Opinion Editorials, May 2010

In this digest:

Resumption of indirect negotiations a waste of time, video of protest in Nabi Saleh, John Greyson calls on Elton John to cancel appearance in Tel Aviv, Obama’s wrong appointment to the Supreme Court, proposal for a commemoration of Iraq Genocide, how an Israeli general tried to cover-up the murder of Rachel Corrie, and two Nakba articles. 

"Every prophet has realized that nobody loves you for being the enemy of their illusions. Every prophet has realized that most of us want peace at any price as long as the peace is ours and somebody else pays the price. That is why the prophet Jeremiah said, " 'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace" —William Sloane Coffin "Not to Bring Peace, But a Sword" 

The indirect negotiations between the most rightist fascist government in Israel’s history and the weakest, most divided and most unrepresentative Palestinian leadership in history have started. Their chance of ‘success’ is near zero.   And in this case success is giving us another Oslo like arrangement to manage the conflict (as Israel always aimed for) rather than address the injustice of occupation and colonization and reach a win-win situation for the people of the region. Repackaging occupation and colonization in the terminology of a ‘two state solution’ will be attempted once again.  Meanwhile, Israeli authorities delivered a fresh wave of orders for home demolitions including here in my town of Beit Sahour.  I believe it is not worth paying attention to political machinations and concentrate instead on intensifying our struggle for example on the ground with popular resistance and internationally with boycotts, divestments, and sanctions (bdsmovement.net). 

Video of Protest by Nabi Saleh last Friday: notice how the soldiers did not let the protest proceed peacefully and immediately attacked it with tear gas which prompted stone throwing and escalation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFnaTMLrXSU  

Palestinian civil society has called on Elton John to respect their boycott call and cancel his June 17th concert in Tel Aviv. If he does so, he'll be joining Santana and Gil-Scott Heron, who recently cancelled their spring  concerts in Israel. This video from Canadian filmmaker John Greyson suggests six reasons why Elton should join the BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) movement. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HSClZbhB5g  

Barack Obama’s nomination to the Supreme Court of Elena Kagan, like his selection of Zionist racist Rahm Emanuel to be his chief of staff proves yet again that he is no progressive.  Kagan was appointed dean at Harvard by her mentor Larry Summers, another unabashed Zionist who equated Israeli criticism with anti-Semitism and is now also in Obama’s inner circle.  Kagan had called Aharon Barak “my judicial hero. He is the judge who has best advanced democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and justice.” And who is her hero?  Please read more about him in this brilliant article: ‘The Legacy of Justice Aharon Barak: A Critical Review’ by Nimer Sultany http://www.harvardilj.org/online/113

See also: U.S. Jews 'proud' of Obama Supreme Court nominee

http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/u-s-jews-proud-of-obama-supreme-court-nominee-1.289494

When confirmed, there will be three Jewish Zionists and three right-wing Christian Zionists on the Supreme court (total two-thirds) when the US public is mostly opposed to unfettered bias and support to Israeli policies of destruction and discrimination.  Kagan said she loved the Federalist Society and supported holding people without trial.  The center for constitutional rights and other groups in the US voiced concern about nominating someone who supports the premises and unconstitutional actions accompanying the misnamed ‘war on terror’. But then again it fits the agenda of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians to advance fictions and notions associated with an endless war on terror. 

From my friend Stanley Heller comes a rational proposal: Mark May 12 as Iraq Genocide Memorial Day

http://www.counterpunch.org/heller05102010.html

http://www.newhavenregister.com/articles/2010/05/09/opinion/doc4be4df9f99932692991250.txt  

General 'Tried to Cover Up Truth About Death of Rachel Corrie'

Israeli war hero accused of suppressing testimony that could reveal what really happened to Gaza activist

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/05/07-1  

Two relevant articles as we commemorate the Nakba (the ethnic cleansing of Palestine):

A Tale of Lies, Deceit, and Terrorism: the Birth of Israel by William A. Cook

http://mwcnews.net/focus/editorial/2424-william-a-cook.html

The Ongoing Erasure of Palestine By Naseer Aruri

http://www.zcommunications.org/the-ongoing-erasure-of-palestine-by-naseer-aruri

Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD

A Bedouin in Cyberspace, a villager at home

http://www.qumsiyeh.org   

Professor, Bethlehem and Birzeit Universities