29 apr 2014
By John V. Whitbeck
John V. Whitbeck is an international lawyer who has advised the Palestinian negotiating team in negotiations with Israel.
When, in response to the threat of potential Palestinian reconciliation and unity, the Israeli government suspended "negotiations" with the Palestine Liberation Organization on April 24 (five days before they were due to terminate in any event), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office issued a statement asserting: "Instead of choosing peace, Abu Mazen formed an alliance with a murderous terrorist organization that calls for the destruction of Israel."
In a series of related media appearances, Netanyahu hammered repeatedly on the "destruction of Israel" theme as a way of blaming Palestine for the predictable failure of the latest round of the seemingly perpetual "peace process."
The extreme subjectivity of the epithet "terrorist" has been highlighted by two recent absurdities -- the Egyptian military regime's labeling of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has won all Egyptian elections since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak, as a "terrorist" organization and the labeling by the de facto Ukrainian authorities, who came to power through illegally occupying government buildings in Kiev, of those opposing them by illegally occupying government buildings in eastern Ukraine as "terrorists."
In both cases, those who have overthrown democratically elected governments are labeling those who object to their coups as "terrorists."
It is increasingly understood that the word "terrorist," which has no agreed-upon definition, is so subjective as to be devoid of any inherent meaning and that it is commonly abused by governments and others who apply it to whomever or whatever they hate in the hope of demonizing their adversaries, thereby discouraging and avoiding rational thought and discussion and, frequently, excusing their own illegal and immoral behavior.
Netanyahu's assertion that Hamas "calls for the destruction of Israel" requires rational analysis as well.
He is not the only guilty party in this regard. The mainstream media in the West habitually attaches the phrase "pledged to the destruction of Israel" to each first mention of Hamas, almost as though it were part of Hamas' name.
In the real world, what does the "destruction of Israel" actually mean? The land? The people? The ethno-religious-supremacist regime?
There can be no doubt that virtually all Palestinians -- and probably still a significant number of Native Americans -- wish that foreign colonists had never arrived in their homelands to ethnically cleanse them and take away their land and that some may even lay awake at night dreaming that they might, somehow, be able to turn back the clock or reverse history.
However, in the real world, Hamas is not remotely close to being in a position to cause Israel's territory to sink beneath the Mediterranean or to wipe out its population or even to compel the Israeli regime to transform itself into a fully democratic state pledged to equal rights and dignity for all who live there. It is presumably the latter threat -- the dreaded "bi-national state" -- that Netanyahu has in mind when he speaks of the "destruction of Israel."
For propaganda purposes, "destruction" sounds much less reasonable and desirable than "democracy" even when one is speaking about the same thing.
In the real world, Hamas has long made clear that notwithstanding its view that continuing negotiations within the framework of the American-monopolized "peace process" is pointless and a waste of time, it does not object to the PLO trying to reach a two-state agreement with Israel, provided only that, to be accepted and respected by Hamas, any agreement reached would need to be submitted to and approved by the Palestinian people in a referendum.
In the real world, the Hamas vision (like the Fatah vision) of peaceful coexistence in Israel-Palestine is much closer to the "international consensus" on what a permanent peace should look like, as well as to international law and relevant UN resolutions, than the Israeli vision -- to the extent that one can even discern the Israeli vision, since no Israeli government has ever seen fit to publicly reveal what its vision, if any exists beyond beyond maintaining and managing the status quo indefinitely, actually looks like.
As the Fatah and Hamas visions have converged in recent years, the principal divergence has become Hamas' insistence (entirely consistent with international law and relevant UN resolutions) that Israel must withdraw from the entire territory of the State of Palestine as defined by the UN General Assembly resolution of Nov. 29, 2012, which recognizes Palestine's state status as "the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967," including, significantly, the definite article "the" missing from "withdraw from territories" in the arguably ambiguous UN Security Council Resolution 242, in contrast to Fatah's more flexible willingness to consider agreed land swaps equal in size and value.
After winning the last Palestinian elections and after seven years of responsibility for governing Gaza under exceptionally difficult circumstances, Hamas has become a relatively "moderate" establishment party, struggling to rein in more radical groups and prevent them from firing artisanal rockets into southern Israel, a counterproductive symbolic gesture which Israeli governments publicly condemn but secretly welcome, and often seek to incite in response to their own more lethal violence, as evidence of Palestinian belligerence justifying their own intransigence.
Netanyahu's "destruction of Israel" mantra should not be taken seriously, either by Western governments or by any thinking person.
It is long overdue for the Western mainstream media to cease recycling mindless -- and genuinely destructive -- propaganda and to adapt their reporting to reality, and it is long overdue for Western governments to cease demonizing Hamas as an excuse for doing nothing constructive to end a brutal occupation which has now endured for almost 47 years.
John V. Whitbeck is an international lawyer who has advised the Palestinian negotiating team in negotiations with Israel.
When, in response to the threat of potential Palestinian reconciliation and unity, the Israeli government suspended "negotiations" with the Palestine Liberation Organization on April 24 (five days before they were due to terminate in any event), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office issued a statement asserting: "Instead of choosing peace, Abu Mazen formed an alliance with a murderous terrorist organization that calls for the destruction of Israel."
In a series of related media appearances, Netanyahu hammered repeatedly on the "destruction of Israel" theme as a way of blaming Palestine for the predictable failure of the latest round of the seemingly perpetual "peace process."
The extreme subjectivity of the epithet "terrorist" has been highlighted by two recent absurdities -- the Egyptian military regime's labeling of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has won all Egyptian elections since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak, as a "terrorist" organization and the labeling by the de facto Ukrainian authorities, who came to power through illegally occupying government buildings in Kiev, of those opposing them by illegally occupying government buildings in eastern Ukraine as "terrorists."
In both cases, those who have overthrown democratically elected governments are labeling those who object to their coups as "terrorists."
It is increasingly understood that the word "terrorist," which has no agreed-upon definition, is so subjective as to be devoid of any inherent meaning and that it is commonly abused by governments and others who apply it to whomever or whatever they hate in the hope of demonizing their adversaries, thereby discouraging and avoiding rational thought and discussion and, frequently, excusing their own illegal and immoral behavior.
Netanyahu's assertion that Hamas "calls for the destruction of Israel" requires rational analysis as well.
He is not the only guilty party in this regard. The mainstream media in the West habitually attaches the phrase "pledged to the destruction of Israel" to each first mention of Hamas, almost as though it were part of Hamas' name.
In the real world, what does the "destruction of Israel" actually mean? The land? The people? The ethno-religious-supremacist regime?
There can be no doubt that virtually all Palestinians -- and probably still a significant number of Native Americans -- wish that foreign colonists had never arrived in their homelands to ethnically cleanse them and take away their land and that some may even lay awake at night dreaming that they might, somehow, be able to turn back the clock or reverse history.
However, in the real world, Hamas is not remotely close to being in a position to cause Israel's territory to sink beneath the Mediterranean or to wipe out its population or even to compel the Israeli regime to transform itself into a fully democratic state pledged to equal rights and dignity for all who live there. It is presumably the latter threat -- the dreaded "bi-national state" -- that Netanyahu has in mind when he speaks of the "destruction of Israel."
For propaganda purposes, "destruction" sounds much less reasonable and desirable than "democracy" even when one is speaking about the same thing.
In the real world, Hamas has long made clear that notwithstanding its view that continuing negotiations within the framework of the American-monopolized "peace process" is pointless and a waste of time, it does not object to the PLO trying to reach a two-state agreement with Israel, provided only that, to be accepted and respected by Hamas, any agreement reached would need to be submitted to and approved by the Palestinian people in a referendum.
In the real world, the Hamas vision (like the Fatah vision) of peaceful coexistence in Israel-Palestine is much closer to the "international consensus" on what a permanent peace should look like, as well as to international law and relevant UN resolutions, than the Israeli vision -- to the extent that one can even discern the Israeli vision, since no Israeli government has ever seen fit to publicly reveal what its vision, if any exists beyond beyond maintaining and managing the status quo indefinitely, actually looks like.
As the Fatah and Hamas visions have converged in recent years, the principal divergence has become Hamas' insistence (entirely consistent with international law and relevant UN resolutions) that Israel must withdraw from the entire territory of the State of Palestine as defined by the UN General Assembly resolution of Nov. 29, 2012, which recognizes Palestine's state status as "the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967," including, significantly, the definite article "the" missing from "withdraw from territories" in the arguably ambiguous UN Security Council Resolution 242, in contrast to Fatah's more flexible willingness to consider agreed land swaps equal in size and value.
After winning the last Palestinian elections and after seven years of responsibility for governing Gaza under exceptionally difficult circumstances, Hamas has become a relatively "moderate" establishment party, struggling to rein in more radical groups and prevent them from firing artisanal rockets into southern Israel, a counterproductive symbolic gesture which Israeli governments publicly condemn but secretly welcome, and often seek to incite in response to their own more lethal violence, as evidence of Palestinian belligerence justifying their own intransigence.
Netanyahu's "destruction of Israel" mantra should not be taken seriously, either by Western governments or by any thinking person.
It is long overdue for the Western mainstream media to cease recycling mindless -- and genuinely destructive -- propaganda and to adapt their reporting to reality, and it is long overdue for Western governments to cease demonizing Hamas as an excuse for doing nothing constructive to end a brutal occupation which has now endured for almost 47 years.
Palestinian premier Ismail Haneyya on Monday evening discussed with former US president Jimmy Carter over the phone the recent Palestinian reconciliation agreement between Hamas and Fatah factions. Premier Haneyya urged Carter to play a role in the success of the reconciliation agreement, and expressed his appreciation for his previous efforts to end the Palestinian division.
The premier also called for overseeing the upcoming Palestinian elections by Carter center.
Ex-president Jimmy Carter, for his part, expressed his happiness for the Palestinian reconciliation and hailed Haneyya for his political initiative and courage.
Carter pledged to make every effort to contribute to the success of the agreement and communicate with all concerned parties to support its execution.
He also expressed his willingness to monitor any coming elections.
The premier also called for overseeing the upcoming Palestinian elections by Carter center.
Ex-president Jimmy Carter, for his part, expressed his happiness for the Palestinian reconciliation and hailed Haneyya for his political initiative and courage.
Carter pledged to make every effort to contribute to the success of the agreement and communicate with all concerned parties to support its execution.
He also expressed his willingness to monitor any coming elections.
Tunisian Ennahda Party hailed, during a statement on Monday, Hamas-Fatah unprecedented reconciliation project and called for a real execution of the terms of the agreement. It said that implementation of reconciliation would restore the unity of the Palestinians and promote the establishment of an independent Palestinian state having Jerusalem as its capital.
During a meeting held in Tunis on Monday, Palestinian ambassador in Tunisia Salman Al-Harfi praised leader of Ennahda party Sheikh Rashed Ghannoushi’s efforts to uphold the Palestinian reconciliation project.
For his part, Ghannoushi confirmed Tunisia’s uncompromising rejection of normalization with Israel.
“This is a common denominator between all Tunisians,” Ghannoushi maintains in a statement issued by his office on Monday.
During a meeting held in Tunis on Monday, Palestinian ambassador in Tunisia Salman Al-Harfi praised leader of Ennahda party Sheikh Rashed Ghannoushi’s efforts to uphold the Palestinian reconciliation project.
For his part, Ghannoushi confirmed Tunisia’s uncompromising rejection of normalization with Israel.
“This is a common denominator between all Tunisians,” Ghannoushi maintains in a statement issued by his office on Monday.
Dr. Moussa Abu Marzouk, member of Hamas political bureau, said “Hamas has no objections whatsoever against (Ramallah premier) Rami Hamdolla’s, or any other figure’s presidency of the next consensus government”. Abu Marzouk said during a meeting held on Monday by “Pal Think” Foundation for Strategic Studies in Gaza, attended by writers, political analysts, and businessman: “Hamas will not disapprove of any decision taken in favor of the unity government as long as it is kept within the boundaries of the recent reconciliation agreement.”
National Partnership
According to Abu Marzouk, the projected unity government is not exclusive to any single person or party, not even (PA president) Mahmoud Abbas himself, as has always been agreed upon during the reconciliation meetings with Fatah.
“The division chapter has to be turned once and for all. No threats or pressures shall ever cast us down,” Abu Marzouk maintains.
Abu Marzuk attributed the failure of previous reconciliation agreements to the Israeli-American pressure. It is high time such encumbrances were brushed off by every means available.
As for the abortive previous community reconciliation attempts, Abu Marzouk thinks that the financial factor is what has really added fuel to fire. “The situation has been exacerbated by the 500 cases of blood money that should be paid, as well as the injuries and material damage that should be compensated."
“Arab sponsorship of the reconciliation project is quite urgently needed at this stage,” Abu Marzouk says. “Reconciliation negotiators have also come to an agreement over a compensation fund sponsored by Palestinian businessman.”
As stated by Abu Marzouk the Palestinian Legislative Council will also have a vital role in smoothing the progress of the reconciliation project, boosting the confidence of the consensus parties, and assisting the next presidential elections scheduled to be held six months after the formation of the consensus government.
Abu Marzouk further stressed the interchangeable relationship that has historically tied the Egyptian and Palestinian nations. “Neither Palestinians nor Egyptians can turn their back on the deeply fraternal chords that have always brought us together. Regardless of who takes the chair, Palestine has and will forever remain part of Cairo’s socio-political priorities.”
Hamas leader closed his speech by urging the Egyptian authorities to re-open the Rafah crossing with no further delay especially after the expected formation of the national unity government and the presence of PA security forces along the border.
For his part, Hamas leader Dr. Salah Bardwil applauded Egypt’s decision to allow Abu Marzouk’s access into the Gaza Strip via the Rafah crossing so as to partake in reconciliation talks held last week with a PLO delegation.
“This is a living proof of the historically profound bonds between Egypt and Palestine despite the ceaseless smear campaigns and ad hominem media conspiracies waged against Gaza and Hamas”, Bardwil confirms in a statement to Quds Press.
“We will take advantage of every single bit of our joint geo-political factors to turn the equation in our favor and tie up our historically fraternal bonds,” Bardwil further maintains.
National Partnership
According to Abu Marzouk, the projected unity government is not exclusive to any single person or party, not even (PA president) Mahmoud Abbas himself, as has always been agreed upon during the reconciliation meetings with Fatah.
“The division chapter has to be turned once and for all. No threats or pressures shall ever cast us down,” Abu Marzouk maintains.
Abu Marzuk attributed the failure of previous reconciliation agreements to the Israeli-American pressure. It is high time such encumbrances were brushed off by every means available.
As for the abortive previous community reconciliation attempts, Abu Marzouk thinks that the financial factor is what has really added fuel to fire. “The situation has been exacerbated by the 500 cases of blood money that should be paid, as well as the injuries and material damage that should be compensated."
“Arab sponsorship of the reconciliation project is quite urgently needed at this stage,” Abu Marzouk says. “Reconciliation negotiators have also come to an agreement over a compensation fund sponsored by Palestinian businessman.”
As stated by Abu Marzouk the Palestinian Legislative Council will also have a vital role in smoothing the progress of the reconciliation project, boosting the confidence of the consensus parties, and assisting the next presidential elections scheduled to be held six months after the formation of the consensus government.
Abu Marzouk further stressed the interchangeable relationship that has historically tied the Egyptian and Palestinian nations. “Neither Palestinians nor Egyptians can turn their back on the deeply fraternal chords that have always brought us together. Regardless of who takes the chair, Palestine has and will forever remain part of Cairo’s socio-political priorities.”
Hamas leader closed his speech by urging the Egyptian authorities to re-open the Rafah crossing with no further delay especially after the expected formation of the national unity government and the presence of PA security forces along the border.
For his part, Hamas leader Dr. Salah Bardwil applauded Egypt’s decision to allow Abu Marzouk’s access into the Gaza Strip via the Rafah crossing so as to partake in reconciliation talks held last week with a PLO delegation.
“This is a living proof of the historically profound bonds between Egypt and Palestine despite the ceaseless smear campaigns and ad hominem media conspiracies waged against Gaza and Hamas”, Bardwil confirms in a statement to Quds Press.
“We will take advantage of every single bit of our joint geo-political factors to turn the equation in our favor and tie up our historically fraternal bonds,” Bardwil further maintains.
28 apr 2014
Representatives of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine on Sunday evening withdrew from the closing session of the PLO Central Council in protest against the two-day meeting's final statement.
PFLP officials said a news conference would be held in front of the Palestinian presidential compound in Ramallah to explain its stance.
PFLP representative to the Central Council meetings Khalida Jarrar said the group’s delegation withdrew because the final statement included a decision to resume peace negotiations with Israel under certain conditions.
Speaking to Ma’an, Jarrar highlighted that the PFLP had called upon the Palestinian leadership to completely stop negotiations and security coordination with Israel.
Israel froze peace talks with the Palestinians last week after President Mahmoud Abbas signed a reconciliation deal with Hamas.
The talks were already on hold after Israel's refusal to release a final batch of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli anger over Abbas' decision to seek membership in international organizations.
PFLP officials said a news conference would be held in front of the Palestinian presidential compound in Ramallah to explain its stance.
PFLP representative to the Central Council meetings Khalida Jarrar said the group’s delegation withdrew because the final statement included a decision to resume peace negotiations with Israel under certain conditions.
Speaking to Ma’an, Jarrar highlighted that the PFLP had called upon the Palestinian leadership to completely stop negotiations and security coordination with Israel.
Israel froze peace talks with the Palestinians last week after President Mahmoud Abbas signed a reconciliation deal with Hamas.
The talks were already on hold after Israel's refusal to release a final batch of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli anger over Abbas' decision to seek membership in international organizations.
By Khalid Amayreh in Occupied Palestine
The obscene lies, hyperbolic exaggerations, and corrupt analogies Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has been indulging in lately caricature a manifestly morbid and pathologically dishonest character.
Honest people don't need to lie and don't see the need for lying. Instead, they see serenity, security and mental comfort in telling the truth. This is not the case with people like Netanyahu. He knows that for Israel, an artificial country based on mendacity, terror, land theft and ethnic cleansing, lying (and for that matter lying big) is the ultimate refuge.
But truth will continue to chase Zionists for eternity, even if the New York Times and Washington Post continue to regurgitate Zionist lies and sing Zionist hymns.
On Sunday, Netanyahu renewed his attack on the new Palestinian unity agreement between Fatah and Hamas by drawing explicitly corrupt comparisons between Hamas and the Nazis.
"Hamas is trying to start another Holocaust, "the prime minister told his cabinet at the start of its weekly meeting Sunday.
He called on PA leader Mahmoud Abbas to keep the rift with Hamas intact, saying, “we hope that he will withdraw from the alliance and return to the path of peace."
It is probably unwise to dignify Netanyahu's lies by commenting on them. However for the benefit of many people, especially in Western countries who have been constant recipients and consumers of Jewish- Zionist lies for many decades, I feel it is imperative to expose the liar and his lies.
Hamas, which the Israeli premier says is trying to wage another holocaust, is nearly hermetically locked in the Gaza Strip, blockaded from land, sea and air. Hamas can hardly provide sufficient food and water to keep 1.5 million Gazans alive. Indeed, was it not for foreign aid coming through UNRWA and from some friendly countries such as Turkey and Qatar, life itself in Gaza will become precarious, and I am not speaking metaphorically.
Yes, Hamas and other Palestinian militias do have a few hundred militiamen tasked with maintaining security. Sometimes, these militias, using antiquated and nearly innocuous weapons, attempt to defend their people against the Wehrmacht-like Israeli army which doesn't hesitate even for one second to murder women and children knowingly and deliberately.
Otherwise, these small groups in no way pose a real-let alone strategic- threat to Israel, a country that possesses hundreds of nuclear weapons, one of the best air-forces in the world, and an army notorious for its barbarianism and savagery. And above all of this, it has the United States at her beck and call as all or most American politicians, especially at the national federal level, are transformed into political whores in the service of the Zionist enterprise.
Hence, comparing Hamas with the Third Reich is no less than committing an act of fornication or adultery with truth, even with language. It is the ultimate insult to people's intelligence.
The truth, however, is that in case there is a state under the sun that can be compared to Nazi Germany, it is Israel, pure and simple.
Ideologically, Israel and Nazi Germany are like Tweedledum &Tweedledee.
The German Nazis viewed non-Aryans as mere "Untermenschen (sub-humans). However, the sages of Judaism shamelessly claim that non-Jews are animals and beasts of burden walking on two feet. Just remember the statements made by the late Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of the Haredi party, Shas, a few years ago. Yosef shamelessly claimed a few years ago that non-Jews were nothing but donkeys created by God for no reason other than serving the master race, the Jews.
Indeed, like the German Nazis who viewed themselves as "the Master Race," many Zionist Jews view themselves as "the Chosen People." Some Jewish sects, such as Chabad, even advocate the murder of non-Jews in order to extricate a lung or a kidney or other organs for transplant if the Jew needed one. I am not making a "blood libel" or intending to malign Jews.
But the truth speaks for itself and the worldwide web is congested with indicting proofs if one is genuinely concerned for truth.
Moreover, like the Nazis, Israel has been following a militaristic, bellicose, aggressive and expansionistic policy toward its neighbors.
Nazi Germany adopted the policy of Lebensraum (living space) whereby the Third Reich sought to annex territories of neighboring countries especially in the East. Similarly, Israel has been establishing Jewish colonies, settled with Nazi-like Jewish settlers, in the West Bank.
And as Nazi Germany claimed the seized territories belonged to Germany, Israel now claims that the occupied Palestinian territories are not occupied but rather "disputed" territories!
The truth is that the similarities between Nazi Germany and Israel exceed by far the differences.
And the reason this truth has been absent from the western mind is more or less attributed to the successful Jewish-Zionist colonization of the western mind, especially since the end of the Second World War. Just read the Zionist Connection by the great late Jewish writer Alfred Lilienthal.
But now, in light of the communication revolution, the Jewish-Zionist grip on the western mind is getting somewhat loose. Hence, it is probably safe to say that the Israeli hasbara is living on borrowed time.
Finally, honest Jews ought to be reminded that Netanyahu and his likes are effectively dishonoring and abusing the memories of the holocaust survivors when the pathological liars compare the victims of nefarious Zionism with Nazism.
These victims didn't die so that Jews would be able to oppress and torment another people, effectively emulating the Nazis.
In the final analysis, Nazism destroyed Europe and killed or caused the death of some 60 million people. The Palestinians, on the other hand, are struggling to exit the Jewish slaughter house.
Khalid Amayreh is a Palestinian journalist living in occupied Palestine. He lost three innocent uncles to Israeli terror shortly after Israel's creation. However, his family is yet to receive an apology and/or compensation from Israel.
The obscene lies, hyperbolic exaggerations, and corrupt analogies Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has been indulging in lately caricature a manifestly morbid and pathologically dishonest character.
Honest people don't need to lie and don't see the need for lying. Instead, they see serenity, security and mental comfort in telling the truth. This is not the case with people like Netanyahu. He knows that for Israel, an artificial country based on mendacity, terror, land theft and ethnic cleansing, lying (and for that matter lying big) is the ultimate refuge.
But truth will continue to chase Zionists for eternity, even if the New York Times and Washington Post continue to regurgitate Zionist lies and sing Zionist hymns.
On Sunday, Netanyahu renewed his attack on the new Palestinian unity agreement between Fatah and Hamas by drawing explicitly corrupt comparisons between Hamas and the Nazis.
"Hamas is trying to start another Holocaust, "the prime minister told his cabinet at the start of its weekly meeting Sunday.
He called on PA leader Mahmoud Abbas to keep the rift with Hamas intact, saying, “we hope that he will withdraw from the alliance and return to the path of peace."
It is probably unwise to dignify Netanyahu's lies by commenting on them. However for the benefit of many people, especially in Western countries who have been constant recipients and consumers of Jewish- Zionist lies for many decades, I feel it is imperative to expose the liar and his lies.
Hamas, which the Israeli premier says is trying to wage another holocaust, is nearly hermetically locked in the Gaza Strip, blockaded from land, sea and air. Hamas can hardly provide sufficient food and water to keep 1.5 million Gazans alive. Indeed, was it not for foreign aid coming through UNRWA and from some friendly countries such as Turkey and Qatar, life itself in Gaza will become precarious, and I am not speaking metaphorically.
Yes, Hamas and other Palestinian militias do have a few hundred militiamen tasked with maintaining security. Sometimes, these militias, using antiquated and nearly innocuous weapons, attempt to defend their people against the Wehrmacht-like Israeli army which doesn't hesitate even for one second to murder women and children knowingly and deliberately.
Otherwise, these small groups in no way pose a real-let alone strategic- threat to Israel, a country that possesses hundreds of nuclear weapons, one of the best air-forces in the world, and an army notorious for its barbarianism and savagery. And above all of this, it has the United States at her beck and call as all or most American politicians, especially at the national federal level, are transformed into political whores in the service of the Zionist enterprise.
Hence, comparing Hamas with the Third Reich is no less than committing an act of fornication or adultery with truth, even with language. It is the ultimate insult to people's intelligence.
The truth, however, is that in case there is a state under the sun that can be compared to Nazi Germany, it is Israel, pure and simple.
Ideologically, Israel and Nazi Germany are like Tweedledum &Tweedledee.
The German Nazis viewed non-Aryans as mere "Untermenschen (sub-humans). However, the sages of Judaism shamelessly claim that non-Jews are animals and beasts of burden walking on two feet. Just remember the statements made by the late Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of the Haredi party, Shas, a few years ago. Yosef shamelessly claimed a few years ago that non-Jews were nothing but donkeys created by God for no reason other than serving the master race, the Jews.
Indeed, like the German Nazis who viewed themselves as "the Master Race," many Zionist Jews view themselves as "the Chosen People." Some Jewish sects, such as Chabad, even advocate the murder of non-Jews in order to extricate a lung or a kidney or other organs for transplant if the Jew needed one. I am not making a "blood libel" or intending to malign Jews.
But the truth speaks for itself and the worldwide web is congested with indicting proofs if one is genuinely concerned for truth.
Moreover, like the Nazis, Israel has been following a militaristic, bellicose, aggressive and expansionistic policy toward its neighbors.
Nazi Germany adopted the policy of Lebensraum (living space) whereby the Third Reich sought to annex territories of neighboring countries especially in the East. Similarly, Israel has been establishing Jewish colonies, settled with Nazi-like Jewish settlers, in the West Bank.
And as Nazi Germany claimed the seized territories belonged to Germany, Israel now claims that the occupied Palestinian territories are not occupied but rather "disputed" territories!
The truth is that the similarities between Nazi Germany and Israel exceed by far the differences.
And the reason this truth has been absent from the western mind is more or less attributed to the successful Jewish-Zionist colonization of the western mind, especially since the end of the Second World War. Just read the Zionist Connection by the great late Jewish writer Alfred Lilienthal.
But now, in light of the communication revolution, the Jewish-Zionist grip on the western mind is getting somewhat loose. Hence, it is probably safe to say that the Israeli hasbara is living on borrowed time.
Finally, honest Jews ought to be reminded that Netanyahu and his likes are effectively dishonoring and abusing the memories of the holocaust survivors when the pathological liars compare the victims of nefarious Zionism with Nazism.
These victims didn't die so that Jews would be able to oppress and torment another people, effectively emulating the Nazis.
In the final analysis, Nazism destroyed Europe and killed or caused the death of some 60 million people. The Palestinians, on the other hand, are struggling to exit the Jewish slaughter house.
Khalid Amayreh is a Palestinian journalist living in occupied Palestine. He lost three innocent uncles to Israeli terror shortly after Israel's creation. However, his family is yet to receive an apology and/or compensation from Israel.
The first European conference in support of Palestinian prisoners held in Berlin called in its final statement on Monday for internationalizing Palestinian prisoners' issue and for exposing Israeli serious violations against them. The two-day conference came in the promotion of the international solidarity year with the Palestinian people declared earlier this year by the UN and to mark the Palestinian Prisoner Day.
The conference was organized under the auspices of the PLO Department of Expatriate Affairs, and the Palestinian Embassy in Germany.
The conference called for forming a European-Palestinian legal committee to follow up Palestinian prisoners' issue at international courts in order to prosecute Israeli political and military officials who committed crimes against the prisoners.
The conference further called on the Palestinian Authority to join international organizations, particularly the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court to be able to prosecute Israel for committing crimes against the Palestinian people, and called for supporting Palestinian prisoners and detainees by all possible means.
The conference was organized under the auspices of the PLO Department of Expatriate Affairs, and the Palestinian Embassy in Germany.
The conference called for forming a European-Palestinian legal committee to follow up Palestinian prisoners' issue at international courts in order to prosecute Israeli political and military officials who committed crimes against the prisoners.
The conference further called on the Palestinian Authority to join international organizations, particularly the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court to be able to prosecute Israel for committing crimes against the Palestinian people, and called for supporting Palestinian prisoners and detainees by all possible means.
The central council of the Palestine liberation organization (PLO) called on Palestinian Authority (PA) president Mahmoud Abbas to accelerate the execution of the reconciliation agreement and the formation of a national unity government. The PLO's central council condemned the ferocious campaign being waged by the Israeli government against the Palestinian reconciliation agreement.
It said that Israel's opposition of the reconciliation agreement reflected its wager on the Palestinian division as a means to undermine the establishment of the Palestinian state.
This came in the closing statement that was issued by the PLO's central council in its 26th session that was held over two days at the PA headquarters in Ramallah city.
In another context, the PA security apparatuses continued to arrest and interrogate Hamas supporters and members in different West Bank areas despite the reconciliation agreement that was signed between Fatah and Hamas four days ago.
In Tulkarem, the PA intelligence agency on Saturday arrested ex-detainee Alaa Kharyoush after summoning him for interrogation. He is the brother of Mohamed Kharyoush, who has been in a PA jail for about one and a half month.
The PA intelligence forces also raided on the same day the house of ex-detainee Hamada Addik from Kafr Addik town in Salfit, but they failed to arrest him.
The PA preventive security apparatus, in turn, summoned 27-year-old Taha Shaladeh for interrogation next Tuesday.
In Jenin, the PA security forces attacked Palestinian citizens celebrating the departure of a wounded young man from a hospital.
The young man, Mahmoud Abu Kamel, had suffered bullet injuries during a PA security campaign a month ago in Jenin refugee camp.
It said that Israel's opposition of the reconciliation agreement reflected its wager on the Palestinian division as a means to undermine the establishment of the Palestinian state.
This came in the closing statement that was issued by the PLO's central council in its 26th session that was held over two days at the PA headquarters in Ramallah city.
In another context, the PA security apparatuses continued to arrest and interrogate Hamas supporters and members in different West Bank areas despite the reconciliation agreement that was signed between Fatah and Hamas four days ago.
In Tulkarem, the PA intelligence agency on Saturday arrested ex-detainee Alaa Kharyoush after summoning him for interrogation. He is the brother of Mohamed Kharyoush, who has been in a PA jail for about one and a half month.
The PA intelligence forces also raided on the same day the house of ex-detainee Hamada Addik from Kafr Addik town in Salfit, but they failed to arrest him.
The PA preventive security apparatus, in turn, summoned 27-year-old Taha Shaladeh for interrogation next Tuesday.
In Jenin, the PA security forces attacked Palestinian citizens celebrating the departure of a wounded young man from a hospital.
The young man, Mahmoud Abu Kamel, had suffered bullet injuries during a PA security campaign a month ago in Jenin refugee camp.
The Palestinian president Mahmud Abass Said Sunday that although he expects to face a difficult political and financial months, he will form a unity government with Hamas and hold a general elections, explaining that he will begin to form the new government in days. The PLO central council discussed in a close- door session the controversy issues for two days , which include dissolving the Palestinian authority , replacing it with the name of State, peace negotiations with Israeli, elections, security cooperation with Israel , and the national reconciliation.
The central council members backed Mahmud Abass decisions regarding the national reconciliation, elections and peace negations, while the issues of dissolving the Palestinian national authority , announcing the Palestinian state, and stopping the security cooperation with Israel were postponed under Abbas request.
The members discussed the political and legal impacts of replacing the Palestinian national authority with the Palestinian state under occupation.
Abbas said to the members that they could face a political and financial difficulties in the coming months as a result of signing the reconciliation pact with Hamas. He put stopping Israeli illegal settlements projects, releasing the fourth patch and demarcating the borders as conditions to reset on the peace negotiation table, blaming Israel for the failing of the negotiations.
The central council members backed Mahmud Abass decisions regarding the national reconciliation, elections and peace negations, while the issues of dissolving the Palestinian national authority , announcing the Palestinian state, and stopping the security cooperation with Israel were postponed under Abbas request.
The members discussed the political and legal impacts of replacing the Palestinian national authority with the Palestinian state under occupation.
Abbas said to the members that they could face a political and financial difficulties in the coming months as a result of signing the reconciliation pact with Hamas. He put stopping Israeli illegal settlements projects, releasing the fourth patch and demarcating the borders as conditions to reset on the peace negotiation table, blaming Israel for the failing of the negotiations.
The Ramallah-based Palestinian government of Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah
The Ramallah-based Palestinian government of Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah offered its resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday, two days after rival factions Hamas and Fatah reached a reconciliation deal under which a national unity government will be formed within weeks.
"Out of a desire to complete the reconciliation process, I place my and my government's resignation in your Excellency's hands whenever you wish," read a letter from the premier to Abbas, cited by the official Wafa news agency.
On Thursday, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said that the Palestinian governments in Gaza and Ramallah – thanks to Wednesday's reconciliation deal – had become mere "caretaker governments."
The PLO added that all Palestinian factions had agreed that Abbas should serve as president of a Palestinian national unity government.
On Wednesday, Hamas and Fatah signed an agreement aimed at ending years of division between them. The deal, welcomed by most Arab states, calls for the formation of a national unity government to pave the way for presidential and parliamentary polls.
Relations between Fatah and Hamas have remained tense since the latter seized control of the Gaza Strip following deadly clashes with pro-Fatah forces in 2007 – one year after Hamas defeated Fatah in Palestinian legislative polls.
In Tel Aviv, however, news of the Palestinian reconciliation agreement received a cold reception.
Commenting on the deal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Abbas, who heads Fatah, had to choose between reconciliation with Hamas – which Israel calls a "terrorist organization" – and peace with the self-proclaimed Jewish state.
Source: World Bulletin
The Ramallah-based Palestinian government of Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah offered its resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday, two days after rival factions Hamas and Fatah reached a reconciliation deal under which a national unity government will be formed within weeks.
"Out of a desire to complete the reconciliation process, I place my and my government's resignation in your Excellency's hands whenever you wish," read a letter from the premier to Abbas, cited by the official Wafa news agency.
On Thursday, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said that the Palestinian governments in Gaza and Ramallah – thanks to Wednesday's reconciliation deal – had become mere "caretaker governments."
The PLO added that all Palestinian factions had agreed that Abbas should serve as president of a Palestinian national unity government.
On Wednesday, Hamas and Fatah signed an agreement aimed at ending years of division between them. The deal, welcomed by most Arab states, calls for the formation of a national unity government to pave the way for presidential and parliamentary polls.
Relations between Fatah and Hamas have remained tense since the latter seized control of the Gaza Strip following deadly clashes with pro-Fatah forces in 2007 – one year after Hamas defeated Fatah in Palestinian legislative polls.
In Tel Aviv, however, news of the Palestinian reconciliation agreement received a cold reception.
Commenting on the deal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Abbas, who heads Fatah, had to choose between reconciliation with Hamas – which Israel calls a "terrorist organization" – and peace with the self-proclaimed Jewish state.
Source: World Bulletin
Osama Hamdan, head of Hamas International Relations Department, has revealed that his movement was deliberating the potential of running for Palestinian presidential elections. Al-Risala Net website quoted Hamdan as saying on Sunday, “Hamas will clearly announce its position as soon as we come to a final decision.”
Hamas has never run for presidential elections before and boycotted the 2005 presidential run won by current PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
Meanwhile, Hamdan vowed that Hamas still maintains its unconditional and unyielding commitment to what has been agreed upon with Fatah in the Shati Declaration and will always live up to the scheduled deadlines.
Hamas has never run for presidential elections before and boycotted the 2005 presidential run won by current PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
Meanwhile, Hamdan vowed that Hamas still maintains its unconditional and unyielding commitment to what has been agreed upon with Fatah in the Shati Declaration and will always live up to the scheduled deadlines.
The Palestine Liberation Organization's central council on Sunday adopted a plan to pursue attempts to join 60 United Nations bodies and international agreements.
The council, under the auspices of president Mahmoud Abbas, "affirms the need for the Palestinian leadership to continue membership of UN agencies and international conventions", the Palestine People's Party secretary general Bassam al-Salhi said in a statement.
The council also said Israel was to blame for failed international and US efforts to find a negotiated settlement to the Middle East conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suspended faltering peace talks last week after the PLO and Hamas agreed to work together to form a unity government, in an historic move to end years of bitter political rivalry.
The struggling peace talks took a nose dive at the end of March when Israel reneged on a pledge to release two dozen Palestinian prisoners.
Last November the Palestinians cast a UN General Assembly vote for the first time and claimed the moment as a new step in their quest for full recognition by the global body.
Most of the 193 members of the General Assembly applauded Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour as he voted for a judge on the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.
The Palestinians became observer state members of the United Nations a year earlier with an overwhelming vote in favor.
The Palestinian mission cannot vote on UN resolutions but, under UN rules, it and other observers such as the Vatican can vote in elections for judges on international courts.
Israel maintains its position that the Palestinian Authority is not a state and the Palestinian Authority fails to meet the criteria for statehood.
Israel and the United States have lobbied strongly against UN recognition of the Palestinians, arguing that a separate state can only be achieved through direct bilateral negotiations to end the decades old Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
But the Palestinians have also joined UNESCO, the UN cultural agency, and voted there.
Israel and the United States withdrew funding from UNESCO because it allowed Palestinian membership and subsequently lost their voting rights on the body.
Early this month Abbas signed membership applications for 15 UN agencies and international treaties, beginning with the Fourth Geneva Convention, which defines humanitarian protections for civilians in a war zone.
"This is not a move against America, or any other party -- it is our right, and we agreed to suspend it for nine months," he said at the time.
The council, under the auspices of president Mahmoud Abbas, "affirms the need for the Palestinian leadership to continue membership of UN agencies and international conventions", the Palestine People's Party secretary general Bassam al-Salhi said in a statement.
The council also said Israel was to blame for failed international and US efforts to find a negotiated settlement to the Middle East conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suspended faltering peace talks last week after the PLO and Hamas agreed to work together to form a unity government, in an historic move to end years of bitter political rivalry.
The struggling peace talks took a nose dive at the end of March when Israel reneged on a pledge to release two dozen Palestinian prisoners.
Last November the Palestinians cast a UN General Assembly vote for the first time and claimed the moment as a new step in their quest for full recognition by the global body.
Most of the 193 members of the General Assembly applauded Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour as he voted for a judge on the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.
The Palestinians became observer state members of the United Nations a year earlier with an overwhelming vote in favor.
The Palestinian mission cannot vote on UN resolutions but, under UN rules, it and other observers such as the Vatican can vote in elections for judges on international courts.
Israel maintains its position that the Palestinian Authority is not a state and the Palestinian Authority fails to meet the criteria for statehood.
Israel and the United States have lobbied strongly against UN recognition of the Palestinians, arguing that a separate state can only be achieved through direct bilateral negotiations to end the decades old Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
But the Palestinians have also joined UNESCO, the UN cultural agency, and voted there.
Israel and the United States withdrew funding from UNESCO because it allowed Palestinian membership and subsequently lost their voting rights on the body.
Early this month Abbas signed membership applications for 15 UN agencies and international treaties, beginning with the Fourth Geneva Convention, which defines humanitarian protections for civilians in a war zone.
"This is not a move against America, or any other party -- it is our right, and we agreed to suspend it for nine months," he said at the time.