Too early for medals in Haiti

Rebel Newsflash: Too early for medals in Haiti (plus 26 more items)

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• Too early for medals in Haiti
• Who is bombing in Iraq?
• Listening to global voices
• Ghassan Kanafani's Ongoing Resistance
• The Maiden frontier
• Tough times for Gaza travel agent
• Palestinians suffer as Israeli government ignores its own court
• Water restrictions in the occupied West Bank
• Iranian Scientist Would Not Play 'Curveball'
• They're still lying about oil disaster
• Bomb Blasts in Iran and The Raymond/Constance Tanter DC Divorce Case: Is the MEK/MKO/PMOI/NCRI a Terrorist Outfit?
• The Adventures of Rabbi Rabbit
• Israel's economic warfare still keenly felt in Gaza
• Saturday: 4 Iraqis Killed, 7 Wounded
• Politics Isn't History
• Water and Drug War
• Kashmiri women united by loss
• Eurabia in Perspective
• Counting the Cost - China - hot or not?
• Israel's 'illegal' children
• India-Pakistan diplomacy
• The Rot from Within: Character Disorders of the Republic
• Israel Stops Listening to Its Judges
• An Interview With Jeff Halper
• International Big Jewry — Humanity's Real Enemy
• Palestinians Suffer as Courts' Authority Hits All-time Low
• Mr. Blair: At-Tuwani Awaits Your Response

Too early for medals in Haiti Posted: 18 Jul 2010 12:34 AM PDT Six months to the day since the earthquake, Edmond Mulet, the UN mission chief in Haiti, and assorted celebrities, politicians and NGO officials were at the presidential palace receiving medals for their role in the country's recovery effort. On the same sweltering morning, Al Jazeera was in the Champ de Mars camp opposite the palace grounds. It is a place where rape is so widespread that it frequently takes place in broad daylight, where gang members roam the narrow, stinking tented alleys with weapons, and where newly-orphaned street children fight over the odd piece of change handed out by aid workers stopping to take photographs in front of the ruined palace.

Who is bombing in Iraq? Posted: 17 Jul 2010 11:35 PM PDT On 10 May there were more than two dozen bombings and shootings in Iraq that killed at least 85 people and injured at least 300 [1]. These were coordinated attacks, clearly by the same organization. The US response to this and other recent attacks is to delay plans for withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Obama's election promise was to withdraw troops from Iraq by May this year. Not only is that obviously not going to happen but we learned after his election that "withdrawal" meant leaving 50,000 troops as 'trainers' as well as 4,500 special forces and tens of thousands of para-military contractors.

Listening to global voices Posted: 17 Jul 2010 11:14 PM PDT Though Ethan Zuckerman did not coin the term "bridge blogger," in the years since he co-founded Global Voices Online with Rebecca MacKinnon, he has quite possibly become the world's foremost expert on - and proponent of - the idea.

Ghassan Kanafani's Ongoing Resistance Posted: 17 Jul 2010 10:04 PM PDT On 8 July 1972, the Israeli Mossad murdered Ghassan Kanafani, of the most prominent Palestinian writers, intellectuals and political leaders. Thirty eight years later we discuss with Nassar Ibrahim, author and Policy Director of the Alternative Information Center (AIC), about Ghassan Kanafani's work, vision and heritage. Nassar was 14 years old at the time of the assassination of Kanafani.

The Maiden frontier Posted: 17 Jul 2010 09:43 PM PDT I think it was somewhere in the middle of either Blood Brothers or Brave New World that it occurred to me: I was watching a blueprint for the as yet unfulfilled project of modernisation in the Middle East. I was standing with my son - well, jumping - somewhere off to the side of the stage at Madison Square Garden, the most celebrated concert venue in the world, listening to British heavy metal legends Iron Maiden gallop through a 16-odd song set during a sold out show in the midst of their biggest ever tour of North America.

Tough times for Gaza travel agent Posted: 17 Jul 2010 08:39 PM PDT "Shurafa Tourist and Travel Company has been operating in Gaza since 1952," Nabil Shurafa, general manager of the company, says proudly; "it was founded by my father." This historical background is significant, as much for understanding the many and various forms of movement restrictions with which Shurafa Travel has had to deal during Gaza's 43 year occupation as for providing a rationale for how and why Shurafa remains open under the current restrictions, which have made travel outside of Gaza impossible for most of the 1.5 million inhabitants of the coastal enclave.

Palestinians suffer as Israeli government ignores its own court Posted: 17 Jul 2010 08:03 PM PDT The Israeli government is facing legal action for contempt over its refusal to implement a high court ruling that it end a policy of awarding preferential budgets to Jewish communities, including settlements, rather than much poorer Palestinian Arab towns and villages inside Israel. The contempt case on behalf of Israel's Palestinian minority comes in the wake of growing criticism of the government for ignoring court decisions it does not like -- a trend that has been noted by the high court justices themselves.

Water restrictions in the occupied West Bank Posted: 17 Jul 2010 08:03 PM PDT The worst place to be in the occupied West Bank in terms of water and sanitation facilities is an Israeli-controlled stretch of land known as Area C, where the Palestinian Authority (PA) is technically responsible for water services, but simply unable to deliver. Cara Flowers, an officer with the Emergency Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Group (EWASH), said the health and livelihoods of communities living in Area C -- covering 60 percent of land in the West Bank and home to some 60,000 of the West Bank's 2.3 million Palestinians -- were hardest hit as they have a severe lack of access to water and sanitation infrastructure.

Iranian Scientist Would Not Play 'Curveball' Posted: 17 Jul 2010 05:00 PM PDT Useful insights often must be seen through a glass darkly. But some can be pulled through the smoke and mirrors shrouding the wanderings of Iranian scientist Shahram Amiri, who is now back home in Iran after 14 months in the U.S. as guest of the CIA. The confusing/amusing spin applied by both countries to L' Affaire Amiri can detract from the real issues. The facts beneath the competing narratives permit a key conclusion; namely, that U.S. intelligence has learned nothing to change its assessment that Iran halted work on the nuclear-weapons related part of its nuclear development program in the fall of 2003 and has not restarted that work.

They're still lying about oil disaster Posted: 17 Jul 2010 04:36 PM PDT Oil industry insider Matt Simmons blew the whistle on the made-for-TV capping of the so-called oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico Thursday, July 15, during an interview on KPFK radio, the NPR station in Los Angeles. Simmons, former energy adviser to the second President Bush, explained that according to his reading of the data from NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, capping of the so-called riser and the subsequent announcement by U.S. President Obama was "the biggest con job we've ever seen."

Bomb Blasts in Iran and The Raymond/Constance Tanter DC Divorce Case: Is the MEK/MKO/PMOI/NCRI a Terrorist Outfit? Posted: 17 Jul 2010 10:42 AM PDT My radio partner, Mark Glenn, sent me the Agency France Presse (AFP) release today containing the tragic-comedic news that a Washington, D. C.-based 3 judge panel on the U. S. Appeals Court has declared that the U. S. State Department "failed to accord the People's Mujahideen Organization of Iran [PMOI]/Mujahideen-e-Khalq [MEK/MKO] the due process protections" necessary for the latter to appeal its classification as a terrorist organization.

The Adventures of Rabbi Rabbit Posted: 17 Jul 2010 08:56 AM PDT A group of Jewish millionaires and their Jewish accountants have just broken the world's record in the "Jews Stock Together" category. Functioning as One, fifty-six of the them - enraptured with each other completely - have successfully balanced on the rim of an undersized Coke bottle.

Israel's economic warfare still keenly felt in Gaza Posted: 17 Jul 2010 06:06 AM PDT Israel has received international praise for its decision to ease its crippling blockade on Gaza following the country's deadly assault on a humanitarian flotilla trying to bring desperately needed humanitarian aid to the coastal territory. But according to the UN and human rights organizations, the easing of the blockade is insufficient in meeting Gaza's needs. "Even if the blockade is eased it remains illegal under international law as it is a collective form of punishment on a civilian population," Chris Gunness from the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) told IPS.

Saturday: 4 Iraqis Killed, 7 Wounded Posted: 17 Jul 2010 04:27 AM PDT At least four Iraqis were killed and seven more were wounded in lights attacks in the north. Meanwhile, the United States must evaluate policies that could affect Iraq's relations with Turkey and Iran. Turkish newspaper Hurriyet quoted outgoing U.S. Ambassador To Turkey James Jeffrey saying that the U.S. would increase support to Turkey in their fight against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), including clearing out airspace for Turkish operations. Meanwhile, eight were wounded in the latest PKK rocket attack in southeastern Turkey. Turkey has so far ignored requests from Iraq to cease operations in the north. Thousands of civilians have been displaced by both Turkish and Iranian operations against rebel groups.

Politics Isn't History Posted: 17 Jul 2010 04:21 AM PDT When commentating on a public figure it's important to judge him by what makes him different instead of by what he shares with everyone else in society.  If there was a Saudi Arabian talk show host, and I told you he glorified the Prophet Muhammad, it wouldn't tell you much.  I may criticize the society as a whole for following the founder of their faith, but it would make little sense to get after the individual talk show host for being a Muslim. This is leading into what I find strange about Paul Gottfried's criticisms of Glenn Beck. Yes, he reveres Martin Luther King, Jr.  And though I'm no King scholar, I would bet that if the man were alive today he would see affirmative action, other black supremacist legislation and big government in general as just reparations, as blacks in general tend to. But what the man's true ideology was is irrelevant.

Water and Drug War Posted: 17 Jul 2010 03:40 AM PDT The Israeli occupation is destroying the Palestinian wells with bulldozers. In the occupied towns, cities, villages and refugee camps of Palestine, stealing water and spreading drugs by the Israeli occupation are symptoms of a daily cold war in which the Palestinians are suffering of shortage of drinking water and the basic daily needs, and the increasing number of Palestinian drug dealers under control of the Israeli army and police.

Kashmiri women united by loss Posted: 17 Jul 2010 01:24 AM PDT Parvina Hangar's son was just 16 years old when she says he was abducted by Indian forces. That was almost 20 years ago, and Hangar, a simple woman with an elementary school education, did not know what to do or who to turn to. The pain of losing her son left her unable to get out of bed for months. Today Hangar strikes a very different figure. She proudly displays the plaque she was awarded as one of 1,000 women nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.

Eurabia in Perspective Posted: 17 Jul 2010 12:09 AM PDT With all due respect to Mr. Trifkovic, if his latest piece on Islam was written by somebody of Jewish descent 90% of the commentators would've been telling the author that he was being hyperbolic and to fight his own battles. I m no fan of Muslim immigration.  In fact, I think that best case scenario most European countries will have a significant Muslim minority hostile to their societies forever.

Counting the Cost - China - hot or not? Posted: 16 Jul 2010 09:10 PM PDT On this episode of Counting the Cost: We look at the banks of the world's powerhouse economy, clean cars and World Cup sponsorship.

Israel's 'illegal' children Posted: 16 Jul 2010 08:26 PM PDT For most children summer is a carefree time. But for the children of Israel's undocumented migrant workers, deportation looms on the horizon. It has been a hotly contested issue since last July, when the Oz Unit, a strong arm of the interior ministry's population and immigration authority, first hit the streets.

India-Pakistan diplomacy Posted: 16 Jul 2010 07:13 PM PDT Can a common approach between these two arch enemies resolve their deep differences?

The Rot from Within: Character Disorders of the Republic Posted: 16 Jul 2010 06:00 PM PDT In reading a number of books on the destructive manipulative behavior of people with personality disorders I became increasingly struck by how the behavior of our politicians and our nation, especially with respect to foreign policy, was so precisely described. The lesson from this study is not just sobering, but taken alongside the invincible tide of history –  the collapse of every empire – the prognosis for our nation is bleak.

Israel Stops Listening to Its Judges Posted: 16 Jul 2010 06:00 PM PDT The Israeli government is facing legal action for contempt over its refusal to implement a Supreme Court ruling that it end a policy of awarding preferential budgets to Jewish communities, including settlements, rather than much poorer Palestinian Arab towns and villages inside Israel. The contempt case on behalf of Israel's Palestinian minority comes in the wake of growing criticism of the government for ignoring court decisions it does not like — a trend that has been noted by the Supreme Court justices themselves.

An Interview With Jeff Halper Posted: 16 Jul 2010 12:55 PM PDT Jeff Halper is Co-Founder and Coordinator for the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD).  He was commissioned as a resource person for the Presbyterian Church's Middle East Study Committee during its 219th General Assembly.  We spoke at two different times over the course of the week on topics related to the conflict in Israel / Palestine. This interview was conducted by Matthew Walleser for PNN.

International Big Jewry — Humanity's Real Enemy Posted: 16 Jul 2010 11:00 AM PDT "I fear the Jewish banks with their craftiness and tortuous tricks will entirely control the exuberant riches of America. And use it to systematically corrupt modern civilization. The Jews will not hesitate to plunge the whole of Christendom into wars and chaos that the earth should become their inheritance." — Bismarck

Palestinians Suffer as Courts' Authority Hits All-time Low Posted: 15 Jul 2010 11:54 PM PDT The Israeli government is facing legal action for contempt over its refusal to implement a Supreme Court ruling that it end a policy of awarding preferential budgets to Jewish communities, including settlements, rather than much poorer Palestinian Arab towns and villages inside Israel. The contempt case on behalf of Israel's Palestinian minority comes in the wake of growing criticism of the government for ignoring court decisions it does not like -- a trend that has been noted by the Supreme Court justices themselves.

Mr. Blair: At-Tuwani Awaits Your Response Posted: 15 Jul 2010 09:34 PM PDT It's not too difficult to imagine the reasons. After all, you had been Prime Minister of a country which is seen as a right-or-wrong supporter of Israel. You are an avowed 'Friend of Israel'. And, the party you once led receives large donations from well-known Zionists. Probably even more damning though is that you danced to George W Bush's tune and enlisted your country in the disastrous invasion of Iraq - widely seen by many in the Middle East as an Israeli war waged by the West. Yet another reminder to Palestinians, if one were needed, that Western policy in the region seems permanently set to favour Israel.

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