Hamas would not rest until Israel was ousted from Palestine, said Ahmed al-Jabari, leader of the Izz a-din al-Qassam Brigades, adding that Israel had two options - to leave Palestinian territories or face death. He said that Hamas resistance would continue as long as Zionists remained in Palestine.Continue reading ‘New Message from Hamas To Israelis: Leave Or Die’
Author Archive for Eamonn McDonagh
I am surprised and disappointed to see that Bob from Brockley - a normally sensible left-wing blogger - appears to have embraced the one state solution. The reasons he offers are the following:
Many of my friends on the anti-anti-Zionist left think that the one state solution is essentially equivalent to the genocidal destruction of the Jewish nation. They argue that the Arabs (who have demography on their side, and formidable military allies in the form of the Saudis, Iran and so on) have proven themselves unable to share space with Jews. I reject this fatalistic view, and having recently been in Northern Ireland am more confident than ever that we can forge our own futures if we unshackle our imaginations. It feels to me that the idea of the two state solution [I think this must be a typo and that he means “one state solution”. Otherwise the rest of the text makes no sense] is steadily gaining ground, not just among the hardcore advocates of a “free Palestine”, but among younger Jews in both Israel and the diaspora. This slow awakening comes with a growing sense that another Zionism is possible, and a recovery of the memory of pre-1948 Zionism, the Zionism of Ahad Ha’am, Martin Buber, Gershom Scholem, Joseph Trumpledor, AD Gordon and Judah Magnes, which called for a “national home” for the Jews and not necessarily a nation-state. By the way, I have at various other times in my life called for a one state solution also for South Africa, Yugoslavia, Bosnia, Ireland and Cyprus.
1. Readers will be familiar with the frequently rehearsed notion that the close alliance between Israel and the United States combined with the emotions aroused by the existence and deeds of the former country in the Arab and Muslim worlds puts the lives of members of the American armed forces in greater danger than they would otherwise be.
I learn here that the Israeli edition of Time Out has named Yossi Gurvitz as Israel’s best progressive blogger. Among Gurvitz’s opinions are the following:
1. The trial of Adolf Eichmann was, in part, a show trial.
2. Antisemitism is a response to the behavior of Jews.
3. Israeli settlers are Judeo-Nazis.
4. Most Israelis are fascists and the ones who say they are not are liars.
The South American Mercosur trade bloc has announced its intention to negotiate a free trade agreement with the Palestinian territories. There follows my translation of Fernando Gimenez’s analysis of the move.
Continue reading ‘Mercosur and Another Confusing Recognition’
Gideon Levy says that…
1. The deficiencies in Israel’s firefighting capacity shown up by the Mount Carmel fire are firm evidence that Israel has no military option against Iran.
Continue reading ‘Gideon Levy And The Dog That Doesn’t Bark’
Fernando Gimenez has some interesting technical analysis here of the recent statements from Brazil and Argentina recognizing an independent Palestinian state. There follows my translation of part of it.
Continue reading ‘Brazil, Argentina And Their Rushed And Sloppy Recognitions’
Argentina has today followed Brazil’s lead and recognized Palestine as a state. That, in principle, is grand. Just one doubt:
Read the rest here
One of the few merits of the Wikileaks project is that it puts the obvious and already well-known on the front pages. Take Iran and its nuclear program, for example. Everybody who takes an interest in such matters and is not blinded by hatred of Jews running their own affairs knows that most Arab states are far more worried about the nuclear ambitions of the ayatollahs than they are about Israel and would be quietly pleased if the US and/or Israel put an end to them using whatever means necessary.
Continue reading ‘Wikileaks: Shock Revelations! Bomb Iran Now Say Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Bahrain’
Do you believe in an ideology? Putting it slightly more strongly, are you a follower of an ideology? I guess for most people the answer is “no” to both. Ideologies are generally felt to be bad, false and deceptive and those who follow them to be fanatics of some kind, unable to see things as they really are and act accordingly, in a calm manner and with their minds unclouded by mysterious and undisprovable notions.
This is a sensitive time of the year for Spanish fascists. Their two biggest heroes both died on the 20th of November. José Antonio Primo de Rivera (say “José Antonio” in any discussion about modern Spain and everyone will know who you are talking about), the founder of the Spanish Falange, was executed by firing squad on November 20th 1936 after having been found guilty of insurrection and conspiracy against the Republic. Francisco Franco Bahamonde died of old age on the 20th of November, 1975 after having ruled Spain with unsurpassed brutality and cunning since 1939.
In earlier posts we’ve established that the Catholic Kingdom of Spain can never be a state for all its citizens and must immediately become the subject of a campaign of boycott, disinvestment and sanctions until it agrees to dissolve itself and be replaced by a multi-religious, multi-cultural Federation of Iberian Regions.
Over at Engage, with an astonishing degree of patience, they are giving space to an individual called Greenstein from South Africa. He wants an academic boycott of Israel, and only Israel and now says the following:
Continue reading ‘Greenstein Again: Arguing With The Morally Impollute’
Western Sahara is a former Spanish colony the bulk of which has been illegally occupied by Morocco since 1975. The Saharaui people have sought independence in a long struggle against the Moroccan authorities. In recent days there have been fresh outbreaks of violence by the Moroccan security forces against Saharauis in El Aaiún, the territory’s capital and this has led to protests by Saharaui exiles in Spain. Lluís Bassets is a senior journalist at El País and this is what he has to say about the situation today:
1. Over at Good Jew Central Dimi Reider is displeased that a number of his compatriots in uniform cheer, holler and show every sign of being pleased by the destruction of a number of buildings in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead.
Continue reading ‘Good Jew Central, Warfare And Nazi Germany’
