This transcript of an Israeli General on an Israeli radio station (begins 6.52 in) defending the latest killing by Israeli army snipers of a 14 year old boy who posed no threat of any kind, is much more powerful if you just read it than any analysis I can give.
Brigadier-General (Res.) Zvika Fogel interviewed on the Yoman Hashevua program of Israel’s Kan radio, 21 April 2018.
Ron Nesiel: Greetings Brigadier General (Res.) Zvika Fogel. Should the IDF [Israeli army] rethink its use of snipers? There’s the impression that maybe someone lowered the bar for using live fire, and this may be the result?
Zvika Fogel: Ron, let’s maybe look at this matter on three levels. At the tactical level that we all love dealing with, the local one, also at the level of values, and with your permission, we will also rise up to the strategic level. At the tactical level, any person who gets close to the fence, anyone who could be a future threat to the border of the State of Israel and its residents, should bear a price for that violation. If this child or anyone else gets close to the fence in order to hide an explosive device or check if there are any dead zones there or to cut the fence so someone could infiltrate the territory of the State of Israel to kill us …
Nesiel: Then, then his punishment is death?
Fogel: His punishment is death. As far as I’m concerned then yes, if you can only shoot him to stop him, in the leg or arm – great. But if it’s more than that then, yes, you want to check with me whose blood is thicker, ours or theirs. It is clear to you that if one such person will manage to cross the fence or hide an explosive device there …
Nesiel: But we were taught that live fire is only used when the soldiers face immediate danger.
Fogel: Come, let’s move over to the level of values. Assuming that we understood the tactical level, as we cannot tolerate a crossing of our border or a violation of our border, let’s proceed to the level of values. I am not Ahmad Tibi, I am Zvika Fogel. I know how these orders are given. I know how a sniper does the shooting. I know how many authorizations he needs before he receives an authorization to open fire. It is not the whim of one or the other sniper who identifies the small body of a child now and decides he’ll shoot. Someone marks the target for him very well and tells him exactly why one has to shoot and what the threat is from that individual. And to my great sorrow, sometimes when you shoot at a small body and you intended to hit his arm or shoulder it goes even higher. The picture is not a pretty picture. But if that’s the price that we have to pay to preserve the safety and quality of life of the residents of the State of Israel, then that’s the price. But now, with your permission, let us go up one level and look at the overview. It is clear to you that Hamas is fighting for consciousness at the moment. It is clear to you and to me …
Nesiel: Is it hard for them to do? Aren’t we providing them with sufficient ammunition in this battle?
Fogel: We’re providing them but …
Nesiel: Because it does not do all that well for us, those pictures that are distributed around the world.
Fogel: Look, Ron, we’re even terrible at it. There’s nothing to be done, David always looks better against Goliath. And in this case, we are the Goliath. Not the David. That is entirely clear to me. But let’s look at it at the strategic level: you and I and a large part of the listeners are clear that this will not end up in demonstrations. It is clear to us that Hamas can’t continue to tolerate the fact that its rockets are not managing to hurt us, its tunnels are eroding …
Nesiel: Yes.
Fogel: And it doesn’t have too many suicide bombers who continue to believe the fairytale about the virgins waiting up there. It will drag us into a war. I do not want to be on the side that gets dragged. I want to be on the side that initiates things. I do not want to wait for the moment where it finds a weak spot and attacks me there. If tomorrow morning it gets into a military base or a kibbutz and kills people there and takes prisoners of war or hostages, call it as you like, we’re in a whole new script. I want the leaders of Hamas to wake up tomorrow morning and for the last time in their life see the smiling faces of the IDF. That’s what I want to have happen. But we are dragged along. So we’re putting snipers up because we want to preserve the values we were educated by. We can’t always take a single picture and put it before the whole world. We have soldiers there, our children, who were sent out and receive very accurate instructions about whom to shoot to protect us. Let’s back them up.
Nesiel: Brigadier-General (Res.) Zvika Fogel, formerly Head of the Southern Command Staff, thank you for your words.
Fogel: May you only hear good news. Thank you.
There is no room to doubt the evil nature of the expansionist apartheid state that Israel has now become. Nor the moral vacuity of its apologists in the western media.
————————————————————————
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oahu, al dossary, sa
thanks for the responses. i will certainly take a look at that all jazeera investigation. i had no idea the british parties / politicians were also funded by israel/wealthy israel supporters. i am very disappointed that jeremy corbyn would allow himself and his party to be compromised in this way given his previous support for the palestinians. if even he can be bought there really is no hope for palestine.
Corbyn himself is still pro Palestinian but he is not that firmly in power and the opposition to him in the Parliamentary party (as opposed to the grass roots membership) is huge.
‘Most Syrians support Assad, it appears BBC fails to accurately report on Syria’ – British House of Lords member
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/most-syrians-support-assad-it-appears-bbc-fails-to-accurately-report-on-syria-british-house-of-lords-member/
IDF Spokesman
‘Every day is #Earth Day for our Soldiers’
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/DbaiAyfX4AAN6-i.jpg
Mondoweiss
Since 1967 Israel has razed over 800,000 olive trees, the equivalent of destroying Central Park 33 times over.
‘Visualizing Palestine’ 4 years ago.
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/DbaiAydX4AUaHBO.jpg
Quite so Mulga. We were saying exactly the same years ago (2007>) on Dissident Voice when comments were allowed on there! Cheers.
Is Sonia Karkar still active in the fight for justice for the Palestinians? I know that her website kept being attacked and hacked into etc. ‘Australians for Palestine’ Nothing since 2014. http://australiansforpalestine.com/
My earlier comment plus two replies
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2018/04/british-democracy-is-dysfunctional/comment-page-9/#comment-742554
to be read & wept over http://theduran.com/rise-and-fall-united-sheepdom-tales-from-my-uncles-animal-farm/
Murdering kids, jailing kids, thats Israel, when will EU/US/Nato kick out israeli diplomats?
What a pathetic bunch of accomplicas EU//US/Nato is to this terrorist-regime in Tel Aviv.
This mornings news meme and drive is steering us towards Iran, with the same old questions being wielded out by our most paid BBC gatekeeper John Humphreys. When the Iranian he interviewed, the question was as old as the rogue country is young ‘does Iran still want to drive Israel into the sea’, mentioned the ‘multiple violations of human rights by the current Zionist politicians, and that Iran has never started any wars with their neighbours and was in full compliance with the nuclear deal from day one’, John quickly steered the debate away by asking whether he would like to see most of the Lebanon destroyed because of Hezbollah having received “hundreds of thousands of missiles”?
far from anyone wanting to destroy Israel or its inhabitants, it is the Zionists racial hatred of Arabs which is tearing the rug away from underneath Israel’s future. Their innate fascist attitude that says ‘we are mightier than the UN, the worlds views and those of our neighbours don’t matter much to us, we will always be the dominant force here, all of this is not a plan for the future of the UN enclave that is Palestine Israel.
Giving back the stolen land to their rightful owners might be a good start for diplomacy, any diplomacy, to follow.
If Israel attacks Iran or sets off Hezbollah, very likely, they should/will be punished.
They will start WW3!
On the land issue, it’s obviously Israel’s policy to kick any prospect of a two state solution into the long grass. They know that two firmly defined states would not only make further expansion almost impossible but lead quite quickly to the difficult questions of returning stolen land and returning Palestinians.
May ‘Idiots Guide to Imperialism’ doesn’t make clear exactly how long has to pass before stolen land becomes recognised as legitimately owned land, but if we look at obvious examples like Australia and the Americas it is clear that crime can often pay when it comes to these things.
The thing is that it may have been morally wrong but it wasn’t a crime when European settlers took land in Australia and North America. Some, indeed, supposedly tried to buy land from the indigenous people but were told, in effect, “Don’t be ridiculous, the land doesn’t *belong* to anyone.”
Whatever the truth of that, the case is certainly altered now, both because many, many Palestinians do have the title deeds to land the Israelis have stolen and because the UN Charter (I believe) specifically prohibits states from acquiring territory by force.
You’re partly correct. There were as you say no laws in place to outlaw imperialism but it doesn’t necessarily follow that all things not covered by law are to be considered legal. And, as you agree, imperialism was absolutely immoral by today’s standards — by contemporary standards there were also those who took a dim view but let’s not get into all that.
Where you are straight-forwardly and curiously wrong is in the area of Palestinian land rights. In order to qualify for protection under law you more or less need to be a state, i.e. with statehood.
Israel, of course, is aware of this and takes advantage of the fact that Palestine in the legal sense doesn’t exist — you will agree that according to your definition of law that it would be impossible to steal land from a country that doesn’t exist.
That said, under humanitarian law the Palestinians do have rights, even if they technically have no state through which to pursue them. Little good that has done them, though.
It’s worth noting that records from literally thousands of years ago regarding the Greek island states and Rome, do talk quite plainly about the injustice of conquest and such. You could argue over definitions and translations there but what I think is important is that conquest was considered to be a transgression, even without nation state specific laws, and more than just immoral — I think even Aristotle covers this in his considerations of The Polis in his ‘Politics’.
“There were as you say no laws in place to outlaw imperialism but it doesn’t necessarily follow that all things not covered by law are to be considered legal.”
It absolutely follows that all things not covered by law are to be considered legal, as in the age-old legal dictum: “where there is no law there can be no illegality”.
“Where you are straight-forwardly and curiously wrong is in the area of Palestinian land rights. In order to qualify for protection under law you more or less need to be a state, i.e. with statehood.”
That statement is ignorant nonsense.
“Land rights” is an individual right i.e. the land is either your property or it isn’t, and that has nothing to do with the status of the TERRITORY, which is a completely different legal concept that applies to the sovereignty of a state.
“you will agree that according to your definition of law that it would be impossible to steal land from a country that doesn’t exist.”
Again, arrant nonsense that arises from you do not understanding the legal distinction between “land” versus “territory”.
They do not mean the same thing, which is precisely why “land ownership” is unchanged even when there is a change of sovereign through state succession, wars of conquest, belligerent occupation, territorial swaps, League of Nations Mandates, United Nations Trusteeships, or any of the myriad other ways in which a state can gain control over territory that had previously not belonged to it.
There is Land, which is something that belongs to someone (e.g. a person, a company, a municipality, etc).
And there is Territory, which is something that belongs to a state.
They are not the same thing.
The Jewish Leadership Council (JLC)
https://www.thejlc.org
which meets Jeremy Corbyn today, is refusing to join a roundtable discussion with him tomorrow because one of the other participants would be Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL)
http://www.jewishvoiceforlabour.org.uk.
The former chair of the JLC, Sir Mick Davis, is now the chief executive of the Conservative party after being its treasurer.
https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/sir-mick-davis-named-by-theresa-may-as-conservative-party-chief-executive-1.440595
As chair of the JLC he employed Jeremy Newmark
https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/exclusive-emails-reveal-extent-of-jlc-s-jeremy-newmark-cover-up-1.459194?highlight=jeremy+newmark
one of the key figures stirring the “Labour antisemitism” row after Jeremy Corbyn became Labour leader
https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/newmark-to-be-focus-of-jlm-police-investigation-1.459917?highlight=jeremy+newmark
and who was supported in his own Parliamentary candidacy by Yvette Cooper
http://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/yvette-cooper-anti-semitism-fight-would-be-boosted-by-election-of-jlm-leaders/
More condemning by your own words, OPCW this time: https://www.rt.com/news/424928-uzumcu-opcw-skripal-prank/
Partial prank transcripts are consistent with previous postings here that the Novichok, whether spiked or actually used in the attack, was ‘too pure’, ie reagent-grade rather than military-grade or terrorist-grade.
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201804231063838115-opcw-chief-prank-phonecall/
Alleged Ahmet Uzumcu: Our laboratories found that the toxic chemical which was used was of a high purity. That means according to our experts that it could not be done by say a terrorist or organized crime or individuals, but rather should have been done by real experts who had experience in this field. This could only be done in full-fledged facilities or laboratories. It could not be done [just] anywhere.
Pranksters: But you are not sure that it could be produced by a state?
Alleged Ahmet Uzumcu: We cannot be sure. Our experts cannot verify this, but they think that it was done by real experts.
Pranksters: Ok. So it’s not possible that it was produced by a private actor?
Alleged Ahmet Uzumcu: Oh no. I think we can exclude this, yes. I don’t think it can be done.
Pranksters In theory yes…So even in the US?
Alleged Ahmet Uzumcu: Oh absolutely! In any country where there would be some chemistry expertise. Because the material which is used, as I’m told by our experts, is accessible. So that’s the problem we face with this toxic chemical. The material to produce it is available without any restrictions. However, a high degree of expertise is required, and also a good laboratory is required.
//=/=/
Wikipedia volunteer staff has also been going round and round on the same Novichok confusion, with great thoroughness at the url below. Their policy of requiring documentation of every last article assertion leaves them vulnerable to excessive echoing of fake news put out by captive organizations like the BBC because after all, that is something known that provides a permanent link.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3ANovichok_agent
Another thing about reagent/military grade “came from Russia `obvs'” brigade is that they cannot fathom the difficulty in logistics of transporting this “agent” from Russia to the UK, unless they’re claiming that the Russians have a secret lab in the UK where they mixed the two?
“… a high degree of expertise is required, and also a good laboratory is required…”
I guess Mr. Ahmet Uzumcu wouldn’t say the same if he saw me frying potasium carbonade together with pure sulphur on the out-of -use kitchen pan. Or mixing ammonia with copper chloride in a glass jar freed from pickles. I’m sorry Mr. Ahmet Uzumcu, but I need my ‘chemistry’ weekly for my micro-business.
I’m disappointed that the mods have deleted my response to Anon1’s post (April 23, 2018 at 21:42). Referring to the 14 year old Palestinian killed by an Israeli sniper, he said :
“Probably sent forward to cut the fence by Hamas, knowing that if he was killed or injured it would score some valuable propaganda with the international community.”
In my reply, I quoted his first few words – “Probably sent forward to cut the fence by Hamas …” and added “Probably only a Zionist would believe a child was expendable.”
I deliberately echoed his use of the word “probably” to make my statement no more or less racist than his. Yet mine was deleted and Anon1’s still remains.
So it’s OK to accuse a political body representing Palestinians of an inhumane act, but I can’t suggest the same thing about a political body supporting the illegal Isræli occupation?
Pro-Zionists don’t seem to realize if Israel gets to rule the world unchallenged we’ll all become Palestinians.
No actually that’s when Jesus will return in glory, didn’t you hear?
Jake Wallis Simons rules OK.
If it didn’t suit the US and its main cohort, the UK, to let Israel influence policy then it wouldn’t influence policy. We know this because they ignored it before.
That said, I struggle with anything that is premised on the UK itself having any real independence when it comes to foreign policy. That’s really asking a lot of us.
The same can be said of Israel who depend on the US for much more than the UK does.
There has been *plenty* of coverage about how Russia exercises a malign influence on the democratic institutions of *both* countries!! Hell, the NY Times and WA Post just won a bunch of Pulitzers for exposing Russian influence in the US. Where have you been?
Or did you mean this?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Israel_Lobby_and_U.S._Foreign_Policy
If so, then let me tell you that both John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt are right-wing, antisemitic hacks.
Their book is just the Protocols for the Elders of Zion done up in fancy academic dress.
They may be nervous of risking being accused of allowing a-s*mit*sm?
I find it difficult to believe anyone could even contemplate arguing against my point that Christian countries have over the last 5oo years been the biggest perpetrators of atrocities and crimes against humanity (as defined today).
It’s a pity I can’t read that response, it sounds entertaining.
I think that’s inarguable. Especially if by “Christian countries” you mean people the majority of whose population are baptised Christians. Of course, if you mean countries that act in a legitimately Christian manner, then you are wrong, but this is only because there are no such countries, or if there are then they are small and not very powerful.
The point is that “religion” is not a very helpful taxonomy for measuring the depravity of a state. Power and impunity are much better markers.
The problem with Israel has nothing to do with the Jewish religion. The Jewish religion, of course, often overlaps with but is non-identical to the Jewish people, and the problem with Israel likewise has nothing to do with the Jewish people.
The problem with Israel is that it is an apartheid militarist state that has been enabled and abetted by the militarist superpower US for more than half-a-century. The populations of both states are probably, along with the UK, the most heavily propagandized on earth. Religion and/or ethnicity has literally *nothing* to do with it, except that it functions as a useful way to distract us from the real issues involved.
OT
Excellent to see Craig’s previous article featured on ZeroHedge.
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-04-23/british-democracy-dysfunctional
I am afraid this goes on because the USA lets it go on. It lets AIPAC interfere in US elections in ways which President Putin can only dream of. That is the only truism required to deduce that all action against Russia is synthetic manufactured rubbish.
Just like the US lets Saudi Arabia create the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, because it sells them billions in arms. Mr Putin is not showing any moral leadership there, I am afraid…..he is praising arms sales to KSA too….
Israel acts with impunity because 43 UN resolutions have been vetoed by the USA, more than Russia has vetoed on Syria by far. Eat your moral self-righteousness, Nikki Haley…..
Europe alone cannot change Israel. Even if 30 European states cut off diplomatic relations, the US would punish them. It will take Russia, China, EU, rest of Europe and more to act in concert to bring Israel to heel…..
At this point I’m not sure what even the US could do. Israel *likes* receiving lots of help from the US, but it is long past the point where it *needs* US assistance.
Israel does need US assistance; only it likes to tell you that it doesn’t.
What, pray tell, does Israel need the US for, specifically?
Rhys, I fear that the Israel lobby in the UK and France is nearly as trong as it is in the US. You only have to look at the incredible allegations of anti Semitism which have been levelled at Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party, which in my opinion has happened because of their criticism of the state of Israel and support for the Palestinian cause.
You are of course totally correct about the misuse of the power of veto by the US and others (the UK is no innocent bystander here).
Sadly, the UN has never been further from what it was set up to be, and I see it as a puppet of the US.
Speaking of Jeremy Corbin, his article in today’s Evening Standard might be of interest: https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/jeremy-corbyn-what-i-m-doing-to-banish-antisemitism-from-the-labour-party-a3821961.html
But we must also face the uncomfortable fact that a small number of our members and supporters hold anti-Semitic views and attitudes, which need to be confronted and dealt with more rapidly and effectively.
The evidence is clear enough. Labour staff have seen examples of Holocaust denial, crude stereotypes of Jewish bankers, conspiracy theories blaming 9/11 on Israel, and even one member who appeared to believe that Hitler had been misunderstood.
So let me be clear. People holding those views have no place in the Labour Party.
A former Labour MP and party official has some interesting thoughts on Labour and anti-Semitism here:
https://www.lobster-magazine.co.uk/issue74.php
So does Jeremy Corbyn: https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/jeremy-corbyn-what-i-m-doing-to-banish-antisemitism-from-the-labour-party-a3821961.html
(While my other comment is awaiting moderation…)
Great post, Rhys. If Israel didn’t exist, I suspect we would all see the elephant in the room more clearly too.
It’s my understanding that US policy is basically sold off to the highest bidder too. China spends billions lobbying in the US.
I have an American friend who tells me that he hates the way Britain influences US policy too, going right back to WWI and WWII.
Jewish people seem to have disproportionate influence in many walks of American life, law, academia, etc., but that’s because they generally attach huge importance to education and achievement.
Have long suspected that the “aid” given is just a circular con to feed funds (Tax payer’s dollars) back to the corrupt, pro-z1onist pols through AIPAC, Sheldon Adison etc. The political donations get the pols re-elected, a perfect system. Adison has made donations in the hundreds of millions over the years. Leaving aside his estimated fortune, that is still a hell of a show of enthusiasm.
You are getting the picture
Behold the reason why there won’t be peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians anytime soon: the Israelis can do what they like without any fear of consequences. They don’t even have to lie or hide things anymore. What would they have to gain from making peace?
That is laughing in the Palestinians’ faces.
I couldn’t agree more with your comment about “the evil nature of the expansionist state.” However, to name Israel merely an ‘Apartheid’ state, is a misnomer. The people of Israel are beyond vile, they have completely lost their humanity. The disgraceful system of regulatory Apartheid in South Africa was never ever as psychologically warped as the system employed to dehumanise and debauch the Palestinian people. The manic cruelty of the Israeli people is beyond comprehension. They are undoubtedly a very sick society.
It doesn’t seem fair to blame “the people of Israel” generally. The Israeli people have a wide range of views on just about any topic, and certainly on anything to do with the peace process. It’s just that the “doves” have become a distinct minority without hope of serious influence in the near future.
Israeli people do indeed have a wide range of views, but they are all agreed on oppressing Palestinians as a basic common element (in the sense of a least common denominator). It would be hard for Israel to exist, if they didn’t oppress Palestinians. So the supposedly “nice” Israelis just shut their eyes to the oppression, or leave the country.
“all”…?
Yes, they accept it, even the “nice” ones.
There are some who express disapproval of Israel’s methods and seem to think this absolves them of responsibility. The “Good German” phenomenon.
Laguerre
You hit the nail on the head. That is why all of western politicians start thier mantra with one side’s right to exist and defend itself, which apparently does not extend to the other side.
@ Craig
I hope that you write about the injustices being perpetrated on the descendants of the so called ‘Windrush generation’. I have been hearing terrible stories of a son being unable to get a visa to attend their mother’s funeral, and even elderly people being rounded up, incarcerated and deported without any appeal or inquiry.
May must resign. It was her policy, not Rudd’s. although Rudd is now the operative.
What a very nasty place this country has become since the days when these notices were appearing ‘No Blacks. No Irish. No Dogs’. It is racist, pure and simple.
Sharp Ears, how did England get to have such a big Empire?
Not by being nice to others.
Same DNA equals same results for ever and ever Amen.
Research needed Sharp Ears, you are good at it.
Hope you are well.
If it’s all DNA, surely you would conclude that there is no moral blame to be parceled out? That’s a logical consequence of DNA determinism…
The exact same comment could have been said by anyone in the SS during WW2 , To think our troops died to save these peoples parents and grandparents , a disgusting inhumane comment that no normal person could defend , I dont know how many servicemen and women died in 1948 when this State was first set up , even back then we had a taste of the direction this state was taking , Anyone who comments or protests against what these psychopaths are up to receive the same treatment , the Phrase antisemitism is immediately employed by a very vocal section in order to suppress any questions , even to the extent of trying making it a criminal offence in the US to advocate a boycott of Israeli goods and trade , The Stasi in the old East Germany would be proud of the methods employed .
Regardless of whether they are technically accurate, I always think that Nazi analogies for Israel are in poor taste. South Africa analogies generally suffice.
Personally, I think Nazi analogies are increasingly au fait for Israel and the US . These are totalitarian corporatocracies. The UK is drifting genteely in the same direction.
It all started 100 years ago when America was brought into the Second World to save the English Monarchy, and Empire.
The reward given and asked for was Palestine. Balfour Agreement.
Since then THEY have been allowed to do as they please.
OOps Second World War.
First World War, not Second World War.
Old age does not come its self.
Same sickness going on in Yemen,
Longer Video ? of rescuers trying to persuade a little boy to let go of father’s dead body following yesterday #Saudi #UAE double tap strike on wedding in Bani Qais in #Hajah province NW #Yemen 33 dead 55 injured 30 children were among the casualties
https://twitter.com/HussainBukhaiti/status/988507692116344832
All killed with british, french, american weapons.
Albert Einstein, of course, saw all this coming. In a letter of December 1948 he and other prominent Jews denounced Menachem Begin to the New York Times as a fascist.
“TO THE EDITORS:
Among the most disturbing political phenomena of our times is the emergence in the newly created state of Israel of the “”Freedom Party”” (Tnuat Haherut), a political party closely akin in its organization, methods, political philosophy and social appeal to the Nazi and Fascist parties. It was formed out of the membership and following of the former Irgun Zvai Leumi, a terrorist, right-wing, chauvinist organization in Palestine.
The current visit of Menachem Begin, leader of this party, to the United States is obviously calculated to give the impression of American support for his party in the coming Israeli elections, and to cement political ties with conservative Zionist elements in the United States. Several Americans of national repute have lent their names to welcome his visit. It is inconceivable that those who oppose fascism throughout the world, if correctly informed as to Mr. Begin’s political record and perspectives, could add their names and support to the movement he represents.
Before irreparable damage is done by way of financial contributions, public manifestations in Begin’’s behalf, and the creation in Palestine of the impression that a large segment of America supports Fascist elements in Israel, the American public must be informed as to the record and objectives of Mr. Begin and his movement.
The public avowals of Begin’’s party are no guide whatever to its actual character. Today they speak of freedom, democracy and anti-imperialism, whereas until recently they openly preached the doctrine of the Fascist state. It is in its actions that the terrorist party betrays its real character; from its past actions we can judge what it may be expected to do in the future.
Attack on Arab Village
A shocking example was their behavior in the Arab village of Deir Yassin. This village, off the main roads and surrounded by Jewish lands, had taken no part in the war, and had even fought off Arab bands who wanted to use the village as their base. On April 9 (THE NEW YORK TIMES), terrorist bands attacked this peaceful village, which was not a military objective in the fighting, killed most of its inhabitants —— 240 men, women, and children —— and kept a few of them alive to parade as captives through the streets of Jerusalem. Most of the Jewish community was horrified at the deed, and the Jewish Agency sent a telegram of apology to King Abdullah of Trans-Jordan. But the terrorists, far from being ashamed of their act, were proud of this massacre, publicized it widely, and invited all the foreign correspondents present in the country to view the heaped corpses and the general havoc at Deir Yassin.
The Deir Yassin incident exemplifies the character and actions of the Freedom Party.
Within the Jewish community they have preached an admixture of ultranationalism, religious mysticism, and racial superiority. Like other Fascist parties they have been used to break strikes, and have themselves pressed for the destruction of free trade unions. In their stead they have proposed corporate unions on the Italian Fascist model.
During the last years of sporadic anti-British violence, the IZL and Stern groups inaugurated a reign of terror in the Palestine Jewish community. Teachers were beaten up for speaking against them, adults were shot for not letting their children join them. By gangster methods, beatings, window-smashing, and wide-spread robberies, the terrorists intimidated the population and exacted a heavy tribute.
The people of the Freedom Party have had no part in the constructive achievements in Palestine. They have reclaimed no land, built no settlements, and only detracted from the Jewish defense activity. Their much-publicized immigration endeavors were minute, and devoted mainly to bringing in Fascist compatriots.
Discrepancies Seen
The discrepancies between the bold claims now being made by Begin and his party, and their record of past performance in Palestine bear the imprint of no ordinary political party. This is the unmistakable stamp of a Fascist party for whom terrorism (against Jews, Arabs, and British alike), and misrepresentation are means, and a “”Leader State”” is the goal.
In the light of the foregoing considerations, it is imperative that the truth about Mr. Begin and his movement be made known in this country. It is all the more tragic that the top leadership of American Zionism has refused to campaign against Begin’’s efforts, or even to expose to its own constituents the dangers to Israel from support to Begin.
The undersigned therefore take this means of publicly presenting a few salient facts concerning Begin and his party; and of urging all concerned not to support this latest manifestation of fascism.
(signed)
Isidore Abramowitz, Hannah Arendt, Abraham Brick, Rabbi Jessurun Cardozo, Albert Einstein, Herman Eisen, M.D., Hayim Fineman, M. Gallen, M.D., H.H. Harris, Zelig S. Harris, Sidney Hook, Fred Karush, Bruria Kaufman, Irma L. Lindheim, Nachman Maisel, Symour Melman, Myer D. Mendelson, M.D., Harry M. Orlinsky, Samuel Pitlick, Fritz Rohrlich, Louis P. Rocker, Ruth Sager, Itzhak Sankowsky, I.J. Schoenberg, Samuel Shuman, M. Znger, Irma Wolpe, Stefan Wolpe
New York, Dec. 2, 1948”
After the death of the first president of Israel in 1952, the Israeli government offered the post of president to Einstein. He declined the offer. More at: http://www.newdemocracyworld.org/old/Einstein.htm
I read it was the Irgun which developed the letter bomb and airplane hijacking.
Not to mention – according to Wikipedia – the barrel bomb…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrel_bombs_in_Palestine_and_Israel
Condemned by their own deeds, more like.
Albert Einstein saw all this coming, of course. In 1948, he and other prominent Jews wrote to the New York Times denouncing Menachem Begin and what was then the “Freedom Party” in terms which the mods won’t allow on here. You can read it at:
http://www.newdemocracyworld.org/old/Einstein.htm
Mods – I stand corrected!
Einstein was offered the premiership of Israel, but he respectfully declined it.
Seems that more cracks and fractures are opeining up in the Israeli dyke with the inability of Israel to censor the images of the Israeli state’s violence towards Palestinians from the internet.
Natalie Portman opens a BDS Pandora’s Box for liberal Zionists
Jonathan Ofir
Another prominent ‘Liberal Zionist’ organization, Peace Now, has now started a Portman-support campaign called “I’m with her”, saying: “Because I care about Israel, I must stand up against violence, corruption, equality, and the abuse of power.”
Wait a minute – Chemi Shalev disparagingly wrote that Portman has become “a new poster girl for the anti-Zionist left and the BDS movement” – but now it appears she has become a poster girl for the ‘liberal-Zionists’ too!
What is going on here?
What is happening is, that Natalie Portman has created an opening – possibly and probably unwittingly so.
She wanted to make a stand against Netanyahu himself, as if he was a sole representative and cause of the “recent events” which have “distressed” her – but you cannot separate Netanyahu from his position as Prime Minister, neither can you separate the Prime Minister office from the State of Israel, nor can you separate Israeli policy today from its history, which is completely to do with Zionism, and starts way before Netanyahu was born. It’s all connected.
http://mondoweiss.net/2018/04/natalie-pandoras-zionists/
A text book example of how occupation and militarism corrupts an entire society. There are only a handful of brave, outspoken people in Israel who see the corruption and loss of any civil society – Gideon Levy, B’Tselem for example – and they are hounded and denounced on a regular basis. It is chilling what Israel has developed into, and it has nothing to do with ‘jewish values’ – and thus speaking out about it, and opposing this moral collapse, has nothing to do with anti-semitism, and everything to do with politics, and human rights. though that will not stop the claims that it is, an increasingly threadbare and ridiculous attempt to hide the reality from the outside world.
Some children, unlike Palestinian children, are highly regarded by many in the West. They even receive gun salutes on their birth.
‘Gun Salutes To Celebrate Royal Baby – Royal Gun Salutes will celebrate the birth of the new royal baby today.
The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and The Honourable Artillery Company will each fire celebratory Royal Salutes at 2pm to mark the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s third child.
The soldiers, horses and Guns of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery will ride out from Wellington Barracks into Hyde Park for a 41-round salute.
The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC), the City of London’s Army Reserve regiment, will fire a 62-round Gun Salute from The Tower of London’. (Defence Daily)
How appropriate that it’s guns. This country is so adept in their use.
@ Sharp Ears
April 24, 2018 at 14:17
Yes, and some children are more ‘photogenic’ than others.
‘This boy clinging to dead body won’t become face of Yemen war for millions in the West (GRAPHIC)’:
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/424942-boy-face-yemen-war/?
A picture you won’t find plastered all over the MSM and TV news.
why have a thread about israel at all – the moderation here is in overdrive – who’s side are you on?????
Unbelievably Clarence Mitchell is giving evidence on behalf of SLC to the Culture select committee!
Apparently none of the establishment types on the board are up to it so it’s acceptable to sendin the clowns.
Slight mix up. It was an SCL press conference and not the committee.
Re Corbyn, I met him in late 2016 at the annual Chanukah celebration on Islington Green, where he absolutely charmed the pants of attendees of all ages. Yet this morning I saw the chair of Jewish Friends of Labour telling Victoria Derbyshire that Corbyn needs to attend a course on how to interact with Jewish people. I would love to have seen this dude intercede in the conversations Jeremy was having with all and sundry that evening and inform that them this was a man who did not know how to interact with them. The lies now being broadcast about this kind, considerate gentleman are reaching diabolical levels.
Hard to imagine Corbyn charming the pants off anybody except Diane Abbott.
Has this been posted.
By Uri Avneri.
Homage to a very brave 16 year old girl.
April 9, 2018
Ahed Tamimi: a Song is Born
by Uri Avnery
A friend from overseas sent me the recording of a song. An Arab song, with a soft Arab melody, sung by an Arab girls’ choir, accompanied by a flute.
It goes like this:
Ahed
You are the promise and the glory
Standing as high as an olive tree
From the cradle to the present
Your honor will not be violated
Palestine has been planted in us
As a dock for every ship
We are the land and you are the water
You are covered with blond hair
You are as pure as Jerusalem
You taught our generation how the forgotten people should revolt
They thought the Palestinians are afraid of them because they are wearing armor and holding a weapon?
Palestine has been planted in us
As a dock for every ship
Our nation must be united and resist for the freedom of Palestine and the prisoners
Your blue eyes are a lighthouse
For a country that has every religion
You united the people far away and close
You ignited the spark in all our hearts
Your head is raised up high encouraging us
You ignited the light in our darkness
Despite the softness of your hands
Your hands have shaken the world
Your hands returned the slap to the occupier
And returned esteem to the nation
Palestine has been planted in us
As a dock for every ship
We are the land and you are the water.
IF I were an adherent of the occupation, this song would frightened me very much.
Because the force of songs is much stronger than the force of weapons. A gun wears out, but a song lasts forever.
In the early days of the Israeli army, there was a slogan hanging in our mess: “An army that is singing is an army of victory!”
The present Palestinian generation has decided to lower its head and wait until the storm has passed. The coming Palestinian generation may act in a completely different way.
On the eve of my 15th birthday, I joined an underground (or “terrorist”) group that fought against the British colonial regime. Almost eighty years later I remember just about every song of that time, word for word. Songs like “We are unknown soldiers without uniforms…” and many more. Afterwards I wrote an anthem for my company.
I am not a poet. Far from it. But I have written some songs in my time, including “Samson’s Foxes”, an anthem for my commando unit in the Israeli army. So I know the force of a song. Especially a song about the heroism of a 16 year old girl.
The moment I saw the scene of Ahed al-Tamimi boxing the face of an Israeli army captain, I knew that something important had happened.
The British politician Lord Acton famously wrote: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” I would add: “Occupying another people tends to make you stupid, and a long occupation makes you utterly stupid.”
In my youth, when I was already a member of the anti-British underground, I was working in the office of a British lawyer, many of whose clients were officials of the British administration. I often asked myself: “How can it be that such intelligent people can behave so stupidly?” They were nice people, who treated even a lowly clerk like me politely. But they had no alternative: the occupation compels the occupier to behave stupidly.
It works like this: in order to uphold an occupation regime for any length of time, the occupier must believe in the superiority of his race and in the inferiority of his subjects, who are seen as primitive creatures. Otherwise, what gives them him the right to subject another people? That is exactly what has happened to us now.
The moment I saw the face-boxing scene on TV, I knew that something momentous had happened. The Palestinian people now have a national heroine. The Palestinian youth now has a model to emulate.
The Israeli public has got used to the occupation. They believe that this is a normal situation, that the occupation can go on forever. But the occupation is not a natural situation, and some day it will come to an end.
Ten thousand British ruled hundreds of millions of Indians, until a skinny man called Gandhi went to produce salt on the seashore, contrary to the law. The Indian youth arose, and British rule fell away like a leaf from a tree in autumn.
The same stupidity took hold of all the occupation enforcers who dealt with Ahed al-Tamimi. Army officers. Prosecutors, military judges.
If we were wise occupiers – an oxymoron – we would have sent Ahed home long ago. Expelled her by force from the prison. But we are still keeping her locked up. Her and her mother.
True, some days ago the army realized its own stupidity. With the help of Ahed’s devoted (Jewish) advocate, Gabi Lasky, a “compromise” was worked out. Several charges were dropped and Ahed was sentenced to “only” eight months in prison.
She will be released in three more months. But that is too late: the picture of Ahed is already engraved in the mind of every Palestinian boy or girl. Ahed, the girl covered with blond hair, her blue eyes shining like a lighthouse. Ahed the saint. Ahed the savior.
The Palestinian Jeanne d’Arc, the national symbol.
The story of Ahed al-Tamimi happened in the West Bank. But it resounded in the Gaza Strip, too.
For most Israelis, the Gaza Strip is something else. It is not occupied territory. It does not concern us.
But the situation of the Gaza Strip is even worse than straight occupation. The strip is completely surrounded. North and east is Israel, west is the sea, where the Israeli navy shoots at everything except for fishing boats close to the shore. The south belongs to Egypt, which behaves even worse than the Israelis and in close cooperation with them.
The situation in the Gaza Strip is as close to hell as one can get. Food at subsistence level, electricity for two to four hours
This then: https://original.antiwar.com/avnery/2018/04/06/ahed-tamimi-and-the-gaza-massacre/ have not seen it until now. Thank you.
JC’s comments about 9/11 show the power of the lobby. On 9/11, 2 vans were stopped. Both were occupied by Israelis. One was packed with explosives and was about to blow up the George Washington bridge, the other had traces of explosives and those on board had filmed the planes hitting the towers…..both of them. They had also been witnessed celebrating the planes striking the towers which is corroborated by the photos they took of themselves which the FBI developed. They were held in custody for months then returned to Israel for visa violations. I could go on. There is quite clearly a link between what went down on 9/11 and Israel. It’s undeniable. That there is virtually ZERO public knowledge of this vital evidence speaks volumes. That JC has come out and denounced those linking 9/11 with Israel, when so much evidence points to Israel is also very telling of the times we live in
Some good films on the subject
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK6VLFdWJ4I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJkl0GJu0Yc&t=112s
I suspect you’re about to discover why public perception has been slow about the topic you raise…
Well, there’s a welcome change… I thought the first reports of this were too bizarre to be true, but having read the NYPD records of the incident and watched the video of the Israeli men when back in Tel Aviv, it is curious say the least. When you consider the recent video from Gaza where several Israeli youths filmed and celebrated the shooting of an unarmed Palestinian, it makes you wonder just what kind of Society has developed in Israel – and why?
Mark Russell,
I knew the reports were true 15 years ago, but all that proved was pre-knowledge and complicity. It did not prove, anything about who actually planned it. FWIW, I do not think it was planned, and executed by any single individual, nationality or race, but by an International extremely evil cabal, who still have enormous, but declining power. I have yet to understand, the evil force that binds them together, nor their leverage, with almost all governments. Money and power, simply do not explain it. It is as if they are bound together, by some alien, satanic force to commit mass destruction on the human race and the planet.
Good people need to find out the truth, and confront and defeat this evil, or the human race has no future. So far, we have sadly failed, and things are getting progressively worse.
This is now a banned subject from this blog, because people are afraid of the consequences of it being discussed.
Tony
I believe it was because of 9/11 in the planning that the Republicans impeached Clinton to spoil the Democrat chances of reelection in November 2000. When that failed and Gore was elected the Republicans had to go in and try to steal it, otherwise their treacherous plot would have failed because either the US security agencies under a Gore White House would have uncovered the treason, or the US air defenses would have shot down the planes/missiles on the day. Only by Republican control of the White House could Cheney have stopped those fighter jets from spoiling everything.
Dark forces have taken over the US and the west. Pure human evil.
Additional (apologies if already covered), but worth repeating:
Israeli MP says Ahed Tamimi should at least have been shot in the knee
https://www.rt.com/news/424859-israeli-mp-shoot-tamimi/
Craig’s commentary in his article and the one I’ve referenced are very difficult for me to deal with and expression a reaction to. Self-righteous simplification toward the injuring and killing of children is lunacy in my view, savage lunacy.
hetro,
I think you have to separate the two. CM is just observing facts. You are right though it is almost impossible to bear (I’m a parent).
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=767&Itemid=74&jumival=21550 – Hamas Hamas Hamas etc… worth a watch.