As I listened to the radio this morning to a 90 year old veteran of WWII, I had nothing but respect for the bravery he must have had as a 25 year old fighting on the front lines in Normandy. A thought crossed my mind as he went on describing the gory details he had to witness, are we going to reflect back on the soldiers of today the same way we reflect on the ones who died in the two world wars?
The whole nature of war has changed so dramatically in the past few years, that it is even hard to classify any of the violence across the world as a ‘real’ war. We have seen the rise of a type of war where a professional army faces scattered groups of rebels united by a set of beliefs. We have a seen wars (massacres would perhaps be a better description) where multi-million dollar jets drop multi-million dollar weapons on mud houses, refugee camps, and weddings. These wars are fought
by thousands of troops brainwashed to believe that they’re bringing freedom, and justice. These are the “vets” of today. Troops fighting behind thick armour, equipped with advanced weaponry, and armed with falsified facts and fabricated objectives. Behind them is a media machine pumping Orwellian messages into air waves. We hear war, justice, and freedom in the same sentence, and we see family vans and SUV’s with “Support our Troops” ribbons stuck to the back.
Fifty years from now, I wondered, which wars will we reflect back on? And are we going to be honest with ourselves and remind ourselves of the mistakes we have committed during those wars?
Her arrogance is growing day by day, perhaps it's in reaction to the slow but noticeable change of opinion towards her, or maybe it's just stemming from growing levels of ignorance. One doesn't have to dig deep to see the signs. In one instance we have Israeli President, Peres, warning that Syria should not expect the Golan heights to be given back to her on a silver platter. In another she's upping the ante against Iran to make sure that she's the only one in the region with nuclear weapons. We hear her Prime Minister using a new language for legitimizing settlements, "natural growth" he calls it, completely ignoring that the natural growth of these illegal settlements is counterbalanced with an unnatural confiscation of Palestinian farm lands. Her politicians were furious when President Obama applied but the tiniest pressure to freeze the "natural growth". Taking 78% percent of original Palestine wasn't enough, she's after he 22% using force, illegal occupation, and an ever changing set of laws designed to rob Palestinians of their homes and farms. Her media uses the laughable expression "security fence" to describe the electronically monitored, soldier manned, automatic rifle protected, nine meter high concrete wall, cutting deep into Palestinian territory robbing even more land, and imposing a status quo. I'm talking about the same "fence" that the International Court of Justice had deemed illegal, and called for the dismantelement of yet again just a few days ago. They are trying to make gains even in their travel posters posted all over London. In the poster a map is shown including the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and the Golan Heights under the banner of Experience Israel. The tourism ministry defended the poster saying that they intended to show areas in and around Israel, not to convey a political message. How nice of them to promote vacationing in occupied Palestinian and Syrian land.
Things on the inside are also getting worse for 1948 Palestinians living inside Israel. Last week the Israeli Transport Ministry decided to get rid of Arabic and English names for cities and villages on street signs keeping only Hebrew names, in a clear attempt at erasing any memory of the existence of Palestinians before the "creation" of Israel. And to artificially turn Israel into a pure Jewish state, arid of any Arab roots. Jerusalem will now be referred to as Yerushalaim in all languages, completely disregarding Jerusalem and Al-Quds. To finish off the job Jewish extremists in Jerusalem are going around the city defacing the Arabic writing on street signs.
Maybe it's an illusion but it seems like things are getting worse at a much quicker pace than before. I interpret it as desperate attempt for Israel at making as much gains as possible before pressure mounts (if it ever will) from the international community. It has been mounting on a grassroots level. I have certainly witnessed stronger, better organized activist campaigns that have been and continue to be very successful at showing what's really happening. It took the world 300 hundred years to recognize the horrors in South Africa. I have a feeling it will take a lot less time to realize the horrors perpetrated by Israel. Especially when we have the likes of President Carter, Archbishop Tutu, and John Dugard agreeing that what's happening in Palestine is worse than Apartheid in South Africa. But who knows I could be just an optimist.
What was Bin Ladin’s biggest blunder? Are you ready for this? He didn’t say the magic word.That’s right, had Bin Ladin said “sorry” after the attacks on the twin towers everything would have been fine and dandy.After all we all make mistakes, and if parents teach you anything it’s that a real man (or woman) takes responsibility for his/her mistakes.Look at Hillary Clinton for example.Last night over 100 Afghani civilians died in an accidental “strike” (a soft word for bombing).What does Clinton do? Well she apologizes, she just release a statement saying that she’s “deeply, deeply sorry.”That should patch things up with family members who are left grieving over their loved ones.
While you’re at it, why don’t you deeply apologize for all future “accidental strikes.”
They stumbled over each other, elbowing one another each trying to be the first person to escape from the crowded room.Blasphemy was in the air and nobody could bear to hear it.The words being uttered on the podium just didn’t make sense.Once outside they put their hands together and pledged their allegiance by issuing ‘official’ statements condemning the ‘hate speech’ they had to endure.Didn’t the speaker read the rules before attending the conference on racism?
While I disagree with some of Ahmadinejad’s views, one cannot dismiss everything that comes out of his mouth, as Western diplomats have done today.The guy had a point.Israel is a racist government and there are facts supporting his statement. Have a read of the following Israeli laws and some of the commentary that follows, and assess just how blasphemous Ahmadinejad was today:
Section 7A(1) of the Basic Law: The Knesset (1958), passed in 1985 Bars a list of candidates from participation in elections to the Knesset "if its aims or actions, expressly or by implication" deny "the existence of the State of Israel as the state of the Jewish people."
This sort of thinking is still existent in main stream Israeli society.For instance, last week Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu stated "Israel expects the Palestinians to first recognize Israel as a Jewish state before talking about two states for two peoples." The statement that Netanyahu wants to hear would set the stage to expel Palestinians (Christians and Muslims) who are currently Israeli citizens, out of Israel.An act that Israeli Foriegn Minister, Avigdor Lieberman promised during his election campaign.A Jerusalem Post article described Lieberman’s promise
“ [Lieberman’s] aim is not to deport terrorists or traitors. No, his goal is to deport Arab citizens, no matter whether they're law-abiders or criminals, whether they're construction workers or doctors or housewives or newborn babies, for no other reason than that they are Arabs.”
Law of Return (1950) Grants right of immigration to Jews born anywhere in the world. Amended in 1970 to extend this right to "a child and a grandchild of a Jew, the spouse of a Jew, the spouse of a child of a Jew and the spouse of a grandchild of a Jew." A "Jew" is defined as "a person who was born of a Jewish mother or has become converted to Judaism and who is not a member of another religion."
Non-Jewish native-born Palestinians - most importantly those who fled during the Zionist massacres in 1947 and 1948 - are in most cases prevented from returning.
My grandparents belong to the category of “Non-Jewish native-born Palestinians.”They were forced out of their village in 1948, and have lived in Syria as Palestinian refugees since.In an earlier post I described the sorrow that they experience on a daily basis since their expulsion 61 years ago.
Land Acquisition (Validity of Acts and Compensation) Law (1953) Confiscates the land of more than 400 Palestinian villages; "validates" retroactively their use for military purposes and for Jewish settlements.
The tens of acres of farms, for which my grandfather still has the ownership papers, are among the land confiscated by this law.
National Planning and Building Law (1965)
Creates a system of discriminatory zoning that freezes existing Arab villages while providing for the expansion of Jewish settlements. The law also re-classifies a large number of Arab villages as "non-residential" creating the "unrecognized villages." These villages do not receive basic municipal services such as water and electricity; all buildings are threatened with demolition orders.
These are just some of the realities not discussed in the media.They are truths that are consciously ignored by the very same diplomats who walked out on Ahmadinejad this morning.Instead of exposing the facts, the media machine works instantaneously and tirelessly to paint a convoluted image of the truth, throwing labels left and right, while massaging in the all too familiar propaganda phrases we are so used to hearing by now. Conferences like the one held today are a great idea.They should be an open forum for discussing injustices no matter which side the injustice is incurred by.As soon as you limit what can be said at a conference like this, you take away all credibility.Sadly, this is exactly what happened today.
While the world was relieved last fall from what history will remember as the worst leader to ever walk the earth, Canadians were stuck with the remnants of Bushism with the Harper government.The parallels between Harper and Bush are too many too mention, and the events unfolding in Canada right now are the biggest proof of how we’re still stuck in the age of Bush.
Last week, Immigration Minister Jason Kenny, sent an official letter to British MP George Galloway banning him from entering Canada because, get this, he presents a threat to our national security!Galloway has just completed a lecture tour in the United States, where he presented no threat at all, but apparently he had other plans for Canada.
Galloway who is vocally opposed to the War on Afghanistan, Iraq, and critical of Israeli aggression against Palestinians, has been labeled as a “controversial British MP” in the media.His recent effort to relieve Gazan’s of their suffering was the main motive behind barring him from entering Canada.That and the fact that our right wing government cannot tolerate people who oppose a failing “military campaign” costing Canadian tax payer money, and more importantly, lives.
Today a judge failed to grant Galloway the right to enter Canada, forcing him to deliver his lecture via a live video feed from across the border.Plans are underway for a huge crowd to greet Galloway on another border crossing later this week.A group of Canadian MP’s, lawyers and activists will attempt to escort Galloway into Canada.If their plan fails the “controversial” MP will give his lecture via megaphone, making Canada look even more like an Orwellian state!
While all of this was happening the Jewish Defense League couldn’t keep it in their pants and had to go on boasting on how strong of a lobbying power they have over the Canadian government. Newspapers are now reporting:
A letter – sent March 16 to Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, his cabinet colleague Peter Kent and opposition MPs – asked the government to keep that "hater" out of Canada.
"We asked that he not be allowed in," said Meir Weinstein, national director of the Jewish Defence League of Canada.
So what has been Galloway’s response to all of this nonsense? Here are some excerpts from his op-ed in the Guardian.
Kenney is quite a card. A quick trawl establishes he's a gay-baiter, gung-ho armchair warrior, with an odd habit of exceeding his immigration brief. …Most curiously of all, in 2006 he addressed a rally of the so-called People's Mujahideen of Iran, a Waco-style cult, banned in the European Union as a terrorist organisation. On one level being banned by such a man is like being told to sit up straight by the hunchback of Notre Dame or being lectured on due diligence by Conrad Black. On another, for a Scotsman to be excluded from Canada is like being turned away from the family home.
But what are my views on Afghanistan which the Canadian government does not want its people to hear? I've never been to Afghanistan, nor have I ever met a Taliban, but my first impression into the parliamentary vellum on the subject was more than two decades ago. At the time the fathers of the Taliban were "freedom fighters", paraded at US Republican and British Tory conferences. Who knows, maybe even the Canadian right extolled these god-fearing opponents of communism. I did not, however …
The Afghans have never succumbed to foreign occupation, heaven knows the British empire tried, tried and failed again. Not even Alexander the Great succeeded, and whoever else he is, minister Kenney is no Alexander the Great. Young Canadian soldiers are dying in significant numbers on Afghanistan's plains. Their families are entitled to know how many of us believe this adventure to be similarly doomed and that genuine support for troops - British, Canadian and other - means bringing them home and changing course.
To ban a five-times elected British MP from addressing public events or keeping appointments with television and radio programmes is a serious matter. Kenney's "spokesman" told the Sun, "Galloway's not coming in ... end of story." Alas for him, it's not...
I made this image to reflect the ratio of civilian casualties between the Israeli and Palestinian sides. By the time I finished working on it, the ratio had already changed, by the idea remains clear. The fact of the matter is, the casualties have been mostly Palestinian with the majority of them being children and women. This is clearly discussed by one of the few heroes of this war.
For the best coverage on the Gaza disaster I urge you to watch Aljazeera English for free! I guarantee you will be surprised at how much is (purposely) missed by the conventional news networks.
British journalist questions whether legal action could be taken against pro-Palestinian commentators
It seems that some Western journalist have gotten so used to biased media reporting, that they view any true reporting to be worthy of legal persecution.This is the case with Daily Mail columnist, and Spectator correspondent Melanie Philips.
In a recent blog post, Philips goes on and on about the necessity for Israel to attack Gaza in self defense, meanwhile calling the UN a “Club of Terror”, and blaming Palestinian deaths on Hamas. She even condones the disproportionate civilian death toll suffered by Palestinians saying :
“Those who scream ‘disproportionate’ think – grotesquely -- that not enough Israelis have been killed. But that’s in part because Israel cares enough about human life to construct air raid shelters where its beleaguered civilians take cover.”
Philips assumes that starving Palestinians without electricity or food, should have been preparing shelters in anticipation of Israeli bombs.Perhaps Palestinians should blame the Club of Terror UN for not building bomb proof schools. Last week, a UN school where Palestinians have been taking shelter was shelled by an Israeli tank leaving over 40 civilians including women and children dead.Philips would probably condone Israel’s actions by saying something along of the lines of:
“Certainly, some civilian casualties are regrettably inevitable in any such situation – but particularly so in Gaza, since Hamas has deliberately sited its terrorist infrastructure amongst the civilian population”
But even this doesn’t hold ground since reports by Earth Times, Reuters and now Haaretz, have shown that there was no fire coming from the UN school where the refugees were taken shelter.But these kinds of reports wouldn’t please Philips.At the end of her misleading, poor journalistic post she asks:
“Isn’t there a case for legal action against these media outlets on account of their blood libels, for indirectly aiding the perpetrators of attempted genocide?”
And just to be clear here, the genocide Philips absurdly speaks of is that of the Israeli population inflicted by Hamas.A genocide perpetrated by a militia with home-made rockets, against the 4th strongest army in the world, and the best technically equipped army, only second to the US.
As the civilian death toll in the attack against Gaza mounts, and as governments worldwide remain silent to the numerous breaches of human rights on behalf of Israel, citizens worldwide are expressing their anger through demonstrations.Aljazeera is reporting millions of people worldwide going out to the streets and telling their governments enough is enough.Canada is no different.Multiple demonstrations have been held in Ontario and Quebec the past couple of days, including demonstrations in Kitchener, Toronto, Montreal, and Hamilton.
On Saturday multiple organizations organized a very successful demonstration in downtown Toronto drawing over 5000 people from a wide range of backgrounds.The mood was emotional and charged, while the police presence was plentiful and varied, with some on foot, others on horseback and bicycles.People carried signs, flags and mock-up coffins to symbolize the innocent victims, while chanting slogans calling for the end of the occupation, shame to Israel, and freedom for Gaza and Palestine.A small group of pro-Israel demonstrators mobilized across from the Palestinian demo holding up signs ironically saying “Israel = Love” which could be true if “Love” equated to blood and missiles.
The demonstrators marched on Toronto’s busy Yonge Street towards the Israeli Consulate, where several people gave speeches and demonstrators chanted slogans reflecting their anger.The demonstrators continued on to the American Consulate to be greeted by tens of cops and metal barriers, putting the demonstrators at least 150 meters away from the consulate.“Shame on Bush” “Shame, Shame USA” and “From Iraq to Palestine, Occupation is a Crime” were only a few of the handful of slogans repeated by thousands. Through the whole demonstration hundreds of peoples stopped to learn about the occupation, some held out peace signs, others chanted with along with the crowd.
I think it would be optimistic to expect demonstrations like Toronto’s would stop the Israeli aggression against Gaza. At a minimum these demonstrations get the word out.The media’s bias has been shameful. The few missiles Hamas has launched is getting more coverage than the thousands launched by Israel responsible for killing over 500, and injuring 2500 Palestinians thus far. The governments’ silence is deafening.How many more innocent lives have to be ended before the US, and the morally corrupt, useless organization that is the United Nations draw the line?Mr. Bush along with his puppy Ban Ki-moon raced to condemn Russia’s invasion of Georgia a few months ago but continue to the turn the other way through the Gazan struggle. It’s becoming really clear that in the currency of lives, The Palestinian isn’t worth much. I'll leave you with some images of the demonstrations, more on my flickr page.
Children protesting in front of City Hall in Kitchener
