By brighto1, Brighton Tubas Friendship and Solidarity Group, 6 May 2010

“Israel will never cede the Jordan Valley”, Benjamin Netanyahu, March 2010

The Jordan Valley is an area under urgent threat of annexation and during the last few week Israel have considerably tightened its grip on its indigenous Palestinian population. On the 11th of April the IOF shut of the main water source to Bardala -jeopardising the village’s viability as a farming community-, on the 12th of April they declared Al Maleh a closed military zone, which prevented shepherds to grass their animals, and on the 15th of April the IOF raided Al Farisiya and stole four water pumps in a further attempt to control all water resources in the area. On the 25th of April the harassment of Palestinians increased significantly as armed settlers from the strongly Zionist Maskiot settlement erected a tent only ten meters from the the Al Maleh Bedouin community.

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By Greta Berlin, Free Gaza Movement

We’re almost ready. Our vessels are being loaded with construction materials, specialized medical equipment, generators, pre-fab homes, water filtration units, and school supplies for the children. Israel allows only 81 items into Gaza, forcing the people to use tunnels to bring in supplies, barely keeping their economy at subsistence level.

When asked why they refuse to allow supplies into Gaza, Israeli authorities stated, “If we disclose what is allowed in and why… it would damage our national security and harm foreign relations.” BBC, May 3, 2010

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FluxRostrum — http://truthtribunal.org ~ On May 4, 1970 the Ohio National Guard opened fire on unarmed students protesting America´s invasion of Cambodia. Four students were killed and nine were wounded. The incident triggered national outrage in a country already divided over the Vietnam War. In the days that followed more than four million students rose up in dissent across 900 campuses, generating the only nationwide student protest in U.S. history. Fearing civil unrest, President Nixon was taken to Camp David for his protection.

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Paul Feldman, A World to Win, 7 May 2010

The hung parliament that has resulted from Britain’s inconclusive general election is certain to lead to a prolonged period of political instability slap bang in the middle of the gravest economic and financial crisis since the 1930s.

Now the horse-trading begins – behind the voters’ backs – to put together a government that is unlikely to see the year out. The Tories, New Labour and the Lib Dems don’t have much time, as the markets made clear while the last votes were being counted.

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Related:
Richard Seymour: Oh, what the fuck?

Nick Clegg talking about a coalition with the Tories? Are you fucking serious?

John Lanchester: Gravitas Frenzy

The Tories are pretending to offer a serious deal, but the promise of a ‘commission’ on electoral reform shows that the two parties can’t meet in the middle.

8 May 2010

The financial markets have been targeting Greece for several months. In order to “reassure the markets” and “restore trust”, the European Union and the IMF have imposed a drastic austerity “cure” on the Greek people. Retirement age will be postponed to 67 years and pensions will freeze. Public sector wages will be reduced by 15% and layoffs in the private sector will be made easier. The value added tax (VAT) will rise from 19 to 21%. Other measures of this kind are planned. This austerity plan will plunge Greece’s economy into depression and will lead to a social disaster.

We know this from experience: the crisis in Greece is just one more example of decades of financial turmoil, which has devastated and further indebted countries across the globe, particularly in the global South, including the debt crisis of the 80s, which has permanently indebted many countries in Africa and Latin America, the Mexican, Asian and Russian financial crises of the late 90s, the Argentina crisis of 2001-02. These are not isolated events but the result of the actions of unregulated and voracious financial markets.

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