Jerusalem’s Muffled Cries

"These are some of Jerusalem’s muffled cries hoping that they get the attention of the Arabs and Muslims."
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Jerusalem - القدس الشريف : Rooftop view from the Jewish-American Colony. 

Appears in the photo Al-Sheikh Jarrah Mosque and its Minaret

Photo/ Palestine Remembered added by PalestineFreeVoice 

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By Dr. Mohsen Saleh.

In concurrence with the 42nd anniversary of the burning of al-Aqsa Mosque, it happens to be the 82nd anniversary of the Buraq Uprising that broke out in defense of the Western Wall of al-Aqsa Mosque.

Muslims have always agreed on the need to support Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque regardless of their sects, differences and disputes. Thus, any pressure on Jerusalem would provoke nationwide anger and zeal in pursuit of dignity.

In 1931, after the Buraq Uprising, representatives of 22 Muslim countries met in the General Islamic Conference in Jerusalem to discuss ways to protect al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem, and Palestine as a whole. Additionally, after the arson of al-Aqsa Mosque, representatives from all around the Islamic world also met to establish the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), which yet represents the overarching framework of the Islamic world, consisting of 57 member countries.

The igniting spark that led to the eruption of al-Aqsa Intifadah (uprising) was extinguished by Sharon’s provocative visit to al-Aqsa Mosque on 28/9/2000. This Intifadah, with which the Arab and Muslim world interacted magnificently, lasted nearly five years.

Subsequently, the General Islamic Conference had already perished and the role of the OIC had been reduced to declaring stances and statements every now and then, alongside the miscellany of shy actions that were neither appropriate to the status of Jerusalem nor to the role of the Islamic world. Accordingly, al-Aqsa Intifadah cooled down.

The Israeli occupation persisted together with the campaigns of Judaization, settlement building and uprooting. However, the people of Jerusalem withstood rigorously as Jerusalem and al-Aqsa cry out in frustration. Nowadays, this frustration got so muffled that it is hardly heard by anyone. It is as if people got used to hearing such news that is no longer significant, exciting, or provocative.

After 63 years of Israel’s occupation of the western part of Jerusalem and 44 years of the eastern part, Arabs and Muslims might have reached a state of depression. Additionally, many might have got used to hearing the same news over and over again for a long period of time; others might have been busy with their local and regional concerns; others awaited the outcomes of negotiations for a peaceful settlement; others blamed it on the Palestinian schism; and perhaps others also attribute it to how busy Arabs were with their revolutions and their repercussions.

These abovementioned reasons might be some or all of the reasons; however, what everyone should realize is that the Judaization of Jerusalem is progressing rapidly and systematically. All this project does is that it seeks to create facts on the ground and tries to portray a false new image of Jerusalem that is different from its Arab-Islamic identity. The cries of Jerusalem are real, but are suppressed and strangled by the occupation and can no longer be heard by the deafened ears of Arabs and Muslims.

The Western Part of Jerusalem

Few are those who remember the western part of Jerusalem that was recognized by the PLO as part of Israel under the Oslo Accords, and thus excluded from the negotiations process. Since its occupation by the Zionists in 1948, the silenced moans of the western part of Jerusalem are frequently heard, especially after evicting around 60 thousand of its Arab population from neighborhoods such as: Ma’aman Allah, Upper Baqa‘a Fawqa, Lower Baqa‘a, Qatamon, Talbiya, Al-Musrara, German Colony, Greek Colony, and parts of Abu Tor and Al-Thawri neighborhood.

Around 88.7% of the western part of Jerusalem’s total area is owned by Palestinians. However, as part of their Judaization project, the Israelis built neighborhoods all over its territories and the neighboring confiscated Arab lands, such as the village of Lifta -on which the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) and a number of ministries were built- and the villages of Ein Karem, Deir Yassin, Malha and others.

The Eastern Part of Jerusalem

In 1967, Israel completed its occupation of the eastern part of Jerusalem, which is considered part of the West Bank, after it had been under Jordanian control. A frantic campaign of Judaizing the eastern part of Jerusalem started ever since, declaring the unification of Jerusalem under the Israeli Administration on 27/6/1967. On 30/7/1980, Israel officially announced Jerusalem as the “the unified and eternal capital of Israel.”

After having occupied around 87.5% of the eastern part of Jerusalem, Israel built settlements all around these territories and deprived the Palestinians of their right to build on most of the land of Jerusalem. Only 9,000 out of 72,000 dunums were earmarked for construction purposes, which is equivalent to 12.5% of the total area of the eastern part.

Since 1968, the Israeli authorities started building settlements in the eastern part of Jerusalem—Ramat Eshkol; the establishment of other settlements followed rapidly as a cordon of 11 Jewish neighborhoods was created within the “Municipality of East Jerusalem.” Another broader cordon containing 17 Jewish settlements was also created around Jerusalem to isolate it from its Arab-Islamic surrounding. This would thus thwart any peace settlement that can restore the eastern part of Jerusalem to the Palestinians.

The Separation Wall, which is being created nowadays, surrounds Jerusalem to isolate it from its Arab-Islamic surrounding. This wall extends around Jerusalem over a parameter of about 167 kilometers. According to reports, 231 thousand Palestinians, or about 56% of Jerusalem’s population, will be affected negatively by the establishment of the wall. Moreover, the completion of this dangerous cordon deprives the Arab-Islamic world from 617 holy sites and cultural venues in Jerusalem.

In 2009, Israel launched a campaign to Judaize the names of thousands of monuments and archeological sites in Jerusalem in an attempt to impose a Jewish character on the city and distort its Arab and Islamic sites.

For example, the name of Wadi Hilweh street was changed into Ma‘aleh David, while Wadi al-Rababeh, which is located to the south of al-Aqsa Mosque, is now called Gehenna or Valley of Hinnom. As such, many dangerous developments have been manifested during 2009, as Jewish names are put beside the Arabic ones on maps from websites such as Wikimapia, e.g., the name al-Haram al-Qudsi is put beside the Temple Mount and Mount Moriah. Whereas Google maps has ignored the name and put only Har HaMoriyah (the Temple Mount).

The Old City

On 11/6/1967, the Israeli forces expelled the residents of the Moroccan Quarter in the Old City (which is around one square kilometer in area), after giving them a notice to leave in just a few minutes. This notice was followed by the destruction of the neighborhood’s 135 houses facing the Western Wall of al-Aqsa Mosque (Al-Buraq Wall), most of which were Islamic endowments. The Israeli authorities demolished this area and turned it into an empty yard for their worshiping purposes. They also took over Al-Sharaf neighborhood or what is known as the Jewish neighborhood in the Old City of Jerusalem.

On 18/4/1968, the Israeli authorities issued an order to confiscate 116 donums, which included that neighborhood, in addition to the Chain Gate Street, al-Bashura neighborhood and the Moroccan Quarter. These used to include five mosques, two nooks, four schools, an ancient market and 700 buildings, of which, before the 1948 war, the Jews used to own a total of 105 buildings, while the Arabs used to own the remaining 595 buildings. In addition, the Israelis established many outposts in the Old City; but still, Arabs comprise the majority of the population and would do anything to keep their homes.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is in Danger

The Israeli authorities endeavor to achieve a permanent and direct Jewish presence in al-Aqsa Mosque and its periphery. They try to make of it a contested area between Muslims and Jews. They work on paving the way to confiscate parts of it, and then in later stages, to take control of it, in preparation of building what is called the Third Temple.

They encouraged or overlooked repeated storming incidents by Jewish extremists. They also endeavor to turn it into an area open for Jews and tourists, to give it the appearance of a museum or a touristic shrine, and to deprive it of its solemnity, status and Islamic character.

Moreover, Israeli authorities have allowed the construction of synagogues at the Mosque’s walls such as the Tankaziyya School Synagogue, below the Mosque such as Wilson’s Arch, and in its periphery such as the Ohel Yitzhak (Tent of Isaac) and in 2010 the Hurva Synagogues.

Israelis began a flurry wave of excavation underneath al-Aqsa Mosque and the surrounding region, focusing on the areas west and south of the mosque. These excavations caused the cracking of a number of buildings, among them the Ottoman Mosque, Ribat al-Kurd, al-Jawhiriya school and al-Manjakia school.

Since 1967, excavation works have been developing through ten very active, yet quiet and discreet stages. Unloading dirt and rocks from beneath al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock put those sites at great danger of collapse that might be caused by any storm or earthquake.

During 1967-1990, al-Aqsa Mosque was subject to around 40 attacks. Neither the peace process nor the Oslo Accords could stop these attacks which amounted to 72 during 1993-1998. Additionally, incursions into the Mosque increased under protection from the Israeli Police and reached 55 incursions during 22/8/2009-21/8/2010.

The Arab Population… Suffering and Resilience

The Israelis are keen about turning the life of the Jerusalemites into living hell and they use all means of pressure, temptation and fraud to get their homes. On the other hand, the Jerusalemites suffer tremendously before they could obtain a permit to build their houses; thus, more than 15 thousand apartments were built without permits and are hence likely to be destroyed at any time.

The Israeli authorities pursue a policy of systematic house demolition. In addition, they confiscate the identity cards of the Jerusalemites thus expelling them and preventing them from living in their own city. In this respect, ID cards of around 4672 Jerusalemites were revoked in 2008.

In the context of expelling Jerusalemites comes the Israeli attempt to expel three deputies in the Palestinian Legislative Council and a former minister affiliated with Hamas. While the Israeli authorities succeeded in deporting Deputy Muhammad Abu Tair, the other three figures are still holding their sit-in at the ICRC since more than 400 days.

The Israeli authorities have planned to keep the number of Arab residents within 22% of the total Jerusalemite population, however, the number of Arabs increased. Thus, according to estimates of 2009, around 773 thousand residents live in the eastern and western parts of Jerusalem including 497 thousand Jews (64.3%), 200 thousand of which live in the eastern part of Jerusalem. The remaining 276 thousand Arabs amount to 35.7% of the population and they mostly live in the eastern part of Jerusalem.

The Israeli occupation has failed, despite all measures, to decrease the Arab population. Yet, it is noticed that there is a decline in the number of Christians living in Jerusalem from 20% in 1948 to around 2% in 2009, where they face the same pressures faced by the Arab population and consequently had to leave the city.

Israeli Spending and Arab-Islamic Ignorance

The Jerusalem Municipality spends annual budget amounting to a billion dollars not to mention the budgets spent by relevant ministries including the Ministry of Construction and Housing and the Ministry of Public Works and other governmental bodies.

Wealthy Jews such as Moskowitz and Zionist Christians from outside Israel, in particular from the US, help finance the projects of the settlement organizations active in Jerusalem, such as Ateret Cohanim (lit. crown of the priests), Ir David Foundation (Elad), the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, the Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement, and other societies. Anyhow, according to estimates, these societies execute projects in Jerusalem that have a yearly budget of no less than $150 million.

On the other hand, the OIC, which represents 57 Muslim nations, spends around $10 million per year which is way less than the donations given by wealthy Jews.

These are some of Jerusalem’s muffled cries hoping that they get the attention of the Arabs and Muslims.
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The original article, in Arabic language, appeared on Al Jazeera.net on 21/8/2011

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Related (Jerusalem) Palestinian Towns Listings (Palestine Remembered)

Village Statisitcs of 1945: A Classification of Land and Area ownership in Palestine ( Palestine Remembered )

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"Palestine is the heart of Arab countries" - PalestineFreeVoice ________________________________________________________
Opinions expressed are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Palestine FreeVoice.

Israeli ambassador hosted iftar as Israeli troops were slaughtering Gaza children

.....The Israeli occupation army killed as many as 30 Palestinians in the past few days. Many of the victims were innocent civilians, including several teen-age boys and girls.....

By Khalid Amayreh

August 29 2011 - 07:42 PM 

In an effort to enhance Israel's increasingly tarnished image as a racist and terrorist state, Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren hosted a dinner on Thursday, 26 August, honoring the holy month of Ramadan.

The event took place as Israeli troops were slaughtering Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip in full view of the international community.

The Israeli occupation army killed as many as 30 Palestinians in the past few days. Many of the victims were innocent civilians, including several teen-age boys and girls.

Israel has killed or the caused the death of thousands of mostly innocent Palestinian civilians since the apartheid state imposed a draconian siege on the Gaza Strip, after the Palestinian Islamic Liberation movement, Hamas, won internationally-observed elections in the occupied Palestinian territories in 2006.

In 2008-09, the Israeli army carried out a virtually genocidal blitzkrieg against the coastal enclave, killing and maiming thousands of innocent civilians, including as many as 350 children according to conservative estimates.

The Nazi-like onslaught, in which state-of-the-art of the American technology of death was used, also utterly destroyed thousands of homes, mosques, bridges, schools and other civilian infrastructure.

The 21-day campaign, in which White Phosphorus was used against civilians, was compared to the worst Nazi onslaughts against Jews and others during the Second World War.

Oren's guests included officials from the Whitehouse, Congress and the State Department as well as several rabbis and low-ranking imams.

"There's a lot of misinformation about Israel and we want to show we're open to dialogue and reconciliation," Oren told CNN. "We can begin to build bridges on an interpersonal level."

The event was dismissed as "an exposed public relations stunt" that is aimed at diverting attention from Israel's Nazi-like behavior, especially its increasingly fascist discourse against non-Jews in general and Muslims in particular.

One North African diplomat, who was invited but declined to attend, called the event "a futile effort to make murderers and child killers in Israel look humane and civilized."

The diplomat, M. Makhlofi, said the world should pay more attention to what Israel is doing in Gaza and the West Bank, not to propagandistic public relation events aimed at enhancing Israel's ugly image.

"The Ramadan dinner in Washington is really mixed with the blood of Palestinian children. Israel hosts uniformed or misinformed American Muslims to a Ramadan dinner. At the same time, Israel rains one-ton bombs on the heads of Palestinian children in Gaza, killing them and incinerating their young, tender bodies."

In addition to its clearly murderous approach toward the Palestinians, including Israel's own Palestinian citizens who make up nearly one fourth of the population, the Israeli government has been introducing decidedly-racist laws forcing non-Jewish citizens to pledge loyalty to Talmudic Judaism.

Moreover, several high-ranking rabbinic leaders have been pressing and pressuring the government of Benymain Netanyahu and the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, to adopt brazenly racist laws that would effectively transform Israel into a state ruled by Halacha or Jewish law.

According to Jewish religious law, non-Jews living in a Jewish religious state must be enslaved as "water carriers or wood hewers."

As to Palestinians in the occupied territories, fundamentalist Jewish groups, which more or less control the Israeli government, advocate the adoption of three pornographically racist alternatives in dealing with them: enslavement, expulsion or genocide. Advocates of genocide readily quote from the Talmud and Bible to justify their Nazi-like ideology.

The harsh extremism characterizing this racist religious ideology stems mainly form the traditional Orthodox Jewish perception toward non-Jews in general.

Many or most Orthodox rabbis view non-Jews as virtual animals or sub-human beings whose life has no sanctity, at least in comparison to Jews.

One famous rabbi, Ovadia Yosef, recently declared that all non-Jews were like donkeys and that the Almighty created them solely to serve the master race, the Jews. Yosef is the religious and spiritual mentor of Shas, the third most powerful political party in Israel .

Sometimes, anti-goyem racism assumes a truly ugly expression. One rabbi, associated with the powerful Chabad movement, ruled recently that a Jew may perfectly legitimately murder a non-Jew in order to extract his or her heart or kidney or any other organ if the Jew needs one.

Reform, conservative as well as progressive Jews don't accept their Orthodox brethren's barbaric interpretation of ancient scriptures. However, objection to the manifestly racist interpretation of the scriptures is motivated, in many but not all cases, by fears that anti-goyem racism could generate anti-Semitism and harm Jews in the global village. (end)

This article by Palestinian journalist Khalid Amayreh was first published in PIC Palestine Information Center


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"Palestine is the heart of Arab countries" - PalestineFreeVoice ________________________________________________________

 Opinions expressed are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Palestine FreeVoice.

WikiLeaks cables expose Washington’s close ties to Gaddafi

By Bill Van Auken World Socialist Web Site

US embassy cables released by WikiLeaks on Wednesday and Thursday expose the close collaboration between the US government, top American politicians and Muammar Gaddafi, who Washington now insists must be hunted down and murdered.

Washington and its NATO allies are now determined to smash the Libyan regime, supposedly in the interests of “liberating” the Libyan people. That Gaddafi was until the beginning of this year viewed as a strategic, if somewhat unreliable, ally is clearly seen as an inconvenient truth.

The cables have been virtually blacked out by the corporate media, which has functioned as an embedded asset of NATO and the so-called rebel forces that it directs. It is hardly coincidental that the WikiLeaks posting of the cables was followed the next day by a combination of a massive denial of service attack and a US judge’s use of the Patriot Act to issue a sweeping “production order” or subpoena against the anti-secrecy organization’s California-based Domain Name Server, Dynadot.

The most damning of these cables memorializes an August 2009 meeting between Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his son and national security adviser, Muatassim, with US Republican Senators John McCain (Arizona), Lindsey Graham (South Carolina), Susan Collins (Maine) and Connecticut “independent” Joe Lieberman.

McCain, the Republican presidential candidate in 2008, has in recent speeches denounced Gaddafi as “one of the most bloodthirsty dictators on Earth” and criticized the Obama administration for failing “to employ the full weight of our airpower” in effecting regime change in Libya.

In the meeting held just two years ago, however, McCain took the lead in currying favor with the Gaddafis. According to the embassy cable, he “assured” them that “the United States wanted to provide Libya with the equipment it needs for its security” and “pledged to see what he could do to move things forward in Congress.”

The cable continues to relate McCain’s remarks: “He encouraged Muatassim to keep in mind the long-term perspective of bilateral security engagement and to remember that small obstacles will emerge from time to time that can be overcome. He described the bilateral military relationship as strong and pointed to Libyan officer training at U.S. Command, Staff, and War colleges as some of the best programs for Libyan military participation.”

The cable quote Lieberman as saying, “We never would have guessed ten years ago that we would be sitting in Tripoli, being welcomed by a son of Muammar al-Qadhafi.” It states that the Connecticut senator went on to describe Libya as “an important ally in the war on terrorism, noting that common enemies sometimes make better friends.”

The “common enemies” referred to by Lieberman were precisely the Islamist forces concentrated in eastern Libya that the US then backed Gaddafi in repressing, but has now organized, armed and led in the operation to overthrow him.

The US embassy summarized: “McCain’s meetings with Muammar and Muatassim al-Qadhafi were positive, highlighting the progress that has been made in the bilateral relationship. The meetings also reiterated Libya’s desire for enhanced security cooperation, increased assistance in the procurement of defense equipment, and resolution to the C130s issue” (a contract that went unfulfilled because of previous sanctions).

Another cable issued on the same meeting deals with McCain’s advice to the Gaddafis about the upcoming release from a Scottish prison of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, who had been convicted for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. McCain, who now fulminates about Gaddafi having “American blood on his hands,” counseled the Libyan leader that the release was a “very sensitive issue” in the US and that he should handle it discreetly, “in a way that would strengthen the growing relationship between our two countries, rather than hinder its progress.” Ultimately Gaddafi and other leading Libyan officials gave a hero’s welcome to Megrahi, who has proclaimed his innocence and had been set to have his appeal heard when the Scottish government released him.

Other cables highlight the increasingly close US-Libyan military and security cooperation. One, sent in February 2009, provides a “security environment profile” for Libya. It notes that US personnel were “scheduled to provide 5 training courses to host government law enforcement and security” the next month. In answer to whether the Libyan government had been able to “score any major anti-terrorism successes,” the embassy praised the Gaddafi regime for having “dismantled a network in eastern Libya that was sending volunteer fighters to Algeria and Iraq and was plotting attacks against Libyan security targets using stockpiled explosives. The operation resulted in the arrest of over 100 individuals.” Elements of this same “network” make up an important component of the “rebels” now armed and led by NATO.

Asked by the State Department if there existed any “indigenous anti-American terrorist groups” in the country, the embassy replied “yes”, pointing to the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), which it noted had recently announced its merger with Al Qaeda in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). Again, elements of the LIFG are active in the leadership of the so-called rebels.

An April 2009 cable preparing Muatassim Gaddafi’s trip to Washington that month stresses plans for anti-terrorist training for Libyan military officers and potential arms deals. In its conclusion the embassy states: “The visit offers an opportunity to meet a power player and potential future leader of Libya. We should also view the visit as an opportunity to draw out Muatassim on how the Libyans view ‘normalized relations’ with the U.S. and, in turn, to convey how we view the future of the relationship as well. Given his role overseeing Libya’s national security apparatus, we also want his support on key security and military engagement that serves our interests.”

A May 2009 cable details a cordial hour-long meeting between Gaddafi and the then-head of the US Africa Command, General William Ward.

An August 2008 cable, a “scene setter” for the “historic visit” of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Tripoli, declares that “Libya has been a strong partner in the war against terrorism and cooperation in liaison channels is excellent ... Counter-terrorism cooperation is a key pillar of the U.S.-Libya bilateral relationship and a shared strategic interest.”

Many of the cables deal with opportunities for US energy and construction firms to reap “bonanzas” in the North African country and note with approval privatization efforts and the setting up of a Tripoli stock exchange.

Others, however, express concern, not about the Gaddafi regime’s repressive measures, but rather foreign policy and oil policy moves that could prejudice US interests. Thus, an October 2008 cable, cynically headlined “AL-QADHAFI: TO RUSSIA, WITH LOVE?” expresses US concern about the Gaddafi regime’s approach to Russia for lucrative arms purchases and a visit to Tripoli harbor by a flotilla of Russian warships. One month later, during a visit to Moscow, Gaddafi discussed with the Putin regime the prospect of the Russian navy establishing a Mediterranean port in the city of Benghazi, setting off alarm bells at the Pentagon.

Cables from 2008 and 2009 raise concerns about US corporations not getting in on “billions of dollars in opportunities” for infrastructure contracts and fears that the Gaddafi regime could make good on the Libyan leader’s threat to nationalize the oil sector or utilize the threat to extract more favorable contracts from the foreign energy corporations.

The cables underscore the hypocrisy of the US and its allies in Britain, France and Italy, who have championed “regime change” in the name of protecting Libyan civilians and promoting “democracy.”

Those like Obama, Sarkozy, Cameron and Berlusconi who have branded Gaddafi a criminal to be hunted down and murdered were all his accomplices. All of them collaborated with, armed and supported the Gaddafi regime, as US and European corporations reaped vast profits from Libya’s oil wealth.

In the end, they seized upon the upheavals in the region and the anti-Gaddafi protests in Libya as the opportunity to launch a war to establish outright semi-colonial control over the energy-rich country and rid themselves of an ally who was never seen as fully reliable or predictable and upset his patrons with demands for better deals with big oil, closer ties with Russia and China and the threat of replacing the euro and dollar with a “gold dinar.”

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"Palestine is the heart of Arab countries" - PalestineFreeVoice ________________________________________________________

 Opinions expressed are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Palestine FreeVoice.

The West Wants to take Control of Libya's Oil Wealth

By Prof. Michel Chossudovsky

Global Research, August 27, 2011

Press TV Interview with Michel Chossudovsky, Centre for Research on Globalization.

While Libyan revolutionaries have not yet won the war in the oil-rich country, Western powers are already discussing the post-Gaddafi period on such issues as how the interim government there needs to honor its oil contracts.

In case of internal fighting in Libyan crisis, will the US and its coalition NATO allies deploy boots on the ground to protect their oil interests?

In a Press TV interview, Michel Chossudovsky, Director of Center for Research on Globalization, shed more light into the development. The following is a rush transcription of the interview:

Press TV: Western powers have said the international  community will support the political transition to a free and democratic Libya: In what form will this "support" come? A "Western" democracy imposed on Libyans? What is that going to means for the Libyans? They used the same language when they attacked Afghanistan 10 years ago and Iraq 8 years ago. The US still insists it soldiers should have immunity in these countries. How will it be in Libya?

Chossudovsky: Well I think we have to understand both the nature of this military operation, the covert intelligence behind the rebels, as well as the extensive bombings of civilians infrastructure, residential areas, as well as schools, universities, hospitals which has taken place in the course of the last few months.

And particularly virtually continuous bombings, at night in Tripoli in the course of last few days. We are talking about 20,000 sorties, 8,000 strike sorties, In another words what has happened in the course of these last months, particularly in a last few weeks, is the destruction of an entire country, its infrastructure, institutions, very targeted, involving a lot of civilian casualties.

In other words, the Western "pro democracy" NATO supported rebels, as well as the NATO supported heads of states and heads of governments, they have blood on their hands, they have a lot  of blood on their hands, because they have killed a lot of women and children.

Our correspondent has been reporting form the Rixos Hotel, just a few hours ago, he and several other Journalists, were extracted from the hotel, they were liberated from the Hotel, which they were held for several days, and they are safe now.

Chossudovsky. But I can tell you, my understanding is, first of all this is not a revolution. These are NATO trained gunman, and they are Al Qaeda related paramilitaries, mercenaries.

They have very little support within civil society in Libya. Whether we like the Gaddafi regime or not, I do not think that this is the issue. The large majority of the population are against the rebellion, and the only thing that sustains the rebellion, are the NATO bombings. And these are criminal bombings; let's say what they are. They are in derogation of international law, actions that are criminal in terms of their consequences: the killings of children, the killing of people in their own homes, and this has been well documented.

And what is criminal in this process, is the fact that this war is presented to the media as a humanitarian operation,

Realities are turned upside down.  We are told, that war is peace, The lie becomes the truth, essentially that is what has happened.

Press TV: But the way this operation is going on Professor, many Western countries including France, they talked about the success of this operation and its knock off effect in the region. Doesn't that pose the threat of abuse of what is called RTP, the Right to Protect under humanitarian motives for their own gains, and in terms of RTP of other countries, such as Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia? If that is the way to go about it why don't they mention those countries? Why mentions only Syria, as French President Sarkozy said in his meeting with NTC?

Chossudovsky: Well you know, I have been studying dictatorship for more than 30 years, I've lived in Latin America.

The US has never been concerned with the actions of dictators. In fact it was the US which installed the dictators. As long as the dictators follow their orders, and establish a proxy state and serve US interests, they will continue their support..

That was the situation with the Pinochet regime in Chile, and that was the case in Argentina and Brazil, and in Central America.

Now we must understand the nature of this military operation in Libya.

The rebellion does not exist without NATO. Militarily and politically, it does not exist without NATO.

We must understand that NATO Special Forces are already operating within the rebellion, off course covertly, on the ground. They are experienced armed forces. There are also mercenaries and paramilitaries and gunman.

Were NATO to withdraw, the rebellion would not last very long. I think any military analyst would confirm that.

But now the more fundamental question which is being raised, and it has been raised in the US, and it is already on the drawing board of Pentagon and NATO is... are they going to have boots on the ground?

The boots on the ground are already there, the question is whether it is going to be official? The Apache helicopters are there, The Special Forces are there.

We have massive deployment of Naval Marines in the Mediterranean, particularly the USS George Bush Sr. aircraft carrier, which is sort of high tech, and it just been released, it has positioned itself in the Mediterranean.

And in case of ground war, then we would see allied forces landing on the beaches in Libya.

If you look at the scenarios, I don't think that the rebellions would last very long on its own.

It does not have military capabilities; it does not even have the institutional capabilities to create a real government.

So what is going to happen is... NATO Special Forces are going to remain, others are going to come in, perhaps not officially, boots on the ground, and eventually they are going to establish, as they did in Iraq in 2003, some kind of proxy Libyan government, with people whom they can trust, they might contemplate, modeling Libya, on the sheikhdoms, as in Saudi Arabia, or in the Persian Gulf states.

In any even, neo-colonial, re-conquest of not only Libya, but the whole continent of Africa is contemplated. This implies the militarization of the African Continent with AFRICOM [United States Africa Command]. This is an integral part of the agenda.

Press TV: Go ahead Professor.

Chossudovsky: Several years ago, I was asked the said... this was in regards to Iraq... they said Professor I was in public lecture, they said Professor we need that oil. Okay that is the Western positions, “We need that oil.”

My answer to them is trade, don't steal it. That is what the Western oil companies are there for, they have already position themselves.

The Libyan Oil Company was a very important state entity, which was there to serve the Libyan people. It was used to finance economic development. It is slated to be taken over and privatised, handed it over to Total, which is the French Oil company and other Western oil companies.

What I said, when I was asked that question: "if you need oil, well, you should buy it on the market. And accept the fact that the large share of oil resources [reserves] are in Muslim countries, it is more that 60 percent, and it belong the people of those countries.

They can buy it from them; they do not need to invade countries and then steal the oil from them. And that is what is happening, it happened in Iraq, and now it is happening in Libya.

Minor editing by  Global Research

PressTV -  Video  version of the interview

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"Palestine is the heart of Arab countries" - PalestineFreeVoice ________________________________________________________

 Opinions expressed are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Palestine FreeVoice.

Too early for Palestinian Statehood: Law professor warn of risks to join the United Nations

A nine page "legal independent " document warning of the risks involved in the Palestinian initiative to join the United Nation, has been written by Guy Goodwin-Gill, a professor of public international  law at Oxford University, and a member of the legal team that won the 2004 non-binding judgment in the International Court of Justice:  that the route of the Israeli wall is illegal.

According to professor Goodwin-Gill, he have been asked for his opinion, by the Palestinian team responsible for preparing the United Nations initiative: "regarding certain issues related to the popular representation, the representation of the views of the Palestinian people" - which according to professor Goodwin-Gill: "may arise incidentally, to the current proposal to seek the recognition of the state of Palestine, and the observer status for the State in United Nations".

The Palestinian team, headed by Saeb Erekat, has been preparing an initiative to swap the PLO at the United Nations, replacing it with the State of Palestine as the representative of the Palestinian people.

Professor Goodwin-Gill explain his opinion as follow ( excerpts) :

  

"This opinion seeks only to identify problems potentially affecting the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the manner by which that right can or may be exercised, due account being taken of the will of the people. The purpose is simply to flag the matters requiring attention, if a substantial proportion of the people (having a particular interest in, among others, the right of return) are not be to be accidentally disenfranchised."

“The interests of the Palestinian people are at risk of prejudice and fragmentation, unless steps are taken to ensure and maintain their representation through the Palestinian Liberation Organization, until such time as there is in place a State competent and fully able to assume these responsibilities towards the people at large. In my opinion, current moves to secure recognition of statehood do not appear to reflect fully the role of the Palestinian people as a principal party in the resolution of the situation in the Middle East.”

Read the entire legal judgment 

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"Palestine is the heart of Arab countries" - PalestineFreeVoice ________________________________________________

Opinions expressed are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Palestine FreeVoice. 

Palestine State constitution Palestinian refugees and UN Security Council

Friday, 19 August 2011 08:43
Republished on the International Day of Al-Quds, August 29, 2011 12:05 PM

By Hiyam Noir and Fadwa Nassar

The acting PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas visit to Lebanon this week was arranged to discuss the Lebanese recognition of a Palestinian statehood, which was successfully completed by the transfer of status from the Representative office of the PA in Lebanon, to the Embassy of Palestine. Preparations were conducted to coordinate efforts of the diplomatic battle initiated by the Palestinian Authority, for the UN recognition of the State of Palestine, since Lebanon is currently a member of the Security Council.

The PA chairman and accompanying delegation, also met during this visit with several Lebanese figures, including the Lebanese President Michel Sleiman and Prime Minister Najib Mikati with whom Mr. Mahmoud Abbas also inaugurated the official opening of the Embassy of Palestine.

This official Palestinian visit to Lebanon raised important questions about the status of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Firstly, Palestinian refugees are not citizens of a Palestinian state which at the present only include the West Bank, the eastern part of Al-Quds and the Gaza Strip. While a greater part of Palestinian refugees are inhabitating the cities, the towns and villages of the occupied 48 – Palestine. Will these Palestinians keep their status of refugees, pending their return to Palestine - as required by law and human rights first, then the international Resolution 194, which calls for the return of refugees and the compensation for their confiscated property?

The Nahr el-Bared camp (NBC in May 2007

Clashes between the resistant group Fatah Al-Islam and the Lebanese Armed Forces resulted in the destruction of the Nahr el-Bared camp,and displacement of 27,000 refugees.Refugee homes, commercial properties,mosques,NGO and community facilities in the camp lay in ruins,as did the UNRWA compound, which housed schools, health clinics and relief offices. All roads and water and sewerage networks were badly damaged or destroyed.Again the Palestinian refugees were forced to flee and abandon their homes,and remain displaced to this day.Currently, reconstruction works are underway in both Packages 1 and 2 out of the eight packages of NBC. In addition, three of the six school complexes contained within the UNRWA compound will be completed, equipped and ready for use by the beginning of the 2011-2012 scholastic year. These three complexes will house four separate schools and a vocational training centre.

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These issues are extremely important especially since several months ago a battle have raged around the role of UNRWA, which is the UN body, specially established to aid improvement to Palestinian refugees in the areas of housing, education and work, pending their return to their home. But without addressing the issue of UNRWA in this essay, thus it is necessary to not avoid what is coming into prominence in a time of confidence crisis between the parties involved.

We are troubled to the breaking point by the fact that the well-established framework of UNRWA will decrease its service to Gaza. UNRWA has for many years had one purpose in common:  to provide education, food, housing and employment to Gaza. UNRWA to 90 % funded by contributions from UN member states are aiding some 5 million registered Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and the Palestinian Territories. However, in Lebanese camps  the living conditions of the Palestinian refugees are deplorable, often cited in reports as locations of grievous mistreatment The UN Agency have launched a new watchdog organization in Gaza, "UNRWA- Watch " to monitor the performance of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees.

But Abbas, has never visited Palestinian refuge camps. While stating refusal to permanent settlement of refugees in host countries, including Lebanon, he restated his rejection of the right to the means of weaponry in Palestinian camps in Lebanon, ahead of his scheduled visit to seek support for the Palestinian bid for U.N. recognition – Abbas said to the Lebanese authorities that –“we will hand over weapons anytime you wish ” – In short demilitarize Palestinian refugee camps, thus the Palestinians deny that most organizations, including Fatah does not have access to weaponry.

Mahmoud Abbas statements were granting concessions to his Lebanese interlocutors regarding the matter of permanent settlement of refugees; the Lebanese reject the greater number, not in a form of patriotism, but to preserve a confessional balance which remains the foundation of the Lebanese state.

Maintaining the status of refugees and the right of return

In the Palestinian camp, questions arise about the deeper meaning of the visit to Lebanon, and by extension, that of the proclamation of a Palestinian state in the United Nations Security Council next month.

For his part, the official representative of Islamic Jihad in Lebanon, Abu Hajj 'Imad Rifa'i, expressed the Palestinian refugees feeling of agitation and anxiety concerning the impending UN recognition of a Palestinian state. Beyond the important issue of the right to carry arms, while welcoming the change of status of representation to the PLO, as part of the diplomatic battle led by the Palestinian Authority - "we believe that any achievement is acquired by our people against the Zionist enemy, and furthermore we are facing the U.S. administrations warning against a final installation project Tawtîn, aimed at hindering and liquidating the cause of the Palestinian refugees.

We therefore call to distinguish between the issue of Palestinian refugees and the role of the Palestinian embassy in Lebanon. The connection to the Palestinian embassy in Lebanon and the Palestinian refugees seriously threatens our cause, which is the heart of the Palestinian question. A telling example: The proposals raised by some, of providing passports to refugees. These passports would be issued by the office of the Palestinian consul in Beirut, which in reality mean the liquidation of the refugee cause and a steep step towards the removal of the Palestinian right of return, and the deprivation of the right to claim it back.

Hajj Abu Imad stressed that the issue of passports has no serious consequences because it means changing the legal status of Palestinian refugees, they were expelled from their land occupied in 1948 and recognized worldwide as what they become, subjects resident of other countries. The cancellation of refugee status means the dismantling of UNRWA, with serious consequences involved.

The greatest and most significant problem is the discharged of the international community from its responsibility to the suffering, caused by the erection of the Zionist entity for more than sixty years ago, still depraving the Palestinian refugees' right to claim back their land and their homes, as they have become subjects of an entity which area is a limited part of the historic Palestine, recognized as a State of the Zionist enemy on Palestinian land. "

The representative of the Islamic Jihad, Hajj Abu Imad stated that:” One must distinguish between raising the level of diplomatic representation, and the issue of the Palestinian refugees. We emphasize that the responsibility for the cause of the Palestinian refugees, is entirely up to the international community, primarily responsible for the suffering of refugees, the international community is represented by UNRWA. Do not make any transformations in the direction by discharging the international community of its responsibility, or make changes in the legal status of refugees waiting to return to their land. "

Hajj Abu Imad added: "We in Islamic Jihad movement believe in the inclusion of a reference representing the unified Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, to put forth reasons against the “final installation project” which is instigated to liquidate the right of return. And we are assuming  that  the resolutions of all problems is, to protect the cause of Palestinian refugees, to work out a correct solution of our daily life suffering caused by our economic problems .

This statement by Abu Hajj 'Imad Rifa'I, the representative of Islamic Jihad in Lebanon, on the occasion of the visit to Lebanon by Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation, was indeed welcomed by all Palestinian organizations which continue to demand the right of refugees to return to their home.

Rallies for the return of Palestine refugees were held the 15th of May and 6th of June, in Maroun el-Ras, located at the border with occupied Palestine, and the Golan, vis a vis’ the area occupied by the Zionists, also displaying  courage in the determination of refugees to fight and sacrifice themselves for the return. It is through their mobilization and structure of their motion, the Palestinian refugees will prevent the execution of such conspiracies being hatched, between the Arab capitalist and its Palestinian associates.

Related : Palestine refugees in Lebanon

                UNRWA report 2011

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"Palestine is the heart of Arab countries" - PalestineFreeVoice ________________________________________________________

Opinions expressed are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Palestine FreeVoice.

World day of Al - Quds: Palestine at the heart of the nation.

Palestinians carrying the flag of the Holy City of Al-Quds 

Al-Sharif in 1914

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By Fadwa Nassar and Hiyam Noir

August 24 2011

In two days, in the last Friday of the Ramadan we will celebrate the thirty-two year memorial  of the International Day of Al-Quds, called out by Imam Khomeini for Palestine and its capital al-Quds, the center of the heart of Arab-Muslim consciousness. 

Year after year have passed by, since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. Today the holy city of al-Quds has resumed its role in focusing and mobilizing the Arab nations against oppression and humiliation of Muslims and beyond all - the oppressed in the world.

Al-Quds is not just the occupied city of 1948, by the Zionists. She also became the symbol of occupation, oppression and humiliation, for what a city of the world has become, since it was occupied by the imperialist-Zionist alliance of the world.

Al-Quds, the city of peace, became the city of hate and war, since the Zionists wanted to make it an exclusively Jewish city, synonymous to  the Zionist, imperialist - excluding all else and arrogant. 

Al-Quds, the heavenly city, under occupation, has become a city where the vilest passions are unleashed, inhabited by Jewish settlers and soldiers who spit in the face, imprison, deport, kill, crush and torture the Palestinian people, particularly the Palestinian children.

Under Zionist occupation, the holy city where the imperial-Zionist insolence at all levels is manifested, through the history begrimed, marked with  filth , violated, denied, altered, mutilated or destroyed, its ruins, its tombs desecrated, its mosques and churches unclean, and its population bruised and battered.

The new barbarians who occupy al- Quds looked at this majestic city to be used and abused - butchered, it became a focus-point  for their rage and hatred towards all humanity. They took revenge on al-Quds and its people, looking for vengeance on all Arab and Muslim people who built one of the greatest civilizations in the world, a monotheistic religion that brought into existence the human dignity complete, a servant of the only one God.

The occupation of Palestine -  and al-Quds, by the racist and illegal Zionist regime, epitomizes all the crimes against humanity - the greatest threat to peace and stability across the globe. Jewish exclusivism  bestirred its own people, areas of the city al-Quds  suffered ethnic cleansing, some parts are now being Judaized.

Throughout the history of al-Quds, Muslims have contributed to its greatness  for a pious purpose, dedicating waqfs located in Palestine, and elsewhere in the Muslim world, to be used by its followers its students, its visitors, and its poor people - as mosques, schools, hospitals, libraries, hotels and fountains. Cold and calculating, the Zionists has clean swept and virtually destroyed everything. 

Earlier the Muslims encouraged the Jews to visit al-Quds, without restrictions, today the Zionists  demonstrate its gratitude by digging bunkers below the Muslims holy sanctuary, the al-Aqsa Mosque. Harboring wild hordes from around the world, dumping loads of ignorance and hatred,  inside one of the most prestigious knowledge centers ever been, a spark for future human development and inspiring passion for learning and creativity.

   

In fact, al-Quds has always been there in the minds of Arab and Muslim peoples, deplorably because of successive defeats suffered in the struggle against the Zionist entity, the colonized Palestinian people had demoted what should have been their focus of attention, buried it in their memory, thinking that the symbol of their greatness is distant - and indestructible. 

Therefore the call of Imam Khomeini is crucial to the revival of this consciousness. In more than thirty years , this call on Imam Khomeini  has been embarked on the course of mobilizing the nation for the liberation of al-Quds, which also is the liberation of Muslims against all oppression.

In this Day of al-Quds celebrated in the month of Ramadan, the most sacred of the year, al-Quds and Palestine rightfully claim to be the true heart of the nation and of its conscience.

The celebration of the International Day of Al-Quds has taken a new momentum following the victory of the resistance in Lebanon in 2000: Firstly, because it was the triumph of determination and faith of the people, capable to resistant against the enemies of the nation. 

Secondly, a triumph against those who played in the initial, and still place in doubt the possibility of victories - at the time when the sheer weapon appears to be faith, faith in God the Almighty and faith in the man His servant, faith in his abilities, self-worth and dignity.

The World Day of Al-Quds has managed, over time, to release this great power drawn up from the nation, and direct it towards the fight against all oppression. Oppression of al-Quds and Maqdisi  in the midst, precisely where it hurts, the fiercest and most terrible.Precisely in this city and in this country, whose Liberation is now announced -  in the face of the contemporary world.

The enemies of this nation were also included. That is why they directed their weapons and campaigns of vilification and derision against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and against its founder, Imam Khomeini and against its leaders. 

They sought every means to destroy not only the country, but the revolutionary spirit that animates it. A consciousness that gives hope to oppressed people, including the Muslim nations, saying that their victory against oppression is also due to their efforts and labors, and that their faith is the "noblest creatures" of God.

In this year, after that the Arab people have begun to shake off the yoke of oppression, the celebration of the International Day of al-Quds will be another opportunity to assert - that al-Quds remains at the heart of our consciousness and our efforts. - And that the path of our liberation and our independence is the inevitable consequence of the liberation of al-Quds and the whole of Palestine - the Zionist yoke of oppression.

As we are watching al - Quds, our eyes will continues to rest on it – and because of the greatness of al-Quds our hearts will continue to beat.

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"Palestine is the heart of Arab countries" - PalestineFreeVoice ___________________________________________________

Opinions expressed are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Palestine FreeVoice.

BRussells Tribunal Statement :Stand with Palestine and Egypt against Israeli aggression

Israel only knows war and killing Stand with Palestine and Egypt against Israeli aggression In face of the world’s increasing support for the intended legitimate and legal demand of Palestine to be recognized as an independent UN member state; in face of the success of the peaceful Egyptian revolution in making profound changes to liberate Egypt from foreign dictates in order to defend Egypt’s security and rights; and in face of Israel’s failure to offer a decent life for Jews and Arabs under its authority, Israel returns, in breach of international law and international agreements, to an aggressive military policy of indiscriminately bombing civilians in Gaza, of killing Egyptian soldiers, and threatening — with US support — to occupy the Egyptian land of Sinai or part of it. It is evident that Israel, with the complicity of the US, wants to use the attack in Eilat, even before any investigation has been conducted, as pretext to turn attention away from the Palestinian project of becoming a member state of the UN, to threaten the Egyptian revolution, and to turn international public opinion away from the ascending Arab revolution towards an Arab-Israeli conflict. We condemn Israeli aggression. We support the people of Gaza against Israeli attacks. We support Palestinians in their struggles for their rights. We condemn Israeli attempts to prevent Egyptians from deepening their revolution to build an independent, democratic and developed new Egypt by waging war against it. ______________________________________________________________________________ En réaction au soutien croissant de la communauté internationale à l’aspiration légitime et légale de la Palestine pour être reconnue comme état indépendant membre de l’ONU ; En réaction au succès de la révolution égyptienne pacifique qui parvient à opérer des changements profonds libèrant le pays des diktats étrangers dans le but de défendre la sécurité et les droits de l’Egypte ; Face au fait qu’Israël est incapable d’offrir une vie décente aux Juifs et aux Arabes résidant sous son autorité ; Israël, en violation du droit international et des accords internationaux, revient à une politique d’agression :  Bombardements indiscriminés de civils à Gaza, meurtres de soldats égyptiens, et menace – avec le soutien des Etats-Unis – d’une occupation de la totalité ou d’une partie de la terre égyptienne du Sinaï. Avant même que la moindre enquête ait été menée sur l’attaque d’Eilat, il est évident qu’Israël, avec la complicité des Etats-Unis, veut utiliser cet évènement pour détourner l’attention du projet palestinien de devenir un état membre des Nations Unies, pour menacer la révolution égyptienne, et pour réorienter l’opinion publique, de la dynamique de la révolution arabe, vers un conflit israëlo-arabe. Nous condamnons l’agression israëlienne. Nous soutenons le peuple de Gaza contre les attaques israëliennes. Nous soutenons les Palestiniens dans leurs luttes pour leurs droits. Nous condamnons les tentatives israëliennes – en provoquant une guerre - pour limiter l'expansion de la révolution égyptienne pour la naissance d’une Egypte indépendante, démocratique et développée. _______________________________________________________________________________________ سرائيل لا تعرف الا الحرب والقتل قف مع فلسطين ومصر ضد العدوان ٢٠ أغسطس ٢٠١١ في مواجهة المطالبة الدولية المتزايدة, القانونية والمشروعة, بالإعتراف بدولة فلسطين كدولة مستقلة وعضوة بالأمم المتحدة; في مواجهة النجاح السلمي للثورة المصرية في إحداث تغيير عميقلتحرير مصر من التسلط الأجنبي ومن أجل الدفاع عن أمن وحقوق مصر; وفي مواجهة فشل إسرائيل في توفير حياة كريمة لليهود والعرب الذين يحيون تحت سلطتها تعود إسرائيل, خارقة القانونالدولي والمعاهدات الدولية, الي سياسة العدوان العسكري من قصف عشوائي للمدنيين في غزة الي قتل الجنود المصريين, الي التهديد-و بدعم أميريكي-بإحتلال الأراضي المصرية في سيناء أو جزءامنها. من الثابت أن إسرائيل, وبتواطؤ أميريكي, تريد إستخدام الهجوم الذي حدث في إيلات, وحتي قبل القيام بأي تحقيقات جدية فيه, كذريعة لصرف الإنتباه بعيداً عن المشروع الفلسطيني لجعل فلسطينعضوا بالأمم المتحدة, ولتهديد الثورة المصرية, وصرف الإنتباه الدولي بعيداً عن الثورات العربية المتصاعدة الي ناحية الصراع العربي-الإسرائيلي. نحن ندين العدوان الإسرائيلي. نحن نساند أهل غزة ضد الهجمات الإسرائيلية. نحن ندعم الفلسطينيين في كفاحهم من أجل نيل حقوقهم. نحن ندين المحاولات الإسرائيلية لمنع المصريين من تعميقثورتهم وبناء مصر جديدة مستقلة, ديموقراطية ومزدهرة, عن طريق التلويح بالحرب ضدها. عبد الإله البياتي, محلل سياسي عراقي هنا البياتي, ناشطة سياسية وكاتبة إيان دوجلاس, محلل وكاتب __________________________________________________________________________ Het is duidelijk dat Israël, met medeplichtigheid van de VS, nog voordat er enig onderzoek is verricht, de aanval in Eilat als voorwendsel wil gebruiken , om de aandacht af te leiden van het Palestijns project om een lidstaat te worden van de VN, om de Egyptische revolutie te bedreigen, en om de internationale publieke opinie af te leiden van de opkomende  Arabische revolutie in de richting van een Arabisch-Israëlisch conflict. In het licht van van de toenemende steun in de wereld voor de beoogde legitieme en wettelijke vraag van Palestina erkend te worden als een onafhankelijke VN-lidstaat, in het licht van het succes van de vreedzame Egyptische revolutie in het bevrijden van het land van buitenlandse dictaten om de veiligheid en de rechten van de Egyptenaren te verdedigen;   En in het kader van de mislukking van Israël  om een fatsoenlijk leven voor Joden en Arabieren onder haar autoriteit te bieden, keert Israël – in strijd met het internationaal recht en met  internationale overeenkomsten – terug naar een agressief militair beleid van lukraak bombarderen van burgers in Gaza, van  het doden van Egyptische soldaten, en dreigt het - met de steun van de VS - om de het Egyptische grondgebied van de Sinaï of een deel ervan te bezetten. We veroordelen de Israëlische agressie. Wij steunen de bevolking van Gaza tegen de Israëlische aanvallen. Wij ondersteunen de Palestijnen in hun strijd voor hun rechten. Wij veroordelen de Israëlische pogingen om -door te dreigen met oorlog – te beletten dat de Egyptenaren  hun revolutie uitdiepen en een onafhankelijk en democratisch, nieuw Egypte uitbouwen. Abdul Ilah Albayaty, Iraqi political analyst Hana Al Bayaty, activist and author Ian Douglas, analyst and author

 Members of the BRussells Tribunal Executive Committee

August 20, 2011

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"Palestine is the heart of Arab countries" - PalestineFreeVoice __________________________________________________

Opinions expressed are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Palestine FreeVoice.