Israel has announced it plans to deport thousands of refugees from South Sudan. The reasoning behind the move suggests it could be a rehearsal for the expulsion of Palestinian citizens of “Israel” if an independent Palestinian state is ever established.

AP reports:

Israel’s Interior Ministry says thousands of people from South Sudan must leave or face deportation.

Spokeswoman Sabine Haddad says since the Southern Sudanese have an independent state, they will no longer be given protected status in Israel. The country gained independence from Sudan in July.

Some 7,000 South Sudanese are believed to be in Israel, part of a larger influx of African migrants who have poured into the country in recent years. Some are refugees, while others are seeking employment.

The report also says that the refugees “will be offered voluntary deportation and around $1,300.”

Ominous sign for Palestinians in “Israel”

This is bad enough for refugees from South Sudan – who whether or not they now have an independent state – come from a country still torn by war and violence.

But Israeli leaders have already hinted that they could use the same type of logic to justify removal of Palestinian citizens of Israel if a nominally independent Palestinian state is established on scraps of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In 2007, Tzipi Livni, then Israeli foreign minister, and now opposition leader, stated:

The Palestinian state to be established will not be a solution just for the Palestinians who live in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank]. It is designed to provide a comprehensive national solution – for those living in Judea and Samaria, and the refugees camps, and even for the [Arab] citizens of Israel.

Livni, often misrepresented as a “dovish” figure, has been consistent in her desire to get rid of Palestinian citizens of Israel in order to maintain Jewish ethnic purity, so much so, that even former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was shocked by Livni’s extreme views.

During Palestinian-Israeli negotiations in 2008, the Palestine Papers revealed, Livni was one of the foremost proponents of transferring areas populated by Palestinians from within Israel to the putative Palestinian state.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and other Israeli politicians openly advocate various kinds of “transfer” schemes.

Paying for “voluntary” transfer

Nor is the notion of paying people to leave “voluntarily” a new one. Israeli far-right leaders have long advocated paying Palestinians to leave – or making life so hard for them they have no choice but to do so – a phenomenon they call “voluntary transfer.” Moledet and other Israeli parties that have been part of, or supported the government, have long advocated this approach.

Last year the Israeli government announced it was even willing to pay third countries to take unwanted Africans off its hands.

Partition leads to ethnic cleansing

The prediction that Israel would use any kind of Palestinian “state” as a dumping ground for unwanted populations is by no means far-fetched. In a paper in the journal Ethnopolitics last year, I explained how a “two-state solution” would be more likely to lead to further ethnic cleansing of Palestinians than to peace.

More warning signs, in the just announced expulsion of the South Sudanese refugees, are there.

by Abdul Nasser Fakih, Moqawama

“The Herzliya Conference”, hosted by “the Interdisciplinary Center” at Herzliya in occupied Palestine; also one of the “Israeli” strategic security conferences and one aiming at assisting the enemy’s entity to determine the present security risks and the means to face them, is being held on the 30th of January through the 2nd of February in occupied Palestine, where a big number of economic, military, and political Zionist leaders are participating, as well as international, influential figures including European presidents and prime ministers and senior officers of international institutions and organizations. Yet, it is significant that some Arabs from Qatar, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority (PA) are taking part in “the Herzliya Conference” and in normalization, therefore. This complies with a previous declaration by “the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)” concerning “an Iranian threat”, which has matched with Zionist calls for the alliance of Arabs and “Israel” in confrontation with “an Iranian threat for both”.

“Tahsine al-Halabi”, a Palestinian political writer and “Israeli”-affairs researcher residing in Damascus, has spoken to “al-Intiqad” Website, confirming that “the major concern of “the Herzliya Conference” is confronting the axis of the resistance, whose power and withstanding are increasing upon its steadfastness.” As well, al-Halabi points out, “The kind of Arab participation in the Conference is significant as it reveals the appearance of a new axis in alliance with “Israel” involving Doha, Oman, and Ramallah.” The Palestinian writer also sees that “among the central topics of the Conference are: first, the effect of the economic financial crisis on “Israel”; second, “Israel’s” current strategic asset with respect to the United States and the question on the continuity of the Zionist entity’s protection for the US interests in the Middle East; third, Tel Aviv’s and Washington DC’s security, military, and political conflict with Tehran; fourth, the influence of the current evolutions, evoked by the so-called “Arab Spring” (“the Arab Awakening”), on the resistance movements (Hizbullah and Hamas).”

Al-Halabi considers that “the most significant urgency the Conference deals with this year is the means to handle the Arab evolution and the prospect on the Iranian matter.” Then he talks about “an “Israeli”-US-European agenda, with which some Arab regimes familiarize in confrontation with Tehran.” Al-Halabi warns that “the Conference aims at preparing the Arab wisdom to accept this familiarization.” Besides, al-Halabi clarifies that “the participants’ proposals and debates in the Conference are to recommend working for the promotion of a media plan executed by numerous Arab-speaking media.” Al-Halabi points out that “this plan aims at addressing the public consciousness to view Iran as “the major enemy” and to promote a sectarian incitement; these are excellently two “Israeli” requests.”

Now al-Halabi explains, “The Conference is handling the ways “Israel” can benefit from the Arab evolutions and diminish the consequent harms these evolutions inflect on the Zionist entity.” Though al-Halabi says, “The Arab participants’ role serves to promote the principle of “non-opposition” of the so-called “Arab Spring” and “peace” with the Zionist-Occupation entity,” he notices “the apparent weakness in representing the countries of the uprisings, except Egypt, from which a participant is presented as an international character; that is, none of the Arab-uprisings countries dares normalize with the “Israeli” enemy in such circumstances.” Al-Halabi denounces “the representation for Qatar by one of the figures when no direct normalization agreement with the Occupation entity exists; this actually signifies the presence of secret “Israeli”-(Arab) Gulf affairs.”

In comparison, al-Halabi sees that Turkey “has taken no part in the Conference so as to guard its prestige and evade the accusation of participation in plotting against Syria.” Al-Halabi considers that the participation of Jordan and the Palestinian Authority “is no more than a mere ornament for the Conference, and this makes “Israel” seem as it were adherent to “peace” and as if it were sustaining the negotiations with Palestine.”

Now the Palestinian writer talks about the European participation in “the Herzliya Conference”, revealing that “the purpose beyond this participation is the “Israeli” cooperation with the European governments to counter the activity of some non-governmental organizations in “the old continent”, which are working for depriving the “legal and ethical legitimacy” of the Zionist entity.” He adds, “The means to develop the European-”Israeli” relations are being debated in consequence with the recent political conflict between Europe and “Israel”.”

Thereon, al-Halabi reveals that “the Turkish State has displayed a documentary film on the so-called “Jewish Holocaust” in parallel with the commemoration of “the International Remembrance Holocaust Day”, which the United Nations held in the UN Headquarters in New York last Friday, the 27th of January.” The Palestinian writer refers this act to “Ankara’s will to lessen the pressure on it, which the Zionist Lobby has been creating through Paris consequently after the French Congress ratified a law that incriminated the denial of the occurrence of “the Armenian Genocide” (“the Armenian Holocaust”) in time of the Ottoman Reign”, pointing out that “this has been the first time for an Islamic state to display such film, and this hasn’t evoked public agitation in Turkey since the public realizes that its government is suffering European pressure concerning the issue of “the Armenian Genocide”.” Al-Halabi concludes that this pressure is one of the outcomes of the “Israeli”-European cooperation, for which preparations have been made in common conferences held earlier, including “the Herzliya Conference”.”

Here are epitomes of the Arabs declared as participants in “the Herzliya Conference” (pictures in original source):

1. Prince al-Hassan Bin Talal: the Regent of Jordan since 1965 until his discharge on the 25th of January, 1999, and the youngest son of King Talal and Queen Zein ash-Sharaf. Western institutes describe him as “an outstanding Arab economist and intellect” as he is actively involved in international forums and conferences for economy and intellect, which twin with the Western ideology. He is making a direct speech via video-link in the opening of “the Herzliya Conference”.

2. Dr. Saeb Erekat: Chief Palestinian Negotiator for “the Process of Settlement” with the Zionist entity since 1996 and senior member of the Palestinian-”Israeli” negotiations, which accomplished “the Oslo Accords” in 1993. On the 12th of February, 2011, he made his resignation to the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas after “the Process of Settlement” had reached a dead end. Seldom has Erekat missed membership in the negotiations of Palestinian delegations with the representatives of the “Israeli” Occupation. In the Conference he is addressing the recent developments of the Palestinian-”Israeli” relations entitled:
“NO PEACE, NO PROCESS: “ISRAEL”-PALESTINIAN RELATIONSHIPS”

3. Riad el-Khouri: Jordanian economist “specialized” in Middle East and Africa affairs; previously participated in “the Herzliya Conference”; a former member of “the Carnegie Middle East Center”; a professor at the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Lebanese-American University (LAU); consultant for the European Commission, the World Bank, the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the US Aid Program (USAID); member of the International Council of “Questscope” in Amman, Jordan, a British organization involved in “changing and merging” communities. El-Khouri is lecturing on these topics:
“SHORT-TERM SCENARIOS FOR THE MIDDLE EAST”
“THE RISE OF POLITICAL ISLAM ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST: ARAB SPRING OR ISLAMIST WINTER?”

4. Salman Sheikh: a Qatari researcher; Director of “the Brookings Doha Center” and Fellow at the corresponding “Saban Center for Middle East Policy”. Sheikh’s researches involve “settlement” issues and “solutions” for the Middle East struggle. Among his researches is “A Chance for Hamas to Seek Friends outside Damascus”. He has held several earlier positions, including: the Personal Representative of the Secretary General for Lebanon; the UN the Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General on the Middle East; the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East “Peace Process”; and “the Director for Policy and Research at the office of Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser el-Missned”. Currently he is the Special Representative to the European “Muslim West Facts Project”; he is also “the Counselor of Oxford Research Group for Middle East Affairs”. Sheikh is lecturing on:
“THE RISE OF POLITICAL ISLAM ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST: ARAB SPRING OR ISLAMAIST WINTER?”

5. Tony Badran: Lebanese-American Research Fellow at “the Foundation for Defense of Democracies” (FDD) in Washington DC, which is sponsored by the “Israeli” Lobby and the Neo-Conservatives of the US; whereby he is specialized in the Lebanese and Syrian political affairs. He is known for his extremism and discrimination against Arabs; yet, he is in contact with the Lebanese “Future Party” (of “the March 14 Alliance”) and has been considered to be “the foreign secretary of the Future Party” for many US lobbies. Previously he joined “the Lebanese Forces”, and he has actually acknowledged this when interviewed by several US media, including “Fox News”; whereby he bragged about taking part in the perpetration of “the Sabra and Shatila Massacre” against the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon (in 1982). Actually, even some “Israeli” associations refrain from inviting him to their conferences as he has called for killing Muslims – even American Muslims. Badran is lecturing on:
“POST ASSAD: WHAT NEXT FOR SYRIA AND LEBANON?”

6. Sherif el-Diwany: an Egyptian economist and Director of “al-Marsad Incorporation”. He has held the position of the Director of “the Middle East and North Africa for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos”, the policies of which are quite known. Though el-Diwany has no publicity or post in Egypt, he’s going to lecture on:

“THE SHIFTING BALANCE OF POWER: SAUDI ARABIA, IRAN, EGYPT, AND TURKEY IN THE MIDDLE EAST”

“MIDDLE EAST 2020: SCENARIOS FOR THE COMING DECADE”.

7. Advocate Basha’er Fahoum Jayoussi: a Palestinian of the lands occupied in 1948, one of the founders and the Chairwoman of “the Jewish-Arab Center” at the University of Haifa, which concentrates on “merging Arabs with the “Israeli” community” and establishing “common actualities” between Jewish and Arab students; whereby the Center offers awards and scholarships to students doing researches on the issue of “common Arab-Jewish livelihood”, as well as to students reinforcing this “common livelihood” in appreciation for their “social activity”. Most of Jayoussi’s activities focus on the normalization between Palestine and “Israel”. She is lecturing on:
“GOVERNING “ISRAEL’S” ECONOMY: SOCIAL JUSTICE VS CAPITALISM”

8. Nahed Khazem: Mayor of the Shafa Amr (Shfaram) Municipality in the Western al-Jalil (Galilee) in the north of occupied Palestine; is well known for his cooperation and good terms with the Zionist-government ministers, particularly with the Culture Minister Gideon Saer. Khazem also participates in merging Arabs with “the “Israeli” community” in the Galilee Region. He is lecturing on:

“GALILEE: SETTING PRIORITIES FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT”

Here are epitomes of the prominent Arab attendees of “the Herzliya Conference”:

1. Muhammad Darawshe: a Palestinian of the lands occupied in 1948; Fellow Member at “the Abraham Fund”, an “Israeli” foundation; has held the position of the Foreign Affairs Director of “the Abraham Fund Initiatives” since 1996, of which he and Amnon Be’eri-Sulitzeanu have been the Co-Executive Directors since 2004. The foundation actually aims at eliminating the Arab presence in occupied Palestine; claiming the conduct of a “Merging and Equality Policy” targeting the Jews and Arabs in occupied Palestine. For more than twenty years, Darawshe has been significantly involved in the field of “Jewish-Arab co-existence”.

2. Masad Barhoum: a Palestinian of the lands occupied in 1948; the M.D. Director General of “the Nahariya Governmental Hospital” in Western al-Jalil (Galilee). Barhoum is known for his activity and cooperation with the “Histadrut” (“the “Israeli” General Federation of Laborers”), as well as his outstanding relations with the consecutive governments of the Zionist entity, particularly with the Zionist health ministers.

3. Ayman Seif: the Director of “the Center for the Development of the Arab Minority” at the office of the Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In 1996 through 2008, he was in charge of “the “Israeli” Financial Committee” of the Prime Ministry, an economist at the Economy and Planning Ministry, and a member of “the Governmental Committee” in charge of securing the backgrounds of Arabs, claiming “Convenient Representation of Arab Scholars at Governmental Centers” as a policy; also a member of “the Special Committee for Promoting Work Opportunities and Initiatives in the Arab Mainstream”.

4. Dr. Khaled Abu Asbah: a Palestinian of the lands occupied in 1948; the Director of “the Massar Institute for Research, Planning, and Educational Counseling”; a Sociology-Department Lecturer at the Zionist “Beit Berl Academic College” in “the Third Sector” in occupied Palestine. He received his Sociology and Anthropology PhD from “the Bar Ilan University” in occupied Palestine. His dissertation addressed “Family and School Perceptions: Indicators for Arab-”Israeli” Students’ Involvement in Violence”. Abu Asbah is a pioneer as to merging Palestinians with the Zionist entity; whereby he is in charge of “the Strategy for the Advancement of Arab-”Israeli” Citizens in “Israel”", a project regarding which he has made studies at “the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute”.

Source: Al Intiqad Online Newspaper, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org

GAZA, (PIC)– A 44-year-old citizen was wounded east of Gaza city at noon Tuesday in Israeli occupation forces’ shooting, medical sources said.

Adham Abu Salmiya, the spokesman for the emergency and ambulance department in Gaza, said that the citizen was hit with a bullet in his left leg and carried to Shifa hospital.

He said that the citizen’s condition was moderate, adding that IOF troops stationed to the east of Gaza fired at him.

Hundreds of citizens have been injured in similar incidents.

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Maqdesi: The IOA has closed 88 Jerusalemite institutions since 1967

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)– The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) has shut down more than 88 Palestinian human rights, social and charitable organizations in occupied Jerusalem since 1967 and forced 33 others to move its offices to the West Bank, Al-Maqdesi organization for society development said.

The IOA started its campaign with the closure of the Arab Jerusalem municipal council (secretariat of the capital) in 1967 and proceeded to close 35 organizations one after the other until 1986, Maqdesi added in a recent report.

The IOA also closed 53 relief and civil society organizations during the period extending from 1995 to November 2011. Among these institutions were the orient house, the land research center, the Arab studies society, the higher council for tourism, the Palestinian radio and television authority, the geographical center of Palestine, the Palestinian prisoner society, and the Arab women care center, according to the report.

The IOA, the report says, has never made do with the arbitrary closure of the Palestinian institutions in Jerusalem, but it has also restricted since 1967 human rights, social and charitable activities of many other organizations by enacting racist laws aimed at drying up their funds, placing many obstacles to their peaceful and humanitarian activities, and harassing its members through threatening, arresting and exiling them from the holy city.

In a related incident, the IOA closed last Sunday the Islamic society and Silwan charity for 30 days at the pretext they were receiving funds from Hamas Movement and carrying out activities on its behalf.

These two organizations affirmed they are independent and licensed intuitions, and not affiliated with any political group, and added that the measures taken against them are part of the Israeli occupation’s campaign against Jerusalem institutions that started in 1967.

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“Israel” endorses construction plans in 70 West Bank settlements

RAMALLAH, (PIC)– The Israeli government has endorsed plans to construct more houses in 70 settlements distributed in various West Bank areas, the Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post said on Monday.

It said that 57 of those settlements were outside the separation wall, adding that the premier’s office had published in a list the names of 557 settlements supported by the government.

The paper said that the office did not mention any restrictions on building in those settlements.

The chairman of the Jordan Valley settlements council expressed pleasure that his settlements were enlisted in this list, adding that he was ready to build 150 new houses.

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“Israel” plans to confiscate 650 dunums in occupied Jerusalem

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)– The Israeli planning and construction committee has decided to confiscate 650 dunums of land in occupied Jerusalem to establish two garbage dumps.

A researcher specialized in settlement activity, Ahmed Sub Laban, said that the first junkyard would be established on 500 dunums in the area between Enata and Aisawiya, describing the area as a valley 745 meters deep.

The other plan envisages seizing 150 dunums of land between Kafr Akab and Bir Nabala to the north of occupied Jerusalem to establish another rubbish dump, he added.

Another researcher, Amran Al-Resheq, said that the two garbage dumps would negatively affect the environment, adding that the Israeli occupation authority did not care less about the health of the Arab inhabitants.

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IOF soldiers round up 14 citizens

BETHLEHEM, (PIC)– Israeli occupation forces (IOF) rounded up 14 Palestinian citizens in three West Bank provinces the majority taken from Bethlehem, local sources said.

They said that the IOF soldiers detained 11 citizens in Bethlehem after storming many houses in the province.

The sources noted that two others were detained in Jenin and one in Ramallah.

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IOF soldiers arrest seven Gazans in January including three minors

GAZA, (PIC)– Israeli occupation forces (IOF) arrested seven Palestinians from the Gaza Strip on its borders and at the crossings in January 2012 including thee minors, a human rights activist said on Tuesday.

Riyadh Al-Ashqar, a researcher with the Palestinian center for the defense of prisoners, said that the detainees included two 15-year-old children and a 17-year-old minor.

He said that 28-year-old Bassam Rihan was arrested at Beit Hanun (Erez) crossing while heading to the West Bank for medical treatment.

Ashqar said that the others were detained on the eastern borders of the Strip at the hands of special Israeli forces.

He said that despite the IOF withdrawal from Gaza yet its troops still target Palestinians on crossings, inside the Strip, and at sea, recalling that the IOF troops rounded up 40 Palestinian fishermen in 2011.

The researcher noted that the IOF soldiers had earlier detained two cancer patients while on their way for treatment in the West Bank.

He appealed to all international institutions to put an end to Israeli violations of Palestinian rights.

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(File photo)

Press TV

The United States’ use of radioactive munitions in Afghanistan has destroyed the people’s health and mutilated the genetic future of the country, Press TV reports.

Dr. Mohammad Daud Miraki, the author of Afghanistan After Democracy: The Untold Story Through Photographic Images, told Press TV’s Kabul correspondent on Monday that the US has committed horrific crimes against the people of Afghanistan.

He said the US used depleted uranium in the country and Afghan babies were being born with severe deformities.

Exposure to depleted uranium causes genetic damage, birth defects, cancer, diabetes, immune system damage, and other serious health problems.

Miraki has described this as genocide in his book, which provides an insight into the grimness of life under the US occupation.

He says that he has seen people die without any physical signs of injuries to their bodies in Afghanistan. “And then there were bizarre scenes of birds melting on trees,” he adds.

In his book, birth defects are depicted with graphic images. He said he was overwhelmed by the number of these cases.

Miraki noted that the US used a massive amount of depleted uranium weapons in late 2001.

He went on to say that US forces are still using these weapons in the country.

Miraki’s book also says that it was a lie that the war was launched to introduce democracy in Afghanistan and accuses the US of betraying the Afghan people under the pretext of democracy and reconstruction.

Al Manar

US President Barack Obama has confirmed for the first time that US drones have targeted Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants on Pakistani soil, a program that has escalated under his administration.

The government in Islamabad, whose relations with Washington sank to an all-time low last year, appeared to shrug off the confirmation but made a rare public acknowledgement that the program had “tactical advantages”.

Asked about drones in a chat with web users on Google+ and YouTube, Obama said “a lot of these strikes have been in the FATA” — Pakistan’s semi-autonomous Federally Administered Tribal Areas on the Afghan border.

“For the most part, they’ve been very precise precision strikes against Al-Qaeda and their affiliates, and we’re very careful in terms of how it’s been applied,” Obama said on Monday. “This is a targeted focused effort at people who are on a list of active terrorists, who are trying to go in and harm Americans, hit American facilities, American bases, and so on.”

He said that many strikes were carried out “on Al-Qaeda operatives in places where the capacities of that military in that country may not be able to get them”, such as Pakistan’s lawless tribal zone. “For us to be able to get them in another way would involve probably a lot more intrusive military action than the ones we’re already engaging in.”

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Obama concedes use of drones in Iraq

Press TV

US President Barack Obama has acknowledged Washington’s unauthorized surveillance drone operations in Iraq where the un-mandated move has sparked outrage among senior Iraqi officials and the public.

“The truth is we’re not engaging in a bunch of drone attacks inside Iraq. There’s some surveillance to make sure that our embassy compound is protected,” said Obama in a chat with web users on Google+ and YouTube on Monday.

The confirmation came after The New York Times disclosed that the US State Department began operating some drones in Iraq last year on a trial basis to help protect the US Embassy and that stepped up their use after the last US troops left the country in December.

The report has infuriated senior Iraqi officials who say Washington must respect the country’s sovereignty and consult with the Baghdad government before carrying out any operation now that “the war is over.”

“I think that there’s this perception that we’re just sending in a whole bunch of strikes, willy nilly,” Obama said, adding, “It is important for everybody to understand that this is kept on a very tight leash.”

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland also claimed that her department uses unmanned aerial vehicles to take pictures of US facilities and personnel abroad.

Meanwhile, The Times said that senior Iraqi officials told the newspaper that the US had not consulted with Iraqi government about the drone operations and that despite the official US withdrawal from Iraq, it maintains a strong presence in the country.

The daily said that since getting the approval for using surveillance drone aircraft over Iraq might be hard given the political tensions between the two countries, the US continues drone operations in the country without formal approval from Iraq.

It added that Washington plans to take bids for the management of drone operations in Iraq over the next five years.

by Tariq Shadid, source

The essence of the Palestinian struggle is the battle against Zionism. It is a battle against its racism, against its murderous war crimes, against its insatiable territorial hunger, against its disdain for non-Jewish human rights, and against its devoted attempts to destroy Palestinian national identity. As voices of normalization are on the rise, and social media is invaded by paid pro-Zionist bloggers, there is an increased need for anti-Zionists to draw attention to the crimes committed by ‘Israel’, and to speak up against the ongoing media silence and the apologist activities of those misleadingly portraying themselves as ‘peace doves’. Let us first look briefly at the history of the anti-Zionist struggle, and then see where we stand today.

The Ideology of Zionism

Years before the creation of the state of ‘Israel’, there was already a full-blown battle going on against Zionism. On one side, the Palestinians were resisting against the usurpation of their land, having grown aware of the far-stretching implications of the Balfour declaration of 1917, which laid the foundation for the mass-immigration of European Jews into Palestine. In those same decades, there was also an ongoing struggle within the Jewish communities in Europe, where many were opposed to the tenets of Zionism either on a religious basis, or on the realization that colonizing an inhabited land would inevitably cause an injustice that would continue to reverberate for many years to come. A famous example of this in that period of time was the famous genius Albert Einstein, who in 1938 already expressed his opposition to the creation of a ‘Jewish state’, and in a letter to the New York Times that he wrote together with a number of prominent Jews in 1948, strongly denounced the horrendous Deir Yassin massacre.

The ongoing struggle of the Palestinians against Zionism and the continuing expropriation of their land is well-known, but not everyone is aware that within Jewish ranks, true ideological opposition against Zionism still exists. The most well-known group among these is Neturei Karta (‘Guardians of the City’), an organization of international Jews united against Zionism. On another note, within the current framework of the Zionist state, a coalition of groups that call themselves ‘Campus Watchdogs’ recently went as far as labeling 10 % of Israeli academics as ‘anti-Zionist’. It is likely that this number is highly overrated, since this McCarthyism-like approach can be expected to have lumped together a wide variety of people who expressed criticism at their government’s actions. In a similar way that outside criticism of ‘Israel’ quickly gets labeled as ‘anti-Semitism’, many of the one thousand mentioned academics, publicists and journalists are likely to have received the label of ‘anti-Zionist’ despite adhering to many of Zionism’s principles.

Tribal, Religious, or Ideological?

For some, the ongoing misery is a war between two peoples, basically a ‘tribal war’. Others prefer seeing it as a war between religions, with Judaism on one side and Muslims on the other side. Those who adopt this view are ignoring the pluralistic ethnic and religious composition of the Palestinian people, and are for instance ignoring the fact that many Palestinians are Christians, who have not been spared the gruesome fate of their Muslim compatriots. Thirdly, there are those who view the struggle as a battle between ideologies: Zionism on one side, and anti-Zionism on the other.

As the original PLO manifesto (28 May 1964) stated, the organization declared that “Palestine with its boundaries that existed at the time of the British mandate is an integral regional unit” and that it sought to “prohibit the existence and activity of Zionism”. It also contained statements calling for a right of return and self-determination for the Palestinians. When reading the manifesto, it becomes clear that the PLO, the first more officially organized Palestinian movement against the land theft and expulsion committed by the Zionist terrorist organizations that later declared the Zionist state, was an explicitly anti-Zionist movement. The PLO incorporated the various existing political movements in one body, and was declared to be the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. This was widely accepted by an overwhelming majority of Palestinians.

The Oslo Disaster

As illustrated above, the foundations of the Palestinian struggle were based on the territorial integrity of Palestine (i.e. the one state solution) and the right of return of all expelled Palestinians. These original foundations became embedded in an entire generation of Palestinians worldwide. In 1993, the leadership under Yaser Arafat adopted the two-state solution instead, which largely happened in a top-down manner and led to the Oslo accords, However, it soon became clear to all that the Oslo accords were only accepted by ‘Israel’ as a deceptive method to hypnotize the Palestinians as well as the masses of the world into an illusion of Israeli willingness for territorial concessions, while in truth confiscating huge swathes of land, building a separation wall and almost tripling the settler population (from 250,000 to 700,000). It should be no surprise that even early on, as the scam became blatantly clear to all except seemingly to the leadership of the newly created Palestinian Authority, the original tenets of the struggle were yet again embraced by many Palestinians inside of Palestine as well as in the diaspora.

Return to the Struggle

As the state of confusion created by the Oslo accords lingered on, some defeatist voices however also turned to normalization, instead of returning to the basics of the struggle. It is not to be wondered at that disillusion and opportunism play their role in such a complex situation, wherein many lose hope when faced with the overwhelming military, economical and strategic dominance of the Zionist state. Nevertheless, youth movements that are currently active in keeping the struggle for Palestinian rights alive, predominantly see anti-normalization as one of their main strategic goals. They adhere to the above-mentioned basic tenets of the struggle, and reject the failed formula of negotiations that is still pursued by the Palestinian Authority, despite its lack of popular mandate for it. For most Palestinians it is blatantly clear, that the so-called ‘Peace Process’ has only caused damage to their cause and has not brought even the slightest prospects of a better future, let alone of self-determination or independence.

Internationally, pro-Palestinian activists also largely adhere to the basic tenets of the Palestinian struggle, namely the one-state solution and the right of return of the Palestinian refugees. There are other issues as well that are deemed non-negotiable to the majority of Palestinians, such as strong opposition against the Judaization of Jerusalem (Al Quds) which is projected as the future capital of liberated Palestine, and the release of all thousands of Palestinian political prisoners.

There is definitely also a group of ‘two-staters’, but their numbers are dwindling fast, and they rarely engage in activism since their views are largely represented by the Palestinian Authority. The strongest cure for the fallacy of the two-state solution was seeing the Palestinian side of that solution being gobbled up by the Zionist state over the years, faster than one could issue statements of protest against them.

New Shape of the Struggle: Back to Anti-Zionism

It is clear nowadays that the Palestinian Authority is not a useful apparatus for waging any form of struggle, but an administrative body that functions mainly as an extension of the Israeli security apparatus, in a framework inherited directly from the Oslo agreements. This does not mean that the people have stopped struggling. The modern Palestinian struggle has moved towards preferring popular resistance over armed struggle, and employing BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) as a main strategy of generating pressure against the Zionist state. What has also changed, is that this struggle has gained large numbers of international supporters all over the world, who support the Palestinians in their pursuit of freedom from Zionist oppression.

These changes have also brought anti-Zionism back to the forefront, and this has far-reaching implications. Whereas a two-state solution almost automatically implies the undertaking of steps towards normalization, since it implies an acceptance of Zionism and relinquishing the claim of 78 % of Palestinian territory to it, a one-state solution which aims to create a state for all of its inhabitants that does not discriminate on the basis of race of religion, requires a strong and uncompromising return to anti-Zionism as a unifying strategy.

Anti-Zionism versus Normalization

In a struggle that aims to achieve this, normalization is an extremely damaging concession that can never be combined with the dismantling of Zionism, which is the ultimate goal of its strategy. After all, a struggle against racism cannot be successful if the inherently racist tenets of Zionism are accepted. The ‘Oslo-period’ has however sown its sorrowful seeds in more places than may directly become apparent. The vast majority of the Arab masses have not accepted Zionism in their midst, but there are stubborn strands of normalization that seem to be enjoying an increasing momentum within ‘progressive’ ranks of various Arab communities.

Two Egyptian examples can be mentioned in this context. One is Mona Eltahawy, who seems to consider ‘Israel’ to be a civilized state and refused to condemn the genocidal massacre in Gaza that claimed the lives of 1,400 Palestinians (including at least 300 children) by massive attacks from drones, tanks, Apaches and F-16′s – on a population that possesses no bombing shelters or anti-aircraft artillery. Another even more mind-blowing example is Maikel Nabil, an Egyptian blogger who enjoyed wide campaigns for his release when he was arrested for criticizing the SCAF military junta of post-Mubarak Egypt. He expressed his love for Israel on his blog and in Israeli media with an enthusiasm rarely ever seen before in the Arab world. There are other examples too, such as Arab-American comedian Ray Hanania of Palestinian origin, who proclaimed himself a candidate for Palestinian presidency in a video that he posted on Youtube, wherein he called for an acceptance of Israeli settlements, and an end to the Right of Return.

The Only Ziocracy in the Middle East

It is true that these examples do not represent the sentiments of the majority of Palestinians and other Arabs, whether in the Arab world or outside of it, but these voices cannot be ignored either. The main reason for this is that voices of normalization like the ones mentioned above often receive disproportionate attention in Western-dominated mass-media, and thereby have a number of insidious destructive effects upon the struggle.

First of all, they make those who are true to the anti-racist struggle against Zionism seem extremist, by offering alternatives that at first sight strike the general public as being more inspired by peaceful motives. This is a distortion of reality: support for ‘Israel’, the most belligerent state in the Middle East, the only state in the region in possession of (over 300) nuclear arms, and the only ‘Ziocracy’ where ones ethnic background automatically categorizes one as having less rights than others, can never be truthfully designated as ‘peace-loving’.

Secondly, the apparently human inclination of the masses to flock around the famous without delving deeply into their philosophies, brings multitudes of people close to positive truth-distorting evaluations of the Zionist state. For example, progressive Arabs who embrace Mona Eltahawy’s feminist activities, are inclined to also automatically defend their idol’s views on ‘Israel’, simply because they are already in a state of adoration of her person. Another example involves Maikel Nabil: when progressive activists rallied for him due to his unjust incarceration by SCAF, his shocking pro-Israel views seemed to be lumped together with his anti-SCAF views under the label of ‘freedom of speech’, effectively paving the way for the perceived ‘right’ of Egyptians to view ‘Israel’ in an undeservingly positive and gruesomely distorted loving manner.

The Struggle Goes on

The true and original struggle of the Palestinians is a struggle against Zionism, and this is entirely incompatible with the views mentioned above. Normalization must therefore be opposed, vocally, directly, loudly and clearly. There is definitely a need for increased activity on this front, since anti-normalization and BDS do not enjoy the support of mass media, unlike the voices of normalization.

If this means that these voices need to be confronted even on a personal level, then so be it. It may not be a pleasant thing to do, and some might argue that it distracts from calling attention to the continuing atrocities that the Zionist state is inflicting on a daily basis upon the defenseless Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. However, as has been argued in the article “Anti-normalization: an necessary part of BDS campaigning”, calling attention to these injustices will remain highly ineffective if the public is simultaneously exposed by mass media to Arab voices that aim to paint a misleading image of ‘Israel’ as if it were a beacon of civilization, and a saviour for mankind.

In other words: if you value BDS and wish it to be effective, and if you believe in opposing the racist ideology of Zionism, one of your tasks is also to confront those who suck up to power for their own personal gain. And since their number is increasing, it looks like you have work to do.

- Tariq Shadid is a Palestinian surgeon living in the Middle East, and has written numerous essays about the Palestinian issue over the years.

by Franklin Lamb, Al Manar

We all know it is not just American and Lebanese politicians who use Palestinian refugees as political footballs during electoral campaigns. But they are currently the two most egregious apart from most Zionist politicians in temporarily occupied Palestine.

In the US, it would not be a difficult task to find even more revolting and groveling intellectual “half-men” to borrow a phrase from Syria’s beleaguered President Bashar Assad than Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich during their recent “debate” in Jacksonville Florida.

While a high percentage of Republican Jewish voters will go to the polls in this winner take all primary, Mitt and Newt are also pondering their national fundraising networks as they gratuitously misrepresented history and betrayed their claimed religious and moral beliefs.

Romney repeated his screed that President Obama “threw Israel under the bus” by following international law, seven UN Security Council Resolution and World opinion by designating the pre-1967 borders as the starting point for peace talks. He also complained that America’s President “disrespected” Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu when Obama spoke recently at the UN and mentioned in passing illegal Israeli settlement building but did not discuss retaliatory rockets being fired from Gaza into occupied Palestinian territory.

Genuflecting just as obsequiously to the Zionist lobby, Gingrich insisted to Florida voters once again that “Palestinians are an ‘invented people who historically were considered Jordanians and Syrians.” No one in the audience was so impolite as to remind the claimed student of history that Jordan did not even exist until created by the pro-Zionist British occupiers of Palestine, well into the 20th Century, while Palestinians have lived in Palestine for more than 3000 years. While more than 95% of Zionist colonists have zero historical links to Palestine and their genealogical roots are in Europe, Russia and elsewhere, despite the fact that millions have invaded Palestine seeking free land and US government funded cash and housing handouts. Morally and legally these colonists have no right to even one grain of sand in Palestine.

Approximate population growth in Mandatory Palestine

Newt again promised his audience that on his first day as President, he will for sure issue an Executive Order moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, another violation of International law.

Florida’s nearly 640,000 Jews are just 3.4 percent of Florida’s population. But because they vote in extraordinarily high numbers, they are 6 to 8 percent of Florida’s general election turnout but not of course when it comes to Republican primaries. Yet one recent poll estimates that 52% of the state’s registered Jewish voters would support a Republican presidential ticket such is their mistrust of Obama and what he might do in a second term with respect to occupied Palestine.

As with his rival Mitt, President Newt’s first foreign trip will be to Israel. With these latter two pledges Newt joins 19 Presidential primary aspirants who since 1967 have made similar promises. Fortunately, for what is left of American Humanitarian values, not one has been elected President.

Lebanese style anti-Palestinian political speech is more sophisticated and subtle, like the Lebanese people themselves, and nearly always devolves to the gut wrenching warning, delivered with a straight face, that “if we allow Palestinian refugees the right to work or to own a home (as required by International Law and currently enjoyed by refugees in 192 other countries) it might encourage them to get lazy and become too comfortable in Lebanon and they might, God save us all, seek naturalization. And this could interfere with the Palestinian refugees internationally guaranteed Right to Return to their homes in occupied Palestine which Lebanese strongly support for their brotherly and sisterly guests.

Lebanese politicians, including every party and religious grouping bar none, except the Druze and the National Syrian Socialist Party, use voter’s fear of naturalization (in American think immigration) to undercut growing human rights pressure for Lebanon to give Palestinians elementary human rights.

A rare exception for a Lebanese politician shocked many here when earlier this month, to his eternal credit and honor, Social Affairs Minister Wael Abu Faour became the first Lebanese Cabinet member to make an official visit to a Palestinian refugee camp in six years when he toured south Beirut’s Burj al-Barajneh camp before signing a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA). The agreement will enable UNRWA for the first time to work in coordination with the Social Affairs Ministry to provide some services to some of the most vulnerable people in the camps.

The lack of employment opportunities for Palestine refugee prolong and intensify their hardship and poverty. In the five Southern Lebanon camps, according to a recent Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and UN International Labor Organization study, more than 81 per cent of all refugees are living in abject poverty. Young people are particularly affected, with unemployment for Palestinians between 15 and 24 reaching 60%. The employments figures are not must better in the northern camps.

Speaking at the event, Faour called on his fellow politicians to follow his lead and experience firsthand conditions in Lebanon’s 12 Refugee camps. “Whoever wants to rediscover his humanity has to see the living conditions in Palestinian camps in Lebanon” Minister Faour told Lebanon’s Parliament. “We are used to bringing Palestinians to discussions in fancy hotels and then sending them back to the misery in the camps. We decided to invert these traditions by coming to the camps.”

Unfortunately Minister Abu Faour undercut some of the positive contribution of his visit by emphasizing to the media “the difficult relationship between Lebanon and the Palestinian population. The Lebanese government has consistently declined to grant rights to Palestinian refugees for fear that it would pave the way to naturalization, which it argues would diminish their right to return to Palestine.”

It would be difficult to find one Palestinian in Lebanon, or any advocate of human rights here, who truly believes the Lebanese politicians claimed notion of concern for the sanctity of the Palestinians Right of Return justifies keeping a quarter million human being in the most degrading squalor while outlawing even the right to work or to own a home out of an altruistic concern to keep hallow some of the refugees other international rights. Palestinian refugees in Lebanon reject more than any of the politicians here any form of settlement, naturalization, implantation or tawtin. They have a county just across the southern Lebanese border and their goal, now in its 64th year, is to return without more delay.

Many Palestinians in Lebanon’s camp mention a new energy among their fellow refugees as a result of the continuing, broadening and deepening Arab and Islamic Awakening which erupted one year ago in Tunisia and whose spread continues.

The swelling bud of intifada! is also being observed by foreigners here and as Palestinian camp residents invite Pope Benedict to visit their camps in the Spring during his reported visit to Lebanon, one idea from kids at Ramallah school in Shatila Camp is for the Vicar of Christ to hold a Mass for tens of thousands in the new Cite Sportiff, on the edge this Camp. For it was at this sports center 30 years ago that part two of the Massacre at Sabra-Shatilla was organized by Israeli and Phalange troops on September 18th and for which, like the other 43 hours of uninterrupted slaughter, no one person has ever been held accountable.

It would be an enormously powerful historic event should Pope Benedict fill Cite Sportiff with people of good will, and there are many here like Minister Faour, from all the confessions and political parties, joined by all religious and civil society leaders in Lebanon, and with the Pope’s blessing and admonition for all of us to follow in the path of Mohammad and Jesus and their deciples, that Palestinian refugees in Lebanon might be granted even the most elementary human rights.

Franklin Lamb in doing research in Libya and can be reached c/o fplamb@gmal.com
He is the author of The Price We Pay: A Quarter-Century of Israel’s Use of American Weapons Against Civilians in Lebanon. Dr. Lamb is Director, Americans Concerned for Middle East Peace, Wash.DC-Beirut Board Member, The Sabra Shatila Foundation and the Palestine Civil Rights Campaign, Beirut-Washington DC
Shatila Palestinian Refugee Camp

Press TV

Human rights activists have held a meeting in the besieged Gaza Strip to discuss the ways of countering Israel’s propaganda on a global scale, Press TV reports.

The Palestinian Center for Political and Development Studies (CPDS) organized the meeting on Sunday.

Mahmoud Herthany, a CPDS member, told Press TV that the situation in Palestine must be made clear to the world in order to put an end to Israel’s propaganda that is “controlling many of the media outlets of the world today.”

Huwaida Arraf, the co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement and the chairman of the Free Gaza Movement, also addressed the meeting via video conference, calling for global awareness in countering Israel’s propaganda.

Residents of the Gaza Strip still live in what is known to be the “world’s largest open-air prison” as Israel remains in full control of the airspace, territorial waters and border crossings of Gaza. Israel denies some 1.5 million people in Gaza their basic rights, including the freedom of movement and their rights to appropriate living conditions, work, health and education.

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Tunisian group calls for legislating against relations with “Israel”

TUNISIA, (PIC)– The Tunisian national commission for supporting the Arab resistance and opposing normalization and Zionism stressed the need for enacting a constitutional law clearly prohibiting normalization of ties with the Israeli occupation.

This came in remarks made on Sunday by head of the commission Ahmed Al-Kahlawi in a news conference.

He noted that the commission would stage a sit-in of tents in Bardaw city until its demand in this regard is met.

He also said that the commission would work within workshops to resist the relations with the Israeli occupation in the fields of education, culture and tourism.

Kahlawi stated the success of Arab revolutions lies in severing all kind of ties with the Israeli occupation.

(File photo)

IOA serves demolition orders to three brothers

NABLUS, (PIC)– The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) served demolition orders to three brothers in Lefjin hamlet to the east of Aqraba village south of Nablus.

Ghassan Daghlas, monitoring Israeli settlement activity north of the West Bank, said that the three brothers were handed notifications for the destruction of their homes on Monday.

The IOA served similar notices over the past two weeks in Tawil and Lefjin hamlets near Aqraba village.

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IOA destroys caravan in Beit Hanina, five houses in the Negev

OCCUPIED JERSUALEM, (PIC)– The Israeli-controlled municipality of occupied Jerusalem has sent its bulldozers on Monday in a new destruction mission in Beit Hanina, local sources said.

Mohammed Samara, living in Ashqariya suburb in the village, said that the municipality bulldozers razed his caravan where he lives with his wife and two children.

He said that the municipality had served him a demolition notice three years ago after imposing 13000 shekels fine on him.

The father, a painter, appealed for providing his family with a tent after his wife and children were rendered homeless.

Meanwhile, the Israeli authorities razed five homes in the Negev on Monday owned by Bedouins at the pretext they were not licensed.

The Israeli authorities forced the citizens to raze their homes with their own hands to avoid taxes and heavy financial fines in the event they refused.

Bedouin leaders said that Israel has apparently started its plan of emptying the Negev of its Arab Bedouins in a bid to seize control of their land.

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IOF soldiers arrest Palestinian in front of PA security building

JENIN, (PIC)– Israeli occupation forces (IOF) arrested a Palestinian man from his home in front of the PA security building in Jenin city at dawn Monday.

Local sources said that the IOF soldiers spread in the street in front of the building while the PA security elements rushed inside the building and did nothing to stop the arrest.

They said that the soldiers broke into the home of Saleh Al-Qaisi, 33, and searched it before taking him away.

Other IOF units stormed the Jenin refugee camp at the same time and fired in the air while roaming its alleys but no arrests were reported. A similar raid was reported in Ya’bad village, Jenin province, at dawn Monday that focused on the eastern areas but with no arrests made.

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Israeli soldiers arrest wife of prisoner

RAMALLAH, (PIC)– Israeli soldiers arrested the wife of a Palestinian prisoner who was on her way to visit him on Sunday, the Palestinian prisoner’s association said.

It said in a press release that Samia Mashahra was detained at the Bisan military roadblock while en route to visit her husband in Gilbo’a prison.

The association urged international human rights groups and the Red Cross to assume their responsibility in protecting relatives of Palestinian prisoners and demand whatever necessary measures to guarantee their safety while on their way to and back from visitations.

It expressed absolute concern toward the growing persecution of families of prisoners during visits.

Head of the Arab League’s Observer Mission to Syria Gen. Mohamed al-Dabi announced Monday that “the Syrian opposition did not cooperate with the delegation of observers.”

“We came to watch the actions of both sides (government and opposition), but unfortunately, we found no satisfaction from the opposition as they didn’t want us to perform our duties,” al-Dabi clarified.

In an interview with the pan Arab daily al-Hayat, al-Dabi accused the opposition of working on transferring the Syrian crisis to UN and breaking the current regime.”

Clarifying that “the mission is working in integrity and transparency,” the head of the mission noted that “the Syrian government justified the escalation of the last security campaign by moving according to the last paragraph of the Protocol that permits cessation of violence from whatever source.”

He further believed that the announcement of the mission that “the last two days have witnessed an escalation of violence in Syria reflects an evidence on the credibility of the observers.”