Haven’t seen anything like this since Selma, 1964.
The International Solidarity Movement provided this report on this demonstration by Palestinian, Israeli, and international women in the West Bank. Except that women were involved this time around, these demonstrations have been going on week after week, and Americans are largely ignorant of them, thanks to censorship by our mainstream media.
On the 23rd of July a women’s demonstration against the construction of the apartheid wall took place in Ni’lin. Girls from the local summer camp had painted placards and made two big banners saying “Women against the Apartheid wall” for the demonstration.
Palestinian women came all the way from Tulkarem and Ramallah to join the demonstration. In total around 100 Palestinian, international and Israeli women participated in the march aiming at the bulldozers working on the construction site of the apartheid wall.
When having the bulldozer in site the women were violently stopped by Israeli soldiers who used teargas, sound bombs, and physical violence. The women did not surrender but continued the chanting and tried to reach the bulldozers. The demonstrators succeeded to approach the bulldozers until being only 20 meters away. The soldiers then responded with a lot of violence, abusing more than 20 participators. Two persons were arrested, Jamal Kanaan from Ni’lin and one Canadian activist.
All in all the demonstration was very successful, being the first big women’s demonstration in Ni’lin for a long time.
When will Americans stand up for their principles and condemn actions such as these, which have been supported for years by taxpayer money and military equipment? It is hard to understand America’s duplicity in our foreign relations and attitudes toward Israel.
In the meanwhile, Palestinian fratricide is raging in Gaza, the only part of the region that is actually controlled by Palestinians.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/world/middleeast/27mideast.html?scp=2&sq=gaza&st=nyt
END THE OCCUPATION
Per Bush plan for forced civil war.
Money and bullshit continue to control our media and attitude toward Israel’s terrorist activities.
Undeniable, undeniable.
Thanks for the diary, shergald.
Send diaries like this one to congress people on a daily basis. Till they grow a conscience.
“america’s duplicity” is not being driven by public opinion. contrary to the msm propaganda, it is a government policy, heavily influenced by the usual suspects, that is in stark contrast to the feelings of an overwhelming majority of american citizens. glenn greenwald had a very good essay back in july addressing the specifics re: the israel-palenstinian conflict, that drew heavily on a recent survey done by the 8university of maryland’s program on international policy attitudes*…“the premiere organization for surveying international public opinion”:
it’s rather long and filled with charts and other musings, including obama’s abrupt swing to the right vis a vis his pilgrimage to aipac soon after securing the nomination, as well as his recent trip, which has been discussed here in other diaries.
recommended reading.
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Major speakers such as the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Daniel Ayalon, and pro-Israel Congressmen Eric Cantor (R., Va.) and Tom Lantos (D., Calif.) encouraged the predominantly evangelical Christian participants to campaign against any plan that would force Israel to abandon its settlements or relinquish land now under its control. Key provisions of the road map call for Israel to make concessions on both issues.
PUBLIC OPINION REPLACED BY PRESSURE GROUPS
A decisive moment in the forging of this alliance occurred in April 2002, while the Israeli army was demolishing several cities and refugee camps in the West Bank following the dreadful Passover terrorist bombings. Under increasing international pressure, Bush repeatedly appealed to Sharon to withdraw from the West Bank city of Jenin. The pro-Israel lobby, in coordination with the Christian right, mobilized over 100,000 e-mail messages, calls and visits urging the president to avoid restraining Israel. The tactic worked. The president uttered not another word of criticism or caution, and Sharon continued the offensive. As Christian televangelist Jerry Falwell commented during an October interview on 60 Minutes: “I think now we can count on President Bush to do the right thing for Israel every time.
The Republican Jewish Coalition
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."Oui you seem to have a reference library in that mind of yours. Thanks for this additional material. As always, it brings insight.
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In an October 23, 2003 AP report, General Jerry Boykin, assistant to Cambone, described the battle against Islamic terrorists as a clash between Christianity and “a guy named Satan” and suggested that Christians needed to support the divine plan that had put Bush in office …
“It is the principalities of darkness …. It is a demonic presence in that city that God revealed to me as the enemy.” It was Jerry Boykin who briefed Stephen Cambone his boss on Miller’s visit to Abu Ghraib. It was Boykin who encourages the directive to change policy there along the lines that had proved so effective at Guantanamo.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."this guy’s a **…his wiki page is pretty enlightening…..he’s about to publish his memoirs: a soldier’s journey to the crossroads of faith and freedom
¡jezeus! what rock did all these crazies crawl out from under.
Right wing Israelis and Zionists have honed a particularly effective tool: fear of the charge of anti-Semitism. It is incredible how readily politicians bend to the will of right wing Zionist supporters such as is represented by AIPAC.
The will of the people can be bent by propaganda so why should anyone pay attention to polls.
Thanks for this interesting material.