The organizers of the last few anti-Israel publicity stunts seem to have taken the words of Saul Alinsky to heart. "The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself."
Its not about the event or the tactic as much as the publicity. Its about the fight to keep the Palestinian cause in everyone's faces, blithely ignoring the uproar in the rest of the region. Pay no attention to the 9,000 people killed in Syria during the 13-month uprising.
Tangible results are meaningless- the goal is publicity at any cost. It’s a battle for "Trending" on Twitter. It’s a battle for web domination.
This weekends' "Welcome to Palestine" is no different. The campaign consists of anti- Israel activists from the United States, Europe, Australia and New Zealand who plan to go fly into Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv . It’s a potentially volatile situation, and security forces are gearing to stop the activists at the airport should they cause a public disturbance – something authorities believe is more than likely. After all, its all about the noise level.
From Mazin Qumsiyeh.
"Tens of thousands of media stories appeared just in the last 48 hours(ranging from social media to mainstream media). All major Israeli media
covered the campaign. Some media outlets doing several stories (almost on a
daily basis)...Our websites in different countries including support websites recorded significant increase in hits with a logarithmic growth after our
phenomenally successful press conference last Tuesday "
From our friends at CIFWatch who have created a Fact sheet on the "Welcome to Palestine campaign"- also called the Air flotilla 2
"In 2011 the Palestine Justice Network launched a campaign entitled the ‘One State Initiative’ which rejects the internationally accepted route of negotiations leading to a two-state solution in order to end the Arab-Israeli conflict. Thus, ‘Air Flotilla 2′ represents another campaign designed to lead ultimately to an externally imposed ‘one state solution’ which would entail the dismantling of Israel as a Jewish state and an end to Jewish self-determination.
Provocation and bad public relations for Israel are also part of the underlying motive of the project, as expressed by organizer Jaques Neno when he told potential participants at a meeting in Paris last January that should they end up being arrested, “you have won because when Israel puts you in prison it shows how it becomes more and more fascist”.
Social media sites are already predicting this campaign will be the next "flop-tilla". Even though, we can be sure than Mazin and friends will crow loud enough to wake the dead about the success of their operation. Its all about the noise, after all.
Showing posts with label CIF Watch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CIF Watch. Show all posts
Friday, April 13, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Hadar Sela on the Global March to Jerusalem
Hadar Sela has written two excellent articles at CIFWatch, exposing the extremist ties of the Global march to Jerusalem.
Read them here, and here
Her latests article appears at the Commentator.
From British Involvement in a dangerous Middle east provocation:
"Nearly a year ago to the day, on February 18th 2011, the spiritual guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, Sheikh Yusuf al Qaradawi, addressed a victory rally in Cairo's Tahrir Square at which he called for the re-conquest of Jerusalem by his co-religionists.
Few subjects on the Islamist agenda are as galvanising as that of the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and severe violence has frequently erupted or been engineered by interested parties due to the spread of rumours of 'threats' to the integrity of the Waqf-administered area.
Now, with the Middle East in its second year of turmoil and uncertainty, Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and Iranian-linked elements are planning to exploit the sensitivity of Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque in order to recruit participants in a 'Global March on Jerusalem', scheduled for March 30th.
This latest high-profile publicity stunt - designed to further the assault on the legitimacy of Israel – involves groups of international marchers (the organisers are hoping for a million participants) setting out from the surrounding countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt and converging upon Israel's borders whilst demanding the right to reach Jerusalem."
She continues:
"It is a basic premise of national sovereignty that a country has the right – and indeed the obligation – to control its borders, to determine which non-citizens it allows to enter, to remove those entering without authorisation and to take steps necessary in order to protect its own citizens. Even the EU policy of internal free movement is rooted in the understanding that "[l]ifting internal borders requires strengthened management of the Union’s external borders as well as regulated entry and residence of non-EU nationals".
The participants in the 'Global March on Jerusalem' have already stated that they will not apply for the necessary visas in order to enter Israel. Some of them are citizens of countries with which Israel does not have diplomatic relations. Some are also members of or associated with terror organisations dedicated to Israel's destruction and a significant number have previously taken part in one or more of the 'flotilla' campaigns designed to break the maritime blockade (deemed legitimate and legal in the UN's Palmer report) on the Gaza Strip.
It is therefore clear that the pre-planned result of this march will be provocation and unnecessary confrontation which – as has been the case in the past - could well result in tragedy."
Read the entire article here
Read them here, and here
Her latests article appears at the Commentator.
From British Involvement in a dangerous Middle east provocation:
"Nearly a year ago to the day, on February 18th 2011, the spiritual guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, Sheikh Yusuf al Qaradawi, addressed a victory rally in Cairo's Tahrir Square at which he called for the re-conquest of Jerusalem by his co-religionists.
Few subjects on the Islamist agenda are as galvanising as that of the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and severe violence has frequently erupted or been engineered by interested parties due to the spread of rumours of 'threats' to the integrity of the Waqf-administered area.
Now, with the Middle East in its second year of turmoil and uncertainty, Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and Iranian-linked elements are planning to exploit the sensitivity of Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque in order to recruit participants in a 'Global March on Jerusalem', scheduled for March 30th.
This latest high-profile publicity stunt - designed to further the assault on the legitimacy of Israel – involves groups of international marchers (the organisers are hoping for a million participants) setting out from the surrounding countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt and converging upon Israel's borders whilst demanding the right to reach Jerusalem."
She continues:
"It is a basic premise of national sovereignty that a country has the right – and indeed the obligation – to control its borders, to determine which non-citizens it allows to enter, to remove those entering without authorisation and to take steps necessary in order to protect its own citizens. Even the EU policy of internal free movement is rooted in the understanding that "[l]ifting internal borders requires strengthened management of the Union’s external borders as well as regulated entry and residence of non-EU nationals".
The participants in the 'Global March on Jerusalem' have already stated that they will not apply for the necessary visas in order to enter Israel. Some of them are citizens of countries with which Israel does not have diplomatic relations. Some are also members of or associated with terror organisations dedicated to Israel's destruction and a significant number have previously taken part in one or more of the 'flotilla' campaigns designed to break the maritime blockade (deemed legitimate and legal in the UN's Palmer report) on the Gaza Strip.
It is therefore clear that the pre-planned result of this march will be provocation and unnecessary confrontation which – as has been the case in the past - could well result in tragedy."
Read the entire article here
Saturday, December 3, 2011
How Much do you know about Palestine?
From Our friends at CIF Watch:
A guest post by Geary, shamelessly reproduced in its entirety, here.
Please take the following quiz on topics regarding Palestinian quality of life, demography and history, and test your knowledge with the answers provided below.
Questions
1.) Rank these countries according to life expectancy (longest first).
Brazil, Turkey, Egypt, Gaza, Russia, & world average
2.) Rank these conflicts (since 1950) in terms of number of casualties.
Burma/Myanmar; Russia-Chechnya; Arab-Israeli conflict; Zimbabwe civil disorders; Iranian Revolution; Repression of Kurds (Turkey,Iraq,Iran); Sudan civil wars
3.) How many Palestinians were treated in Israeli hospitals in 2010?
None; 180; 1,800; 18,000; or 180,000
4.) Which of the following organs of Palestinian society are under “occupying” Israeli control?
Education system; The Judiciary; The Press, Taxation; or None of the above
5.) Rank these countries by rate of economic growth (GDP, 2009 figures)
Australia, Germany, Israel, Egypt, Palestinian Territories, Hong Kong, and Brazil
6.) The UN Human Rights Council has passed more resolutions against Israel over the Palestine question than against all other nations combined.
Which of these countries are not currently serving on the UNHRC?
Sweden, Russia, Pakistan, Canada, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, China
7.) How much of Gaza’s electricity is supplied by Israel?
None, 10%, 33%, 50%, or 70%
8.) Rank these countries in order of family home ownership.
United States, Italy, Palestinian territories, France, Germany, and Switzerland
9.) Since Arafat launched the 2nd Intifada War against Israel, the last decade has been by far the most costly in Palestinian lives in the history of Israel-Palestinian relations. How many Palestinians have died in conflict with Israel since 2000?
Less than 10,000; 10,000 – 20,000; 20,000 – 30,000; 30,000 – 40,000; or more than 40,000
10.) In the Second Intifada War against Israel, how many Palestinians were killed by other Palestinians (the “Intra-fada”)?
70; 170; 370; or 570
ANSWERS
1.) Rank these countries according to life expectancy (longest first)
i) Gaza Strip – 73.4 years
ii) Egypt – 72
iii) Brazil – 72
iv) Turkey – 72
v) World average – 66.6
vi) Russia – 66
So you can expect to enjoy an extra 16 months if you were born on the Gazan side of the Rafa Crossing than if you were born on the Egyptian side.
The average West bank Palestinian does better still, at 74.5, which may well be explained in part by Question 3.
And given that the average Gazan lives longer than the average Turk, perhaps those ‘humanitarian’ flotillas should be heading in the opposite direction.
Sources, here and here.
2.) Rank these conflicts (since 1950) in terms of number of casualties.
i) Sudan civil wars – 1.9 million casualties
ii) Repression of Kurds – 300,000
iii) Russia–Chechnya – 140,000
iv) Burma/Myanmar – 130,000
v) Sri Lanka – 8,000
vi) Iranian Revolution – 80,000
vii) Zimbabwe – 60,000
viii) Arab-Israeli conflict 52,000
In fact the Arab-Israeli conflict comes just 49th in the list of the worst conflicts of the last sixty years, many of which are, shamefully, completely forgotten or ignored by the western press.
3.) How many Palestinians were treated in Israeli hospitals in 2010?
i) None
ii) 180
iii) 1,800
iv) 18,000
v) 180,000
These included many thousands of patients from Gaza, despite its government’s constant attacks on Israeli citizens.
Israeli hospitals would be able to treat many more Palestinians if security was not an issue. Before the 2000 Intifada was declared, any Palestinian could simply arrive at an Israeli hospital and be treated.
4.) Which of the following organs of Palestinian society are under “occupying” Israeli control?
i) Education system
ii) The judiciary
iii) The press
iv) Taxation
v) None of the above
Compare this to, say, the complete lack of autonomy of the Kurds and other minorities in Turkey.
5.) Rank these countries by rate of economic growth (GDP, 2009 figures)
i) Palestinian Territories (8%)
ii) Brazil (7.5%)
iii) Hong Kong (6.8%)
iv) Egypt (5.1%)
v) Israel (4.6%)
vi) Germany (3.5%)
vii) Australia (2.7%)
After the economic depression which accompanied Arafat’s Intifada War on Israel, and after the building of the Security Fence to protect Israelis from terrorist aggression and restore security to the West Bank, things are definitely looking brighter for the Palestinian economy.
6.) The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has passed more resolutions against Israel over the Palestine question than against all other nations combined.
Which of these countries are not currently serving on the UNHRC?
Sweden and Canada are not on the UNHRC, whilst China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Pakistan are.
7.) How much of Gaza’s electricity is supplied by Israel?
i) none
ii) 10%
iii) 33%
iv) 50%
v) 70%
Israel supplies over 70%, Egypt a ‘generous’ 5%, with the remaining 25% coming from the Strip’s lone plant.
8.) Rank these countries in order of family home ownership.
i) Palestinian territories 84%
ii) Italy 78%
iii) United States 65%
iv) Sweden 60%
v) France 54%
vi) Germany 43%
9.) Since Arafat launched his Intifada War against Israelis, the last decade has been by far the most costly in Palestinian lives in the history of Israel-Palestinian relations.
How many Palestinians have died in conflict with Israel since 2000?
i) Less than 10,000 (Around 6,000, combatants and non-combatants.)
ii) 10,000 – 20,000
iii) 20,000 – 30,000
iv) 30,000 – 40,000
v) More than 40,000
To put this in perspective: 20,000 are feared dead in one month in 2009 of the Sri Lanka conflict
Between 50,000 and 70,000 have died in the same decade in Chechnya, whilst 35,000 people have died in Mexico’s drugs wars since 2005.
10.) In the Second Intifada War against Israel, how many Palestinians were killed by other Palestinians (the “Intra-fada”)?
i) None
ii) 70
iii) 170
iv) 370
v) 570
Or, more precisely, 557 according to B’Tselem. For some reason, few, if any, international protests were heard on such Palestinian-on-Palestinian killings.
YOUR SCORE
8-10 Well-informed. You are probably a regular visitor to CiF Watch.
4-7 You often uncritically accept the mainstream media’s coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.
0-3 You likely read the Guardian as a serious newspaper.
Supporting Sources available at the CIF Watch website
A guest post by Geary, shamelessly reproduced in its entirety, here.
Please take the following quiz on topics regarding Palestinian quality of life, demography and history, and test your knowledge with the answers provided below.
Questions
1.) Rank these countries according to life expectancy (longest first).
Brazil, Turkey, Egypt, Gaza, Russia, & world average
2.) Rank these conflicts (since 1950) in terms of number of casualties.
Burma/Myanmar; Russia-Chechnya; Arab-Israeli conflict; Zimbabwe civil disorders; Iranian Revolution; Repression of Kurds (Turkey,Iraq,Iran); Sudan civil wars
3.) How many Palestinians were treated in Israeli hospitals in 2010?
None; 180; 1,800; 18,000; or 180,000
4.) Which of the following organs of Palestinian society are under “occupying” Israeli control?
Education system; The Judiciary; The Press, Taxation; or None of the above
5.) Rank these countries by rate of economic growth (GDP, 2009 figures)
Australia, Germany, Israel, Egypt, Palestinian Territories, Hong Kong, and Brazil
6.) The UN Human Rights Council has passed more resolutions against Israel over the Palestine question than against all other nations combined.
Which of these countries are not currently serving on the UNHRC?
Sweden, Russia, Pakistan, Canada, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, China
7.) How much of Gaza’s electricity is supplied by Israel?
None, 10%, 33%, 50%, or 70%
8.) Rank these countries in order of family home ownership.
United States, Italy, Palestinian territories, France, Germany, and Switzerland
9.) Since Arafat launched the 2nd Intifada War against Israel, the last decade has been by far the most costly in Palestinian lives in the history of Israel-Palestinian relations. How many Palestinians have died in conflict with Israel since 2000?
Less than 10,000; 10,000 – 20,000; 20,000 – 30,000; 30,000 – 40,000; or more than 40,000
10.) In the Second Intifada War against Israel, how many Palestinians were killed by other Palestinians (the “Intra-fada”)?
70; 170; 370; or 570
ANSWERS
1.) Rank these countries according to life expectancy (longest first)
i) Gaza Strip – 73.4 years
ii) Egypt – 72
iii) Brazil – 72
iv) Turkey – 72
v) World average – 66.6
vi) Russia – 66
So you can expect to enjoy an extra 16 months if you were born on the Gazan side of the Rafa Crossing than if you were born on the Egyptian side.
The average West bank Palestinian does better still, at 74.5, which may well be explained in part by Question 3.
And given that the average Gazan lives longer than the average Turk, perhaps those ‘humanitarian’ flotillas should be heading in the opposite direction.
Sources, here and here.
2.) Rank these conflicts (since 1950) in terms of number of casualties.
i) Sudan civil wars – 1.9 million casualties
ii) Repression of Kurds – 300,000
iii) Russia–Chechnya – 140,000
iv) Burma/Myanmar – 130,000
v) Sri Lanka – 8,000
vi) Iranian Revolution – 80,000
vii) Zimbabwe – 60,000
viii) Arab-Israeli conflict 52,000
In fact the Arab-Israeli conflict comes just 49th in the list of the worst conflicts of the last sixty years, many of which are, shamefully, completely forgotten or ignored by the western press.
3.) How many Palestinians were treated in Israeli hospitals in 2010?
i) None
ii) 180
iii) 1,800
iv) 18,000
v) 180,000
These included many thousands of patients from Gaza, despite its government’s constant attacks on Israeli citizens.
Israeli hospitals would be able to treat many more Palestinians if security was not an issue. Before the 2000 Intifada was declared, any Palestinian could simply arrive at an Israeli hospital and be treated.
4.) Which of the following organs of Palestinian society are under “occupying” Israeli control?
i) Education system
ii) The judiciary
iii) The press
iv) Taxation
v) None of the above
Compare this to, say, the complete lack of autonomy of the Kurds and other minorities in Turkey.
5.) Rank these countries by rate of economic growth (GDP, 2009 figures)
i) Palestinian Territories (8%)
ii) Brazil (7.5%)
iii) Hong Kong (6.8%)
iv) Egypt (5.1%)
v) Israel (4.6%)
vi) Germany (3.5%)
vii) Australia (2.7%)
After the economic depression which accompanied Arafat’s Intifada War on Israel, and after the building of the Security Fence to protect Israelis from terrorist aggression and restore security to the West Bank, things are definitely looking brighter for the Palestinian economy.
6.) The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has passed more resolutions against Israel over the Palestine question than against all other nations combined.
Which of these countries are not currently serving on the UNHRC?
Sweden and Canada are not on the UNHRC, whilst China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Pakistan are.
7.) How much of Gaza’s electricity is supplied by Israel?
i) none
ii) 10%
iii) 33%
iv) 50%
v) 70%
Israel supplies over 70%, Egypt a ‘generous’ 5%, with the remaining 25% coming from the Strip’s lone plant.
8.) Rank these countries in order of family home ownership.
i) Palestinian territories 84%
ii) Italy 78%
iii) United States 65%
iv) Sweden 60%
v) France 54%
vi) Germany 43%
9.) Since Arafat launched his Intifada War against Israelis, the last decade has been by far the most costly in Palestinian lives in the history of Israel-Palestinian relations.
How many Palestinians have died in conflict with Israel since 2000?
i) Less than 10,000 (Around 6,000, combatants and non-combatants.)
ii) 10,000 – 20,000
iii) 20,000 – 30,000
iv) 30,000 – 40,000
v) More than 40,000
To put this in perspective: 20,000 are feared dead in one month in 2009 of the Sri Lanka conflict
Between 50,000 and 70,000 have died in the same decade in Chechnya, whilst 35,000 people have died in Mexico’s drugs wars since 2005.
10.) In the Second Intifada War against Israel, how many Palestinians were killed by other Palestinians (the “Intra-fada”)?
i) None
ii) 70
iii) 170
iv) 370
v) 570
Or, more precisely, 557 according to B’Tselem. For some reason, few, if any, international protests were heard on such Palestinian-on-Palestinian killings.
YOUR SCORE
8-10 Well-informed. You are probably a regular visitor to CiF Watch.
4-7 You often uncritically accept the mainstream media’s coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.
0-3 You likely read the Guardian as a serious newspaper.
Supporting Sources available at the CIF Watch website
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