The past as a key to the future of the Middle East

Correlation between the sequence of time observed within the Centre is very first with data in many other regions throughout the world and on the other hand with historical events, (without taking into account the anthropogenic paradigm) reveals that climates alternate because that the history of humanity and therefore had an impact on the background of humanity.

The influence was particularly extreme set the borders of the hot deserts get a Mediterranean type climate. This could be the area along the margins of the North of the Sahara-Arabia desert belt. In the summer, it is dominated by stress high subtropical, with air dry cells sinking doing unlikely precipitation, whereas in the winter the polar jet stream and associated periodic storms blowing from the Northwest to the Southeast, bring precipitation.

This kind of areas such as the far-East Middle, throughout climates comfortable phases were dominated to a greater extent in subtropical cells of high stress and therefore received less precipitation, leading to desertification and the socio-economic crises. Chain reaction began to use the lack of water causing a crisis in agriculture, the economic mainstay of neighbouring civilizations which extends along the desert border.

As soon as they had been weakened, the nomadic tribes of deserts, the depletion of sources, sinks and pastures for their herds, invaded the irrigated land. This occurred whenever there was the warming of the planet. and thus desertification affected the East Center. It occurred approximately 4000 B.P (front of existing) using tribes Amorite invaded Mesopotamia, the Hyksos invasion of Egypt ca. 3800 B.P and Arab tribes invade the Levant to 1400 B.P.

The causes of changes in the environment over the past 10,000 years, the geological period called the Holocene, are nonetheless below argument and go beyond the narrow framework of our existing research study that focuses on what could be the potential effect of global warming actuelet how to deal with it (Issar)(, 2003).

Right here, it is essential to point out how the aridity of the tropical regions to approximately 4000 B.P. has been attributed to the massive melting of ice in polar and subpolar areas causing the influx of freshwater in the North Atlantic. Really, this is evidenced by isotopic information of used cores at the bottom of the ocean in the Bermuda high, dated and analyzed for their isotopic composition of oxygen.

The reduction in the report of the heavy oxygen (18) about 4 500 years several b.p. tells us that the glaciers composed (16) lightweight oxygen-rich water, melted and caused ocean water become lighter in their isotopic compositionwhich would reveal a comprehensive comfortable phase.

However, as time passed, human intelligence able to invent new devices purchase to cope with the limited water supply. Thus, for example, in the far East Center, in the middle (between 4200 to 3500 B.P) Bronze Medal, a relatively dry out period, in comparison to the previous period moist (between 5300 and 4200 B.P) Bronze tunnel effect in the springs feeding programme was invented.

In Iran about 3000 years BP (qanats) Wells chain system was developed (Issar 2007 a). To do this in the Middle East, knowing the previous gives the key to the future. Throughout the 10 thousand years past, cold climates brought more precipitation, while comfortable climates than precipitation, bringing drought and famine.

Regions more closely in the deserts, which prospered throughout the period of cold, wet weather, dried up and been deserted by its agricultural people.

Francesco Zinzaro was involved in marketing online for about 3 years and enjoys writing on a variety of topics. Come visit his latest website which deals with the reverse osmosis filter and supplies water to the owner of his own business.

Bahrain

-Whose name means "two seas"-Bahrain was once viewed the ancient Sumerians as the island paradise, which was established on the basis of the wise and the brave, enjoy eternal life.

It was one of the Gulf to find oil and refineries in the build; the first of the United States as it benefited from the oil assets before most of the neighbouring countries.

Bahrain never reached those enjoyed by the Kuwait or Saudi Arabia, production levels and diversify its economy forced.

Bani Utbah, the country has been in the tribe that expelled-persialaisten-the head of the family of the Khalifa since 1783. in 1861, When the agreement was signed with Britain, until independence in 1971, Bahrain had almost a British Protectorate.

The King is the Supreme authority and ruling Sunni Muslim family members hold the key political and military action. There are no long-running tensions in the Muslim Sunnis and Shi'ite Bahrain's maximum. Sometimes these are the roiskunut appears in the unrest.

In 2001, Bahrainis was strongly in favour of United Kingdom-by now-the proposals of the constitutional monarchy in the country to become elected Parliament and an independent judiciary.

Elections due at the request of a member of Parliament for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City 40 alternates, of the Council. It was the first such poll in almost 30 years. The new body included a dozen of Shi'ite MPs.

The country has enjoyed, by increasing the freedom of expression and human rights monitors say the situation has improved. However, opposition groups and the Replica will continue to press for political reforms, including the powers of the elected Assembly.

Inspired by the collected for several days in the middle of protestors Manama February 2011, thousands of popular uprisings that toppled leaders of Tunisia and Egypt. The King responded to public anger by some political prisoners, and several people prosessoitiin the security forces, which are incompatible with the common market.

Bahrain-about 30 Islands in the chain-has been the territory of the tourists, who take advantage of the relaxed social environment haven. Close ally the United States, it is the home of the US Navy Fifth Fleet.

Full name: The Kingdom of Bahrain population: 807,000 (UN, 2010) capital: Manama region: 717 sq km (277 sq miles) Major language: Arabia Major religion: Islam life expectancy: 75 years (men), 78 years (women) (UN) monetary unit: , 1 Bahraini dinar = 1000 fils Main exports: oil and aluminium for petroleum products, the GNP per capita: US $ 25,420 (World Bank, 2009) Internet domain: . bh the code for the international phone number: + 973

King: Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

Sheikh Hamad, the title changed to the Kingdom of Bahrain on their computer to the Kingdom of the emirate in February 2002.

Sheikh Hamad succeeded his father in the year 1999

He had been crown prince since 1964, when his father Sheikh Isa dies in March 1999, he became Emir.

Born in 1950, he attended public school in Cambridge, England, and went to study in the Mons Officer cadet school, Aldershot, England, and the US army command and Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

In 1968 he founded and became the President of the Bahrain Defense Force Commander-in-chief (BDF). He served as Deputy Minister of defence in 1971, 1988.

The Government has over the years, with the largest Shiite protests experienced demonstrators, saying Sunni minority communities as they ran out of homes, you can choose to turn off, health care and Government jobs.

The country saw a wave of anti-government unrest in 2011-inspired by Tunisia and Egypt and uprisings. The Government uses violence in attempts to stop the protests, in which about 30 mid April to the kill.

Is a lively private press, but most of the Bahrain radio and television stations are State. 2008-the investigation it was found that almost 99% of households had a satellite Receiver.

Press law guarantees journalists the right to act independently, but they are liable to jail terms for criminal offences which includes the Kingdom and self-censorship is carried out in the course of the offensive.

The BBC World Service is available on FM in Manama (101 MHz in English; 103.8 in Arabic).

June 2010, Bahrain had 649,300 internet users (InternetWorldStats.com).

Strict filtering is directed at the political, human rights, religious material, and content shall be deemed to be obscene vanhenemiselle. "Many websites run by national or international non-governmental organisations, are not available," Reporters without borders notes.

In The Press

Tv

Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC) mode-then run; operates five terrestrial TV networks Radio-Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC) mode-then run; acts of the General programme for the Arabic, the second with the program of cultural and local programmes, the Holy Koran programme, sports Service, English audio, Radio Bahrain FM-private, Indian listeners

 

The real reason behind the disorder in the Middle East

The problem in Middle East is in the news, once again and with it all fresh and rhetorical speculation on why this is happening. Some say that it is on the ground, others say it's the oil, others say that it is the religion. The fact of the matter, it is that the whole of the situation in the Middle East and the differences between Israel and Muslim nations back thousands of years, to two brothers Isaac and a named Ishmael names.

Stories like this, Abraham and his wife Sarah wanted a child throughout their lives and as they are very old with him being 86 and Sarah to 76 and feel God was not going to promise leurAbraham slept with Sarah Hagar servant by the arrangement of Sarah and a child of the name of Ishmael was born of this. God promised Abraham that he would establish a Covenant with the descendants of Isaac.

According to the Old Testament, in Genesis God said Hagar that Ishmael would be a wild man with his hand against every man and every man against his hand. During a feast to celebrate the withdrawal of Isaac from his mother, Sarah, some fourteen years later, Ishmael began to show the nature of that God said that he would do by mocking and taunting his half brother. At this time, Sarah had already disgusted with them for some time, and it demanded that Abraham throw out the household stating that the son of a slave would not be an heir with her son, Isaac. Abraham was against it because he loved Ishmael, although it has been an incredible pain to say the least.

God settled the argument by saying Abraham that he should do as Sarah said, and that it would also make a nation of the seed of Ishmael, but it would be by Isaac that his descendants, the Jews would be appointed.

Thus, the Hagar and Ishmael are sent away just as God commanded, but he kept speaking for them as well. It is indicated in Genesis 21 that God was with him and that he grew up in the desert, he became an expert with a bow, and that his mother brought him a wife of Egypt.

Then, why the fighting? The descendants of Ishmael, Arab nations have way more land than does Israel, but for them that all of this goes back to the birth. They feel that Ishmael is the first born child of Abraham and that therefore they are entitled to everything.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Florida of Navarre. More about the bible and to provide religious gifts and goods [http://www.gospelgoodsdirect.com] [http://www.gospelgoodsdirect.com]

United States were warned about the Nakba

By Dallas Darling

Even alleged terrorists have authentic complaints, obvious truths that cannot be denied with regard to State-sponsored terrorism. This old security was again revealed when isrælske soldiers shot and massacred more than 20 Palestinian demonstrators and injured several hundred more. Their crime was commemorating the Nakba, an event when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were killed or militarily forced to flee from their homes, while Israel was a new State. the Palestinian demonstrators, killed along with steel barricades in Lebanon and occupied the Golan Heights and the Gaza Strip and West Bank, not only requires the attention of the Palestinian Nakba, also known as day disaster and a tragic memories, as Israel has outlawed and tried to remove, but they also demonstrated on behalf of Palestinian refugees and their right to return to their home countries.

In 1948, when the Truman administration and much of the United States the creation of Israel even before the United Nations did and immediate aid and military support recognised, was Palestinian survivors of the Deir Yassin spread naked, were loaded on open trucks and paraded through Jerusalem where they were spat on, beaten and stoned. Zionists lo and stroked by women was cut over their chest. A passing Palestinian mother pulled quickly his young child away from the horror-filled scene, but not before he shouted, "Momma's House, looking at blood." His name was Sirhan Sirhan.(1) following the murder of Robert f. Kennedy in 1968 and at his trial, Sirhan delivered a grievance, a warning to the United States on its unwavering support for Israel at the expense of Palestinian refugees.

"Well, sir, when you move-when you move a whole country," said Sirhan, "whole body people from their own home, from their own country, from their companies, sir, outside their country, and to introduce a foreign people, sir, in Palestine-Jews and Zionists-it is quite forkertsirand it is unfair and the Palestinian Arabs did a thing, sir, to justify the way they were treated by the West. "He explained how forced relocations and massacres deeply affected him asks," where is the Justice involved, sir? Where is the love, sir, are fighting for the underdog? Israel is not the underdog in the Middle East, sir. It is these refugees who are underdogs. And because they have no way of fighting back, sir, sir, Jews, Zionists, just keep marketing plan away on them. than roasted hell out of me. "(2)

In its final storage media and just before his murder, warned Osama bin Laden, the United States and the Americans that they would not live in safety until the Palestinians fine in security. A sickly and pale-looking bin Laden declared, "America will not be able to dream of security until we live in safety in Palestine. It is unfair that you live in peace while our brother in Gaza live in insecurity. " Just as Sirhan thought bin Laden back to 1982 when he saw the United States and its warships bombing, killing and wounding many Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, while others fled in horror. In "The Towers in Lebanon," bin Laden wrote: "I still remember the appalling scenes: blood, torn limbs, women and children were massacred. Everywhere, houses destroyed and tower blocks hide, crush their bebøre, while bombs spread mercilessly on our homes. "(3)

And just as Sirhan, bin Laden wondered how "the entire world" could hear and see what had happened but still do nothing. In another letter, this one entitled "to The Americans," explains bin Laden why he fights United States and its military and he wants. The very first reason he expresses is: "because you attacked us and continue to attack us. You attacked us in Palestine. "(4) according to bin Laden, "Palestine, which have wrecked military occupation for more than 80 years. The British handed over Palestine, with their help and their support for the Jews, who have occupied for more than 50 years; years is overflowing with oppression, tyranny, crimes, killings, displacement, destruction and devastation …The blood pouring out of Palestine must be equally avenged. "(5)

United States and Americans must one day realize that Arab Palestinians not weep alone; their women are widowed alone; their sons are orphans alone; and their peaceful demonstrators slaughtered by isrælske soldiers do not die alone.

(Note: while abhorring violence perpetrated by both Sirhan and bin Laden, the Palestinians should be commended for their non-violent Intifada uprisings.)

-Dallas Darling is the author of the policy 501: an A-Z readings on conscientious political trøde and action, some Nations against God: 52 weekly reflections on modern imperialism, militarism and consumerism in context John apocalyptic Vision and other Side of Christianity: Reflections on faith, politics, spirituality, history and peace. He is a correspondent for www.worldnews.com. You can read more in Dallas ' writings by www.beverlydarling.com. He contributed this article to PalestineChronicle.com.

Notes:

(1) Smith, Michael k. portraits of Empire: Unmasking hake share illusions from the "American century" to the "war on Terror." Monroe, Maine: Common courage press: 2003., p. 32.
(2) Ibid., p. 137.
(3) Lawrence, Bruce, messages to the world: the Statements of Osama Bin Laden. New York, New York: Verso publishers., p. 239.
(4) Ibid., p. 240.

 

The Palestinians ' existential struggle

By Hasan Afif El-Hasan

U.S. media intentionally missed the opportunity to provide the public with insightful analysis in the essence of the Palestinian refugees peaceful demonstrations to commemorate the Nakbah "disaster". U.S. media reported thousands of Arab protesters marched on the borders with Syria, Isræls Lebanon and Gaza endorsement clash, left at least 15 people died in "an annual Palestinian ritual mourning the anniversary of the birth of Isræls." Many journalists echoed the isrælske accusations, Damascus and its ally Iran orchestrated unrest. U.S. media and the majority of the US public does not seem to take account of the situation for the Palestinians during the Nakbah when isrælske fighters expelled 750,000 Palestinians from their homes. Israel has been depicted as David, when it had been Goliath since its creation. And for us Christian right believe that Jews are presumed to have the Holy Land to fulfill God's promise in the Bible before bringing on Armageddon, which will cause Jesus to return.

The media failed to inform the public that these demonstrators are Palestinian refugees and their descendants, who had been purified by the Jewish military in 1947-48 from their homes in Palestine, where they, their fathers and grandfathers fine for centuries. And, unfortunately, the Palestinians have taken control of their own national narrative. Murdered Palestinians on May 14 of isrælske Sharpshooters were unarmed disparate refugees seek justice, and Isræls lived up to his brutal attacks. About third countries-the 60th anniversary of the Palestinian catastrophe has the story about ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their ancestral home-soil to know again, because its victims still await justice while the world looks other way.

In 1947-48 ethnic cleansing in Palestine is a crime that has not been treated in the legal area, but it is rooted in memory and consciousness of the Palestinians; and the perpetrators are the Jewish leaders of the "war for independence". The first Prime minister of Israel, Ben-Gurion, said in a speech to the 3 December 1947 Mapai:

"That is not 40%-Jews [Palestinians] in the area allocated to the Jewish State Such demographic balance questions. our ability to maintain Jewish sovereignty.Only one State with at least 80% of Jews are a viable and stable state. " He wrote in his book, rebirth and destiny, "Haganah … liberated Tiberia, and Haifa, Jaffa, and Safad.So on the day of fate [May 14 1948] as part of Palestine which the Haganah could operate was almost clear of Arabs [cleaned]. "

The cleaning was discussed, planned and optimized in David Ben-Gurion home. The isrælske historian, Simcha Flapan, wrote that "ad hoc cabal assembled for the sole purpose of image and design the fixed network of the Palestinians." This group, which included top-ranking leaders of the future state of Israel, Yigael Yadin, Moshe Dayan, Yigal Allon and Yitzhak Sadeh, drew the ethnic cleansing plans and supervision of their execution.

According to historian Meir Pail was military orders sent on 10 March 1948 to the Jewish units on the ground to prepare systematic expulsion of Palestinians from large areas of the country. Orders came with a detailed description of the methods used to remove the power of the people. These included large-scale intimidation, about the siege and bombard villages and population centres, setting fire to houses, property and goods, expulsion, demolition, and finally, planting mines among rubble to prevent any of the expelled inhabitants back.

Military units led by Moshe Kalman cleaned area of Safad Moshe Carmel, who later served as Minister for transport, uprooted most of Galilee, and future Prime minister Yitzhak Rabin cleared Lydda, Ramla and West jerusalem area from their original Palestinian people. Shimon Avidan, Commander of the Givati Brigade cleaned hundreds of villages and towns in the South. The perpetrators, which is called by isrælerne as "war of independence Heroes" not only cleaned but also committed some of the worst atrocities, accompanied by systematic weakening of the Palestinians.

From Isræls first days, its leaders are not acting according to the human ethics seeks compromise and peace. After the triumph in the 1967 war was Prime minister Golda Meir on the Palestinians ' rights. Her response was "what are you talking about? There are no Palestinians. "

International treaties have designated ethnic cleansing as a crime against humanity, which require special international tribunals to judge those accused if they have planned and carried out acts of ethnic cleansing. A special international criminal court was created in Håg against the former Yugoslavia leaders to prosecute the offenders and criminals and also in Arusha, Tanzania, and Rwanda.

The majority of the Palestinians today are refugees and will never be a solution to the Palestinian issue without addressing their right to return, but all the isrælske parties position is clear, "not the right of return for Palestinian refugees".
The ongoing Palestinian struggle with isrælerne is existential. The Palestinians wasted decades pinning hopes for achieving peace with justice in Washington without realizing that there is no moral political leadership in the United States when dealing with the Palestinian question. Israel has gotten his way to commit serious violations of international law and shall be screened by the U.S. veto any UN Security Council's condemnation. United States has defended Israel, while it has engaged with slow ethnic cleansing of Jerusalem, the colonization of the West Bank, the destruction of the Gaza Strip and hunger of the population is 1.5 million.

United States has the power to promote and enforce specific proposals for changing the Palestinians ' situation peacefully. But it is painful, there is no hope that comes along an American President who actually means to use his immense power, not because it will do him no political gains or get him votes, or new friends among the ultra-rightwing isrælske followers or the American Christian rightbut just because it is the right thing to do.

-Hasan Afif El-Hasan is a political analyst. His latest book, is the two-State solution already dead? (Algora Publishing, New York). He contributed this article to PalestineChronicle.com.

 

Some questions to Bibi

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By Philip Giraldi

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives in the United States today for a much anticipated visit. He will do a little fund-raising, will speak before Congress and at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) annual conference, and will meet with President Barack Obama. Netanyahu can expect the visit to go smoothly, with an adoring joint session of congress rising to its feet to applaud him and more adulation from the AIPAC gathering. AIPAC’s gala dinner will undoubtedly include many members of both the congress and the Obama Administration vying to be seen. Netanyahu will likely have a couple of friendly encounters with the press corps, which will lob a few softball questions his way. The meeting with Obama might just possibly have a couple of sharp edges when they converse privately unless “Israel’s lawyer” Dennis Ross is hovering anywhere near and taking corrective action, but the president knows when he has been whipped and will surely steer clear of any controversy over Israeli behavior.

It is anticipated that Netanyahu will excoriate Iran before unveiling a phony peace plan which will ostensibly open the door to negotiations with the Palestinians on all outstanding issues as long as Hamas is excluded from the process and President Mahmoud Abbas agrees to take all steps necessary to guarantee Israel’s security. Which will be impossible to do unless the Palestinians surrender completely and cede to Israel actual sovereignty plus all their land and water before moving to Jordan. Even normally oblivious congressmen will know that an Israeli prime minister talking peace is all a game and a lie, as will Obama, but they will all stand up and cheer anyway. Nobody ever loses by being nice to Israel.

Since no one will ask the prime minister anything that will require a genuine answer, I will be sending the following ten questions that I have come up with to Bibi by way of the press officer at the Israeli embassy in Washington. I would recommend that readers of this column who feel the questions are legitimate do the same. The press officer is Jonathan Peled. The embassy fax number is 202-364-5423 and the email address is press@washington.mfa.gov.il. If you send anything over, feel free to add other questions that you have come up with.

1. Israel has by far the strongest military in the Middle East plus a nuclear arsenal that is unique to the region coupled with delivery systems that can strike any target in Europe and Asia. It also has a defensive missile shield largely funded by the US taxpayer that no one else has. You have a history of attacking and crushing your neighbors whenever you consider yourself provoked, just as you did last weekend when you shot dead twenty unarmed Palestinian protesters and used tank cannon fire against civilians. In light of all that, why do you keep complaining about being vulnerable and threatened by the other countries in your region?

2. Speaking of attacking, you rocketed, strafed, and torpedoed a US Naval vessel the USS Liberty in international waters in 1967, killing 34 of the crew and injuring 174. The attack was both unprovoked and brutal, intended to sink the ship and kill everyone on board. You claim it was an accident but have never given American investigators access to your government records. It sounds like a cover-up and many Americans are wondering whether you will ever come clean on what happened that day. Will you ever open up your records relating to the Liberty?

3. You are the 27th wealthiest nation in the world per capita, just ahead of Italy, according to the International Monetary Fund. So why do you continue to receive $3 billion from the US taxpayer every year, a sum that some in congress including House Majority Leader Eric Cantor want to make a permanent untouchable subsidy through incorporation into the US defense budget rather than as part of the foreign aid package. What can possibly justify American taxpayers subsidizing the Israeli standard of living, which includes free medical care and university education, at a time when social programs in the US are being cut?

4. Israel spies on the United States more than any ostensibly friendly country. You steal our defense secrets and our commercially valuable proprietary information and then use it or barter it to your advantage and America’s disadvantage. Prior to 9/11 you were running a massive and illegal spying operation inside the United States and you might even have known in advance about some aspects of the terrorist attack. You have even penetrated our telecommunications systems, allegedly including the White House. You do what you do because you know you can get away with it, that the Justice Department and President are reluctant to arrest and convict Israeli spies. Don’t you think that it is time for Israel to admit that it has been spying on Americans and for it to make a firm commitment to stop doing so with sanctions for non-compliance like shutting your exports out of our domestic market?

5. Speaking of spies, you have been regularly asking that convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard be released from his American prison. Pollard stole more classified information than any spy in the history of the United States and may be responsible for the deaths of a number of US intelligence officers. He has never even regretted his actions. He is a hero to many in Israel, including some leading figures in your own government. How can someone who has done so much damage to the United States be considered a hero in a country that is the biggest recipient of US aid dollars and that relies on Washington for political protection? It suggests that you are willing to take our money and rely on our political support but that you don’t really respect us very much. How do you explain it?

6. The United States has used its veto scores of times in the United Nations Security Council to shield Israel from any criticism. Most recently this was done to protect you from criticism of your settlements policy, which is both inhumane and illegal under international law. In spite of the fact that the resolution in question was carefully drafted using language that Washington had previously approved, the US nevertheless vetoed it even though America’s Ambassador to the UN made clear that it was against US interests to do so. Protecting you makes Washington a hypocrite and a liar before the eyes of the entire world and it endangers all Americans when they travel overseas. Isn’t it time for Israel to begin accepting the consequences for its own policies and stop using its powerful lobby to make Washington act against the interests of the American people?

7. Many believe that the United States went to war with Iraq partly because of pressure from Israel and its friends in the Bush Administration. Iraq did not threaten the US and the war has now lasted eight years, has killed nearly 5,000 Americans, and has cost trillions of dollars. Now you have told us that Israel would like to see the United States attack Iran. Since 1995 your government has repeatedly warned that Iran is either six months or a year away from having a nuclear weapon. The timetable slips every time you make a new prediction and you never seem to be embarrassed by your inability to anticipate actual developments in Iran. It appears that Iran might not really want to have a bomb and might never have the capability to make one even if it decides to move in that direction. It would seem that you have always been exaggerating the Iranian threat to turn Iran into America’s enemy as well as your own. Recently your former head of Mossad Meir Dagan said that attacking Iran would be “the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” Isn’t it time to stop citing Iran as a justification for the American military’s costly and dangerous remaking of the Middle East to suit Israel?

8.The endless Israel-Palestine conflict does terrible damage to American interests worldwide. Even General David Petraeus and Vice President Joe Biden have admitted that it endangers American soldiers overseas. Terrorist groups like al-Qaeda have repeatedly cited Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians as a principal reason for attacking the United States and Americans since Washington enables Israel to behave without any restraint. Shouldn’t your country delegitimize the terrorist argument by behaving responsibly and beginning to take genuine steps that will satisfy reasonable Palestinian demands for a viable state?

9. Groups like Hezbollah and Hamas are called terrorist but they are really resistance organizations that have grown in stature by standing up against Israeli occupation of Lebanon and Palestine. Neither threatens the United States in any way. Both have morphed into legitimate political parties and Hamas has offered Israel a fifty year truce. As there is no possibility of any sort of peace agreement in the Middle East without including Hezbollah and Hamas isn’t it time to start talking? And also to Syria, which has made plain that it wants a settlement? A useful starting point might be the 2002 King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia proposal for a comprehensive peace settlement which would have all of Israel’s Arab neighbors recognizing Israel in exchange for fixed borders and creation of a Palestinian state. Israel has rejected the plan. Given the unrest resulting from the Arab Spring, isn’t it time to reconsider?

10. You have avowed racists in your government, most particularly your Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who has called for the execution of Arabs in the Israeli parliament who met with Hamas representatives, has advocated drowning Palestinian prisoners in the Dead Sea, has demanded expelling any Arab citizen who would not agree to a loyalty oath to Israel as a Jewish state, and might even have called for a nuclear strike on Gaza. Isn’t it time to distance yourself from such policies if you want to be seen as a genuine statesman instead of the leader of an extremist party?

- Philip Giraldi, a former CIA officer, is a contributing editor to The American Conservative and executive director of the Council for the National Interest. (This article was published in antiwar.com)

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Stay human convoy: Dispatch from Gaza

By stay human convoy

Everywhere in the world, the sea evokes the universal feeling of an endless expanse of water that stretches to the horizon, as far as the eye can see ... equipped with evocations unlimited opportunities to bring forward fire fantasy, dreams and wishes to travel beyond its original peat.

In this country under military siege, but where each attack undermines people's autonomy aims-thus making them dependent on ' generous ' concessions of oppressors-the sea is first and foremost one of the few remaining outlets for survival and self-sustenance.

In the Gaza Strip, even the sea has been transformed into an unbreachable limits, keep a constant reminder that these waters, on calm or agitated, a ubiquitous threat has nothing to do with nature, and everything to do with the repression forces.

Gaza's coastal waters is completely under military control. isrælsk Officially, only a small stretch of coastal waters is open for navigation, and there is always a risk of being attacked by snipers on the duties of the isrælske motor boats. Notwithstanding the provisions of international treaties, which gives countries sovereignty over their coastal waters up to 20 nautical miles from their coasts in occupied Palestine, its 4,000 or so fishermen to stay in a 3-mile range from the Gaza coast, all the while suffering numerous armed attacks in the hands of the isrælske army-the last few years there have been 150 cases of fishermen are wounded, killed or having their boats confiscated by the isrælske army.

These military operations-not least Operation Cast lead-continues to pollute the coastal waters and poison the fish stocks of the Mediterranean Sea, creating even more problems for one of the most important economic activities around this strip of land-also hamper (as a member of the fishermen's trade unions also remember) any form of outdoor activities linked to the sea.

The meeting comes to an end in the port packed with small boats, each with its own history of resistance among these boats, instead we OLIVA, the small boat launched as a tribute to Vittorio Arrigoni in a few days after his death. OLIVA continues monitoring, accompaniment and shielding missions to Vittorio undertook, driven by dreams of a Mediterranean without borders, where each and everyone can have the right to travel across its waters and explore its shores free and unharmed. OLIVA, has, like all the projects that were involved in Vik, support from the various groups converge within the convoy, such as the popular Committee against the separation wall and settlements, which made possible the fulfilment of this dream-this international boat was inaugurated during the first day of the Conference on Bil'in popular resistance.

Konvojens day proceeds with visits to two of the most important medical centres in Gaza City. As we are, we are fortunate to meet and cross paths with a procession held by the artist groups contribute daily to the resistance of the Palestinian people, and which welcomes our presence with heat-something which our Palestinian brothers and sisters here has made us accustomed to.

Our first visit is at Shifa Hospital, which is in full swing. During the military attack hospital rescues and treat victims of fire-arms. After Operation "Cast lead" done this hospital will examine the long-term consequences of the isrælske army's use of unconventional weapons in Gaza, which apparently is turned in an outdoor test ground for Israel. Despite the hospital are constant threats to its activities and autonomy vis-à-vis the military occupation, doctors carry out their valuable working day in and day out and in fact is the only medical centre Shifa Hospital in the area can help people who have been sterile following Isræls the use of white phosphorus.

Second Hospital we visit are Alawda Hospital, situated inside the Jabaliya refugee camp. This hospital was entirely financed by NGOS and treated some 500 people during Operation "Cast lead", also enjoys the active participation of the ISM volunteers-Vittorio was one of them accompanying ambulances. Hundreds of people from Jabaliya Camp are welcome ' Bo human ' convoy. The camp is home to 190,000 inhabitants, limited to live within a 1.4 km2 area. Our host honor is one of the camp's elder members. There is a football match, which, strangely enough, ends with a draw, and finally we have to take leave, have been asked to promise to return very soon.

Without your freedom, we will never be free!

In the evening we met with a delegation of comrades, which in 2002 was deported from Bethlehem to Gaza, have withstood 40 day long siege of the Nativity Church of isrælske troops. During these dramatic days 8 of their men were killed and 12 others were wounded. Those who managed to survive the siege-although they do not have access to food or water was captured and deported: 26 were sent to Gaza and 13 other places in the world, 3 of which are in Italy.

Originally, it meant a one-year long exile. But this year was the year, and now it is more than 9 years, during which time these men have not been able to return to Bethlehem, under any circumstances whatsoever, not even to participate in the burial of loved ones. Some of these men have in fact made refugees twice. Once to have been born and brought up in refugee camps in Palestine. And a second time again after the isrælske Government in exile them in 2002.

Delegation told us that the European Union in the first instance tried to find a solution. As soon as possible, however, the absence of any tangible results made them aware that some senior people must have been asked to intervene against them, as is often the fate of anywhere in the world of people fighting for freedom.

The delegation also wished to stress that the tragedy of these deportations will never fade away from people's memories with the adoption of generations – however much Israel will this happen-because people have in their children an awareness of their rights: the keys to the housesthat was taken away from their ancestors are now in their possession.

Finally, the delegation wanted to send Vittorios mother the following message: "you have lost a son, but now you can consider all Palestinian people your children".