Strangely, even the sight on television of the body of a small boy, the same age as Cameron, being dug by hand from the bomb rubble, is not what has stayed with me strongest from the latest attack on the Palestinians. Instead, I recall most vividly a radio broadcast on the BBC World Service two days before the attack on Gaza began.
It was a banal, everyday story of Palestinian villagers being evicted from their land in the occupied West Bank, to make way for an Israeli “military zone”. These pastoralists had lost a thousand hectares to the Israelis in the last few years, and now these ancient villages were being finally, forcibly, evacuated in a vicious act of ethnic cleansing. The shepherds claimed that what this was really about, was the precious springs that watered their livestock. Work was already starting to divert their water to nearby, and illegal, burgeoning Israeli settlements.
The BBC World Service TV has this minute, at 9.00am GMT, started its news broadcast as usual from Ashkelon in Israel, highlighting rocket attacks on Israel. There is no mention on the BBC – there has never been any mention on the BBC, or anywhere in the Western mainstream media – that for at least 4,000 years Ashkelon was an Arab town, until in 1948 the entire, Arab population of 12,000 was driven out by armed force, many being massacred. Doubtless some older inhabitants of Gaza are refugees whose home is Ashkelon.
Israel is exercising its right of self-defence in precisely the same sense that Hitler was exercising the right of self-defence in Normandy in 1944 – ie not at all. Why the world puts up with this blatant ethnic cleansing and prolonged, agonizing genocide of the Palestinain people, I have no idea. It is not just about bombs and rockets and deaths now. It is about the shepherds being pushed out of their village in 2012 as part of the same process of the massacre of Ashkelon in 1948, all a process of genocide of the Palestinians in which Obama, Clinton, Cameron and Hague, as two wholw generations of western politicians before them, are actively complicit.
Habbabkuk, no chance. IF we smoke the same stuff as him, just maybe; though even then, i doubt it.
Your readers might be interested in this poem ‘Palestine’ by Heathcote Williams from the Palestine Chronicle.
http://middleeastnewsnow.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/in-gaza-strip-poem-eyes.html
Israel is denounced as an “occupying power” by both Amnesty and Human rights watch. I have no disagreement with their assessement and I do not support Israel’s actions so please spare me the ad hominems.
Assuming that people actually want solutions rather than just to display their off-the-shelf morality for the delight of their friends–then a question has to be fairly faced. How to get the Israelis to change their policies? I submit that this is unlikely to happen in isolation. While not disagreeing with Craig’s long-term assessment re South Africa and apartheid I revert to my original question.
Backing Israel into a corner is unlikely to succeed. Their memories are long and many of them think that the world stood by while their ancestors were led meekly to the slaughter. Without realising the place that this has in modern Israeli minds criticisms will not find their target. Others in the region–like Amedinejad–understand its significance which is why they deny the holocaust. Please understand–for the sake of the hard of thinking(you know who you are, silly boys and girls)–I am not trying to justify what they do but to understand it.
Unlike South Africa Israel has genuine reason to believe that there are enemies in the region who seek their downfall. Some of those enemies have done so actively recently and the even more recent Arab Springs’ destabilising of things further are unlikely to make them feel more secure. Insecure people lash out. Same for countries.
Since some commentators appeared to doubt the thought that Israelies might find it very easy to recall neighbours’ actively conniving at thier death then might I draw attention to:
Suicide bombings which are a regular occurence in Israel and which were openly funded by various neighbours and organised by Hamas. Open calls for Isreal’s destruction by folk such as Amadinejad. Wars in living memory with Syria (1948, 1967, 1973, 1982; Egpyt (offically ended 1979); Jordan (officially at war from 1948-1994).
Putative solutions that wring hands, blame the UK and the US, and remind us how awful it is that children die in war–as if we did not know these things–do nothing to advance the cause of peace. We dont have a time machine. The situation is as it is. The question is how to get out of it.
As an experienced diplomat who has a much deeper understanding of the situation and of the realities of politics on the ground I would appreciate Craig’s views. Or anyone elses, if they can refrain from treating me as if I am Melanie Philips’ apologist wandering in by mistake.
If folk are having a hard time thinking about this issue without first thinking “what does my tribe believe” then might I suggest watching this video first?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=b2mQNc7lfjI#!
Some seem to have no respect for solemn vows. Even if it produces nothing outside of it’s own reward, this is revealing the players for what they are, and that makes me truly grateful.
Robert King,
you are just feeding us the same old lies about Ahmadinejad that have been spread by scoundrels and repeated by those of their ilk and other minions too lazy or stupid to check the facts. You cannot even spell that name correctly but pretend to know what he actually said in Farsi. You are just as moronic as that psychopath McCain who wanted to talk about Ahmadinejad but could not even pronounce his name. Can zou please look at this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlRilfhKRSA
to understand how pathetic you are.
May I also refresh your memory that Israel attacked Egypt in 1956. It was a war of defence, no doubt, but somehow the war-crime apologets like you, display a selective amnesia for that event. What kind of an “experienced diplomat” are you or have been, if I understood your babbling properly? Do not be ashamed of your great achievements as a diplomat, just tell us.
to levi9909,
are there realy 9909 of you already or is this a mystification? No point arguing about Philistines. Unless they have all died out, what I tend to disbelieve, they are now arab, hebrew or aramaic speakers.
Another one by Heathcote Williams,http://whattheysayaboutisrael.blogspot.co.uk/2011_12_21_archive.html
This is interesting.
History The Right of Return http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CcWRWIksY7M#!
A corrected version….
“I think that if you start speculating that “Inglourious Bastards” or “Schindler’s List” or “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” are released to an IDF timetable, you are losing grip on reality”
…Mr Murray – i believe you are a gentleman and an honourable educated man. Howeve the more i see statements like this, on top of the calls to dissmantle and destroy sovereign states, the more i am getting worried and impatient.
As a foreign ambsassador to Britian fo years ,what world do you live in and why have you no grasp on real political realities? According to statements such as the one above, i am seriously worried. Has Mr Murray never heard of the Tavistock institutue or indeed the Special Ops branch of MI6/MI5 who are allowed to determine/steer popular culture and have done so for hundreds of years? As a foreign ambassador it would be expected of Mr Murray to understand and comprehend the concept of cultural and propanda influences- the fact that MR Murray doesnt demonstrates that he is, naivelly or willfully demonstrates complicitness. My obvious hope is that Murray is guilty of the former but even then it cannot be excused.
Mr Murray- again,with all due respect, please continue as a well respected insightful but naive commentator or wake the fuck up and realise what is really going on in the world. As much as i respect people like Murray,my patients really is wearing thin with this kind of willful or blissful ignorance. Unfortunately, we the people have to demand better…
Murray – again,with all due respect to you as a gentleman and moral man- wake the fuck up or stop trying to put yourself as a cutting edge commentator………
Chris Jones,
I hope that you are also sufficiently gentlemanly to realize that you are just peddling your opinions. I presume that once we have heard of Tavistock intitute, we should better adapt to the popular culture of lies and “comprehend the concept of cultural and propanda influences”, whatever that might mean at the moment. If we then believe that everything is just a coincidence or accidental, we will live happily for ever after, amen. Can you please explain to us miserable suckers “what is really going on in the world”, to use your phrase.
@Robert King. When have Jordan and Lebanon ever asked for Israels ‘extermination’ , could you please provide us with a link.
Whilst we are at it, Robert, do you regard the Golan Heights and Sheeba farms as Israeli territory?
And when would be a good time to return them to their right full owners.
Far from me to assume that you are a troll, Robert, I was genuinely interested at your views as you wrote this rather glib statement.
“Craig–thanks for the reply. Succinct and to the point. There are some key differences between Israel and South Africa though. South Afrcia was not surrounded by countries calling for its extermination.”
No, but its Apartheid leadership operated a clandestine arms procurement operation with Israel, Mr. Cameron knows a bit about that, Maggie sent him and Dr. kelly, RIP, down there to sort out some ‘rogue nukes’. That Apartheid was practised by both is not a chance concurrence.
The Golan should be given back, no need for long protracted negotiations, it belongs to Syria, same with other territories. Stealing land is not acceptable and has caused wars in history, not just in the ME.
This special relationship Israel claims to have with others, is bogus, it has continually ignore UN resolutions and the Balfour declaration and only excelled at selecting self perpetuating strong men and women to keep to this fascist apartheid line.
If folk are having a hard time thinking about this issue without first thinking “what does my tribe believe”
Not being a tribe member, I’ll just offer my thoughts. This is what I believe:
The Palestinians fled or were evicted from their land during the last 60 years in order to accommodate a – yes – tribe of Central Europeans on the basis of a promise allegedly made by God to their very distant maternal line sometime around 2000-1500 BC. Since then these refugees in their own land have been treated like shit by the very people who should have taken home an important message from WW2: namely don’t treat people like shit.
The dispossession continues, in defiance of international law.
I believe that Israeli propaganda, and its network of undue influence throughout the US and other administrations, are sufficiently powerful, and sufficiently mendacious, to permit any opponent of its policies to altogether ignore any mitigating factors or pleas for sympathy it advances. Israel’s case is made quite loudly enough without its opponents having to moderate their condemnation. Sure, that’s not fair, but neither is Israel. When Israel starts accepting some responsibility for what it has done, then maybe I will moderate my line.
In short, it shows weakness to accept Israel’s self-justificatory propaganda, or any part of it. If you understood the conflict at all, you would have picked that up, surely?
RT doesn’t take too kindly either to being smeared, or having it’s Gaza office bombed;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMFAfQJKlAM&feature=player_embedded
There is a simple answer to Robert King’s question, of course. Enforce international law. If necessary without the consent or participation of the US, which seems determined to evade it. That will also take care of Palestinian transgressions, giving a zero-sum outcome for the partisans on both sides.
All it needs is balls.
Amnesty International shouldn’t be the baby thrown out with the bathwater.
“Chimes of Freedom” Dylan is a Jew, but I believe, secular.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/arts/music/amnesty-internationals-4-cd-benefit-album-of-dylan-songs.html?pagewanted=all
Take a look at this, Ben:
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Quote/dylan.html
But:
http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=100
Cheeba may also care to note the use of the word shiksa in this piece…
Well, this is a fine, Howdy-Do……..http://azvsas.blogspot.com/2011/05/bob-dylans-nightmare-israel-june-20th.html
“In 1971 he had declared, in an interview in Time magazine, that the Neo-Nazi Zionist Rabbi Meir Kahane, was ‘”a really sincere guy. He’s really put it all together.’ One can only assume that it is Dylan’s ignorance and political idiocy which prevented him from understanding that the very segregation he once opposed was at the heart of Kahane’s philosopy, and worse.
Today Dylan is ploughing the same furrow that has guided his career – a love of the money that he lyrically disdains. It should therefore come as no surprise that he is playing in Israel on June 20th. An Israel which maintains a brutal occupation in the West Bank, bombs and murders in Gaza and which treats its Arab citizens in the same way as South Africa treated Black people under Apartheid. But no doubt the money is good. The fact that at 70 years of age Dylan is already fabulously rich and shows no signs of wishing to spend his fortune in retirement, one can only assume that it is a love of money for its own sake that is his guiding principle.”
ugh.
Komodo,
thanks for the poem and a good laugh as a bonus. I am old enough to remember his songs played on the radio in the sixties but have never quite realized how stupid Dylan actually is. I just love this line of his:
“He took the crumbs of the world and he turned it into wealth”.
What an excellent lyrics and a great advice for poor buggers like myself. But where can I find these crumbs?
Shrek? http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1465
Don’t tell me that….Santy Claus?
http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=960
THIS, is why I come here. Thank you YKWYA, for making it worthwhile, along with many others, who shall remain anonymous.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://billboard.biz/bbbiz/photos/stylus//2181259-bob-dylan-president-obama.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/genre/rock-and-pop/president-obama-honors-bob-dylan-others-1007176752.story&h=555&w=617&sz=120&tbnid=KJNyiUbqSZJUYM:&tbnh=108&tbnw=120&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dpic%2Bobama%2Bdylan%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=pic+obama+dylan&usg=__-vqatkdiF3w8UmAHhzDo5FcBrCI=&docid=oBLnByFZnZ360M&sa=X&ei=Zye0UOnHF8m0igL5u4G4Dg&ved=0CDYQ9QEwAg&dur=3040
Of course only those so inclined, shall be successful cryptologists.
The hero population, is in decline as assuredly, as the ice sheet is melting. I marvel, sometimes at my naivete, in the face of so many icons falling like trees in the forest, without any to hear. It’s the not wanting to hear; that’s the core of the problem. We create our own reality, and if willing the grooming or shaping of same, can be rationalized as ‘positive thinking’ or some-such homiliy, can remain in the grey-shaded darkness which allows us to excuse ourselves from reality.
Such delusions have power, but they come with a cost I’m am not exempt from, but wish fervently, not to have to pay.
While recognising his gift of poetry, Mr Dylan is a spent force, with an unspent reserve built on good fortune. I wonder how much of this he has truly given back. But then, at least he doesn’t charge £500 a ticket at a concert performance, unlike The Rolling Stones! I see him as having infinitely less clarity now than in his younger days, having been successfully corrupted by his fame and fortune.
This extract on his religious beliefs from wiki exemplifies that he is a confused man, as does the piece Komodo linked above.
Belatedly, the link to the extract i referred above:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Dylan#Religious_beliefs
Sorry!
Villager,
I cannot imagine that there are many fans who would want to watch Dylan for 500 quid. So it is not an expression of charity if he asks for less. He just takes what he can. I suspect that he must have been always a moron, a “spent force” during the past fifty years. Casual listening does not usually reveal the profound stupidity of his lyrics. So it only hits you after, thanks to Komodo, you have seen the crap printed.
Bob Dylan is a thief. People should Google James Damiano.
Another one is Lady Gaga. Google Lina Morgana. Unfortunately she ‘committed suicide’ just before her album was complete. Gaga was working on songs with her. Morgana’s mum is very blunt about Gaga and videos of Lina suggest that Gaga has stolen her music, vocal style and image lock, stock and barrel without a word of credit. Some suggest, and her mum does not discourage, that Gaga may have even pushed her from the hotel roof.
Oh Karel, i realise that…i was just having a dig at the Stones. I would’ve loved to have seen them this week and taken my guitarist son but at £500 a piece!? And we’re supposed to be in a recession!?
As for Dylan being a moron, that pic of him receiving the Freedom medal from Obama (linked above earlier), he really does look like a Jokerman. Dylan was right when he said “Dignity has never been photographed”. Where is his?
Ben Franklin, 27 Nov, 3:05 am and Villager, 1:22 pm
This reminds me of an exchange between myself and Phil, about the corrupting influence of the commercial “music business”. It works rather well as part of the corporate power structure. It pours wealth and fame onto a select few, while exploiting and marginalising the majority. I’m sure that it actually disadvantages far more talent than it empowers. Of the minority that it favours, it corrupts many, or just cuts them off from the real concerns of ordinary people by throwing stupid quantities of money at them.
Ben, I found the Doune the Rabbit Hole festival truly uplifting. Most attendees were in the 20 to 30 year age group, and they were highly politically aware. When I have political conversations with people about my age in my neighbourhood, I find myself constantly back-tracking to counter impressions they’ve formed from corporate media propaganda. Not so at the festival. These young people know that the mainstream media’s mission is to influence rather than to inform. They read diverse Internet sources, they acknowledge the contradictions they find there, and they are hungry for honesty and deeper understanding. They really gave me hope for the future.
Another thing about that festival was that it had a strong community spirit rather than being highly commercialised. There were no “stars” or “mega bands”; no heavy security or helicopter pads to keep the “stars” separate from the “punters”.
Wish I could have been there, Clark.
http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/020403.php
Still not a word about Colorado and Washington making pot legal. Obama probably doesn’t like the fact that 10,000 people won’t be incarcerated, this year. The prison guard unions will suffer.
oops…..broke my vow….mea culpa.