EDITOR: Dangerous Vacuum Threatens the Middle East
In few weeks we shall be marking three years to the barbarous invasion and destruction of Israel in Gaza, on December 28, 2008. The 22 day attack has caused the death of over 1400 Palestinians, over 440 of them children, and the mass eradication of Gazan infrastructure. Since then, Israel has continued its blockade of Gaza, and life there is at its lowest ebb ever. Despite the removal of Mubarak after the January 25 revolution, the SCAF junta have continued to support the Israeli blockade, though on slightly easier terms. Movement in and out of Gaza is still not possible, and this illegal imposition on the human rights of the almost two million residents makes Gaza the largest open-air prison on earth, as well the one of densest population centres everywhere.Gaza is a massive war crime continuously perpetrated by Israel.
Israel could not have done this without the criminal collaboration of the western governments: US, UK, the EU, Canada and Australia. This group has not only backed Israel in its crimes in Gaza, but made sure that Israel is well provided financially and militarily, as well as diplomatically, and can continue to break international law as it pleases. The illegal apartheid wall, the continued piratical behaviour in the Mediterranean, the covert attacks against the Iranian nuclear installations and personnel, and the preparation for massive bombing in Iran, not to mention the daily iniquities imposed on the Palestinians in their own country, and the continued illegal settlements and land theft on massive scale – all these infractions of international law have been protected by the most powerful bloc in history, against the people of Palestine, as well as the Arab world, part of the west’s unwise and immoral support of the forces of reaction in the region, forces installed by western intrigue and covert as well open action, and serving its interests, mainly those of energy consumption and strategic control.
This is hardly secret or unknown. Every one in the Arab world understands this, as well as everyone in the developing world. For the population in the west, the situation has been normalised for such a long time, by media and politicians friendly to Israel and doing its bidding, that most people do not even notice the iniquity, not to mention illegality of such policies, and consider them to be ‘the order of things’. This situation, however, may well be at an end, and about to change.
Most people in the west have also not questioned Capitalism, the banks, and their governments financial stability until the latest crisis has ended all certainties, has transferred most of the value produced by the many into the hands of the very richest few, and has enslaved the western populations, and those elsewhere, for decades to come. The Great Provider, western Capitalism, is seen to be the tool enslaving huge populations, making tens of millions homeless and jobless, and wiping out the future prospects of billions of human beings. The decline of western Capitalism is also the decline and fall of the west, the demise of its stranglehold over the planet and its resources, the criminally-insane raping of earth, a by-product of centuries of imperialism and colonialism. It may take a long time to replace, a long time to develop a system which is more humane and planet friendly, but this painful process has started. The Arab Spring, a stunning social process of social and political liberation, is part of the series of changes we are now facing, struggling to understand and internalise. The west has not given up on its control, despite (and because of) such changes, and fights to reverse and derail them, with limited success. A complicated world has turned even more complex. Capitalism has lost its grip and its power base in the population.
Within Israel itself, the summer of 2011 has brought about a most interesting development – the so-called ‘tents protest movement’, demanding ‘social justice’, in a timely connection to the Arab Spring as well as to the global anti-capitalist protest movement now growing. Unfortunately, the movement seems to have come to an early and quiet death, as it so carefully avoided the issues of Palestine and justice for the Palestinians, as well as any peaceful resolution of the conflict in Palestine between the Zionist colonial project and the indigenous population. So much for political protest which tries very hard to depoliticise itself… A grand opportunity not seized by the Israeli population of connecting to the people of the Middle East, rather than shooting at them.
This is a dangerous time. Israel and its fascist leaders are sensing the change and are freaking out, preparing for more grabs and bolder infringements, nastier attacks against the people of Palestine, always hoping for the chance to bring about the second Nakba, and the completion of removing the people of Palestine from their country, and making it Arabrein. The latest spate of anti-democratic, fascist and racist legislation in Israel is part of this change, pointing towards the direction in which Israel is headed. This is a period in which they feel they can get away with more crimes, as the world focuses its gaze on the coming decades of economic gloom. This is the most dangerous period for the Middle East and for Palestine, but also for the people of Israel.
Protesters in Israel and West Bank face increasing restrictions, report finds: Haaretz
Annual assessment released by Association for Civil Rights in Israel cites various means employed to silence participants in social protests, as well as in anti-occupation demonstrations.
By Gili Cohen
In its annual assessment of human rights in Israel and the territories, scheduled for release today, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel points to increasing efforts to restrict freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.
Among other issues, the State of Human Rights Report 2011 cites various means employed to silence participants in the social protest movement that began in the summer and claims that democratic debate in the country has been increasingly restricted in the face of the protest.
According to the report, some protesters were arrested and released only after promising “not to attend demonstrations in the near future,” while others were summoned to conversations with police officers or Shin Bet security service agents, who warned them about the possible consequences of their behavior. The report’s authors noted that despite regulations requiring police officers to wear a uniform with an identification badge at all times, increasingly officers confronted protesters without wearing badges and sometimes even with their faces concealed (for example, while dispersing a demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah, during the demolition of homes in al-Araqib and also in Lod, while serving eviction notices in Silwan and while evacuating Havat Gilad ). The authors point out that part of the reason for the obligation of police officers to identify themselves is to deter the abuse of authority.
According to ACRI, the Israeli authorities deprive Palestinians living in the territories of freedom of expression and freedom of assembly by declaring all demonstrations, even nonviolent ones, as illegal gatherings. As such they are dispersed by security forces using means such as tear gas, water jets, a sonic device known as “the scream” that emits an intolerably loud, high-pitched sound and “the skunk,” with its payload of foul-smelling liquid, in addition to the use of force.
The report documents several instances of political activists in Israel and the West Bank being summoned by security officials to “warning talks.” They include an Israeli Arab who is active in Tarabut-Hithabrut, An Arab-Jewish Movement for Social & Political Change. He was called in for a police interview but was instead questioned by a Shin Bet agent about his political views and in connection to a demonstration he attended. In another case, an Israeli Arab university student was questioned about his political activities after taking part in a protest against Operation Cast Lead. A third example involved two activists from Anarchists Against the Wall who after their arrest were visited by a female Shin Bet agent who told them the agency was aware of their activities and would step in if they broke the law.
The report was critical of recent bills that have been submitted to the Knesset that the authors characterized as jeopardizing the basic freedoms that are the core of democracy, including the freedom of expression, assembly, thought and opinion. These draft laws include the “boycott law,” which permits sanctions against supporters of an anti-Israel boycott and “discriminates against people holding certain political views and greatly hurts a legal, legitimate and nonviolent means of protest”; the Naqba Law, which makes it possible to deprive organizations that oppose the core principles of the State of Israel of funding and “does great damage to the freedom of political expression, to artistic freedom and to the right to demonstrate,” according to the report.
The report also addresses issues including human rights violations against minors and foreign nationals being held in detention facilities in Israel and the territories, and the silencing of social rights in Israel.
Jewish settlers attack Salem village in Nablus: OCCUPIEDPALESTINE
DECEMBER 3, 2011
NABLUS, (PIC)– Dozens of Jewish settlers under military protection savagely attacked Saturday morning Salem village east of Nablus city and assaulted its Palestinian farmers.
Eyewitnesses said that settlers from Elon Moreh and Gideon settlements opened fire at the village’s famers and attempted to steal herds of cattle from them.
They added that a large group of the village’s young men rushed to the area and bravely fended off the settlers who retreated amid the protection of Israeli soldiers.
Dozens of Palestinian young men are still guarding their village’s borders while the fleeing settlers are standing along a bypass around the village in an attempt to launch another attack.
Egyptian election results ‘disturbing’ says Israel’s defence minister: Guardian
Early successes for Muslim Brotherhood prompt Ehud Barak to voice fears that international treaties will not be respected
Israel’s defence minister, Ehud Barak, has said that initial results from Egypt’s parliamentary elections are “very, very disturbing”.
Few official results have been released from the first round vote, but leaked counts point to a clear majority for Islamist parties led by the Muslim Brotherhood.
Barak said he hopes Egypt’s first parliament to be seated after the ousting of Hosni Mubarak will respect international treaties, including its shaky 1979 peace treaty with Israel.
Israel’s main fear is the Muslim Brotherhood, which has been cool to the peace treaty and has close ties with the ruling Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip. The election is being held in stages and the final outcome won’t be known until next year.
Israeli foreign ministry spokesman, Lior Ben Dor, said Israel is not surprised by the Muslim Brotherhood’s initial election gains and is convinced the Israel-Egypt peace treaty will remain intact.
“We respect the election results in Egypt. This is the Egyptian people’s choice,” Ben Dor said.
In a statement on a Hamas website, top Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzouk said that “the Egyptian people have voiced their confidence in the Islamists … We do believe that Egyptian support in the future will be more for our cause.”
Israeli journalists are censoring themselves: Haaretz
Israeli journalism’s dereliction of duty began long before now, and before we declare war on those outside who would do us harm, we should first look deep within.
By Gideon Levy
Hundreds of Israeli journalists will gather in Eilat today for their annual professional conference. They have little to be proud of. It’s true that threats hangs over this conference, the threat of politicians to injure journalistic freedom, the threat of the economic crisis to harm the media and the threat of technology to eliminate print journalism, but Israeli journalism’s dereliction of duty began long before this frightening twilight hour. And what they face today is entirely their own fault.
Before we declare war on those outside who would do us harm, we should first look deep within.
For many years, until just recently, Israeli journalism enjoyed great liberty. Military censorship contracted significantly; unacceptable institutions like the Editors’ Committee effectively ceased to exist and the pressures placed on journalists were negligible.
In addition, most branches of the media were in good shape economically. It is ironic that Israeli journalism is falling down on the job precisely in such excellent circumstances. Come the day of reckoning it will be found wanting for these years of blindness, complacency and extreme nationalism.
Israeli journalism censors itself to the point of harm. Part of it has become a means of entertainment while inciting our more base passions. Part of it now appeals to emotions, not reason, and deals with trivial rather than important issues, taking part in the campaigns of denial and obfuscation. No one asked this of it, it did so on its own. It often turned propagandist, too. Journalism hasn’t been conscripted. It signed up itself.
The journalistic tom-toms were beating before the most recent wars, calling in unison for another ferocious assault. The media lined up in support of every war, offering no criticism. That came only afterward, when it was too late to repair the damage. Israeli journalists authorized nearly every transgression, and many forgot the difference between public diplomacy and journalism.
The images the world saw of Operation Cast Lead, for example, were not the ones shown to Israelis. Some of the military correspondents liken themselves to spokesmen. Nowhere else in Israeli journalism is criticism of the establishment so lax.
The version of events offered by the Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson’s Office is always victorious and often the only version available. Its delegitimization campaigns against such organizations as Breaking the Silence and Anarchists Against the Wall received full cooperation from the media. No Israeli journalists have been allowed into the Gaza Strip for five years, and no one utters a word in protest.
Israeli journalism is the senior partner to the delegitimization campaign against the Palestinians; it is the most important tool for maintaining the occupation. It isn’t an issue of right and left, it is a betrayal of its purpose. It broadcasts false fears, from “all of Gaza is booby-trapped” on the eve of Operation Cast Lead to “Iranian weapons are smuggled through the tunnels” to the lie of calling that one-sided assault a war.
Israeli journalism adopts every military euphemism in the book and collaborates with the distortion of reality. There’s nothing like Israeli journalism when it comes to saving people from moral qualms over what is being done in their name.
Journalists serve unholy goals with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, too: When Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas presented his borders proposal to the Quartet last week, it was barely reported. Israeli journalism swallows whole the government’s claim of there being “no partner” for talks, and to hell with the truth.
It called the Mavi Marmara activists “terrorists” and labeled the Gaza-bound aid flotilla a “threat.” Any justified criticism of Israel is immediately branded as anti-Israeli, not to mention anti-Semitic.
Any “friend of Israel” is a friend of wars and the occupation. Israeli journalism practices the religion of the military and sanctifies the ritual of death. The same is true for social issues: It practices the rites of the rich (until recently) and turns away from need.
The list goes on. The media can also claim many accomplishments, such as courageously investigating numerous scandals and fighting steadfastly against corruption and the threats to democracy. But at the end of the day, at the end of the years of darkness, we are at least partly responsible for more than a few of the ills that are now rising against us to silence us.
