British Government Can Help End Siege on Palestinians

Violence between Hamas and Fatah have caused nearly 100 lives, Abas has 'dissolved' the Hamas government, and a state of emergency has been declared. The Palestinian Solidarity Campaign group have hit the nail on the head and outline how this catastrophe was sadly an inevitable outcome of the illegal Israeli occupation and the west refusing to recognise the elected Palestinian government.

PSC Letter in the Guardian - Causes of the crisis in Gaza
Friday 15th June 2007

http://www.palestinecampaign.org/

Causes of the crisis in Gaza

The current crisis in Gaza and the West Bank (Fatah on the run as Hamas wages battle for Gaza's streets, June 14) is the predictable outcome of the policy of Israel and the west of boycotting the democratically elected Palestinian government, which has repeatedly offered a comprehensive ceasefire and negotiations with Israel. The deliberate creation of a humanitarian crisis by the EU, the US and Israel is a shameful and cowardly attempt at regime change.


The refusal to recognise Palestinian democracy, including a unity government representing 96% of the electorate, has created despair. Following the Palestinian elections in January 2006, Israel and the west have punished the Palestinian people by depriving the Palestinian Authority of its own tax revenues and aid. A brutal siege has been placed upon the Palestinians, with Israel preventing even humanitarian supplies such as food and essential medical supplies from entering. The use of aid agencies is ineffective, as graphically demonstrated in the recent Oxfam report, as well as UN documents and the report of the World Bank.

Democratically elected Palestinian parliamentarians have been abducted and imprisoned by Israel - a third of the Palestinian legislature is incarcerated by Israel. The responsibility for the crisis lies with governments, including our own, which have created these intolerable conditions for Palestinians and continue to deny Palestinians basic human rights.


We call on the British government to act now: to end the siege on the Palestinians and immediately reinstate the funding to the Palestinian Authority; to respect Palestinian democracy and fully recognise the Palestinian Authority; to ensure Israel releases the imprisoned MPs and all other political prisoners; to act to end the Israeli occupation; and to ensure Israel abides by international law. The foreign secretary, Margaret Beckett, should use the EU meeting next Monday to press for these changes in EU policy.


Betty Hunter

Palestine Solidarity Campaign

March in June

Well I’m back again- for a while…..
Had exams, but unlike Abu Funza I can not prove that is what I was doing as, well, I’m pretty sure they don’t allow you to take photos in the exam room. I suppose I could have asked though.

Went last Saturday to the demonstration WA mentioned. There I was actually going to take pictures, but I have a real poor memory and left the two cameras on the kitchen table. You should probably be glad I did forget though when I have a camera I take pictures of anything that interests me. I tell you this because while my friend was buying some inspirational postcards in Trafalgar Square, I was watching the naked people cycle past. (It was legal and had something to do with highlighting climate change - I wasn’t just in a real dodgy part of London.) At one point whilst I was standing there with my mouth wide open, an old man, well over the age of 50, got off his bike and just stood there for a good couple of minutes, completely stark naked. I do believe I have been scarred for life. Had I remembered my camera, I would I have shared the image with you, my privileged readers.

The demonstration itself was probably one of the best I had been to- although that’s only because I actually got somewhere to sit, and the fact that at the end, a couple of people at the front started an impromptu Palestinian dance, and with a few minutes about 10 people had joined in, and another hundred had gathered round watching and taking photos. I think the original dancers were a little shocked.

On the serious side, I was struck how brave some of the people there were. I heard from famous Jewish actors/ actresses who risk there careers by coming out against Israel, because we all know how good the Zionist machine is. I listened to priests and ordinary people who had dedicated their lives to helping the Palestinian people, and trying to find a solution. Most inspiring however was an Israeli from Combatants for Peace - a truly impressive and amazing organisation set up by Israeli and Palestinian Individuals – whose courage and beliefs brings hope to the conflict.

So whilst I saw many Jewish and Christians there, I noticed, as usual, how little Muslims there were. By far the majority there were non-Muslims which kind of makes you wonder. Whilst the Muslims may complain in their houses, when there comes a legitimate way to express their grievances where are they?

Whilst I agree that it is unlikely the government will not be particularly affected by the demonstration, I don’t believe this is why the Muslims don’t turn up.

So is it laziness, ignorance, apathy? I find it hard to believe it is apathy, because I find it that is a general trend among Muslims, no matter how little politics they know, they will still know of the “Palestinian Brothers, Sisters and Mothers” they do so much for.

Whilst there were many Jews there, who I know may find it a little patronising me saying this but you have got to rate them as some risk social stigma, and for some, especially Israelis, it goes against everything they have been brought up with. The Muslims who have a religious obligation were nowhere to be found.

Somebody please explain to me….

Academics Get Smart and Boycott Israel

Last week University lecturers backed calls for an academic boycott of Israel at their inaugural national conference. Delegates at the University and College Union (UCU) conference voted 158 to 99 to circulate its branches with the boycott call from Palestinian trade unions for "information and discussion".

The motion calling for an Israeli academic boycott came jointly from the University of Brighton and the University of East London. They asked members to rally to the call from Palestinian trade unions "for a comprehensive and consistent international boycott of all Israeli institutions". Their motion also called on university lecturers to condemn the "complicity of Israeli academia in the [Palestinian] occupation".

And now our very own Tony Bliar is denouncing the boycott of Israel…man do these pro-Israeli lobbies have connections…

Blair: ‘Drop the boycott – it’s no good for peace’
http://www.thejc.com/

TONY BLAIR has led the worldwide condemnation of the British academics’ union supporting moves towards a boycott of Israeli universities. In the Commons on Wednesday, Mr Blair called on the University and College Union to drop the resolution, passed at its annual meeting last week.

“I hope very much that the decision is overturned because it does absolutely no good for the peace process or indeed for relations in that part of the world,” Mr Blair told MPs. “The only solution ultimately is to relaunch the framework for a negotiated peace with a two-state solution at the heart of it.”

The New York based Anti-Defamation League took out display advertisements in The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, the Financial Times and today’s JC pointing out that, at a time when journalists were being arrested in Iran, activists tortured in Zimbabwe and 400,000 people murdered in Darfur, “British unions have singled out Israel for boycott. That’s antisemitism.” – The inevitable anti-semtism card is played by the ADL!

A long term campaign has been launched by British Jewish leaders such as the Britain-Israel Communications and Research Centre (Bicom), the Jewish Leadership Council and Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks.

I guess at times like these you can truly rely on the pro-Israeli lobbies to kick into overdrive and prioritise Israel over and above Britain:

A fundraising effort was also under way. “We are in this to win and campaigns like this do not come cheap,” Ms Fitzsimons pointed out. “The aim is to persuade [UCU general secretary] Sally Hunt to do as she promised in her election manifesto and hold a ballot of all UCU members on the boycott motion.”

Taken from the British anti-Zionist Jewish blogger Mark Elf.

To thank the UCU for passing a motion clearly standing against the state of Israel and defending the rights of Palestinians, use the below details. It only takes 5 minutes to email/call and log your appreciation. The Zionist lobbies have mobolised and orchestrated a campaign to try and get Sally Hunt and the UCU to overturn the motion. The least we could do is support those who dare to stand up to Zionist bullies and advocate justice and peace in the Middle East.

Sally Hunt
Joint general secretary
shunt@ucu.org.uk
02076709729

Paul Mackney
Joint general secretary
pmackney@ucu.org.uk

Head Office:
hq@ucu.org.uk

Sunny Hundal Exposed

Props to Dr Xiang for exposing this ne'er good doer (I'd use more colourful language but my mum would beat me silly). There are 3 posts on this guys and his behaviour leaves alot to be desired.

Here are the posts:

Sunny Hundal - the Islamophobe, Proudly Flies the Flag for Israel

Sunny Hundal - Pro-Israeli Stooge

Sunny Hundal - Silent Regarding Israeli Human Rights Violations

I must say that after reading these posts about Sunny Hundal I've shocked at his behaviour and at how he can support Israel even when Israel commits acts of injustice against the Palestinians whose only crime is that they were born Palestinian.

I urge everybody to please contact Sunny Hundal to give him your views, or post on his blogs, websites or Guardian 'comment is free'.

He can be contacted at sunny@pickledpolitics.com.

We can't allow this media-bias to continue and should try our utmost to take on such Islamophobic journalists.

Say Enough! Loud and Clear on 9th June

EMPOWERING US Says Enough! To 40 Years Of Israeli Occupation Of Palestinian Territories.

Since that time the government of Israel has built ‘settlements’ in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and assisted its citizens in setting up homes and businesses using land and resources stolen from the Palestinian people. This situation has continued to the current day despite Israel being in violation of international humanitarian law and over 60 UN resolutions.

The Occupation has created serious poverty for the Palestinians, as well as severe human rights violations. But Palestinian suffering dates back further to 1948, when the state of Israel was created and 750,000 Palestinians were driven or .ed from their homes. The United Nations asserted the refugees’ right to return home in 1948, but Israel has refused to allow this. Meanwhile the refugee population has grown to over four million, one of the largest in the world, many of whom live in camps waiting for international law to be upheld.

Britain bears a particular responsibility for this suffering. From 1917 to 1948 Britain controlled Palestine. Along with the US and many EU countries, the UK government is today involved in a close military, economic and political relationship with Israel, and fails to stand up for the rights of the Palestinian people.

We say Enough! We are a group of charities, trade unions, faith and other campaign groups. We have come together because we want peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike. This can only be built on justice, equality and freedom. In order to achieve this goal governments like the British government must stand up for international law and human rights.

Join the Demo on 9th June

Meet at Lincoln’s Inn Fields at 1.30pm for the march to Trafalgar Square

Coalition members: Amicus, Amos Trust, Arab Labour Group, Arab Media Watch, BFAWU, Britain-Palestine All Party Parliamentary Group, Britain Palestine Twinning Network, BRICUP, British Muslim Initiative, CAABU, CWU, Freedom Clothing Project, Friends of Al-Aqsa, Friends of Birzeit University, Friends of the Earth, Friends of Sabeel UK, GMB, Green Party, Interpal, ICAHD UK, Jewish Socialists’ Group, Jews Against Zionism, Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine, Liberation, Medical Aid for Palestinians, Muslim Association of Britain, Muslim Council of Britain, Muslim Parliament of Great Britain, Muslim Public Affairs Committee, National Association of British Arabs, 1990 Trust, NUM, NUS Black Students Campaign, Open Bethlehem, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Palestinian Forum in Britain, Palestinian Return Centre, Pax Christi, PCS, Qattan Foundation, Quaker Peace and Social Witness, Scottish Episcopal Church’s Justice Peace and Creation Network , Scottish Palestinian Forum, Stop the War Coalition, Trade Union Friends of Palestine, TGWU, UNISON, War on Want, Welfare Association, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom UK Section, Zaytoun Ltd

Brilliant Documentary by Channel 4 and CTVC

A mind blowing, objectional, inspirational expose on the 'Battle of the Holy Land' and its impact upon the Palestinian's plight. This documentary exposed the racist state of Israel for what it truly is and the injustices and oppression endured by the Palestinians since the illegal occupation of Palestinian terrotories as well as East Jerusalem. East Jerusalem is considered by the international community to be illegally occupied by Israel, in contravention of several binding UN Security Council Resolutions.

Read more on the documentary here:

I urge all readers to take some action and email/call Channel 4 and CTVC in humble gratitude for objective, balanced coverage of the true ongoings in the Middle East. The choice of presenter - Paddy Ashdown - was particularly inspiring and refreshing for his objective and informative presenting - finally a presenter and researcher who does not have an ulterior motive and is not driven by a pro-Israeli agenda.

Thank channel 4 and CTVC NOW as no doubt the pro-Israeli community have already complained in numbers, exploiting the anti-semitism card. Don't just lobby the media when they are bias and tar us as extremists and fanatics - lobby them in the postive too! Credit where credit is due! Well done Channel 4 and CTVC!

Contact Channel 4:

Tel: 0845 076 0191
Email:

Contact CTVC:

tel: +44 (0)20 7940 8480
email: info@ctvc.co.uk

Trust MPACUK to cover the documentary and try to convert it into positive action for readers (aka political and media lobbying): http://www.mpacuk.org/content/view/3668/64/

And Jonathan Fryer has made a very interesting and informative post on his blog:
http://jonathanfryer.wordpress.com/2007/05/19/paddys-battle-for-the-holy-land/

Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods (J-BIG)

A letter from Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods (J-BIG) to The Guardian in support of the boycott. (The Guardian leader opposed the boycott but got alot of complaints from readers):

We welcome the courageous decision of the National Union of Journalists to boycott Israeli goods (Letters, April 23). Given Israel's contempt for international law, with the complicity of the US and UK governments, pressure has to be increased by civil society if justice is to be achieved. A boycott of Israeli goods is a legitimate form of grassroots action and is particularly appropriate as Israel is destroying the Palestinian economy. Such a boycott has been called for by Israeli peace organisations.

As a result of its illegal occupation, Israel is able to flood the Palestinian market with its products, while preventing Palestinian farmers from growing and trading their own. We believe Israel's actions betray Jewish ethical traditions - the cutting down of olive and fruit trees is prohibited by Jewish law. The continuing occupation and exploitation of Palestinian land is a major obstacle to peace for Israelis and Arabs alike which has global implications for world peace.

Deborah Fink, Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi, Mike Cushman, Sylvia Finzi, Tony Greenstein, Ruth Tenne, Deborah Maccoby, Prof Moshe Machover, Mike Marqusee - Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods

----------------------------

This article about J-BIG highlights things we should all be actively doing:

Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods - A Spearheading New Initiative

"...the viability of a future Palestinian economy depends significantly on its trading opportunities."

The latest report of the International Development Select Committee regarding the Occupied Palestinian Territories (31 January 2007) makes for very distressing reading. [...]

In order to challenge the stronghold Israel has on Palestine and its fledgling economy, a group of Jewish and Israeli residents in Britain was set up as a subsection of the campaign undertaken by Boycott Israeli Goods – BIG. The new group, J-BIG, is an outcome of the deep frustration Jewish peace activists feel towards the inaction displayed by the Jewish community and its liberal wing with regard to Israel's repressive occupation of Palestinian land. J-BIG members believe that Israel's policies "constitute a betrayal of the best trends in Jewish ethical tradition" and operate a form of racism which is reminiscent of South African Apartheid [...]

J-BIG's campaign however, is not focused on one-off events. It is in the process of launching an ongoing campaign which will put pressure on supermarkets by informing them and their customers about Israel's violation of human rights in the Occupied Territories, and of Israel's use of unethical and exploitative methods in marketing the produce of its illegal settlements in the West Bank - taking advantage of Palestinian labour and produce. In addition, J-BIG members will be requesting supermarkets to clearly label all goods which originate from the West Bank and Israel in order to help consumers make an ethical choice.

An additional aim of J-BIG is to promote Palestinian produce, especially extra virgin, organic, olive oil which is marketed by Zaytoun in accordance with the Fair Trade's code of practice. [...]

On a political level, members of J-BIG have joined the wider campaign for abolishing the special trade and economic benefits granted to Israel as part of its trade agreement with the European Union . Indeed a significant number of British MPs appear to support this campaign. In February 2007 an Early Day Motion (EDM) submitted to Parliament by Derek Wyatt notes that Israel "has routinely prevented the free movement of Palestinian goods and people and has withheld Palestinian funds from their people...... These and other grievous human rights abuses represent a clear breach of Article Two of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which calls for adherence to human rights." [...]

Being an Israeli-born citizen I hope, like the rest of my colleagues, that our campaign of boycotting Israel's produce of repression and "fruits of injustice" will successfully spearhead a grass roots action within the Jewish community against a brutal occupation which seeks to stamp out the Palestinians' legitimate aspirations for nationhood.

full article: http://usa.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/42134
more info: http://s188604020.websitehome.co.uk/...-israeli-goods

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of a crime....a slap in the face for the International community!

Nothing is more disturbing than seeing the glorification of criminal activities, one would think that such acts would only be restricted to common crooks who hold scant regard for the rule of law. Yet the Zionist Federation of the UK is doing precisely that, they are celebrating what they are calling the 40th anniversary of the "re-unification" of Jerusalem.

In reality it is, sadly, the 40th anniversary of the illegal occupation of Jerusalem, which Israel continues to occupy in defiance of UN resolutions and international law.

The legal position on Jerusalem is well known and undisputable. East Jerusalem is considered by the international community to be illegally occupied by Israel, in contravention of several binding UN Security Council Resolutions. In these resolutions, the United Nations Security Council has also called for no measures to be taken to change the status of Jerusalem until a final settlement is reached between the sides: declaring Jerusalem as Israel's capital is an attempt to change this status, and is thus a violation of these Security Council resolutions.

Yet despite this we see continuous settlement expansion and increased hardship for Palestinian citizens of Jerusalem making it harder for them to live in their home city...in short implicit ethnic cleansing.

The sickening part is that all this is happening for all the World to see yet no Western Government pays anything more than lip service to this grave situation.

The celebration by the Zionist Federation is a slap in the face of Western Democratic Values... it stands for 40 years of injustice, occupation and racism and they should be ashamed of themselves!

Israeli Animals in Action

A clip from "Dispatches: The Killing Zone" (Channel 4 UK), showing perhaps one of the most tragic of several documented cases of Palestinian civilian casualties of Israel's 'war on terror' - even though this victim, a schoolgirl shot through the head while sitting in class in a UN-run school in Gaza, survives her injuries. When she awakes from coma she and her family find out the brain injury she suffers has made her blind.

This video truly is sickening. I can barely type after witnessing the brutality inflicted upon the Palestinians. Words cannot express how I am feeling right now. May Allah help us help them, Ameen.

Crazy dude arrested - Muslims don't care because he's crazy!

Check out this video that I found on this blog



This blogger* thinks that Zulfi Bukhari (from MPACUK) was making an incorrect point, but I agree with Mr Bukhari - Abu Izzadeen is nothing but a loudmouth who no one actually listens to.

But the media love talking about/to him - he's nothing to the Muslim community! He doesn't represent anyone, and he just goes on about stuff that nobody really gives a flying hookah about.

To have arrested him, like Mr Bukhari said, will not go down well within the Muslim community - what great steps we're taking towards helping Muslims to "integrate"

*this blogger has the funkiest views on the Middle East Conflict - he thinks is Israel is good! lol! how stupid can someone be? May Allah help the Palestinians through their suffering and pain. Ameen

Who's the Terrorist?

When I witness true, uncensored expose's of the Israeli aggression, illegal occupation, humiliation and torture upon the innocent, defenceless Palestinian people I thank God for all I have and pray for those poor defenceless souls. The Zionist lobbies have mastered the propaganda war and rarely, if ever, are we embraced with the true terror inflicted upon the Palestinians.

This is a political Arab rap performed by the Palestinian hip hop group called DAM. They sing about the struggle of the Palestinian people and highlight the oppression they experience every single day

Check it out:

If only I could use my Kufi as a weapon...

Speaking of others, I just want to make my way back to Mad Mel. No I haven't got a personal grudge against her (although it may seem it at times).

The reason I bring up Mad Mel is because, not only does she have wacky views when it comes to the environment, but she thinks that the Israelis are the victims!

Here's one of her latest articles:

As Hamas screams for yet another round of attacks against Israel, and claims responsibility for volleys of at least twelve Kassam rockets and eight mortar rounds fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip this morning, HonestReporting.com points out the astounding-if-it-wasn’t-so-routine fact that, while the western media insist that the Palestinians have maintained a ‘cease-fire’ against Israel for the past five months, the following Palestinian terrorist incidents have taken place:


• Islamic Jihad terrorist captured near Tel Aviv after his bomb belt fails to detonate

• Palestinian bride arrested on suspicion of planning to carry out suicide bombing

• 3 Israelis injured in shooting attack near Modi’in

• Hamas calls for further kidnappings of Israeli soldiers

• Israeli cars shot at in West Bank

• Israeli civilian wounded in West Bank drive-by shooting

• Arrests prevent huge Hamas-planned car bomb in Tel Aviv

• Egypt arrests would-be Hamas suicide bomber near Israeli border

• Palestinian rockets hit Sderot home; several Israelis treated for shock


Indeed, as in this typical Associated Press story, the media claim the existence of this Palestinian ‘cease-fire’ while in the very same story recording the never-ending Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel. The inescapable implication of this systematic and mind-twisting denial of Palestinian military aggression and equally systematic concentration on Israeli measures to counter it is that such Palestinian attacks aren’t considered to be attacks at all because their targets are Israelis, whose own self-defence is thus characterised falsely as aggression. Thus Israeli victimisation and Palestinian aggression continue to be airbrushed out of the moral equation, and Israel continues to be wickedly demonised in the eyes of the western world.

How dare she say that Palestinian aggression is airbrushed?! If anything, the injustices committed by the Israeli soldiers are airbrushed.

I swear, sometimes I feel like shoving a kufi down that woman's throat - but then that would be a waste of a good kufi.

All it took was an email....

I'm so pleased alhamdulillah, all it took was an email!

I bet you're wondering what I'm on about - well, it's regarding this action alert by MPACUK that WideAwake put up (here's the link).

Basically, the BBC were wrong in saying that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel when it isn't, and alhamdulillah, people who cared decided to do something.

And this was the BBC's response:

Thank you for your e-mail.

'Football Focus' regrets any offence caused by the film broadcast ahead of the Israel v England football match. The purpose of the piece was to look at the state of football in Israel and particularly Tel Aviv, where the European Championship qualifying game was being held.

It was while comparing the young, vibrant city of Tel Aviv with the more historic Jerusalem that our reporter Damian Johnson inadvertently referred to it as the capital.

We re-iterate our apologies.

Please be assured that your feedback has been fully registered on our daily audience log which is made available to the production team involved and senior BBC management.

Thank you, once more, for taking the time to contact the BBC.

Regards
BBC Information

I say, if we get more people to voice their concerns we could (insha'allah) get the BBC to admit their mistake publicly. I'm just so pleased - because it shows to all those pacified Muslims who think that nothing can be done, that no, something can be done, only and only by the Will of Allah ofcourse, but all that Allah asks if us is to take the step and He will bring the victory.

So, next time you see a campaign worth running, go for it, because if it's for a good cause then victory is yours! Allahukbar!

Action Alert! Defend Defenders of Palestine!

I couldn't help but jump (literally yes!) with joy when reading this. UK journalists boycott Israel over ‘IDF aggression in Gaza.’ Thank God for open minded people in the world (note they are prob all non-muslim in the NUJ) who strive to fight for the defenceless and uphold truth and justice in the world. I stopped estatically jumping with joy and glee when pondering when the heck Muslims will activate and defend the defenders of Palestine ...

National Union of Journalists of Britain and Ireland decides to boycott Israeli products in protest of Second Lebanon War and ‘Israeli aggression in Gaza’; calls on UK government to impose sanctions on Israel

The resolution, which passed by a vote of 66 to 54 (man was that a tight vote!), called for a boycott of Israeli goods “similar to those boycotts in the struggles against apartheid South Africa led by trade unions and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) to demand sanctions be imposed on Israel by the British government and the United Nations."

The announcement of the passage of the resolution drew a combination of applause and gasps, the Guardian said.

According to the Guardian, the NUJ national executive committee has been instructed to support organizations including the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, Jews for Justice in Palestine and the Council for the Advancement of Arab-British Understanding, the Guardian reported.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3387995,00.html

Was doing some research on the net to see how I could thank the NUJ for brave stance to uphold human rights and condemn Apatheid Israel ... when I came across more info on the MPACUK site: http://www.mpacuk.org/content/view/3551/34/(man are they good with these things! Who says they are racist and ineffective!).

Remember, the pro-Israeli Zionist lobbies will be all over this and will already have mobolised to try and somehow overturn this. Doing a quick google search, I've found that over 20 blogs had already attacked the NUJ (they were pro-Israeli, racist blogs such as Harry's Place http://hurryupharry.bloghouse.net/ and Little Green Footballs: http://www.littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/weblog.php )

... and sadly but inevitably I couldn't see a single Muslim blog / forum / that had carried this alert & applauded the NUJ.

Get to emailing now please!

generalsecretary@nuj.org.uk (the General Secretary)

DGS@nuj.org.uk (the deputy)

BBC Reporter Excecuted Or Not?

I posted an ALERT last week about the kidnapping of Alan Johnston. Just read this:

'We killed BBC reporter', Palestinian group says
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3388215,00.html

BBC reporter Alan Johnston has been killed by an al-Qaeda affilated Palestinian organization, according to an internet statement obtained by Ynetnews. The statement was signed by the Palestinian Jihad and Tawheed Brigades, an organization named after an Iraqi al-Qaeda group.

Responding to the statement, the BBC said it is "aware of these reports -- but we have no independent verification of them. We are deeply concerned about what we are hearing -- but we stress, at this stage, it is rumour with no independent verification."

In the message, the group said the British and Palestinian governments were responsible for Johnston's killing.

''The whole world knows of our just cause in demanding the release of our prisoners, who are waiting under the fire of the occupation," the statement began. "Our demand was that all of those who are responsible for the journalist... release our prisoners who are being held in the prisons of the occupation," it continued.

"The whole world made so much noise about this foreign journalist, while it took no action over our thousands of prisoners," the declaration said.

I pray this is just sick rumours and the BBC reporter is alive and safe. The Palestinians are no doubt living hell on Earth and my heart goes out to them. They see no way out of their misery and are reduced to desparate measures to defend themselves and make themselves heard. But this reporter was a friend to the Palestinian people - I've read his stuff and man is it good. He reported the truth from the Mid East and exposed the Israeli aggressors and the conditions the Palestinians lived under. So why oh why would a Palestinian group do this? Unless the rumour mill has started to smear and condmen the Palestinians altogether....

Norman Finkelstein: Alan Dershowitz's "The Case for Israel" is a hoax!

This is very interesting:

Shortly after the publication of the book The Case for Israel, Norman Finkelstein accused its author, Alan Dershowitz of "fraud, falsification, plagiarism and nonsense", claiming that Dershowitz had plagiarized Joan Peters's controversial book From Time Immemorial. Finkelstein expanded his findings in a book entitled Beyond Chutzpah. Dershowitz has denied the charges. Former Harvard president Derek Bok exonerated Dershowitz of the plagiarism charges,while Amherst professor Sayres Rudy claimed that the charges were justified.

Continue reading about their heated discussion here: The Dershowitz-Finkelstein affair

Here's are two clips of a nice chat between these two guys (I love a good argument :p)
I'd upload the videos onto the blog but I don't know how to upload google videos :(

Part 1: http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-1899267555870962994&q=finkelstein+dershowitz


Part 2: http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=247803848714490692&q=finkelstein+dershowitz

Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad - Contentions 11

Props to Brother Haseeb for posting this.

These are the latest Contentions by Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad.

My favourite: Peace without justice is not peace at all

I think this is so true in the modern day. I mean there are so many Muslims who are happy with the lives they live, or are too busy 'perfecting' themselves to care about children in Darfur, Palestine and even in our own backyards.

The older generations of Muslims have failed us, not the great Muslims of the past, I mean Muslims in their 40s or above. They allowed the atrocities to continue while they concentrated on their own needs. We as human beings need to do something. There are so many good organisations (Muslim and non-Muslim) out there who are doing something like: MCB, MPACUK, ISB (although ISB really sucks :p) and Stop the War! . We, too, need to stand up

Say: My Lord has enjoined justice, and set upright your faces at every time of prayer and call on Him, being sincere to Him in obedience; as He brought you forth in the beginning, so shall you also return.
Surah Al-Araf, Verse 29

Action Alerts Need Actioning!

Sign BBC petition for Alan Johnston's release!

Arab Media Watch urges its members and the public to join the thousands, including journalists and media personalities, who have signed the BBC's online petition urging that abducted Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston be freed quickly and unharmed. It has now been over three weeks since his abduction, with no word on his whereabouts or condition.

If you would like to add your name to the petition, please click on:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/6518185.stm

While AMW condemns all forms of attacks, harassment and censorship of the media, the particular absurdity of this abduction is that Alan, as one of the few Western journalists still based in the Gaza Strip, has brought much-needed attention to the deteriorating situation in the territory over the past three years, and provided valuable and insightful perspectives that are often lacking among other media outlets," said AMW chairman Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi.

"AMW has consistently made the case that there are nowhere near enough correspondents based in the occupied Palestinian territories, and that this hampers the depth and objectivity of coverage. Alan's reports often have a qualitative edge because he is based at the heart of the conflict he is covering, rather than the relative comfort, safety and detachment of Israel," Nashashibi added.

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BBC Make False Offensive Claims About Jerusalem

Sick and tired of bias, inaccurate, unobjective reporting by the media? Then do something about it today. MPACUK are undergoing a campaign demanding the BBC publicly apolgise and correct an false, offensive statement made by BBC Sport's correspondance on 24.03.07 during the Football Focus program at 12.10BST. The reporter inaccurately describes Jerusalem as Israel's capital - this is not only inaccurate and dismiss international law where neither east or west Jerusalem is considered Israel's capital but is also offensive to Palestinians living under Israeli occupation every day.

How dare they! I don't pay my licence fees for such reporting so I complained on numerous occasions via phone calls and emails and have urged friends and family do the same. It's not good moaning and grumbling from the sidelines - this is a typical example of when an injustice is done we can make a change via simple yet effective means - lobbying!

So get to complaining people:

To make a complaint via the internet click on this link.

Or call the BBC directly on 08700 100 222

*Remember the clip was televised as part of BBC Sport coverage called ‘Football Focus - Feature: Israel in Focus’ on BBC1 at 12.10BST on the 24th March 2007.
The BBC must ensure that such a mistake is not made again as it is erroneous, misleading and offensive to many people who are struggling to uphold the rights of Palestinians under occupation.
For more information on the United Nations position on the status of Jerusalem click here.



p.s Happy Easter to those celebrating. Mmmmmmm....man do I love Easter and the chocolates as a result of the festivity!

Mosques Get A Battering!

Good old Mosques seem to be receiving a battering lately. First signs of plans for a new Mosque in East London and an orchestrated email campaign is whipped up to spread false statements. Ken Livingstone, who I nickname as Champion Ken for his bravery and ruthlessness when it comes to defending Palestinians, revealed an organised email campaign around an online poll being conducted by the Evening Standard aimed at stirring up communal hatred by spreading entirely false statements about plans for a new mosque in East London. Then the controversial poll was removed after Champion Ken exposed its hidden agenda. You see it was no ordinary poll and thus the need to expose it's motives. The poll asked readers to vote whether or not they were in favour of the Mayor spending £100 million of public money on a new Mosque in East London however Mr Livingstone has repeatedly denied any public funds would be spent on the project. Mr Livingstone said his office has been alerted to a series of emails being sent which make what he calls "a series of false claims about the mosque proposals in such a way as to stir up communal hatred" leading him to write to Veronica Wadley, Editor of the Evening Standard. I mean come on, even the BNP were urging it's fans to vote in the poll! http://www.islamophobia-watch.com/

Then we have an alleged arson in a Mosque in Nottingham:

A Nottingham mosque has been severely damaged in a fire described by a leading imam as "an act of terrorism against Muslims". Police and fire investigators are trying to determine the exact cause of the blaze at the Madni Masjid Mosque on Alberta Terrace in Forest Fields. Imam Raza ul Haq said he believed paint was thrown around the inside of the mosque and then set alight.

Then the whole Ruth Kelly and the £600,000 she has floating around at her dispense:

The government is planning to intervene in some mosques to support Muslims who want to marginalise extremists. Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly will announce a new role for the Charity Commission, strengthening its task of overseeing religious institutions. A £600,000 faith unit within the commission will help Muslims strengthen governance and leadership in mosques.

Ms Kelly's department has changed government strategy by launching talks with a broader range of Muslim groups. But at the same time, the largest body, the Muslim Council of Britain, has fallen out of favour, leading to claims that ministers are talking only to those prepared to agree with government. http://www.islamophobia-watch.com/

I'm not so sure about the MCB being involved with this. Although they supposedly represnt Britain's Muslims, I've still to be convinced they are the most effective organisation to represent us. They good - but not that good. I think they are not as in tune with the younger generation as they claim. The dosh Ruth Kelly has needs to be spent on improving the state of our Mosques - indeed. But with the current apathetic and backward Mosque leaders? Hell no!

If the Mosque elders finally realise that now comes the time for them to make way for the younger generation to get involved with the running of the Mosques - the pillars of our community - in order to reform, improve and defend our communities and liberties then by all means i'll give 'em money! But sadly, this doesn't seem like it's in the pipelines for a while and our Mosques will continue to be run by men who don't speak English, who cannot apprehend that they must teach Muslims (via program's/classes/syllabuses) to engage within the democratic systems in order to make an effective change for us here as well as for our brothers and sisters worldwide, who refuses to open its doors to the non-Muslim community and thus the development of respect and harmony between people of different faiths is non-existant, and who slams doors in the faces of its women, sisters, mothers as they beg old men to let them engage within the Mosques and be allowed prayer space in the House of Allah.

No, not until then...

Israeli Thugs Beat Palestinian Man & Family

Another day, another Palestinian life destroyed by Israeli aggressors and murderers.



Soldiers violently attack Palestinian man in his home: August 25th, 2006

There were two cameras filming most, if not all, of the following incident. A few soldiers are easily recognizable by Human Rights Workers (HRW) given the number of times they have been present while soldiers have been invading numerous Palestinian homes.

At approximately 5:15 PM, an HRW posted at the Tel Rumeida checkpoint heard yelling and screaming coming from up the hill. The HRW moved up the hill, and a Palestinian woman was able to point out the house and medical facility from which the screams were issuing. The HRW asked Israeli soldiers immediately inside the building’s door what was going on. They refused to answer, and the soldiers physically prevented the HRW from entering the house. At this point, Dr. Taysir, the building’s owner, broke free from the soldier who was holding him, and pulled on the HRW’s arm while begging him to enter. The HRW managed to enter the door, and saw two, elongated contusions high on Dr. Taysir’s left arm. While being pushed out once again, the HRW negotiated with the soldiers to leave the door open on the condition that he remain outside.

Shortly thereafter three more HRWs arrived. The HRWs managed to enter the building. Three HRWs demanded access to Dr. Taysir, who was now out of sight, while a fourth video taped the encounter. Dr. Taysir could be heard yelling and crying out in pain from a room further in the house. The HRWs attempted to move past the soldiers in order to prevent further injury to Dr. Taysir, but were repeatedly forced back. The soldiers refused to explain why the doctor’s home had been entered, why he had been struck, or why the HRWs could not see him. Throughout this time, the soldiers were physically and verbally aggressive towards the HRWs, repeatedly shoving them towards the door, and yelling at them to get out, shut up, etc.

At this point, an Israeli major arrived with approximately six more soldiers. The major entered the building and began speaking with Dr. Taysir’s brother, who had observed some, but not all, of the incident; this conversation is filmed almost entirely. The major spoke briefly to the soldiers already on site, who quickly became considerably less aggressive toward the HRWs. After approximately ten minutes, the major and all soldiers departed the house without speaking to anyone else. The HRWs then videotaped interviews with both Dr. Taysir and his brother regarding the incident.

Dr. Taysir told the HRWs that he gone to open the door for the soldiers when almost immediately they began shoving him around and pinned him against a wall by pressing on his chest. The doctor told the soldier not to push him, and the soldier responded by punching him in the temple. Other soldiers joined in, and Dr. Taysir received blows to his arms, legs, and torso. At least two blows, those to his left arm, were strikes with the butt of a rifle; these injuries are documented with video.

Seeing that Dr. Taysir was being attacked, a female patient who was present attempted to intervene, putting herself between the doctor and the soldiers. She was struck by a soldier, and fell unconscious. The patient was later placed on a medical exam table with an oxygen feed to help her recover, where she was videotaped (with permission) by the HRWs. Dr. Taysir’s adult daughter was also beaten at some point during the encounter, though the events are not clear to us what happened. Dr. Taysir and his brother both stated repeatedly that soldiers used and regularly use foul language towards him and his family, including his wife and small children.

Later that evening, before sunset, soldiers could be seen on the roof of Dr. Taysir’s house. HRWs were standing on their own roof, and when they looked in the direction of the soldiers, the soldiers used their arms in a gesture to say ‘F***you’ to the HRWs. The soldiers were laughing the entire time. The HRWs did not respond.