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Why, really, was the USS Liberty attacked by Israel?

Alan Hart

The following is my keynote address to the annual re-union dinner of the Liberty Veterans’ Association – Long Island, 12 June 2010.

I want to begin by saying that though I covered wars wherever they were taking place on Planet Earth in my television reporting days – it was in Vietnam as a very young correspondent that I first started to ask myself questions about why things are as they are in the world – I am an Englishman and one who didn’t serve in his country’s armed forces. (Not because I was a draft dodger. Conscription had ended). So it is both an honour and a privilege for me to be with you this evening. And please believe me, I really mean it. I’m not a politician just saying it.

We do, of course, have something in common, OUTRAGE that can’t be expressed adequately in polite words at the continued suppression here in America of the truth about a war crime – Israel’s attack on the U.S.S Liberty; an attack which, if it had gone completely according to plan, would have seen the sinking of the ship with the loss, the murder, of all hands on board. (Which means that some of you here tonight would not be here).

In my latest book, Zionism: The Real Enemy of the Jews, an epic journey in three volumes through the lies and truth of history as it relates to the making and sustaining of the conflict in and over Palestine that became Israel, I have a chapter titled The Liberty Affair, “Pure Murder” on a “Great Day”. (I’ll source those quoted comments later).

In that chapter I say the attack ought to have been a sensational, headline-grabbing news story, but beyond the fact that an “accident” had happened and that Israel had apologized, it did not get reported by America’s news organisations. It was too hot an issue for them to handle and pursue. If it had been an Arab or other Muslim attack on an American vessel it would have been an entirely different matter, of course. In that event there would have been saturation coverage with demands for retaliation including war, with columnists and commentators who are pro-Israel right or wrong setting the pace and tone.

I know that one of the prices Liberty survivors pay for telling the truth is vilification by supporters of Israel right or wrong. The message sent to James Ennes was no doubt typical of many. “You are an anti-Semitic, Nazi bastard. Drop dead.”

Those and similar other false and filthy charges come out of the mouths of people who have been brainwashed by Zionist propaganda and are beyond reason. I mean that they are not open to informed, honest and rational debate. And that, simply stated, is the reason why peace has not yet been possible in the Middle East and probably never will be.

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Beit Jala 20 June 2010

justicewheels — 20 juin 2010 — Israeli occupation forces today in Beit Jala engaged in beatings, burning of fields, and attacking peaceful demonstrators, bystanders, and reporters. Two young Palestinains: Mohammed Masalma and Thaer Mahmoud were injured after severe beatings with hands and clubs (they were both near their homes and not participating in the demonstration). Several demonstrators were also roughed-up. Occupation enforcers also attacked six reporters and prevented them from doing their job of covering the event: Yousef Shahin (Palmedia), AbdelHafith Hashlamon (European News Aghency), Nasser AlShayukhi (associated Press), Mamon Wazwaz (APA), Musa AlShaer (France Press), and Najeh Hashlamon (ABA). The Israeli occupation forces (thugs) also aimed their gas canisters at dry fields managing to set a fire that engulfed an olive grove (fortunately, the Palestinian fire department quick response saved most of the field and the nearby homes). The apartheid forces also aimed tear gas at far away homes in Beit Jala to send a message of fear to the local population. And Israeli Occupation ‘intelligence’ Officer Fadi came at the end to mock us and call out my name with his loud speaker.

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Report: U.S., Israeli warships cross Suez Canal toward Red Sea

Egypt opposition angered at government for allowing the fleet of more than 12 ships to cross Egyptian manned waterway, Al-Quds Al-Arabi reports.

By Jack Khoury

A U.S. warship. Photo by: Reuters

More than twelve United States Naval warships and at least one Israeli ship crossed the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea on Friday, British Arabic Language newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported Saturday.
A U.S. warship.

According to the report, thousands of Egyptian soldiers were deployed along the Suez Canal guarding the ships’ passage, which included a U.S. aircraft carrier.

The Suez Canal is a strategic Egyptian waterway which connects between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.

According to eyewitnesses, the U.S. battleships were the largest to have crossed the Canal in many years, Al-Quds reported.

Egyptian opposition members have criticized the government for cooperating with the U.S. and Israeli forces and allowing the ships’ passage through Egyptian territorial waters.

They said they viewed the event as Egyptian participation in an international scandal, and added that the opposition would not sit with its arms crossed while the country allowed a fleet of U.S. and Israeli military ships to cross.

source

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Double Speak: Israel’s Gaza ‘Easing’ Announcement No Sure Thing

Jason Ditz
AntiWar
2010-06-18 08:02:00

English-Only Statement Announces Agreement Never Made

The Israeli government made an announcement today that they had agreed to a “significant” easing of the Gaza blockade, allowing items like food and toys into the region in larger amounts and even allowing some construction materials in. The announcement was met, predictably, with US State Department praise.

But is the announcement real, or was it done purely for PR purposes? While Israel released its announcement, in English, following the meeting, they also released a Hebrew version for local media consumption at the same time, and the two versions are starkly different.

While the English-only version, the version sent to all foreign diplomats, claims that the decision “was made,” the Hebrew version that the Israeli press got insisted that the meeting just included ministers voicing their opinions on a possible easing and that no vote ever took place on any particular draft.

source

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The Jewish debate

Why is this happening in a church basement?

by Philip Weiss on June 18, 2010 · 69 comments

On Tuesday night in the basement of the Advent Lutheran Church on the Upper West Side in NY, an ad hoc group of Jews sponsored a forum about “Jewish perspectives” on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign (BDS), with a panel of four Jews, two for and two against, and about 200 people jammed into the sweaty basement.

The event soon morphed into a spirited discussion about Zionism, and is there such a thing as a Jewish democratic state; and the most obvious question came up halfway through, Why is this happening in a church? Gail Miller of Jews Say No answered, “A number of us approached every synagogue and every Jewish center in the city” and were turned down repeatedly– later Miller specified that they had gone to six synagogues and two Jewish centers.

So much for free debate inside the Jewish community.

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Shooting and Sobbing


June 18, 2010 at 8:20AM AuthorGilad Atzmon

Hold your breath. This in not a joke, this is not a satire. It is real almost as much as it is pathetic. Israeli Ynet just reported that the images of captured Israeli commandos published in Turkish papers opened “…old wounds among those Israeli commandos involved in similar circumstances. Thus far, at least four combat soldiers have reported worsening of their (mental) condition”

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An Israeli bulldozer destroys a children’s playground near Bethlehem

thegoodwilljourney1 — 6 mai 2010 — Israeli bulldozers today destroyed a garden and childrens playground in Beit Jala, and 100 fruit and olive trees in Al Walaja and Beit Jala, both in the Bethlehem district, to make way for the continued construction of their illegal apartheid wall. Soldiers present used violent force to remove Palestinian, Israeli and international activists who attempted to prevent the destruction. Two Israelis were arrested immediately, and six internationals were later arrested.

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UNITED METHODISTS VOTE TO DIVEST FROM COMPANIES THAT BENEFIT FROM OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE

CONTACT: CONNIE BAKER, 630-363-7713

End the Occupation, Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church

ST. CHARLES, ILL. June 15, 2010 – At its annual conference, the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) of the United Methodist Church (UMC) voted to divest all holdings in three international corporations that profit from the occupation of Palestine. This action is in response to a plea by Palestinian Christians for action, not just words.

Divestment is a nonviolent form of economic protest long-used by churches and other shareholders to encourage companies to end unjust practices. By selling its investments in Caterpillar (CAT), General Electric (GE) and Terex (TEX), the NIC expresses its commitment to do no harm with its investments and affirms the call of the UMC Book of Discipline to “avoid investments that appear likely, directly or indirectly, to support violation of human rights” (Paragraph 716).

These three companies are among 20 targeted by many UMC conferences across the country because they (1) have a presence on occupied land, (2) are involved with the physical settlements, checkpoints and the separation wall, or (3) support activities of the Israeli military in the occupied territories.

Connie Baker from the End the Occupation Task Force of the Board of Church and Society which brought forth the resolution stated: “We are resolute in our support of peace for both Israelis and Palestinians in the Holy Land and the rights of each to co-exist according to the principles set forth in the Geneva Conventions. It is a small step, but an important one.”

The conference will also send a list of the 20 identified companies to the nearly 400 local churches in Northern Illinois and encourage them to consider divestment from any corporations on the list.

For the list of targeted corporations, which was compiled by the New England Conference (UMC) Divestment Task Force, please see: http://www.neumc.org/pages/detail/375.

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Hold Israel Accountable – Palestine Legal Aid Fund

see page

HRLAF — 14 juin 2010 — Urgent Appeal – Legal Action on Gaza Aid Flotilla – by Palestine Legal Aid Fund (http://www.humanrightsfund.org )

Mary Nazzal-Batayneh of the Palestine Legal Aid Fund urges you to support the appeal for legal action following Israel’s attack on the Freedom Flotilla.

As soon as Israeli commandos attacked, the need for an international effort to secure and preserve evidence from passengers was clear.

A single donation to the Palestine Legal Aid Fund was all that was necessary to give the go ahead to UK-based lawyers to start preparing advice for the detainees, and coordinating the international collection of evidence for use in any future legal case or UN fact-finding mission.

The legal cases will not only seek justice for those killed, injured and detained on the flotilla. They will hold Israeli authorities legally accountable, and provoke an examination of the illegal blockade and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Your help is needed to support this vital work. Through making a donation, fundraising in your community, or showing your support in another way, you can ensure this work continues, and that the strongest possible case reaches court. Take action: sign up at http://www.humanrightsfund.org

info@humanrightsfund.org

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