by Sarah Meyer
Index Research
updated 1 June 2008
Beit Hanoun Massacre 8 November 2006,The Telegraph.
1.
Prologue2.
Beit Hanoun: a Microcosm of War Crimes3.
References4.
Updates1. Prologue
An American woman wrote to me about her support for Israel in the war against Lebanon. Another told me about an anti-Iraq-war relative who was a candidate in the recent US elections, and who also supported Israel’s policies. I protested. “You are wrong,” she said. I asked, “Are, then, Amnesty, the Red Cross, the UN, Human Rights Watch, and other respectable organisations as well as many people in our world all
wrong?” An American man dismissed these organisations in a ‘comments’ section as being ‘leftie’ – thus, with 20th century ‘Cold War’ language, consigning moral integrity to the dustbin.
There is an ignorant ‘blind spot’ in America. That Palestine was a central cause of 9/11 has never been acknowledged or addressed. America, instead, bombed the soul out Afghanistan and Iraq in the name of ‘democracy and freedom,’ never mentioning oil. The Guardian headline (14.11.06),
Blair urges White House to shift focus to Israel-Palestine conflict, is three years out of date. And will anything change with Mrs. Pelosi, America’s new darling? I doubt it. Read Robert Thompson’s article
here.
Who is responsible for giving the American people warped facts, or no facts at all, about the plight of the Palestinian people? Why are the White House, Congress and the Senate, as well as Mainstream Media in collusion with the massive lobby,
AIPAC? This lobby, according to the NY Times banner on their webpage, is “The most important organization affecting America’s relationship with Israel.”
It is time for the Sleeping Beauty - America the Beautiful, land of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights - to wake up not only to the so-called ‘war on terror’ and Iraq war lies, but also to the lies they have been fed about Palestine over many years.
Following is a short synthesis of articles and videos focusing on the Beit Hanoun horror – a microcosmic mirror of Israeli crimes perpetrated upon the Palestinian people. Read and watch, and wake up America. Then demand that the problem which was a causative factor in 9/11 be addressed. Hopefully, then, terrorism will decrease and we can share our planet together with integrity, respect and love. This must happen.
Video.
Beit Hanoon Massacre 8 November 2006.“My wife recorded this for my blog a couple of days ago. Since then, she won’t even look at the news.”
Haitham Sabbah.
Listen Carefully to Condi’s Silence on Beit Hanoun08.11.06. Haaretz / ICH.
"I lost my sister, my brother-in-law and five of my nieces and nephews this morning. I feel nothing now; I can’t find the right words. All I know that the attack wasn’t a mistake. Israel fired six shells, how can that be a mistake? Israel wants to push us from our homes, but we will stay. This is our land.” -- Omar Thamena, 46, engineer.
ICRC deplores civilian deaths and casualties08.11.06. ICRC. "The ICRC is appalled that at least 18 persons, including seven children and seven women, lost their lives and at least 58 others were wounded, some of them very severely, as a result of Israeli military operations in Beit Hanoun in the early hours of 8 November. … International humanitarian law strictly prohibits attacks against civilians and civilian objects and requires that a strict distinction be made between the civilian population and military objectives."
We overcame our fear09.11.06.Jameela al-Shanti, Guardian. “Yesterday at dawn, the Israeli air force bombed and destroyed my home. I was the target, but instead the attack killed my sister-in-law, Nahla, a widow with eight children in her care. In the same raid Israel's artillery shelled a residential district in the town of Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip, leaving 19 dead and 40 injured, many killed in their beds. One family, the Athamnas, lost 16 members in the massacre: the oldest who died, Fatima, was 70; the youngest, Dima, was one; seven were children. The death toll in Beit Hanoun has passed 90 in one week."
Organization of the Islamic Conference accuses Israel of 'war crimes' and committing 'terrorist attacks' in Beit Hanoon09.11.06. Aljazeerah.info. The Organization of the Islamic Conference accused Israel of committing a war crime after the Israeli army shelled a residential area in Beit Hanoon in the northern Gaza Strip, killing 18 Palestinians, on Wednesday.
Members of the European Parliament 'shocked and appalled' by the 'horrible carnage' in GazaAljazeerah.info.
*It is not enough to feel ‘shocked and appalled’.
Video. (The Media Story)
Beit Hanoun: Massacre or Technical Error? CNN / BBC. 7 min.
How did Mathew Price, a
BBC reporter, feel? This article tells of Palestinian suffering. But the BBC been accused numerous times of being
biased in favour of Israel. Who is telling Americans that the BBC is biased in favour of Palestine? Will you google ‘BBC bias Israel’ and read the truth for yourself?
VIDEO: Massacre of Palestinian Women and Children Israel's "Cloud of Autumn" Massacre in Gaza10.11.06. M. Chossudovsky, Global Research. “The official story of the Israeli military is that this was an crack-down operation on "terrorists". Read the semi-official report by the Voice of America (VOA) (below) and then view the video to see what really happened.”
M. Chossudovsky gives related press reports:
Mass kidnapping of Palestinian men in Beit Hanoun by Israeli occupation forces; Khalleez Times Online story; Xihua story.
Western Media Parrots Israeli Narrative on Beit Hanoun Massacre12.11.06. K. Amayreh, a Palestinian journlalist.
Names of 83 Palestinian Martyrs Victims of Israeli Massacre in Bait Hanoun Gaza Strip12.11.06. Palestine Free Voice / uruknet.
How a Beit Hanun family was destroyed13.11.06. Amira Hass, Haaretz. "They knew very well who was in the house, how many children, how many women. They knew very well there were no terrorists and no arms in this house," said Majdi.
US vetoes UN resolution urging Israel to respect international humanitarian law in Gaza10.11.06. The Jurist. The Palestinian government. says this veto
“backs further massacres.”
Arab Nations To Lift Financial Blockade On Palestine10.11.06. Nasdaq. ‘Arab nations on Sunday decided to lift the financial blockade on Palestine following the US veto on a U.N. Security Council draft resolution on Saturday, which would (have) condemned Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip, reported AP. The Arab decision to lift the blockade on Palestine was arrived at following discussions at a meeting of 11 Arab foreign ministers and other senior officials and diplomats at the headquarters of the Arab League in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.’
How Israel put Gaza civilians in firing line12.11.06. Observer exclusive. “Israeli military commanders drastically reduced the 'safety' margins that separate artillery targets from the built-up civilian areas of Gaza earlier this year, despite being warned that the new policy risked increasing Palestinian civilian deaths and injuries. … According to Human Rights Watch, since September 2005 Israel has fired about 15,000 rounds at Gaza while Palestinian militants have fired around 1,700 back. … The IDF has claimed a fault in the artillery radar system's co-ordinates for the missiles changed the margin of error from 25 to 200m, but that still does not explain why it waited until the following day to return fire to a general area - a policy that the Israeli peace group B'Tselem describes as a 'war crime'. … As a point of comparison, between June 2004 and July 2006, 14 civilians (six of them minors) were killed by Qassam gunfire fired by Palestinians into Israeli territory and at settlements in the Gaza Strip. In the four weeks from 26 June-24 July this year, however, IDF actions in the Gaza Strip to end the Qassam rocket fire caused the death of 126 Palestinians, 63 of whom did not participate in the hostilities. Twenty-nine of these were minors. According to the UN, since the end of June 450 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza.”
Nobel winners petition Israel to outlaw targeted killing13.08.06. AFP / Khaleej Times. ‘Hundreds of Israeli peace activists, joined by three foreign Nobel laureates, asked the nation's high court to rule against targeted assassinations carried out by the army in the Palestinian territories, saying the attacks were killing civilians. The petition, signed by 10 peace groups and 200 individuals, urged the supreme court to rule immediately on the issue in light of last week's Israeli fire in Gaza's Beit Hanun that killed 19 people, mostly women and children.’
US Officers planned the Beit Hanoun Massacre13.11.06. Kawther Salam, Sabbah’s blog. WARNING: DISTURBING PHOTOS: “people everywhere in Palestine see such images on a daily basis not as pictures but live and anywhere they go.” ‘I often ask myself why the U.S.A does not stop donating to Israel the bombs which they use against the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. What, ever, have we done to the USA? … Why does the international media impose a veil of silence over what is happening in Palestine? …
What is the DIME weapon? DU researcher and expert,
Dai Williams, believes this is a new class of weapons using enriched uranium, not through fission processes but through new physical processes kept secret for at least 20 years. Physicist Emilio del Giudice form the National Institute of Nuclear Physics came to the same conclusion.”
SORRY WE KILLED YOU IN YOUR SLEEP....WE'LL WAKE YOU NEXT TIME13.11.06. Desert Peace, Israeli Jewish blogger. Includes Olmert’s interview with Al Quds newspaper.
3. References
Video. Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land.U.S. Media & the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: How Israel manipulates and distorts American public perceptions. (17.07.06). This video ‘carefully analyzes and explains how--through the use of language, framing and context--the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza remains hidden in the news media, and Israeli colonization of the occupied terrorities appears to be a defensive move rather than an offensive one.’ 79 min.
Aid to Israel• Perspective from Israel:
In Washington: Really helping Israel09.11.06. Jerusalem Post. One of the reasons Israel is rarely an issue in House and Senate campaigns is that Congress only considers one significant piece of legislation relating to Israel every year. That is the Israel aid package, which is itself part of the overall foreign aid bill.
• Perspective from Palestine:
True Lies About U.S. Aid to" Israeli " War Machinery: Cost of Israel to U.S. Taxpayers10.11.06. Palestine Free Voice. “Recently Americans have begun to read and hear that "Israel receives $3 billion in annual U.S. foreign aid." That's true. But it's still a lie. The problem is that in fiscal 1997 alone, Israel received from a variety of other U.S. federal budgets at least $525.8 million above and beyond its $3 billion from the foreign aid budget, and yet another $2 billion in federal loan guarantees. So the complete total of U.S. grants and loan guarantees to Israel for fiscal 1997 was $5,525,800,000.” An analysis of who does give and promote for Israeli interests.
• Perspective of the Law
US vetoes UN resolution urging Israel to respect international humanitarian law in Gaza11.11.06. The Jurist.
US Arms Sales to Israel•
U.S. eyes up to $750 million in military sales to Iraq19.09.06.Reuters.
•
U.S. Congress okays $500m for defense projects with Israel30.09.06. Haaretz.
•
Index on Illegal Weapons in Lebanon•
Appendex II: Index on Weapons in Lebanon. War Crimes in Lebanon and Palestine•
Lebanon: The Aftermath of War (updated to 14.11.06).
Nuclear WeaponsThen, of course, there is the unmentionable story of the “WMD”
nuclear weapons in Israel. The US government prefers to focus on the non-existent WMDs in Iran - and support Israel’s (nuclear ?)
threats on Iran.
US VetoesU.S. Vetoes of UN Resolutions Critical of Israel 1972 – 2006Jewish Virtual Library / ICH.
The WallVideo. Wall of Shame.
‘The wall being constructed on the West Bank by the Israeli government is twenty-five feet high. Studded with guard towers and armaments, and encrusted with high-tech sensors, the wall cuts across the land, separating Palestinians from their own farms, their own neighbors, and from the Israeli settlements which have sprung up rapidly as a result of lavish subsidies from the Israeli government.’ 28 min.
The MediaThe Haditha Doctor and the Media Dissemblers19.06.06. S. Meyer, Index Research. This research article probes the media stories on the murders in Haditha, Iraq – the ‘right-wing’ clan – and their funders.
Further ReadingJAMES PETRAS' NEW BOOK - THE POWER OF ISRAEL IN THE UNITED STATES26.10.06. Stephen Lendman Review.
Other references I asked Haitham Sabbah if he had any suggestions for this reference section. He wrote: “You can also find a good source of Palestinian bloggers in my other project,
Palestine Blogs. It is an aggregator of all known Palestinian bloggers and/or bloggers who write and support Palestinians.” He mentioned his favourites, but I am hoping that those who want to know more will find their own favourites.
STOP PRESS: Sabbah emailed me at 16.54 today: "Tonight, the news is bad. Some angry Palestinian decided to take
revenge to Beit Hanoun massacre. A qassam rocket killed one and injured another Israli. This is so sad happening, again. Now the Israelis are saying that they will take a hard revenge, so God knows how many willbe killed more.... It's really devastating times that we are going through :( Lets pray for peace, soon...
Thank you Haitham Sabbah. Thanks also, to your family – and to the Palestinian people for their fortitude. All of you deserve some good health, good schools and real “democracy and freedom.” No more bombs or tanks. No more suffering. This will happen if the American people WAKE UP.
+
Postscript: My best wishes also to the Israeli people – as distinct from the Israeli government - and especially to my dearest lifelong close friend, Beth. I feel your suffering, too.
With thanks to W.W., M. and Kewe for their help and support.
+
4. Updates
Map Middle East.
18.11.06. Xymphora. ‘Take a look at this map of the imperial history of the Middle East and tell me who, based on history, has the best current claim to Palestine.’
OTHER MAPS:
Palestinian loss of land 1946 to 2000Maps of Palestine+
Beit HanounBeit Hanoon women inspiring West Bank women and youth for a solidarity campaign04.11.06. (Qalqilia) Palestine News Network / aljazeera.info.
Palestinian human shields give Israel pause20.11.06. CSMonitor. ‘In perhaps the most effective act of nonviolent protest in the six-year Palestinian uprising, hundreds of Gazans forced Israel over the weekend to call off airstrikes on the residence of a militant leader by swarming the house as human shields.
In recent months, Israeli security forces have used telephone calls to warn Palestinian militants and others near alleged militant safe houses and weapons caches, giving them up to a half hour to evacuate.’
Beit Hanoon Mourns More Victims, Death Toll Reaches 49, PLO Condemns Israel's vicious attacks in Gaza05.11.06. aljazeera.info
Nine children buried, victims of latest Israeli massacre, Beit Hanoon hospital over-run with casualties and corpses09.11.06. aljazeera.info.
The Beit Hanoon Massacre: What about the day after?12.11.06. S. Nazzal, aljazeera.info. Dr. Salim Nazzal is a Palestinian historian.
Writer,
Stephen Lendman emailed: “Never saw a "commandment" saying genocide OK as long as just against Arabs and Muslims."
Bush and Blair Administrations Back Up Israeli Terrorist Offensive Against Beit Hanoon04.12.06. aljazeerah. US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack put the blame for the offensive on Palestinian fighters and said Israel was defending itself. … On its part, the British foreign ministry stated yesterday that Israel has the right to defend itself but any military act should go with the international human rights. The ministry further called the Palestinians to stop firing missiles at Israeli areas adding that violence hinders peace efforts in the region.
Desmond Tutu prevented by Israeli occupation government to conduct a UN fact-finding mission in Beit Hanoun12.12.06. Maan/ aljazeera.net.
Bush and Blair Administrations Back Up Israeli Terrorist Offensive Against Beit Hanoon04.12.06. aljazeerah. US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack put the blame for the offensive on Palestinian fighters and said Israel was defending itself. … On its part, the British foreign ministry stated yesterday that Israel has the right to defend itself but any military act should go with the international human rights. The ministry further called the Palestinians to stop firing missiles at Israeli areas adding that violence hinders peace efforts in the region.
Desmond Tutu prevented by Israeli occupation government to conduct a UN fact-finding mission in Beit HanounNEW VIDEO
Tutu leads UN probe into Beit Hanoun killings 28.05.08. al jazeera.
Tutu Shocked by Palestinian Suffering28.05.08. IslamOnline.net & News Agencies/uruknet. Nobel Peace laureate Desmond Tutu stressed on Wednesday, May 28, that the UN fact-finding team has been "devastated" by stories from the survivors of a 2006 Israeli bombing that killed 19 civilians in Gaza. / "We wanted to say that we are quite devastated. This is not something you want to wish on your worst enemy," said Tutu, the retired Anglican archbishop of Cape Town.
Tutu's Trip to Gaza Censored by the US Media01.06.08. Mike Whitney, ICH. Tutu went to Gaza for peace and not one newspaper in the United States covered the story. Apparently, the "culture of impunity" extends to America's media as well as the Israeli leaders who killed the 18 Palestinians at Beit Hanoun.
The UN and Beit HanounThe flavour of the week has been a PR assault upon the United Nations by John Bolton and the Israelis. Bearing in mind Mr. Bolton’s term at the United Nations is
going nowhere, it is a wonder that the American people/MSM continue to support/believe in Bolton’s lies.
UN General Assembly plans special summit on IDF Gaza action15.11.06. S. Shamir, Haaretz.
ISRAEL CONDEMNS RESOLUTION CONDEMNING ISRAEL18.11.06. Desert Peace / uruknet. ‘Since it's inception as a 'State', Israel has ignored every resolution passed by the United Nations which in any way criticised them or their actions. Why would anyone think that a condemnation of the Beit Hanoun massacre would be looked at any differently by them?’
The root of terror is clear13.11.06. P. Preston, Guardian. Only a resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict will stop al-Qaida recruitment.
Qassam attacks kill one, wound two in Sderot; IDF: No magic bullet16.11.06. Haaretz. Olmert says, "The operation in Gaza will continue without a break ... and we will decide on additional steps to fight this murderous terror."
Concerned more for the dead than for the living16.11.06. P. Dasgupta , ICH. The British intercede when they see their war dead threatened but when innocent Palestinians are killed in their sleep by monstrous unprovoked Israeli violence, they set about quibbling about the balance of blame between the two sides.
Israelis mourn Gaza deaths16.11.06. Ynet News / ICH. Obituaries published in Haaretz express 'deep sorrow' over Beit Hanoun victims. Edna Kovarski of Herzliya tells Ynet she published obituary because of shame she felt for what Israel is doing.
No one is guilty in Israel17.11.06. G. Levy, Haaretz / anti-war.com. ‘Nineteen inhabitants of Beit Hanun were killed with malice aforethought. There is no other way of describing the circumstances of their killing. Someone who throws burning matches into a forest can't claim he didn't mean to set it on fire, and anyone who bombards residential neighborhoods with artillery can't claim he didn't mean to kill innocent inhabitants.’ Therefore it takes considerable gall and cynicism to dare to claim that the Israel Defense Forces did not intend to kill inhabitants of Beit Hanun.’
Screw The Palestinians, Full Steam AheadK and B. Christison, Rense.com. At a panel on the defense and foreign policy impact of the midterm election, sponsored two days after the election by Congressional Quarterly, Steven Simon, late of the Clinton administration and still a member of the Democratic, pro-Zionist mainstream at the Council on Foreign Relations, pronounced on prospects for Palestinian-Israeli peace and essentially declared it not worth anyone's effort. …”
Palestine Independence Day15.11.06. Francis Boyle, Global Research.ca. “On November 15, 1988, the independent state of Palestine was proclaimed by the Palestine National Council (PNC), meeting in Algiers, by a vote of 253 to 46, as well as in front of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the capital of the new state, after the close of prayers, in testament to the monumental importance of Al Aqsa Mosque to the Palestinian people. A remarkable opportunity for peace was created by the Palestinian Declaration of Independence because therein the PNC officially endorsed a two-state solution in order to resolve the basic conflict. Right now the goal of obtaining peace with justice for all peoples in the Middle East can be achieved on the basis of a two-state solution for the Palestinian people and the Jewish people, respectively. … What is needed now from the Israeli government and people as well as from the American government and people is the same Will for Peace that was demonstrated by the Palestinians eighteen years ago. The Israelis and the Americans must seize this historic moment for peace. Otherwise, I doubt very seriously that history will given any of us a second chance for obtaining peace with justice for all peoples and states in the Middle East.” The Palestinian Declaration can be read at this site.
Jimmy Carter may head Beit Hanoun probe17.11.06. Yitzhak Benhorin, ynet news. UN to vote on proposal by Arab nations to censure Israel for Beit Hanoun deaths, appoint UN probe into incident. US media reports ex-President Jimmy Carter could head mission.
Those Naive Europeans18.11.06. Khalid Amayreh,The People’s Voice. … “Earlier, UN Secretary General Kufi Anan pointed out that the conflict in Palestine was the main reason for tension between Islam and the West. Even the usually duplicitous and mendacious British Prime Minister Tony Blair spoke along the same lines during an interview with the newly-launched Aljazeera International Television channel Friday night, 17 November. … Interestingly, nearly all Palestinian factions, including Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, have more or less accepted the new initiative, with the Islamic Jihad group, probably the most radical faction, declaring its willingness and readiness to observe a ceasefire with Israel provided Israeli reciprocity.
However, as expected, Israel “rejected out of hand” the fresh peace initiative. … I really wonder why the EU doesn’t embark on a really thorough investigation into the reasons and factors behind the failure of all peace efforts and initiatives pertaining to the Middle East from the Rogers’ Plan in 1968 to the now- moribund American-backed initiative known as the “Roadmap”? … Israel doesn’t want peace
Well, the reason why all peace efforts since 1967 have failed is very simple. Israel vehemently rejects any “peace settlement” with the Palestinians that would force the Zionist state to explicitly or implicitly give up the spoils of the 1967 war. This is the crux of the matter that every serious peace-maker must always keep in mind when delving into this matter.”
World must take decisive step to stop Israel: Qatar19.11.06. Peninsular Qatar. ‘Qatar’s yesterday reiterated support to the Palestinian cause. Qatar, in its capacity as a Muslim state and a member in the un Security Council, shall exercise its duty to bolster the just Palestinian cause and the Palestinian peoples’ right to regain their national rights including the right to establish an independent state of their own with Al Quds as its capital. Ahmed bin Abdullah described the Israeli massacre at Beit Hanoun and the continued Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people, as war crimes and crimes against humanity adding these crimes would be a mark of disgrace on the face of the world community if it did not take a decisive step.’
Israeli War Crimes in Beit Hanoon, UNRWA Launches a Flash Appeal21.11.06. aljazeerah.info. The United Nations agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) has issued the following flash appeal for Beit Hanoon following Israel's most recent assault on 8 November.
The heart of the matter: Palestine in the world today22.11.06. A. Soueif, Ahram. Last week's Beit Hanoun massacre is just one more war crime in a long chain of atrocities committed by Israel for over half a century now. Ahdaf Soueif* argues that if the world is to be put back on an even keel, it has to be a world in which the Palestinians achieve equality and justice.
THE US / Bolton / ISRAEL VS. THE UNGroups Side With Bush on Bolton15.11.06. Forward.com / ICH. ‘In the first post-election battle between the Bush administration and the Democrats, the Jewish community is standing behind the president as he pushes the candidacy of John Bolton. Despite the declared hostility of Democrats and several moderate Republicans, the White House has formally put forth the reappointment of controversial diplomat John Bolton as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations…. The administration is now reportedly looking for ways to keep Bolton at the U.N. by circumventing the Senate.
“The Jewish community remains supportive and would want to see [Bolton] stay,” said Malcolm Hoenlein, vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. “He has been an effective advocate, and he is appreciated by the diplomatic corps.”
Bolton in extraordinary outburst against United Nations18.11.06. Calcutta news. Bolton was furious over the adoption by the General Assembly of a resolution which said the assembly regretted the deaths of 19 civilians in an attack by the Israeli military in the town of Beit Hanoun last week. Despite the resolution being significantly watered down at the behest of the United States, and being passing by 156 votes to seven, Bolton launched a blistering attack on the UN, and many of its members. "The problem of anti-Israel bias is not unique to the Human Rights Council. It is endemic to the culture of the United Nations. It is a decades-old, systematic problem that transcends the whole panoply of the UN organizations and agencies," he continued. … The resolution was taken to the General Assembly after the United States used its veto to squash a similar motion in the Security Council. It was the 31st time the U.S. had used its veto at the UN to stop resolutions concerning Israel and the Palestinians.’
Gillerman: UN hijacked by evil forces18.11.06. Y. Benhorin, ynetnews / ich. Mr Gillerman accuses the UN of being an evil force.’
Foreign Ministry: UN hindering fight against terror18.11.06 Ynet news. The UN's decision to investigate the incident in Beit Hanoun over a week ago, in which 19 Palestinians were killed, was not well-received in Israel. Saturday, the Foreign Ministry called the decision one-sided and rewarding to terrorists.
JOHN BOLTON’S SPEECH TO AIPAC POLICY CONFERENCE05.03.06
US / Bolton and LebanonBolton Busy Framing Syria for Gemayel Assassination25.11.06. K. Nimmo, uruknet. "John Bolton, the American ambassador to the United Nations, said recent probes into political killings in Lebanon suggested Syrian involvement. He told the BBC that if Syria was deemed to have been involved, the implications were serious."
GazaU.N. calls for end to Israel's Gaza ops18.11.06. AP. The U.N. General Assembly called for an end to Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip on Friday, overwhelmingly passing a resolution in an emergency special session the Israeli ambassador blasted as a "farce" and a "circus."
UN asks Israel to vacate Gaza: US opposes, EU backs resolution18.11.06. M. Haider, Dawn / ICH. ‘The UN General Assembly on Friday voted overwhelmingly to condemn Israel for "indiscriminate and disproportionate use of force" in its military offensive in Gaza which, according to the Palestinian ambassador, threatens to "destroy the entire people." The resolution was passed by a vote of 156 to 7, with six abstentions. The US, Israel and Australia voted against the document while all the European Union members supported it.’
United Nations - Where are Your Troops ? The Israelis are Heading for Large Scale Massacres on Gaza Strip !"Israel" Is Planning New Ground Offensive
23.11.06. Hiyam Noir, Palestinian Free Voice / uruk. ‘Inside "Israel" there are demands for a larger- scale offensive against the Gaza Strip. The "Israelis" decided on Wednesday to step up the offensive against the Gaza Strip, demanding a high-scale ground operation.
The "Israeli" terrorist operations on ground continues in the northern Gaza Strip for the third consecutive day.’
Israel and IraqThe puppet's last dance16 – 22.11.06. Abdallah Al Ashaal, ahram.org. ‘Iraq will remain a scar in the face of US foreign policy for years to come. The US has proved itself to be clueless about regional politics all the way from Iraq to Afghanistan, from Lebanon to Palestine. Oil and Israel were all that the world's sole superpower could think of, and the consequences were nothing short of disastrous. Ironically, while Washington was contemplating a showdown with Iran, Israel was shoring up its relations with the emerging powers of the world: India and China.’
Iraq war was good for Israel: Olmert22.11.06. D. Williams, Reuters / ICH.
UK / PalestineNo Peace, No Place For Palestine22.11.06. S. Samples, ICH. ‘To be fair, Britain's Tony Blair has advocated peace in the Middle East throughout his tenure, but it's difficult to get that process started when you've announced that you're walking "shoulder-to-shoulder" with George W. Bush and you have long been a proud member of the US/Israel/UK massacre tag-team wreaking bloody destruction throughout the entire area.’
Israel: War Pimp AlertsHamasIsrael orders killing of Hamas politicians18.11.06. U. Mahnaimi, The Times / ICH. Since withdrawing from Gaza more than a year ago, Israel has targeted Hamas’s military activists, but that has not stopped the rockets. Outraged by an attack last Wednesday on the village of Sderot, Israel is determined to ensure the political leadership in Gaza, the West Bank and abroad will “no longer escape responsibility” … Since the beginning of this month, 98 Palestinians have been killed..
IranBush: I would understand if Israel chose to attack Iran20.11.06. Y. Verter, Haaretz. Rice mentioned three reasons why the United States is currently unable to carry out a military operation against Iran: the wish to solve the crisis through peaceful means; concern that a military strike will be ineffective - that it would fail to completely destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities; and the lack of precise intelligence on the targets' locations. U.S. President George W. Bush and President Jacques Chirac of France met several weeks ago. Bush told his French counterpart that the possibility that Israel would carry out a strike against Iran's nuclear installations should not be ruled out.
Official says U.S. may mull pre-emptive Iran strike14.11.06. A. Croft, Reuters / ICH. The United States or other countries will one day be forced to consider pre-emptive action if Iran and North Korea continue to seek nuclear weapons, a senior U.S. government official said on Tuesday.
Bush will not hesitate to use force in Iran: Israeli ambassador15.11.06. Space War. Israel, widely considered the Middle East's sole if undeclared nuclear power, views Iran as its arch-foe, pointing to repeated calls by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to wipe the Jewish state off the map.
Olmert: Israel will challenge IranJTA / ICH. Israel “will not shy away from challenging Iran’s development of nuclear weapons,”
The Next Act19.11.06. S. Hersh, N. Yorker. Is a damaged Administration less likely to attack Iran, or more? The United States does not want to go into Iran, but, if Israel feels more and more cornered, there may be no other choice.” ‘If the Democrats won on November 7th, the Vice-President said, that victory would not stop the Administration from pursuing a military option with Iran. The White House would put “shorteners” on any legislative restrictions, Cheney said, and thus stop Congress from getting in its way.’
White House dismisses Hersh article19.11.06. AFP. Breitbart.com.
Islamic militancy could yield world war-US general18.11.06. S. Malone, Reuters / ICH. Army Gen. John Abizaid compared the rise of militant ideologies, such as the force driving al Qaeda, to the rise of fascism in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s that set the stage for World War Two.
CIA analysis finds no Iranian nuclear weapons drive: report19.11.06. AFP. A classified draft CIA assessment has found no firm evidence of a secret drive by Iran to develop nuclear weapons, as alleged by the White House, a top US investigative reporter has said.’
Israel’s Domestic Political Game Raises the Danger of a U.S.-Iran War20.11.06. Tony Karon.
US Could Bomb Iran Nuclear Sites in 2007: Analysts22.11.06. AFP / Common Dreams
Bush gives go-ahead for 'Bush Center' in Israel17.11.06. Haaretz / ICH. U.S. President George Bush was informed on Tuesday of an initiative to establish a center under his name in Israel, as a sign of gratitude for his support for the country and its security
MediaThe New York Times: Accuracy in Reporting of Israel / PalestineEnglish-language Al-Jazeera bets Americans will tune in for news15.11.06. Sanfrancisco Gate. "It provides incendiary coverage that radicalizes people," Cliff Kincaid, who edits Accuracy in Media's twice-monthly press critique, says of Al-Jazeera. … ‘"It gets them to hate America and to hate Americans." What hyperbole! See the
LIVE FEED.
Why did the US
bomb the Baghdad Jazeera office?
An inquiry demand has met US/UK government resistance. The US says that Jazeera was the
‘mouthpiece for Al Qaida.’ Read Danny Schechter’s article
here.
Al-Jazeera And The Truth06.12.06. C. Reese, ICH. Since American politicians have involved us so deeply in the Middle East, the American public is entitled to see the truth of what's going on over there. The public can't get that from American television, which sanitizes its reports. Al-Jazeera shows you the grim reality. When the Israelis kill children, they show you the bodies and the weeping mothers. They show you all the ugly truth about Israeli and American policies and actions in the Middle East. They show you what war looks like.
So you don't need an electronic bug in the offices of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee to know that AIPAC and the Bush administration are putting pressure on the distributors to shun Al-Jazeera. Denying Americans their First Amendment right to the truth, in regard to Israel, is always Job One with AIPAC. That is necessary because the truth about Israel's actions toward the Palestinians and other Arab countries puts the lie to all of the Zionist propaganda.
, Jimmy Carter: Jew-Hater, Genocide-Enabler, Liar14.12.06, D. Horowitz, Front Page. For full study of this dangerous and sick media society man and his world, and their corporate funding, see
The Haditha Doctor and the Media DissemblersIsrael boycott may be the way to peace15.12.06. Letters, Guardian. Signed by: John Berger,Brian Eno, Sophie Fiennes, Eduardo Galeano, Reem Kelani, Leon Rosselson, Steven Rose, Arundhati Roy, Ahdaf Soueif, Elia Suleiman and 85 others. Ten Palestinians are killed for every Israeli death; more than 200, many of them children, have been killed since the summer. UN resolutions are flouted, human rights violated as Palestinian land is stolen, houses demolished and crops destroyed. For archbishop Desmond Tutu, as for the Jewish former ANC military commander now South African minister of security, Ronnie Kasrils, the situation of the Palestinians is worse than that of black South Africans under apartheid.
PelosiWho is Nancy Pelosi? Bi-partisan consensus on America's War in the Middle East11.11.06. M. Gaffney, Global Research.
THE REAL SKINNY ON NANCY PELOSI16.11.06. Direlanland.typepad.com
Pelosi's Problem18.11.06. J. Nichols, The Nation. Of course, House Democrats made a mistake in choosing the slick favorite of Washington special interests, Steny Hoyer, over shambling populist John Murtha to serve as House Majority Leader. In one of the more ridiculous exercises of journalistic irresponsibility by a Washington press corps that is distinguished by nothing so much as its ineptness when it comes to offering useful perspective to the American people, Murtha was dismissed as an ethically-challenged mess of a man while Hoyer, the candidate of K. Street, was presented as the tidier Democrat. … While Murtha may be an imperfect individual, Hoyers imperfections are systemic. The Marylander who served as minority whip before the election is the embodiment of everything that is wrong with the insider Democrats of Washington: He votes right on just enough issues to keep in the good graces of Democratic special-interest groups. But he votes wrong on just enough economic issues to keep the doors of corporate America open to his fund-raising appeals. The sly strategy has worked for Hoyer -- Public Citizen rated the Maryland congressman as the "most dependent on special-interest money" in the House and ranked him fifth out of the 433 members reviewed for contributions received from lobbyists. … Where Murtha made his name by challenging the neo-conservative consensus on the war in Iraq in particular and foreign policy in general, Hoyer criticized his colleague for taking a stand, saying doing so "could lead to disaster."’
As new Congress organizes, Pelosi backslides on ethics17.11.06. Yahoo / usa today. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, anointed Thursday as the next speaker of the House, must have an awfully short memory for promises or an awfully narrow definition of corruption.
Perhaps both. Less than a week after Democrats captured the House on promises to reverse the Republican "culture of corruption," who did Pelosi back to become the No. 2 House leader? Rep. John Murtha (news, bio, voting record), D-Pa., who was implicated (though not charged) in one of Washington's most sordid scandals. And who has she refused to rule out as the next chairman of the ultra-sensitive House Intelligence Committee?
None other than Rep. Alcee Hastings (news, bio, voting record),D-Fla., a former federal judge who was impeached by the House and convicted by the Senate for conspiring to extort a $150,000 bribe in a case before him. Not exactly a flying start for setting a new ethical tone on Capitol Hill.’
Pelosi’s Price is Right for Jewish Community24.11.06. M. Berger, Jewish Daily Forward.
Ties to Israel nothing new for Senate's next majority leader29.11.06. Jerusalem Post.
You Don't Speak for All Americans on Palestine06.01.07. MAHMOUD El-YOUSSEPH, Counterpunch / ICH.
A Challenge to Nancy Pelosi. Since Mrs. Pelosi is so concerned about America 's tarnished image abroad, she should stop pandering to the powerful pro-Israeli lobby. Maybe then we can have a genuine and just peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
DEMOCRATS OPEN SPECIAL INTEREST LOOPHOLES15.01.07. Free Market. According to a posting at the Daily Kos blog by James Risser, newly chosen Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi [D-CA] has carved out exemptions to both measures for her own favored causes and constituents. Risser cites the official records, which show that in the first two bills before the new Congress, Pelosi has allowed exemptions – first (on lobbying restrictions) for
AIPAC and the
Aspen group, then (on the minimum-wage increase) for two companies doing business in American Samoa, both based in her own Congressional district.
Lobbies/AIPACHillary Clinton, AIPAC and Iran03.01.06. J. Frank, Counterpunch. ‘Israel, however, continues to develop a substantial nuclear arsenal, and in 2000 the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) reported that Israel has most likely produced enough plutonium to make up to 200 nuclear weapons. So, it is safe to say that Israel's bomb building techniques are light years ahead of Iran's dismal nuclear program. Yet the major U.S. ally in the Middle East still won't admit they have capacity to produce such deadly weapons. And while AIPAC and Israel pressure the U.S. government to force the Iran issue to the U.N. Security Council, Israel itself stands in violation of numerous U.N. Resolutions dealing with the occupied territories of Palestine, including U.N. Resolution 1402, which demands that Israel withdraw its military from all Palestinian cities at once.’
JOHN BOLTON’S SPEECH TO AIPAC POLICY CONFERENCE05.03.06
How the Israeli lobby uses intimidation to prevent academic freedom in the U.S.11.11.06. Video. At Columbia, the professors in the Middle East department believe there's a civil war under way for the hearts and minds of Americans. Discussion on the watchdog, Campus Watch.
Alleged AIPAC informant promoted06/23/06. JTA / ICH. The Bush administration promoted David Satterfield, an alleged informant for a former AIPAC lobbyist facing trial in a classified information case.
AIPAC Runs RightE. Alterman, NYU Tisch / The Nation. ‘The conservative colonization of much of the media, K Street lobbying firms and a good chunk of the judiciary has been well documented. It would therefore be surprising if other political institutions were resisting this trend. Perhaps some are, but don't for a second think that the conservative message machine is going to stop there. Over the years, owing to a variety of reasons and specific historical moments, the Republicanization and increasing hawkishness of the American Israel Political Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has continued apace, with little heed paid to the ramifications of this shift or its increasing alliance with the far right. Whether AIPAC is good or bad for US foreign policy is a topic of enormous and vitriolic dispute, and one I plan to avoid here (though of course I have pretty strong views). Rather, what requires some attention is the right-wing takeover of the organization and its increasingly close relationship with the Republican Party.
UN committee wants 'political' condemnations for rights abuses halted18.11.06. The Jurist. The resolution was sponsored by Belarus [JURIST news archive; Foreign Ministry press release] and Uzbekistan [JURIST news archive], both of which been accused of extensive human rights violations in the past. China, Cuba, North Korea, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Sudan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zimbabwe were co-sponsors. The United States along with many European countries oppose the resolution, saying it favors nations that are long-term rights violators.
Hoyer Addresses AIPAC Political Leadership Conference15.11.06. DemocraticWhip,house.gov. Full Speech.
24 Jewish organizations biggest fundraisers in US26/11/06. ynetnews. At the head of the Jewish organizations on the list was the United Jewish Communities (UJC) which ranked 34. The organization raised nearly USD 334 million in 2005.
A “Grand Settlement” Versus the Jewish Lobby03.12.06. J. Petras, ICH. Because of the refusal of the peace movement to take a stand and confront the Zionist Lobby, it is condemned to playing a passive ‘spectator role’ in the ‘Baker versus-Lobby’ battle for control over US Middle East policy.
Dems Rebut Carter on Israeli 'Apartheid'04.12.06. M. Brown, The Nation,
Letter from James Abourezk, former US Senator from South Dakota to Jeff Blankfort on the Israel Lobby04.12.06. Jeff Blankfort, uruknet. I can tell you from personal experience that, at least in the Congress, the support Israel has in that body is based completely on political fear--fear of defeat by anyone who does not do what Israel wants done.
Speaking frankly about Israel and Palestine08.12.06. Jimmy Carter, LA Times.
Last Word: Jimmy Carter25.12. – 1.01.07, NEWSWEEK/ MSNBC. Revisiting 'Apartheid.'
Why Condemning Israel and the Zionist Lobby is So Important25.12.06. J. Petras, Dissident Voice.
Will it help the Palestinians if the Democrats are in power?Wendy Singer, the Director General of AIPAC, says: “Our representatives are in a pro-Israel community. It does not matter which party will have control, because we have invested so much in the relations.”
America in No-Win War for Israel20.11.06. Harmony Grant, aljazeerah. The dots will never be connected by mainstream media, but the facts are there. In midterm elections, America yelled “no” to an Israel-first agenda that left American boys dead in Iraq, squandered American money and reputation, and, oh yeah, caused the deaths of 44,206
(465,000?) Iraqi civilians.
"There’s only one tiny problem: Americans don’t know who they’re mad at. The lefties among us think the war was about oil; the loyal Republicans think the war was about national security. Few are looking at the neoconservative Jews (Paul Wolfowitz, Elliot Abrams, Richard Perle, Douglas Feith, among others) who crafted this war on behalf of Israel. … We went into Iraq primarily to make the Mideast safe for Israel.”
ANTI ZIONISM=ANTI SEMITISM? IT SEEMS SO TO SOME23.11.06. Desert Peace, uruknet. ‘I have in recent days seen and heard ridiculous charges leveled against Gilad Atzmon, claims that he is an anti semite and should not have been invited to speak for the Scottish Palestinian Solidarity Campaign in Edinburgh last night. There were protests coming from renowned anti zionists in Britain as well as from the zionist 'alert rag' Engage. Engage, the very source that referred to me as an anti semite a few weeks ago has now added Atzmon to their 'list'.
All I can say is that if Engage's positions on who or who is not an anti Semite are being taken as Gospel Truth by anti zionists, then our movement is in serious trouble. Atzmon is a musician not a politician.’
Human Rights Abuses2007 budget to perpetuate gaps between Jewish, Arab schools16.11.06. Haaretz / ICH. The Education Ministry's 2007 budget will likely preserve the gaps between Jewish and Arab schools in terms of teaching hours, and development plans for minorities will also be slashed, Haaretz has learned.
WHAT THE AMERICANS DO NOT KNOW19.11.06. I. Ebeid, Al Mohrer / uruknet. The aggression against the Palestinians is widening and the United States of America is taking an active role in it. The country of "Justice for All" and its allies are maintaining a deadly blockade against the people of Palestine. Medicine, food and water are not available and the Palestinian children, like their young brethren in Iraq, are suffering the most. Hospitals and medical centers are not operating to an acceptable standard because of lack of medicine, water and electricity. A friend of mine died at a barricade, he was gravely ill, and he was not allowed to cross to the hospital which was a couple of miles away. He was neither the first nor the last to die at the crossings or barricades. American taxpayer money is supplied to the Zionist terrorists to maintain this racist entity and to build settlements on Palestinian confiscated lands. American guns and bombs are killing Palestinians every day and in every spot of occupied Palestine.
"Israel," is guilty of mass murder but President Bush and our political parties, Republicans and Democrats are giving the Palestinians deaf ears and blind eyes, they are ignoring the tragedy and giving the racist Zionist state strong support, protection and immunity.”
Palestinians banned from travelling in yellow-plated cars, driver will be prosecuted20.11.06. maan news.
Chris Hedges: Bring Down That Wall20.11.06. Truth Dig.
Israel high court upholds northern route of security barrier26.11.06. The Jurist.
Military Launches Investigation into 2003 Shooting of ISM Activist Brian Avery26.11.06. Y. Yoaz, Haaretz / Palsolidarity.
Hebron Settlers Trespass on Palestinian’s family’s land with IOF Complicity26.11.06. Palsolidarity. org.
GOODBYE TO THE ARSENAL26.11.06. Black Looks
December 9th: Big Day of ActionPalestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and the Boycott Israeli Goods Campaign (BIG) are calling on activists around the country to join a day of boycott action against Israeli militarism and apartheid.
Video. Israeli Occupation Forces Demolish Palestinian Homes06.12.06. 8 min.
Child detainee threatened with rape during interrogation05.12.06. IMEMC / uruknet.
The last casualty?08.12.06. G. Levy, Haaretz / ICH. The numbers don't lie. They never do. In the past month, the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces was 45 times greater than the number of Israelis killed by Palestinians. The Palestinian dead included 13 minors.
Palestinians win legal right to sue Israel for damages13.12.06. Independent
VideoIsraeli Occupation Forces Demolish Palestinian Homes.
06.12.06. 8 min.
Child detainee threatened with rape during interrogation05.12.06. IMEMC / uruknet.
The last casualty?08.12.06. G. Levy, Haaretz / ICH. The numbers don't lie. They never do. In the past month, the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces was 45 times greater than the number of Israelis killed by Palestinians. The Palestinian dead included 13 minors.
Palestinians win legal right to sue Israel for damages13.12.06. Independent.
The Boy They Killed was just a village boy09.01.07. The We. Stunning photo story.
Who rules Human Rights Watch?On human shields (and Human Rights Watch)23.11.05. Helena Cobban, just world news / uruknet.
Human Rights Watch versus Gandhi25.11.06. Xymphora / uruknet. ‘The increasingly obvious Human Rights Watch has officially come out against the Palestinian use of peaceful non-resistance against the daily attacks of Israel. It was becoming too effective, and had to be stopped.’
Weapons IndustryUnited States Rides Weapons Bonanza Wave18.11.06. E.S. Grecco, FPIF / ICH. ‘War, instability, and high oil prices have created a perfect storm of profit for the world's weapons manufacturers. … This is the eighth year in a row that the United States has led in global arms deliveries. The United Kingdom trailed in second with $3.1 billion and Russia was a close third, at $2.8 billion in arms deliveries.’
Video.
Why We Fight. 1.39 min.
Israel seeks futuristic nanoweapons to fight Palestinians16.11.06. n.z. herald. A high tech and unmanned "bionic wasp" capable of destroying a cell of militants or guerrillas is among a series of futuristic weapons being discussed a group of experts set up by the Israeli Vice Prime Minister, Shimon Peres.
The Israeli Poison Gas AttacksPalestinian doctors: IOF troops use hard-to-detect weapons against Palestinians26.11.06. Peace4Palestine.
US and Israel Targeting DNA in Gaza? The DIME Bomb: Yet Another Genotoxic Weapon, Part I05.12.06. aljazeerah. It is unfortunate that the US media have virtually blacked out the story of Israel’s new weapon, not least because our own military may soon be using it in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Part II;
Part IIIIsrael’s use of DIME bombs in context of DU12.12.06. Traprock Writers Blog / uruknet. The DIME bomb has been under development by the US.
U.S. Arms Sales: Agreements with and Deliveries to Major Clients,1998-2005December 15, 2006. Congressional Research Service.
More ReferencesHaitham Sabbah kindly suggested some of the following articles, as did Ragnar B. Johannessen from
The Peoples Voice.
ANNEMARIE & EMILY JACIRA Tale of Two Sisters: Witnessing an Undercover Israeli Operation in Ramallah (1)Annemarie Jacir writing from Ramallah, occupied Palestine, Live from Palestine, 15 November 2006. Electronic Intifada. “Four hours ago my sister Emily, her curator Carolyn and I were shot at by the Israeli army. My nerves are still shaky. We've been drinking ever since. My legs are weak. I feel I can't stand on them.
A Tale of Two Sisters: Witnessing an Undercover Israeli Operation in Ramallah (2)15.11.06. Emily Jacir, writing from Ramallah, Live from Palestine.
Electronic Intifada. “Today is November 15th. Today is our supposed "Independence Day". A joke. Was almost killed today."
KHALID AMAYREHZionism Must Be Dissolved For Peace1.11.06. K. Amayreh, Palestine.info
USA pushing Arabs into extremism12.11.06. K. Amayreh, Palestine.info.
Right of return is the heart and soul of the Palestinian problem23.11.06. Palestine.info
SABBAH’S BLOGUS Veto To Support Israeli Crimes11.11.06.
‘Hello’, this is your NIGHTMARE wake up call!16.11.06.
Did You Know?24.11.06.
Traveling in or out of the Holy/Honey Land Is No Fun24.11.06.
Visit Palestine29.11.06. Video by Calhome Butterly.
VIDEO Anthem for Someone's Child. 4 min.
Visit Palestine29.11.06.
Video by Calhome Butterly.
UMKHALILElie Wiesel, Again26.11.06, Umkahlil. "I suppose it is inevitable that Elie Wiesel turns up in the New York Daily News reminding everyone of the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's "murderous regime."
BooksCarter Discusses New Book on Israel and the Middle East16.11.06. J. Siegal, Forward.com.
+
Sarah Meyer is retired and now a researcher living in England.
Palestine: Wake Up America was first published by the BRussels Tribunal at:
http://www.brusselstribunal.org/MeyerPalestine.htmThe Index Research url to ‘
Palestine: Wake Up America’ is:
http://indexresearch.blogspot.com/2006/11/palestine-wake-up-america.htmlThis research will be updated.
Tags:
Index Research,
Palestine,
Israel,
Blair,
Pelosi,
Hanoun,
Hanun,
Hanoon,
AIPAC.
Gaza,
Geneva ConventionsLabels: Beit Hanoun, Israel, Palestine, war crimes
Digg this
Email this
Naomi Klein 
