Shattering the Myth of Democracy and Equality in Israel

An Interview with Dr. Hatim Kanaaneh

Hatim Kanaaneh was an eleven year old boy when his peaceful village of Arrabeh, Galilee, was invaded by Jewish terrorists and the villagers forced to surrender in 1948. What followed was living under a military regime, which had absolute powers, a life filled with terror and humiliation, coupled with a curtailment of freedom and infringements on human rights. Discrimination was evident in all aspects of everyday life, even in the education system, something Dr. Kanaaneh experienced first hand when he was denied entry to the Hadassah medical school because he was deemed to be unqualified.

He later attended Harvard and received his medical degrees, following which he returned to Galilee where he worked as a physician for thirty-five years. He founded the Galilee Society for Health Research and Services, and also the Elrazi Center for Child Rehabilitation, the first such facility specifically designed to serve rural Palestinian children. He is now retired from clinical practice but continues to be an active member of the Galilee Society and serves on the Board of Directors of Elrazi.

Dr. Kanaaneh’s memoirs have been published in a book, A Doctor in Galilee: The Life and Struggles of a Palestinian in Israel, (Pluto Press, June 20, 2008), which gives readers an in-depth look at the struggles he, and the Palestinian minority in the Jewish state, have faced over the last 60 years, and which they continue to face. His first-hand experience of life inside Israel contrasts with ex-US President Jimmy Carter’s contention that the term “Apartheid” only applies to Israeli practices in the Occupied West Bank and Gaza.

I spoke with him via e-mail.

Angie Tibbs: Dr. Kanaaneh, it’s been almost 61 years since Arrabeh was forced to surrender to Jewish terrorists. What is life like today, not just for the people of Arrabeh, but for all Palestinians who are living inside what is called Israel?

Dr. Kanaaneh: A prime feature of our life is our imposed separate residential areas, separate towns and villages. Even in so-called ?mixed cities? some Arab slums are separated by concrete walls and barbwire from the better-off Jewish neighborhoods. Our communities, with one or two exceptions, fall in the bottom three centile rungs in the socio-economic grading of Israeli communities.

AT: Tell me about that.

Dr. K: Our towns and villages have fewer internal resources, be it industry, commerce, tourism, or agriculture. And they receive much less financial assistance from common central budgets, only 3-5% of the total.

Sixty-one years after the establishment of the state, one has to be blind not to see the physical differences between an Arab town, even the best-off one, and a Jewish town: pot-holed roads without sidewalks, no public spaces, no private lawns, overcrowding, children playing in the streets for lack of playgrounds, ? and the list of signs of neglect is endless.

But these are only the physical symptoms. At a deeper level we constitute an undesirable element, a foreign element in the body of a state whose planners and decision makers define it to exclude us. Israeli Zionist Leaders have variously likened us to a cancer in the body of the state or a fifth column not to be trusted. At best we are seen as a hindrance, a stumbling block for planners to maneuver around in formulating their visions of the future of the state. At worse, we are a demographic ticking bomb to be dismantled at all costs.

The late Rabin was the most tolerant of Israeli leaders, accepting our presence up to a limit of twenty percent of the total population of Israel, a limit we have nearly reached now. That kind of pronouncement by presumed liberal leaders of Israel is ready fodder for incitement by openly racist politicians, the likes of Avigdor Lieberman, an immigrant from Moldova, who legitimized and popularized the concept of transfer to where over two thirds of Israeli Jewish adults approve of it.

How do I feel living in such openly hostile socio-political environment? I feel quite insecure: mentally anguished and physically threatened. I function with an ample reserve of paranoia, constantly on the lookout for signs of harmful intent behind every move by anyone outside my immediate circle of family and friends. When I start doubting those, I will know that I have lost the fight.

AT: Progressive writers, Kim Petersen and B.J. Sabri, wrote a 12-part series entitled “Defining Israeli Zionist Racism” which deals at length with racism inside Israel. What, if any, discrimination and/or racism have you observed and/or encountered?

Dr. K: Discrimination is a built-in part of life and the laws of the country. Remember that what we are dealing with here (and the basic issue of contention in the conflict between Zionism and all of us native Palestinians) is a conflict over land.

As a Palestinian I am disqualified by law from equal access to land ownership or use. This is given a deeper expression in the form of the Law of Return granting any Jewish person anywhere in the world automatic citizenship with all the benefits that accrue with it of access to land, housing, financial and social assistance, and to the symbols of the state while no Palestinian who is not born here can dream of ever becoming a citizen.

Recently laws were passed specifically to prevent our children from marrying other Palestinians and from the right to bring their spouses under the standing laws of family unification applicable to Jewish citizens.

The absolute majority of land we, the Palestinian citizens of the state of Israel since its establishment in 1948, once owned has been confiscated for the benefit of our Jewish co-citizens through a maze of some three dozen laws specifically designed for the purpose. Were it not for the 1976 uprising that has come since to be commemorated as Land Day, we would have lost the remainder. We, nearly one-fifth of the total population of Israel, now own about 3 % of its land. After all, we are dealing with what has been defined by Zionism as ?the land of Israel? in an ethnic sense, a definition that excludes us, Palestinians. The last stroke in the continuing saga of disenfranchisement is the requirement from us to pledge allegiance to Israel as the state of the Jews. And once we take such an oath, it would be up to the same racist crowd to define what constitutes a breach of it, a process inevitably leading to our expulsion one way or the other.

Beyond such basic discriminatory laws the whole official system and all Zionist civilian structures, many of which are legally entrusted with state-level powers and duties, are imbued with a sense of messianic zeal. Our experience with such bodies is not unlike a preview of the current practices in the Palestinian Occupied Territories where Palestinians are not allowed to drive on roads for settlers. The multitude of new settlements, named ‘Mitzpim’, or hilltop lookouts, are intended to guard the land in Galilee from us, its indigenous population, and they are surrounded by barbwire and interconnected by special roads that bypass our villages. True, we were not prevented from using those roads, but they were of little use to us because they led only to the various settlements.

At the practical level this translates into set rules and regulations that exempt Palestinians like me from all sorts of benefits if they are not openly anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian. Much of this is practiced under the blanket justification of security, the holiest of all holy cows in the country.

AT: What about employment opportunities for Palestinians, in particular, young people?

Dr. K: A psychologist colleague just informed me that he had gone through two years of theoretical and practical training as a lie-detector expert/operator before he found out that one needs to have served in the Israeli armed forces to qualify for a license.

Our youth, unlike Jewish youth, are exempt from the draft. Positions from which they are disqualified on this basis when they seek employment run the gamut from civil aviation all the way down to the manufacturing of ice-cream.

The worst part of the daily discrimination that we meet with is the fact that much of the final decisions on so many little items are left to the discretion of low-level bureaucrats. These, by and large, have been brought up on a deeply self-centered world-view that sees the world as one of constant struggle between ?us?-the Jews and ?them?-the Goyim and considers one?s duty as serving his own people. This, of course, leaves me out of ?the favors? many officials consider it their duty to do their clients. Intentional obstructionism is more often what we face.

Another area in which this phenomenon is evident is the differential implementation of the law. Take, for example, the practice of house demolition within Israel. Mind you, we are not speaking here of the savage collective punishment practiced by the Israeli occupying forces against Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. We are speaking of the practice of demolition of homes built without permit within Israel proper.

In absolute numbers there are more illegally constructed structures in Jewish communities, but the demolition is practiced almost exclusively against Arab home owners. The basis for the construction of homes without permit is also rooted in discriminatory practices in the laws of zoning which in many cases have retroactively criminalized all residents of many villages whose existence predated the state, itself. Such “Unrecognized Villages” are frequently the site of home demolitions.

The cumulative end result of all the openly discriminatory laws, the hidden disadvantages, and the differential application of the rules and regulations are clearly seen in comparative figures from officially published data of the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics.

As a Public Health practitioner I can point to the single most telling indicator of the well-being of a community, that of Infant Mortality Rate, or the number out of a thousand infants born in a certain year who die before their first birthday. This statistic regarding the most vulnerable segment of a population reflects such community attributes as the income level, the level of education, the sanitation, etc. etc.

The relative ratio of the IMR between Arabs and Jews in Israel has run at the level of almost exactly 2 since ever statistics were collected on both groups. In the last decade it has been on the rise, a reflection of increasing discrimination. One could look at many other statistics such as the level of poverty, education, housing, etc. and the gap is obvious, but IMR sums it up best.

AT: Do you see East Jerusalem being annexed completely by Israel, and, if so, what will happen to the Palestinians living where they have lived for millennia although the land has been rechristened Israel?

Dr. K: Jerusalem has already been unilaterally and completely annexed by Israel. What many people do not realize is that the city?s municipal boundaries have been expanded tremendously since its annexation to include many formerly independent Arab communities as well as some pristine wilderness turned into housing projects.

Generous funding from Jewish communities around the world and from Western governments made this possible. Yet part of the overall plan is to render the expanded city the Jewish-only capital of the state and of world Jewry. The residents of the old city of about 300,000 Palestinians were granted residence status but not full citizenship in Israel. They are slowly but constantly coerced by various means, legal and otherwise, to evacuate their Jerusalem homes and neighborhoods.

AT: How do Palestinians living in Israel view the ongoing Israeli attacks on their kin in Gaza and the West Bank?

Dr. K: At the personal level I can answer that best by referring you and your audience to my blog where the attack on Gaza featured in more than one posting. To sum that up I can testify to a sense of anger, frustration and impending danger. The daily scenes of war atrocities and destruction are enough to move the conscience of anyone with a morsel of humanity. When the violence is visited on one?s own brethren and next of kin the effect is doubly infuriating.

As a community we reacted by withdrawing into self-imposed isolation in our villages and slum neighborhoods in the cities. There was also an outpouring of donations of food, clothing and medicine though little if any was permitted to enter Gaza. More important, perhaps, were the daily demonstrations in our communities against the carnage, a way for our youth to vent their anger in non-violent ways.

Psychologically, a common theme I have heard expressed by many individuals around me is the fear for our own future.

AT: How so?

Dr. K: The worst case scenario we fear is of the world averting its eyes from our suffering and allowing Israel one day to drive us out of our homes under an imposed news blackout when the next war breaks out with a neighboring country, say, Syria or Lebanon. If the world could sit still and not be moved to protect our brothers and sisters in Gaza from the white phosphorous and DIME bombardments and from the endless air, sea and land assault against them, why would it lift a finger to protect us from summary expulsion from our homes? And such contingency plans for our expulsion are known to exist.

In recent weeks the plot of such conspiratorial theories has thickened even further: In recent years drugs have slowly become available on our streets with little interference from the police. More recently guns and live munitions have become easily available to our youth and the police seem to keep its eyes closed. Older and wiser members of our community theorize that this is done consciously in preparation for the final assault so that the Israeli authorities can claim that an armed uprising is brewing in our community and this would be enough of an excuse for calling in the tanks, the F-16s and the Apaches.

I cite this only as an example of the degree our paranoia has reached as a result of the attack on Gaza.

AT: You mentioned a very real fear is that the world will turn a blind eye to your suffering and allow Israel to one day drive you out of your homes. Who do you see as the strongest supporters of the Palestinian people in their struggle?

Dr. K: At the official level few countries, with the exception of Iran and of South American nations recently liberated form the clutches of USA hegemony, such as Chavez’ Venezuela, openly support the Palestinian people. None of the world’s heavy weights stands behind us. At the individual level, again, few in the world are informed and concerned enough to give our issues much thought. That leaves the fringe activist community in Europe and North America as our best defenders in the corridors of effective power brokerage.

Potentially, the Arab and Islamic masses are a shoo-in as our back-up crowd, but they lack the freedom and democratic means to pressure their dictator presidents, kings and emirs to respond to their wishes. Their countries? governments mostly follow the straight and narrow path dictated by their American allies with their a? priori acceptance of all things Israeli.

In the end, we Palestinians, inside and outside historical Palestine, are left burdened with the task of pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps; we are our own best spokespeople and supporters. Despite our spacial dispersal, internal factionalism and disunity, we have so far managed to put our issues on the world?s agenda, albeit belatedly and haltingly. Our resilience and stoicism have proven to be valuable assets in a less-than-caring world.

The Jewish people have elevated their past suffering and future potential to axiomatic heights in the world’s conscience. It is now our turn.

AT: What do you see happening in the future with respect to Palestinians living in Israel? Are you anticipating any improvement or do you expect things to get worse?

Dr. K: It is likely to get worse before it gets better. In the long run, I remain optimistic that general decency and common sense will triumph. The ?democratic and Jewish state? that Israel declares itself to be is an oxymoron by definition.

I see it as a three-piece puzzle that has space for only two. One part has to go. So far the Zionist system in Israel has skimped on democracy and successfully hidden the way it has disenfranchised a fifth of its population from the international community. That is no longer possible especially with the rise of civil society organizations and the advent of the Internet.

Also, I do sense a new readiness in the West, and specifically in the USA , to listen to an alternative discourse coming from quarters other than the standard pro-Israel lobby, even if it is still very reluctant to change its stand on ?minor matters? such as the issue at hand.

Rightists in Israel who make up the clear majority in Israel have expressed their views clearly in our last elections. Such leaders as the new Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, seem to share my analysis of the three-piece puzzle. The only difference is that they plan on throwing the Palestinian minority out and thus maintaining a truly Jewish and democratic Israel.

I am gambling on their failure and betting on the commitment of the majority of humanity to justice and equality. In taking such a risk I am counting heavily on the promising views of President Obama, for example.

It may not happen in my lifetime, but I foresee the eventual decline of fascism and fanaticism in the world, including in our region, and the rise of secular humanitarian views and solutions to common problems.

I know many decent people around me, both Jewish and Palestinian, and I would like to think that our shared humanity and decency are slowly contagious. If good people like you keep the world alert to the short-range dangers and help us avoid a calamitous quick end of our combined dreams through the actions of the Liebermens and Netanyahus, then the rise of true democracy in Israel can be expected.

This will ultimately be the nucleus of the one-state solution for Palestine and Israel.

AT: Thank you very much, Dr. Kanaaneh.

Angie Tibbs is Editor of Dissident Voice and Editor of Poetry on Sunday. She can be reached at: angie@dissidentvoice.org. Read other articles by Angie.

61 comments on this article so far ...

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  1. Ismail Zayid said on April 6th, 2009 at 11:15am #

    Congratulations on this eloquent statement demolishing the myth of Israel as the land of freedom and democracy, as we are often told that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. This is evidently true for its Jewish citizens but certainly has no reality as it is applied to its Muslim and Christian citizens. Dr Kanaaneh confirms this clearly. Israeli laws and practices display a clear racist treatment of its non-Jewish citizens.

  2. Gary D. Keenan said on April 6th, 2009 at 12:37pm #

    Dear Angie
    Congratulations!!!! A wonderful, informative and truly moving exchange with the esteemed Dr. Hatim Kanaaneh who exemplifys the courage, steadfastness and noble character of Palestinians. Although it presents itself to the world as a democracy, even a cursory analysis reveals that Israel is at best an ethnocracy that blatantly discriminates against non-Jews.
    Once again, well done Angie!!

  3. mary said on April 6th, 2009 at 12:42pm #

    Having knocked the living daylights out of the people in Gaza, the persecution continues unabated. The Israelis would like to starve them to death. For instance, there are 9,000 tons of aid waiting at the Rafah gate, 60% of which has perished.

    This in from the International Solidarity Movement – Gazan fishermen abducted by Israeli forces

    ISM Gaza Strip

    http://fishingunderfire.blogspot.com/

    Since Friday 13th March 2009, 16 fishermen from the Gaza Strip have been abducted by the Israeli Navy.

    12 were abducted while fishing off the coast of Beit Lahia; Zaki Mostafa Tarowsh, 44; Ismaeen Zaki Tarowsh, 16; Thaher Mahmoud Zayad, 45; and Nedal Thaher Zayad, 23 were abducted on Friday 13/02/2009.

    Kamel Deeb Alankah, 57; and Yoness Deeb Zayal, 36 were abducted on Wednesday 18/03/2009.

    Ramzy Mostafah Alsultan,36; Anes Mohammed Alsultan, 20; Ashraf Hossan Alsultan, 34; Mohammed Hossan Alsultan, 23; Mahmoud Mohammed Zayad, 23; and Fahme Salah Abu Reash, 18 were all abducted on Thursday 19/03/2009.

    4 were abducted on Wednesday 25th March while fishing near Rafah;
    Mohammed Abulah An Najjar, 26; Khalil abdullah an najjar, 20 ;Yousif Abdullah An Najjar, 18 ; and Ali Hasan an Najjar,18.

    The fishermen were forced at gunpoint to strip naked and swim from their boats to the Israeli warships. After being taken to Ashdod they were all released within 24 hours. The Israeli Navy have however impounded all of their boats – 7 in total.

    International law, and various agreements to which Israel is a signatory indeed recognise that the Fishermen from Gaza have a right to fish at least 12 miles from shore at a bare minimum. In practice however a “law of the gun” has been enforced by the Israeli Navy, and this right has been denied to them.

    According to numerous reports from the international media the Israeli Navy were enforcing a no fishing zone 6 miles from shore prior to the wholesale attacks on the population of the Gaza Strip. It has been commonly reported that in the wake of these attacks, this limit has been reduced to 3 miles.

    The fishermen abducted from Beit Lahia however say that this is not the whole story, and that for them, the limit has been reduced to a mere 200m. Were this not bad enough, all of them were actually within this limit when they were abducted. Several of them say that whilst in captivity, when they told Israeli investigators where they had been abducted from, the investigators expressed surprise and told them “… but that is not a forbidden area.”

    It is unclear what the Israeli military regard as the official “forbidden” area. There are no official channels of communication open between the Israeli Navy and the fishermen from Gaza. All the information regarding this that the fishermen have is delivered at gunpoint, and is inconsistent with the actions of the gunboat crews. Experience informs the fishermen that at any moment any portion of Gaza’s territorial waters can be deemed “prohibited” by the gunboat crews, no matter how close to shore, and irrespective of what the gunboat commanders have previously decreed (the status of these decrees as both arbitrary and illegal in the context of international law should also be noted).

    This uncertainty is further compounded by what the fishermen say are unusually high levels of aggression by the gunboats. On the 17th March 2009 a gunboat crew shot Deeb Alankah, in the arm and the back. He was less than 200m from shore near Beit Lahia, and says that no warning was given to him nor demand made before he was shot. Other fishermen confirm that typically when the Israeli gun boats begin shooting at them, they now do so without warning.

    Deeb’s father Kamel Deeb Alankah was one of the fishermen abducted on the day after his son was shot. He says of his interrogation; “A colonel in the intelligence said “We shot Deeb by mistake.”

    I told him “why did you shoot at us, on the sands and the small boats, you killed us.”

    He said all of this was done by mistakes, I said “no its not by mistake, when the shots hit a boat 3 meters long? Is that by mistake?””

    Israel is refusing to return the 7 fishing boats – the sole means of income for fishermen already greatly impoverished by the siege on the Gaza Strip.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The powerful do indeed own the law.

  4. eileen fleming said on April 6th, 2009 at 12:53pm #

    “Israel is a not a democracy but is an Ethnocracy, meaning a country run and controlled by a national group with some democratic elements but set up with Jews in control and structured to keep them in control.” -Jeff Halper, American Israeli, Founder and Coordinator Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions.

    A Palestinian state already lies in the belly of Israel. Justice equates to equal human rights for all and that is the only way to security for any.

  5. Enrique Ferro said on April 6th, 2009 at 1:58pm #

    I was definitely impressed as I read Dr Kanaaneh’s book, a compassionate reflection on life, injustice and inequality endured by Palestinians on the Western side of the Green Line. I liked his refusal to indulge in comfortable clichés, and also his introspection into his own progress, his triumphs but also his failures. A highly human account on one’s life, far from the usually bombastic fantasies…
    The last journey in this life is devoted to a tree, an old, centenary olive tree which might epitomize the Palestinian soul.
    A beautiful book, which may help us to grasp the Palestinian story of dispossession and oppression beyond cold analysis and rather within the warm experience of a doctor who renounced career and position in order to achieve the betterment of his fellow men and women.
    I warmly urge you to read this book, as a unique testimony.

    Enrique

  6. Jeff said on April 6th, 2009 at 8:15pm #

    “A passionate attachment of one nation for another produces a variety of evils. Sympathy for the favorite nation, facilitating the illusion of an imaginary common interest in cases where no real common interest exists, and infusing into one the enmities of the other, betrays the former into a participation in the quarrels and wars of the latter without adequate inducement or justification.” ~George Washington, ~page 269 of The 5000 Year Leap.

    “The nation which indulges toward another habitual hatred or habitual fondness is in some degree a slave. It is a slave to its animosity or to its affection, either of which is sufficient to lead it astray from its duty and its interests.” ~ George Washington

    “Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none.” ~ Thomas Jefferson

  7. Mulga Mumblebrain said on April 6th, 2009 at 8:32pm #

    In Australia, public comment on Israeli crimes is severely censored, and any criticism that escapes the Zionist Thought Police is promptly labelled ‘anti-Semitism’. The public broadcaster, the ABC, which was stacked with extreme Rightwingers, including notorious Zionists, both Judaic and Gentile, under George Bush’s suppository, John Howard, conducts a blog known as ‘Unleashed’. The comments there on issues dealing with Israel are rigorously censored, although a number of criticisms of Israel are allowed, to give the facsimile of ‘debate’. The process that other blogs use, of listing posts that were denied publication, by which mechanism any bias could soon be discerned, is denied. The ‘moderators’, of course, are anonymous. In recent blogs the bias towards the Israeli position is becoming more pronounced, undoubtedly reflecting Zionist pressure behind the scenes, which is always ferocious and intimidating, and the abandonment of pointless effort by those chronically censored. A common claim of the Zionists is that Israel is a little paradise of inter-ethnic harmony, with its Arab citizens enjoying full equality and friendship with the Judaic citizens. Any alleged disharmony is purely the concoction of ‘anti-Semitic’ ‘friends of terrorists’. I never cease to be amazed that our societies are so corrupt as to allow one tiny, bellicose and belligerent group to dominate debate and impel us all to religious war, all the time demanding unstinting praise and adulation, and vilifying any who dare differ as racists, the most pathological projection imaginable.

  8. mary said on April 7th, 2009 at 11:37am #

    Greeting Mulga. You are so right. Canada, US, UK, many European countries, New Zealand and Australia (and some other countries I’ve probably missed out) always support Israel whatever they do or say, such is the power of the their lobbying.

    I wondered whether the situation in Australia was any better with Howard out of the way and with a new Prime Minister but it sounds as if it is not. He seemed to be having a good time in London playing on the G20 stage with the bigger boys. He was interviewed on the BBC and looked suitably pompous.

    This is a review of Dr Kanaaneh’s fine book by a friend, Janet Walker, in our informal group of supporters of Palestine. Janet is writing a dissertation on Christian Palestinians for her MA in Pastoral Theology and is a member of the Cambridge branch of the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign.

    http://www.badil.org/al-majdal/2008/autumn-winter/reviews01.htm

    There is a photo of Dr Kanaaneh standing by his fine olive tree in this article.

    http://www.badil.org/al-majdal/2008/autumn-winter/reviews02.htm

  9. jon s said on April 8th, 2009 at 3:51am #

    It seems to me that it’s time for a more balanced approach to the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Sure, Israel deserves it’s share of criticism for some of its policies and actions, but those of us on the Left should also comdemn the Hamas : for their deliberate attacks on Israeli civilians; for their use of their own population as human shields and using schools, mosques, UN facilities and residential areas to launch attacks; for the summary executions of Fatah activists; for their inhuman treatment of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.. We could also mention the Taliban-style theocracy they are imposing: not the kind of society we would support.

  10. mary said on April 8th, 2009 at 5:44am #

    Wondered where the trolls had gone following their presence here during Cast Lead!

  11. bozh said on April 8th, 2009 at 7:25am #

    john s, yes,
    we need more balance btwn palestinians and israelis: US and christians shld support both equally. palestinians shld obtain F-16s, navy, army, spy agency, tanks, artillery, helis, and about $50bn a year to make things even.
    as for hamas, they are killing land robbers, murderers, siegers, torturers; thus are not killing innocent people.
    however, i do advise that palestinians resist peacefully. that is easy for me to say, not living in gaza which is not inhabited by apes but people.

    so you what sainthood for victims? it cannot be obtained.
    have germans and italians obatained a peaceful occupation in euro lands they occupied?
    and haven’t the allies and its people cheered partizans on and even approbated their crimes?
    john s, please more balance! tnx

  12. mary said on April 9th, 2009 at 2:23am #

    Mulga – Here is confirmation, if it was needed, of what you were telling us about the censorship in Australia of any comment that could be described as critical of the Zionist state. This time they are ganging up on Jeff Halper, a Jew.

    http://ramallahonline.com/content/3189-an-unhelpful-discourse-on-israel

  13. jon s said on April 9th, 2009 at 3:17am #

    Mary- Are you referring to me? Am I a troll??
    Bozh- A word of advice: You could use the “spell-check ” function to avoid your spelling mistakes.
    As to the issue itself: I was referring to the Hamas attacks on the Israeli civilians , on innocent people. Also all their other crimes that I mentioned.

  14. Hue Longer said on April 9th, 2009 at 4:01am #

    jon s,

    Your definition of “crimes” needs some flesh…If I stood around grimacing and hoping that my futile spite hurt someone when actually didn’t…Would that be a crime? This is even before we ask if I had a right to grimace at all

  15. bozh said on April 9th, 2009 at 7:19am #

    jon s,
    give me your problems such as misspelling by the bushelfuls and i’d give you just one of mine and then u’d know what a problem is.

    as for innocence, you not only lose your home but also the town and country u live in to chechens with support from USSR, n.korea, vietnam, cuba, venezuella, china, all afrika, and how innocent wld be chechen civilians moving in your twn and home?
    it is an ancient ruse, tho still in use, as your use of it testifies, to equate two entirely different victimhoods.
    victim1 loses her home to victim2 who just arrived from moldova. by law of nature, one is legally and morally OBLIGATED to get one’s home back by any means wahsoever. tnx

  16. jon s said on April 9th, 2009 at 10:57am #

    Hue Longer- I was referring to the Hamas’ crimes, that I mentioned in my previous post.
    Bozh- Again: I mean innocent civilians, including women, children,old people, non-combatants. It looks like you don’t recognize the existence of a category of Israeli “innocent civilians” . For you all Israelis are guilty, and legitimate targets , even if they are week-old infants or 90 year old grandmothers. That’s a textbook definition of racism.

  17. Laser said on April 14th, 2009 at 12:25am #

    How nice to have a unbiased reporter interview an unknown. Or perhaps the interviewer in not so unbiased? (“Angie Tibbs is a writer/**activist**.”)

    The description of this gentleman reminds one of the claims that Yasser Arafat was a Palestinian. You would not be surprised that Yasser Arafat was a nephew of Uncle Haj Amin al-Husseini (who allied himself with Hitler). Arafat was born in Cairo, named Rahman Abdul Rauf al-Qudwa al-Husseini. Arafat took over the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization), which was established in 1964.

    In July, 2007, Ahmed Jibril, secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command, said he had been told by of Mahmoud Abbas’ staff members that Arafat died of AIDS (http://bit.ly/aYXY2). The PFLP-GC belongs to the Palestine Liberation Organization, the terrorist umbrella group chaired by Arafat. Abbas was Arafat’s long-time assistant and is his successor as PA leader and PLO chairman.

    When Arafat’s own physician, Dr. Ashraf al-Kurdi, repeated his diagnosis on al-Jazeera television, he was instantly cut off,” the National Review reported. “But what else is new? In Arafat’s lifetime it was easy to guess his condition from his appearance. His permanent entourage of young boys, most of them orphans, also spoke for itself. The doctor’s accusation that somehow Israel managed to poison him is the usual attempt to pass responsibility for everything on to the Jews.”

    And the lack of media interest in the story may reflect the usual reluctance to report news showing Palestinian leaders in a less-than-favorable light.

    See also http://cli.gs/6zGzsP .

  18. Angie Tibbs said on April 14th, 2009 at 5:20pm #

    And the purpose of your dissertation, ripe with innuendo, is what?

    Did Dr. Kanaaneh and I mention the late President Yasser Arafat in this interview?Did we debate at length possible causes for his death?

    We did not, proving yet again that supporters of Israeli terrorism will do anything to detract from the issues being discussed.

    Curious while blathering on about Mr. Arafat, you didn’t mention one very real possibility for his death — murder.

    http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m29419&hd=&size=1&l=e

    You may not know Dr. Kanaaneh, sir/madam, but no one ought to be concerned about that. Your contribution to this open forum has shown us that you don’t know very much — period.

  19. Laser said on April 15th, 2009 at 12:00pm #

    Angie, Arafat died of AIDS. He was not murdered. Unless of course you consider that the infecting of one person by another who carries AIDS is murder.

    It is well known that Arafat slept with male youths. It is doubtful that he fathered Suha’s child.

    While you are removed from the scene, you ought to become familar with facts.

  20. Laser said on April 15th, 2009 at 12:03pm #

    Since Israel ended its incursion into the same Gaza Strip it had voluntarily left several years ago, a sense of reality among Arabs is spreading through commentary by Arab pundits, letters to the editor, and political talk shows on Arabic-language TV networks. The new views are stunning both in their maturity and in their realism.

    Perhaps the best way to convey them is in to repeat a letter to the Palestinian Arabs from their Arab friends. This was written by Youssef M. Ibrahim, a former New York Times Middle East Correspondent and Wall Street Journal Energy Editor for 25 years, a freelance writer based in New York City and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

    He writes:

    Dear Palestinian Arab brethren:

    The war with Israel is over.

    You have lost. Surrender and negotiate to secure a future for your children.

    We, your Arab brothers, may say until we are blue in the face that we stand by you, but the wise among you and most of us know that we are moving on, away from the tired old idea of the Palestinian Arab cause and the “eternal struggle” with Israel.

    Dear friends, you and your leaders have wasted three generations trying to fight for Palestine, but the truth is the Palestine you could have had in 1948 is much bigger than the one you could have had in 1967, which in turn is much bigger than what you may have to settle for now or in another 10 years. Struggle means less land and more misery and utter loneliness.

    At the moment, brothers, you would be lucky to secure a semblance of a state in that Gaza Strip into which you have all crowded, and a small part of the West Bank of the Jordan. It isn’t going to get better. Time is running out even for this much land, so here are some facts, figures, and sound advice, friends.

    You drag out for television interviews keys you hold to houses that do not exist or are inhabited by Israelis who have no intention of leaving Jaffa, Haifa, Tel Aviv, or West Jerusalem. You shoot old guns at modern Israeli tanks and American-made fighter jets, doing virtually no harm to Israel while bringing the wrath of its mighty army down upon you. You fire ridiculously inept Kassam rockets that cause little destruction and delude yourselves into thinking this is a war of liberation. Your government, your social institutions, your schools, and your economy are all in ruins.

    Your young people are growing up illiterate, ill, and bent on rites of death and suicide, while you, in effect, are living on the kindness of foreigners, including America and the United Nations. Every day your officials must beg for your daily bread, dependent on relief trucks that carry food and medicine into the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, while your criminal Muslim fundamentalist Hamas government continues to fan the flames of a war it can neither fight nor hope to win.

    In other words, brothers, you are down, out, and alone in a burnt-out landscape that is shrinking by the day.

    What kind of struggle is this? Is it worth waging at all? More important, what kind of miserable future does it portend for your children, the fourth or fifth generation of the Arab world’s have-nots?

    We, your Arab brothers, have moved on. Those of us who have oil money are busy accumulating wealth and building housing, luxury developments, state-of-the-art universities and schools, and new highways and byways. Those of us who share borders with Israel, such as Egypt and Jordan, have signed a peace treaty with it and are not going to war for you any time soon. Those of us who are far away, in places like North Africa and Iraq, frankly could not care less about what happens to you.

    Only Syria continues to feed your fantasies that someday it will join you in liberating Palestine, even though a huge chunk of its territory, the entire Golan Heights, was taken by Israel in 1967 and annexed. The Syrians, my friends, will gladly fight down to the last Palestinian Arab.
    Before you got stuck with this Hamas crowd, another cheating, conniving, leader of yours, Yasser Arafat, sold you a rotten bill of goods — more pain, greater corruption, and millions stolen by his relatives — while your children played in the sewers of Gaza.

    The war is over. Why not let a new future begin?

    Youssef M. Ibrahim

  21. Deadbeat said on April 15th, 2009 at 12:04pm #

    There is no such thing as “unbiased” journalism. Western “Journalism” has favored Israel and excused Zionism for decades.

  22. Deadbeat said on April 15th, 2009 at 12:09pm #

    This was written by Youssef M. Ibrahim, a former New York Times Middle East Correspondent and Wall Street Journal Energy Editor for 25 years, a freelance writer based in New York City and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

    For Mr. Ibrahim to survive writing for the NY Times who deliberately distorted the facts by allow Judith Miller to print lies in their rag pretty much sums up that the NY Times was NOT “unbiased”. The Times and the WSJ are long time supporters of Zionism and neo-liberalism and really cannot be trusted. The Times supported the run up to the Zionist War on Iraq with their lies and thus has no credibility.

  23. Angie Tibbs said on April 15th, 2009 at 4:15pm #

    This individual calling him/herself “Laser” continues the on-line tradition by supporters of Israeli terrorism; i.e., bringing unrelated topics into open forums.

    It is a clear indication that his motive is not to engage in any applicable discourse on the subject matter outlined in this interview, that being the racism and discrimination displayed by Israel’s government (military and all else besides) towards the indigenous people of Palestine living within what is called Israel, but to create diversionary tactics to steer the discussion away from it.

  24. Angie Tibbs said on April 15th, 2009 at 6:11pm #

    Youssef M. Ibrahim was born in Egypt, and, as such, never had to dodge Israeli bombs and other assorted weaponry in occupied Palestine. If he weren’t soft on zionism, he would never have been a correspondent for the New York Times; in fact, he is quoted in numerous zionist newsletters and the like. Need we ask why? Hell, no.

    Mr. Ibrahim is entitled to his opinion. However, he has no official standing to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people, either in Gaza or the West Bank, so anything he does say, is purely that — an opinion.

    And this piece, obviously written with the zionist entity in mind, doesn’t even make the cringeworthy category.

    Oh, and one more thing. Illegal squatters were removed from Gaza (with everyone playing their parts to perfection, the television show of the week), but the IDF and assorted forces have not.

    We see this outrageous, deceitful, and outright lying proclamation on all open forums where Gaza is mentioned. If Israel has “left” Gaza, who is (and has been) carrying out almost daily and deadly incursions? Who is refusing to allow Gazans to move freely in and out of their homeland? Who is shooting at fishermen legally fishing off Gaza’s coast? And who controls Gaza’s air space? It sure as hell isn’t the Palestinian people now, is it?

  25. Laser said on April 16th, 2009 at 12:04am #

    Angie,

    You should know that Yasser Arafat was also born in Egypt. The difference between Arafat and Ibrahim is that the latter admits where he comes from, while Arafat falsely claimed to be a “Falastinian.”

    And you may know that Egypt engaged in more wars with Israel than did any “Palestinian” group, as if Ibrahim needed to establish his credentials.

    Ibrahim is an Arab. Angie is not! Now just WHO needs to establish credentials to discuss this subject?

  26. Laser said on April 16th, 2009 at 1:31am #

    The maker of the film, “The Third Jihad,” is a devout Muslim, who is devoutly against terror. In this remarkable and chilling film, he explains what the West faces, and how dangerous things really are – and why, as an American Muslim against terror, he stands alone.

    Everyone should see this. It is in English with French subtitles.

    http://snipr.com/g08st [e_blip_tv]

  27. mary said on April 16th, 2009 at 2:48pm #

    Rather an unfortunate use of the idiom – ‘missing the boat’ – by Laser above. The Israelis did NOT miss the mv Dignity on December 30th. They rammed it three times in total when it was 53 miles off the Gazan shores, in International Waters.

  28. Angie Tibbs said on April 16th, 2009 at 5:03pm #

    Israeli forces are displaying astonishing marksmanship in their pursuit of Gaza fishermen legally fishing off their own coast (another way they’ve devised to kill and injure Palestinians) and the appropriation of their fishing boats. Seven vessels seized just a short while ago in one attack.. They certainly didn’t miss any boats in that terrorist attack — or any other attack

  29. Laser said on April 16th, 2009 at 11:30pm #

    Angie has it almost right. There was no terrorist attack because the Israelis prevented it.

    And just this morning an Arab terrorist infiltrated into a Jewish town near Hebron in order to murder some Jews. Fortunately, the Jews neutralized him in time, before he carried out his terrorist action.

  30. Laser said on April 17th, 2009 at 1:09am #

    Deadbeat,

    I see that when you realize you are not making sense in your pro-terror arguments, you resort to profanity.

    If you think that this is the way to convince the masses, you really are sick!

    And if youthink criticiziong any particular group for the stupid mistakes they have made is called racism, then perhaps you need to buy yourself a dictionary.

    I pointed out that those Arabs who worked in agriculture at Gush Katif — and supported themselves and their families very nicely — learned how to make the desert bloom, and at the same time were part of a society that could have become self-supporting.

    You should have known that when the Jews left Gaza, they left their farms and irrigation systems were intact, to enable the Gazans to continue to farm.

    Instead of promoting their own people and making them self-sufficient, the clever Hamas terrorists who rule Gaza dismantled these pipes and turned them into rocket launchers.

    They never fail to shoot themselves in the foot. It is more important for these sick Islamists to kill Jews than it is for them to provide a livelihood for their own people.

    Right, deadbeat?

  31. Deadbeat said on April 17th, 2009 at 1:59am #

    Lazer you support a racist ideology and I don’t waste my time engaging racists like you. Zionism = racism. The problem is that the United States foreign policy is being held hostage by Zionists that have a grip on both the Republican and Democrats. In fact Obama disgustingly goes out of his way to appease racists like you and would not have won the election without kowtowing to Zionism. It a pity and very ironic that such racism after 4o years of people fighting and dying in the struggle against White Supremacy to see the United States being held in the vise of Zionism.

  32. dino said on April 17th, 2009 at 3:19am #

    Laser,i will not loss my time with you,i know you and the like of you very well.I am sure that you mocking on who speak with you about Israel and no argument could make you change what you are learnt to say by a stupid propaganda .In any case,a close friend of Sharon and his biographer,the late journalst Uri Dan, wrote that Israel killed Arafat how Israel did with many others
    Palestinian leaders.
    In the same measure ridicule is your attack on Arafat regarding his origin.
    Maybe you consider Peres,Golda Meir,Begin,Shamir,Lieberman with their origins or others as neoconservatores,and AIPAC more entitled to speak about Palestine and who has the right to live in.

  33. dino said on April 17th, 2009 at 3:28am #

    From an article by Stephen Landman in 30 dec.2006:”Longtime and now recently deceased confidant to former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Uri Dan, published a book in France that may have been his 2006 one titled Ariel Sharon: An Intimate Portrait in which he accused the former prime minister of assassinating Palestinian Authority (PA) President Yasser Arafat by poisoning him. Dan claimed Sharon got approval from George Bush by phone early in 2004 to proceed with his plan after he told the US president he was no longer committed to “not” liquidating the Palestinian leader who then was under siege and practically incarcerated in what remained of his Ramallah compound, most of which had already been destroyed by the Israelis in a lawless act of retribution against him.”

  34. Angie Tibbs said on April 17th, 2009 at 3:33am #

    Laser, I suggest you take a break. Your outright lies and distortions are so wearisome predictable, and the more you blather, the more your true colours show through. It’s not a pretty sight.

    Kindly leave me out of your sick musings. I do not want to be associated with anyone who supports Israeli terrorism and Israeli propaganda.

    You have brought nothing to this discussion whatsoever. You have done your very best to detract from the content of Dr. Kanaaneh’s interview.

    I do not know of anywhere in the world that could be more racist than Israel — racist marriage laws, racist Jews only roads, racist politicians, military, rabbis calling for the wholesale slaughter of the Palestinian population.

    And for God’s sakes, don’t start with the standard whine about anti-semitism. If that is the best you can do …

  35. Angie Tibbs said on April 17th, 2009 at 3:51am #

    Laser writes the following:

    “Angie has it almost right. There was no terrorist attack because the Israelis prevented it.

    I know that Angie would have preferred that the Islamist terrorists had indeed carried out their terrorist attack, but this time the Israelis foiled them in their evil plan.”
    _______________________________________________________________

    Laser cannot even read. I spoke about the continual Israeli terrorist attacks on the Gaza fishermen who are legally fishing off their own coast. Who knows what he is babbling on about.

    As I stated above, Laser, do not address me again. Do not take what I say quite clearly and turn it into some demented extension of your own mindset.

    Killing unarmed Palestinian fishermen, killing unarmed Palestinian men, women, and children with complete impunity and then lying about it is what the IDF do best and most often.

  36. Laser said on April 17th, 2009 at 6:58am #

    Angie, you accuse me of lying.

    Quite the contrary, I have not lied even once here. I see that you, like some of your friends here, stoop to ad hominem attacks when your have nothing to back up your case.

    Also, I am not at all demented. Angie, you’ll have to try harder than that.

    You speak of attacks on unarmed people. I presume you are thinking of the seven YEARS of unprovoked mortar and rocket attacks on unarmed Israeli civilians. Fired by Muslim terrorists who have no interest in bettering the situation of their fellow Arabs, but just are intent on killing and maiming as many Jews as they possibly can.

    Six hundred and nine of the 709 armed Palestinians killed during the operation were Hamas terrorist operatives and operatives belonging to the security forces under orders from the Hamas de-facto administration. In many instances, security force operatives also serve in the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military-terrorist wing.

    The Hamas administration issued a list of 232 internal security forces’ operatives who were killed during Operation Cast Lead, but examination showed that many them also served as commanders and terrorist operatives in the Brigades. In addition, about 100 operatives belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other terrorist organizations active in the Gaza Strip were also killed fighting at the side of Hamas against the IDF.

    Unarmed Palestinians, my foot!

    I rest my case and will continue to address whoever I see fit.

    .

  37. Laser said on April 17th, 2009 at 7:02am #

    Dino, I suggest you get off that hoax you mentioned.

  38. mary said on April 17th, 2009 at 8:26am #

    When will the troll cease?

    To give you all an idea of the depth of feeling, the extent of the protest here in the UK and the actions we supporters are taking against the illegal Israeli Occupation of Palestine, here is a link to the weekly update for April 17 2009 of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

    The headings are –

    1. Aid to Gaza ‘totally inadequate’
    2. Dutch party calls for sanctions against Israel
    3. The Hebron-ization of Silwan
    4. US sends more arms to Israel
    5. Israel worsens Palestinian prisoner’s conditions
    6. Provoking non-violence: settlers enter Al Aqsa Mosque
    7. Settlement goods – take action!
    8. Support grows for 16 May demo
    9. Palestinian art for sale
    10. George Galloway writes to the Charity Commission
    11. Solidarity with Palestinian railway workers in Israel
    12. Canadian filmmaker turns down offer to premiere film in Tel Aviv
    13. Interpal refused account by Co-op Bank
    14. Hope for Gaza convoy
    15. Support the Gaza 6

    http://www.palestinecampaign.org/index7b.asp?m_id=1&l1_id=2&l2_id=14&Content_ID=585

    I say Free, Free, Palestine. End the Occupation Now.

  39. mary said on April 17th, 2009 at 1:09pm #

    Reference Item 1 above, I came across this report on Kuwaiti News

    Israel turns back 250 tons of truckloads of food

    Military and Security 4/16/2009 6:17:00 PM

    CAIRO, April 16 (KUNA) — Israeli troops manning the land Al-Ojah checkpoint in Central Sinai sent back 13 truckloads of 250 tons of flour dispatched by the Egyptian Red Crescent to Gaza Strip on Thursday.
    The official Egyptian news agency, the Middle East News Agency, quoted a source in the association as saying that the Israeli authorities have hampered dispatch of aid to the Palestinians in Gaza Strip through this checkpoint.

    The source indicated that Egyptian authorities, had in the past, coordinated with the Israeli side for the dispatch of the humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. Up to 315 tons of food aid were sent to the strip through the land passageways on Monday.

    He indicated that the quality of returned food materials would be affected due to hard weather conditions.

    About 10,000 tons of food dispatched by Egyptians, Arabs and foreigners, have been kept in warehouses in Egypt since they were dispatched last December. He warned that they would expire soon, before delivery to the Gazans. (end) rg.hs KUNA 161817 Apr 09NNNN
    =================================================
    It was 36C in Gaza three days ag0. Imagine what life is like in the dust and rubble left after Cast Lead with indequate supplies of food and contaminated drinking water.

    I was trying to find out what progress the young American Tristan Anderson is making following his injury by a tear gas canister. In doing so I discovered that a Palestinian was killed today in the West Bank town of Bi’lin by one of these canisters

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8004442.stm

    and that an American Congresswoman is taking up Tristan’s case.

    http://www.taylormarsh.com/2009/04/12/tristan-andersons-easter/

  40. mary said on April 18th, 2009 at 4:58am #

    This is a video of the incident that resulted in the death of the young and peaceful Palestinian protester. When will the West get involved to stop this wanton and cold blooded cruelty?

    http://palsolidarity.org/2009/04/6185

  41. Laser said on April 18th, 2009 at 10:35am #

    Mary, let us take a look at just one of the hilarious charges you make, “Israel worsens Palestinian prisoner’s conditions.”

    The terrroists in Israeli jails get phone calls, see television, have visits from their families and mistresses, visits from the Red Cross, opportunities to plot terror activities.

    Gilad Shalit, who has been a prisoner of the Hamas for over three years, has not received even a single Red Cross visit, not to mention his having been deprived of all things guaranteed to prisoners of war by international law.

    If you paid attention to facts rather than fantasies dreamed up by the Arab supporters, you might have a bit of credibility.

  42. jon s said on April 18th, 2009 at 10:43am #

    Mary-
    Sinai belongs to Egypt, so how can Israeli troops be manning a checkpoint in Central Sinai?
    If you say “Free Palestine” does that mean the destruction of Israel? As in “genocide”?
    Yes, the occupation has to end (in Gaza it already has) but both sides need to recognize the other sides rights and work towards a two-state solution.

  43. Laser said on April 18th, 2009 at 10:51am #

    These “peaceful protestors” are violent. When you attack an army, if you are lucky the army may just use non-lethal wepaons to defend themseleves. As the IDF has been doing.

    Don’t put astick in the lion’s ear,a nd he will not claw you!

  44. Deadbeat said on April 19th, 2009 at 2:41am #

    A “two-state” solution means the same old injustice to the Palestinians.

    I see that Laser is continuing to spew is same old racist Zionist dribble in this site. How about Obama caving into the racist Zionists to boycott a conference on racism. Apparently Obama prefers kissing up to the racist Zionist rather than standing up to racism. This is clearly the issue to hammer home.

  45. mary said on April 19th, 2009 at 4:16am #

    Yes Deadbeat, the same old racist Zionist drivel. And it is repeated word for word on the other article on Dissident Voice at the moment about Steve Rosen suing AIPAC, his/her 14th comment out of the 97 there! Perhaps the author of this duplicated comment believes that lies repeated often enough become the truth.

    This is Eva Bartlett’s account of the death of the young Palestinian man killed by a tear gas canister.

    Bassem Abu Rahme, killed in Bil’in protest against the Wall, rest peacefully

    Eva Bartlett, In Gaza

    (Bassem Abu Rahme, white t-shirt, photo Active Stills)

    April 18, 2009

    I take time to mourn the death of Bassem Abu Rahme, the 18th to be murdered, along with scores injured, while protesting against Israel’s illegal annexation Wall in the occupied West Bank. The death and injury toll at the hands of the Israeli occupation forces includes minors, countless local residents, journalists, and many Israelis and internationals. The oft- militarily-besieged village of Bil’in is one of countless villages in the path of the annexation wall Israel has constructed for so-called ’security’ reasons, stealing Palestinian lands, and lives, in the process.

    (*Picture: Palestine Monitor)

    According to the Bil’in village website, Basem was shouting to the (armed) Israeli soldiers, “we are in a nonviolent protest, there are kids and internationals,” when he an Israeli soldier fired a tear gas canister at his chest, from a distance of 40 m.

    I met Basem on numerous occasions in Bil’in protests in 2007 and was struck by his poise, courage, and humour. He could inevitably be found at the front of the march, dancing and singing as loud as the best of the villagers. Many a time, when I’d become despondent at the brazen abuse of power by the Israeli soldiers and their lack of humanity, it was the very humanity of demonstrators like Basem which lifted my spirits anew. Like most Bil’in residents, and those of other villages non-violently protesting the stealing of their land, Basem was out every Friday, facing live ammunition, rubber-coated steel bullets, and various types of tear gas. It was the latest high-velocity tear gas projectile which bore into Basem’s chest, just as one did a month prior to Tristan Anderson’s head, rendering him critically injured.

    And people, many of the whom support the rape and occupation of Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti, and of course Palestine, but not the legitimate right to resist a military occupation, have the gall to ask why Palestinians don’t non-violently resist, when they’ve been doing so all along, alongside legitimate resistance.

    :: Article nr. 53528 sent on 19-apr-2009 03:45 ECT
    http://www.uruknet.info?p=53528
    Link: ingaza.wordpress.com/2009/04/18/bassem-abu-rahme-killed-in-bilin-protest-against-the-wall-rest-peacefully/

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    There are photos and live links on the original.

  46. Laser said on April 19th, 2009 at 4:29am #

    Recent news reports news inform us that a Hamas imam is calling for the extermination of the Jews. Or in short, “The Jews are evil, and their children will be exterminated.”

    And this was stated by an imam who participated in the “Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace.” A Hamas cleric who once participated in an international conference of “Imams and Rabbis for Peace” — whose delegates vowed to “condemn any negative representation” of each other’s religions — has wholeheartedly espoused Hamas’s racist ideology in a recent Friday sermon on Hamas TV. Hedeclared this on Hamas (Al-Aqsa) TV, on April 3, 2009.

    Ironically, this latest profession of Hamas’s genocidal racism was preached and broadcast at the start of the month in which the UN is meeting in the “Durban II” conference in Geneva to condemn Israel as being “racist.”

    According to the Hamas interpretation of Islam, the Jews are inherently evil, seek to rule the world, and are a threat to Muslims and all of humanity. They are therefore destined to be exterminated, in this evil person’s mind.

  47. Max Shields said on April 19th, 2009 at 5:19am #

    When the US collapses and must shut down its bases and recede into the tumult it finds at home, then, Israel follow. Whether it will use it’s remaining US weaponry to continue its havoc and rampage against the Palestinians is hard to tell, but Israel will have lost its protecter/client status…and will unravel fast.

    Until then this horror and preditory nation-state will be free to do what it has done since 1948.

  48. Laser said on April 19th, 2009 at 6:13am #

    Deadbeat, I see you have run out of cogent arguments and have descended to name-calling. But calling me ugly names does not make the Arab terrroists any less hell-bent on destroying me and my people.

    Similarly, Mary, you resort to name-calling in an attempt to make us forget that you support the evil ones who launch their rockets and mortar bombs at the innocent Israeli citizens.

    And, of course, you expect the Israelis to take it and not respond.

    I understand that you have no problem insulting my intelligence, but do you think the entire Israeli people will be intimidated if you continue to call them bad name?

    This would be amusing if it weren’t so serious. But the two of you have indeed shown that you cannot be taken seriously.

  49. joed said on April 19th, 2009 at 6:47am #

    laser is the great winner! now go forth laser and kill some humans. as this is what you seem wont to do in exhilaration. laser who ever told you being illiterate is a crime? and, who made you the judge!

  50. mary said on April 19th, 2009 at 7:13am #

    Disregarding the trolls’ need to be fed, I have been reading Dr Kannaneh’s blogsite which is most interesting. His latest piece concerns the reactions of friends and acquaintances to his book. It ends with an anecdote concerning Bliar and

    http://a-doctor-in-galilee.blogspot.com/2009/04/friends-and-relations.html

  51. mary said on April 19th, 2009 at 7:16am #

    …..Dr Kanaaneh’s sardonic comment.

    Apologies for mispelling his name previously and for hitting that ‘submit content’ button too early.

  52. Laser said on April 19th, 2009 at 8:46am #

    Joed, I have not killed any humans. But since you choose to be nasty, I will just make one suggestion.

    Killing JOED just might not be regarded as killing a human.

    Have I sunk to your level yet, Joey?

    Mary, if you think you can avoid thinking by referring to a serious article as “drivel,” I think that rational discourse with you and people like you has become impossible.

    And that makes the achievement of peace that much further away.

  53. Angie Tibbs said on April 19th, 2009 at 11:27am #

    Israel recruits ‘army of bloggers’ to combat anti-Zionist Web sites

    http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1056648.html

    This little news item from Ha’aretz is, perhaps, the only explanation for the presence of those calling themselves “Laser” and “jon s” on this site.

    The outrageousness of Laser’s attacks on regular posters, the sneering, the mocking, the lying — oh, how familiar it is. If Mary or Deadbeat or any of the other posters here were to visit any site which doesn’t echo the zionist doctrine, you will find the same garbage as Laser et al. Different names, perhaps, but the same garbage, verbatim even. As if they all attended the same Defending Israeli Terrorism School.

    It’s an indoctrination that commences in childhood and continues into adulthood. It is not a pretty sight as we have seen here, but it’s what they do everywhere the opportunity presents itself.

  54. Laser said on April 19th, 2009 at 12:36pm #

    I object to the incessant persoanl attacks from the Arabs and their fellow travelers.

    You are a disgrace to your own peole.

  55. Deadbeat said on April 19th, 2009 at 12:59pm #

    I object to the incessant persoanl attacks from the Arabs and their fellow travelers.

    Poor racist Laser object to people RESISTING their oppression by racists like Laser. Laser the racist terrorist who is laughing at American who send their tax dollars to a apartheid racist criminal organization called Israel.

  56. Deadbeat said on April 19th, 2009 at 1:05pm #

    Zionist Laser writes …

    Deadbeat, I see you have run out of cogent arguments and have descended to name-calling. But calling me ugly names does not make the Arab terrroists any less hell-bent on destroying me and my people.

    Racism is not cogent and thus you are the one who is INCOHERENT Laser by your support and promotion of the RACIST ideology — Zionism. It an ABSOLUTE SHAME that the United States who has a long history of racism is boycotting the conference of racism because of ZIONISM.

    Zionist for years has thrown the label “terrorist” around and now the United States has adopted the “Israel” mindset of “terrorism” to quash dissent. The United States has DEGRADED it own ideal of democracy by its association with Israel and Obama is SHAMEFUL as an African American for selling out African American history in order to front for this pathetic and racist ideology.

    No Laser — it is YOU who is incoherent.

  57. Angie Tibbs said on April 19th, 2009 at 1:11pm #

    I don’t think on an open forum your “objecting” means a row of beans especially in light of your continual attacks on DV posters and your inability to discuss the topic of the article. And your outrageous statement “… by Arabs and their fellow travellers” is an indication that we don’t have to go to Israel to see/hear racism, do we, Laser?

    It’s interesting, yet predictable, that you have never once addressed the racism and discrimination that is rampant in Israel especially, though not exclusively, against the indigneous people of Palestine living in what is called Israel. Dr. Kanaaneh is hardly the unknown you dismissed him as; he is a familiar figure throughout the region and since his book “A Doctor in Galilee” was published in 2008, he is well known and respected internationally.. .

    You came here willingly and have remained, spewing your disinformation to such a degree as to be without a shred of credibility. You don’t like it here at DV? Leave.

    Oh, and what the hell are “peole”?

    I guess you forgot the spell check in your eagerness to continue your “I love Israel and its terrorism” blather?

  58. Deadbeat said on April 19th, 2009 at 1:11pm #

    When arguing with Zionist I see the need to call them what they really are — RACIST. When people understand that Zionism IS RACISM then support for Israel will continue to erode. The Internet has helped to get NEWS and the truth about Israel out around the world and why more and more people are interest in boycotting the thoroughly racist and dangerous organization known as “Israel”.

  59. Angie Tibbs said on April 19th, 2009 at 1:47pm #

    “A Doctor in Galilee” — the ultimate “MUST READ”!, August 4, 2008
    By Robert H. Stiver

    Mary, hello

    I don’t know if you’ve had an opportunity to read this review of Dr. Kanaaneh’s book by Robert H. Stiver. I send it along for your perusal.

    http://www.amazon.com/review/RMQQQ4IVEKWWY

  60. Laser said on April 19th, 2009 at 9:19pm #

    The Arabs in Israel have a far better life than do their brothers in neighboring areas, such as the Palestinian Authority.

    Their salaries are higher, their educational opportunities are greater, their personal freedom is more extensive. Any racism that exists, exists only in the minds of the Israel bashers.

    Even the Arabs in Israeli jails — both Israeli citizens and foreign terrorists — enjoy free education, including studying in and getting degrees from the Open University.

    It is no surprise that when able to express themselves freely, many Palestinians declare that they would prefer to remain as at present and not to live under a Palestinian regime.

  61. Laser said on April 19th, 2009 at 10:46pm #

    Oh yes, Bi`ilin, the darling of the Israel bashers.

    As of the present, the “peaceful demonstrators” at Bi`ilin have injured 80 IDF soldiers and border guards, and have killed one. And the IDF continues to use non-lethal weapons to stop their “peaceful demonstrations.”

    What makes the IDF refrain from fighting back against the people who cause Israeli causalities, while at the same time these “peaceful demonstrators” cause property damage?