I watched BBC World News for a timed hour yesterday. In that time I saw:
Pro-Israeli (including US government) speakers – 17
Pro-Palestinian speakers – 2
Mentions of Hamas Rockets as reason for war – 37
Mentions of illegal Israeli settlements – 0
Mentions of Palestinians killed by Israel during “ceasefire” – 2
Mentions of Sderot – 12
Mentions Sderot used to be Palestinian – 0
If you don’t believe me, try it yourself.
The Interpal facebook group, of which I am a member, was sending out information on demonstrations and on relief aid to Gaza. Facebook yesterday closed down Interpal, with the following message:
The group “Interpal” has been removed because it violated our Terms of Use. Among other things, groups that are hateful, threatening, or obscene are not allowed. We also take down groups that attack an individual or group, or advertise a product or service. Continued misuse of Facebook’s features could result in your account being disabled.
Now I frequently pull up people commenting here if I feel they are being anti-Jewish or supporting terror, but I received all Interpal’s messages and saw nothing at all that could be characterised as “Hateful, threatening or obscene”, except in that they are labels which the powerful continually manage to apply to anyone opposing Israeli military aggression.
It is Facebook’s closing the Interpal group which might more correctly be characterised as hateful, threatening and obscene, in view of what is happening in Gaza.
I strongly recommend this interview with Dr Mads Gilbert as a corrective to the mainstream media.
Craig, Please consider enabling comment moderation, if it's possible. That would not be censorship on your part, as we all know you welcome dissenting views, and many bloggers do so. I'm relatively new to your site, and am working my way through your posts, but have found the quality of discourse to have detiorated over the last few days. The trolls are indeed out in force, with their usual vituperation and/or specious reasoning, but the responses to them (not by your good self) is no better. It would be nice if commenters could to add to your postings in an appropriate way, as many do, but there seem to be too many comments that don't dialogue or engage with what you've posted.
In addition to my hope for comment moderation, I should add I consider what Israel and the Zionists do, and have done, to be odious beyond belief. I find it equally odious other human beings offer the level of support that they do, whether these 'human beings' are in politics, media, or the populace. The reason I'm concerned is because it's imperative to be able to win over AND retain the unconvinced, and the uninformed, and Craig's website has a great potential to draw in people like this if the comments section doesn't degenerate into a turn-off for them, which would be a victory for the ADL-JIDF-and-expanding hydra.
Hi Sally,
I sort of sigh a lot.
I can delete things anytime I want, and there are quite a few posts that are, at best, obsessive. I agree that in general it lowers the standard of debate, and probably discourages some from publishing here. But by and large my belief in free speech tends to make me very loathe to hit that delete button.
What annoys me is the way people use the word "Jew" as if it identifies a race. Jews are a religious, cultural and political group only.
If you don't believe me, then explain why Russian "Jews" who went to Israel to escape persecution from ignorant people who think Jews are a race, encountered persecution from Israeli Jews? The Russian "Jews" were made most unwelcome because they didn't practice the Jewish religion or culture – they were just Russians to the Israeli Jews and, therefore, didn't belong.
Perhaps this perception of Jews as a race was only strengthened by Hitler – he was a eugenicist, and anyone who "looked like a Jew" was deemed a Jew, and sent to the camps. Eugenics has been thoroughly discredited.
My grandfather was a Jew – that is, until he renounced his religion as a load of garbage. He then became just another ordinary citizen.
Anne Frank, also, was not a Jew – she was a German caucasian girl. As far as I'm concerned children are not Jews or Christians or Muslims until they are old enough to decide whether they believe in a particular religion or not – and that means, not until they have completed their schooling.
Until then, they are children, AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH, not dragged into the ugly, evil, divided world us adults have created.
Last week, the US used its Security Council veto to block the international community from ending the carnage in Gaza. This means our government is officially supporting Israel's genocidal attacks upon a civilian population. Let us be clear. The people of Gaza are essentially unarmed and for this reason it is not a war ?" but a slaughter. The Palestinians are almost defenseless against the advanced weaponry being used against them, much of it supplied by the US. There have even been reports that Israel is using depleted uranium and white phosphorus weapons. What we are witnessing is the beginning of the end of the world. If we do not act then we are also guilty.
Mark Gaffney ?" January 5, 2009
What do you suggest Mark? It seems to me that the best thing we can do is to use our purchasing power to target businesses operating from Israel or supportive of Israel. Craig has published a link to a site that identifies these businesses.
The other thing we can do is to inform as many people as possible of the truth in order to counter the enormous propaganda machines that have been wheeled out in support of Israeli war crimes.
Professor Avi Shlaim has an excellent article in today's Guardian which might be a useful starting point in the information war. It's at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/07/gaza-… – recommended reading.
I think the thing is, Israel could solve the Hamas problem in a day or so. Gaza is small and they have the firepower, the intelligence, and the personnel. And Hamas, too, could solve the Israel problem by forswearing violence in exchange for political recognition by Israel. The reason neither has done so is that they need each other. The far-right military-industrial complex maintains its incredibly strong hold of Israeli government and daily life because of the perennial threat of conflict with Palestine (which conflict is often provoked or exacerbated by their partners in crime, the ultra-Orthodox settlers). Hamas, on the other hand, needs the menace of Israeli military might to stay relevant: they oppose an armistice because without violence, there's nothing to separate them politically from the larger and better-organized Fatah.
I think most Israelis and most Palestinians do want peace and compromise, but the deep collusion between Hamas and the IDF to create mutual, radicalizing hatred blocks the will of this majority from coming to fruition.
They call themselves Gods Chosen People,? And killing around the inhabitants of witch they have stolen the land? for sure, its Not my God. Here the Chief of dead and destruction is at work, Their God…. ,our Satan. How dare they, those merciless Thieves and Killers ,all by the help of western Nations .Is this the Love of God, spread oud by Gods chosen People?
G-d gave his chosen people the Kingdom of David fair and square, so convert, move or feel the wrath of G-d.
————————————-
Genesis 15:18-21 describes what are known as Gevulot Ha-aretz ("Borders of the Land") in Jewish tradition which define the full extent of the land promised to the descendants of Abraham through his son Isaac and grandson Jacob.
—————————————-
More precise geographical borders are given Exodus 23:31 which describes borders as marked by the "Red Sea" ( All the waters surrounding Arabia including the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf), the "Sea of the Philistines" (Mediterranean), and the "River" (Euphrates) …
– The traditional furthest extent of the Kingdom of David –
Bob
Crap. At that time the Celts lived in central Europe. Shall I claim that?
Oh, I haven't felt the Wrath of God. What happened?
Craig
Hey Craig, if you are not a threat to the Kingdom of David you have nothing to fear … shalom, Bob
Check: http://www.currentissues.tv/
Throughout History The Jews(israelis) have been kicked out from every corner of the earth for their utter wicked /evil act, as far back as 2000 yrs from Europe to the Mid East.Peace will only come to the Mid-east and the world the moment Isreal is Destroyed. This is not a Harsh statement, this is the only way to get PEACE and their time is coming. And the distruction will come from within themselves. It seems to be in their blood to be EVIL to anyone non-jew.
Ron,
There is nothing inherently wicked about Jews.
Michael, "Jews with their satanic smiles" is not an acceptable phrase.
Last warning. I am going to start banning people and deleting all their back comments.
The Jewish bit of me has a long memory going back to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the wealth, sophistication, decadence of Vienna, further back into Carpathians and Silesia and lands won with the Chistian sword. Then, eventually, the Jewish bankers money united with the impoverished Austrian aristocrats.
Jews have given and Jews have taken. Jews have been bad and they've been good. Jews are saints and they are devils. Jews are greedy for gold and they've given it away by the bagfull. There is no such thing as the 'typical' Jew, that is vulgar, social-Darwinist, bullshit. Why do we believe these lies about other 'races' and about what we are as a people? Christ, life is short, too short to waste ones time killing each other. Are we all still really and merely peasants tramping off to battle in wars we don't even understand and for the interests of aristocrats and kings that don't give a fig about us?
I think what we have to concentrate on is Power, who has it and who doesn't. Israel was created simply because some people had the power to do it. It was nothing to do with right or wrong, or history or even God, or religion. What seems to happen is that might makes right. The powerful take from those with less power. The Arabs were weak and lost and Israel was stronger and still is, for now. It's highly unlikely this powerful position will last and then the Arabs will take it all back again. The land was taken by force and it can and probably will be taken back by force, and Israel's actions make this more, not less likely.
I'd prefer laws rather than wars, but we seem to be moving away from such ideas towards neo-barbarism.
Increasingly the powerful West is re-defining sovereignty and the idea of the nation state. The dickhead Miliband, and others, are talking about a post-Westphalian world where the concept of the sovereign nation state is increasingly being called into question. A state only really exists if it has the means to defend and control it's territory, if it doesn't and is defined as a failed state, others have the 'right' and 'duty' to step in and restore order.
I'm not optimistic about the future. I think it's going to be hell, unless…
It's very thoughtful of Bob to remind people here that dangerous and batshit crazy religious wackos are not always Muslim.
Bob, much of that part of the bible has been disproven through archaeology.
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/hector-avalos-h…
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/hector-avalos-h…
There are now only 5 nations on the world left without a Rothschild controlled central bank: Iran; North Korea; Sudan; Cuba; and Libya.
Mossad motto, "By Way Of Deception, Thou Shalt Do War"
The third world war is to be played out by stirring up hatred of the Muslim world for the purposes of playing the Islamic world and the political zionists off against one another. Whilst this is going on, the remaining nations would be forced to fight themselves into a state of mental, physical, spiritual and economic exhaustion.
the roth_childs plan.
Thanks for the links AMK. I am a non observant Jew so I don't believe in what I quoted as you can see from currentissues.tv where I am jRobert who edits and writes most of the website for Dr Hesham Tillawi who was born in Palestine but is now a US citizen. Unfortunately a large number of Jews in Israel and around the world believe that they are going to take back the Arabian Peninsular for G-d because he gave it to them. Then of course you have a great number of Christians who also believe the Jews must occupy the New Kindom of David. And the Christian Friends of Israel are doing their bit to save the Israeli Jews from the evil Palesinian terrorists. The Saudis want to trade in petroeuros, so perhaps we will see a "New Kingdom of David"?
Troll.
😉
This is Max Blumenthal's video on Christians United For Israel. Apparently the Anti-Christ can be identified because he's the one who brings Arab-Israeli peace. These people are nuts.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mjMRgT5o-Ig
[My apologies if this has already been flagged up but is always worth repeating]
If you are a UK voter,
here is a No.10 petition to be signed regarding Lioyds-TSB boycott of Interpal –
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/interpalaccount/
Deadline 26 Feb 2008
"The Bloodbath in Gaza: Separating the truth from the hype"
"by Mike Whitney"
"Bandits with planes …
came through the sky to kill children
and the blood of children ran through the streets
without fuss, like children's blood." (Pablo Neruda)"…
http://tinyurl.com/9q664t
Zionism and Herzl: The anti-semitic side of Zionism
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=902406897…
I admit that when it comes to the exact history of middle eastern relations and the like im not the most informed, but in some regards that can be quite beneficial. Most of what reaches us through the media is biased in some way or another and so if we're honest most of us will know a lot of 'facts' and not the actual truth. I therefore dont think many people have the right to say they now exactly how it is and that others opinions are inferior.
I'm not in any way pro war or prejudice against any race or religion but i cant stand all the anti israel remarks that seem to come about. I dont think what they're doing is a good thing but i equally understand that they havent just gone in their for no reason. Hamas has been operating in palestine and attacking israel from within on top of other extremists over the last few years. Many countries bordering israel are against it and refuse to acknowledge its existence as a state. I wonder if she didnt have the backing of the united states and other nations invaded her would people kick up a fuss about that? Also, as far as im aware the rockets fired into israel arent being launched at military targets but just randomly at whatever is in the area.
Rather than just condemning one side i would say people need to condemn both. In my opinion you cant really say either is the aggressor as its been a tit for tat conflict for so long. Israel do overuse their force but at the same time they are being attacked on a regular basis. I just sometimes wish people wouldnt place blame on Israel because of its power and ties with the United States. The wave of anti American feeling seems to be creeping into anything to do with her allies and it just annoys me. Protest and call for a ceasefire on both parts, not for the slander of Israel.
In all honesty i cant see there being any peace in the middle east any time soon. There is too much hatred amongst religions and nations.
Craig is simply documenting what the majority of humankind knows and is beginning to voice. In reply to Kevinb who uses the worn canard accusing Craig of believing the Protocols which Craig never mentioned, anyone who denies their authenticity as an unfolding program is anti-gentile.
Dear Kardinal,
since the first King Kong movie, everything portrayed in ALL media, is:
anti black (one has to look at predator or even the klingons)
anti japanese-asian (including space scifi movies where asians are not to be trusted and "are different")
anti german (hans kraut der evil, just check indiana jones and star wars)
And guess what, doing a namecheck on ALL media, who do we find at the top ?
Bernie Madoff's chosen people clientelle
MAUAHHAHA, its just soooo pathetic.
And their standard tactic is to say "exactly the opposite"
example:
"we don't target civilians" , 5 minutes later a 500 pound bomb flattens a school
"we want peace" , and they cowardly snipe schoolgirls and reporters from 1 mile away
"we are facing racial annihilation" , yet there are more chosen people in the world than californians
"they hate us", and yet noone who is not jewish can enter your towns, in fact you kill them or stick them in jail (irony or hate?)
"holocaust" , anything bad that happens on your end, and you throw that "word you yourselves have degraded in value" around like its out of style.
pfff man, get a grip on the facts.
Hamas was created by Israel. That's a fact.
'I frequently pull up people commenting here if I feel they are being anti-Jewish or supporting terror, but I received all Interpal's messages and saw nothing at all that could be characterised as "Hateful, threatening or obscene" … '
Well, you can't censor other people's views and complain when you're a victim of censorship yourself.
You either believe in free speech for all or you don't.
The actions and conduct of Israel during war are appalling.They signed treaty to protect population and allowing aid, but sadly are acting like ruthless tyrants and again blatantly breaking their promises.They have refused journalists in Gaza, and that alone tells you how freedom of speech is not on their agendas!They criticize their enemies saying how undemocratic and freedom haters they are and yet act the same!
The following statement is the reasoned,well thought out,fair response to the writers assertion from those that currently disseminate most of our news:
"ANTI-SEMITE!ANTI-SEMITE!ANTI-SEMITE"!
at the end innocent children who are real victims. today my heart break when watching bodies of innocent young children with bullet marks on 1) behind his head 2) 2 bullet marks on his chest 3) 1 bullet mark in his lower abdomen. can watch all thse on ALjazeera.
Question is when all these barbaric act will end! are we waiting for another modern day holocaust