Sheikh Jarrah: take-over of Palestinian homes

Following the recent arrests of activists protesting the Jewish take-over of Palestinian homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem, the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court ruled that the arrests were illegal. Those arrested included Hagai El-Ad, the Israel director of the Association for Civil Rights.

Sheik Jarrah is one of the most contentious neighborhoods in East Jerusalem. Jewish settlers have been using pre-state property titles dating back to the British Mandate in Palestine to claim ownership. MK Ilan Ghilon (New Movement-Meretz) is not impressed. He said "If settlers can prove the ownership of 28 homes, the Palestinians can prove ownership of 28,000."

Sheikh Jarrah evictions have been condemned by the US. An earlier set of evictions prompted diplomats from the US Embassy to send a protest letter to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem.

The police have made a concerted effort to suppress the protests, sometimes by violent means. On a number of occasions demonstrators have been attacked and beaten.

Police treat settlers and ultra-Orthodox less harshly than demonstrators protesting the evictions. The haredim and settlers have been allowed to riot and attack Palestinian residents with little or no interference by police. Activist Avner Inbar who witnessed the police handling of these situations said: "Jerusalem Police see themselves as the operating arm of the settlers in east Jerusalem, and this conduct harms police' credibility." Complaints about police conduct have also been made by professor Amnon Rubinstein and Yehuda Glick, chair of the Organisation for Human Rights on the Temple Mount (OHRTM).

The protests show the best of the Israeli spirit of resistance. Some well known names have been in attendance... former minister and Knesset Chair Avraham Burg, former minister Yossi Sarid, MK Muhamad Barak’e and former MK Uri Avnery. The painter Uri Lifshitz has also been present along with several professors from the Hebrew University.

Author David Grossman who has attended the protests had a few interesting insights:

"There are times when one cannot sit quietly. The settlers and the right - with tremendous help from the government, legal system and financial powers - are abusing the Palestinians in a thousand ways,"

When asked about the the strong turn-out to protest the evictions he said:

"...maybe it's because of the way in which the settlers are taking control of East Jerusalem, which is brazen even by their standards. And maybe because Jerusalem is so symbolic and sensitive that whatever happens here takes on enormous significance."

Uri Avnery, of Gush Shalom told reporters:

“We are protesting against the injustice done to the Palestinian families that were evicted. The eviction is based on the argument that these houses were bought by Jews a hundred years ago, long before the 1948 war. If every Jerusalemite were to get back the house he owned before 1948, half the Jewish population of West Jerusalem would have to be evicted, since they live in houses from which the Arabs were expelled during the 1948 war.”

He added:

“Everybody knows that there will be no peace without a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.”

Police say they are going to continue the crackdown despite the refusal of the courts to declare the demos illegal. This attitude isn't surprising. In Israel there is a glaring disparity in the way settler protests are handled as compared to protests on the left. For example 400 cases were brought against settlers protesting the 2005 Gaza Strip disengagement. These people engaged in acts of violence, including throwing acid, garbage and stones at soldiers. But little happened by way of consequence - the cases were closed and the criminal records expunged.

Similar clemency wasn't extended to demonstrators against operation Cast lead in Gaza. Many were arrested and charged. So it's no wonder that right-wing settlers think they can break the law with impunity. They know that in many instances they can get away with criminal behavior.

Attack on Sheikh Jarrah demonstrators - YouTube - here.

Sheikh Jarrah protest - YouTube - here.

iMussolini: Italian dictator comes to life on iphone app

An iPhone application known as iMussolini offers the full text of over 100 speeches by Italy's former Fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini. The app is a big hit in Italy. It was downloaded more than a popular video game based on the movie Avatar, and reached second spot on the Italian version of iTunes. Since it was launched January 21, it has been downloaded roughly 1,000 times a day.

If you think the market for the app might be older Italians with fond memories of their favorite strutting tyrant, you would be wrong. iPhone is biggest with the Facebook and Web 2.0 crowd, so clearly Benito has a whole new generation of fans. Not surprising really given the xenophobic attitudes that are commonplace in Italy these days. Without too much trouble you can find Mussolini busts and other Il Duce memorabilia. There are even sweatshirts to be had bearing the initials WIDS - Viva Il Duce Sempre (Mussolini Lives Forever).

The guy who designed the application, Luigi Marino, claims he is unhappy about his product being associated with fascism. He has taken pains to point out that the app is "history related' and not an endorsement of fascism. He's pulling in 70% of sales revenues courtesy of Benito fans, so it's a little hard to believe that he envisaged the app as a resource for history buffs. Given the reactionary climate in parts of Italy these days, it's pretty much a given that if you release an app with anything Il Duce related it will attract the predictable kind of attention.

A sizable percentage of Italians are still enamored of Il Duce. Comments on the website Iphoneitalia left little doubt... "Sainthood now!" "Thanks for making an application on one of the greatest statesman in our history" and "Whoever doesn't like this application can always go live in China." There were also voices of sane people.... "This is just unadulterated masturbation for fascist egos." and "Are we insane? Collecting the speeches of a dictator who ruined Italy?"

Like many a fascist leader before him, Mussolini came to a sticky end. He and his mistress Clara Petacci, were shot to death in 1945. Their bullet riddled bodies were hung upside down from the roof of a gas station in Milan with the aid of meat hooks. Civilians took the opportunity to throw stones at the corpses and spit at them.

Mussolini did leave a few quotes that we can remember him by:

"I have been a racist since 1921. I don't know how they can think I'm imitating Hitler."

“Let us have a dagger between our teeth, a bomb in our hands, and an infinite scorn in our hearts”

Link to cartoon about fascism in Italy - here.

Norman Finkelstein: 'I refuse any longer to be intimidated'

Dr Norman Finkelstein's appearance at the University of Waterloo was a combative one with lots of heckling and cheering throughout the speech. As we've come to expect, he delivered a blistering message on Israel that was the polar opposite of the mainstream mantra.

The government of Canada is probably the most pro-Israel on the planet, or possibly the galaxy. Stephen Harper, our version of Captain Kirk, Israelly cool in the eyes of his Zionist fans who trust him to go boldly where no Canadian PM has gone before.

The corporate media in this country has made every effort, subtle and not-so-subtle, to "normalize" the view of Israel as friend and ally. Critics of Israel who get too loud are savaged by journalists such as Rosie Dimanno who sees anti-Semitism lurking anywhere Israel is called to task. The difficulty with Finkelstein who is Jewish, is that Dimanno would have to come up with another smear. That old stand-by "self-loathing Jew" might do the job, but Dimanno is ever-resourceful when it comes to the use of adjectives.

Why is Canada supportive of an Israel that incubates and increasingly acts upon objectionable ethnocentric priorities... an Israel that employs military power in a draconian fashion at the expense of its neighbors... that bulldozes Palestinian homes and that operates a system riddled with discrimination?

Finkelstein has described Canadian media as the most biased in favor of Israel during the Gaza campaign. This bias is shameful, ongoing and clearly demonstrates that when it comes to Israel Canadian mainstream journalism is seriously compromised. How can the Canadian corporate media possibly show this level of support for Israel - which has as much to do with what is not covered as what is - when you consider the positions the media routinely stakes out on issues of justice and human rights here at home.

If we were talking about any other country with a similar track record the editorials would be crying foul, but when it comes to Israel criticism is strangely muted. If you get too loud with your criticism you will upset those people in Canada who like the conversation to remain polite when it comes to the topic of Israel. A Canadian blogger I was reading recently said he wouldn't be posting his true thoughts about Israel because he was afraid of being labeled anti-Semitic or worse. Joe McCarthy and his fellow inquisitors couldn't have done a better job at putting the chill on free speech.

So it was refreshing to see Norman Finkelstein at Waterloo University kicking out the jams and taking it to the rafters as he gave the metaphorical finger to polite conversation on the subject of Israel. When an audience member tried to guilt him with a show of tears because he used the "Nazi" word, Finklestein would have none of it. He dismissed her emotional outburst as "crocodile tears."

He went on to say:

"Every single member of my family on both sides were exterminated. Both my parents were in the Warsaw ghetto uprising and it's precisely and exactly because of the lessons my parents taught me and my two siblings, that I will not be silent when Israel commits its crimes against the Palestinians. I consider nothing more despicable than to use their suffering and their martyrdom [of his relatives] to try and justify the torture, the brutalization, the demolition of homes that Israel daily commits against the Palestinians. So I refuse any longer to be intimidated, or browbeaten by the tears. If you had any heart you'd be crying for the Palestinians."

Finkelstein's father, Zacharias, was a survivor of Auschwitz concentration camp. His mother Maryla was a survivor of Majdanek concentration camp and two slave camps. Despite the harrowing experiences of his family at the hands of the Nazis, Finkelstein has never shied away from attacking what he describes as "The Holocaust industry". The term refers to those institutions and organizations that have used the Holocaust to claim legitimacy for criminal assaults on the Palestinian people, the silencing of criticism and a high handed disregard for international law.

Dr Finkelstein's site here.

Too close for comfort?

Bishop Tadeusz Pieronek: 'Jews use Holocaust as propaganda weapon'

Former head of the Polish bishops' conference, Tadeusz Pieronek, has stirred up controversy with remarks he made about the Holocaust. An interview he gave to a journalist was published on the Italian Catholic website www.pontifax.roma.it.

According to Pieronek the interview was published on the website without his authorization. He is quoted as saying that the Jews 'expropriated' the Holocaust as 'a propaganda weapon'. He is also alleged to have said that "the Holocaust as such is a Jewish invention [invenzione ebraica]. We could just as well establish a day of remembrance to the numerous victims of communism, when Catholics and Christians were persecuted."

The timing of the comments has added to the controversy. Wednesday of this week marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day - the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Israel's Holocaust memorial, Yad Vashem, is displaying Nazi blueprints of Auschwitz that were recently discovered.

Pieronek isn't backing down. When asked if the Holocaust has been exploited he said:

"Certainly it has. It is used as a propaganda weapon to get advantages that are often unjustified."

He said that:

"... they, the Jews, enjoy good press because they have powerful financial means behind them, enormous power and the unconditional backing of the United States and this favours a certain arrogance that I find unbearable."

These remarks seem at odds with the background of bishop Pieronek who appears to have been more of a mediator and less of a provocateur in the past. In 2008 he received the Jan Karski Eagle Award for work he did combating extremism in Polish society, in particular the alleged anti-Jewish bias of Radio Maryja... a reactionary mouthpiece run by the Redemptorist priest Tadeusz Ryzdzyk. Pieronek has also been supportive of the Open Society Institute of George Soros.

The bishop addressed issues other than the Holocaust. He expressed outrage at the treatment of the Palestinian people at the hands of the Israelis:

“Seeing the photographs of the wall we can conclude that a colossal injustice has been committed against the Palestinians, who are treated like animals and their rights are being violated.”

“Let them establish a Memorial Day for them also.”

He says that there are inaccuracies in the version published by the Italian site:

“I have not seen the printed text of the interview, which I have given but have not authorized. But if I were to believe in what I hear from the media then it looks as though the final form of the interview was the idea of the journalist that I had spoken to, as the text is full of vague statements."

Polish news report of the story - here.

Trijicon: military gunsights inscribed with Bible references

Following complaints from British and American soldiers to advocacy groups, it has come to light that coded references to the Bible have been inscribed by manufacturers on gunsights used by the British and US military in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The markings include references to scriptural passages such as "2COR4:6" and "JN8:12".

The company behind the Biblical inscriptions is US-based manufacturer, Trijicon. It supplies Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (Acog) to US Special Op Forces, the US Marines and the US army. The British Ministry of Defence recently ordered 480 Acog sights for Sharpshooter rifles that will be used by troops in Afghanistan.

Complaints from military personnel came to the attention of the US Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF). A spokesperson for MRFF said "Many soldiers know of them and are very confused as to why they are there and what it is supposed to mean."

A soldier who contacted MRFF said in his email: "Everyone is worried that if they were captured in combat that the enemy would use the Bible quotes against them in captivity or some other form of propaganda."

Aside from the inappropriateness of these inscriptions, it is ironical that the gospel of Jesus is being used on weapons of war. The Jesus of the New Testament, sometimes referred to as the Prince of Peace, called on his followers to reject violence... in fact to turn the other cheek and love their enemies.

If nothing else these inscriptions reflect the warped thinking of those American believers who seek to recruit Jesus in their war effort. The founder of Trijicon, Glyn Bindon, described in some sources as "a devout Christian" was behind the move to add scriptural references. Bindon died in a 2003 plane crash.

In response to the publicity, a Trijicon spokesperson said "Our effort is simple and straightforward: to help our servicemen and women win the war on terror and come home safe to their families... As part of our faith and our belief in service to our country, Trijicon has put scripture references on our products for more than two decades."

It is extremely presumptuous for Trijicon to assume that since it is manufacturing gunsights for the military, it therefore can go right ahead and inscribe product with scriptural references from "our faith". There is more than one faith in the American military. In addition many service people are either atheist or agnostic. It isn't the business of a weapons manufacturer to push its beliefs on others.

BBC report on the story here.

Foxy Lady: Palin goes rabid

It's kind of like one of those perfect match-ups touted by eHarmony. Sarah Palin will be joining Fox News as an analyst and special commentator.

Fox and Palin are in many ways made for each other. Like Fox, Palin is heavily biased, factually challenged, hype prone and not troubled by the occasional fast one. Like Fox she appeals to a brand of patriotism that is anti-intellectual, big on flag pins and that conjures an America of Joe sixpacks and hockey moms.

Maybe given her savaging at the hands of the evil "liberal media" Fox sees an opportunity to stick Palin in the face of liberal America like a middle finger. No doubt her detractors in 'not-real' America won't be able to resist sneaking a peek. It's free entertainment after all, and Sarah's always good for a laugh. This will be Fox's chance to show the world that Palin can pronounce complicated words like "Uzbekistan" and that she possesses in-depth knowledge about esoteric places like um... Russia. As she informed Katie Couric, she's an omnivorous reader. There isn't a magazine she hasn't scanned. She's read "all of 'em, any of 'em that have been in front of me all these years". Just don't ask her for a title.

Recently she was interviewed by Fox News jester Glenn Beck with the Statue of Liberty in the background (John Stewart took aim - here). Beck was his usual smarmy, oleaginous self as he talked about his Fox-nation-version-of-America... the one without too many brown people. Palin cranked out her thoughts in that mechanical, rehearsed voice... how grand America is... how it risks regressing to become European-like. You get the feeling when she talks that her mind and her delivery risk becoming unshackled. It adds to the suspense.

Palin has found her niche. It doesn't matter if she makes things up now and then, she'll fit right in on faux news. Making things up on Fox isn't a problem, Beck has made lying into a political art form. As long as you're singing from the right song sheet you can pretty much feel free to shoot the bull. And Palin does make things up. Last year in an effort to explain why as president she wouldn't be subjected to the types of ethics investigations that prompted her Alaska resignation, she referred to a non-existent "department" in the White House:

"I think on a national level your Department of Law there in the White House would look at some of the things that we've been charged with and automatically throw them out."

Given Palin's history of gaffes and meltdowns, Fox will likely try and showcase her dubious talents in a manner that isn't high risk. Going head-to-head with policy wonks and getting into it with hired liberals on a free-for-all basis could prove costly. Fact-challenged Palin is an easy target and could come off looking well... stupid. Emphasis will likely be on the "special" part of her designated commentator role. That would give her more control, make her look smarter and reduce the risk factor.

Palin's new gig has already gotten a few laughs. In reference to her Fox role she announced in all seriousness: "It's wonderful to be part of a place that so values fair and balanced news."

Fox news: a few ideas for a Palin show

Harper prorogues Parliament... again

No government in recent Canadian history comes close to being as cynical and partisan as the Tory administration in Ottawa under Stephen Harper. Harper was true to form recently when he prorogued Parliament for the second time in a year. Canada will effectively be without a working Parliament until March 3. This time around Harper didn't even bother to meet with the governor-general... he just placed a call.

The country's business isn't just on-hold, legislation that was in-the-works has simply been turfed. This should surprise nobody. The Harper government is about power at all costs and they will do whatever it takes, including obstructing the business on the Hill if need be to duck any possible liabilities. The suspension of Parliament was carefully timed, no doubt in hopes that the razamatazz over the Winter Olympics in Vancouver will help to distract from the brewing torture scandal that implicates the Canadian military.

Harper is adept at the cover-up, the whitewash, the obstruct-and-stymie routine. He treats Canadians with the type of condescension best typified as a top-down daddy-knows-best attitude, and to our shame a minority seem to have little problem with his despotic tendencies.

Having said that, there are a few pundits with conservative sympathies who have raised objections over the recent decision to prorogue Parliament. Andrew Coyne wrote on his blog - "In what other democracy is it permissible for the government of the day to hide from the legislature for months at a time?" Macleans magazine, that features a regular column by Coyne, has been running a poll on the decision to prorogue Parliament. On last check 69% of respondents agreed that yes - "it's an insult to Parliament"... 31% said no - "the government is entirely within its rights".

Canadians on the whole are decent with a strong sense of fair play. Many give Harper the benefit of the doubt based in part on the perception that there is no viable alternative on the horizon. But still after repeated tries Harper has been unable to obtain a majority. No wonder... he behaves at times as though he is running a fiefdom rather than a modern democracy. Despite his government's minority status, he has succeeded in pressing his partisan agenda because frankly there is a lack of political will in this country when it comes to effective grassroots organization. The opposition seems rudderless and divided. That also extends to the party level. The Tory character assassination machine used against Ignatieff did its job. Make no mistake, Harper will exploit any type of perceived weakness to strengthen his hold on power.

Harper's ideological and highly partisan approach to politics doesn't represent the views of the majority in this great and diverse nation. Many Canadians watched in dismay as Canada abandoned its role as fair broker on the international scene and became an unabashed cheerleader for Israel with Harper as chief baton twirler. They were equally dismayed when Canadians were left to languish in perilous situations abroad... Canadians with names such as Suaad Mohamud, Maher Arar, Abousfian Abdelrazik, Abdullah Almalki, Muayyed Nureddin, Ahmad El Maati and Omar Khadr. Now if they had happened to be white and called Brenda Martin... well whole different story. Martin was convicted and imprisoned in Mexico on drug trafficking charges. There was no stone the Ottawa cavalry left unturned to ensure her safe return to Canada. This type of deeply offensive discrimination in the treatment of Canadian citizens abroad is not what Canada is about.

The contempt for democracy demonstrated by the Harperites knows no bounds. Jason Kenney, whose portfolio as Minister, ironically enough includes multiculturalism, hit a new low point recently. He made the news with comments about KAIROS, an eucumenical Christian organization that has now been stripped of its funding by the Tories. He lumped it among groups allegedly guilty of anti-Semitism.

In Kenney's eyes and those of his boss if you are critical of Israel, chances are high you'll be fingered as anti-Semitic. I guess from the Harperite perspective Canadian Jews who are critical of Israel have 'self-loathing' issues. Twisted thinking for sure, but the anti-Semitic smear is one which the Tories and their partisans in the media routinely use in an attempt to discredit critics. Kenney made his comment about KAIROS when he was visiting Jerusalem. It makes you wonder if Kenney is more interested in looking out for Israeli interests than in upholding democratic principles in Canada.

Kenney was also behind the banning of British MP George Galloway from Canadian soil. Apparently Canadian democracy can't handle Galloway making a few speeches - yes, we're that fragile. By contrast south of the border... no problem at all. Galloway did his thing in the US and managed to beam an NY speech live to an audience in Toronto. The episode demonstrates the way in which this government infantilizes Canadians in the name of looking out for them. If the Americans can handle Galloway making a few speeches, we sure as hell can.

The move to prorogue Parliament is yet more of the control tactics we have come to expect from the Tories. No doubt they figure that with some dead time and with the Afghanistan committee on-hold until the spring, any push for a public inquiry will lose some steam. It will also give them the opportunity to jam more Conservatives into the senate as they prep for the majority Harper has long been lusting after.

If you think Canada has become smaller and meaner with the Tories in power, rest assured that the downhill slide will continue apace if Harper is ever handed a majority.

Stephen Harper (with apologies to Napoleon)