ALERT: Annapolis a Charade: Olmert Plotting Massive Aggression
In Germany, according to historian Richard Evans, in 1931-1932, if enough Germans of conscience had begun to say No -- history would have had an entirely diferent outcome.
If we go any further down this road the tears will be those of conservatives as well as progressives. They will be (Israeli) tears.
The time for weeping has to stop; the time for confronting must begin.
Adapted from "American Tears"
www.huffingtonpost.com/naomi-wolf/american-tears_b_68141.html
The timing is interesting, given the "Annapolis Conference", which serves to be about PR alone, as Olmert has already ruled out any Negotiations or Compromise in the name of peace.
If you follow the events surrounding Israel's "Disengagement" from Gaza, you will quickly understand that this was the plan all along. While Israel was making a public spectacle of "forcing Jews to leave their homes", it was quietly surrounding the Strip with artillery emplacements, in an operation ominously named "First Rain".
Under this operation, Gaza basically became a "Free-Fire Zone", and several artillery and gunship strikes killed a high number of civilians. Finally, when one of these batteries fired upon and murdered a Palestinian family - picnicking on a beach that had been Segregated "Jews Only" only weeks before, Hamas finally decided to call an end to its unilateral, two-year cease-fire.
(In essence, they took Israel's bait. After all, you can't excuse your Aggression and label it "defense" if you're not being intermittently attacked. Never mind the hypocrisy underlying the entire media's framing of that whole debate ...)
When the Palestinians responded by electing Hamas to power (yes, elected), Israeli Extremists and their Ideological, bought foreign co-conspirators imposed unilateral sanctions on Gaza, a bit of Collective Punishment which increased the hardship of those stuck in the world's largest Concentration Camp.
When they felt Gaza had been substantially weakened, the US and Israel undertook a Coup attempt, using corrupt elements within the Fatah Party, provoking a violent response by Hamas, which expelled the group. Most of the world's media ignored the events leading to this "crisis", and instead only repeated the Propaganda emanating from the US and Israel, which used this to further increase sanctions against Gaza.
Most recently, Israel stepped up its Collective Punishment, except that human rights groups and legal advisors to the Government halted some of its approved measures, because they run contrary to International Humanitarian Law.
This was sold as another "response to rocket attacks" (again highlighting the hypocrisy of the debate's Framing - are the Palestinians allowed to defend themselves from strikes which actually KILL people ... ?), even though high-ranking officials said that this was NOT, in fact, a response to these attacks, but a way to "distance Israel from Gaza's infrastructure".
The real reason for this whole episode, of course, has been to "soften up" the Gaza Strip for a long-planned military attack, a way to undermine the resolve, and hopefully rid this territory of Palestinians altogether.
Olmert signalled long ago that he would not entertain any serious discussions at this summit, essentially selling out the Israeli public's desire for peace.
Now, Israel appears to be preparing to issue the usual 'justifications' for an Act of Aggression they planned long ago, by calling it a response to violence their own behaviour has provoked. The media's silence on these issues in past months signals their readiness to help in this regard.
Seeing the pattern yet?
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/386082.html
In Germany, according to historian Richard Evans, in 1931-1932, if enough Germans of conscience had begun to say No -- history would have had an entirely diferent outcome.
If we go any further down this road the tears will be those of conservatives as well as progressives. They will be (Israeli) tears.
The time for weeping has to stop; the time for confronting must begin.
Adapted from "American Tears"
www.huffingtonpost.com/naomi-wolf/american-tears_b_68141.html
The timing is interesting, given the "Annapolis Conference", which serves to be about PR alone, as Olmert has already ruled out any Negotiations or Compromise in the name of peace.
If you follow the events surrounding Israel's "Disengagement" from Gaza, you will quickly understand that this was the plan all along. While Israel was making a public spectacle of "forcing Jews to leave their homes", it was quietly surrounding the Strip with artillery emplacements, in an operation ominously named "First Rain".
Under this operation, Gaza basically became a "Free-Fire Zone", and several artillery and gunship strikes killed a high number of civilians. Finally, when one of these batteries fired upon and murdered a Palestinian family - picnicking on a beach that had been Segregated "Jews Only" only weeks before, Hamas finally decided to call an end to its unilateral, two-year cease-fire.
(In essence, they took Israel's bait. After all, you can't excuse your Aggression and label it "defense" if you're not being intermittently attacked. Never mind the hypocrisy underlying the entire media's framing of that whole debate ...)
When the Palestinians responded by electing Hamas to power (yes, elected), Israeli Extremists and their Ideological, bought foreign co-conspirators imposed unilateral sanctions on Gaza, a bit of Collective Punishment which increased the hardship of those stuck in the world's largest Concentration Camp.
When they felt Gaza had been substantially weakened, the US and Israel undertook a Coup attempt, using corrupt elements within the Fatah Party, provoking a violent response by Hamas, which expelled the group. Most of the world's media ignored the events leading to this "crisis", and instead only repeated the Propaganda emanating from the US and Israel, which used this to further increase sanctions against Gaza.
Most recently, Israel stepped up its Collective Punishment, except that human rights groups and legal advisors to the Government halted some of its approved measures, because they run contrary to International Humanitarian Law.
This was sold as another "response to rocket attacks" (again highlighting the hypocrisy of the debate's Framing - are the Palestinians allowed to defend themselves from strikes which actually KILL people ... ?), even though high-ranking officials said that this was NOT, in fact, a response to these attacks, but a way to "distance Israel from Gaza's infrastructure".
The real reason for this whole episode, of course, has been to "soften up" the Gaza Strip for a long-planned military attack, a way to undermine the resolve, and hopefully rid this territory of Palestinians altogether.
Olmert signalled long ago that he would not entertain any serious discussions at this summit, essentially selling out the Israeli public's desire for peace.
Now, Israel appears to be preparing to issue the usual 'justifications' for an Act of Aggression they planned long ago, by calling it a response to violence their own behaviour has provoked. The media's silence on these issues in past months signals their readiness to help in this regard.
Seeing the pattern yet?
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/386082.html
A day after the IDF announced that it was ready to re-invade Gaza, as was planned before Annapolis, Olmert's Regime announced that there was no timetable for peace talks, and Israel pressured the US to pull a UN resolution which would enforce the talks.
Olmert: No firm timetable for peace talks with Palestinians
By Haaretz Service and Reuters
Tags: Olmert, Palestinians
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday played down expectations for a peace deal with the Palestinians before the end of 2008 as laid out at a U.S.-sponsored peace conference last week.
"We will make an effort to hold speedy negotiations in the hope we may conclude by the end of 2008, but certainly there is no commitment for a firm timetable for their completion," Olmert said at the start of Sunday's cabinet meeting.
U.S. President George W. Bush assured Israeli and Palestinian leaders at the conference in Annapolis, Maryland, that Washington would actively engage in peacemaking, despite deep skepticism over chances for a deal before he leaves office.
Advertisement
Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met Bush to launch the first formal peace talks in seven years at the conference and agreed to try and reach a deal on Palestinian statehood by the end of next year. But, speaking at Israel's first cabinet meeting since Annapolis, Olmert urged caution.
In an apparent hint to right-wing coalition partners that he was not planning concessions without a reciprocal move from the Palestinians, Olmert said any progress in the peace process would depend on adhering to commitments under a long-stalled U.S. peace "road map."
"The most important thing in the joint statement is that ... any agreement that we reach in the future will be dependent on completion of all road map commitments.
"In other words, Israel will not have to implement any commitment which emanates from the agreement before all the road map commitments have been met," he said.
The 2003 U.S. road map provides benchmarks that include a Palestinian crackdown on terrorism, as well as a freeze of Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank.
Stressing the Palestinian obligation to act against militants, the prime minister said of the road map: "I think that this is very important and assures the security component, which is ? in our view, and in any eventuality and under any condition ? the most important issue that we are dealing with."
Olmert's comments came after the United States withdrew a draft United Nations resolution endorsing action agreed at Annapolis - a document Israeli officials said they felt was inappropriate.
Although Israel apparently had no problems with the uncontroversial text, analysts suggested it was worried a formal resolution would get the UN too involved in Middle East peace efforts.
Skeptics say Bush's time scale for peacemaking is too ambitious, especially given both Olmert and Abbas are politically weak.
The prime minister's popularity has been hurt by corruption allegations and last year's Second Lebanon war, and faces resistance to concessions from some right-wing members of his coalition.
Abbas' Fatah movement was ousted from the Gaza Strip by Hamas in June.
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/930253.html
US Withdraws Mideast Resolution at UN
israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8052/index.php
Israeli military announces readiness to invade Gaza
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/386823.html
Arab States Brand Annapolis Futile Media Event
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/386688.html
When the Roadmap is a One Way Street
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/386744.html
Annapolis: US prepares Palestinian civil war, rallies Arab support against Iran
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/386778.html
Real 'Facts on the Ground' in the Middle East
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/386800.html
Olmert: No firm timetable for peace talks with Palestinians
By Haaretz Service and Reuters
Tags: Olmert, Palestinians
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday played down expectations for a peace deal with the Palestinians before the end of 2008 as laid out at a U.S.-sponsored peace conference last week.
"We will make an effort to hold speedy negotiations in the hope we may conclude by the end of 2008, but certainly there is no commitment for a firm timetable for their completion," Olmert said at the start of Sunday's cabinet meeting.
U.S. President George W. Bush assured Israeli and Palestinian leaders at the conference in Annapolis, Maryland, that Washington would actively engage in peacemaking, despite deep skepticism over chances for a deal before he leaves office.
Advertisement
Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met Bush to launch the first formal peace talks in seven years at the conference and agreed to try and reach a deal on Palestinian statehood by the end of next year. But, speaking at Israel's first cabinet meeting since Annapolis, Olmert urged caution.
In an apparent hint to right-wing coalition partners that he was not planning concessions without a reciprocal move from the Palestinians, Olmert said any progress in the peace process would depend on adhering to commitments under a long-stalled U.S. peace "road map."
"The most important thing in the joint statement is that ... any agreement that we reach in the future will be dependent on completion of all road map commitments.
"In other words, Israel will not have to implement any commitment which emanates from the agreement before all the road map commitments have been met," he said.
The 2003 U.S. road map provides benchmarks that include a Palestinian crackdown on terrorism, as well as a freeze of Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank.
Stressing the Palestinian obligation to act against militants, the prime minister said of the road map: "I think that this is very important and assures the security component, which is ? in our view, and in any eventuality and under any condition ? the most important issue that we are dealing with."
Olmert's comments came after the United States withdrew a draft United Nations resolution endorsing action agreed at Annapolis - a document Israeli officials said they felt was inappropriate.
Although Israel apparently had no problems with the uncontroversial text, analysts suggested it was worried a formal resolution would get the UN too involved in Middle East peace efforts.
Skeptics say Bush's time scale for peacemaking is too ambitious, especially given both Olmert and Abbas are politically weak.
The prime minister's popularity has been hurt by corruption allegations and last year's Second Lebanon war, and faces resistance to concessions from some right-wing members of his coalition.
Abbas' Fatah movement was ousted from the Gaza Strip by Hamas in June.
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/930253.html
US Withdraws Mideast Resolution at UN
israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8052/index.php
Israeli military announces readiness to invade Gaza
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/386823.html Arab States Brand Annapolis Futile Media Event
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/386688.html When the Roadmap is a One Way Street
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/386744.html Annapolis: US prepares Palestinian civil war, rallies Arab support against Iran
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/386778.html Real 'Facts on the Ground' in the Middle East
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/386800.html 
