Sim-O

From an email newsletter received approx 10am today:

Stop the War Coalition
Temporary email address
stopwaruk@gmail.com

STOP THE WAR WEBSITE AND EMAIL ATTACKED

Stop the war has suffered a serious attack on its internet
site, which has been hacked, we assume by supporters of
Israel’s attacks on Gaza. Our website is down and our usual
email address not functioning.

We have set up a temporary email address for you to contact
Stop the War: stopwaruk@gmail.com

We expect to restore normal service soon.

Parts of the US right likes abstaining, whether sex or international politics, so this should come as no surprise, especially with the USs’ record:

The Guardian

The UN last night passed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the 13-day conflict in Gaza, breaking a deadlock in the international community’s response to the crisis that risked exposing the UN to ridicule .

The vote was passed by 14 votes to nil, though the US, represented by secretary of state Condolleeza Rice, abstained. It came after three days of intense Arab pressure at the UN’s headquarters in New York and in the face of stiff Israeli opposition.

Here’s a thought, following what I know of Zionist logic. Just indulge me a little, would you?

Most people in Gaza supports Hamas, which makes them terrorists. Because terrorist Hamas supporters own homes and run schools, hospitals, the powerstation, police stations and other instruments of public order and civic life, all those institutions are run by the terrorists specifically for the terrorists to hide in and around.
This, of course, makes them and every other Gazan fair game for the Israeli military machine.

So instead of messing about dropping little bombs over Gaza and now sending in ground troops, in retailition for those unaimable fireworks being lobbed over the border, how about Israel just nuke the place*?

It’s not like they’re not killing children already and apparently they don’t want the land, just the rockets to stop being fired at them. Raizing the place would stop the physcal war in an instant leaving the Zionist clear to concentrate all their efforts on the propaganda war, which is what they’re best at.

Surely it’s the best for everyone. The civilised half of civilisation gets all it’s angst out the way in one big burst, mimicking the way the actual residents of Gaza disappear, rather than a long drawn out wail. Egypt gets the chance to be good Arab brothers again, as the memory of what’s seen by some as the betrayal of the Palestinians is slowly forgotten and as the West Bank is not on Egypts border, what can it do? Israel gets nearer it’s goal of eliminating the Palestinians, because jeez, they don’t give up do they? 60 years and still bitter. You’d have thought they’d’ve got bored by now.

As a bonus it would scare them fuckers quiet in the west bank too, wouldn’t it, eh?

* I know Israel doesn’t have any nukes. *Ahem*

/Disclaimer: this post is tongue in cheek. i know it’s not funny, but then I ain’t a comedian/

B’Tselem:

The First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions establishes two conditions that must be met for an object to be considered a legitimate military target: it must effectively contribute to military action and its total destruction or partial neutralization offers a clear military advantage.

Despite this, other statements made by Israeli officials in recent days raise the suspicion that the army is not maintaining the requisite distinction in its attacks in Gaza. Prime Minster Ehud Olmert stated that, “Israel is not at war with the Palestinian people but with Hamas, which has dedicated itself to acting against residents of Israel. Accordingly, the objects attacked today were selected with the emphasis on the imperative to prevent harm to innocent persons.” In an article published in yesterday’s Washington Post, a senior military official was quoted as follows: “There are many aspects to Hamas, and we are trying to hit the whole spectrum, because everything is connected and everything supports terrorism against Israel.” Major Avital Liebowitz, of the IDF Spokesperson’s Office, told the correspondent that the army had indeed widened its target list in comparison to previous operations, saying Hamas has used ostensibly civilian actions as a cover for military activities. “Anything affiliated with Hamas is a legitimate target,” she said.

These comments suggest that the operation in Gaza is aimed against every person and entity tied in some way to Hamas, even if they are not engaged in military action against Israel. An examination of the sites that were bombed in recent days raises questions regarding the legality of targeting many of them.

For example, the military bombed the main police building in Gaza and killed, according to reports, forty-two Palestinians who were in a training course and were standing in formation at the time of the bombing. Participants in the course study first-aid, handling of public disturbances, human rights, public-safety exercises, and so forth. Following the course, the police officers are assigned to various arms of the police force in Gaza responsible for maintaining public order.

Another example is yesterday’s bombing of the government offices. These offices included the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Labor, Construction and Housing. An announcement made by the IDF Spokesperson’s Office regarding this attack stated that, “the attack was carried out in response to the ongoing rocket and mortar-shell fire carried out by Hamas over Israeli territory, and in the framework of IDF operations to strike at Hamas governmental infrastructure and members active in the organization.”

These are just examples of what appear to be clear civilian objects attacked by the army. On the face of it, the activity carried out in these places is not military activity aimed against Israel, and the IDF spokesperson does not even make this claim. Clearly, then, they cannot be considered military objects in accordance with the provisions of international humanitarian law – they do not make an effective contribution to the military activity against Israel and the attack provides Israel with no militaryadvantage whatsoever, and certainly not a clear militaryadvantage.

Not really much I can add to all the words written about the Gaza situation, so here’s a few links, pulled from various sources:

Lenins’ Tomb – The Intelligence:

Israel’s control of the situation is immense. They have detailed intelligence, sattelite imagery (which they like to show off at press conferences), sophisticated guidance technology, etc. It has planned this assault for months in advance, and its leadership is ostentatiously proud of how all the branches of military and intelligence, from Shin Bet to the Southern Command, have gelled in this attack. If an assault on major public facilities is timed to coincide with children being in the streets, this is not accidental: it is intended to leave a number of children lying in their own blood, and terrorise others.

Jews san frontieres – On Sderot and Ashkelon:

I will not minimize the very real suffering of the people living in Sderot (and now also Ashdod and Ashkelon) today. That suffering is not on the same scale as the suffering in Gaza, but it is still horrible, horrible, horrible.

These towns are on the receiving end of rocket fire, however innaccurate, and they have been so for many years. There are casualties, property damage, and years of psychological scars from stress and fear. The criminals responsible for the suffering in Sderot and Ashkelon ought to be tried at the Hague and sent to prison. That would be first and foremost Olmert, Barak and Livni.

Johnathon Cook [znet] – Israeli Electioneering with Bombs:

In the run-up to the election, observed Michael Warschawski, a founder of the Alternative Information Centre in Jerusalem, “all Israeli leaders are competing over who is the toughest and who is ready to kill more”.

Mr Netanyahu, pushed out of the spotlight, has had to turn his fire away from the two other parties and instead lambast easy political targets: in recent speeches he has questioned the loyalty of Israel’s 1.2 million Arab citizens and demanded the resignation of the only Arab government minister.

Mr Barak, an unpopular former prime minister but Israel’s most decorated combat soldier, has the most political capital to gain from the current military campaign. With his once-dominant Labor Party languishing in the polls, he will take the credit or blame among voters for the outcome in Gaza.

Ms Livni is in a more precarious position. Her glory, if the operation proves a triumph, will be of the reflected variety. But as Mr Netanyahu’s fortunes have grown, her political fate has become increasingly dependent on a continuing centre-left alliance with Mr Barak. The two, it seems, stand or fall in these elections together.

Mike Power – Why I hate ‘intellectuals’:

The war-mongering (or is it ex-war-mongering, now that he’s decided to no longer support the Iraq debacle) Marxist who likes to get his head up the arses of his neo-con chums gets worked up because Nir Rosen seems to ‘justify’ the killing of civilians which, of course we all know is ‘terrorism’.

Ten Percent – Israeli Navy Rams FreeGaza Ship In International Waters:

www.freegaza.org

On Tuesday, December 30, at 5 a.m., several Israeli gunboats intercepted the Dignity as she was heading on a mission of mercy to Gaza. One gunboat rammed into the boat on the port bow side, heavily damaging her. The reports from the passengers and journalists on board is that she is taking on water and appears to have engine problems. When attacked, the Dignity was clearly in international waters, 90 miles off the coast of Gaza.

The gunboats also fired their machine guns into the water in an attempt to stop the mercy ship from getting to Gaza.

I’d love to hear how some pro-war pice of shit justifies attacking a boat delivering medical aid, no really, feel free to make a dick of yourself and line up with war crimes, history is full of such rationalisations of evil.

The Daily Mash – Loving this, admit Israel and Hamas:

Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert said: “You’ve got to hand it to Hamas, they are the dog’s bollocks when it comes to unrelentingly insane terrorist opponents.

“Fatah and Mahmoud Abbas are so sensible and tedious. It’s all talking and protesting and chucking a few rocks once a week.

“Sure we can flatten a few streets but it’s not the same. Rocket attacks mean you can go balls-out crazy apeshit. I just love Hamas. They really get us.”

Meanwhile a Hamas spokesman said: “Hats off to the Israelis, they’ve done it again.

“This is the sort of top drawer, high quality violence that could keep us all going for years and years. Vintage stuff.

I’ve just been reminded aboutShell Israel. Not a particular post, just the whole thing.

Iain Dale:

Whenever I write about Israel it provokes some vile comments, even if what I write is balanced. I am a critical friend of Israel.

Iain Dale:

As you can tell, I support Israel 100% in their actions in Gaza.

Looks like the trip, payed for by the Conservative Friends of Israel is being repaid.

Nir Rosen:

An American journal once asked me to contribute an essay to a discussion on whether terrorism or attacks against civilians could ever be justified. My answer was that an American journal should not be asking whether attacks on civilians can ever be justified. This is a question for the weak, for the Native Americans in the past, for the Jews in Nazi Germany, for the Palestinians today, to ask themselves.

Terrorism is a normative term and not a descriptive concept. An empty word that means everything and nothing, it is used to describe what the Other does, not what we do. The powerful – whether Israel, America, Russia or China – will always describe their victims’ struggle as terrorism, but the destruction of Chechnya, the ethnic cleansing of Palestine, the slow slaughter of the remaining Palestinians, the American occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan – with the tens of thousands of civilians it has killed … these will never earn the title of terrorism, though civilians were the target and terrorising them was the purpose.

Via

Electronic Intifada:

Sirens are wailing on the streets outside. Regular power cuts plunge the city into blackness every night and tonight is no exception. Only perhaps tonight it is the darkest night people have seen here in their lifetimes.

As of this writing, more than 220 people have been killed and at least 400 injured through attacks that shocked the Strip in the space of 15 minutes. Hospitals are overloaded and unable to cope. These attacks come on top of the already existing humanitarian crisis that came about because of the 18-month Israeli siege which has resulted in a lack of medicines, bread, flour, gas, electricity, fuel and freedom of movement.

From the Guardian, another piece about the shoe throwing journalist:

Zaidi is in custody and faces up to two years’ jail for insulting a foreign leader.

Isn’t that like ‘following the wrong religion’ or praising the wrong man-with-bombs?

Neither Bush nor Maliki have sought charges, but investigating judge Dhia al-Kinani said last week he did not have the legal option to drop the case.

Right. No legal option to drop charges.

Uday al-Zaidi said his brother told him the apology letter was written against his will because of the torture inflicted on him during his detention, including being doused with cold water while naked.

“He told me that he has no regret because of what he did and that he would do it again,” Uday said.

“The thing that makes you cry and laugh at the same time is that when the prime minister said that that my brother was not tortured and will not be tortured, he was under severe torture by security authorities.”

I’m pretty sure that no-one has the legal option to turture either.

The prime minister said Zaidi admitted in the letter that a known terrorist had induced him to throw the shoes.

“He revealed … that a person provoked him to commit this act and that person is known to us for slitting throats,” Maliki said, according to the prime minister’s website. The alleged instigator was not named.

So he’s not an attention grabbing Afghan-Factor wannabe after all.

The prime minister said his government remained “committed to protecting the journalist in performing his professional duty” and guaranteed him the right to practise his profession “on condition that he does not violate the dignity of others”.

Hahaha! Excellent. I just had a vision of Rebekah Wade up in the dock, for ‘violating the dignity of others’ and ending up wearing a ‘community payback’ hi-vis jacket.

I can’t be arsed with the rest of yesterdays Thought for the Day, esxcept for this line:

President Bush invaded Iraq to secure a freedom which some in Iraq applauded and many hated; the shoes were an expression of that hate.

Monkey Boy Bush invaded Iraq to secure a freedom. Some in Iraq applauded it because they had to gain. Many hated it because they knew it wasn’t for their benefit. The freedom the invasion secured was for the US.
Muntadar al-Zaidi threw his shoes because, if it had hit him it would’ve hurt. If he’d thrown his pen, it probably wouldn’t have reached him.

The Guardian:

The brother of an Iraqi journalist who hurled his shoes at George Bush claimed today that the television reporter was too badly beaten to appear in court, as the speaker of Iraq’s parliament reportedly announced his resignation over the issue.

Dargham al-Zaidi said he was told a judge had been to see his younger brother, Muntazer, at the jail where he has been held since throwing his shoes at the US president during a press conference in Baghdad on Sunday. The television reporter – whose actions have made him a star in the Arab world – called Bush a “dog” and said he was angry at the US occupation of his country.

The family went to Baghdad’s central criminal court expecting a hearing, Dhargham said, but were told the investigative judge had been to the prison and they should return in eight days. “That means my brother was severely beaten and they fear that his appearance could trigger anger at the court,” he said