text:
Total number of comments: 337 (since 2010-02-20 14:16:22)
62, agriculture/development economist, German Catholic with personal+ professional intercultural + interreligious exposition,especially west-+south Asia
Showing comments 337 - 301
Page: 4 3 2 1
- Naim Ateek's moral arc of the universe
Re just : ... it is basically fear that prevents Bishops and governments...., from taking a stand against the rich and powerful and on behalf of the weak and marginalized.
YES - these Bishops are COWARDS, real COWARDS.
And their cowardice lets them betray crore teaching of the gospel.
SHAME on them.
- Miracle baby Mohammed escapes ISIS
WOW !!! - What a S M I L E of Mohammed's MOM !!!!
And this despite all the hardship and suffering endured.
It makes iron melt.
- Rep. Israel endorses speech saying Europe failed Jewish people in 40s and is 'failing us again today'
Erasmus December 7, 2014 at 4:54 pm
# unverified:
....." We cannot solve the ISIL problem until we solve the Palestinian problem."
And that is why we are told, that it will take very, very, very long until IS can be controlled / neutralized.
- 'An extreme rightwing regime behaving in the most criminal fashion and defying the world and unscrupulously using the Holocaust to justify what they're doing'
Erasmus August 10, 2014 at 5:31 am
David Norris : A man of character and COURAGE
Never heard or seen a speech like that in any other "western" country of democratically (s)elected member of parliaments.
David Norris - so far and very regrettingly - is a SINGULARITY, because all the rest of European parliamentarians are COWARDS, nothing but characterless COWARDS, when it comes to call a spade a spade on Israel's war crimes and war criminals.
CHAPEAU, Mr. Norris!!
- 'NYT' is furiously rewriting history of Gaza conflict
Erasmus August 7, 2014 at 3:44 pm
NYT does not even get its figures right....
In the NY Editorial Boards article of 06 Aug 2014 you read a.o.:
More than 1,800 Palestinians, a majority of them noncombatants, and 67 Israelis have been killed. United Nations officials said 408 Palestinian children were killed and 2,502 injured.
The actual figure of injured Palestinians reads : more than 9,800 (i.w. 9thousand eight hundred).
- Elie Wiesel plays the Holocaust trump card in Gaza
Erasmus August 4, 2014 at 1:11 pm
QUOTATION from E.Wiesel
"I swore never to be silent whenever human beings endure suffering and humiliation.
We must always take sides.
Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.
Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."
Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel encouraging uncompromising action
This, however, only holds, whenever Israelis and/or Jews are victimised.......
- 'Today at 0800, Israeli bulldozers came to the fertile valley where we planted fruit trees--'
Erasmus May 20, 2014 at 4:17 pm
What is there to say?
- BDS is the only means of ending the occupation -- Derfner
BDS is the LAST resort and only non-violent strategy to bring Israelis to senses - if ever this is possible at all.
And after the failed Kerry-IP-talks - the time has come to implement BDS FULL SCALE.
FULL SCALE also means for Christian pilgrims to delay their unholy land of Israel-visits until a final peace treaty will have been reached, signed and been implemented.
- Fear of Arab-Americans in the public square
Meanwhile, Jews are about six times more likely than Muslims to be the victims of hate crimes in America.
We are the GREATEST VICTIMS - and nobody will take away from us the gold medal.
Never - ever.
- 'NYT' self-censors, axing headline blaming Israeli settlements
Erasmus April 10, 2014 at 2:58 pm
Re Krauss: ..."America should have ditched Israel as a favoured nation a long time."
yes, indeed. No only that.
Israel is nothing else but an enormous liability for the USA.
Its a drag for the USA's reputation, howsoever critical this may be anyway, dragging the USA into further global isolation.
Beyond this , the special I-US alliance and special relationship is very, very costly in money terms. At the cost of US-citizen, especially the less fortunate ones.
One wonders how long the US electorate continues to vote for representatives maintaining this costly relation. For what????
- US is 'absolutely adamant' that Palestine not go to ICC and wreck the peace process -- Power
Erasmus April 7, 2014 at 2:21 pm
USA's Shielding Israel from the ICC at all cost - is really little else than SELF-DEFENCE
Re Donald says: April 6, 2014 at 3:58 pm
…. (American statesmen) They like to be told that sometimes America needs to be more forthright and interventionist in its policies.
They don't like to be told that they ((added: themselves)) are potential candidates for war crimes trials. . …..
Here comes the raison d'etre for the 'Special Relationship' :
Much more than protecting Israel from any devastating verdict by the ICC, the main underlying reason for the USA is to protect ITSELF.
The ICC would have to examine a vast range of war crime issues and other major violations of international laws e.g. targeted assassinations, drone killings, torture, administrative detentions, ignoring a multitude of international conventions and a vast range of fundamental Human Rights (e.g. children rights, religious rights) , Rights of refugees and asylum seekers, etc….
Virtually all these crimes are issues which (eventually) will be examined by the ICC. In the course of which it is virtually impossible to overlook that it has been the United States which not only used its VETO-power to safeguard Israel's impunity status. BUT that on almost all the above issues, the USA will be sitting on The Hague's bench of the accused in their OWN RIGHT.
Not infrequently even Israeli politicians and journalists have hinted quite explicitly that what Israel has been and is doing respectively are accused of is nothing else than what the USA has done and is doing in the first place. Giving the precedential examples, starting from settlements and ethnic cleaning at the beginnings of both their respective histories.
That is why there is no "daylight" between the two "allies in war crimes".
That is what ties the two culprits together at the hip.
That is what makes monthly meetings and closest co-ordination with the Israelis where we look out at the sea of international organizations and U.N. entities, including treaty bodies and treaties and so forth,… necessary
That is what makes Samantha say:
The ICC is of course something that we have been absolutely adamant about. Secretary Kerry has made it very, very clear to the Palestinians, as has the President. I mean, this is something that really poses a profound threat to Israel.
The implicit threat to the USA that their own ugly foreign policy and sins of the past and present will be exposed at the same time, Samantha accidently forgot to mention.
Erasmus April 7, 2014 at 12:09 pm
USA's Shielding Israel from the ICC at all cost - is really little else than SELF-DEFENCE
Re Donald says: April 6, 2014 at 3:58 pm
…. (American statesmen) They like to be told that sometimes America needs to be more forthright and interventionist in its policies.
They don't like to be told that they ((added: themselves)) are potential candidates for war crimes trials. . …..
Here comes the raison d'etre for the 'Special Relationship' :
Much more than protecting Israel from any devastating verdict by the ICC, the main underlying reason for the USA is to protect ITSELF.
The ICC would have to examine a vast range of war crime issues and other major violations of international laws e.g. targeted assassinations, drone killings, torture, administrative detentions, ignoring a multitude of international conventions and a vast range of fundamental Human Rights (e.g. children rights, religious rights) , Rights of refugees and asylum seekers, etc….
Virtually all these crimes are issues which (eventually) will be examined by the ICC. In the course of which it is virtually impossible to overlook that it has been the United States which not only used its VETO-power to safeguard Israel's impunity status. BUT that on almost all the above issues, the USA will be sitting on The Hague's bench of the accused in their OWN RIGHT.
Not infrequently even Israeli politicians and journalists have hinted quite explicitly that what Israel has been and is doing respectively are accused of is nothing else than what the USA has done and is doing in the first place. Giving the precedential examples, starting from settlements and ethnic cleaning at the beginnings of both their respective histories.
That is why there is no "daylight" between the two "allies in war crimes".
That is what ties the two culprits together at the hip.
That is what makes monthly meetings and closest co-ordination with the Israelis where we look out at the sea of international organizations and U.N. entities, including treaty bodies and treaties and so forth,... necessary.
That is what makes Samantha say:
The ICC is of course something that we have been absolutely adamant about. Secretary Kerry has made it very, very clear to the Palestinians, as has the President. I mean, this is something that really poses a profound threat to Israel.
The implicit threat to the USA that their own ugly foreign policy and sins of the past and present will be exposed at the same time, Samantha accidently forgot to mention.
- Some liberal Zionists will blame Netanyahu for failure of talks
Erasmus March 24, 2014 at 3:27 pm
Re Citizen: ... Interesting, I only got three people who comment here regularly on this petition to stop aid to Israel until Israel stops its illegal settlement expansion as an obstacle to peace–.....
Citizen, i went there, ready to sign up. However, i did not.
I found the formulation "until Israel stops its illegal settlement EXPANSION "... rather unfortunate, respectively wanting.
IMHO, if it had said sth like: ...."until Israel will have concluded a final peace agreement with the Palestinians and will have proven that it also complies bona fide with all committments entered into in such agreement"....
I would not have hesitated.
- 'Nobody knew where I was, nobody… I was simply disappeared': An Italian tourist's Ben Gurion nightmare
A formidable scandal it is : the alleged Powerlessness of foreign Embassies in Israel
... At 9:00 am I was allowed to call the Italian embassy: an Italian official told me "once you are in that place we cannot do anything, you simply don't exist for us if you are in that place" .
Re NK ….Governments could pursue these cases diplomatically but they're content to let their citizens be subjected to such abuse ….
Foreign travellers to Israel who are so badly mistreated by Immigration officials of the GoI Home Ministry are virtually left alone by their Embassies in such a situation. Their "argument", that they could not do anything for their nationals is nothing less than an unspeakable SCANDAL.
It goes without saying that it is a blatant LIE. Of course they can do something. The Scandal is that foreign embassies do not even complain and do not forcefully intervene and follow-up with the Government of Israel, iow foreign embassies are effectively complicit with such airport immigration practices and permit them to be continued with impunity.
I would assume that upon return to Italy Andrea Pesci - or any other traveller having experienced a similar mistreatment at the hands of Ben Gurion immigration staff and have not been given any assistance by their respective embassies - should file a legal case at home against their own Government / Foreign Ministry on grounds of INACTIVITY and NEGLECT of DUTY.
Such legal proceedings may well raise (with the help of local media) general awareness and put their Governments to shame……. and perhaps also change their shameful complicity with the Government of Israel by being silent and inactive in the face of such BG airport-"welcoming ceremonies" to their nationals. Perhaps. Perhaps not.
Ceterum censeo:
if only all Christian Pilgrims to the unHoly Land would BOYCOTT Israel and postpone their pilgrimages until such time that a final and just peace agreement with the Palestinians will have been reached - that will surely stand a better chance and prove to be more efficient to induce a substantive change and end similar experiences like the one made by Andrea Pesci and many others.
- Eyewitness account of Israeli soldier killing Palestinian judge reveals barbarity of occupation
Erasmus March 21, 2014 at 6:25 pm
Re: ....It's disgusting that the acts of these idf barbarians are never exposed in the American media. Damn them for their cowardice and complicity.
YES -indeed.
This murder at Allenby Bridge has neither been reported in any media here in Germany. That is routine cowardice of our journalists!! Well established.
Instead, the German Foreign MinisterSteinmeier condemned in strongest terms, the Qassam rockets from Gaza which did not hurt anyone and had been launched as a retaliation to prior Idf -killings of three Gazans, and three other killings of Palestinians in the West Bank within a time-period of 24 hours only.
- BDS supporting rock star Roger Waters hits back against vicious smears
Erasmus March 18, 2014 at 3:04 pm
Another Quote by Mahatma Ghandi from 1938
Article written in his own journal, Harijan, of 26 November 1938 which labeled the situation in Palestine "A crime against Humanity":
It is wrong and inhuman to impose the Jews on the Arabs. What is going on in Palestine today cannot be justified by any moral code of conduct … Surely it would be a crime against humanity to reduce the proud Arabs so that Palestine can be restored to the Jews partly or wholly as their national home
— See Homer A Jack (editor), The Gandhi Reader: a source book of his life and writings, By Mahatma Gandhi, Grove Press, 1994, page 218
Acknowledgement: This quote has been first mentioned here by "Hostage", March 2013
- State Dept puts American seal of approval on latest Israeli-initiated round of violence
The same deplorable Statement by germany's Foreign Minister STEINMEIER
Statement by Foreign Minister Steinmeier
Thursday, 13. März 2014 09:20 EST
Foreign Minister Steinmeier addresses rocket attacks on Israel
We condemn yesterday's rocket-attacks from Gaza on Israel in the strongest terms. I am glad that nobody has been harmed.
The calculation of those responsible for these terror acts to torpedo the difficult and still fragile peace process, shall not succeed.
The negotiations for peace in the Near East are in a difficult phase. It still needs major efforts by all sides. We support with full power the American efforts in their negotiations with Israel and the Palestinians.
It goes without saying that there has been no official statement - not to speak about a corresponding condemnation in the "strongest terms" by the German Foreign Minister / Ministry with respect to the IDF killing spree in Gaza and the West Bank which occurred PRIOR to the Qassam rockets launched from Gaza.
- Judith Butler, Rashid Khalidi and over 150 other scholars condemn censorship, intimidation of Israel critics
Erasmus March 6, 2014 at 2:16 am
Where can i join and add my name to the list of signatories???
Does anybody know the respective web-link??
- Obama warns Israel about delegitimization, and Oren suggests annexation
Pope Francis' imminent visit to Palestine and Israel
I am looking forward and wonder what contribution Pope Francis will make during his forthcoming visit.
- Making visible the Nakba: a US education project
Erasmus March 1, 2014 at 8:40 am
Re : The six-part curriculum
Can one access / download the curriculum??
If yes, i shall be grateful if you could let me / us have a link, please.
- Judis says Museum of Jewish Heritage has reinvited him to June 1 appearance!
Erasmus February 23, 2014 at 12:33 pm
Re: ...The Brits and the Zionists felt that they could shatter Arab nationalism by dividing Muslims and Christians; they preferred a religious conflict...
Under varied conditions of today, the same strategy has been exercised/ is being followed
especially in Nazareth: stoking Muslim - Christian animosities.
Special reference is made to the schemings wrt the construction permission /withdrawal of a mosque before the Church of Anunciation. et al.
- Truman feared backing Israel would involve US in 'new world conflict' -- Boston Globe
Erasmus February 19, 2014 at 11:50 pm
'Special Relationship'
Yes, indeed.
This Very Special Relationship has obviously become nothing else than
a PERFECT allround LIABILITY for the USA.
It is high time, that the 'land of the free' sets itself free of such self-imposed imprisonment.
- Derfner: The boycott isn't economic warfare, it's psychological
Erasmus February 15, 2014 at 5:29 am
Too early and ill-timed
I disagree with Derfner's headline : "The boycott isn't economic warfare, it's psychological."
We are not there, where Derfner thinks we are already.
BDS has barely taken off to exert its influence on Israeli business and the Israeli electirate. Of course, in the very first instance BDS's is -as of now- majoritively an economic instrument in order to create political awareness. And as of now, all efforts have to be directed to massively increase the economic effects of BDS, so that these will really thoroughly and undeniably be felt in Isarael. That is the first priority.... for the coming years.
Even if "the real power of BDS can't be measured in dollars, cents, euros, or shekels (alone)..." and even if there is a critical "psychological and political " component to BDS also, Derfner's emphasis belittles the economic component and overrates - at least at this point in time - the psychological and political impact.
Such lobsided analysis is imho premature and ill-timed, possibly it could even have an (unintended) effect of letting the steam off the BDS-efforts before it runs full steam.
Global Promotion of BDS in all spheres has utmost priority for years to come, before the collateral pdychological effects on the Israeli electorate and its political awareness will make voters elect another KNESSET and permit -finally - a JUST settlement of the I-P-"conflict".
- Dutch pension giant ditches Israeli banks over involvement with settlements
Great news from Holland - PPGM should get an encouraging Feed back…
i thought...
.........and sent an email of appreciation to PPGM CEO , Mrs. Else Bos under the
following email-address: [email protected]
Subject : PGGM – Statement regarding exclusion of Israeli banks
To: Mrs. Else Bos, PGGM CEO
Kroostweg Noord 149 , Zeist
3700 AC , Netherlands
Dear Mrs. Bos,
this is with reference to your company's decision to discontinue PPGM-investments with 5 Israeli banks.
I want to commend you for this decision, especially for the principled reasoning upon which the decision is based; in particular i do refer in this context to the very text of your public statement, highlighting
- the 2004 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice " that the settlements in the Palestinian territories are in breach of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Population in Time of War."
I understand that the Divestment decision has only been made after a protracted policy dialogue with the concerned Israeli banks, and after realization that these had been neither willing nor allegedly able to end "their involvement in financing Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories."
Hoping that your decision will become an example for other (European) companies and banks to follow suit.
- Palestinian prisoner Samer Issawi who went on hunger strike for 266 days is freed
Typo?? with or should it not read "Without" ??
....administrative detention, the term that refers to the Israeli practice of jailing people with charge or trial.....
- White House tightens enforcement of Iran sanctions amid meetings with Israelis
@ ToivoS assessment
Obama Care and Iran will be the 2 major Obama legacies.
I wished i would be sufficienly confident to add: PALESTINE and GUN CONTROL
Erasmus December 16, 2013 at 12:15 pm
Additional Designations
It is a very unnecessary act, unfriendly and not compatible with the nature of the InterimAgreement and surely does not originate from a bona fide attitude.
However, imo there is no evidence that would justify dramatizing the unfriendly step. It is just playing to the R + D hawks without any real consequence...... hopefully.
- Israel is uniquely sexy -- Ari Shavit tells Sally Quinn
Erasmus December 16, 2013 at 11:34 am
Erasmus says:
Re Sally Quinn + revivalist-Zionist Ari Shavit: …you see creativity everywhere…..
In the good old tradition of Rabbilistic Legalistics
Creativity everywhere: Especially when it comes to ignoring High Court / Supreme Court rulings and / or hair splitting legalistics and inventive circumventions of HC / SC rulings…..
Por exemplo: The new refugee Detention Law
The new Law - passed by the Zio-Knesset last week only - permits INDEFINITE DETENTION of Asylum seeking refugees in so-suitably-named OPEN DETENTION CAMPS (located in midst of the desert+ with 3daily role-calls)
after a High Court ruling had struck down as unconstitutional an earlier law that permitted the indefinite prison detention of asylum seekers.
Substance and content of Human Rights and Israel's Basic Laws is irrelevant and do not matter if comes to the all-pervasive fear wrt any non-Jewish "Population Bomb"…..
BUT creative word creations, punctuations, the judicious choice of definite or indefinite article and, last not least, the art of definition and redefinition rules .
Erasmus December 16, 2013 at 7:37 am
Re Sally Quinn + revivalist-Zionist Ari Shavit: …you see creativity everywhere…..
In the good old tradition of Rabbilistic Legalistics
Creativity everywhere: Especially when it comes to ignoring High Court / Supreme Court rulings and / or hair splitting legalistics and inventive circumventions of HC / SC rulings…..
Por exemplo: The new refugee Detention Law
The new Law - passed by the Zio-Knesset last week only - permits INDEFINITE DETENTION of Asylum seeking refugees in so-suitably-named OPEN DETENTION CAMPS (located in midst of the desert+ with 3daily role-calls)
after a High Court ruling had struck down as unconstitutional an earlier law that permitted the indefinite prison detention of asylum seekers.
Substance and content of Human Rights and Israel's Basic Laws is irrelevant and do not matter if it comes to the all-pervasive fear wrt any non-Jewish "Population Bomb"…..
BUT creative word creations, punctuations, the judicious choice of definite or indefinite article and, last not least, the art of definition rule .
- Freezing and canoeing in Gaza
Erasmus December 15, 2013 at 1:32 am
US NAVY breaks the BLOCKADE of GAZA - for humanity sake - and provides pumps, fuel, medicines, ......
Would'nt that be a headline??
Is it not awful, that we are used to soooo much of lies and propaganda that we suspect the same behind every news that comes our way, both from IDF spokespersons and Israeli media as well as - less so - from Palestinian sources when such news like the above concerning breaching dams reaches us??
Wrt the natural (and perhaps also additionally man-increased floods?) are concerned, the statement of the UNRWA spokesperson Chris Gunness who said "that large regions of the Gaza Strip are a "disaster area", should be reliable enough.
I recall a natural calamity (few years back only) in Saakaswilli Georgia, when it had been on war terms with Russia, that the US Navy went there and provided emergency relief materials.
Why not for the suffering Gazans.? One should hardly assume that the Israeli Navy would prevent the US Navy from delivering relief goods to the Gazan shore......... or??
- Palestinian negotiators angered as Kerry proposes Israeli demands
Erasmus December 13, 2013 at 3:57 pm
Another Interim Agreement ????
That is absolutely a NO GO.
After Oslo and its 5-years perspective for an independent Palestinian state - it is virually unbelievable that the Palestinan negotiators will fall once again into such a gimmick trap.
They must have learnt their lessons bitterly and thoroughly enough that such a Kerry strategy is BOUND to FAIL.
Can anyone tell me whether any planned (?) and agreed time schedule in the entire I-P-negotiation- and "agreement"-history had ever been adhered to ????
- After attending Mandela's memorial, Knesset member's blood rejected in gov't drive because she is African
Erasmus December 12, 2013 at 12:31 pm
Re German Superlefty:... The criterion is WHERE you lived, not WHAT race you are. Just because she's black doesn't mean that she was rejected for racist reasons...
May i ask : How do you reconcile your statement with the fact that Mrs. Tamano-Shata was born in 1981, came to Israel as a 3yr old (1984) and has since lived in Israel for 30 years???????
- Shared values: Likud member says Prawer Plan akin to what 'Americans did to the Indians'
Erasmus December 12, 2013 at 10:40 am
Re : Mike_K... It is more complicated than that.
Yes indeed, next to settlements and occupation and apartheid and racism and discrimination, also the issue of a second Naqba for the Bedouins is
verrrrry, verrrry COMPLEX!
As nearly everything about Israel is verrrrry, verrrry COMPLEX! indeed.
- 'NYT' and Wash Post won't tell us why Dems are hurting Obama on Iran deal
Erasmus December 10, 2013 at 1:57 pm
Are'nt there any younger Democrats?
who can successfully challenge the sitting Congressmen and Senators as candidates of their "party".
Being "Dolchstoss" betrayers with respect of Obama's administration's possible biggest (interim-) achievement in foreign affairs should make the party folks and the electorate to show these old hypocrites and AIPAC stooges the red card, no?
- Obama and Kerry drop talk of Palestinian state for 'state institutions' and 'transition'
Please note the A L S O ....
Re Kerry..""It will take time to train, build, equip, and test Palestinian institutions to ensure that they're capable of protecting Palestinian citizens," he said, continuing, "Their primary responsibility is that – and also of preventing their territory from being used for attacks on Israel."
I do find it very noteworthy that Kerry starts introducing new, other preconditions for Palestinian statehood. So far that has been Netanyahoo's speciality.
We ought to remember what the Word Bank, and IMF stated in April 2011:
"The Palestinian Authority, which is working toward global recognition of its statehood in September, got an endorsement on Wednesday from the International Monetary Fund, which said that the authority was fully capable of running the economy of an independent state." ….
"If the Palestinian Authority maintains its performance in institution-building and delivery of public services, it is well positioned for the establishment of a state at any point in the near future," the World Bank says in its report, to be released Thursday.
Even Fox news reported that Donor Nations attested Palestine's readiness forstatehood.
Erasmus December 10, 2013 at 12:44 pm
I wonder whether there will come foreward an unambiguous statement of disqualifying such Kerry-verbage by president Abbas.
It would surely deserve a non-diplomatic rebuttal.
Shame on Kerry and President Obama hardly deserves any more lenient qualification.
- Netanyahu ducks Mandela memorial
Erasmus December 9, 2013 at 1:57 pm
Netanyahoo knows very well what a reception he would get in South Africa by the South Africans. He would be the absolute pariah anong the mourners.
And that - transmitted by countless TV-stations - before the open eyes of the entire world.
That is why he shuns going there. He never really intended to attend.
- Page: 3
- Israeli report: Kerry proposed long-term Israeli military presence in the Jordan Valley
Lot of Balooneys and unsubstantiated Spinning by Israeli Media around these days
Especially Maariv Newspaper has a formidable record of fake or "misrepresenting" reports.
Until proven to the contrary i take such news with a POUND of SALT.
- Shimon Peres on Mandela and Apartheid: Now & Then
Erasmus December 7, 2013 at 5:24 am
RE seafoid's little pony, moms and apple pie.....
If one was to marvle about Simon Peres' salient character feature -
Go and see what
Uri Avnery tells about his country's president: No.1 Deceiptful and a hypocrite par excellence.
- Netanyahu tweets red-telephone picture, to show how happy he is with Kerry
Erasmus December 5, 2013 at 2:46 pm
EU denies that it would suspend aid to PA if peace talks fail
….The High Representative for EU foreign policy spokesperson, Maya Kossianic, told Italian news agency AKI, "The European Union did not make any such announcement. Such a move is out of the question now. The EU strongly supports the peace talks as the best way to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and to achieve security and stability for the region."
What Israeli newspapers had circulated re discontinuing / reducing EU financial support if Kerry-induced I-P Peace bla-bla talks concluded in failure has obviously been again another
" SHITHOUSE Baloony PAROLE"
Recognition of Israel as Jewish State
Re: John Kerry : ….our deep, deep commitment to the security of Israel and to the need to find a peace that recognizes Israel as a Jewish state, …and that is an important principle with which the Prime Minister and the President and I are in agreement…
Such a statement by the USA is indeed highly deplorable, indicating that the USA echoes the Netanyahoo newly introduced condition, which is - as we all know - a perfect Killer Condition.
I wonder why Kerry still travels thousands of miles backwards-forwards under the signum of I-P-"peace" talkings.
- Netanyahu's 'gift' to Pope: book on Catholic church's persecution of Jews
Exchange of Gifts between Pope Francis and Netanyahoo - a little tit for tat???
His Father#s book about the Spanish Inquisition to Pope Francis i would hold in the first place as : very undiplomatic and RUDE!
Moreover,it can be taken as a strong indicator for NTY's annihilation obsession, and his father complex.
The Vatican (or Pope Francis?) has been slightly more creative and subtle wrt the choice of a fitting present for NTY: a bar-relief of St. PAUL !
Considering that the spread of Christianity and its development into the largest Universal religion is fundamentally due to ST. PAUL's work, like Jesus a Jewish Rabbi, drawing its early Christian followers largely from the Mediterranean /Oriental Jewish community - that seems to me to deserve a chuckle......
I do not think that there is lots of love lost between the two protagonists.....???
- Avigdor Lieberman bombs everywhere but in The New York Times
Erasmus December 3, 2013 at 3:25 pm
RE: What is wrong with the Tourism Ministry, for example?
That actually maybe a smart move......increasing the efficiency of BDS.
With Lieberman as Tourism Minister, the Israel tourist- and pilgrim-numbers would certainly plunge.... and the tourism industry would love it!
- Interview with Dr. Haidar Eid: 'The Palestinian struggle is not about independence -- it is about liberation'
Erasmus December 2, 2013 at 2:56 pm
LIBERATION - not independence
Dr. Eid's is the STRONGEST and most CONSISTENT plea for the One-State-solution that i have come across.
We have to go back to the roots of the tragedy: 1948
Everything else leads us up the garden path.
- Only sanctions against Israel will end occupation -- Gideon Levy
Erasmus December 1, 2013 at 2:05 pm
Re fnlevit : i am proud of my country......I wonder if one could publish in NYT a similar call for boycotting US for say its invasion in Iraq or Afghanistan, etc
I wonder something else, that is :
whether Gideon Levy won't be in some legal trouble soon - in light of the recent Anti-Boycott Call- Law passed by the Knesset.
Let us see, how this will play out......
Erasmus December 1, 2013 at 2:00 pm
Gideon Levy says the obvious
If only the Christian Pilgrims to the Holy Land would boycott -delay their pilgrimages (most likely 5-10years only would be needed!) until a final settlement of the I-P conflict will have been reached -
that would already have a very beneficial impact.
- 'NYT' article on Palestinian refugees manages to quote Israeli govt spox but no Palestinians
Re Eljay : ...Israel has no right to exist as a(n oppressive, colonialist, expansionst and) supremacist "Jewish State".
"Jewish" State
This quoted line above might well serve well for Mr. Abbas possible (but unlikely) Knesset speech to which Neanyahoo has invited him recently: Something like this:
" You, Mr. Netanyahoo, ask of me to recognize Israel as the Jewish State, knowing too well that we, the Palestinians, will and cannot comply with such a demand - never.
However, there is also one more, and not the least reason why i would never do it.
It would be a gross insult for Jewish Israelis of Conscience to do, because calling their state of Israel a "JEWISH state" which has manifested itself from the days of the Naqba on to this date as an oppressive, colonialist, expansionst and supremacist state, is - as i must see it - a fundamental contradiction to the ethical principles of Judaism."
- The Siege of the Tel Aviv bus station
Erasmus November 28, 2013 at 11:19 am
Israel and Saudi Arabia - the new allies
To prove the new Alliance - here you are:
Both democracies see eye-to-eye: Kick them out, them Infiltrators!
- Klug on Kristallnacht: Opponents in Israel/Palestine debate are locked in an 'acrimonious circle'
Erasmus November 26, 2013 at 1:40 pm
Re Pabelmont : ... That, to me, extends to the idea that you cannot without antisemitism characterize anything "Jewish". ...
As far as i understood his lecture, Brian Klug made it very clear that using the term Antisemite (antisemitic) to rightfully characterize a person or an action or event, it needs a wide range of subjective, objective and circumstantial and individual-motivational parameters to be taken into account. Iow, a comprehensive and judicious assessment of the entire scenario.
It has been imho indeed a creative, sensitive and smart reply to the ugly ad-hominem slurs thrown at Mr. Brian Klug by a group of "expert-Jewish experts", lead by the Director of the Berlin Internat. Center for the Study of AS, Dr. Clemens Heni. See their joint smear-dossier :
- Why do US media insist that Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Gulf states oppose Iran deal?
Erasmus November 26, 2013 at 12:51 pm
Re : … The need by so many American journalists to pin opposition to the deal on Arab states is really a manifestation of the Israel lobby. These journalists are trying to take the onus — or the pigeonhole — off forces that are actually far more familiar to them than the Gulf States: Israel and its lobby. ….
That is a conspicuous, but failed attempt of Israel-Firsters (journalists, Congressmen, Senators and respective Jewish Organisations) to remove the Netanyahoo-Israel out of the danger to be cross-haired as the eternal war-mongerer and notorious grumble pot, while abusing the Iran issue to deflect from their own " Palestine homework" with regard to the simultaneous Kerry-I-P- negotiations.
And Thomas L. Friedman is one of them as is evident in his recent NYT op-ed of 23-24November, in which he chimes in exactly the same swan song, describing an (alleged) massive and strategic opposition to the recent Geneva 1.step agreement by almost all Sunni Arab States that matter.
Friedman tries to sell NYT-readers the idea, as if in the first place the Friedman-discerned opposition were a natural clash of the religious Sunni-Shia worlds - with Israel also being named, however, only as one among the many other Arab countries who had their qualms with the 24Nov. Geneva agreement - that might well prove to be/come historic if the good will on both sides will prevail and enable a fair and peace-promoting final agreement in 6months time.
- (Updated) Senator Chuck Schumer promises more Iran sanctions, vows to 'defeat' Arab world and Palestinians
Erasmus November 25, 2013 at 3:28 pm
Re Chu: ....And once the debate about engaging in more military action in the middle east continues to bubble to the surface in the minds of United States citizens, it will be too late for AIPAC to strong arm the congress...
Moreover, once it dawns on potential congress- or senator-candidates that campaign moneys from AIPAC -sources meanwhile have become a liability, compromising their chances to get elected, then the AIPAC $-bondage has evaporated. Puff.......
The souvereign, the USA- electorate has matured and increasingly considers honest and bondage-free candidates better representatives to have as Congressmen + Senators.
- Netanyahu: Israel is 'by itself,' 'not bound by this agreement'
Erasmus November 24, 2013 at 2:01 pm
I do hope that this first agreement can be seen through up to a consolidated agreement in 6 months time or so.
There won't be a dearth of attempts to sabotage this welcome process of bringing Iran back into the regional and global discourse; a place which only does justice to a country and people like Iran and Iranians.
Now, with the Govt.of Israel so totally and profoundly ISOLATED from the rest of the world, this hopefully will be a thorough wake-up call for the Israeli voters.
They ought to realize that a NTY+Lieberman+Bennet Government is absolutely no good for them, not in any way.
However, where is the alternative political party to vote for?
No Nelson Mandela in sight.
Until then? what can be done?
For us, citizen of countries the governments of which have remained onlookers and only expressed endlessly hollow concerns about Israel's Occupation and other violations of international law but let 46 years pass without putting any political and economical pressure - we only have : B D S
- Real estate, racism, and righteousness -- a grim visit to Israel
Erasmus November 25, 2013 at 10:01 am
@ Pabelmont: .... I hope Phil is listening (or reading)....
It seems Phil is not listening.....
Re: … I used to resist the term settler colonialism, knowing there was more to Zionism than that…. But when you spend a lot of time in the occupation seeing the expansion and ethnic cleansing, it looks like a straight-up western landgrab. Noam Sheizaf says it is all about real estate. That's too reductive for me– I think it's about religion too – but it definitely is about real estate, and the dispossession never ends….
From the Jewish and the settler colonialists' point of view perhaps there might be something they would like to claim a religious element in their settler-and landgrab motivation. However, from the point of view of those victimised and occupied, who can not share any Judaic Torah dreams or tribal motivation, the "religious element" of their occupiers is absolutely immaterial; for them it is what it essentially is: outright settler colonialism. PERIOD.
Moreover, Mr. Philip Weiss, if it were "about religion too", may i ask what notion of "religion" you subscribe to here, if you could detect a religious element in occupation?? At best it could be a Judaism debased of its ethical fundamental principles - and this is what conventionally is more accurately identified as Zionism.
Yes, I see: " it is too reductive" for you! You want to be more subtle and analytically more differentiating? At the cost of diffusing the issue….?
Do you realize, that such is not a far cry from the classical apologetic Hasbara argument which "argues" that the I-P-conflict, the occupation, or whatever is a very, very, very COMPLEX proposition, which we cannot discuss here in the "required detail", so as to do good justice to the occupiers and landgrabbers…..
- In Avnery's 'Battle of the Titans,' will anyone bet that the dog wags the tail?
Erasmus November 23, 2013 at 4:56 am
Not to be forgotten: The ultimate B I G
….The Lobby had deployed 300 people to Capitol Hill in a fruitless effort to convince Representatives to go against the wishes of the constituents…."
And here Hostage highlights the very one B I G, which in Pabelmont's list is missing: Pabelmont explicitly mentions the BIG-ZION, the BIG-BANKS, or (implicitly) the BIG-MILITARY and BIG-MS MEDIA, and forgets to mention what is the ULTIMATE and OVERALL B I G :
the US - ELECTORATE and voting citizen.
The example given by Hostage does prove nicely:
even in an US "democracy of sorts" and its outdated 18-19th century electoral and constitutional procedures - it is the SOVEREIGN, the CIVIC SOCIETY at large which ultimately holds decisive power (and responsibility) and is in the position to outflank all other BIGs, provided (!) a non-ignorant, enlightened collective makes its position known loud and clearly,and holds their representatives to account, constantly.
Eventually, they will not be misguided by corrupt party candidates anymore, regardless how much money AIPAC or other BIG-Interest Groups might invest to get them elected.
People do not want wars, but JUSTICE and Fairness - not only for themselves.
- Shavit called Gideon Levy an 'enemy of the Jewish people' for wanting secular, democratic state
Haaretz promotes Shavit and his interpretation of things Israel - by an email offer dated 20. November 2013 for a Haaretz digital subscription:
Get a free e-book
Dear Haaretz reader,
the first round of nuclear talks between Iran and the powers in Geneva ended without agreement.
In his e--book "Does that mean war?" Ari Shavit explains why the Israelis are so concerned about an Iranian bomb.
Subscribe Now.
we will be giving thise-book for free toall our new subscribers in the next few days as the bookwillbe available to download between 20-24 November.
Hurry,hurry if you have not got the free e-book yet..........
alternatively you may just not!
- Jewish worshipers seeking access to Haram al Sharif could trigger next intifada, Tibi says
Erasmus November 20, 2013 at 2:59 pm
great improvement of your original plan!
@ eljay
Tear it all down and .....
With Reference to your :-), it seems,eljay, that you did not really mean what you suggest here.
Whatever, permit me to say, that "jesting" (?) in this context i can only consider utterly misplaced. :-(
Provocations today - see also Provocations 1929
There are striking parallels not only to the process (Sharon) that triggered off the Al Aqsa intifada, but also to the developments which eventually culminated /triggered off the 1929 riots / Pogrom and killings, also known as Western Wall Uprising.
The principle being: continuous provocations, sometimes small, but persistent to stretch and violate any agreed status quo.
Palestinians have a profound sense for history and past experiences.
- Why Israel wanted Arafat dead
Erasmus November 13, 2013 at 1:53 pm
@ Annie re French Polonium Investigation
I do not know which french Institute / laboratory has been encharged / entrusted with the body-tissue tests. Also a little websearch did not yield any concrete result.
No,i do not want to cast any doubts on the Swiss results and report; considering that 9 years have passed after Arafat's demise, I think they have done a very diligent job and have worked scientifically rather professionally, including their cautious formulation wrt their conclusions.
I do not want to speculate as to whether or why French lab results may be withheld. However, i fail to understand why no results have been reported / published so far. That in itself i have no reasonable explanation for, failing which the door to wild speculations remains open.....
Madame Arafat and the Palestinian Authority are those who have initiated the post-mortem investigation and Polonium testing. Given the prominence of Y. Arafat and the strange circumstances of his death, I trust any test results will become public, one way or the other.
What is a bit irritating in general is imho the somewhat extraordinary ME foreign policy behaviour of Monsieur L. Fabius.......,last not least shown recently in the P5+1 negotiations with Iran.
Alas, he has a HUGE Ego, not entirely alien to the Grand Nation..... :-)
Re Annie + French bodytissue Laboratory results
Sorry, i can not find any reference to French laboratory results.
As far as i am concerned, sofar only the Russians have produced a report and the Lausanne Institute in Switzerland.
The 9 year-delayed postmortem samples had been given to THREE Labs: 1 Russian, 1 Swiss and 1 French.
Persuasive analysis, Mr.Cook.
I wonder: WHERE are the FRENCH Laboratory results?????
What might take them soooo long to come up with the results?
Moreover, I always have wondered as to
WHY there had been no immediate French post-mortem??
- Kerry reassures Israel as Congress grumbles about a deal
Erasmus November 10, 2013 at 7:55 am
Re Ellen : The long term economic potential of normalized relations with Iran are tremendous. Israel is an economic drain on the US economy.....
FULLY agreed.
And that is also the reason why Israel (NTY) is dead against anything that would normalize international relations with Iran. For principal reasons - the nuclear issue is in this respect only pretext and a side-issue.
For: when the sanctions will begone and the vexing nuclear issue will be satisfactorily off the table and "normality" will take root - what will be then?
Then Iran with its 60-70 million population will naturally develop and regain into the position that matches its importance. Israel will be dwarfed and loose its regional and importance.
Peace and fully developing international trade relations with Iran are what Israel must consider a threat to its international standing. Even for the USA and the economic interests of their big companies Iran has to offer MUCH MORE than the Jewish Colony.
Erasmus November 9, 2013 at 12:02 pm
Netanyahoo = the self-appointed Spokesperson for the International Community
Quote: …."So Iran got the deal of the century and the international community got a bad deal. This is a very bad deal and Israel utterly rejects it."….
One may wonder whether Netanyahoo realizes that HE has self-catapulted HIS Israel out of this international community that he dares to speak on behalf - long ago, more and more, day by day.
Does Netanyahoo and for that matter the Israeli electorate realize that their Government gambles away any rest-sympathies which even well intending Israel friends (if any left) still could possibly muster????
- Right wing finds new way to dismiss Blumenthal: liken him to Dostoyevsky
Erasmus November 9, 2013 at 9:55 am
The Reform Movement Total FAILURE in Israel…..
…has to be considered one of THE major causes which permitted the rabbinical Judaism in Israel to decay into an ugly farce of the moral and ethical principles of the fundamental assets of genuine Judaism.
Tooo sad! Really.
- National Security Agency gives data on Americans to the Israeli government
Erasmus September 12, 2013 at 6:52 pm
It All falls in line : see Haaretz article of 17 May 2009
It is quite interesting to read what Haaretz wrote way back in May 2009 on the subject of close US-Israeli "coordination" to be discussed with President Obama in the FIRST meeting Netanyahoo had in the WH after Netanyahoo election victory 2009:
Netanyahu unlikely to back Palestinian state in Obama meet
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is unlikely to state support for the establishment of a Palestinian state when he meets with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House Sunday, an aide to the prime minister said.
However, in a bid to soften edgy relations with Washington, Netanyahu will propose that joint teams draft a new road map for the Palestinian peace process and a new strategy on Iran.…..
Netanyahu's aides said the preparation talks before the meeting were effective and no conflict was expected at the dialogue with Obama. ….
Netanyahu will ask Obama to tighten the coordination between the two administrations in defense and state affairs, and to set up communication channels and joint work teams on the Iranian and Palestinian issues, a source in the prime minister's bureau said. .
. Netanyahu will also tell Obama that without dealing with Iran it would be difficult to advance the peace process with the Palestinians.
He will ask Obama to coordinate the American-Iranian dialogue with Israel, and stress the importance of acting firmly against Iran should this dialogue fail. .
Erasmus September 12, 2013 at 6:15 pm
re seafoid : Israel is totally dependent on a bought Congress...
Yeah: the best democracy money can buy!
- 'AIPAC must be kept for consensus issues only': Israeli diplomat slams Israel lobby for engaging on Syria
Erasmus September 11, 2013 at 6:26 am
AIPAC must be kept for consensus issues only…
SIC !! What a lovely line is this!
Here we are, undiluted:
1) AIPAC is a "kept".
In (Asian?) English a "kept" is an illegitimate wife by the side.
2) Which consensus? Among / between whom?
Consensus between Israel interests and Israel interests.
- Rep. Alan Grayson: '[AIPAC] falls to the wayside when the public weighs in'
Erasmus September 7, 2013 at 7:18 am
Dershowitz goes the WHOLE HOG - Congress Approval for Iran also - Haaretz 05Sept13
Obama: Get approval from Congress on Iran now
The U.S. President's commitment to preventing Iran going nuclear means he must go to Congress now, before it crosses the red line, and not after, as is now the case with Syria and its use of chemical weapons.
By Alan M. Dershowitz | Sep. 5, 2013 | 8:01 PM
See: link to haaretz.com
- Latest 'generous offer' leaked: Israel wants to control Jordan River and 40% of West Bank while Palestinians get 'temporary borders'
Erasmus September 8, 2013 at 10:33 am
RE MahaneYehude1: ... I will quit and stop reading and writing in MW.....
Erasmus September 6, 2013 at 11:58 am
Re Southernobserver
....I have now come to believe that all of Israel, not just the settlements should be boycotted.
Of course, partial BDS makes no sense at all.
The entire State of israel, the entire economy and their companies and Holding system, along with the vast majority of Israel's Jewish citizen working in any profession are soooo deeply entangled in the occupation, that any partial BDS is virtually impossible to make any differentiation.
The onus of proof that could possibly qualify for exemption from a GENERAL + TOTAL Boycott of Israel would lie with any respective company or institution that wishes to be exempted because it was "unjustly" affected.
Erasmus September 6, 2013 at 11:36 am
Ya'alon: Settlement evacuations is not part of new talks with Palestinians
By TOVAH LAZAROFF
Defense minister says West Bank settlements are important to Israel's homefront defense, need to be strengthened.
The renewed Israeli Palestinian negotiations "are not dealing with the evacuation of [West Bank] settlements,"
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said Tuesday evening at a Rosh Hashana toast in Samaria with settler leaders.
The Samaria Regional Council relayed his words to the media. According to the council, Ya'alon questioned the assumption that in exchange for the word peace, Israel would relinquish territory.
"In the Middle East, we need to talk about interests and not signed agreements," he said…..
see: link to jpost.com
- In sunlight at last, Israel lobby throws its full weight behind Obama's Syria strike
Erasmus September 4, 2013 at 11:11 pm
thanks for the chuckle!
Erasmus September 4, 2013 at 10:56 pm
"Members only"
...... so that we can talk more easily with each other, you know.
No need for couched language....
Just straight from our Israel Firsters-heart.
After all: WE are among US.
- Broad public opposition to Syrian strike includes US soldiers on social media
CHANCE of Lifetime
Will the Reps make use of their CHANCE ?
- to bring the Syria War Resolution down and
- to make the POTUS a lame duck.
Never had so much "sympathies" for the GOP.....
- Critics of Obama's narrow action cite Martin Dempsey's caution -- 'act of war'
Erasmus September 1, 2013 at 6:28 am
Time to hit the phones -
And let him, the Senators+Congressmen know
what you want them to do / not to do
Did Obama recently not call upon the American public and asked them:
"Make me do it!" respectively "Make me don't do it!"
- The Art Of (Ineffectual) Diplomacy: Kerry says all Israeli settlements are 'illegitimate' but shouldn't hamper peace process
Erasmus August 13, 2013 at 2:32 pm
"Illegal" versus "illegitimate"
In all official statements the USA uses the term "illegitimate" when describing its position wrt israeli settlements in WB and East Jerusalem and painstakingly avoids to qualify them as "illegal"according to international law which in turn is the general qualification by the UN or the EU.
Another cryptic sophistic irritation ( at least to me) is the formulation that the "USA considers the continued settlement construction as not conducive for achieving an I-P conflict solution. - As if the effect and status of earlier settlements of the past would be different.
Question: can anybody enlighten me?
What is the difference between above two terms and what may be the underlying reasoning to prefer the one term over the other when describing illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories?
Comments by Secretary John Kerry re new Settlement Construction announcements by GoI.
Secretary Kerry is quoted in European newspapers as follows:
- …"calls on all participants not to react in a hostile way…."
- …"to come quickly to the negotiation table"
- …that such settlement announcements "…had been likely to a certain degree"
- "We knew, that there would be a continuation of few construction activities in certain locations, and i think, that the Palestinians understand this"
Is this a HELPFUL REACTION of the SUPERPOWER No1 to successfully mediate-facilitate END of CONFLICT I-P-Talks????
- Israeli liberals call for federation of two equal peoples
Erasmus August 11, 2013 at 10:27 am
Re : ... will not be heading back to where they came from (Eastern and Central Europe), but mostly to the English speaking countries of Canada, US, Australia and to a lesser extent England....
That may well be a.o. the underlying reason why Anglo-Saxon governments and other European countries are so staunch Israel-Firsters.........
- The interfaith ecumenical deal asylum seekers
Erasmus August 2, 2013 at 11:39 am
Re Just,
….These religious "leaders" are indeed COWARDS. They certainly have not really absorbed the teachings of their respective religions.
YES, 200pc agreed. COWARDS, that is what they are, and - what is worse Pharisees of the concoction of old days, bereft of any fundamental convictions of their respective religious teachings.
Thank you Marc, that you have so mercilessly named these cowards as ENABLERS
of INJUSTICE, prostituting themselves shamelessly to the powers that be.
I wonder, what Papa Paco (Francis) will have up His sleeves on the issue of the I-P-conflict.?????
He has been very outspoken and called for practical solidarity with the downtrodden and marginalized groups of our earthen societies and showed the princes of the church the way on the basis of the gospel's teachings. I do hope sincerely, He will consistently follow up in his direction……
So far He has remained silent.
- Brace yourselves for-- 'Kerry's generous offer'
Erasmus July 23, 2013 at 4:50 am
A POLICY THAT MAKES FRIENDS and friendly neighbouring countries
Re Roha: When all the deals – whatever they are – are done, Israel will still be surrounded by Arabs.
…by Arab neigbouring countries. Yes.
And that is exactly why it is in Israel's short-,medium and long-term interests to make a POLICY THAT MAKES FRIENDS. The solution of the I-P conflict is the very first step.
Only After a just and fair peace treaty will have been concluded, the real peace process can start and in all probability will require at a minimum 3-4generations until normal neighbourly relations will have developed and taken root. And that requires a good portion of stamina and there ought to be no major glitches on the way.
Or should Israelis believe that the loooong umbelical cord to the coffers and the good will of Europe and the USA will function as it did for an overdrawn 66 year pregnancy??
Their coffers are (running) empty and there is ever less good will left considering the occupation, the abhorrent violations and utter disrespect of Human Rights on a daily basis and international law.
- How fair is Martin Indyk, who says he was motivated by 'my... connection to Israel'?
Erasmus July 22, 2013 at 1:12 pm
Firstly, following the Guardian article
link to guardian.co.uk
there will probably no need for Martin Indyk or anybody else as a US-representative interlocutor.
The pre-talks for talks about final I-P-negotiations are unlikely to take place at all.
Secondly, one ought to assume that it is even clear for the POTUS that Martin Indyk can not be a credible choice, even though AIPAC et al and Haaretz' Barak David would love to see him in such position. See: link to haaretz.com
- If Kerry fails, Israel will be an apartheid state 'and that didn't work too well the last time,' CENTCOM general warns
Erasmus July 21, 2013 at 4:52 pm
David Petraeus+ James Mattis are so darn right
And they know what they speak about.
It is the USA unqualified Support of Israel all through, that let's the world see the USA as the same villain or culpret for utter disregard of HRs and international law as the Israeli Governments.
With Israel manouvring itself day by day into the abyss of international isolation and as the pariah state par excellence, the USA gets drawn into the same abyss.
And here lies actually imo the real genuine US-interest, or should be, to disentangle the USA from this unfortunate Siamese relationship. Its getting the USA only more and more (if that is still possible) into the international doldrums of political isolation and forego its potentially much better relations with the entire Islamic world.
Apart from improving the security of US-citizen and Army personnel markedly.
There are materially no military /power interests that could justify this special bilateral relationship - it does not give any positive returns for to a heavy price paid by the USA since decades, neither politically, nor economically, nor in any other way.
So, a robust new role of the USA to bring the I-P problem to a concluding peace treaty is indeed genuine US-specific interest.
As it actually should also be understood by the Israeli voters as their longer-term life-insurance.
David Petraeus+ James Mattis are so darn right
And they know what they speak about.
It is the USA unqualified Support of Israel all through, that let's the world see the USA as the same villain or culpret for utter disregard of HRs and international law as the Israeli Governments.
With Israel manouvring itself day by day into the abyss of international isolation and as the pariah state par excellence, the USA gets drawn into the same abyss.
And here lies actually imo the real genuine US-interest, or should be, to disentangle the USA from this unfortunate Siamese relationship. Its getting the USA only more and more (if that is still possible) into the international doldrums of political isolation and forego its potentially much better relations with the entire Islamic world and beyond.
Apart from improving the security of US-citizen and Army personnel markedly.
There are materially no military /power interests that could justify this special bilateral relationship - it does not give any positive returns for to a heavy price paid by the USA since decades, neither politically, nor economically, nor in any other way.
So, a robust new role of the USA to bring the I-P problem to a concluding peace treaty is indeed genuine US-specific interest.
As it actually should also be understood by the Israeli voters as their longer-term life-insurance.
- Helen Thomas dies
Erasmus July 21, 2013 at 7:30 am
How many Jewish Double Passport Holders reside in Israel and oPt ???
i would be very much interested to know what the figures are of Jewish double Passport Holders (dual citizenship) residing in Israel and the oPt.
Does anybody know or can give a relevant source of information (apart from the Israel Board of Statistics, whose population figures have to be taken with a pound of salt.
Erasmus July 20, 2013 at 2:40 pm
Helen Thomas,
a grand lady with courage and backbone.
we have to mourn her demise - and be grateful we had her.
Journalists of her qualities one cannot find too many in the trade,
where opportunism and small career worries rule -
next to the scissors in the head.
- 'Haaretz' welcomes EU's wake up call, but leading Boston Jewish group circles wagons around Netanyahu
Erasmus July 19, 2013 at 7:02 pm
And here is the equivalent position of the
President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Dieter Graumann, wrt to the new EU- Guidelines
Interview with Dieter Graumann in Deutschlandradio 18. July13
As you will note, the Chief Representative of the German Jewry pulls 100 pc the well known Hasbara line:
Guidelines leading into the dead end street
After some introductory remarks relating to the subject the interviewing Radio Journalist PETER KAPERN continues……
PETER KAPERN:… (The guidelines) have led to harsh reactions of the Israeli Government. What are your views wrt to this initiative from (the EU) Brussels?
DIETER GRAUMANN: You might imagine that i am not awfully thrilled about his blackout from Brussels. From my point of view these guidelines are bad. They are a directive into a dead end street and one into the absolute wrong direction. The whole thing is injust, unbalanced, in my view very unfair and above all not helpful, in other words a bad step from Brussels.
PETER KAPERN: Why that? How do you back up your rather very outright rejection?
DIETER GRAUMANN: you know, frankly speaking, my very first reaction has been: here we are again - another crazy idea from Brussels. I ask myself:
Do we not have other more pressing problems in Europe. Have a look at the Euro and money and currency and youth unemployment. Is it an attempt to divert from these issues? And if people in Brussels are so awfully fond to deal in matters of the Near East, why don't they care about Syria, where already a hundred thousand have been butchered? Why is the regime there not criticized? Or Russia, which supplies the Assad-Regime weapons, which then are immediately used against children? And what about Iran, where we have a regime which oppresses critics and stones women, (and) brings terror to the whole world? And right now we experience the developments in Egypt, where we have military government with a thinly veiled (democratic) icing.
Nothing of these: Only on Israel they home in. This although Israel still is the only democracy in the whole region, and to focus one's labours specifically on our partner with whom we share the same values, this is something that i personally can simply not understand.
PETER KAPERN:….. Mr. Graumann, can one really expect from the European tax payer that activities are financed in territories which are held occupied which is against international law?
DIETER GRAUMANN: But this is effectively not the case. Here the subject matter is quite something else, Mr. Kapern. Here, Israel shall be one-sidedly put under pressure and be put in the pillory, politically. And i believe, one is always well advised, to think about the effects before any action is taken. Who thinks first, i believe, acts rationally, that helps tremendously. And this harms peace, because Palestinians must think now, why should we at all negotiate directly with Israel, if Brussels seems to decide everything anyhow and believes that it can do that. For, the consequence of this new guideline is, lets face it, that those Palestinians who refuse peace are strengthened.
The problem why there is no peace yet, is not the settlement activity - about which one can have different opinions. I am also no fan. However, the real problem is that the Palestinian side does not want to let Israel live, that in the schoolbooks there until now the children are poisoned with hate for Israel and for all Jews in the world. About this, Brussels keeps mum and a loud and cold silence, and that makes me a bit infuriated.
PETER KAPERN: But it seems that until now the GoI has always been of the opinion, it could continue with its settlement policy as usual, because besides EU announcements, the EU would anyway never actively follow up in this matter in political terms.
DIETER GRAUMANN: I think, the EU and especially the Governments (of member states), by the way including the German Government, have always made their opinion about the settlement activity very clear. I believe, in Jerusalem one is very much aware of this.
PETER KAPERN: However to no effect!
DIETER GRAUMANN: Ach, you know what, I do not know, what may have effected what and how it would have been otherwise.
However, in any case i would appreciate if Brussels would exhibit more sensitivity, more fine-tuned intuition. I am and remain a believer and staunch supporter of Europe (the European idea). And that is why i am saddened to see, that Brussels harms it own interests, and that Brussels presents Europe lacking political sombreness.
PETER KAPERN: Do you think that the EU can now play a better role in the NE-peace process with this political instrument which now shall be made use of?
DIETER GRAUMANN: Of course not, Mr. Kapern, in the contrary! My view is this: Brussel bureaucrats have produced a provocation, which may well turn out to become a disgrace for them, and Israel will hardly be in the position to take this serious and above all Israel feels anger and being offended, and i believe, one should take these feelings seriously and therefore Brussels has rather catapulted itself out of the political arena of the Near East. That is a mistake and i rather strongly hope that there will be a correction.
PETER KAPERN: On the other side, there also could be even stronger measures against the Israeli settlement policy…e.g. if products coming from the occupied areas will not anymore be allowed to be imported and sold using the label "Made in Israel". What would this mean?
DIETER GRAUMANN: Yes, that is being discussed. Also this i consider to be one-sided and unjust. You see, there are many disputed areas in this world. For example, see the case of China:
The Dalai Lama, whom we all respect so much, would strongly disagree if Tibet was considered as a part of China; nevertheless it would occur to nobody, to specifically label products from Tibet. The only problem that is: there are7.5 million Israelis and 1.3 billion Chinese. Quantity makes morals, that can not convince me at all.
PETER KAPERN: But the business which is made there (oPt), such business also supports the settlement policy, because the companies make money there……
DIETER GRAUMANN: No! But have a look at this: More than 25,000 Palestinians are employed in such firms for wages, work and bread. They get jobs there, which they can not get elsewhere. They earn twice as much as elsewhere. And they get social benefits, which otherwise they can only dream about. I think, that should also be considered.
end of interview
Translated from official website of the Central Council of Jews in Germany: link to zentralratdjuden.de
- In 'earthquake' diplomatic move, EU calls on Israel to 'recognize in writing that the West Bank settlements are not part of Israel'
Erasmus July 16, 2013 at 4:27 pm
Cannot be so thrilled about this EU step
Although it might be a little step in the "right direction", i think there is no reason to be utterly thrilled about the latest EU directive even though the outrageous reactions from Israel may let it appear to be an "earthquake".
To me it rather appears to be a mini-minute face saving exercise by the EU. What it really amounts to remains to be seen, and in all probability the direct effect will be likeweise minimal only.
Considering the decades of eternal "concerns" and "serious concerns" uttered by the Quartet and the EU wrt to the ongoing colonisation of occupied Palestine, much more ROBUST ACTION is long overdue.
A more consequent step and commensurate to GoI continued violations of International Law and Human Rights would be SUSPENDING the entire EU-Israel Association Agreement until a final agreement with the Palestinians will have been reached.
Such a policy would indeed be called for and induce the necessary re-orientation process of the israeli electorate.
BTW, has anybody seen the exact wording of the directive/ guideline??
- The forever conflict: Will America's war on terror ever end at home?
Erasmus July 12, 2013 at 2:24 pm
USA = Israel
It is the same SECURITY PARANOIA
and eternal war on "Terrorism",
without ever asking oneselves,
what actually is my part,
that has brought about the situation as it is.
The capacity for reflective self-criticism totally absent.
- Kerry's 3 a.m. diplomacy is greeted with skepticism, scorn, ridicule
Erasmus July 2, 2013 at 6:02 am
.... Secretary has his team in place continuing to work through the issues.
Does anybody know, WHO his left-behind team consists of????
I'd be interested to know.
Is Dennis Ross also among them?
- 'Arabs, this way'
Erasmus June 20, 2013 at 12:57 pm
Re: ..I hope every Israeli and Zionist reads this and sees the Nazi SS officer doing the same to Jews in Europe. Maybe the conscience will wake up.
Which conscience ???
Whose conscience ???
- US and Israel are accused of manipulating Hague to acquit accused Serb and Croat leaders
Re: Irishmoses / Gil Maguire
"We are talking about Judge Theodor Meron who, as Hostage points out, was the legal advisor to the Israeli government in 1967…Just recently he was interviewed (I can't remember where) and repeated his statements….."
Correct, Judge Meron ascertained that this is still is opinion. That must be due to the fact that the Geneva Convention is so airtight and clear on the issue of settling nationals in foreign occupied lands, that there is virtually also no room whatsoever to retreat from his expert opinion given 18.September 1967 to the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
The Interview in question is the BBC-hardtalk-interview 14Mar2013 with Stephen Sucker, when Judge Meron refused twice to go into details on his affiliation with the Israel Government and Israel's violation of Geneva Convention's absolute prohibition to settle Jewish Israelis in the then "occupied Palestinian Terrorities", now Palestine.
see: link to youtube.com)
Listening (and Seeing Meron's body language) the whole interview is still rewarding, imho. Especially the second half, when Judge Meron's diction becomes notably more nebulous and his verbage rather increasingly very generalizing and empty, when more delicate + precise questions have been asked.
- U.S. gov't sides with 'UN Watch' and lobby and against Richard Falk
Erasmus June 13, 2013 at 12:04 pm
Re: " he started out as a patsy and a stooge."....
and Ban Ki Moon has remained a patsy and a stooge - to this day!
And that although -thank Gawd - he can not be re-elected for a third term.
I wonder who the next US-picked stooge as UN Gen. Secretary will be???
Also the EU delegation disavows Richard Falk - WHAT a SHAME
Richard Falk is a HERO - Three cheers for him. Unlike the other Richard (Goldstone) he stays on course and lives up to his convictions and stands for Human Rights - no ifs and no buts.
CHAPEAU to him. He deserves the world's Respect.
The EU-Delegation to the UN in Geneva also commented very negatively on Richard Falks Report. Here is the text of the EU official position:
" The European Union thanks the Special Rapporteur for the presentation of his report. The EU is aware of the lack of cooperation of the Government of Israel with the Special Rapporteur.
The EU continues to regret the unbalanced mandate of the Special Rapporteur and is also concerned that parts of the report include political considerations – for instance, paragraph 7.In the past, the EU emphasized that future reports should be based on a more factual and legal analysis, and we regret to see no genuine progress in that direction.
This Council needs to be provided with accurate, factual information and solid allegations to fulfill its role and address the human rights situation in occupied Palestinian territory.
The European Union stated a number of its concerns at the 22nd session of the Human Rights Council, and wishes to recall its position on the issues highlighted in this report. Settlements, the separation barrier where built on occupied land, the demolition of homes and evictions are illegal under international law, constitute an obstacle to peace and undermine the viability of the two-state solution. The EU believes that the Guiding Principles on business and human rights need to be applied globally and calls on European companies to implement the Guiding Principles in all circumstances, including in Israel and occupied Palestinian territory.
The EU reiterates its long standing concern about the situation of Palestinian prisoners. The European Union reiterates its call on all parties to comply with international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and to ensure accountability when violations occur.
The report presented to us today does not mention the publication of the second half of the Turkel Commission report released on 6 February 2013. The EU encourages the Government of Israel to fully use the recommendations contained in this report to ensure that all its investigations comply, in law and in practice, with international law.
Could the Special Rapporteur share with us the reasons for this omission?
Thank you, Mr. President"
END of QUOTE
Shame- and disgraceful
- The 'double standards' issue and moral judgment of Israeli policies
Erasmus May 31, 2013 at 1:01 pm
95 % of Strenger's articles are verbal garbage and pseudo-liberal diarrhia
i had the questionable privilege to listen to such garbage directly at a conference.
He gave a so-called "impulse"-lecture...... obviously it must have been an off-the-cough impromptu babble; he had not even prepared his speech.
His latest garbage - article, and admittedly one of his worst, has been the one lashing out at St. Hawking. Jerome Slater did very right to single Carlo Strenger out and expose his worthless thoughts.
I actually wonder since long that even Haaretz still prints his "lesser than Fiction" column......
WHO actually still wants to read his garbage??
- Chas Freeman on Israel's self-inflicted existential crisis
Erasmus May 28, 2013 at 10:51 am
Re: ..." Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem lasted 197 years. ....… That would give Israel another 132 years...."
In12. +13. century, news and external support from France took at best x? months to reach the Unholy Land!
Nowadays news travel at the speed of the IN and material support can reach within days.
On the basis of this comparative analogy (and surreal "logic") - the demise of the State of Israel would be overdue by years......
- Palestinian's message to Kerry: 'We do not trust you and America'
Erasmus May 27, 2013 at 1:00 pm
Sorry, imho this "geopolitical" rationalization i can not follow at all. I barely hesitate to call it outright rubbish.
There is no value added for the USA in geopolitical terms by Israel at all.
Israel is a headache and a burden, politically and financially.
What i can agree with, is that I also can not see any serious political will on the US side to enforce with robust policies a just and fair settlement of the I-P-conflict.
Apart from the mighty influence of AIPAC et al. on the domestic plane - are the economic interests of the USA and direct corporate investments too much interwoven with the Israeli economy, that they may be compromised by a peace agreement? Imho, hardly so.
An economic peace dividend in the entire ME-region is much more likely for the USA than any disadvantageous course of events in case of a genuine Arrangement of all outstanding issues between P + I.
- Why Palestine is different
Erasmus May 25, 2013 at 1:20 pm
Grand article: short and to the very point. Palestine is different.
And because also the USA is sooo deeply entangled in this colonial crime in historic Palestine - apart from its own on its home grounds wrt to the Indian population, that has never been addressed appropriately - the USA has some fundamental soul searching to do. Refusing to do this "homework", Israel finds itself in comfortable company.
Confessing own historic guilt without qualification by the USA could imho go a long way to pave a way for Jewish Israelis to start reflecting on theirs and cut the "Gordian knot" of Jewish self-rightness.
Three issues related to this conflict that are crucial to understand are:
• historic guilt,
• colonial responsibility, and
• the U.S. "special relationship" with Israel.
Re: " During his recent trip to Israel, he visited the Yad Vashem (Holocaust Museum) to declare that Israel's future existence and security as a "strong Jewish state" would ensure that there will never be another holocaust."
Is that a verbatim quotation??
The Haaretz gives another version in citation quotation marks as:
"The State of Israel does not exist because of the Holocaust, but with the survival of the State of Israel there will never be a Holocaust again,"….
link to haaretz.com
Whatever, the statement obviously lacks not only stringent logic, quite asymptomatic for Obama's usual standard, but indeed sends an unfortunate and wrong message.
Re: "Adding insult to injury, Obama then did a huge favor to Israel's right wing by going outside official protocol to lay a wreath on the tomb of Theodor Herzl , the founder of the political ideology of Zionism.
Through his actions, intentionally or otherwise, Obama gave credence to the 'right' of a Jewish state in Palestine, while ignoring the indigenous people of Palestine … upon whose ruins the Israeli state was built. "
This has been indeed a very unnecessary and misguided tribute for which the POTUS ought to feel serious regrets and be thoroughly ashamed. With this he has absolutely overstretched whatever may be justifiable to reassure whatever Jewish Israeli souls may fear another HC. One can only but agree with Sam Bahour when he observes that
intentionally or otherwise, Obama gave credence to the 'right' of a Jewish state in Palestine, while ignoring the indigenous people of Palestine – including Christians, Muslims and even some Jews – upon whose ruins the Israeli state was built.
This can best be seen how Israel's ambassador to Washington Michael Oren, immediately tried to capitalize upon Obama's Herzl grave event.
"By laying a wreath at Herzl's grave just now – an act that other foreign leaders have refused to do – President Obama was reaffirming Zionism and the idea of a Jewish state."
- Israeli report on al-Dura case is vengeful and 'surreal,' says Haaretz -- but 'NYT' treats it as gospel
Erasmus May 21, 2013 at 3:05 am
LOL!! Grand. Thanks for this one.
- Kennedy's insistence on right of return prompted Ben-Gurion to rewrite history: They fled 'of their own free will'
Erasmus May 21, 2013 at 2:46 am
Ooops, thank you Pabelmont. This link of yours did work.
From what i take from this link is, that the Israeli nuclear programme had been no material bone of contention between the Kennedy administration and Israel's nuclear programme at all; in essence, any "misgivings" between them were substantially "just for show" and window-dressing for the press and media.
This, however, could hardly be said about any political-economical pressure wrt the issue of Return of Palestinian Refugees to their homes within the boundaries of the State of Israel.
And do you see any power of logic between the timing of BG's resignation and possible machinations and dynamics of the Mossad??
After all, preparations for an assassination of an USA president takes a while, long while i assume.
Obviously, such a hypothezided link with Israel's nuclear programme has also been made, however, this i do find absolutely unconvincing.
Moreover, lest we forget that conceived or real obstacles wrt to unhindered settlements had been good enough for Rabin's assassination!
I guess the prospects of a possible return of (few) hundred thousand Palestinian Refugees to the Israeli "homeland" could have equally served as good enough "justification" for Zionist terrorists of those days to act and "nib the danger in the bud" .......
Fact is, so it seems to me, that this thread wrt to such a reasoning for Kennedy's assassination has not been gone into and further explored. Remember, how many documents and evidence has disappeared miraculuously or clues not having been followed??
Above all, the Israeli Archives remain very inaccessible for historic research.
this link gives me a 404 Not Found reply.
Maybe you give your "argument" in a straight mode in your own words?
" ….In 1961, after John F. Kennedy assumed office as president of the United States, calls for the return of some of the Palestinian refugees increased. Under the guidance of the new president, the U.S. State Department tried to force Israel to allow several hundred thousand refugees to return. In 1949, Israel had agreed to consider allowing about 100,000 refugees to return, in exchange for a comprehensive peace agreement with the Arab states, but by the early 1960s [(??? a rather imprecise dating!)] that was no longer on the agenda…."
How interesting!!!
President J.F. Kennedy's assassination has been on 22 November 1963!!!
Within the above context, the reading of the involved background material about the failed attempts - official and otherwise - to successfully investigate the president's assassination (see link to en.wikipedia.org) and throw light into the dark - suddenly opens up - not entirely unplausibly - quite a very new direction of thinking………..
- Turkish PM raises Mavi Marmara at White House press conf, calls grow for Obama to investigate killing of Furkan Doğan
Erasmus May 17, 2013 at 11:12 am
Excellent letter.
Something the POTUS has to do some serious thinking about.
1) Will he react in the way the letter expects from him ???
2) Or prefer to kow-tow before the mighty Israel Firsters - as he done so far?
Any bets?
- Israeli attorney general affirms policy of e-mail searches of foreign travelers
Erasmus April 25, 2013 at 1:55 am
Harassing Immigration Inquiries + Email - and Body Search upon Arrival and Departure = Welcome to Israel,
- the international pariah and notorious international law violator;
- the Human Rights violator on a daily basis;
- ..........
Surely no destination for vacations.
Re Kathleen : "If they do email searches how the heck does Phil get in?"
Don't forget - Phil is Jewish, at least sort of.
- State Dept human rights report on Israel: 'most significant human rights problems during the year were terrorist attacks against civilians; institutional and societal discrimination against Arab citizens'
Erasmus April 24, 2013 at 3:49 am
1) State Department Acting Assistant Secretary Uzra Zeya
…commend to you our report this year on the occupied territories. Some of the major human rights problems that we identify are arbitrary arrest and associated torture and abuse, often with impunity,…. And this is taking place in areas under Hamas, PA, and Israeli control.
2) However, the last sentence of the executive summary reads:
…. Impunity was NOT a problem. The government took steps to prosecute and punish officials who committed abuses in the country regardless of rank or seniority.
After having read this executive summary only, I did not even read any further.
This US Human Rights reporting is a sham and MEANINGLESS as long as it remains without any CONSEQUENCES.
- Exile and the prophetic: An open appeal to Cardinal Sean
Dear Mr. Dickerson3870,
i shall be most grateful, if you will kindly concentrate your comment contributions to the very subject of any respective article.
Secondly, what about confining them to one comment per article - at the most???
Thirdly, your over-extreme use of bold fonts does not really help to make your comments more attractive.
Thanking you for your kind consideration.
Erasmus April 21, 2013 at 4:47 pm
Good you took Cardinal Sean to task!
In those dirty war days of Argentina the now Bostonian Prince of the Church was not a Prince yet, but a fearless and honest preacher of truth and the gospel.
Now let us see whether Cardinal Sean will take the next always inappropriate occasion to live up to the essence of the gospel and SPEAK OUT in non-diplomatic terms on the ongoing dirty war of Jews in Palestine.
No "Holy Land garbage", please.
Beati pacifici .........
Let us hope so.....
- Reality check-- John Kerry prepares to stick fork in two-state solution
Erasmus April 20, 2013 at 7:56 am
Re Toivos : " Uri Avnery is opposed to the one-state solution because it means the end of Israel as a Jewish state. ..."
In all fairness to Uri Avnery, Toivos, this is a misrepresentation of Avnery's position.
He argues for a 2SS above all for practical reasons; his main argument is that - for the time being - no other alternative would be agreeable to the vast majority of Israeli Jews. At the same time he leaves the mid-to long-term future relationship of both States open, with a clear preference of an ever increasing process of regional cooperation in the Near East.
With respect to the "Jewish State" he has never argued for this. In the contrary. He mercilessly has highlighted the principal incompatibility of "Jewish" and "democratic". The one excludes the other. And his leanings are beyond doubt: he is a unrelenting democrat.
That at least has been my understanding of his argumentation.
If there is some soft pedalling of Uri Avnery - that is in his position vis-a-vis BDS. He opposes with imho fairly weak and twisting arguments an outright and general boycott of Israel. He keeps fairly mum on the subject since and aslong as the Anti-Boycott Law passed by the Knesset threatens anybody promoting Israel boycott with heavy fines. The matter is before the Supreme Court - and the SC is dragging its feet ..... as is usual and symptomatic for Israeli judicuary.
Erasmus April 19, 2013 at 5:44 pm
Is John Kerry and the USA getting really serious about the 2SS ???
May be yes. That can not be ruled out.
And what may have caused such a turn-around? Since we are all speculating, here is a possible and imho not far-fetched explanation:
After all those 65 years, the US foreign policy thinkers, thinking the Near East scenario forward, say another 20-30 or even 50 years, have come to the conclusion that the 2SS with a democratic Israel is the ONLY chance they will have a n y State of Israel at all to ally with.
Failing which the alternative solution - 1SS - means : ADIOS ISRAEL!
Before such a likely development, US influence can best be safeguarded with a 2SS, where the State of Israel has a considerably better chance to survive, provided it will opt for Democracy and give up the "Jewish" State.
- UNICEF stifles its own report on Palestinian children in Israeli detention
Erasmus April 19, 2013 at 2:55 pm
No more donations to UNICEF
This behaviour of UNICEF reps is shocking and thoroughly discredits a formerly well-reputed UN-Organisation.
I deeply regret my past donations to UNICEF - as for the future: NO MORE !
Wonder, whether the UNICEF board will take any decisive action on both functionaries, Lake and Gogh, and remove them from their positions.
That should be a minimum to restore some of the lost credibility.
- Palestinian-American boy, 14, locked up in Israeli military jail
Erasmus April 12, 2013 at 9:22 am
San comment:
...American consular officials declined comment......
, not to speak about doing something for the young boy and intervene with Israeli and Military authorities in a robust way.
After all he is only a Palestinian-US citizen........
- Products from the colonies: Labeling or prohibition?
Erasmus April 7, 2013 at 3:21 pm
Re : Harry Law, 05Apr13 - 3:02pm
...." to create a "certification/denomination of origin" seal for Palestinian products?"...
Re: Harry Law, 05Apr13 - 1:30pm
..."now that Palestine is a state, how about products from Palestine being named as such on all labeling,..."
I trust a separate label a la "Made in Palestine" would not solve the problem either.
After all, we shall not forget, that any and all exports from the oPt or the new state of Palestine can only be "exported" through the corridor of Israel proper!!
Iow, for the time being and as things still stand now - such strategy is likely not to solve the problem of fraudulent export declarations by the GoI + Israeli exporters.
Here, my conclusion would be, that ALL Israel Exports would have to be refused import tax privileges, because no importing EU-Member Country is in the position to positively asceertain beyond doubt, whether or not the Israeli Declaration of Origin is genuine or fraudulent.
However, pabelmont's comment above raises the question:
.."Perhaps a lawsuit may be brought against an i m p o r t i n g s t a t e, but who would be able (successfully) to bring such a lawsuit?...." -
that appears to me to be a more promising thought.
Who could file such an lawsuit?
Perhaps even the European Parliament against the European Commission?????
For reasons of neglect and inactivity, and ignoring the principles of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
Any legal experts here to enlighten the laymen????
- 'Look at the world through their eyes' -- Obama should take his own advice
Erasmus March 29, 2013 at 8:52 am
Re Chu: ..."He needed to [have] travel[led] there and say 'look fools, you're on borrowed [better: stolen] property and you have blood on your hands. No historical events will erase sixty years of crimes. And as those neighbors you've wounded over the decades have never been repaid....."
Everybody who (like me - mea culpa) still had been clinging to a rest-hope that Obama would use THE chance to drive it home to the Israeli voters, must finally come to the conclusion: The POTUS Obama is a hopeless case to bet a cent on for rectifying an enormous historical injustice committed on the Palestinians.
The USA and the European governments are accomplices of the blatant human right violations going on in the unholy Land since (at least) 46 years now.
What is left now for us normal little citizens everywhere?
Total emphasis on B D S of everything Israeli and an outright "Rights and entitlement approach". Hopefully Abbas will do what he announced:
Only 2 months more waiting.
Thereafter: Israel and those responsible before the ICC in The HAGUE!
- NPR can't stop talking about Jews
Erasmus March 26, 2013 at 9:10 am
Re MRW : ..." The only good thing about my NPR is BBC in the middle of the night,...."
The same i can not say about the BBC.
They have since quite a while a similar hybrid radio programme under the titel "Boston calling", in which the BBC gives NPR the air waves to her listeners for half an hour. Which is - to top it up - repeated umpteen times during the week.
Most of the time, it is a very poor image the NPR gives of what drives the USA. The usual NPR crap.....Mostly, awful.
Meanwhile, I am often lead to promptly change stations, and ever increasinglyi do.
- We need to look to the Palestinian leaders on the ground, not more diplomats — Noura Erakat on MSNBC
Erasmus March 25, 2013 at 8:00 am
Re Hostage:
"According to Asharq al-Awsat, Abbas told Obama that he would wait two months before taking any action at the ICC in hopes that the US could convince Israel to freeze settlement construction as a precondition for relaunching peace talks."....
I wonder whether Abbas will do what he has been quoted to do.....
after 2 months additional waiting for a total, publicly announced settlement freeze!
link to aawsat.net
That would mean Netanyahoos 3rd Government had a 2 months live period only!!
Erasmus March 25, 2013 at 7:26 am
re American : ...Ben-Ami is another lying zio .....
Agreed. When Ben-Ami says .... "I agree with you that there's been no results, that I absolutely agree. ....",
Ben Ami ignores or tries to hide, that during all the gimmick of decades of negotiations and "Peace Process" there has been an enormous expansion of settler colonies and exploitation of occupied territories, and all the other Human Right violations as listed in the UNHR Council Report on Settlements of 18March 2013.
Please see: link to unispal.un.org
This report says it all.
And all these shall be no results???????
And has it given any coverage in the US or European media??? NONE.
- Obama gets it
Obama : …" And let me say this as a politician -- I can promise you this, political leaders will never take risks if the people do not push them to take some risks…."
And I am ONE of THESE……
- Adalah launches comprehensive online 'Discriminatory Laws Database' to monitor racist Israeli legislation
Erasmus March 20, 2013 at 7:15 am
<Great Work by ADALAH !
What an excellent source of reference!
- 'Mr President, I'm sure you know everything' -- a Palestinian boy expelled from half his home urges US action
Erasmus March 19, 2013 at 1:34 pm
Despite all disappointments - I refuse to give up hope
Despite all frustrations hereto with Obama I - performance wrt to the I-P-conflict, i even refuse to give up all hopes wrt to Obama….. until yet proven (again) to the contrary.
When speaking to the Israeli Youth /students, Obama has the floor. The world's cameras are on him. He will speak to all Israelis and the world at large.
Nobody knows what exactly he will say. Obama might be hitting hard. After all, Obama has to settle some scores with Netanyahoo, has he not?
He may also make use of this opportunity to tell his Israeli audience what they hardly hear and could even interrupt his speech for showing a few selected video sequences wrt to the reality of the occupation , as Palestinians have to endure since decades; day-in and day-out, not to forget the nights, when the Israeli Army harasses sleeping Palestinian homes and make their routine arrests.
The documentary "5 broken cameras " could possibly well serve for this purpose.
Other video material equally suited should be readily available in abundance.
- Covering Hamas and Palestinian society: A response to Peter Beinart
Erasmus March 12, 2013 at 10:26 am
Beinart's Zio-Liberalism UNMASKED as cheap Hasbarism - once for all
T h a n k s to tree and Kathleen!
Re: tree : March 11, 2013 at 6:39 pm
."… So it's a little like Zionism. I recognize that to be a Zionist I have to compromise my liberalism: I have to support a Jewish state, which by definition will never be able to provide absolute equality to its non-Jewish citizens. But I try to do so while still hoping for as much liberalism as possible..."…
Re Kahleen March 11, 2013 at 4:19 pm
...yet he declared to Jeffrey Goldberg he opposes equal rights for Palestinian citizens of Israel because it contradicts his own political mission of maintaining a Jewish state —
"I'm not even asking it to allow full, equal citizenship to Arab Israelis, since that would require Israel no longer being a Jewish state." …
That should disqualify Peter Beinarts verbal garbage re Zio-liberalism once for all!
These quotations unmask P.B. as little else than a cheap hasbarist. I wonder that decent media (print or otherwise, incl. blogs like Mondoweiss) give P.B. hypocritical and/or mendacious utterings any import and coverage at all.
The only thing that P.B. would have to conclude from his own realization that his generous granting Palestinian Israelis only less than full and unequal citizenhip rights makes him a 100 pc non-Liberal (to put it very mildly).
The only logic consequence were for him, to repent his treason on the better traditions of enlightened liberalism and give up his mission for a JEWISH State of Israel.
- 'Palestinians for Dignity' reject Obama visit as effort to stave off pressure on Israel, placate Palestinian street
re American
I fully support the suggestion to also demand from the Abbas-PA to proceed with taking those responsible for the e.g. Gaza War and the Occupation to the International Criminal Court in the Hague.
This could well be an effective, non-violent measure for achieving national self-determination of Palestinians.
While i sympathize with the high degree of frustration in light of no progress whatsoever during two decades + of "negotiations" and the "peace process", and the logic for a comprehensive strategy of resistance,
i'd like to warn to also relapse into any type of former military activities as a form of resistance.
This would certainly be utterly counterproductive and destroy the enormous international credit which the Palestinian non-violent resistance has accrued as of now.
It would virtually gamble all this CREDIT away.
- Netherlands takes bold move: settlement products must be labeled
Re Basilio.:
"Labeling doesn't do much since Israel can slap on a made in Israel label and lie."….
That is what they do already since years, including exporting to some other importing country / wholesale importer in the EU and relabel Israeli products as from another EU country of origin.
Previously Turkish business had been helpful in such a scheme; not anymore I guess. Nowadays, Greek and Greek Cypriot companies may have taken their place, and so do French and Spanish importers.
That is why it only makes sense to boycott ALL Israeli products, irrespective of any labeling details, i.e. whether they are labeled "Made in Israel" or "Produce of the occupied WestBank".
The entire Jewish Israeli electorate, the Israel State machinery and Israel's commercial sector / companies are so deeply entrenched in the occupation, colonization and exploitation of Palestine, that no practical and justifiable distinction between the two geographies of origin can be made.
The debates in Europe (whether by EU- or other EU-member state politicians) on the labeling issue goes on since years. Endlessly, without any clear regulation and enforceable follow-up.
Therefore, again, ALL Products with the barcode 729 shall remain in the shelves and rot there.
- In photos: Gaza fishermen undertake protest flotilla to tell Israel -- 'Return the stolen boats!'
Erasmus March 6, 2013 at 9:26 am
36 fisherboats seized
Not only "wonderful photos" they are - in the first place it is
an impressive resistance campaign by the Gazan fishermen
Excellent campaign.
- Biden says Jews can't be safe in the U.S. without a Jewish state
Erasmus March 6, 2013 at 8:34 am
That Biden speech is shameful - and a scandal.
What else?
- The chutzpah of hasbara
Erasmus February 28, 2013 at 4:10 pm
Re: "First there was the "voluntary" birth control injection of Ethiopian immigrants. Now now we have the secret "voluntary" repatriation of 1000 Sudanese back to Sudan, where even Israel concedes their lives are in danger."
That news makes no big headlines.
BUT this one:
First woman of Ethiopian origin becomes 'Miss Israel'
Yityish Aynaw, 21, hopes that winning Israeli beauty queen pageant will pave the way for a career in modeling.
By Haaretz | 10:00 28.02.13 |
link to haaretz.com
What an open, non racist and non-discriminatory democracy we are.
You see?
- '5 Broken Cameras' loses out to 'Searching for Sugar Man' for best doc Oscar
Erasmus February 25, 2013 at 6:14 am
Re: ..." According to Guy Davidi, industry insiders warned him that pressure was exerted on the Academy to stop either 5 Broken Cameras or The Gatekeepers from winning..."
Thinking about the composition of the Academy Jurors, I can well imagine, that there was no pressure needed, not to select "5 briken cameras".
In light of this, it would have been indeed a stunning surprize, if it did.
Anyway, whatever, the nomination itself has been a formidable achievement and recognition of the film and its main message.
And my unqualified applause and respect ... goooooooes to: EMAD BURNAT + the entire TEAM involved in making the documentary, above all all BILIN'ers.
Chapeau ! for their year-in and year-out perseverance and adherence to non-violence.
- Palestinians demand international inquiry following suspicious death of detainee in Israeli prison
Re: " The doctors who sign off on torture do so in violation of their hippocratic oath to do no harm.But Zionism has gone way past the point where it can honour oaths, commitments and promises."
This is indeed a very and especially deplorable fact, that doctors make themselves complicit in such crimes.
Their names shall also be recorded so that they will be taken to account for their deeds at the HAGUE .... when the times comes.
And this time will come in no too distant future.
- You could become 'another Goldstone' -- friendly warning to Yale prof whose study cleared Palestinian textbooks of demonization charge
And here are 2 weblinks for the study's report.
In particular, the research team deserves special acclaim for the painstaking efforts of a transparent and scientific research methodology - which adds considerable value to its findings and recommendations.
Full report:
link to d7hj1xx5r7f3h.cloudfront.net
4-page summary:
link to d7hj1xx5r7f3h.cloudfront.net
- Hillary Clinton showed more spine with Netanyahu than Obama has
Erasmus February 4, 2013 at 2:57 pm
Re: ...Unfortunately, the text of the December 2010 speech has been removed from both the Saban Center and the State Department sites, ......
The full text of Hillary Clinton's speech on 10 December 2010 at the Saban Centre can be found here:
- Report: Hillary pushed for Middle East peace deal, Obama wasn't interested
Re Hostage:
…" meaning of the Bush letter to Sharon about the final settlement being based upon the 67 borders plus the subsequent "realities created on the ground". and
" U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dismissed on Friday reports that administration of former U.S. President George W. Bush had an understanding under which Israel could keep expanding settlements on the West Bank." …
And here Hillary (and Hostage) is correct. The above mentioned ominous letter dates 25.April 2004.
And here is a statement of President GW Bush from 26 (?) May 2005 on the issue of settlements as quoted by Ynet, dated 26 May 2005 :
….Bush said that both the Palestinians and Israel must live up to their obligations under the so-called "road map" peace process that calls for creation of an independent Palestinian state on lands captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war.
"Israel must continue to take steps toward a peaceful future" and not take steps that contravene road map obligations, Bush said. He said Israel must "remove unauthorized outposts and stop settlement expansions."
- Hagel looms -- will AIPAC dare to take him on?
Erasmus January 7, 2013 at 11:38 am
Re: " Well, I'd really love to see a real public discussion, pros and cons........
and, also of course, a discussion why Israel's settlements program is BAD for various American interests..."
General Petraeus and others have been very explicit on this subject, has he not !!
- Endless 'debate over two-state solution' is cover for the real story, annexation of West Bank
Erasmus January 3, 2013 at 6:15 pm
re : several diversions/rationalizations
Add to this list - not to forget :
a few wars here and then sprinkled in between, eg. Libanon I + II and Gaza I + II
- 'I am looking to shed some light on the predicament of a beleaguered people' -- Roger Waters's stirring speech to UNGA
Erasmus December 15, 2012 at 7:56 am
GRAND SPEECH by Roger Waters
Thanks a lot for making the text of Roger Waters' phantastic speech available.
We should distribute his speech widely to our respective Address Book contacts.
Indeed, i watched the Video link to youtube.com showing Roger Waters delivering his grand speech as spokesman of the Russel tribunal. Very impressive. It summarizes it all.
A crash course on the I-P conflict and Israel's shameful historic record.
- Merkel squirms during Netanyahu's love song to 'special relationship'
Erasmus December 9, 2012 at 9:14 am
Re: Merkel's Sauerkraut-Face
Agreed - her face and Sauerkraut mimick is great.
Apart from that, for me her facial expression is just to show the German public, that she is rrreally angry with NTY and that she has thoroughly given NTY a brush...... in private and this remains of course, as always so far, without any tangible political and/or economic consequences.
Her Sauerkraut-face is just a show only.
The reason being is that Merkel knows that roughly 70-80 % of Germans DISAPPROVE of her handling the I-P-conflict sooo one-sidedly.
- Video: Gurvitz says settlers threaten to detonate a civil war
Erasmus December 7, 2012 at 12:32 pm
Thanks for that interview. A sad interview it is.
However, very much against all my hopes and realization that a coming carnage ought to be stopped - as long as it is still time? - , deep down i must agree with Yossi Gurvitz.
Because to avoid this carnage to pave the way to an 1SS, it would require:
a) massive political and econonmic pressure on the Government of Israel and the Jewish Israeli citizen as from NOW;
b) the Israeli electorate coming to senses.
I cannot see any of these two conditions to be fulfilled in the near future. So?
Carnage must be.
Must carnage be?
All my guts revolt to accept my own reasoning.
Despite all the crimes committed by the Jewish and Israeli colonization and occupation and wars, Palestinians are still ready to forgive, if only the perpetrators could believe that their crimes were to be forgiven.
As long as they can not forgive themselves, they can not believe in forgiveness by others - after all they have heaped soooo much guilt already. Have they ever earnestly tried?