Sabbah Report » Did you know?

Updated: Did you know?

Haitham Sabbah — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 07:36:07 +0000

... that non-Jewish Israelis can't buy or lease land in Israel.

... that Palestinian license plates in Israel are color coded to distinguish Jews from non-Jews.

... that Jerusalem, both East and West, is considered by the entire world community, including the United States, to be occupied territory and NOT part of Israel.

... that Israel allots 85% of the water resources for Jews and the remaining 15% is divided among all Palestinians in the "territories"? For example in Hebron, 85% of the water is given to about 400 settlers, while 15% must be divided among Hebron's 120,000 Palestinians.

... the United States awards Israel $5 billion in aid each year. Update: Here is a short clip from the documentary "Occupation 101," exposing US Aid to Israel:

... that yearly US aid to Israel exceeds the aid the US grants to the whole African continent.

... that Israel is the only country in the Middle East that has nuclear weapons.

... that Israel is the only country in the Middle East that refuses to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and bars international inspections from its sites.

... that Israel currently occupies territories of two sovereign nations (Lebanon and Syria) in defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

... that Israel has for decades routinely sent assassins into other countries to kill its political enemies.

... that high-ranking military officers in the Israeli Occupation Forces have admitted publicly that unarmed prisoners of war were executed by the IOF.

... that Israel refuses to prosecute its soldiers who have acknowledged executing prisoners of war.

... that Israel routinely confiscates bank accounts, businesses and land, and refuses to pay compensation to those who suffer the confiscation.

... that Israel blew up an American diplomatic facility in Egypt and attacked a U.S. ship in international waters, killing 33 and wounding 177 American sailors.

... that the second most powerful lobby in the United States, according to a recent Fortune magazine survey of Washington insiders, is the Israeli AIPAC.

... that Israel stands in defiance of 69 United Nations Security Council Resolutions.

... that today's Israel sits on the former sites of more than 400 now-vanished Palestinian villages, and that the Israeli's re-named almost every physical site in the country to cover up the traces.

... that it was not until 1988 that Israelis were barred from running "Jews Only" job ads.

... that four prime ministers of Israel Begin, Shamir, Rabin, and Sharon, have taken part in either bomb attacks on civilians, massacres of civilians, or forced expulsions of civilians from their villages.

... that the Israeli Foreign Ministry pays two American public relations firms to promote Israel to Americans.

...that Israel's government includes a party which advocates expelling all Palestinians from the occupied territories.

... that Israel's settlement-building increased rapidly since Oslo.

... that settlement building under Barak doubled compared to settlement building under Netanyahu.

... that Israel once dedicated a postage stamp to a man who attacked a civilian bus and killed several people.

... that recently-declassified documents indicate that David Ben-Gurion in at least some instances approved of the expulsion of Palestinians in 1948.

We often hear of Ehud Barak's generosity about an alleged return of 95% of the Palestinian Occupied Territories. When Palestinians refused, they were blamed for "missing an opportunity." The Palestinians have already accepted Israel's existence on 78% of what was Palestine. For those who use the argument of the Bible: God said to Abraham, "Unto thy seed, I will give thy land." Abraham had two sons. Ismael - the Arab son, and Isaac - the Jewish son. So even if one wants to go to the Bible, the land would belong to both.

... that Palestinian Christians are considered the "living stones" of Christianity because they are the direct descendants of the disciples of Jesus Christ.

... that despite a ban on torture by Israel's High Court of Justice, torture has continued by Shin Bet interrogators on Palestinian prisoners.

... that Palestinian refugees make up the largest portion of the refugee population in the world.

WELL, NOW YOU DO!

WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT!?
THE LEAST YOU CAN DO IS LET OTHERS KNOW

Missed previous "Did you know? series" You can find them here!

Test your Middle East IQ

Haitham Sabbah — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 23:10:28 +0000

Pop Quiz on the Middle East

Question: Which country alone in the Middle East has nuclear weapons?

Answer: Israel.

Q: Which country in the Middle East refuses to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and bars international inspections?

A: Israel.

Q: Which country in the Middle East seized the sovereign territory of other nations by military force and continues to occupy it in defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions?

A: Israel.

Q: Which country in the Middle East routinely violates the international borders of another sovereign state with warplanes and artillery and naval gunfire?

A: Israel.

Q: What American ally in the Middle East has for years sent assassins into other countries to kill its political enemies (a practice sometimes called exporting terrorism)?

A: Israel.

Q: In which country in the Middle East have high-ranking military officers admitted publicly that unarmed prisoners of war were executed?

A: Israel.

Q: What country in the Middle East refuses to prosecute its soldiers who have acknowledged executing prisoners of war?

A: Israel.

Q: What country in the Middle East created 762,000 refugees and refuses to allow them to return to
their homes, farms and businesses?

A: Israel.

Q: What country in the Middle East refuses to pay compensation to people whose land, bank accounts and businesses it con- fiscated?

A: Israel.

Q: In what country in the Middle East was a high-ranking United Nations diplomat assassinated?

A: Israel.

Q: In what country in the Middle East did the man who ordered the assassination of a high-ranking U.N. diplomat become prime minister?

A: Israel.

Q: What country in the Middle East blew up an American diplomatic facility in Egypt and attacked a U.S. ship in international waters, killing 33 and wounding 177 American sailors?

A: Israel.

Q: What country in the Middle East employed a spy, Jonathan Pollard, to steal classified documents and then gave some of them to the Soviet Union?

A: Israel.

Q: What country at first denied any official connection to Pollard, then voted to make him a citizen and has continuously demanded that the American president grant Pollard a full pardon?

A: Israel.

Q: What country on Planet Earth has the second most powerful lobby in the United States, according to a recent Fortune magazine survey of Washington insiders?

A: Israel.

Q: Which country in the Middle East is in defiance of 69 United Nations Security Council resolutions and has been protected from 29 more by U.S. vetoes?

A: Israel.

Q: What country is the United States bombing for years because "U.N. Security Council resolutions must be obeyed?"

A: Iraq.
(By Charley Reese of the Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, Feb 8 1998)

If there is justice in this world, Israel would have been held to the same standards as every other nation and US administration would have bombed Tel Aviv a long time ago. But what do you know...

Shooting the messengers (Le Monde diplomatique)- One reason that the US government, politicians and people don't have a clear idea of the situation in Israel/Palestine is that any criticism or complaint about Israel, no matter how well-researched and moderate, is swiftly attacked by lobbies in the US as being anti-semitic.

The New York Post editorial on 5 January 2007 read: "How did this man ever become president of the United States?" Readers might have thought this was a crack about President George Bush in a paper owned by Rupert Murdoch. But the editorial went on: "He's gone from failed president to friend of leftwing tyrants and global scold of anything that represents America's legitimate interests"; he wanted to "demonise Israel" and had secretly given "PR and political advice to Yasser Arafat". The Post was damning not Bush, but Jimmy Carter, and it said Democrats should "cut all their ties" to him for "when he flatly condones mass murder, he goes beyond the pale"...

Palestine: A Policy of Deliberate Blindness

Sophia — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 19:15:31 +0000

By RÃ©gis Debray, Le Monde Diplomatique

Foreword from the journal: Last year President Jacques Chirac asked RÃ©gis Debray to study the situation in the Middle East. On 15 January 2007 Debray sent the French authorities the following document on Palestine. It is an important key to understanding a long policy drift whose results are now obvious.

How the world backed itself into a corner

Dennis Ross, formerly the United States envoy to the Middle East, admitted back in 2000 that mistakes had been made in the 1978 Camp David accords: the diplomatic process had not taken enough account of developments on the ground, especially the settlements. The number of Jewish settlers in the Palestinian territories doubled from 1994 to 2000. As many Israelis have settled in the West Bank since the Oslo accords of 1993 as in the previous 25 years. With an international conference again being discussed, it would be a mistake to continue to ignore the real state of affairs. There is no need for a committee of inquiry. The report has already been drawn up, many times over. No conflict in the world is as well documented, mapped and recorded.

The OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), a United Nations agency, keeps up-to-date, detailed maps of the disputed territories, with photographs, population counts and graphs. It takes an hour to look at them, but doing so might forestall some of the never-ending statements of good intentions.

The maps show that the physical, economic and human basis for a viable Palestinian state is disappearing. The two-state solution and Israeli writer Amos Oz's "fair divorce" (a territory shared between two national homes, one smaller than the other and demilitarised but sovereign, viable and continuous) are now empty phrases belonging to the realm of might-have-been. Some might argue that we have not yet reached the point of no return and that the Israelis may have won the territorial battle (with only 22% of British mandate Palestine now outside their control) but the Palestinians are sure to win the demographic battle. They invoke the resilience of the local population in the face of the steam roller that is slowly but surely implementing the 1968 Allon Plan and the 1984 "Road Plan 50".

It is clear from developments on the ground that:

â€¢ the purpose of the security wall is not, as is believed, to trace a border that, however illegal (since it encloses over 10% of the West Bank), will at least serve as the dotted line for a future international frontier;

â€¢ it is true (as Ehud Omert said on Israeli army radio on 20 March 2006) that Israel's strategic border lies on the Jordan: the whole valley has been declared a forbidden area and the intervening area has been nibbled away (cross-river transit is only possible at certain points);

â€¢ the new east-west bypass roads built at the expense of the old north-south axis clearly chart a territory in the process of annexation, with space for three or four Arab bantustans (Jenin, Ramallah and Jericho). The exhaustion of natural resources in these overcrowded enclaves will eventually lead to massive emigration (much of the elite, especially Christian, has already left); and

â€¢ with the construction of the separation wall, the ongoing judaisation of East Jerusalem and reconfiguration of the Jerusalem municipality, the UN's repeated but purely formal condemnations have no effect on Israel's grip on the whole city (1).

Away from the cameras

There is a huge gap between what is said because we want to hear it (local withdrawals, easing of travel restrictions, removal of one checkpoint out of 20, a change of tone) and what is being done on the ground, which we don't want to see (interlinking of settlements, construction of bridges and tunnels, encirclement of Palestinian towns, expropriation of land, destruction of houses). Some would describe that gap as duplicity, others as ambiguity. The gradual encroachment happens out of sight of the cameras, without causing a stir and without an explicit colonial diktat. Nobody makes a formal complaint, even supposing they can find out what's going on â€“ difficult if you haven't grown up locally. Israeli maps and school textbooks refer to the West Bank as Judea and Samaria and, following the Knesset's recent rejection of a proposal from a Labour education minister, obliteration of the 1967 green line is now a legal fait accompli.

This is not just a gap between the de facto and de jure situations. It reflects a method and tradition going back to the earliest days of the Yishuv (2): the strategy of fait accompli. That strategy has always paid off: the Jewish state was there before it was declared and recognised in 1948, as was the army. What we have is a theatre with two stages: on the international stage we hear repeated vague and encouraging speeches concerning withdrawal, coexistence and a Palestinian state, but the things that count (settlements, roads, tunnels, water tables) happen on the operational stage next door, where the outcome is decided out of public view.

Understanding how public opinion works in a democracy, successive Israeli governments of the left and right take care to administer regular painkillers, plans for unilateral withdrawal or the partial dismantlement of settlements and encouraging announcements that are always conditional and come to nothing. The media live from day to day, with no attempt to remember. Who now recalls that the road map (3) was supposed to be "a final and comprehensive settlement of the Israel-Palestinian conflict by 2005"?

The Oslo process did not just remain a dead letter: with the military reoccupation of Zones A and B (4) in April 2002, it went into reverse.

Territorial fragmentation cuts off local authorities from any possible central Palestinian administration and from each other, while the systematic physical destruction of national institutions, Palestinian infrastructure and political leaders by the Israeli army ensures internal anarchy and the spread of clans and gang violence: bottomless chaos. Clearly the path that has been taken is not that of nation building but the deconstruction of all possible governance beyond the separation wall. It is the logical counterpart of a 30-year annexation process that will be endorsed, when the time comes, "in view of the new reality on the ground".

Autosuggestion

In these circumstances, constant invocation of the road map by all parties has more to do with autosuggestion than a sober look at the consistent transformation of reality. That reality may not be visible from Geneva, Paris or New York, but it is immediately apparent to anyone travelling throughout the country after a few years' absence. It is a land carved up by military force, where the Israeli settlements are no longer shapes on a Palestinian background â€“ instead the Palestinian areas appear as shapes on a solidly-infrastructured Israeli background: a land where water reserves are confiscated and a temporary travel restriction is very close to a permanent ban.

Some may take comfort in these ideas:

â€¢ since it was possible to withdraw settlements from Gaza, it should be possible in the near future in the West Bank. That is to ignore the fact that the withdrawal of 8,000 settlers from one place in Gaza was soon followed by the unpublicised installation of 20,000 settlers in another (the West Bank/Jerusalem). Gaza is not part of the promised land, whereas Judea and Samaria are its backbone. Sharon did not make any secret of the fact that withdrawal on the margins would be compensated by strengthening the Israeli presence elsewhere (438,000 settlers to date, including 192,910 in East Jerusalem);

â€¢ the dismantling of four small settlements in the north (1,000 settlers) and the proposed concentration of 60,000 settlers in the most populous blocs, Maale Adumim, Ariel and Gush Etzion, will create a free space. But with the settlements linked in a continuous string under cover of the security wall, the West Bank has been effectively cut in two. The wall separates Palestinians from each other even more than it separates them from the Israelis.

What is taking shape is not the Palestinian state announced and desired by all: it is an as yet unperceived Israeli territory enclosing three self-governing Palestinian enclaves.

All parties have a vested interest in preserving the international pretence (5). For the Israelis, history is being created under the cover of the pretence. The Palestinians cannot be told the truth â€“ they are under occupation yet hoping for a better life and not self-destruction; wishful thinking provides notables, elected representatives and officials with a living, status, dignity and a raison d'?tre. The Europeans chose to salve their consciences by providing financial and humanitarian aid to apologise for their political passivity and voluntary blindness. The thinking of the Americans owes more to the Old Testament than the New; their link with Israel is a parent-child relationship beyond criticism. This shared illusion of self-protection results from the coincidence of opposing interests.

Is this situation tenable to the end of the century? It seems doubtful, given Israel's obsession with security, which makes it less secure, and its disregard for the demographic and religious trends in the region (6). Could not at least one European government convey to our Israeli friends that we are not all taken in by the deception, and that those who deceive may not be be its first victims â€“ but will certainly be its last?

FAQ on the 1967 war

Haitham Sabbah — Thu, 31 May 2007 18:35:25 +0000

This June marks the fortieth anniversary of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. Four decades of control maintained by force of arms have enabled Israel to impose its will on the occupied territories and to remake them in its own image.

Here is FAQ on the 1967 war:

1. How did the 1967 war begin?

2. Which countries were involved in the fighting?

3. What was the outcome?

4. How did Israel justify its attack?

5. Is Israel's version of the facts universally accepted?

6. If Israel's claimed reasons for the attack were false, what were its true objectives?

7. What was the chain of events leading up to the war?

8. Why was the UN Emergency Force (UNEF) only on the Egyptian side of the border and not on the Israeli side as well?

9. Where were Egypt's troops on the day preceding the war?

10. What role, if any, did the United States play in the diplomatic efforts to avert armed conflict?

11. What were the consequences of the 1967 war for Palestinians?

12. What is the legal status of the land Israel seized in 1967?

13. What were the long-term implications of the war for peace and stability in the region, and for the status of international law?

1. How did the 1967 war begin?

The war began on the morning of June 5 with devastating Israeli air strikes on the Egyptian airforce, most of which was destroyed on the ground. Arab nations then came to Egypt's defense. Israel's first-day success brought air superiority which enabled it to decimate numerically superior ground forces.

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2. Which countries were involved in the fighting?

Israel, Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. Other Arab countries, including Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Algeria, contributed arms and small contingents of troops to the fighting.

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3. What was the outcome?

Israel quickly defeated the Arab armies, and seized the Syrian Golan Heights, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), the Gaza Strip, and the Sinai Peninsula. Israel's rapid victory stunned the international public. But Israeli and U.S. intelligence had both predicted an easy Israeli victory, even in a battle waged on multiple fronts.

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4. How did Israel justify its attack?

Israeli UN envoy Abba Eban initially claimed to the United Nations Security Council that Egyptian troops had attacked first and that Israel's air strikes were retaliatory. Within a month, however, Israel admitted that it had launched the first strike. It asserted that it had faced an impending attack by Egypt, evidenced by Egypt's bellicose rhetoric, removal of UN peacekeeping troops from the Sinai Peninsula, closure of the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping, and concentration of troops along Israel's borders.

The Soviet Union introduced a resolution to the UN Security Council naming Israel the aggressor in the war. This resolution was blocked by the U.S. and Great Britain. Thereafter, the U.N. failed to rule definitively on the legality of Israel's actions, although it called for Israel's withdrawal from territories it seized in the fighting.

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5. Is Israel's version of the facts universally accepted?

Israel's claim of an impending Egyptian attack has been widely accepted in the West. The Israeli public had been led to believe that it faced a threat of imminent attack, and perhaps even annihilation. However, the veracity of Israel's claim is increasingly questioned.

A number of senior Israeli military and political figures have subsequently admitted that Israel was not faced with a genuine threat of attack, and instead, deliberately chose war. Yitzhak Rabin, the Israeli army chief of staff during the war, later stated: "I do not believe that Nasser wanted war. The two divisions he sent into Sinai on May 14 would not have been enough to unleash an offensive against Israel. He knew it and we knew it." (i) General Mattityahu Peled, a member of Israel's general staff in 1967, opined that "the thesis according to which the danger of genocide weighed on us in June 1967, and that Israel struggled for its physical existence is only a bluff born and developed after the war." (ii) Menachem Begin, not yet prime minister but a member of the Israeli cabinet, allowed that: "The Egyptian army concentrations in the Sinai approaches do not prove that Nasser was really about to attack us. We must be honest with ourselves. We decided to attack him." (iii)

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6. If Israel's claimed reasons for the attack were false, what were its true objectives?

One objective may have been territorial expansion. Some Israeli politicians and military leaders, such as former Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and Minister of Defense Moshe Dayan lamented the failure to seize East Jerusalem and the West Bank in the 1948 war. Before the war, Jordan's King Hussein told the American ambassador: "They want the West Bank. They've been waiting for a chance to get it, and they're going to take advantage of us and they're going to attack." (iv)

Second, Israeli politicians were genuinely fearful of Gamal Abdul Nasser, the charismatic leader of Arab nationalism. They may have seen the war as an opportunity to embarrass him and deflate the movement he embodied.

Third, Israeli leaders may have seen military confrontation with the Arab states as inevitable, and chose to engage in battle at a time and under terms of their choosing. Menachem Begin, for example, characterized Israel's war aim as to "take the initiative and attack the enemy, drive him back, and thus assure the security of Israel and the future of the nation." (v)

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7. What was the chain of events leading up to the war?

The progression toward war was sparked by Israel's attack on the West Bank village of Samu' in November 1966. Israeli forces, purportedly "retaliating" against raids by Palestinian guerrillas, killed 18 civilians and Jordanian soldiers, and razed nearly the entire village. After the attack, King Hussein bitterly criticized President Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt for "hiding behind" the UN Emergency Force (UNEF), stationed in the Sinai Peninsula after Israel's 1956 attack on Egypt, and failing to act in line with his Arab nationalist rhetoric. The criticism, echoed by the Arab press, drove Nasser into a more militant posture toward Israel.

Tensions were also building between Israel and Syria, largely due to Israel's repeated attempts to farm in the Demilitarized Zone that had separated Israeli and Syrian troops since the first Arab-Israeli war in 1948-49. In April 1967, one such incident escalated into an aerial battle during which Israel shot down six Syrian fighter jets, including two over Damascus.

The Soviet Union, at the time closely allied with Syria, then shared intelligence reports with Nasser that suggested an impending Israeli attack on Syria. The reports of major Israeli troop movements along the Syrian border were inflated, but not entirely inaccurate. In early May the Israeli Cabinet had authorized an attack on Syria, although the scope of it remained a matter of internal debate. Soviet exaggerations may have been designed to stir Egypt into a more aggressive stance in support of Syria, thereby deterring the feared Israeli strike.

Nasser responded by requesting the removal of the UN Emergency Forces from the Sinai Peninsula, replacing them with Egyptian troops, and declaring the Straits of Tiran (leading from the Gulf of Aqaba into the Red Sea) closed to Israeli shipping.

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8. Why was the UN Emergency Force (UNEF) only on the Egyptian side of the border and not on the Israeli side as well?

The UNEF was established to maintain calm along the border between Egypt and Israel following the Israeli-British-French invasion of Egypt in 1956. Israel declined the stationing of UN troops on its soil, while Egypt accepted them. Egypt held the right to request their withdrawal at any point.

UN Secretary General U Thant, backed by the United States and Canada, responded to Egypt's lawful request by suggesting that UNEF be repositioned on the Israeli side of the border. This proposal to head off the growing threat of war was rejected by Israel. Israel also rejected U Thant's proposal to reinvigorate the Egyptian-Israeli Mixed Armistice Commission, an idea backed by Nasser. Additionally, the Egyptian president backed U Thant's proposal of a two-week moratorium on belligerent actions in the Straits and the appointment of a special UN representative to mediate between the two parties. Israel rejected both ideas.

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9. Where were Egypt's troops on the day preceding the war?

Egyptian documents indicate that its troops were in a defensive posture in the Sinai and along the Suez Canal. Additionally, vital troops for any offensive remained in Yemen. Two Egyptian commando battalions joined Jordanian forces in the West Bank on June 3.

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10. What role, if any, did the United States play in the diplomatic efforts to avert armed conflict?

In the weeks preceding the war, the United States repeatedly warned Israel not to take unilateral action, and insisted on a diplomatic resolution to the developing conflict. The United States was urgently working diplomatic channels alongside UN Secretary General U Thant, attempting to avert war. The Egyptian vice-president was scheduled to meet with U.S. officials in Washington in early June. Two days before his visit, however, Israel struck. U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk said the United States was "shocked and angry as hell." (vi)

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11. What were the consequences of the 1967 war for Palestinians?

Palestinians suddenly faced the military occupation and settlement of their land. With the occupation came a dual system of law: one for Israeli settlers and one for Palestinians.

The overwhelming military defeat of the Arab states also led Palestinians to conclude that their liberation would not be effectuated by the Arab states, but would have to be of their own making. This determination led to Palestinian resistance and significant outreach to the international community for political and economic support.

Eventually, Israel's occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip became the primary focus of the Palestinian national movement, and other issues - such as the status of the Palestinian refugees from 1948, and the position of Palestinian citizens of Israel as an oppressed minority - were largely occluded.

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12. What is the legal status of the land Israel seized in 1967?

Israel withdrew from the Sinai Peninsula pursuant to the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty concluded in 1979. Under international law, the other territories Israel seized in 1967 remain "occupied", and Israel is their "belligerent occupier." (vii)

Israeli officials have often referred to the Arab territories it holds as "administered," or "disputed," arguing that unsettled claims of sovereignty to the West Bank and Gaza Strip free Israel of its obligations as an occupier under international law. That position has failed to find support in the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly, the International Court of Justice, the International Committee of the Red Cross or the Israeli High Court.

Israel evacuated its colonies from the Gaza Strip in 2005. Nonetheless, the Gaza Strip also remains occupied as Israel continues to maintain effective control over the region. Palestinians continue to require Israeli consent to (1) travel to and from the Gaza Strip from the West Bank; (2) take their goods to foreign and Palestinian markets and (3) obtain goods from Palestinian, Israeli and foreign markets. Israel also continues to maintain military control over Palestinian territorial waters and Palestinian airspace, while reserving for itself freedom of military operations in the Gaza Strip.

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13. What were the long-term implications of the war for peace and stability in the region, and for the status of international law?

International humanitarian law requires that belligerent occupiers protect the health, welfare and homes of the occupied civilian population. It also prohibits deportation of those living under occupation and the transfer of the occupier's own civilian population into the occupied territory. Israel has, for forty years, violated international law through its demolition of Palestinian homes, its deportation of thousands of Palestinians, its killing of Palestinians and its construction of Israeli-only colonies and roads. Though the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly and the International Court of Justice have repeatedly criticized Israel's violations of international law, no effective action has been taken to halt the violations.

The UN Security Council issued its opinion on Israel's actions in the following terms:

The repeated violation by Israel, the occupying Power, of international law and its failure to comply with relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions and agreements reached between the parties undermine the Middle East peace process and constitute a threat to international security (ES/10/2 22 April 1997).

International law draws its strength from universal application and enforcement according to uniform standards. The failure of the international community to enforce international law with respect to Israel's occupation of Arab territories has weakened the United Nations and undermined international legality.

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Footnotes:
i Le Monde, February 29, 1968, p. 4.
ii Le Monde, June 3, 1972, p. 4.
iii "Excerpts from Begin Speech at National Defense College," The New York Times, August 11, 1982, p. A6.
iv Michael Oren, Six Days of War, 2003, p. 35.
v "Excerpts from Begin Speech at National Defense College," The New York Times, August 11,1982, p. A6.
vi Dean Rusk, As I Saw It, 1990, p. 386-387.
vii Under international law (Article 42 of the Regulations Respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land annexed to the Fourth Hague Convention of 18 October 1907), territory is considered occupied if it is actually placed under the authority of the hostile army. A "belligerent occupier" is one that has occupied territories outside its own borders during war, whether aggressive or defensive.

Originally published by Institute for Middle East Understanding.

Updated (2): Fath al-Islam Reality & Palestinian Refugees Misery

Haitham Sabbah — Mon, 28 May 2007 09:43:29 +0000

I've been watching the latest Palestinian refugees crises for a week now. Thousands of Palestinian refugees fled from Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in northern Lebanon as one week of clashes by the Lebanese army and a militant group known as Fath al-Islam has left dozens of soldiers and fighters (better described as terrorists) and an unknown number of civilians dead.

The situation of these Palestinian refugees worsens, 59 years after they were first expelled from their homeland into Lebanon. The world looks on in silence, while the U.S. RUSH with arms to support...?

There are many theories and version that explained the origins of Fath al-Islam, the events that led to the violence and what it means for Lebanon and the region.

As usual, the MSM focus on U.S. officials version and omits the others, which by the way are shocking and holds more facts than the "official" story.

Few days ago, Democracy Now! interviewed Seymour Hersh and revealed part of the untold story:

Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh joins us to talk about another theory of who is backing the militant group - the Lebanese government itself, along with the United States. Last March, Hersh reported the U.S. and Saudi governments are covertly backing militant Sunni groups like Fatah al-Islam as part of an overarching foreign policy against Iran and growing Shia influence.
[...]

AMY GOODMAN: Can you explain what you learned?

SEYMOUR HERSH: Well, very simply -- this is over the winter -- the government made -- I think the article is called "The Redirection." There was a major change of policy by the United States government, essentially, which was that we were going to -- the American government would join with the Brits and other Western allies and with what we call the moderate Sunni governments -- that is, the governments of Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt -- and join with them and with Israel to fight the Shia.

One of the major goals for America, of course, was the obsession the Bush White House has with Iran, and the other obsession they have is, of course -- is in fear -- is of Hezbollah, the Party of God, that is so dominant in -- the Shia Party of God that's so dominant in southern Lebanon that once -- and whose leader Hassan Nasrallah wants to play a bigger political role and is doing quite a bit to get there and is in direct confrontation with Siniora.

And so, you have a situation where the Sunni government, pretty much in control now, the American-supported Sunni government headed by Fouad Siniora, who was a deputy or an aide to Rafik Hariri, the slain leader of Lebanon, that government has -- we know, the International Crisis Group reported a couple years ago that the son Saad Hariri, the son of Rafik Hariri, who's now a major player in the parliament of Lebanon, he put up $40,000 bail to free four Sunni fundamentalists, Jihadist-Salafists -- which you will -- who were tied directly to -- you know, this word "al-Qaeda" is sort of ridiculous -- they were tied to jihadist groups. And God knows, al-Qaeda, in terms of Osama bin Laden, doesn't have much to do with what we're talking about. These are independently, more or less, you can call them, fanatical jihadists.

And so, the goal -- part of the goal in Lebanon, part of the way this policy played out, was, with Saudi help, Prince Bandar -- if you remember him -- we remember Prince Bandar, the Saudi prince, as a major player in Iran-Contra and also in the American effort two decades ago -- if you remember, we supported Osama bin Laden and other jihadists in Afghanistan against the Russians, and that didn't work out so well. Well, we run right back to the well again, and we began supporting some of these jihadist groups, and particularly -- in the article, I did name Fatah al-Islam.

The idea was to provide them with some arms and some money and some basic equipment so -- these are small units, a couple hundred people. There were three or four around the country given the same help covertly, the goal being they would be potential enemies of Hezbollah in case of warfare; in case Nasrallah decided to do something physical, get kinetic, in Lebanon, the Sunni Siniora government would have some very tough guys on its side, period. That's the policy.

JUAN GONZALEZ: Well, Sy Hersh, if that is true, then what has led to the current fighting now? If the Lebanese government had been backing the group, why is it now attacking it?

SEYMOUR HERSH: Well, first of all, the Lebanese army is very distinct. Let me begin by saying nobody really knows anything right now. I mean, there's a lot -- one of the things about crises is you learn that you really get to play much later. But based on common sense and what I'm reading, the Lebanese army has maintained an amazing sort of neutrality, which is surprising. The army has not been a pawn of the Siniora government.
[..snip..]

So I think the story that we have is that there was a crime, and they were chasing people into one of the Palestinian camps, which are always hotbeds. God knows the Palestinians are the end of the stick, not only for the West, but also for the Arab world. Nobody pays much attention to them and those places. I've been to Tripoli and been into the camps, and they are seething, as they should be. You know, rational people don't like being mistreated. And in any case, so what you have is, what seems to me, just a series -- the word you could use is "unintended consequences." I don't think anybody in the Siniora government anticipated that the people they were covertly supporting to some degree -- I got an email the other day, and I have not checked this out, from somebody who was in the community, in the intelligence community and still consults with the community, he says, "Why don't we ask more about the American arms that the fighters of Fatah al-Islam have, are brandishing?" I don't know if that's true or not, but I did get that email. And so, that could be true. Both Saudi money and American money, not directly, but indirectly, was fed into these groups.

And what is the laugh riot and the reason I'm actually talking to you guys about this -- I usually don't like to do interviews unless I have a story in The New Yorker -- the reason I'm talking about it is because the American government keeps on putting out this story that Syria is behind the Fatah group, which is just beyond belief. There's no way -- it may be possible, but the chances of it are very slight, simply because Syria is a very big supporter, obviously, of Nasrallah, and Bashar al-Assad has told me that he's in awe of Nasrallah, that he worships at his feet and has great respect for him. The idea that the Syrians would be sponsoring Sunni jihadist groups whose sole mission are to kill the apostates -- that is, anybody who doesn't support their view, the Wahhabi or Salafist view of Sunni religion -- that includes the Shia -- anybody who doesn't believe -- support these guys' religions are apostates and are killable, that's basically one of the crazy aspects of all this, and it's just inconceivable. Nothing can be ruled out, but that doesn't make much case, and I noticed that in the papers today there's fewer and fewer references to this. The newspapers in America are beginning to wise up, that this can't be -- this isn't very logical. The White House is putting it out hot and heavy as part of the anti-Syria campaign, but it's not flying, because it doesn't make sense. So there we are. It's another mess.

You might think that one of the reasons -- I think I wrote about this in The New Yorker -- one of the things that the Saudi Bandar had promised us was that we can control the jihadists. We can control them, he assured us. Don't worry about getting in bed with these bad guys, because, as we remember, the same kind of assurances were given to us in the late 1980s, when we supported, as I said, bin Laden and others in the war against Russia, the Mujahideen war, and that, of course, bit us on the ass. And this is, too. So there we are.
[..snip..]

Surprise?!

Well, not until you hear more details. These details answers the question which Hersh could not or didn't have enough info about (Why and what is this all about?).

CounterPunch published an article titled: Who's Behind the Fighting in North Lebanon? - By Dr. Franklin Lamb, in which he gives amazing details and analysis. This is a must read to understand what is going on and why:

Given Bush administration debacles in Iraq and Afghanistan and its encouragement for Israel to continue its destruction of Lebanon this past summer, the situation in Lebanon mirrors, in some respects, the early 1980's when groups sprung up to resist the US green lighted Israeli invasion and occupation. But rather than being Shia and pro-Hezbollah, today's groups are largely Sunni and anti-Hezbollah. Hence they qualify for US aid, funneled by Sunni financial backers in league with the Bush administration which is committed to funding Islamist Sunni groups to weaken Hezbollah.

This project has become the White House obsession following Israel's July 2006 defeat.

To understand what is going on with Fatah al-Islam at Nahr el-Bared one would want a brief introduction to Lebanon's amazing, but shadowy 'Welch Club'.

The Club is named for its godfather, David Welch, assistant to Secretary of State Rice who is the point man for the Bush administration and is guided by Eliot Abrams. Key Lebanese members of the Welch Club (aka: the 'Club') include:

The Lebanese civil war veteran, warlord, feudalist and mercurial Walid Jumblatt of the Druze party( the Progressive Socialist Party or PSP)

Another civil war veteran, warlord, terrorist (Served 11 years in prison for massacres committed against fellow Christians among others) Samir Geagea. Leader of the extremist Phalange party and its Lebanese Forces (LF) the group that conducted the Israel organized massacre at Sabra-Shatilla (although led by Elie Hobeika, once Geagea's mentor, Geagea did not take part in the Sept. 1982 slaughter of 1,700 Palestinian and Lebanese).

The billionaire, Saudi Sheikh and Club president Saad Hariri leader of the Sunni Future Movement (FM).

Over a year ago Hariri's Future Movement started setting up Sunni Islamist terrorist cells (the PSP and LF already had their own militia since the civil war and despite the Taif Accords requiring militia to disarm they are now rearmed and itching for action and trying hard to provoke Hezbollah).

The FM created Sunni Islamist 'terrorist' cells were to serve as a cover for (anti-Hezbollah) Welch Club projects. The plan was that actions of these cells, of which Fatah el-Islam is one, could be blamed on al Qaeda or Syria or anyone but the Club.

To staff the new militias, FM rounded up remnants of previous extremists in the Palestinian Refugee camps that had been subdued, marginalized and diminished during the Syrian occupation of Lebanon. Each fighter got $700 per month, not bad in today's Lebanon.

The first Welch Club funded militia, set up by FM, is known locally as Jund-al-Sham (Soldiers of Sham, where "Sham" in Arabic denotes Syria, Lebanon, Palestine & Jordan) created in Ain-el-Hilwa Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon. This group is also referred to in the Camps as Jund-el-Sitt (Soldiers of the Sitt, where "Sitt" in Sidon, Ain-el-Hilwa and the outskirts pertain to Bahia Hariri, the sister of Rafiq Hariri, aunt of Saad, and Member of Parliament).

The second was Fateh-al-Islam (The name cleverly put together, joining Fateh as in Palestinian and the word Islam as in Qaeda). FM set this Club cell up in Nahr-al-Bared refugee camp north of Tripoli for geographical balance.

Fatah el-Islam had about 400 well paid fighters until three days ago. Today they may have more or fewer plus volunteers. The leaders were provided with ocean view luxury apartments in Tripoli where they stored arms and chilled when not in Nahr-al-Bared. Guess who owns the apartments?

According to members of both Fatah el-Islam and Jund-al-Sham their groups acted on the directive of the Club president, Saad Hariri.

So what went wrong? "Why the bank robbery" and the slaughter at Nahr el-Baled?

According to operatives of Fatah el-Islam, the Bush administration got cold feet with people like Seymour Hirsh snooping around and with the White House post-Iraq discipline in free fall. Moreover, Hezbollah intelligence knew all about the Clubs activities and was in a position to flip the two groups who were supposed to ignite a Sunni ÂShia civil war which Hezbollah vows to prevent.

Things started to go very wrong quickly for the Club last week. FM "stopped" the payroll of Fateh el-Islam's account at the Hariri family owned back.

Fateh-al-Islam, tried to negotiate at least 'severance pay' with no luck and they felt betrayed. (Remember many of their fighters are easily frustrated teenagers and their pay supports their families). Militia members knocked off the bank which issued their worthless checks. They were doubly angry when they learned FM is claiming in the media a loss much greater than they actually snatched and that the Club is going to stiff the insurance company and actually make a huge profit.

Lebanon's Internal Security Forces (newly recruited to serve the bidding of the Club and the Future Movement) assaulted the apartments of Fatah-al-Islam Tripoli. They didn't have much luck and were forced to call in the Lebanese army.

Within the hour, Fatah-al-Islam retaliated against Lebanese Army posts, checkpoints and unarmed, off-duty Lebanese soldiers in civilian clothing and committed outrageous killings including severing at four heads.

Up to this point Fatah-al-Islam did not retaliate against the Internal Security forces in Tripoli because the ISF is pro-Hariri and some are friends and Fatah al-Islam still hoped to get paid by Hariri. Instead Fatah al Islam went after the Army.

The Seniora cabinet convenes and asks the Lebanese Army to enter the refugee camp and silence (in more ways than one) Fatah-al-Islam. Since entrance into the Camps is forbidden by the 1969 Arab league agreement, the Army refuses after realizing the extent of the conspiracy against it by the Welch Club. The army knows that entering a refugee camp in force will open a front against the Army in all twelve Palestinian refugee camps and tear the army apart along sectarian cracks.

The army feels set up by the Club's Internal Security Forces which did not coordinate with the Lebanese Army, as required by Lebanese law and did not even make them aware of the "inter family operation" the ISF carried out against Fatah-al-Islam safe houses in Tripoli.

Today, tensions are high between the Lebanese army and the Welch Club. Some mention the phrase 'army coup'.

The Club is trying to run Parliament and is prepared to go all the way not to 'lose' Lebanon. It still holds 70 seats in the house of parliament while the Hezbollah led opposition holds 58 seats. It has a dutiful PM in Fouad Siniora.

The club tried to seize control of the presidency and when it failed it marginalized it. Last year it tried to control of the Parliamentary Constitutional Committee, which audits the government's policies, laws and watch dogs their actions. When the Club failed to control it they simply abolished the Constitutional Committee. This key committee no longer exists in Lebanon's government.

The Welch Club's major error was when it attempted to influence the Lebanese Army into disarming the Lebanese Resistance led by Hezbollah. When the Army wisely refused, the Club coordinated with the Bush Administration to pressure Israel to dramatically intensify its retaliation to the capture of the two soldiers by Hezbollah and 'break the rules' regarding the historically more limited response and try to destroy Hezbollah during the July 2006 war.

The Welch Club now considers the Lebanese Army a serious problem. The Bush administration is trying to undermine and marginalize it to eliminate one of the last two obstacles to implementing Israel's agenda in Lebanon.

If the army is weakened, it can not protect over 70% of the Christians in Lebanon who support General Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement. The F.P.M. is mainly constituted of well educated, middle class and unarmed Lebanese civilians. The only protection they have is the Lebanese Army which aids in maintaining their presence in the political scene. The other type of Christians in Lebanon is the minority, about 15% of Christians associated with Geagea's Lebanese Forces who are purely militia. If the Club can weaken the Army even more than it is, then this Phalange minority will be the only relatively strong force on the Christian scene and become the "army" of the Club.

Another reason the Club wants to weaken the Lebanese Army is that the Army is nationalistic and is a safety valve for Lebanon to ensure the Palestinian right of return to Palestine, Lebanese nationhood and the resistance culture led by Hezbollah, with which is has excellent relations.

For their part, the Welch Club wants to keep some Palestinians in Lebanon for cheap labor, ship others to countries willing to take them (and be paid handsomely to do so by American taxpayers) and allow at most a few thousand to return to Palestine to settle the 'right of return' issue while at the same time signing a May 17th 1983 type treaty with Israel with enriches the Club members and gives Israel Lebanon's water and much of Lebanon's sovereignty.

Long story short, Fatah el-Islam must be silenced at all costs. Their tale, if told, is poison for the Club and its sponsors. We will likely see their attempted destruction in the coming days.

Hezbollah is watching and supporting the Lebanese army.

Personally -- as s Sunni Muslim -- I trust Nasrallah and the above version of the story than the official Lebanese/American theory (no theory actually).

Beneath these ironic "unintended consequences" as Hesrh called them, the Palestinian refugees and Lebanese civilians are the victims. For several days now, some PLO figures are negotiating with Fath Al-Islam, on behalf of the Lebanese government, the Lebanese army, the Americans, etc, God knows on whose behalf and for what, but that's not the issue. What is more important to me is the civilian Palestinian refugees who fled the camp, and the remaining ten thousand refugees still in the camp (reports says that more than thirty thousand fled and ten thousand remained).

Once again, Palestinians has nothing to do with the conflict, yet, they pay the price with their blood. In an interview on Al-Arabiya television on May 23, the Lebanese defense minister, Ilyas Murr, stated that of the several dozen terrorist killed in the battles, not a single a fighter is identified as Palestinian. He said they are mostly Lebanese, Saudi, Yemeni, Algerian, Tunisian, Moroccan and so on.

I hate to say this, but what the PLO in Lebanon fears is a retaliation war between Palestinians - from one side - and Lebanese - from the other side. Unfortunately this is supported by the fact that, on one hand the Palestinians (not the Lebanese government or the army) are the ones negotiating with Fath al-Islam to save lives and solve the conflict, and on the other hand the dead silence reaction to the indiscriminate killing/shelling of the refugees in the camp by the Lebanese army. No one can imagine that 'some or all' the of the Palestinian militias in Lebanon will keep silent any longer if the Palestinian refugees are not safe and continues to be killed indiscriminately (by the Lebanese army or fath al-Islam) while no one cares to protect them.

Monitoring the reaction in Lebanon this is one of the most painful elements in this story and in history. There is an overwhelming competition by people and organizations to pay tribute to the Lebanese army but not a single political party in Lebanon has spoken out against the indiscriminate shelling of the refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared, except for Nasrallah (so Hezbollah), conservatively, indirectly, but late. However, as they say: "better later than never". Contrary, several Lebanese political parties tried and still working on theories to tie Fath al-Islam with Palestinian militias'.

This is nothing but a general racist attitude towards Palestinians. Maybe that's why it is easy for so many people to tolerate indiscriminate attacks on Palestinian refugee camps (similar to Israel case, which always escape the same crimes when they target the Palestinian civilians in Occupied Palestine). If Arab can do it, why not Zionists? Very painful ... but true!

What can YOU do? YOU can help by engaging in Political/media activism AND also donate.

Razan, a sweet close friend of mine informed me few days ago about the formation of Nahr el Bared Relief Campaign. The organization delivers medicine and the supplies needed to Badawi camp (where most refugees of Nahr el Bared camp fled to):

About the Campaign
The Nahr el Bared Relief Campaign was spontaneously formed following the tragic events in Nahr el Bared Camp. We are a grouping of unaffiliated individuals working on relief and civil action to end the violence and offer aid to those injured and displaced due to the Nahr el Bared conflict.

Donation Account Details
For tax-deductible donations to the Nahr el Bared Relief Campaign please use the following account:

AUB Office of Development
https://rtf.aub.edu.lb/

Please make sure to specify that your donation is going to the Nahr el Bared refugees.

Contact us
marcynewman [at] gmail [dot] com: 70-977812 r.moumneh [at] gmail [dot] com: 03-356644

Aid supply drop-offs
If you have any donations you would like to drop off in person, you can do so in Teh-Marboota Cafe, Pavillion Center, Hamra main road.

Razan went to Badawi camp and she made interviews with refugees who've lost their families under the Lebanese army bombs. She got an initial list of martyrs. You can see the post here:
http://ya-ashrafe-nnas.blogspot.com/2007/05/dont-feel-sorry-about-me-see-me.html

More donations can be sent to The Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA):
https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=1171

(Image by Ben Heine)

Update (1): In his most recent report, the 'Welch club' story writer, Franklin Lamb says, "Will try to send results shortly of my interviews with 11 Fatah al-Islam fighters regarding who paid them and got them travel documents and weapons and what was their mission. There was no bank robbery by them. That was a fake story put out by the Welch Club. Sorry I misreported it. BBC was suckered. Also, no, repeat no heads cut off. Where are the medical reports from those who claim it? That was black propaganda to smear Fatah el-Islam. Must leave this building now may not be until tomorrow or so."

A Dutch reporter in Beirut, Sietske Galama, asks "Who is Franklin Lamb?," and says, "if he's for real, he's real good." Galama notes, "The man is right now inside the Palestinian camp Nahr el-Bared. While all of us journalists are sort of hovering on the outskirts of the camp, this man actually went inside. Or at least that is what he writes."

From the little that I could find out, Dr. Franklin Lamb is described as an "international lawyer," is or was a researcher at the Center for Arab and Middle East Studies, American University of Beirut, a research associate at If Americans Knew, has been in Lebanon researching a book for the past nine months, and is the author of several books about the middle east conflict.

For more analysis and view of this story, see Missing Links' blog posts titled: A possible explanation and The war scenario.

Update (2): In this most recent piece, Franklin Lamb expounds further upon the proposed US airbase, previously broached, as the rationale for the recent terrible covert operations that saw dozens of Palestinians and Lebanese Army soldiers die. He doesn't much distinguish between the proposal as a US or an Israeli airbase (it is marketed as as a US/ NATO initiative) assuming that the hand of David Welch and Elliot Abrams means that the ziocons in the US might as well mean that Israel would have access to a proposed base in a country they were just at war with. (Source: Ann)

Did you know?

Haitham Sabbah — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 07:36:19 +0000

Did you know that the Israeli farmer who shot Arab â€œintruderâ€ 3 times in back, freed to â€œhome arrestâ€?

Did you know that Netanyahu uses the words that push US war buttons: â€œIran and Holocaust.â€ Netanyahu knows which strategists and PR people to use to give him the right words (with a little help and $ from his Neocon pals), the right strategy, to push Americaâ€™s congressional and emotional buttons. Once ousted for corruption, he is coming back. There hasnâ€™t been an Israeli Prime Minister in years who was NOT ousted for corruption. No big deal. (And who could possibly be behind the corruption investigations of Olmert?)

Did you know that Yad Vashem head says â€œSettler Abuse of Palestinians Recalls pre WWII Anti Semitism!â€

Did you know that Israeli army admits that the 44 barriers it said it removed, did not actually exist!!!

Did you know that there is a large rise in number of rapes, date rape drugs in Israeli Terrorist Army? If itâ€™s good enough for the President of the country, itâ€™s good enough for the troops.

Courageous Israeli settlers confront dangerous Palestinian terrorist.

Did you know that Israeli army shoots 17 year old in leg and lets him bleed to death?

Did you know that a multi-party committee of MPs is pressing for sanctions over Israelâ€™s treatment of the Palestinians? Time to get serious about Israelâ€¦

Did you know the â€œlist of prohibitionsâ€ in Palestinian Life? Forbidden in Palestine under a whole, long list of Israeli prohibitions:

Periodic prohibitions
* Residents of certain parts of the West Bank are forbidden to travel to the rest of the West Bank.
* People of a certain age group - mainly men from the age of 16 to 30, 35 or 40 - are forbidden to leave the areas where they reside (usually Nablus and other cities in the northern West Bank).
* Private cars may not pass the Swahara-Abu Dis checkpoint (which separates the northern and southern West Bank). This was cancelled for the first time two weeks ago under the easing of restrictions.

Read the complete list here.

Here is a leaked Israeli document gives frightening glimpse of apartheid!

Oh. My. GOD! â€œWorldwideâ€¦ Jews have decreasing interest in Israelâ€œ.

Truth time: Sanctions on Hamas have backfired on Israel & no â€œPalestinian Stateâ€!

â€œThe accomplishments of this policy resemble those of the international sanctions policy imposed on Iraq: It has not deposed the Hamas government, Qassam rockets continued to land in Israel and it did not serve as an alternative for the need for IDF action. Even worse, the Palestiniansâ€™ effort to extricate themselves from the sanctions has given new power brokers - Syria and Iran - a basis of support in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.â€

â€œâ€¦.But unlike other sanction regimes, Israel is setting conditions but not promising anything in return. Thus, even if Haniyeh starts wearing a skullcap and Khaled Meshal begins humming Hatikva, and even if Abbas makes it mandatory to teach the heroic story of Masada in Palestinian schools, Israel does not want and is unable to propose a diplomatic alternative that would lead to the establishment of an independent and democratic Palestinian state. It does not want to - because any such proposal would mean a withdrawal from most of the territories and the dismantling of most of the settlements.

Did you hear of Israelis shameful treatment of Holocaust survivors? It will be a crime to deny Holocaust, but not to lie to begin a war, or occupy another land Hypocrites! On the way to more killing of innocent people, to pushing the world into a war against Iran, which it cannot be denied DOES NOT HAVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS!!! Israel pushed the world through a resolution that make it a worldwide crime to deny the Holocaust, thatâ€™s fine. However, Israel EXPLOITS the Holocaust and all who died in it in a shameful and disgraceful way, and while it is easy to respect the dead, it KEEPS LIVING HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS IN POVERTY!!! - Zionist are selfish, self centered people with no morals, no ethics, no compunction about the shooting of children in the head, leaving a million cluster bombs in Lebanon, or exploiting the death of millions. FIRST, ISRAEL SHOULD LEARN TO RESPECT THE HOLOCAUST; THEN IT CAN ASK OTHERS TO DO SO!!!

Did you know that Israel will move the apartheid fence to include 1,500 settlers, leaving 20,000 Palestinians in between? They moved the Wall five kilometers eastward from the â€œGreen Lineâ€ (which is supposed to be the borders between Palestine and Israel) in the area of Modiâ€™in Ilit, in order to take in the settlements of Nili and Naâ€™aleh. The new route will create two Palestinian enclaves containing about 20,000 people. Nili and Naâ€™aleh together have some 1,500 residents.

Israel and Reality: Did you know that Olmert thinks Israel was â€œvictoriousâ€ in Lebanon?

Did you know that Egypt has charged 3 Israelis, Egyptian with spying for Israel? (is spying a part of the peace treaty?) Badawi said the Israelis had recruited Attar while he was living in Turkey in August 2001, and had assisted him in obtaining a residency permit in Canada under a fake name and found him work in a bank.

Did you know that six Israeli defense ministry officials confess to taking bribes from contractors?

What Israelâ€™s â€œRight to Existâ€ Means to Palestinians? â€œWhat Israel, within what borders, is involved? Is it the 55 percent of historical Palestine recommended for a Jewish state by the UN General Assembly in 1947? The 78 percent of historical Palestine occupied by the Zionist movement in 1948 and now viewed by most of the world as â€œIsraelâ€ or â€œIsrael properâ€? The 100 percent of historical Palestine occupied by Israel since June 1967 and shown as â€œIsraelâ€ (without any â€œGreen Lineâ€) on maps in Israeli schoolbooks? I would like to hear what Condi, Merkel or Solana, Hillary, some of the others have to say about this. How about you Mr. Blaschke? Or is the answer only, whatever Israel wants, we donâ€™t want to go into details???

Did you know that under the cover of the sound of explosions in Gaza and Olmertâ€™s nice words to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, the Kadima-Labor government is proceeding with a settlement strategy that explains why the minister of strategic affairs, Avigdor Lieberman, is so quiet. (For the freedom Israel has to build new settlements, new Jewish only roads, work on destroying the Al Aqsa Mosque - which Israel would like to collapse, so it can build a third Temple on the site - we can give great thanks the paid for Democratic Congressional men and women like Debbie Stabenow, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Joe Lieberman, and an endless number of others, who talk peace but vote occupation, war, and anything Israel wants.)

Shhh! Israel quietly razes 6 houses in Negev, leaving 70 of Bedouins homeless.

Did you know that Germany presses EU partners to impose a radical law and order package (& leaked docs)? The EU faces a damaging split over moves led by Germany to impose a radical law and order package. If enacted into European legislation, it would allow armed police to operate with impunity outside their home countries, privatised armed â€™sky marshalsâ€™ on civilian flights and a wide range of joint operations against alleged illegal migrants. The Observer has obtained confidential documents showing that Germany also wants to permit undercover officers working with criminal gangs to roam unrestricted across European borders.

Did you know that Kurnaz made new allegations of torture and human-rights abuses in the US coalitionâ€™s jail in Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he was held. Members of the German parliament who heard his testimony said they were shaken by the Turkish citizenâ€™s claims. The German-born Turkish citizen was held at GuantÃ¡namo for almost five years.

The German Foreign Minister is under pressure now in terror inquiry. US wanted to release innocent Kurnaz in 2002, Germans said keep him there, tried to create false evidence in 2005. Kurnaz served 3 more years in Gitmo, all knew he was innocent!

These pictures say more than all the blah blah about what the war on terror is accomplishing. Photo: AP (Kurnaz BEFORE Gitmo, left. After Gitmo, right)

Did you know that Germany has issued 13 arrest warrents, including US operatives, in el Masri Rendition Case?

Did you know that a Canadian Human Rights Group is opposing freedom of speech when it comes to debate Israel? decision approving a request by two Toronto high school teachers to have a union debate on whether to condemn Israelâ€™s treatment of Palestinians has come under fire by human rights groups. The motion was brought by English teacher and Jewish activist Jason Kuninr. It was approved by the Toronto district of the Ontario Secondary School Teachersâ€™ Federation, and is being opposed by Bâ€™nai Brith and the Jewish Defence League. Another successful choking off of free speech.

Did you know that Barack Obama, the rookie Senator from Illinois is going to run for president while assuring us that he supports the troops in Iraq? Heâ€™s made it quite clear he wonâ€™t bring them home. He favor surgical missile strikes on Iran and Pakistan. He knows that pissing off the (pro-Israel) lobby is not the way to the top and last but not least, he even embraced Israelâ€™s brutal bombings of Lebanon last summer.

Did you know that Bill Clinton lied to get Barak elected? Tells Jewish voters why they need his wife!

Did you know that Clinton voted FOR, continuing sales, but Israel probably misused US cluster bombs? In a country run by the Israel lobby, MAY is as far as anyone dares to go: â€œThe New York Times reported on its Internet site Saturday evening that the report will say Israel may have violated agreements with the United States by its use of American-supplied cluster munitions during last yearâ€™s war in Lebanon.â€

Did you know that Hillary Clinton: â€œIran Is a Threat to Israel!â€ (so we know how SHE will vote!! War, war ,war!)

Did you know that Shell defies US pressure and signed Â£5 billion Iranian gas deal?

Did you know that Iran clock is ticking? Bush preparing war with Iran!

Did you know that Mossad killed Iran nuclear physicist couple of weeks ago? Professor Ardashir Hosseinpour, a world authority on electromagnetism, was until recently working on uranium enrichment at the facility in Isfahan, one of the central processing sites in Iranâ€™s nuclear program.

Investigators: Millions in Iraq Aid Wasted (by THIS efficient Administration?) Only millions??? Come on, these people deal in BIG moneyâ€¦. could it have been billions?

Waitâ€¦ Did you know that U.S. sent $12 billion in cash to Iraq and watched it vanish? In the year after the invasion of Iraq in 2003 nearly 281 million notes, weighing 363 tons, were sent from New York to Baghdad for disbursement to Iraqi ministries and US contractors. Using C-130 planes, the deliveries took place once or twice a month with the biggest of $2,401,600,000 on June 22 2004, six days before the handover. Cash payments were made from the back of a pickup truck, and cash was stored in unguarded sacks in Iraqi ministry offices. One official was given $6.75 million in cash, and was ordered to spend it in one week before the interim Iraqi government took control of Iraqi funds.â€The minutes from a May 2004 CPA meeting reveal â€œa single disbursement of $500m in security funding labelled merely â€˜TBDâ€™, meaning â€˜to be determinedâ€™.

Did you know that Exxon earned $39,5 billion in 2006 (BEFORE new Iraq contractâ€¦)?

Did you know that 1,990 Iraqi civilians were killed in January 2007, 3 times as many as January 2006? Health Ministry official said. Counts kept by other groups, including the U.N., have listed far higher numbers.

Did you know that the â€œFirst US officer since Vietnamâ€ goes on trial for speaking out against war in Iraq? (Robin has a lot of details about this case in her blog). Lieutenant Ehren Watada, 28, argues that to serve in Iraq would betray his conscience and his duties as an officer. â€œIt would be a violation of my oath because this war to me is illegal in the sense that it was waged in deception, and it was also in violation of international law. Officers and leaders have that responsibility to speak out for the enlisted and certainly when we do so it comes with more consequences, which is what a leader should do. A leader canâ€™t just go with the crowd.â€

Did you know that British military viewed cockpit tape in 2003. Said it didnâ€™t exist. Oooops. The American govâ€™t lied to the people, the British government lied to the people, the German government lied to the peopleâ€¦ This is government BY the people???

â€œThe news of official British involvement in the US inquiry conflicts with earlier Ministry of Defence claims that a cockpit recording of the attack did not exist. It also raises questions over why British officials involved in the US military inquiry acquiesced in the official conclusion that the pilots were not to blame. After the Sun published the transcript of the cockpit recording yesterday, the US agreed for the video to be used in the Oxfordshire coronerâ€™s inquest being conducted into L/Cpl Hullâ€™s death.â€

Hat tip to my friend, Editerette, for most of the links above!

Missed previous â€œDid you know?â€™sâ€ You can find them here!

Did you know?

Haitham Sabbah — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 21:50:37 +0000

[by Carlos Latuff]

Did you know that last August, a US Navy sailor, Ariel J. Weinmann, was suspected of spying for Israel and has been held in prison for four months. Last month, the Washington Post reported that the sailor was accused for spying and pleaded guilty, but guess what? They say he is accused of stealing a Navy laptop computer and peddling its classified contents to a â€œforeign government.â€ All of a sudden, Israel disappeared from the media report. It is now an â€œunidentified countryâ€ called â€œforeign government.â€

Did you know that Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader, has long had strong ties to Israel? In fact the Jerusalem Post says that his ties to Israel is nothing new and he never failed to buy Israel bonds to benefit the United Jewish Appeal. The Jerusalem Post wonders if he may face pressure from Arab organizations and other political groups to stop supporting Israel, but they rush to confirm that â€œReid will use his skill as a consensus builder to secure Israelâ€™s future and be a successful majority leader.â€ Note the scale of success!

Did you know that we are ALL SHOCKED?! Incoming U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates told a Senate committee that Israel has nuclear weapons, and that this partially explains Iranâ€™s motivation to acquire nuclear weapons. Also Olmert opened the doors of hells when he admitted that they have nukes, during his interview with some German channel. Wow!! Do they really think that the world does not know and we are SHOCKED?

Did you know that â€œIsraeli army expelling Palestinians from West Bank as PR all about peace?â€. Itâ€™s a sure bet the main stream media is not about to give NEWSâ€¦ PR is what it likes, and what it spreads. GOOD news is in, truth is out.

Did you know that Israeli experts say Middle East was safer with Saddam? Although few tears were shed in Israel over Saddam Husseinâ€™s death, a small but growing chorus - including government officials, academics and Iraqi Ã©migrÃ©s - is warning that Israel could find itself in more danger with him gone, and that it might even regret having welcomed his toppling.

Did you know that US - to get Palestinian civil war REALLY going - is providing Abbas troops with $86 million? This in addition to the $42 million it already sent to Abbas.

Did you know that US campaign began: â€œFox says Obama attended Muslim school when he was 6!â€

This morning, Fox News featured a segment highlighting a right-wing report that Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) attended an Islamic â€œmadrassaâ€ school as a 6-year-old child. Fox & Friends host Steve Doocy pointed out that madrassas are â€œfinanced by Saudisâ€ and â€œteach this Wahhabism which pretty much hates us,â€ then declared, â€œThe big question is: was that on the curriculum back then?â€ Later, a caller to the show questioned whether Obamaâ€™s schooling means that â€œmaybe he doesnâ€™t consider terrorists the enemy.â€ Fox anchor Brian Kilmeade responded, â€œWell, weâ€™ll see about that.â€ [via: thinkprogress.org]

Hey, one donâ€™t have to go to school to â€œlearn to hateâ€ the US Imperialism!!! (BTW, Madrassa is an Arabic word that means â€œschoolâ€.

Did you know that Israel has plans for nuclear attack on Iran? Two Israeli air force squadrons had been training to blow up an enrichment plant in Natanz using low-yield nuclear â€œbunker busters.â€ Two other sites, a heavy water plant at Arak and a uranium conversion plant at Isfahan, would be targeted with conventional bombs.

Did you know that Israeli Occupation Forces says Ramallah arrest raid was a mistake? (Again! But worked in botching up Mumarek meeting.)

Did you know that morality of Israeli government is declining like never before? Uzi Benziman says: â€œHistory will judge Sharon with regard to his success as prime minister. Meanwhile, it can be asserted that during his time in office, government corruption reached new heights. He and his two sons were involved in doubtful affairs that were of interest to the police and the State Prosecutorâ€™s Office. Among none of his predecessors was the office of prime minister transformed so crudely into a tool for promoting his familyâ€™s economic interests; and until that time, no prime ministerâ€™s family had been involved in affairs of state in such a deep, exploitative and cynical way. A longing for Sharon, which comes to the fore now, a year after he fell ill, overlooks his contribution to the declining morality of government.â€

Did you know that the Israeli soldier who killed 13 year old Palestinian girl: â€œJust following ordersâ€? They were always to shoot to kill - even though this violated the official rules of engagement!!! Iman al-Hams, a 13-year-old girl who was killed by soldiers at the outpost in October 2004.

Did you know that â€œyou can draw George Bush as evil but not Ehud Olmert?â€

Did you know that â€œThis Road is for Jews Only.â€ No, there is Apartheid in Israel. Itâ€™s just traffic regulations!!!

Did you know that the Pentagon confirms that a US nuclear submarine collided with a Japanese commercial ship? But not to worry, nothing happened. And we can trust them when they tell us thatâ€¦.. nobody would EVER bullshit us.

Did you know that Israel is the only â€œdemocraticâ€ country in the world that rules over another land (if we consider US and UK occupation in Iraq is actually â€œWar for Freedom.â€ Donâ€™t ask me which freedom!)

â€œIn another seven months, the occupation will be 40 years old. Israel today is the only â€œdemocraticâ€ country in the world that continues to rule over the land of another people. Standing over David Ben-Gurionâ€™s grave, Ehud Olmert made a commitment from which there is no return. How right Ben-Gurion was when he declared, the moment the Six-Day War was over, that now was the time to give it all back. But we have been wandering in a desert of illusion for 40 years, and they have been marching nowhere in blood and fire for 40 years. Enough is enough. Letâ€™s make Olmert keep his word. He needs that Nobel Prize badly, to pay for his new digs,â€ Yoel Marcus said, Haâ€™aretz.

Did you know that Israel refuses to discuss the essence of imprisonment of Palestinians as part of the occupation of the Palestinian territories and the struggle against it. The essence of the occupation is attacking civilians, negating their rights to the point of undermining their right to live. But the occupation apparatus also appropriates the right to decide that anyone who opposes it is a criminal. Worse, Israel now denies that Palestinian children are jailed illegally. Who can complain? After all, this is Israel!!

Did you know that Israel draws â€œgreen lineâ€ out of the map? When they call the â€œoccupied territoriesâ€ or â€œShtachimâ€ as they are called in Hebrew, Judea and Samaria, they are proponents of the theory that God gave them the land, and therefor itâ€™s their to take from the Palestinians, because it is Jewish land, no matter what the deeds say, or who lived on it for the past few hundred years. The Green Line was the border before the Six Day Warâ€¦ and as all adherents of the Israeli right, this writer says that the US agrees that the borders should never go backâ€¦ But this changing of the map is the beginning of making sure that these borders no longer exist if there ever should be discussions about a two State solution.

Did you know that â€˜West Bankâ€™ settler population grew by 6% in 2006? According to the Interior Ministry, there were 268,379 Israelis living in the West Bank at the end of 2006, compared with 253,748 in 2005, a 5.8 percent increase.

Did you know that support plummets for Kadima under Olmert? (Neocons must be delighted!) Their boy Netanyahu will save the day, the settlements, the Iran warâ€¦ itâ€™s only a matter of time.

Did you know that Israel issued a tender for another settlement - new Maâ€™aleh Adumim housing? The tender was published during U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Riceâ€™s visit to Israel, while SHE and HIM were talking about their own obligations under the road map.

Did you know that Olmert, Peretz vying for PR on dealing with settler abuse of Palestinians caught on tape? The videotape showing settler Yifat Alkobi abusing her Palestinian neighbors in Hebron was aired at a perfect time from the perspective of Olmert and Amir Peretz. It gave them the chance to compete with each other in their â€œexpressions of shockâ€ over Alkobiâ€™s behavior and to promise (like so many prime ministers and defense ministers before them, which never happened), to take care of settler violence in Hebron.

Amira Hass say: â€œThe found of Apartheid would be proud.â€

Travel Warning!
If you plan to visit Bethlehem, Jerusalem or any part of the Occupied Palestine, be aware that Israel (which are the only way to reach the oPt) is arbitrarily turning away foreign nationals at Israeli ports of entry. A Campaign for the Right of Entry/Re-Entry to the Occupied Palestinian Territory(oPt) has all the latest on the undeclared Israeli policy. It denies entry and/or re-entry to foreign nationals, who want to visit, live, or work in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), causing unjustified hardships, families are being separated, investors are exiting the country, educators are unable to reach their schools and universities, studentsâ€™ education is being disrupted, and elderly are being left without caretakers, to state but some of the ramificat.

Did you know that the head of the research division of Military Intelligence, Brigadier General Yossi Baidatz, said Sunday that Syrian President Bashar Assad is preparing for a war with Israel? So, get your self ready for new war soon guys.

Did you know â€œWhy Germans believed Hitler?â€ YnetNews.com: â€œWhere did the Shoah money go?â€

Did you know that Israel, with Merkel in its pocket, anxious to have HER do the â€œpeace dealâ€? Imagine a German Chancellor NOT taking Israelâ€™s sideâ€¦ It is her moral duty, as the world would see it. It did not take HER long to show her flag: Merkel praises Israelâ€™s â€˜hopeful signalsâ€™. She praised the Israeli government for its â€œrecent peace overtures,â€ saying â€œWe want to use these hopeful signals which are being sent by the Israeli government to make progress.â€ â€œWe need results in order to halt the violence in the Palestinian territories,â€ she added. AHA! Now we know why we need resultsâ€¦. not so that the Palestinian boycott can be stopped, the starving of the Palestinians, or the other things Israel and the world is doing to themâ€¦ it is to stop the violenceâ€¦. yes, yes, Mrs. Merkel is going to be a very fair peace arbitrator in the region.

Did you know that Al Qaeda Doesnâ€™t Exist, America Created It [Hat Tip: kimmy]:

Did you hear Desmond Tutu statement? â€œIsrael refused fact-finding mission to Gaza.â€ Facts? Who needs them? Diffidently not Israel nor the world!
Tutu was denied entry to start his UN mission to investigate Beit Hanun massacre.

Did you know that â€œCarter speaks the truth, and thatâ€™s good for the Jews,â€ Rabbi Michael Lerner said. â€œHe is the only president to have actually delivered for the Jewish people an agreement - the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt - that has stood the test of time. To get that agreement, Carter had to twist the arms of Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat. Sometimes that is what real friends do - they push you into a path that is really in your bestâ€¦â€

Do you know â€œHow Israeli Soldiers Kill and Civilians Grow Numb?â€ [Hat tip: Sokari]
One Israeli officer says the world doesnâ€™t seem to notice killing in small numbers. And those closest to the violence become too scared to empathize for those who die.

Did you know that US depleted Uranium used in Kosovo still â€˜killing Italian troopsâ€™ 10 years later? â€œTroops who served during the wars in the 1990s believe they have contracted cancer and other serious illnesses from extended exposure to the munitions.â€

In Iraq:

Did you know that press freedom in Iraq has plummeted since the beginning of US occupation?

What was that Condi slipped in about the Iraqi OIL? Came and went so quickly one hardly had a chance to noticeâ€¦. and God forbid any of the MEDIA should have asked a question about anything so insignificantâ€¦

Rice:

â€œâ€¦.As to whether the Iraqi people want to live in peace, I think that twelve and a half million of them went out and voted against a lot of terrorist threats because they wanted a single Iraqâ€¦â€¦ You have to look at the way that their leaders are trying to work togetherâ€¦. One of the things that is interesting about this national oil law, to which they are close, is that thatâ€™s a very good sign of overcoming sectarian differences for a larger political purposeâ€¦. and itâ€™s not as if theyâ€™re not sacrificing for a unified Iraqâ€¦

What IS this national oil law??? Is the oil what theyâ€™ll be sacrificing?

Kurds Push Own Oil Policy:

While violence engulfs much of Iraq and the Baghdad central government continues negotiations over a petroleum law, the Kurds have moved ahead and are poised to pass their own oil law. In addition, they have already signed a handful of contracts with foreign firms to explore oil fields in the north.

Iraqi Trade Union Statement on the Oil Law

Iraqi public opinion strongly opposes the handing of authority and control over the oil to foreign companies, that aim to make big profits at the expense of the people. They aim to rob Iraqâ€™s national wealth by virtue of unfair, long term oil contracts that undermine the sovereignty of the State and the dignity of the Iraqi people.

And which oil company is Condi talking to about running after her brilliant tenure as Secretary of State?

Do you know how the West plans to get Iraqâ€™s oil riches (You thought this was about FREEDOM??) Iraqâ€™s massive oil reserves, the third-largest in the world, are about to be thrown open for large-scale exploitation by Western oil companies under a controversial law which is expected to come before the Iraqi parliament within days. The US government has been involved in drawing up the law, a draft of which has been seen by The Independent on Sunday. It would give big oil companies such as BP, Shell and Exxon 30-year contracts to extract Iraqi crude and allow the first large-scale operation of foreign oil interests in the country since the industry was nationalised in 1972.

Did you know that it was the ever incompetent, always bloodthirsty, Rice who OKâ€™d Saddam handover?

Did you know that out of 1000 employees at the US embassy in Baghdad, 6 (six) ONLY are fluent in Arabic? â€œAll of our efforts in Iraq, military and civilian, are handicapped by Americansâ€™ lack of knowledge of language and cultural understanding,â€ the bipartisan panel said in its report.

Did you know that over 1000 people gathered in Nancy Pelosiâ€™s district, on Ocean Beach in San Francisco, to spell out the message â€œIMPEACH!â€ [Hat tip: Robin]

â€œAmerica is a great country,â€ said event organizer Brad Newsham, a local cab driver and author. â€œBut President Bush has betrayed our faith. He mislead us into a disastrous war, and is trampling on our Constitution. He has to go. Now. I hope Nancy Pelosi is listening today.â€
A majority of Americans share Newshamâ€™s sentiments. A 2006 Zogby poll found that 52% of Americans agreed with the statement: â€œIf President Bush wiretapped American citizens without the approval of a judge, do you agree or disagree that Congress should consider holding him accountable through impeachment?â€

Did you know that Ex-Rice speechwriter: â€œShe doesnâ€™t have â€˜vaguest notionâ€™ of Middle East history.â€ Duhâ€¦. like THAT isnâ€™t obviousâ€¦. but who cares? Some diplomats negotiate, others just buy what they want. $7,000 boots, Saddam Husseinâ€™s hiding place, Abbasâ€™s giving away Palestine, the oil in Iraq: They can all be bought. THAT is Riceâ€™s area of expertise.

Did you know that starving Afghans sell girls of eight as brides? While the Islamic world are watching, villagers whose crops have failed after a second devastating drought are giving their young daughters in marriage to raise money for food.

Did you know that American passports were found on bodies of â€œAl Qaedaâ€ fighters in Somalia? Also some British and Australian passports were found.

Did you know that top Somalia al-Qaida Not Dead after allâ€¦. gee, are we surprised! For those who believed the crap that CNN feeds us in the first place, especially prepping the public for a major Bush televized speechâ€¦.. sorry, it was a mistake, heâ€™s not dead after allâ€¦.. but he was dead long enough to get into the major media, and thatâ€™s all that counts.

Did you know that many civilian died as US strike targets â€œAl Qaidaâ€ in Somalia? Same old, same oldâ€¦ those air strikes always seem to end up as an â€œooopsâ€â€¦ with lots of dead women and childrenâ€¦ but who knows? The Pentagon didnâ€™t know if the strike was successfulâ€¦.. you bomb, and you wait and see what you hit.

Hat tip to my excellent friend, Editerette for most of the links above!

Missed previous â€œDid you know?â€™sâ€ You can find them here!

Did you know?

Haitham Sabbah — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 21:12:12 +0000

Did you know that police in spying on Americans and beating the crap out of people?

Here is a video taken by police themselves:

Did you know that in some of the harshest language he has used to date, former President Jimmy Carter called Israeli "domination" over Palestinians "atrocious" in an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America." Carter said there was "no doubt now that a minority of Israelis are perpetuating apartheid on the people in Palestine, the Palestinian people." He called Israel's occupation the "prime cause" of continuing violence in the Middle East.

NPR - Jimmy Carter on Conflict in the Middle East (Listen to this story...)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6543594 (AUDIO & TEXT)

All of this while neither Democrats nor Republicans are prepared to say a word in opposition to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's decision to add the racist Knesset member Avigdor Lieberman and his Yisrael Beiteinu party to Israel's governing coalition.

Hey everybody! The Iraqi violence is part of an "Al Qaida Plot"!!!
Oh NO! An al Qaida PLOT!! That must be it... Thank God we have George to put it all into perspective! No WONDER you can't put peace signs on your Christmas wreaths in Colorado!! You have to keep fighting that nasty Al Qaida that coincidentally turns up everywhere George Bush has been [Hat tip: ]

Did you know that Imams, ministers and a rabbi staged a "pray-in" demonstration at Reagan Washington National Airport and demanded an apology from US Airways for barring six Muslims from a Minneapolis to Phoenix flight last week? The religious leaders called for an end to racial profiling, saying it was unacceptable in America.

Did you know that Israel didn't lay only cluster bombs in Lebanon, but also they laid mines during summer war? This is the first time Israel has been accused of planting mines by a U.N. agency.

Did you know that many people who enjoy support of New York Times could be responsible for Gemayel death? Although no investigation has been mounted and no evidence offered that would enable anyone to be identified with Gemayel's murder, the New York Times ignores such rudimentary considerations and instead falls in behind the campaign being waged by the Bush administration to blame Syria for the killing. OTOH, in its own way, the New York Times acknowledges that the assassination serves the interests of Washington and its allies in the Siniora government.

Did you know that the refugees are the key to any lasting solution but Israel does not admit its historical responsibility to the Palestinian people and does not recognize the rights of the refugees?

Did you know that Israel knew that Iraq had no nuclear weapons? Israel was aware before the war against Iraq that Saddam Hussein did not possess weapons of mass destruction, but Israel did not inform the United States. That time, Yossi Sarid, a member of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, said that Israeli intelligence knew beforehand that Iraq had no weapons stockpiles and misled US President George Bush because 'Israel didn't want to spoil President Bush's scenario'

Did you know that an Israeli soldier got ONLY 2 weeks prison for shooting Palestinian? The details of the incident collected by B'Tselem suggest that Yasin was shot after he told the soldiers that they should not ask women to run their hands over their bodies as a means of searching then the soldier hit Yasin, and two other soldiers joined the fracas, hit him, even after Yasin fell to the ground, they grabbed and threw him against the cement blocks used to make a roadblock. He was cuffed and the soldiers continued to hit and kick him before shooting him.

How does he do it? More than half a million deaths, an army trapped in the largest military debacle since Vietnam, a Middle East policy already buried in the sands of Mesopotamia - and still George W Bush is in denial. Like Hitler and Brezhnev, Bush is in denial.

Did you know that last Friday, the General Assembly approved six pro-Palestinian resolutions over U.S. and Israeli objections. You want UN resolutions kept, keep this!

Democracy, ha? As majority of Americans sit on their duffs watching their rights disappear, 800,000 Lebanese are demanding the resignation of their corrupt Administration.

Talking of Corruption; did you know that the 'second insurgency' costing $4bn a year in Iraq and the "insurgents" have been abetted by US incompetence?

Did you know that the cease-fire will go up in flames? Here is the forecast: In a few days, there will be a targeted killing operation. The military correspondents will recite: "He was one of the senior operatives of Hamas (or Islamic Jihad), and was responsible for producing and smuggling large amounts of armaments." In response, a barrage of Qassams will fall on Sderot. One of the residents might be injured. In the process of the targeted killing operation, some passersby might also be killed; the correspondents will then recite: "They were armed."

Video: William Fletcher on Apartheid in South Africa and Israel:

Did you know that Avigdor Lieberman to head "Ministry of Strategic Threats"? Oh yea he has NO power. One of the ironic parts of this story is that the "Ministry of Strategic Threats" will handle Jewish immigrants from former Soviet states to Israel. Do you see any link? Anyway, Lieberman is a dangerous racist.... the ADL should clean out its OWN house (he called to execute Arab MK) before it calls others racists.... (dig out everything about him now, because it will all be scrubbed - if it isn't already!!!) Back in 2002, Avigdor Lieberman called for bombing of Palestinian gas stations, banks and commercial centers. The questons is: If Hamas was called a terrorist government, then, what do we call the Israeli government? Peace makers?

Did you know that any and all of Arab citizens are viewed as 'security threats' at Israeli airports? It's nothing but more of Israeli apartheid!

Did you know that Israel may try strengthening Siniora, or go to war again if that fails?

Did you know that:

Did you know that after all the blustering Israel ready to free 1000 prisoners in Shalit deal? (Which still leaves 2 soldiers hostage in Lebanon....). They could have done this in June!!! and saved thousands of lives!!!

Did you know that the Israeli Education Minister has ordered that Israeli school books display the Green Line? Believe it or not: Israel is asking anyone and everyone to recognize their state while until this moment they teach their children that Palestine does not exist. Tamir said Israel could not demand of its Arab neighbors to mark the June 4, 1967 borders, while the Israeli education system erased them from its textbooks and from children's awareness. In sipte of all of this, Rabbis ban use of schoolbooks showing pre-1967 border!
[Hat tip: Editerette]

Did you know that if you missed previous "Did you know?" posts, you can find them here!

Did you know?

Haitham Sabbah — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 16:12:51 +0000

Did you know that Israel didn't allow Palestinian football team to travel to Asian Cup match? Ironically, even though this Reuters' story was distributed through the wires on Nov. 11th, four days later, FOX Sports was taken by surprise that the Palestinian team was a "no-show."

Did you know that Israeli soldiers stole money from Beit Hanoun households? The total value of things stolen from private persons and households amounts to over US$ 200,000.

Did you know that U.S. says it has removed 50,000 unexploded bombs in Lebanon? The bombs pose a huge danger to displaced civilians trying to return to their villages after the 34-day Israeli war against Lebanon. The State Department is investigating whether Israel violated U.S. rules in its use of U.S.-made rockets armed with cluster bombs in Lebanon. A State Department spokesman said the investigation was ongoing.
The ironic part is that IOF is training foreign peacekeepers bound for the United Nations force in south Lebanon to neutralize the armaments. Isn't this great? Israel drops unexploded bombs, teaches others to "neutralize." So the next time Israel has a war, it can just call on Germany, or France, or Spain, or the UK, and say hey, we dropped another million bomblets, go clean up for us, would you? That's a nice puppy... go fetch.

Oh, wait. Did you know that US Congress voted for more cluster bombs; Israel finds "irregularities" in use. A million bomblets left unexploded, 4 million dropped on Lebanon in the summer, didn't matter... Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Biden, a number of others rubber stamped a bill for Israel's continuing use of American cluster bombs. The Republicans, of course, all voted for this bill. No investigation necessary.

Well, it turns out
a. that some were dropped in spite of order NOT to,
b. there were other irregularities now being investigated, and
c. 3 months after the fact, Israel suddenly admitted targeting populated areas in Lebanon. (which apparently is NOT in accordance with international law.)

Did you know that on the same night Israel killed family of 19, it completely destroyed 13th Century Mosque? In a statement to the U.N. Observer website, the imam of the An-Nasr Mosque in Beit Hanun, Sheikh Sihda Abu Zreyk said that the mosque, which was established in 1240 after the Um An-Nasr war with the Crusaders between Gaza and Askelon.

Who needs Mosques on land Israel is stealing piece by piece in preparation for the greater Israel?

Did you know that Anti-Zionist Orthodox Jews Protested Outside "Israeli" Consulate, New York City on November 9, 2006 to protest the actions of the Zionist state. They opposed Zionism and the so-called state of "Israel" and its secular government!

Who is the Real Enemy Of The Jews? Zionism, of course!

In this video, Alan Hart speaks at a public meeting of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC). He speaks about his two volume book "Zionism: The Real Enemy of the Jews".

Here is a new e-Book/Book on the Web that explores some of the Israeli apartheid laws and practices: "Foundations of Civil and Political Rights in Israel and the Occupied Territories," Dr. Yvonne SCHMIDT.

Did you know that Israelis are building a "Tiny Flying Death Hornet"? They are using nanotechnology to try to create a robot no bigger than a hornet that would be able to chase, photograph and kill its targets.

Did you know that Steven Simon, late of the Clinton administration and still a member of the Democratic, pro-Zionist mainstream at the Council on Foreign Relations, pronounced on prospects for Palestinian-Israeli peace and essentially declared it not worth anyone's effort. In short, the 110th Congress will screw the Palestinians just the way the Republican 109th did. Not only that, do you know who was elected as "Majority Leader"? A Pro-Zionist Congressman of course, Rep. Steny Hoyer.

If you are still wondering what is Zionism and why you should be anti-Zionism, read the historical "Ten Questions to the Zionists" by Rabbi Michael Dov Weissmandl ZT"L (Published by the author in 1948 and reprinted many times).

If you are a 'living being' on this planet earth, these videos are for you! Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 and Part 7. The United States must order an end to illegal use of depleted uranium munitions.

Did you know that UN appealed for protection after Israeli gunfire a UN school, wounding two children, including a 7-year-old boy who was hit in the head as he sat at his desk. Of course Israel denied. Nothing new!

"Why the 'special relationship' between Germany and Israel has to be reconsidered"? Good question. Here is a 25 Leading Professors from major academic institutions in Germany explain why!

Did you know that a Swedish human rights worker viciously attacked by Jewish extremists in Hebron?
"Tove Johansson from Stockholm walked through the Tel Rumeida checkpoint with a small group of human rights workers to accompany Palestinian schoolchildren to their homes. They were confronted by about 100 Jewish extremists in small groups. They started chanting in Hebrew "We killed Jesus, we'll kill you too!" - a refrain the settlers had been repeating to internationals in Tel Rumeida all day..."

(click thumbnail to enlarge)

Did you know that Peace Now says nearly 40% of the land the settlements sit on is,
according to official data, "effectively stolen" from Palestinian landowners. NYT also published the BREAKING NEWS that "Israeli Map Says West Bank Posts Sit on Arab Land." As if the world has just awaken when an Israeli organization said what it said, while Palestinians are crying the same for decades!

Did you hear the latest statement by the elected Israeli terrorist (aka Prime Minister) Ehud Olmert: "He told his Italian counterpart on Tuesday that the new European initiative for Middle East peace was interfering in political progress between Israel and Palestinians." WHAT progress? This is the same fool who last week said how much stability the Iraq war has brought to the Middle East! In fact, Olmert believes that Iraq war was good for Israel? What are 150,000 or 600,000 dead Muslims, hundreds of thousands wounded and millions homeless? It was GOOD for Israel. And the next war Olmert is planning, the one against Iran, will be even BETTER for Israel.

Did you know that Israeli activists seized IOF tanks in Gaza in protest at army 'war machine'? Leftists activist said: "We have 1 casualty, they have 80." Some 400 'Peace Now' activists protest at Erez Crossing, call for Israeli-Palestinian negotiation. The protest, organized by Peace Now, was held under the title, "Only negotiations will stop Qassams."
Addressing the rally journalist Gideon Levi declared that there is no room for comparisons between Sderot and Beit Hanoun . "Sderot is weeping over one victim, while Beit Hanoun mourns 80," Levi said.
Also, don't miss these photos of the protest.

Did you know that Bush had unspoken reason to back Israel's attack on Lebanon.

Did you know that Keith Ellison is the FIRST Muslim to be elected for Congress? Oh... Wondering when he will get arrested for PRAYING in the Congress or some American airport, as a terrorist suspect!

Did you know that 60% Israelis think a man yelling, demeaning, limiting freedom of his wife is NOT abuse? How little people know about the REAL Israel... and even when it outs itself, the international media only prints the "good" news. The survey also found that 80% of public think violence against women is only physical. FYI, divorce in Israel is according to Jewish law. Without permission from her husband, a woman cannot be divorced. On the other hand, he can get rid of her anytime he wants. And they complain about women rights in other parts of the world?!

Israel and Terrorism

Haitham Sabbah — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 17:38:44 +0000

If you support Israel, then you support terrorism, 100% no doubt !

This clip is only the tip of the iceberg (Source: Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF)). People think Palestine is angry Muslims so they give a blind eye and leave Israel doing its crimes against humanity. What a pathetic thinking! [Hat tip: Robin]

Palestinian child visit dad in prison, family can’t!

Haitham Sabbah — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 21:27:51 +0000

Some of these children are as young as 4 years old, they take a number of buses, sometimes traveling up to 20 hours, with checkpoints, searches, etc. for a 45 minute visit with dad. [Hat tip: Editerette]

Israel does not allow most wives or other relatives this privilege for the over 9,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails... and even most children can only go until their 16th birthday... after that, you ask? "They don't need their dad, Israel said!"

Did you know?

Haitham Sabbah — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 17:00:16 +0000

Did you know that there are few journalists in Washington who can throw the White House off its stride? Bob Woodward is one of them. Woodward’s new book, "State of Denial," paints a damning picture of White House policy in the aftermath of the Iraq invasion. The White House is now in full damage-control mode over Woodward's new book.

Did you know that a tanned Jewish vacationer escorted off plane as passengers applause? "To the applause of fellow passengers, the Jewish designer was escorted from a New York flight as a potential bomber. Because, he tells Sophie Goodchild, of his holiday tan."
And if this doesn't remind anyone of Nazism and McCarthyism, and all other Fascisms, and scare the hell out of them, I would say, wake up!!! (Not that I can't appreciate the irony of the fact that this man happened to be Jewish....) Islamophobia?

Did you know that the Palestinians are incapable and undesirous of own country? Let the Mossad teach you.

Did you know that Rice proposed 'creative means' to bolster Abbas, weaken Hamas?
Creative means not exactly democratic, not exactly according to international law, and not exactly what the Palestinian people wanted when they voted, but hey, what do THEY know??
Condi has proved so good in dealing with the other problems, especially in the Middle East, so far, she will certainly be able to overcome this one easily.

Rice to Livni: Boycott of Palestinians is effective -They're starving! Hurrah!!!

Be proud America, Europe: Children working carrying luggage of travelers at checkpoints to help feed their starving families in Gaza.

Did you know that Israeli army demands Palestinians NOT allow Israeli help during harvest!?

The Israel Defense Forces is demanding that Palestinian farmers not allow Israeli and foreign sympathizers to escort them during the olive harvest to places where military protection is needed against abusive settlers, Palestinian sources in the Nablus region told Haaretz.

An Israeli security source confirmed the report, saying that IDF officers have been influenced by statements of settlers, who say they are enraged during the harvest by the presence of Israeli leftists who act as provocateurs. A 2005 memo to soldiers from the Civil Administration regarding the olive-picking season states: "Involvement of various entities, Israeli and foreign, is expected, as an 'aid' to the Palestinians in the harvest and as a motive for creating provocations."

Did you know that Yossi Sarid: " Israel does not want peace with Syria. Period." (Or anyone else.....)

Here is a virtual game after a real war. It works, and the music is a rip off the Israeli National Anthem. [Hat tip Mary & Gilad Atzmon]

Did you know that not 2, but 4 Israeli companies in global top 100 arms sellers. Impressive!?

Did you know that US offered 9 Gitmo prisoners back to UK, with conditions, but UK says no thanks!?

Did you know that more than 3,500 housing units are being built in West Bank (AGAINST road map!!)
Last year 4,144 were built. Also building on 2 new Jewish only roads have resumed 31 outposts are being expanded. While everyone was looking at Lebanon, outposts were being expanded.

Poll: Fatah and Hamas would be tied if new elections are called.
They had just about formed a unity government before Ms. Rice summoned Abbas to DC and probably used some carrot and some stick to get him to call the deal off.... and start this war. Fatah started it, it is clear, and obviously at Ms. Rice's command. (No doubt with a little weapons help from Israel.) So that she can go in there next week and say, see Hamas not working, Abbas is our boy, he will create an emergency government, the Palestinians will get a little food, and they will shut their mouths and let Israel continue as it is. And what do the Palestinian people have to say? Nothing. They voted wrong, not what the US wanted. For that, they deserve to be punished.

Did you know that Atta's father says the video is a fake?

Did you know that the Israeli "Bomblets" Plague Lebanon - killed 18, wounded 109 since Sept. 28?

Did you know that US no fly list includes names of 14 dead hijackers, Saddam, Morales, Nabih Berri?!

Did you know that an American Palestinian, who helped create a telecommunications company in Ramallah, is not allowed to enter, in Israel's new strategy of "expulsion".

You might be interested in the history of such a strategy: The Forced Emigration of German Jews. "The first major step leading to the "Final Solution" was the attempt on the part of the Nazi regime to force Jews to emigrate out of Germany." Which proves that the Israelis DID learn something from the Holocaust!

Did you know that Israel is beating war drums again: They are preparing to attack...?

Did you know that India is to purchase Israeli-made anti-aircraft missile systems?

Did you know that an Israeli Att Gen to probe another Knesset member for suspicion of bribery, breach?

Did you know that and Israeli national is among six charged with spying in Nigeria?

Did you know that the French Embassy in NY cancels book party because author criticize Israel? (also here)

"NEW YORK - The French Embassy on Monday canceled a New York party for a book about Vichy France's collaboration with Nazi Germany because of the author's postscript that says Israel has oppressed Palestinians."

This story, by the way, appears nowhere else.... every time something like this happens, and it is happening more often, especially in NY, the media - and not only the mainstream media, but also bloggers like Huffington and Rawstory, hush it up, ignore and suppress it. The Israeli Lobby, or whatever you want to call it, cannot be allowed to continue to threaten and forbid free speech! [Hat tip: Editerette]

War corporatism - Not all Fascism is like Adolf Hitler?

Did you know that Israeli border police killed 2 Egyptian policemen, 1 Bedouin, 1 Sudanese refugee?!
Life is cheap in the Middle East (not Israeli life, of course), they all look alike, and why arrest them if you can shoot em dead?

Did you know that estimates of 655,000 excess Iraqi deaths since start of war? (PDF report)

Did you know that Bedouins are Israeli enough to serve in army, but not to have an Israeli ID card.
Despite having served as an army scout, Srahin has no civilian Israeli status. So he has no health insurance.... APARTHEID?

Did you know that Israel used new weapon prototype in Gaza Strip?

An investigative report to be aired on Italian television Wednesday raises the possibility that Israel has used an experimental weapon in the Gaza Strip in recent months, causing especially serious physical injuries, such as amputated limbs and severe burns.

Interesting way to test weapons, don't you think so?... Israel learned so much from the Holocaust...

Last but not least, did you know that a lost tribe of Jews migrates to... Palestine?!

They found a group of 218 people belonging to an Indian tribe who "lost descendants of ancient Israelites" (descended from one of the 10 lost tribes of Israel). Soon be welcomed to their new homes (my occupied home) in Israeli settlements in the occupied land Palestine. [Hat tip: Editerette]

Know you know…!!!

Voluntary transfer?

Haitham Sabbah — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 23:02:39 +0000

Not only do they have this wonderful idea - but the US should pay! Not an original idea, the Nazis had it first, but the part of the US paying, that's original Israeli.

"This money would be given to every family of the million refugees of the Gaza Strip region, and each family would emigrate with $100,000 dollars." The money would be given them as they emigrate, Elon said...

Many countries would absorb them if they came not as refugees, but with $100,000 dollars...

The somewhat incredulous interviewer asked Elon if the plan were at all practicable. "The state of Israel has never seriously considered this," he replied.

This would be far more inexpensive than all the ammunition, and this is the only humanitarian solution.

Of course, their land, orchards, whatever... will remain in the hands of Israel without restitution, which is clear...

Did you know?

Haitham Sabbah — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 18:52:31 +0000

Did you know that the world can't Wait to drive out the Bush Regime? "On October 5, people everywhere will walk out of school, take off work, and come to the downtowns & townsquares and set out from there, going through the streets and calling on many more to join us - making a powerful statement: "NO! THIS REGIME DOES NOT REPRESENT US! AND WE WILL DRIVE IT OUT!"

Did you know that the Big Brother is not only watching you, but shout at you in public? "Over 4 million cameras, being retro-fitted w/speaker systems. Yelling out orders to people like a concentration camp." (video attached)

Did you know that an Israeli diplomat carrying large quantity of explosives was arrested in Argentina?

Did you know that former IDF commandos trained Kurdish soldiers? Like the media - NYT, WaPo, CNN, BBC - didn't know the Israelis were in Northern Iraq. OH my God, what a surprise!! Well, too late now, might as well just ignore it.....Give us a break! We get lied to about Israel by every mainstream media outlet as if their lives depended on hiding the truth. Anything you read about Israel in the mainstream press is first approved by AIPAC and the Israeli government, so most of it is just total crap.

Did you know that World Bank Profits from Poor Countries and Receives more than Disburses? Did someone believe that a Neocon like Wolfowitz was going to work for a bank that actually HELPED the poor or that the Bushies would put in someone who was not going to get more out than he put in?

Did you know that Because Israel is a different kind of democracy (a fascist kind); the Arab Israelis who did not support Israel war on Lebanon war are getting punished, hard!

Did you know that Israeli bulldozers started to level the soil and cut down olive trees in Yarin in the Tyre region on Monday, spoiling several cultivated fields and preventing farmers from inspecting their lands.

Did you know that hundreds of terror suspects 'disappeared,' some sold to U.S, according to Amnesty International.

Did you know that new terror bill can affect green card holders & legal residents? "It would strip green-card holders and other legal residents of the right to challenge their detention in court if they are accused of being 'enemy combatants'."

Did you know that Israel is not withdrawing from Lebanon quite yet... Oh how SURPRISED we are!!

Did you know that an Israeli Colonel got 6 years for raping female soldier? It happens all the time, but the women are afraid of consequences and don't report the incidents. Even Katzsav's 8 victims waited for years, until set the ball rolling...

Did you know that Lebanon war has made abuse a part of the West Bank checkpoints? (Not that the Israelis need much of an excuse....) ..."From that moment on, according to Muhassin's testimony, he was exposed to cruelty and abuse for its own sake. Sergeant H. and Sergeant Y. dragged him to the APC, he says, placed plastic handcuffs on him and forced him to search for his escaped friend in the fields of thorns on the sides of the road. But after a short time they changed their minds, and without any advance warning began to hit and kick him..."

Did you know that US war costs since September 11 exceed $500 billion (and still no electricity....)? "The total cost of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and enhanced security at military bases since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks could reach $549 billion this year."

Did you know that IOF can shoot Lebanese stone-throwers if lives threatened? Just like they did here.... but the stones must have been the invisible kind...

Did you know that following the recent war in Lebanon, Ynet has received several complaints from Israeli companies that have encountered refusal of companies from various countries to cooperate with Israelis because of the war crimes? "Belgian hi-tech company specializing in development consulting notifies manager of Israeli company seeking cooperation that 'your country has conducted war crimes and is an apartheid regime."

Did you know that Bush's own church urges pull-out of US troops from Iraq and is urging direct action to end the war?

Did you know that Millions of Evangelical Christians around the world support and constantly pray for the State of Israel? "We'll fight for Israel."

Did you know that majority of Americans want the United States to increase diplomatic efforts over Iran's nuclear ambitions, while 70 percent oppose the use of U.S. troops to thwart Iran? (according to a Reuters/Zogby poll). These are the people of America whom we love and conceder as victims of Bushies... just like billion others around the world!!

Did you know that Five years after 9/11, Muslim-American men are still being arrested on flimsy charges and accused of being terrorists?

Did you know that 67% of Israelis want talks with PA gov't including Hamas? "A majority of Israelis would support holding negotiations with a Palestinian unity government that includes the Islamic Hamas movement, according to the results of a joint Palestinian-Israeli poll released on Tuesday."

Know you know...!!!

Did you know?

Haitham Sabbah — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 22:12:55 +0000

Did you know that Israeli experts has determined that 'best' presidential candidate for Israel is the former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani. "Giuliani is followed by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Arizona Senator John McCain and New York Senator Hillary Clinton. Ranking bottom of the list is Illinois Senator Barack Obama. As part of a new project, The Israel Factor: Ranking the presidential candidates" the panel will rank the candidates every month, up until the 2008 election, awarding them marks out of 10 on a series of questions that will determine which candidates are "best" for Israel."

Now you know!

Did you know that U.S. built major Iranian nuclear facility? In the heart of Tehran sits one of Iran's most important nuclear facilities, a dome-shaped building where scientists have conducted secret experiments that could help the country build atomic bombs. It was provided to the Iranians by the United States... Not only did the U.S. provide the reactor in the 1960s as part of a Cold War strategy, America also supplied the weapons-grade uranium needed to power the facility—fuel that remains in Iran and could be used to help make nuclear arms.

Now you know!

You may be interested in this video, especially the interview with Israeli tank commander, Col Amnon, who refused orders to send his troops into "certain death". Despite all their weapons, it shows an Israeli army in disarray, full of half trained reservists who aren't ready for real combat. [Hat tip: Paul]

Did you know that new tenders were issued for hundreds of homes in [illegal] W. Bank settlements? According to Peace Now, the tenders prove that the "Olmert government functions as a right- wing government in all senses; instead of evacuating outposts and freezing construction in settlements, the government is building hundreds of housing units in the territories and plans on authorizing dozens of illegal outposts.

This is the peace loving Israel!

Did you know that Europe nixes landing rights for El Al planes with IOF cargo? The refusal came from states considered friendly with Israel, including Britain, Germany and Italy, according to Captain Etai Regev, the chairman of El Al's pilots' union.

This makes sense!

Did you know that the Haifa City Council on Monday approved the dismissal of Deputy Mayor Walid Hamis, for his opposition to the war in Lebanon? Hamis, was fired due to his vocal opposition to the war and for pointing out the discrimination in Arab neighborhoods. What does this tell you? if you are not a warmonger in the peaceful state of Israel, you are in the wrong place!

Now you know!

Did you know that Bush family profits from endless war? Long before the current Bush Administration, George Bush Sr., along with former government officials and the Bin Laden family of Saudi Arabia, created a private investment firm called the Carlyle Group. The purpose of the company is to acquire interests in arms manufacturers. Because it is a privately owned company, it's dealings are only rarely reported on in the financial news, but it is one of the biggest beneficiaries of America's drive to war and it is making its investors very rich.

Here is a video excerpt (full version below):

Dutch with English Subtitles - Full Version

Note: The beginning of this film is in Dutch. English language content starts at 1:45 - one minute and 45 seconds into the film

Did you know that "three-quarters of the Palestinian people are displaced. Approximately one in three refugees worldwide is Palestinian. More than half are displaced outside the borders of their historic homeland." This is quoted from Forced Migration Review in its current issue, which deals with Palestinian refugees. For FULL ISSUE or SINGLE ARTICLES go to: http://www.fmreview.org/palestine.htm

As an uprooted Palestinian, I recommend reading the above!