Newswire

Acknowledging the day, the Addameer Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association highlighted the thousands of persecuted prisoners, launching a new campaign on their behalf "to raise awareness of specific cases....whose detention (pose) serious risks."

Ayed Dudeen is one of many affected, incarcerated without charge or trial since October 2007, the longest interned administrative detainee. A father of six, he's, in fact, been held for most of the past 19 years unjustly like so many others for shorter or longer periods.

Addressing Attorney General Menachem Mazuz, Military Judge Advocate General Avihai Mandelblit, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Israel's Permanent UN Mission in Geneva, Addameer expressed "strong concerns" on his behalf.

Serving as deputy director of the Hebron Palestinian Red Crescent Society ambulance and emergency services, his detention was renewed 30 times, most recently on April 11, 2011. Yet no evidence proves criminality, political or otherwise. Nonetheless, he's been denied minimal due process, preventing his right to a just defense.

Addameer expressed outrage about "the manifest breaches of human rights and international humanitarian law" violations against him, like so many others. As a result, the organization strongly urged:

-- his immediate and unconditional release, as well as others unjustly held;

-- an immediate end to arbitrary arrests and administrative detentions without charge for indefinite periods; and

-- respect for international human rights and humanitarian law provisions regarding arrests, detentions and treatment.

Addameer currently estimates about 6,000 political prisoners in Israeli prisons. The Prisoners at Risk Campaign highlights cases getting little public attention yet deserve urgent action. They include:

-- prisoners seriously ill at risk of further deterioration because of willful medical neglect;

-- those held indefinitely without charge of trial;

-- human rights activists;

-- those longest held; and

-- those severely tortured because they refuse to be silent about their ill-treatment.

Addameer's director, Sahar Francis, says:

"This campaign, and its focus on the mobilization of international civil society, is absolutely essential because the failure of peace talks, including Oslo (and subsequent sham efforts), to resolve the prisoner issue has amply demonstrated that without intense external pressure, Israel will never abide by international human rights and humanitarian law."

On April 17, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) headlined its press release, "Palestine Prisoners Day - Narratives Behind Locked Doors," saying:

Commemorated annually, the day "support(s) and recognize(s) Palestinians currently in custody in Israel" unjustly. According to the Adalah Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, the number ranges from the current low up to 12,000 or more, mostly for political and related reasons, including women and children.

From 1967 - 2008, Addameer reported over 650,000 detained, or about 20% of the total Occupied Territory (OPT) population and 40% of all males. Moreover, since the beginning of the September 2000 second Intifada, 70,000 were interned. According to PCHR, 760,000 have been held since 1967. Currently, it states, about 6,500 are detained, including over 250 children and 37 women.

Most are held in Palestine, but many others in Israeli civil and military prisons, in violation of numerous Fourth Geneva provisions, including Article 49 stating:

"....forcible transfers, as well as deportations of protected persons (including prisoners) from occupied territory to the territory of the Occupying Power or to that of any other country, occupied or not, are prohibited, regardless of their motive."

"PCHR notes with particular concern the many violations of human rights and humanitarian law that prisoners are subjected to while in Israeli detention. In particular violations of Articles 7, 9 and 10 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Israel is a State Party."

Moreover, children are treated like adults in brazen violation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), defining a minor is anyone below age 18. Israel is a CRC signatory yet violates this law like all other international ones flagrantly.

On June 7, 1967, Military proclamation No. 1 justified detentions "in the interests of security and public order," subjecting all Palestinians to police state persecution. Hundreds of other orders followed, gravely harming their rights and well-being.

As a result, they may be held indefinitely as well as subjected to months of abusive, inhumane and degrading interrogations and treatment, then detained without charge or tried in military courts, denying due process and judicial fairness.

In confinement, Israel willfully and systematically violates international humanitarian law, including Geneva's Common Article 3, requiring:

"humane treatment for all persons in enemy hands, specifically prohibit(ing) murder, mutilation, torture, cruel, humiliating and degrading treatment (and) unfair trial(s)."

Fourth Geneva's Article 4 calls "protected persons" those held by parties to a conflict or occupation "of which they are not nationals." They must "be treated with humanity and, in case of trial, shall not be deprived of the rights of fair and regular trial prescribed by the present Convention." They're entitled to full Fourth Geneva rights. Prisoners of war under Third Geneva have the same rights and those under Common Article 3.

Israel willfully denies them. Under the 1971 Israeli Prison Ordinance, no provision defines prisoner rights. It only provides binding rules for the Interior Minister who can interpret them freely by administrative decree. For example, it's legal to intern 20 inmates in a cell as small as five meters long, four meters wide and three meters high, including an open lavatory, and they can be confined up to 23 hours daily. As a result, they're subjected to horrific conditions, including:

-- severe overcrowding;

-- poor ventilation and sanitation;

-- no change of clothes or adequate clothing;

-- sleeping on wooden planks with thin mattresses, some infested with vermin; blankets are often torn, filthy and inadequate; hot water is rare and soap is rationed;

-- at the Negev Ketziot military detention camp, threadbare tents are used, exposing detainees to extreme weather conditions; in summer, vermin, insects, scorpions, parasites, rats, and other reptiles are a major problem;

-- Megiddo and Ofer also use tents; in addition, Ofer uses oil-soiled hangers;

-- for some, isolation in tiny, poorly ventilated solitary confinement with no visitation rights or contact with counsel or other prisoners;

-- no access to personal cleanliness and hygiene; toilet facilities are restricted, forcing prisoners to urinate in bottles in their cells;

-- inadequate food in terms of quality, quantity, and dietary requirements;

-- poor medical care, including lack of specialized personnel, mental health treatment, and denial of needed medicines and equipment; as a result, many suffer ill health; doctors are also pressured to deny proper treatment, some later admitting it;

-- extreme psychological pressure to break detainees' will;

-- widespread use of torture, abuse, cruel and degrading treatment;

-- women and children are treated like men;

-- NGOs like Physicians for Human Rights - Israel and the ICRC are deterred from aiding detainees;

-- denied or hindered access to family members and counsel; and

-- enforced conditions subordinating visits to national security priorities, requiring prisoners not be security risks, that persons applying for visits not have a security record, and whatever other stipulations Israel imposes.

PCHR noted special concern for about 700 detained Gazans, denied visits, phone calls, mail or other communications with family members for nearly four years with rare (usually one-time only) exceptions allowed. This outrageous prohibition, "exacerbates the already difficult conditions of confinement and constitutes a violation of international human rights law."

PCHR commemorated Palestinian Prisoners Day by releasing nine poignant narratives, including "The Mother of a Minor in Prison - Amal Abdul-Allah."

For many years, she endured enormous hardships. Her father was incarcerated for 17 years. Her husband was arrested and released in 1983. Her brother and nephew were also imprisoned, and in February 2009, Israeli her third-oldest son, Oudai.

"He was arrested on his way to Ramallah, at Beit Iba checkpoint near Nablus. We realized that he must have been arrested when he did not come home to sleep that night. He had been arrested in the morning and forced to spend the entire day and night at the checkpoint. He had to lie on the ground the entire time, until they took him to Megiddo prison the next day."

Family members weren't told of his whereabouts. The ICRC got spotty information. For several months, he was repeatedly transfered to new prisons. With one exception, Amal and other family members were totally denied visitation rights for "security reasons."

Family members occasionally get information from released prisoners, Amal learning that Oudai was healthy but emotionally exhausted, depressed, always crying, and wanted to go home.

Amal told PCHR:

"I am emotionally in pain because I haven't seen him in so long. The whole situation is very hard. I can't bear it. Also, when I saw him for the first time in court, it was very hard for me, especially since I hadn't seen him for (months). I could not stop crying, but I was afraid for him and I tried to hold myself together as much as possible. For now, what hurts me most is that I am not allowed to visit him."

Moreover, Oudai, like most other child or adult prisoners, is held on spurious charges, assuring months or many years of injustice and harsh treatment. Unlike detained Jews given due process in civil courts, Palestinians get none under occupation. Nor do Israeli Arabs for their faith and ethnicity in a Jewish state.

A Final Comment

On April 17, the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) said about 1,000 Hebron protesters marked the day by rallying for release of Palestinian prisoners. "At the same time, thousands of prisoners joined a one-day hunger strike," protesting their treatment and legal rights.

Protesters included family members, local authorities, and international activists. According to former political prisoner Abdul Nasser Farwana's new report, virtually every Palestinian household has had members jailed. It explains that most of those detained are unrelated to alleged security issues; that torture is freely used to extract confessions; that no consideration is given women, children and those ill; and that overall treatment violates fundamental international law.

On April 17 and throughout the year, remember how abusively Israel treats Arabs for their faith and ethnicity, and that conduct this reprehensible no longer can be tolerated.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.

Al Jazeera's War on Gaddafi

Al Jazeera's War on Gaddafi - by Stephen Lendman

Based on its recent Libyan and Gulf states reporting (or lack thereof), Qatar-based Al Jazeera's credibility appears extremely compromised.

A previous article said the following:

Overall, its Libya misreporting has been deceitful, functioning more as a propaganda arm for Washington, NATO and insurgents, indistinguishable from US and other western media, representing imperial conquest, colonization, and pillaging of another non-belligerent country.

In late March, moreover, Front Page writer Mohammed al-Kibsi accused Al Jazeera of airing old Iraqi prisoner abuse video, broadcast by Al-Arabiya in 2007, in fabricating news about Yemen.

Yet it was aired repeatedly, claiming it showed Yemeni Central Security forces torturing protesters. Later admitting its mistake, Al Jazeera blamed a technical error and apologized, too late to undue the damage to those blamed and its own reputation, badly tarnished by frequent misreporting on the region, despite earlier worthy efforts that built its standing as a reliable broadcaster. That now is very much in question.

California State University Professor As'ad AbuKhalil runs the Angry Arab News Service, accessed through the following link:

http://angryarab.blogspot.com/

His recent comments on Al Jazeera's Libya coverage include:

April 20: "According to Al Jazeera's legal opinion," UN Resolution 1973 permits use of nuclear weapons.

America, in fact, has an arsenal of so-called deep-penetrating mini-nuke buster busters, able to destroy underground targets with varying yields from one to 1,000 kilotons. Hiroshima's bomb was about 15 KT, Nagasaki's about 21 KT.

Since the Bush administration's 2001 Nuclear Policy Review, Washington claimed a unilateral right to use first-strike nuclear weapons preemptively, including against non-nuclear states under three conditions:

-- against targets able to withstand non-nuclear weapons;

-- in retaliation against nuclear, biological or chemical WMDs; or

-- against any perceived real or contrived national security threat.

April 20: "Al Jazeera now wants a ground invasion," citing Misurata residents and UAE officials also wanting intensified bombing.

April 17: "Al Jazeera and the Qarari-Saudi conflict" benefitted the broadcaster early on, then compromised its credibility after rapprochement between their royals. "That severely narrowed the limitations of speech. I have heard many complaints from (Al Jazeera) hosts about the terrible impact of the....reconciliation on their coverage and programming."

"Now what happened recently was worse:" establishing a solid alliance compromising it more. As a result, "only criticisms of countries that are not on good terms with Saudi royals (are) allowed."

April 15: AbuKhalil "was thinking yesterday while doing (his) laps: (He) may have appeared for the last time ever on Al Jazeera but (he's) glad that (his) last words were about Bahrain. The Saudi-Qarati-financed Arab media want us to forget about Bahrain, but we won't."

April 14: "Bahrain - Al Jazeera's scant reports are hilarious. They are one sentence or two. They read - as they are - like Bahraini propaganda press releases. Today, the network had a line or two about (its) government planning to prosecute opposition groups," with no comments from them aired.

April 14: "Al Jazeera and Syria." Despite good Qatari - Syrian relations, Al Jazeera's coverage has been "negative, and government propagandists are visibly mocked and ridiculed. And lately the channel relies on sensational Saudi propaganda sheets for coverage."

April 14: "Al Jazeera: the new Qatari foreign policy. Bahrain does not exist as far as Al Jazeera is concerned, and they have avoided inviting" on air Bahraini, Omani and Saudi critics. "Most glaringly, Al Jazeera" suppresses criticisms of Bahraini repression. As a result, GCC countries have "closed ranks and Qatar may be rewarded with the coveted post of" Arab League secretary-general.

April 11: "Al Jazeera's coverage of Libya is not only politically bad and professionally over the top, but it is also worse than all that - it is boring."

March 23: "Shame on Al Jazeera. (Its) sinister role (has) gotten worse, much worse" with its "obsessive non-stop (Libyan) coverage" at the expense of important omitted news. "It seems that Al Jazeera now operates according to the Western standards," providing one-sided propaganda, not unbiased reporting.

February 17: Bahrainis "are on there own now. There is no Al Jazeera to support their cause and expose the regime, and the US and EU will do their best to rationalize and support government repression. Shame on Al Jazeera Arabic for abandoning the people of Bahrain, and for invoking a sectarian element in their coverage, implying that only Shi'ites are protesting."

On February 25, Monthly Review contributor Yoshie Furuhashi headlined, "Al Jazeera Promotes Libya's 'Crown Prince' Who Calls for Military Intervention in Libya," saying:

Covering regional uprisings, Al Jazeera's reporting "began to deteriorate....when revolutionary sparks" ignited in GCC states, including Bahrain. About the same time, Libya was affected, another oil-producing country. Henceforth, Bahain was forgotten to focus on Gaddafi.

"Now there's nothing wrong with (doing it) if the purpose is to convey accurate information. (But there's) everything wrong with" propagandizing at the expense of truth. "And I'm afraid that's exactly what Al Jazeera" did, supporting imperial intervention.

"In both Arabic and English," it features "members of the National Front for the Salvation of Libya," the main CIA/Saudi/French intelligence funded opposition group, then combined with others to form the National Conference for the Libyan Opposition umbrella organization.

On February 24, Al Jazeera "hit a new low, (giving) the self-styled 'Crown Prince' of Libya - Muhammad as-Senussi," its so-called heir to the Senussi Crown, a platform to urge "the international community to help remove Gaddafi from power and stop the (claimed) massacre." In fact, most casualties and destruction were caused by daily Western bombing and support for extremist rebels - a combination of untrained civilians, former soldiers, and CIA-backed paramilitary Libya Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) insurgents, cutthroat killers acting as a proxy NATO force.

Al Jazeera's Fall from Grace

Launched in November 1996, the satellite channel once aired "dissenting views, for example on call-in shows," according to Wikipedia, adding that it "created controversies" among GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, and its home base, Qatar.

Its chairman, Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer Al Thani, is a distant cousin of Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. Wadah Khanfar is director general and managing director of the Arabic channel. Ahmed Sheikh is its editor-in-chief, Mohamed Nanabhay holding the same English channel position.

Its Arabic channel reaches 50 million or more global viewers, its English one up to twice as many, a remarkable achievement in less than 15 years with little US penetration where most viewers must do it online. Elsewhere it's available by satellite or cable.

Reportedly, Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi hosts its most popular program, ash-Shariah wal-Hayat (Shariah and Life) and has significant overall editorial influence. He's written over 80 books, serves as chief religious scholar for IslamOnline, received eight international prizes for Islamic scholarship, and in 2004 was an Oxford University Center for Islamic Studies trustee. In 2008, Foreign Policy magazine ranked him third among public intellectuals worldwide, despite his controversial views.

Since 1999, however, he's prohibited from entering America, and in 2008, Britain refused him a visa. On February 16, Der Spiegel contributor Alexander Smoltczyk headlined, "Islam's Spiritual 'Dear Abby:' Yusuf Qaradawi, The Voice of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood," saying:

"(F)ew (others) have as much influence on Sunni Muslims....(He's) a word machine, a one-man talk show that leaves no subject unexamined....He's a driven man. (There's) only one Islamic scholar like (him), who (memorized) the Koran (at age 10)....the only man who can help the faithful understand the world." For the past 15 years, Al Jazeera's broadcast his "Shariah and Life" program Sundays, viewed by up to 60 million Muslims.

Now aged 84, he's "a blend of pope and service hotline, a spiritual 'Dear Abby' for all (aspects of) Muslim life," claiming moderate credentials about which some disagree, among other reasons for issuing a pro-Western fatwa against Gaddafi.

However, on February 2, 2009, the extremist pro-Israeli Anti-Defamation League denounced him for "support(ing) terrorist groups that seek to undermine a peaceful resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict," and for "inciting violence against Jews and Israel."

On February 22, the Los Angeles Times headlined, "Libya: Popular TV cleric issues fatwa against Kadafi,"

live on Al Jazeera, saying:

"It is not heroism to fight your people and to hit them with missiles....I say to my brothers and sons who are soldiers and officers of the Libyan Army to disobey when (the government) gives orders to kill the people using warplanes....I now issue a fatwa urging officers and soldiers who can to kill" him....This man wants to annihilate the people."

Qaradawi, in fact, chose sides, using Al Jazeera's platform to display a remarkable one-sidedness and lack of scholarship for a man of his credentials, ignoring facts to support Western imperial war, conquest, colonization, and exploitation of another Muslim country. As a result, he's Al Jazeera's leading hawk against Libyans and others across the region suffering repressively under despotic regimes, including GCC ones Al Jazeera supports.

A Final Comment

Al Jazeera feature stories since April 15, include:

April 15: "Western leaders insist 'Gaddafi must,' go," vowing to keep fighting until he's gone, quoting Obama, Sarkozy, and Cameron's day before propaganda, saying:

"It is unthinkable that someone who has tried to massacre his own people can play a part in their future government."

April 15: "Gaddafi forces 'cluster bombing Misurata,' " based solely on what insurgent leaders as well as Western officials and media claim with no verifiable proof, categorically denied by Libya's military saying they have none.

April 19: "Libya death toll 'reaches 10,000,' " again based solely on what insurgents claim, ignoring the toll from heavy NATO bombing, using depleted uranium and other terror weapons.

April 22: "(Senator) McCain urges recognition of Libyan 'heros,' " - imperial proxy killers, in fact, Al Jazeera disgracefully supports, propagandizing like their Western media counterparts, allied in the same dirty war on truth.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.

2010 State Department Human Rights Report on Egypt

2010 State Department Human Rights Report on Egypt - by Stephen Lendman

In her book, "Cowboy Republic: Six Ways the Bush Gang Has Defied the Law," Marjorie Cohn quoted a former CIA agent saying:

"If you want a serious interrogation, you send a prisoner to Jordan. If you want them tortured, you send them to Syria. If you want someone to disappear....you send them to Egypt."

In fact, Egypt under Mubarak and current military leadership is proficient in all of the above. These practices go on daily but unmentioned in US media reports, claiming September elections promise democracy, when, in fact, everything changed but stayed the same.

Each year, the State Department publishes human rights reports on over 190 countries. Its complete one on Egypt can be accessed through the following link:

http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/160456.pdf

It bears repeating that practices under Mubarak continue, including harsh crackdowns, mass arrests and torture of protesters and others challenging regime authority. Emerging democracy in Egypt is nowhere in sight - never, in fact, as long as its military has dominant power, with or without the facade of elected civilians.

That said, the State Department's report covered disturbing human rights violations, explaining them by category.

Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life

Security forces "committed arbitrary or unlawful killings during the year." Examples include a 27-year old businessman beaten to death in Alexandria, a 19-year old disappeared and murdered in November, and violent clashes that month with Coptic Christians in Giza, killing two and injuring dozens.

In January, security forces attacked other Coptics with automatic weapons after Orthodox Christmas Mass. Seven died, 11 more wounded. Numerous other examples highlight state violence against targeted individuals or groups. Egypt, in fact, is a military junta run police state, tolerating no opposition to its rule.

Disappearances

According to the UN Human Rights Council, dozens were reported, families given contradictory or no information on the whereabouts of their loved ones.

Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

"Police, security personnel, and prison guards often tortured and abused prisoners and detainees," some held under Egypt's notorious Emergency Law, in place since 1967, authorizing indefinite detentions. "The government rarely (holds) security officials accountable, and (they) often (operate) with impunity."

Domestic and international human rights groups say Egypt's SSIS (State Security Investigations Service), police, and military use torture to extract confessions, including by:

-- stripping and blindfolding victims;

-- suspending them by their wrists and ankles in painful positions, or from ceilings or door frames with feet barely touching the floor;

-- beatings with fists, whips, metal rods, and other objects;

-- electric shocks;

-- dousing detainees with cold water;

-- sleep deprivation;

-- sexual abuse, including sodomy; and

-- other forms of torture.

A previous article explained the following:

According to Human Right Watch (HRW) and London Guardian reports, the professed neutrality and public persona of Egypt's military belie its harshness.

On February 9, Guardian writer Chris McGreal headlined, "Egypt's army 'involved in detentions and torture,' " saying:

Military forces "secretly detained hundreds and possibly thousands of suspected government opponents since mass (anti-Mubarak) protests began, (and) at least some of these detainees have been tortured, according to testimonies gathered by the Guardian."

Moreover, HRW and other human rights organizations cited years of army involvement in disappearances and torture. Former detainees confirmed "extensive beatings and other abuses at the hands of the military in what appears to be an organized campaign of intimidation." Electric shocks, Taser guns, threatened rapes, beatings, disappearances, and perhaps killings left families grieving for loved ones.

On February 17, Amnesty International (AI) reported released prisoners saying military personnel used beatings, whippings, electric shocks and other forms of torture and abuse to intimidate them, extract confessions, and get information about others involved in protests.

AI said:

"The military authorities must intervene to end torture and other abuse of detainees, which we now know to have been taking place in military custody."

The worst of these practices continue daily.

HRW researcher Heba Morayef said, "I think it's become pretty obvious by now that the military is not a neutral party. The military doesn't want and doesn't believe in the protests and this is even at the lower level, based on the interrogations."

Allied with Washington, the Pentagon and US intelligence, it supports power, not populist change, a dark reality street protesters better grasp to know what's coming from a post-Mubarak regime after elections. Unless challenged, promised reforms will leave entrenched policies in place, enforcing predatory capitalism and police state harshness, what Americans also endure under friendly-face leaders.

Prison and Detention Center Conditions

Understating their harshness, the State Department called them "poor," including overcrowding, inferior medicare care, bad hygiene, awful food and enough of it, clean water, proper ventilation, adequate temperature control, and other conditions conforming with international law standards.

As a result, TB and other diseases are widespread. Abuse is common, and youths are treated like adults.

Arbitrary Arrests or Detention

Though prohibited under Egypt's constitution, hundreds, perhaps thousands, are affected without charge under Emergency Law provisions.

Police and Security Forces

Egypt's SSIS conducts investigations. Its paramilitary CSF (Central Security Forces) maintains public order.

"There was no systematic prosecution of security personnel who committed human rights abuses, and impunity (is) a problem." Few accused of torture are investigated, prosecuted or punished.

Arrest Procedures and Treatment in Detention

Emergency Law arrests and indefinite detentions are common, those held kept incommunicado without access to family members or counsel before facing trial. Many are tortured.

Denial of Fair Public Trials

In violation of constitutional law, Egypt's judiciary is "subject to executive influence and corruption....State security courts....share jurisdiction with military (ones for matters) affecting national security." As a result, defendants aren't afforded due process protections. Guilty as charged usually prevails.

Trial Procedures

Trials are public without juries. Observers need permission to attend. Human rights activists are excluded from most military trials. Lawyers get inadequate access to defendants. Justice at best is hit or miss, mostly the latter.

Political Prisoners and Detainees

Thousands are held at any time without charge indefinitely without access to human rights organizations. Civilians courts also lack independence, especially for politically high-profile cases.

Arbitrary Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence

In violation of constitutional law, privacy of homes, correspondence, telephone calls, emails, and other means of communication are routinely violated. Moreover, under Egypt's Emergency Law, wiretaps, warrantless searches, property seizures, mail intercepts, and other privacy intrusions routinely occur.

Speech and Media Freedom

Though constitutionally guaranteed, they're commonly violated through harassment, censorship, arrests, prosecutions, and detentions. Opposition political groups, human rights activists, democracy advocates, and independent journalists are especially at risk.

Moreover, Egypt's Ministry of Information owns, controls and operates all ground-based domestic television and radio stations, replacing real reporting with managed news. Independent newspapers and other publications are also targeted for revealing abuses of power. So are authors of books critical of government policies.

"The Emergency Law authorizes censorship for reasons of public safety and national security."

Internet Freedom

Around one-fifth of Egyptians have access, including over 165,000 bloggers, about 20% focusing on politics. Monitoring is routine and occasionally sites are blocked or shut. Moreover, some bloggers and Internet activists are harassed, intimidated, arrested, prosecuted and detained.

Academic and Cultural Freedom

Academic freedom is severely restricted, using various means, including by installing school administrators to enforce government policies. Students are also routinely harassed and arrested. Moreover, Egypt's Ministry of Culture must approve all scripts and final productions of plays and films, including foreign ones.

Freedom of Assembly

Though constitutionally guaranteed, it's commonly restricted. "Citizens must obtain approval from the Ministry of Interior before holding public meetings, rallies, and protest marches." Violators are harassed, beaten, arrested, prosecuted and detained.

Freedom of Association

It's also restricted though guaranteed by law.

Freedom of Religion

Again, it's constitutionally guaranteed but some practices are restricted. "The status of respect for religious freedom by the government remained poor...."

Freedom of Movement, Internally Displaced Persons, Protection of Refugees, and Stateless Persons

Freedom of movement is mostly, but not entirely respected. For example, travel in designated military zones is prohibited, and males who haven't completed compulsory military service can't travel abroad or emigrate. Moreover, no legislative framework exists for granting asylum, and refugees are only admitted short-term, provided the UNHCR assumes full responsibility.

Respect for Political Rights

Electoral procedures are constitutionally mandated, but in practice they're easily subverted. Mubarak, for example, ruled for almost 30 years, easily winning "elections" with overwhelming personal and parliamentary majorities despite governing despotically.

Official Corruption and Government Transparency

It's prevalent at lower levels and rampant at higher ones. Mubarak is believed to have stolen billions. A February 4 London Guardian Phillip Inman article suggested his wealth approached $70 billion in UK and Swiss banks, as well as US, UK, and Sharm el-Sheikh property. His sons, Gamal and Alaa, are also billionaires. Like other global despots and many corporate bosses, he made his money the old-fashioned way. He stole it, stashing most discretely offshore.

Discrimination, Societal Abuses, and Trafficking in Persons

Despite constitutional protections, these practices commonly exist. Moreover, no prohibitions against domestic violence or spousal abuse exist, despite both being significant ongoing problems. Moreover, sexual harassment isn't criminalized, nor sex tourism in Luxor, Sharm El-Sheikh or other tourist areas. A shocking 2008 report found 83% of Egyptian women and 98% of foreign ones faced daily sexual harassment and/or abuse.

Persons with Disabilities

Discrimination commonly exists despite legal requirements for businesses to fill 5% of their positions with physically or mentally disabled persons. Overall, widespread societal discrimination exists.

Other Societal Violence or Discrimination

HIV/AIDS positive individuals, gays, and lesbians are socially stigmatized in society.

Worker Rights

A previous article explained poverty wages, few benefits, high unemployment, the state-controlled Trade Union Federation (TUC) subordinating worker rights to demands of government and private sector enterprises, prohibition of strikes and collective bargaining, corruption, mismanagement, mistreatment, short-term contracts for temporary workers, and other job related abuses.

A Final Comment

Overall, the State Department's report reveals disturbing civil and human rights violations, continuing unabated since Mubarak's ouster. As a result, anyone challenging military junta rule faces harassment, arrest, detention, torture, and imprisonment.

Expect little to change after scheduled September elections, installing new faces to continue old practices, unless sustained Arab spring fervor achieves otherwise, a dim prospect but possible.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.

Mission Creep in Libya

Mission Creep in Libya - by Stephen Lendman

Escalated intervention keeps incrementally building toward sending combat troops against Gaddafi, French and UK leaders signaling what may, in fact, have been planned all along, perhaps including US marines. More on that below.

On April 16, New York Times writer Rod Nordland admitted what's already known headlining, "Libyan Rebels Say They're Being Sent Weapons," saying:

Interviewed by Al Arabiya on Saturday, rebel military leader General Abdel Gattah Younas said "his forces had received weapons supplies from unidentified nations that supported their uprising." National Transitional Council spokesman Mustafa Gheriani confirmed it without naming sources thought to be Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, and NATO members directly.

Gheriani also said that rebels had "professional training centers," adding:

"We have a lot of people being trained, real professional training, that we don't talk to the world about."

On April 19, RTT News Global Financial Newswires headlined, "French Lawmaker Calls for Deployment of Ground Troops in Libya," saying:

Axel Poniatowski, French Parliament foreign affairs committee chairman, recommended "deploy(ing) ground troops in Libya to guide the ongoing airstrikes being carried out." Warning that operations could get bogged down, he said:

"The exclusive use of air power, as imposed on us by UN Security Council Resolution 1973, has proved its limitations in the face of targets that are mobile and hard to track. Without information from the ground, coalition planes are flying blind and increasing the risk of friendly fire incidents."

On April 19, the London Independent headlined, "Army experts to mention Libya rebels," saying:

"British Army officers are being sent to Libya to advise rebels fighting (Gaddafi's) forces. The UK group will be deployed to the opposition stronghold of Benghazi (in) a mentoring role to help leaders co-ordinating attacks on (his) army."

Foreign Secretary William Hague called those sent "legitimate political interlocutors," saying, "Our officers will not be involved in training or arming the opposition's fighting forces. Nor will they be involved in the planning or execution of the NTC's military operations or in the provision of any other form of operational military advice."

Ruling out a ground invasion, he admitted that additional SAS raids were possible, complementing others along with CIA and MI 6 intelligence operatives in Libya perhaps for months ahead of planned intervention, arming, funding and training rebel insurgents.

Usually described as experts, consultants and advisors, mission creep has been evident for weeks, a process begun in fall 2010 or earlier. Moreover, on March 25, London Daily Mail writers David Williams and Tim Shipman said before bombing began "it was revealed that hundreds of British special forces troops have been deployed deep inside Libya targeting (Gaddafi's) forces - and more are on standby."

On April 20, New York Times writers Alan Cowell and Ravi Somaiya headlined, "France and Italy Will Also Send Advisors to Libya Rebels," saying:

Both governments confirmed "they would join Britain in sending a small number of military liaison officers to support" Libyan insurgents, without Security Council authorization.

On April 18, Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's permanent NATO envoy, warned about serious Resolution 1973 violations, saying:

"We have information that certain European states are acting more and more on the side of the Libyan rebels. We request a halt to the violation of the UN Security Council resolution, especially its clause imposing an embargo on arms supplies to the conflict zones....No one has ever succeeded in extinguishing a fire with kerosene."

On April 19, RT.com headlined "Libyan relief effort feared guise for ground invasion," saying:

EU nations "plan to send up to 1,000 troops to Libya to convoy humanitarian aid," despite Russia warning about an invasion disguised as relief. Planned earlier in April, EUFOR Libya won't engage in direct combat unless attacked, said Michael Mann, spokesman EU High Representative Catherine Aston, yet expect them to have a very fluid mandate, escalating mission creep on any pretext or none at all.

In addition, US-led NATO forces may intervene to aid insurgents or engage directly in combat, according to AFRICOM General Carter Ham in early April testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, saying:

Air attacks produced stalemate, not resolution, and insurgents stand little chance of defeating Gaddafi on their own. As a result, he admitted consideration being given to direct engagement, saying his "personal view at this point would be that (it's) probably not the ideal circumstance" because of the regional reaction to another American-led land war. But he's not ruling it out, suggesting a pretext will be contrived to justify it.

According to former UK Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell, PM Cameron's "words need careful interpretation." Saying '(w)e're not occupying, we're not invading,' only "implies large numbers of troops being in Libya for a substantial period of time. (Cameron's) answer could imply military assistance or support at a much lower level, designed to stiffen the resolve and improve the quality of the rebel effort."

Or it may be planned escalation toward NATO assuming full operational control, including directly engaging Gaddafi's forces.

It's well known, though unreported in America, that US and UK elements have been active on the ground for weeks, perhaps months. Ahead look for fabricated reasons to send larger numbers openly for combat, not humanitarian or other reasons, despite disclaimers to the contrary. Once there, they'll fight to replace Gaddafi with a puppet leader serving Western interests, not Libyans. As a result, Libya's Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim said:

"If there is any deployment of any armed personnel on Libyan ground, there will be fighting. The Libyan government will not take it as a humanitarian mission. It will be taken as a military mission."

RT and the Boston Globe also said Obama exaggerated the humanitarian threat to justify Libya intervention, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW) data on Misurata, saying Gaddafi isn't massacring civilians. He's targeting insurgents attacking his forces.

University of Texas Professor Alan Kuperman agreed, saying there's no evidence he's targeting civilians. However, they're "caught in the middle. We didn't stop a bloodbath but we are prolonging and perpetuating the suffering of civilians in Libya." Other analysts agree, including former State Department official and Council on Foreign Relations president Richard Haass saying earlier in April:

"There (have) been no reports of large-scale massacres in Libya (so far), and Libyan society is not divided along a single or defining fault line. Gaddafi (sees) rebels as enemies for political reasons, not for their ethnic or tribal associations....(T)here is no evidence of which I am aware that civilians (have been) targeted on a large scale."

Obama lied saying:

"We knew that if we waited one more day, Benghazi could suffer a massacre that would have reverberated across the region and stained the conscience of the world."

In fact, no humanitarian crisis existed until Washington's led NATO campaign began. According to Kuperman, "If Gaddafi were trying to massacre civilians there would be thousands killed, not a couple of hundred." Moreover, he only railed against insurgents, saying he'd show them no mercy unless they disengaged from fighting.

On April 19, London Guardian writer Harriet Sherwood headlined, "Gaddafi violence against Libya civilians exaggerated, says British group," explaining they found "no evidence of dissent and accuse(d) western media of bias toward NATO military action."

Comprised of academics, human rights activists, lawyers, one doctor, and independent journalists, their group, called British Civilians for Peace in Libya, expressed outrage over another imperial war by "the biggest military force in the world," Washington's-led NATO.

Moreover, they "witnessed substantial support for (Gaddafi's) government by broad sections of society." They also expressed outrage over distorted Western reporting, especially from Britain, calling it one-sided and manipulative for "failing in their duty to report the conflict truthfully." In fact, "(s)ome of the reports from Benghazi and Misurata are totally one-sided," they said.

Anyone following America's media, especially on television, can verify what Project Censored calls a "truth emergency," whether on Libya or any other important world or national issue.

Questionable Reports of Cluster Bombs Used

Reports in The New York Times, the London Guardian, other Western broadsheets, and Al Jazeera, among others, claim Gaddafi is using munitions banned by over 100 countries, but not America or Israel freely using them in combat to cause mass casualties, even after cessation of hostilities.

Moreover, throughout the Libyan conflict, Al Jazeera has shown disturbing pro-insurgent, anti-Gaddafi bias instead of accurately reporting verifiable facts on the ground only, not speculation or willful propaganda so common in Western media.

Besides questionable accounts of cluster bombs (what Gaddafi's military categorically denies saying they have none), its April 19 report headlined, "Libya death toll 'reaches 10,000' " based solely on what insurgent leaders claim.

In fact, Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna in Benghazi said:

"Given the intensity of the conflict, it doesn't come as surprise. We have focused on areas like Misurata, where the humanitarian crisis is well documented. However, it is happening throughout Libya, the full extent of the crisis is not known and there is no real idea of" total casualties, omitting any responsibility for intense, daily US-led NATO bombing with depleted uranium munitions irradiating northern parts of the country, assuring future epidemic-level health problems everywhere these weapons are used.

Moreover, five weeks of heavy NATO bombing, exceeding 100 daily sorties, including against non-military targets, caused most civilian casualties - what neither Western media or Al Jazeera report, nor hazardous DU radiation dangers.

Overall, Al Jazeera's Libya misreporting has been deceitful, functioning more as a propaganda arm for Washington, NATO and insurgents, indistinguishable from US and other western media, representing planned imperial destruction, pillaging, and colonization of another non-belligerent country.

In late March, moreover, Front Page writer Mohammed al-Kibsi accused Al Jazeera of other misreporting for airing old Iraqi prisoner abuse video, broadcast by Al-Arabiya in 2007, in fabricating news about Yemen.

Yet it was aired repeatedly, claiming it showed Yemeni Central Security forces torturing protesters. Later admitting its mistake, Al Jazeera blamed a technical error and apologized, too late to undue the damage to those blamed and its own reputation, badly tarnished by frequent misreporting on the region, despite other worthy efforts that built it as a reliable broadcaster. That now is very much in question.

A Final Comment

In a personal email, independent Eritrea-based journalist Thomas Mountain explained human trafficking in Benghazi, saying:

It's "back in business....Benghazi to Malta was the route the human trafficking racket (took) between North Africa and Europe," exploiting millions of refugees in countries like Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Kenya and others.

It was longstanding for years until "Gaddafi and (Italy's) Berlusconi sat down together and (largely shut down) the Benghazi based human trafficking mob."

So how was it reinvigorated? "(Y)ou can thank NATO," operating like in Kosovo and other Balkan countries "selling body parts" in the late 1990s.

"It is hard to imagine" that Gaddafi can now defeat co-belligerents America, UK and France. "Yet....some believe" doing so is the only way to stop human trafficking once and for all.

Mountain is the only Horn of Africa-based Western journalist. In 1987, he was also a member of the 1st US Peace Delegation to Libya.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.

Israeli Intellectuals for Palestinian Independence

Israeli Intellectuals for Palestinian Independence - by Stephen Lendman

Several April 20 Haaretz reports explain efforts for Palestinian independence, including dozens of Israeli intellectuals and public figures endorsing it. On April 21 at 2PM, they'll read a statement in front of Tel Aviv's Independence Hall (where Ben-Gurion) declared Israel's statehood in May 1948) headlined:

"ISRAELI INTELLECTUALS WELCOME AND ENDORSE AN INDEPENDENT PALESTINIAN STATE NEXT TO ISRAEL"

In part, it states:

Israel and Palestine represent the birthplace of both peoples. This declaration expresses "commitment (for a) new state 'to ensure the complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex.' (Israel's) founding fathers extend(ed their) hand to all neighboring states and their peoples in an offer of peace and good neighborliness..."

"Now is the moment to live up to this promise!"

"We consider the independence of the two states and the unqualified end of the occupation a moral and an existential imperative as well as a necessary condition for a good neighborhood."

"We the undersigned citizens of Israel call upon all our compatriots, all the members of the Knesset, the Government of Israel and the governments and citizens of the world to join us in welcoming and endorsing a newly born (Palestine based on) 1967 borders," agreed to by both sides in 1949.

So doing, including ending the occupation, "will liberate the two peoples and open the way to a lasting peace."

On April 19, Haaretz writer Ilan Lior said endorsers include 17 Israel Prize winners (the state's highest honor, presented annually), as well as others awarded the annual EMET prize (for distinguished academic and professional achievements).

Insisting their effort isn't token, they call it part of a larger process for "a legitimate alternative to Israel's current policies," including conflicts, violence and occupation, a dead-end essential to stop.

Haaretz columnist and endorser Sefi Rachlevsky said:

"Our initiative is not a naive one. Instead of Israel being the first to extend its hand and support Palestinian independence, it is trying to warn us against it. That is not only a moral disaster, but it's also liable to bring about a practical catastrophe in which Israel will isolate itself and turn into a kind of South Africa, (a threshold, in fact, it long ago exceeded)."

"Israel is acting this way out of the delusion that it's possible to continue its colonialist behavior, which is built on anti-democratic racism that contradicts (its own) declaration of independence."

Professor Yehuda Bauer added:

"I am speaking from a Zionist standpoint. Zionism sets as its goal the preservation of a Jewish national home with a solid Jewish majority - this was the dream of people from the left, right and center of classical Zionism. But....occupation guarantees the nullification of Zionism - that is, it rules out the possibility that the Jewish people will live in its land with a strong majority and international recognition. In my eyes, this makes (Israel's) government clearly anti-Zionist."

Bauer said recognizing Palestine within 1967 borders will be the "realization of genuine Jewish nationalism that exists in peace in the region, and within the international community."

Hebrew University Professor Yaron Ezrahi, another signer, said Passover week was chosen, commemorating Jewish liberation, because "(w)e don't want to pass over the Palestinian people. This is a holiday of freedom and independence," what Palestinians and all others deserve.

Another group called the Israeli Peace Initiative, representing dozens of prominent Israelis, issued an early April document endorsing an independent Palestine in nearly the entire West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem, with swap agreements not exceeding 7% of the Territories.

Jerusalem's Jewish neighborhoods, the Western Wall, and Old City Jewish Quarter would remain in Israel, Arab ones in Palestine, and the Temple Mount (for Muslims the Noble Sanctuary) would be international.

It also endorses Israeli withdrawal from Golan, establishing new regional security mechanisms and economic cooperation projects, and the right of return (or financial compensation in lieu thereof) for diaspora Palestinians to Palestine, not Israel, with "mutually agreed-upon symbolic exceptions" allowed.

Endorsers include former Mossad head Danny Yatom, saying:

"We looked around at what was happening in neighboring countries and we said to ourselves, 'It is about time that the Israeli public raised its voice as well.' We feel this initiative can bring along many members of the public, (and) want to signal to moderate Palestinians and Syrians that there is a new horizon and light at the end of the tunnel."

Former Shin Bet head, Yaakov Perry, another endorser, added:

"We are isolated internationally and seen to be against peace. I hope this will make a small contribution to pushing our prime minister forward. It is about time that Israel initiates something on peace."

On April 20, Haaretz writers Avi Issacharoff and Danna Harman headlined, "Abbas: Britain and France would recognize Palestinian state," saying:

In September, over 130 General Assembly nations will recognize an independent Palestine within 1967 borders, according to Abbas, adding that the number could reach 140 or 150, including Britain and France.

On April 19, Haaretz Service headlined, "Report: Quartet may formally recognize Palestinian state if peace talks not renewed," saying:

"American and European diplomats warned that if peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians are not renewed, the Quartet (including the US, UN, EU and Russia) of Mideast peace makers may formally recognize a Palestinian state."

Both sides agreed to a September 2011 resolution, but talks broke down over settlement expansions. Netanyahu blamed the victims, saying seeking UN General Assembly recognition "pushes peace further back." He's the same man who earlier called peace talks "a waste of time."

On April 20, Arutz Sheva (Israel National News) writer Chana Ya'ar headlined, "PLO: Israel's Peace Plan is 'Re-occupation,' " saying:

PLO officials "had nothing but scorn in response to the idea of Israel formulating a new plan for peace (that) shows it to be little more than a reinvention" of occupation, annexation and control rather than a genuine peace effort, according to senior PLO member Hanan Ashrawi, saying:

"There will be no negotiation without a cessation of all settlement activities, without clear terms of reference in conformity with international law, and without a binding time line."

She added that Quartet recognition of Palestinian sovereignty is no substitute for General Assembly approving it in September, which the PA has vowed to seek.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.

The Israeli Lobby's Poisonous Influence on US Policy

The Israeli Lobby's Poisonous Influence on US Policy - by Stephen Lendman

In his powerful 2006 book titled, "The Power of Israel in the United States," James Petras explained the enormous Jewish Lobby influence on US Middle East policies. Often harming American interests, they're pursued anyway because of its grassroots and high-level control over government, business leaders, academia, the clergy and mass media since at least the 1960s.

As a result, anyone challenging Israeli policy risks being intimidated, blackmailed, smeared, pressured, removed from positions of authority, or called a national security or terrorist threat, leaving them vulnerable to unprincipled ostracization, persecution or worse.

Among America's 52 Conference of Major American Jewish Organization(s) (CPMAJO), the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) is the oldest, founded in 1897.

Established by B'nai Brith in 1913, perhaps the Anti-Definition League is best known.

However, in terms of its influence over US Middle East policies, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) stands out. Calling itself "America's Pro-Israel Lobby," it's represented Israeli interests since founded in 1953, then incorporated in 1963 as a division of the American Zionist Council (AZC), its precursor.

In 1962, Attorney General Robert Kennedy ordered AZC to register as the foreign agent of the Jewish Agency for Israel (responsible for Israeli immigration) under the 1938 Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). In 1963, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee investigated AZC's stealth Jewish Agency funding. Weeks later, AIPAC was incorporated, replaced AZC, was later granted tax exempt status retroactive to 1953, refuses to register as an foreign Israeli agent, and gets away with it.

Today, masquerading as a domestic lobby, it's a stealth foreign Israeli agent, supporting policies harming US interests. Calling itself "America's leading pro-Israeli lobby," its web site says it "works with both Democratic and Republican political leaders to enact public policy that strengthens the vital US-Israel relationship."

In fact, functioning as a virtual fifth column, it's poisoned the body politic since exempted from operating lawfully. As a result, as part of the destructive Israeli Lobby, it has virtual veto power over war and peace, trade and investment, multi-billion dollar arms sales, and all Middle East policies under Democrat and Republican administrations alike.

Ralph Nader calls Washington corporate occupied territory. It's also Israeli Lobby-controlled, including AIPAC, assuring what Israel wants, it gets, but not without independent voices denouncing its poisonous influence.

Included are Jewish organizations against Zionism, a topic addressed in a previous article, accessed through the following link:

http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2009/12/jews-against-zionism.html

It discussed Zionism's hidden history, as well as opposition groups, including:

-- True Torah Jews Against Zionism;

-- Not In My Name;

-- Jewish Voice for Peace;

-- Brit Tzedek V'Shalom;

-- Tikkun;

-- Satmar;

-- Jews Against Racist Zionism; and

-- Neturei Karta International.

With like-minded organizations and individuals, they oppose a racist, extremist, undemocratic, militant ideology, relying on belligerence, occupation, repression and dispossession, contrary to core Judaic dogma, principles and tradition. They believe it harms all Jews worldwide, and that peace, reconciliation, and co-existence aren't possible until it's repudiated and rejected.

Confronting AIPAC

The Anti-AIPAC Group's Facebook page calls itself:

"against Zionist lobbying installed in the United States, in particular linked to AIPAC....(an organization) constitut(ing) a danger to peace in the world because it imposes its goals (ahead) of the shared interest(s) of America...."

Founded in 1951, the American Friends of the Middle East remains an active anti-Israeli lobby.

Founded in 1980, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) calls itself the nation's largest Arab-American grassroots civil rights organization. According to the Jerusalem-based NGO Monitor, a pro-Israeli front group, ADC is "very active (in) anti-Israeli political causes."

Founded in 1982, the Council for the National Interest (CNI) "encourage(s) and promote(s) a US foreign policy in the Middle East that is consistent with American values, protects our national interests, and contributes to a just solution of the Arab-Israeli conflict." CNI aims "to restore a political environment in America in which voters and their elected officials are free from the undue influence and pressure of foreign countries and their partisans."

That position got CNI labeled an anti-Israeli lobby.

An earlier article on the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) can be accessed through the following link:

http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2010/10/anti-defamation-league-demagoguery-and.html

It says "hundreds of groups....organize and participate in various anti-Israeli activities," falsely claiming they spread propaganda and don't promote peace.

ADL's top 10 include:

(1) Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER)

Formed post-9/11, it's been activist against war, imperialism, bigotry, and represents other issues, including civil and human rights, and support for Palestinian equity and justice.

(2) Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition

It's "committed to comprehensive public education on the rights of all Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and lands of origin, and to full restitution of all their confiscated and destroyed property," according to international law.

(3) Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)

In defending civil liberties, freedom of religion, diversity, tolerance, and democratic freedoms, it combats hate groups vilifying Islam and Muslims.

(4) Friends of Sabeel-North America (FOSNA)

It "promotes awareness and understanding" of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict "through educational programs for North American Christians....FOSNA seeks reconciliation between people of the Holy Land in a vision of peace based on principles of a just peace," including "the urgency of ending US support for Israel's illegal military occupation."

(5) If Americans Knew (IAK)

Its mission is "to inform and educate the American public on issues of major significance that are unreported, underreported, or misreported in the American media." It believes conflict resolution and justice depends on revealing truths, ones major US media sources suppress, supporting the worst of Israeli lawlessness.

(6) International Solidarity Movement (ISM)

A Palestinian-led initiative, it's committed to resisting Israel's occupation, oppression, domination, and apartheid through nonviolent, direct-action methods.

(7) Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP)

It seeks equity, peace, security, and self-determination for Israelis and Palestinians alike, through "grassroots organizing, education, advocacy, and media." It's the only US Jewish organization providing a voice for Jews and their allies, who believe that Middle East peace is only possible "through justice and full equality" for Jews and Muslims alike.

(8) Muslim American Society (MAS)

As a religious, charitable, social, cultural, and educational group, its mission is to "move people to strive for God, consciousness, liberty, and justice, and to convey Islam with utmost clarity."

(9) Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP)

By "visualiz(ing) the Palestinian struggle," it opposes apartheid and occupation through protests, memorials, and other ways, highlighting their plight against Israeli aggression and occupation.

(10) US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation (USCEIO)

It's a "diverse coalition working for freedom from occupation and equal rights for all by challenging US policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." Based on human rights and international law, it seeks peace, justice, and conciliation by "chang(ing) the US role," the essential way to do it.

Move Over AIPAC: Building a New US Middle East Policy Conference

Convening in Washington from May 21 - 24, coinciding with AIPAC's annual meeting, it highlights a "time for a new foreign policy," replacing AIPAC's-controlled one. Access its web site for more information, including how to attend, through the following link:

http://www.moveoveraipac.org/about-us/

Over 50 peace and justice groups are participating sponsors, "bring(ing together) activists and concerned citizens from around the country to learn" about AIPAC's destructive influence on US Middle East policy, and "how to strengthen an alternative that respects the rights of all people in the region."

Organizational Endorsers and Partners include:

-- American Jews for a Just Peace;

-- American Friends Service Committee: Pacific Mountain Region;

-- Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights;

-- Build Bridges Not Walls;

-- Citizens for Justice in the Middle East;

-- Citizens for Palestinian Self-Determination;

-- Coalition for Palestinian Rights;

-- CODEPINK: Women for Peace;

-- Global Exchange;

-- If Americans Knew;

-- Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions USA (ICHAD-USA);

-- Middle East Children's Alliance;

-- Rachael Corrie Foundation;

-- Stop AIPAC;

-- United for Peace and Justice; and

-- dozens more.

Speakers include, Helen Thomas, Ralph Nader, Ali Abunimah, John Mearsheimer, Stephen Walt, Phyllis Bennis, former Senator James Abourezk, Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, Laila El Haddad, Anna Baltzer, and many others.

A Final Comment

AIPAC is a malignancy in America, lobbying for:

-- regional wars and occupation;

-- Gaza's siege;

-- Palestinian persecution, exploitation, disempowerment, and isolation; denying them their fundamental guaranteed rights under international law;

-- Israeli's Apartheid Wall;

-- dispossession and illegal settlements;

-- neutralizing Israel's adversaries;

-- subsidizing Israel lavishly with annual billions of dollars and latest weapons and technology; and

-- overall placing Israel's interests over America's, a scandalous agenda nearly the entire Congress and every administration endorse.

Returning America's agenda to sanity starts with expunging this corrupting influence, replacing it with a new moral ethic for peace, reconciliation, co-existence, and equal respect for the rights of everyone abroad and at home.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.

Iara Lee: Cultures of Resistance World Film Premiere

What Next in Libya?

What Next in Libya? - by Stephen Lendman

So far, weeks of conflict produced more stalemate than resolution, policy disagreement among NATO partners, and hawkish US broadsheets like The New York Times and Washington Post calling for escalated conflict to oust Gaddafi.

In its April 14 editorial headlined, "Stop the Blame Game," The Times called for stepped up bombing, arming so-called rebels, and saying, "No political settlement in which the dictator remains in place will work. The West and its partners must be ready to maintain political, economic and military pressure until (he's) gone."

On April 16, a Washington Post editorial headlined, "The Libya stalemate," saying:

"THE CONTRADICTIONS at the heart of US policy in Libya are becoming more acute." On the one hand, Obama, France's Sarkozy, and Britain's Cameron said bombing will continue until Gaddafi's gone. On the other, Obama "acknowledged that the war between rebels and (Gaddafi's forces) is stalemated."

If he's "lucky," Gaddafi "will be betrayed and overthrown by his followers or somehow induced to step down voluntarily. We can only hope that the NATO alliance does not collapse between between now and then."

Never explaining a just cause for war (perhaps because there is none), The Times, WP, and most other major media sources want a major escalated conflict, no matter the horrific death, injury and destructive toll, including environmentally by irradiating Libya with depleted uranium bombs, missiles, shells, and high-caliber bullets, mostly killing civilians but harming everyone.

On April 15, Immanuel Wallerstein headlined his latest commentary, "The Middle East: Allies in Disarray," explaining the discord among allies and other nations, including Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China, India and Brazil, as well as Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan on other issues. "It seems almost no one agrees with or follows the lead of the United States."

America may retain global giant status, says Wallerstein, but it's "a lumbering giant, uncertain of where it is going or how to get there."

For years, he's said America is in long-term decline. Its "measure," he now believes, "is the degree to which its erstwhile closest allies are ready both to defy its wishes and to say so publicly." It's also "the degree to which it does not feel able to state publicly what it is doing, and to insist that all is really under control." The consequence, Wallerstein thinks, is "more global anarchy," but who'll gain or lose most going forward "is a very open question."

Perhaps with less belligerence, America would retain better relations with allies, especially non-belligerent ones, using their resources productively for commerce and development, not conflict.

However, the more Washington spends on militarism, the faster it frays ties with allies and trading partners, accelerating its decline as other noted analysts besides Wallerstein believe. Eventually, perhaps all its influence will erode, especially for attacking non-belligerents for entirely unwarranted reasons.

A previous article explained that, in 2003, Gaddafi came in from the cold, became a valued Western ally, had meetings and discussions with top officials like UK Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, France's Nicolas Sarkozy, Italy's Silvio Berlusconi, US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, and others. He also participated in the 2009 G-8 Summit in L-Aquila, Italy as Chairman of the African Union. At the time, he met and shook hands with Obama.

On May 16, 2006, Washington restored full diplomatic ties, removing Libya from its state sponsors of terrorism list. At the time, Rice called the move:

"tangible results that flow from the historic decisions taken by Libya's leadership in 2003 to renounce terrorism and to abandon its weapons of mass destruction programs....Libya is an important model as nations around the world press for changes in behavior by the Iranian and North Korean regimes."

She also praised Gaddafi's "excellent cooperation" in fighting terrorism. Moreover, he opened Libya's markets to Western interests, arranged deals with Big Oil, notably BP, ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell, Occidental, France's Total, Italy's Eni Gas, among others. By all appearances, he joined the club, so why turn on him now?

He came around, but not entirely. Washington wants total subservience, useful puppets saluting when given orders. Gaddafi's "transgressions" include refusing to join AFRICOM, America's newest command for total control of the continent and Mediterranean Basin. All African countries participate except Sudan (now balkanized), Zimbabwe (an outlier), Ivory Coast (after regime change), Eritrea (likely on the hit list), and Libya, heading for conquest, colonization, and control of its wealth and resources, including perhaps its unreported most important ones.

An earlier article explained, accessed through the following link:

http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2011/04/libyas-great-man-made-river.html

Besides its better known resources, profiteers covet Libya's ocean-sized aquifer, the world's largest fossil water system with enough of it to last 1,000 years at 2007 consumption levels. Oil is replaceable, not fresh water, making it all the more valuable, especially in private hands to sell at inflated prices, shutting out low-income Libyans from their source of life and sustenance, including for irrigation.

Money control is another issue as financial writer Ellen Brown explained in her article suggesting Libya's more about banking than oil. Controlling its money, that is, under a privatized central bank, (the newly formed Central Bank of Benghazi), replacing the state-owned Central Bank of Libya, creating its own money interest free for productive economic growth, not profits and bonuses for vulture bankers.

Money control alone got Gaddafi targeted for removal, Washington and key co-belligerents choosing their time to do it, a process now ongoing as a Washington-led NATO imperial exercise.

On April 15, a joint letter from key co-belligerents America, Britain and France affirmed escalated war until Gaddafi's gone, masquerading as "humanitarian intervention." Saying it's "impossible to imagine a future for Libya with (him) in power," it dismissed alternative outcomes as "betrayal."

Frayed relations aside, expanded Washington-led imperialism may leave Obama as vulnerable as Sarkozy, his latest approval rating at record lows and sinking.

On April 11, France 24 International News said one year before 2012 presidential and legislative elections, he "stands at a mere 20%." His party is split over his imperial policy in Libya and Ivory Coast, instead of focusing state resources on domestic needs during the current economic crisis.

Perhaps Obama's turn is next, handing trillions of dollars to Wall Street and spending more on militarism and imperial wars than the rest of the world combined, while slashing desperately needed social spending when it's most needed. Eventually voters will react when their pain threshold is reached and surpassed, creating a new battleground at home for change.

With Americans neglected in time of crisis, imagine an anyone but Obama campaign in 2012, a scenario another war won't change when majorities want current ones ended to devote more attention domestically.

Gaddafi's Unreported Agenda

As despots go, he's not all bad. Under his 1999 Decision No. 111, all Libyans get free healthcare, education, training, rehabilitation, housing assistance, disability and old-age benefits, interest-free state loans, subsidies to study abroad and for couples when they marry, and practically free gasoline. Moreover, Libya's hospitals and private clinics are some of the region's best.

Overall, though affected by poverty and unemployment like elsewhere, Libyans achieved the highest African standard of living because Gaddafi used oil revenues for economic development. According to "Qaddafi and the Libyan Revolution:"

"The young people are well dressed, well fed and well educated....Every Libyan gets free, and often excellent, education, medical and health services. New colleges and hospitals are impressive by any international standard. All Libyans have a house or a flat, a car, and most have televisions" and other conveniences. "Compared with most citizens of Third World countries, and with many (others), Libyans have it very good indeed," including decent housing or a rent-free apartment.

Gaddafi's Green Book, in fact, states, "The house is a basic need of both the individual and the family, therefore it should not be owned by others." It also covers other socially beneficial policies and says:

-- "Women, like men, are human beings.

-- ....(A)ll individuals have a natural right to self-expression by any means....;

-- In a socialist society no person may own a private means of transportation for the purpose of renting to others, because this represents controlling the needs of others.

-- The democratic system is a cohesive structure whose foundation stones are firmly laid above the other (through People's Conferences and Committees). There is absolutely no conception of democratic society other than this.

-- No representation of the people - representation is a falsehood. The existence of parliaments underlies the absence of the people, for democracy can only exist with the presence of the people and not in the presence of representatives of the people."

Green Book ideology rejects Western democracy and capitalism, especially neoliberal exploitation, another reason for wanting Gaddafi ousted.

Under him, Libyans get impressive social benefits. Also free use of land for agriculture to foster self-sufficiency in food production. Moreover, all basic food items are subsidized and sold through a network of "people's shops."

In addition, since the 1960s, women had the right to vote and participate politically. They can also own and sell property independently of their husbands. Under the December 1969 Constitutional Proclamation Clause 5, they have equal status with men, including for education and employment, even though men have a leading role in society.

The UN Human Rights Council Libyan Report

On January 4, 2011, its "Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Libya Arab Jamahiriya" said Gaddafi's government protected "not only political rights, but also economic, educational, social and cultural rights." It also praised his treatment of religious minorities, and "human rights training" of its security forces.

Had Washington and NATO not intervened, it would have been overwhelmingly approved. Now it's postponed, pending conflict resolution that either way may require reassessing internal conditions in a country deeply scared by imperial war.

A Final Comment

In his new book, "The Face of Imperialism," Michal Parenti defines it as:

"(T)he process whereby the dominant investor interests in one country bring to bear military and financial power upon another country in order to expropriate the land, labor, capital, natural resources, commerce, and markets of that other country. In short, empires do not just pursue power for power's sake. There are real material interests at stake, fortunes to be made many times over....The intervention is intended to enrich the investors and keep the world safe for them."

Claiming humanitarian, national security, nation building, or other motives is deceitful subterfuge. It's used to enlist public support for imperial conquest, plunder and control by replacing despots or democrats with useful puppets who know retaining power requires saluting and following orders.

Libya is a Washington-led NATO project for greater regional dominance, the rights and welfare of its citizens to be sacrificed for the interests of capital. It's how the dirty game always works but never gets explained frankly, truthfully and openly so people everywhere know who wins, who loses and why.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.

Remembering Vittorio Arrigoni

Remembering Vittorio Arrigoni - by Stephen Lendman

On April 15, International Solidarity Movement (ISM) members grieved for one of their own, their press release headlining, "Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank unite in mourning of slain activist Vittorio Arrigoni," saying:

"People will gather in Al Manara square in Ramallah and at Al Jundi al Majhull, (Gaza's) unknown soldier park," honoring the death of their comrade, slain and abandoned in a house north of Gaza. More on his death below.

Other events took place throughout Palestine, including protests following Friday's prayers across from the UN's Gaza headquarters. Bil'in and Al Masara also dedicated their weekly demonstrations to Vittorio, Vic to his friends.

On Saturday, the Popular Committee in Nablus held a commemoration with political parties in Nablus center, celebrating his work and condemning his killing.

ISM explained his activism for Palestinian liberation and justice for almost 10 years, including the past two and a half years in Gaza with ISM:

-- monitoring Israeli human rights violations;

-- supporting Palestinian resistance against occupation, and siege; and

-- daily violations of international law and democratic values.

Moreover, as a journalist, he wrote for the Italian newspaper IL Manifesto and Peacereporter, providing information about Gaza to a worldwide audience. The next Freedom Flotilla was renamed "Stay Human," honoring him and his book titled, "Gaza Stay Human."

Weeks earlier, he wrote comments like:

"The mighty flow of blood and hope from Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, Algeria and Libya also washed over young Palestinian minds in Gaza. What started as a stream has become a torrent and will soon spill its banks....Palestinians are working hard to mobilize thousands of people (on March 15) to the squares of Ramallah and Gaza on the day (now) named "The Day of Reconciliation" rather than "The Day of Anger."

He also participated in the Free Gaza Movement's August 2008 siege-breaking flotilla. Established that month, it visited Gaza nine times by sea "to break Israel's illegal stranglehold on 1.5 million Palestinian civilians," suffocating under siege.

However, it never was clear sailing. In 2008, Free Gaza succeeded five times, but were "violently intercepted on the(ir) past four voyages," including the lethal May 31 massacre, killing nine or more activists and injuring many more. One of several earlier articles explained, accessed through the following link:

http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2010/05/brave-israeli-commandos-slaughter-aid.html

Free Gaza and its coalition partners are the only organizations "sen(ding) boats directly to Gaza in defiance of Israel's criminal" blockade. They "sail as an expression of citizen nonviolent, direct action, confronting" Israeli lawlessness, together with:

-- the European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza;

-- IHH - the Turkish Foundation for Human Rights;

-- Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief;

-- the International Committee to End the Siege on Gaza;

-- Ship to Gaza Sweden; and

-- Ship to Gaza Greece.

Ahead, missions from growing numbers of countries plan to deliver vitally needed aid, sending a message that Israeli lawlessness won't stand.

During Cast Lead, Arrigoni helped medics and reported on IDF attacks to a worldwide audience. As a result, Israeli forces arrested him many times for his writing, activism, and support for Palestinian liberation and justice. His last arrest and deportation came after he reported on Israel's lawless confiscation of Gazan fishing vessels in Palestinian waters, one of many other times they've done it.

On April 15, a Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) press release headlined, "With Great Shock and Sorrow, PCHR Condemns the Murder of Italian Activist, Vittorio Arrigoni," saying:

That day his "body was found in an abandoned house in the north of the Gaza Strip, following his murder at the hands of kidnappers."

According to its own investigation, extremists called "Group of the Companion Mohammed Bin Maslamah" announced his kidnapping on April 14, demanding the release of its detained members affiliated with the so-called "Salafist Jihadist Group." If authorities didn't release them within 30 hours, they threatened to kill him, a threat fulfilled as broadcast on You Tube.

His face showed clear signs of beating, as well as handcuffs and strangulation marks on his neck. A Gaza Ministry of Interior press release condemned the crime, announcing the arrest of two of the group's members, as well as efforts to find the others.

On April 15, London Guardian writer Conal Urquhart headlined, "Palestinians rally to mourn kidnapped Italian activist murdered by extremists," saying:

He was abducted to force authorities to release Sheikh Abu Walid-al-Maqdas. The New York Times named Hisham Saidani as their imprisoned Tawhid and Jihad (TJ) leader, saying "details of the crime remain muddled," especially with TJ denying responsibility.

Luigi Ripamonti, deputy mayor of his hometown of Bulciago, told Italy's Sky 24 Television:

"Today we los(t) an Italian citizen, a citizen of Bulciago, and also a Palestinian citizen, because he married a Palestinian."

Egidia Beretta, Bulciago's mayor and Arrigoni's mother said he first arrived in The Territories in 2002, where "(h)e was taken with Palestine and Palestine took to him."

At first Hamas was reluctant to accuse anyone of the crime, suggesting possible Israeli involvement, spokesman Mahmoud Zahar saying:

"We cannot deny the relation between this incident and an international campaign by the Zionist enemy to restrict the arrival of pro-Palestinian activists. This crime is not in line with our norms as Muslims and Palestinians."

He added that "(s)uch an awful crime cannot take place without arrangements between all the parties concerned to keep the blockade imposed."

In Rome, the Italian Foreign Ministry said the killing was a "barbaric murder and vile and irrational gesture of violence on the part of extremists indifferent to the value of a human life."

Haaretz said a group calling itself Monotheism and Holy War released a video showing Arrigoni blindfolded with cuts on his face. It demanded authorities free its leaders and two others or they'd kill him. Despite the video, the group denied responsibility, raising suspicions of its origin.

The Guardian said a fellow US activist, Nathan Stuckey, said he spent most of his time as a journalist, but was involved in promoting the rights of Gaza fishermen to work freely in their own waters, adding:

"At the moment, he was particularly focused on the launch of our new boat, which we will use to monitor (Israel's navy) violation of the rights of the fishermen. He often said that he now felt more at home in Gaza than in Italy and he was strongly committed to the Palestinian cause."

Arrigoni's death comes days after a gunman killed Juliano Mer-Khamis, an Israeli actor who ran a Jenin refugee camp theater. He also supported Palestinian liberation and justice. His mother, Arna Mer, was a Jewish activist for Palestinian rights. His father, Saliba Khamis, was born and raised in Nazareth.

In 2006, he opened the Jenin Freedom Theater with Zakariya Zubeidi, former local Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigades military leader. He was threatened numerous times, and his theater was torched twice previously. Jenin's Governor Qadura Moussa called him a great Palestinian supporter.

Haaretz's senior editor and theater critic called him a "great actor and extraordinary human being whose life-story is part of the tragic reality of this country," who in death, became "another tragic victim of life in the Middle East."

Shot dead on April 4, he's remembered as one of the best along with Arrigoni and Rachael Corrie, a 23-year old American peace activist, murdered in Gaza on March 16, 2003 by an Israeli bulldozer operator when she tried to stop it from demolishing a Rafah refugee camp home.

According to witnesses, she climbed up on it, spoke to the driver, climbed down, knelt 10 - 20 meters in front in clear view, blocking its path with her body. With activists there screaming for it to stop, the soldier-operator crushed her to death deliberately by running her over twice to be sure.

For many years, Israel killed numerous other peace activists, including Tom Hurndall, a 21-year old photojournalist shot in the head by an Israeli sniper in April 2003, trying to rescue Palestinian children under fire. He clung to life in a vegetative state until succumbing on January 13, 2004, another victim of Israeli barbarity and contempt for human life, a testimony to an out-of-control rogue state.

Like Arrigoni, Corrie and Hurndell were also ISM members, heroic peace activists for Palestinian liberation and justice.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.

Prospects for a Palestinian Spring

Prospects for a Palestinian Spring - by Stephen Lendman

A previous article headlined, "Arab Spring Yet to Bloom," explaining that despite months of heroic Middle East/North African uprisings in over a dozen countries from Morocco to Syria to Oman, none so far achieved change. It suggested that months, perhaps years, of sustained struggles lie ahead.

Access it in full through the following link:

http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2011/04/arab-spring-yet-to-bloom.html

Liberating struggles, in fact, never come easily, quickly, or without pain against entrenched power determined to keep it. However, social movements at times succeed when ordinary people sustain heroic determined efforts. In America, abolitionists, suffragettes, unionists, and civil rights champions proved it against imposing power forced to yield.

In her book, "Challenging Authority," Professor Frances Fox Piven said:

"(O)rdinary people (have) power....when they rise up in anger and hope, defy the rules....disrupt (state) institutions....propel new issues to the center of political debate (and force) political leaders (to) stem voter defections by proferring reforms. These are the conditions that produce democratic moments," but never easily, quickly, nor, in reality, long-term.

Electoral participation rarely does it faced with structural, legal and practical challenges, including the corrupting power of money, misinformation, intimidation, and voter fraud. Yet history is dotted with examples of mobilized disruptive power, achieving leverage by breaking down institutionalized cooperation through strikes, boycotts, riots, and other forms of civil disobedience.

In other words, ordinary people have enormous power when used disruptively against systemic structures, dependent on their cooperation. However, it takes much more than protests, marches, slogans, or even violence. In fact, actualizing power depends on effective disobedience, breaking the rules, coordinating efforts for strategic advantage, and staying the course long-term that often means passing the baton to others.

Journalist IF Stone once put it this way, saying:

"The only kinds of fights worth fighting are those you are going to lose, because somebody has to fight them and lose and lose and lose until someday, somebody who believes as you do wins."

In America, ending slavery was Exhibit A under a Constitution commodifying Blacks, calling them three-fifths of a person solely for allocating congressional representation. In fact, for southern states, it was a non-negotiatiable condition for joining the Union.

With it they got dominant congressional power at the time. Large slave owners had disproportionate leverage. Moreover, pre-Civil War, most US presidents were slave owners, including Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe and Jackson.

Constitutional provisions protected them. Yet abolitionist disruption fractured the existing order by sustained resistance against an unprincipled system they were determined to end, culminating in 1865 when Congress passed the 13th Amendment banning slavery. Then in 1868, the 14th Amendment rhetorically granted them due process and equal protection, and in 1870 the 15th Amendment banned racial discrimination in voting.

Jim Crow laws and lack of enforcement, however, continued both practices until the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act banned racial and gender discrimination, and enacted equal voting rights. Decades later, however, hard-won civil rights and other gains are largely lost because public apathy let elected officials institutionalize inequalities, heading America toward a ruler - serf society without reinvigorated opposition to stop them, so far nowhere in sight.

Given the daunting challenges in America, what chance have Arabs against entrenched despotic regimes backed by supportive Western and Israeli military might.

An Al-Zaytouna Assessment

On April 16, the Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies and Consultations published a strategic assessment headlined, "The Implications of the Changes in the Arab Region on the Palestinian Issue," discussing the following:

The General Scene

MENA Region uprisings (Middle East/North Africa) "represent one of the major historic events in modern and contemporary history." Expressing optimism, Al-Zaytouna believes they've "achieved impressive results" and will persist, though others disagree because new faces in Egypt and Tunisia so far represent institutionalized power no different from what they replaced.

Nonetheless, Arabs broke through "barriers of fear and express(ed) (their) demands" nonviolently. In contrast, entrenched regimes used force to suppress them, so far holding the upper hand brutally with no resolution anywhere in the region. Nonetheless, "major repercussions affecting the Palestinian issue are likely to take place," a concern Israelis are preparing to confront.

The Arab Approach

Disempowerment, weakness, and divisions let Israel and other regional repressive regimes remain dominant. However, if popular uprisings gain traction, especially in Egypt, Palestinians may benefit.

Short-term:

(1) Gaza's siege may ease or end by normalizing border crossings with Egypt.

(2) The Camp David Accords and Israel - Jordan Peace Treaty may be reevaluated, frozen or altered.

(3) A new approach for Palestinian reconciliation may be considered, especially toward Hamas and other resistance groups.

(4) Arabs, including Palestinians, may consider new approaches, including dissolving the PA and initiating a third Intifada for change.

(5) National and Islamic interests may be prioritized over dominant Western and Israeli ones.

Longer-term:

(1) A possible Arab/Islamic "revival" may achieve "major political, social, economic, and even military changes," altering the regional balance of power dramatically.

(2) Formation of a strategic, popular alternative may emerge, supporting Palestinian liberating resistance.

(3) "Arab and Islamic dimensions of the Palestinian issue" may be activated beyond restricting them to "the Palestinian circle."

The Palestinian Approach

If Gaza's siege is eased or ended, Hamas may gain "Arab legitimacy" at the expense of the Ramallah-based PLO and PA leadership. In addition, Western and Israeli pressures may be less effective against "the Palestinian national project," prioritizing their own interests. Moreover, a more supportive Arab environment may influence Oslo reconsideration or termination.

"The positive impact of (regional) change is most likely to appear in the Palestinian arena, especially if a young generation participates in decision making and succeeds in ending divisions."

The Islamic Approach

In recent decades, three Islamic countries, Iran, Turkey and Egypt, have "undergone profound transformation." In 1979, after Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's ouster, Iranian - Israeli ties were severed. More recently, Turkish - Israeli ones soured over Cast Lead, the May 2010 flotilla massacre, and other issues. In addition, Egyptian - Israeli relations face possible challenges after Mubarak's removal and uncertainty over new leadership later this year.

As a result, Palestinian issues may be strengthened, especially if the UN General Assembly supports independence within 1967 borders, making Palestine a permanent sovereign member this September. If achieved, dramatic new diplomatic and political dynamics will be established, creating stunning possibilities for change.

A previous article discussed them, accessed through the following link:

http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2011/04/palestinian-statehood-and-other.html

The International Approach

Arab uprisings represent populist determination across the region for liberation, dignity, and democratic end to injustice, tyranny and corruption. In response, America and Western powers support despotic regimes for their own regional interests, hostile to popular change. As a result, their tactics to suppress it include:

(1) Reactionary think tanks and other decision-making institutions, plotting interventionist strategies.

(2) Using powerful and influential political, economic, military, and communication resources to further their aims.

However, establishing genuine change might counter perverse Western tactics. In addition, with Washington bogged down in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and now Libya, it's ability to militarily intervene elsewhere is limited. Moreover, given America's eroding regional influence, US leaders might yield somewhat to preserve as much of it as possible, including pressuring Israel to make similar concessions.

The Israeli Approach

Like America and other Western powers, Israeli leaders face increasing challenges to their dominance, including possible regional support for Palestinian resistance and independence. Moreover, Israel "is plagued with arrogance over military power which might result in misleading outcomes."

In addition, its ability to impose "rules of the game" peace and other terms eroded, given potential "increased support for (Palestinian) resistance in the region."

As a result, Israel might choose one of two alternatives:

(1) Greater militarization to preserve and enhance its regional power, including preemptive attacks against Palestine and perceived regional threats, as well as increased settlement expansions to colonize all valued land, including East Jerusalem.

(2) More pragmatically making concessions to hold onto present gains. In other words, giving a little to preserve lots more, keeping it from further eroding.

However, Israel and Western powers might employ harsh measures to diffuse, co-opt, or suppress popular uprisings for their own self-interest. For decades, it's been Washington's unsuccessful strategy throughout Eurasia, bogging it down in unwinnable wars it wages anyway.

Possible Regional Scenarios

One of four directions include:

(1) Eventual successful popular uprisings "paving the way for Islamic and national forces to assume political leadership" and establish an "Arab-Islamic awakening" chance for changing the regional balance of power.

(2) Partial successes, improving regional political and economic conditions without changing balance of power influences.

(3) Failure to unseat despotic, corrupt regimes or diminish Western influence.

(4) Adverse effects, fueling sectarian and ethnic conflicts, creating greater chaos, divisions, and new entities subservient to America, the West, and Israel.

Al-Zaytouna believes the first two possibilities are most likely, saying, however, the others can't be ruled out "since Israel and (Western powers won't) allow a smooth and calm transformation," creating entities hostile to their interests. As a result, they'll use any means against them, including coups, destabilization or wars.

Given US and Israeli intransigence, expect continued belligerence to assure Arab Spring efforts are stillborn or snuffed in their infancy.

Challenging them successfully requires heroic long-term disruptive commitment, what rarely emerges anywhere, notably throughout the Arab world.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.

Arab Spring Yet to Bloom

Arab Spring Yet to Bloom - by Stephen Lendman

Despite months of heroic Middle East/North African uprisings in over a dozen countries from Morocco to Syria to Oman, none so far achieved changed, suggesting months, perhaps years, of sustained struggles lie ahead.

Media commentators first used term Arab Spring in March 2005 to suggest a beneficial Iraq war spinoff, what, of course, never happened nor could it, given Washington's intent to prevent any emerging democracies.

However, it partly succeeded in Lebanon after Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri's February 14, 2005 assassination. Afterwards, "Cedar Revolution" anger erupted, ending Syria's occupation, reducing, but not eliminating the Bashar al-Assad regime's influence in the country.

In late 2010, the term resurfaced to reflect regional uprisings still ongoing, on and off, across the Middle East/North Africa. In recent days, notably they've occurred in Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Egypt.

Libya is noticeably different - a Western influenced insurrection now war to replace one despot with another, discussed in numerous previous articles

Throughout most of the region, people want jobs, decent pay, better services, ending corruption and repression, as well as liberating democratic change in a part of the world where poverty, unemployment and despotism reflect daily life for tens of millions.

A previous article headlined, "Hold the Celebration: Egypt's Struggle Just Began," saying everything changed but stayed the same, a common bait and switch scheme, notably because a military junta replaced Mubarak, assuring no possibility of democracy and social justice without sustained heroic pressure forcing it, though never easily against powerful pro-Western rulers.

As a result, after initial jubilation, Egyptians know their struggle just began against adversarial military leaders, continuing the same Mubarak era policies.

On April 8, New York Times writers Mona El-Naggar and Michael Slackman headlined, "Hero of Egypt's Revolution, Military Now Faces Critics," saying:

"A blogger was jailed recently for 'insulting the military.' Human rights advocates say that thousands of people have been arrested and tried before military courts in the last two months." Political activists were detained for spreading "false information" about military leaders. Others were intimidated, tortured and abused.

Jailed blogger Michael Nabil was secretly tried in a military tribunal and sentenced to three years imprisonment for saying:

"The revolution has so far managed to get rid of the dictator, but the dictatorship still exists."

One protester called the junta part of the old regime, so they're "defending it every way they can."

American University in Cairo Professor Mustapha Kamel el-Sayyid believes they're "incapable of understanding the extent to which the revolution wants to change things in the country. To them, removing the president was enough."

In fact, Washington and Egypt's military ousted him, not public anger wanting democratic change. Egyptians, however, demand it, as well as vital social issues addressed, a common unfulfilled theme throughout the region.

As a result, after weeks of relative calm, public anger again confronts the junta, one protester saying:

Mubarak was ousted but nothing changed. "Strikes and protests are banned by law. The new government is just as subservient to the United States and Israel as the old one. The military is trying to kill the revolution, but (it) will go on," despite violent crackdowns to suppress it.

On April 8, military forces attacked peaceful Tahrir Square protesters, defying curfew orders and demonstration bans. They were brutally assaulted with batons, tasers, rubber bullets, tear gas, and live fire, causing deaths and injuries.

A New York Times report called it "the most brutal (crackdown) since the overthrow of Mubarak." One protester said "it was raining bullets. There was an enormous amount of shooting." People were killed and dozens injured. Others were chased as they fled.

Whole families stayed overnight in Tahrir Square, sleeping in tents. At dawn, parents searched for children, disappeared in the violence. Many were arrested, detained, and face trial in military courts.

On April 9, London Guardian writer Peter Beaumont headlined, "Egyptian soldiers attack Tahrir Square protesters," saying:

Soldiers overnight attacked protesters with clubs, rifles, and rubber bullets. Egyptian filmmaker Tamer el-Said described what happened, saying:

"There was a huge demonstration that started at about 11 o'clock" Friday night. Some military officers joined it at great personal risk. "At about 11 o'clock, (security forces) surrounded the square, tried to enter it to try and catch these soldiers but the protesters would not let them come in. They were army, police and special forces. At 3 o'clock, they attacked the square. They were firing in the air: at first rubber bullets and then live rounds."

"They pushed all the demonstrators out of the square. They then started to chase (them) into the surrounding streets and the downtown area using tear gas and bullets. (There was) continuous shooting."

Protesters were arrested, thrown in trucks, and dragged away, women treated violently like men. A military statement blamed "outlaws," saying, "The armed forces stress that will not tolerate any acts of rioting or any act that harms the interest of the country and the people."

In fact, soldiers violently attacked peaceful protesters like Mubarak thugs did months earlier. Since his ouster, strikes were banned, but they continue nonetheless. New ones, in fact, broke out, including Suez canal workers, Shibin el Kom textile ones, others in El Mahalla Kubra, a Nile Delta industrial area, more in Menoufiya province, Cairo Tax Authority employees, Alexandria temporary teachers demanding permanent jobs, and dozens demanding enforcement of court ordered appointments to the Justice Ministry.

Other strikes involve Gharbiya Financial and Industrial Company workers, Monufiya Chipsy Company ones, more at 14 power stations, Beheira Nursing Institute students unable to find jobs, and various others across the country.

Besides corruption, mismanagement, mistreatment, longer term contracts for temporary workers, and other job related issues, workers demand implementation of a court ordered monthly minimum wage increase from 35 Egyptian pounds (about $6.50) to 1,200 (around $208), for public and private sector workers. Some industrial ones earn about half this amount, far below what a family of four needs for food, rent, transport, electricity, fuel, and other essentials.

Egypt's wages are among the lowest in the MENA region (Middle East/North Africa). Private sector workers earn about $40 a week on average - health, social services, and other low-end ones about $15. Moreover, Egyptian textile employees earn less than half Tunisia's poverty wages, 36% of Morocco's, and 32% of their Turkish counterparts.

In addition, unemployment is a major issue, a February 2, 2011 International Labor Organization (ILO) statement saying:

"For many years, the ILO has been pointing to the gravity of the decent work deficit in Egypt and a number of other countries in the region, where unemployment, underemployment and informal work have remained among the highest in the world. The failure to address this situation effectively, with all of its consequences for poverty and unbalanced development, together with limitations on basic freedoms, has triggered" recent popular uprisings for change.

ILO added that Egypt's "restrictive legislation" permits only the state-controlled Trade Union Federation (TUC), subordinating worker issues to demands of government and private sector enterprises, including their right to bargain collectively in independent unions for better pay, benefits, and working conditions. Establishment of the Egyptian Independent Trade Union Federation (ITUC), in fact, was a Western-backed subterfuge, promising but not improving worker rights. As a result, strikes and street protests continue.

Military forces confronted them, threatening to open fire if protests didn't disburse. Others came to Tahrir Square, defying orders to leave. Among thousands, they chanted:

"The people want the overthrow of the field marshall (and) regime."

Anger over recent Israeli Gaza attacks also was voiced, demonstrators marching to Israel's Giza embassy, demanding an immediate end to all economic and political ties between both countries. Participating soldiers were threatened with arrests and military tribunal trials. Reports said three were killed by live fire and many dozens wounded.

People are angry because ousting Mubarak achieved nothing. Severe repression continues. Unemployment is high. Those with jobs get poverty wages, and promises of democratic change were lies, Egypt's junta enforcing police state brutality to keep power, profit handsomely, and serve Western interests.

On April 12, another confrontation occurred when soldiers violently dispersed Tahrir Square protesters, arresting dozens. Moreover, Egypt's counterterrorism Unit 777 raided homes, cafes, and other establishments, hunting down activists and human rights supporters.

On state television, the junta maliciously called protesters hired thugs, trying to denigrate public confidence in military rule, claiming it supports effective change when, in fact, it won't tolerate it.

Expect little from an April 14 New York Times report, writer Liam Stack headlining, "Egyptian Military to Review Cases of Jailed Protesters," saying:

On April 14, Egypt's junta said "it would review court verdicts handed down to hundreds of civilians detained" since Mubarak's February ouster. The move came to quell public anger over continued human rights abuses and failure to address popular demands.

A short junta statement said:

"(I)t will review the cases of all young people who have been persecuted," and order a retrial of one youth after his mother appealed in the Wafd Party newspaper.

"Democracy advocates offered cautious praise," saying the decision's meaning was "far from clear," nor does it specify whether military or civilian courts will be in charge.

The Front for the Defense of Egyptian Protesters estimates at least 5,000 individual or group military trials have occurred since Mubarak's ouster on various charges, including politically related activities.

As long as junta leadership continues, or controls Egypt indirectly after later in the year elections, popular demands for economic, social, and democratic change will go unaddressed without sustained public pressure to force them. Liberating struggles throughout the region just began. Expect no resolution easily or quickly.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.

Palestinian Statehood and Other Political Issues

Palestinian Statehood and Other Political Issues - by Stephen Lendman

A previous article addressed an independent Palestinian state within 1967 borders, accessed through the following link:

http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2011/04/declaring-independent-palestinian-state.html

It explained a likely September UN vote on recognition, establishing de jure General Assembly membership despite strong Washington and Israeli opposition. The implications are stunning.

Haaretz reported that Netanyahu privately said he doesn't take the possibility "lightly, but we should also not exaggerate its" importance....Perhaps the Palestinians will have a majority in the UN, but what matters is not only the quantity but also the quality," adding "no one can impose a solution on Israel," suggesting non-compliance or hostile action will follow.

According to sources close to his government, he won't negotiate on 1967 borders, but may face the reality of a Palestinian state within them, whether or not he concurs. However, his response is another matter, as well as subsequent international actions.

Also at issue is the power of Washington, supportive Western nations, and Israel to demand subservience from any leader or risk removal by coups, wars, or other means.

Nonetheless, independence establishes important new diplomatic and political dynamics, including the status of Israel's occupation of a sovereign state, possibly incurring international sanctions if not ended, as well as regular cross border Gaza raids and incursions into West Bank and East Jerusalem communities. Also, the confiscation of Palestinian land, persecution of its people, and status of Jews-only settlements in a sovereign country.

These issues indeed can't be taken lightly, no matter the power of Israel and its Washington paymaster/partner, complicit in all its crimes of war, against humanity, and brutal occupation that must end.

Nonetheless, on March 29, Haaretz headlined, "Israel threatens unilateral steps if UN recognizes Palestinian state," saying:

"Israel informed (all) Security Council (members), as well as several other prominent European Union countries (30 in all), that....(it) would (initiate) a series of unilateral steps" in response to UN recognition, without further explanation.

Claiming doing so violates Oslo, Israel said violence and other actions could follow. However, one unnamed European official said in light of deadlocked peace talks, Palestinian statehood appeared certain in September. Israel might then annex West Bank settlements and all East Jerusalem, as well as refuse recognition, and the UN mandate to end its illegal 44 year occupation, essential if Palestine is independent.

Supporting the worst of Israeli lawlessness, Congress, last December 15, by voice vote, passed HR 1765: "Supporting a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and condemning unilateral measures to declare or recognize a Palestinian state, and for other purposes."

The resolution ended by calling on the Obama administration to:

"affirm that the United States would deny recognition to any unilaterally declared Palestinian state and veto any (Security Council resolution) to establish or recognize (one) outside of an agreement by the two parties."

However, former PLO legal advisor Law Professor Francis Boyle explained earlier that Washington provisionally recognized Palestine as an independent nation. According to UN Charter Article 80(1), it can't reverse its position by vetoing a Security Council (SC) resolution calling for Palestine's UN admission. Any veto is illegal, subject to further SC action under the Charter's Chapter VI. Ultimately, the SC only recommends admissions. The General Assembly affirms them by a two-thirds majority.

With this in mind perhaps, the PLO Executive Committee denounced HR 1765, calling it "blunt and completely biased in favor of Israel and occupation," adding that Congress is "misinformed as to the facts."

"The Palestinian right to freedom and self-determination is not contingent on (a congressional resolution or) the approval of the State of Israel" that's illegally occupied and colonized Palestine since 1967 "in violation of international law and the policies of the United States and the international community."

Moreover, Israel's 1948 creation was "unilateral," a radical move at the time. Today, its refusal to accept Palestinian independence is further proof of its moral bankruptcy, calling into question its right to UN membership, as well as the legitimacy of world leaders, including America, if they ignore its depravity and deny recognition. Their moment of truth approaches.

In July 2000, as a Senate candidate, Hillary Clinton said:

"It must be clear that any unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood would be entirely unacceptable and should be met with a cutoff of United States assistance."

As Secretary of State, she repeatedly said only negotiations with Israel can lead to a Palestinian state.

Her private view is perhaps more inflexible, even though in September 2010, Obama told General Assembly members he supported an independent Palestinian state in one year, saying:

"(W)e should reach for what's best within ourselves. If we do, when we come back here next year, we can have an agreement that will lead to a new member of the United Nations - an independent sovereign state of Palestine, living in peace with Israel."

His comments were warmly received.

Nonetheless, congressional members now warn that a unilateral declaration of statehood may end US funding.

Then chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Howard Berman, said:

"Pursuing a non-negotiated path to statehood is a fool's errand. Palestinians want a state, not a declaration. Their only way to achieve that is through direct negotiations with Israel. If they try to circumvent negotiation, they'll lose the support of a lot of people like me, and it will jeopardize their foreign aid as well."

Nearly the entire House and Senate concur, vowing diplomatic, economic, and other measures against Palestinian statehood without Israeli recognition. Of course, establishing it that way is impossible, except in isolated bantustan form on worthless scrubland, what no legitimate nation would accept.

Congressional Threat to Withhold UN Funding

On April 12, HR 1501 (with 32 co-sponsors) was introduced: "To withhold United States contributions to the United Nations until (it) formally retracts the final report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict."

The measure was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs for further consideration.

It claims "evidence (meaning Richard Goldstone's April 1 Washington Post op-ed) is available that undoubtedly nullifies the most controversial aspects of the Goldstone Report, (so the UN) should formally retract" it.

Ignored was a London Guardian response by the other three Commission members, saying:

Recent articles and comments on the mission's work "have misrepresented facts in an attempt to delegitimize the findings of (its) report and to cast doubts on its credibility."

In fact, determinations were "made after diligent, independent and objective consideration of the information," carefully obtained. The Commission endorses "its reliability and credibility. We firmly stand by these conclusions." No evidence disputes them.

The Commission dismisses "calls to reconsider or even retract the report, as well as attempts (to misrepresent) its nature and purpose, (saying they) disregard the right of victims....to truth and justice." This "would be doing a serious injustice to the hundreds of innocent civilians killed during the Gaza conflict, the thousands injured, and the hundreds of thousands whose lives continue to be deeply affected by the conflict and the blockade."

Nonetheless, Res. 1501 instructs the Secretary of State to "withhold contributions to the regularly assessed biennial budget of the United Nations until such time as (it) formally retracts the final report...."

Repeated House and Senate actions under Democrat and Republican leadership redefine chutzpah and irresponsible governance, revealing their own illegitimacy in the process.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.

Libya's Great Man-Made River

Libya's Great Man-Made River - by Stephen Lendman

A previous article explained that America's led NATO war on Libya was long-planned. All military interventions require months of preparation, including:

-- strategy and conflict objectives;

-- enlisting coalition partners;

-- selecting targets;

-- promoting political and public support;

-- deploying troops;

-- in Libya, recruiting, funding, and arming so-called rebels; and

-- post-conflict imperial plans.

Washington wants one despot replaced with another, a useful puppet to salute and obey orders, not independent-minded ones like Gaddafi who went along most often but not always on all issues, some major enough to want him ousted. An important overlooked one is discussed below.

Other objectives are to colonize Libya, balkanize it like Yugoslavia and Iraq, prevent democracy from emerging, privatize its state enterprises, exploit its people, establish new Pentagon bases, and control its oil, gas and other resources, a key one getting little attention - Libya's Great Man-Made River (GMMR).

The Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (NSAS) lies beneath four North African countries - Chad, Egypt, Sudan and Libya, called the world's largest fossil water system because it's ancient and non-renewable. In fact, the Qur'an's (Koran) Surah 2, Verse 74 says:

"For among rocks there are some from which rivers gush forth; others there are which when split asunder send forth water."

In fact, three major aquifers lie beneath the Sahara, NSAS the largest, containing an estimated 375,000 cubic km of water.

Covering two million square km, it's an ocean of water beneath the desert for irrigation, human consumption, development, and other uses. At 2007 consumption rates, it could last 1,000 years. Gaddafi calls NSAS the "Eighth Wonder of the World." Its web site says it's the largest global underground network of pipes and aqueducts, consisting of:

-- over 1,300 wells;

-- 7 million miles of pre-stressed steel wire to strengthen 12-foot diameter pipes;

-- 3,500 km of pipeline covering an area equal to Western Europe;

-- four pipelines - two east and two west, connecting with links north; and

-- thousands of miles of roads between and connecting its various lines and infrastructure, supplying 6.5 million cubic meters of fresh water daily to Libyans and others in the region. Extracting water at a depth of from 1,600 - 2,500 feet, the system purifies and supplies it mainly to populated coastal cities.

Conceived in the late 1960s, feasibility studies were conducted in 1974. Construction then began in 1984, divided in five phases, each largely separate, then combined into an integrated system. Funded by Gaddafi without loans from other nations or Western banks, the project cost $25 billion so far.

Inaugurated in August 1991, phase I provides two million daily cubic meters of water along a 1,200 km pipeline from As-Sarir and Tazerbo to Benghazi and Sirt, via the Ajdabiya reservoir. Phase II delivers one million daily cubic meters from the Fezzan region to the fertile Jeffara plain in the Western coastal belt, also supplying Tripoli.

Phase III is in two parts. Its first adds an additional 1.68 million cubic meters daily through another 700 km of pipeline and pumping stations. It also supplies 138,000 more cubic meters daily to Tobruk and the coast from a new Al-Jaghboub wellfield through another 500 km of pipeline.

The final phases involve extending the distribution network by pipelines linking the Ajjabiya reservoir to Tobruk, then connecting Eastern and Western systems at Sirt into a single integrated network. When fully operational, Gaddafi hopes to make the desert as green as Libya's flag.

The project is owned by the Great Man-Made River (GMMR) Authority, funded by Gaddafi's government as explained above. However, with war raging, the system is jeopardized as well as Gaddafi's dream to turn the desert green.

On April 3, AFP headlined, "Libya warns of disaster if 'Great Man-Made River' hit," saying:

If GMMR is bombed, it could cause a "human and environmental disaster." Libya has three underground pipeline systems, for oil, gas, and water. If one is hit, the others are affected, potentially disastrously. According to project manager Abdelmajid Gahoud:

"If part of the infrastructure is damaged, the whole thing is affected and the massive escape of water could cause a catastrophe," depriving millions of Libyans of fresh water, 70% of 6.5 people for human consumption, irrigation, and other purposes.

Moreover, if Gaddafi is ousted, the enterprise will be privatized, making water unaffordable for many, perhaps most Libyans. In other words, neoliberal control will exploit it for maximum profits.

A Final Comment

On April 13, Ellen Brown's Truthout article headlined, "Libya: All About Oil, or All About Banking?" raised an important easily overlooked issue, saying:

"Libyan rebels took time out from their rebellion in March to create their own central bank (the Central Bank of Benghazi)," suggesting others with sophisticated know-how had it on the shelf ready to go months earlier.

A previous article quoted General Wesley Clark's book, "Winning Modern Wars," saying Pentagon sources told him two months after 9/11 that war plans were being prepared against Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Somalia, Sudan and Libya.

"What do these seven countries have in common," asked Brown? None (as well as Afghanistan) are "listed among the 56 member banks of the Bank for International Settlements."

It's the central bank for central bankers, a banking boss of bosses accountable to no government, privately owned by its members, the most powerful with most influence.

Outliers, of course, put "them outside (its) long regulatory arm." Months before America attacked Iraq, Saddam Hussein began selling oil in Euros, not dollars, threatening its reserve currency and petrodollar dominance. Gaddafi "made a similarly bold move," an initiative toward replacing the dollar with "the gold dinar," hoping for "a united African continent (under) this single currency."

Many Arab and African countries endorsed the idea, but not America or the West, "French President Nicolas Sarkozy calling (Gaddafi) a threat to the financial security of mankind." He wasn't deterred.

Moreover, "the Central Bank of Libya is 100% State owned." In other words, it creates its own money, the Libyan Dinar, interest free to be used for productive economic growth, not profits and bonuses for predatory bankers.

As a result, imperial Washington, Britain and France included Libya on their "globalist (hit list to integrate it into) its hive of compliant nations," at the expense of its own internal interests. They include oil and gas development, projects to make the desert green, as well as providing free education, healthcare, and other essential social services from oil revenues and Central Bank of Libya created money.

"So, is this new war all about oil or all about banking," asked Brown? "Maybe both - and water as well," noting that with "energy, water and ample (interest-free) credit to develop the infrastructure to access them, a nation can be free (from) foreign creditors," especially predatory Western ones, entrapping countries in debt for greater profits.

Perhaps that was Saddam's real threat, now Gaddafi's and other nations on the Pentagon's hit list.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.

Goldstone Commission Members Affirm Study Findings

Goldstone Commission Members Affirm Study Findings - by Stephen Lendman

A previous article addressed chairman Richard Goldstone's fall from grace, accessed through the following link:

http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2011/04/richard-goldstones-fall-from-grace.html

It discussed his shameless retraction of irrefutable evidence he and other commission members found - namely, that Israel willfully committed crimes of war and against humanity by attacking Gazan civilians and non-military targets in clear violation of international law. Moreover, it was done disproportionately to cause mass deaths, injuries and destruction.

Shockingly, however, Goldstone accepted Israel's internal investigation findings, knowing facts were suppressed and distorted to justify policies. For whatever reasons, he capitulated, selling his soul at the expense of his honor, character, dignity, and high-mindedness, erased in his April 1 Washington Post op-ed too late to retract.

Responding on April 14 in the London Guardian, Commission members Hina Jilani, Christine Chinkin and Desmond Travers headlined, "Goldstone report: Statement issued by members of UN mission on Gaza war," saying without mentioning Goldstone by name:

Recent articles and comments on the Commission's work "have misrepresented facts in an attempt to delegitimize the findings of (its) report and to cast doubts on its credibility."

The four-member Commission's report "is now an official UN document and all actions taken pursuant to its findings and recommendations fall solely within the purview of the United Nations general assembly which, along with the human rights council, reviewed and endorsed it at the end of 2009."

"Aspersions cast on the findings (however) cannot be left unchallenged." Jilani, Chinkin and Travers dispute efforts to claim "any part of the mission's report unsubstantiated, erroneous or inaccurate."

As a result, no reevaluation will be reconsidered, nor is there any UN procedure or precedent to do so. The Commission's conclusions were "made after diligent, independent and objective consideration of the information," carefully obtained. The Commission endorses "its reliability and credibility. We firmly stand by these conclusions."

Further, over 18 months after publication, no contrary facts have been determined. We "have yet to establish a convincing basis for any claims that contradict the findings of the mission's report."

In addition, the UN Human Rights Council "appointed a committee of independent experts to monitor the independence, effectiveness and genuineness of any domestic proceedings carried out to investigate crimes and violations of international law" discovered.

Observers claiming that follow-up committee members Judge Mary McGowan Davis and Judge Lennart Aspergren contradicted the Commission's conclusions "are completely misplaced, and a clear distortion of their findings."

Moreover, the committee said there was "no indication that Israel has opened (legitimate, independent) investigations into the actions of those who designed, planned, ordered and oversaw Operation Cast Lead."

In other words, "one of the most serious allegations about the conduct of Israel's military operations remains completely unaddressed."

The Commission dismisses "calls to reconsider or even retract the report, as well as attempts (to misrepresent) its nature and purpose, (saying they) disregard the right of victims....to truth and justice. They also ignore the responsibility of the relevant parties under international law to conduct prompt, thorough, effective and independent investigations."

Commission members resent pressure exerted to undermine their credibility and integrity. To give in "would be doing a serious injustice to the hundreds of innocent civilians killed during the Gaza conflict, the thousands injured, and the hundreds of thousands whose lives continue to be deeply affected by the conflict and the blockade."

The process the report initiated will continue "until justice is done and respect for international human rights and humanitarian law by everyone is ensured."

Hila Jilani is a Pakistani human rights lawyer. Christine Chinkin is London School of Economics Professor of International Law, and Desmond Travers is a former Irish peacekeeper, knowledgeable about international law.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.

Police State Terror in Bahrain

Police State Terror in Bahrain - by Stephen Lendman

Last summer sporadic protests began. By mid-February, major ones erupted. Demonstrators held firm against King Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa's regime. Repression and several deaths were reported from live fire.

Anti-government protesters occupied Manama's Pearl Roundabout, Bahrain's equivalent of Cairo's Tahrir Square. They demanded democratic elections, ending sectarian discrimination favoring Sunnis over Shias, equitable distribution of the country's oil wealth, and resignation of the king's uncle, Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, prime minister since 1971. They also want political prisoners released and state terror ended.

For weeks, many thousands defied government demands, braving police attacks with tear gas, beatings, rubber bullets, live fire, arrests, torture, and disappearances.

On February 14, Canada's National Post writer Peter Goodspeed headlined, "Trouble in tiny Bahrain (population 1.2 million) carries big implications," saying:

If Bahrain becomes democratic, people throughout the region will be inspired to demand it. As a result, "the ramifications for US foreign policy could be severe. Bahrain is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet," the Pentagon "station(ing) 15 warships, including an aircraft battle group, in the very heart of the Persian Gulf."

"The island state off the coast of Saudi Arabia provides Washington with a perfect base from which it can protect the (region's) flow of oil, keep an eye on Iran and support pro-Western monarchies against potential threats."

On March 14, fearing uprisings against their own regimes, over 1,500 Saudi Arabia-led Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) military and police security forces invaded Bahrain guns blazing. They attacked peaceful protesters, arrested opposition leaders and activists, occupied the country, denied wounded men and women medical treatment, and imposed police state control in support of the hated monarchy.

The Obama administration was very instrumental in their coming, to prevent the possibility of emerging democracy in Bahrain or elsewhere in the region.

News of the intervention, however, brought larger crowds to the streets. They occupied the Pearl Roundabout, set up barricades against vicious attacks, and persisted against fierce repression.

On April 1, Bahrain's al-Wefaq party, its largest anti-government opposition, claimed security forces arrested over 300 protesters since mid-March, dozens still missing. Prominent blogger, Mahmoud al-Youssef, was among the disappeared, taken into custody on March 30.

Tanks were positioned at prominent sites. Police checkpoints were set up throughout the country. Unidentified gangs, believed to be plainclothes security forces, conducted nighttime raids on homes in poor Shiite neighborhoods. Residents reported assaults and confiscations of their property.

In short order, Pearl Roundabout protesters were violently routed. Since mid-February, perhaps dozens were killed, hundreds injured, and many more arrested, tortured, and disappeared.

Bahrain Human Rights Center (BHRC) head Nabeel Rajab said several dozen masked men raided his home in mid-March, "threaten(ing) to rape me and one man was touching my body. They hit me with shoes and punched me with fists. They were insulting me, saying things like, 'You're Shiite so go back to Iran.' "

Blindfolded and arrested, he was beaten for two hours, then released. Another gang returned a few days later, threatening him and journalists present at the time. Extreme repression quelled protests and strikes, but anti-regime opposition persists. One man fired from his teaching job said:

"We cannot stop. We might go quiet for a bit to mourn the dead and treat the injured and see those in jail, but then we will rise up again."

Journalists were also threatened, including the country's only opposition newspaper, Al-Wasat, shut down in late March to silence it. The Bahrain News Agency called its coverage "unethical" for reporting accurately on government repression. Its editor and co-owner, Mansoor al-Jamri, said it was an attempt to suppress independent news, explaining:

"There is now no other voice but that of the state. The news blackout is so intense." Its print and online editions are now closed to prevent vital information from being published.

Bahraini state terror got so extreme even The New York Times took note in its "Bahrain News - The Protests (2011)" section. On April 7, it said:

"Bahrain has taken on the likeness of a police state. There have been mass arrests, mass firings of government workers, reports of torture and the forced resignation of the top editor of the nation's one independent newspaper."

Moreover, emergency law provisions let security forces search buildings and homes with no warrant, as well as "dissolve any organization, including legal political parties, deemed a danger to the state."

On April 6, writer Clifford Krauss headlined, "Bahrain's Rulers Tighten Their Grip on Battered Opposition," saying:

"The intensity of the repression is pushing some toward militancy, while others are holding back, at least for now." Earlier mass demonstrations dwindled to smaller ones and marches, many outside Manama in villages like Saar and Shahrakkan.

Two released political prisoners said detainees are being tortured with electric shocks, beatings, sexual abuse, and other indignities. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW) researcher Dan Williams:

"They are leaving no oppressive stone unturned. They enter homes of people already detained and ransack (them). They are keeping people in detention with limited (or no) access to their lawyers and families."

On April 12, Krauss headlined, "Hospital Is Drawn Into Bahrain Strife," saying:

Masked soldiers "guard the front gate of Salmaniya Medical Complex. Inside clinics are virtually empty of patients, many of whom, doctors say, have been hauled away for detention after participating in protests."

Doctors, nurses, and other medical staff have also been arrested, officials calling Salmaniya (Bahrain's largest public hospital) and local clinics hotbeds of "radical Shiite conspirators trying to destabilize the country."

Doctors, however, say Salmaniya and other medical facilities have been targeted by state terror. As a result, sick and injured Bahrainis have nowhere to go for treatment.

The Obama administration steadfastly supports the Al-Khalifa regime and other regional despots, saying practically nothing about their abuses, no matter how extreme, while pretending to support democratic change in Libya.

On April 11, a Washington Post editorial expressed concern headlining, "The US silence on Bahrain's crackdown," saying:

While condemning human rights abuses in Libya and bloody crackdowns in Syria, "the president and his administration remain mostly silent about another ugly campaign of repression underway in the Arab world, in the Persian Gulf emirate of Bahrain."

However, instead of denouncing it, WP called it "counterproductive (and) likely to foment the very problem that its advocates seek to prevent: a sectarian uprising in the region that could be exploited by Iran."

"Worse, Defense Secretary (Gates) appeared to bolster the (Saudi intervention) during a visit last week to Riyadh, saying that 'we already have evidence that the Iranians are trying to exploit the situation in Bahrain.' "

At the same time, the Bahrain News Agency (BNA) said US CENTCOM head General James Mattis and US deputy chief of mission Stephanie Williams met with Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, Bahrain's crown prince and deputy supreme commander.

According to BNA, Al-Khalifa "hailed (Washington's) support for Bahrain's security and stability which epitomizes strong ties bonding the two friendly countries. He also stressed the kingdom's keenness to further promote bilateral relations and cooperation mainly in the military and defense field....Both sides also reviewed regional developments and the need to safeguard regional security and stability."

On April 11, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint program of the International Federation for Human Rights and World Organization Against Torture, expressed grave concern for Bahraini human rights defenders following stepped up crackdowns.

On April 9, masked police arrested and severely beat Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, former Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) president, and two of his sons-in-law, Wafi Almajid and Hussein Ahmed, at his daughter's home.

Mohammad Al-Maskati, another son-in-law, as well as president of the Bahrain Society for Human Rights, was present, severely beaten, but not arrested.

On April 10, BCHR reported over 600 arrests and disappearances, including 30 women and children, one aged 12. No information is available on their whereabouts, status or condition. Those detained include dissidents, activists, journalists, bloggers, students, teachers, doctors, lawyers, poets, artists, sculptors, photographers, political society members, and anyone for democratic change.

On April 12, BCHR and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned Zakariya Rashid Hassan's death in detention, six days after he was charged with inciting hatred, disseminating false news, promoting sectarian violence, and calling for regime change. His family rejected the interior ministry's claim that he died from sickle cell anemia complications. His body showed clear signs of abuse.

BCHR and RSF also expressed concern for Nabeel Rajab, BCHR head, accused of fabricating photo evidence of injuries to Ali Isa Saqer, another detainee who died in custody, clearly from abuse.

On March 28, general decree Decision No. 5 of 2011 prohibited publication of any information relating to ongoing state investigations on national security grounds. The measure reinforces others used to silence dissent and truth, especially about human rights violations.

As a result, on April 3, charges were filed against three Al-Wasat journalists for allegedly "fabricating" news detrimental to Bahrain's international image and reputation. Those affected include editor Mansour Al-Jamari, managing editor Walid Nouihid, and local news editor Aqil Mirza. On the same day, two Al-Wasat Iraqi journalists since 2005 were summarily deported.

Earlier, BCHR reported children being abducted, detained, and abused, saying security crackdowns arrested 76, about one-fifth of the 355 known total at the time. It noted that "special forces attack people randomly, especially children who are at risk of excessive use of force, rubber bullets and tear gas."

As a result, many sustained serious injuries. Moreover, BCHR received many complaints from families of victims. One case, typical of others, involved Ali Abbas Radhi, aged 14. Running an errand for his father, he returned bloodstained, his clothes dusty, his head wounded, his body showing clear signs of abuse, including a fractured leg.

He told BCHR that:

"Riot police asked me to stop so I obeyed their orders, but a group of them pointed their weapons toward me which made me panic and try to flee in fear of getting killed. The riot police chased me until they caught me, and they assaulted me by beating me and kicking me with their boots or with the butts of their guns to my head and all over my body as well as cursing and insulting members of my family with dirty words."

Numerous other random attacks against men, women and children were and continue to be similar, many resulting in arrests, detention, torture, disappearances, and an unknown number of deaths, believed to be dozens.

Since state crackdowns began last summer, many children as well as adults have been arrested and abused. Lucky ones were released far from home in their underwear, or in some cases naked.

More recently, under a state of emergency, severe crackdowns continue to terrorize government opponents, subjecting anyone to arbitrary arrest, detention, torture, and disappearance any time for any reason, or none based on bogus suspicions.

A Final Comment

On April 12, 19 human rights organizations condemned Bahraini state terror, their joint press release saying:

The undersigned "severely condemn the authorities' crackdown on prominent human rights defenders....We are gravely concerned for (their) safety and well-being...."

"Human rights organizations estimate that over 600 individuals (including human rights activists and political opponents) remain in Bahraini prisons at high risk of torture and ill-treatment. It is a particularly alarming situation given that torture is a virtually systematic practice that has been used against activists increasingly since last year."

In this context, we firmly believe that Bahrain's membership in the UN Human Rights Council (should) be suspended....Furthermore, the undersigned organizations (condemn the) complicity and lack of political will from international actors, particularly the US and EU (for) turn(ing) a blind eye (to) massive and systematic human rights violations in this region of the world."

Signed:

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

Arab Organization for Human Rights, Syria

Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, Egypt

Bahrain Center for Human Rights

Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights

Center for Trade Unions and Workers' Services, Egypt

Committees for the Defense of Democracy, Freedom and Human Rights, Syria

Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies

Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement

Hisham Mubarak Law Center, Egypt

Human Rights First Society, Saudi Arabia

Human Rights Organization in Syria, MAF

Iraqi Human Rights Association in Denmark

Kurdish Committee for Human Rights in Syria al-Rased

Kurdish Organization for the Defense of Human Rights and Public Freedoms in Syria, DAD

National Organization for Human Rights in Syria

New Woman Research Center, Egypt

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights

Yemeni Organization for Defending Rights and Democratic Freedoms

Other human rights groups, around 1,500 NGOs, and the International Trade Union Confederation (and its 301 affiliated members in 151 countries) also denounced Bahraini state terror.

Appealing to the international community, they called for those responsible to be held accountable. So far, daily crackdowns continue, Bahrainis still terrorized by US-backed militarized repression.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.

Planned Libya Invasion

Planned Libyan Invasion - by Stephen Lendman

In his book, "Winning Modern Wars," General Wesley Clark said Pentagon sources told him two months after 9/11 that war plans were being prepared against Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Somalia, Sudan and Libya. Months earlier, they were finalized against Afghanistan.

Clark added:

"And what about the real sources of terrorists - US allies in the region like Egypt, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia? Wasn't it repressive policies of the first, and the corruption and poverty of the second, that were generating many of the angry young men who became terrorists? And what of the radical ideology and direct funding spewing from Saudi Arabia?"

"It seemed that we were being taken into a strategy more likely to make us the enemy - encouraging what could look like a 'clash of civilizations' - not a good strategy for winning the war on terror."

Since insurgency in Libya began, reports of a ground invasion circulated despite no UN authorization and official denials.

On April 1, they gained credence after release of an EUFOR Libya (European Union Force) decision from Brussels, saying:

"The Council has adopted today the decision, underpinning the mandates of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1970 and 1973, establishing an operation, called 'EUFOR Libya' in order to stand ready to support humanitarian assistance in the region, if requested by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)."

In fact, "humanitarian assistance" is code language for aggression, invasion, colonization, and balkanization for profit and imperial control of the entire Mediterranean Basin. Libya, Syria, and Hezbollah-controlled Lebanon are the last links to complete it, suggesting after Libya's conquest, Syria and perhaps Lebanon may be next.

The Council's decision established a framework, subject to UN or NATO authorization, NATO meaning Washington's running everything in Libya and the region.

Headquartered in Rome, "Rear Admiral Claudio Gaudiosi has been appointed as (EUFOR) Operation Commander."

In fact, AFRICOM head General Carter Ham runs operations under EUCOM (the Pentagon's European Command). In a recent interview, Middle East/North African analyst Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya said:

"AFRICOM is still very much attached to EUCOM and dependent on (it) in many ways....AFRICOM's role is currently latent or concealed. It is EUCOM....based in Europe (as is AFRICOM), which is currently running the operations against the Libyans."

In fact, Admiral James Stavridis heads EUCOM and NATO, EUCOM's web site calling him "Commander of European Command and....NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (since) early summer 2009."

In recent testimony, he told the Senate Armed Services Committee that America is running Odyssey Dawn with NATO "stabilization operations" troops, adding that sanctions and bombing accomplished nothing.

In other words, invasion is planned, suggested by NATO'S commander. Expect it in days or weeks, masquerading as enhanced "humanitarian intervention."

Nazemroaya added that AFRICOM's "mission is to help secure a new colonial order in Africa that the US and its allies are working to establish. In many ways, this is what (hostilities are) all about."

Washington is very much in charge, planning to carve up Libya and Africa for profit - Britain, France and other key co-belligerents to share the spoils.

Invasion Plans Solidifying

On April 6, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton told the European Parliament that plans for military intervention were being considered. On April 7, the German Press Agency DPA said she wrote UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, "telling him about the EU's readiness to act."

An unnamed official said, "Everybody is aware that something has to be done. You can expect that there will be a mobilization of the international community in the coming days." In other words, planned invasion will use humanitarian intervention as a pretext.

Despite abstaining from UN Resolution 1973 and withdrawing its ships from embargoing Libya, expect German participation if it comes. On April 8, Chancellor Merkel's spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said German forces would join a "humanitarian" mission if requested by the UN.

According to Defense Ministry spokesman, Christian Dienst, German involvement includes "hav(ing) their boots on the ground in Libya," as well as redeployed ships participating. In other words, Germany wants its share of the spoils like other co-belligerents.

Expect UN Resolution 1973's no-fly zone, including "all necessary measures," to be used as invasion authorization, no matter its lawlessness as a previous article explained, accessed through the following link:

http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2011/03/lies-damn-lies-and-humanitarian.html

The UN Charter explains under what conditions violence and coercion (by one state against another) are justified. Article 2(3) and Article 33(1) require peaceful settlement of international disputes. Article 2(4) prohibits force or its threatened use. And Article 51 allows the "right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a Member....until the Security Council has taken measures to maintain international peace and security."

In other words, justifiable self-defense is permissible, not preemptive intervention in another nation's internal affairs, especially on bogus humanitarian grounds, masking imperial aims.

Moreover, under the UN Charter, Article 2(3) and Article 33(1) require peaceful settlement of international disputes, not "shock and awe" attacks. Article 2(4), in fact, prohibits force or its threatened use, including no-fly zones that are acts of war.

Further, Articles 2(3), 2(4), and 33 absolutely prohibit any unilateral or other external threat or use of force not specifically allowed under Article 51 or otherwise authorized by the Security Council - that may not violate its own Charter. In fact, Washington bullied enough members to do so, planning naked aggression in response.

Gaddafi Accepts Ceasefire Plan

On April 11, A Jazeera headlined, "African leaders in Benghazi for peace talks," saying:

After meeting with Gaddafi on Sunday, they "announced that he accepted a roadmap to peace, but he refused to say whether the deal included his resignation - a key demand for rebels....Jacob Zuma, the South African president, said Tripoli had accepted the African Union's plan," including an immediate halt to hostilities, effective ceasefire monitoring, delivering humanitarian aid, and protecting foreigners.

At the same time, Reuters reported "no let-up in NATO attacks," an official saying, "It does not appear that this indication of a peace deal has any substance at this point." Indeed not, as long as NATO keeps bombing and spurns peace.

On April 11 at 12:02 EDT, Reuters unsurprisingly said:

"Libyan rebels rejected an African Union peace plan on Monday because it did not address their main demand that (Gaddafi) quit and because it proposed reforming a ruling system they want removed."

National Transitional Council head Mustafa Abdul Jalil (former Libyan Justice Minister) said:

"The African Union initiative does not include the departure of Gaddafi and his sons from the Libyan political scene, therefore it is outdated. The initiative speaks of reforms from within the Libyan system and that is rejected."

Western leaders also rejected peace unless Gaddafi's ousted, saying bombing will continue until he's removed.

Turkish Invasion Plan

On March 1, the World Tribune.com headlined, "Obama said to back Turkey offer to invade Libya," saying:

Turkey offered to lead a NATO "effort to overthrow (Gaddafi) by invading Libya, but with strings attached. Diplomatic sources said....Prime Minister Erdogan (suggested) a plan in which the Turkish Navy would send ships and troops to Libya," wanting EU membership in return.

According to an unnamed Western diplomat, "It was not clear if Turkey could actually do the job, but Erdogan did make this offer."

Unnamed sources said Obama and Saudi Arabia endorsed the plan. Brussels, however, appeared cold, including French President Sarkozy. He and other EU leaders "regarded Erdogan's plan as a means to exploit the revolt in Libya."

The same unnamed diplomat said, "The feeling is that Turkey is looking to become the Ottoman Empire, and most of Europe does not want to go through that history again." Also at issue is Turkish support for Iran, tensions with Israel, EU reluctance to include an Islamic member country, (even a secular one), and having another spoils of war partner, meaning less to key co-belligerents wanting them all.

A Final Comment

As part of its anti-Gaddafi disinformation campaign, a New York Times CJ Chivers "At War: Notes From the Front Lines" blog features regular commentaries, including an April 10 one headlined, "Libyan Rebels Take Risks With Makeshift Arms," saying:

Rebel weapons "are, in a word, a sight. They are also a fright....In truth, the men who fire them have little idea of how far these (makeshift) rockets fly, a limited ability to change their elevation, and....often have no ability to traverse them left or right."

One fighter complained that "we have almost no other weapons, and Qaddafi has all the lethal weapons available in the world."

A March 30 Mark Landler, Elisabeth Bumiller and Steven Lee Myers article headlined, "Washington Debates Idea of Arming Libyan Rebels," saying:

Administration officials, including Secretary of State Clinton, said no decision had been made, but Washington "had a right to do so, despite an arms embargo...."

Obama told NBC News, "I'm not ruling it out, but I'm also not ruling it in. We're still making an assessment...." He also pledged no US ground troops.

Concern over the lightly armed rebels prompted an unnamed European diplomat to say rebels should be more heavily armed. "We strongly believe that it should happen."

Even if concerns are resolved, Pentagon "officials said it was unclear to them how an effort to arm rebels would be carried out. They said the arms most likely to be of use were relatively light....not especially sophisticated, (and it would take) months, if not years, of on-the-ground training" to instruct rebels on their use.

On April 10, Global Research.ca reported:

"Libyan rebels from the Feb. 17 armed coup attempt to overthrow the Libyan government had brand new weapons since the first day of the uprising. These weapons were of non-Libyan origin and had already been secretly imported into Libya in advance of Feb. 17."

Involved "are millions of dollars worth of technically advanced light and heavy weaponry." The report suggested "secret foreign benefactors giving state-of-the-art weapons to Benghazi terror gangs in the coup attempt," video evidence showing "Western trainers" instructing them on their use.

The rebels "appear to be paid mercenaries and Libyan expatriates," as well as students and Al Qaeda elements, a CIA/MI 6-enlisted alliance to oust Gaddafi.

Despite genuine internal opposition to his rule, the current uprising was externally manufactured, not spontaneous for democratic change as major media reports suggest, including BBC and Al Jazeera backing rebels, abandoning honest journalism and independent reporting in the process.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.

Avigdor Lieberman to Be Indicted

Avigdor Lieberman to Be Indicted - by Stephen Lendman

A previous article profiled him in-depth, accessed through the following link:

http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2010/10/avigdor-lieberman-profile-in.html

It explained he represents the worst of Israel's lunatic fringe, sort of a combination Dick Cheney/John McCain/Joe Lieberman, too extremist to be entrusted with power, but he's got it.

Robert Fisk once said he "out-Sharons even Ariel Sharon. (He's) talked of drowning Palestinians in the Dead Sea or executing Israeli Palestinians who talked to Hamas. (His) incendiary language (promotes) executions....drownings....hell and loyalty oaths," perfect for the role he assumed, allied with Israel's most extremist ever Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who also out-Sharons Sharon, no easy feat by any means.

Israel under Netanyahu/Lieberman institutionalized racism in its worst form - potential expulsion or extermination. Gideon Levy called him a "nightmare (who's) here and now. (Extremist Rabbi Meir) Kahane is alive and kicking - is he ever - in the person of his thuggish successor."

He promotes "hatred for Arabs, hatred of democracy and the rule of law, and the stink of nationalism, racism and bloodthirstiness. (He's) the voice of the mob, and the mob craves hatred, vengeance and bloodshed."

He's a malignancy on the body politic, a "cancerous growth (throughout) society, (a dangerous, embarrassing) abomination," one step removed from being Prime Minister.

An unnamed Meretz party member once said "If you liked Mussolini, if you were missing Stalin, you'll love Lieberman."

Others call him offensive to basic ethics and morality, and a threat to the rule of law and democratic freedoms. In a word, he's bad news for Israel, Palestinians, the region, humanity, and Judaic values he defiles with impunity.

Deploring peace, he says those for it "should prepare for war and be strong." He also believes "tensions within the Muslim world are 95 to 98 percent of all the problems of the Middle East, (the) Israeli-Palestinian conflict account(ing) for two percent."

In 2006, malfeasance investigations began. On August 2, 2009, police gave prosecutors evidence of fraud, accepting a bribe, money laundering, embezzlement, and obstruction of justice, recommending he be indicted.

Others agree he's corrupt. On May 24, 2010, Israeli police also recommended charging him with Breach of Trust for receiving classified information about his criminal investigation.

Earlier, on September 24, 2001, in Jerusalem District Court, he admitted attacking a 12-year old boy in December 1999 in the Nokdim settlement who'd hit his son. Charged with assaulting and threatening him, he was convicted, but copped a plea for a fine to avoid harsher punishment.

Several times, he said publicly he'll resign as Foreign Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and Israeli Beiteinu leader, but only after a hearing if he agrees to one.

On April 11, Jerusalem Post writer Ron Friedman headlined, "Lieberman indictment expected by end of week," saying:

"Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein was expected to" indict him for fraud, breach of trust, money laundering, and obstruction of justice.

The same day, Haaretz writer Amir Oren headlined, "Liebeman to be served draft indictment for graft in next 24 hours," saying:

He'll be indicted on the above charges and "be granted (the) right to a hearing before" charges are filed. If he chooses one, he won't have to resign his posts. However, if he doesn't "to prevent exposing his line of defense....an indictment will be served against him which may bear serious consequences to his role" in government.

Since police investigations and intelligence division head Yoav Segalovich recommended indictment, his case continued for over 18 months. Segalovich wants him charged with bribery, fraud, money laundering, breach of trust, witness harassment, and obstruction of justice.

Police believe he got over ten million New Israeli Shekels (NIS) in bribes from Martin Schlaff, Michael Chernoy, and other businessmen. He then laundered the money through shell companies and fictitious overseas bank accounts.

Police also recommended he be accused of breach of trust, relating to Israel's former ambassador to Belarus, Ze'ev Ben Aryeh, who showed him "secret documents from the investigation against" him.

In negotiations with Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein, bribery accusations may have been dropped, what's not known for sure until indictment specifics are announced. However, for money laundering alone, he can receive 10 years in prison, plus more if convicted on all charges. For one of Israel's worst, life without parole would be too lenient.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.

Israel: Spoiling for Another Fight?

Israel: Spoiling for Another Fight? - by Stephen Lendman

Throughout its history, Israel intimidated as a regional menace, preemptively attacking Palestinians and regional neighbors for any reason or none at all. Each time, it's claimed self-righteousness and "self-defense," what scoundrels always say.

Until his death, Edward Said passionately defended Palestinian rights. He accused Israel of turning Palestine into an isolated prison, suffocating an entire population, impoverishing and slaughtering them, blaming them for its own state terror, and creating a wasteland of destruction and human misery.

Moreover, he said Israeli regimes sanctioned torture, targeted assassinations, and mass killing as official policy, besides committing every imaginable human indignity and degradation against people for their faith, ethnicity and presence.

As a result, Israel perpetuates a never ending cycle of violence and destruction, planning to end "the Palestinian problem," calling courage and resistance "terrorism," offering nothing in return for outrageous demands, and pursuing dominating pacification disguised as "peace." Journalist Henry Siegman once called it "the most spectacular deception in modern diplomatic history."

Gideon Levy calls it "an unborn baby," saying there's "never been an Israeli peace camp." How can there be when decades of Israeli leaders called peace process negotiations a useful fiction.

For example, Moshe Ya'alon, former IDF chief of staff and current Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Strategic Affairs believes Jews have an "unassailable right (to) settle anywhere, particularly here (in) the land of the Bible." Earlier, he mocked the peace process, saying it's used politically "to sear deep into the consciousness of the Palestinians that they are a defeated people."

Former Defense Minister Moshe Dayan called the Occupied West bank "permanent," and current Prime Minister Netanyahu earlier said the peace process is "a waste of time," while planning new confrontations to prove it.

Israel Attacks Gaza - Its Latest Blitzkrieg

International Middle East Media Center (IMEMC) reports explained a new Israeli Gaza offensive, headlining on April 8, "Three Palestinians Killed in Gaza, Eight in Less Than 48 Hours," saying:

Since April 7, Israeli bombing as well as ground and offshore shelling killed eight Palestinians, wounding dozens, including children. "Furthermore, three family members were injured when the army bombarded a home in Al Faraheen....in southern Gaza. Among the wounded is a woman (in) serious condition."

Other civilian areas were also attacked. Israel makes no distinction between them and combatants in blatant violation of international law that also prohibits preemptive attacks, Israel's specialty.

In response, the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine's armed wing (PFLP) said:

"(T)here will be no truce with the Israeli occupation while it continues its aggression and crimes against the Palestinian people."

The Salah Ed-Deen Brigades, the National Resistance Committees' armed wing, added:

"(T)he Israeli crime committed on Thursday will not pass unpunished."

Mohammad Bahar, Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) deputy head, appealed to Egypt, the Arab League, and Organization of the Islamic Conference to intervene on Gaza's behalf to stop Israeli aggression.

UN and EU officials addressed the violence with contempt for Palestinian suffering, calling on both sides to show restraint and end the latest round of fighting, mindless of the belligerent and victim.

The latest Ma'an News account reported 17 Gazans killed, many more wounded after continued Israeli attacks. One killed a mother, her daughter, and injured a third child. Earlier, an elderly man was killed in Gaza City's Manara area.

Hours before midnight Friday, nine separate air, ground and offshore attacks struck various Gaza sites. Hamas accused Israel of using white phosphorous missiles in civilian areas, a frequently used weapon during Cast Lead.

On Thursday night, Hamas announced a unilateral ceasefire. Israel ignored it. On April 8, Haaretz writer Barak Ravid headlined, "Netanyahu warns Hamas: You will bear responsibility for attack on school bus," saying:

He referred to a homemade rocket hitting an Israeli school bus on Thursday, wounding the driver and a 16-year old boy. Hamas said it responded to an IDF air strike, killing three Palestinians on April 2. Israel always initiates conflict. Under international law, victims may retaliate in self-defense.

Nonetheless, Netanyahu claimed:

"The attack on a school bus crossed the line. Whoever tries to hurt and murder children, his blood (will) be on his own head."

In fact, Netayahu and previous Israeli leaders long ago "crossed the line," killing thousands, wounding countless numbers more, committing crimes of war and against humanity for decades, mostly against civilian men, women and children - lawless acts, so far with impunity.

Israel's latest crimes - 13 Gazans murdered, dozens wounded, some seriously, civilian targets damaged or destroyed as IDF aggression continues. In fact, it never stops, just ebbs, then erupts again.

On April 4, before Israel's latest attacks, Electronic Intifada co-founder Ali Abunimah headlined, "Another war on Gaza? saying:

In recent weeks, over a dozen Palestinians were killed, including a 10-year old boy, Mahmoud Jalal al-Hilu. "Does this escalation increase the likelihood of another large-scale assault" like Cast Lead, killing over 1,400, wounding thousands, and causing vast destruction and devastation.

"There are worrying signs Israel - by its words and deeds - could be laying the ground for an attack." For example, its April 2 assault was preemptive, Israel unjustifiably claiming three Hamas members killed were "planning to kidnap Israelis over the upcoming Jewish" Passover.

Doing so constituted cold-blooded murder, extrajudicial assassinations "in which Israel, the occupying power, acted as judge, jury and executioner, issuing allegations for which it offered no evidence, after it had already carried out the death sentence. Under international law, this is a war crime."

At issue is whether Israel is spoiling for another fight. On March 23, Vice Prime Minister Silvan Shalom told Israel Radio that another large-scale attack may be launched to topple Hamas. Speaking for his government, he blamed Hamas for escalating violence, distorting truth to conceal its own agenda - completing unfinished business to destroy all resistance.

As a result, perhaps Cast Lead 2 is planned. Haaretz writer Gideon Levy thinks so, pointing fingers in his April 7 article headlined, "Goldstone has paved the path for a second Gaza war," saying:

He gave Israel a PR victory, "caus(ing) rejoicing here, a Goldstone party, the likes of which we haven't seen for some time." He's now reaped the whirlwind, giving Israel "a green light for Operation Cast Lead 2. Are we pleased with what happened? Are we really proud of Operation Cast Lead?"

Is there ever moral or legal justification for preemptive war? Along with Israeli belligerents, it will also be Goldstone's cross to bear if it comes. Expect it.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.

הסלמה באלימות בין הצדדים

בחמישי טיל פלסטיני פגע באוטובוס בית ספר ישראלי (תלמיד אחד נפצע קשה) דבר שגרם להסלמת האלימות בין הצדדים. מאז אתמול ב23:00 נהרגו 5 פלסטינים על ידי חיל האוויר ו8 פצצות מרגמה פגעו בנגב המערבי

excalating violence between Israeli military and Gaza

On Thursday a Palestinian rocket hit an Israeli school bus (one student was critically wounded) which escalated the violence between the two sides. Since yestarday 23:00 five Palestinians were killed by the Israeli airforce and 8 missiles hit the Negev