On Sunday, having thoroughly rested up, I headed to Union Square, to be a counterprotester against the pro-Hamas demo happening there.
Specifically, it was supposed to be candelight memorial service, to mourn those killed during Operation Cast Lead, and you sort of feel bad counterprotesting a memorial service. Until you show up, and notice the vile anti-Semitic signage, and the chants of "From the river to the sea", and QUIT standing happily out with their banner, and the paper-mache puppets, and you realize that this isn't a memorial service, this is another dang Hamas rally.
The opposition had the steps leading into Union Square, corner closest to the Powell Street BART, so we lined up on the opposite side of the street, streaming past Max Azria, Victoria's Secret, and the Westin St. Francis, which happened that day to be flying the flag of Saudi Arabia, just to make everything completely deranged.
A fairly low-key evening, really. Cold. Me clutching a sign with a message about gay Palestinians in one hand, and one with the faces of children killed in Sderot in the other, singing "Oseh Shalom" and stamping my feet. Assorted Japanese tourists took pictures--I suspect that we have ended up in many a photo album, as an example of real American protestors. We wound up around six o'clock.
One thing I have not entirely worked out is how to deal with the people who drive by in the stalled traffic in SUVs, waving Palestinian flags and screaming at you, when they roll down the back windows and encourage their small ones to do likewise. I am torn, between stony-faced "Am Yisrael Chai!" yelling, and smiling and waving at the children. Hard to do both, especially when both hands are full.
Meanwhile, Code Pink is still stalled in Cairo, although apparently a group of them are to be let through.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
CODE PINK CAUSES MINOR BLIP AT AIPAC DINNER
Here's a report from the perpetually-out-of-touch side about a very minor disruption of the AIPAC dinner in San Francisco two weeks ago. It is lifted directly from the code pink blog at:
http://codepink4peace.org/blog/2009/12/sf-activists-arrested-at-aipac-dinner/
Be forewarned: the dear ladies of the slightly-less-than-clued-in-ilk are in boast-mode here, so there is far less in the text than meets the eye.
BEGIN CITE:
"SF activists arrested at AIPAC dinner "
[CUT]
"Activists with the women’s peace group CODEPINK took their message of no war and occupation to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) gala dinner at the Hilton Towers Hotel in San Francisco on December 15th. "
"As the AIPAC Executive Director, Howard Kohr, gave a national briefing, he had indicated that AIPAC is ready to come to the negotiating table with the Palestinians. Nancy Mancias and Victoria Quevedo rose up out of their seats and said “How can the Palestinians come to table if they live under constant oppression and occupation.” "
"While chanting “No War, No Occupation, Free Palestine” private security immediately lifted Mancias and Quevedo up from beneath their arms and ejected them from the ballroom. The two were handed over to the San Francisco Police who then handcuffed, searched, arrested and transferred them to the Tenderloin Police station where they were cited and released."
[Editorial note: Both deranged individuals will appear in court in early 2009.]
FURTHER QUOTE:
"While AIPAC claims to represent the U.S. Jewish community, its wholesale support of the Israel government goes against the majority opinions of the Jewish Americans. According to a recent survey by the Jewish lobby group J Street, 76 percent of American Jews support a two-state solution, 69 percent support negotiating with a Fatah-Hamas unity government, and 59 percent felt the Gaza invasion did not improve Israel’s security. "
END QUOTE
As may be seen from the text above, Nancy Mancias and Victoria Quevedo are unaware of several pertinent facts, and quite capable of obscuring or obfuscating when their verkrampte ideology demands it. The allegedly Jewish Lobbying group J Street does not represent the majority opinions of the Jewish Americans, and in fact works hand in glove with such declared enemies of Jews, Judaism, the United States, and Israel, as the Palestinian lobby, Saudi stooges, and people like Jimmy Carter (a peanut farmer of note).
This blog fervently hopes that authorities throw the book at Ms. Mancias and Ms. Quevedo.
The antics of the Medea-Benjaminites have ceased to entertain, having long since passed beyond the edge of relevance.
Undemocratic actions by extremists, no matter how zany, should have no place in American discourse.
http://codepink4peace.org/blog/2009/12/sf-activists-arrested-at-aipac-dinner/
Be forewarned: the dear ladies of the slightly-less-than-clued-in-ilk are in boast-mode here, so there is far less in the text than meets the eye.
BEGIN CITE:
"SF activists arrested at AIPAC dinner "
[CUT]
"Activists with the women’s peace group CODEPINK took their message of no war and occupation to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) gala dinner at the Hilton Towers Hotel in San Francisco on December 15th. "
"As the AIPAC Executive Director, Howard Kohr, gave a national briefing, he had indicated that AIPAC is ready to come to the negotiating table with the Palestinians. Nancy Mancias and Victoria Quevedo rose up out of their seats and said “How can the Palestinians come to table if they live under constant oppression and occupation.” "
"While chanting “No War, No Occupation, Free Palestine” private security immediately lifted Mancias and Quevedo up from beneath their arms and ejected them from the ballroom. The two were handed over to the San Francisco Police who then handcuffed, searched, arrested and transferred them to the Tenderloin Police station where they were cited and released."
[Editorial note: Both deranged individuals will appear in court in early 2009.]
FURTHER QUOTE:
"While AIPAC claims to represent the U.S. Jewish community, its wholesale support of the Israel government goes against the majority opinions of the Jewish Americans. According to a recent survey by the Jewish lobby group J Street, 76 percent of American Jews support a two-state solution, 69 percent support negotiating with a Fatah-Hamas unity government, and 59 percent felt the Gaza invasion did not improve Israel’s security. "
END QUOTE
As may be seen from the text above, Nancy Mancias and Victoria Quevedo are unaware of several pertinent facts, and quite capable of obscuring or obfuscating when their verkrampte ideology demands it. The allegedly Jewish Lobbying group J Street does not represent the majority opinions of the Jewish Americans, and in fact works hand in glove with such declared enemies of Jews, Judaism, the United States, and Israel, as the Palestinian lobby, Saudi stooges, and people like Jimmy Carter (a peanut farmer of note).
This blog fervently hopes that authorities throw the book at Ms. Mancias and Ms. Quevedo.
The antics of the Medea-Benjaminites have ceased to entertain, having long since passed beyond the edge of relevance.
Undemocratic actions by extremists, no matter how zany, should have no place in American discourse.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
CODE PINK THRILLED!
Pursuant the activists of Code Pink staging a two hour per day hunger strike outside the Egyptian consulate for three consecutive days, in solidarity with their companions touring Egypt, a correspondent sends the following letter:
"MORE HUMMUS, LESS HAMAS"
"This afternoon with Code pink was delightful! They were thrilled to see us when we pulled up. Loved our table, chairs and cheery pink table cloth. Looked really, really confused when we started pulling out food. Turned ashen grey when we festooned them with Israeli flags. Had a lovely Egyptian boy translate the Arabic pages from Palestine today for Code Pink. Code Pink (nevertheless) insists all that food came in through the tunnels. "
[Please note: letter slightly modified for 'clarity'.]
The Code Pink activists involved in this jolly adventure are Nancy Mancias and Leslie Angeline.
[Steffy mentions them on her blog here: Code Pink, in other news.]
They intend to DELIBERATELY. NOT. EAT. while in the public view for two hours. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Two hours. Three days. Two hours of non-eating per day.
It will be hard. They want you to come witness their suffering.
SOLIDARITY
Apparently the Egyptians are treating their visitors brutally, harassing and intimidating them with sumptuous buffets and air-conditioned tourist-class hotels, as well as the lovely sights and smells of Cairo. There are lots of picturesque spots suitable for snapshots and romantic moments in the bazaars and parks of MisrAlQahira (don't forget to visit the old city, fi wast al balad), as well as a lovely promenade in Alexandria ('Al Eskenderiyya') for quiet moments. The pyramids and the sphinx need no mention, of course, but you really should visit the Cairo Museum. Finish your day at one of the hundreds of exciting nightspots for which this Paris-on-the-Nile is justly famous!
It will be a trip that no revolutionary-pretendeur will ever forget.
Oooops, errrm, I mean, a number of the "activists" stuck in Egypt seem determined to starve themselves until the Egyptian government gets tired of them.
They don't like melookhia anyway!
NOTE: One of the tourists currently holding her own self hostage in Egypt is Hedy Epstein, who labels herself a holocaust survivor, despite having spent the war comfortably in England. She is well-known to many people, having been a professional pro-Arab speaker on behalf of the International Solidarity Movement, which functions as the collaborationist clearinghouse for Hamas, Hezbollah, and reportedly sometimes Iran
Enjoy the photos from the Code Pink "hunger strike" at the Egyptian Consulate in San Francisco:
"MORE HUMMUS, LESS HAMAS"
"This afternoon with Code pink was delightful! They were thrilled to see us when we pulled up. Loved our table, chairs and cheery pink table cloth. Looked really, really confused when we started pulling out food. Turned ashen grey when we festooned them with Israeli flags. Had a lovely Egyptian boy translate the Arabic pages from Palestine today for Code Pink. Code Pink (nevertheless) insists all that food came in through the tunnels. "
[Please note: letter slightly modified for 'clarity'.]
The Code Pink activists involved in this jolly adventure are Nancy Mancias and Leslie Angeline.
[Steffy mentions them on her blog here: Code Pink, in other news.]
They intend to DELIBERATELY. NOT. EAT. while in the public view for two hours. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Two hours. Three days. Two hours of non-eating per day.
It will be hard. They want you to come witness their suffering.
SOLIDARITY
Apparently the Egyptians are treating their visitors brutally, harassing and intimidating them with sumptuous buffets and air-conditioned tourist-class hotels, as well as the lovely sights and smells of Cairo. There are lots of picturesque spots suitable for snapshots and romantic moments in the bazaars and parks of MisrAlQahira (don't forget to visit the old city, fi wast al balad), as well as a lovely promenade in Alexandria ('Al Eskenderiyya') for quiet moments. The pyramids and the sphinx need no mention, of course, but you really should visit the Cairo Museum. Finish your day at one of the hundreds of exciting nightspots for which this Paris-on-the-Nile is justly famous!
It will be a trip that no revolutionary-pretendeur will ever forget.
Oooops, errrm, I mean, a number of the "activists" stuck in Egypt seem determined to starve themselves until the Egyptian government gets tired of them.
They don't like melookhia anyway!
NOTE: One of the tourists currently holding her own self hostage in Egypt is Hedy Epstein, who labels herself a holocaust survivor, despite having spent the war comfortably in England. She is well-known to many people, having been a professional pro-Arab speaker on behalf of the International Solidarity Movement, which functions as the collaborationist clearinghouse for Hamas, Hezbollah, and reportedly sometimes Iran
Enjoy the photos from the Code Pink "hunger strike" at the Egyptian Consulate in San Francisco:
Pro Hamas Rally San Francisco Union Square Dec 27 2009
A small selection of snapshots taken at the recent pro-Hamas rally in Union Square. Feel free to print them out and use them as postcards.
One of the tried and true tactics used by ideologues is to involve children as an element in the discourse to castigate the side that they oppose. Remarkably, that never works both ways - the Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA) standardly refuses to accept that Israelis have children ("those are all occupiers!), and is unconcerned entirely about children brutalized by Hamas.
Like many political "charities", MECA serves primarily as a vehicle of employment for its activists and founders.
If this woman's sign were true, there would now be eight hundred thousand dead children.
One of the tried and true tactics used by ideologues is to involve children as an element in the discourse to castigate the side that they oppose. Remarkably, that never works both ways - the Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA) standardly refuses to accept that Israelis have children ("those are all occupiers!), and is unconcerned entirely about children brutalized by Hamas.
Like many political "charities", MECA serves primarily as a vehicle of employment for its activists and founders.
If this woman's sign were true, there would now be eight hundred thousand dead children.
This sign is an instant classic.
Not only is the soldier an anti-Semitic stereotype - so is his victim! By which we can see that the artist's attitude is not 'pro-Palestinian' but anti-Semitic in the broadest possible sense.
A more cliché and subhuman depiction of both sides is hard to imagine. The artist has no sympathy for either.
Using an electric drill to torture one's captives is a favorite tactic not only of Hamas, but also several other revolutionary groups in the Middle-East. It has been used to great effect by warlords and drugdealers in Lebanon as well as Hezbollah, by the Ba'ath governments of Syria and Iraq, and by various Arab intelligence services.
Odd Job Rob Kanter of Emeryville, a man remarkable for his inability to criticize any politically correct bigots.
I particularly remember the time he tried to justify chants by Arab-American activists that called Jews dogs ("al Yahud kalabna") and demanded that they be slaughtered ("itbach al Yahud"). He has (seemingly) never had a problem standing side by side with anyone who demonizes Israel, Jews, or the United States.
He is a member of the Anti-Zionist Jews ("IJAN") as well as Bay Area Women in Black.
To the best of my knowledge he is NOT a member of San Francisco chapter of Women in Black, as they do not permit men in their ranks, and are frequently nauseated by the presence of males (even once objecting that a nearby dog was of incorrect gender).
It is also unlikely that he is a member of Code Pink - Medea Benjamin prefers uncomplicated people. But like her, he supports Cuba, Venezuela, and Iran, and likes campfires and barbecues, holding hands, long walks on the beach, and practicing native American chants and spirituality.
At least, we presume so.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Hamas rally in San Francisco Sunday December 27
Yesterday the pro-Palestinians came together to celebrate Hamas' glorious victory exactly one year ago today.
By which I mean that they congregated for the purpose of screaming threats and reciting names, in order to make Israel seem evil after the people of Gaza fired off over six thousand rockets in three years and thus precipitated a war.
Which they lost on the ground.
But in cyber space, where Israel is ALWAYS the bad guy, Hamas won the war. Largely due to such willing collaborators as the Wallach sisters, Rob Kanter, and Paul Larudee (just to name a few locals).
And the falsehoods that they are not averse to spreading.
THE SIDE OF DARKNESS
The event was at Union Square, from four to six. On the Hamas side, several local activists including the Queers United against Israeli Terror (who find Islamic repression of different sexualities not a problem - all Arab gays and lesbians should hurry back into the closet), Jewish Voice for Peace (clueless), Rob Kanter (class by himself - selfasserted anti-Israel Jew who associates with known anti-Semites and racists), ISM, BAWIB, several members of International ANSWER, and several dozen badly behaved Arab-American brats.
The Arab-American brats dominated the Hamas side.
Pro-Hamas people: about one hundred.
THE SIDE OF LIGHT
On the pro-Israel side, members of Stand With US / San Francisco Voice for Israel, plus sympathisers from Berkeley, Palo Alto, San Jose, and elsewhere. Several energetic young people of college age, several resolute middle-aged persons, and a number of resilient retirees.
Pro-Israel people: slightly over one hundred.
It was not a very noisy manifestation, mostly, as the pro-Hamas side couldn't get their sound system to work (it doesn't go straight up into the air). A few of the sons of liquor store owners screamed invective, one or two waved flags till their little arms drooped.
At one point their performance was so boring I went into the Victoria's Secret Store to browse. I wasn't the only teenager there, but I had no luck. I do not wear thongs. And the least slut-like garb Vicky sells is big as a bucket.
When I came out again, the Arab children were chanting "Palestine will be free from the river to the sea".
Which is code for promising to exterminate several million Jews.
"PALESTINE WILL BE FREE FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA ('AND WE'LL KILL ALL THE JEWS WE HAVE TO, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN')"
It's as peace-loving a chant as I've ever heard from Arabs and their willing idiots.
Their middle-class white baby sitters said nothing. They're okay with that.
The Wallach sisters are okay with that.
Medea Benjamin, Cindy Sheehan, Toby Blome, and Kate Bender Raphael are okay with that.
Hassan Fouda and Marilyn Fouda are okay with that.
Anisa Abd el Fattah, Jamal Bashir, Noura, Gamel, Afifa, Naeema, Alai, Hanan, and Lilly Haskell are all okay with that.
Dick Becker and his worker-bee Forrest are okay with that.
Jim Harris is okay with that.
Heck, the entire city of Berkeley is okay with that.
Ethnic cleansing is just dandy when Arabs do it.
[All of the above named, with the possible exception of the entire city of Berkeley, have stood side by side with hate-filled thugs and troglodytes yelling that threat. As well as several other slogans - ba rooh, ba dam, nafdeek ya falasteen, falasteen baladna wal yahood kalabna, al mawt al yahood, itbakh al yahood, etcetera. The entire city of Berkeley may have been agreement with these slogans, but has not actually said so en masse - at least not that I can prove. But they probably will soon. Berkeley always sympathises with third-world thugs. It's the revolutionary thing to do. Makes them feel special.]
GAZA FACTS
Key Statistics
• 1 million: Israeli civilians under threat from Hamas rocket fire.
• 15: Seconds Israelis have to get to a bomb shelter once a warning siren has sounded.
• 2 million: Leaflets the Israel Air Force dropped on Gaza during Operation Cast Lead, warning civilians to stay clear of Hamas fighters.
• 200,000: Phone calls made by the Israeli army to civilians in Gaza warning of an impending strike near their residences.
• 8: Years Israel has endured rocket, missile and mortar fire from Gaza.
• 1: Israeli left in Gaza – Staff Sgt. Gilad Shalit,] kidnapped by Hamas from Israel on June 25, 2006.
• 3,200+: Rockets and mortar fired from Gaza in 2008.
• 6,500+: Rockets and mortars fired from Gaza since Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005.
• 10,389: Rockets and mortars fired from Gaza 2001-2008.
• 1,000+: People in Israel injured from rockets and mortars fired from Gaza since 2001.
• 27: Number of people killed by Palestinian rocket and mortar attacks since 2001.
• 242: Rockets, missiles and mortars fired at Israel from Gaza since the end of Operation Cast Lead.
Hamas Terrorism
• 727: Rockets and mortars fired from Gaza, January – September 2009.
• 17: Attacks on Gaza goods crossings by Palestinian terrorist groups in 2008.
• 80: Percent of mosques in Gaza which Hamas reportedly controls, some of which are used for weapons storage, command and communications headquarters.
• 37 mi (60km): Range of Hamas rockets in Gaza acquired after Operation Cast Lead.
• 2.5 mi (4 km): Range of Hamas’s anti-tank missiles, smuggled into Gaza since the end of Operation Cast Lead.
• 1,500: Number of smuggling tunnels between Gaza and Egypt (estimate).
• 59 ft (18 m)/6.8 mi (11 km): Length and depth of metal fence Egypt is building on Sinai-Gaza border to prevent tunnel smuggling operations.
• 22 mi (35 km): Distance between Gaza and Yavneh - the northernmost Israeli city hit by Gaza rockets on Dec. 28, 2009.
• 900: Hamas operatives trained by Iran.
• $20 million - $30 million: Funding Iran provides annually to Hamas. Iran gave Hamas another $50 million following Hamas’s victory in the 2006 Palestinian elections.
Israel’s Aid to Gaza
• 900: Percent increase in humanitarian aid delivered to Gaza in 2009, compared to 2008.
• 630,253: Tons of humanitarian aid delivered to the Gaza Strip, Jan. 19 – Dec. 13, 2009.
• 24.5 million gallons (92.7 million liters): Heavy-duty diesel fuel delivered to the Gaza Strip, Jan. 19 – Oct. 31, 2009.
• 10,346: Gaza residents who entered Israel for medical and humanitarian reasons, Jan.19 – Nov. 7, 2009.
• 57,295 tons: Monthly average of humanitarian aid entering Gaza since Operation Cast Lead, Jan. 19 – Dec. 5, 2009.
• 11,508: Monthly average (in tons) of humanitarian aid entering Gaza from February – June 2008, a period of intense rocket fire.
• 34,253 tons: Monthly average of humanitarian aid entering Gaza during period of calm, July - December 2008.
• 18,500: Permits Israel issued to Gaza residents to enter Israel or travel overseas in 2009.
• 28,400: Flowers from Gaza scheduled for export to Europe on Dec. 10, 2009.
• 250,000: Flowers from Gaza scheduled for export beginning Dec. 13, 2009.
[SOURCE: The Israel Project: http://www.theisraelproject.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=hsJPK0PIJpH&b=689705&ct=6478505 ]
=========================================================================
END
At around six fifteen, the pro-Israel pro-peace side got tired of the tantrums from the spoiled children of liquor store owners, and decided to head out to dinner, leaving misbehaved delinquents and high-school drop-outs to shout into an empty street.
I hope they all caught cold. We have too many liquor stores in San Francisco.
By which I mean that they congregated for the purpose of screaming threats and reciting names, in order to make Israel seem evil after the people of Gaza fired off over six thousand rockets in three years and thus precipitated a war.
Which they lost on the ground.
But in cyber space, where Israel is ALWAYS the bad guy, Hamas won the war. Largely due to such willing collaborators as the Wallach sisters, Rob Kanter, and Paul Larudee (just to name a few locals).
And the falsehoods that they are not averse to spreading.
THE SIDE OF DARKNESS
The event was at Union Square, from four to six. On the Hamas side, several local activists including the Queers United against Israeli Terror (who find Islamic repression of different sexualities not a problem - all Arab gays and lesbians should hurry back into the closet), Jewish Voice for Peace (clueless), Rob Kanter (class by himself - selfasserted anti-Israel Jew who associates with known anti-Semites and racists), ISM, BAWIB, several members of International ANSWER, and several dozen badly behaved Arab-American brats.
The Arab-American brats dominated the Hamas side.
Pro-Hamas people: about one hundred.
THE SIDE OF LIGHT
On the pro-Israel side, members of Stand With US / San Francisco Voice for Israel, plus sympathisers from Berkeley, Palo Alto, San Jose, and elsewhere. Several energetic young people of college age, several resolute middle-aged persons, and a number of resilient retirees.
Pro-Israel people: slightly over one hundred.
It was not a very noisy manifestation, mostly, as the pro-Hamas side couldn't get their sound system to work (it doesn't go straight up into the air). A few of the sons of liquor store owners screamed invective, one or two waved flags till their little arms drooped.
At one point their performance was so boring I went into the Victoria's Secret Store to browse. I wasn't the only teenager there, but I had no luck. I do not wear thongs. And the least slut-like garb Vicky sells is big as a bucket.
When I came out again, the Arab children were chanting "Palestine will be free from the river to the sea".
Which is code for promising to exterminate several million Jews.
"PALESTINE WILL BE FREE FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA ('AND WE'LL KILL ALL THE JEWS WE HAVE TO, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN')"
It's as peace-loving a chant as I've ever heard from Arabs and their willing idiots.
Their middle-class white baby sitters said nothing. They're okay with that.
The Wallach sisters are okay with that.
Medea Benjamin, Cindy Sheehan, Toby Blome, and Kate Bender Raphael are okay with that.
Hassan Fouda and Marilyn Fouda are okay with that.
Anisa Abd el Fattah, Jamal Bashir, Noura, Gamel, Afifa, Naeema, Alai, Hanan, and Lilly Haskell are all okay with that.
Dick Becker and his worker-bee Forrest are okay with that.
Jim Harris is okay with that.
Heck, the entire city of Berkeley is okay with that.
Ethnic cleansing is just dandy when Arabs do it.
[All of the above named, with the possible exception of the entire city of Berkeley, have stood side by side with hate-filled thugs and troglodytes yelling that threat. As well as several other slogans - ba rooh, ba dam, nafdeek ya falasteen, falasteen baladna wal yahood kalabna, al mawt al yahood, itbakh al yahood, etcetera. The entire city of Berkeley may have been agreement with these slogans, but has not actually said so en masse - at least not that I can prove. But they probably will soon. Berkeley always sympathises with third-world thugs. It's the revolutionary thing to do. Makes them feel special.]
GAZA FACTS
Key Statistics
• 1 million: Israeli civilians under threat from Hamas rocket fire.
• 15: Seconds Israelis have to get to a bomb shelter once a warning siren has sounded.
• 2 million: Leaflets the Israel Air Force dropped on Gaza during Operation Cast Lead, warning civilians to stay clear of Hamas fighters.
• 200,000: Phone calls made by the Israeli army to civilians in Gaza warning of an impending strike near their residences.
• 8: Years Israel has endured rocket, missile and mortar fire from Gaza.
• 1: Israeli left in Gaza – Staff Sgt. Gilad Shalit,] kidnapped by Hamas from Israel on June 25, 2006.
• 3,200+: Rockets and mortar fired from Gaza in 2008.
• 6,500+: Rockets and mortars fired from Gaza since Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005.
• 10,389: Rockets and mortars fired from Gaza 2001-2008.
• 1,000+: People in Israel injured from rockets and mortars fired from Gaza since 2001.
• 27: Number of people killed by Palestinian rocket and mortar attacks since 2001.
• 242: Rockets, missiles and mortars fired at Israel from Gaza since the end of Operation Cast Lead.
Hamas Terrorism
• 727: Rockets and mortars fired from Gaza, January – September 2009.
• 17: Attacks on Gaza goods crossings by Palestinian terrorist groups in 2008.
• 80: Percent of mosques in Gaza which Hamas reportedly controls, some of which are used for weapons storage, command and communications headquarters.
• 37 mi (60km): Range of Hamas rockets in Gaza acquired after Operation Cast Lead.
• 2.5 mi (4 km): Range of Hamas’s anti-tank missiles, smuggled into Gaza since the end of Operation Cast Lead.
• 1,500: Number of smuggling tunnels between Gaza and Egypt (estimate).
• 59 ft (18 m)/6.8 mi (11 km): Length and depth of metal fence Egypt is building on Sinai-Gaza border to prevent tunnel smuggling operations.
• 22 mi (35 km): Distance between Gaza and Yavneh - the northernmost Israeli city hit by Gaza rockets on Dec. 28, 2009.
• 900: Hamas operatives trained by Iran.
• $20 million - $30 million: Funding Iran provides annually to Hamas. Iran gave Hamas another $50 million following Hamas’s victory in the 2006 Palestinian elections.
Israel’s Aid to Gaza
• 900: Percent increase in humanitarian aid delivered to Gaza in 2009, compared to 2008.
• 630,253: Tons of humanitarian aid delivered to the Gaza Strip, Jan. 19 – Dec. 13, 2009.
• 24.5 million gallons (92.7 million liters): Heavy-duty diesel fuel delivered to the Gaza Strip, Jan. 19 – Oct. 31, 2009.
• 10,346: Gaza residents who entered Israel for medical and humanitarian reasons, Jan.19 – Nov. 7, 2009.
• 57,295 tons: Monthly average of humanitarian aid entering Gaza since Operation Cast Lead, Jan. 19 – Dec. 5, 2009.
• 11,508: Monthly average (in tons) of humanitarian aid entering Gaza from February – June 2008, a period of intense rocket fire.
• 34,253 tons: Monthly average of humanitarian aid entering Gaza during period of calm, July - December 2008.
• 18,500: Permits Israel issued to Gaza residents to enter Israel or travel overseas in 2009.
• 28,400: Flowers from Gaza scheduled for export to Europe on Dec. 10, 2009.
• 250,000: Flowers from Gaza scheduled for export beginning Dec. 13, 2009.
[SOURCE: The Israel Project: http://www.theisraelproject.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=hsJPK0PIJpH&b=689705&ct=6478505 ]
=========================================================================
END
At around six fifteen, the pro-Israel pro-peace side got tired of the tantrums from the spoiled children of liquor store owners, and decided to head out to dinner, leaving misbehaved delinquents and high-school drop-outs to shout into an empty street.
I hope they all caught cold. We have too many liquor stores in San Francisco.
What do these people have in common?
Here is a list of people who have crippled moral and ethical sensibilities.
What ELSE do they have in common?
Adam Keller
Anat Biletski
Anat Matar
Beate Zilversmidt
Cynthia McKinney
David Theo Goldberg
Hava Kelleradam
Howard Zinn
John Berger
Katherine M. Fuchs
Leslie Feinberg
Luisa Morgantini
Mairead Maguire
Mustafa Barghouti
Noam Chomsky, MIT
Norman Finklestein
Phyllis Bennis
Rashid Khalidi
Roger Waters
Ronnie Kasrils
Sut Jhally
Tarun J. Tejpal
No, it isn't membership in a socialist sex-cult. That would be relatively harmless.
Hint: it is illegal in the US, but NOT in the Arab world. Where, like the sexual exploitation, abuse and murder of religious minorities, gays, and women, it is pandemic.
What ELSE do they have in common?
Adam Keller
Anat Biletski
Anat Matar
Beate Zilversmidt
Cynthia McKinney
David Theo Goldberg
Hava Kelleradam
Howard Zinn
John Berger
Katherine M. Fuchs
Leslie Feinberg
Luisa Morgantini
Mairead Maguire
Mustafa Barghouti
Noam Chomsky, MIT
Norman Finklestein
Phyllis Bennis
Rashid Khalidi
Roger Waters
Ronnie Kasrils
Sut Jhally
Tarun J. Tejpal
No, it isn't membership in a socialist sex-cult. That would be relatively harmless.
Hint: it is illegal in the US, but NOT in the Arab world. Where, like the sexual exploitation, abuse and murder of religious minorities, gays, and women, it is pandemic.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Women in Black celebrating the birth of Jesus
Due to the nativity of their lord, Berkeley Women in Black will NOT be holding their usual mute vigil today. Instead, they will be giving toy kalashnikovs and little checkered scarves to their grand-children, and singing reworked carols that specifically include mention of the remarkable machismatic similarities between imprisoned Palestinian activists and the young radical Jesus.
We wish them a merry, politically correct, sufferingly meaningful, and Berkeleyite in every way Christmas. Even the Methodists among them.
Enjoy your roast tofu and wheat-germ, girls, you deserve it!
We'll see you again on the thirty first. Bring booze this time.
We wish them a merry, politically correct, sufferingly meaningful, and Berkeleyite in every way Christmas. Even the Methodists among them.
Enjoy your roast tofu and wheat-germ, girls, you deserve it!
We'll see you again on the thirty first. Bring booze this time.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Overcoming Speechlessness
I notice that Alice Walker has reposted to her blog an essay entitled "Overcoming Speechlessness: a Poet Encounters "the horror" in Rwanda, Eastern Congo, and Palestine/Israel". I had thought to write something about this essay when I first read it, but I put it aside. Other matters were pressing, and, well, I didn't know where to begin. But now it's back, and rather than grinding my teeth, I'm overcoming my own speechlessness and saying something, hardly everything there is to say, about it.
Beginning:
It's hard to know how to begin to tackle this enormous, sprawling, hateful and clueless essay. Maybe at the top, where there is a picture of Walker posing with "Hamas Sister, Huda Naim, Member of Parliament, and Mother of five children". Maybe just a piece at a time, picking out a piece or two that got my Irish up.
Walker begins the essay with an account of meetings and travels in Africa. She begins with the stories of women in Rwanda and Congo who have survived things that make you want to scream to think of them. And then, she brings us to her understanding of Israel:
Does the willful ignorance take away your breath yet? The "holocaust" in quotes, which doesn't reflect past treatment of Jews but 'future' disasters, the European Jews who passively "were settled" there? The ignorance of the history of Zionism, of the thriving communities of Jews already living in the land, working and living on land they owned? The communities of Jews living in what is now Israel, since Ottoman times or before? The people who came during the ninteenth century, and the first half of the twentieth, to build a country? The non-European Jews who came after the war--oh, Alice, tell me why you think they came from countries they had lived in since the Babylonian Empire was a going political power, lands like Iraq and Egypt? That's not to even bring up the Jewish people's connection to and presence on this land going back to the Bronze Age, which I'm sure Alice doesn't take into account at all.
So this woman knows nothing, nothing at all, about Israeli history, and yet she is going to write an essay about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. From the heart, one supposes.
So many Jews.
Alice wants you to know about all the Jews, seeking justice, who went to Gaza with her. This includes:
A Jewish man who was born in Palestine? How could that be, Alice? I thought they were resettled after the war by the Brits. Oh, never mind. I am supposed to believe that Israeli customs officials have never seen a passport issued to someone born in British Palestine before, and treat him like an enemy, because he is 'Palestinian'? Alice, sorry, but this is BS. Your ignorance of the country you see as the stronghold of racism and discrimination is leading you to swallow bubbemeisehs.
Let me tell you another story, and ask why you think this man's wife was not on the bus with you. The grandfather of a woman I know used to go every year, by train, to British Palestine, to pray at the Tomb of the Patriarch. It's a long train ride from Baghdad to Hebron, but he went every year, and then he prayed, not at the Tomb itself, because Jews were not allowed inside, but from the outside, as close as he was permitted to the shrine itself. His children and grandchildren now live in Israel and the United States, because within a decade of the founding of the State of Israel, Iraq was no longer a safe place to live as a Jew. Alice, did your guides introduce you to anyone who could tell you a story like this? Why do you think this man's wife, or his daughter, were not on your bus to tell their stories?
Rubble.
And she describes Gaza, and she asks: If children are not safe playing in their schoolyards, where are they safe?
And I think of pictures of children dead in Sderot, and I wonder at this woman's inability to see more than one snapshot of a conflict.
May God Protect You From The Jews
Alice encounters an old woman in Gaza:
What a moment of solidarity, between the Palestinian woman and the leftist American novelist. A racial slur. Beautiful. But of course, Alice has a reason:
I wonder, Alice, if that might be because you've never bothered to learn the true history and the more complicated stories, and when you hear that from him, you turn off your ears and close your heart. But, no, clearly the ethnic slurs are justified.
I'm being mocking here because I don't know how else to respond. The sheer, stupid, self-justifying ugliness in this passage stopped my heart for a moment.
It's the pretension of awareness that gets to me. The self-anointing as struggler in a cause seen out of context, seen with no historical understanding, or knowledge of the broader world. The photographs with the Hamas 'Sister', with no understanding of what Hamas is, what they have done, who they are. The justifications for everything. The unwavering willingness to be the latest poor dumb American to come along and not look for any hidden truth or moral ambiguities.
May I never have to overcome speechlessness when it comes to lies and ignorance like this.
Beginning:
It's hard to know how to begin to tackle this enormous, sprawling, hateful and clueless essay. Maybe at the top, where there is a picture of Walker posing with "Hamas Sister, Huda Naim, Member of Parliament, and Mother of five children". Maybe just a piece at a time, picking out a piece or two that got my Irish up.
Walker begins the essay with an account of meetings and travels in Africa. She begins with the stories of women in Rwanda and Congo who have survived things that make you want to scream to think of them. And then, she brings us to her understanding of Israel:
Like most people on the planet, I have been aware of the Palestinian-Israel conflict almost my whole life. I was four years old in 1948 when, after being
subjected to unspeakable cruelty by the Germans, after a "holocaust" so many future disasters would resemble, thousands of European Jews were resettled in Palestine. They settled in a land that belonged to people already living there, which did not seem to bother the British who, as in India, had occupied Palestine and then, on leaving it, helped put in place a partitioning of the land they thought would work fine for the people, strangers, Palestinians and European Jews, now forced to live together.
Does the willful ignorance take away your breath yet? The "holocaust" in quotes, which doesn't reflect past treatment of Jews but 'future' disasters, the European Jews who passively "were settled" there? The ignorance of the history of Zionism, of the thriving communities of Jews already living in the land, working and living on land they owned? The communities of Jews living in what is now Israel, since Ottoman times or before? The people who came during the ninteenth century, and the first half of the twentieth, to build a country? The non-European Jews who came after the war--oh, Alice, tell me why you think they came from countries they had lived in since the Babylonian Empire was a going political power, lands like Iraq and Egypt? That's not to even bring up the Jewish people's connection to and presence on this land going back to the Bronze Age, which I'm sure Alice doesn't take into account at all.
So this woman knows nothing, nothing at all, about Israeli history, and yet she is going to write an essay about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. From the heart, one supposes.
So many Jews.
Alice wants you to know about all the Jews, seeking justice, who went to Gaza with her. This includes:
A woman in her late fifties or early sixties stood at the front of the bus, as we passed donkey carts and Mercedes Benzes, and spoke of traveling to Palestine without her husband, a Jewish man who was born in Palestine. Several times they had come back to Palestine, renamed Israel, to see family. To attend graduations, weddings, and funerals. Each time they were held for hours at the airport as her husband was stripped, searched, interrogated, and threatened when he spoke up for himself. In short, because his passport was stamped with the place of his birth, Palestine, he was treated like a Palestinian. This Jewish husband sent his best wishes, but he could no longer endure travel in so painful a part of the world.
A Jewish man who was born in Palestine? How could that be, Alice? I thought they were resettled after the war by the Brits. Oh, never mind. I am supposed to believe that Israeli customs officials have never seen a passport issued to someone born in British Palestine before, and treat him like an enemy, because he is 'Palestinian'? Alice, sorry, but this is BS. Your ignorance of the country you see as the stronghold of racism and discrimination is leading you to swallow bubbemeisehs.
Let me tell you another story, and ask why you think this man's wife was not on the bus with you. The grandfather of a woman I know used to go every year, by train, to British Palestine, to pray at the Tomb of the Patriarch. It's a long train ride from Baghdad to Hebron, but he went every year, and then he prayed, not at the Tomb itself, because Jews were not allowed inside, but from the outside, as close as he was permitted to the shrine itself. His children and grandchildren now live in Israel and the United States, because within a decade of the founding of the State of Israel, Iraq was no longer a safe place to live as a Jew. Alice, did your guides introduce you to anyone who could tell you a story like this? Why do you think this man's wife, or his daughter, were not on your bus to tell their stories?
Rubble.
And she describes Gaza, and she asks: If children are not safe playing in their schoolyards, where are they safe?
And I think of pictures of children dead in Sderot, and I wonder at this woman's inability to see more than one snapshot of a conflict.
May God Protect You From The Jews
Alice encounters an old woman in Gaza:
I gave her a gift I had brought, and she thanked me. Looking into my eyes she said: May God protect you from the Jews. When the young Palestinian interpreter told me what she’d said, I responded: It’s too late, I already married one.
What a moment of solidarity, between the Palestinian woman and the leftist American novelist. A racial slur. Beautiful. But of course, Alice has a reason:
I said this partly because, like so many Jews in America, my former husband could not tolerate criticism of Israel’s behavior toward the Palestinians. Our very different positions on what is happening now in Palestine/Israel and what has been happening for over fifty years, has been perhaps our most severe disagreement. It is a subject we have never been able to rationally discuss. He does not see the racist treatment of Palestinians as the same racist treatment of blacks and some Jews that he fought against so nobly in Mississippi.
I wonder, Alice, if that might be because you've never bothered to learn the true history and the more complicated stories, and when you hear that from him, you turn off your ears and close your heart. But, no, clearly the ethnic slurs are justified.
I'm being mocking here because I don't know how else to respond. The sheer, stupid, self-justifying ugliness in this passage stopped my heart for a moment.
It's the pretension of awareness that gets to me. The self-anointing as struggler in a cause seen out of context, seen with no historical understanding, or knowledge of the broader world. The photographs with the Hamas 'Sister', with no understanding of what Hamas is, what they have done, who they are. The justifications for everything. The unwavering willingness to be the latest poor dumb American to come along and not look for any hidden truth or moral ambiguities.
May I never have to overcome speechlessness when it comes to lies and ignorance like this.
MIDDLE EAST GANGSTER REGIMES
Treppenwitz has a cogent posting today with which I cannot but agree. So, as has happened before, he is guest-posting here.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Double standard? What double standard?!
As the late Mr. Roger's used to sing, "Who are the people in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood, in your nei-bor-hood...?" Let's take a peek, shall we?
Jordan...a country and monarchy invented out of whole cloth by the British (in direct violation of their Mandate) which everyone loves to think of as the most enlightened, democratic member of the Arab world.
Well, guess what?
'King' Abdullah just dissolved the legislature and pushed off elections indefinitely.
Outrage? Anyone... anyone? Oh yeah, I forgot. We have to respect their unique culture.
Lebanon... Another 'enlightened' Arab state. 'Paris of the Mediterranean' they like to call it. A cafe culture so close to our own that misguided lefty Israeli journalists are compelled to do a Jane Fonda-esque cameo from Beirut within hours of a shameful end to a war... a war that was started by these peace-loving, latte-sipping Lebanese! These same Lebanese now count Hezbollah - a terrorist militia that was supposed to be disarmed under the terms of U.N. Resolution 1701 - as part of their government. For context, that would be like the KKK holding a veto-wielding majority in the U.S. Congress, and also being given the right to raise and command their own army.
Syria... Another country made up out of whole cloth... this time by the French. Funny how Europeans who love to toss the word 'Colonial Power'' at Israel conveniently forget that it was Israel's neighbors that were created in the last gasp of the colonial era, while Israel was voted into being by a recognized legal world body. But don't tell that to any of the religious or ethnic minorities in the Arab world... it might stir them from their satisfied slumber. Syria's constitution requires that all positions of power remain in the hands of the Ba'ath party... and even though there is a national referendum for president every seven years, the Syrian people are essentially required to appoint the head of the Ba'ath Party as President. Thus this bastion of democracy is essentially saddled forever with a dynastic ethnic minority (Alawite) leader who also happens to head a minority political party.
Iran... Do we really need to do this exercise? They call themselves an Islamic Republic yet ironically consider Israel's self definition as a Jewish state to be racist. And as to the 'republic' part, any country where the highest office - called 'The Supreme Leader' - is a religious leader and not subject to election... well, I don't think you'll find that one in Wikipedia under 'Republic'. And as to their elections... I think we can pretty much agree that the outcome of these farces are set and approved by the Supreme leader well before anyone goes near a ballot box.
Iraq... Okay, since the U.S. kinda pushed the 'reset' button on the Iraqi government and all instruments of power when they invaded, it will be some time before we know what the political face of this country will look like long-term. But the likelihood that anybody will be playing nice with anyone else once the U.S. leaves the sandbox is not very high.
Saudi Arabia... Pshah! Another theocracy (see Iran, above) in a region where only Israel is castigated for religious 'offences'. The Saudis cut off the hands and feet of petty criminals and behead drug dealers. The Royal family is a dysfunctional nightmare from the dark ages, and less than 5% of Saudi women are allowed to work (the lowest percentage in the world). Heck, Saudi women aren't even allowed to drive! And if you wants to talk about freedom of speech... well you'd better not be in Saudi Arabia because it doesn't exist. There are actual laws against criticizing the government or anyone in the royal family.
Yemen... Another so-called 'republic'... this country is a model of a modern democracy, if you don't count the rampant corruption, torture, inhumane treatment of political prisoners and even extra-judicial executions. But on the feminist front there seems to be some progress (not!). They have recently abolished the rule whereby the onset of puberty marked the minimum age for a girl's marriage.
Apparently those romantic Yemenis couldn't wait that long to bed their child brides. Again, outrage anyone?
Gaza... Puleeze, can anyone say failed proto-state? If anyone were to faithfully document the situation in Gaza and make it into a movie, the American Muslim Anti Discrimination Committee would protest the absurd depiction of the adherents to 'the religion of peace' as sub-human terrorists.
Egypt... Okay, this one is really scary in much the same way as watching a car crash in slow motion. We have an aging autocrat hanging on to power by the skin of his teeth while the Muslim Brotherhood is already passing out portfolios in anticipation of their inevitable rise to power. Even though in theory the executive power is split between the President and Prime Minister, in reality all of the power rests with the president. Mubarak has even changed the election laws, raising the threshold for potential opposing candidates so high that he is virtually assured to remain in power for however much time remains of his life.
So it was beyond laughable when the current Israeli government was being formed, that much of the world (including our closest allies) bemoaned the end of Israeli democracy because Netanyahu's choice for Foreign Minister had some, let's just say 'controversial' opinions. And the two countries from the list of thugocracies above that are actually on speaking terms with us (Jordan and Egypt) had the gall to announce that they wouldn't meet with our FM. Nice.
Seriously, when are we going to simply announce to the world that we will play by whatever rules they want... but only if everyone will be bound by the same rules? How's that for a controversial opinion?!
SOURCE:
http://bogieworks.blogs.com/treppenwitz/
This post:
http://www.treppenwitz.com/2009/12/double-standard-what-double-standard.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In point of fact, while Israel may not be perfect, as so many members of the ultra-enlightened fringe always take pains to point out, it is the only modern and civilized country in the Middle-East. The rest are little more than thug-bucket tyrannies, whose people still have a long way to go. And they aren't going to get there anytime soon. Not while they and the despots that rule them adhere to feudal mores and barbaric values.
"We have to respect their unique culture"
Actually, I respect their food. Their cultures do not particularly impress me.
Yes, back in the dark ages, they had algebra and medicine. That early promise has not manifested itself more significantly since then.
They also had slavery, repression, and tyranny.
Which, more or less, is remarkably similar to their present state.
There are indeed enlightened Arabs - many enlightened Arabs. They are constantly threatened by their own regimes, and often brutally slaughtered. Do not expect them to speak out on their own behalf - doing so would be committing suicide.
The only ones who can speak out for them are the 'ultra-enlightened' members of Western Societies. Who, alas, seem more concerned with "respecting their unique culture".
It is the unique cowardice and hypocrisy of the European socialists and the American leftwing which keeps Arabs from ever realizing their potential.
A hot-house culture of Colourful Ethnics is so much easier to deal with.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Double standard? What double standard?!
As the late Mr. Roger's used to sing, "Who are the people in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood, in your nei-bor-hood...?" Let's take a peek, shall we?
Jordan...a country and monarchy invented out of whole cloth by the British (in direct violation of their Mandate) which everyone loves to think of as the most enlightened, democratic member of the Arab world.
Well, guess what?
'King' Abdullah just dissolved the legislature and pushed off elections indefinitely.
Outrage? Anyone... anyone? Oh yeah, I forgot. We have to respect their unique culture.
Lebanon... Another 'enlightened' Arab state. 'Paris of the Mediterranean' they like to call it. A cafe culture so close to our own that misguided lefty Israeli journalists are compelled to do a Jane Fonda-esque cameo from Beirut within hours of a shameful end to a war... a war that was started by these peace-loving, latte-sipping Lebanese! These same Lebanese now count Hezbollah - a terrorist militia that was supposed to be disarmed under the terms of U.N. Resolution 1701 - as part of their government. For context, that would be like the KKK holding a veto-wielding majority in the U.S. Congress, and also being given the right to raise and command their own army.
Syria... Another country made up out of whole cloth... this time by the French. Funny how Europeans who love to toss the word 'Colonial Power'' at Israel conveniently forget that it was Israel's neighbors that were created in the last gasp of the colonial era, while Israel was voted into being by a recognized legal world body. But don't tell that to any of the religious or ethnic minorities in the Arab world... it might stir them from their satisfied slumber. Syria's constitution requires that all positions of power remain in the hands of the Ba'ath party... and even though there is a national referendum for president every seven years, the Syrian people are essentially required to appoint the head of the Ba'ath Party as President. Thus this bastion of democracy is essentially saddled forever with a dynastic ethnic minority (Alawite) leader who also happens to head a minority political party.
Iran... Do we really need to do this exercise? They call themselves an Islamic Republic yet ironically consider Israel's self definition as a Jewish state to be racist. And as to the 'republic' part, any country where the highest office - called 'The Supreme Leader' - is a religious leader and not subject to election... well, I don't think you'll find that one in Wikipedia under 'Republic'. And as to their elections... I think we can pretty much agree that the outcome of these farces are set and approved by the Supreme leader well before anyone goes near a ballot box.
Iraq... Okay, since the U.S. kinda pushed the 'reset' button on the Iraqi government and all instruments of power when they invaded, it will be some time before we know what the political face of this country will look like long-term. But the likelihood that anybody will be playing nice with anyone else once the U.S. leaves the sandbox is not very high.
Saudi Arabia... Pshah! Another theocracy (see Iran, above) in a region where only Israel is castigated for religious 'offences'. The Saudis cut off the hands and feet of petty criminals and behead drug dealers. The Royal family is a dysfunctional nightmare from the dark ages, and less than 5% of Saudi women are allowed to work (the lowest percentage in the world). Heck, Saudi women aren't even allowed to drive! And if you wants to talk about freedom of speech... well you'd better not be in Saudi Arabia because it doesn't exist. There are actual laws against criticizing the government or anyone in the royal family.
Yemen... Another so-called 'republic'... this country is a model of a modern democracy, if you don't count the rampant corruption, torture, inhumane treatment of political prisoners and even extra-judicial executions. But on the feminist front there seems to be some progress (not!). They have recently abolished the rule whereby the onset of puberty marked the minimum age for a girl's marriage.
Apparently those romantic Yemenis couldn't wait that long to bed their child brides. Again, outrage anyone?
Gaza... Puleeze, can anyone say failed proto-state? If anyone were to faithfully document the situation in Gaza and make it into a movie, the American Muslim Anti Discrimination Committee would protest the absurd depiction of the adherents to 'the religion of peace' as sub-human terrorists.
Egypt... Okay, this one is really scary in much the same way as watching a car crash in slow motion. We have an aging autocrat hanging on to power by the skin of his teeth while the Muslim Brotherhood is already passing out portfolios in anticipation of their inevitable rise to power. Even though in theory the executive power is split between the President and Prime Minister, in reality all of the power rests with the president. Mubarak has even changed the election laws, raising the threshold for potential opposing candidates so high that he is virtually assured to remain in power for however much time remains of his life.
So it was beyond laughable when the current Israeli government was being formed, that much of the world (including our closest allies) bemoaned the end of Israeli democracy because Netanyahu's choice for Foreign Minister had some, let's just say 'controversial' opinions. And the two countries from the list of thugocracies above that are actually on speaking terms with us (Jordan and Egypt) had the gall to announce that they wouldn't meet with our FM. Nice.
Seriously, when are we going to simply announce to the world that we will play by whatever rules they want... but only if everyone will be bound by the same rules? How's that for a controversial opinion?!
SOURCE:
http://bogieworks.blogs.com/treppenwitz/
This post:
http://www.treppenwitz.com/2009/12/double-standard-what-double-standard.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In point of fact, while Israel may not be perfect, as so many members of the ultra-enlightened fringe always take pains to point out, it is the only modern and civilized country in the Middle-East. The rest are little more than thug-bucket tyrannies, whose people still have a long way to go. And they aren't going to get there anytime soon. Not while they and the despots that rule them adhere to feudal mores and barbaric values.
"We have to respect their unique culture"
Actually, I respect their food. Their cultures do not particularly impress me.
Yes, back in the dark ages, they had algebra and medicine. That early promise has not manifested itself more significantly since then.
They also had slavery, repression, and tyranny.
Which, more or less, is remarkably similar to their present state.
There are indeed enlightened Arabs - many enlightened Arabs. They are constantly threatened by their own regimes, and often brutally slaughtered. Do not expect them to speak out on their own behalf - doing so would be committing suicide.
The only ones who can speak out for them are the 'ultra-enlightened' members of Western Societies. Who, alas, seem more concerned with "respecting their unique culture".
It is the unique cowardice and hypocrisy of the European socialists and the American leftwing which keeps Arabs from ever realizing their potential.
A hot-house culture of Colourful Ethnics is so much easier to deal with.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Egypt Says No to the Gaza Freedom March
Egypt has made the decision that it doesn't want to be responsible for 1000 Code pinkers wandering through its territory. And so the email deluge begins. Did you all get this whining little missive from "Jewish Peace News"? :
Contact your local consulate here: http://www.mfa. gov.eg/MFA_ Portal/en- GB/mfa_websits/
Contact the Palestine Division in Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cairo
Ahmed Azzam, tel +202-25749682 Email: ahmed.azzam@ mfa.gov.eg
In the U.S., contact the Egyptian Embassy, 202-895-5400 and ask for Omar Youssef or email omaryoussef@ hotmail.com
Tell them there is no "Siege". Tell them just this month
* The amount of merchandise entering the Gaza Strip increased - over 64,000 tons (89% from the private sector and only 11% from the international community) of food, medicines, hygiene products, clothing, agricultural supplies, and cement.
* Fuel: Almost 10 million liters of diesel fuel for the power station and over 1,100 tons of cooking gas were delivered to the Gaza Strip.
* 7,000 heads of cattle were imported for the Eid al-Adha holiday.
* 1,862 Palestinians crossed from the Gaza Strip into Israel, the West Bank and the Allenby Bridge crossing.
* 848 International staff members entered the Gaza Strip.
* 83 Israelis entered the G.S for humanitarian reasons.
* The Erez Terminal renovations are almost complete on the Palestinian side. All that is needed is the installation of the electrical wiring in order to complete the project. This should be accomplished in December.
* The Power Plant in Gaza received 12 new transformers as well as other electrical equipment.
* The North Gaza Wastewater facility was discussed at several meetings between World Bank officials and members of the Palestinian and Israeli infrastructure teams.
* Communications equipment was delivered to the Palestinian Water Authority.
And tell the Code Pinkers the pyramids of Giza are much more educational than the Gaza strip
We are determined to break the siege. We all will continue to do whatever we can to make it happen
Using the pretext of escalating tensions on the Gaza-Egypt border, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry informed us yesterday that the Rafah border will be closed over the coming weeks, into January. We responded that there is always tension at the border because of the siege, that we do not feel threatened, and that if there are any risks, they are risks we are willing to take. We also said that it was too late for over 1,300 delegates coming from over 42 countries to change their plans now. We both agreed to continue our exchanges.
Although we consider this as a setback, it is something we've encountered -and overcome- before. No delegation, large or small, that entered Gaza over the past 12 months has ever received a final OK before arriving at the Rafah border. Most delegations were discouraged from even heading out of Cairo to Rafah. Some had their buses stopped on the way. Some have been told outright that they could not go into Gaza. But after public and political pressure, the Egyptian government changed its position and let them pass.
Our efforts and plans will not be altered at this point. We have set out to break the siege of Gaza and march on December 31 against the Israeli blockade. We are continuing in the same direction.
Egyptian embassies and missions all over the world must hear from us and our supporters (by phone, fax and email)** over the coming crucial days, with a clear message: Let the international delegation enter Gaza and let the Gaza Freedom March proceed.
Contact your local consulate here: http://www.mfa. gov.eg/MFA_ Portal/en- GB/mfa_websits/
Contact the Palestine Division in Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cairo
Ahmed Azzam, tel +202-25749682 Email: ahmed.azzam@ mfa.gov.eg
In the U.S., contact the Egyptian Embassy, 202-895-5400 and ask for Omar Youssef or email omaryoussef@ hotmail.com
Tell them there is no "Siege". Tell them just this month
* The amount of merchandise entering the Gaza Strip increased - over 64,000 tons (89% from the private sector and only 11% from the international community) of food, medicines, hygiene products, clothing, agricultural supplies, and cement.
* Fuel: Almost 10 million liters of diesel fuel for the power station and over 1,100 tons of cooking gas were delivered to the Gaza Strip.
* 7,000 heads of cattle were imported for the Eid al-Adha holiday.
* 1,862 Palestinians crossed from the Gaza Strip into Israel, the West Bank and the Allenby Bridge crossing.
* 848 International staff members entered the Gaza Strip.
* 83 Israelis entered the G.S for humanitarian reasons.
* The Erez Terminal renovations are almost complete on the Palestinian side. All that is needed is the installation of the electrical wiring in order to complete the project. This should be accomplished in December.
* The Power Plant in Gaza received 12 new transformers as well as other electrical equipment.
* The North Gaza Wastewater facility was discussed at several meetings between World Bank officials and members of the Palestinian and Israeli infrastructure teams.
* Communications equipment was delivered to the Palestinian Water Authority.
And tell the Code Pinkers the pyramids of Giza are much more educational than the Gaza strip
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Aipac protests in San Francisco
The subheading of this post should be: "In the words of Eric Cartman, 'I hate you guys, I hate you guys so very very much!'."
Wednesday 12/15/2009, San Francisco: Last night AIPAC came to town. As every year, that attracted the Israel haters and psychopaths. Which includes the following short list
• AlAwda.
• ANSWER.
• Code Pink (represented by Toby and someone of indeterminate gender).
• International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (saboteurs, the sexually frustrated, damaged psyches, and mister Kanter).
• International Solidarity Movement, (Paul Larudee and assorted fans of Hamas and Hezbollah).
• Jim Harris (a simple soul, who just can NOT keep his mouth shut, bless him).
• Joe Webb (an old-style anti-Semite with clothing that advertises insanity).
• Middle East Children's Alliance (only Arab children are children, all others are occupiers).
• Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism ('Turkeys for Thanksgiving').
• San Francisco State students.
• Stop AIPAC -Bay Area.
• The Bay Area Campaign to End Israeli Apartheid.
There were the usual tantrums from middle-aged Berkeleyites, virulent hate-spews from SFState students and children of liquor store owners, plus anemic chanting and idiotic talking points from the ideologically autistic (yes, Dick Becker, that means you - although Jim Harris did try to steal your thunder).
It was a veritable feast of instability, fantasy, and delusional signage.
Hassan Fouda and his lovely wife Marilyn also showed up, both well-known for justifying violent acts against 'the occupier', and for channeling a unique brand of Jew-hatred - just ask folks in California, Connecticut, and Utah about them, though at least one individual in Maryland begs to differ.
They're pathological, they can't help it.
Thank heavens they found each other.
Theirs is a unique love.
The poltroons from the NLG were under deep cover, possibly as a result of their blatant instigation and agitation at the last manifestation of Jew-hatred. Bad PR, even in San Francisco.
That's okay, we love you girls - say hi to Lily Haskell, I didn't see her last night.
Several members of the anti-Israel crowd were dressed eccentrically: an Uncle Sam, a yogi, Flower Child, Evil Santa, SS Stripper, Raggedy Man, and a teenager with a keffiyeh around his face who does not want his dad to find out that he was jeopardizing his family's stay in the United States (don't worry, we won't tell).
Again, most of the crowd of hate-filled zealots was comprised of self-righteous middle-aged ladies from Berkeley, a few of whom are Jewish, though there are also many Methodists, Presbyterians, Unitarians, and Wiccans among their ranks.
This year no obvious infiltrators from Lily Haskell's little clique - again, we didn't see her or her handler - and far-fewer of the potentially violent teenagers that Dick Becker so likes; ANSWER has waned to such an extent that worry is evident on Dick Becker's wan face.
Also missing from the fray was Becker's chief flunky (Forrest Chump), maybe he's finally found gainful employment? If so, kudos.
I was very surprised to see Paul Larudee - after that ridiculous stuttering talk he gave in Oakland on Monday night, I though he had had enough of us.
You know Paul, two years ago you were saying that the Palestinians were descendants of the ancient Philistines, now you're claiming that they are Jews who first converted to Christianity, then converted to Islam. Can you at least be consistent? Or will you keep making it up as you go along, you wily devil?
Even Kate Bender Rafael is more reliable than you, she's dumb as an ox ALL the time.
Of course, you're still better than Rob Kanter.
You may be more ethical, too.
No actual record.
About forty pro-Israel activists, no more than a hundred anti-Israel individuals. Quite the worst turn-out for the radical pro-Palestinians in years. Pathetic.
Wednesday 12/15/2009, San Francisco: Last night AIPAC came to town. As every year, that attracted the Israel haters and psychopaths. Which includes the following short list
• AlAwda.
• ANSWER.
• Code Pink (represented by Toby and someone of indeterminate gender).
• International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (saboteurs, the sexually frustrated, damaged psyches, and mister Kanter).
• International Solidarity Movement, (Paul Larudee and assorted fans of Hamas and Hezbollah).
• Jim Harris (a simple soul, who just can NOT keep his mouth shut, bless him).
• Joe Webb (an old-style anti-Semite with clothing that advertises insanity).
• Middle East Children's Alliance (only Arab children are children, all others are occupiers).
• Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism ('Turkeys for Thanksgiving').
• San Francisco State students.
• Stop AIPAC -Bay Area.
• The Bay Area Campaign to End Israeli Apartheid.
There were the usual tantrums from middle-aged Berkeleyites, virulent hate-spews from SFState students and children of liquor store owners, plus anemic chanting and idiotic talking points from the ideologically autistic (yes, Dick Becker, that means you - although Jim Harris did try to steal your thunder).
It was a veritable feast of instability, fantasy, and delusional signage.
Hassan Fouda and his lovely wife Marilyn also showed up, both well-known for justifying violent acts against 'the occupier', and for channeling a unique brand of Jew-hatred - just ask folks in California, Connecticut, and Utah about them, though at least one individual in Maryland begs to differ.
They're pathological, they can't help it.
Thank heavens they found each other.
Theirs is a unique love.
The poltroons from the NLG were under deep cover, possibly as a result of their blatant instigation and agitation at the last manifestation of Jew-hatred. Bad PR, even in San Francisco.
That's okay, we love you girls - say hi to Lily Haskell, I didn't see her last night.
Several members of the anti-Israel crowd were dressed eccentrically: an Uncle Sam, a yogi, Flower Child, Evil Santa, SS Stripper, Raggedy Man, and a teenager with a keffiyeh around his face who does not want his dad to find out that he was jeopardizing his family's stay in the United States (don't worry, we won't tell).
Again, most of the crowd of hate-filled zealots was comprised of self-righteous middle-aged ladies from Berkeley, a few of whom are Jewish, though there are also many Methodists, Presbyterians, Unitarians, and Wiccans among their ranks.
This year no obvious infiltrators from Lily Haskell's little clique - again, we didn't see her or her handler - and far-fewer of the potentially violent teenagers that Dick Becker so likes; ANSWER has waned to such an extent that worry is evident on Dick Becker's wan face.
Also missing from the fray was Becker's chief flunky (Forrest Chump), maybe he's finally found gainful employment? If so, kudos.
I was very surprised to see Paul Larudee - after that ridiculous stuttering talk he gave in Oakland on Monday night, I though he had had enough of us.
You know Paul, two years ago you were saying that the Palestinians were descendants of the ancient Philistines, now you're claiming that they are Jews who first converted to Christianity, then converted to Islam. Can you at least be consistent? Or will you keep making it up as you go along, you wily devil?
Even Kate Bender Rafael is more reliable than you, she's dumb as an ox ALL the time.
Of course, you're still better than Rob Kanter.
You may be more ethical, too.
No actual record.
About forty pro-Israel activists, no more than a hundred anti-Israel individuals. Quite the worst turn-out for the radical pro-Palestinians in years. Pathetic.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Zionism- controlling the media, finance and impeding evolution
Every Friday for years, Berkeley Women in Black has made a practice of harassing students at UC Berkeley. Students at the University call this phenomenon "Black Friday". According to one blogger,
"The only thing more Berkeley than having an inflammatory opinion is gathering together a cadre of similarly-minded people and staging an unimpressive display to annoy passers-by."
Berkeley Women in Black have accused Israel and the Jewish people of controlling the media, government, and the banking industry for years. However on Friday Dec 4, Berkeley Women in Black (now including people of indeterminate gender) added a new accusation to the repertoire of dastardly Zionist deeds. Apparently the tag team of great Satan and little Satan is now "impeding evolution".
Berkeley Women in Black- bringing a bit of dreariness and surrealism into Berkeley, each and every Friday.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Oh, those poor starving Gazans!
I just received this alarming email from Noura Khouri and Manal Elkarra. They claim:
The people of Gaza are literally being starved of basic food and needs; while caged in and locked out from the rest of the world. When governments of the world fail to act, we the people must. Please join us!
Poor Noura and Manal. Perhaps they don't read "Palestine Today" . Its possible they can't even read Arabic. If they did, they would have seen these photos from Gaza, taken just last week
Gaza Fruit Market
Gaza Bakery
Gaza Candy Seller
Noura. Manal. Just what basic foods are the people of Gaza being deprived of? The markets seem pretty well stocked to me. UNICEF thinks so too- Palestinian children are the second healthiest in the Arab world, after oil rich Qatar.
The people of Gaza are literally being starved of basic food and needs; while caged in and locked out from the rest of the world. When governments of the world fail to act, we the people must. Please join us!
Poor Noura and Manal. Perhaps they don't read "Palestine Today" . Its possible they can't even read Arabic. If they did, they would have seen these photos from Gaza, taken just last week
Gaza Fruit Market
Gaza Bakery
Gaza Candy Seller
Noura. Manal. Just what basic foods are the people of Gaza being deprived of? The markets seem pretty well stocked to me. UNICEF thinks so too- Palestinian children are the second healthiest in the Arab world, after oil rich Qatar.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Top Ten Israeli Products to BUY BUY BUY
The Support Democracy, Buy Israeli list, modified ever so slightly from the BDS folk's list
AHAVA
This brand’s cosmetics are produced using salt, minerals, and mud from the Dead Sea.
2. Delta Galil Industries
Israel’s largest textiles manufacturer provides clothing and underwear for such popular brands as Gap, J-Crew, J.C. Penny, Calvin Klein, Playtex, Victoria’s Secret and many others. Its founder and chairman Dov Lautman is a close associate of former Israeli President Ehud Barak.
3. Motorola
While many of us know this brand for its stylish cellphones, did you know that it also develops and manufactures bomb fuses and missile guidance systems? Motorola components are also used in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or “drones”) and in communications and surveillance systems to keep the citizens of Israel safe.
4. L’Oreal / The Body Shop
This cosmetics and perfume company is known for its investments and manufacturing activities in Israel, including production in Migdal Haemek, the “Silicon Valley” of Israel. In 1998, a representative of L’Oreal was given the Jubilee Award by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for strengthening the Israeli economy.
5. Dorot Garlic and Herbs
These frozen herbs that are sold at Trader Joe’s, and support the beseiged kibbutzim of southern Israel. Trader Joe’s also sells Israeli Cous Cous and Pastures of Eden feta cheese that are made in Israel.
6. Estee Lauder
This company’s chairman Ronald Lauder is also the chairman of the Jewish National Fund.
7. Intel
This technology company that manufactures computer processors and other hardware components employs thousands of Israelis and has exports from Israel totaling over $1 billion per year. They are one of Israel’s oldest foreign supporters, having established their first development center outside of the US in 1974 in Haifa.
8. Sabra
This brand of hummus, baba ghanoush and other foods is co-owned by Israel’s second-largest food company The Strauss Group and Pepsico. Yes, its manufactured in New York, but it sounds vaguely mid-eastern and vaguely Israeli so the BDS folks have targetted it for action. No, I don't get it either, but the lemon hummus is really yummy, so just go for it.
9. Sara Lee
Sara Lee holds a 30% stake in Delta Galil (see #2) and is the world’s largest clothing manufacturer, which owns or is affiliated with such brands as Hanes, Playtex, Champion, Leggs, Sara Lee Bakery, Ball Park hotdogs, Wonderbra, and many others. Similar to L’Oreal (see #4), a representative of Sara Lee received the Jubilee Award from Netanyahu for its commitment to business with Israel. Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee.
10. Victoria’s Secret
Most of Victoria’s Secret’s bras are produced by Delta Galil (see #2), and much of the cotton is also grown in Israel.
Continue to support democracy and to support Israel!
AHAVA
This brand’s cosmetics are produced using salt, minerals, and mud from the Dead Sea.
2. Delta Galil Industries
Israel’s largest textiles manufacturer provides clothing and underwear for such popular brands as Gap, J-Crew, J.C. Penny, Calvin Klein, Playtex, Victoria’s Secret and many others. Its founder and chairman Dov Lautman is a close associate of former Israeli President Ehud Barak.
3. Motorola
While many of us know this brand for its stylish cellphones, did you know that it also develops and manufactures bomb fuses and missile guidance systems? Motorola components are also used in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or “drones”) and in communications and surveillance systems to keep the citizens of Israel safe.
4. L’Oreal / The Body Shop
This cosmetics and perfume company is known for its investments and manufacturing activities in Israel, including production in Migdal Haemek, the “Silicon Valley” of Israel. In 1998, a representative of L’Oreal was given the Jubilee Award by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for strengthening the Israeli economy.
5. Dorot Garlic and Herbs
These frozen herbs that are sold at Trader Joe’s, and support the beseiged kibbutzim of southern Israel. Trader Joe’s also sells Israeli Cous Cous and Pastures of Eden feta cheese that are made in Israel.
6. Estee Lauder
This company’s chairman Ronald Lauder is also the chairman of the Jewish National Fund.
7. Intel
This technology company that manufactures computer processors and other hardware components employs thousands of Israelis and has exports from Israel totaling over $1 billion per year. They are one of Israel’s oldest foreign supporters, having established their first development center outside of the US in 1974 in Haifa.
8. Sabra
This brand of hummus, baba ghanoush and other foods is co-owned by Israel’s second-largest food company The Strauss Group and Pepsico. Yes, its manufactured in New York, but it sounds vaguely mid-eastern and vaguely Israeli so the BDS folks have targetted it for action. No, I don't get it either, but the lemon hummus is really yummy, so just go for it.
9. Sara Lee
Sara Lee holds a 30% stake in Delta Galil (see #2) and is the world’s largest clothing manufacturer, which owns or is affiliated with such brands as Hanes, Playtex, Champion, Leggs, Sara Lee Bakery, Ball Park hotdogs, Wonderbra, and many others. Similar to L’Oreal (see #4), a representative of Sara Lee received the Jubilee Award from Netanyahu for its commitment to business with Israel. Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee.
10. Victoria’s Secret
Most of Victoria’s Secret’s bras are produced by Delta Galil (see #2), and much of the cotton is also grown in Israel.
Continue to support democracy and to support Israel!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Fight the BDS Movement- Shop at Seattle Trader Joes- redux
Cross posted here
Einstein was known for saying "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". In spite of their repeated, dramatic failures throughout the country, the BDS folks are at it again, this time targeting Seattle Trader Joe's.
Our favorite grocery store, Trader Joe's, is being targeted by these groups for boycotts and vandalism simply because of their refusal to cave to pressure to remove Israeli products from their shelves. Israeli products at Trader Joes include Pastures of Eden feta cheese, Israeli couscous, and Dorot frozen cubes of garlic, basil and cilantro. The feta cheese is particularly lovely. Try in tossed in a spinach salad, with kalamata olives and sliced red onion.
A series of actions are being planned, organized by Nada Elia of Antioch University. Prof. Elia has said "I am particularly interested in activist resistance to institutionalized forms of violence and oppression. This involves a re-evaluation of what constitutes resistance..." Apparently she believes that unbridled rage against frozen garlic and cilantro is a legitimate form of resistance.
The Pro-Israel community is now in a position to make an immediate and positive impact on Israel's behalf.
Here's what you can do:
Please make a point of shopping at Seattle area Trader Joe's over the coming days and weeks.
Please go out of your way to introduce yourselves to store-managers and to let them know that one of the reasons that you are patronizing their store is because of their principled and courageous determination to continue selling Israeli products.
Wherever you may shop - for groceries and otherwise, please consider going out of your way to purchase Israeli products and thanking store-managers for carrying Israeli products.
1700 E Madison St, Seattle - (206) 322-7268
4555 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle - (206) 547-6299
112 W Galer St, Seattle - (206) 378-5536
"I hear the Israeli couscous goes well with grilled scapegoat, by the way."
Jeffrey Goldberg "The Atlantic"
Einstein was known for saying "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". In spite of their repeated, dramatic failures throughout the country, the BDS folks are at it again, this time targeting Seattle Trader Joe's.
Our favorite grocery store, Trader Joe's, is being targeted by these groups for boycotts and vandalism simply because of their refusal to cave to pressure to remove Israeli products from their shelves. Israeli products at Trader Joes include Pastures of Eden feta cheese, Israeli couscous, and Dorot frozen cubes of garlic, basil and cilantro. The feta cheese is particularly lovely. Try in tossed in a spinach salad, with kalamata olives and sliced red onion.
A series of actions are being planned, organized by Nada Elia of Antioch University. Prof. Elia has said "I am particularly interested in activist resistance to institutionalized forms of violence and oppression. This involves a re-evaluation of what constitutes resistance..." Apparently she believes that unbridled rage against frozen garlic and cilantro is a legitimate form of resistance.
The Pro-Israel community is now in a position to make an immediate and positive impact on Israel's behalf.
Here's what you can do:
Please make a point of shopping at Seattle area Trader Joe's over the coming days and weeks.
Please go out of your way to introduce yourselves to store-managers and to let them know that one of the reasons that you are patronizing their store is because of their principled and courageous determination to continue selling Israeli products.
Wherever you may shop - for groceries and otherwise, please consider going out of your way to purchase Israeli products and thanking store-managers for carrying Israeli products.
1700 E Madison St, Seattle - (206) 322-7268
4555 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle - (206) 547-6299
112 W Galer St, Seattle - (206) 378-5536
"I hear the Israeli couscous goes well with grilled scapegoat, by the way."
Jeffrey Goldberg "The Atlantic"
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Palestinian Children fare better than their Arab neighbors
In spite of JVP's squeals about "starving Palestinian children", a new UNICEF report shows that Palestinian children fair much better than their Arab neighbors. Children in the disputed territories suffer less from stunted growth due to maternal and childhood undernutrition than others in the region.
Palestinian Territories- 10%
Lebanon - 11
Jordan - 12
Oman - 13
UAE - 17
Saudi Arabia - 20
Kuwait - 24
Iraq - 26
Syria - 28
Egypt - 29
Yemen – 58
An estimated 200 million children aged under five in the developing world suffer from stunted growth due to maternal and childhood malnutrition, according to the report.
Yet JVP and its allied groups remain silent on the plight of the children of Yemen and Egypt and throughout the Arab world. Its as though only the Palestinian children counted to them.
With approximately 10% of Palestininian children experiencing stunting between 2003-2008, the disputed territories are on equal footing with Turkey, Tuvalu and Bahrain, which at last glance, did not suffer from Israel's "brutal and genocidal" occupation.
Palestinian Territories- 10%
Lebanon - 11
Jordan - 12
Oman - 13
UAE - 17
Saudi Arabia - 20
Kuwait - 24
Iraq - 26
Syria - 28
Egypt - 29
Yemen – 58
An estimated 200 million children aged under five in the developing world suffer from stunted growth due to maternal and childhood malnutrition, according to the report.
Yet JVP and its allied groups remain silent on the plight of the children of Yemen and Egypt and throughout the Arab world. Its as though only the Palestinian children counted to them.
With approximately 10% of Palestininian children experiencing stunting between 2003-2008, the disputed territories are on equal footing with Turkey, Tuvalu and Bahrain, which at last glance, did not suffer from Israel's "brutal and genocidal" occupation.
Monday, November 16, 2009
BRITISH JOURNALISTIC INTEGRITY
If one needed anymore proof that anti-Semitism is alive and well in England, and that there is a substantial pro-Arab lobby in the British Isles, then the comments on the Channel 4 website about an upcoming "expose" on the 'Israel lobby' prove it.
QUOTE:
"Despite wielding great influence among the highest realms of British politics and media, little is known about the individuals and groups which collectively are known as the pro-Israel lobby.
Political commentator Peter Oborne sets out to establish who they are, how they are funded, how they work and what influence they have, from the key groups to the wealthy individuals who help bankroll the lobbying."
END QUOTE.
Ah yes, secretive, influential, and bankrolled. Where have we heard this before?
SOURCE:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/episode-guide/series-42/episode-1
One might think that he's smoking crack, given the singular INEFFECTIVENESS of any pro-Israel lobbying, or any other pro-Israel or even philo-Semitism in Britain.
Most of the virulent English-language Jew-hatred in the world today originates in Britain, and it will be recalled that Britain has far less than even Holland or France evinced any affection or support for the Jewish state.
How remarkable that anyone thinks that there is ANY pro-Israeli voice heard in Whitehall.
QUOTE:
"Oborne examines how the lobby operates from within parliament and the tactics it employs behind the scenes when engaging with print and broadcast media."
END QUOTE.
Tactics it employs behind the scenes? Mister Oborne, are you going to show that you are a talented writer of fiction in addition to being a reporter?
How often have British officials cozied up to Arabs, mister Oborne? Too many times to count? Have you considered a report on the inordinate influence of the Camel Corps in the Foreign Office, and the relationship between Britain's predominantly left-wing intelligentsia and certain foreign entities?
How about the strange overlap between far-right Jew-hatred and far-left Jew-hatred?
Predictably, the program is being promoted on the internet message boards of the British National party and various neo-Nazi websites.
QUOTE:
"Despite wielding great influence among the highest realms of British politics and media, little is known about the individuals and groups which collectively are known as the pro-Israel lobby.
Political commentator Peter Oborne sets out to establish who they are, how they are funded, how they work and what influence they have, from the key groups to the wealthy individuals who help bankroll the lobbying."
END QUOTE.
Ah yes, secretive, influential, and bankrolled. Where have we heard this before?
SOURCE:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/episode-guide/series-42/episode-1
One might think that he's smoking crack, given the singular INEFFECTIVENESS of any pro-Israel lobbying, or any other pro-Israel or even philo-Semitism in Britain.
Most of the virulent English-language Jew-hatred in the world today originates in Britain, and it will be recalled that Britain has far less than even Holland or France evinced any affection or support for the Jewish state.
How remarkable that anyone thinks that there is ANY pro-Israeli voice heard in Whitehall.
QUOTE:
"Oborne examines how the lobby operates from within parliament and the tactics it employs behind the scenes when engaging with print and broadcast media."
END QUOTE.
Tactics it employs behind the scenes? Mister Oborne, are you going to show that you are a talented writer of fiction in addition to being a reporter?
How often have British officials cozied up to Arabs, mister Oborne? Too many times to count? Have you considered a report on the inordinate influence of the Camel Corps in the Foreign Office, and the relationship between Britain's predominantly left-wing intelligentsia and certain foreign entities?
How about the strange overlap between far-right Jew-hatred and far-left Jew-hatred?
Predictably, the program is being promoted on the internet message boards of the British National party and various neo-Nazi websites.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Ellen Cantarow: Apologist for Land Theft
by Becky Johnson
November 11, 2009
Santa Cruz, Ca. -- A friend of mine passed on an article by Ellen Cantarow. "Heroism in a Vanishing Landscape" published on the notorious, anti-Israel website, Counterpunch.org on November 10, 2009. In the article, Cantarow blasts all parties (except the Palestinian families themselves) and gives a unique history of the eviction of two families from the E. Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheik Jarrah. One that is highly selective, and which discounts the actual court decisions made regarding the disposition of the property according to law.
You can read Cantarow's article with my imbedded comments here.
BELOW IS AN EXCERPT:
ELLEN CANTAROW: In 1948 Ghawe’s grandparents fled from Ein Sfarand near Lydda. Ein Sfarand was bulldozed into the ground along with over 450 other Arab villages.
BECKY: Actually, Israel set up a commission, The Guardian of Absentee Assets, which dealt with all abandoned properties. They distinguished between public land, privately-owned land, and re-repatriated many Arabs with their property when they returned and petitioned the commission. Lands belonging to Palestinian Arab villagers in the areas taken over by Israel in 1967 generally remain in Palestinian Arab hands. To determine that these lands do not belong to anyone, the state checks the land registries, aerial photographs showing the lands to be uncultivated and then when convinced that these lands have no ownership, advertises in Arabic in the Arab newspapers that the state has declared these lands as its own and anyone having any kind of legal deed to contest this is invited to do so. If any Arab is able to produce a land deed proving the land is theirs, then the state leaves the land to the Arab. If there are still any doubts, then the issue is taken to court". But Cantarow wants readers to believe that all Arab land was confiscated and bulldozed.
ELLEN CANTAROW: Pretty national parks and kibbutzim erased any trace of the traditional Arab architecture, agriculture and the rest of life which once characterized Palestine. Hebrew names – Lod, for example, for Lydda - replaced the Arabic ones. The Ghawes fled to East Jerusalem where UNWRA (The United Nations Works Relief Agency) housed them as refugees. In 1956 they returned their refugee cards and rented a house from a local Palestinian builder.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
American Red Cross co-sponsors hate speech
A friend with a remarkably pink blog kindly alerts me to an utterly odious situation.
QUOTE:
The Stanford Department of Drama and the Stanford Theatre Activist Mobilization Project (STAMP) are proud to announce a staged reading - the San Francisco Bay Area premiere - of the thought-provoking play, My Name is Rachel Corrie.
The performances feature an impressive line-up of post-show discussion speakers including Rabbi Michael Lerner, Professor Joel Beinin, and Professor Tom Sheehan.
This event is Free & Open to the public. Please email stanfordrachelcorrie@gmail.com to reserve tickets.
My Name is Rachel Corrie is Co-Sponsored by: American Red Cross, Amnesty International, Coalition for Justice in the Middle East, Emma Goldman Society for Queer Liberation, Jewish Voice for Peace, Muslim Student Awareness Network, Peninsula Peace and Justice Center, Physicians for Human Rights, Stanford Says No to War, Stanford University Students for UNICEF, and Students Confronting Apartheid by Israel.
END QUOTE.
The American Red Cross? Aren't they supposed to be 'apolitical'?
Surely their sponsorship is a horrible mistake? Perhaps an agent from the other side infests a local branch of an otherwise sometimes commendable organization? And that suspicion is not entirely unfounded - the Red Cross was notorious for several decades for refusing linkage with Magen David Adom, on the spurious grounds that the Seal of Solomon, symbol of Magen David Adom (literal translation: Red Shield of David) was a religious symbol, quite unlike the cross or the crescent.
Often otherwise excellent groupss will find themselves subverted by those who would make of them mere front-organizations.
Pro-Palestinism is as much a religion as any other, and has quite as many strictures which to the skeptic seem irrational. The Red Cross may have fanatics among its ranks.
I shall henceforth not contribute even one paise to their cause.
For shame, bloodsuckers, for shame.
QUOTE:
The Stanford Department of Drama and the Stanford Theatre Activist Mobilization Project (STAMP) are proud to announce a staged reading - the San Francisco Bay Area premiere - of the thought-provoking play, My Name is Rachel Corrie.
The performances feature an impressive line-up of post-show discussion speakers including Rabbi Michael Lerner, Professor Joel Beinin, and Professor Tom Sheehan.
This event is Free & Open to the public. Please email stanfordrachelcorrie@gmail.com to reserve tickets.
My Name is Rachel Corrie is Co-Sponsored by: American Red Cross, Amnesty International, Coalition for Justice in the Middle East, Emma Goldman Society for Queer Liberation, Jewish Voice for Peace, Muslim Student Awareness Network, Peninsula Peace and Justice Center, Physicians for Human Rights, Stanford Says No to War, Stanford University Students for UNICEF, and Students Confronting Apartheid by Israel.
END QUOTE.
The American Red Cross? Aren't they supposed to be 'apolitical'?
Surely their sponsorship is a horrible mistake? Perhaps an agent from the other side infests a local branch of an otherwise sometimes commendable organization? And that suspicion is not entirely unfounded - the Red Cross was notorious for several decades for refusing linkage with Magen David Adom, on the spurious grounds that the Seal of Solomon, symbol of Magen David Adom (literal translation: Red Shield of David) was a religious symbol, quite unlike the cross or the crescent.
Often otherwise excellent groupss will find themselves subverted by those who would make of them mere front-organizations.
Pro-Palestinism is as much a religion as any other, and has quite as many strictures which to the skeptic seem irrational. The Red Cross may have fanatics among its ranks.
I shall henceforth not contribute even one paise to their cause.
For shame, bloodsuckers, for shame.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer group Lies about Exculsion of Israelis at Middle East Conference on Breast Cancer
From a Jerusalem Post article by Judy Siegel-Itzkovich
The Israel Medical Association on Tuesday denounced all boycotts of Israelis at international medical conferences such as the one held in Cairo last week on coping with breast cancer.
IMA chairman Dr. Leonid Eidelman said that Israeli doctors and scientists are often confronted by hostility when attending professional conferences abroad.
Eidelman said that medicine and science are not political. Even those who oppose policies of the government of Israel should never inject politics into these fields, which aim to save lives and to which Israelis contribute a great deal, he said.
He called on the government to launch a serious campaign against such boycotts and have "zero tolerance" for them. The IMA, he said, would be happy to participate in such efforts.
Eidelman added that conferences that keep Israelis out would constitute a "black day for science in Israel and around the world."
Nancy Brinker, founder and head of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization that raises significant amounts of money to fight breast cancer, claimed last week that despite threats in Egypt, Israelis were not barred from the Cairo conference.
But the Foreign Ministry and the Hadassah Women's Zionist Organization said they had been.
The Israel Medical Association on Tuesday denounced all boycotts of Israelis at international medical conferences such as the one held in Cairo last week on coping with breast cancer.
IMA chairman Dr. Leonid Eidelman said that Israeli doctors and scientists are often confronted by hostility when attending professional conferences abroad.
Eidelman said that medicine and science are not political. Even those who oppose policies of the government of Israel should never inject politics into these fields, which aim to save lives and to which Israelis contribute a great deal, he said.
He called on the government to launch a serious campaign against such boycotts and have "zero tolerance" for them. The IMA, he said, would be happy to participate in such efforts.
Eidelman added that conferences that keep Israelis out would constitute a "black day for science in Israel and around the world."
Nancy Brinker, founder and head of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization that raises significant amounts of money to fight breast cancer, claimed last week that despite threats in Egypt, Israelis were not barred from the Cairo conference.
But the Foreign Ministry and the Hadassah Women's Zionist Organization said they had been.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Another Israeli product to add to the boycott list
Israeli company developing super-vaccine for flu
Israel Radio reported Sunday morning that an Israeli company had developed a universal vaccine for all forms of flu – including bird and swine flu
The multi-season/multi-strain flu vaccine will greatly enhance the average person's immune system, enabling patients to receive a single shot once every few years that will protect them against most forms of influenza. Most strains of flu have characteristics similar enough to enable development of one vaccine that contains the elements of the flu virus' downfall.
The Vaccine is still being researched. When it is available to the public, expect the boycott divestment sanction promoters to campaign against it. Just another product to boycott.....
Israel Radio reported Sunday morning that an Israeli company had developed a universal vaccine for all forms of flu – including bird and swine flu
The multi-season/multi-strain flu vaccine will greatly enhance the average person's immune system, enabling patients to receive a single shot once every few years that will protect them against most forms of influenza. Most strains of flu have characteristics similar enough to enable development of one vaccine that contains the elements of the flu virus' downfall.
The Vaccine is still being researched. When it is available to the public, expect the boycott divestment sanction promoters to campaign against it. Just another product to boycott.....
Sunday, October 25, 2009
More photos from Gaza-the world's Largest Open Air Concentration Camp
Twenty Palestinian men competed in a bodybuilding contest in Gaza City Oct. 23, 2009 with over 500 people attending the event. The Arabic on the poster reads 'Under the supervision of the Palestine University - The Gaza Strip Bodybuilding Hero Contest'
Once again, I can only look at this in horror. The sunken eyes, the swollen bellies, the look of despair. It reminds me of nothing less than the Warsaw Ghetto
Friday, October 23, 2009
ANTI-ISRAEL PROTEST OCTOBER 22 - UNION SQUARE SAN FRANCISCO
Yesterday evening nearly 180 Israel-haters faced off against about fifty pro-Israel activists. The occasion being a speech by e-prime minister Ehud Olmert to the World Affairs Council at the St. Francis Hotel in Union Square.
Olmert's presence was merely another excuse for the people who want Israel wiped off the map to scream angrily in public.
THE HATE-FILLED MASS
The protest against Israel had been organized by Arab Resource & Organizing Center (AROC), Bay Area Campaign to End Israeli Apartheid (BACEIA), CODEPINK, Friends of Deiribzi'a, Northern California International Solidarity Movement, Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA), South Bay Mobilization, Stop AIPAC, CAL Students for Justice in Palestine, US Palestine Communities Network (USPCN), Bay Area Women in Black.
Given the sheer number of organizations who claimed sponsorship, the turn-out by the anti-Israel crowd was pretty pathetic. Less than two hundred people, half of whom were the not academically gifted children of Palestinian liquor store owners.
The remainder consisted of agitators from International Answer, the misguided Jews from the usual cliques of mutually supportive deviants (JVP, Women In Black, Brit Tzedek, etc.), and a few members of Queers United Against Israeli Terror ('Queers for Hamas') - whose voice is much reduced since Tom Ammiano is no longer on the board of supervisors.
Dick Becker's chief-flunky Forrest was also there, as well as Lily Haskell's handler from the Lawyers' Guild. And several other known quantities.
There were no people on the anti-Israel side in favour of co-existence, which may explain why several of the chants were about freeing Palestine from the river to the sea, dying gloriously in jihad against the evil Jew, down down Israel, with our souls and our blood, and whores.
[That last one was very strange - something about Richard Becker and his love-associates, perhaps? It was nearly unintelligible, given the vast spectrum of Arab accents - everything from coarse Egyptian through Hadramawti and Yemeni to Morrocan. Mostly American-raised schoolkid.]
PEACE
Inside, Olmert's speech inside the hotel was interrupted several times, resulting in the arrest of over twenty troublemakers.
Outside, the police did a fine job of keeping the two sides apart, despite attempts by infiltrators from the disaffected side to pick fights with women and elderly Jews on the pro-Israel side.
The spirit on the pro-Israel side was lively and feisty.
The anti-Israel crowd was bellicose and blood-thirsty. And frustrated. In more than one way.
Forrest (Richard Becker's butt boy) was severely disappointed that the police escorted him back to the other side - contrary to what Baruch believes, I really think Forrest wanted to be photographed in front of Victoria's Secret, with that huge poster of the curvy woman wearing two frilly nothings in the window.
The San Francisco Chronicle mis-reported the event, of course, relying on the Associated Press stringer who had an early dinner appointment.
Festivities ended at around seven thirty, when San Francisco Voice for Israel declared victory, thanked the SFPD for their good work, and headed home.
Several of the Muslim teenagers hung around Union Square aimlessly afterwards, being still far too young to go to a bar to crow about their performance.
AD HOMINEM
To 'Saddle-bags' from the Lawyers Guild: next time you see Lily Haskell, tell her 'Alai' said 'hi'.
To Abdullah Q: do you know that your sister is seeing that black kid?
To Ahmad: man you're stupid - you didn't even recognize me! Hee hee hee!
To Myra: they think you're kinda plain and dull - some of them think that's why you left the Jews and joined them.
To Moonwind: Rifa'at simply wants to get into your panties. One more won't make a difference.
To Afifa: for g-d's sake, use condoms!
To the chubby blonde in the centre: he's just shtumping you 'cause you're easy, honey, once his cousin finishes college he's getting married. But enjoy it while it lasts, in the best of health.
To Lily Haskell: see you at the next Aipac protest, dearie.
To Naeema: sorry to hear about your mom.
To Dick Becker: I heard that you were rather small..... Now I believe it.
To Forrest: is ANYTHING going right in your life?
To Hatim: does your uncle know about your lousy grades?
To Ra'eed: how's your father doing? Everything okay at the store? Tell him Rick said 'hi'.
To S.: how are you gonna raise the kid? Jewish but self-hating, or Gentile and Jew-bating?
I guess you ain't ever gonna let you mom visit, huh?
Oh, and that also goes for 'Brian', 'Moe', and 'Sue'.
------------------------------------------------------
One a personal note, the highlight of the evening was when the gorgeous young Asian girl and her friend strolled past and smiled at me. Woooo!
Red red lipstick and fishnets. Woooo!
Woooo!
Olmert's presence was merely another excuse for the people who want Israel wiped off the map to scream angrily in public.
THE HATE-FILLED MASS
The protest against Israel had been organized by Arab Resource & Organizing Center (AROC), Bay Area Campaign to End Israeli Apartheid (BACEIA), CODEPINK, Friends of Deiribzi'a, Northern California International Solidarity Movement, Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA), South Bay Mobilization, Stop AIPAC, CAL Students for Justice in Palestine, US Palestine Communities Network (USPCN), Bay Area Women in Black.
Given the sheer number of organizations who claimed sponsorship, the turn-out by the anti-Israel crowd was pretty pathetic. Less than two hundred people, half of whom were the not academically gifted children of Palestinian liquor store owners.
The remainder consisted of agitators from International Answer, the misguided Jews from the usual cliques of mutually supportive deviants (JVP, Women In Black, Brit Tzedek, etc.), and a few members of Queers United Against Israeli Terror ('Queers for Hamas') - whose voice is much reduced since Tom Ammiano is no longer on the board of supervisors.
Dick Becker's chief-flunky Forrest was also there, as well as Lily Haskell's handler from the Lawyers' Guild. And several other known quantities.
There were no people on the anti-Israel side in favour of co-existence, which may explain why several of the chants were about freeing Palestine from the river to the sea, dying gloriously in jihad against the evil Jew, down down Israel, with our souls and our blood, and whores.
[That last one was very strange - something about Richard Becker and his love-associates, perhaps? It was nearly unintelligible, given the vast spectrum of Arab accents - everything from coarse Egyptian through Hadramawti and Yemeni to Morrocan. Mostly American-raised schoolkid.]
PEACE
Inside, Olmert's speech inside the hotel was interrupted several times, resulting in the arrest of over twenty troublemakers.
Outside, the police did a fine job of keeping the two sides apart, despite attempts by infiltrators from the disaffected side to pick fights with women and elderly Jews on the pro-Israel side.
The spirit on the pro-Israel side was lively and feisty.
The anti-Israel crowd was bellicose and blood-thirsty. And frustrated. In more than one way.
Forrest (Richard Becker's butt boy) was severely disappointed that the police escorted him back to the other side - contrary to what Baruch believes, I really think Forrest wanted to be photographed in front of Victoria's Secret, with that huge poster of the curvy woman wearing two frilly nothings in the window.
The San Francisco Chronicle mis-reported the event, of course, relying on the Associated Press stringer who had an early dinner appointment.
Festivities ended at around seven thirty, when San Francisco Voice for Israel declared victory, thanked the SFPD for their good work, and headed home.
Several of the Muslim teenagers hung around Union Square aimlessly afterwards, being still far too young to go to a bar to crow about their performance.
AD HOMINEM
To 'Saddle-bags' from the Lawyers Guild: next time you see Lily Haskell, tell her 'Alai' said 'hi'.
To Abdullah Q: do you know that your sister is seeing that black kid?
To Ahmad: man you're stupid - you didn't even recognize me! Hee hee hee!
To Myra: they think you're kinda plain and dull - some of them think that's why you left the Jews and joined them.
To Moonwind: Rifa'at simply wants to get into your panties. One more won't make a difference.
To Afifa: for g-d's sake, use condoms!
To the chubby blonde in the centre: he's just shtumping you 'cause you're easy, honey, once his cousin finishes college he's getting married. But enjoy it while it lasts, in the best of health.
To Lily Haskell: see you at the next Aipac protest, dearie.
To Naeema: sorry to hear about your mom.
To Dick Becker: I heard that you were rather small..... Now I believe it.
To Forrest: is ANYTHING going right in your life?
To Hatim: does your uncle know about your lousy grades?
To Ra'eed: how's your father doing? Everything okay at the store? Tell him Rick said 'hi'.
To S.: how are you gonna raise the kid? Jewish but self-hating, or Gentile and Jew-bating?
I guess you ain't ever gonna let you mom visit, huh?
Oh, and that also goes for 'Brian', 'Moe', and 'Sue'.
------------------------------------------------------
One a personal note, the highlight of the evening was when the gorgeous young Asian girl and her friend strolled past and smiled at me. Woooo!
Red red lipstick and fishnets. Woooo!
Woooo!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Say it Ain't So Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Were Israeli doctors excluded from the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Conference because it is being held in Egypt? Did Susan G. Koman for the Cure, the world's largest breast cancer advocacy organization enable this act of anti-Semitic exclusion?
According to INN, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure conference on breast cancer awareness, to be hosted in Egypt next week has been touted by international news networks as an example of “unprecedented cooperation” in the region.
However, Israeli doctors were told at the last minute that their invitations to participate had been rescinded.
Ignoring the deliberate exclusion of Israel, Egyptian Doctor Mohammed Shaalan claimed “The week's events are a demonstration of the cooperation between countries, governments, civil society, advocates, survivors, and the global community as a whole... It shows that breast cancer has no boundaries and reveals the beauty of the world's unity in its fight against breast cancer."
Apparently the "world's unity" doesn't extend to Israel, the worlds' only Jewish state. Israel is at the cutting age of cancer research, with innovations in both diagnosis and treatment, with researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot developing a non-invasive way of identifying breast tumors using magnetic resonance imaging. And yet Israeli doctors were specfically excluded from a conference meant to enhance regional cooperation, and a well respected American organization faciliated this exclusion.
Its time to give Susan G. Komen a call 1-877 GO KOMEN (1-877-465-6636) or send them an email http://ww5.komen.org/Contact.aspx. Tell them to insist that all countries be allowed to partcipate in this conference. Let them know that future donations may depend on this.
According to INN, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure conference on breast cancer awareness, to be hosted in Egypt next week has been touted by international news networks as an example of “unprecedented cooperation” in the region.
However, Israeli doctors were told at the last minute that their invitations to participate had been rescinded.
Ignoring the deliberate exclusion of Israel, Egyptian Doctor Mohammed Shaalan claimed “The week's events are a demonstration of the cooperation between countries, governments, civil society, advocates, survivors, and the global community as a whole... It shows that breast cancer has no boundaries and reveals the beauty of the world's unity in its fight against breast cancer."
Apparently the "world's unity" doesn't extend to Israel, the worlds' only Jewish state. Israel is at the cutting age of cancer research, with innovations in both diagnosis and treatment, with researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot developing a non-invasive way of identifying breast tumors using magnetic resonance imaging. And yet Israeli doctors were specfically excluded from a conference meant to enhance regional cooperation, and a well respected American organization faciliated this exclusion.
Its time to give Susan G. Komen a call 1-877 GO KOMEN (1-877-465-6636) or send them an email http://ww5.komen.org/Contact.aspx. Tell them to insist that all countries be allowed to partcipate in this conference. Let them know that future donations may depend on this.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Iran's Newest Secret Weapon
It's been almost a week since rumors began flying in Tehran that the Grand Ayatollah Ali Khameni had died. Frustratingly, the claims have not been able to be verified, and after a nail-biting few days, the Ayatollah's office recently released some photos of "Ol' Sparky" that supposedly prove the bearded one is still alive and kicking.
But do they?
I was a little suspicious of the photos and of such a long lag time from the Ayatollah's people, so I ran them by some former Mossad analysts (hi Uncle Doron), and asked them for their input.
Their results were as shocking as they were unshakable. According to my sources, there can be little doubt that the Ayatollah has been turned into a zombie.
Based on top-secret, off-the-record conversations with Persian Jewish dissidents I happen to know through my Ultimate Frisbee League, the Iranians have been investigating the possibilities of secret zombie technology for years, hence their long-standing friendly relationship with Haiti and their hostile policies towards the Dominican Republic, known in Iran as "that teeny-tiny Satan." Apparently the zombie project was first started during the Iran-Iraq war by Ayatollah Khomeini, who was very interested in living forever without actually having to martyr himself. However after an unfortunate accident involving tainted Iraqi werewolf blood, the research was put on hold. Shortly after, Khomeini died (though his brain is supposedly still being frozen for the day when they get the kinks out of the Ayatollah-bots). The same day that Khameni became Ayatollah, the zombie project was brought back out of its evil, dark shadowy grave.
My ex-CIA neighbor added that "this explains everything," such as why Khameni was kept totally isolated in his hospital room and the only one allowed to see him was his son. Can you say "Voodoo Incantation Ceremony?" (Really? Well, try saying it in Farsi. Not so easy, is it?)
Some argue that a Zombie-influenced Iranian leadership could actually be a good thing. Noted Zombieologists at New Orleans State confided in me that historically, many zombies have been proven to be docile, easily influenced, and not usually terribly hostile against Israel. (Compare that to Khameni before his hospital visit. What do we have to lose?) Additionally, America has a strong zombie tradition, so after Khameni gets over his new hunger for brains, his next urge may be to pick up the phone, call up Washington, and ask for a free walking tour of the French Quarter.
No word yet on what the Grand Zombietollah's first move will be. But my psychic pharmacist says that if we're lucky, it will involve a dead chicken, a pentagram made of blood, and Ahmadinejad's soul being transferred into a pin-stuffed doll.
[Sources: Yediot http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3791250,00.html and Jpost http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1255547722212&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull]
But do they?
I was a little suspicious of the photos and of such a long lag time from the Ayatollah's people, so I ran them by some former Mossad analysts (hi Uncle Doron), and asked them for their input.
Their results were as shocking as they were unshakable. According to my sources, there can be little doubt that the Ayatollah has been turned into a zombie.
Based on top-secret, off-the-record conversations with Persian Jewish dissidents I happen to know through my Ultimate Frisbee League, the Iranians have been investigating the possibilities of secret zombie technology for years, hence their long-standing friendly relationship with Haiti and their hostile policies towards the Dominican Republic, known in Iran as "that teeny-tiny Satan." Apparently the zombie project was first started during the Iran-Iraq war by Ayatollah Khomeini, who was very interested in living forever without actually having to martyr himself. However after an unfortunate accident involving tainted Iraqi werewolf blood, the research was put on hold. Shortly after, Khomeini died (though his brain is supposedly still being frozen for the day when they get the kinks out of the Ayatollah-bots). The same day that Khameni became Ayatollah, the zombie project was brought back out of its evil, dark shadowy grave.
My ex-CIA neighbor added that "this explains everything," such as why Khameni was kept totally isolated in his hospital room and the only one allowed to see him was his son. Can you say "Voodoo Incantation Ceremony?" (Really? Well, try saying it in Farsi. Not so easy, is it?)
Some argue that a Zombie-influenced Iranian leadership could actually be a good thing. Noted Zombieologists at New Orleans State confided in me that historically, many zombies have been proven to be docile, easily influenced, and not usually terribly hostile against Israel. (Compare that to Khameni before his hospital visit. What do we have to lose?) Additionally, America has a strong zombie tradition, so after Khameni gets over his new hunger for brains, his next urge may be to pick up the phone, call up Washington, and ask for a free walking tour of the French Quarter.
No word yet on what the Grand Zombietollah's first move will be. But my psychic pharmacist says that if we're lucky, it will involve a dead chicken, a pentagram made of blood, and Ahmadinejad's soul being transferred into a pin-stuffed doll.
[Sources: Yediot http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3791250,00.html and Jpost http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1255547722212&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull]
Friday, October 16, 2009
Hezbollah re-armed
According to informed sources Hezbollah now has forty thousand missiles in Lebanon.
Additionally, in contravention of United Nations Resolution, there are more than three hundred weapons caches south of the Litani river.
[Resolution 1701: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_1701
The Resolution demands: Full cessation of hostilities; Israel to withdraw all of its forces from Lebanon in parallel with Lebanese and UNIFIL soldiers deploying throughout the South; Hezbollah to be disarmed; Full control of Lebanon by the government of Lebanon; No paramilitary forces, including Hezbollah, south of the Litani River. ]
Clearly the United Nations Peacekeepers are obediently staying out of trouble - which must be precisely how the Untied Nations defines keeping the peace.
These rockets and guns are not meant to rust away. Why does the world tolerate an obviously belligerent terrorist group? Especially one so thoroughly distrusted by so many Arabs?
The Sunni, Christian, and Druze politicians in Beirut must be keenly aware of how fragile peace is, and how tenuous their own safety. If there is no war with Israel, Hezbollah will use its materiel to solidify its own position, and make the continued existence of other parties and other creeds in Lebanon untenable.
Additionally, in contravention of United Nations Resolution, there are more than three hundred weapons caches south of the Litani river.
[Resolution 1701: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_1701
The Resolution demands: Full cessation of hostilities; Israel to withdraw all of its forces from Lebanon in parallel with Lebanese and UNIFIL soldiers deploying throughout the South; Hezbollah to be disarmed; Full control of Lebanon by the government of Lebanon; No paramilitary forces, including Hezbollah, south of the Litani River. ]
Clearly the United Nations Peacekeepers are obediently staying out of trouble - which must be precisely how the Untied Nations defines keeping the peace.
These rockets and guns are not meant to rust away. Why does the world tolerate an obviously belligerent terrorist group? Especially one so thoroughly distrusted by so many Arabs?
The Sunni, Christian, and Druze politicians in Beirut must be keenly aware of how fragile peace is, and how tenuous their own safety. If there is no war with Israel, Hezbollah will use its materiel to solidify its own position, and make the continued existence of other parties and other creeds in Lebanon untenable.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Lily Haskell of AROC Revisited
As a passive activist and full-time anarcho-Zionist, it's my duty to keep tabs on the haters - persons & things: Becky O'Malley, Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, The Berkeley Daily Planet, The Anti-Zionist Network (comprised mostly of self-loathing Jews, sadly), and of course my non-friend, Lily Haskell.
So I did a search on her name. She's still in the top 5 hits, though she appears on another fellow Zionist's blog, At the Back of the Hill. Still, 2 hits in the top 5 is impressive.
Let's continue. My second search was "Lily Haskell" in google images. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE:
FIRST PHOTO, TOP LEFT (how suiting, for her to be on "the left").
Lily Haskell aka Lily Aida Haskell aka Elizabeth Haskell
See: DISGRUNTLED JIHADI KIDS
xposted to In The Gloaming
So I did a search on her name. She's still in the top 5 hits, though she appears on another fellow Zionist's blog, At the Back of the Hill. Still, 2 hits in the top 5 is impressive.
Let's continue. My second search was "Lily Haskell" in google images. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE:
FIRST PHOTO, TOP LEFT (how suiting, for her to be on "the left").
See: DISGRUNTLED JIHADI KIDS
xposted to In The Gloaming
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL SPEECH OCTOBER 15
Earlier today Israel spoke to her critics on the United Nations Human Rights Council regarding the Goldstone Report. The text of Israel's statement is below.
-------------------------------------------
Statement by H.E. Aharon Leshno Yaar
Permanent Mission of Israel
To the United Nations, Geneva
12th Special Session
Human Rights Council
15 October 2009
Mr. President,
Only two short weeks have gone by since we last met. In the real world, absolutely nothing has changed to justify calling all of the respected members of this body back to this hall. Every person here knows that today's meeting is not about human rights but an abuse of the integrity and procedures of this organization to make a point to a domestic Palestinian audience.
One might think that the Human Rights Council would seek to build a modicum of credibility by holding fast to the idea that it should be the home for honorable discussions on Human Rights. It should say that such special meetings, like the one called for today, should only be called in the case of a true emergency, where the words from this hall could have a healing power. But here we are today, for another opportunity for the favorite and most infamous subject of some within this Council, Israel bashing. There is a call to pass this on to other fora, to any place where politics, buried under the flag of human rights, can be waged against one state, against Israel.
In regards to the question of the situation in Jerusalem, as Prime Minister Netanyahu emphasized earlier this week: "Extremist elements tried to undermine quiet and peaceful life in Jerusalem. An extremist minority disseminated lies to the effect that (Israel) intend(s) to dig, or was actually digging, under the Temple Mount. … (T)his is an outright lie."
In recent weeks, as has been the custom in the 42 years that Israel has controlled the Old City of Jerusalem, access to the Holy sites of all faiths has remained unfettered. A number of provocations and inciting statements, called for violence, totally fabricated any Israeli step or intent. These violent incitements began, on 27 September, without any connection to recent events in this hall, contrary to claims made by some. Individuals gathered and threw rocks and other projectiles from the area around the mosques on the Temple Mount, and a number of locations in East Jerusalem. All of this was met by extreme restraint by Israeli police and officials. Regular contact, consultations and updates were held with officials from Egypt and Jordan in order to ensure calm.
Visits to the Holy sites by Muslim pilgrims and tourists have been taking place and will continue peacefully and in cooperation. During the recent holy month of Ramadan, over 100,000 Muslims visited the Mosques on the Temple Mount each Friday, all without incident. The Mosques remain freely accessible for Muslims, including Palestinians, without any interaction with Israeli security officials.
Internal Palestinian debates about domestic strife have somehow been fed by artificially emphasizing an extremist agenda regarding Jerusalem. And packaging this panic and hysteria here in Geneva, with a reintroduction of the Goldstone Report, also for domestic political purposes, offers a hollow victory for those that want to sow conflict in our region. The moderate forces are weakened, not aided, by these resolutions and conflicts.
Earlier this week in Jenin, Mahmud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority made just this point, saying that Hamas is using the Goldstone Report and its ramifications to fight any chance for progress in the peace process and even to cause division within the Palestinian community. Mr. Abbas said that "Hamas used the report to sabotage the reconciliation."
In that same speech, in Jenin, President Abbas, stated that during the events of Gaza last winter, [quote] "the Hamas movement hid in basements. The leaders of Hamas ran away in ambulances to Sinai and left our people to bleed."
The Goldstone Fact-finding mission devoted an entire chapter to the allegations of misuse of ambulances and, unsurprisingly, rejected concerns regarding Hamas misuse. Paragraph 485 of the report definitively determines [quote]: "(o)n the basis of the investigations it has conducted, the Mission did not find any evidence to support the allegations… that ambulances were used to transport combatants or for other military purposes".
This biased and flawed report accuses Israel of war crimes for having taken action to fight against Hamas – war criminals who openly call for our destruction, fired thousands of rockets against us and endangered their own population by hiding and fighting from within densely populated areas.
Israel has given a substantive and clear explanation to anyone who was interested in listening, its criticisms with the fact-finding mission. We explained carefully why we believed the Report was wrong both in spirit and in law. Israel openly shared its dilemmas as a democracy fighting against terror along its border, in the most complex of situations, against terrorists who intentionally put their own people at risk. We offered detailed explanations about our security, legal and political policies and concerns. Mistakes that were made are being investigated by Israel’s relevant authorities, as has always been the case within Israel’s democratic system. Israel’s courts remain open to all, including Palestinians and NGO’s who seek redress. Regrettably, the report saw no problems with the actions of Hamas terrorists, using mosques, homes and hospitals for military purposes, even offering explanations why such action could somehow be excusable.
We still do not understand how a report that completely ignored the concept of Israel's inherent right of self defense, Hamas' smuggling of weapons and Israel's genuine humanitarian efforts during the conflict could be seen as anything but biased and irrelevant. It was fascinating, and telling, to hear Justice Goldstone himself tell a journalist about the distinct limits of his report, saying [quote] "if this was a court of law, there would have been nothing proven."
The supporters of the resolution have no interest in Israel's actions to limit negative effects to civilians, its domestic investigations, the workings of its legal system or the fact that there is no likelihood that this body, or any other, will truly look into allegations of Palestinian crimes. The sponsors of the resolution are not even asking for the smallest amount of introspection from the Palestinian side who are calling on the Council to "endorse" a report that stated that their own people committed war crimes.
There are members that want this Council, as well as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, to be so preoccupied that there will be no time to investigate human rights in their countries. They are among the "auspicious" group that supported the call that dragged us back here. None of those states could ever imagine any dialogue on human rights or democracy or complementarity in their countries. So they shift the discussion to Israel. Today's session has nothing to do with human rights but everything to do with Palestinian politics and abuse of the integrity of this body.
Mr. President,
The resolution, as proposed, will be a reward for terror and will send a clear message to terrorists everywhere. They will clearly hear that this new form of warfare, as used by Hamas in Gaza, will offer immunity as countries will be prevented from waging effective responses. This strategy will be repeated in other places, against other countries fighting terror.
And finally, and perhaps most sadly, action taken here today will set back hopes for peace. Any chance for a real dialogue and better and more secure future for our region demands confidence. It would not be special sessions or abusing the agendas of esteemed international organizations, but dialogue, that would offer clear benefits and a mutual building of trust that would strengthen the position of the leaders of the Palestinian Authority. Dialogue, not threats, would also build the confidence of the Israeli public for supporting the peace process. The only beneficiaries of today's proposal would be Hamas and their allies who only seek division and conflict and an end to any hope for peace.
Mr. President, members of the Council, the political weapon proposed here today has nothing to do with human rights. Nothing. And when you next wonder why this body does not receive the respect it would like, remember this moment and you will have your answer.
SOURCE:
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Foreign+Relations/Israel+and+the+UN/Speeches+-+statements/Statement-by-Ambassador-Leshno-Yaar-to-the-12th-Special-Session-of-the-Human-Rights-Council-15-Oct-2.htm
-------------------------------------------
It was an excellent speech. The only problem is that most of the listeners were the usual bunch of uncivilized third-world gangsters and thugs - an audience with neither education nor intelligence.
Quote:
The holding of the Special Session comes at the request of Palestine. The request is co-sponsored by the following 18 Member States of the Human Rights Council, namely Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bolivia, China, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, Indonesia, Jordan, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Senegal.
End quote.
http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/F3055EE9BD9C87A6C125764E0046FB47?opendocument
The only state in the list above with even a half-way decent human rights record is the Philippines. All the others are between horrific and utterly appalling violators. Truly, this is a group to respect.
Per Wikipedia:
2009 Group: Cameroon, Djibouti, Mauritius, Nigeria, Senegal, Bangladesh, China, Jordan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation, Cuba, Mexico, Uruguay, Canada, Germany, and Switzerland.
Several Muslim countries, several African clients of the Arabs, several dictatorial regimes and failed states.
Plus, for a flinterthin veneer of respectability and balance, Germany, and Switzerland.
-------------------------------------------
Statement by H.E. Aharon Leshno Yaar
Permanent Mission of Israel
To the United Nations, Geneva
12th Special Session
Human Rights Council
15 October 2009
Mr. President,
Only two short weeks have gone by since we last met. In the real world, absolutely nothing has changed to justify calling all of the respected members of this body back to this hall. Every person here knows that today's meeting is not about human rights but an abuse of the integrity and procedures of this organization to make a point to a domestic Palestinian audience.
One might think that the Human Rights Council would seek to build a modicum of credibility by holding fast to the idea that it should be the home for honorable discussions on Human Rights. It should say that such special meetings, like the one called for today, should only be called in the case of a true emergency, where the words from this hall could have a healing power. But here we are today, for another opportunity for the favorite and most infamous subject of some within this Council, Israel bashing. There is a call to pass this on to other fora, to any place where politics, buried under the flag of human rights, can be waged against one state, against Israel.
In regards to the question of the situation in Jerusalem, as Prime Minister Netanyahu emphasized earlier this week: "Extremist elements tried to undermine quiet and peaceful life in Jerusalem. An extremist minority disseminated lies to the effect that (Israel) intend(s) to dig, or was actually digging, under the Temple Mount. … (T)his is an outright lie."
In recent weeks, as has been the custom in the 42 years that Israel has controlled the Old City of Jerusalem, access to the Holy sites of all faiths has remained unfettered. A number of provocations and inciting statements, called for violence, totally fabricated any Israeli step or intent. These violent incitements began, on 27 September, without any connection to recent events in this hall, contrary to claims made by some. Individuals gathered and threw rocks and other projectiles from the area around the mosques on the Temple Mount, and a number of locations in East Jerusalem. All of this was met by extreme restraint by Israeli police and officials. Regular contact, consultations and updates were held with officials from Egypt and Jordan in order to ensure calm.
Visits to the Holy sites by Muslim pilgrims and tourists have been taking place and will continue peacefully and in cooperation. During the recent holy month of Ramadan, over 100,000 Muslims visited the Mosques on the Temple Mount each Friday, all without incident. The Mosques remain freely accessible for Muslims, including Palestinians, without any interaction with Israeli security officials.
Internal Palestinian debates about domestic strife have somehow been fed by artificially emphasizing an extremist agenda regarding Jerusalem. And packaging this panic and hysteria here in Geneva, with a reintroduction of the Goldstone Report, also for domestic political purposes, offers a hollow victory for those that want to sow conflict in our region. The moderate forces are weakened, not aided, by these resolutions and conflicts.
Earlier this week in Jenin, Mahmud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority made just this point, saying that Hamas is using the Goldstone Report and its ramifications to fight any chance for progress in the peace process and even to cause division within the Palestinian community. Mr. Abbas said that "Hamas used the report to sabotage the reconciliation."
In that same speech, in Jenin, President Abbas, stated that during the events of Gaza last winter, [quote] "the Hamas movement hid in basements. The leaders of Hamas ran away in ambulances to Sinai and left our people to bleed."
The Goldstone Fact-finding mission devoted an entire chapter to the allegations of misuse of ambulances and, unsurprisingly, rejected concerns regarding Hamas misuse. Paragraph 485 of the report definitively determines [quote]: "(o)n the basis of the investigations it has conducted, the Mission did not find any evidence to support the allegations… that ambulances were used to transport combatants or for other military purposes".
This biased and flawed report accuses Israel of war crimes for having taken action to fight against Hamas – war criminals who openly call for our destruction, fired thousands of rockets against us and endangered their own population by hiding and fighting from within densely populated areas.
Israel has given a substantive and clear explanation to anyone who was interested in listening, its criticisms with the fact-finding mission. We explained carefully why we believed the Report was wrong both in spirit and in law. Israel openly shared its dilemmas as a democracy fighting against terror along its border, in the most complex of situations, against terrorists who intentionally put their own people at risk. We offered detailed explanations about our security, legal and political policies and concerns. Mistakes that were made are being investigated by Israel’s relevant authorities, as has always been the case within Israel’s democratic system. Israel’s courts remain open to all, including Palestinians and NGO’s who seek redress. Regrettably, the report saw no problems with the actions of Hamas terrorists, using mosques, homes and hospitals for military purposes, even offering explanations why such action could somehow be excusable.
We still do not understand how a report that completely ignored the concept of Israel's inherent right of self defense, Hamas' smuggling of weapons and Israel's genuine humanitarian efforts during the conflict could be seen as anything but biased and irrelevant. It was fascinating, and telling, to hear Justice Goldstone himself tell a journalist about the distinct limits of his report, saying [quote] "if this was a court of law, there would have been nothing proven."
The supporters of the resolution have no interest in Israel's actions to limit negative effects to civilians, its domestic investigations, the workings of its legal system or the fact that there is no likelihood that this body, or any other, will truly look into allegations of Palestinian crimes. The sponsors of the resolution are not even asking for the smallest amount of introspection from the Palestinian side who are calling on the Council to "endorse" a report that stated that their own people committed war crimes.
There are members that want this Council, as well as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, to be so preoccupied that there will be no time to investigate human rights in their countries. They are among the "auspicious" group that supported the call that dragged us back here. None of those states could ever imagine any dialogue on human rights or democracy or complementarity in their countries. So they shift the discussion to Israel. Today's session has nothing to do with human rights but everything to do with Palestinian politics and abuse of the integrity of this body.
Mr. President,
The resolution, as proposed, will be a reward for terror and will send a clear message to terrorists everywhere. They will clearly hear that this new form of warfare, as used by Hamas in Gaza, will offer immunity as countries will be prevented from waging effective responses. This strategy will be repeated in other places, against other countries fighting terror.
And finally, and perhaps most sadly, action taken here today will set back hopes for peace. Any chance for a real dialogue and better and more secure future for our region demands confidence. It would not be special sessions or abusing the agendas of esteemed international organizations, but dialogue, that would offer clear benefits and a mutual building of trust that would strengthen the position of the leaders of the Palestinian Authority. Dialogue, not threats, would also build the confidence of the Israeli public for supporting the peace process. The only beneficiaries of today's proposal would be Hamas and their allies who only seek division and conflict and an end to any hope for peace.
Mr. President, members of the Council, the political weapon proposed here today has nothing to do with human rights. Nothing. And when you next wonder why this body does not receive the respect it would like, remember this moment and you will have your answer.
SOURCE:
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Foreign+Relations/Israel+and+the+UN/Speeches+-+statements/Statement-by-Ambassador-Leshno-Yaar-to-the-12th-Special-Session-of-the-Human-Rights-Council-15-Oct-2.htm
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It was an excellent speech. The only problem is that most of the listeners were the usual bunch of uncivilized third-world gangsters and thugs - an audience with neither education nor intelligence.
Quote:
The holding of the Special Session comes at the request of Palestine. The request is co-sponsored by the following 18 Member States of the Human Rights Council, namely Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bolivia, China, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, Indonesia, Jordan, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Senegal.
End quote.
http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/F3055EE9BD9C87A6C125764E0046FB47?opendocument
The only state in the list above with even a half-way decent human rights record is the Philippines. All the others are between horrific and utterly appalling violators. Truly, this is a group to respect.
Per Wikipedia:
2009 Group: Cameroon, Djibouti, Mauritius, Nigeria, Senegal, Bangladesh, China, Jordan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation, Cuba, Mexico, Uruguay, Canada, Germany, and Switzerland.
Several Muslim countries, several African clients of the Arabs, several dictatorial regimes and failed states.
Plus, for a flinterthin veneer of respectability and balance, Germany, and Switzerland.
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