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TIME TO FORCE A U.S. VETO AND TAKE SERIOUS ACTION AGAINST ISRAEL
March 25, 2001
"Even in the worst days of Apartheid,
the South African army wasn't
this vicious."
What the Arab States meeting in summit in Amman on Tuesday should do is not
a mystery: First they should insist on a U.N. Security Council resolution that has teeth;
and if the U.S. vetos so be it. The only country which may join the U.S. is
Britain. And if such a veto occurs at this stage in history the whole world
will be aligned against the Israelis, and the Anglo-American veto will stand
naked for all to see. Next they should institute a full and complete regional
boycott of Israel -- all trade, all travel. The Americans have used boycotts
and other economic and symbolic policies repeatedly in many instances for many
years; and in fact still treat Cuba that way. The Arab States have a right,
indeed they have an obligation, to now act in this way.
Having taken these steps, they should then call for the General Assembly of
the United Nations to suspend Israeli participation until Israel's military occupation
of the Palestinian people is ended and a dignified contiguous Palestinian State
is created.
Such steps were taken against South Africa when it pursued the policy of Apartheid.
Such steps are now needeed against Israel which has brought a neo-apartheid
situation to the Middle East.
War is not the answer to Israel's despicable policies, though the Israelis
are preparing to bring it about and to use it to twist the region to its will
once again. Rather such bold and potent political and ideological steps are
what today's situation cries out for; and if taken such steps could help propel
new forces in Israel and in world political affairs to come forward in stronger
and more decisive ways.
Tragically, this is not what the Arab States meeting in summit in Amman on
Tuesday are going to do. Once again they will "act" with indecision and irresolution
reflecting their "client" status...all caused by their bondage to the USA, their
fear of Israel, and ultimately their own corruption, weakness, and ineptitude.
U.S. FACING U.N.-MIDEAST DILEMMA
UNITED NATIONS (AP- 25 March) - The United States faced a diplomatic dilemma
Sunday: how to say ``no'' to sending U.N. observers to the West Bank and
Gaza Strip without worsening the violence or enraging the Arab world.
The Palestinians want the U.N. Security Council to back the deployment
of observers to help stop six months of bloodshed, and say they have
mustered the nine council votes needed to pass such a resolution.
Standing in the way during negotiations Sunday was the United States,
Israel's strongest ally in the United Nations. Israel opposes sending
observers and wants direct talks with the Palestinians instead.
The United States could use its veto to block the resolution. But
Washington fears a veto could trigger more violence and anger oil-rich
Arab countries whose support it needs to strengthen sanctions against
Afghanistan and Iraq.
The Security Council met Saturday and again Sunday afternoon in search
of a compromise. The talks were expected to continue Monday.
European nations in the council fielded a watered-down resolution that
postponed any decision on an observer force but criticized the Israelis for
expanding settlements and imposing blockades on Palestinian towns. It
also noted that most of the more than 400 people who have died in the
violence since late September have been Palestinians.
Negotiators want to find a compromise before a summit of Arab leaders
Tuesday in Amman, Jordan. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in
Amman on Sunday, and the council wants to arm him with a resolution
that will satisfy Arab leaders increasingly concerned about the violence.
``We believe that through this resolution we'll be able to give a fresh
momentum to the resumption of (Israeli-Palestinian) talks,'' said
Bangladeshi Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury, who heads the block of
developing nations on the council that support the Palestinians.
``And we believe the secretary-general ... should know what this
organization, the Security Council, is telling him to do,'' Chowdhury said.
Acting U.S. Ambassador James Cunningham would not comment on the
closed-door talks in the Security Council on Sunday.
Only the five permanent Security Council members - the United States,
Russia, China, France and Britain - can issue vetoes. They try to be
sparing with them, in part because vetoes anger less powerful members
who are resentful that five countries can essentially dictate U.N. policy.
The United States has only vetoed five resolutions since 1990 - four of
them dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. The last U.S. veto, in
1997, quashed a resolution demanding that Israel stop construction of a
settlement in east Jerusalem.
EYEWITNESS RAMALLAH
March 24, 2001
Ramallah
Dear Friends,
I don't have much time tonight, so this report will be brief. I attended
a demonstration today, protesting Israeli closure on the territories.
Approximately 300 people, including a large number of foreigners working
in Palestine, walked peacefully to an Israeli military checkpoint at
A-Ram, located on the northern border of Jerusalem on the way to Ramallah.
Behind the marchers followed several ambulance vehicles, many of which had
bullet holes all over. "They won't shoot when this many of us foreigners are
in the crowd," to my remark my friend replied. "Well, THEORETICALLY, no."
As we were marching towards the checkpoint with our chants and signs
Israeli military jeeps came our way, soldiers yelling and blocking the
road. We walk passed between jeeps and proceeded to the checkpoint.
At the checkpoint, a group of people started the sit-in, while others were
standing and continueing their chants. Israeli soldiers were apparently
unhappy with the peaceful demonstration, and tried intimidating us by
yelling, forcing people to stand up. Nobody was throwing rocks or anything,
and it was a complete non-violent demonstration.
Then all of the suddent we heard large explosions, and started running
away from the checkpoint. Israelis started to throw sound bombs directly
into the crowd. Medics quickly got up from their stand-by position and
carried two women into the ambulance. Sound bombs do make a small
explosion, and one could get hurt by pins that fly out of it. Assults by
tear gas followed, and we were dispursed to all directions in the white
smoke that stung our eyes and thoats, but kept trying to be near the
checkpoint to show our message.
I was with my South African friend Mandy, a long-time anti-aparthied
activist. She remarked stunningly: "I can't believe this. Even in the
worst days of Apartheid, the South African army wasn't this vicious."
Some young girls walked by us, with a backpack and in school uniform. They
had an extreme terrified look and walked by quickly. In a store nearby, a
shopkeeper was tending children who inhaled tear gas: "Hide here until it
finishes."
In the meantime, soldiers started to beat-up some sit-in demonstrators and
grabbing them into the military jeep. Sound bombs and tear gas assults
continued. People kept on falling, and were taken onto a strecher and
ferried to the ambulance. I also saw one of the medics rushed to the
ambulance on the strecher.
Then, I heard this sharp 'pan-pan-pan' noise in the air, as everyone
started to run for life. Israelis started to shoot live ammunitions to
demonstrators. It was too dangerous to be there anymore. As we left the
scene, several ambulances passed us rushing towards the checkpoint.
I have been to the scenes of clashes before, but today's experience was
shocking - the fact that a non-violent demonstration was encountered by
such violent attacks. CNN news footage tonight showed an Israeli soldiers
lying on the ground (did he shoot himself??), and not a single
demonstrators who were hurt.
Shirabe
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March 2001
SHARON UPSCALES VIOLENCE TO UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS (March 31, 2001) Yesterday, on Palestinian Land
Day, the Israeli army killed five Palestinians in Nablus and one in Ramallah
during civilian demonstrations protesting the Israeli occupation. 150 Palestinians
were injured, several of them in critical condition.
CHOMSKY ON THE MID-EAST CONFLICT (March 31, 2001) Well, just how dangerous is the crisis in the Middle East? There is a UN Special
Envoy, a Norwegian, Roed-Larson. A couple of days ago, he warned that Israel's
blockade of the Palestinian areas is leading to enormous suffering and could
rapidly detonate a regional war.
FIVE PALESTINIANS KILLED AS WAR OF WORDS FLARES IN MIDDLE EAST (March 30, 2001) Clashes
raged across the Palestinian territories Friday, killing five Palestinians, as
Israelis and Palestinians exchanged fiery rhetoric on the traditionally violent
anniversary of a 1976 Israeli crackdown on Arab demonstrators.
CLASHES ERUPT AMID WAVE OF ANTI-ISRAELI PROTESTS (March 30, 2001) Israeli troops opened fire with live rounds on
Friday to try to halt Palestinians marching in cities across the West Bank and
Gaza Strip to demand civil rights and an end to Israeli occupation.
AN ISRAELI OFFERS HOPE AMIDST THE DARKNESS (March 30, 2001) In the past two weeks, we are witnessing the beginning of a new phase: Israelis
and Palestinians are extending a hesitant hand to each other, across the IDF's
barricades and checkpoints.
A CONFLICT SINKING TO NEW DEPTHS (March 29, 2001) The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has sunk to appalling new
depths with several days of intensified violence that left children on both
sides to form the bulk of the dead.
ISRAELIS STRIKE, NOBODY RESPONDS (March 29, 2001) The Egyptians and Jordanians could and should totally suspend their relations
with Israel; but they do not. The Arabs could collectively demand Israel be suspended from the U.N. General
Assembly; but they did not decide to do so at their little summit just ended
where they in fact did nothing serious.
ASSAD & SADDAM "ATTACK" (March 28, 2001) Lot of rhetoric, more than expected in fact. But mostly a smookescreen for never-ending
impotence and inexcuseable weakness. So much for the Arab Summit in Amman.
Until those Arab "leaders" who have squandered the wealth and heritage of their
countries, and indeed of their once powerful civilization, are replaced; until
the "client regimes" of the Arab world are no more; this tragic spectacle known
as Arab "summits" will continue to be a deep embarrassment and a historic tragedy.
ARAB SUMMITS - RIDICULOUS SPECTACLES (March 27, 2001) Arab "leaders", the "client regimes", and Arab "summits", have been ridiculous
spectacles for a long time now.
Last time they met like this the American armies were descending on Arabia, getting
ready to destroy Iraq and put one of their own, the despicable British-created
Emir, back on his oil throne in Kuwait City.
ARAB SUMMITEERS AND CROCODILE TEARS (March 26, 2001) "They will talk and talk and talk and look important
and remain as always, impotent, indecisive and inactive.
They might pledge a few pennies to the Palestinian dying
or the mortally wounded, they might voice support of the
6-month-old Intifida, but nothing but pomp and ceremony
will come of it all."
TIME TO FORCE A U.S. VETO AND TAKE SERIOUS ACTION AGAINST ISRAEL (March 25, 2001) What the Arab States meeting in summit in Amman on Tuesday should do is not
a mystery: First they should insist on a U.N. Security Council resolution that has teeth;
and if the U.S. vetos so be it.
THE U.N. AND THE ARAB LEAGUE CHARADES (March 25, 2001) The U.N. and Arab League charades have gone on for so many years now. Never
has either body taken serious action when it comes to Israel. Always the U.S.
is there to block the way, to twist things from potentially useful to impotent,
to manuever so that the U.S. remains dominant internationally and Israel remains
dominant in the region.
ISRAELI ARMY BRUTALLY ATTACKS PEACEFUL CIVILIAN PROTEST MARCH (March 24, 2001) Today at 1:00 p.m., the Israeli army fired sound bombs, tear gas, and rubber
coated steel bullets at thousands of peaceful protesters at the Al-Ram
checkpoint.
SHARON MOVING FAST (March 24, 2001) haron and company are now likely to move quickly to further "control"
the Palestinians and establish their hegemonic and war-threatening policies
in the Middle East.
Today in Occupied Palestine (March 23, 2001) Amr Moussa and the Arab political elite representing the "client regimes"
have been deceived and acted foolishingly, as well as selfishly, for quite
a long time now.
AL-JAZEERA - ARAFAT STILL TWISTS TO ISRAELI AND U.S. TUNE (March 22, 2001) Al-Jazeera satellite TV now feeds a hungry Arab world, one starved for
so long that even this carefully-controlled Qatari-financed TV news and
pictures source has met with considerable success.
WHAT SHOULD BE WITH ISRAEL (March 22, 2001) If the Arabs regimes were serious, indeed if they were truly independent,
they would institute a Arab and Muslim regional boycott of Israel at this
point, at least suspend all diplomatic and economic relations with Israel,
and forcefully move to have the U.N. General Assembly suspend Israeli credentials
(as was done with South Africa in the days of Apartheid) as soon as the
U.S. again prevents the Security Council from acting in the days ahead.
ARAB AND MUSLIM GROUPS IN USA WORSE THAN EVER (March 20, 2001) We were wrong in our analysis earlier today. The Arab and Muslim groups
did not even manage a few hundred protestors at the White House today --
the number was closer to a few dozen at most, including the handful of
fanatical bearded and side-curled Naturei Karta Jews who are encouraged
by these groups to show up these days.
WASHINGTON SCENE: ARAB AND MUSLIM GROUPS PROVE IMPOTENCE ONCE AGAIN (March 20, 2001) It's depressing, almost pathetic, to watch the Arab and Muslim American
groups "protest" these days. Leaderless and strategyless, though as usual
feverishly combining all of their capabilities together to create even
this, the groups managed to bring maybe five or six hundred persons to
the sidewalk across from the Washington Hilton last evening for a carefully
self-controlled demonstration.
WHAT ISRAEL IS DOING IS "FORBIDDEN" (March 19, 2001) "What is being done in the territories is simply forbidden. To safeguard against such acts, people have established laws and norms; those who wish to return to the norms current a century ago ought not to be surprised when they are treated as pariahs - indeed, as ghosts from bygone days."
ARABS URGE U.N. TO SEND INTERNATIONAL FORCE TO PALESTINIAN (March 16, 2001) The Israelis will insist on a U.S. veto of any Security Council resolution
involving any serious observer force.
And Shimon Peres willingly serving Ariel Sharon as his Foreign Minister
makes it much easier for the Israelis to deflect international pressures.
WE DIDN'T SEE; WE DIDN'T KNOW (March 15, 2001) The Palestinian people have many symbols, and one of them is Bir Zeit
university near Ramallah - the secular intellectual center of the
society.
SHARON COMETH (March 14, 2001) Monday in Washington the various Arab-American groups will stage a protest
demonstration outside the Washington Hilton where now Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon will be talking to the lead organization that makes up the Israeli-Jewish
lobby in Washington.
U.S. MEDIA ESTABLISHMENT HELPS PREPARE SHARON'S WAY (March 13, 2001) Sharon's PR people are working hard preparing his way for a triumphant
visit to the USA in a few days. They choose Lally Weymouth, long a "friendly
journalist", for one of his first major interviews -- published in Newsweek
this week.
ISRAELI CONCENTRATION CAMPS (March 12, 2001) If barbed wire were used, the symbolism would be too much like concentration
camps of old.
BIR ZEIT UNIVERSITY CRIES OUT FOR HELP (March 11, 2001) As usual these days, the Palestinian people are being collectively
tortured into submission with still expanding forms of bondage, oppression,
and brutal force.
PERES FRONTS FOR SHARON AS ISRAELIS PUSH FORWARD MAJOR PROPAGANDA (March 10, 200198) Who is more despicable is debateable these days. But surely Shimon
Peres is deserving of nomination. As Israeli army snipers pick off Palestinians and as Israeli army bulldozers dig trenches around Palestinian towns and cities, Peres fronts for the new Sharon regime telling the world the Israelis are going to "make life better for the Palestinians"!
TRENCH AND SIEGE WARFARE (March 8, 2001) The words, and the acts, go back before the bible itself -- trench warfare
and siege. The Romans built walls and laid siege to Jerusalem and Masada.
Trenches, though for a different purpose, became synonymous with World
War I.
CRIES FROM PALESTINE AND CRIES FROM ISRAEL (March 6, 2001) My sister-in-law just called crying - about 4 hours
ago Al-Bireh had about 3 minutes of heavy gunfire.....
her neighbor, Aida, was walking back home on the Friends
road from Ramallah after shopping for the Eid holiday.
OH MY GOD! CLINTON WON'T LEAVE THE WORLD ALONE! (March 5, 2001) They came to Washington -- the two-for-one power couple -- with the campaign
promise to bring health care to all Americans; they left (but Hillary is
already back on Capitol Hill) with the dangerous corporate for profit HMO's
in power and more uninsured than ever despite the economic juggernaunt.
MIDEAST CONFLICT TEARS AT BROTHERLY BOND (March 5, 2001) Hostilities engulf West Bank siblings,
who remain close despite their split between
Jewish and Muslim faiths.
BOMB BLAST IN ISRAELI COASTAL CITY (March 4, 2001) A powerful bomb exploded during morning rush hour
Sunday in a crowded open-air market in the Israeli coastal city of Netanya.
ISRAELIS LAY SIEGE TO PALESTINIAN CITIES (March 3, 2001) Sometime in the future there will be a day of reckoning for the Israelis.
But that day is not yet here while the suffering of the Palestinians is, literally,
more and more as each day dawns.
FIELD OF THORNS (March 3, 2001) The Palestinian uprising in the West
Bank and Gaza Strip, which in late September 2000 began as a wave of popular
protest against Ariel Sharon's belligerent incursion into Jerusalem's sacred
Haram al-Sharif, has developed into a full-fledged war of attrition against
the Israeli occupation, which rather ironically paved the aggressive right-wing
leader's path to power.
REGIONAL WAR PREPARATIONS AND PUBLIC OPINION MANIPULATION ESCALATE (March 2, 2001) Iraq responded to U.S. air strikes
on Feb. 16 by deploying thousands of troops from six divisions to positions
near the Jordanian border, triggering military alerts in Tel Aviv, Washington
and in several Gulf capitals.
SHARON AND PERES TEAM UP (March 2, 2001) It was a massacre. Not since Sabra and Chatila
had I seen the innocent slaughtered like this.
The Lebanese refugee women and children and men
lay in heaps, their heads or arms or legs missing,
beheaded or disemboweled.
SHARON GETS READY TO ACT. ARAFAT GETS READY TO LEAVE? (March 1, 2001) Arafat and regime are about collapse -- i.e., the money and capabilities provided
by the U.S. and Israel to keep the PA going are being cut off if Arafat doesn't
shape up!
BLEAK FUTURE FOR BOTH PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS (March 1, 2001) Shimon Peres has many secrets to try to keep, and that explains his desperation
to stay in power practically at any cost. Ariel Sharon knows this.
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