When right-wing lawyer, Muhammad Mughrabi was summoned by the Lebanese government during the years of Syrian regime domination, Human Rights Watch gave me a freedom award. Notice that when leftists are harassed by the Lebanese government, no Western human rights organization mentions them.
Sunday, December 24, 2017
Saturday, December 23, 2017
An Israeli journalist calling for physical (and possibly sexual?) punishment of Palestinian girls
"Ben Caspit, a journalist for the Maariv daily, praised the soldiers for not reacting, but called for retaliation against the Tamimi family.
"In the case of the girls, we should exact a price at some other opportunity, in the dark, without witnesses and cameras," he wrote."
On Anti-Semitism in Germany: Far-right whites are most responsible
"Anti-Semitic crimes here have slightly increased since the 2015 influx of refugees into the country, even though right-wing extremists are still responsible in the vast majority of cases." I can't believe that the Post put the last part of the sentence in passing. Also, notice that this article they typically conflates expressions against Israel with anti-Semitism. And why is the burning of the Israeli flag considered anti-Semitic when the burning of the Saudi flag (which has Al-Fatihah written on it) is not considered anti-Islam, and should not. Why does Israel always reserve to itself the right to enjoy exclusive political privileges? And look at this claim: "But Deidre Berger, the director of the American Jewish Committee in Berlin, said she believes that flag burning can incite violence against Jews". So if you burn the flags of ISIS or the flags of Arab countries, it means that you are inciting violence against Arabs and Muslims? What absurd claims.
Where there anti-Semitic chants in the pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Berlin?
Emily Dische-Becker investigates. The results are contrary to claims by German and Western media, and some German media retracted. (It is in German, and someone needs to translate into English).
Jerusalem and Arafat
"In a recent autobiography by a commander of the Maoist tendency in the Fatah Movement, the writer recalls his last exchange with the late Arafat in 2000. In the exchange, Mueen Al Taher asked Arafat, "Are you not concerned about the corrupt cronies around you?" Arafat replied, "History will not hold me accountable because of such figures; history will hold me accountable if I lose or reclaim Jerusalem."" (thanks Ihab)
UAE bans Tunisian women from entering the country
In a most sexist and offensive measure, the UAE government bans Tunisian women from entering the country. They later rescinded the order.
War on Yemen reaches 1,000 days as U.S. defends role in Saudi bombings
"The U.S. and Britain have been intimately involved in prosecuting the war, supplying weapons, logistical help and diplomatic support to their longtime regional ally Saudi Arabia and its coalition, which also includes the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Sudan. Besides selling weapons to the Saudis, American and British military advisers have provided training and intelligence and the U.S. has helped refuel coalition jets. Saudi airstrikes have repeatedly hit civilian targets — indiscriminate attacks that rights groups say are war crimes — despite sophisticated weaponry and Western intelligence."
Not in Western media: Brutal gang attack of Muslim girl
"A previous Facebook post written by Munshi said his daughter had been repeatedly bullied by a couple of classmates because she was Muslim. The post said the girl decided she wanted to resolve the feud and went to talk to the girls wearing an anti-bullying t-shirt and was instead brutally beaten, according to the post. Video shows the victim getting kicked to the ground as she holds her hands over her head and face as punching ensues."
U.S. ambassador caught lying about Muslims
"At a 2015 conference hosted by the pro-Islamaphobia David Horowitz Freedom Center, Hoekstra made false claims that some parts of the Netherlands were so dominated by Muslim extremists that non-Muslims could not even safely enter those communities — “no-go zones” — and that these extremists were actually setting fire to politicians. Many Dutch citizens have expressed concern about having a U.S. Ambassador who spread such completely false Islamaphobic conspiracy theories."
978 False claims by Trump
"The Star has counted 978 false claims since his inauguration, an average of three per day," (thanks Amir)
Thursday, December 21, 2017
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
Abu Dis and the Abbas-Beilin Agreement
I asked an advisor of Yasser Arafat about the mention of Abu Dis in the Abbas-Berlin agreement of 1995. He wrote to me (he does not want his name mentioned): ""Abu Dis was never mentioned as an alternative to East Jerusalem; it was not even mentioned separately once, but with many other neighborhoods of Al-Quds including al-Ram, Wadi Aljoz, Shuafat, Aissawiyyah and others as being the initial areas from which the Israelis will withdraw as a first step in further withdrawals from the rest of East Jerusalem. It was also agreed that East Jerusalem will ultimately be the capital of a Palestinian state." He also added that the agreement stipulated that the text would not be published but Beilin published it any way.
The arrest of Palestinian-Jordanian billionaire, Sabih Al-Masri in Saudi Arabia
As you know, he made his fortunate from contracts to feed Arab armies in the Gulf war in 1990-1991. He partnered with Khalid bin Sultan (the latter with his brother had reached agreements with Muhammad bin Salman, I am told). I asked an informed Palestinian businessman on the matter and he adds about Sabih Al-Masri: "That is true estimates between 500 to 800 Million He was (allegedly) bankrupt at that point. He had reached out to his close friend Khaled Shuman for help keep him afloat. Before that could be arranged Khaled ben Sultan had given him the contract to feed the BRAVE Arab Armies ( Note did not fight of course) . This was the beginning of a new life for the Masri. BTW his nephew Hani Masri ( In Washington DC and Big Clinton Supporter also (allegedly) made 50 million on this deal). This is the same Masri that (allegedly) took over the food services for the US Army in Iraq from Bassem Awadallah ( Awadallah had the company (allegedly) registered under his Uncle Mother brother to feed the US Army in Iraq : then sold to Masri once they had the candle with the Nepali employees). Masri is in partnership with another... Palestinian; Abu Alhuda Al Farouki regarding feeding US Army in Kuwait ....This is the same Masri that is a partner with Isac Rabin and Shimoan Perez and Munib Al Masri in PatTel ( Cell phone Co in the west bank) Mahmoud Abbas Sons are partners with Ehud Barak and Olmret in the 2nd Cell Co in West Bank... These are great patrons of the the Palestinian people ....This is the Same Masri that PFLP assassinated his younger brother in Nabluis in the early 80's. They are all (allegedly) corrupt beyond belief. Charity is PR work to polish their image....You can use info, but please no names... "
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Western media cover-up of the repression and corruption of Kurdistan
The racism of the New York Times: they don't mention that Israel has killed 9 Palestinians and injured 3420 since US Jerusalem move
Look how this racist newspaper measures violence. No mention of 9 Palestinians killed and 3420 injured by Israeli gunfire.
“Since the announcement, violence in the region has escalated. There have been at least 27 rocket attacks from Gaza”.
“Since the announcement, violence in the region has escalated. There have been at least 27 rocket attacks from Gaza”.
Ahed Tamimi is the symbol of Palestine: not that PA puppet: she has filled all Arab social media today
Of course, Western correspondents in Beirut never heard of her. And she has been resisting occupation as a child: not being manipulated by her parents or by Gulf regimes.
Field Marshal Montgomery supported extreme violence against the the Palestinians
"In practice, the British authorities drew no real distinction between combatants and civilians. The activities of Israel today bear a strong resemblance to those of Britain. As part of efforts to erect a smokescreen around its crimes in Gaza, Israel has designated that whole territory as “hostile.” "
Surveillance firms spied on Rachel Corrie's family
"Caterpillar, one of the world’s biggest manufacturing companies, hired C2i, which gathered information about a grieving family that was taking legal action against the firm. A contract drawn up by Caterpillar and signed by C2i instructed that its work should be kept confidential. Corrie, 23, was crushed to death in 2003 by an Israeli military bulldozer as she protested against the demolition of Palestinian homes."
US government propaganda on social media
""No mention of the Defense Department’s $100 million program Operation Earnest Voice software that “creates fake online identities to spread pro-American propaganda.” No mention of the US Air Force’s 2010 solicitation of “persona management” software designed to create hundreds of sock puppets, “replete with background, history, supporting details and cyber presences that are technically, culturally and geographically consistent.” "Or reference to the half-dozen reports of Israeli troll farms promoting pro-Israel propaganda online."" (thanks Amir)
Monday, December 18, 2017
The best part of this story in the Guardian
" "“It’s all part of an effort to delegitimise western efforts to stabilise Syria,” said Sam Woolley, who studies computational propaganda at the University of Oxford aid."" Why can't people just let Western countries stabilize Syria? Why? That is all what Western countries ever wanted to do in the Middle East, to stabile it. Just as they stabilized the Gulf region. Is that so wrong? It is all about stabilization. Ask the Oxford University expert cited above. He can tell you.
Hizbullah in Politico: smuggling of drugs and...frozen chicken
Regarding this long piece: look. I don't know how Hizbullah finances itself (Nasrallah now publicly says that their funding is entirely from Iran), and I don't know about secret methods and operations of this party, but I have to say US/Israeli stories about Hizhbullah and drugs and surveillance of targets in the US are as unconvincing as the story or the car salesman in Texas who hired drug dealers from Mexico to kill the Saudi ambassador in DC while eating a Chinese meal. Look at this: "Hezbollah — in league with Iran — continues to undermine U.S. interests in Iraq, Syria and throughout wide swaths of Latin America and Africa". Hizbullah is active in Latin American and Africa? It is barely active in Arab countries outside of Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. Also, many of those stories assume that any Shi`ite who is involved in illegal trade must be a cover for Hizbullah operations when many of the names are often loyal to Amal Movement. What makes those stories more suspicious is that not only they cite Israeli and Zionist sources exclusively, but they also only cite fanatic Zionists as experts on the stories.
Saudi embassy had a tribute and display for the one Huthi missile which fell in Riyadh: what about the thousands which they dropped on Yemeni people?
Cornel West on the Palestinians
I am glad how passionate Cornel West has become on the Palestinians. It is now an essential criterion for him in judging intellectuals. But it was not always like that. Back in the 1980s and early 1990s, Cornel West was very quick to denounce the PLO and accuse it of anti-Semitism, when the PLO was never guilty of anti-Semitism. He, writing in Tikkhun, once spoke of the "ugly anti-Semitism" of the PLO (Joseph Massad reminded me of this one). He also co-wrote a book with Michael Lerner of Tikkun in which I remember he also took a swipe at the Palestinians. Cornel West was an establishment figure in the 1980s and 1990s. The rise of Obama and his (first) experience at Harvard radicalized him.
Sunday, December 17, 2017
Friday, December 15, 2017
US policy towards Jerusalem
My weekly article in Al-Akhbar: "A History of the Context of US History toward Jerusalem.
Robyn Creswell on Adonis in the New Yorker
I respect Creswell's knowledge of Arabic literature but on this piece:
1) he notes how disappointed people have been with Adoni's stance on the Syrian uprising (count me as one) but he cites on that none other than Sadiq Jalal Al-Azm. Does he not see the irony on that? I have been disappointed with the stance of Adonis for sure, but the stance of Al-Azm has been far worse especially in his resort to sectarian language and rhetoric and his subservience to Gulf regime stances during the uprising. In fact, the political transformation of Al-Azm has been far more glaring than that of Adonis.
2) He says that Adonis ("This is a topic that, unlike most Arab intellectuals of his generation, he has generally avoided") has avoided the Arab-Israeli conflict. Nothing more farther from the truth. He missed that the journal of Adonis in the late 1969, Mawaqif, basically went over the experience of Shi`r and championed the Palestinian resistance in very strong terms. There is rarely an interview or an article in Al-Hayat where Adonis has been writing in which he does not mention the Palestinian. To be sure, in the 1990s, when he was hoping for a Nobel, his stances because a bit more muted but not anymore. He is very vocal in his views on Israel.
3) he does not mention that Adonis was really influenced by the Jesuit Orientalists at St. Joseph University where he earned his PhD. His PhD dissertation (subsequently published) is a lousy academic work which approaches the heritage of Arabic literature in a most dogmatic and Orientalist fashion.
4) He does not mention how supporters of Syrian rebels often attacked Adonis on account of the sect in which he was born.
1) he notes how disappointed people have been with Adoni's stance on the Syrian uprising (count me as one) but he cites on that none other than Sadiq Jalal Al-Azm. Does he not see the irony on that? I have been disappointed with the stance of Adonis for sure, but the stance of Al-Azm has been far worse especially in his resort to sectarian language and rhetoric and his subservience to Gulf regime stances during the uprising. In fact, the political transformation of Al-Azm has been far more glaring than that of Adonis.
2) He says that Adonis ("This is a topic that, unlike most Arab intellectuals of his generation, he has generally avoided") has avoided the Arab-Israeli conflict. Nothing more farther from the truth. He missed that the journal of Adonis in the late 1969, Mawaqif, basically went over the experience of Shi`r and championed the Palestinian resistance in very strong terms. There is rarely an interview or an article in Al-Hayat where Adonis has been writing in which he does not mention the Palestinian. To be sure, in the 1990s, when he was hoping for a Nobel, his stances because a bit more muted but not anymore. He is very vocal in his views on Israel.
3) he does not mention that Adonis was really influenced by the Jesuit Orientalists at St. Joseph University where he earned his PhD. His PhD dissertation (subsequently published) is a lousy academic work which approaches the heritage of Arabic literature in a most dogmatic and Orientalist fashion.
4) He does not mention how supporters of Syrian rebels often attacked Adonis on account of the sect in which he was born.
Thursday, December 14, 2017
Saudi regime is really angry at Palestinians
The protests by Palestinians in Palestine and elsewhere inlaced chants against Muhammad bin Salman. This really angered the regime and it unleashed the Saudi Mabahith goons on social media to vomit racist anti-Palestinian trash talk. Mahmoud Abbas (the puppet) had to intervene and declare yesterday that the Saudi King assured him that the regime won't accept except (East) Jerusalem as capital of Palestine.
Changes at the New York Times
I resent the suggestion that A.G. Sulzberger was selected for his new post at the New York Times for any reason other than sheer talent. Nepotism didn’t enter the picture at all. This isn’t some Saudi royal dynastic rule.
Tuesday, December 12, 2017
Another freedom of expression case that you won't hear about in Western or Arab media
Mustafa Sbayti wrote (under the influence of alcohol by his admission) a poet comment on Facebook in which he expressed his desire to "sleep with Virgin Mary". Of course, the Christian AND Muslim religious establishment called for a severe punishment of him although he quickly removed the comment and profusely apologized. He has been in jail for the last few weeks, and was released today. Here is m article on the matter: "Between the Bishop and the Poet". Naturally no one in Lebanon lifted a finger for the poet because he is a secular communist who posts Lenin's picture on his Facebook. Human Right Watch's office in Beirut--increasingly part of the Hariri coalition camp-- would have made a stink about the matter if the poet was a pro-Hariri right-winger.
When Anne Barnard linked Lebanese secular leftists with Hizbullah
From Alfred: "...Those who demonstrated outside the US Embassy in Beirut were not only secularists. More importantly to Anne Barnard, they are from organizations that are NOT listed by the US as "terrorist organizations". She wants to link those who are anti-Israel in Lebanon with Hizbullah...you know the organization that killed Americans and are called terrorists. "
On the secular communist and Arab/Syrian nationalist protest in Beirut on Sunday
I am summoned by the Lebanese Ministry of Justice over a tweet
Under pressure from the orphans of the Israeli occupation of Lebanon, i.e. Lebanese Forces and their media like LBC TV station, the Minister of Justice of Lebanon succumbed to pressures and ordered a summon for me based on...a tweet. The tweet was a "quoted tweet" in which I comment on a tweet by the Twitter page of UNIFIL in Lebanon in which it reported a high level meeting between "senior Lebanese Army officers" and Israeli occupation officers. This happened the day after the Jerusalem move by the US. I wrote: "Disgrace. Disgrace. Lebanese Army commanders meet with officers of the Israeli enemy while Arab streets are boiling with anger over Jerusalem. Let us call for disarming the Lebanese Army while keeping the arms of the resistance". (The last sentence was written as irony but some Lebanese--like Americans--don't have an appetite for irony). As you know, the Lebanese resistance movement started in 1978 by a bunch of Marxist-Leninists and later broadened to include other secular and leftist forces and later other Islamist-oreinted forces. Throughout those times, the defense of Lebanon against Israeli aggression and occupation was undertaken by those volunteers with the exception of the time when Emile Lahhud led the Lebanese Army and when he was president, and insisted that the Army be used in defense of Lebanon. I have lived in the US uninterruptedly since 1983, and yet the Lebanese Ministry of Justice can still be concerned over my tweets from California.
PS If I were a pro-Saudi right-wing Hariri writer, the story would have been picked up by all Western correspondents in Beirut and by Human Rights Watch office in Beirut. They would have raised a hue and cry over the muzzling of freedom of speech. But the views of anti-Israel leftists, are not considered worthy of protection by those people.
PS If I were a pro-Saudi right-wing Hariri writer, the story would have been picked up by all Western correspondents in Beirut and by Human Rights Watch office in Beirut. They would have raised a hue and cry over the muzzling of freedom of speech. But the views of anti-Israel leftists, are not considered worthy of protection by those people.
Monday, December 11, 2017
Ronald Reagan on moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem
"WASHINGTON, March 28 - President Reagan said today that it would be ''most unwise'' for the United States to move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and he strongly suggested that he would veto legislation in Congress to require such a step.
In an interview, Mr. Reagan said a bill requiring the embassy to be moved ''should never have been introduced in Congress.'' He said the disposition of Jerusalem, the West Bank of the Jordan River and other areas ''must be negotiated'' between Israel and the Arab countries. Asked if he would veto legislation on the embassy, the President said: ''I am hoping I won't have to. But like the several previous Presidents before me, I think that that is a most unwise thing.''"
Sunday, December 10, 2017
From the protest in front of the US embassy in Lebanon
Lebanese Communist Party leader in front of the US embassy in Lebanon
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