:08:00 +0000

Tristan is Back!

source Berkeley-After more than a year in a Tel Aviv hospital, Bay Area activist and photo-journalist Tristan Anderson has returned home to California. Tristan was critically injured when he was shot in the head at close range with a metal high-velocity tear gas canister at the Israeli Separation Wall on March 13, 2009, while taking photos following a demonstration against the apartheid wall in the West Bank village of Ni’lin. The shooting caused severe traumatic brain injury and blindness in his right eye. Tristan, 39 years old, has not yet regained the use of the left side of his body and faces a long period of cognitive and physical rehabilitation and remains in a wheelchair. However, in the last several months he has made significant strides forward, including regaining his ability to speak. He is currently staying at his family’s home in the Sierra foothills, and looking forward to reuniting with his extensive community in the Bay Area.

Tristan’s partner Gabrielle Silverman said, “After a very long period of hospitalization, Tristan is ready to finally re-enter the world. His injury has profoundly affected our community and changed our lives. In the winter of 2009, Tristan and I traveled to the Occupied Territories because we had an understanding of the role the U.S. government plays in the Israel/Palestine conflict and power dynamics there. We both support a free Palestine and a just peace and stability in the Middle East and see it as a defining struggle of our generation.

Just prior to the one-year mark of the shooting, Israel released its official report of the incident, calling it “an act of war”, with no concomitant liability, bringing no charges, and then closed the case. An appeal to reopen the investigation has been filed, since the report was inconsistent with the injuries Tristan sustained and with eyewitness testimony. In addition, his parents have brought a civil case against the Israeli military, in part to deal with the lifetime of medical expenses, lost wages and continuing care that Tristan will need as a result of the military action.

On May 31, 21-year-old New York art student Emily Henochowicz lost an eye in a similar act of aggression by Israeli military when she was shot in the face with a tear gas canister at a demonstration in the West Bank. She was protesting the Israeli commando raid on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla during which nine Flotilla human rights activists were killed.

Tristan Anderson has participated as a photo-journalist and as a dedicated activist in a variety of local and international campaigns over the years, including Latin American solidarity work, anti-war activism, involvement in forest campaigns including Headwaters Forest and the 2-year long Save the Oaks tree-sit campaign on UC Berkeley campus, as well as serving food to the homeless with Food Not Bombs for years, and riding with Critical Mass bicycle activists.

MOSQUE AT GROUND ZERO

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:00:00 +0000

This is a must see:

A CALL TO ACT, FREEDOM FLOTILLA 2 NEEDS YOUR HELP NOW

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 12:49:00 +0000

DO IT FOR PALESTINE, DO IT FOR IRELAND DO IT FOR FREEDOM, BUT DO IT NOW!!

The I4P writers group rarely ask for help, but we are asking all our supporters, readers and fellow blog friends for urgent help today.

As many of you are aware, Ireland took part on the last Freedom Flotilla to Gaza which came under attack from Israeli Commando Pirates and resulted in the deaths of nine Humanitarian aid workers. Several Irish people were injured,one fairly seriously.

There is another flotilla going to Gaza in early October, organised by the European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza, they were co-organisers of the last flotilla.

You may have noticed we have been posting less on the blog lately. The reason is that several members of our blog are helping to raise money for the Irish Ship to Gaza and some friends will be going on one of the boats in the flotilla. As always, this blog will keep you up to date as the flotilla prepares to break the siege. If Ireland is to be represented on this next flotilla then we need the support of everyone sympathetic to Ireland or Palestine to help us get there.

If you can organise a fundraising event in your area of the world and donate the proceeds to our cause GREAT, we love you and hereby proclaim you as an Honorary Irishmen no matter where you live! If you can’t do fundraising or donate then please re-post this page to your own blog or website along with our wee Irish Ship to Gaza button (code below to copy and paste) so that your readers and supporters can help us. We want Ireland to help brake the siege so help us make it happen! The more boats the flotilla have, the better chance we have of ending this terrible siege.

Listen folks, the reality is that the only place the siege has NOT been broken since the invasion is by sea. Gaza’s seaport remains closed to the world and under siege by Israel. Several convoys have been successful in entering Gaza since the invasion with some aid, the most recent one just weeks ago. Since the flotilla attack on May 31st Rafah has been open more often. However, the amount of aid taken in by convoys may appear large to us, but the fact that Gaza’s population is 1.5 million means that it’s only a wee tiny drop in the bucket and really offers little long term help because it keeps Gazan’s dependant on aid from convoys, humanitarian orgs and the UN. They don’t want to live this way!!

What is needed now is to break the siege by sea, open Gaza’s seaport, so that people in Gaza can get back to work and export their goods and wares to the world, and import building supplies by cargo ships from the world. This will not only ease the humanitarian suffering but will put Gaza people back to work and help their economy become self sufficient so people there can live normal lives like the rest of the free world.

We need everyone to spread the word and help us with this. So, DO IT for Ireland, DO IT for Palestine, DO IT for FREEDOM and DO IT for an end to the Siege!

PLEASE POST THE FOLLOWING CODE INTO YOUR BLOG OR WEBSITE'S SIDEBAR, JUST COPY AND PASTE THIS CODE BELOW:

<a href="http://irishshiptogaza.org/?page_id=10" target="_blank">
<img src=" http://irishshiptogaza.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/istglogo21.jpg" width="119" height="94" border="0" alt="Irish Ship to Gaza"</a>

And Wa La, you will get this lovely wee button below complete with a link to where people can donate to help us:)

FOR BLOGGER BLOGS:For blogger, use the “add text” gadget in “design” mode, then click the top right and make sure it says “rich text” then paste the code into the box, after that go back and click the “rich text” link again and go to html mode and the button with link should appear in the box and also when you click save it will appear on your blog’s sidebar.

FOR WORDPRESS BLOGS: do a text/html widget and copy the code into it then click save.

Go on, click it, it works!! and Whilst you are there get the bank info and send a donation by cheque, wire transfer (c'mon all you rich Irish Americans out there!! Help your fellow Irishmen!), in Europe you can do a bank transfer, in Ireland cold hard cash is also accepted, or if yur in England or Ireland you can do a weekly standing order or transfer or cheque deposit!! There now that's all covered, no excuses now;-)

HELP IRELAND BREAK THE SIEGE
FREEDOM FLOTILLA 2
IRISH SHIP TO GAZA

THANK YOU!!

FOR MY LEBANESE FRIENDS

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:43:00 +0000

The Ground Zero Synagogue—Lebanon Becoming More American than America

Has Lebanon officially become more tolerant and progressive than the United States?

Let's talk about Lebanon’s Ground Zero and you can decide for yourself.

One must first understand what “Ground Zero” means to most Lebanese.

In a country with about the same land mass as Los Angeles County which has been at war off and on for nearly four decades, “Ground Zero” for the Lebanese is arguably their entire country—and at the center of their Ground Zero is downtown Beirut, captured and occupied by the Israeli Defense Force in 1982 and which was almost entirely reduced to rubble from Muslim West Beirut to Christian East Beirut, and all points in between.

Once upon a time not too long ago, there was scarcely a building left standing or unscarred by shrapnel in all of Beirut. I know, because I was in Beirut in 1991, and witnessed first hand a city once described as "the Paris of the Middle East" reduced to ruins, pot marked with unexploded munitions and a haphazzard "network" of open sewers.

Miraculously, Beirut was rebuilt and reclaimed its prominence. It once again became the jewel of the Arab world, remarkably able to bridge the ancient mystique of the east with the modern allure of the west.

Upon the first completion of its "rebuilding" process however--after 15 years and tens of billions of dollars spent on reconstructing Lebanon and its Ground Zero from rubble to splendor, Israel did what Israel does...

In July and August of 2006, Israel again followed through on its promise to “bomb Lebanon back into the Stone Age,” and in so doing displaced 1,000,000 Lebanese civilians (nearly a quarter of the country’s population), completely destroyed the country’s infrastructure (again), its only airport, at least 64 bridges, leveled entire buildings and neighborhoods to rubble (again), including the country's largest milk factory, a food factory, two pharmaceutical plants, water treatment centers, power plants, grain silos, a Greek Orthodox Church, several mosques, and a handful of hospitals (in a country which only had a handful of hospitals to begin with).

Over 1,200 hundred Lebanese civilians were killed and over 5,000 wounded.

Israel routinely talks about “proportionality” when comparing their “terrorism deaths” to American 9/11 deaths. In order to shock the sensibilities of a gullible American public, they portray a figure “in American terms,” by multiplying their dead by a number which reflects their population in comparison to the American population.

Well, what’s good for the Israeli goose is good for the Lebanese gander. I will play their game: 1,200 dead Lebanese civilians are the “proportional equivalent” to 90,000 American dead when accounting for the two countries’ population differences. Therefore, according to Israeli goose math, that’s the equivalent of roughly thirty 9/11’s Israel exacted on Lebanon in July and August 2006 over the course of 34 days—nearly one 9/11 a day for an entire month without relent.

Incidentally, July and August of 2006 only tell a small part of the story when it comes to Israeli aggression against Lebanon. There have been decades of invasion, devastation, and occupation which predated 2006. Several thousands of Lebanese have been killed at the hands of the Israeli Defense Force. Tens of billions of dollars of damage have been levied on the Lebanese infrastructure and private and public property courtesy of the IDF over the course of decades.

“Ground Zero” for Lebanon is an ever expanding, never ending, open wound that never heals.

So what now Newt?

Should you expect the Lebanese to allow a synagogue to be built on their Ground Zero, in the aftermath of a 9/11 that occurred 5 years after ours and which, “proportionately” speaking, was 30 times the size of ours?

Well guess what you hateful, misguided, twit?

THEY DID.

In the process of re-building Beirut yet again, in 2008, renovations began and have now been completed on the Maghden Abraham Synagogue located in the middle of newly renovated downtown Beirut in an area known as the “Solidere" which has become the focal point and showcase of Lebanon’s rebirth.

This isn’t some hole in the wall, nondescript, “excuse me” synagogue hidden out of view so as to not “offend” Lebanese non-Jews—this is an elaborate, ornate, beautifully designed, cathedral-style house of worship built for a Lebanese Jewish population that totals less than 500 in a country of more than 4,000,000 (in stark contrast to the eight million American Muslims living in the United States).

And wait until you hear Hezbollah’s response to the building of this Ground Zero Synagogue.

(To those expecting a Newt Gingrich equivalent response, prepare to be woefully disappointed).

Courtesy of Hassan Nasrallah himself: "We respect Judaism, just as we respect Christianity. Our only problem is with Israel."

Did you hear that Newt (and the rest of you idiots)?

An Arab democracy, with a Muslim Prime Minister and a Christian President, allowed the building of a synagogue, squarely in the center of their “Ground Zero” in the heart and pride of downtown Beirut which used to be a dumping ground for Israeli military ordinances.

An Arab democracy allowed this, without so much as a protest being made by its citizens, or allegations by politicians that this was sacrilege, or hateful commentary by the media that the Jewish faith was barbaric, or any of the other stupidity I have seen and heard plastered all over American television, talk radio, and internet-blogs regarding a certain “Ground Zero Mosque” and the Islamic faith.

Regardless of whether you perceive Israel to be justified in perpetrating the devastation it did on Lebanon is irrelevant. The purpose of this article is not to debate that. What cannot be debated, is that Israel (a Jewish State, flying a Jewish flag) unleashed hell on Lebanon for 34 straight days in July and August of 2006 (and for decades prior in its wars against Lebanon). Regardless of whether or not you feel Israel had a right to do that, you cannot deny that Lebanese civilians harbored, and continue to harbor, a very real resentment against the government of Israel—this Jewish state—for those actions and the devestation those actions caused.

Yet these very Lebanese, who are so quickly labeled as “blood thirsty terrorists” by Newt Gingrich and his army of xenophobic morons, were able to draw a distinction between the Jews “flying those planes” in July and August of 2006 working at the behest of the Israeli government, and the Jews whom are citizens of Lebanon who had no connection with those attacks.

Lebanon rebuilt that Ground Zero Synagogue for its Jews.

Not for Israel. Not for the world’s Jewry. Not as a monument to mark a “Jewish victory” over Lebanon.

Lebanon rebuilt that Ground Zero Synagogue because its Jews lived in that neighborhood and they had every right to build a house of worship in a place they called home.

For crying out loud, Hassan Nassrallah and Hezbollah can even draw the distinction between a Lebanese Jew and an Israeli soldier who happens to be a Jew. So how is it that Americans can’t distinguish between American Muslims who were victims of 9/11 and Saudi Muslims who were the perpetrators of 9/11?

Thank you Mr. Gingrich for allowing Hassan Nasrallah and Hezbollah to outclass you and the Republican Party (and you Democrats aren't too far behind--yes Harry Reid, I'm talking to you). When the former Republican Speaker of the House and the current Democratic Senate Majority Leader start sounding less tolerant and less reasonable than a "terrorist," we need to start sounding the alarm bells.

What a sad state of affairs for America.

OOOPSIE, WHAT WAS ISRAEL UP TO?

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:55:00 +0000

Well well, what have we here? Remember those non-existant terrorist weapons Israel claimed were on the Freedom Flotilla so they could murder nine muslims? Perhaps Israle should look closer to home, because it was not the Freedom flotiall loaded with terrorist weapons but rather Israeli boats that are loaded with terrorist weapons from the terrorist state.

link Egyptian security forces seized a ship loaded with explosives coming from Israel and arrested its owner in Port Said, Egypt's independent Al-Shorouk daily reported on Monday.

The explosives were loaded inside containers on board of the ship, the newspaper reported without providing further details about the ship and explosives.

COUNTDOWN TO WAR BEGINS

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 14:32:00 +0000

Watch this video:

SECOND COMING OF THE NAKBA

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:24:00 +0000

Well, well, looks like Obama might get that big pre-election boost after all. You know his ratings are in the tank, the economy is shite and he needs a big-ass Obama miracle, and quickly! He's got to start running his re-election campaign very soon as the teabaggers are arming themselves and the neocons and Repugs are nipping at his ankles. He needs a serious popularity boost, some headlines filled with praise and worship to confirm he IS the the world's hero. Hmmmm what can he do, wave a magic O-wand and repair the world banking crisis and US debt, create immediate jobs for all those Americans, end the two useless wars. No, the "Big O" is looking elsewhere for his "miracle" and me thinks it has something to do with that "Nobel Peace Prize" joke, awarded to him for "future" achievements.

Flashback to July, remember this little ditty?

link
1. U.S. warns Abbas: Direct talks or lose backing for state.

2. An Arab League subcommittee on the Arab peace initiative is expected to support the Palestinian position of continued indirect negotiations with Israel, and not a move toward direct talks.

3.The PA has asked the monitoring committee to recommend allowing the U.S. shuttle diplomacy between Ramallah and Jerusalem run its course until September (Check those calendars, it's almost September folks!)and then consider the PA's future moves.

So there I was checking up on the news regarding the evil rogue state today, and at first glance of reading the "Malarkey" below, thought I found the tooth fairy and Santa Claus instead, BUT, then Satan emerged!! What am I talking about? THIS:

London-based al-Hayat newspaper quotes Ramallah sources as saying prime minister (Netanyahu) has prepared plan for evacuation of 50,000 settlers.

Yeah, I hear you laughing, tooth fairy right? Wrong, now it gets serious there's more, and pay close attention to the part I have made "bold"

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has prepared a "tempting" plan to be presented to the Palestinians in the direct negotiations, as part of which Israel will offer to withdraw from up to 90% of the West Bank, excluding east Jerusalem, the London-based Arabic-language al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper reported Friday.

Listen, can you hear that sound? That's the Whooosh of East Jerusalem going to Israel. And...............this nasty deal won't even be a final one, just merely a wee "agreement" not a "Final Peace Agreement" So the evil rogue state can come back at any time and re-populate all those 50,000 settlers right back into their former homes on Palestinian land. Because, after all, it's only a "temporary" agreement to confiscate the whole of Jerusalem. There's more:

"knowledgeable sources" in Ramallah as saying that the prime minister's plan will be in the form of a new interim agreement, similar to the 1993 Oslo Accords. According to the sources, Netanyahu informed the Western delegates he met with recently that the current situation was not right for reaching a final peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, and that he planned to present a proposal for a new interim agreement, which would be "extensive and tempting" to the Palestinians.

And what about that "Arab League subcommittee" mentioned earlier who were backing Abbas to "not" have talks with Israel? Well Catherine Ashton, the US Quartet member is all over this one:

link Abbas "has requested a few more days for final consultations with Arab partners as well as with the Fatah and PLO executive bodies," Ashton wrote, and "should be in a position to give a definitive answer by Sunday or early next week."

And lastly, what's the plan Stan?

One of the ideas raised by Netanyahu's associates, the sources said, was coming up with a formula linking the future Palestinian state with its temporary borders to Jordan.

And there you have it, Wa Laa, in one fell swoop you have Obama's big-ass miracle and re-election gift, the "future" nobel peace prize thingie, and Isarel is all happy with stealing the whole of Jerusalem, and poor Palestine gets the shaft again. Nakba #2 begins.

RESPONSE TO NETANYAHUS TESTIMONY ON THE FLOTILA

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:25:00 +0000

ECESG Response to Israeli PM Netanyahu’s testimony to the Turkel
Commission: Statement is a “pointless pantomime of political propaganda.”

For Immediate Release

Date: 09-08-2010, 15:30 GMT

London, UK: The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza today describes the statements of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu as a “pointless pantomime of political propaganda.”

In light of PM Netanyahu’s statement that “Israel is a liberal, democratic country governed by the rule of law, with independent courts, a bona fide parliament, and a free press,” we wish to highlight a number of issues, including:

-Why the footage, cameras and electronic devices of the civilians onboard the humanitarian “Freedom Flotilla” were illegally taken by Israeli authorities and have yet to be returned/or were instantly wiped. All footage should be immediately released and private property returned.

-Why the Mavi Marmara was not preserved as a potential crime scene. Under international law, as the Mavi Marmara was a Turkish flagged vessel, Turkey is responsible for conducting any investigation into any violence which took place on the boat.

-While he legitimately calls for the Third Geneva Convention rights of Gilad Shalit to be observed why does he continue to enact a policy violating the Fourth Geneva Convention rights of 1.5 million civilians in Gaza – which the International Red Cross described on the 14/06/10 as constituting “a collective punishment imposed in clear violation of Israel's obligations under international humanitarian law”SOURCE HERE

-Why his desire to continue “the previous government’s policy of preventing the entry of weapons and war materiel into the Gaza Strip,” meant he should also continue the policy of allowing (according to the UN OCHA) only a “weekly average of 553 truckloads” of goods into Gaza before the “Freedom Flotilla” took place. This is 19.7% of the “weekly average of truckloads that entered Gaza during the first five months of 2007 (2,807).” SOURCE HERE

-Why, though he claims “there was no hunger in Gaza,” UNWRA has stated that “80 per cent of Gazan households are dependent on food aid” and that “207,000 pupils at UNRWA schools receive basic nutrition” in school as they cannot be guaranteed to receive this at home. Thus he has abjectly failed to ensure that implementation of the “the fourth principle of [Israel government] policy [which] was to avoid a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.” SOURCE HERE

-Why, even since the Israeli government has been embarrassed into taking some small-scale actions after the “Freedom Flotilla” it only allowed “979 truckloads” of goods into Gaza between the 18th to 24th of July 2010 or 34.8% of the 2007 level. Moreover, it is still banning virtually all exports from Gaza at a time when unemployment rates are above 50%. SOURCE HERE

Notes:

The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza (ECESG) is an umbrella group of 34 European human rights and humanitarian organisations who have come together to collectively pressure the international community and Israel to end the siege on Gaza’s civilian population.

The “Freedom Flotilla” comprised boats from the European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza (ECESG), Free Gaza Movement (FG), Insani Yardim Vakfi (IHH), Ship to Gaza Greece, Ship to Gaza Sweden, and the International Committee to Lift the Siege on Gaza

ALL ABOARD THE MAVI MARMARA

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:39:00 +0000

David Rovics has written an evocative song called "All Aboard the Mavi Marmara." The Free Gaza team has added images in tribute to the nine brave men on board who gave their lives in pursuit of justice for the Palestinians.

THE WEASEL-THAL CENTER'S EQUALITY AGENDA

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 18:46:00 +0000

The Simon Weasel-thal Racist Anti Muslim Centre is hard at work pushing it’s special form of “equality.”

Wiesenthal center opposes building mosque near Ground Zero because 'it's a cemetery,' but ok with Jewish museum on top of Muslim cemetery (go figure!!)

In a move one might call supremely ironic, the Wiesenthal Center opposes building the mosque near Ground Zero because, it now claims, the former site of the World Trade Center "is a cemetery." The irony comes from the fact that the Wiesenthal Center is currently building a new "Museum of Tolerance" in Jerusalem on top of an old Muslim cemetery, in spite of the complaints of Muslims who have family members buried there.
[F]ifteen of the oldest families in Jerusalem filed a case before the United Nations in Geneva and held news conferences there, also in Los Angeles and Jerusalem. Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said Professor of Arab Studies at Columbia University has members of his family buried there and calls it further desecration of a cemetry that they have been nibbling away at for over three decades, despite many protests. "the fact that it was desecrated in the ’60s doesn’t mean that it’s right to desecrate it further. What happened in the 1960s was that part of the cemetery was paved over for this parking lot. What they have now done is to dig down and disinter four layers, according to the chief archaeologist for the Israeli Archaeological Authority, four layers of graves."
Yes, a Jewish tolerance museum built on top of dead Muslims. Think that makes anyone uncomfortable?

Oh, and it's not like the museum is about promoting tolerance between Jews and Muslims. It's about promoting tolerance between Jews.

So, to summarize. Mosque near cemetery, bad. Jewish museum on top of cemetery, good.

Entire story, sick.

source

A HERO'S WELCOME AWAITS THEM

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 18:17:00 +0000

From IHH:

Nine survivors of Israeli raid to visit Gaza
Nine activists who were injured in the Israeli raid on the Mavi Marmara boat have headed for Gaza.

The vehicle convoy set out from Spain and the humanitarian aid volunteers will meet in Egyptian port city al-Arish and cross into Gaza through Rafah border crossing.

The activists were seen to be quite happy about the trip as they said they were excited about visiting Palestine.

Yavuz Dede, deputy head of the IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, noted the nine activists got the opportunity to go on this trip by winning in a raffle among the 54 who were wounded in the Mavi Marmara incident.

The names of the nine activists are as follow: Alper Mutlu, Ayetullah Tekin, Cevdet Ökenek, Halim Yazıcı, İlyas Yılmaz, İsmail Hakkı Vehapoglu, Mehmet Ali Akdeniz, Mikail Kurt and Canip Tunç.

SHOCK TREATMENT, WE'RE BACK!!

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 10:36:00 +0000

Ok, we know we've been very bad and neglected the blog lately. Truth is some were on vacation (It's that time in Ireland) and another had computer problems. But no worries, we're back to slam the evil rogue state, so without further adieu, we bring you more proof Israel needs a healthy does of prozac and a months stay in a mental health facility for some serious shock treatment administered by Nurse Ratched:

Israel President Shimon Peres has denied calling Britishers "anti-Semites," Peres said he views Israeli relations with Britain as "of the greatest importance" and has the "highest regard" for the way in which the latter stood alone against Nazi Germany during the Second World War.

"President Peres never accused the British people of anti-Semitism, the president does not believe that British governments are motivated by anti-Semitism, nor were they in the past,"

Not so fast, you lying psychotic snivelling war mongering twerp, lest we forget this:

MPs outraged by Peres's tirade against English. Israel president Shimon Peres has angered British MPs with an astonishing outburst in which he accused the English of being anti-Semitic. The comments come just days after David Cameron angered many in Israel by referring to the occupied Palestinian territory of Gaza as a ‘prison camp’.

Last night British MPs reacted with fury at the slur on Britain, which stood alone in 1940 to fight the Nazis who were committing genocide against the Jews. In the interview, Mr Peres, who was awarded an honorary knighthood by the Queen in 2008, said England’s attitude towards the Jews was Israel’s ‘next big problem’. He also insisted: ‘There is in England a saying that an anti-Semite is someone who hates the Jews more than is necessary.

‘They abstained in the 1947 UN partition resolution, they maintained an arms embargo against us in the 1950s, they always worked against us. They think the Arabs are the underdogs.’

Now taking donations for a humanitarian aid convoy to Israel, filled with prozac and lots of Nurse Ratcheds

HA HA HA HA HA

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 22:45:00 +0000

The best video ever:

SHHHH, LISTEN...CAN YOU HEAR IT???

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:47:00 +0000

When due pressure is put upon a solid immovable object, it ultimately breaks into pieces. Israel is self destructing, it's inability to budge one millimetre is causing it to crack!! There are creaking cracks engulfing Israel. They are running around like the little Dutch boy trying to plug all the holes,throwing hasbara and propaganda at every charge, not having much success because every day another hole appears in the dam, bigger and more outrageous than the last hole. With all the money they have it's still not enough to plug the dam. The worm has turned, the tide is changing, the bloom is off the rose, reality has reached critical mass. Israel is exposed and under the world's microscope. The party is over folks:

link Israel's diplomatic and defense establishments will hold several meetings this week on how to contend with what some officials described as a "barrage" of international investigations into Israel's conduct.

The most disconcerting among them, officials said, is the United Nations committee charged with examining the credibility of Israel's court system in the wake of the Goldstone report on last winter's conflict in Gaza.

Two other international probes are soon set to begin over Israel's May raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla - one appointed by the UN's secretary general and the other by the organization's Human Rights Council.

The inquiry into the Israeli court system was decided on at a March meeting of the UNHRC in Geneva as part of its

continuing effort to monitor Israel's response to the Goldstone report. The panel is charged with examining the efficiency, independence and professionalism of Israel's court system and its adherence to internationally accepted standards. Some Israeli officials have already begun describing it as "a second Goldstone committee."

Over the next few days, Israel is expected to decide whether or not to cooperate with the probe. The foreign and justice ministries are pushing for a policy change that would lead to Israeli recognition of the probe and full cooperation with it. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to decide what Israel's official response should be.

The committee is headed by the German jurist Christian Tomuschat; its other members are Mary McGowan Davis, a former justice of the New York State Supreme Court, and Malaysia's Param Cumaraswamy. The three are tasked with monitoring any legal steps taken by the Israeli or Palestinian authorities to implement the Goldstone report's recommendations.

The committee is set to begin its work in the next few weeks and submit a final report in October.

Israeli officials are concerned because this is the first time UN bodies have investigated Israel's military and civilian legal systems, and a harsh report by the committee could stain the reputation of Israel's legal system all the way to the Supreme Court. A negative report could also lead to various countries around the world ignoring Israeli court rulings or filing indictments against Israeli soldiers and officers.

High-ranking officials said that Netanyahu would meet with key ministers this week on whether to cooperate with the UNHRC investigation. The decision could ultimately be made in the diplomatic-security cabinet.

A decision to cooperate with the committee would represent an about-face in Israel's policy toward the Goldstone report: Until now, Jerusalem has resisted recognizing the legitimacy of either the report or the UNHRC. But officials in the foreign and justice ministries believe Israel must cooperate with the new probe in order to influence its findings.

Moreover, they argue, the new panel's mandate is not one-sidedly anti-Israel, as that of the Goldstone Committee was, nor are its members seen as holding particularly anti-Israel views.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said last week that he hopes to create a "review panel" to monitor investigations conducted in both Israel and Turkey over the May flotilla raid. Ban said he hopes the committee will include one representative from each of the two countries. Eight Turkish citizens and one Turkish-American were killed in the incident.

Ban reportedly told Netanyahu the panel could help prevent other international attempts to take legal steps against Israel over the raid and obviate the need for an emergency session of the UN General Assembly or Security Council on the incident. Ban also reportedly described the initiative as "a clear Israeli interest."

Netanyahu is expected to accede to the UN chief's request, but also to insist that the panel not begin its work before the Turkel Committee - the Israeli panel investigating the raid - finishes its report.

The third international committee of inquiry into Israel's conduct was set up by the UNHRC in Geneva to probe the flotilla incident. That panel is charged with determining whether Israel violated international law and committed war crimes in taking over the Gaza-bound vessel.

I HOPE THIS MAKES YOU SICK

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 14:57:00 +0000

HOMELESS, THANKS TO ISAREL

Are people still angry? Are you still outraged? Yeah, here I come to ruin your Sunday World Cup Final party. As you go out into your kitchen, and pull open the fridge door for a nice cold drink, remember this:

But lets have a dose of reality by remembering that 24,145 Palestinian homes have been demolished by Israel. How many Israeli homes have Palestinians demolished? Answer=Zero!

Now let's look at this in the context of other Israeli aggression, shall we? Like the endless bombings in Gaza, more homes destroyed, along with Hospitals, schools and places of worship. Not to mention all those dead civilians and children. How about all the businesses that have had to close, thanks to the evil rogue state? How about all the people who have died needlessly because they can't get out for medical treatment that could easily save their lives? What about the children being born sick due to the chemicals Israel showered down upon the entire population? What about the disfigured and burnt people, or those now confined to life in a wheelchair because their legs are missing, thanks to Israel.

This is one big massive ethnic cleansing project, be it removal of homes, death or disfigurement. It's all meant to take land off of Palestinians and reduce their population. Ethnic cleansing by removal or murder. Remember these statistics below, never forget, never stop caring, never stop fighting for justice, never stop working for a free free Palestine!!

link 0 Israeli homes have been demolished by Palestinians and 24,145 Palestinian homes have been demolished by Israel since 1967.

In addition to the homes demolished by Israel, thousands of Palestinian homes have been destroyed or significantly damaged by Israeli bombing and shelling. On the flip side, while Palestinians have not demolished any Israeli homes, there is one known case of a Palestinian destroying an Israeli home in an explosion.

“Any humanitarian looking at the sheer number of innocent civilians who have lost their homes can only condemn Israel’s house demolition policy as a hugely disproportionate military response by an occupation army... It is a policy that creates only hardship and bitterness, and in the end can only undermine hope for future reconciliation and peace.”

– Peter Hansen, Commissioner General of UNRWA

Statistics Source: The Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions estimates that 24,145 houses have been demolished in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza since 1967 (as of July 4, 2009). (Read ICAHD's latest analysis of demolished homes (pdf format).

Summary of Israel’s Home Demolition Policy
B’Tselem
Excerpts from “Through No Fault of Their Own,”
Nov 15, 2004.
(Read the Synopsis and Full Report.)

Watch B’Tselem Video on Home Demolitions

“During the course of the al-Aqsa intifada, which began in September 2000, Israel has implemented a policy of mass demolition of Palestinian houses in the Occupied Territories. In that period, Israel has destroyed some 4,170 Palestinian homes.

“The IDF carries out three types of house demolitions. Most are carried out in the framework of what Israel calls ‘clearing operations,’ which are intended to meet what Israel defines as ‘military needs.’ These operations take place primarily in the Gaza Strip: along the Egyptian border, which passes through Rafah and its refugee camps; around settlements and army posts; alongside roads used by settlers and IDF forces; and in the northern part of the Gaza Strip [...]

“The second type of demolition are administrative demolitions of houses built without a permit. These demolitions take place in Area C in the West Bank, where Israel retains authority over planning and building even after the establishment of the Palestinian Authority, and in East Jerusalem. [...]

“The third kind of house demolitions are those intended to punish the relatives and neighbors of Palestinians who carried out or are suspected of involvement in attacks against Israeli civilians or soldiers. These punitive demolitions are intended for the homes in which these suspects lived. However, in many cases, adjacent homes are also destroyed.”

IRELAND TAKES STAND AGAINST ISRAEL

noreply@blogger.com (I4P Writers Group) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 11:41:00 +0000

GO ON IRELAND!!!
No, you evil rogue state, you do not get to steal our identities and passports to murder people you don't like. You don't get to have access to information about all our citizens so you can harm them and drag us into your war mongering psycho world of hatred. We say "no" to Israel!!

link Ireland is seeking to stop a European Union initiative that would enable Israel to receive sensitive information about European citizens, due to concerns about the use that Israel would make of this information, the Irish minister for justice said over the weekend.

In what may be another blow to Israel's international status, Dermott Ahern said that since Israel allegedly used forged Irish passports to carry out the hit on Hamas official Mohammed al-Mabhouh in Dubai, Israel should not be allowed access to this data.

Under a plan put forward at the beginning of the year, the European organizations for protecting individuals' privacy agreed that Israeli companies and European companies should be able to exchange information about customers.

For example, this would mean that an Israeli customer of a local cell phone company, say, Pelephone, would be able to use his phone to connect to the Internet, say, in Italy, and the Italian telecom would be able to receive his personal data from Pelephone and charge his account accordingly. The same would be true for people with European cell phones in Israel who wanted to use Israeli networks.

In addition, multinational corporations would be able to entrust Israeli companies to secure their databases, and the data could be stored on servers in Israel. Plus, information about employees could be passed freely between European and Israeli branches of the same company.

In agreeing to grant this access, the EU authorities decided that Israel had proper information protection systems in place.

However, the plan still needs to be ratified by the government of each individual EU member country before it can take force.

Guess what? This means you need Ireland's vote for this to pass

Currently, passing data between Israel and Europe is dependent on explicit contracts, which fund many a lawyer's income. The initiative would do away with one of the last remaining trade barriers with Europe.