Before Israel became the best friend of US; the US had NO enemies in the Middle East!

Submitted by www.wearewideaw... on Wed, 02/11/2009 - 09:22

"This is a time when there seems to be a particular need for men of philosophical persuasion—that is to say, friends of wisdom and truth—to join together…We Jews should be, and remain, the carriers and patrons of spiritual values. But we should also always be aware of the fact that these spiritual values are and always have been the common goal of mankind."-Einstein

Thanks to Omar Barghouti for emailing:

According to the almost official results of the Israeli elections, reproduced below, the fanatic-to-fascist right was the biggest winner in Israel. A proper death certificate for the Israeli Zionist "left" should finally be issued -- 61 years late!

Here is a breakdown of the results for all Israeli parties, categorized into groups according to their respective positions towards international law and basic human rights. Only these universal criteria should be used in Israel and anywhere else to decide who is right, who is left and who is ultra right, etc. The common Israeli designations of "left," "right" and "center" to describe Labor, Likud and Kadima, respectively, are completely inaccurate and intentionally misleading, as they steer away from any objective criteria in distinguishing left from right. Still, unfortunately, these meaningless Israeli labels are parroted, verbatim, by commentators, even progressive ones, without any reflection on their accuracy or relevance.

By any objective standard, the election results must reveal the following accurate categories:

Ultra Right: (parties that openly adopt racist or fascist platforms calling for forcible displacement, or ethnic cleansing, of the indigenous Palestinian citizens of Israel, based on diverse conditions that depend on the specific party in question; justify and/or commit war crimes and grave violations of international law; reject UN resolutions and international law as THE basis for a just peace; reject all three basic Palestinian rights enshrined in international law: (1) FULLY ending the occupation and withdrawing to the 1967 borders, as per UNSC Res. 242, including withdrawal from occupied east Jerusalem; (2) the UN-sanctioned rights of the refugees to reparations and return to their homes of origin; and (3) the right to full equality inside Israel and ending institutional racism against all "non-Jewish" citizens of the state):

Yisrael Beitenu: 15 Knesset seats
National Union: 4
Shas: 11
Jewish Home: 3
Likud: 27
Kadima: 28

TOTAL: Ultra right: 88 seats: 73% of the total seats in the Knesset or 80% of Jewish seats in the Knesset

Right: parties that conform to the Ultra-Right principles above with the exception of calling openly for ethnic cleansing as a political platform. There are exceptions, of course, whereby several key Labor leaders have occasionally called for ethnic cleansing, but it was not translated into part of their program or a consistent policy, unlike the parties of the Ultra-Right above

Labor: 13
United Torah Judaism: 5
Meretz: 3

TOTAL Right: 21 seats: 16% of total or 19% of Jewish seats

Center: parties that support a FULL withdrawal from the 1967-occupied territory, but oppose equality for all the citizens of the state and the right of return. It may be generous to call them center, but ...)

NONE

Left: parties that support a FULL withdrawal from the 1967-occupied territory, equality for all the citizens of the state, and the right of return. These parties are committed to a two-state peaceful solution based on international law and universal human rights principles)

United Arab List: 4 (an entirely Palestinian party -- politically on the left, but socially on the right)
Hadash (communists): 4 (note that less than 1% of Israeli-Jews voted for it, so it can statistically be regarded as a Palestinian party)
Balad (national democrats): 3 (entirely Palestinian)

TOTAL Left: 11 seats: 9% of total

It is very important to note that, from initial news reports, it seems that half the Palestinian public in Israel BOYCOTTED the elections, the widest such boycott in history. This means that all the above Palestinian parties represent less than half of the Palestinian voters in Israel!

Main conclusions:

(1) The Israeli Jewish public has voted predominantly for the ultra right (including a huge increase in support for the fascist right)

(2) The Israeli Jewish (Zionist) left does not exist (as predicted) as a political force in Israel

(3) The ONLY left parties in Israel are entirely Palestinian

(4) There is a Jewish consensus in Israel (with the exception of a few brave, principled individuals and tiny anti-Zionist groups) AGAINST all the basic requirements for a just peace as laid out in UN resolutions and supported by most world governments

(5) For the first time in the history of Knesset elections, it is reported that Palestinian voters have shunned Zionist parties to an unprecedented level, opting for Palestinian parties instead.

What's to be done?

A paradigm shift from the defunct, immoral, and now impossible, two-state solution to the democratic, single state solution is NOW called for more than ever. Only by rejecting all forms of racism, apartheid, ethnocentrism, religious fundamentalism and colonialism, and by embracing FULL equality and democracy, including the right of return of the refugees, can we create a just and sustainable peace.

The call for a two-state solution has truly become a smokescreen to cover up and legitimize continued occupation, colonization and Zionist apartheid.

Omar
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1061917.html

What Can and Must Be Done If YOU Are US:

FROM US CAMPAIGN TO END THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE

DIRECTV Censors Our Gaza Strip TV Ad!

Thanks to a generous emergency grant from Cultures of Resistance, a 30-second commercial about the U.S. role in Israel's war on and siege of the Gaza Strip [made it to You Tube.]

We thought, "What better way to bring this important information to the attention of people in the United States than to advertise nationally on DIRECTV?" the largest satellite television subscription service in the country.

After detailed discussions with DIRECTV, including agreement on rates, times, and network placements of the ad, when we gave them the final product, they abruptly decided not to do business with us.

This blatant act of censorship is preventing millions of U.S. households from learning the truth about our government's crucial role in enabling Israel's war on and siege of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

DO SOMETHING:

Watch both an extended internet version and the original 30-second commercial by clicking here:

http://endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=1817

Contact DIRECTV to protest its act of censorship and demand that they accept our ad by clicking here:

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/641/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26579

Make a tax-deductible contribution to the US Campaign so that we can purchase as much air time for this commercial as possible by clicking here:

http://endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=1817

Take action requested in the commercial and sign our open letter to President Obama calling upon him to cut of military aid to Israel by clicking here:

http://endtheoccupation.org/form.php?modin=137

Eileen Fleming, Author, Founder, Senior Correspondent WAWA:
http://www.wearewideawake.org/
Producer "30 Minutes With Vanunu" and "13 Minutes with Vanunu"

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Comments

yes and no and yes

Submitted by www.wearewideaw... on Sun, 02/15/2009 - 19:17.

Yes, i do choose words that will provoke thought- and the title is a true statement and that is why it stings!

No, I truly did not advocate for a one or two state solution in either article.

I quoted the opinions of others with hope they would inflame the reader that now is not the time to procrastinate on this issue.

However, I am of the opinion that FIRST and foremost the occupation must end: one state or two can follow then.

My hope and dream is that the the 250,000+ illegal settlers in the West Bank will have the opportunity to remain where they are-that is, if they can live in peace as neighbors with their cousins in the family of Father Abraham.

Yes, I have many connections because I have traveled six times to Israel Palestine since June 2005.

I always go seeking what the US MSM and Government don't want expressed, such as the Christian EXODUS from the Holy Land which is in pieces-bantustans.

I am 100% in solidarity with nonviolent resisters of the military occupation-or, the empire as i call it.

The good news is that there are rapidly growing numbers of Israelis-mostly secular, Palestinians and Internationals who are all united by acts of creative NONVIOLENT Resistance; such as demonstrated by the volunteers/heros with ISM/international solidarity movement and AAtW/anarchists against the wall.

Thank you Eileen

Submitted by Angelo Lopez on Mon, 02/16/2009 - 16:43.

Thank you Eileen for the reply to my questions. It helped clarify some things for me. If I remember correctly, one of your heroes is Thomas Paine. Your posts serve the same functions as Paine's pamphlets once did.

A year ago Crossleft had a good debate on the one state and two state solutions (http://www.crossleft.org/node/5306 and http://www.crossleft.org/node/5632) involving you, Bill and others. I forgot that I had asked you about your opinions on the one state and two state plans a year ago. Thank you for clarifying your opinions. In rereading those past posts, you and Bill do a good job showing the merits and flaws of the one state and two state plans.

In reviewing some of your past posts from last year, I forgot how many Israeli and Palestinian nonviolent peace activists were highlighted by you. Matt Shaffer is a recent Crossleft blogger who has done some really good posts on nonviolence that I've learned a lot from. I think on an individual level, nonviolence is always the best choice. For nonviolence to be an effective strategy to change society, though, I think it needs the attention of the press. When most Americans think of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, they think of suicide bombers, terrorists, and kids throwing rocks and they don't see in the news the nonviolent work of Israeli and Palestinian peace activists. In order for nonviolent strategies to work, I think these peace activists need to be able to draw the media's attention away from the more violent radicals. I know your posts are provacative to try to draw attention to the plight of Palestinians.

One of the peace activists that you highlighted is Rev. Canon Naim Ateek, founder of the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem. You quoted him as saying, "The Palestinians need to become really conscious of and sensitive to the horror of the Holocaust. ...We must understand the importance and significance of the Holocaust to the Jews, while insisting that the Jews understand the tragedy of Palestine for the Palestinians."

You also wrote of Abuna Elias Chacur, the Melkite priest and 3 time Nobel Peace Prize nominee. He said, "I am a Palestinian Israeli who lives for peace and reconciliation. The problem here is not about the land. There is a blockage between Arabs and Jews. It must end. We need to explore a third way to rise above the conflict. There are three million Palestinians living in refugee camps! This injustice must come to an end. Once, we Jews and Arabs were partners and friends. The only way out of this conflict is to rise above it."

Good quotes. And sentiments we could all agree on. Since you are more knowleadgable than I am, I hope you don't mind if I ask a few more questions. And if anyone else has any insights, feel free to answer.

What do you think of Barack Obama and his Middle East envoy George Mitchell?

I've heard of a few Israeli and Palestinian peace groups like Yesh Din (http://www.yesh-din.org/site/index.php?page=about.us&lang=en) and the Family Bereavement Forum (http://www.theparentscircle.org/). You're mentioned Sabeel as a peace group. What are other Israeli and Palestinian peace groups in the area that you know or work with?

What do you think of Livni and Netanyahu?

Angelo

Dearest Angelo

Submitted by www.wearewideaw... on Wed, 02/18/2009 - 15:22.

You are an angel of intense illumination and one of the most careful thoughtful reader i have ever encountered!

I am in process of writing a book review of Rev. Ateek's latest book:

"A Palestinian Christian Cry for Reconciliation"

I look forward to your read of it!

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

I am also hopeful about George Mitchell, because on Januray 22, 2009 Mairead Maguire responded to my email inquiry asking her opinion about the appointment of Senator George Mitchell:

Dear Eileen,

Senator Mitchell is a good man whom I admire as he helped in the peace process in Northern Ireland. I remember he travelled well over 100 times from USA to Northern Ireland to help bring the various parties together and was very helpful.

I am glad he has been appointed and know he will bring great compassion, fairness and perseverance to his enormous challenge. Yes, like him I believe every conflict can be solved, where there is political will. The conflict of the Israeli state and Palestinian state (yes I said Palestinian state as even if Israel does not recognize it the world does) can be solved by Israel ending its occupation and apartheid system and this is a problem of political will of Israel and USA to bring freedom and justice to the people of Palestine. I hope the appointment of Senator Mitchell is a sign that the USA Administration is prepared to treat both parties fairly and equally, and to work for Palestinians Human rights and Freedom.-Peace Eileen, Mairead

I Welcome you Back Eileen but have a few questions about post

Submitted by Angelo Lopez on Fri, 02/13/2009 - 11:41.

Hi Eileen, I'm glad you've come back to Crossleft with the chokeful of information that you have on the Israeli/Palestinian issues. For this post, and several of the posts that you've written, there's a lot of information that is sometimes tough to wade through and try to analyze. But I'm glad you bring out this information. I have a few questions though.

The title of this post is fairly provacative, and I wouldn't blame Israel for all the problems that have occurred in the past 60 years since it came into being. You wrote in your above post: "A paradigm shift from the defunct, immoral, and now impossible, two-state solution to the democratic, single state solution is NOW called for more than ever. Only by rejecting all forms of racism, apartheid, ethnocentrism, religious fundamentalism and colonialism, and by embracing FULL equality and democracy, including the right of return of the refugees, can we create a just and sustainable peace".

Last year in Crossleft we had a series of posts discussing the one state versus two state solutions. It seems to me that the goal should be peace between the Israelis and Palestinians, and whatever plan has the most realistic chance of achieving that goal should be the plan to pursue.

You seem to be firmly on the side of a one state solution to resolve the conflicts in that region. I may be mistaken, but it doesn't seem like a viable solution if there is no Israeli Jewish Left to argue the position within Israel, as you've mentioned in this post and in your latest post (http://www.crossleft.org/node/6785). I guess one of my questions is are you sure there is no Israeli Jewish Left? In the library is a documentary called Encounter Point that highlights the group the Family Bereavement Forum (http://www.theparentscircle.org/) that bands Israeli and Palestinian families to fight for peace. In the documentary I see several Israelis attempting to engage with their counterpart Palestinians and see their point of view. The documentary was made fairly recently, so I wonder if the Israeli Left is still there, but more on the grassroots level.

Are there any Israeli groups or individuals right now supporting the one state solution? If the only people that are arguing for a one state solution are Palestinians, I can't see it realisticly going anywhere.

In your latest post (http://www.crossleft.org/node/6785), you highlighted Jimmy Carter's plan for peace. It seems to me a more realistic plan. You wrote:

"Carter's Plan for Peace in the Holy Land calls for President Obama to courageously address the complex conflict with details resolved by the two sides but which follows the following framework:

1. A demilitarized Palestinian state, with Israeli forces being replaced by an international security force that will allow freedom of peaceful movement and that will respond to any violence from either side.

2. Mutually acceptable modifications, with land swaps to the 1967 border which allows Israelis in and around Jerusalem to remain, but a withdrawal of all other settlers from the West Bank.

3. A shared Jerusalem that will be the capital of both states.

4. The right of Palestinian refugees to return to the West Bank and Gaza and compensation to those with proven claims to the land.

Gideon Levy wrote in Haaretz that, "It is permissible to believe in the Jews' right to a state and yet come out against the Zionism that engages in occupation. It is permissible to believe that what happened in 1948 should be put on the agenda, to apologize for the injustice and act to rehabilitate the victims. It is permissible to oppose an unnecessary war from its very first day.
It is permissible to think that the Arabs of Israel deserve the same rights - culturally, socially and nationally - as Jews. It is permissible to raise disturbing questions about the image of the Israel Defense Forces as an army of occupation, and it is even permissible to want to talk to Hamas." [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1063597.html]

Carter seems to be setting realistic guidelines that make a two state solution possible. I think Carter is right that Palestinian refugees should be compensated if they have proven claims to land, instead of having a right to return, which I don't think the Israelis will ever accept.

Thank you for that quote from Gideon Levy. He's right that one can believe in the Jews' right to a state and still support fair treatment of Palestinians. One question that I've always had is how do you get your information? Have you traveled often to the region and talked to Palestinians and Israelis?