What about the Two-State Solution?
This is Part One of a two-part series. In this first part, I try to look at what a “Two-State solution” might look like and how it might fail or succeed. In the second part, I will look at how a One State Solution may be the only viable way for Jews, Christians and Muslims of the area, to live as equals and in peace with each other.
It looks as if everybody is calling for a “Two-State Solution”. “Back to the 1967 borders”, they say although the Western nations waffle at this; they would rather call for a Two-State Solution that does not remove the post-1967 settlements or the properties Israeli Jews (Israel’s population includes Muslims and Christians) appropriated, since 1967, in the Occupied Territories.
How would a Two-State Solution work out? The last “agreement” between Israel and Palestinians was under Oslo II, it was completed with a lot of arm-twisting of the Palestinians and quite possibly, incentives were promised to the leaders because it created a Bantustan in which there was absolutely no possibility for a state, independent or otherwise. Under Oslo II, “Palestine” was broken up into Areas A, B and C (see map).
Area A. Palestinians were allowed to control civil authority and Security.
Area B. Palestinians controlled the civil authority but the Security was under Israeli control.
Area C. Entirely Israel civil authority and Security
The Rest. This was entirely an Israeli Closed Military Zone; no Palestinians allowed.
If the proposed land of “Palestine were in the middle of an ocean, this is how it would look.
Gaza remained a “Palestinian Autonomous Area” under Israeli control, essentially it became the world’s largest open air Prison; nothing was allowed in or out, without Israeli permission and that was not to be had. All four sides of Gaza are controlled by Israeli forces.
Today, Gaza is a collection of piles of rubble where cities and towns used to be. All the water and electricity used to come from Israel, that has been stopped entirely. Aid agencies’ estimates are that at least 100 trucks of food are required to just keep the Gazans alive. So far, Israel is not even allowing two dozen trucks a day to pass through into Gaza and the ones that do get through, are often targeted by Israeli forces; NO medical supplies are getting through
The Golan. How would the Golan Heights which were captured from Syria in 1973, be resolved? Will that land remain a part of Israel and occupied by Israeli Jews, creating another festering sore?
Lebanon. Israel occupies about 10% of Lebanese territory. If a two-state solution is meant to create a permanent peace, will Israel give up the Southern Lebanon it occupies? One look at the Israeli occupied Lebanon and one can see why that land is occupied; There are potentially, large gas fields off the shores of the Israeli-Occupied Lebanon.
Obviously, this could not constitute a Two-State Solution where both states are independent. In the past, Israel has suggested a land trade where Israel gets to keep areas of Jewish population (Settlements etc.,) and would in exchange, offer lands of equivalent area. Regardless of how good or bad this land exchange would be, it would still break any future Palestinian state into Bantustan-like enclaves.
All Western calls for a Two-State Solution that I am familiar with, also call for “security for Israel”, I have yet to hear of any calls that also include security for Palestinians along with security for Israel. People who support this so-called “solution, never touch the details of what that might mean, they are generally heard to say, let the two sides come to agreement on their own details. I have tried to see how a two-state solution might take shape and some of the bigger issues it involves.
Sovereignty. Israel has maintained that any Two-State Solution has to mean a de-militarized Palestine. In the past, Israel has also reserved the right of the Israeli military to enter a Palestinian state “for security reasons”. In the first three month after the October 7 attack, Israeli soldiers shot and killed over 300 Palestinians including children…”for security reasons”. One can only imagine the mayhem Israeli forces can cause in areas of the “independent Palestine” that they would control.
Water. Over 90%% of the water Israel draws today, is sourced from or via the West Bank (Israel’s own aquifers have long since gone saline). Currently, Israel even draws water from the Occupied Territories that was traditionally drawn by the local Palestinians. Villages are not permitted to dig new wells or to deepen their existing wells but Israeli trucks are free to fill up with Palestinian water and turn around and sell it to the villages from which they have drawn the water in the first place. Even the Jordan River would lie on the other side of the sovereign state of Palestine. How will the water resource be divided peacefully and equitably between a sovereign Palestinian state and Israel?
Compensation. How will compensation be calculated for the Palestinians who have been expelled, whose lands have been expropriated or whose families have been butchered by Israelis since the Nakba (Catastrophe) began? There are many who have said, “Let us not count the past and move to the future”. Today, (mostly) Israeli Jews have been drawing compensation into the second generation of the Holocaust victims and survivors for lives and properties lost; if that is good enough for Jews, why should it not also be good for Palestinians?
The next inevitable question would be, “Where will the money come from?” Well, Western countries have poured hundreds of billions of dollars into Israel for the purpose of slaughtering Palestinians, why can they not pour a part of that money to compensating Palestinians for crimes that Western nations have been funding for so long?
It is inevitable that a Two State Solution will only postpone hostilities for a very short time, until Israel feels the need to take over more land or water resources and Palestinians will again, become stateless “Terrorists”.
Empty Words from our Congress
I recently wrote a letter to my Representative Susan DelBene (D-WA), asking her to please make her voice heard and help stop the invasion of Gaza, help stop the genocide of the Palestinians. Her response seemed like while she was responding to me, she was actually addressing her Blindly pro-Israel supporters. The letter which I am sure one of her staffers wrote with more enthusiasm for Israel, than grip on facts; it was like watching DelBene put linguistic hickies on the butts of the Blind Supporters of Israel.
My response to her letter is below, followed by the letter I received from her (highlights are by me, pictures are added for this post), that prompted my response.
Our politicians need to hear from us again and again and at every opportunity, othertwise, they only hear the deafening chorus of the Nazi-wannabes among the Israel suporters.
Dear Rep. DelBene,
I am trying very hard to maintain my composure after reading your letter. The letter appears to be a stock answer designed to please all sides of this so-called “WAR!” and it contains fallacies as well as misdirection by omission.
“targeting and murder of civilians is wrong“. What do you think is happening on a continuing basis on the people of Gaza?
“Taking innocent families and children as hostages is wrong“. Do you have any thoughts about the few thousand men, women AND children Israel has arbitrarily kept as “hostages” in its prisons, without trials of charges?
Are you aware that the Palestinians who HAVE been charged and tried, have been tried under special military and other laws dating back to the Ottoman period?
“Committing acts of hate against anyone, including our fellow Jewish, Muslim, and Palestinian neighbors is wrong“. Have you been listening to the genocidal speeches regarding the people of Gaza, by Israeli political leaders from the Prime Minister and President on down?
“We must all speak with a decisive voice in condemning violence and hate“. Where is YOUR “decisive voice” in the current situation?
“It is undeniable that Hamas slaughtered thousands of innocent people“. The Hamas attack took 1200 Jewish lives of which, about 350 were soldiers, Police or other security personnel, not “Thousands of people”.
“I grieve with those families and with our Jewish community“. We Muslims and Arabs would love to see ANY expressions of grief from you, about the nearly THIRTY THOUSAND Palestinians slaughtered by Israel so far.
“right to defend itself against terrorism“. Please look up “Terrorism” and then see if might also apply to what Israeli Jews has been doing to Palestinians for about 100 years.
Please also help me understand how slaughtering almost 30,000 Palestinians including 12,000 children and over 6,000 women can be considered “Defense” by ANY measure.
“This means dismantling Hamas’ military capabilities and working to free hostages“. Does this mean you approve of what Israel is doing? because “dismantling Hamas’ military capabilities” in the way Israel is going about it, will mean ALL Palestinians in Gaza have to die.
By “Hostages” we assume you mean Jews held captive by Palestinians AS WELL AS Palestinians held captive by Israel?
“President Biden continues to push Israel to take all possible precautions to avoid harm to civilians“. Do you seriously believe that Israelis have any incentive to listen to Biden as long as he is giving them unlimited weapons and money to continue the slaughter?
The “humanitarian aid” that is being allowed in, is being held back by Israel. So far, not even 10% of the urgent survival supplies have been delivered because of Israel’s blocking them and bombing the supply trucks.
“I grieve with our Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities“. We and the people of Gaza don’t need expressions of grief from people who have the power to change things, we would like to see you speak out against the genocide and call for an immediate, permanent, ceasefire.
“President Biden has taken decisive action to assist Israel“. It is heartbreaking to see how completely you support the genocide under the pretext of “fighting terrorism”.
Sadly, you leave us Muslims and Arabs to face the very difficult decision as to who we should consider voting for or, to even voting in the next elections.
Jafar “Jeff” Siddiqui, American Muslims of Puget Sound 206.228.5732
| REP. SUZAN K. DELBENE 1st District, Washington 2330 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-6311 450 Central Way Suite 3100 Kirkland, WA 98033 (425) 485-0085 www.delbene.house.gov |
| February 9, 2024 |
| Ms. Jafar Siddiqui 3107 206th Pl SW Lynnwood, WA 98036-7826 Dear Ms. Siddiqui, |
| Thank you for contacting my office regarding the conflict in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank. I appreciate hearing from you. I have heard from many members of our community who are mourning family members and loved ones they have lost to this war and to the broader generational conflict. At least 30 Americans have been killed since the initial attacks, including a graduate of the University of Washington. My heart breaks for the millions of innocent civilians who have been caught up in this horrific violence through no fault of their own. This violence has inflicted long-term consequences on innocent Israeli and Palestinian citizens, including the youngest generations. First, I want to underscore my appreciation for writing to your elected representative on this difficult subject. While we ultimately may not agree on everything, I pledge to listen to and learn from the perspectives of all my constituents. As this conflict progresses, I will continue to take your views into account as best I can to serve Washington’s diverse communities in Congress. Second, I want to make unequivocally clear that the targeting and murder of civilians is wrong. Taking innocent families and children as hostages is wrong. Committing acts of hate against anyone, including our fellow Jewish, Muslim, and Palestinian neighbors is wrong. We must all speak with a decisive voice in condemning violence and hate and hold those who perpetrate these horrific acts accountable. It is undeniable that Hamas slaughtered thousands of innocent people and continues to hold over one hundred hostages, including Americans. I grieve with those families and with our Jewish community who are struggling in response to this brutality. Israel, like the United States and all other sovereign nations, has the right to defend itself against terrorism, ensure the safety of its people, and hold its attackers accountable. This means dismantling Hamas’ military capabilities and working to free hostages. At the same time, Israel has a responsibility to adhere to the rules of war and do everything in its power to protect civilians. President Biden continues to push Israel to take all possible precautions to avoid harm to civilians, and is currently pushing all leaders in the region to come to the negotiating table to agree to a longer-term ceasefire. This would build on President Biden’s earlier efforts in November 2023 to successfully negotiate a temporary ceasefire agreement with Israel and Hamas that led to the cessation of violence for over a week, the release of over one hundred hostages, and increased access for humanitarian aid. Thousands of Palestinians have been killed or injured in Gaza, and many more are in desperate need of food, water, medicine, shelter safe from war, and other humanitarian assistance. Palestinian civilians living in the West Bank have also been the victims of attacks by Israeli settlers. I grieve with our Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities who have lost loved ones and who are struggling due to the violence. In the face of these challenges, President Biden has taken decisive action to assist Israel in its defense against terrorism while prioritizing the safety of innocent people. In addition to President Biden’s efforts to protect civilians, the administration is continuing to work nonstop to secure the freedom of the remaining hostages, especially American hostages, and deter additional adversaries from joining this fight. President Biden has also committed more than $100 million in life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza and the West Bank and has requested additional funding from Congress to support anti-terrorism activities and provide more humanitarian assistance to Palestinian and Israeli civilians. He also imposed sanctions against Hamas officials as well as settlers who have attacked Palestinian civilians living in the West Bank and demanded accountability from the Israeli government for these acts of violence. The enormity of these challenges can be daunting. The history of this broader conflict is complex and there are significant differences that must be resolved to achieve a lasting peace that is agreed to by both sides. It is my sincere hope that, in time, Israelis and Palestinians can come together to construct a more durable peace. I strongly support a two-state solution and agree with President Biden that a “concentrated effort” by world leaders is needed to move towards that goal. |
Whither Pakistan?
Pakistan’s elections. Things are happening fast so this news may already be Old News.
The latest news is that Imran Khan (IK) is winning even though he is in jail and his party candidates cannot say they belong to his party.
The military brass is monitoring the elections, they have special branches to monitor different areas of elections. they have an Army Election Management Cell under the Commander of Air Defense, Military Operations Directorate….plus, I am sure the ISI has its shadowy hands in the soup.
Reportedly they are very concerned about the fact the IK is landsliding (my own verbicide) the elections. and the top brass are in a huddle at the Army House with the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of the General Staff, Directors (all Generals) of the ISI, Military Intelligence, Inter-Services Public Relations and the Commander of the 10th Corps… among others, I am sure!
Apparently two battalions from the 19th Division have been deployed somewhere around the capital Islamabad.
These elections will determine Pakistan’s path for the foreseeable future. If IK takes office the military’s grip on Pakistan is finished; civilian rule may be chaotic, but it is infinitely better than the unbroken run of military tyranny that has ruled Pakistan since 1958. The military has been so involved in running Pakistan that it has been deeply corrupted and has lost its military edge. It needs to get back to being a military that is dedicated to protecting Pakistan from external threats and not run brutal operations against Pakistanis as it has been doing in Baluchistan Province.
At this point it is useful to look behind the curtain to see who is actually the puppet-master; who has kept the military well supplied with money and weapons?
The US of course!
Much as I would love to be able to say otherwise, the US is like Darth Vader’s Death Star that destroys all who are even perceived to be not in line with its goal of controlling the Earth.
It was the US that allowed General Ayub Khan to mount the first coup and take over control of Pakistan from 1958 to 1969. ZA Bhutto briefly ran the country and actually controlled Pakistan but he was so obsessed with power that he ordered the genocidal attack of East Pakistan so he could overthrow the legitimate winner of the 1971 elections. Bhutto was overthrown and was followed by an unbroken line of generals ruling behind the scenes while obedient civil “leaders” became the face of the governments.
All the time, it was really the US that was calling the shots of how Pakistan would be run. Towards that goal, the US not only gave endless weapons and money to Pakistan, it also allowed senior military officers to steal huge amounts of money from the Public Treasure and deposit it in US banks for personal “investment”. European nations were also in collusion with the US, they too, allowed huge amounts of ill-gotten monies to be “invested” by military officers and political leaders of Pakistan; no questions asked.
Today, these ex-officers and ex-politicians live own mansions and major real estate properties worth tens of millions to hundreds of millions of dollars, in the US, Canada and Europe, answerable to nobody.
The US does not want IK to win because IK does not open himself to American control and because he will more than likely, destroy Pakistan Army’s ability to control Pakistan. To the end, the US has openly been seeking to ensure elections run the way it wants them to go (it does not seem to be working out well for them) while behind the scenes, it would be safe to bet that they are encouraging Pakistan’s military to void the elections somehow and continue to remain in power; Pakistan’s corrupt politicians are scurrying to comply and cooperate with the military just so they can be the face of the government and continue to steal money from the public treasury.
The next week will show which direction Pakistan‘s fate is destined but one thing is pretty certain; If IK is not allowed to take over, the country will sink into a civil revolt in which the military will likely butcher more people than I dare predict.
Sultan Saladin; Christians, Zionists and the Middle East
I just finished reading a 400-page book given to me by a friend, “The Life and Legends of Sultan Saladin” by Jonathan Phillips. It is an excellently written book that I strongly recommend to anyone curious about the period of the Crusades; the depredation by the invading Christian armies and their conquest of parts of what are now Lebanon, Syria and Israel, including the conquest Jerusalem and slaughters of the residents, by the invaders.
This entire history is written around the life of Saladin or, Salah Al-Din Ayubi the Kurd, as he was properly called. The author shares his deep knowledge of Saladin and the Crusades, with the reader in a very entertaining manner, making it difficult to put the book down.
After finishing the book and thinking about it, I came to understand the latent hostility of European nations, against Arabs in Particular and Muslims in general. The book also presents insights as to why the Middle East is highly suspicious of Westerners and how the antagonism against the Jews of Israel may have started.
Christian Europe wanted to slow down Muslim conquests of Europe and alo to capture the Holy City, Jerusalem. Popes offered dispensation and promised expiation of all sins for those who joined the Crusader armies or gave of their wealth to the cause. In order to work up support against the Infidel Muslims, Muslims were portrayed as evil, deceitful, rapacious butchers who would cheerfully take all the Christian women, enslave the children and slaughter the men in the name of Islam. They were characterized as Satan’s workers who would erase Christians from the world.
The Christians eventually captured Jerusalem and held it from 1099 to 1187 A.D. when Saladin managed to expel the Christian armies and retake Jerusalem “for Islam”.
The paths of the Christian conquests were brutal; thousands of Muslim and Jewish and many Christian men, women and children were slaughtered after Christian conquests of cities, the few who may have survived, were either taken as slaves or fled ahead of the armies.
Saladin emerged first as the Sultan of wealthy Egypt, his popularity grew because of his promised the free Jerusalem from the Christians and allow Muslims to enter and pray there. May Muslim princes and kings agreed to join him. Those who did not, were generally paid massive sums to join into the fold; Saladin believed that Muslims fighting Muslims did not show well towards the goal of freeing Jerusalem for Islam.
Saladin’s generosity towards his fellow Muslims and other minorities who joined his courts was legendary, he built a great reputation for bringing justice and peace and got sharing wealth with the people. Even on the battlefield, he showed great courtesies and chivalry towards his enemies. Even the Christian prisoners were treated very well… on their way into slavery or ransom as was the tradition of the times.
King Richard led the Third Crusade but failed to take Jerusalem and had to return to England. Although he never met Saladin face to face, he had many diplomatic exchanges with him and developed great respect for the man who was so badly portrayed in Europe. The impressions and experiences of King Richard and his entourage, with Sultan Saladin were the foundation of the complete change of how Europe looked upon Saladin and his respect and legends multiplied.
The upshot of all the Christian invasions of the Middle East was that psyche of people there formed a permanent image of Christians of Europe; that they wanted to take their lands and slaughter the people. On the other hand the psyche of Christian Europe developed a disdain for the Muslims; that they did not deserve the lands they lived in because those lands belonged to the Christians by virtue of Jesus being born there.
These images still thrive.
It does not help that during the 19th and 20th centuries, the European colonial period, events took placed the sealed the image of the conquering Christians, into the minds of the people of the Middle East. The British General Allenby marched into and took Jerusalem, in 1917, in 1920 French General Gouraud marched into Damascus a reportedly kicked Saladin’s grave and said, “Nous revenons Saladin” (“Saladin, we have returned”). The Russian-French-British division of the Levant resulted in the Sykes-Picot agreement cemented the impression that the Christians were in complete agreement to take Arab lands for themselves and dispossess the inhabitants.
The final blow came with the Balfour declaration in which the British gave Palestine to the Zionist Jews under a secret document the exploded on the scene later. The fact that Lord Belfour also said that the rights of the locals were to be preserved, did nothing to mollify the Palestinians or the neighboring Arabs; Jews were now seen as the front edge of a Conquering Christian plan to take control of the entire Middle East. The brutality and the dispossession the Zionists exhibited only proved that they were in reality, the face of the rapacious Christian Europe.
I have tried to represent 400 pages of excellent writing into under 1000 words, I am certain I am not doing justice to the clarity and detail and certainly not to the captivating words of the book. I highly recommend people with any interest in the back history and its connections to today, should read this book.
The ICJ Decision
There are 15 judges on the International Court of Justice where the case for Genocide is being presented by South Africa against Israel.
I am pretty certain the following will be the order of how the judges vote on the case of Israel committing genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza:
AGAINST the case of Genocide is sure to be a party line vote:
1. USA 2. Germany 3. India 4. France
Uncertain about:
1. Japan, 2. Australia 3. Jamaica 5. Slovakia
Reasonable to believe the following WILL vote that Israel IS committing genocide against the Palestinians:
1. China 2 Lebanon 3. Brazil 4. Uganda 5. Somalia 6. Morocco
& 7. Russia
Either side needs 8 votes to win.
If Israel wins the argument, then there will no longer be a case where a future ICCJ can determine whether or not genocide is ever committed.
Plus, Israel will be free to wipe out every single Palestinian without ANY country being able to make a statement against Israel on a moral basis; the Dark Side will prevail.
What next? Will India be able to “defend its right to exist” by executing a genocide against its Muslim populations?
Maybe wipe out the Kashmiri Muslims?
Anschluss Gaza or, Holocaust Israeli Style
March 1938. Germany launched the “Großdeutsche Lösung ” or, the “Greater German Solution”, to start the final reunification and formation of Greater Germany, it “reunified” Austria into Germany, “Anschluß Österreichs” or, the “Annexation of Austria”.
Hitler’s Nazi Party had promoted and cultivated the idea of “Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer” (“One People, One Nation, One Leader”). Germany was completely militarized and was marching on to the promised Greater Germany. On the way, there was the nuisance of minorities which was intolerable in the land of the Pure so the extermination of Jews began, not only in Germany, but in every country that Germany conquered. Millions, mostly Jews, were trucked in cattle cars and railed off to concentration camps where they were starved, gassed and incinerated. It was the “Final Solution” to the mainly “Jewish problem”.
One Leader
History has shown us again and again, that no genocide is ever complete; people do survive, the truth never remains hidden and the stories always get told, it is only a matter of time. Jews did survive Hitler’s Final Solution; Most surviving Jews were not living in lands conquered by the Germans and even in the concentration camps, a large number did survive.
The Great Exodus began and Jews moved from Europe and the Americas to Palestine in the hundreds of thousands where they created Israel with the intent of a land for Jews by getting rid of Palestinians.
The Great Displacement began immediately; Jews formed terrorist groups such as Irgun, Stern, Haganah who would attack villages slaughter most of the people and allow some to escape so the word would spread and Natives would flee the land and they did; in the hundreds of thousands. Within just a few short years, Jews took over the properties of Palestinians in the larger towns and cities and they razed over 450 villages to the ground, killing tens of thousands of Palestinians and forcing hundreds of thousands across the new border, into Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt (Gaza). Chaim Weizmann, the first President of the new state of Israel characterized it by saying, “It was a miraculous clearing of the land”. “Compulsory Transfer” was the Jewish solution to “The Arab Problem”, their slogan was, “A land without people for a people without a land”. It was a catchy slogan and it caught one across the willing world, nobody outside of a few neighboring countries pointed out that the land was NOT “without people”, the indigenous people (Palestinians) had lived there for centuries and millennia.
The Great Displacement was far from over. Over the past 74 years of Israel’s existence, more and more lands belonging to Palestinians have been forcibly taken over by Jews, Israel has taken lands belonging to neighboring countries… Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan and displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the process; many were forced into Gaza. The consolidation of “Eretz Yisrael” (the Land of Israel) picked up momentum as time passed.
On October 7, 2023, Palestinians resistance group joined by several other Palestinian resistance groups (all called “Terrorists” by Israel and Western countries), launched a well-planned but poorly coordinated attack into Israel. They killed about 1,200 Jews and about the same numbers of the attackers were also killed by the Israeli forces who converged on to the scene. The attackers also took about 200 Jewish captives back during their retreat.
This may have been the opportunity Israeli forces were waiting for, although not at such cost to them. Israel launched an attack on the people of Gaza with all the weapons that the US and Europe rushed to provide to them. Thousands of bombs and thousands of artillery shells have been dropped randomly all over Gaza, leaving little more than piles of rubble and dead bodies where the cities and towns of Gaza once stood. As of January 7th 2024, over 23,000 Palestinians have been killed, of which over 40% about 10,000 are children, 4,000 are women and the rest are men from the young to the elderly; Israel labels them all as “Terrorists”. War statistics say that the ratio of badly wounded to the number killed during war is about 8-10 for every person killed. That means, over 100,000 Palestinian men, women and children are badly wounded.
Gaza was a vast concentration camp from which there was no entry or exit without prolonged and hu8miliating delays by the Israeli forces at the crossing gates. Often people ended up dying or giving birth at the gates because they were not permitted to cross into Israel for hospital access. Now Gaza is history’s largest Death Camp where tens of thousands of men, women and children are killed or maimed every day.
The bombing continues with limitless weapons supply from mainly the US and also from Western countries. Of singular note is Germany which increased its weapons supply to Israel by a factor of ten after October 7; the very country that perpetrated the Holocaust upon Jews is now supplying means for Israeli Jews, to take care of their “Arab Problem” through yet another Holocaust. In its eagerness to show how much it now supports its former victims, Germany is now proposing making support for Israel a condition of citizenship to Germany by including questions solely for Palestinian applicants, in its application forms such as, “How do you assess Germany’s relationship with Israel?”, and “What do you think of the slogan, ‘From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free’?”, plus other questions tying support for Israel to citizenship to Germany. These laws have already been passed in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and are now being considered in the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament. German politicians reason that Israel’s “right to exist” is a foundation stone for Germany and that is why they are taking these steps. The problem they are ignoring is that anything can be couched in “Israel’s right to exist” and once such an existential concern is posed, then any steps taken by Israel, are justified. In fact, Israel has used this justification many times in the past, to kill thousands of Palestinians with active encouragement from the Western world
The question that is refused recognition is; if the killing of 1,200 Jews in Israel on October 7 was a threat to Israel’s existence and therefore justified this mass slaughter, could the Palestinians not invoke the tens of thousands killed at the callous hands of Israelis, ALSO as an existential threat? Indeed, apart from the gas chambers and (so far) the numbers, is the Israeli genocide of the Palestinians much different from the German genocide of the Jews?
Project Anschluss is on; Anschluss Gaza is well under way; Anschluss West Bank is next. It appears that the only difference between Israel and Germany is the greater degree of sophistication by Israel and blind support from Western countries for Israel.
What’s in a word…Today?
A friend from Canada asked me a question, this is a friend who is as free of bigotry as anyone I know He asked me if there was a word that covers “Anti-Islam” sentiments; I told him.
This started me thinking about all the words that see current usage that are sometimes explosive often, controversial and divisive. Here is a short list of words with current definitions; how most of the Western world views words such as the ones listed below, regardless of what they originally meant.
Islamophobia. Broadly in the US and Europe, the word stands for “Free Speech” and is used quite liberally by bigots in the West; some make financial gains while others gain respect. Seldom is anyone punished for their Islamophobic statements. Typically, Muslims boarding an airline can be deplaned, sometimes in handcuffs, because a passenger or a crew member is ‘Islamophobic’ enough to voice disapproval and fear of the fact that a “Muzlem!” should be on the same plane as themselves.
Anti-Semitism. Criticize anything even slightly connected to Jews and it is called out as “Anti-Semitism’ and often, with dire consequences for the offender; loss of jobs, loss of positions, expulsion from colleges and in some countries, even arrest.
Anti-Semitic. A person who expresses any thought that contradicts what the Israeli line of thinking may be. Thus, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza is “Anti-Semitic”, as is any criticism of the way Israelis are busy making sure Palestinians cease to exist in Gaza.
Hate. Usually attached to “speech” which is usually attached to “Jews” , .followed by swift punishment. When directed towards almost anything else, it is regrettable but not “Hate Speech”.
Freedom. A word co-opted by the Right in the US. It is used to assert a right to something brainless or to impose on someone else’s freedom. Wearing of masks during COVID was opposed because it infringed on the “Freedom” of the Right to endanger the rights of others to live. “Freedom” is also used to defend the “right” of the nutters to own guns…and to use the guns with lethal effect on others because they don’t “Look” like the in-group.
Terrorism. Used to define anything unpleasant done by people who are not in the group of fashion (“The Other”) while the same act by “us” or “our friends’ is generally applauded. Thus, all Palestinians who resist being occupied and oppressed are “terrorists” while Israel terrorizing Palestinians is simply trying to defend itself. There is no universally accepted definition for this term.
Murder. This is a no-brainer; If the victims are our friends, they have been “murdered”. This is especially true if the killers (“murderers”) are Palestinians resisting occupation and the targets are Israeli Jews.
Neutralized. If we or our friends kill someone we do not like, then the victim has been “neutralized”.
Islam. A religion, like any other religion with its good people and bad, but the name has been turned into a pejorative term by those who seek to control the Public Mind. Now when we hear “Islam”, the word conjures up negative pictures.
Arab//Muslim/Terrorist. Terms that have been smashed into one by the mind-control industry that seeks to create fear and hate against Arabs and Muslims
Hostage. A prisoner or a captive from “our side”, held by people we do not like, Thus, the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held without charges by Israel (women, children and men) without charges are NOT “Hostages” but “criminals”, while the few hundred Israelis held by Hamas and other Palestinian resistance groups (“Terrorists”) are “HOSTAGES”.
Torture.
Genocide. Mass slaughter of people we favor, by people we do not like. Thus, there was no Armenian genocide by Turkey because Turkey was our friend but now that Turkey is no longer doing what we want, we recognize the slaughter of Armenians as a Genocide. There is also no Genocide of Palestinians by Israelis in fact; the very connection is “Anti-Semitic”.
“Amelek!”
“They want to kill us all and throw us into the sea!”
This WAS the cry of the Israeli Jews to justify their violence towards Palestinians but now it seems that the truth is the other way around; ISRAELI JEWS want to kill all Palestinians or throw them out of the land…in the sea if they have to. The call for genocide is coming from the very people on whom Genocide had been perpetrated. Ironically enough, one of the chief supporters and supplier of military hardware to Israel, is the country that perpetrated its own genocide against the Jews themselves; Germany. In concert with the US and the rest of the Western countries are also busy piling more slaughter tools (bombs, shells, spare parts) on Israel for the continuation of the genocide even as they mumble words requesting “restraint”.
Slaughter of Palestinians has now become ingrained in Israeli society. Earlier, Palestinians were commonly referred to as “Terrorists” but now that term has been replaced with “Amelek”.
Amelek is not just a word, it is a Biblical reference to instructions from God to exterminate everything associated with the tribe of the Amelek:
“Samuel 15:3 New International Version 3, Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys”.
From October 7, Israeli political leaders…Prime Minister and President, started to refer to Palestinians as “animals” and “Amelek” to be destroyed. This was immediately picked up by the Israeli military chief and the term “Amelek” and with it the implied call for a complete genocide of the Palestinians, carried through to the troops and also absorbed by the Israeli Jewish public.
At the slightest provocation, real or imagined, the Israeli Jewish (Israelis are Christian and Muslims too) response is to kill without thought. Thus, when a Palestinian attacked three Israeli Jews in Jerusalem, the one (Jewish) person who shot the attackers, was himself killed by Israeli soldiers even though he was on his knees with his arms in the air. Amelek, take no prisoners.
Recently, during Israeli army’s invasion of Gaza, three prisoners got away or were released from Hamas, they came out to the Israeli troops with a white flag but all three of them were taken to be “Amelek”, shot and killed. Amelek, take no prisoners.
So much anger and hysteria has been whipped up by the Israeli military and civilian leadership and by international media that almost every Israeli Jew and their supporters overseas are now demanding blood of Palestinians. The October 7 attack has been twisted into an existential attack which is made out to represent the start of the Final Extermination of Jews, not only in Israel, but the world over. Mentally and emotionally there is no room allowed for wondering WHY it happened, or HOW genuine Peace talks must now start. No, it only leaves room for a violent response to a people who must not be permitted to live on the same land as Jews or Jews WILL be exterminated.
Israeli culture is now turning to the annihilation of Palestinians; the Jewish youth have been programmed into taking an “us or them” position against Palestinians. So much so that even the West Bank has been bombed and attacked; Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli soldiers and civilians. The Israeli Arab (Christians and Muslim) citizens of Israel, living inside Israel are living a life of fear. They try not to look conspicuous or to be seen as grieving for their friends and relatives who are being slaughtered in Gaza. Even then, life is tenuous for them.
Songs have been written and sung, calling on the Israeli forces to destroy “the enemy”, Hamas has become synonymous with Palestinians so when the call comes to destroy “the enemy”, everyone knows it means “Hamas” and by extension, Palestinians. One song goes further to call for the killing of Hamas and all “Western celebrities” who support Hamas (“Palestinians”). The song, “Harbu Darbu” blares the above messages, it also tells the soldiers that they are looking more and more handsome to women and that children should write the names of the October 7 victims on bombs and shells that are used against “Hamas”.
Genocide, anyone?
The stage is set, lights are on and action has begun. No more the contrived position that “we have no Partners for Peace”, now Israel feels free to complete the 100-year-old genocide decisively and lay the blame on ”Hamas!”. The World…Western countries will approve and developing countries may grumble but remain unable or unwilling to do anything to stop the slaughter. Israel will emerge a geographically larger country, richer for the money being showered on it from the West and stronger because of the unlimited weapons provided by the same patrons. It can now feel free to turn its attention on the other Bogeyman it keeps clamoring about for destruction…”IRAN!”, knowing full well that all it needs to do is initiate the “WAR!” and Western countries will pile in to turn it into the rubble similar to what they did to Afghanistan and to Iraq.
Washing the Western Brain; Israel and “Hamas”
“Tunnels”, “Hostages”, “Hamas”. These are all words meant to trigger a negative reaction among the Western populace…those who also provide Israel with weapons and munitions for its on-going genocide. The terms are triggers manufactured to get people thinking against the people of Gaza and not to engage their thinking to see that Gaza has been turned into a Death Camp.
Thanks to historic Western predisposition and billions of dollars of effective P-R campaigns, Arabs and Muslims now have a virtual tattoo that reads “Terrorist”, across their collective foreheads. This cultivated attitude is very useful whenever any Western country … usually the US … decides to attack an Arab or a Muslim country, directly or by proxy.
Few understand what the tunnels are really for, how and why they expanded. Just think; if tunnels were meant against Israel, why are they crisscrossing Gaza instead? Why do they go from institution to institution instead of focusing on the border against Israel?
The word “Hostages” is also designed to make people think about the poor victims held against their will in exchange for unreasonable and extortionate demands…Jewish victims of course! There is no room allowed to think that for every Jewish hostage held in Gaza, there are ten or more Palestinians held in Israeli prisons where they are tortured before an “exchange”. Yes, these are innocent men, women AND children imprisoned on both sides.
People have been trained through massive P-R campaigns, to believe that Israel is not really an occupation force, that properties taken over by Israelis are not really unjust and that any act of violence against Jews in Israel, is an act of “Terrorism”, that Israel is really always on the brink of extinction and if Israel is “destroyed” than every Jew in the world, will also be destroyed; it is us or them.
“Showing loyalty to Israel has become more prized than showing loyalty to the US itself.”
Today, the P-R campaigns have worked so well, that if people even suggest that killing of Palestinians must stop, they can lose their jobs. Students showing solidarity with Palestinians are accused of “Anti-Semitism” and disciplined by their schools and universities and companies are creating Blacklists of students who disapprove of Israel’s indiscriminate bombing and have announced that they will not hire anyone on the list. Showing loyalty to Israel has become more prized that showing loyalty to the US itself.
These collective thoughts drive people to believe that Hamas is a “terror group” instead of a resistance organization that opposes Israel’s occupation, Israel’s expropriation of Palestinian properties, Israel’s arbitrary slaughters of Palestinians.
“Hamas”. That label has been recast to immediately make people think “Terror organization”, that it should be “eliminated” and therefore, whatever Israel does against them is justified, If tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza are wiped out? So be it!
This social brainwashing is what allows our politicians to send Israel hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of tools of slaughter; bombs, shells and vehicles to deliver the same, for Israel to use in history’s largest concentration camp called Gaza.
21 Mosques’ letter to Joe Biden
I saw a video of a little boy struggling to reach to his dead father saying, “I want to see his face, I want to kiss him!”. They let him go, he lifted the shroud from his father’s face crying and sobbing “father!”, then he kissed his father’s face again and again as he repeated “Father!”. I won’t attack folks’ sensitivities with a link (I do have one) but those who are curious may just do a web search for “Palestinian boy kissing his dead father goodbye”. Sadly, there will be more than one to choose from.
It broke my heart and brought me to tears. I remained in the car, trying to regain my composure, I thought, “This poor boy will probably not last more than a couple more days before the bombs we gave to Israel, will also blow him up too”. To date, about 12,000 Palestinians have been killed with US weaponry, about 40% (4,800) of them are children and the numbers continue to rise. It is disgusting the Joe Biden and Congress (Reps AND Dems) are pouring as many bombs and missiles as can be delivered, to Israel and at the same time, a few are gently asking Israel to exercise restraint…a “Pause”. Presumably a “Pause” means stop the bombing for a few hours and then bomb the Hell out of the Palestinians again.
We wrote a letter to President Joe Biden to tell him Muslims are very disappointed in him that he has not taken a position against the bombing of Gaza, instead he is sending unlimited bombs and missiles for Israel to use on the people of Gaza. The letter says this must stop immediately and he must recall all the senior US military staff sent to Israel to advise on the ground attack on Gaza.
This letter is scheduled to be mailed on Monday, with copies and a cover letter, to every member of the Washington congressional delegation. At this time, we have 21 Mosques and Muslim organizations across the state, signed up.
When we went about trying to get names and signatures of Washington Muslim organizations, some gave their assent immediately, while others took a couple of days. Some never called back, a couple told me (another told a different person) that they were afraid of the FBI and that some of their members were visa holders and this may jeopardize their status. One voice suspicion as to why this was being done (Is this some kind of entrapment?). In the post-9/11 era, the FBI and other agencies have managed to break the bonds of trust between Muslims by planting informants and agents provocateurs amongst us. Three organizations offered changes but when I said I would have to re-circulate the letter to get approval all over again and that may take 7-10 more days, two accepted but one refused to sign a letter that was not a good one. One organization declined because they felt it would associate them with “Terrorism”. One large organization was too involved in “interfaith” and appearing to be “moderate Islam” to sign on to such a radical letter.
It is a sad reflection on the atmosphere brought about by our blind support for Israel that even calling for a ceasefire could get construed as “Anti-Semitism” and that Muslims are terrified of being persecuted by the FBI or other departments, beaten or stabbed by an over-eager patriot or a Christian who is more Christian than God or, be bullied by over-zealous Jews who feel their existence is at stake if Israel is criticized. Muslims have also lost their jobs; students have been expelled in this hysteria of supporting Israel. On the other hand, the media are full of reports that Jewish students are scared for their safety, of other students who protest in favor of Palestinians. Jews are buying guns in record numbers, many have gone to Israel to join the military or support other Israeli war effort with nary a yawn from fellow Americans. I can just imagine the super-hysteria of Muslims started buying guns in any numbers; the FBI would be all over us in no time; “National security” no doubt.
I also I heard that Israel is sending survivors of the October 7 attack to LA (and maybe other countries too) to talk about their grief and to talk about the prisoners taken by Hamas and others that day…”Hostages” is the common term because anyone taken by Palestinians is of course, a “hostage” however, anyone taken by Israelis is on “Security grounds” …including women and children that are in Israeli prisons, that Israelis hold to use as trade pawns for later. There are also over 2000 Palestinians prisoners taken after October 7 from Gaza AND the West Bank who are being kept in dungeon-like conditions; obviously, they are “security risks”, not “Hostages”.
Our President and members of House and Senate need to understand that they may well have lost the entire Muslim vote in the US; that Muslims would vote for Republicans, the Green Party or just sit it out rather than vote for Democrats. To more than a few, I pointed out that Democrats may be dangerous to Muslims but R4epublicans would be deadly. Almost to a person they said, “we need to make them understand that they cannot ignore us and they cannot take our votes for granted, they have crossed a line”.
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