Media Review: Haaretz asks, "Did the right-wing celebration of the Rafah massacre reveal the “ugly face” of Israel?"

Media Review: Haaretz asks, "Did the right-wing celebration of the Rafah massacre reveal the “ugly face” of Israel?"

    Tuesday, May 28, 2024   No comments

Some say that the Israeli right's celebration of the massacre of civilians in Rafah is the true ugly face of Israel, making those who believe or actually know that there is a "different Israel" face an impossible challenge in their quest to prove the opposite.

This is what is summarized by an article in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which confirmed at the beginning that the massacre that took place in the Palestinian city of Rafah last Sunday was inevitable, as regardless of how accurate the Israeli military strikes were, and in light of the presence of more than a million Palestinian refugees in the region’s camps, it was inevitable, Sooner or later, this will cause mass human casualties.

 She explained that this Israeli raid caused widespread destruction, killing at least 45 people, and the footage showed civilians floundering in tents surrounded by hell.

 As usual, the article's author, Alison Kaplan Sommer, says Israel's leaders, citizens, and supporters abroad were ready to defend Israel's "moral" army.

 The writer pointed out that they expressed their rejection and denunciation of any accusation that the aggression could have been avoided, or any suggestion that what happened was intentional, including the use of words such as “genocide” or “massacre.”

 Such accusations are “an inaccurate distortion of the truth at best and vile anti-Semitism at worst,” they claim.

 “But before they could do it this time, it became painfully clear from the beginning that their efforts would be in vain,” Sommer said.

 Far-right media voices in Israel soon began celebrating the fires, and thus the deaths of those engulfed in the flames, by jokingly comparing the images to the memorial bonfires lit on Lag Baomer - the Jewish holiday that fell on the same day as the massacre.

 She added that these extremists expressed their happiness that this fire was “the central bonfire in Rafah,” wishing those affected a “Happy Eid,” in tweets that were later deleted, but they will not be forgotten, and will be referred to as evidence that the fire was intentional, and was even celebrated, As she said.

 Sommer explained that the most prominent journalist who fanned the flames of hatred is Yinon Magal, who is constantly proven to be Itamar Ben Gvir by the Israeli media, and it seems that, like the extremist minister, he rejoices and is proud of the insolent manifestations that indicate disdain for the lives of the Palestinians and denial of their humanity.

 She concluded that Ben Gvir and Magal's behavior provides sufficient evidence of malicious intentions to obstruct any attempt by Israel to defend the behavior of its army, which makes erasing the image of "the ugly face of Israel" difficult for those who believe that it has another side.

Spanish Defense Minister: What is happening in Gaza is a real genocide... something that cannot be ignored

Spanish Defense Minister: What is happening in Gaza is a real genocide... something that cannot be ignored

    Saturday, May 25, 2024   No comments

Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles confirmed today, Saturday, that the war on the Gaza Strip is a “true genocide,” in light of the deterioration of relations between “Israel” and Spain, after Madrid’s decision to recognize the Palestinian state.

“We cannot ignore what is happening in Gaza, which is a true genocide,” Robles said during an interview with the official TVE television, pointing out that Madrid’s recognition of a Palestinian state aims to help “end the violence in Gaza.”

Robles' statements came after similar statements from Yolanda Diaz, Spanish Deputy Prime Minister yesterday, who also confirmed that the war on Gaza is genocide.

Diaz pledged to continue pressing, from her position in the government, to defend human rights and put an end to the genocide committed against the Palestinian people.

Diaz's pledge came in a video clip circulated by activists on social media, in which she expressed her welcome of Spain's recognition of the State of Palestine, and stressed that her country's move towards recognizing the Palestinian state, on May 28, is "just the beginning, and we cannot stop at this point."

“We are living in a moment where doing the bare minimum is heroic, but it is not enough at the same time,” added Díaz, who also serves as Minister of Labor and Economy.

She said, "Palestine will be liberated from the river to the sea," referring to the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, between which Palestine lies.

In a related context, the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albarez, said in a post on the “X” platform that “the precautionary measures taken by the International Court of Justice, which included the decision to stop the Israeli attack in Rafah, are mandatory,” calling for their implementation. The ICC, too, has moved to issue arrest warrants against Israeli leaders accusing them of crimes against humanity and other war crimes.

Yesterday, the International Court of Justice ordered the Israeli occupation to stop the military attack on Rafah, stressing that any additional military action will lead to partial or total destruction in the region, in accordance with the Genocide Convention, without urging a comprehensive ceasefire in the Strip.

It is noteworthy that Spain, Norway, and Ireland announced, two days ago, officially recognizing the State of Palestine as of May 28, amid Arab welcome and Israeli anger.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday, "If more countries recognize the Palestinian state, this will increase international pressure for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip."

Before this development, European Union member countries had previously recognized the State of Palestine, including Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Sweden.

Three European nations to recognize Palestinian state

Three European nations to recognize Palestinian state

    Wednesday, May 22, 2024   No comments

In a historic move expected to quell the flames of war in the Middle East, Ireland, Norway and Spain announced the recognition of a Palestinian state on Wednesday. The move is hailed by Chinese experts as representing an overdue correction of "a previously skewed balance," while bringing the Palestinian question, which had intentionally been obscured before, back to the center stage. 

Experts believe the decision may trigger a global wave of recognition for the state of Palestine, not only in support of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people but it will also exert significant international pressure on Israel's aggressive practices. 

Today, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Storhe announced that his country will recognize the State of Palestine as of May 28.

This came after Norway's Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Ede, confirmed yesterday, Tuesday, that his country is obligated to arrest the head of the occupation government, Benjamin Netanyahu, if he visits it after a decision was issued by the International Criminal Court in this regard.

Israeli media reported that Norway is the first European country to threaten to arrest Netanyahu if an arrest warrant is issued.

In the same context, Reuters quoted a source as saying that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will also announce recognition of a Palestinian state today, Wednesday. Since last November, Sanchez has been leading a diplomatic campaign to persuade Western countries to recognize the State of Palestine in order to put an end to the conflict in the Middle East, in light of the Israeli war on Gaza.

Last April, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel stated, in a television interview, that Spain would recognize Palestine as a sovereign state, stressing that “Palestine will have a place in the United Nations.”

Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris also announced his country's recognition of the State of Palestine, stressing his confidence that more countries will join this step in the coming weeks.

Iran’s governing institutions will be tested, again, upon the death of the president in a crash of the presidential helicopter

Iran’s governing institutions will be tested, again, upon the death of the president in a crash of the presidential helicopter

    Monday, May 20, 2024   No comments

Iran is no stranger to situations where the holder of the top executive branch of government is vacated. Twice since 1979 and Iranian head of the executive branch was removed or killed and the Iranian government continued to function, and perhaps even more efficiently with every event. On 30 August 1981 a bomb exploded in the office of Mohammad Javad Bahonar, also killed multiple government officials including Prime Minister of Iran, Javad Bahonar, President Mohammad Ali Rajai and some other officials. Before the 50 days have passed, Ali Khamenei was elected President of Iran by a landslide vote (97%) in the October 1981 Iranian presidential election in which only four candidates were approved by the Council of Guardians. Khamenei became the first cleric to be in the office and he went on to become Iran’s supreme leader, a position he still holds.

This time, too, Iranian institutions went to work, with the first vice president taking over as acting president and setting up a process to elect the next president within 50 days. The elected president will serve a full four year term since Raisi’s term were to expire in August 2025. Meanwhile, determining the cause of the crash is made a national security priority with multiple investigations ordered to take place.

 

Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of the General Staff of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, on May 20 ordered to investigate the incident of the helicopter crash a day earlier in the northwest of Iran that killed President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and several officials. It's time to research.

 According to ISNA, Bagheri "assigned a high-ranking delegation to investigate the dimensions and causes of the president's helicopter crash". According to ISNA, this investigation is headed by Major General Ali Abdullahi, Deputy Coordinator of the General Staff of the Armed Forces.

 Javad Zarif, the former foreign minister of Iran, in a phone conversation with state media on Monday, referring to Washington's sanctions against Tehran's aviation program, blames the United States for the plane crash.

 Zarif said: One of the causes of this tragic incident is America, which embargoed the sale of the aviation industry to Iran.

 Stating that US sanctions prevent Iran from maintaining suitable aviation facilities, he said: "The plane crash will be recorded in the black list of US crimes against the Iranian nation."

 The 45-year-old American-made Bell 212 helicopter carrying the Iranian president, foreign minister and delegation was likely purchased by the Shah of Iran - an ally of the US and Israel - before the 1979 revolution that saw the establishment of the Islamic Republic. .

 US sanctions against Iran prevent the country from buying spare parts to maintain its fleet of civilian aircraft, most of which are more than two decades old.

 The sudden death of Raisi and Amir Abdollahian has prompted social media users and observers to speculate about Israel's involvement in the plane crash.

 "It wasn't us," an unnamed Israeli official told Reuters on May 20. There has been no official statement from Israel yet.

 Iran announced early on May 20 that Raisi, Amir Abdullahian and their companions were killed in a helicopter crash the previous day.

 After 16 hours of search operations on Sunday and early Monday morning, the Iranian Red Crescent finally reached the wreckage of the helicopter crash and announced in a preliminary statement that "no signs of life" were found at the site.

World reacts

Condolences for the martyrdom of Raisi and his companions continue... and the United Nations lowers its flags in mourning

Arab and international condolences and messages of sympathy to the leadership and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran continued, following the martyrdom of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and those accompanying them in the plane crash in which they were carrying, while performing their work duty in northwest Iran.

Arabic condolences

In the Arab world, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad offered his condolences, in his name and in the name of the Syrian people, to the leader of the revolution and the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Ali Khamenei, and to the Iranian government and people, for the martyrdom of President Ibrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and their comrades.

In his message, President Al-Assad affirmed Syria's solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran and with the families of the late deceased and his comrades, expressing deep regret and condolences for this painful incident and the great loss that resulted from it.

He said, "President Raisi's dedication to his work and fulfillment of his responsibilities led him to East Azerbaijan Province to inaugurate a vital project for his country, making him a martyr in the redemption of duty."

He added: "We worked with the late president to ensure that the strategic relations between Syria and Iran would always remain prosperous, and we will always remember his visit to Syria as an important milestone in this path, and all the visions and ideas that he presented to enrich relations with everything that would benefit the Syrian and Iranian peoples."

For his part, the leader of the Ansar Allah movement in Yemen, Mr. Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi, sent a condolence telegram on the martyrdom of Raisi, Amir Abdullahian and their companions, sending condolences and sympathy to all their relatives and loved ones, to Mr. Khamenei and officials in the Islamic Republic and to the Iranian people.

The head of the Supreme Political Council in Yemen, Mahdi Al-Mashat, also offered his condolences to the Leader of the Revolution and the Islamic Republic, Mr. Ali Khamenei, and the Iranian people, saying that the martyr Raisi “was an example of a brave Muslim leader loyal to the nation’s issues and keen to achieve its aspirations,” as he “was keen to reunite the nation and unify positions and bridging the gaps between them.

The office of the authority, Sayyed Ali al-Sistani, offered condolences for the martyrdom of the Iranian president and his companions, saying: “We received with sadness and regret the news of the passing of Hujjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen, Mr. Ibrahim Raisi and his companions.”

The Iraqi Fatwa House also extends its sincere condolences to Mr. Khamenei on the martyrdom of Mr. Raisi and his brothers.

From Algeria, the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, offered his deepest condolences and sincere feelings of sympathy to Iran’s leadership and people, saying: “In this difficult circumstance in which the Algerian people share this cruel ordeal with their brothers in Iran, I personally lose in Commander Ibrahim Raisi, a brother and partner with whom I was united by service.” “The bonds of brotherhood, cooperation and solidarity between our two brotherly countries and peoples, and support for the just causes that our Islamic nation has adopted and carried the banner of defending and sacrificing for.”

 Simultaneously, the Saudi News Agency reported that Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman offered condolences to Iran after the martyrdom of the president and foreign minister.

Likewise, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas offered his deepest condolences to the Iranian government and people on the martyrdom of the Iranian president and his comrades.

The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, expressed, via the “X” platform, his sincere condolences to the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the martyrdom of President Ebrahim Raisi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the delegation accompanying them.

The President of the Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed, expressed his sincere condolences to the government and people of Iran, stressing his country’s solidarity with it in this difficult time.

Egypt mourned my president, Amir Abdullahian, and their companions, as President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi offered his sincere condolences and sympathy to the Iranian people, expressing his country’s solidarity with the Iranian leadership and people in this great affliction.

The United Nasserite Movement in the Republic of Egypt offered its sincere condolences to the Islamic Republic of Iran, and to all those holding “the embers of resistance to the Zionist entity and its supporters,” stressing its confidence in the Iranian people and their leadership to overcome this difficult ordeal just as Iran has overcome other ordeals and difficulties, “so that Iran will always remain a support for the resistance and a strong figure.” In the face of Western imperialism and its spearhead.”

The Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, mourned the Iranian President and Foreign Minister, offering his sincere condolences to the Iranian people.

 For his part, the Secretary-General of the Arab National Conference, Hamdeen Sabahi, telegraphed his condolences to Mr. Khamenei, saying, “The loss of President Raisi is not for Iran alone, but rather it is a loss for the Arab and Islamic nations.”

Sabahi pointed out that the role played by Mr. Raisi and Minister Amir Abdollahian in purifying Arab-Iranian relations is “a must to confront the enemies of our nation.”

For his part, Jordanian King Abdullah II expressed his solidarity with Iran in this difficult circumstance, while the Jordanian Communist Party affirmed that Iran’s position, represented by Mr. Raisi and Minister Amir Abdullahian, “is an essential foundation in supporting the Palestinian people and their just cause.”

In turn, the Tunisian presidency offered its condolences to Iran, expressing its solidarity with the Iranian leadership and people in this great affliction, while the Tunisian Ennahda Movement offered the Iranian people and the Iranian leadership its sincerest condolences and sincere expressions of sympathy.

From the Sultanate of Oman, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq sent a telegram of condolence and sympathy to Mr. Khamenei following the plane crash.

Internationally, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in a message of condolence to Iran, expressed his deep sadness over the passing of President Raisi, saying: “We have lost an exemplary person and an exceptional leader in the world.”

Maduro added: “As he was our brother... President Raisi will always remain an excellent human being, a defender of the sovereignty of his people, and an unconditional friend of our country,” stressing that Iran “will remain an example of dignity, morality, and resistance.”

In turn, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, condoling the Iranian president's martyrdom, that "Raisi made an invaluable contribution to Russian-Iranian relations," adding: "I will forever preserve a bright memory of President Raisi and I wish the Iranian people spiritual fortitude in the face of this difficult loss."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said, “The role of President Raisi and the Iranian Foreign Minister in strengthening cooperation between Moscow and Tehran was too great to evaluate,” adding: “We will always remember Raisi, the Iranian Foreign Minister and the people who accompanied them as true patriots of their country.”

Likewise, the Cuban President, Miguel Díaz-Canel, expressed his country's deep sadness over the loss of a great friend and politician who is appreciated and beloved by his people, such as the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, his Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and their comrades, stressing Cuba's "solidarity and support with the sister Islamic Republic of Iran." .

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, in turn, offered his deepest condolences on the passing of President Raisi and Foreign Minister Amir Abdullahian.

As for Chinese President Xi Jinping, he expressed his condolences over the martyrdom of the Iranian President and Foreign Minister in the helicopter crash.

For its part, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said regarding the crash of the Iranian president’s helicopter, that what happened was “a loss not only for Iranian society, as the true friends of Belarus have departed.”

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed his sincere condolences and sympathy to Iran for this terrible loss, declaring a day of mourning in his country for the Iranian president.

Also, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev offered his condolences on the Iranian president's martyrdom, saying that "Iran has lost a prominent politician who spent his life serving his country and being loyal to it."

The President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, in turn, cabled his condolences to the Iranian leadership and people for the martyrdom of Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi and his companions.

As for the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, he expressed his sadness and shock over the “tragic death of President Raisi,” stressing that “India stands with Iran in this time of grief.”

From Turkey, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered his condolences to Iran, saying: “I remember my brother, my president, with all respect and gratitude, and I confirm that we stand by sister Iran,” while the Turkish Foreign Minister confirmed that there was “close coordination with the Iranian authorities after the incident.”

Likewise, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, said that the European Union “expresses its sincere condolences on the death of President Raisi and Foreign Minister Abdullahian in the helicopter accident.”

Paris offered its condolences to the Islamic Republic of Iran and to the families of the martyrs in the plane crash, according to a statement issued by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.

Polish President Andrzej Duda also expressed his deep emotion over the martyrdom of a key figure with his government delegation. “We Poles, who suffered terribly in 2010 from the crash of a Polish government plane in Smolensk, Russia, know the feeling of shock and emptiness that remains in the hearts of the people and in the country after the sudden loss of the political and social elite,” Duda said.

As for the Swiss Foreign Minister, Ignazio Cassis, he offered his condolences to the families of all the martyrs and to the Iranian people.

Countries continue to extend their condolences to the Islamic Republic of Iran over the martyrdom of its President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and their accompanying delegation following the crash of the helicopter they were traveling in in the airspace of East Azerbaijan.

In a statement, the US State Department said, “The United States expresses its official condolences on the passing of the Iranian President, the Foreign Minister, and other members.”

While the spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations confirmed that Antonio Guterres contacted the Iranian delegate to the United Nations and conveyed his condolences on the death of the president and his aides.

The United Nations announced that the flag will be flown at half-staff tomorrow, Tuesday, at 8:30 a.m. New York time, in mourning for the helicopter accident.

For his part, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a phone call with acting Iranian President Mohammad Mokhber, confirmed that Turkey stands by Tehran in these difficult days.

Erdogan declared mourning in Türkiye for one day to share the Iranians' pain, as he put it.

Also, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, offered condolences to the Charge d'Affairs of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Ali Bagheri Kani, on the martyrdom of President Raisi and his companions.

The Deputy Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Jamil Mezher, cabled his condolences to the Leader of the Revolution and the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Ali Khamenei.

Mezher appreciated "the efforts of President Raisi and Foreign Minister of the Axis of Resistance Amir Abdullahian in serving the Palestinian cause."

 

On this Day in History, May 19, Malcolm X, an icon for resisting injustice by “any means necessary”, was born

On this Day in History, May 19, Malcolm X, an icon for resisting injustice by “any means necessary”, was born

    Monday, May 20, 2024   No comments

On May 19 of every year, many Americans celebrate “Malcolm Day,” the anniversary of his birth, to honor one of the most prominent defenders of black rights in the United States during the civil rights movement in the 1960s. This day is not a federal holiday, although some are. American states and cities have made it a holiday, so who is Malcolm X?

Malcolm was born on May 19, 1925 as Malcolm Stuart Little, the fourth of eight children, in Omaha, Nebraska, and died on February 21, 1965, in New York. He was a prominent figure in the Nation of Islam. After his assassination, his life story spread widely and he became a hero among black youth.

After his birth in Nebraska, baby Malcolm moved with his family to Lansing, Michigan. During his early childhood, he and his family were exposed to racist abuse from the Ku Klux Klan, and they had to move frequently to avoid harm from this violent racist group.

When Malcolm was six, his father, Reverend Earl Little, a supporter of black leader Marcus Garvey, died after being hit by a streetcar, sparking speculation that he had been the victim of white murder.

The family was so poor that Malcolm's mother, Louise Little, resorted to cooking dandelion greens from the street to feed her children. After being admitted to a mental institution in 1939, Malcolm and his siblings were sent to foster homes or to live with family members.

Malcolm excelled in school, but after one of his teachers told him in eighth grade that he should become a carpenter instead of a lawyer, he lost interest and soon finished his formal education.

Malcolm moved from a foster home in Michigan to live with his half-sister, Ella, in Boston. There he became involved in petty criminal activities in his teenage years, becoming a street hustler, drug dealer, and leader of a gang of thieves in Roxbury and Harlem (in New York City).

While in prison for robbery from 1946 to 1952, he underwent a conversion that eventually led him to join the Nation of Islam. His decision to join the Nation was also influenced by discussions with his brother Reginald, who had become a member and who was imprisoned with Malcolm in the Norfolk Colony. In Massachusetts in 1948.

Malcolm quit smoking, gambling, and eating pork in 1948. In order to educate himself, he spent long hours reading books in the prison library. In accordance with Nation of Islam tradition, he replaced his surname "Little" with an "X", a custom among Nation of Islam followers who considered their family names to have originated from slave-owning whites.

In the early twentieth century, some Muslim religious leaders in the United States asserted that Islam was the natural religion of blacks, relying largely on accounts of African Muslims being kidnapped centuries ago and sold into slavery in the Americas.

The Nation of Islam, a movement and organization of black Americans, was founded in 1930 by Elijah Muhammad and is famous for its teachings that combine elements of traditional Islam with black nationalist ideas.

The Nation of Islam also combines religious ideas with those that denounce the suffering suffered by blacks at the hands of whites.

Malcolm rose so quickly through the ranks of the Nation of Islam that Elijah Muhammad, who had a special affection for Malcolm, appointed him spokesman for the group, second only to Muhammad himself. Under Malcolm's leadership, the Nation of Islam claimed half a million members.

Malcolm was an articulate public speaker and charismatic figure who expressed the pent-up anger, frustration and bitterness of African Americans during the civil rights movement from 1955 to 1965.

He delivered speeches in the streets of Harlem and spoke at major universities such as Harvard and Oxford. His penetrating wit and passionate radicalism made him a formidable critic of American society. He also criticized prevailing civil rights movement concepts, challenging Martin Luther King's views on coexistence and nonviolence.

Malcolm argued that issues of black identity, integrity, and independence for black people were more important than the civil right to sit in a restaurant or even to vote. In contrast to King's strategy of nonviolence and civil disobedience, Malcolm urged his followers to defend themselves "by any means necessary."

He also disagreed with Martin Luther King's ambition for America to be a place where blacks and whites lived together, as Malcolm did not believe in this vision and wanted a separate nation for blacks only.

...

Racial segregation ended throughout the United States thanks to the efforts of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, of which Malcolm

Civil rights include the right to liberty, the right to education, the adult right to vote, and the right to a fair trial.

For a long time in the United States, African Americans were denied their civil rights.

Black Americans suffered from slavery and were bought and sold for money. Their life as a slave was very difficult and difficult to imagine now. Most of them were treated horribly by their white owners and had no rights at all. Many of them were forced to change their names, sometimes to the name of their owner.

Although slavery was abolished in England in 1833, and in America in 1865, blacks were still treated fairly due to segregation laws - or rules - that separated blacks from whites.

Racial segregation in the United States meant that, by law, non-white people were kept physically separated and treated poorly compared to white people.

Things like housing, hospitals, schools, transportation, and workplaces were segregated, based on the color of a person's skin.

For example, black children were not allowed to go to the same schools as white children, blacks had to sit separately on buses, and were not allowed in whites-only areas.

Wealthy individuals and business leaders including the founder of Starbucks, incited the police to suppress the student movement protesting Genocide

Wealthy individuals and business leaders including the founder of Starbucks, incited the police to suppress the student movement protesting Genocide

    Sunday, May 19, 2024   No comments

The Washington Post revealedWashington Post revealed that a group of American billionaires, including the founder of Starbucks, pressured the mayor of New York to send police to break up the pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University.

Writers Hannah Natanson and Emanuel Felton stated in their lengthy report published by the newspaper that business managers, including the founder of the “Kind” snack food company Daniel Lubetzky, the billionaire hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb, the billionaire Len Blavatnik and the real estate investor Joseph Sitt, held a video call via “Zoom.” on April 26 with Mayor Eric Adams, about a week after he first dispatched the NYPD to Columbia University's campus.

During the call, some attendees discussed making political donations to Adams, as well as how group members could pressure Columbia's president and trustees to allow the mayor to send police to campus to deal with protesters, according to chat messages summarizing the conversation.

The writers quoted a member of a WhatsApp chat group that he donated $2,100 - the legal maximum - to Adams that month, and some members also offered to pay private investigators to help the New York Police Department deal with the protests.

It is noteworthy that a group of American billionaires and business giants are working to shape American public opinion to serve Israel’s interests.

The American newspaper confirmed that these letters shed some light on how some prominent individuals used their money and power in an attempt to shape American views on the war on Gaza, in addition to the actions of academic, business and political leaders, including the mayor of New York.

Israeli-Cypriot real estate billionaire Yakir Gabbay, a member of the chat group, wrote in a statement shared by a spokesperson that he joined the group because he wanted to “provide support in a difficult and painful time, and attempt to correct the false and misleading information that has been deliberately spread around the world to deny or cover up the suffering caused by Hamas.

When asked about the Zoom meeting with members of the chat group - followed by the Washington Post - the city mayor’s office did not address the matter directly, and instead shared a statement from Deputy Mayor Fabian Levy in which he indicated that the New York Police had entered the Columbia University campus twice in response to “written requests.” Specific" from university leadership.

The writers reported that Adams showed his willingness to send law enforcement authorities to deal with the demonstrators on campus from the beginning, and he sent police to the Columbia University campus to disperse pro-Palestinian demonstrators on April 18, at the university’s request. The police arrested more than 100 demonstrators, and the city’s mayor claimed It was later reported that student activists were influenced by foreign propaganda, and that police intervention was necessary to prevent “youth” from being “radicalized.”

Another US governmental official and a Biden Appointee, who is also Jewish, resign protesting Biden's handling of the war in Gaza calling it a Genocide

Another US governmental official and a Biden Appointee, who is also Jewish, resign protesting Biden's handling of the war in Gaza calling it a Genocide

    Friday, May 17, 2024   No comments

In a move that some observers described as a resounding rejection of Biden's handling of the war in Gaza, a high-ranking Jewish employee in the administration of US President Joe Biden announced her resignation from her position on Wednesday, due to what she described as his disastrous and ongoing support for the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

In an article published by the Washington Post, Lily Greenberg Call, Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff at the Interior Ministry, cited her Jewish upbringing and relationship with Israel and recounted how her family fled from Europe to America to escape anti-Semitic persecution there.

In her resignation letter (see below), Greenberg Call - who made the first public resignation by a Jew over Biden's support for Israel - wrote, "I can no longer in good conscience continue to represent this administration amid President Biden's disastrous and continuing support for the genocide in Gaza."

In an interview she conducted with writer Yasmine Abu Talib Yasmine Abu Talib, Greenberg Call said that resigning was a difficult decision because of the society in which she grew up, but the Jewish values ​​in which she was raised led her to make this decision.

“Judaism is the most important part of my identity, and all the values ​​I was raised with and all my Jewish education are what led me to this decision,” Greenberg Call said. She added, "What Israel is doing in Gaza and to the Palestinians throughout the land does not represent the Jews and is a shame to our ancestors."

Commenting on her position in the Biden administration, she said, “Everyone here is thinking about achieving the American dream and rising to the top, but I asked myself several times during the past eight months: What is the benefit of power if it is not used to stop crimes against humanity?”

Earlier this week, a US Army major working for the Defense Intelligence Agency resignedUS Army major working for the Defense Intelligence Agency resigned, writing in an open letter that he felt “incredibly ashamed and guilty” when he realized that his work contributed to the suffering and killing of Palestinians.

A political official also resigned from the Ministry of Education last January, and an employee at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who worked on transporting weapons to foreign countries last October.

In february of this year, U.S. airman Aaron Bushnell U.S. airman Aaron Bushnell set himself on fire at the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., after he described his action while walking to the location as an extreme act of protest against the war in Gaza—a desperate plea to “free Palestine,” as he screamed while flames engulfed his body.

As early as October of last year, some US officials, including State Department officials, have resigned rejecting Biden's blind support of a genocidal war in Gaza.

Whi is Lily Greenberg Call

 An American Jewish politician and human rights activist at the local and international levels. She served as Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff at the US Department of the Interior, and participated in the election campaigns of US President Joe Biden and his Vice President, Kamala Harris.

She worked for many years within Zionist groups supporting Israel, then took an anti-occupation stance, opposed violence in the occupied Palestinian territories, and called for peaceful coexistence between Palestinians and Jews.

Lily Greenberg Cole was born and raised in San Diego, California. Her origins go back to a Jewish family that immigrated to the United States of America to escape the persecution practiced against Jews in Europe.

Her family lived on Ellis Island, New York, and spent decades suffering under the weight of racial discrimination, which affected Lily's upbringing and her vision of issues of justice and discrimination.

Greenberg grew up in a Jewish community in which unconditional support for Israel prevails, to the point where it is considered part of the Jewish identity, so she was a prominent youth in pro-Israel activism in her high school years, and has been involved in the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) since her freshman year of high school. She was elected president of the Israel Defense Club at her school.

When she was 16 years old, she went on a trip to the occupied territories and stayed there for a full year, as part of a program for the “Jewish Youth” movement, which included making trips in the occupying state and joining educational courses. Among the activities were meetings with Palestinian teenagers, the goal of which was Developing the spirit of coexistence between the two parties.

When she joined the University of California, she joined pro-Israel groups, and became the leader of a student movement supporting Israel and known within the university.

In 2017, she led a trip to Israel, organized by the Hillel Berkeley Jewish Student Center. Students from a wide range of ethnic and religious backgrounds joined the trip, visited Palestinian cities such as Bethlehem and Ramallah, and met Palestinians and settlers.

Greenberg worked for many years as an activist to defend Israel, but experiences began to change her convictions. During a relief mission in Greece, she forged friendly relations with refugees of Palestinian origins, developed deep relationships with Palestinians through academic programs, and established close relationships with Palestinian Americans during periods of study and campaigns. Electoral relations, and those relations had a significant impact on changing the ideas on which they grew up.

In her article about severing its relationship with AIPAC, Lilly stated that she realized that the organization, through its unconditional support for the Israeli government, was supporting violence, which was contrary to its values, and so she joined to work with other groups.

Greenberg also worked with non-Zionist organizations, such as the "If Not Now" organization, which opposes the Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

  

Reviewing Naomi Klein’s Declaration of Exodus from Zionism

Reviewing Naomi Klein’s Declaration of Exodus from Zionism

    Thursday, May 16, 2024   No comments

On the eve of the Jewish Passover, and at his “Seder” celebration in the streets of New York, which was witnessed by Jews and non-Jews, Naomi Klein, the Canadian Jewish writer and activist, professor of climate justice and director of the Center for Climate Justice at the University of British Columbia, delivered a memorable speech representing “Declaration of Exodus” for the Jews of the world from Zionism and its false idol in Palestine, in which it used two symbols from the Old Testament that have a very important significance for Jews of all times: - The Book of Exodus, one of the five books of the Torah, which tells the story of the exodus of the children of Israel, led by the Prophet Moses, from the captivity of Pharaoh. In biblical Egypt, the Exodus is the moment of liberation from captivity.

- And the story of the golden calf that the Samaritan made and which the Children of Israel took as a god in the absence of Moses, when he preceded them to the appointed time of his Lord, but the Samaritan led them astray, and they broke their appointment with Moses. It is a moment of tremendous setback for the Children of Israel’s journey with God, the prophets, and prophecy.

Klein recalled the moment of Moses descending from the mountain and his extreme anger when he found the children of Israel worshiping a “golden calf,” calling for the rejection of the worship of the new “golden calf,” by which she meant “the false idol of Zionism.” Klein said, before a gathering of Americans (the majority of whom were anti-war Jews), in a protest calling for an end to arming Israel, which was held in Brooklyn (New York), near the home of the majority leader in the US Senate, Senator Chuck Schumer: “Many members of our (Jewish) community worship a false idol.” ... They are delighted with it... They are drunk... The idol has defiled them... This false idol is called Zionism,” she said, considering that “Zionism is a false idol that took the idea of ​​the Promised Land and turned it into a bill of sale for an ethno-military state.” “It is a false idol that takes our deepest biblical stories of justice and freedom from slavery — the Easter story itself — and turns them into brutal weapons of land theft and colonization, and road maps for ethnic cleansing and genocide,” she added. “It is a false idol that has taken the transcendent idea of ​​the Promised Land, a metaphor for human liberation that has traveled through multiple religions to every corner of this world, and has dared to turn it into a bill of sale to a militaristic ethno-state.”

Also, Klein rejected Zionism's claims about liberating Jews from anti-Semitism and securing them in a Jewish state of their own, saying that "the version of liberation proposed by political Zionism is itself worldly." From the beginning, it required the mass expulsion of Palestinians from their homes and ancestral lands during the Nakba,” noting that “from the beginning (Zionism) was at war with dreams of liberation. It is worth remembering in the Easter celebration that this includes dreams of liberation and self-determination for the Egyptian people. This false Zionist idol equates Israel’s security with the Egyptian dictatorship and client states.”

 Zionism and genocide

Likewise, Klein spoke about the genocidal nature of the Zionist project against the people of Palestine and its immoral essence, saying that Zionism “produced an ugly type of freedom that viewed Palestinian children, not as human beings, but as a demographic threat, just as the Pharaoh in the Book of Exodus feared the increasing population.” Of the children of Israel, and therefore ordered the killing of their children. Zionism has brought us to the present moment of catastrophe, and it is time to say clearly: it always leads us here. “It is a false idol that has led many of our people down a very immoral path, making them now justified in tearing up the basic commandments: Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not covet.”

She also called for protest and the Jews’ exit from Zionism, just as they left Pharaonic captivity, and to disavow the Zionist entity and its crimes, saying: “We, in these streets for months and months, are the exit. Leaving Zionism. It is a false idol that equates Jewish freedom with cluster bombs that kill and maim Palestinian children. Zionism is a false idol that has betrayed all Jewish values, including the value we place on asking questions. “It is a practice rooted in Easter with its four questions asked by the youngest child, including the love we have as a people for text and teaching.” She added: “Today, this false idol justifies the bombing of every university in Gaza. The destruction of countless schools, archives, and printing presses; Hundreds of academics, journalists and poets were killed. This is what the Palestinians call educational genocide, that is, killing the means of education.”

 No to an ethnic Jewish state

“Meanwhile, in this city,” Klein continued, “universities are calling in the NYPD and barricading themselves against the dangerous threat posed by their students who dare to ask them basic questions, like: How can you claim to believe in anything at all, least of all of us, when you By enabling, investing in, and cooperating with this genocide? “The false idol of Zionism has been allowed to grow unchecked for too long.” She added: “So we say tonight: It all ends here.” Our Judaism cannot contain an ethnic state, because our Judaism is international in nature. Our Judaism cannot be protected by the rampaging military establishment of that (ethnic) state, because all the army does is sow sadness and reap hatred, including against us as Jews,” noting that “our Judaism is not threatened by people who raise their voices in solidarity with Palestine. Crossing lines of race, ethnicity, physical ability, gender identity and generations. Our Judaism is one of those voices, and it knows that in this chorus of voices lies our collective safety and liberation.”

Klein added, “Our Judaism is Passover Judaism: gathering in celebration to share food and wine with loved ones and strangers alike, a ritual that is portable by nature, light enough to carry on our backs, and we need nothing but each other: no walls, no temple, no Rabbi, there is a role for everyone, even - especially - the youngest children.” He considered that “the Passover Seder is a diaspora technology if there is one, and it is designed for collective grief, contemplation, asking questions, remembering, and reviving the revolutionary spirit.” So, look around. This, here, is our Judaism. While the waters rise and the forests burn and nothing is certain, we pray on the altar of solidarity and mutual assistance, whatever the cost.”

Liberation of Judaism

Klein added: “We do not need or want the false idol of Zionism.” We want freedom from the project that commits genocide in our name. Freedom from an ideology that has no plan for peace other than dealing with the murderous theocratic petro-states next door, while selling automated assassination techniques to the world. We seek to liberate Judaism from the ethno-state that wants Jews to feel perpetual fear, wants our children to be afraid, wants us to believe that the world is against us, so that we run to its fortress and under its iron dome, or - at the very least - to keep the weapons and donations flowing. That is a false idol.” According to Klein, the matter is not limited to “Netanyahu only, but the world that created it and created it: it is Zionism,” asking, “Who are we?” We, in these streets for months and months, are getting out… Leaving Zionism. And to the likes of the Chuck Schumers of this world, we do not say: “Let our people come out (from the captivity of Zionism).” Rather, we say: We have already left. And your children? They are with us now.” Exit statement finished.

 Resuming the battle against Zionism

The United States witnessed a decisive battle between Reform Judaism and the Zionist project, fought by the American Council for Judaism (the organization of observant American Jews) under the slogan that Jews are not a nationality but a religious group, and that it is necessary to revive the principles of Reform Judaism, whose rabbis have opposed Zionism since before World War First, they supported equal rights for Jews in the countries in which they lived. This battle was led by Elmer Berger (1908-1996), the Reform Jewish rabbi and writer, emancipated from Zionist thought, and who stood against Zionist intellectual terrorism. He contributed to the establishment and leadership of the “American Council of Judaism” with the aim of confronting the establishment of the Zionist state, because it does not represent all Jews in any national or political sense. He devoted his life, efforts, and writings to the issue of Palestine and opposing Zionism, exposing its claims, and warning Jews of its myths and dangers.

It is worth mentioning here that the United States, under the administration of Harry Truman, was the first country in the world to recognize the Zionist state, five minutes after announcing its establishment on May 15, 1948. On that day, everyone thought that Rabbi Elmer Berger and Reform Judaism had been defeated and had lost their battle against Zionism once and for all. But one who contemplates the statement of the Jewish “exit” from Zionism and the repudiation of the “settlement wheel,” in the heart of New York, as well as the popular movement across religions, generations, and races in the streets of the Western Metropolitan and its ancient universities, which was launched by the “Al-Aqsa Flood,” sees the resumption of Rabbi Elmer Berger’s battle against Zionism. The battle is not over, but is being fought with greater energy, broader horizons, and greater momentum.

  

Arab rulers’ summit in Bahrain, the Tradition of Irrelevance

Arab rulers’ summit in Bahrain, the Tradition of Irrelevance

    Thursday, May 16, 2024   No comments

Today, Thursday, in the Bahraini capital, Manama, the work of the Arab League Council began at the summit level in its thirty-third regular session, in the presence of a number of Arab leaders and foreign guests. No matter what kind of events are happening around the world, the Arab rulers have always maintained a record of inaction even when action is most needed. The Arab rulers do what they have done in previous 32 meetings, give speeches.

Summary of Arab rulers speeches and statements

Mahmoud Abbas: The new Palestinian government did not receive any financial support

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said that the new Palestinian government did not receive any financial support, as expected, despite the world welcoming it. He added that "Israel" continues to kill the Palestinian people in Gaza with American support.

He pointed out that "our priority is to stop the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip immediately and facilitate the arrival of aid," expressing his praise for the movements of the peoples of the world, "which have proven that they adhere to human rights standards more than their countries and institutions."

Bin Salman calls on the international community to work to stop the aggression against Gaza

At the opening of the Arab Summit in Bahrain, the Saudi Crown Prince called on the international community to carry out its duties in stopping the aggression against the Gaza Strip and delivering aid, reiterating “the firm position regarding the rights of the brotherly Palestinian people to establish a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital.”

He added that Saudi Arabia stresses the security of the Red Sea and stopping any activity that affects maritime navigation.

Comoros President: We all have a historic responsibility to stop the Gaza war

Comoros President Gazali Othmani said, “The systematic genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip arouses consciences, violates morals and religions, and challenges humanity,” adding: “We all have a historical responsibility to defend the oppressed, act immediately, and stop this war that children, women, and the elderly are exposed to.” In Palestine," expressing his appreciation for the efforts of Qatar and Egypt to reach a ceasefire.

Othmani called for unifying efforts to achieve a just and quick solution to the Palestinian issue by establishing a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.

President of Iraq: What the Zionist entity is doing constitutes genocide

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid said that what the "Zionist entity" is doing in the Gaza Strip is genocide by all standards, reiterating "Iraq's standing with the Palestinian people and the establishment of the Palestinian state with Holy Jerusalem as its capital."

In another context, Rashid called on all conflicting parties in Sudan to engage in dialogue in order to resolve the crisis, expressing at the same time his support for any steps for the Yemeni people to achieve stability. He pointed out that "Iraq rejects the violations that affect its territory or the use of it to attack others."

Al-Sisi: “Israel” continues to evade its responsibility

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said that Israel continues to evade its responsibility for the ceasefire, and is moving forward with its operation in Rafah, adding that Egypt will maintain its position of refusing to displace the Palestinians, or create conditions that make life in Gaza impossible.

He went on to say: "The critical situation requires joining our hands together to immediately end the war against the Palestinians, and grant them their rights to establish their independent state."

The Jordanian King: We reject the separation between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Jordanian King Abdullah II expressed his rejection of the separation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the displacement of Palestinians from their lands, noting that “achieving security and peace in the region requires intensifying efforts to support the Palestinian government to carry out its tasks, (as well as) supporting the Palestinians to establish their independent state on the June 4 borders.” ". King Abdullah stressed the need to support UNRWA and increase its financial allocations to continue carrying out its humanitarian role.

In another matter, the Jordanian King affirmed that “Jordan will continue to defend its sovereignty and repel armed groups, especially those that intend to smuggle drugs across the border.”

Head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohammed Al-Menfi:

We renew our condemnation of the brutal Zionist aggression against the Gaza Strip and our support for South Africa's efforts at the International Court of Justice to convict the occupation of committing the crime of genocide.

Aboul Gheit: The Arab peoples will not forget the blind Israeli violence

Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, said that the Zionist aggression against Gaza is “savage,” and the Arab peoples will not forget this “blind violence.”

He added that occupation and peace do not go together, and the path to peace (settlement) in the region requires a different approach and that the occupation abandon its illusions of retaining the land and controlling people.

He continued, saying: Forced displacement is rejected Arably, internationally, humanely and morally. Israel continues its ethnic cleansing operations in Gaza by force of arms.

The President of the African Commission calls on the world to stop the Gaza war

The President of the African Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, appealed to the world to stop the war on Gaza, praising the efforts of Egypt and Qatar in this regard. He added in another matter that the Sudan war must stop, "and the people of Sudan must sit together to resolve differences."

Guterres: The world is suffering because of what is happening in Gaza

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said, "The world is suffering because of what is happening in Gaza and we hope that the conflict will not spread to other places," adding that "nothing justifies collective punishment against the Palestinians... and the attack on Rafah is unacceptable." In another matter, Guterres said, "The war in Sudan is destroying its people and impeding the delivery of aid while millions are suffering from famine."

Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki:

We denounce the unprecedented destruction in the Gaza Strip and once again demand an end to the war in the Strip.

We demand the implementation of the two-state solution, stopping the Gaza war, and providing humanitarian aid.

The situation in Sudan and the war must stop immediately and the people of Sudan must be brought into direct dialogue far from any external interference.

- We support Libya in national reconciliation to move their country to safety.

Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Hussein Amir Taha:

We call for an international conference to address what is happening in the State of Palestine.

- To make the decision to enable the Palestinians to remain on their land, and we exercise all responsibilities to stop the bloody war.

- To mobilize all legal and judicial means to ensure the protection of the Palestinian people and hold the perpetrators accountable.

Bashar al-Assad participates in the Arab summit without giving a speech

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrived today, Thursday, in the Bahraini capital, Manama, to participate in the Arab Summit, without giving a speech.

The Syrian government delegation included Foreign Minister Faisal Al-Miqdad, Deputy Foreign Minister Bassam Al-Sabbagh, Assistant Foreign Minister Habib Abbas, the Syrian Ambassador to Bahrain, Muhammad Ali Ibrahim, and the Permanent Representative to the League of Arab States, Hussam Al-Din Ala.

The Algerian president is absent from the third Arab summit

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is absent from the third Arab summit in a row, to be represented in Bahrain by Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf. The Foreign Ministry announced that Attaf will represent Algeria at the summit at the level of Arab presidents and leaders, after his participation in the preliminary ministerial meeting of foreign ministers held last Monday.

Here are the most prominent points of the final statement of the 33rd Arab Summit in Bahrain

The Bahrain summit statement stressed the necessity of the Israeli army’s withdrawal from Gaza and lifting the siege on the Strip, stressing the need to enable UNRWA to work and provide financial support.

The statement added: “Belief in the importance of joint Arab action in preserving the security and stability of the Arab countries, cooperation and integration in all fields, and emphasizing the importance of dealing with a unified strategic vision with the challenges and requirements of sustainable development for the good and benefit of the Arab peoples, and in awareness of the strategic importance of the Arab nation on the global arena, And its economic potential and human resources, and the necessity of creating conditions to enhance cooperation, build economic partnerships, and achieve comprehensive development based on common interests and mutual benefits, in a way that meets the aspirations of our Arab peoples and achieves growth and prosperity, and out of an interest in adhering to solidarity, solidarity, and synergy to deal collectively with the current circumstances, and in devoting the importance of communication, cooperation, and integration to enhance The collective progress of our countries in all fields towards a safe, stable and prosperous region that meets the interests and aspirations of its people. We, the leaders of the Arab countries collectively:

1- We express our condolences to the State of Kuwait and its brotherly people on the death of the late Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the late Emir of Kuwait, may God rest his soul, and we congratulate His Highness Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, as His Highness assumed the reins of government in the State of Kuwait, wishing His Highness success and the people of Kuwait. Goodness, growth and prosperity.

2- We express our appreciation for the good efforts made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during its presidency of the thirty-second Arab Summit, and the good endeavors it is undertaking to unify efforts, support joint Arab action, enhance regional security, and defend the interests of the Arab countries and their peoples.

3- We stress the importance of the Joint Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee continuing its targeted efforts to stop the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and end the humanitarian catastrophe from which more than two million and three hundred thousand Palestinian citizens are suffering, and to mobilize an international position supportive of the right of the brotherly Palestinian people to live in security, safety and freedom in their independent state. Sovereignty over its national territory. We thank the Committee for its efforts on the regional and international arenas, expressing appreciation for the efforts of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States in preparing and arranging to hold the thirty-third summit.

4- We stress the need to stop the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip immediately, withdraw the Israeli occupation forces from all areas of the Strip, lift the siege imposed on it, remove all obstacles, open all crossings to the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid to all parts of it, and empower United Nations organizations, especially the United Nations Agency. Relief and Works for Refugees (UNRWA) from work, and to provide financial support for it to carry out its responsibilities freely and safely, reiterating our categorical rejection of any attempts to forcibly displace the Palestinian people from their land in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. We call for urgent measures to be taken to achieve an immediate and permanent ceasefire, end the aggression in the Gaza Strip, provide protection for civilians, and release hostages and detainees.”

The statement stressed: “In this context, we strongly condemn Israel’s obstruction of ceasefire efforts in the Gaza Strip, and its continued military escalation by expanding its aggression against the Palestinian city of Rafah despite international warnings of the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of that. We also condemn the Israeli forces’ control over the Palestinian side.” From the Rafah crossing with the aim of tightening the siege on civilians in the Gaza Strip, which led to the cessation of the crossing’s operation, the flow of humanitarian aid, and the loss of the Palestinian people of Gaza’s main lifeline. In this regard, we call on Israel to withdraw from Rafah, in order to ensure safe humanitarian access.”

Senior officer in the US Defense Intelligence Agency resigned objecting to US aid being used in thethe killing of civilians and children in Gaza

Senior officer in the US Defense Intelligence Agency resigned objecting to US aid being used in thethe killing of civilians and children in Gaza

    Monday, May 13, 2024   No comments

The New York Times reports that a 

senior officer in the US Defense Intelligence Agency announced his resignation from the army, rejecting the killing of civilians and children in the Gaza war. Maj. Harrison Mann, justifying his resignation, cited US policies that violated his conscience

The New York Times revealed that a senior officer in the US Defense Intelligence Agency announced his resignation from the army, rejecting the killing of civilians and children in the Gaza war. 

The American newspaper explained that the officer holds the rank of major, and his name is Harrison Mann, who specializes in the Middle East. He spent half of his career, 13 years, in its affairs, and previously worked at the American embassy in Tunisia. 

The New York Times pointed out that it is not known whether there have been other resignations in protest against American foreign policy since the aggression on Gaza, but the resignation of Mann, who is on active duty, over his country’s policy, is likely to be uncommon, especially since he announced the details that I pushed him for it. 

This is not the first resignation from decision-making centers in the United States, and it was preceded by Josh Paul, the official in the State Department’s office, supervising arms transfers, who refused to arm the Israeli occupation. Mann said he had intended to leave the army "at some point," but the Gaza war prompted him to resign on November 1 and leave his assignment at the Military Intelligence Agency.

Another US service member protested the war by setting himself on fire in front of the Israeli diplomatic building.