Israel and Palestine, Real News Reports

Paul Jay, senior correspondant of the Real News Network, reports from Jerusalem on the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Good Stuff.





Side note on the Real News:
This is one of the best sources you can find. They have developed a very successful, user-funded finance-model (no corporate dollars or ads) and plan to air on cable and satellite networks in the coming future. News like this is hard to come by these days! Check them out (http://www.therealnews.com), and donate some money if you like what you see. This is how we can save democracy.

Death and Life of American Journalism

WTF?? Part 3, Guest Blogger: Hanadi Riyad

I asked a former classmate of mine to write an essay on her views on the the Gaza incursion.  Hanadi is from the region, which makes this situation all the more immediate for her--my hope is that some of this urgency will be conveyed to my readers.

Without further ado, Hanadi Riyad:

"Cast Lead and ME Shift"

As I was thinking of what to write exactly for this short essay, I elected to write from my own personal perspective as based on my daily life and observations as a Middle Easterner. I decided that it is very important for us to realize what a lot of analysts are neglecting to discuss: the reverberating impact of the Israeli invasion of Gaza on the region and the shifts of political roles and landscapes it caused in the Middle East. The on-going blockade aside, the Israeli genocide against the Palestinian people of Gaza, otherwise known as "operation Cast Lead," was a turning point in Middle Eastern politics and public opinion. On the bright side, Palestinians were made to feel less abandoned by the people and citizens of the world. On the dark side, the international community's failure to respond proportionately to the Zionist aggression against Gaza enhanced the Palestinian people's feelings of separation and alienation from the official international system and its ultra-statist institutions. It also widened the gap between the Palestinian and Arab public and their leaders and "representatives."

The numerous public and civil protests against the Israeli aggressions against Gazans first came as a surprise to everybody in the Middle East; they displayed an unfamiliar feeling of human solidarity with the people of the world. In 1948, the Palestinian people were officially abandoned by both the international powers and their people. The feelings of guilt that plagued the people of Europe over the Holocaust presented the perfect chance for the colonial powers to present Zionist Jews with Palestine as compensation. This is the first time since then that the world has witnessed that number of protests against Israel. In France, Spain, the US, Russia, and many other European countries, protestors showed the increasing disenchantment with the Israeli state and its Zionist "cause." I think some of those protests were also driven by the sense of guilt some people, especially Europeans, are feeling over their governments' complicity in the extermination of the Palestinian people and support of the Israeli occupation. The frequent use of the word "holocaust" to describe the latest atrocity against Gaza indicates the people of the world's awareness of the connection between the Holocaust and the Israeli extermination of Palestinians.

However, what did not come as a surprise to anybody in the Middle East was the lack of action on the part of the international powers; some of the blatantly biased and pro-Israeli stances many governments took on the Gaza invasion produced a feeling of repulsion and disgust with those governments. Indeed, the famous and atrocious statement made by the EU presidency spokesperson Potuznik, calling the ground op "defensive," is one example of such a stance. Only either total ignorance of Middle Eastern politics or total inhumanity could have compelled that Czech official to say something as biased as that. I mean, even Olmert and Peres called the op "offensive." What is really significant though is the resulting public disrespect for the UN amongst the Middle Eastern public; this was mainly produced by the Israeli disregard of the UN cease-fire resolution passed on 8 January and its constant targeting of the UN schools where civilians had taken refuge. Not only the sanctity of educational institutions was violated, but also the authority of the UN was dismissed and attacked. There is this conviction now that the UN has backed Israel for too long now that it cannot stand in its face anymore. Only armed resistance is capable of that.  

The gap between the Arab regimes and the Arab public has been there since the artificial states of the Middle East were formed by the colonial powers at the time; now, it's wider than ever. The way that Arab governments split into two camps, the "moderate" or "pro-Israeli" and the "radical" or "pro-Palestinian" was predictable. However, never an embassy of an Arab state was attacked in another Arab country. Egyptian embassies all over the Arab world were attacked vigorously and repeatedly by protesters against the Egyptian refusal to open Rafah crossing into Gaza. While people threw shoes at Egyptians embassies, a lot of Cuban and Turkish embassies were thrown with flowers and roses. For the first time in my life, I heard Arab opposition leaders call, loudly and clearly, for coups and revolutions against various conspiring Arab regimes. Of course, these would be the ones that have the same interest as Israel and the US to terminate the Palestinian resistance and keep their regional hegemony intact, such as Saudi Arabia.

These are only my views and I do not presume to represent neither all Middle Easterners nor the majority's opinion. This is how I see things standing right now in the Middle East in the aftermath of the Israeli ground op in Gaza.

WTF?? Part 2: What is Hamas?

For Part 2 of our series on the Israel/Palestine conflict entitled "WTF??" we will address the question: What is Hamas?

In my research, I have come to fully realize the extent to which American media distorts what Hamas really is. Check out this segment from the Fox News Network:



So let us analyze what how this interview describes the Hamas group. For one, the "expert" who describes to us Hamas and its motivations is a man who works for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies-- a neoconservative think-tank dedicated to "promoting pluralism, defending democratic values, and fighting the ideologies that threaten democracy." This is a very pro-Iraq War group that strongly supports the policies of Israel's ruling party.

Anyways, from the FOX interview, we gather a few assumptions:
1. Hamas is a terrorist organization, dedicated to the "destruction of Israel"
2. It was founded in 1987, and began suicide attacks in the 1990s
3. Hamas has established "major social services program" as a public relations "booster"
4. They were elected democratically-- gaining 62% of the vote
5. Compared to the governments of Hitler, Mao, Mussollini
6. Part of a global terror network-- at the center of which is Iran (and according to the neoconservative dude, nothing fundamental can be done as long as the current Iranian regime is in power... hmm, I wonder what that means??)
7. The caption at the bottom of the screen states: "Hamas wants Israel Gone, Palestinian State in its Place"
8. If Israel leaves without destroying Hamas, it will be seen as a "humiliation"

OKAY, enough of FOX, now I'd like you to see an interview done with Eric Margolis-- author of the book American Raj, a study that seeks to answer why there exists Middle East hostility towards the West (addressing historical, political and religious factors). Margolis was a journalist in the region for many years. Check out the interview, and then we will discuss:



Let's review:
1. Western media distorts what Hamas really is
2. It is a "national liberation movement" ... an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt
3. Founded in opposition to the the corrupt and ineffective Palestinian Liberation Organization
4. Israel, in fact, quietly supported Hamas as a means to disrupt Palestinian unity
5. Has Hamas used "terrorist" tactics?
-they HAVE targeted civilians
-they HAVE used suicide bombers
-Why can't we call them "terrorists"?
-Well, the argument is that if Hamas had the same sophisticated weaponry that Israel uses, they would do the same... suicide bombers are the poor man's cruise missile
-But what about the civilians being targets? Margolis says that Hamas is morally wrong in this, and I agree. Civilians should never be the targets!
-But many of these attacks are "revenge" attacks... in retaliation for the attacks on Palestinians

6. The Palestinians have suffered 10-40 times more dead than the Israelis (but this doesn't excuse any attacks on civilians)
7. Hamas is a socio-religious movement, preaching "resistence to Western and Israeli dominance" ... and they remain hardliners against corruption
8. Provides many social services... schools, sewage, street-cleaning, etc... THIS is the MOST IMPORTANT aspect of Hamas.... making them respected and admired by their people
9. The armed resistance wing
-claim to be defending the "rights of 5-7 million displaced, homeless Palestinian refugees"
-won't recognize Israel until Israel recognizes the rights of those 5-7 million

10. Hamas is NOT a "threat" to the "existence of Israel"
-at most, they have 3,000 poorly trained gunmen
-basically, they are totally overpowered by Israeli forces ... they are like 'fish in a barrel'

11. The fearmongering by the Western media and Israeli government has made it nearly impossible for meaningful negotiation
12. Anti-semitism is infecting the Arab world like never before... it is as a result of the Israeli bombings and incursions

**Clearly this issue is more complex and dynamic than one FOX interview may suggest... and don't just take Margolis's word for it. Do some reading on your own and learn the history behind this conflict. What is Hamas? Why does this conflict exist (it hasn't been around forever, you know.)? What is "terrorism"?

Tomorrow evening, a guest blogger will be sharing her very personal views on the situation. Please stay tuned.

Next Steps: the November 5th Plan of Action!

November 4, 2008 is past, today is a new day with new challenges.  If you think that electing Barack Obama was the ultimate goal, you are so wrong.  Today ought to be a day of celebration, for history has been made.  Yes, just 7 years after the attacks of 9/11, we have elected a black man with the middle-name of "Hussein" as President of the United States.  What a monumental declaration!  But the game board has only been reset... now we must change the game altogether.

The purge of the Republican extremists and the Neo-Con philosophy has nearly come full circle.  No more Cheney.  No more Rove.  Bush will eventually be gone.  Today the progressives of America must begin the massive organization that will be necessary to enact true change.  For change is merely a political device if there is no pressure on the promises.

It is time for the millions who share common goals to unite and show how people can put democracy to action.  Yes, I am calling out to the democratic idealists, the environmentalists, the peace advocates, and the anti-imperialists to rise up together!  To the Ron Paul Revolutionaries and the Ralph Naderophiles, today is your day!  To the consumer advocates who fight the abuses of corporate power, the time is now!  To every single person who understands that our nation must radically reform our way of governing for there to be a future United States of America, it is time for your voices to be heard!!

What I am saying is that the energy of this amazing election must continue into a new era of populist activism.  If Obama doesn't have the mandate and the external push for change, he will not succeed as we all want him to--as the country needs him to.  Do not be fooled, readers of SkyeWire: there are very powerful forces that are against a new progressive era.  They supported Barack Obama because he ran an extremely moderate campaign... he was a safe bet.  But this must not stand.  Barack Obama promised MAJOR CHANGE, but he cannot do it without the political capital.  In other words, it is up to powerful and clever organization--based in grassroots--to come together on major issues and demand change.  The country has given the Democrats one last sweeping leap of faith--to let them try, once last time, to make good on their failed promises of the past 40 years.  Now we must hold them accountable.

So what to do?  I have some preliminary proposals, but these will obviously develop in the coming months and years.  

A.) Join the Revolution: yes, I am talking about Ron Paul's "Campaign for Liberty" ... You do not need to be a Libertarian to understand that the American Empire must come to an end, the tax system must be radically reformed, and civil liberty must take precedence!  Ron Paul's dark horse campaign showed that millions (liberals, conservative, moderates, etc.) are dissatisfied with what our nation has become, and to support this cause is noble.

B.) Join the November 5th movement: The final presidential campaign of Ralph Nader has become a major advocacy group dedicated to urging the Congress to pursue a progressive agenda and to fight the corporate stranglehold.   Based on the powerful idea of grassroots organization, November 5 calls upon citizens in the 435 congressional districts to fight for the next 100 days for major reform within the country's most powerful institution: the Congress.

C.) Be well informed: this does not mean CNN or FOX News This does not mean just CNN and FOX.  I am talking about developing a broader understanding of issues, which means expanding from your primary sources.  As citizens we must train ourselves to rely on solid and independent news sources in order to make sound judgements, while also keeping up on what the mainstream networks are saying.  Readers will see that to the left of the page, I have listed some of my favorite news sources... independent, liberal, conservative, and moderate ones alike.  The point is to have an open mind and not to dismiss certain sources based on bias.

D.) USE THE FRIGGIN INTERNET: Don't take my word for anything!  Solid information and organization is available on the internet if you are will to seek it out.  Connect with those who share your plight, communicate, and plan for action.  If people use this revolutionary resource to its fullest potential, they will discover that there are millions of like-minded activists.

There will be more in the coming days, but the main idea is that we mustn't relent from this grand opportunity to change the country and determine our future.  This thing ain't over!  We can still take back our country...it is within reach!  We now have an administration that is receptive to change... now we must follow through.  The fight will be long.  It will be demoralizing at times.  No one said democracy is easy, but in the words of Winston Churchill:

Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never, in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.

With optimism and resolve.

The Bailout: Corporate Socialism?

I'll be posting an essay soon (later tonight or tomorrow). In the meantime, check out these pieces on the bailout:

Watch this informative report ... I had imbedded it, but it would continuously play automatically... quite annoying.

Then watch Nader below!