IDF "Child Killing Unit" Speaks Out

Today another former member of the IDF's "Child Killing Unit" speaks out. And again, we see that Israel has a long standing policy of killing children, torturing children, jailing children, and, get this, using "Military Tribunals" to try children aged 16. Witness the sickness of these people:

"You take the kid, you blindfold him, you handcuff him, he's really shaking... Sometimes you cuff his legs too. Sometimes it cuts off the circulation. “

"He doesn't understand a word of what's going on around him. He doesn't know what you're going to do with him. He just knows we are soldiers with guns. That we kill people. Maybe they think we're going to kill him. “

"A lot of the time they're peeing their pants, just sit there peeing their pants, crying. But usually they're very quiet.''

LIKE THIS:

from the BBC: A former Israeli military commander has told the BBC that Palestinian youngsters are routinely ill-treated by Israeli soldiers while in custody, reports the BBC' s Katya Adler from Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Eran Efrati is a former commander in Israel's army. He served in the occupied West Bank. In a discreet park in Jerusalem we meet to discuss allegations that soldiers like him often mistreat Palestinian minors, suspected of throwing stones.

Mr Efrati - who left the army five months ago - says the allegations are true:

''I never arrested anyone younger than nine or 10, but 14, 13, 11 for me, they're still kids. But they're arrested like adults.

"Every soldier who was in the Occupied Territories can tell you the same story. The first months after I left the army I dreamed about kids all the time. Jewish kids. Arab kids. Screaming.

''Maybe [the kid is] blindfolded for him not to see the base and how we're working... But I believe maybe we put the blindfold because we don't want to see his eyes. You don't want him to look at us - you know, beg us to stop, or cry in front of us. It's a lot easier if we don't see his eyes.

''When the kid is sitting there in the base, I didn't do it, but nobody is thinking of him as a kid, you know - if there is someone blindfolded and handcuffed, he's probably done something really bad. It's OK to slap him, it's OK to spit on him, it's OK to kick him sometimes. It doesn't really matter.''

Young Palestinians are mostly arrested for throwing stones at Jewish settlers or Israeli soldiers.

Night-time arrests
At a recent protest, I watched a gang of Palestinian boys darting amongst the olive trees, picking up stones and rocks to throw at the soldiers. Some used sling-shots. Many had a scarf or shawl wrapped round their face to hide their identity. The soldiers responded with tear gas and sound grenades. Sometimes they have used rubber-coated bullets too.

Often after an incident like this, Israeli soldiers raid a West Bank village. Usually in the middle of the night.

LIKE THIS:

The arrests can be brutal. ''Their faces were painted when they came for him. It was frightening. All those soldiers for one boy. They put iron weights on his back in the jeep and beat him all the way to jail. He couldn't get up for a week.''

Mohammad Ballasi's 15-year-old son, also called Mohammad, was arrested by Israeli soldiers for stone-throwing. We met him and his wife just outside an Israeli military base in the West Bank. Palestinian youngsters are tried in military tribunals.

The tribunals regard minors as Palestinians aged 16 or under. In Israel's civil courts minors are young people under the age of 18.

(IMPORTANT NOTE HERE: This is quite stunning, because in actuality, the IDF have a policy of allowing and encouraging, the killing of children aged 12. So what we see, is Israel has a policy of killing 12 year olds, trying children aged 16 and lower in “Military Tribunals” no less!! Yet, for Israeli “children” Israel decides to use the worldwide legal age of 18 for their own. So, in effect Israel has three policies when it comes to Palestinian children. All of them Illegal)

The first time Mohammad's parents saw him since he was arrested two weeks before was at his trial. He pleaded guilty. ''When you're beaten like that, you would confess against your own mother," said Suad Ballasi, choking back tears.

''He's a child. His friends are playing in the street and he is in handcuffs. I couldn't stop crying in court. My heart feels like it's going to explode.'' The human rights organisation Defence for Children International (DCI) has written a report accusing Israel's military of what it describes as the systematic and institutionalised ill-treatment and torture of Palestinian children by the Israeli authorities.

Gerard Horton is an international lawyer for DCI. He said Mohammad's Ballasi's story is a familiar one. ''We see these stories again and again. Israel is a signatory to the UN convention against torture. It's also a signatory to the UN convention on the rights of the child - and under customary international law, it's not permissible to mistreat and torture, particularly children, who are obviously more vulnerable than adults."

He told me that Israel arrested 9,000 Palestinians last year. Seven hundred of those were children. Mr Horton says the military tribunals need to process cases quickly. DCI believes the system is designed so that it is in an adult or a child's interest to plead guilty. Gerard Horton says Palestinians tend to end up in jail longer if they try to fight their case.

Mohammad Khawaja had just turned 13 when he was arrested.

''They dragged me from my home by the scruff of the neck. The more I cried the more they choked me," he said.

"My mum was screaming. They pulled me along on my stomach. My knees were bleeding. They beat me with their guns and kicked me all the way to the jeep.
"They cuffed my hands and legs, blind-folded me and left me there for 24 hours. I thought I was going to die.

"Later interrogators wanted me to tell on other people. I wouldn't. They beat me with plastic chairs. They told me to sign a paper written in Hebrew. I don't read or speak it. Because I signed it they put me in jail.''

Israel's military denies any suggestion that the abuse of young Palestinians is routine, but the army says it has to guard against Palestinian children involved in what it describes as "acts of terror".

(e.g. Throwing stones)

Nightmares
Lieutenant Colonel Avital Leibowitz is a spokeswoman for Israel's military.
''Even though it's just a stone or just a Molotov cocktail, they're deadly weapons. Doesn't matter who did it - they're deadly weapons," she said.

(So the next time your neighbour’s child throws a stone you have the right to kill him. Let’s see how well that defence works in an American court or anywhere else in the sane world)Please take the time to read about Israels policy on killing children HERE and jailing children HERE, and civilians HERE you WILL be Shocked!

LIVE, FROM GAZA~IT'S WAR CRIMES TV

It appears the UN team who are now investigating the ZOF "Zionist Occupying Force" war crimes will be screening the hearings live. My first reaction was "Wooooo Whoooo" but then common sense and my spidy hairs began to tingle, always a bad sign. I wonder why this is? Why they would want to publicly air information that surely would piss off the Zionist Entity to the nth degree. The answer is one of three things. Either this is some sort of a larger picture to publicly humiliate Israel so as to give Obama some ammunition (excuse the pun) to use in order to force them into making peace. Or....the two bad options would be that this Team has already excluded any claims on various grounds, and they want to appear open and above board by listing the alleged crimes and then refuting them one by one. Or lastly, they found crimes were committed but are somehow unable to charge Israel and airing them publically is meant to mollify Gazans and the world. I vote #3 but hope I'm wrong, but what say you good people? Here's the report:

UN's Gaza war crimes probe to screen hearings live

The United Nations team which is investigating alleged war crimes committed during Operation Cast Lead, last January, announced on Wednesday that it would broadcast the hearings it plans to hold with Palestinian and Israeli victims live.

The team, led by veteran war crimes investigator Richard Goldstone, will hold the hearings in Gaza City on Sunday and Monday, UN officials said. (I hope there is live online streaming!!!)

Spokeswoman Doune Porter said that the hearings would be broadcast and the media would be allowed to view them from a separate room.

She said Wednesday that the team also would hold hearings in Geneva on July 6-7 under the same conditions. LINK

British Weapons Systems Killed Palestinians

Britain has promised to probe into its sale of military equipment to Israel amid pressure over its contribution to the Gaza aggression.

After months of evading the issue of British support for Israel, Foreign Secretary David Miliband confirmed on Tuesday that London had "almost certainly" supplied Tel Aviv with equipment used in the military offensive into Gaza.
Miliband said he would order a review of all licenses for arms export to Israel.

"I can confirm that we are looking at all extant licences (for sensitive exports to Israel) to see whether any of these need to be reconsidered in light of recent events in Gaza," he said in a written statement.

While Tel Aviv continues to enforce a crippling blockade on Gaza and prevents necessary humanitarian aid and assistance from reaching the 1.5 million people inside the strip, British support for Israel has sparked controversy and has prompted opposition in parliament.

"All future applications will be assessed taking into account the recent conflict," Miliband promised.

Equipment supplied to Israel from the UK includes parts for Israeli reconnaissance satellites -- which are suspected of playing a part in espionage operations by the Israeli army.

"We assess that these might have been used to prepare the operation but would not have played a significant part in the operation itself," the British diplomat explained.

According to Miliband, F16 aircraft that incorporate British components indirectly exported to Israel via the United States were also "widely used" to deliver precision-guided bombs.

The UK has banned the export of F16 components to Israel since 2002.

Apache attack helicopters, Saar-class corvette naval vessels and armored personnel carriers -- all of which either incorporate British components or are upgrades of models supplied by the UK -- have also been employed by Tel Aviv during the war.

While the UK probe is expected to eventually prevent all future arms sales for the use of internal repression and external aggression, the decision has failed to quell the criticism leveled against the British government.

"David Miliband failed to bring pressure to bear on Israel through a suspension of arms sales when it might have had a useful effect," Edward Davey, foreign affairs spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, said in a statement.

"A review now only serves to slam the stable door after the horse has bolted," he insisted, describing the move by the British foreign secretary as a mere confirmation that the British arms control system had broken down.

More than 100 legislators in the UK signed a statement in January that called for an embargo on the supply of military equipment to both sides of the Gaza conflict.

Israel makes nearly 95 percent of its military-related purchases from the United States, which bankrolls many of the contracts using the nearly $3 billion in annual foreign aid it has allocated for Tel Aviv.

The British contribution to the total Israeli arms imports are believed to stand at around 1 percent.

Despite global condemnation of the war on Gaza, Washington has taken no action to curb Israeli aggression against the Palestinians who have become the victims of a 60-year-old Israeli land-grabbing campaign that has forced them out of most of their native land for the sake of a purely Jewish Israel. source

"Yogurt Gate" Someday This Will Be The Norm~I Hope

In Palestine, a man was arrested today for selling Yogurt that was "out of date" or past the sell by date, whichever you prefer. In the grand scheme of life in Gaza today, this is a nothing story compared to the very serious genocide that just took place, the never ending siege, the lack of food, water, medical aid and most of all FREEDOM and Justice! however, when I read this story today, I couldn't help but contemplate for a moment. Then thought to myself, I can't wait for the day too come in Gaza when the worst news of the day, is a guy selling out of date yogurt. So, that is why I posted this today. Let us all work to see that day for Gaza!

Hebron – Ma’an – A Palestinian man was arrested on Monday on charges that he was reselling expired yogurt products in Hebron, the Palestinian Authority Health Ministry said.

The man was caught by the consumer safety department "red handed," and was taken to the investigation center for legal proceedings.

A search of his home netted a large quantity of yogurt and a number of expired cans.

What About ISRAEL? US Court Allows Apartheid Claims

I wonder if this can be used against Israel. Israel used US made weapons illegally and broke the agreement between the US and Israel for the legal use of those weapons for "defensive" purposes only.

US court allows apartheid claims

A United States judge has ruled that lawsuits can go ahead against several companies accused of helping South Africa's apartheid-era government.

IBM, Ford and General Motors are among those corporations now expected to face demands for damages from thousands of apartheid's victims.

They argue that the firms supplied equipment used by the South African security forces to suppress dissent.

Now I find this interesting, I wonder if this can set a precedence for going after companies that made the weapons that murdered civilians, the illegal use of White Phosphorous on civilians, the DIME missiles, etc, all made in the USA and used in an illegal fashion on Palestinians who were corralled into an area and then murdered or incinerated. Wonder what Dennis Kucinich thinks about this as he said long ago that Israel's illegal use of the weapons breached the agreement between the US and Israel for the legal use. more below:

The companies affected have not yet responded to the judge's ruling.

'Wilful blindness'

US District Judge Shira Scheindlin in New York dismissed complaints against several companies but said plaintiffs could proceed with lawsuits against IBM, Daimler, Ford, General Motors and Rheinmetall Group, the German parent of an armaments maker.

"Corporate defendants accused of merely doing business with the apartheid government of South Africa have been dismissed," she said.

The plaintiffs argue that the car manufacturers knew their vehicles would be used by South African forces to suppress dissent. They also say that computer companies knew their products were being used to help strip black South Africans of their rights.

The judge disagreed with IBM's argument that it was not the company's place to tell clients how to use its products.

"That level of wilful blindness in the face of crimes in violation of the law of nations cannot defeat an otherwise clear showing of knowledge that the assistance IBM provided would directly and substantially support apartheid," she said.

MUST READ "Press One To Boycott Israel"

This little story made me laugh, it's too good not to share and pass along. GREAT post from Jews Sans Frontieres below, you can read it all here:

Boycott one get one free!

Tescos has set up a boycott helpline, according to the Jewish Chronicle: Pro-Israel groups have attacked Tesco for setting up a customer helpline for those considering boycotting Israeli goods. Tesco says it provided the service in expectation of calls questioning its stocking of products from Israel and the West Bank.

Callers selecting the general information option on its customer helpline hear the recorded message: “If you are ringing regarding Israeli goods, please press one.” They are then connected to specially-trained call centre staff.(ROTFLMAO)

A Tesco spokesman claimed the dedicated line — introduced for “functionality” reasons after increased inquiries during the Gaza conflict in January READ IT ALL HERE

Israel Cries Wolf (Again)

GREAT article in the New York Times today:

“Iran is the center of terrorism, fundamentalism and subversion and is in my view more dangerous than Nazism, because Hitler did not possess a nuclear bomb, whereas the Iranians are trying to perfect a nuclear option.”

Benjamin Netanyahu 2009? Try again. These words were in fact uttered by another Israeli prime minister (and now Israeli president), Shimon Peres, in 1996. Four years earlier, in 1992, he’d predicted that Iran would have a nuclear bomb by 1999.

You can’t accuse the Israelis of not crying wolf. Ehud Barak, now defense minister, said in 1996 that Iran would be producing nuclear weapons by 2004.

Now here comes Netanyahu, in an interview with his faithful stenographer Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, spinning the latest iteration of Israel’s attempt to frame Iran as some Nazi-like incarnation of evil:

“You don’t want a messianic apocalyptic cult controlling atomic bombs. When the wide-eyed believer gets hold of the reins of power and the weapons of mass death, then the entire world should start worrying, and that is what is happening in Iran.”

I must say when I read those words about “the wide-eyed believer” my mind wandered to a recently departed “decider.” But I’m not going there.

The issue today is Iran and, more precisely, what President Barack Obama will make of Netanyahu’s prescription that, the economy aside, Obama’s great mission is “preventing Iran from gaining nuclear weapons” — an eventuality newly inscribed on Israeli calendars as “months” away.

I’ll return to the ever shifting nuclear doomsday in a moment, but first that Netanyahu interview.

This “messianic apocalyptic cult” in Tehran is, of course, the very same one with which Israel did business during the 1980’s, when its interest was in weakening Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. That business — including sales of weapons and technology — was an extension of Israeli policy toward Iran under the shah.

It’s also the same “messianic apocalyptic cult” that has survived 30 years, ushered the country from the penury of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, shrewdly extended its power and influence, cooperated with America on Afghanistan before being consigned to “the axis of evil,” and kept its country at peace in the 21st century while bloody mayhem engulfed neighbors to east and west and Israel fought two wars.

I don’t buy the view that, as Netanyahu told Goldberg, Iran is “a fanatic regime that might put its zealotry above its self-interest.” Every scrap of evidence suggests that, on the contrary, self-interest and survival drive the mullahs.

Yet Netanyahu insists (too much) that Iran is “a country that glorifies blood and death, including its own self-immolation.” Huh?

On that ocular theme again, Netanyahu says Iran’s “composite leadership” has “elements of wide-eyed fanaticism that do not exist right now in any other would-be nuclear power in the world.” No, they exist in an actual nuclear power, Pakistan. Israel’s nuclear warheads, whose function is presumably deterrence of precisely powers like Iran, go unmentioned, of course.

Netanyahu also makes the grotesque claim that the terrible loss of life in the Iran-Iraq war (started by Iraq) “didn’t sear a terrible wound into the Iranian consciousness.” It did just that, which is why Iran’s younger generation seeks reform but not upheaval; and why the country as a whole prizes stability over military adventure.

Arab states, Netanyahu suggests, “fervently hope” that America will, if necessary, use “military power” to stop Iran going nuclear. My recent conversations, including with senior Saudi officials, suggest that’s wrong and the longstanding Israeli attempt to convince Arab states that Iran, not Israel, is their true enemy will fail again.

What’s going on here? Israel, as it has for nearly two decades, is trying to lock in American support and avoid any disadvantageous change in the Middle Eastern balance of power, now overwhelmingly tilted in Jerusalem’s favor, by portraying Iran as a monstrous pariah state bent on imminent nuclear war.

A semblance of power balance is often the precondition for peace. Iran was left out of the Madrid and Oslo processes, with disastrous results. But that’s a discussion for another day.

What’s critical right now is that Obama view Netanyahu’s fear-mongering with an appropriate skepticism, rein him in, and pursue his regime-recognizing opening toward Tehran. The president should read Trita Parsi’s excellent “Treacherous Alliance” as preparation.

The core strategic shift of Obama’s presidency has been away from the with-us-or-against-us rhetoric of the war on terror toward a rapprochement with the Muslim world as the basis for isolating terrorists.

That’s unsustainable if America or Israel find themselves at war with Muslim Persians as well as Muslim Arabs, and if Netanyahu’s intense-eyed attempt to suck America into a perpetuation of war-on-terror thinking prevails.

The only way to stop Iran going nuclear, and encourage reform of a repressive regime, is to get to the negotiating table. There’s time. Those “months” are still a couple of years. What Iran has accumulated is low-enriched uranium. You need highly-enriched uranium for a bomb. That’s a leap.

Israeli hegemony is proving a kind of slavery. Passage to the Promised Land involves rethinking the Middle East, starting in Iran.

UNBELIEVABLE~Israel Targets Haaretz!!!

The JOKE of Israel being a "democracy" becomes even more ridiculous. Israel cannot stand any criticism what so ever. They have hundreds of organisations who work to silence, censor and shut down any forms of media that dares to criticize Israel or its genocidal actions. Now they are coming for one of their own that dared to question Israel, the leftist paper Haaretz is the next target of Israel's right wingnut neocon racists. Just like they target youtube, wiki, message boards, television, British MP's, Charles Freeman and forms of critisizm, now they will "teach Haaretz a lesson"

Reservists Call to Investigate Haaretz

(IsraelNN.com) Forty-six IDF reservists who fought in Operation Cast Lead in Gaza have sent a letter to Attorney General Menachem Mazuz asking him to investigate the Hebrew-language daily Haaretz for slander. The reservists have accused the paper of publishing serious accusations against IDF soldiers without taking the time to examine the claims.

Haaretz published testimony from two reservists who fought in Gaza who claimed to have witnessed war crimes, including the shooting of an innocent woman and her children. However, after the claims had gained worldwide media coverage, the two clarified that they had not witnessed the incidents in question, but rather had heard about them from others

The soldiers clarified that they are not against the publication of articles criticizing IDF actions or policies. “We believe that public discourse is critical to our society... We believe that whenever soldiers are found to have violated orders or behaved immorally, in Cast Lead or any other operation, the problem should be given public exposure and dealt with,” they wrote.

"However, this does not justify or permit the serious and sweeping accusations against IDF combat soldiers as a group as they appeared in Haaretz,” the letter continued.

The purpose of investigating Haaretz for slander would be to show the media as a whole “that not everything is permitted... that one cannot spread falsehoods, slander and lies in the name of free speech; that in Israel in 2009 blood libels are not allowed,” the group concluded.

NO ARABS ALLOWED~Egypt Angry at US & Israel~Trouble Brewing

I find this amazing that no Arab countries were included, AND that Isarel was allowed to attend as an "observer" translation=To control and ensure they get what they want. This is definitely a backdoor way of getting US soldiers into the Middle East again, of course at the behest of poor little Israel (4th largest army in the world with nukes!) But they want to drag the US into another conflict in the hopes that the US will then back an attack on Iran. Egypt is correct, this is a disgrace. America should be careful as soon it will have no Arab states as Friends because the US uses them and continually capitulates to Israel. Egypt does not deserve this!Wise up America, get Israel out of your foreign policy and your government before Israel makes sure your country is as hated as theirs is. Obama, "where's the hope and change"????

MIDEAST: Big Powers Moving In on Gaza

CAIRO, Apr 3 (IPS) - Nine NATO member states agreed last month to utilise naval, intelligence and diplomatic resources to combat the alleged flow of arms into the Gaza Strip. Some Egyptian commentators see the move as a surreptitious means of cementing foreign control over the region.

"These new protocols aren't really about halting arms smuggling," Tarek Fahmi, political science professor at Cairo University and head of the Israel desk at the Cairo-based National Centre for Middle East Studies, told IPS. "Rather, they aim to establish foreign control over the region's strategic border crossings and maritime ports."

On Mar. 13, a major conference was held in London aimed at "coordinating efforts" to stop alleged arms smuggling - by land or sea - into the Gaza Strip, governed by Palestinian resistance faction Hamas. Participants at the conference included high-level representatives from nine member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), including the U.S., Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, Italy and Norway.

Although Egypt reportedly received an invitation to attend the London gathering, it disdained to send a delegate. Palestinian representation, too - from either Hamas or the U.S.-backed Palestinian Authority - was conspicuously absent. Israeli officials, meanwhile, reportedly attended the meeting as "observers".

But Egyptian analysts say the agreement represents a furtive attempt to "internationalise" the longstanding siege of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.

The Denmark and London conferences come on the heels of an earlier U.S.- Israel security pact, signed in mid-January only days before the departure of then U.S. president George W. Bush.

Like the recent anti-smuggling conferences, the agreement outlined general procedures aimed at stopping alleged weapons smuggling into the Gaza Strip. The document also commits Washington to "accelerate its efforts to provide logistical and technical assistance and to train and equip regional security forces in counter-smuggling tactics."

Egypt, however, which shares a 14-kilometre border with the embattled territory, rejected the accord as an infringement on its national sovereignty. "When it comes to Egyptian land, we are not bound by anything except the safety and national security of the Egyptian people and Egypt's ability to protect its borders," Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul-Gheit told reporters at the time.

Independent Egyptian commentators also harshly criticised the U.S.-Israeli agreement.

"Even though Egypt shares a border with Gaza, it was not a party to this security pact," said Fahmi. "What's more, a close reading of the document shows it is not in Egypt's interests and could even end up providing Israel with access to intelligence on Washington's Arab allies.

"Similarly, Egypt wasn't involved in the recent anti-smuggling conferences in Europe, which were convened - in the absence of any Arab participation - with the express purpose of establishing foreign control over the region's strategic border crossings and maritime ports," added Fahmi.

Mazloum agreed that the international pact signed recently in London was less about fighting arms smuggling and more about the realisation of geo- strategic objectives.

Gazan Injured_Three Boats Damaged by Israel off Gaza Coast

Well, you know they can't allow Gaza fisherman to catch fish for food, gotta keep starving people. Israel most likely will claim the fish were members of Hamas so they had to fire on the boats!

Fisherman injured, three boats damaged by Israeli fire on Gaza coast

Gaza – Ma’an – A Palestinian fisherman was injured and three boats were damaged Friday morning after Israeli warships opened fire on the coastal areas near Rafah and As-Sudaniyah.

Head of Emergency and Ambulance Services in the Gaza Strip Dr Muawiyah Hassanein said the man was lightly injured.

Israeli warships stationed along the Gaza coast have continually attacked fishermen earning their livelihoods in the north, south and central areas.

Another report HERE

UPDATED~Jewish Judge To Head UN Israeli War Crimes Investigations

Strategically there are two ways to look at this: 1. Either they are going to "go for it" and Israel will be charged. Having a Jewish Judge head the panel will blow holes in Israeli's claims of "bias" 2. Perhaps nothing will come of this and the "judge" was placed to lead the panel because this investigation will go "nowhere"

take your pick, story below:

UN names Jewish judge to lead Israel-Gaza probe

Richard Goldstone, former chief prosecutor for war crimes in Yugoslavia and Rwanda, to head high-level mission to investigate alleged crimes committed by IDF during Operation Cast Lead

The United Nations says a Jewish judge from South Africa will lead a high-level mission to investigate alleged war crimes committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip.

The global body says its former chief prosecutor for war crimes in Yugoslavia and Rwanda, Richard Goldstone, will head the probe ordered by the Human Rights Council in January.

According to the mandate, the investigation will focus only on Palestinian victims of the three-week war between Israel and Hamas earlier this year.

Israel has refused cooperation with previous council probes, calling them biased.

"It is in the interest of all Palestinians and Israelis that the allegations of war crimes and serious human rights violations related to the recent conflict on all sides be investigated," Goldstone said in a statement.

“I am confident that the mission will be in a position to assess in an independent and impartial manner all human rights and humanitarian law violations committed in the context of the (Gaza) conflict," the president of the Human Rights Council, Nigerian ambassador Martin Uhomoibhi, said in a statement.

Goldstone will be accompanied by British human rights professor Christine Chinkin, Pakistani lawyer Hina Jilani and retired Irish Army colonel Desmond Travers.

Here is a bit more on members of this "4 person team" led by Goldstone, from the Institute for International Criminal Investigations website:

Richard J. Goldstone is a former member of the Constitutional Court of South Africa and the former Chief Prosecutor of the United Nations Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. He is the author of For Humanity: Reflections of a War Crimes Investigator (Castle Lectures in Ethics, Politics, and Economics) (Yale University Press, September 2000), with a foreword written by The Honorable Sandra Day O'Connor.

Desmond Travers is a recently retired Colonel of the Army of the Irish Defence Forces. His last appointment was as Commandant of its Military College. In a career spanning over forty years, he served in various command and instructional appointments in the Infantry Corps. He was a founder of two of the Forces' teaching and training institutions.
He also served in command of troops and in key operational appointments with various UN and EU peace support missions. These were in the Middle-East (Cyprus, Lebanon) and in the Former Yugoslavia (Croatia and Bosnia and Hercegovina).He is a student of military history and his works are published internationally from time to time.

Hina Jilani is a lawyer of the Supreme Court of Pakistan experienced in constitutional and human rights litigation. A founder of the first women’s law firm and legal aid centre in Pakistan, she is also a Founding Member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and has been a special representative of the UN Secretary General on Human Rights Defenders, a member of the International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur, and a member of the Eminent Jurists Panel on Human Rights and Counter Terrorism, appointed by the International Commission of Jurists.
She serves as Chair of the International Council for Human Rights Policy, Geneva, has written extensively on human rights and democracy, and is the recipient of numerous honors and awards.

And information on Christine Chinkin, taken from the London School of Economics and Political Science website:

;Chinkin, Christine
Professor Christine Chinkin
Department Position held
Department of Law
Professor of International Law

Centre for the Study of Human Rights
Experience keywords: human rights law and institutions; international dispute resolution; dispute resolution; women's human rights; international human rights; united nations law; public international law; feminist legal issues

Call me skeptical,regarding this investigation, but that’s my knee jerk reaction to this announcement. And I have my reasons for that skepticism, Here’s why: I don’t believe in impartiality when it comes to situations like this where you have a state, or member of a state accused of those crimes, leading, or investigating those crimes. For a Jewish Judge to lead this investigation just reminds me of so many “investigations” that have been in Ireland over the killing of innocent people by the British forces or worse, collusion.Albeit, those investigations were no held in the UN, but still it shows the inability of members of accused states to conduct fair and impartial investigations of their own state. For instance; the murders of Rosemary Nelson and Pat Finucane, two civil rights lawyers, still no justice years later. Bloody Sunday springs to mind on 30 January 1972 in which 27 civil rights protesters were shot by members of the 1st Battalion of the British Parachute Regiment during a Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association march. 30 years one and several so called “investigations” by the British, we are left with no justice still.

• John (Jackie) Duddy (17). Shot in the chest in the car park of Rossville flats.

• Patrick Joseph Doherty (31). Shot from behind while attempting to crawl to safety in the forecourt of Rossville flats.

• Bernard McGuigan (41). Shot in the back of the head when he went to help Patrick Doherty. He had been waving a white handkerchief at the soldiers to indicate his peaceful intentions.

• Hugh Pious Gilmour (17). Shot through his right elbow, the bullet then entering his chest as he ran from the paratroopers on Rossville Street.

• Kevin McElhinney (17). Shot from behind while attempting to crawl to safety at the front entrance of the Rossville Flats.

• Michael G. Kelly (17). Shot in the stomach while standing near the rubble barricade in front of Rossville Flats.

• John Pius Young (17). Shot in the head while standing at the rubble barricade.

• William Noel Nash (19). Shot in the chest near the barricade. Witnesses stated Nash was unarmed and going to the aid of another when killed.

• Michael M. McDaid (20). Shot in the face at the barricade as he was walking away from the paratroopers.

• James Joseph Wray (22). Wounded then shot again at close range while lying on the ground. Wray was calling out to say that he could not move his legs before he was shot the second time.

• Gerald Donaghy (17). Shot in the stomach while attempting to run to safety between Glenfada Park and Abbey Park.

• Gerald (James) McKinney (34). Shot just after Gerald Donaghy. Witnesses stated that McKinney had been running behind Donaghy, and he stopped and held up his arms, shouting "Don't shoot! Don't shoot!", when he saw Donaghy fall. He was then shot in the chest.

• William A. McKinney (27). Shot from behind as he attempted to aid Gerald McKinney. He had left cover to try to help the older man

• John Johnston (59). Shot in the leg and left shoulder on William Street 15 minutes before the rest of the shooting started. He died of his wounds 4½ months later.

So, like I said, I'm skeptical until proven wrong......................
UPDATED: Well this is a bit encouraging, from March 16th 2009 LINK HERE

UPDATED X2: This is very interesting indeed. It seems the Israelis are none too pleased with this new group that was created in January in response to the genocide in Gaza. Perhaps Goldstone will do the deed properly. Note what he has to say in the piece below:

The Israeli government has in the past refused to co-operate with UN human rights council investigations, including one led by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

It is not clear whether Israel will co-operate with the new investigation.

"This committee is instructed not to seek out the truth but to single out Israel for alleged crimes," said Yigal Palmor, spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

He said the council was a discredited body.

'Shock' appointment

Mr Goldstone is a former UN chief prosecutor for war crimes in Yugoslavia and Rwanda. He is also a former judge at the South African constitutional court.

He is also on the board of governors at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Mr Goldstone said he was "shocked, as a Jew", to be invited to head the mission.

"I've taken a deep interest in what happens in Israel. I'm associated with organisations that have worked in Israel.

"And I believe I can approach the daunting task that I have accepted in an even-handed and impartial manner." SOURCE

UPDATED X3 Well maybe not LOL, look at how the the JTA is reporting this:

(JTA) -- A Jewish South African with close ties to Israel will head a U.N. inquiry into war crimes during Israel's recent war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

He said his Jewishness and ties to Israel were added values. "I've taken a deep interest in what happens in Israel," he said. "I'm associated with organizations that have worked in Israel. And I believe I can approach the daunting task that I have accepted in an evenhanded and impartial manner."

Again, time will tell us all.............

Israel's New FM Questioned on FRAUD

Anyone find the timing of this a wee bit suspect? Hmmmm, I just wonder if Netanyahu and the powers that be are trying to find a way to get rid of the racist arse. Given that within the last few days he has let his mouth overload his arse making vile statements. Maybe he has become a liability, or it could just be that he's a common crook. Either way I hope he's gone.............

Israel's foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman questioned in fraud probe
Avigdor Lieberman, the controversial new Israeli foreign minister who leads an ultranationalist Right-wing party, was questioned by police for seven hours on Thursday over allegations of corruption.

The allegations against Avigdor Lieberman concerned the receipt of large sums of money from abroad allegedly channelled through shell companies and illegal bank accounts Photo: AFP
Less than 24 hours after the Israeli parliament voted in the country's new government, Mr Lieberman answered questions from detectives concerning allegations of bribery, fraud, money-laundering and breach of trust.

Corruption dogged the last Israeli government with the prime minister, justice minister and finance minister all forced to stand down after allegations of malpractice.

Israel's head of state, Moshe Katsav, was forced to resign as president and is now facing charges of rape and sexual harassment.

The allegations against Mr Lieberman concerned the receipt of large sums of money from abroad allegedly channelled through shell companies and illegal bank accounts.

The Israeli police issued only a brief statement confirming he had been questioned.

Mr Lieberman, whose political career began in the mid 1990s in Israel, has twice before been connected to allegations of fraud.

The fact the Israeli police questioned him so publicly and for such a long time after his confirmation as foreign minister has raised questions about the judgement of the new Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Mr Lieberman has already stirred political controversy by rejecting the Annapolis peace plan which is supported by America and the international community.

In a statement issued by his office, Mr Lieberman said he is "in a hurry to end this inquiry which has gone on for 13 years. The minister cooperated and answered the investigators' questions."

He has said that the allegations were politically motivated.

Mr Lieberman has been dogged by corruption allegations for years, but has never been charged. Police revived one probe just weeks before the election, but the move has only boosted his popularity as it was perceived as politically-motivated, according to pollsters.

Syria Lays Down the Law for Peace Agreement with Israel

Tell it like it is Syria:

Damascus, 2 April (AKI) - The chairman of Syria's foreign relations department in the parliament, Sulayman Haddad, outlined Syria's conditions to make peace with Israel in an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI) on Thursday ahead of the visit by Italy's foreign minister Franco Frattini, due to arrive in the country on Monday.

Syria's conditions for peace with Israel are, "the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, the return of all Palestinian refugees to their homes, the restitution of the Golan Heights and compensation for all the years of Israeli exploitation of the territory," Haddad told AKI.

He also welcomed Frattini's visit and underlined the importance of diplomatic relations between Rome and Damascus. At the same time, however, he doubted Italian mediation could succeed in changing or softening Israel's position in regards to the peace process with Syria.

"Mediation is not the problem, rather, it is that one of the parties does not want peace and does not want to resolve the conflict in the Middle East."

Rhetorical question: Any guesses as to who that "party" is? Why it's Israel, the one that wants to kill all Arabs and is the greatest threat to world peace. The one with nuclear weapons from America who just elected a maniacal bunch of racist killers.

Haddad also recalled the words of Israel's new foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman in an interview with an Israeli daily, saying the Jewish state would not withdraw from the Golan Heights.

Well, we can all dream of the day Leiberman gets his racist arse dragged kicking and screaming off Palestinian land. I'd pay good money for a ring side seat for that one!

Lieberman's remarks "forces us to remain faithful to the resistance. It is the only way that will produce any results with Israel," said Haddad.

Sadly this is very true, the only thing Israel understands is violence.

Following the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel captured the Syrian territory of the Golan Heights and annexed it in 1981. Syria and Israel have been technically at war ever since.

Last May, Israel and Syria launched peace talks aimed at a comprehensive peace agreement, under the auspices of Turkey.

Negotiations reached a stalemate in September after the resignation of former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert.

Syria then withdrew from the talks in protest against Israel's three-week military offensive in the Gaza Strip in late December 2008 and January 2009 in which at least 1,330 Palestinians were killed and 5,400 others were injured.

The offensive sparked outrage across the Arab world and worldwide protests against Israel.
source

BREAKING~LIVNI "ISRAEL NO LONGER WANTS PEACE"

This comes as NO surprise really. Israel should be isolated from the rest of the world as they are a threat to world peace! I hope Obama does not take this laying down, it's about time the US government fought back instead of letting Israel and it's American Lobby groups control American politics and take BILLIONS of American taxpayers money annually. Cut off the money now!

Livni: Israel no longer after peace

Former foreign minister Tzipi Livni says that her successor's recent remarks mean that from now on, Israel will be an obstacle to the peace process.

Livni, who was the country's top negotiator in peace talks with Palestinians, said Thursday that new Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's position on the 2007 Annapolis deal "showed the world that we are not a partner [for peace]."

She said Israel was always complaining that there was no partner for peace on the Palestinian side, but Lieberman's remarks would in fact make the international community perceive Israel as the main obstacle.

Livni's remarks came a day after ultranationalist Avigdor Lieberman, said that Tel Aviv was not bound by the 2007 US-backed Annapolis deal, under which Israel agreed to the creation of a Palestinian state.

"What happened yesterday is that the Israeli government announced that Israel isn't relevant, isn't a partner," Livni told Army Radio.

She said far-right parties with hawkish policies have in the past avoided peace efforts with the "pathetic excuse" that there was no partner on the other side. "From today, Israel has announced that it is not a partner," she said.

In an interview published on Thursday, Lieberman also ruled out any Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights in exchange for peace with Syria.

"There is no cabinet resolution regarding negotiations with Syria, and we have already said that we will not agree to withdraw from the Golan Heights," Lieberman told the Ha'aretz daily.

A political source close to new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also confirmed that Lieberman's remarks largely reflected the premier's position, Reuters reported.

USA to Help Israel Deflect Human Rights Abuse Accusations

The US will run for a seat in the UN Human Rights Council in order to "change" it. Translation=No more critisizing of Israel will be allowed.

Well, this really makes me sick. here comes the USA to defend Israel once again. So much for "hope and change" And notice how it comes after the Gaza genocide? I wonder if this move is so that when the human rights abuses begin to come hard and fast at Israel, the US will deflect them for Israel. What a disgrace this move is and totally transparent.

WASHINGTON (AFP) — US President Barack Obama's administration announced Tuesday it will run in May for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council -- a body the Bush administration had shunned.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said the United States wanted a seat to help reform the body from within, according to the State Department.

"We're very committed to bring about the serious reform that the council needs," she said.

"The principal problem is there has been too little focus on the most egregious abuses of human rights ... and too much focus, unbalanced focus we believe, on other issues that don't merit the amount of time," she added.

"Yes, of course, we mean Israel."

The next round of elections to the Council will be held on May 15 in the UN General Assembly in New York when members will be elected to a three-year term.

Howard Berman, the Democratic chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the United States could no longer afford to be on the sidelines after the body had "become increasingly dysfunctional and politicized.

But the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a leading anti-Semitism watchdog, expressed concern over the decision.

"ADL had urged Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to seek reform of the Council before deciding to join it," it said in a statement.

UPDATE~US Involvement in Sudanese Attack

Well after several days of "Mum's the word" from the USA and Israel regarding who carried out the TWO bombings in Sudan during January and February 2009. We now have some interesting info coming out. Remember I wrote about it HERE and HERE that it was suspicious and that only two countries would have the air capabilities to carry out such and attack, e.g. Israel or America, well, looky here, today the US has said it "warned" Sudan of the coming air strikes. Translation, the US was involved and assisted Israel in some fashion as it was well aware of what was about to take place. I reckon "hope" and "change" may not have arrived in Washington after all. Story below

Report: U.S. warned Sudan before attack on Gaza convoy

The U.S. warned the Sudanese government that weapons were being smuggled into the Gaza Strip through its territory ahead of a recent attack on a Gaza-bound arms convoy, which foreign media has attributed to the Israel Air Force, the pan-Arab daily Al-Sharq al-Awsat reported Monday.

a senior American official transferred a message to a Sudanese government official and asked him to make sure that the message makes its way to Sudan's leaders in Khartoum so that immediate steps can be taken to put a stop to the smuggling of weapons. The sources said that the Sudanese security establishment declared that the issue would be investigated, shortly before the first attack.

Doesn't look as though any time was given for the Sudanese Government to investigate, the US and Israel decided to act without allowing any time for any investigations. What a disgrace, 39 killed and civilians injured!

On Friday, the American network ABC reported that the IAF had targeted a convoy of trucks in Sudan carrying Iranian weapons to Gaza in January. According to the report, 39 people riding in 17 trucks were killed, and civilians in the area sustained injuries.

And why was the convoy not stopped and the drivers arrested, why were the murdered? Additionally civilians were harmed as well. This is not right, arrest them, but what gives Israel and America the right to bomb inside another country. I guarantee if this had been some country like Russia, Egypt or some other Middle East country, they would not have been so "trigger happy" form the air!

In light of the fact that the attacks occurred in such close proximity to the American warning, Sudanese officials initially assumed that it was the U.S. that was behind the bombings. However, when the U.S. denied involvement, the accusations were pointed at Israel, which has yet to confirm or deny the reports.

I see what's going on here. Each side (Israel & America) points to the other by carefully making comments, or not making comments. Leaving the world to "wonder" which one carried out the bombings and killings. After all, we can't have those anti-war people who elected Obama thinking he's a "Bush in Change Clothing", now can we?

On Friday, the spokesman for the Sudanese Foreign Ministry said that Sudan was investigating the attacks and collecting evidence at the scene, but will not respond until the investigation is complete.

He added that the convoys were likely smuggling goods, but not weapons.

One Jewish Hero

This is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read. A personal journey of a man who did not want to join the Israeli Army (IDF) How he thought through all the options available to him. Using his moral compass and humanity, he came to the very real conclusion, he had only three choices: The Army, the Shrink, and the Prison – a story of three forms of oppression. From Palestine Israel Education Project http://www.thinkpep.net/

A letter from an Israeli teenager refusing to go into the army

About three years ago, as a youth of 18 years, I was facing the same dilemma facing most Israelis today: Do I go to the army like most people, do I go to the army psychologist and play crazy to get out of the army like so many Israelis do, or do I refuse to go to the army and to the shrink and go to prison? I want to look at these three options again, the way I did three years ago.

The first option is going to the army. This is the “normal” thing to do. This is what most Israelis do. This is what people in the whole world do, and have always done, when there is a war, a danger to their society. But is it the right thing to do? In order to answer that question I had to take a very careful look around me. I had to think of my experience with this conflict, and what I know of it.

When I was in the 9th grade, a teacher, asked me to join a new project called "The NIR School", introducing students, across national boundaries, to the field of biotechnology. I thought it would be interesting to go school with Palestinians, so I agreed. I found myself, in the summer of '99, on a two-week long program, with 60 youths from Israel, Jordan and the West Bank, living in youth hostels in Israel and Jordan. It was the first time I got to meet Palestinians. We didn't talk about current affairs. We got to know each other through study groups, social activities and music lessons. Rarely one of the Palestinian members would share a check-point story, but mostly it just didn't come up.

When the Intifada broke out, I talked to my NIR School friends on the phone and on the internet. The staff put together a special reunion for us. Almost all of the Israelis were there, but only 6 of 20 Palestinians came, in spite of heavy objection from their friends. Nu'ha from Beit-Jalla cried when talking about the shelling of her neighborhood, Muhanad from Tul-Karrem spoke of three days of detention in very harsh terms, and Sari told us of his friends who were shot dead during a demonstration.

This set me on a long road, traveling among the villages and towns of the West Bank in special convoys of the “Ta’ayush” movement, an Arab – Jewish partnership. As I rode in the convoy bringing food, water, and basic necessities to Palestinian villages, I found out that the state of Israel commits war crimes and tramples on human rights, destroying Palestinian cities, towns and villages, stealing land, detaining and executing people without trial, demolishing houses, businesses, and public institutions; looting, imposing closure and curfew on Palestinians, using torture and prevention of medical care, and all the time continuing with the construction and
expansion of Jewish settlements on Palestinian land. All this made me realize that I could not be a part of an army that engages in this kind of oppression.

I was left with two options. Going to the army psychologist is easy. Many people get a release from the army because they “don’t sleep well at night”, “think of killing themselves” and so on. Everybody knows how to do it.

But this too is oppression. Because it means you have to say something is wrong with YOU, not the army. You have to go quietly to ask for this release – and not proudly state your beliefs. Worst of all – it takes out most of the meaning of not going to the army. Because this means that a few people more don’t go to be occupiers – but many others will go. In order to make a change you have to go public – and if you go public they won’t let you go.

So I was left with prison. Of course prison is a very hard thing to go through, and of course it is also oppression. But going to prison is also one of the only things anyone in Israel can do these days to make a difference nonviolently. It is a moral step to take, a way of talking to people. Going to prison means you really believe in what you do, and you’re willing to pay a price for it. Going to prison was a way for us (me and my friends) to start talking to more Israelis and to tell them about the Palestinians we met, about the occupation, and about the responsibility we think we have to change things. It gave us a chance to reach Palestinians and show them that there are Israelis you can talk to and build something positive with. Most of all – it was the oppression I had to suffer from, in order to help lessen the oppression against others.

That is why I choose prison – and that is why I am still glad I made this decision, even after a long and hard two years behind bars.

Israel Does NOT Want Peace~PA Chief Negotiator

Erekat Warns Obama: Netanyahu Gov't Doesn't Want Peace

(IsraelNN.com) Saeb Erekat, chief negotiator for the Palestinian Authority, has raised the alarm in Washington D.C. against the incoming Netanyahu government.
Erekat wrote in an editorial column published in Saturday's edition of The Washington Post that Israel's commitment to peace is in doubt, while it is being made a priority by U.S. President Barack Obama as part of America's "more integrated approach" to Middle East policy.

"Peace is not a word that sits comfortably with the Israeli right, which will dominate Israel's new government, even with Labor's decision this week to join it," he wrote.

Taking a swipe at the new coalition, Erekat added, "Among its ranks are those who have long opposed peace with Palestinians, no matter the cost; who use the cover of religion to advocate extremist views and who have supported the expulsion of Palestinians or now devise loyalty tests to achieve the same result."

The PA negotiator bitterly noted that incoming Prime Minister-designate Binyamin Netanyahu has proposed an "economic peace" rather than accept the notion of a two-state solution from the outset, but Erekat stopped short of issuing an open ultimatum. "Palestinians have not engaged in years of negotiations to see them fail. But neither is our patience unlimited," he warned.

Among the list of "musts" that Israel is expected to comply with – ending with the establishment of a PA state based on the pre-1967 borders -- is "an immediate and complete freeze on settlement activity, including all natural growth and the construction of Israel's '[security] wall."

The PA chief negotiator warns that "without a settlement freeze, there will be no two-state solution left to speak of."

Accuses Israel of 'Crippling Regime of Closures'

Erekat also slammed Israel's "crippling regime of closures" and called for Jerusalem to remove all security restrictions that have reduced terrorism in the country.

"Checkpoints, Israel's wall, the permit system it imposes on Palestinians and other restrictions on movement frustrate Palestinian life, fragment Palestinian society and strangle our economy,"

Erekat also cited the "urgent need to reopen Gaza's border crossings to allow the movement of goods and people in and out of Gaza, especially desperately needed humanitarian supplies and reconstruction materials."

Gaza Crossings: Open or Closed?

Jerusalem-based spokesman Chris Gunness of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) also contends that Israel is choking the people of Gaza.

"The needs in Gaza remain immense and the urgent priority is and will continue to be building materials," Gunness told Israel National News in an email interview last week. "Karni is not open for imports, exports and humanitarian goods in an unrestricted sense according to the Access and Movement agreement of November 15th 2005."

When asked whether there was anything other than building materials that is desperately needed and not being allowed in to the region, Gunness replied, "You saw all the coverage of pasta and tomato paste?"

The comment was a reference to a complaint by a U.S. Senator several months ago over the omission of pasta on the list of approved products for shipment of humanitarian supplies in to Gaza. Israel has since allowed it to enter Gaza.

US or Israel~Sudan Airstrike MORE and MORE Suspicious

for latest update go HERE


HAMAS deny any link to so called weapons convoy in Sudan. Additionally, (this is interesting) HAMAS claim "if" there was an airstrike in Sudan, it was done to pressure Sudan over Middle East Conflict. Hmmmmmm.....

HAMAS Denies Link to Sudan Arms Convoy

Palestinian Islamic Hamas movement on Saturday denied any link to a weapon convoy which was said to be en route to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip but was bombed in Sudan.

"It is ironic to link this convoy with Hamas though we're still unsure if there was a convoy bombed by airplanes," said Salah al- Bardaweel, a Hamas lawmaker in the Gaza Strip.

It was reported that American or Israeli fighter jets struck at an arms convoy in a remote area in Sudan in late January, and the weapons were supposed to be transported to the Gaza Strip via Egyptian territories.

"If this airstrike is true, it would be a political act by Israel and the U.S. aiming at putting pressure on Sudan," al- Bardaweel added.

The United States has conducted an airstrike against arms smugglers last January, killing scores of people, the Paris-based Sudantribune website reported on Wednesday.

Sudanese State Minister for Highways, Mabrouk Mubarak Saleem, was quoted as saying that a "major power bombed small trucks carrying arms, burring all of them."

Strong Message Sent to Israel

EU urges new Israeli government to accept Palestinian state. However, unless US foreign policy towards Israel changes, little can be done to sway Israel into behaving itself and allowing a Palestinian state. As always, it is the US that holds any control over Israel as they provide billions of dollars to Israel and unless that is placed on the line, we may not see any movement from Zionist Israeli Government. Additionally, the US must re-take control of American Policy from AIPAC and the Israeli Lobby groups that now control congress, the senate and even Obama (witness the smear campaign on Freeman!) So, America has some work to do!

The European Union on Friday told Israel's incoming new government that there would be "consequences" if it does not accept the principle of a Palestinian state.

"Relations would become very difficult indeed," said Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency.

"At one of our next ministerial meetings we would have to discuss what consequences the EU would draw from that,"

One thing that could be jeopardised would be an idea to formally upgrade EU-Israeli ties.

Several other EU foreign ministers judged that an Israeli government which does not accept a two-sate solution would not be acceptable itself.

"We Europeans believe that the putting in place of a two-state solution remains the plan," said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

"The foreign ministers must send a clear message saying that if this is not the case, the EU cannot accept it," added Luxembourg's Jean Asselborn.

Last year the EU decided to enhance ties with Israel but the idea has been a dead letter since the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip earlier this year.

The Europeans are the biggest donors of aid to the Palestinians but they hold little sway over Israel, which is backed firmly by the United States.
READ MORE HERE