Well, it's been a while.
And things are, of course, no different. The wagon is still careening off the cliff and no one seems to have packed parachutes.
I finally decided to meander through the many posts that didn't make it.
I found this one and thought of the soldiers now coming forward and telling of the atrocities they did commit while invading and occupying Gaza for a month. They, themselves are coming forth - and now it's in the news, now it's being listened to - it sure didn't when it was happening.
Is this thier out? Is this the 'legal' way to conclude, given the outright testimonies of both solider and civilian, that war crimes were never committed?
It could well be.
Hence, I'm throwing this up out of the memory hole:
(Yes it's the full piece - because this is exactly the kind of stuff that gets flushed).
Consent and Advice
On the first day of Operation Cast Lead, the air force bombed the graduation ceremony of a police course, killing dozens of policemen. Months earlier, an operational and legal controversy was already swirling around the planned attack. According to a military source who was involved in the planning, bombing the site of the ceremony was authorized with no difficulty, but questions were raised about the intent to strike at the graduates of the course. Military Intelligence, convinced the attack was justified, pressed for its implementation. Representatives of the international law division (ILD) in the Military Advocate General's Office at first objected, fearing a possible violation of international law.
"This was a very large group of people who at that moment were ostensibly civilians and the next day would become legitimate military targets," says an operational source. "You take these dozens of policemen and put them in your gunsights. That certainly came up in all the discussions and soul-searching."
Over the course of several months, the operational echelons, particularly Military Intelligence, kept up the pressure on the army's legal staff. In the end, ILD authorized the air strike as it was carried out. The "incrimination" of the policemen (that is, justifying an attack on them) was based on their categorization as a resistance force in the event of an Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip; not on information about any of them as individuals.
"Underlying our rationale was the way Hamas used the security forces," says a senior ILD figure. "Actually, one can look at the totality as the equivalent of the enemy's armed force, so they were not perceived as police. In our eyes, all the armed forces of Hamas are the equivalent of the army, just as in the face of the enemy's army every soldier is a legitimate target."
Experts in international law term the justification for the bombing raid problematic. "In a properly run state, attacking policemen as though they are soldiers is prohibited," says Prof. Yuval Shany, who teaches public international law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. "When we are dealing with a government like Hamas, in which the boundaries between the different forces are not clear, the police force may have a combat role. But if you follow that line, there is not much that differentiates them from [Israeli] reservists or even from 16-year-olds who will be drafted in two years. You have to draw the line and restrict attacks to those in active service. This is not the only case in which the IDF offered a flexible interpretation of the law. The army attacked the infrastructure of the Hamas government and hit ministries. But unless you can show that there was military equipment in those offices, an attack on structures that do not serve a military purpose is a violation of the rules of war. The buildings are civilian sites and must not be attacked."
However, after entertaining initial doubts, ILD authorized the bombing of Hamas governmental targets. "As we understand it," says a senior figure in ILD, "the way Hamas operates is to use the entire governmental infrastructure for the organization's terrorist purposes, so that the distinctions are a bit different. We adjust the targets to the case of a terrorist regime."
Civilian on the roof
The ILD is based in a neglected building in the Kirya, the defense establishment compound in Tel Aviv. The unit consists of about 20 officers who hold a legal education. The department has existed in its present form and name since the start of the 1990s. Until then the unit was known as the International Law Branch, or 'Debil' in the Hebrew acronym, a word that means imbecile, until a senior officer in the unit demanded a change of name.
ILD takes pride in the influence its officers exerted on the character of the war in Gaza. For example, the unit induced the IDF to warn people before their homes were bombed by means of a procedure known as 'knock on the roof'; echoing the 'knock on the door campaign' in Israel in which funds are raised to fight cancer; in which munitions are fired harmlessly at roof corners. Sources in the unit say they tried to draw lessons from the warnings that were given in the Second Lebanon War. According to human rights organizations, the civilians in Lebanon were not told which places were safe and the roads on which they fled were bombed and became death traps. Once a warning is issued, say senior ILD officers, a strike against civilians who are bodily defending a structure can be validated as though they were combatants. Other legal experts dispute this. Among them is Colonel (res.) Daniel Reisner, who headed ILD until about five years ago. In his view, as he told Haaretz after Operation Cast Lead, such civilians retain their civilian status. I don't think you can incriminate someone who is standing on a roof just because he is there," Reisner said. "Possibly the attack on him will be considered legitimate -collateral damage," but he will not be a target."
A senior ILD figure explains: "The people who go into a house despite a warning do not have to be taken into account in terms of injury to civilians, because they are voluntary human shields. From the legal point of view, I do not have to show consideration for them. In the case of people who return to their home in order to protect it, they are taking part in the fighting."
What about a civilian who positions himself in front of a tank?
"If someone stands in front of a tank in order to block its progress, he is participating in warfare." But he says that in practice, the IDF does not attack civilians in such cases.
ILD's permissive posture comes as no surprise to jurists who monitor the unit's legal opinions. According to one of them, the unit is considered -more militant than any other legal body in Israel, and is ready to adopt the most flexible interpretations of the law in order to justify IDF operations." Pressure from operational elements and an understanding of their considerations on the part of ILD appear to affect the unit's legal opinions. "The army knows what it wants. For the operational echelon things are very clear," says an IDF operational source. "When the legal advisers thought something was objectionable or problematic, they definitely came under pressure to produce a positive bottom line."
"Our goal is not to fetter the army, but to give it the tools to win in a lawful manner," says an ILD officer. Reisner, the unit's former commander, says he understands why it has acquired a reputation for permissiveness: "We defended policy that is on the edge: the "neighbor procedure" [making a neighbor knock on the door of a potentially dangerous house], house demolitions, deportation, targeted assassination; we defended all the magic formulas for dealing with terrorism. In that sense, ILD is a body that restrains action, but does not stop it. The army says, "Here is a magic formula, is it within the bounds of what is possible? To which I will reply, I am ready to try to defend it, but I am not sure I will succeed. If it's white I will allow it, if it's black I will prohibit it, but in cases of gray I will be part of the dilemma: I do not stop at gray."
The dilemma of the gray areas and ILD's attempts to discover untapped potential in international law may perhaps explain the unit's great enthusiasm for providing legal advice to the army and the glint in advisers' eyes when certain terms roll off their tongue: 'proportional equilibrium,' 'legitimate military target,' 'illegal combatants.' 'What we are seeing now is a revision of international law,' Reisner says. 'If you do something for long enough, the world will accept it. The whole of international law is now based on the notion that an act that is forbidden today becomes permissible if executed by enough countries. If the same process occurred in private law, the legal speed limit would be 115 kilometers an hour and we would pay income tax of 4 percent. So there is no connection between the question 'Will it be sanctioned?' and the act's legality. After we bombed the reactor in Iraq, the Security Council condemned Israel and claimed the attack was a violation of international law. The atmosphere was that Israel had committed a crime. Today everyone says it was preventive self-defense. International law progresses through violations. We invented the targeted assassination thesis and we had to push it. At first there were protrusions that made it hard to insert easily into the legal moulds. Eight years later it is in the center of the bounds of legitimacy."
Did the attacks of September 11 influence your legal situation?
"Absolutely. When we started to define the confrontation with the Palestinians as an armed confrontation, it was a dramatic switch, and we started to defend that position before the Supreme Court. In April 2001 I met the American envoy George Mitchell and explained that above a certain level, fighting terrorism is armed combat and not law enforcement. His committee [which examined the circumstances of the confrontation in the territories] rejected that approach. Its report called on the Israeli government to abandon the armed confrontation definition and revert to the concept of law enforcement. It took four months and four planes to change the opinion of the United States, and had it not been for those four planes I am not sure we would have been able to develop the thesis of the war against terrorism on the present scale."
Individual approach
One of the core reasons for ILD's permissive approach may be its desire to preserve a modicum of relevance and influence in periods when the atmosphere in the General Staff and the territorial commands is particularly militant. A former senior commander notes that in the period when Daniel Reisner; an articulate, charismatic officer; headed the unit, its staff, and above all Reisner himself, acquired a respected status within the IDF officer corps. By the same token, the influence of the current staff, under the command of Colonel Pnina Sharvit-Baruch, is not self-evident. Sources involved in the work of Southern Command note that the commanding general, Yoav Gallant, is quite suspicious of the advisers and is known as a 'wild man,' a 'cowboy' or a 'sheriff' in terms of the importance; meaning lack of importance; he attaches to legal advice. The legal adviser to Southern Command was not invited to the situation appraisal ahead of the Gaza offensive and was excluded from smaller planning forums. Yet it was actually Operation Cast Lead that led to something of an improvement in relations between ILD and Gallant.
****
Ahh well, read it and weep. This is their out.
Twist and shout!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Norman Finkelstein at U of T Mississauga
This is Part 1 of Norman's lecture at the University of Toronto, Mississauga campus.
You can listen to the rest here
Thanks Norman!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
One Step Over the Line...
I am feeling hopeful today. That is not a common occurance with respect to the World's Misery which lines our media on a daily basis. But today - I do have some little flicker of hope. Why?
Israel has taken one step over the line.
This time, this event, this massacre is too big for her to cry victim, too big for her to simply make it 'go away'. This time, with the inhuman deaths of over 1400 people, thousands physically wounded and over a million forever scarred psychologically, she cannot retreat to her usual victim status. Nor can she expect the already biased press to help her out - this time it was just too terrible, too monsterous for the PR boys and girls to save her.
Yes, she's been brutal in the past - from Dier Yassen to Sabra and Shatilla, from the Checkpoints in the West Bank to the brutal pounding in Lebanon - but this time - this time is one too many. This time - in front of the world she has truly shown her bloody hands, her dripping fangs and her overwhelming bloodlust and hatred. Israel cannot come back from this. It will not wash, too many - including many Israelis and Diaspora Jews - have seen and heard the cry of those still living in Gaza. Too many know now, the gate is opened the horses are running and it's too late to put them all back in the stable.
This is good. And way past time for a rEVOLution!
I'll leave you all with a little song, thank you Doug for reminding me - one of my favs from years ago:
Israel has taken one step over the line.
This time, this event, this massacre is too big for her to cry victim, too big for her to simply make it 'go away'. This time, with the inhuman deaths of over 1400 people, thousands physically wounded and over a million forever scarred psychologically, she cannot retreat to her usual victim status. Nor can she expect the already biased press to help her out - this time it was just too terrible, too monsterous for the PR boys and girls to save her.
Yes, she's been brutal in the past - from Dier Yassen to Sabra and Shatilla, from the Checkpoints in the West Bank to the brutal pounding in Lebanon - but this time - this time is one too many. This time - in front of the world she has truly shown her bloody hands, her dripping fangs and her overwhelming bloodlust and hatred. Israel cannot come back from this. It will not wash, too many - including many Israelis and Diaspora Jews - have seen and heard the cry of those still living in Gaza. Too many know now, the gate is opened the horses are running and it's too late to put them all back in the stable.
This is good. And way past time for a rEVOLution!
I'll leave you all with a little song, thank you Doug for reminding me - one of my favs from years ago:
Monday, January 26, 2009
I'm starting to like this guy - Richard Williamson on 911
You go Richard!! Keep the faith, keep the truth and keep being brave!!!!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Why can't we just talk about it?
Why can't we - I mean really? I was going to ignore this story because I'm kind of sick of thinking about this topic, but I made the masochistic mistake of venturing onto a comment thread at CBC discussing this bishop, Richard Williamson. I had to read the article to actually learn what all the hooplah was about in the first place. Me being me, I went and dug up what the man actually said, in context, since the media will never do that for me.
Turns out it's this:
Okay. So what?
I'll leave it to all of you to make up your own minds. Yet, please ask yourself this: Is there any other historical event where questioning it is a crime?
Turns out it's this:
Okay. So what?
I'll leave it to all of you to make up your own minds. Yet, please ask yourself this: Is there any other historical event where questioning it is a crime?
Monday, January 19, 2009
Exiled to the Nether-Cyberlands
Hey folks, while I know there aren't too many of you lately who are following my blog, it seems that now I kind of know why.
A few days back, well maybe a week or so or longer... not so sure anymore, I was wondering why suddenly I was getting no hits. I realize I am just another little voice in the darkness and don't really post all that often, but surely I would be able to google this blog and find it. Well - I couldn't. I put in exact titles to articles posted here and nothing - nada, zippo, bleat.
Hence I conscripted by fellow blogger, Penny to conduct a small experiment. She took one of my articles, used the title and posted it to here blog. This article was one of the ones I used to try and 'find' myself. Lo and behold - I certainly found Penny when I searched!! Yet sadly - not me!! It confirmed my musings that I'd been tossed to the bottom of the cyber dust heap.
So, I filed an abuse report. I have not heard a thing back, granted it was only a couple hours ago, but oddly I can now find myself on google again.
It's a mystery. And one I will be keeping my eye on.
Thanks again to Penn, who was a darling to help poor old befuddled me out.
Edited to add: As of 8:46 ET I cannot google this article's title. It does not exist.
A few days back, well maybe a week or so or longer... not so sure anymore, I was wondering why suddenly I was getting no hits. I realize I am just another little voice in the darkness and don't really post all that often, but surely I would be able to google this blog and find it. Well - I couldn't. I put in exact titles to articles posted here and nothing - nada, zippo, bleat.
Hence I conscripted by fellow blogger, Penny to conduct a small experiment. She took one of my articles, used the title and posted it to here blog. This article was one of the ones I used to try and 'find' myself. Lo and behold - I certainly found Penny when I searched!! Yet sadly - not me!! It confirmed my musings that I'd been tossed to the bottom of the cyber dust heap.
So, I filed an abuse report. I have not heard a thing back, granted it was only a couple hours ago, but oddly I can now find myself on google again.
It's a mystery. And one I will be keeping my eye on.
Thanks again to Penn, who was a darling to help poor old befuddled me out.
Edited to add: As of 8:46 ET I cannot google this article's title. It does not exist.
What happened to Kaplan's site?
Well, thanks to Dee I decided to look into what happened to Lee Kaplan's wonderful site Stop the ISM.
According to Lee himself, his hate site was a victim (oh surely not another victim??) of a DOS attack by the International Solidarity Movement.
Okay - well let's just see what Kaplan says here:
A DOS attack was just made on Stop the ISM's and DAFKA's websites that temporarily brought the sites down but they will be back. Just as with Israel,the animals of the Palestinian movement and their EU anarchist buddies can have their day, but the anarchists in Gaza with Hamas should be afraid to look up into the sky because the Israeli Air Force is coming to get them. Actually, a member of the ISM has provided invaluable information for the $25,000 reward we offered for information on how to target Vittorio Arrigoni and the other ISM tools there in Gaza and right now. Anther good note was the Gaza flotilla ship was also turned back by the IDF NAvy as it should have been from the start.
Well, vitriol and name calling aside it seems that Mr. Kaplan has no plans of stopping his call for murder.
Fanatics are all the same.
Edited to add:
The folks over at Muzzlewatch have been keeping an eye on Kaplan for a while now.
While I suspected it, now I know for sure, Kaplan was indeed behind the infamous Massada2000 site, where a SHIT list of over 7,000 jews was posted, often with personal info, encouraging others to make their lives hell. BTW - SHIT stands for Self Hating Israel Threatening Jews.
No I'm not making this crap up.
Perhaps folks like him are part of the reason this blog has been sent to Cybernetherlands.
According to Lee himself, his hate site was a victim (oh surely not another victim??) of a DOS attack by the International Solidarity Movement.
Okay - well let's just see what Kaplan says here:
A DOS attack was just made on Stop the ISM's and DAFKA's websites that temporarily brought the sites down but they will be back. Just as with Israel,the animals of the Palestinian movement and their EU anarchist buddies can have their day, but the anarchists in Gaza with Hamas should be afraid to look up into the sky because the Israeli Air Force is coming to get them. Actually, a member of the ISM has provided invaluable information for the $25,000 reward we offered for information on how to target Vittorio Arrigoni and the other ISM tools there in Gaza and right now. Anther good note was the Gaza flotilla ship was also turned back by the IDF NAvy as it should have been from the start.
Well, vitriol and name calling aside it seems that Mr. Kaplan has no plans of stopping his call for murder.
Fanatics are all the same.
Edited to add:
The folks over at Muzzlewatch have been keeping an eye on Kaplan for a while now.
While I suspected it, now I know for sure, Kaplan was indeed behind the infamous Massada2000 site, where a SHIT list of over 7,000 jews was posted, often with personal info, encouraging others to make their lives hell. BTW - SHIT stands for Self Hating Israel Threatening Jews.
No I'm not making this crap up.
Perhaps folks like him are part of the reason this blog has been sent to Cybernetherlands.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Who is Lee Kaplan?
I saw this on Rivero's Whatreallyhappened site, followed the link and was shocked, truly shocked.
Stop the ISM
Needless to say it gives Muslims Against Sharia a run for their money!!
These guys offer a $25,000 reward to the locations of humanitarian workers with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in Gaza - so the IDF can KILL them!! One of the men on their 'hit' list is the Italian, VITTORIO ARRIGONI, who is also involved in the Free Gaza group.
So, I wondered - this Kaplan fellow - who is he? Could he be just some complete and utter freak, with little influence? Seems not:
Kaplan writes for Front Page Magazine, which is certainly not considered to be out in the 'fringes'. No, it's considered a respectable Jewish Rag. From the link above, you can see Mr. Kaplan's bio and enjoy the fact that not only does this man order 'hits' on folks, but he also writes for the Israeli National News, and hold on now.... The Canada Free Press!! That's right folks. I had thought the name sounded familiar.
Here's the bio from the site (in case you can't bring yourself to click on FPM:
Lee Kaplan
Lee Kaplan is an undercover investigative journalist and a contributor to Front Page Magazine. He is also a regular columnist for the Israel National News and Canada Free Press and a senior intelligence analyst and communications director for the Northeast Intelligence Network. He heads the organizations Defending America for Knowledge and Action (DAFKA) and Stop the ISM. He has been interviewed on over one hundred nationally and internationally syndicated radio shows and been a guest on Fox Cable TV’s Dayside with Linda Vester and Bill O’Reilly’s The Factor. He is a guest every Tuesday on the Jim Kirkwood Show on Utah's K-Talk Radio am630. He is currently working on a book about America's colleges in the War on Terror and the International Solidarity Movement.
Okay - isn't this against the law? I would imagine that putting up a reward for the murder of someone is illegal? Perhaps not in some lands, but certainly it must be in the US and Canada? Where is the ADL in all of this? Why aren't the screaming from the rooftops? How is this different than the 'price on Rushdie's head'? Answer: it isn't.
So, this man is interviewed in the MAINSTREAM MEDIA! If this doesn't show the bias of these talking heads and their puppet masters I don't know what does.
Shame on Canada Free Press to ever allow this instigator air time - without at least letting readers know from what radical stance this man is advocating.
Here's just a little taste of what you can find at this site operated by Mr. Kaplan (shame on him):
ALERT THE IDF MILITARY TO TARGET ISM
Number to call if you can pinpoint the locations of Hamas with their ISM members with them. From the US call 011-972-2-5839749. From other countries drop the 011. Help us neutralize the ISM that is now definitely a part of Hamas since the war began.
Hmmm since two can play at the 'victim' game why not alert the CHRC to this dude? Let's get this ALL out in the air. Mind you, I don't want him silenced - in fact I'd like everyone to know what kind of disgusting behaviour this Lee Kaplan is involved in - that way when the sleeping public sees him they know what he REALLY is.
And he ain't an Honest Broker.
Stop the ISM
Needless to say it gives Muslims Against Sharia a run for their money!!
These guys offer a $25,000 reward to the locations of humanitarian workers with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in Gaza - so the IDF can KILL them!! One of the men on their 'hit' list is the Italian, VITTORIO ARRIGONI, who is also involved in the Free Gaza group.
So, I wondered - this Kaplan fellow - who is he? Could he be just some complete and utter freak, with little influence? Seems not:
Kaplan writes for Front Page Magazine, which is certainly not considered to be out in the 'fringes'. No, it's considered a respectable Jewish Rag. From the link above, you can see Mr. Kaplan's bio and enjoy the fact that not only does this man order 'hits' on folks, but he also writes for the Israeli National News, and hold on now.... The Canada Free Press!! That's right folks. I had thought the name sounded familiar.
Here's the bio from the site (in case you can't bring yourself to click on FPM:
Lee Kaplan
Lee Kaplan is an undercover investigative journalist and a contributor to Front Page Magazine. He is also a regular columnist for the Israel National News and Canada Free Press and a senior intelligence analyst and communications director for the Northeast Intelligence Network. He heads the organizations Defending America for Knowledge and Action (DAFKA) and Stop the ISM. He has been interviewed on over one hundred nationally and internationally syndicated radio shows and been a guest on Fox Cable TV’s Dayside with Linda Vester and Bill O’Reilly’s The Factor. He is a guest every Tuesday on the Jim Kirkwood Show on Utah's K-Talk Radio am630. He is currently working on a book about America's colleges in the War on Terror and the International Solidarity Movement.
Okay - isn't this against the law? I would imagine that putting up a reward for the murder of someone is illegal? Perhaps not in some lands, but certainly it must be in the US and Canada? Where is the ADL in all of this? Why aren't the screaming from the rooftops? How is this different than the 'price on Rushdie's head'? Answer: it isn't.
So, this man is interviewed in the MAINSTREAM MEDIA! If this doesn't show the bias of these talking heads and their puppet masters I don't know what does.
Shame on Canada Free Press to ever allow this instigator air time - without at least letting readers know from what radical stance this man is advocating.
Here's just a little taste of what you can find at this site operated by Mr. Kaplan (shame on him):
ALERT THE IDF MILITARY TO TARGET ISM
Number to call if you can pinpoint the locations of Hamas with their ISM members with them. From the US call 011-972-2-5839749. From other countries drop the 011. Help us neutralize the ISM that is now definitely a part of Hamas since the war began.
Hmmm since two can play at the 'victim' game why not alert the CHRC to this dude? Let's get this ALL out in the air. Mind you, I don't want him silenced - in fact I'd like everyone to know what kind of disgusting behaviour this Lee Kaplan is involved in - that way when the sleeping public sees him they know what he REALLY is.
And he ain't an Honest Broker.
Media Bias and the Israeli Slaughter
I've been hanging about on the CBC forums, which for the most part until yesterday were not too bad. They allowed comments from all sides of the issue and Israel was being taken to task for her atrocious behaviour in the last 20 odd days.
Something happened yesterday, around lunchtime. First I couldn't access the site - it was very slow. After that it seemed only comments which extolled Israel's virtues were allowed. The number of posts supporting the inhumane actions on the part of the Israeli admin went through the roof. None of my submitted posts were printed. Also, the time lag increased - where before it was usually a few minutes before a rash of new posts appeared, it began to become more like 20 minutes, or 30 minutes before a small number of posts - all supporting the bloodshed and indeed some cheering it on - showed up on screen.
So... I'm thinking there was a 'phonecall' from some 'people' telling the CBC to get back in line and tow the status quo. I wonder - who did the threaten? What did they threaten? We know already the CJC and her ilk want to shut down all protests, all debate and only show the lies supporting Israel's murder spree.
Anyway, I'm going to pen a letter to the editor and ask straight out why this was allowed. I'm not holding my breath for an answer.
Something happened yesterday, around lunchtime. First I couldn't access the site - it was very slow. After that it seemed only comments which extolled Israel's virtues were allowed. The number of posts supporting the inhumane actions on the part of the Israeli admin went through the roof. None of my submitted posts were printed. Also, the time lag increased - where before it was usually a few minutes before a rash of new posts appeared, it began to become more like 20 minutes, or 30 minutes before a small number of posts - all supporting the bloodshed and indeed some cheering it on - showed up on screen.
So... I'm thinking there was a 'phonecall' from some 'people' telling the CBC to get back in line and tow the status quo. I wonder - who did the threaten? What did they threaten? We know already the CJC and her ilk want to shut down all protests, all debate and only show the lies supporting Israel's murder spree.
Anyway, I'm going to pen a letter to the editor and ask straight out why this was allowed. I'm not holding my breath for an answer.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Canada's Own: Israel Allied Caucus!
This is an article in the Jerusalem Post from Feb 4, 2007 22:59 and updated Feb 5, 2007 0:16
Canadian government forming pro-Israel lobby
By ETGAR LEFKOVITS
The Canadian government is establishing an "Israel Allies Caucus" this week meant to mobilize support for the State of Israel and promote Judeo-Christian values amid a groundswell of Christian support for Israel around the world.
The launching of the Canadian parliamentary lobby, which is based on the formation of the Knesset's "Christian Allies Caucus" three years ago, comes less than six months after a similar lobby was established in the US Congress.
The establishment of the new pro-Israel lobby will be officially announced in Ottawa on Tuesday in the presence of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Canadian and Israeli parliamentarians, including MK Benny Elon (National Union-National Religious Party) MK Orit Noked (Labor) and MK Ran Cohen (Meretz), as well as members of the Canadian-Israel Friendship League.
The event comes at a time of burgeoning relations between Israel and the largely supportive evangelical Christian community around the world.
"The launching of the Canadian Parliamentary Israel Allies Caucus is a sign of things to come," said Josh Reinstein, director of the Knesset's Christian Allies Caucus in an interview from Canada on Sunday.
"We hope that one day every parliament and government around the world will form a sister caucus to the Knesset's Christian Allies Caucus which will mobilize support for Israel around the world and promote Judeo-Christian values."
Over the next six months, similar parliamentary lobbies are expected to be established in the Philippines, South Korea, Malawi, South Africa and Finland.
The increasingly influential Israeli parliamentary lobby, which is currently made up of 12 MKs from seven parties across the political spectrum, has come to epitomize Israel's newfound interest in garnering the support of the Christian world in the 21st century, especially the largely pro-Israel evangelical Christian community around the world, at a time when radical Islam is on the rise.
***
Gosh and they keep telling me that there is NO such thing as the Israeli Lobby - and gosh darn even if there were, it is inconsequential!!
How many know of this?
I don't recall this, but I am well aware that Harper and Ignatieff both are very close to all of the so-called Jewish "policy action groups". Both have been honoured and celebrated by these fake Jews, who in the end will sell out their own and sacrifice many.
Canadian government forming pro-Israel lobby
By ETGAR LEFKOVITS
The Canadian government is establishing an "Israel Allies Caucus" this week meant to mobilize support for the State of Israel and promote Judeo-Christian values amid a groundswell of Christian support for Israel around the world.
The launching of the Canadian parliamentary lobby, which is based on the formation of the Knesset's "Christian Allies Caucus" three years ago, comes less than six months after a similar lobby was established in the US Congress.
The establishment of the new pro-Israel lobby will be officially announced in Ottawa on Tuesday in the presence of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Canadian and Israeli parliamentarians, including MK Benny Elon (National Union-National Religious Party) MK Orit Noked (Labor) and MK Ran Cohen (Meretz), as well as members of the Canadian-Israel Friendship League.
The event comes at a time of burgeoning relations between Israel and the largely supportive evangelical Christian community around the world.
"The launching of the Canadian Parliamentary Israel Allies Caucus is a sign of things to come," said Josh Reinstein, director of the Knesset's Christian Allies Caucus in an interview from Canada on Sunday.
"We hope that one day every parliament and government around the world will form a sister caucus to the Knesset's Christian Allies Caucus which will mobilize support for Israel around the world and promote Judeo-Christian values."
Over the next six months, similar parliamentary lobbies are expected to be established in the Philippines, South Korea, Malawi, South Africa and Finland.
The increasingly influential Israeli parliamentary lobby, which is currently made up of 12 MKs from seven parties across the political spectrum, has come to epitomize Israel's newfound interest in garnering the support of the Christian world in the 21st century, especially the largely pro-Israel evangelical Christian community around the world, at a time when radical Islam is on the rise.
***
Gosh and they keep telling me that there is NO such thing as the Israeli Lobby - and gosh darn even if there were, it is inconsequential!!
How many know of this?
I don't recall this, but I am well aware that Harper and Ignatieff both are very close to all of the so-called Jewish "policy action groups". Both have been honoured and celebrated by these fake Jews, who in the end will sell out their own and sacrifice many.
Canadian Jewish Congress Wants us to Stop Demonstrating!
Jewish group claims pro-Gaza protests have violated Canadian laws
15 hours ago
TORONTO — Rallies held in cities across Canada to condemn Israel's attacks on Gaza may have broken Canadian laws by inciting hatred and genocide, the Canadian Jewish Congress alleged Tuesday, but the position was quickly dismissed by the Canadian Arab Federation.
The congress said it would screen video and images at a news conference Wednesday from protests in Toronto, Montreal and Calgary to make its case that the demonstrations crossed the legal line.
The material will show "pro-Hamas" demonstrations that are "uncivil, un-Canadian, that demonize Jews and Israelis," and might violate Canadian laws, congress CEO Bernie Farber said in an interview.
"Some of the rhetoric and chants that we have heard are everything from calls to murder, to comparison of Jews and Israelis to Nazis, to calls to genocide," he said.
The Jewish advocacy group said it plans to ask both local police and the RCMP to investigate whether any crimes might have been committed.
Thousands of people have demonstrated in cities across Canada against the attacks on Gaza that have killed hundreds of people.
The Israeli government says the action is in retaliation for Hamas rocket attacks on Israel from the Palestinian territory.
There have also been several Canadian rallies in support of the Israeli action.
The congress said it would release a list of those who co-sponsored the anti-Israel protests, among them the Ontario wing of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the Canadian Peace Alliance and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.
One of the groups Farber is naming, the Canadian Arab Federation, calls the congress's approach an unsurprising attempt to divert attention from the horrors the Israeli military has been visiting on Gaza and its people.
It's only normal that many Canadians, horrified by what has occurred in Gaza, would react strongly, but labelling them anti-Semitic or Muslim extremists is just fear-mongering, said Mohamed Boudjenane, executive director of the federation.
"We had 10,000 people (protest)," Boudjenane said.
"How can you control every single person there and not have someone who will scream some weird stuff or someone who could have a flag of Hamas or whatever? But the purpose of the march has nothing to do with that."
Boudjenane pointed out that numerous Jews have also rallied against the Israeli attacks, naming some prominent ones such as author Naomi Klein and political and social activist Judy Rebick.
They aren't anti-Jew, he said, but were only there to protest the "massacre" happening in Gaza.
Boudjenane also accused pro-Israeli counter-demonstrators of taunting the pro-Palestinian side with such epithets as "murderer" and "terrorist."
Farber said if the temperature isn't brought down, the rallies could lead to real violence in Canada or attacks on Jewish institutions, as has happened in some places in Europe.
"We are firm supporters and believers in the need to be able to passionately demonstrate in free and democratic societies," Farber said.
"But most us as Canadians also abhor the vilifying and demonizing and promoting some of the most hateful images that one can really imagine in terms of such demonstrations."
****
Uh yeah, okay - we'll stop. I guess protesting slaughter just isn't kosher with these fanatics.
15 hours ago
TORONTO — Rallies held in cities across Canada to condemn Israel's attacks on Gaza may have broken Canadian laws by inciting hatred and genocide, the Canadian Jewish Congress alleged Tuesday, but the position was quickly dismissed by the Canadian Arab Federation.
The congress said it would screen video and images at a news conference Wednesday from protests in Toronto, Montreal and Calgary to make its case that the demonstrations crossed the legal line.
The material will show "pro-Hamas" demonstrations that are "uncivil, un-Canadian, that demonize Jews and Israelis," and might violate Canadian laws, congress CEO Bernie Farber said in an interview.
"Some of the rhetoric and chants that we have heard are everything from calls to murder, to comparison of Jews and Israelis to Nazis, to calls to genocide," he said.
The Jewish advocacy group said it plans to ask both local police and the RCMP to investigate whether any crimes might have been committed.
Thousands of people have demonstrated in cities across Canada against the attacks on Gaza that have killed hundreds of people.
The Israeli government says the action is in retaliation for Hamas rocket attacks on Israel from the Palestinian territory.
There have also been several Canadian rallies in support of the Israeli action.
The congress said it would release a list of those who co-sponsored the anti-Israel protests, among them the Ontario wing of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the Canadian Peace Alliance and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.
One of the groups Farber is naming, the Canadian Arab Federation, calls the congress's approach an unsurprising attempt to divert attention from the horrors the Israeli military has been visiting on Gaza and its people.
It's only normal that many Canadians, horrified by what has occurred in Gaza, would react strongly, but labelling them anti-Semitic or Muslim extremists is just fear-mongering, said Mohamed Boudjenane, executive director of the federation.
"We had 10,000 people (protest)," Boudjenane said.
"How can you control every single person there and not have someone who will scream some weird stuff or someone who could have a flag of Hamas or whatever? But the purpose of the march has nothing to do with that."
Boudjenane pointed out that numerous Jews have also rallied against the Israeli attacks, naming some prominent ones such as author Naomi Klein and political and social activist Judy Rebick.
They aren't anti-Jew, he said, but were only there to protest the "massacre" happening in Gaza.
Boudjenane also accused pro-Israeli counter-demonstrators of taunting the pro-Palestinian side with such epithets as "murderer" and "terrorist."
Farber said if the temperature isn't brought down, the rallies could lead to real violence in Canada or attacks on Jewish institutions, as has happened in some places in Europe.
"We are firm supporters and believers in the need to be able to passionately demonstrate in free and democratic societies," Farber said.
"But most us as Canadians also abhor the vilifying and demonizing and promoting some of the most hateful images that one can really imagine in terms of such demonstrations."
****
Uh yeah, okay - we'll stop. I guess protesting slaughter just isn't kosher with these fanatics.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
The Memory Hole:Gaza residents: IDF troops posing as Hamas men
I just wanted to stick this here as it has been memoryholed:
Gaza residents: IDF troops posing as Hamas men
Amira Hass, Haaretz 11 01 2009
The testimonies of Gaza Strip residents are revealing new details about the Israel Defense Forces' mode of operation there. In the past two days, Beit Lahia residents forced from their homes said soldiers were posing as members of Hamas' armed wing while advancing on the ground.
The daily pauses in bombing allow Gazans to meet with the displaced - most of whom are housed in an UNRWA school - and hear their stories.
Gaza resident S. told Haaretz he heard several people say they saw armed men wearing the uniforms and symbols of the Iz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, who "called out to each other in Arabic, as if they had caught a collaborator, and then, with the element of surprise, went into the houses."
A Gaza radio station warned that troops posing as locals were driving a vehicle normally used by paramedics. Residents said the radio broadcaster listed the vehicle's license plate number and color.
Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1054461.html
****
As one can see by following the above link - the story NO LONGER exists.
Anyway, I found it again via democratic underground, and pasted it here for history's sake.
Gaza residents: IDF troops posing as Hamas men
Amira Hass, Haaretz 11 01 2009
The testimonies of Gaza Strip residents are revealing new details about the Israel Defense Forces' mode of operation there. In the past two days, Beit Lahia residents forced from their homes said soldiers were posing as members of Hamas' armed wing while advancing on the ground.
The daily pauses in bombing allow Gazans to meet with the displaced - most of whom are housed in an UNRWA school - and hear their stories.
Gaza resident S. told Haaretz he heard several people say they saw armed men wearing the uniforms and symbols of the Iz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, who "called out to each other in Arabic, as if they had caught a collaborator, and then, with the element of surprise, went into the houses."
A Gaza radio station warned that troops posing as locals were driving a vehicle normally used by paramedics. Residents said the radio broadcaster listed the vehicle's license plate number and color.
Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1054461.html
****
As one can see by following the above link - the story NO LONGER exists.
Anyway, I found it again via democratic underground, and pasted it here for history's sake.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Peace, Propoganda and Promised Land
I know I have this linked already, but I thought I'd embedd it here - if you haven't seen this you should.
Independent Jewish Voices
And thank goodness for them!! It is so important that at this juncture, Jews in the Diaspora speak out against the massacre occuring in Gaza:
Please view the video at this link.
Emails of support are welcome. Let these brave people know they have support.
Please view the video at this link.
Emails of support are welcome. Let these brave people know they have support.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Censorship of Opinions
The Globe and Mail (henceforth the Mop and Pail) has been censoring and barring all commments on anything Israel for some time now. The other day I saw a lone comment on one of the Gaza articles. It was from the editor stating that now NO comments will be allowed for any piece regarding the Mid-East.
What was happening was that since the Mop and Pail's editorial board was censoring all feedback on articles about Israel (nothing new there) people were going into other articles and posting there instead. Sometimes about the Gaza Massacres, othertimes simply pointing out the clear bias shown by the Mop's Controllers.
I am wondering however if it was criticism about Israel and her abbhorent actions regarding those in Gaza and the West Bank, or was it something else? Often, these comments would include calls for the annihalation of every Muslim on the planet - and always called for by fervent apologists for Israeli War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity.
Is that why the comments were shut down? Were the Apologists looking just a little too NAZI like?? I think I might be onto something here.
;)
UPDATE Globe: You Told Us What you Think
Well just to take this farce and really make the Ed. Staff at the Mop look like complete elitist assholes - go check this 'fully moderated' chance they gave us peons to 'voice' our opinions!! LMAO - how frikkin' kind of them!!
Pay close attention to the warped reasoning skills of Mr. Sheppard... no his name is no pun... apparantly.
Sheesh
What was happening was that since the Mop and Pail's editorial board was censoring all feedback on articles about Israel (nothing new there) people were going into other articles and posting there instead. Sometimes about the Gaza Massacres, othertimes simply pointing out the clear bias shown by the Mop's Controllers.
I am wondering however if it was criticism about Israel and her abbhorent actions regarding those in Gaza and the West Bank, or was it something else? Often, these comments would include calls for the annihalation of every Muslim on the planet - and always called for by fervent apologists for Israeli War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity.
Is that why the comments were shut down? Were the Apologists looking just a little too NAZI like?? I think I might be onto something here.
;)
UPDATE Globe: You Told Us What you Think
Well just to take this farce and really make the Ed. Staff at the Mop look like complete elitist assholes - go check this 'fully moderated' chance they gave us peons to 'voice' our opinions!! LMAO - how frikkin' kind of them!!
Pay close attention to the warped reasoning skills of Mr. Sheppard... no his name is no pun... apparantly.
Sheesh
Addicted to Destruction
I think I have solved it, Israel is addicted - addicted to the monies given her by the US and others, addicted to the violence she provokes from others and the destruction she metes out to anyone in the vicinity. What would she do if she couldn't play the eternal victim? Really?
From time immemorial, she has been the downtrodden stateless group, kicked out of almost every land she found a home in. Not always at the beginning - but eventually mistrust and hatred grew in the native's soul and they had to leave. This is repeated over and over again. Why?
Here's a little story, a man goes into a bar and ends up getting in a fight. Never before has he had this happen despite going into thousands of bars throughout his life. From this, one may conclude that this particular bar had some seedy fellows and would be best to avoid in the future, and that this man is probably an alright bloke. Good conclusion. However, we have another man who gets into a fight in every bar that he goes into - all of them - he can't seem to help himself and provokes violent reaction whichever venue he chooses to patronize. In this case, it's clear that the bars aren't the problem - it's the man. And so it is with the 'Jews'. Now, I won't include all of them in this scenario - just those with enough coin to enter the bar in the first place, the ones with enough influence to be allowed in the door in the first place. The ones who are flush with the cash - hence the barkeeps let them in, hoping to win some of that lovely shiny metal off of them. Well, that lovely shiney metal comes with a price - often blood of the other customers. This can be tolerated for a while as the barkeep is making good coin, but sadly his customers soon dwindle and he is left with the nasty bugger and a few of his cronies being the only patrons left. They buy his bar, and end up kicking him out.
And so it goes... on and on.
History repeats, and those who pay no attention repeat it over and over again.
From time immemorial, she has been the downtrodden stateless group, kicked out of almost every land she found a home in. Not always at the beginning - but eventually mistrust and hatred grew in the native's soul and they had to leave. This is repeated over and over again. Why?
Here's a little story, a man goes into a bar and ends up getting in a fight. Never before has he had this happen despite going into thousands of bars throughout his life. From this, one may conclude that this particular bar had some seedy fellows and would be best to avoid in the future, and that this man is probably an alright bloke. Good conclusion. However, we have another man who gets into a fight in every bar that he goes into - all of them - he can't seem to help himself and provokes violent reaction whichever venue he chooses to patronize. In this case, it's clear that the bars aren't the problem - it's the man. And so it is with the 'Jews'. Now, I won't include all of them in this scenario - just those with enough coin to enter the bar in the first place, the ones with enough influence to be allowed in the door in the first place. The ones who are flush with the cash - hence the barkeeps let them in, hoping to win some of that lovely shiny metal off of them. Well, that lovely shiney metal comes with a price - often blood of the other customers. This can be tolerated for a while as the barkeep is making good coin, but sadly his customers soon dwindle and he is left with the nasty bugger and a few of his cronies being the only patrons left. They buy his bar, and end up kicking him out.
And so it goes... on and on.
History repeats, and those who pay no attention repeat it over and over again.
Monday, January 5, 2009
How much worse can it get?
I'll wager that it will continue to get alot worse.
What is clear now, and should always have been, is that Israel has never intended to truly withdraw from the Gaza Strip. Yes, yes they did pull out all their illegal settlers, nicely paid for by the US taxpayer (and probably Canada's too), but why? Was it an act of altruism? Highly doubtful, as Israel is not known for her altruistic nature. So, why remove them? Oh, because Israel was trying to show her 'good faith'. Nah... I just don't believe it. They moved them out, in my opinion, to keep them out of harms' way when they finally got around to a real invasion.
According to this article, the Israelis have been training for 18 months in a mock up of Gaza City erected in the Israeli desert. Okay, so 18 months huh? That's when they began training. It must have taken some time to construct an entire mock up of the city - let's say another six months, add another six months for planning and for someone to hatch the idea in the first place and we've got, conservatively speaking, two and a half years ago, so sometime in 2006. Likely, the plan was on the drawing table long before that, but those pesky settlers had to be removed first, goodness forbid that these folks accidentally get bombed when the offensive against the 'terrorists' was launched.
In other words, this invasion has been a long time coming and was the plan all along.
The isolation of the Gaza Strip, forlorn and cut off from the remainder of Occupied Palestine, was the intention from day one. Random squatting and establishment of illegal settlements within the Gaza corridor wasn't working as well as the West Bank due to the fact that the coastal zone was already far too densely populated with refugees already tossed from their ancestral homes in what is now the Israeli State.
So, what to do? What option did Israel have to take the lands of Gaza and all her resources, including the natural gas fields off her coast?
An excuse was needed, one in which Israel could portray herself, once again as always, as the eternal victim.
Enter Hamas.
She had to radicalise those in Gaza, divide her from the West Bank in more than just a geographical nature. By controlling all flow of goods and people in and out of the Strip, she essentially turned the area into one large prison camp. The corruption of Palestinian political figures helped to do the rest, no doubt egged along by Israel herself. The election of Hamas was a dream come true for the landgrabbers in the Administration as it allowed for further reduction in economic aid, greater restrictions on borders, and increase in poverty and despair for those unfortunate enough to be stuck there. The tightening of the noose after the 2006 attacks guaranteed a further polarisation within the Palestinian political scene. Divide and Conquer played out crisply.
And finally, the time was ripe. After enduring a siege for over a year and a half, watching as her people were picked off in a slow bleed, a few here and a few there, the population weakened to a breaking point - Israel has moved in for the kill. Propped up globally by her massive public relations teams and her puppet agents in almost all governments of the West, she is free to massacre as she sees fit. In her mind she has done nothing wrong, she is still the victim in perpetuity.
What is clear now, and should always have been, is that Israel has never intended to truly withdraw from the Gaza Strip. Yes, yes they did pull out all their illegal settlers, nicely paid for by the US taxpayer (and probably Canada's too), but why? Was it an act of altruism? Highly doubtful, as Israel is not known for her altruistic nature. So, why remove them? Oh, because Israel was trying to show her 'good faith'. Nah... I just don't believe it. They moved them out, in my opinion, to keep them out of harms' way when they finally got around to a real invasion.
According to this article, the Israelis have been training for 18 months in a mock up of Gaza City erected in the Israeli desert. Okay, so 18 months huh? That's when they began training. It must have taken some time to construct an entire mock up of the city - let's say another six months, add another six months for planning and for someone to hatch the idea in the first place and we've got, conservatively speaking, two and a half years ago, so sometime in 2006. Likely, the plan was on the drawing table long before that, but those pesky settlers had to be removed first, goodness forbid that these folks accidentally get bombed when the offensive against the 'terrorists' was launched.
In other words, this invasion has been a long time coming and was the plan all along.
The isolation of the Gaza Strip, forlorn and cut off from the remainder of Occupied Palestine, was the intention from day one. Random squatting and establishment of illegal settlements within the Gaza corridor wasn't working as well as the West Bank due to the fact that the coastal zone was already far too densely populated with refugees already tossed from their ancestral homes in what is now the Israeli State.
So, what to do? What option did Israel have to take the lands of Gaza and all her resources, including the natural gas fields off her coast?
An excuse was needed, one in which Israel could portray herself, once again as always, as the eternal victim.
Enter Hamas.
She had to radicalise those in Gaza, divide her from the West Bank in more than just a geographical nature. By controlling all flow of goods and people in and out of the Strip, she essentially turned the area into one large prison camp. The corruption of Palestinian political figures helped to do the rest, no doubt egged along by Israel herself. The election of Hamas was a dream come true for the landgrabbers in the Administration as it allowed for further reduction in economic aid, greater restrictions on borders, and increase in poverty and despair for those unfortunate enough to be stuck there. The tightening of the noose after the 2006 attacks guaranteed a further polarisation within the Palestinian political scene. Divide and Conquer played out crisply.
And finally, the time was ripe. After enduring a siege for over a year and a half, watching as her people were picked off in a slow bleed, a few here and a few there, the population weakened to a breaking point - Israel has moved in for the kill. Propped up globally by her massive public relations teams and her puppet agents in almost all governments of the West, she is free to massacre as she sees fit. In her mind she has done nothing wrong, she is still the victim in perpetuity.
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