Two Observations about the Israeli Attack on the Flotilla to Gaza

31 May 2010: An American solidarity activist was shot in the face with a tear gas canister during a demonstration in Qalandiya, today. Emily Henochowicz, 21 year old Cooper Union Art Student,  is currently in Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem undergoing surgery to remove her left eye, following the demonstration that was held in protest to Israel’s murder of at least 10 civilians aboard the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in international waters this morning.

Middle East News Service comments: Two items on yesterday’s events. The first is from French Le Figaro (kindly translated by John Passant) and notes that the roof body of French Jewry, the equivalent of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, has deplored the action. The CRIF is known for its steadfast support of Israel. Criticism from them is highly significant. The second is from former Peace Now head Yariv Oppenheimer, translated and distributed by the American Friends of Peace Now, again one of the more moderate organisations in the US

– Sol Salbe]

The CRIF deplores the Israeli operation

The CRIF 'profoundly deplores' the Israeli military operation against the maritime convoy heading for Gaza, saying that 'It is not good news for peace,' according to Haim Musicant, the director general of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France.

"We deplore what happened, even if Israel had announced that it would not let this landing occur,' he added. 'Unfortunately, this happens when there are hopes for peace between Palestinians and Israelis, it is not good news for peace." "We deeply regret that there are victims," he added. "We feel sincere compassion and sadness, 'Musicant said again.

French original: http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2010/05/31/97001-20100531FILWWW00416-le-crif-deplore-l-operation-israelienne.php

Israel's moral decadence
Yariv Oppenheimer | May 31, 2010
(published in Ma’ariv, Hebrew only)

Even if the fleet to Gaza is irritating and outrageous, a sovereign state cannot treat every act of protest as a terror event that has to end in bloodshed

Tonight Israel marked a new low point in the way it chose to contend with its domestic and external policy dissidents. A state that will not let its citizens protest, demonstrate and demand justice, a state that is busy composing loyalty tests for its citizens and passing laws to limit the freedom of expression, failed again in the real test and stopped a protest fleet of civilian ships at the cost of more than ten lives.

The fleet that left Turkey a few days ago managed to anger even me. Hundreds of pro-Hamas activists challenged Israel blatantly and outrageously. Not a word of censure of the Hamas government, not a word about Gilad Shalit and not a word about the desire for peace. Nonetheless, a sovereign state cannot treat every show of protest, however outrageous and irritating it is, as a terror event that has to end in bloodshed. Instead of using the fleet to generate an internal Israeli discussion about the effectiveness of the policy of the siege of Gaza and its moral and political implications for Israel, all of the government spokesmen chose to focus on the handful of activists on the ships and grace them with the title of existential threats to Israel's security. From here to unnecessary bloodshed the path was short.

It is not the soldiers' fault, nor the commanders' nor the heads of the IDF's. Israeli society as a whole is responsible for the grim results of the IDF takeover of the protest ships. The radicalization of Israeli society is yielding its fruit. The message to the soldiers and police is crystallizing. When Arabs are involved in an activity, the hand on the trigger is light. Determination boards the ship while sensitivity stays in the water.

But have no fear, the domestic Israeli propaganda machine began to work and in just a few hours every Israeli will be recounting how Hamas helicopters took over a Jewish ship and shot illegal immigrants in all directions. With the use of our repression mechanisms and the encouragement of the IDF spokesman we will again dissociate from reality and the world and manufacture our own unique script in which we are the victims and the whole world is against us as usual. Will the outcome of tonight's confrontation end with an official commission of inquiry? No chance.

Israel justifies its brutal and violent image
 The price for the unfortunate results of the fleet will be paid primarily by the families of those who were killed at sea last night. Next in line to pay the price will be the residents of Israel who want peace and the end of the conflict with all their hearts, and who wish to stop the cycle of bloodshed and live in a saner country. We, the silent majority, watch with despair as Israel with its own actions justifies the brutal and violent image it acquired in the last years and gives our biggest enemies in Hamas and Iran a reason to rejoice.

If the miserable naval clash had any winners, they are in Tehran, in the bunkers of Beirut and in the Hamas headquarters in Gaza. The Hamas government succeeded with the Israeli government's active support to receive international recognition, to gain the support of the Arab world and to be seen as a hero standing up to Israel.

The enemies of peace and the extremists on both sides can again find reasons to attack each other and deepen the hatred and hostility between Jews and Arabs in Israel and outside of it. Again the moderates on both sides are silenced and the voice of reason is drowned out by the voices of incitement and hatred. Without a loud voice of protest by a patriotic Israeli public calling on its leaders to change course, we will all find ourselves in a morally and politically decadent country, slowly sinking into the depths.

Wonderful New Documentary about Grace Paley

Sonya Friedman has finished a documentary about GRACE.  Please let your friends know.

The url of the trailer:  www.gracepaleyvideo.com

 

In this new 51-minute video, GRACE reminisces about her work, life, family and her early literary and political influences.  We see Grace at home, in interviews, and at her fabled readings.  Grace's close friends and colleagues remember her as a "combative pacifist and cooperative anarchist" and "a writer of genius."

 

Best regards,

Sonya Friedman

Producer, co-director

Message to Elton John

HEY ELTON from John Greyson on Vimeo.



from John Greyson, great filmmaker from Toronto

22 Arrested Declaring Grand Central Station a Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone

May 3, 2010 Posted by Ellen Davidson, IndyBlog

Twenty-two activists were arrested May 3 at Grand Central Station for dropping banners off the balconies of the main hall and staging a die-in.

Organized by the War Resisters League, the action declared Grand Central a nuclear weapons-free zone and called for disarmament here in the United States first. Wearing t-shirts that said “No Nukes Begin with U.S.,” the protesters handed out thousands of leaflets to rush-hour commuters and circled the information booth with a picket with large signs shaped like skulls with the names of all the nuclear-armed nations. Participants came from around the country and the world; they were in New York for actions relating to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Review Conference.

At 9 am, banners were dropped from the balconies at the west end of the large hall. One set read “Nuclear Weapons = Terrorism,” while the other urged “Talk Less, Disarm More.” After the banner-droppers were arrested, other protesters began to lie down by the stairs. They too were taken away by police, but everyone was released from custody by 11 am.
The day before, NPT Review 2010 International Planning Committee for Nuclear Abolition, Peace and Justice mobilized Disarm Now! For Peace and Human Needs, a march of 8,000-10,000 from Times Square to Dag Hammarskjold Place, where booths and tables were set up in a Peace Fair. A significant portion of the protesters came from Japan, the only country ever to have been the target of a nuclear attack.

The demonstration’s points of unity were:

We want a Nuclear Free Future!
Fund Human Needs, Not War!
End the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan!
Protect the planet instead of destroying it with war and nuclear proliferation!