The Palestine thread

[give her dixie]

Desmond Tutu: U.S. Christians must recognize Israel as apartheid state

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.599422?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Veteran anti-apartheid activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu has called on the Presbyterian Church (USA) to pass a series of resolutions condemning Israel as an apartheid state and proposing policies to boycott it.

The church's biennial General Assembly, which is currently meeting in Detroit, has on its agenda eight resolutions dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Activists want the church and its institutions to use their investment dollars to punish Israel over its treatment of the Palestinians, such as by withdrawing investments from companies whose products are used by the Israeli government in the Palestinian territories

LIVE UPDATES: Netanyahu hails arrest of 50 former prisoners freed in 2011 Shalit swap

http://www.haaretz.com/mobile/1.599527

Israel's security forces overnight Wednesday arrested 65 Palestinians, 50 of which were among the 1,027 prisoners released by Israel in 2011, as part of an exchange deal to free IDF soldier Gilad Shalit from Hamas captivity. 240 arrests were made since the start of the operation on Friday, 180 members of them Hamas men.

In bid to increase pressure on Hamas, the cabinet decided on Tuesday to worsen the conditions of members of the organization held in Israeli prisons. In addition, the government is weighing whether to expel top Hamas officials from the West Bank to Gaza.

"The campaign against Hamas is complicated and prolonged. It didn't start today and it will not end soon. We're hitting Hamas in every dimension," Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon, who commands the military in the West Bank, said on Tuesday. He added that Hamas leaders "are feeling the heat and getting the message."

[give her dixie]

Sinead O'Connor changes mind about performing in Israel

Singer Sinead O'Connor is attempting to back out of a scheduled performance in Israel, saying that she was unaware pro-Palestinian groups had called on her to boycott Israel.

"I was not informed by my booking agent and was unaware myself, that a boycott of Israel had been requested by the Palestinian people," O'Connor wrote in a statement published Friday on her website and later removed.

"I agreed to perform having been unaware any such boycott had been requested. Had I been aware I would not have agreed to perform."

The Irish singer is scheduled to play in Caesarea on September 11. The concert date is not listed on her website.

O'Connor added that she would pull out only if there is no financial cost, pointing out that she is the sole breadwinner for her four children.

"No one should assume musicians can afford not to work. Neither should anyone assume we can afford to pay the legal costs involved in pulling out of shows," she wrote.

O'Connor criticized supporters of both the Palestinians and of Israel.

"I do not appreciate being bullied by anyone on either side of this debate any more than I appreciate not being properly informed by my booking agent of the potential ramifications of accepting work in war zones," she wrote.

It is not the first time that an O'Connor concert in Israel has been contentious. She canceled a planned concert in Jerusalem in 1997, following right-wing protests against her participation, legal action and death threats.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.599464

[rossiewanderer]

In the past hour, several airstrikes have rocked the Gaza Strip. No injuries reported at this stage

Meanwhile in Iraq...

[seafoid]

In the past hour, several airstrikes have rocked the Gaza Strip. No injuries reported at this stage

Meanwhile in Iraq...

Meanwhile in Roscommon nobody is bombed. Why does Gaza get so much punishment ?

[rossiewanderer]

If Palestine became an independent and self sufficient Nation their is no doubt whatsoever it would quickly develop into a long and bloody Civil War.

[seafoid]

Now israel wants to sedate and then forcefeed palestinian prisoners on hunger strike.
Jewish ethics v 2.0.

[Mike Sheehy]

Sinead O'Connor changes mind about performing in Israel

Singer Sinead O'Connor is attempting to back out of a scheduled performance in Israel, saying that she was unaware pro-Palestinian groups had called on her to boycott Israel.

"I was not informed by my booking agent and was unaware myself, that a boycott of Israel had been requested by the Palestinian people," O'Connor wrote in a statement published Friday on her website and later removed.

"I agreed to perform having been unaware any such boycott had been requested. Had I been aware I would not have agreed to perform."

The Irish singer is scheduled to play in Caesarea on September 11. The concert date is not listed on her website.

O'Connor added that she would pull out only if there is no financial cost, pointing out that she is the sole breadwinner for her four children.

"No one should assume musicians can afford not to work. Neither should anyone assume we can afford to pay the legal costs involved in pulling out of shows," she wrote.

O'Connor criticized supporters of both the Palestinians and of Israel.

"I do not appreciate being bullied by anyone on either side of this debate .
any more than I appreciate not being properly informed by my booking agent of the potential ramifications of accepting work in war zones," she wrote

It is not the first time that an O'Connor concert in Israel has been contentious. She canceled a planned concert in Jerusalem in 1997, following right-wing protests against her participation, legal action and death threats.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.599464

I hope you learn some lessons from the bit that is bolded. It is the bullying and intimidation of self-righteous zealots like you that alienates people.

[seafoid]

Asking jews to stand up for human rights is antisemitic. How did that happen?

[Mike Sheehy]

Asking jews to stand up for human rights is antisemitic. How did that happen?

No,willfully ignoring clear examples of jews standing up for human rights and constantly demonizing them is anti-semitic. It is the constant selectivity and different standard for jews that is a clear characteristic of an anti-semite.

You yourself continuously post on mondoweiss.org which positions itself as having a "progressive jewish perspective" and is extremely critical of Israel (eventhough plenty of actual progressive jews would take issue with a lot of what is posted on that site). You continuously quote from Haaretz which is a leading Israeli newspaper. Everybody (rightly) criticizes Isareli policy toward Palestinians yet you continually spam us with this manufactured reality of yours where we are all, apparently, oblivious to what is going on in Israel/Palestine (and the middle east in general) and that we need to be educated by yourself and GHD. Why don't you post some Hamas or Fatah articles that are self-critical for a change...just for a sense of balance like.....I'd wager that you'll have a bit of trouble finding them .........

Despite posting freely on that site , despite quoting all those articles you show no compromize, no give, not a smidgen of good will. In 13 years it has been one way traffic ..you quote Israeli/jewish criticism of Israel then turn around and rail against hasbara and bots and blah, blah, blah. 

You are a joke.

[Mike Sheehy]

..and , just to illustrate the two faced nature of Seafoid, he quotes haaretz incessantly on gaaboard yet dismisses it as  "a joke" elsewhere.

Seafoid says
June 18, 2014 at 10:10 am   
Ha'aretz is such a joke

ISRAEL NEWS
West Bank kidnapping
World Cup 2014
Gay Pride

The love the gays but they despise straight Palestinians. And they watch soccer to switch off . Palestinians can't ever switch off, of course.

He seems to have a problem with Israeli respect for differing sexual orientation as well.

He is a very intolerant chap isn't he ?

[give her dixie]

Since the 3 illegal settlers went missing last week, Israel have been hell bent on making life as difficult as possible for the Palestinians.

3 Palestinian youths have been killed, including a 14 year old boy today.

They have raided 1150 "locations," including homes, charities, universities, and offices, and detained 330 Palestinians, out of which 240 were affiliated with Hamas

More settlements have been announced, and while the world knows all about the 3 squatters, nobody will hardly hear about these 3 Palestinians that have been murdered by terrorists who claim to be "Gods Chosen Ones".

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=706357

[seafoid]

The disappearance of those 3 kids is above all an embarrassment for the Israeli Army.
It looks like they wanted to come down hard on Hamas for a while.

But they have no answers to the big question- what are they going to do with the Palestinians ?

[seafoid]

Hey Dixie

Don't forget to say something positive about Israel.
Maybe the fellas who do the torturing are very nice to their wives.

http://www.dailycamera.com/guest-opinions/ci_25980615/israel-prizes-expansion-over-peace

"For leaders to obstruct peace, refuse to comply with international law and fail to negotiate in good faith, they first must succeed in misleading their loyalists.
The real conflict for any who ignore or deny documented history is not Israel versus a hostile world. The real conflict is the inability to integrate the hard-to-believe but inescapable awareness of Israel's inhumane treatment of non-Jews with unquestioned loyalty to the Jewish state. One consideration recognizes Israel's dark side. The other denies the dark side exists.""

[muppet]

If I am a Palestinian who fires a rocket into Israel, knowing it is likely to trigger a disproportionate,  murderous, response against my own people, what does that make me?

[haveaharp]

If I am a Palestinian who fires a rocket into Israel, knowing it is likely to trigger a disproportionate,  murderous, response against my own people, what does that make me?

Desperate I'd say. And similar to republicans throughout the troubles.