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Headlines Reveal Life in Occupied Palestine
Headlines Reveal Life in Occupied Palestine
by Stephen Lendman
They also reflect rogue Israeli leadership threatening humanity. More on that below.
Gaza remains isolated and besieged. Its health minister said the lives of 404 kidney failure patients are threatened. Enough dialysis "Bloodline" supplies aren't available.
Neocons Mount Another Pre-emptive Strike on History
Applying the Six-Day War to Iran
Editor Note: America’s neocons continue to beat the drums for war with Iran, brushing aside warnings even from Israeli intelligence veterans. Another part of the propaganda is to merge a future war against Iran with the heroic memories of the Six-Day War nearly 45 years ago, as ex-CIA analyst Ray McGovern notes.
By Ray McGovern
With the 45th anniversary of the Six-Day War of June 1967 coming early next month, pro-Israel pundits like syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer are again promoting Israel’s faux-narrative on the reasons behind Israel’s decision to attack its neighbors.
Gaza's Ark
We are thrilled to announce the Gaza's Ark project and the participation of those in the United States who support the people of Gaza and the West Bank.
If you would like to know more about Gaza's Ark and how you can support the project, join us on a conference call,
Tuesday, May 22 at 11pm Eastern. Please call
712-432-3900, access code 481417#.
Ann Wright and Jane Hirschmann are the US points of contact on the international steering committee.
The Nakba: Before and After
The Nakba: Before and After
by Stephen Lendman
May 15 marks Israel's 64th independence day. This year's Jewish calendar commemorated it on April 25.
For Palestinians, May 15 represents 64 years of Nakba suffering. Survivor testimonies bare witness. No words adequately explain their catastrophe. An unnamed Jew said:
Hunger Strikes Highlight Israeli Injustice
Hunger Strikes Highlight Israeli Injustice
by Stephen Lendman
Israel treats Palestinian prisoners horrifically. Cruel and unusual punishment is policy. Detention conditions include torture, intimidation, and other abusive practices.
The Massive Palestinian Hunger Strike: Traveling below the Western Radar
Can anyone doubt that if there were more than 1,300 hunger strikers in any country in the world other than Palestine, the media in the West would be obsessed with the story? It would be featured day after day, and reported on from all angles, including the severe medical risks associated with such a lengthy refusal to take food. At this time, two Palestinians who were the first to start this current wave of resistance, Thaer Halaheh and Bilal Diab, entering their 64th day without food, are reported by the prisoner protection association, Addameer, and the NGO, Physician for Human Rights-Israel, to be in critical condition with their lives hanging in the balance. Despite this dramatic state of affairs there is scant attention in Europe, and literally none in North America.
A handcuffed Palestinian prisoner appears from behind the bars of a prison bus. (AFP)
In contrast, consider the attention that the Western media has devoted to a lone blind Chinese human rights lawyer, Chen Guangcheng, who managed to escape from house arrest in Beijing a few days ago and find a safe haven at the U.S. Embassy. This is an important international incident, to be sure, but is it truly so much more significant than the Palestinian story as to explain the total neglect of the extraordinary exploits of these thousands of Palestinians who are sacrificing their bodies, quite possibly their lives, to nonviolently protest severe mistreatment in the Israeli prison system? Except among their countrymen, and to some extent the region, these many thousand Palestinian prisoners have been languishing within an opaque black box ever since 1967, are denied protection, exist without rights, and cope as best they can without even the acknowledgement of their plight.
There is another comparison to be made. Recall the outpouring of concern and sympathy throughout the West for Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier who was captured on the Gaza border and held captive by Palestinians for five years. A powerful global campaign for his release on humanitarian ground was organized, and received constant reinforcement in the media. World leaders pleaded for his release, and Israeli commanding officers even told IDF fighting forces during the massive attacks on Gaza at the end of 2008, which killed more than 1,450 Palestinians, that their real mission was to free Shalit, or at least hold accountable the entire civilian population of Gaza. When Shalit was finally released in a prisoner exchange a few months ago, there was a brief celebration that abruptly ended when, much to the disappointment of the Israeli establishment, Shalit reported good treatment during captivity. Shalit’s father went further, saying if he was a Palestinian he would have tried to capture Israeli soldiers. Not surprisingly, Shalit, instead of being revered as an Israeli hero, has quietly disappeared from public view.
Palestinian Prisoner Unity
Palestinian Prisoner Unity
by Stephen Lendman
Commentary is a neoconservative publication. Fronting for Israel is policy.
Israeli military demolishes dairy farm
CPTnet
2 May 2012
AL-KHALIL (HEBRON): Israeli military demolishes dairy farm
On May Day, 1 May, at 7:45 a.m., the Christian Peacemaker Team in Hebron received a phone call from Noah al-Rajabi in Bani Naim. Al-Rajabi reported that the army and bulldozers were demolishing his cousin’s home and threatening to demolish the family’s farm. He urged CPT to come and to call the media and other internationals to bear witness to what was happening. Two CPTers arrived at the main road near the house and saw six military jeeps, three police vehicles, and three intelligence service vehicles at the site. Initially, the Israeli authorities prevented CPTers from approaching the scene. When they asked soldiers why they were demolishing the farm, a soldier replied, “Because we are the army.”
From the place where they could view the demolition, the CPTers could see a Caterpillar and a Hyundai bulldozer destroying a farm building and a caravan (mobile home) in which the family lived. The children of the family came to the main road and one of the boys told them that he could take them through the fields to get a closer view of the destruction of his father’s farm. By now, the two bulldozers had started to raze a large corrugated iron barn where the family kept their cows; it destroyed milking machines and other equipment worth over 8000 USD in the process. The farmer told CPTers, “Destroying my home…I can rebuild and while I am rebuilding I can stay with another family member but destroying my farm—it’s not only destroying my livelihood but also the livelihoods of three other families; our farm is our bread and butter.” The farmer has two wives and fifteen children to support and now he is worried how he will manage financially. He was looking at his one hundred cows, who were sitting in the oppressive heat. The farmer said that if they were not milked soon, they would die.
In Israel on May Day, all governmental offices are closed; the Israeli military evidently was not observing this national holiday when it destroyed the livelihoods of these four families.
Additional photos of the demolition are available here.
Talk Nation Radio: Rebecca Vilkomerson on Jewish Voice for Peace
Rebecca Vilkomerson is the executive director of Jewish Voice for Peace. She discusses Jewish-American opposition to the Israeli government's policies of war and occupation. Vilkomerson has over 15 years of experience in community organizing, advocacy, program development and fundraising in the United States and Israel. She has been an active member of JVP since 2002, and lived in Israel with her family from 2006-2009. In 2010, the Forward recognized her as one of the 50 most influential Jewish leaders in the U.S.
Total run time: 29:00
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Music by Duke Ellington.
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Palestinian Rights Activism Endangered
Palestinian Rights Activism Endangered
by Stephen Lendman
In America, Israel, Europe and elsewhere, supporting Palestinian rights publicly is dangerous.
In September 2010, FBI agents raided homes of Chicago and Minneapolis human rights activists.
Dying to Live Free
Dying to Live Free
by Stephen Lendman
Israel's prison gulag is one of the world's most hellish. Palestinians held suffer horrifically. Inflicting pain and suffering is official Israeli policy. Rule of law principles are spurned.
Abbas Censors Truth
Abbas Censors Truth
by Stephen Lendman
Israel notoriously censors truth. Military censorship bans or sanitizes material potentially harming Israel's security. Media/government agreements comply.
Washington Post's Molotov Peace Offer
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has delivered a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that calls for a resumption of peace negotiations.
Look at the image the Washington Post (4/18/12) used to accompany its story about this :
I will admit that a letter might not lend itself to an interesting graphic, but it sure seems odd to use a fiery Molotov cocktail instead.
Collectively Punishing Palestinian Prisoners and Families
Collectively Punishing Palestinian Prisoners and Families
by Stephen Lendman
William Blum once called the holocaust the worst thing ever to happen to Jews. The second worse thing, he said, "is the state of Israel."
Israeli official: 40% of names on Shin Bet fly-in blacklist were not activists
Forty percent of the non-Israeli citizens whose names appeared on a Shin Bet blacklist ahead of Sunday's so-called "fly-in" protest by pro-Palestinian activists were added to the list despite the fact that the security service had no concrete information showing they were connected with the protest in any way.
Reality in Occupied Palestine
Reality in Occupied Palestine
by Stephen Lendman
Gaza's attacked regularly. Dozens of West Bank incursions occur weekly. Police state harshness and arrests follow.
In the week ending April 5, one Palestinian was killed and dozens injured, including 18 children. They were nonviolently commemorating Land Day.
Palestinian Hunger Strikers for Justice
Palestinian Hunger Strikers for Justice
by Stephen Lendman
Hana Shalabi's ordeal highlights what many others endured previously and dozens do now. Only they know the physical and emotional toll.
Who else understands the willingness to die for justice? Who'll suffer and risk it? Who'll challenge an implacable foe unconcerned if they live or die?
Times Square Today at 4:30
HUMAN RIGHTS ACTION: THE RIGHT TO YOUR LAND
PALESTINE
JOIN US MARCH 30, 2012 MEET 4:30 pm
TIMES SQUARE BY THE RED BLEACHERS AT 47TH AND BROADWAY
WE WILL HOLD SIGNS, EACH WITH EITHER A HUMAN RIGHT OR WITH PALESTINE, WHICH HAS BEEN TRANSLATED INTO MANY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
WE WILL DEMONSTRATE OUR INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY FROM NYC TO PALESTINE. ONLY POSSIBLE WITH YOUR PARTICIPATION ORGANIZED BY WEWILLNOTBESILENT.NET
PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU CAN BE THERE EMAIL info@wewillnotbesilent.net
Terrorizing Palestinians Daily
Terrorizing Palestinians Daily
by Stephen Lendman
Life in Occupied Palestine is harsh, brutal, and repressive. It includes collective punishment, closed borders, economic strangulation, land theft, dispossessions, neighborhood incursions, ground and air attacks, arrests, torture, incarceration, and constant fear.
Terrorizing Palestinian Youths
Terrorizing Palestinian Youths
by Stephen Lendman
Based on spurious charges or others too minor to matter, Israel arrests, tortures, traumatizes, convicts, and detains hundreds of Palestinian youths lawlessly. Many suffer lasting effects.
Palestinians Denied Essentials to Life
Palestinians Denied Essentials to Life
by Stephen Lendman
Besides persecution, repression, and injustice, deprivation defines life in Occupied Palestine. Essentials fall way below minimum standards.
Shortages and crises affect water, sanitation, electricity, fuel, and vital healthcare when most needed.
Gaza Siege Harshness Continues
Gaza Siege Harshness Continues
by Stephen Lendman
Israel's claimed easing is false. Besieged Gazans remain isolated. The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) assessed conditions in January.
Freedom or Death
Freedom or Death
by Stephen Lendman
On March 22, Hana Shalabi's 36th hunger strike day began. After examining her, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-I) said she's in imminent danger of death.
They Will Never Beg
By Johnny Barber
I have been in Gaza for a week. I have read several accounts over the last few days of how life in Southern Israel has become unbearable for the people living there. In retaliation for the latest provocation by Israel over 200 rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel. 11 people were injured, one seriously. Most were suffering from “shock”. Two were injured when they tripped on the way to secure areas.
Minister of Strategic Affairs Moshe Yaalon on Thursday said, "Anyone threatening us is risking his life. We will retaliate until they beg us to stop.”
Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said Israel makes its "best effort to target terrorists and not the civilian population," but added: "We will not accept the constant disruption of life in the south of Israel, and I advise all heads of terror to think well about their actions."
The Nonviolent Resistance in Palestine Makes it onto U.S. Television!
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Prospects for May Palestinian Elections
Prospects for May Palestinian Elections
by Stephen Lendman
Last December, Fatah and Hamas agreed on forming a unity government and holding May presidential, parliamentary, and Palestinian National Council (PLC) elections.
Palestine on Talk Nation Radio
Talk Nation Radio for February 22, 2012
Christopher Allen-Doucot on his 2011 experiences in Palestine, where a peaceful protest movement continues.
U.S. Catholics are celebrating a holy week and it seemed appropriate to reair our special with this prominent Catholic peace activist. Chris Doucot talks about what he saw in Palestine of a growing protest movement as he puts the occupation in perspective. We hear about the impacts of the right wing religious movement, Christian Zionism, on the lives of Palestinian Muslims, Christians and Jews, through recent history.
While peace talks between Israel and Palestine remain stalled, a growing number of peace activists from around the world are visiting Palestine to observe or participate in a growing protest movement there. At stake are the illegal Israeli settlements and separation wall, and a lack of access to Jerusalem where many holy sites are now blocked off for both Jewish and Christian Palestinians. The event was organized by the Israel/Palestine Peace, Education and Action Group of N.E. CT. They invited Chris Allen-Doucot to discuss his recent visits to Palestine and Afghanistan.
(First aired April/May 2011, still very fresh and relevant. Meanwhile, David Swanson tools up for continued great programming. He is forming a production team.)
Total Run Time: 29:28
Host: David Swanson
Producer: David Swanson
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