What has Anne Frank have to do with Gaza?

Image via WikipediaFor the last two days there has been a protest on Patrick St about the Israeli offensive in Gaza. At the stand they had a picture of Anne Frank wearing a keffiyeh. Why?

A friend suggested that the protestors were trying to draw a comparison between the Nazi’s who killed Jewish children (Anne Frank for example) and Israeli Defence Forces who have killed children. Maybe? But is it really the fault of the Israeli’s that Hamas place weapons and military personal, near civilian areas, near schools and near UN compounds. Hamas have done this to dare Israel to attack them, in the hope that the collateral damage will pile further pressure on Israel.

To me, using a picture of Anne Frank like this is sick, plain and simple. Anne Frank was murdered by a state policy that mandated the killing of all Jews in German Occupies Territories during the Second World War. Does Israel treat its Arab citizens like that? No. In fact Israel’s Arab citizens have the same rights as Jewish citizens. Worryingly though, Israel has banned all Arab parties in the upcoming elections which might have a bit of backlash, and is comepletely wrong.

What I thought was the funniest thing about the protest though was the slogan used by the protesters. “Help the people of Gaza, sign our petition”. Yes really, signing a petition will help these people. Come on please. No one can be so simple to think that. Israel has ignored many such petitions in the past and will continue to do so. Maybe instead of signing the petitions people should think of donating money to aid agencies in Gaza. This sort of action will help the people of Gaza when the fighting stops.

Of course, do not think that I am completely on Israel’s side here. It is because of Israel’s actions that this situation has come about. Both sides, in my opinion need their heads knocked together. Israel needs to knock down that wall, end the economic blockade and attempt to win over the hearts and minds of the Palestinians if they are to have any hope of existing peacefully within a two state solution.

But back to Anne Frank, I have visited Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and it ias hard to keep a dry eye, while visiting it, but its this how her memory should be used? No! Anne Frank was a victim of State sponsored genocide. Israel is not commiting a genocide. Israel is defending itself and until Hamas defenders see that they are defending a terrorist organisation they will continue to misrepresent Israel. Of course the Irish Media are doing enough of that themselves!

Right thats enough about Israel for this week. I promise!

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Israel–Gaza conflict

Image by ShadoWalker Photography via FlickrSo last night I, along with many others, found out via Twitter that Israel had launched a ground offensive in Gaza.

How this will work out for Israel is a different matter, but I am slowly changing my mind on the conflict. It is hard to see a way out of the issue for Israel without resorting to some sort of military action to protect itself?

The more I read, both anti-Israel and Pro-Israel the more I seam to agree with Israels military actions (I am very much against their Economic Blockade which is collective punishment). How long could you live in a country consistently under bombardment with reacting. You cannot always turn the other cheek.

As in all conflicts there is collateral (ie Civilian) casualties. The Israeli Defence Forces will take a lot of casualties as well due to the fact that Gaza is small area and has highly urbanised areas which always lead to high death tolls on all sides.

The Observer calls the military operation a return "the failed strategies of the past" and that "While Hamas's offensive capacities will be blunted for a while, the likelihood, as with Hezbollah after Lebanon in 2006, is that it will quickly rebuild its military strength."

I'm not so sure that Hamas will be able to rebuild as fast as Hezbollah have as the Economic Blockade and the destruction of the supply tunnels will limit how quickly Hamas can rearm.

I can see why a large percentage of Israeli's are supporting the current action, but I do hope to a quick end to this as the longer it takes the more casualties on both sides.

Gaza returns to the spotlight

Image by David M* via FlickrThis post is sort of inspired by a friends status update on Facebook which says the following:

F.... thinks the EU and NATO should take unilateral action to protect the citizens of Gaza. But that's obviously wishful thinking...

Now the issue of the people of Gaza has propped up again in the media as Hamas lets the cease-fire lapse.

There were two things I read today, one blog and one editorial, that made me nod in agreement on this issue.

Firstly the blog. Bock has an excellent post calling the Israeli air strikes that killed 200 Palestinians "Murders" and I can't help to agree with him. As he points out

They murdered 200 people in Gaza, the most densely-populated place on the face of this planet. They bombed the hell out of a people hemmed in by the Israeli-built concrete wall. Men, women and children. They bombed their own concentration camp.

And why? Rocket attacks on Israel. But how many did they kill? One. While this is tragic does it really mean that Israel can launch air strikes that kill 200 times that? Does it not make it a bit out of balance?

On to the Editorial. Today's Observer has an excellent editorial on this. It points out that a ground invasion could be "imminent". The editorial also points out two of the main causes of the heightened hostilities

It is a depressingly familiar scenario, a cycle of provocation and reprisal that periodically escalates into full-blown war. There is no simple account of events leading up to the current confrontation that does justice to the amassed sense of grievance on both sides. But two specific events have played a decisive role: the decision earlier this month by Hamas to end a six-month ceasefire and elections in Israel due in February.It is a depressingly familiar scenario, a cycle of provocation and reprisal that periodically escalates into full-blown war. There is no simple account of events leading up to the current confrontation that does justice to the amassed sense of grievance on both sides. But two specific events have played a decisive role: the decision earlier this month by Hamas to end a six-month ceasefire and elections in Israel due in February.

While the cease-fire didn't halt all attacks on Israel it did allow things to temper, but with elections around the corner Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Leader of the Kadima Party, and Binyamin Netanyahu, of Likud, trying to out do each other on being hardliners on the Palestinians. In recent comments Ms Livin, who is also the designated Acting Prime Minister, said that the rocket attacks were "unbearable" and that the Hamas administration in Gaza should be "toppled".

The current Prime Minster was badly damaged by ground operations against militants in Lebanon in 2006. Would a new Israeli leader be damaged by a ground assault in Gaza?

Gaza has suffered hugely over the blockade, but this has helped Hamas who ""taxes" money and goods smuggled in and provides welfare services to the population. Under siege, its monopoly is secure."taxes" money and goods smuggled in and provides welfare services to the population. Under siege, its monopoly is secure."

There can be no negations as Israel, the EU and the US all see Hamas as a terrorist organisation, which it is, but Hamas has one the battle for the people's Hearts and Minds in Gaza due to Israel actions and the refusal of the international community to condemn Israel.

Israel has made sacrifices. They have pulled down settlements in Gaza. But what have they gotten in return? Nothing. Of course there is the issue of the West Bank were things have, moderately, improved for Palestinians living under Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, but progress under Mr Abbas cannot be used to win hearts and minds as it is nothing like the progress towards statehood that would allow Mr Abbas to claim his more moderate approach works better than the militant line taken by Hamas.

Moderates on both sides need to be backed, but how can this happen would both sides seam to be spiraling into hardliners due to actions of the otherside. But a Military offenseive against Gaza will not work as

Hamas craves confrontation because its support increases when ordinary Palestinians are collectively punished, as has happened under the blockade.

Israel would be foolish to invade Gaza, but with things heading the way they are, I would not be surprised if they do.

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BIG - Boycott Israeli Goods

Well I have decided that I shall boycott all Israeli Goods. This dosent affect my new job, though we do only stock 1 line of Israeli products and I would never use it anyway. There is a handy list of Israeli products on this website

Why Boycott Israel?

The Palestinian people are experiencing their fortieth year of military occupation. The siege by the Israeli army and the economic blockade have devastated their daily lives so that 'normal' life is impossible.

Israel operates an entrenched system of racial Apartheid against its own non-Jewish inhabitants and has been illegally occupying Palestinian land in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights since 1967. It has sought to further annex these lands and has systematically transferred its own civilian population into these occupied territories in contravention of international law. Israel continues to build the illegal Apartheid wall, annexing vast swathes of Palestinian land in the West Bank and creating Palestinian ghettos, despite the ruling of the International Court of Justice that it is illegal

180 Palestinian organisations and unions, in response to Israeli onslaught, have called for a campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Apartheid Israel.

Source

Morning Briefing, 26th February

Well I'm back in Cork after USI LGBT Standing Conference, where I was re-elected to Working Group on the 3rd count! Also congrats to Ms. Sonya Donneally who was elected unanimously as the new LGBTRO! woo! (P.S. If anyone wants to know what motions where passed email me!)

In the news today!

The International Court of Justice, is due to deliver its verdict today on whether ot not Serbia is responsible for Genocide 'through the killing, torture, rape and expulsion of Bosnian Muslims' (CNN, RTÉ, Breakingnews) If passed, it will be the first time that a state, rather than an individual or group, has been held responsible for genocide.

Nurses begin there industrial action today with a protest outside CUH (Breakingnews, RTÉ) The INO and PNA are seeking a 10% pay increase for their members and a reduction in their working week to 35 hours.

Israel is after performing a raid on the West Bank, it has now entered its second day (RTÉ, Breakingnews)

Jean-Marie Le Pen has laucned his latest bid for the french presidency (France 24, CNN) He has put forward an anti-immigration, ultranationalist stance, pledging to cut off social benefits for foreigners and deporting those who are unable to fend for themselves. He is having difficulty getting 500 mayors to back him.

Talks begin today in London on Iran's Nuclear program. (CNN, France 24). The P5 and Germany are meeting to discuss the next course of action. Israel is denying that its has plans to attack Iran's Nuclear facilities (France 24) and the USA have plans to bomb Iran according to Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Seymour Hersh (CNN)

Thats its for now!

Morning Breifing, January 8th

An Nuacht ar an maidin seo

Well im never trusting RTÉ again. Thanks for everyone who commented, and yes its David Irvine, I was very tired last night!

FG launch into FF over saying they will go into power with Sinn Fein (Breakingnews.ie) Maybe one of my predictions for the Government may come true.

NASA killed life on Mars (CNN). Wow thats a strange one. Didnt see that coming.

Sky News have launched a Green Britain yoke thats showing all week. one of this links is for a game from the Science Museum

Israel is reportedly ready to attack Iran, now theres a warn for them (France 24)

Graffiti on the Wall - Palestine

Found these on the The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign bebo page and I had to share them.

Bansky is fantastic

Morning Briefing, 14th December

Morning all,

Political Parties will outline their stratigies to combat homelessness tonight in TCD according to BreakingNews.ie

Brazil is bidding to host the World Cup in 2014 according to France 24

Turkey is upset with EU sanctions on negiating talks according to the International Herald Tribunal

Mary Harness was a contest in Podge and Rodge's Ballydung Idol last night on RTÉ 2. Thank god she only last 43 seconds!!!!

CNN reports that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran, said "trend for the existence of the Zionist regime is downwards" and the 'Zionist regime will soon be wiped out'

Thats it for this morning have a good day!

Morning Breifing, December 12th

Morning all,

Decided to to this every morning im awake for with a bit of a round up of International News and News from the Bloggersphere, after yesterdays 'Interesting Stuff post'

RTÉ.ie and BreakingNews.ie have reports from the American Geophysical Union that the Artic will be ice free by 2040.

A lot of news agencies are reporting on Ehud Olmert blab on Israeli Nuclear Weapons which I covered last night

A follow on from yesterday's post on France 24, it is availible on Sky Digital on Channel 515

The Examiner is reporting on how Pat Rabitte is flip-flopping again, saying that he "vows to remove FF and PDs from power"

UCC will name its new President today also with four people in the running according to the Examiner

Accoding the CNN that the Vatican have confirmed that the sarcophagus found under St. Paul's Outside the Walls Basilica, is indeed the remains of the apostle St. Paul.

On a sad note, Post Offices across the country will close between 12-1 today, the An Post Website says

The An Post Board, Management, Staff and Postmasters extend their deepest sympathy to the family of the late Postmaster Alan Cunniffe following his tragic death on Friday last, 8th December 2006.

May he rest in peace.

As a mark of respect, all Post Offices will close on Tuesday December 12th from 12 – 1.00pm

Thats all for now have a good day.

Israel has Nuclear Weapons! Shock Horror :O

Via France 24

So the Israeli PM listed Israel as a Nuclear Weapon State

"We never threatened any nation with annihilation," Olmert said on German television station N24 Sat1.

"Iran openly, explicitly and publicly threatens to wipe Israel off the map. Can you say that this is the same level, when they are aspiring to have nuclear weapons, as France, America, Russia and Israel?" he asked.

Ah but no, its a big mistake according to a spokesman

Miri Eisin, the premier's spokeswoman, said that Olmert who on Monday started a visit to Berlin had not meant to list the Jewish state among countries with nuclear weapons.

"Israel will not be the first country to introduce nuclear weapons to the region," she told AFP, using the country's standard phrase at the heart of its longstanding "policy of ambiguity" on whether it has the bomb.

Both the Right and Left are criticising him

Right-wing opposition Likud MP Yuval Steinitz called for the prime minister to resign after having made "an irresponsible slip which puts into question a policy that dates back almost half a century".

Leftist MP Yossi Beilin said "the staggering comments of Ehud Olmert only serve to reinforce the doubts on his capacity to remain prime minister".

But this is not the first time it has been said lately that Israel has the 'bomb' as the Defence Secretary Designate of the US made a slip up in the Senate

Gates told the Senate armed forces committee last week that Iran was "surrounded by nuclear powers, with Pakistan to the east, Russia to the North, Israel to the west".

Some experts say that Israel has 200 nuclear weapons but I think Israel are going to try and keep all this quite for another bit

B'Tselem update - 09 Oct 2006

1.4 million Gazans still without electricity twelve hours a day

Israel must finance the rehabilitation of the power plant it bombed in the Gaza Strip. This is one of the conclusions of B'Tselem's new report, Act of Vengeance, which describes and analyzes the harsh effects of the Israeli Air Force's destruction of the power plant in June. B'Tselem states that the bombing was illegal, and calls on the government to finance upgrading the infrastructure for transferring electricity from Israel to the Gaza Strip; to reinstate legislation permitting individuals and entities harmed by the bombing to sue Israel for compensation; to open criminal investigations against the persons who planned and carried out the attack, with the intention of prosecuting them; and to prohibit the IDF from attacking civilians and civilian objects.

Some three months after the bombing, 1.4 million Gazans remain without a steady supply of electricity. The power stoppages significantly affect the level of health services they receive. The inability to refrigerate food has increased the risk of food poisoning. The water and sewage systems, which rely on a regular supply of electricity, have been severely impaired, with most city dwellers receiving water for two to three hours a day. B'Tselem warns that the sewage system in the northern Gaza Strip is liable to collapse and flood neighboring communities with raw sewage.
Video: Family without electricity
Video: Hospital without electricity
Summary of the report
The complete report (doc)

B'Tselem's investigation leads to indictment
On 18 September 2006, the Judge Advocate General's Office indicted two soldiers from the Haruv Battalion who maltreated Palestinians in the Nablus District in August of this year. The soldiers were charged with assault in aggravated circumstances and with conduct unbecoming. After B'Tselem requested that this incident and seven other cases of beating and abuse of Palestinian by soldiers be investigated, the Judge Advocate General's Office ordered the Military Police to investigate the cases. The indictments followed.

For years, B'Tselem has reported on security forces' violence against Palestinian civilians. Recently, there has been a significant rise in the number of such reports received by the organization. The decision to prosecute in this case is exceptional. B'Tselem hopes that the decision signals a change in policy; in the past, the military authorities paid little attention to incidents of this kind. The authorities generally do not give due importance to investigating and prosecuting cases of violence by security personnel against Palestinians. In failing to do so, they send a message to the forces in the field that the maltreatment of Palestinians is not a serious matter.
Additional information
Testimonies

Israel's policy separates tens of thousands of Palestinian families
For almost six years, Israel has prevented family unification between Palestinian residents of the Occupied Territories and their spouses from abroad, and has prohibited family members from visiting the West Bank or the Gaza Strip. In their recently issued report, B'Tselem and HaMoked: Center for the Defence of the Individual point out that, during this period, Palestinians have submitted more than 120,000 requests for family unification, which await processing.

Israel's policy has created a harsh reality for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians: spouses are unable to live under the same roof; children are forced to grow up in single-parent families though their parents want to live together; people do not leave the Occupied Territories to go abroad for medical treatment because Israel may not issue them a new visitor's permit; women from abroad married to residents of the Occupied Territories face the constant threat of deportation. B'Tselem and HaMoked call on the government of Israel to begin immediately to process requests for family unification and visitor's permits.

Video testimony: Muhammad al-'Amleh
Video testimony: Daniella Shumar
Summary of the report
The complete report (doc)

False representation
On 22 August 2006, Naot Hapisga Modi'in Ltd. filed a prospectus in advance of making a public offering of bonds and options on the stock exchange. B'Tselem and Bimkom compared the information in the prospectus with the information they had accumulated during their investigation. They found many errors in the prospectus relating to the Naot Hapisga project that the company is building in the settlement of Modi'in Illit. The errors create a false picture in an attempt to conceal some of the substantial problems that the company faces in building the project.

Following B'Tselem and Bimkom's letter to the Securities Authority, the company postponed the offering and changed many details in the prospectus. According to a report B'Tselem and Bimkom published in December 2005, the separation barrier was set to promote the expansion of the bloc of settlements centering around Modi'in Illit, in part by taking control of privately-owned Palestinian farmland.

Additional information