Hope turns Upside Down as Israel Continues Brutal Tactics

It seems like not that long ago I was talking about diplomatic emissaries shuttling between East and West Jerusalem. Talks of peace and stability, a chance for the Palestinian people to live with freedom and dignity, a Nobel Peace Prize and hopes for a brighter future were being touted by everyone from Haaretz and Jerusalem Post opinion editors to W himself. We had promises after promises, lies after lies, talking about removing roadblocks, ending abductions, and leaving settlements. It seemed like we had traveled a long way but yet, here we are again, same old story different day. Israel continues to drag it's feet, hoping for a deal in principle with no timeline and no actions. We have seen this ploy before, it is just peace in principal, not in reality, not in action.

What Israel wants to do is draw attention from its apartheid regime, a regime that was suffering terribly from boycotts, withdrawal of investment, and International publicity about the atrocities they are committing daily against the Palestinian people. Just like after 9/11, the Israeli's jumped aboard the bandwagon to draw attention from what is truly going on in the occupied territories. They lied to the American public by telling them that they are on our side and they are also fighting this terrible war on fundamental Islam. However, in reality, they are the purveyors of terror themselves, sponsored by the state, and admitted to by most of Israel's Prime Ministers from David Ben Gurion to Yitzhak Shamir. What they also fail to tell you, is Israeli foreign policy decisions to annex more and more land that belongs to Muslim Arabs is what started the war with Islam, and American support for the terrorist government in Israel continues to feed the hatred of Muslims throughout the world.

Once again, Israel lied to us to divert attention from the truth. They told us if they had a partner for peace, there would be peace. There is no peace, even though the Palestinian government and it's leaders have begged for timetables and actions, the same timetables and actions that General Dayton called for Israel to implement several months ago. However, Israel just refuses. It refuses to stop abductions, it refuses to remove roadblocks, it refuses to dismantle the wall, and mostly, it refuses to stop killing Palestinian women and children. We as Americans should be horrified by what is occurring, but yet we turn a blind eye to children shot in the head, to women and children raped and tortured in Israeli prisons, we turn a blind eye to starving children and women giving birth on the street at checkpoints, because it is justified in a war on terror? How can committing these acts, true terrorism in action, be justified as fighting terror? We are lying to the world, but mostly, how long are we going to lie to ourselves and pretend this isn't happening? How long is the average American going to pretend he does not have the blood of women and children on their hands, and continue to fund the terrorist government of Israel?

I wrote in an article not too long ago that Israel had one chance, one chance for peace, and this is it. Since peace is obviously not an option, this was my prediction of future events, some which are already coming true.

(Israel will) Continue it's abductions, assassinations, checkpoints, roadblocks, abuses, atrocities and inhumane treatment of the Palestinians. This will only weaken the existing government, restrict its ability to reign in armed militias, develop more hatred and animosity towards the Israeli's and strengthen other, more militant groups in the area. Whether it be Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad or some new militant group, it will only lead to additional destabilization of the region. Of course, Israel has always wanted the region to be destabilized, so it can use brutality to insure its security. In such a scenario, the government of Abbas would fall, another more militant group would gain power and the West Bank, like Gaza, will turn into a firing range with missiles in one direction and artillery, helicopter gunships and jet fighters, coming from the other. In addition, as the technology increases within the Palestinian territories, as Iran gets a stronger grip on the area, the Qassam rockets will turn into Katuysha rockets. Ranges will increase, accuracy will increase and rockets will be fired from Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon. Israeli forces could not and can not stop rocket attacks from any of these areas. They couldn't do it during the Lebanon war, they can't do it now from Gaza and if the West Bank was added to that, there is not much of Israel left that could not be hit from rocket fire, including Tel Aviv. A grim future for Israel, that is for sure.

At this point in time, the Palestinians want peace, a state, and a future or like in Gaza they will turn to the powers that seem to be working in that direction by using terror as a weapon. The time has come for Israel to make a decision. Any half-measures, lagging, wasting time, or indecision on the part of the Israeli's at this juncture, will ensure that this option is initiated. Time is of the essence for the Israeli's and while they sit and debate, while they chart a course of action, while they meet with country after country, the clock is ticking. The resolution is as clear as it has been for decades, and Israel has only muddied the waters by increasing settlers, settlements, constructing the wall, and annexing land. Had they abided by UN resolution and the International Court of Justice, like every respectable country in the world, they wouldn't have to make these hard choices. They made their own grave by violating International law, and now they are going to have to live with the dismantling of their poor decisions.


As if to prove my point, here are today's articles concerning Israeli actions in the West Bank:

Israeli forces kidnap 3 Palestinians from Qalqilia, one from Hebron, two from Bethlehem

For the second day the army continues to attack Nablus, killing one

Israeli border police attack and injure two Shepherds near Jerusalem

Applied Research Institute: 28.5% more land cut off by Wall

Two days after attacking him, Israeli soldiers kidnap a Palestinian child north of Jerusalem

Unfortunately, what Israel continues to fail to realize is that it's time is up. Most members of the Fatah party, the party that Israel chose as a peace partner, are calling for a boycott of the Middle East Peace Conference in November. Saudi Arabia and Egypt have already told Israel once, stop the ongoing incursions and allow freedom of travel in the West Bank and stop invading and assaulting Syria and Lebanon, or they will not attend. The only people at the conference are going to be Bush, Rice, Ohlmert and Livni. These are not the people I would want trying to ensure peace and stability anywhere in the world.

The other most important things, the thing that is the scariest for Israel, is that Hamas is not losing power, but as a result of Israel's refusal to strengthen Fatah, by failing to implement actions, they are becoming stronger. Islamic Jihad, the purveyors of most rocket attacks are viewed as freedom fighters. Hamas and Islamic Jihad are fighting to get what Israel promised and failed to deliver to the West Bank. This only empowers the more radical groups within the Palestinian community. The average Palestinian will gladly accept any proposals for peace and live within those agreements, however, if they are going to suffer through occupation, brutality, theft, rape and murder then they have no choice but to fight back and those groups who have the ability to fight back are those that the Israelis and Americans do not want in power, but are the Palestinians last resort for freedom and dignity. Why do Americans embrace quotes such as "Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"...American Revolutionary Patrick Henry. Yet when Palestinians embrace this ideology, we condemn them, but we make heroes of those Americans and Israelis who express the same desire for freedom.

Of course, we only speak of truth, peace and democracy, we certainly don't live it. We failed to recognize the lawfully elected government of Palestine, totally disregarding democracy and one man, one vote. We continue to lie to the world about what is occurring and has occurred in the occupied territories, and we continue to embrace Israel, a state whose leaders have for decades have sworn to the destruction of the entire Palestinian culture, and have embarked on terrorist acts, weapons of mass destruction, torture and extra-judicial assassinations.

When we speak of truth, justice, democracy, and mostly hope, Israel and the United States can no longer be seriously considered as any part of that discussion and the Palestinians are now suffering from their lies and deception, and we, as a free America, will be next.

Three Blind Mice - Bush, Ohlmert and Abbas

Hickory – dickory – dock,
It's Bush, Ohlmert, and Abbass.

To the three stooges listed above, this is no fairy tale. It is a matter of the life and death of their legacy. Rarely in history have three absolute failures, grasping at straws for their own political survival, find themselves in a position to shape the future of the world. Like three blind mice, scrambling for food, these individuals happened across the mother lode of a legacy, the Nobel Peace Prize. Like starving rodents, them and many others, are trying to secure their personal stash of publicity and popularity by aligning themselves with this opportunity for peace. The Middle East has become a well worn path of diplomats and envoys all trying to secure their own piece of the Pie. However, while Bush and Abbass want to move forward at breakneck speed, Ohlmert is the more reserved rat, sitting back and waiting to see what he can get in trade for what he and Israel have horded away, using the Palestinians as a bargaining chip in negotiations with Saudi Arabia and other Arab States.

Lets start with W. He has failed at virtually everything he has touched. This is like the Midas touch in reverse, instead of turning to gold, everything he touches turns to crap. He took total world support after 9-11 and made it so everyone hates Americans. He destroyed Afghanistan and is in the process of demolishing Iraq. He and his appointed cronies have been in one legal battle after the other, resignations abound in his administration and 80 percent of the US population want to see him impeached. He has failed with every part of his foreign and domestic policy and will go down in history as the worst president ever. That is unless he manages to come away with Nobel Peace Prize for securing a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. In addition, a peace treaty between Israel and the remainder of the moderate Arab world, would be a feather in his cap.

Next is Abbass. Israel refused to even talk to him while Fatah was in complete control of the government. He was the head of the Fatah government which is corrupt from top to bottom and has been for decades. He was unable to come to any reasonable terms with Israel, during his tenure he was unable to keep his party in power, he failed to keep a unity government together and was unable to break to western blockade on his people. Israeli's to this day still invade, bully and control the Palestinian people and he is unable to do a thing about it. He will soon be out of power and will be a side note to history. That is unless he manages to come away with a Nobel Peace prize for securing a peace agreement with Israel.

Finally, Ohlmert. Hey Ohlmert, what do you say, how many kids have you killed today (actually 2, a 9 year old and 14 year old in Gaza, but I digress). Ohlmert has overseen one of the bloodiest times in Palestinian history. He has been a ruthless leader who, without a military background, felt he had to come to office and show he has no qualms about killing women and children. After the Beit Hanoun massacre, the death of the Palestinian family on the beach in Gaza and daily raids, attacks, abductions and assassinations have made him the Pol Pot of the 21st century. However, for the Israeli public, this just isn't enough blood. After Ohlmert decided to invade Lebanon and failed to kill a sufficient number of women and children there, the Israeli public has called for his resignation. After leading a government of corrupt officials, charged with embezzlement, sex allegations and bribery, it appears that people want to see his head roll next. That is unless he manages to come away with a Nobel Peace prize for securing an agreement with the Palestinians and other moderate Arab Countries.

All three of these mice, not men, are vying for a legacy. This is a final gasp at the air of decency in what history would otherwise deem as domestic and foreign policy failure throughout their administrations. All three leaders, and subsequently their countries, have deteriorated to a bunch of 5 year old fighting on the streets over a lollipop, and all three are virtually impotent in their positions. As they look around at each other, they certainly have to be thinking about Ben Franklin's quote about the American revolutionaries, at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, as they fought against their own occupation. "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately." These three blind mice need to navigate together or all three legacies will be strangled in the mousetrap of history.

Israel - Dancing with the Wrong Partners

It has been a whirlwind week for the Israeli Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet and Knesset. It seemed to be one piece of good information after another and superstar after superstar making appearances and promising to make appearances. From Tony Blair to Condi Rice, there seems to be a well worn path to the Middle East and envoys of every shape and size trying to get a piece of that Nobel Peace Prize, if and when there is finally a two-state solution. However, like a young man surrounded by beautiful women, it seems Israel is dancing with everyone, except the person they have to come home with.

Tony Blair entered Jerusalem with such a fanfare that I expected to see the palm leaves and an ass (I won't go there). It seemed like such great fanfare for a man who is only supposed to be building institutions. There is no doubt the Israeli's love Tony, a man who has assisted in destabilizing the region for the benefit of the Zionist government in Israel. He has been instrumental in assisting in blocking UN resolutions against Israeli aggressions in both Beit Hanoun and in the second Lebanese war. However, there isn't a wall being built through Tony's house and there is no occupation of London, and no one is going through the cities of England and abducting citizens, so all the parading around and looking pretty is nice, but Tony can't sign a peace deal.

Condi Rice will also be visiting the region for the first time since March. With the $30 billion dollar military aid deal that the US just signed with Israel, jumping the amount of military assistance given to Israel to well over 4 billion dollars a year. Prime Minister Ohlmert was dancing in the streets when he got the confirmation last week at the White House that they would be able to continue to thumb their noses at UN resolutions, rulings by the International Court of Justice, and the Israeli military even ignores rulings from its own Supreme Court. The parties will be happening when Condi gets to town, but, there is no wall through the state department, no occupation of Washington, citizens from Baltimore to Los Angeles are not abducted and never seen again, and there are no targeted assassinations in San Francisco, so all the parading around and looking pretty is nice, but Condi can't sign a peace deal.

Now the latest celebration is in response to the fact that the Saudi's "might" sit at the same table with Israel at a Middle East Peace Conference. The Israeli government is drooling, lustfully leering at the possibility of talking about a peace deal with the Saudi's. The Israeli's claim that a peace deal with Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, would help cement a relationship between the Jewish world and the Islamic world. I think they envision it will be some kind of a nirvana of peace and love and understanding. However, a couple things to consider, the Saudi monarchy are fighting for their own existence in an increasing hostile environment. Israel and Saudi Arabia have never been at war and never fought over any land, water, ideology or anything else. And Saudi Arabia doesn't have any influence over the enemies of Israel, either real or imagined. So, there are no walls through Mecca, no occupation of Medina, and people in the deserts of Saudi Arabia are not abducted or assassinated by f-16's and helicopter gunships. But just like the peace deal Israel signed with Jordan, and like the peace deal Israel signed with Egypt, a peace deal with Saudi Arabia does not guarantee peace in Israel.

Peace has always been at Israel's hands. Since 1948, UN resolutions told Israel not to deport Palestinian, but they did anyway. The International Court of Justice told them not to build the wall, but they did anyway. The UN, International Law and the ICJ told them not to settle land they occupied, but they did it anyway. Had Israel listened to everything the world told them, there would be nothing to settle, no negotiations, there would be no reason to fight. Now Israel is saying these are the final status negotiations, but there are no final status negotiations. Abide by the UN resolutions, abide by International Laws, abide by the International Court of Justice and there is nothing to negotiate, and you will have peace. But instead, Israel continues to attack, abduct and assassinate.

Today in Palestine, the wall continues to be built, the olive groves continue to be destroyed, last night the West Bank was, once again, turned into an abduction zone, a zone of threats and retaliation by Israeli forces. Numerous Palestinian civilians, like the other 12,000 Palestinian civilians before them, will be locked up in Israeli prisons, many without trials, lawyers, or any form of justice. While Tony, Condi, and King Saud dance with Israel, Palestinian homes are being demolished, more land stolen and more settlements expanded. Israel shows by its actions, not by its words what its true intentions are, and they think that more money, more weapons, more Arab friends, and more land will bring them peace. However, if Israel wants peace, they are dancing with the wrong partners.

This is Israel's Last Chance

People around the world have been riveted to the internal Palestinian strife since the manure finally hit the fan about two weeks ago. Critics and news anchor are speculating, prophesizing, and postulating on the demise of the two state solution, the end of Palestine as we know it, and the end to all chance of peace.

However, peace has never been in the hands of the Palestinians, it has always been controlled by Israel. At any point in time, Israel could make a momentous decision to leave the settlements, tear down the portions of the wall built inside the 1967 green line, compensate those whose livelihoods were destroyed as a result, remove the roadblocks and checkpoints, and embrace peace as a true partner.

We all know that Israel has never chosen to make that decision. For all its public proclamations for seeking peace, wanting to live side by side with good neighbors, and becoming a recognized nation by it's neighbors in it's neighborhood, has until very recently continued its policy of extra-judicial assassinations, abductions, torture, invasions and abuses. Israel has always had the "militants" to blame. They could always point to some action and convince the world that they are the victims. Some rocket attack, somebody shooting a gun at settlers, some tunnel found somewhere, some cache of small arms, anything to continue to use as an excuse. With any lame excuse and the backing of the United States, Israel could plan on never returning any land, never having to live up to a peace agreement, never tearing down the wall and never having to accept a Palestinian state.

That is until two weeks ago.

Prior to the Palestinian meltdown, the heat was already on Israel. With the public boycotts of Israel, with the first protest ever on behalf of the Palestinians, in the US, which happened in June of this year, with international pressure to remove economic sanctions, it already appeared as though the world had made a decision, to treat Israel as the pariah nation it is. Since the collapse of the Palestinian government and the reformation of a non-terror aligned government, Israel is now on the front burner, the heat is on high, and the whole world is watching. For years Israel has stated that if it had a partner in peace, there would be peace. If the terror cells were disarmed and reigned in, it would stop its incursions. If terror attacks ceased, then roadblocks and checkpoints would be removed. It seems the Palestinians are living up to their part of the bargain, but is Israel?

For the first time since 2000, I searched online for Israeli atrocities that occurred over the weekend. I went to my usual sites, looked around, tried to find out what the Israeli army did over the weekend. Typically, I can pick or choose through about 10 incursions, 30 or so deaths, another 30- 50 abductions, and about a dozen women and children killed. So I must say I was amazed by the fact that the only thing I could find was two Palestinians abducted out of Hebron over the weekend. This is a location where Israeli soldiers maintain a presence of about 1000 soldiers at all times protecting about 700 settlers. Is Israel finally taking baby steps towards peace? I guess when the settlers leave, the wall comes down and the abductions cease completely, we will know.

Israel is between a rock and a hard place, and this is its last chance, here are their options.

Option 1:

Support Abbas, create a Palestinian state in the West Bank with inclusion of Gaza contingent on Abbas being able to gain control of the area. This will require a full COORDINATED departure from pre-67 borders. Not like the cut and run tactics they chose to use in Gaza that ended up putting in to power a threat to their stability. Israel needs to go from being the fox in the hen house to a partner in peace. Israeli soldiers will have to go from handing stones to kids to throw at Palestinians, to actually standing in front of those stones so they don't hit Palestinians. Israeli soldiers will have to go from beating old ladies to helping them cross the street. Instead of using bulldozers to destroy Palestinian homes, they will need to use them to clear roads. Instead of harassing women, soldiers will have to help Palestinian mothers carry groceries home from the store. This is the mentality shift that needs to take place, if Israel expects the people in the West Bank to accept that they want peace after all the abuses and atrocities Israel has committed over the past 40 years. However, Israel will have peace, not only with the Palestinians, but the majority of its Arab neighbors, who have signed on to the Arab Peace Plan. This is something Israel has coveted for decades and now it is within it's reach, if it can make the tough decisions.

Option 2:

Continue it's abductions, assassinations, checkpoints, roadblocks, abuses, atrocities and inhumane treatment of the Palestinians. This will only weaken the existing government, restrict its ability to reign in armed militias, develop more hatred and animosity towards the Israeli's and strengthen other, more militant groups in the area. Whether it be Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad or some new militant group, it will only lead to additional destabilization of the region. Of course, Israel has always wanted the region to be destabilized, so it can use brutality to insure its security. In such a scenario, the government of Abbas would fall, another more militant group would gain power and the West Bank, like Gaza, will turn into a firing range with missiles in one direction and artillery, helicopter gunships and jet fighters, coming from the other. In addition, as the technology increases within the Palestinian territories, as Iran gets a stronger grip on the area, the Qassam rockets will turn into Katuysha rockets. Ranges will increase, accuracy will increase and rockets will be fired from Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon. Israeli forces could not and can not stop rocket attacks from any of these areas. They couldn't do it during the Lebanon war, they can't do it now from Gaza and if the West Bank was added to that, there is not much of Israel left that could not be hit from rocket fire, including Tel Aviv. A grim future for Israel, that is for sure.

Those are Israel's options. There are no other possible outcomes. At this point in time, the Palestinians want peace, a state, and a future or like in Gaza they will turn to the powers that seem to be working in that direction by using terror as a weapon. The time has come for Israel to make a decision. Any half-measures, lagging, wasting time, or indecision on the part of the Israeli's at this juncture, will ensure that option 2 is initiated. Time is of the essence for the Israeli's and while they sit and debate, while they chart a course of action, while they meet with country after country, the cock is ticking. The resolution is as clear as it has been for decades, and Israel has only muddied the waters by increasing settlers, settlements, constructing the wall, and annexing land. Had they abided by UN resolution and the International Court of Justice, like every respectable country in the world, they wouldn't have to make these hard choices. They made their own grave by violating International law, and now they are going to have to live with the dismantling of their poor decisions.

I only hope that the government of Israel will make the right choices for their own people, for their own benefit and for the benefit of stability of the region. There are hard decisions to be made, and they will have to be made. There will be no next time, no other chance, no time better than now. Whether Israel wants to admit it, whether they want to act on it, whether they wish to embrace it or not, this is Israel's last chance.

Israel the Victim - The Big Lie

It seems Israel has been playing the victim card for over 62 years now. Since the end of World War II and the reports of the Holocaust, Israeli's have been crying a river of tears, telling the world, how everyone hates them, everyone is anti-Semitic, everyone is out to get them and that nowhere in the world can a Jew be safe but in a state specifically made for Jews. Every report, every news story, every word from the mouthpieces that Israel uses to pour forth its message of "woe is me", is just another attempt to deflect attention from the truth.

I wrote in an opinion article a couple weeks ago, that the tide was changing in international perception regarding the occupation that is occurring in Palestine, and that Israel was risking the same isolation and persecution they experienced in Europe at the turn of last century. At that time, I clearly stated that Israel needs to wipe it's nose, wash it's hands and come clean about what has and is occurring in the West Bank and Gaza. As more and more people find out the truth of what is truly happening, larger and larger groups are boycotting, protesting, and speaking out against what is the most segregated, apartheid, discriminatory, abusive government since South Africa. The more the Israeli's whine about being the victim, the more the whole world sees that we are dealing with a gang of spoiled children, who have been able to cry wolf for over 60 years, regurgitate the story of the Holocaust and hope we all feel sorry for them and allow them free reign to commit human rights abuses, extra-judicial assassinations, abductions, strip searches of young girls, and other atrocities that should cause them to be considered a world pariah. They have played the victim card so well that it is even ILLEGAL to mention the Holocaust was a fraud in many countries in Europe. So much for democracy and free speech in Europe.

If it wasn't so sad, it would be funny listening to Ehud Ohlmert tell the world about the "atrocities" Hamas committed in Gaza. Let me remind Mr Ohlmert about Mohammad Sallah, who through pictures, documented his arrest, strip search, and gangland style execution on the streets, by Israeli soldiers shooting him in the back of the head while his hands were tied behind his back. Let me remind Mr Ohlmert of Du'a Abd al Qadr, a 13 year old Palestinian girl in the West Bank, who, while I was in Bethlehem in 2006, was used as target practice by an Israeli sniper because she was playing to close to the wall. Let me remind Mr Ohlmert that on September 29, 2000, Mohammed Al Dura, a little 12-year-old boy in Gaza was murdered by an Israeli sniper, and caught on video. Let me remind Mr Ohlmert of the 17 Palestinians killed during the Beit Hanoun massacre, where artillery shells were fired into residential areas, killing innocent children. Let me remind Mr Ohlmert of the family murdered on the beach in Gaza because it's warships were practicing their fire by targeting on children. Let me remind Mr Ohlmert of the almost 50 children under 14, held by Israeli's in prison and routinely tortured. Let us also remind Mr Ohlmert of an American girl, Rachel Corrie, who was murdered by an Israeli soldier in a bulldozer, in one of the most brutal and cowardly acts ever committed, by smashing her lifeless body into the ground and running back and forth over it. These truly are "atrocities" and Mr Ohlmert would do better to clean the garbage out of his own closet, before he tried to expose someone elses.

As I sit and listen to the ADL slam the Methodist church for recommending it's member divest from any businesses associated with the Israeli government, as I listen to AIPAC whine about the British education and labor boycotts against Israel, as I listen to the same old anti-Semitic, Jew hating, Nazi loving, Holocaust denying, name calling commonly used by Israel to prove that everyone in the world is out to get them, I am reminded of the ever-building boycott of South Africa that caused a change in that country. I often wonder if the South African whites had been able to play the Holocaust card, to play the victim card, would they also still be in power? It is working for Israel.

As the world continues to listen to the world's greatest victims, let us remember, we are talking about the 4^th largest nuclear power in the world that is backed up by the world's largest nuclear power. We are talking about one of only a few countries that have their own nuclear missile subs. We are talking about a country that receives more money from the US than the entire starving and aids stricken continent of Africa. We are talking about a country that has the best fighters, bombers, jets, stealth aircraft, the world's best and "smartest" bombs, the worlds best tanks, the world's best armed soldiers, the worlds best naval equipment and they are backed up by the worlds only hyper-power, utilizing US intelligence, satellites, expertise and training and we are supposed to feel obligated to support their murderous acts because a rocket, from Gaza fell in an empty field somewhere and blew up. We are supposed to believe that Israel with all its might, is threatened at all by the Palestinians who have no army, no resources, no military supplies, no tanks, no aircraft, and has no support from any of the world's most influential countries, the UN or even the backing of the majority of their Arab neighbors. Israel, with all it's might, is a "victim" to a bunch of starving people, 85% who live in poverty, 80% of all Palestinian children go to bed hungry every night, unemployment is above 60%, and they are fenced in, walled in, humiliated and forced to beg to be treated as human beings and not as animals. Who are the victims and who are the terrorists?

This truly is a world upside down. Where Jews who were deported, fenced in, and exterminated, will now deport, fence in and exterminate another peoples while the US supports the types of atrocities and destruction of a culture that caused them to support the creation of the Israeli state to protect the Jews. How do we justify the destruction of a civilization to support the ideology that we are protecting another culture? How do we justify the bombing and assassinations of innocent children, because at one time, innocent people were gassed? Israel has used its powerful lobbies in Washington, its control of American media, and the pity of the world, to become the worlds most out of control regime and to portray themselves as the world's biggest "victims"..

The time has come for the world to recognize the end of Israel's claim to being victims. The only thing Israel is a victim of is their own failure to recognize that they have become the evil that at one time tried to exterminate them. The IOF is no different from the Gestapo and the undercover Mossad agents and their extra-judicial assassinations are no different than Hitler's SS. If there every truly was a story of David and Goliath, this is it, except Israel is now Goliath and they are now the master and not the slave of a new Holocaust.

Two State Solution Not Dead

Like vultures over the dead carcass of the Palestinian state, all parties seem to be jostling for position, from the EU to the US to Israel to Hamas to Fatah, everyone seems to be staking out their territory both physically and politically. As soon as someone mentions an end to the two state solution, it seems that parties, including Saudi Arabia and the Arab League, are burying the coffin, throwing the dirt in, planting grass and putting up a headstone, before anyone has pronounced the patient dead.

Now that calm has somewhat descended upon the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and there appears to be two separate powers dictating policy in the occupied territories, the question should be, how will this affect peace, the humanitarian crisis that already exists, freedom of movement, and the ongoing Israeli abuses of power (abductions, extra-judicial assassinations, settlement expansions, home demolitions, etc…)

The Gaza strip was already in humanitarian crisis before the separation of power. With the ongoing embargo in place, Gaza was being slowly choked to death, and the humanitarian aid situation was in shambles (80% of all Palestinians in Gaza get humanitarian assistance). In addition to the threat of starving to death, lack of medications, limited health care, Palestinians, based on their religious or political affiliations in Gaza, now could also be singled out as the rule of law appears to be extra-judicial. However, Israel, the US, and the international community can not stand to allow malnutrition, starvation, and cholera to plague the tv screens as they tighten their grip on the Gaza Strip. Hamas or no Hamas, plans to cut off water, electricity, food and fuel just are not viable or permissible under international law. As the Israeli Foreign ministry stated, "Now is not the time for Israel to violate any international law or agreements in the Oslo accord." In addition, the opinion states "The ministry believes that any violation of an agreement by Israel would make it legitimate for Hamas not to recognize such deals, and would harm Israel's standing in the international community." (haaretz.com)

So therefore, other than the possibility of ongoing internal violence (which is virtually non-existent at this time), the situation in Gaza can not deteriorate any further, and now with Israel under pressure to abide by international accords, it may get better. However, any further deterioration would give the impression of causing pain and suffering at unacceptable levels, brought on, not by Hamas or Fatah, but by Israel and the US. Neither administration would be able to withstand the international pressure brought on by the pictures of additional hardships in the already devastated Gaza Strip. Even though right-wing Jewish fundamental radicals like Benjamin Netanyahu are calling for cutting all services, even he knows he is only providing lip service and pandering to his political base. (Let's remember, Netanyahu called for Israeli to slaughter and drive out the Palestinians during the Chinese uprising in Tiananmen Square, while the "world's attention was diverted.")

Unfortunately, the west fails to realize that Hamas can only be seen as being in a win-win situation. The embargo already exists and has existed for over a year. They can not take anything more away from them than they already have, and as previously stated, humanitarian assistance to stave off a disaster can not be withheld. The situation will not get better, but it, economically, won't get any worse. If Hamas stays in power in Gaza and continue to provide relatively effective leadership, they will be touted as surviving the onslaught brought on by pro-Israeli and pro-US forces, kept power, kept their beliefs and proven their leadership abilities. If they lose power, they will be viewed as those who stood up to the corruption of the existing government, brought about change (in reality, accountability will actually come from international monitoring of funds to the new government), stood up to the occupation without compromising their beliefs, stood up to Israel, stood up to the US, and at a later time, they will then re-emerge and be successful, if and when there are actually elections in Palestine again. In addition, MSNBC is reporting that the US is formulating a plan on how to effectively limit Hamas. Hamas can only hope that the US efforts to "limit" them are as effective as the US efforts to "limit" Al-Qaeda (but that's a different story).

However, the West Bank is a whole new story. Right now Mahmood Abbas is in a quite a different position than he has ever been in, a position that Yasser Arafat never had the opportunity to enjoy. With Israel, the US, EU and the Arab league slobbering over his new suit, he must feel like he is a kid in a candy shop with an unlimited credit card. In an attempt to "bolster" the new Palestinian government, the purse strings have been thrown open, the wish list is being written up, and like guilty parents trying to make up for beating their child, Ohlmert and Bush are heaping praise and love on Abbas and would look pretty ridiculous if they would now backtrack and not comply with virtually any legitimate, and some not legitimate, requests coming from their new found best friend.

Palestinian demands, based on the Oslo accords and the benchmark's timeline put forward by General Dayton, can no longer be ignored by Israel and the US, as they have now been called on their bluff and they have to put up or shut up. After over a year of courtship, hopes and promises, with Palestinian compliance to their demands, they now have to take a serious look at settlements, roadblocks, abductions, freedom of movement etc… Now we will see if Ohlmert and Bush have the guts and the cards to win this hand, or were they just bluffing, which will only empower Hamas?

While Gaza is unoccupied in Hamas power, the West Bank is occupied and crippled with Israeli interventions, settlements, roadblocks, abuses, beatings, etc… why would a Palestinian want to support the government of Abbas in an occupied West Bank? If Israel and the US have any desire to support the newly formed government of Abbas, they had better start planning on a change of course, a change of rhetoric, a change in action and they had better be implementing it quite rapidly. If they view this as their chance to prove they back the moderates and not the radicals, they had better make it appear that the association is beneficial to the Palestinians, or the people will not support the moderate government. And the Palestinian government of Abbas will need to make sure that the Palestinians in Gaza are taken care of as well, to prove he represents all Palestinians and add legitimacy to the government. How will the US and Israel handle Gaza, without undermining Abbas or empowering Hamas? There will have to be an immediate and significant change in the life of the average Palestinian in the West Bank and Gaza or the chance for any real Palestinian state, any real chance for peace in the occupied territories and any real chance for peace for the US and Israel, will just be another tick mark on the timeline of this conflict.

Abbas has done his homework and seems to be prepared with his wish list in order to be effective. Those demands include ease of access into and out of the occupied territories by Palestinians and internationals, the release of high recognition Palestinian prisoners including Marwan Barghouti, removal of road blocks, removal of checkpoints, release of funds, a road to connect the West Bank to Gaza to allow control of both territories by the new government, freeze of settlement building, freeze to settlement expansion, and numerous other requests to have an immediate effect on the daily life of the average Palestinian. Such demands have to be taken seriously by Israel and the US or risk alienating the moderate Palestinians, and if implemented would signal a new life for a two-state solution and a new way of life for the Palestinian people.

Statement by Dr Mona El Farra at UN Concerning Israeli Occupation of Palestine

I met Dr Mona El Farra and her daughter this weekend and she is the most kind, wonderful, feeling person I think I had ever met. I had the opportunity to spend some time both Saturday night and Sunday morning before the rally with her and after speaking with her for several hours, I commented to a friend that meeting with someone like her is spiritual. I en likened it to perhaps meeting someone like Ghandi or Dr Martin Luther King Jr. She had an aura of understanding and humanity that is unwitnessed here in the states. I truly felt like I had met someone who could have a profound impact on changing the world. I must say that reading this just tears my heart into pieces and reaffirms my dedication to fight until Palestine is free...houdini

SPECIAL MEETING TO MARK 40 YEARS OF OCCUPATION
BY ISRAEL OF THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORY,
INCLUDING EAST JERUSALEM

UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
7 June 2007




STATEMENT BY

DR. MONA EL FARRA
PROJECTS DIRECTOR
MIDDLE EAST CHILDREN'S ALLIANCE
GAZA

Red crescent Society For Gaza Strip

Your Excellency Mr. Paul Badji, Chairman of the Committee,
Distinguished guests and Excellencies,

It is my honour to be amongst you today, despite the gravity of the occasion being commemorated, on this 40th anniversary of the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

First, let me say that 2007 is the 40th anniversary of 59 years of the brutal occupation of the Palestinian people.

As we called for an end to apartheid in South Africa and the right of all people to live together and have equal rights, we must now, before it is too late, call for true justice for the Palestinians.

Today, we heard about the economic plight of the Palestinian people. We heard about Palestinians in Israeli prisons which number close to 8,000 men and women, including approximately 350 children under the age of 14, most of whom have been tortured.

How many UN resolutions must be passed by the UN? How many years of calling for 2 States before there is an understanding that Israel continues its aggression on the ground against women, children and men, the demolition of thousands of homes and the continued building of the apartheid wall?

Let us not just speak of the Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza. We must never forget those who live as second-class citizens inside Israel and most of all, those who were forced from their homes and lands in 1948.

Now is the time to call for a real peace, with justice for all the children in the region. This can only be accomplished by supporting the right of return of all Palestinians.

Now is the time to acknowledge that the two-State solution is not the answer.

From Gaza I came, where the children of my country have no safe homes, no safe streets, no proper and adequate health facilities, no proper food, clean water, or regular electrical power, no recreational activities and no good education. The list of deprivation of their basic needs is too long to count.

I lived this occupation as a child, and am still living it as an adult. I can see it in the eyes of my daughter when she is afraid, tired, restless and exhausted because of the unsafe and unpredictable quality of life in Gaza under occupation. I saw it as soon as we crossed the borders on our way to Egypt, where she sensed something new and different: freedom, safety and space. Gaza is like a big, unsafe prison. And it is a very small place for 1.4 million people, half of whom are children.

I face the occupation every day during my work when hundreds of Palestinian patients are denied permits and accessibility to proper medical treatment, outside Gaza. There are a few lucky patients who get a referral and permit for treatment outside Gaza. The majority, however, have to wait and wait. Many die while waiting.

What is more heart-breaking than children who do not have adequate food and a healthy atmosphere to grow up to be well rounded adults? According to the Health Work Committees Organization, 42 per cent of children in Gaza under the age of 5 suffer from iron deficiency anemia and 45 per cent suffer from some form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, due to the experiences that they are subjected to as a result of the non-stop military actions of the Israeli Occupation Forces, which almost always affect civilians in one way or another.

I will never forget the story of a woman in labor, who had to wait several hours at a checkpoint last November, during one of many Israeli military operations in the north of Gaza. Eventually she arrived at the Al Awda hospital in Jabalia refugee camp where she gave birth to her baby. When she left the hospital with the baby to go to home in the village of Beit Hanoun, there was no home; her home had been demolished by the Israeli occupying army. There are many cases and many stories, but I believe it is not the numbers that really matter, even one incident such as the above is one enough human rights violation.

I remember a 4-year old child in the same village who was forced to stay in one room with all members of his family for 48 hours while the Israeli Army commandeered their home. The child was thirsty and the soldier was there with his bottle of water, the occupied and the occupier in the same space. The soldier offered water to the thirsty child. The child said "no, no, no". The child's natural reaction was a combination of fear of what the soldier represents and the steadfastness in the face of the occupation. This is what characterizes the Palestinian people: steadfastness and resistance in the face of all adversity; even small children can express it with their natural reactions more than any words or speeches. The soldier on the other hand is a human being that has been forced by the Israeli occupation machine to lose his humanity.

Whenever I think of Palestinian children and their lives under occupation, I always think of the Israeli children. As adults, we have a commitment to both sets of children to provide a safe environment for them to live peacefully. It is not the occupation or the wall or the ongoing aggression against my people that will bring safety or security for Israeli children, only peace that is based on justice will do so. Justice means that the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people must be considered. Israel must recognize its moral responsibility towards the Palestinian refugees.

While Israel is physically outside Gaza, it still completely controls our lives, all aspects of our lives: health, education, economy and freedom of movement.

Life under occupation is degrading to human dignity. It has deprived us of our freedom, and only free people can make peace. It is most peculiar that we are forced to deal with the patterns of life under occupation as normal, well-established facts and when people lost hope and faith in the world or any future chances for change, and when the world turns its head away.

On the 40th anniversary of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, it is fitting to call once again on the international community to put pressure on Israel to fulfil its obligations by abiding by the UN resolutions related to Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Israeli occupation should be ended now and the right of return must not be forgotten.

Thank you.

***


--
with love and solidarity
Mona ElFarra

when you hate to see inflicted injustice on any human being worldwide ,
you are my comrade
Che Guevarra

nvasion of Iran Could Signal Problems for Israel.

It may seem odd, and counter intuitive to logic, to be making the assumption that an American invasion of Iran could provide costly for the Israeli government. On the surface it would appear that any threat to Israel would be military and would involve Iran launching a nuclear weapon. However, an insight into history has shown that, on more than one occasion, military action has had unforeseen consequences, and the anticipated attack is not the real threat. Political strategists have made grave errors when attempting to use troops to promote their personal ideologies. (e.g. Nazi Germany)

We are presently at a time in US history where the president is suffering from increasingly low approval ratings at the polls, but far worse, he is suffering from an increasingly low approval rating from his own party. This is a result of our President's desire to militarily force democracy on the world, however, we have seen from Venezuela to Chile to Nicaragua to other nations in this world, who have decided to vote for and elect candidates who are anti-American. It is clear that spreading democracy on the end of a Maverick missile is not exactly what the world had in mind when the Iron Curtain fell. We had an opportunity to lead the world by example and we have chosen to lead by force. Like grains of sand, the tighter you grip them, the more sand falls through your fingers. Just as Israel failed to learn that destroying oppression shouldn't make you the world's biggest oppressor, our government has failed to realize that attaining freedom shouldn't make you the world's biggest threat to freedom. When the Iron Curtain fell, it reformed as a new Wall of oppression, an American wall of hatred, shame, bias and bigotry.

As Americans begin to wake up about the actual purpose of the Invasions of Iraq, Afghanistan, the threat to Iran, and the other problems of the Middle East, it is becoming clearer to most Americans that it is a direct result of America's intention to protect Israel, not to protect the security of American citizens. At a time when Americans are pointing fingers at each other as to who is responsible for the disaster in Iraq, the President is steaming ships, making plans, and stocking up weapons to invade Iran. With a very bad taste about war in American's mouths, they are not eager to be fed one more spoonful of BS about spreading democracy, countries with WMD's, American ideals, and reasons why, America needs to come to the aid of Israel, the 4th largest nuclear power in the world and invade Iran. People are realizing the nuclear threat of Iran is another one of the WMD stories we have been fed over and over again and quite frankly we are looking for a scapegoat for all this mess.

This is where the Israeli's come in.

While more and more dead Americans come back from Iraq, and the thought of transferring an already depleted military force to Iran to support an invasion, Americans will start to look for those scapegoats to blame for all the dead bodies. It is becoming clearer and clearer that Americans are identifying that scapegoat as one of the most powerful countries in the world that has bought and paid for, through lobbies, the lives of our children. That country is Israel.

Israel is already in violation of over 100 binding and non-binding UN resolutions and tops every country in the world as the number one nation in the world that defies international law with that number, including Iraq, Iran and North Korea put together. The American wall of hate and shame ignores and protects the country that has created the largest refugee population in the world, the biggest violator of human rights, and the most abusive and aggressive country since Nazi Germany and we are willing to attack anyone that even thinks about threatening them. While we decry Iran's attempt to develop nuclear power, we voluntarily gave the technology to create nuclear bombs to Israel. While we decry the proliferation of nuclear weapons, we are giving the technology to people who claim to be our friends.

Americans are growing weary and tired of war and occupation. And actually, Iraq is a blessing in disguise for Americans. With our invasions of Grenada, Panama, the first Gulf War, Afghanistan and initially in Iraq, we achieved a false confidence, a mistaken delusion that our military power, the largest in the world, could solve any problems with force. Just as after Vietnam we learned that diplomacy, morality, and leading by example, are far more important than military force, we are at the verge of a major revelation, as history repeats itself. The next President will have to deal with the shambles of foreign policy left behind by this President and as it becomes more apparent that Americans are dying to protect Israel, the backlash could be tremendous. The next president will have to distance themselves from this administrations supporters, mainly the Zionist lobbies of Israel.

Just as historically, a minority is saddled with the blame for failures of governmental decisions and policies, such is the future of Israel, their Zionist lobbies and Jews all over the world. For many of the previously listed reasons, Americans will start to point the finger at the Israeli's and a change in position could prove to be disastrous for the Israeli's. Americans have a way of swinging from side to side on issues and rarely find a middle ground, and as we have been friends with and supporters of Manuel Noriega, Osama Bin Ladin, the Taliban, Charles Taylor and Saddam Hussein to name a few, they are now far from the list of our closest allies. If I was in the Israeli government or I was a supporter of Israel, I would take a look at the history of these types of associations and start to make a change in Israeli policy that will keep them from becoming the next flip flop in American history.

Not only does Israel have to fear a switch in policy and lack of support from Americans, they also have to fear the loss of the over 7 billion dollars they receive annually from the US, as well as the other military "perks" they receive. Such a loss of dollars to support their military would set the stage for a financial collapse of their system, much like the financial collapse of the Soviet Union after not being able to afford their arms race. Occupation would then become a case of whether or not they could afford it. Their aggressive stance against their neighbors would become a decision of dollars, not ideology. Nothing will create peace faster than if both sides can't afford to buy weapons.

So financially, politically, morally, and with justice and freedom in mind, to avoid a backlash from a newly educated American public, Israeli policy makers should be considering that the way to avoid the historically based, inevitable future, a change in tactics concerning their neighbors should be promptly forthcoming. A fair and just solution to the Palestinian situation could be had in a short period of time, if Israel makes a decision that its survival is more important than the land they have occupied and settled in the West Bank. The time has come for a change in American policy towards Israel that will create new policies in their government, and open a new future for peace in the Middle East, where Jews, Christians and Muslims have historically lived side by side in peace for thousands of years. Israeli's may be at a crossroads where they can throw off their historical oppression and oppressiveness and become an important part of and share in the leadership of a new world. Or they can stay on their present path and choose to relive the hatred and animosity towards Jews that existed in Europe during the first part of the 20th century.

I don't dislike Zionists because they are Jews, I dislike them because they act like assholes. I am not anti-Semitic, I am simply anti-asshole.

40th Anniversary of the 1967 War

I woke up this morning, much like every other morning, dragged myself out of bed and flung myself at the shower. The sky in Baltimore was blue, light clouds, nice, cool, clear, crisp morning. I knew as soon as I opened my eyes what day it was. It was Tuesday, June 5th, 2007. Today marks the 40th anniversary of the 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict. Funny, we call it the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict, because of the major players of that war, Egypt and Jordan have kissed and made up with Israel, and Syria and Israel have been making overtures at each other, both war and peace, like a high school boy and girl in love. Unfortunately, like some of these high school relationships, everyone seems to forget about the bastard child, born of such trysts. Such is the case of the Palestinians.

Like the unwanted step-child of the Arab community, the Palestinians have had to go it alone for much of these 40 years. Much like the American Indian, they are refugees in their own land, fenced in, herded, isolated, abused, used as target practice while their lands are stolen and their resources plundered. Their Palestinian ID card is much the same as a number tattooed on the arm of Auschwitz survivor. Like a star worn on the lapels of Jews in Nazi Germany, this card designates them as second class citizens, restricted in movement, denied work permits and submitted to physical and psychological abuse by Israelis under the protection of the Israeli army. While the Auschwitz prisoners were massacred in groups, the Palestinians are left to starve to death, slowly, while they watch their homes, their livelihoods, their country stolen, and their family members beaten, abducted, incarcerated and murdered.

As I was writing, I started to point fingers at everyone as to why this conflict has gone on so long without resolution. Israel, the US, complicit Arab Governments, apathy, propaganda, Zionist lobbying groups and their political action committees. There certainly seems to be a lot of blame going around. But, in reality, the blame lies with each and every one of us.

I figure there are 300 million Americans in the US. Just 1%, 3 million people, would make a great impression on the world on June 10th at the protest rally in DC. But, even though, that is equal to the number of Muslims in America, that number won't show. So how about one-tenth of one percent, that is 300,000 people. Certainly enough peace lovers, Muslims, Christians, Jews, all religions that embrace peace, freedom and justice should make a showing. But no, 300,000 people wont show. How about one-one hundredth of the population, 30,000 people. You would think that at least one out of ten-thousand people would know enough about the truth to make it worth their while to come out and protest. But, probably we wont get that number either. People will want to spend Sunday with their families, cook out, go to a baseball game, go to the park, why should they care about people half a world away that they only get twisted news on anyway.

So why should people care about the Palestinians and their plight? I have often said that more people in America believe that Elvis is flying around in a UFO than are aware of the truth of Palestine. But that is on us. We need to talk about Palestine at our schools, churches, synagogues, mosques, and amongst our friends. We can not be afraid of being ridiculed for our beliefs or threatened by people who claim we are supporting terrorists. Supporting freedom, justice and liberty have never been things that Americans have shied away from advocating for. Is being called an Arab-lover, a Palestinian-lover, a Muslim-lover any different from when I was called a wimp for defending women's rights, or a faggot for supporting gay rights, or a nigger-lover for defending black rights,. Anything worth fighting for is worth getting a black eye over, physically, emotionally or psychologically.

Who amongst us will be the next Rosa Parks and refuse to budge on their position regarding Palestine, and not give up their beliefs? Who amongst us will be the next Emmett Till, willing to walk into hell for a heavenly cause, and give his life? Who amongst us will be the next Martin Luther King Jr, who will risk ongoing incarceration by not denying the truth? Who amongst us will be the next Rachel Corrie who will stand up to the bulldozing of those who refuse to listen? Who amongst us will stand up, in front of our friends, neighbors, religious acquaintances and say, enough is enough and draw attention to the plight of the Palestinian people. What will you do today to let Americans know that Elvis is dead, but there are an awful lot of young children on the verge of death, and even though we can't do a thing for Elvis, we certainly can do something to save the lives of these children by just making people aware that there are children who are dying, because of the policies they support. One of my favorite quotes is simply, "this is not a matter of Pro-Israel or Pro-Palestinian, it is about our American values and what do those values say about us as Americans. One step, just one step by the American people to ease the suffering and humiliation of the Palestinians and grant them the rights that any human being should expect and deserve, would do more to fight terror than all of George W Bush's wiretaps, invasions and lies."

I have been passing out olive wood peace doves today at work I got from artisans in Bethlehem and they carry the phrase, made in Bethlehem, Palestine. I will be standing along side the road this evening at stop lights handing them out as well, simply stating, "Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Arab/Israeli conflict. This peace dove, made in Palestine, is a symbol of peace and understanding amongst all people of the world. Please support a fair and just peace in Palestine."

We don't have to save the world today, just let people know to open their eyes, and they can see the truth for themselves.

Educational TV, the Discovery of Propaganda

As the pressure on Israel continues to ratchet up around the world, the Zionist organizations and backers are finding new ways to brainwash Americans into "their" way of thinking. I slowly but surely started to see a different approach to programming on the Discovery based television channels about a year ago. However, as time as passed by, my suspicions have been turned to nothing but fact. The Discovery Network of channels (TLC, History, History International, Science channel etc…) ownership consists of four shareholders: Discovery Holding Company (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB), Cox Communications, Inc., Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, the Company's Founder and Chairman. After News Corps purchase of Photobucket yesterday, whom they were having difficulties with, it seems apparent that those organizations that can't be bought off, can be bought. It looks like Discovery Communications was one that was bought off.

I guess the first things I started noticing were the episodes of the Naked Archeologist. In reality the show should be called the Bare-faced Liar. In virtually every episode, he tramples historical, archeological and anthropological fact, in an attempt to distort everything to fit "Jewish" history. He even went as far as to prove to the world that he had found the grave of Jesus (pbuh), whom Christians believe was resurrected and therefore no body COULD exist. Now, you tell me, based on history, if someone found a ossuary labeled Jesus, son of Joseph, in the early 1970's, don't you think it would have attracted someone's attention. It took, the Bare-faced Liar, 30 years to find this ossuary and miraculously he now has now proven that Christianity is a farce religion (and you thought they only hated Muslims). In one episode he went as far as to harass and torment an archeologist by saying why are you archeologists so afraid of admitting that the bible is absolute truth." And the Israeli archeologist simply replied, that is because we deal with facts.

Discovery has not even missed the opportunity to influence the DIY audience as well. I thought I had seen it all when I saw an advertisement for their show, "Shalom in the Home". I must say, I haven't the stomach to sit and watch it, but I can only imagine what type of money puts a show on the air that less than 1% of people would watch, and yet it has not yet been canceled. Any other show with a target audience of less than 1% would never make it to air, much less stay on.

In addition, I started noticing, when Iraq war bills were up for a vote in congress, or when the President wanted to apply a new "strategy" in Iraq, all these documentaries on how bad Iraq was started showing up, "The Ace in the Hole" about the "brave" capture of Saddam Hussein, or "War Detectives" where they find a couple hundred bodies buried in the sand and claimed it was a war crime massacre (the world would be lucky if the US only left a couple hundred dead bodies behind, instead we have left a couple hundred thousand). Then we got to watch the "Raid on Baghdad" showing the soldiers, fighting those horrible terrorists who are shouting "Allahu Akbar" and doing something crazy, like praising God and defending their homes. Hey, I thought those were American values. This list goes on and on.

However, I think the thing that caught my attention most was the show on Iran last night entitled "Iran, the next Iraq?". I thought, ok, well, maybe they will compare the mistakes in Iraq to the same ones that will happen in Iran. I couldn't have been any further from the truth. I think the first couple minutes and the last couple minutes of the show kind of sum it up. In the beginning, a so-called "expert" made the comment – "you know, Iran, Hezbollah, the Palestinians, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Al Qaeda, they are all one group." Of course, those who are educated know just how stupid that statement is, however, your average teenager, young adult, or any other gullible person, would just assume that is fact. After all, it is educational TV. At the end of the show, the narrator made the comment that Iran, through it's surrogate, Hezbollah, FORCED Israel into a war in the summer of 2006. You know, if it wasn't so tragic, that now you have to block the educational channels for fear your child will be brainwashed, it would be funny. But it is not.

This is how the machine works. This is how the propaganda ministers spew forth their garbage. This is how they infiltrate our schools, our systems, our government, and we are brainwashed into believing that if someone repeats something over and over, then it is the truth. Zionists learned very well from their Nazi captors, as they have created, in their own country, a system of Nazi youth, brainwashed from birth and forced to serve in the military. They are now exporting their brand of "education" to encompass American children, to believe that fighting and dying in Afghanistan, Iraq or Iran is for the benefit of Israel is somehow to their benefit. Nothing could be further from the truth. Israel has led us down a path of foreign policy disaster. Who do you think taught us checkpoints, targeted assassinations, extraordinary rendition, torture, and illegal incarceration. All these items were tried and tested by American troops trained in Israel, while abusing Palestinians. This taught them how to murder, rape and torture Afghans and Iraqis. And what have we gotten for our efforts, the same occupation, hatred, anger, terrorism, and dead soldiers that the Israeli's have had for forty years.

I am not advocating a ban of the Discovery channel as I have watched some great documentaries on Eastern philosophy, machines of the ancient world and other great show (I love The Deadliest Catch), however, I would definitely keep an open mind about what you are watching and make sure, like regular TV, you keep an eye on what your children are exposed to on the Discovery Communications networks.

We lost the War on Terror before our Troops left US soil.

I think it is important to take a good look behind us so we can get a clear picture of where we, as a country, need to go (and I don't mean in a hand basket). I am a person who is very fond of using analogies to get my point across, and sometimes, I think it makes it easier for some people to understand. I know in my own mind, if I can visualize something, it makes it more real. So this is how I see it…

On September 11th, 2001, Osama Bin Laden walked up to George W. Bush and slammed him in his twin towers and gave him a black eye. Maybe it was Osama, maybe it was the Zionist movement looking for empathy, and perhaps it was our own corrupt government setting the stage to line their own pockets by supporting the corporate military which is banking on the war on terror. Let's face it, those in power, those in large corporations, those in the Defense industry, those in the oil industry have made a killing (no pun intended) by massacring innocent women and children in Afghanistan and Iraq, and by allowing Israel to massacre innocent women and children in Lebanon and Palestine.

However, any way you look at it, whoever is responsible, W got a black eye.

So what does he do? Does he track down Osama Bin Laden (or any other guilty party)? Did he bring him to trial? (I mean, to me, it sounds like OJ at the trial saying he was going to track down Nicole and Ronald's murderer. How far did that go, about as far as George chasing Osama). No, what did he do? What he did was surrender to Osama Bin Laden. What? You say. Surrender? Yes, that is exactly what he did. Our government claims Osama Bin Laden struck the towers as a result of the desecration of holy soil by American soldiers in Saudi Arabia. So, did he stand up to Osama and say, your attack doesn't scare me, my troops are going nowhere!!! We are staying in Saudi Arabia and nothing you can do will change that. No, he signed an executive order to close all American military bases in Saudi Arabia. WHOAAAAAA!!!! Let me get this straight. Osama scared W so bad that not only did he not find him, kill him, punish him, or bring him to trial, he actually abided by what Osama told him he had to do. WOW.

Not only that, but who has become the prisoners of the "New America" since September 11th. The American People!!! Not Osama, nor any of his close companions, but you and me. Remember when we used to have rights? Remember when you could write a blog and have as many people read it as wanted, without having to register with the government if it is over 500 people. Remember when we used to be able to talk on a telephone without fear that the Homeland Storm Troopers would break down our front doors and fabricate some reason as to why we are threats to society. We are threats all right; we are a threat to the ability of our government to keep the masses in line without people speaking the truth. We have become prisoners in our own land, while Osama is sitting in a cushy house in Pakistan, having lunch with the ISI, laughing his ass off at what a stooge George W Bush is, chuckling all the way to the bank.

So, anyway, back to my analogy, here is little Georgie walking around the neighborhood with his black eye. So does he go to face the person who actually blackened his eye? Hell no, what does he do, he goes up and down the neighborhood and beats up everybody who is smaller than he is, picks his own little group of special friends and allows them to go around the neighborhood and beat up everybody smaller than them also and provides the muscle to make it happen.

So in my little analogy, how does beating up every little kid in the neighborhood fight back against the person who gave him a black eye? It doesn't, as a matter of fact, if you look at it like this, which is exactly what the US did, then it seems to be a symptom of someone who is suffering from a paranoid schizophrenia and displaced aggression. It is almost like W is sitting in a dark house and saying, "those terrorists, there all outside there, and they are all out to get me and if I don't kill them, then they will kill me. No one can leave the house, you can't talk to anyone on the phone, no one can come in without special permission and don't stand near a window. C'mon guys, you're either in this delusion with me or you are against me, and if you are against me, then you will get a black eye or worse. I better build a big wall." I have only one word to say, crazy.

So before one of our troops flew off to fight in a made up war on terror, we had bowed down to the demands of Osama Bin Laden, we have imprisoned our own people, we have set up "secret" torture prisons in foreign countries to feed our paranoia, and we have allowed a type of suffering to occur in this world that we have not seen since Pol Pot and Adolph Hitler. We have made the world our own personal killing field, and we have justified it under the paranoid notion that if we don't get them first, they will get us. Could you imagine living your life that way? Yet we allow our country to be run by the same paranoid schizophrenia, using the same mentality, that when applied to the average person, would constitute a stay in a rubber room with a very tight jacket on.

The sad part is, most Americans still live in the delusion that there is actually a "war on terror". There is no war on terror, we surrendered to the terrorists a long time ago, right now all we are doing, is going around the world and beating up those we can't threaten into compliance and trying to make ourselves feel better by killing more people of theirs, than they kill of ours. Is this the freedom, democracy, the light of justice shining down on those we have occupied? I think if we look at where we have been, what we have done while we were there, and what we, as a country have become, we should start going around the world and kissing people's asses and begging forgiveness for being exactly what we as Americans profess not to be.

Just think, what we could be, if we could only see what we've become. (The Sound of Reason).

Recognize Palestine-Renounce violence-Abide by agreements

More and more International Institutions and nations, from the UN, to the EU, to South Africa, are beginning to weigh in on the humanitarian and economic crisis caused by the Israeli occupation. Today, according to the BBC, the World Bank has weighed in on the economic and humanitarian crisis in the West Bank and Gaza. All the organizations and nations have clearly shown that restricting movement in the West Bank has nothing to do with Israel and it's security and that violence against Palestinians is at an all time high. At a time when Israel is experiencing its lowest death and injury rates as a result of attacks by Palestinian militants, the Israeli government continues to ratchet up the offensive by killing, injuring, abducting, blocking transport and extra-judicially assassinating Palestinians. Israel has even refused an American initiative to put timelines on those items agreed upon by both the Palestinians and the Israelis as part of the road map to peace. Since Israel has no intention of abiding by their previous agreements, they continue to stall and thwart any progress towards a solution, whether it be the roadmap to peace, the Arab peace initiative or the American timeline.

A closer look at the recognition of the Palestinian authority, in which Hamas is in control of the majority of the cabinet and seats in Parliament, hinge on 3 things, recognize Israel, renounce violence and abide by existing agreements. However, there seems to be a huge disconnect between applying these criteria to BOTH Israel and the Palestinians. Lets see how this plays out.

Recognize Israel

Where is Israel? Palestinian cabinet minister Mustafa Barghouti asked this question last week and I never really figured it out. Where is Israel? No, seriously. If we take a close look at this, the internationally recognized border for Israel is the 1948 borders laid out by the UN and Britain. However, a closer look at that UN resolution stipulates that in order for it to take effect, the Israelis must allow the indigenous people (Palestinians) to keep their land, and be absorbed as citizens into the new state. Israel did not comply with this part of the agreement, so do the '48 borders apply? Or are they allowed to pick and choose which parts of international agreements they are to abide by.

Most people recognize Israel today at the 1967 green line. However, Israel is not within the 1967 borders and are occupying the West Bank, the Golan Heights and Gaza at their convenience. Once again, Israel does not recognize the 1967 borders as their borders and David Ben Gurion said that Israel need to set its sites for a broader Israel from "the Nile to the Euphrates." Does this mean that Israel is now from the middle of Egypt, through Jordan and part of Iraq. Quite frankly, I dont know where Israel is. Israelis dont know where Israel is. If you talk to 5 different Israelis they will give you different answers for what is Israel. Eretz Israel, Eretz Israel to the Jordan River, Eretz Israel to the Euphrates, from the Nile to the Euphrates, 1948 borders, 1967 borders. AAAAAAHHHHHHHH WHERE IS ISRAEL!!!!! I will be glad to recognize Israel as soon as I recognize where Atlantis is. It is a nice concept, but we need some concrete map coordinates.

Recognize Palestine

Israel has never recognized the existance of a Palestinian state. Israel still considers Gaza, the Golan Heights and the West Bank as part of an Israeli state that is being occupied by Palestinians. Even though several prime ministers have paid lip service to a two state solution, and have even agreed to it in previous agreements, the government of Israel or the United States has never issued an official statement recognizing the right of the Palestinians to exist in Palestine and the existance of a Palestinian state.

Renounce violence
Israel has used, and continues to use, violence to support land theft, extra-judicial assassinations, home demolition, abductions, and just regular beatings of Palestinians and internationals in Palestine, in particularly in Hebron, and other areas occupied by soldiers defending settlers. Settlers have committed such acts of violence against Palestinians that there are international programs, such as the Tul Rumeida project which places internationals between settlers, their violence, and Palestinian children trying to get to school. In addition, several groups (including Israeli activists and peace groups who are constantly under death threats) provide safety for Palestinians who need to work their fields and are under constant threat from settlers and the army who backs up their violent acts. Approximately 7,000 settlers backed by 2,000 Israeli army troops control 150,000 Palestinians in Hebron. 7,000 people control 85% of the land and water resources and 150,000 Palestinians are given 15% of their own resources. This apartheid system is allowed to flourish as a result of the tanks, bulldozers and guns that back the army that provide the violence that controls the Palestinians and given credence by the lack of courage and backbone by the "Western World".

Abide by existing agreements(see where is Israel above.)

As part of the roadmap to peace, Israel has agreed to return to the 67 borders, however, Ohlmert in a speech last week, in response to the American initiative, stated that Israel will never leave all the settlements in the West Bank, as reported in Haaretz. In addition, the roadmap calls on Israel to provide contiguous access between the West Bank and Gaza, which they agreed to, but they still refuse to do. It also calls on Israel to stop settlement expansion in the West Bank, which they agreed to, and I was personally witness to the cranes building new buildings and bulldozers clearing more land. The increase in settlers and settlement activity continues to climb, as we continue to turn a blind eye. It calls for the opening of borders to Palestinians and internationals who wish to enter the Palestinian territories governed by International peace keepers, the Rafah border is typically closed 50% of the time according to PCHR (Palestinian Commision on Human Rights). The Israelis agreed to removal of the majority of West Bank checkpoint and roadblocks, which as we know still exists. On and on and on. Every committment that Israel has made as part of the roadmap to peace, they have not abided by, but yet, do we withhold money to Israel, no, we give more money to Israel than we give to the entire continent of Africa. Think about it. While Israeli fatcats are getting rich on American tax dollars, 2.5 million people in Darfur have become refugees and are starving. (0f course, conservative estimates put Palestinian refugees at over 6 million, making them the largest refugee population in the world).

Israel, in conjuction with its allies in the US, have launched a very successful smear campaign against the Palestinians, and made it look as though the Israelis are the victim. This charade is supported by those politicians who are bought and paid for by the Israeli lobby as well as the Zionist controlled media. Just as the American government was successful at lying to the American public about what was really happening in Afghanistan and Iraq, the average Israeli is immune to the fact that the only news he sees from the West Bank, is censored by the military. At least, we have some honest media outlets in the West that when the truth was out, even the main stream media, (except for the idiots at FOX) recognize that they will lose all credibility if they dont start reporting what everybody already knows. At some point in time, the truth about Israel will become so obvious, that their own news will start to look like the cheap propaganda films put out by the US during WWII.

As a pure matter of fact, Israeli military forces backed by the worlds only hyper-power, is killing, maiming, injuring, assassinating and abducting hundreds of Palesitnians monthly, while Palestinian militants fire rockets at fields and blow up blades of grass.

Israel and the United States has lost all moral authority on these demands and should at this point, either come to terms with the reality, or they, like George W Bush and his invasion of Iraq, come up with some new lies to justify their actions.

(as a side note) I will say at this point, I dont understand the Palestinian militants that fire rockets at Sderot. If they were hitting legitimate military targets, then I would say it is a good idea, but they are trying to kill Israeli civilians. Of course, you could argue that since every Israeli serves in the military and are part of the reserve that all Israelis are legitimate targets. I say to that, the Israeli children that may die as a result of those rocket attacks are no different than Palestinian children who die at the end of an Israeli tank, artillery shell or rifle, no difference. A little secret about rockets. Rockets do not have a guidance system, missiles do. Palestinian rockets are not guaranteed to hit anything, Israeli missiles and artillery are targeted and when they want to kill Palestinians, they can. PALESTINIAN ROCKET LAUNCHES THAT MOW DOWN THE GRASS IN SOME FIELD IN SDEROT, ONLY KILLS PALESTINIAN CHILDREN, THINK ABOUT IT!!! Those individuals who fire rockets are not concerned about independence, the lives of their families, the fate of Palestine, they are simply using it as a method to gain prestige amongst the Palestinian people and the Palestinian people should begin to shun and rebuke those individuals who are using the cause to their own personal benefit. Firing rockets is not resistance, unless you hit a legitimate target, otherwise, it is an act of cowardice under the guise of Jihad, when in reality, had they used the time, effort and money invested in the equipment, time and transport, to help those less fortunate, they would really make a difference.

Arab Leaders Urge Peace, Israel Refuses

Israel has blatantly refused the 5 year old Arab/Isareli peace offer made to them, even though it is "highly endorsed" by the US. Israel, also, has refused to accept the new Palestinian government, even though countries like Norway have already reopened ties and the flow of funds. It is clear, even to the untrained eye, that Israel will continue to refuse every peace deal, until it controls the entire West Bank and Gaza Strip and will declare that there is no more Palestine and no more Palestinians, in which case, there is no need for a deal. Israel will NEVER accept right of return, because it will immediately compromise their majority in the population and place their electoral process squarely in the hands of ALL the people it should be representing, in accordance with a democratic government. Israel was warned by the UN, through dozens of resolutions, while it was deporting Palestinians, that it was a violation of international law and that eventually the Israeli's would have to allow the Palestinians to return. After ignoring the UN for so long, the UN passed a resolution demanding the right of return.

At this point in time Israel simply has only two choices.

Two seperate states, in accordance to the Arab peace plan, in which Israel abides by the 80 or so UN resolutions that it has ignored.

or

A one state solution where, quoting Nelson Mandela, "One man, One vote." (of course, women too). If they continue to refuse one man, one vote, then they are showing the world that they are not a democracy but an Apartheid theocracy. In which case, the citizens of the United States will clearly get a true picture of the country they are supporting. Absolutely no difference between Apartheid South Africa and Apartheid Israel. Just like Apartheid South Africa, they need to be isolated and sanctioned until they abide by international law.

Israel has only these two choices, either recognize Palestine under the internationally backed 1967 green line and allow the right of return, or lose Israel at the ballot box.

Now you see why it is so important for Israel to commit genocide on the Palestinian peoples.

Check out these quotes from the mouths of Israel's leaders, some you might recognize.

(Quotes from http://www.al-awda.org/quotes.html)

"When we have settled the land, all the Arabs will be able to do about it will be to scurry around like drugged cockroaches in a bottle." Raphael Eitan, Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defence Forces, New York Times, 14 April 1983.

"How can we return the occupied territories? There is nobody to return them to."Golda Meir, March 8, 1969.

"There was no such thing as Palestinians, they never existed." Golda Maier Israeli Prime Minister June 15, 1969.

"Between ourselves it must be clear that there is no room for both peoples together in this country. We shall not achieve our goal if the Arabs are in this small country. There is no other way than to transfer the Arabs from here to neighboring countries - all of them. Not one village, not one tribe should be left." Joseph Weitz, head of the Jewish Agency's Colonization Department in 1940. From "A Solution to the Refugee Problem" Joseph Weitz, Davar, September 29, 1967, cited in Uri Davis and Norton Mevinsky, eds., Documents from Israel, 1967-1973, p.21.

"...if people become accustomed to the large figure and we are actually obliged to accept the return of the refugees, we may find it difficult, when faced with hordes of claimants, to convince the world that not all of these formerly lived in Israeli territory. It would, in any event, seem desirable to minimize the numbers...than otherwise." Israeli official Arthur Lourie

Ben Gurion also warned in 1948 "We must do everything to insure they (the Palestinians) never do return." Assuring his fellow Zionists that Palestinians will never come back to their homes, "The old will die and the young will forget."

Also Ben Gurion stated " The present map of Palestine was drawn by the British mandate. The Jewish people have another map which our youth and adults should strive to fulfill -- From the Nile to the Euphrates."

Aba Eban (the Israeli Foreign Minister) stated arrogantly: " If the General Assembly were to vote by 121 votes to 1 in favor of "Israel" returning to the armistice lines-- (pre June 1967 borders) Israel would refuse to comply with the decision." New York Times June 19, 1967.

Allon repeated his question, 'What is to be done with the Palestinian population; Ben-Gurion waved his hand in a gesture which said 'Drive them out!'?

"We have to kill all the Palestinians unless they are resigned to live here as slaves." Chairman Heilbrun of the Committee for the Re-election of General Shlomo Lahat, the mayor of Tel Aviv, October 1983.

"Israel should have exploited the repression of the demonstrations in China, when world attention focused on that country, to carry out mass expulsions among the Arabs of the territories." Benyamin Netanyahu, then Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister, former Prime Minister of Israel, tells students at Bar Ilan University, From the Israeli journal Hotam, November 24, 1989.

"The past leaders of our movement left us a clear message to keep Eretz Israel from the Sea to the River Jordan for future generations, for the mass aliya (=Jewish immigration), and for the Jewish people, all of whom will be gathered into this country." Former Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir.

Yitzhak Shamir, his dirty little terrorist soul, was absolutely correct in saying that the past leaders have left a clear message, from Eretz Israel to the Jordan River, and anyone who believes that Israel will ever settle for less are decieving themselves. In fact, most Israelis believe in the quote from David Ben-Gurion is more accurate. "The Jewish people have another map which our youth and adults should strive to fulfill -- From the Nile to the Euphrates." Israel has had and continues to have desires for far more land than the country of Palestine. Of course, the United States, in their global ignorance, is providing the instability in the region to not only aid Israel in its quest to steal more land, but to create a diversion from the real problem, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Huwara Checkpoint Outside Nablus

Hawara Checkpoint Outside Nablus

It didn't take long for the cab to get me from the Faraa Refugee Camp to the Hawara checkpoint. I knew that even though I had trouble getting into Nablus at the Beit Eba checkpoint, I knew that getting out through the Hawara checkpoint was going to be an experience. As the cab pulled up to drop me off, I could already see the lines of people waiting to be processed. Two lines specifically, one for those who are not considered a security risk because they are over 45 or female, and the other for men under the age of 45. I got into the line that was for people over 45, and being an international, especially from the United States, I didn't expect special treatment, but I certainly expected humane treatment. I was in for a lesson.

As the crowd packed into the small area for passing, and people jostling for position, I got myself in line and slowly worked my way to the front. When I got to the front of the line, and held up my US passport, I expected to be waived through. Like I said, I expected no special treatment, but just humane treatment. At this time, I was pulled out of line by one of the Israeli boy soldiers and was escorted with prompting by an m-16 rifle butt. As one boy soldier pushed me to the side, another lowered his m-16 and pointed it straight towards my chest. I initially thought there must be a mistake, but there was no mistake, I was being singled out.

The questioning started at this point, "Why are you here?", "Where did you come from?", "Who did you visit?", "What is the purpose of your trip?" Of course, I wasn't going to say I was doing aid work for the Palestinians, that was a sure ticket for deportation. I explained that I was there for religious and archeological reasons. Thinking that surely they would let me go then I was shocked with the continued badgering and the forceful use of the m-16 rifle butt. The rifle butt did not concern me nearly as much as the business end, the other boy soldier had pointed at my chest. Now, seriously, I knew they were not going to shoot me, right there in the open, however, they did have the intent of trying to terrorize me into either confessing to something I didn't do, or to scare me from ever attempting to return through this checkpoint again. I will say, that I am not easily scared and continued to stick with my story. At this point in time they made me remove my jacket, it was about 2 degrees centigrade as well as my shirt. Even though I had a back pack I was carrying, that had receipts for purchases of food stuffs, medical supplies, and sponsorship donations, they were so worried about harassing me, that they never even bothered to look in my backpack. This torment at the end of an m-16 continued for about 15 minutes until an Israeli officer appeared from the building beside the checkpoint.

The officer must have seen what was transpiring, and while the boy soldiers were harassing me, the line at the checkpoint just kept getting longer and longer. I guess the officer came to see what terrorist activity I must be up to, to be detained, questioned and harassed for so long. He asked for my passport, looked me over, looked at his boy soldiers and told them to let me go through.

Here we have a perfect example of absolute power corrupts absolutely. Two boys, probably 19 or 20, had all the power in the world to stop me, detain me, harass me, strip me, abuse me with the butt of the weapon and threaten me with the other end. Who was going to stop them? Who, other than their superior officers, had any say about what they did? I had to stop and wonder, if they were doing this to their closest allies in the world, what were they doing to the Palestinians when no one was looking. I think that we have heard those horror stories, but since they come from Palestinians, we disregard them as unreliable, biased, or made up. I can assure you, as an American citizen, I have never been treated with such disrespect, contempt and utter hatred by a country that receives 3.2 billion dollars of my countries tax dollars as direct aid and a total of 7 billion dollars, with all the "hidden" extras..

The situation is one that not only I have experienced, but something that most internationals experience while trying to travel through the West Bank. The Israeli soldiers have no intent of deporting, arresting, or otherwise creating an international incident over an American at a checkpoint. However, they do have the intent of harassing internationals to the point that they no longer visit the West Bank, thus depriving the Palestinians of any peripheral funds that are spent by tourists. Of course, they have cut off all funds to the government, and the only other way outside money that gets in is through tourism. Just another method used to strangle the Palestinians and their economy to force them to submit to whatever demands the Israeli's happen to drum up at that particular time.

I gathered my backpack, put on my shirt and coat, glanced back with a couple of dirty looks, and then moved on to catch a taxi. Even the Palestinians in line were wondering what my crime was. My crime was being a white American in the West Bank, something the Israeli's hate to see. Why? Because no one believes the Palestinians when they say they are abused, or they believe by the actions of a few that they deserve it, but an American, well, we have done nothing to deserve the abuse, but we are witnesses, witnesses to the crimes against humanity, we are witnesses to the cruel treatment, we are witnesses to the starving children, deprived of medical attention and we are witnesses to the Palestinians who want peace and express it, we are witnesses to war crimes, something Israel does not want Americans to know about. So what do they do? They try to eliminate the witnesses. Any good criminal knows if no one sees what they do, there is no crime, Right? What's the old saying, it is only a crime if someone sees it, well, they are trying to eliminate any witnesses. That was the crime I committed. I was a white American telling the truth, something quite uncommon these days and certainly something they have a reason to fear. If every American spent a week traveling around the West Bank, there would be no more support for Israel, there would be an immediate end to the occupation and Israel would be forced into a peaceful solution. This is something Israel does not want, because they believe, given enough time, they can take for their own, every piece of land in the West Bank, and if the Americans don't know the truth, they wont stand in the way. It seems a shame to say, and if I didn't see it, if I didn't experience it, I wouldn't say it, but it is the truth.