Uruknet, May 14, 2008
Stuart Littlewood
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Photo: The Tank, Musa al-Shaer The West’s leaders mark the Rogue State’s 60th birthday with a back-slapping show of friendship… but what are they so pleased about? Israel has ethnically cleansed and oppressed the Palestinian people for 60 years Israel continues to occupy, rob, humiliate, threaten and slaughter its neighbours Israel’s military occupation of Palestine is illegal under international law and breaches countless UN resolutions Israel is no western-style democracy. It is hatefully racist 8 Palestinians die for every Israeli; when it comes to children the kill-rate is 11 to 1. The Israel lobby has undue influence over many elected western politicians and government ministers, distorting foreign policy Israel’s cheer-leaders kick up a fuss about one captured Israeli soldier while 9000 Palestinians, including women and children, languish in Israeli jails. Israel relentlessly pursues a policy of displacement, i.e. exile and deportation, economic impoverishment, land expropriation, revoking residency rights, etc, to expand its borders. The siege of Gaza will end if the Qassam rockets stop, says Israel. No rockets are fired from the West Bank but Israel still occupies it, steals it, terrorises it and dumps toxic waste and raw sewage there. Of the 1.4 million people squashed into Gaza, two-thirds are refugees from Israel's land-grabs. Now they are blockaded, blitzed and blasted with sophisticated weaponry paid for with US tax dollars. Gaza's 3000 fishermen have no fuel for their boats. If they do put to sea they risk being shelled by Israeli patrol vessels. Half the dialysis and other machines in Gaza's hospitals are out of action because the Israelis won't let spares in, or even essential drugs. Israel is paralysing the Christian Church and terrorising the Holy Land’s Christian communities. Knowing all this, our prime minister Gordon Brown calls the State of Israel one of the 'greatest achievements’ of the 20th century. "Let us all stand ready to help Israel find a truly secure place in a peaceful Middle East," he says in a speech to mark the entity’s celebrations. Has the wee man lost his marbles? Jews themselves are critical of the Jewish state. In addition to the many well-known individuals who speak out, a number of organisations stand against the unspeakable abuses practiced by the Israel… Rabbis for Human Rights, ICAHD, Neturei Karta, Peace Now, Independent Jewish Voice, Gush Shalom, the human rights organisation B’Tselem and many more. Yesh Gvul supports Israeli soldiers who refuse to take part in acts of oppression and occupation. We salute them all. Why do so many of our politicians carry on a love affair with Israel? |
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