Gaza 7-22-14

22, July 2014    GAZA

It is appalling that President Obama, buckling under political pressure, makes public statements goading and encouraging Israel to continue their slaughter of innocent defenseless Palestinian civilians. This is incremental genocide not legitimate defense. He repeats the mantra that “Israel has every right to defend itself” but remains totally silent on the right of Palestinians to defend themselves.  Israel has often boasted that they possess intelligence of every occupant and building in Gaza but the slaughter and mayhem would suggest the IDF is deliberately targeting civilians. 
The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees says the number of people seeking refuge at its sites in Gaza has soared to more than 100,000. One of the shelters, a girls’ school in central Gaza, was hit Monday by an Israeli shell. So far today, Israel has struck more than 70 sites inside Gaza, including five mosques and a football stadium, water treatment and sewage plants. On Monday, at least 103 Palestinians died when Israel bombed a residential tower block in Gaza City. Five children died in that attack. In the central Gaza town of Deir al-Balah, five people died and 70 were wounded when Israel shelled the al-Aqsa Hospital. It became the third medical facility to be struck by Israel in the past two weeks. The injured included about 30 medics. Israel, in complete violation of international law, is using  flechette shells that spray out thousands of tiny and potentially lethal darts. Is this legitimate defense or deliberate mayhem? 

Gaza 7-15-2014

15, July 2014

Dear Editor,     Gaza
The assault on the Gaza Strip and rocket responses were supposedly triggered by the death of 3 Israeli teenagers. PM Netanyahu claims Hamas was responsible but offered no proof. Netanyahu’s wild accusations enraged Israelis who went on a rampage assaulting Palestinians and demolishing several several of their homes. I posed the question of the teenagers deaths to several experts at NPR’s Forum this morning but did not receive a definitive explanation. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and even the US State Department were unable to assign the guilt of the teenagers tragic death. We often hear the mantra that Israel has every right to defend itself but what is missing in this one-sided narrative is the Palestinians right to defend themselves from the Israeli military and settler terrorism. Israel boasts that it has launched targeted strikes on Gaza but when you see the death tolls, then the numbers actually speak volumes; 80 percent of those killed are civilians. Furthermore, with the wonton destruction of the infrastructure (hospitals, mosques, . .) one can only reasonably conclude the purpose of the horrific bombing is to inflict as much misery and terror on a defenseless population. The Obama administration which enabled the horrific massacres to take place is complicit in the human tragedy that is unfolding. Israel has never been accountable for its actions – meanwhile our tax dollars keep flowing into the Israeli war machine.

Israel – escalating violence 7-10-14

10 July 2014   

Israel – escalating violence

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It is unconscionable that Prime Minister Netanyahu should blame Hamas with the vile killings of three Israeli teenagers without offering any proof of their guilt. His wild accusations were largely responsible for the tragic death of 8 Palestinians and hundreds more arrested without charge.  Netanyahu should present his evidence and those responsible must be fully punished. Likewise, those responsible for the deaths of 8 Palestinians should be held fully accountable.  The arbitary  arrest of hundreds of Palestinians without charge is a clear violation of international law. People in Ramallah are experiencing Israeli raids for the first time. There is almost a complete lockdown in Hebron. To subject over two million Palestinians in the West Bank to collective punishment - that have nothing to do with the death of the 3 Israel teenagers, is outrageous. If Israel claims it has a right to defend itself how can Palestinians be denied the same right?  If lobbing rockets from Gaza is regarded as an act of terrorism then surely dropping bombs from high altitude must also be regarded as an act of terrorism. Thus far Israel has killed over 80 Palestinians, including 18 children and 10 women. Israeli settlers have engaged in appalling acts of terrorism – all with complete impunity. It is time to call for a halt to US aid to Israel which has been grossly misused to build more and more illegal settlements which is the root cause of the spiraling violence.

Israel 6-28-14

28, June 2014

Dear Editor,   Israel

It’s a pity that more reporters and US government officials are not challenging Israel’s contention that Hamas is responsible for the kidnapping of three settler teenagers. There is not a scintilla of evidence to support Israel’s claims. Israel’s justice minister, Tzipi Livni’s, has been offering the same tired, unsubstantiated charges of Hamas’s guilt. One does not even know whether the three boys were even kidnapped. Repeating the mantra that Hamas is responsible for the kidnapping does not prove they had any involvement. Sadly, the Obama administration has not uttered one word critical of the Israeli government’s recent actions conducting raids in the Occupied Territories and the West Bank arresting over 360 Palestinians, and killing at least four. It is a horrific example of collective punishment. It is blatantly obvious that this action was taken to weaken Hamas and destroy the fragile unity government. People in Ramallah are experiencing Israeli raids for the first time. There is almost a complete lockdown in Hebron. This is a gross violation of international law; to subject over two million Palestinians in the West Bank that have nothing to do with the alleged kidnapping. Let us hope that Obama stiffens his spine and demands an immediate end to Israel’s collective punishment of the Palestinians.

Response to WSJ ‘Three Boys, One Terrorist 6-27-14

27, June 2014

Dear Editor,    Response to WSJ ‘Three Boys, one terrorist,   by Tzipi Livni

I am extremely disappointed that you would allow your fine newspaper to be used to propagate Israeli propaganda. Tzipi Livni’s article is replete with the same tired, unsubstantiated charges of Hamas’s guilt in kidnapping the three settler teenagers. There is not a shred of evidence of Hamas’s guilt. One does not even know whether the three boys were even kidnapped. Repeating the mantra that Hamas is responsible for the kidnapping does not prove they had any involvement.       

Sadly, the Obama administration has not uttered one word critical of the Israeli government’s recent actions conducting raids in the Occupied Territories and the West Bank arresting over 360 Palestinians, and killing at least four. It is a horrific example of collective punishment. It is blatantly obvious that this action was taken to weaken Hamas and destroy the fragile unity government. People in Ramallah are experiencing Israeli raids for the first time. There is almost a complete lockdown in Hebron. This is a gross violation of international law; to subject over two million Palestinians in the West Bank that have nothing to do with the alleged kidnapping. Let us hope that Obama stiffens his spine and demands an immediate end to Israel’s collective punishment of the Palestinians.

Tony Blair 06-25-14

25 June 2014    Commet to NYT op ed, June 25, 2014 

New Yorks Times op ed “You’ve got to admire Tony Blair’s tenacity. Despite his terrible failures in Iraq and with the Palestinian Authority, the former British prime minister continues to pontificate about the Middle East’s ills and cures.
Seven years after he was appointed as the special envoy for the so-called quartet of Middle East peacemakers (the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia), the occupied territories of Palestine are still under siege. And 11 years after he co-sponsored the invasion and occupation of Iraq, the country is falling apart.

Comment follows:
The soulless Tony Blair lives on intoxicated by the siren song of limitless wealth using his political connections to maximum advantage. He has not uttered one word critical of the Israeli government’s recent actions conducting raids in the Occupied Territories and the West Bank arresting over 360 Palestinians, and killing at least four. It is a horrific example of collective punishment. This action was taken in response to the alleged kidnapping of three settler teenagers. No one is even sure that they have been kidnapped but Israel accuses Hamas to be responsible – without a shred of evidence. It is blatantly obvious that this action was taken to weaken Hamas and destroy the fragile unity government. People in Ramallah are experiencing Israeli raids for the first time. There is almost a complete lockdown in Hebron. This is a gross violation of international law; to subject over two million Palestinians in the West Bank that have nothing to do with the alleged kidnapping which might not have even taken place. Predictably, Tony Blair, who has sold his soul to Israel, remains silent. Let us hope that Obama stiffens his spine and demands an immediate end to Israel’s collective punishment of the Palestinians

Israel & the growing BDS movement 6-23-14

23, June 2014   Israel & the growing BDS movement

Throughout its short history Israel has adopted an extremely aggressive posture occupying more and more land displacing the indigenous population. The prospect for peace grows dimmer by the day. Many Jews and non-Jews are increasingly dismayed by Israel’s long standing intransigence to reach a peaceful accord with the Palestinians. Recently, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted in its general convention to divest from three companies (Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard and Motorola Solutions) that exports equipment to the occupied Palestinian territories. This is an effort to pressure Israel to stop building settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and to end the occupation; this comes on the heel of a much wider campaign known as B.D.S., for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions. Jewish activists from Jewish Voice for Peace wore black T-shirts with the slogan “Another Jew Supporting Divestment” at the Presbyterian convention. Rabbi Alissa Wise, director of Jewish Voice for Peace, stated that divestment can serve a constructive purpose. “To me, this helps Palestinians build their power, so that Israel is convinced, not by force, but by global consensus that something has to change.”  Other American churches have adopted similar strategies to protest Israeli policies: The Mennonite Central Committee, the Quakers and the United Methodist Church have sold stock in companies that conduct business with Israel. Religious groups were in the forefront to demolish the South Africa’s apartheid system. It must do no less to vigorously oppose current Israel policies.