by Richard Forer [A letter I wrote to a college student who had written the Coalition to Stop $30 Billion to Israel asking the group to remove a billboard that said “Tell Congress. Stop Killing Children. No More Military Aid to Israel.” The billboard was erected in Albuquerque in the Spring of 2009 after the Gaza catastrophe. I was the spokesperson.] Hi J, Thank you for your letter. First, I
Press TV reports: Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) has issued a declaration in response to a recent UN Security Council resolution against the country. The following is the full text of the declaration: In the name of God, the most Gracious and the Merciful The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Declaration in Response to the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1929 The United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1929 on
Press TV reports: Some 82 percent of respondents to a Russian radio poll have said they deem Moscow’s approval of fresh UN Security Council sanctions against Iran a “mistake.” The poll, conducted during a live Radio Moscow interview with Rajab Safarov, director of the Center for Contemporary Iranian Studies, comes one week after the Security Council voted to impose a fourth round of sanctions against Iran, tightening financial and military
by Gilad Atzmon Hold your breath. This in not a joke, this is not a satire. It is real almost as much as it is pathetic. Israeli Ynet just reported that the images of captured Israeli commandos published in Turkish papers opened “…old wounds among those Israeli commandos involved in similar circumstances. Thus far, at least four combat soldiers have reported worsening of their (mental) condition” While the rest of
Ha’aretz reports: On the fringes of the Washington meetings of Turkish official delegations, there is usually a special place for outreach with the American Jewish community. But several Jewish groups intend to skip the meeting Wednesday evening with members of the Turkish ruling AKP (Justice and Development Party). The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), B’nai Brith International and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) have decided to decline the invitation to
RIA Novosti reports: Russia is ready to participate in a tender to offer Turkey S-300 and S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, the state-controlled arms exporter said on Wednesday. “The Turkish military has a great need for S-300 and S-400 long-range missile defense systems,” Rosoboronexport CEO Anatoly Isaikin said. “Russia has expressed its readiness to participate in a tender for the delivery of such systems.” He said leading SAM manufacturers from Western
by Gilad Atzmon Those who are engaged in the Palestinian solidarity discourse are familiar with two visions of conflict resolution: the ‘Two State Solution’ and the ‘One State Solution’. This week we have learned about a third possible resolution that seems to me the most reasonable and ethical considering the circumstances. Helen Thomas, the 89 years old doyenne of the White House press corps, sketched it in one sentence. When
by Gilad Atzmon Panic is detected in Israel. Strategic affairs minister, Moshe Boogi Ya’alon who served as acting PM during last week’s massacre in the high seas said yesterday that “someone failed to prepare a standard operating procedure.” A senior IDF official was quick to respond “If there wasn’t a standard operating procedure, why didn’t he make sure there was one. He was the acting prime minister and it was
Solving the problem of Israel/Palestine isn’t rocket science: the solution is obvious. We just have to get serious about it. A brief history Due to recent events, things are coming to a head in the Middle East. As Israel becomes more belligerent and aggressive, more committed than ever to using overwhelming force as its only answer to a rapidly deteriorating situation, feeling itself even further victimized and becoming ever more
“Jewish group launches Iran campaign” is the headline on Ynet. I kid you not! You can check it yourself. The article goes on to say “Marking the first anniversary of Iran’s disputed election, the American Jewish Committee on Tuesday launched a major online advocacy campaign to demand that the United Nations Human Rights Council “end its silence on the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Iranian regime.” Just what Iran
I have been thinking about various issues this week, but I had too little time to write even a semi-coherent post about them. So I am sharing my musings with you in the raw – just as they came to me. Uncle Shmuel is just so predictable: Israel and the USA agreed to the format for an investigation of the storming of the Mavi Marmara and the other ship. Really?
by Pyotr Iskenderov for the Strategic Culture Foundation The recent UN Security Council resolution slapping new sanctions on Iran is likely to become the worst defeat suffered by the Russian diplomacy over the past years. Its negative impact may be persistent and more serious than that of the proclamation of Kosovo’s independence to which Russia continues objecting. What we are witnessing seems to be an unexpected recurrence of the syndrome
Delegates in Shangra-La pledge eternal war in Afghanistan, as the US creates new and very dangerous allies there, reports Eric Walberg War junkies popped their champagne corks on 7 June to celebrate the 104th month of US military engagement in Afghanistan, America’s longest war in history (Vietnam lasted 103 months). Presumably they toasted the five NATO soldiers killed on 6 June. Troop deaths have skyrocketed this year and NATO forces
Poll: 49% of Americans blame pro-Palestinian activists for flotilla deaths. Only 19 percent believe that Israel was to blame. I wish Goebbels was here to see that!
by Roger Tucker As everyone knows, Helen Thomas, the doyenne of the Washington Press Corps, has gone into retirement after making some heretical remarks about Israel and Israelis. The current wikipedia entry reads in part as follows: “On May 27, 2010, outside a White House Jewish heritage event, Rabbi David Nesenoff asked if Thomas had any comments on Israel. Thomas replied, “Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine…
Max Blumenthal describes to Amy Goodman the nationalistic, xenophobic and even overtly racist fervor which is taking over the general public in Israel PS: special note to any the Jew-hater out there who might come across my blog: Uri Avnery, an 86 year old Israeli Jew and peace activist is beaten up by Israeli thugs, Max Blumenthal, an American Jew, is probably risking his life by his reporting about the
Comment: I consider Roger Waters as the biggest musical genius of the entire Rock music movement. I began listening to Pink Floyd at age 10 and I have listening to Roger Water’s amazing music ever since. This latest video is most definitely not his best recording, but that is not what counts here. What is important is that Roger Waters is most definitely a “fashion-setter”, a high visibility person whose
By Jamal Elshayyal Firstly I must apologise for taking so long to update my blog. The events of the past few days have been hectic to say the least, and I am still trying to come to grips with many of the things that have happened. It was this time last week that I was on the top deck of the Mavi Marmara, and first spotted Israeli war ships in
