The BBC has … 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 Palestinian 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 as the massacre of Ashkelon in 1948, all a process of genocide of the Palestinians in which Obama, Clinton, Cameron and Hague, as two whole generations of western politicians before them, are actively complicit.
I blogged this on 21 November 2012. Today every single BBC News bulletin leads with precisely the same trick, from precisely the same stolen Arab village. There is evidently a BBC policy to bias coverage of massacre in Gaza by basing it in the stolen town of Ashkelon. Every single BBC news programme is led by a report of the terror of people in Ashkelon at the rocket attacks which have killed and maimed – precisely nobody. There is then a brief “balancing” mention of the continual bombing of Gaza, which sometimes does and sometimes does not mention that at least 25 people have been killed, and hundreds maimed. Of the five reports I have seen, not one has mentioned that many of the Palestinian dead are women and children (although I once saw it on the strapline underneath). Rather the BBC says that “the Israeli government states it is targeting militants and weapons factories”.
The time given to the attacks on Palestine is abut 25% of that given to the rocket attacks on Israel. The coverage is also very different – we see human interest coverage of Israelis hiding from rockets in cafes. There is nothing remotely similar of the Palestinians under infinitely more deadly attack. There was one showing of funeral footage from Gaza, not of any of the women or children killed but of someone the BBC told us was simply a “militant”.
It is so blatant it is absolutely sickening. There are decent people I know in the BBC. Why do they put up with this?
To the smart there is, otherwise there isn’t
O/T for Craig’s info.
STV confirm referendum debate date
A televised referendum debate between Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling will go ahead in August after a dispute over dates is settled.
The date is 5th August.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-28238151
Fred. Did you read the article I linked to?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3829967.stm
These things require an independent study weighing up all the reports. Not a look at the first page you come across which happens to be okay.
There could be peace between Israel and the Palestinians tomorrow, ending the suffering of people on all sides, if the US wanted it.
Israel in its present form could not continue to exist without US financial, economic, military and political support. It’s as simple as that. But, for whatever reasons, the US prefers the status quo.
“Fred. Did you read the article I linked to?”
Yes, 10 years ago when it was topical.
I think that Glasgow University had a decided anti BBC bias.
If the Arab (Islamic) world really wanted an end to the suffering inflicted on the benighted Palestinians, for whom they pledge such “sympathy” they could make it happen, but the horrible bastards want to preserve their own dynastic heritage and will do anything for anyone to keep themselves and their inbred spawn in power for the rest of time. Deeply depressing. (Alex)
This one is trotted out every time Israel decides to go in for reprisals against the civilian population of the occupied territories and Gaza. First, it is a sweeping and untrue generalisation. Second, it forgets that the Arab League couldn’t organise a pissup in a brewery, even if it were not haram to do so, as it is merely a weak association of vaguely similar interests. That Saudi Arabia has a lot to lose in oil revenues by offending America’s little protege – and thus America, and Egypt even more in direct US aid paid on the clear understanding that it supports Israeli internal and external policy. If it doesn’t -as we have just seen- it suddenly develops a dictatorship which does. This is not accidental.
The meme forgets that Jordan has quite enough Palestinian refugees from eretz-Israel already, and is militarily much weaker. Even so, Jordan today issued a condemnation of the current assault in the strongest possible terms.(Which is infinitely more than the Quartet’s UK-subsidised representative and Friend of Israel has found time to do at the time of posting this.)
Qatar and Saudi are substantial aid donors to Gaza. Algeria actively supports Hamas.
Israel cheerfully ignores diplomacy, and someone can always be found to sell it what it needs to survive, generally in the West. So short of a combined assault on Israel, there’s not much more the Arabs can do. And we know how that panned out last time: and how it would pan out against the only nuclear state in the region if it looked like succeeding, next time.
The West bears the full responsibility for creating and very actively supporting Israel, that vicious little bastard of Zionism and imperialism, and it should be the West’s overriding concern to pull its teeth. Blaming the (generalised) Arabs for not caring or not doing enough is inaccurate and beside the point.
Sometimes these things need to be said about this Socialist State My Capitalist Son and Me Live in at Home..Me with His Mum…And Him with His Latest Girlfriend….
Yes Your Mum and I Have been away a lot recently…whilst you have been at home…and invited all your friends round for a BBQ…We didn’t have a problem with that…but did you clear the mess up? Did you put it away…did you burn a massive hole in the Grass? We didn’t mind that…but it has been raining…Did you cut the Grass??? Did you put Your Clothes in The Washing Machine…and Hang Them Out To Dry???
Did You or Either Your Girlfriend…Spend Three Days a Week…Well actually Growing A Large Percentage of The Food We All Eat???
Did You or Your Girlfriend Peel any Potatoes (She Did Once When I said Are You Sure You Want To Eat)
So I Reckon My Son and His Girlfriend…are Lovely…Yes We Both Like Them Living at Home…But Your Mum…would like a little bit of help with all the WORK SHE does…
Lazy Fuckers.
Tony
All round the world.
Take action: Protests around the world respond to assault on Palestine
Protests are being organized in cities around the world to respond to the ongoing assault on Palestine and the Palestinian people, including the murders of Palestinians (including 16-year-old Muhammad Abu Khdeir, murdered brutally by Israeli settlers), the bombing of Gaza and the killing of over 50 Palestinians by occupation forces, the mass arrests of over 900, and the raids, attacks, tear-gassing, invasions and closure that Palestinians are being subjected to. If a rally you know of is not listed, please email [email protected] to have it posted!
Upcoming protests (prior protests moved below upcoming events):
http://samidoun.ca/2014/07/take-action-protests-around-the-world-respond-to-assault-on-palestine/
London, UK
Friday, July 11
3:00 PM
G4S Headquarters, 105 Victoria Street, London
Organized by Inminds
More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1525494837679446/
London, UK
Friday, July 11
5:30 PM
Embassy of Israel, London (Nearest tube: High Street Kensington)
More info: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152124765002890&set=a.10150430348142890.356598.188528597889&type=3&permPage=1
Birmingham and Glasgow are in the list.
The same situation exists in France.
‘Boniface’s book is not about the Israel-Palestine conflict. Rather, it is about the parlous influence of the domestic Israel lobby on French politics and French society more broadly. Boniface claims that one can criticize any government in the world (one can even mercilessly attack the reigning French President), but not that of Israel.
After 2001, the PS was pressured to excommunicate him. Two regional presses ceased to publish his articles. There were attempts to discredit his organization – the Institut de Relations Internationales et Stratégiques – and to have him removed. He has been slurred as an anti-Semite.’
Two Weights, Two Measures
The Israel Lobby and French Politics
http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/07/09/the-israel-lobby-and-french-politics/
Names and ages of those killed today in Gaza. 7 children’s names are included.
Amena Saleem PSC
(via Facebook)
The names and ages of the 23 Palestinians killed by Israeli air strikes on Gaza today are:
Siraj Iyad Abdel Aal 8
Bassim Salem al-Kaware 10
Hussen Yousef al-Kaware 13
Mohamed Ayman Ashour 15
Musa Habib 16
Ahmed Nail Mahdi 16
Dena Mahdi Hamad 16
Bakr Mohammed Gouda 22
Suha Hamad 25
Mohamed Habib 22
Saqr Aljesh Aljouri 22
Sulaiman Saiman Abu Soawin 22
Mohamed Shaaban 24
Ammar Mohammed Gouda 26
Ibrahim Mammed Hamad 26
Rashad Yassin 27
Hafiz Mohammed Hamad 30
Amjad Shaaban 30
Khadr Alepesheliqi 45
Mahdi Mohmmad Hamad 46
Riad Mohammad al-Kaware 50
Mohammed Ibrahim al-Kaware 50
Fawzia Khalil Hamad 62
The current violence is presumably Israel’s considered response to Tony’s pre-Operation Sheer Cliff (as I believe the Hebrew translates), utterance on the 24th June, to be found here, possibly.
english.pnn.ps/…/7742-tony-blair-calls-on-israel-to-stop-its-operation-in-the-west-bank-and-gaza
It’s (The Palestine News Network) down right now, which is almost certainly because of the GIGANTIC BARRAGE OF ROCKETS which are being fired at POOR LITTLE ISRAEL. [font=0.1 point](Or maybe an IDF drone strike)[/font]
54 and counting –
http://www.aa.com.tr/en/headline/356097–israeli-airstrikes-hit-gaza
bbc won’t show this, and the world won’t see this
arch terrorist and head of operation liquidated!
Makes me sick to see the blackmailed bastards acquiescently accepting the inhumanity and crimes against humanity and peace perpetrated by the rabid mad zionists, as a matte of routine.
keeping the gofer cadre out of trouble
After all she can always issue and apology later.
Habbabkuk (La Vita È Bella) ..Well at least you read it…You see I don’t actually think You Lot are The Problem…Lets Face it You Simply Do Not Have Either The History or The Experience,,,,
Think About It Who are The Real Biggest…..
Personally.. I will go with My Tribe…
And I Look Down…and It Worked Perfectly Well This Morning..In Fact It Was Very Nice…
It came with me just as I was born..
I think you Guys lost something.
Tony
This should fix everything!!!
“(Reuters) – The U.N. Security Council will meet at 10 a.m. (1400 GMT) on Thursday to discuss escalating Israel and Palestinian hostilities and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is likely to brief the 15-member body, diplomats said.”
http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/07/09/palestinians-israel-un-idINKBN0FE2FP20140709
:p
Might be important.
https://medium.com/@tom_watson/22c3136de17c
“IDF’s Gaza assault is to control Palestinian gas, avert Israeli energy crisis”
Israel’s defence minister has confirmed that military plans to ‘uproot Hamas’ are about dominating Gaza’s gas reserves
Nafeez Ahmed
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/earth-insight/2014/jul/09/israel-war-gaza-palestine-natural-gas-energy-crisis
Alex:
“Beyond odious as the Israeli regime is, the lack of action or meaningful support from fellow Muslims in the Middle East”
What the Muslim leaders are doing now, covertly and politically, is shaped by what they experienced at the hands of the original colonials, whom they fought and were defeated by superior force.
That’s the story that is told, but in fact we can learn from the behaviour of the current colonial era that previous generations of political Muslim individuals betrayed the general populations to Colonial power.
Spare a thought for the ordinary Muslims who hate this political strategy both for the harm it will do themselves because reprisals never fall on the leaders, and also for the destruction of their Muslims brothers and sisters in the Arab spring.
It is accomplished by dividing the Muslim society into trusted well-paid spies and impoverished masses. The manager class then jealously guard their manager status, and it still exists in the minds of Indians and Pakistanis even if English people are not aware of it.
In the current colonial era the neo-colonials are playing the same game, using the ultra-political Muslims who arrive as asylum seekers from harsh regimes as the manager class over the masses. As a result it has not been possible for the voice of the tolerant Muslims to be heard over the voice of the favoured political class of Muslims who have bought into the Zionist plan to terrorise the Muslim world and disgrace the name of Islam by brutal violence.
As I have referred to above, some Muslims who started the jihad against the Soviet Union and who feel that political collaboration with the Zionist West have just started to put their heads over the barrier and speak against the West’s favoured manager class which includes the baby/bus bombers of Taleban/Head choppers of Al Qaida/ and many other groups who destroyed Tunisia and Libya and who are now, at the control of Israel, destroying Syria.
These managerial political Muslims believe that by co-operating with Israel, they can eventually do a Mosul on Manchester, Tikrit on Tottenham and a Baghdad on Birmingham. We Muslims are requested to wait patiently until their machinations deliver, and they satisfy Israel by raping and ripping apart Syrian society and expelling from their homes into criminal-ridden jungle.
It was always a stupid idea to try play the Israeli terror/deceit game with the masters of Hollywood fantasy nastiness, the Israelis.
Spare a thought for the Muslims who have waited for 4 years for this stupid game to bear fruit. Those of us who have a conscience have been silenced. As a result of speaking against the stupidity of the political scheme, when I walk into a Deobandi mosque they now recite bitingly damning chapters of the Qur’an stating that betrayal wil be rewarded by the fire of Hell.
They seem to have forgotten that since 1640 and in fact long before I have a right as an Englishman to free speech and freedom of religious opinion. A right they would dearly like to exterminate. If they come to power, expect to pay a bribe to get your daughter to see a doctor, or to escape a traffic fine. Don’t expect a fine to re-secure your head onto your shoulders.
Somehow they think that when the Islamic Caliphate is declared in the UK, all the bits of protective UK law will still apply to themselves, the favoured managerial class, while harsh Shari’ah law will grind the masses into obedience.
Hang on. That sounds a bit familiar doesn’t it? Saudi Arabia and Turkey are now terrified of the devil spawn they have created in Syria as it drives swiftly over to their own borders. Barzani has signed his own death warrant by accepting the Jordan deal to kick Maliki out of Kirkuk, since Political Islam lying dormant in Europe on state benefits will now demand that their imprisoned fellows in Kurdish jails be released in exchange.
No problem for Barzani and Maliki. They can join the London Lecture Tour.
Yet again…we didn’t get to see..our daughter..she is so independent…and so DETERMINED..She is going to do it her own way…so She gave us her New Address…and We sneaked a quick look there….
I mean…we told the owners of the campsite…where our daughter…said she said she moved to yesterday….
They showed us the map….
So we drove there…without being asked…
we eventually found the little lane..and the lost lamb….and possibly the most Beautiful Village in England…
She just texted me back….
“I Got The Job”
I replied…”Blimey…Invite Us When You are Ready”
Good Girl.
She Replied
“I Have Been Driving a Tractor Today”
Tony
The alternative strategy to the political game described above, which failed so lamentably in the colonial era until Hitler came along and distracted Britain from its Empire, is the way of the Prophet Muhammad SAW.
That is, to show a good example of Islam to the already partially believing Christians. To be honest to themselves in the practise of their daily lives, not to pretend that taking out multiple haram interest mortgages is God’s answer to their prayers of a Ma’idah, a miraculous reward.
Not to pretend that the scrap car you want to buy and which they bought for nothing is in fact a thoroughly reliable well-maintained family they have had for years.
Not to spy on their Muslim brothers and siters who Allah has guided into the truth of Islam and then broadcast the activities of their Muslim brother and his Muslim wife to the entire local Muslim community. ( The Islamic punishment for that particularly odious habit of theirs is that I can spike their eyes for spying, and no returns ) Not sure that English Law would support me there.
They could also try to stop hating English people for the betrayal by their own political class. Why not save their hatred for the political class that sold them to Colonial reprisals and the ones who are still playing the same games today.
Does anyone on this blog seriously believe that if Westminster and Washington are not controlled by Israel through the UKUS and Muslim international political classes.
If it was left to the people of Gaza and Israel, Palestine would be a pluralistic open society. It is the political class that destroys everything. Mursi phoned up Al Qaida leader Zawahiri to offer Egypt’s allegiance to the terror group. Zawahir phones up Netanyahu to offer India/Pakistan’s allegiance to Israel.
How is it possible to solve anything when there is a political class fucking it up faster than the goodwill of us ordinary people?
There is no equating the killing and maiming of dozens of innocent Palestinians with scared Israelis seeking shelter from crude rockets that rarely cause damage. But that hasn’t stopped media outlets from trying, and in some cases, outright lying, to distort the violence.
In one stark example, ABC News’ Diane Sawyer misidentifies scenes of the aftermath of Israeli missile strikes in Gaza as destruction caused by Palestinian rocket fire.
As Sawyer segues into the segment, she says, “We take you overseas now to the rockets raining down on Israel today as Israel tried to shoot them out of the sky.” Next to her is video footage not of Israelis or even Israel, but of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.
Sawyer then incorrectly describes an image of a Palestinian family gathering belongings in the smoking debris of a missile-hit home in Gaza as “an Israeli family trying to salvage what they can.”
Sawyer then describes an image of a Palestinian woman surrounded by destroyed homes as “one woman standing speechless among the ruins,” with the implication that she is Israeli.
Sawyer’s bald misreporting reflects either a deliberate lie by ABC News or wilful ignorance so severe that Palestinian death and misery is invisible even when it’s staring ABC producers right in the face.
http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/rania-khalek/abc-news-tells-viewers-scenes-destruction-gaza-are-israel
I wonder will any apology be forthcoming?
http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N12/512/28/PDF/N1251228.pdf?OpenElement
http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G14/101/98/PDF/G1410198.pdf?OpenElement
You see…my daughter had Really Pissed Me Off..simply because she didn’t tell me the truth..She was too proud..and thought she could personally pay off all of the debts…this is working…living surviving debts…of My Daughter…and all The Kids…She Shared in a Student House..She took Responsibility…Her Name Was On The Bill,,,and sure we helped them out a lot..to the tune…of actually visiting them…in their student house…and really worrying about the fact that they were all getting really thin…and living on instant mash…at best…
Taking on all This Responsibility when She Was Just an 18 Year Old Kid…At University,,Just Trying To Learn All The Skills To Prosecute ANTHONY CHARRLES LYNTON BLAIR…(She Had Very Personal Reason)..Should Have Given Her a phd..instead it just gave me a load of debts..some of which she didn’t tell me out…and I Really Do Not Like Fighting With Loan Sharks…I think She is Clear Now…These Fuckers Really Piss Me Off..They Feed On Our Children…Come and Feed On Me..You Complete and Utter Arseholes -p AND I wILL sWALLOW yOU whole
anthony
Baal’s post at 21h10 is not up to his usual standard. Or perhaps it is. Let’s look at some of it in more detail.
1. “This one {ie, Alex’s point}is trotted out every time Israel decides to go in for reprisals against the civilian population of the occupied territories and Gaza”
Actually, this argument is a long-standing one – it is decades old – and is not “trotted out” only when Israel retaliates against rockets from Gaza.
2/. “First, it is a sweeping and untrue generalisation.”
Sloppy presentation. Baal gives this as a (first) reason, whereas it is in fact an assertion, which should then be followed by justifications (firstly, secondly, thirdly…).
3/. “Second, it forgets that the Arab League couldn’t organise a pissup in a brewery”
This is correct and would appear to support, rather than invalidate, Alex’s argument, which is that the Arabs seem incapable of acting in concert.
4/. ” Saudi Arabia has a lot to lose in oil revenues by offending America’s little protege – and thus America,…”
The “offending” concept is correct, but it has to do with the US guaranteeing the current power set-up in Saudi and nothing to do with oil, which will always find a market in an energy-hungry world.
5/. “The meme forgets that Jordan has quite enough Palestinian refugees from eretz-Israel already”
It had more when it was administering the West Bank between 1949 and 1967 instead of helping to create a Palestinian state in the West Bank when it had the opportunity to do so.
6/. “Qatar and Saudi are substantial aid donors to Gaza.”
And yet are accused by many – including sundry Eminences – of being in cahoots with Israel and the US.
7/.”Israel cheerfully ignores diplomacy”
Meaningless. If this were true, it should render otiose sundry Eminences’ criticisms of various Israeli ambassadors to the US and Western countries, should it not?
8/. “So short of a combined assault on Israel, there’s not much more the Arabs can do. And we know how that panned out last time”
Contradictory. If an assault didn’t work out last time (Baal presumably refers to 1967) there is little point in saying “so short of an assault..”
9/. “The West bears the full responsibility for creating and very actively supporting Israel,”
Only partially accurate. The creation of Israel was actively supported (for the wrong reasons, admittedly) by the USSR and its satellite states as well as by many non-Western European states.
10/. “Blaming the (generalised) Arabs for not caring or not doing enough is inaccurate and beside the point.”
It is not the whole or only truth, but the inability of Arabs to unite behind a single objective or set of objectives is certainly one of the reasons for the current situation. As well as for the considerable disunity withing a number of Arab countries.
If I were a don, I’d give Baal’s dissertation no more than a straight beta. Sorry!
8/.
“Imagine if that Bill was the deeply controversial Data Retention Bill.”
Imagine if they actually represented their constituents, Fred.
Such things rarely see the light of day.
A last question to the Luminaries on here, phrased more succinctly than this morning:
do people here think it would be a good idea – and of benefit to the welfare of the people in Gaza – if Hamas ceased firing rockets into Israel (or stopped whoever is firing them if not Hamas)?
“A last question…”
Yes. The masses should all learn the ways of the opossum.
“Play dead”.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182586#.U72zjLGwEpt
http://www.icc-cpi.int/NR/rdonlyres/74EEE201-0FED-4481-95D4-C8071087102C/279787/QARegistryArticle14.pdf
The UN is good at promulgating legal prerogatives; bad at policing with Security forces. The legal venue is the path, if the US signs onto it.
last time
this time