Opinion Editorials, August 2011

Abducted Again in Al-Walaja By Apartheid Israeli Soldiers

By Mazin Qumsiyeh

Al-Jazeerah, CCUN, August 1, 2011

We (5 Israelis and two Palestinians) were roughed up by Israeli apartheid soldiers then abducted while filming the destruction of the land of Al-Walaja. In my case, the officer recognized me and came straight at me pushing me to the ground, kicking me then asking his soldiers to take me away.  Shireen was taken later by the invading fascist soldiers in the village. It hurts so much to see how slowly the old trees are being uprooted to build a wall on village land that will separate the villagers from tehir agricultural fields. In this case, trees and An agricultural road (built with European funding) were being destroyed in the village.  The oldest tree in the Bethlehem district, an olive tree that is perhaps 3-4,000 year old is also in the path of the apartheid wall.  The Israeli soldiers working as subcontractors for land thieves and racists also raided the freedom theater in Jenin (founded by our friend and martyr Juliano Mer-Khamis) and abducted some of the workers there.  We ask everyone to write to politicians, media, and others to alert them of these persistent violations of basic human rights. We must intensify pressure via boycotts, divestments, and sanctions.

Stories about the abductions yesterday in Al-Walaja

http://imemc.org/article/61756

http://maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=408787

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/07/482775.html

Videos from Al-Walaja yesterday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvGAsleAY4Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urNHfWnxU5E

Events last time in Al-Walaja

On Nakba day May 15, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FvfO1ms6ys

and on Naksa day June 5th http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mGyEbqUYDI&NR=1

Request: Advise or give help for a 5 year old girl who had had a cochlear implant (inner ear) in 2007 and is now having an infection. She needs either a new implant or removal/rehabilitation of the old implant and she also needs rehabilitation. Any thoughts or ideas about how to proceed in this medical situation would be appreciated or if an institution or charity can take on this case. (the family is from a remote village and they were staying at my house for the past four days).

Palestine's Norwegians By VIJAY PRASHAD

http://www.counterpunch.org/prashad07252011.html

Anti-Muslim law enforcement trainer cited by Norway killer rakes in U.S. taxpayer cash

http://alexbkane.wordpress.com/2011/07/26/anti-muslim-law-enforcement-trainer-cited-by-norway-killer-rakes-in-u-s-taxpayer-cash/

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Yes Men

It is amazing how the spin media continues to spin.  After the atrocity in Norway, they were quick to blame "Muslim terrorists". Then suddenly silence when it became clear that the attacker espoused Zionist and ultra-right views against Muslims, against Palestinians and against "multiculturalism".
In fact hardly any mainstream bnewspaper reported that the Utoya Island youth camp targeted by this criminal had signs for "boycott Israel".  No mainstream media used the language used when such a person happen to come from a Muslim background.  We did not hear terms like "Christian Terrorist"
or "Norwegian fanatic" or even "Zionist terrorist". *
 
Here in the real world where spin does not go far, home demolitions continue and racism cannot be hidden by fig leafs of spin language.  Here many Palestinian and Israeli politicians surround themselves with "yes men" that nod their heads at all pronouncements of those on power.  Forming a ring around these "leaders" and facing only each other, the real world fades into the background and the "make-belief" world becomes the only available image of reality.  Mirrors, fog, and magic replace objectivity.  In the elite screens in Washington, Ramallah, Jerusalem, and Tel-Aviv, there is no place for Al-Walaja, Al-Araqib, Atwani, Awarta, or Jib Theib.  There seems to be no place for ordinary hungry, destitute people in places where meals are served in nice hotel rooms.  But people (including politicians) must wake-up as the charade of indecency is exposed and the last curtain is lifted and the last nail in the coffin of the infamous Oslo accords is hammered (likely this September!).  Perhaps then, more people will join us in working to ensure an end to apartheid and, not merely a vague "Palestinian state" in parts of the West Bank and Gaza but for a free Palestine from the river to the sea.  Then we will enter the difficult but essential work of building a democratic state for all its people (Jews, Christian, Muslim, other).  I see this change coming, I see politicians beginning to get nervous and ask for new ideas.  It is all beginnings of healthy recoveries from the dodrums.
 
PS: Al-Bab cultural group will review my Arabic book on popular resistance (meeting open but is in Arabic) Tuesday at 5 PM in Al-Rowwad center, Aida Refugee Camp. 
 
*See
http://electronicintifada.net/blog/ali-abunimah/norway-suspect-laid-out-deta
iled-plans-violence-against-traitors-muslims
 
100 Hours In Israeli Detention

Earlier this month, dozens of international activists spent 4 days in an Israeli prison for simply stating their desire to visit Palestine.
http://www.alternet.org/news/151693/100_hours_in_israeli_detention_/?page=en
tire
 
There is so much more for us to do to educate our communities about the Israeli blockade of Gaza, the apartheid walls in the West Bank, the illegal settlements and other colonial activities.  Organize your own flotilla in a lake near your home that rents little boats--this film is from Madrid, Spain-taking over the lake with boats with Palestinian flags!
http://www.youtube.com/user/maritacassan#p/u/3/ysEA5XfM6Hk
 
Report: Israeli killed in New Zealand earthquake was Mossad agent (note the Jewish Zionist prime minister of New Zealand covered it up in the same way the US government covered up the deliberate Israeli attack on the USS
Liberty)
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/report-israeli-killed-in-new-z
ealand-earthquake-was-mossad-agent-1.374109
 
South African Theologian Farid Esack Open Letter to the Palestinian People written on the Apartheid wall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1skU_nVaMl8
 
Israel Rules Out Non-Violence: The Method in Netanyahu's Madness By JONATHAN COOK http://www.counterpunch.org/cook07192011.html
 
Demonstrations to stop US collaboration and aid to the Israeli apartheid regime (Sept 10 White house, Set 15 UN)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/STOP-USAid-to-Israel/222256727814644
 
[great analysis] The grumpy diplomats of the rogue state by Ilan Pappe
http://electronicintifada.net/content/grumpy-diplomats-rogue-state/10201
  

Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD

A bedouin in cyberspace, a villager at home

http://qumsiyeh.org

http://palestinejn.org

http://pcr.ps

http://IMEMC.or

http://www.alrowwad-acts.ps

Opinions expressed in various sections are the sole responsibility of their authors and they may not represent Al-Jazeerah & ccun.org.

editor@aljazeerah.info & editor@ccun.org