Israeli riot police argue with Palestinian and Jewish citizens of Israel protesting against racism outside a polling station in Um al-Fahem during the Israeli elections, 10 February 2009. (Oren Ziv/ActiveStills)
Ali Abunimah: Israel lurches into fascism
Bruce Dixon, Black Agenda Report, 11 February 2009
So how’s that “change” thing working out? Are we getting better, or more of the same, and why? In his first press conference, Obama labeled Iran a destabilizing influence in the Middle East because it allegedly sought nuclear weapons, while ignoring the longstanding Israeli nuclear threat to all its neighbors. And the same day, Obama Justice Department lawyers appeared in court to invoke the same defense against investigation of their secret cross-border kidnapping and torture schemes as Bush — that these widely known activities were “state secrets”. Have we heard any of this before?
These curtseys to a scripted reality are unbearable. The 27 December 08 – 18 January 09 attack on Gaza was not retaliation for Qassam rocket fire but a war crime in the planning stages for months.
CODEPINK: Where in the world is George Mitchell?
“The sights we saw in Gaza were tragic-a Goliath Israel pounding a small Gaza David, with international silence and complicity. Some 1,300 Palestinians have died, thousands have been wounded, and hundreds of thousands have been deeply traumatized. We deplore the use of rockets against Israeli towns by Hamas and other groups in Gaza, but the disproportionate response by the Israeli government and military is appalling,” said Ret. Col. Ann Wright.
Amazing that someone with Wright’s resume could witness such devastation and injustice and figure it’s right to condemn Hamas in this context, thereby excusing the abominations of a system that for decades has perpetrated appalling crimes and indecencies against weakened and defenceless people. How dare the world stand-by year after year, moment after moment, as Palestinians are denied the ability to protect life and livelihood from extermination, stripped of all historical relevance, an equal and respected voice, and the most basic and essential of human dignities.
by Grant F. Smith, Antiwar.com, 11 February 2009
Since entering office, President Barack Obama has promised sweeping changes in three aspects of governance: transparency, law enforcement, and stewardship of American tax dollars. For a public weary of law enforcement forever prosecuting street but never elite crime, Obama’s many statements about holding all individuals accountable under the law have been encouraging. He also called for government-agency compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in a White House mandate for transparency. Obama swore any bailouts of financial institutions and industries will hereafter avoid secretly funneling taxpayer funds into bloated Wall Street bonuses, executive junkets, and private jets.
But does Obama intend to follow these rules himself? Probably not. Obama’s entire facade momentarily crumbled under a single withering question – “Do you know of any country in the Middle East that has nuclear weapons?” – launched by veteran reporter Helen Thomas during the president’s first evening press conference on Feb. 9, 2008.
LATEST UPDATE FROM THE RIZK FAMILY
Wednesday February 11th, 4:00am
Philip is out, he is safe and home with his family.
He requests that all upcoming planned protests and marches still take place to end siege on Gaza.More details to come soon.
Please do not call the family members at this time.
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