GAZA ANNIVERSARY ~ NEW YEAR

It’s just before midnight on New Years Eve as I write this post. What am I doing? Blogging. Why? Because last December 27th Israel changed my life and the lives of so many others worldwide. Weeks ago, as the Anniversary of the Gaza Genocide loomed, I had grand plans to make a video about the children killed in Gaza, write a great post or say some wise prophetic words to the world. It never happened. I don’t know why, perhaps I was a bit down thinking of the massive “Blitzkrieg” inflicted on Gaza 365 days ago, and wondering what had changed, seeing no change, seeing no chance for change. No major world power stepping up to the proverbial “Humanity Plate” to make a stand for all of mankind. No one willing to tackle the plague of quick war for profit and political needs, or the death and destruction left in the wake of such wars, or the helplessness felt by humanity who abhor these wars and want them to stop. Nothing.

But I’m feeling rather pensive tonight, so I will write my post now, because I’ve discovered something phenomenal out of the despair. More proof that good can come of evil. You see, I was mistaken all these depressive weeks I was thinking about the looming Gaza Anniversary. I was mistaken dwelling on only what the eyes can see taking place on the ground. What I failed to look at was what cannot be so easily seen with the eyes, what is not concrete, what you cannot touch with your hands.

In fact, much HAS changed, and here’s my rundown of things to be thankful for during the year 2009 after the Gaza Genocide:

Millions of people turned to the internet, looking for people to connect with, looking for people who shared their outrage, and most importantly, looking to get to know more about Palestinians. What they saw when Israel murdered so many innocent children was not the faces of strange unknown people they could not identify with, but rather Israel allowed with their killing in Gaza, for millions worldwide to see with their own eyes that those “different” people are actually just like us. People began to wake up from the politics of fear. Their children could be our children, their tiny wee faces screaming in fear and pain and sadness needed no translation from Arabic to English or any other language. That was a change.

Then we saw millions raise their voices in outrage, demanding justice, demanding freedom for Gaza and Palestine. That was a change.

Then, right when the world needed it, we saw the first Convoy to break the siege, Viva Palestina. It arrived at Rafah and after some days entered to a cheering crowd. How many of us cried along with the grown men who kissed the ground of Gaza? That was a change.

From that convoy others were born, The Hope Convoy in May, Three more Viva Palestina convoys and many other smaller ones, rarely covered in the media. But, that was a change.

It was all of our collective voices, protesting on the streets at Israeli embassies worldwide calling for BDS on Israel. We had some victories, some companies pulled out of their dealings with the rogue state. Universities cancelled events and speakers. Israeli officials were hounded and shouted down when they appeared in countries around the world, even in America. That was a change.

We then saw people band together in a joint effort to hold Israel accountable under International Law. To ask the UN to hold Israel accountable under the Geneva Convention. And again, it was our collective voices and pressure on our governments via protests and outrage that forced through the decision to have Richard Goldstone and his team to investigate. That was a change.

We then, again through our collective outrage began a “War Criminal” watch. And soon Israeli’s were afraid of travelling outside their self made prison, for fear of arrest. Even Livni was forced to cancel her visit to England. And today, every one who served in the genocide lives in fear of being hunted down outside the protective walls of their prison called Israel. Afraid if they travel and are forced to land in some strange little country they could find themselves under arrest. That is a change.

Recently we have seen thousands come from around the world to Egypt in an effort to break the siege on the Code Pink Gaza Freedom March and show solidarity with Gaza. And this takes place one year later, which shows we are still going strong for our cause. And despite the refusal of Egypt to allow them in, they have instead done an unexpected thing. They have helped to expose the collusion between Egypt, US and Israel, and to illustrate the role Egypt plays in supporting Israel and strangling the Gaza population by refusing to open the border which is supposed to belong to Egypt, but by way of collusion, belongs to Israel instead. That is a change.

And as we celebrate the New Year around the world in our respective countries, somewhere between Jordan and Syria sit another viva Palestina convoy of Aid yet again attempting to break the siege. Instead of spending the holidays with family and friends, they are going to Gaza to deliver aid. This is a change.

And lastly I’ll leave you with this thought. We continue to call for a Free Palestine, and we continue to cry for Gaza. But we should not cry for Gaza, because Gaza IS Free! It is the only part of Palestine that actually IS free. Because once you jump through the Egyptian/Israeli hoops and enter Gaza, you are free. NO Israeli checkpoints, no Israeli road blocks, no Israeli illegal settlements, no Israeli army on the streets. Gaza, my friends is FREE! And it was THAT fact along with the changes above that took away my sadness.

So, on the Anniversary of the Gaza Genocide, I refuse to be sad, instead I will celebrate ALL the good things that I have written about above. I will celebrate the spirit of the people of Gaza and Palestine. I will celebrate the good and decent people I have had the good fortune to meet this year and to call my friend. I will celebrate what next year can bring if we keep focused and keep working to bring freedom and justice to Palestine. And Miracle of Miracles, it just turned 12 midnight. Happy New Year

Irish4palestine

TIME TO BRING THE BDS CAMPAIGN TO EGYPT

“Team Egypt”

Egypt has been sitting on the fence for a year, trying to placate all sides, trying to do a massive high wire balancing act by allowing some aid in, and sending the majority of aid to Israel where it disappears as gifts to those who occupy, oppress and murder at will. Allowing a few convoys and delegations into Gaza, whilst blocking the majority of others. Waging a war of “attrition” on convoy members who are forced to wait for weeks in Egypt until their money runs out and they are forced to abandon their aid. This then becomes a “free gift” for Egypt or Israel. Stealing the “good will” of the world’s population who fund these aid convoys and mocking the humanity that stands against Genocide and supports international law. People and companies who donated aid should file lawsuits against Egypt and demand compensation for their possessions.

But now Egypt has finally made its decision, Egypt has now picked sides. Upon the 1 year Anniversary of the Gaza Genocide, it has become very clear over the past week where Egypt’s sympathies lie. Not with their Muslim brothers and sisters inside Gaza who are suffering every day, not with the vast majority of the worlds population who fund aid convoys to help them, not with the Human Rights Organisations who condemn the illegal siege, not with Richard Goldstone’s report, in short, not with humanity.

Instead, where Egypt has placed its sympathy and support is with Israel and the US. For Egypt has become complicit in assisting and committing War Crimes against their fellow Muslims in Gaza. Egypt stands against humanity and Egypt stands against those of us who want to share humanity with those suffering in Gaza.

Given Egypt’s choice to stand against Humanity and FOR Oppression, murder and racism, they can no longer be seen as being outside this conflict. As such, they should now be treated exactly like the other members of “Team Egypt” and the world should now target Egypt with the same BDS campaign that is directed at Israel. Here’s why:

1. Egypt builds Apartheid wall against it’s Muslim brothers and sisters with assistance of US military and at the behest of Israel, to further strangle Gaza Civilian population, thus causing more deaths due to the illegal siege.

2.Egypt closes border to Gaza 2010 Marchers

And on the heels of world outrage directed at Egypt, shortly thereafter Israel lends some fake “Credence” to their Egyptians slaves, by dropping leaflets into Gaza threatening another invasion on the Anniversary. This is all a ruse to give Egypt an excuse to close the border and secondly, it allows Egypt to lay the “blame” for the border closure on Israel. Nice collusion hasbara.

3. Then they turn to the Viva Palestina Convoy, now stranded in Jordan given an impossible task by Egypt. They have been asked to fold up the 200 plus vehicles and personnel into a neat little suitcase and send it on an logistically impossible route in order to “enter” Gaza. There now, Egypt off the hook once again. More after this:

As it is now very clear that Egypt is working with the Americans and Israel, they can NO longer be considered to be outside the parameters of War Crimes. Just as the US supplied the DIME missiles and White Phosphorous, So Egypt is facilitating the illegal siege causing more death. Time to call for a worldwide Boycott of Egypt.....NOW!

THIS BEARS REPEATING...........

As we fast approach the Anniversary of the 21st century, currently in progress, and never ending Zionist perpetuated Holocaust in Gaza, some things are worth remembering and repeating:

From January 11th, 2009:
HOW ISRAEL GETS AWAY WITH MURDER

When Lord Derby asked Sir Lewis Namier, the great historian of Georgian England, why he, as a Jew, didn't write Jewish history, Namier replied: "There is no modern Jewish history, only a Jewish martyrology, and that is not amusing enough for me." It might be said that the underlying purpose of the Zionist project – which Namier passionately supported – was to reject Jewish martyrology, and to turn the Jews from passive victims to active makers of their destiny.

That has been accomplished to a fault, many would say as they watch the news from Gaza, where one image after another has caused deep revulsion. But then that rejection of martyrdom and victimhood may also explain what has puzzled as well as dismayed onlookers – the fact that Israel seems to be quite oblivious to international opinion.

In Muslim countries there is, of course, intense hostility to Israel, which, in return, has long since followed the Latin principle oderint dum metuant towards her neighbours: Let them hate us, so long as they fear us. Since there's no point in even trying to win their hearts and minds, they should be taught to respect brute force, a precept which, it should be admitted, has enjoyed considerable practical success.

The West is different, and European sentiment can be changed by events, as indeed it has been. Israel and Zionism were once very popular causes in Europe, not least on the liberal left, until the 1967 Six Day War and after. Since then, European sympathy has steadily ebbed away as Israel attacked Lebanon in 1982, and again in 2006, with the suppression of the intifadas between. And yet Israel shrugs off all strictures and rebukes. No criticism from relief agencies or the Red Cross makes any difference.

Even more strikingly, Israel has ignored the Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire. One reason for this is that the only Western country that really counts is the United States, and Israel has for many years been able to rely on unconditional American support. Having threated to veto previous draft resolutions, the US took part in drafting the security council resolution calling for a ceasefire, and was evidently going to vote for it.

Then late on Thursday the American representative shocked other council members by abstaining. This volte face came on direct orders from the White House, after president Bush had spoken to Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, and the Israelis have taken abstention as permission to continue their action. "Israel is not going to show restraint," Tzipi Livni, the Israeli Foreign Minister, told The Washington Post yesterday, understandably enough in the circumstances.

Although Israel is sometimes described as an American client state, which receives huge financial subsidy from Washington, she is unique as a client state: she can do exactly as she likes in the knowledge that she will never be seriously restrained by her sponsor. Even when the White House is privately irritated by Israeli actions, Congress is absolutely reliable, never knowingly outbid in its unswerving loyalty. During the bombardment of Lebanon in the summer of 2006, the House of Representatives passed a resolution of total solidarity with Israel by 410 votes to eight, and the Senate has just passed another on a hand vote, not even bothering to take a formal tally.

Anyone who thought that there would be a change of heart and direction after the last American election hasn't been concentrating. The Senate in question is the newly elected, strongly Democratic one, which has just met for the first time. During the presidential campaign Barack Obama went out of his way to endorse Israel. He has appointed in the form of Hillary Clinton perhaps the strongest supporter of Israel ever to serve as Secretary of State, not excluding Henry Kissinger, a Jewish refugee from Hitler, though even she is surpassed in her commitment by Rahm Emanuel, Obama's chief of staff.

But there is more to it, and Israeli intransigence or indifference to outside opinion goes back before the birth of the state. As it happens, Emanuel has something in common with Ehud Olmert and Tzipi Livni: their fathers all served in the Irgun. This was the intransigent Zionist militia – described as terrorists by Isaiah Berlin among others, and as fascists by Albert Einstein among others – which waged a campaign of violence against the British, and the Palestinian Arabs, in the last years of the British Mandate in 1946-48. Its exploits included the bombing of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, with great loss of life, the hanging of two captured British sergeants in reprisal, and the massacre of villagers at Deir Yassin.
Behind that brutality lay something else. Men take revenge for small wrongs, Machiavelli said, unable to avenge the larger, and the Irgun was avenging an incomparably and unimaginably greater crime just suffered by the European Jews. The Jews had tried to be nice to the goyim, Zionism said in effect, and see where it had got them. A Jewish state would now be created and guarded with all necessary force, indifferent to what the outside world thought. If need be, Israel will borrow the old chant of the Millwall fans, "No one likes us, we don't care"– and no more Jewish martyrology.

Not that Namier was the only Zionist to use "Jewish" in a derisive sense. When someone mentioned Trotsky's phrase "No war, no peace", David Ben-Gurion said that it was "some stupid Jewish idea", and there is a well-known Israeli story about Moshe Dayan, the military hero of the Six Day War. When he taught at the Israeli staff college, Dayan used to expound a problem, ending with the words, "And I want no Jewish solutions here."

He meant that, on the sand table or the field, he expected his battles to be won by dash and ferocity, rather than than by the traditional Jewish virtues of subtlety and patience. Zionist toughness has worked for a long time, but it could be that Israel will one day discover that there's something to be said for Jewish solutions.