limited casualties: just how much is enough for you?

"Israel's response has so far been muted, with the military launching a few air strikes and raids which have caused only limited casualties." O, that's fine if they're limited. As long as no more than a thousand are killed, it's okay. Keep bombing, then. It's okay if one child goes down, after all we don't have blue eyes and blonde hair.

Zionist crimes against humanity this week

10 Palestinians, including 4 children, were killed by IOF in the Gaza Strip. The victims include 6 civilians. 24 Palestinians, including 11 children, were wounded by IOF and Israeli settlers in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. A police station and a number of civilian facilities were destroyed in the Gaza Strip. IOF continued to target Palestinian workers, farmers and fishermen in border areas in the Gaza Strip. IOF arrested a Palestinian fisherman and his child. IOF continued to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank. 4 Palestinian civilians were wounded. IOF conducted 45 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and two limited ones into the Gaza Strip. IOF arrested 20 Palestinian civilians and two international human rights defenders. Israel has continued to impose a total siege on the OPT and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world. Israeli soldiers positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank arrested one Palestinian civilian. IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. Israeli settlers launched a series of violent attacks against Palestinian civilians and property. Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian worker inside a settlement in the north of the West Bank and stabbed another one in the south. Israeli settlers burnt two cars and damaged another 3 ones.
Source: PCHR (Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (17 - 23 March 2011)
Ghazzawiyya suggests the (illegitimate) official international community locate international forces around the Gaza Strip and West Bank to protect Palestinians against Israeli occupation forces and violent settlers.

Edward Said in Alakhbar

Fawwaz Trabulsi of Alakhbar discusses Orientalism and Edward Said (Arabic)

'since the days of Napoleon'

Angry Arab in The Economist on western intervention in Libya: 'Western governments, or "the West", never intervene in the Middle East without invoking the loftiest of ideals. Western armies, since the days of Napoleon, descend on the region uninvited, promising reforms and change that are never consistent with people's aspirations and desires. And the promises never materialise.'

When Israel bombs

...it wants to safeguard its security against Palestinian children:"'Yesterday, 22 March 2011, IOF killed four Palestinian civilians. Two children were killed. A man, his grandchild, his cousin and neighbor were also killed. Another eleven civilians, including eight children, were wounded, three seriously. These civilians were targeted while playing football near their houses in al-Shejaeya neighborhood in the east of Gaza city."
Source: PCHR (ref: 24/2011)

Addicted

...to Mounir's Ezzai. Unbelievable. His genuis never ceases to capture us with gripping intensity!

'Ezzai' by the King!

Mohammad Mounir's new song 'Ezzai'.
أنا أقدم شارع فيكى
و آمالك م اللى باليكى
أنا طفل اتعلق بيكى فى نص السكه و توهتيه
trans.
I am your oldest street
I am your hope against your despair
I am a child you lost amidst the path (to freedom)
...
He recorded it in 2010 and it was released after Mubrak resigned. It's about Egypt , of course, the 'habiba' or the beloved one.

"Is entertaining dictators worse than normalizing apartheid?"

"Why hold artists accountable for performing at the behest of tyrants, and let them off the hook for whitewashing Israel's regime which engages in massive human rights abuses, all subsidized by the United States government?
Why not call artists who have performed in Israel, a state which practices a form of apartheid worse than anything the South African apartheid government had ever done? In 1973, the United Nations General Assembly defined the crime of Apartheid as "inhuman acts committed for the purpose of establishing and maintaining domination by one racial group of persons over any other racial group of persons and systematically oppressing them." As Israel's official policy privileges Jewish nationals over non-Jewish citizens, creating de facto and de jure discrimination against the indigenous Palestinian people, it is hard to dispute that this supposed "democracy" is in reality an apartheid state."

Livni wants another Gaza massacre

""The right way to deal with it is with force, just like Israel did during and after Operation Cast Lead," news website Ynet quoted her as telling local authority heads in the border region."

Zionists kill two children in Gaza

Israel defends its security against two children in the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza. Imad Faraj Allah and Qasem Abu Uteiwi both are 16 years old (unlike the report in Maan News here)

Reforms

Anyone who is for reforms, is against revolution.

The 'No Fly Zone' argument in a nutshell

"The West doesn’t have any altruistic aims. It wants to secure oil and business contracts under any new regime and ensure that its economic power in the region is unthreatened. The imperialists have lost influence in Egypt and Tunisia. They see Libya as an opportunity to reassert their dominance in the region. Some see the West as a force for good—for moderation and “democracy”. But the revolutions have exposed the West’s hypocrisy."

Nuclear Plants

"An industry based on lies, deceit and cover-ups"

Sadie Robinson for the Socialist Worker

When Sadie Robinson writes, Ghazzawiyya reads: "We are watching the biggest nuclear disaster for decades—and it could have been avoided. The Fukushima plant has a history of radiation leaks, damaged reactors and cover-ups. But Japan’s government let it carry on operating. What’s more, it wants even more nuclear plants. World leaders have expressed concern about the nuclear crisis. But most of them want to build more nuclear death traps. A few say they will halt plans for new nuclear sites. That’s good, but it’s not enough.The latest crisis has shown what many people have argued for decades—that nuclear power poses a horrific threat to our lives and the planet. We don’t need nuclear power. We should demand that every nuclear plant is shut down now."

Lebanese Feudal Warlord Walid Jumblat in the Spotlight

Alakhbar published (yesterday and today) detailed accounts from wikileaks of Walid Jumblat during the Israeli war on Lebanon. This man is a shame to humanity. The Druze in Lebanon have been shadowed by his leadership, and have been terrorized by the idea they were persuaded into that they are a targeted minority and have no escape from a possible civil war except by the 'safety and security' that Jumblatt supposedly guarantees for them. This is the narrative ever since the assassination of Kamal Jumblatt (who is utterly the opposite of what his son represents). The days of Lebanese warlords and sectarian fiefdoms are almost over. During my last visit to Mount Lebanon, there were two extremes that were apparent. The first was a blindfolded, fanatical loyalty and allegiance to Jumblatt (these were also Druze fundamentalists). The second was a surprsing hostility and loss of faith in him from people who used to be his followers.

Zionist crimes against humanity this week

Two Palestinians were killed by an IOF air strike in the Gaza Strip:Two Palestinian workers were wounded in the same attack.Three buildings on the targeted site were destroyed. Israeli settlers escalated attacks on Palestinian civilians and their property in the West Bank: PCHR documented 40 attacks by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. The settlers burnt 4 cars and a tractor, and damaged 7 cars. A number of Palestinian civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation fired by IOF that escorted Israeli settlers. IOF uprooted 400 olives trees in Beit Dajan village, east of Nablus. IOF continued to target Palestinian workers, farmers and fishermen in border areas in the Gaza Strip: A Palestinian fisherman was wounded. IOF continued to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank: A number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation. IOF arrested two international human rights defenders. IOF conducted 47 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank: IOF arrested 66 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children. 52 of the detainees are from 'Awarta village, southeast of Nablus. Israel has continued to impose a total siege on the OPT and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world. Israeli soldiers positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank arrested one Palestinian civilian.
Source: PCHR

Hummus and Phoenicians

'Cedar Revolution', otherwise known as "Hummus Revolution" (By AngryArab) continues its racist and isolationist propanda and agenda on the one hand, whilst dignified people in the Arab world are uprising against the pro-western and slavish governments that have ruled them for years demanding social justice. Now, who do you think is demonstrating in Martyr's Square in Beirut? Phoenicians

More settlements in Beit Lahm and the West Bank

Israeli government to build hundreds of housing units within the settlements in the West bank and Beit Lahm.

Western Civilization and its Pitfalls

"It’s true that capitalism created many of the preconditions for parliamentary democracy, in particular an increasingly urban and literate workforce. But even the minimal level of democracy allowed in much of the West today had to be fought for—as people elsewhere are fighting today. And like today, the ruling class ­bitterly contested every demand. In Britain in 1819 the cavalry attacked a peaceful rally in Manchester, where people were calling for an extension of the vote. Fifteen people were killed and 700 injured in what became known as the Peterloo Massacre."

deceit and hypocricy of the British establishment

"The whole affair is an indictment of the cynicism, hypocrisy and deceit that runs through the British establishment. The media focus is on which academic did what at the LSE. But the key issue is not academic mismanagement. It is that the British establishment carried out a concerted effort to promote Gaddafi’s regime in the interests of the oil industry. And the intelligence services were heavily involved to make sure that the oil kept flowing. The LSE became the hub for the promotion of Gaddafi." I don't understand why the focus is on LSE only? What about the princes and kings of Arab oil who fund other elitist UK universities? Do we have to wait until they are overthrown to suddenly realize they are dictators?

Inferiority complex

Why is that we hurry to get the recognition of the west and happily spread the red carpet before the White Man? If Clinton chirping cricket decides to visit Egypt and Tunis, she should be welcomed by mass demonstrations (I don't think the current transitional governments in power would refuse her visit, but the revolutionaries should make her feel uncomfortable)

The Libyan revolt

Simon Assaf writes about the Libya in the Socialist Worker: "The regime historically ensured its stability by playing on rivalries between clans and tribes. But as urbanisation began to undermine these traditional bonds, it built a base by buying loyalty from sections of the population with access to contracts and oil deals."

Joke of the day

I attended a lecture by Sami Zubaida the great yesterday and it seems this is the joke of the day:
Mubarak dies and goes to the other side where he is met by Nasser and Sadat. They ask him: was it poison or a gun? Mubarak answers: No, it was facebook!

Zionist crimes against humanity this week

7 Palestinian civilians, including two children, were wounded by IOF and Israeli settlers in Qasra village, southeast of Nablus. IOF launched a series of air strikes against civilian targets in the Gaza Strip: A car was bombarded, and 4 offices, stores and 12 flats were damaged in Nussairat refugee camp.Two rooms were destroyed and 6 houses were damaged in al-Zawaida village. IOF continued to target Palestinian workers, farmers and fishermen in border areas in the Gaza Strip: Israeli gunboats fired at Palestinian fishing boats in the northern Gaza Strip. IOF continued to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank: 4 Palestinian civilians, including two children, and an international solidarity activist, were wounded. Two journalists suffered from tear gas inhalation. IOF conducted 42 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank: IOF arrested 10 Palestinian civilians, including two children. Israel has continued to impose a total siege on the OPT and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world: Israeli soldiers positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 4 Palestinian civilians, including a woman. IOF closed al-Mentar (Karni) crossing completely. IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property: IOF demolished an agricultural barrack in Beit Uammar town near Hebron. IOF delivered notices to 12 Palestinian civilians in Jenin and Hebron ordering them to stop construction of a number structures. Israeli settlers transported large amounts of mud to Arats village near Bethlehem and damaged large areas of Palestinian agricultural land. Israeli settlers continued to throw stones at Palestinian civilian vehicles on the main roads in the West Bank.
Source: PCHR