Puppet Masters

Ilan Pappe: Israel is not, and has never been, a Democracy

Ilan Pappe
Jacobin
Fri, 05 May 2017 00:00 UTC

© Activestills.org
An activist is arrested by Israeli forces during a Day Of Rage protest against the Prawer-Begin Plan in front of the Israeli settlement Beit El, Al Jalazun, West Bank, November 30, 2013.

Excerpted from Ten Myths About Israel, Verso Books.

Israel is not the only democracy in the Middle East. In fact, it's not a democracy at all.

In the eyes of many Israelis and their supporters worldwide - even those who might criticize some of its policies - Israel is, at the end of the day, a benign democratic state, seeking peace with its neighbors, and guaranteeing equality to all its citizens.

Those who do criticize Israel assume that if anything went wrong in this democracy then it was due to the 1967 war. In this view, the war corrupted an honest and hardworking society by offering easy money in the occupied territories, allowing messianic groups to enter Israeli politics, and above all else turning Israel into an occupying and oppressive entity in the new territories.

The myth that a democratic Israel ran into trouble in 1967 but still remained a democracy is propagated even by some notable Palestinian and pro-Palestinian scholars - but it has no historical foundation.

Bernie Sanders congratulates liberals for bringing 'extremist ideas' into the mainstream

Amber Athey
The Daily Caller
Wed, 13 Jun 2018 20:14 UTC

At the We The People Summit in Washington, D.C., the self-avowed democratic socialist cheered the progressive tilt of mainstream American politics.

"We are obviously in a pivotal and unprecedented moment in American history and the fights that we are waging are not just for ourselves, more importantly they are for our kids, our grandchildren and the future of this planet," Sanders said.

"I want to thank all of the groups here because whether you know it or not you have helped transform this country in so many ways," he declared. "A few years ago...many of the ideas that we talked about were thought to be fringe ideas, radical ideas, extremist ideas. Well, you know what? Because of your efforts those ideas are now mainstream American ideas."

How the mainstream media is misleading us on the Trump-Kim summit

Gareth Porter
Truthdig
Mon, 11 Jun 2018 18:59 UTC

For weeks, the corporate media have been saying that the Trump-Kim summit could have only two possible results: Either Trump will walk away angrily or Kim Jong Un will trick him into a deal in which he extracts concessions from Trump but never commits to complete denuclearization.

The idea that North Korea could not possibly agree to give up its nuclear weapons or its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) has become an article of faith among the journalists covering the issue for big media. Two themes that have appeared again and again in their coverage are that the wily North Koreans are "playing" Trump and that previous administrations had also been taken by North Korea after signing agreements in good faith.

But the media have gotten it all wrong. They have assumed that North Korea cannot live without nuclear weapons - without making any effort to understand North Korea's strategy in regard to nuclear weapons. They have invariably quoted "experts" who haven't followed North Korean thinking closely but who express the requisite hostility toward the summit and negotiating an agreement with the Kim regime.

One of the few Americans who can speak with authority on North Korea's calculus regarding nuclear weapons is Joel S. Wit, who was senior adviser to the U.S. negotiator with North Korea, Ambassador Robert L. Gallucci, from 1993 to 1995, and who from 1995 to 1999 was coordinator for the 1994 "Agreed Framework" with North Korea. More importantly, Wit also participated in a series of informal meetings with North Korean officials in 2013 about North Korea's thinking on its nuclear weapons.

Comment: Given the US record of not exactly being the most 'trustworthy' partner, skepticism is understandable. But something that sets this apart is that they aren't the only players in the game. China and Russia also have an interest in seeing a diplomatic solution that will lead to better economic ties with the region. And although there's always the Deep State to throw wrenches into their plans, they may not be able to play out a 'Libya' type scenario without getting those big countries involved. See also:

Venezuela's elections not free nor fair - undermined by the US

Steven Chovanec
Venezuelanalysis
Mon, 11 Jun 2018 11:20 UTC

The Western press did its utmost to portray the recent elections in Venezuela as fraudulent. There were legitimate allegations raised, such as how Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro offered recipients of state benefits a "prize" if they came out to vote. Therefore, an increasingly reluctant public would be compelled to vote for him to receive much-needed food and supplies.

But in reality this is only a minor example of a common practice employed throughout the region and surely prevalent in US-backed states. It also confuses the loyal support Maduro has amongst the poor as mere clientelism, disregarding the much more substantial impact of how the government looks after their interests & wellbeing. Despite being most harmed by the economic downturn, the poorer sectors are those most supportive of the government; not exactly what you'd call clientelism.

However, what is often not discussed is the much more substantial ways in which the elections were undermined - by the United States.

Comment: Contrary to what it says, the US involvement and its sanctions will not go away if/when Maduro leaves. How has that worked out for other victimized, now vassal countries?

'Creating new history': World reactions to landmark US-NK summit

South China Morning Post
Tue, 12 Jun 2018 04:06 UTC

World governments reacted positively to the summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. But Iran had a word of warning for Pyongyang following the collapse of Tehran's nuclear deal with the West earlier this year.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the meeting was "creating a new history".

"The United States and North Korea have been in a state of antagonism for more than half a century," Wang said. "Today, that the two countries' highest leaders can sit together and have equal talks, has important and positive meaning, and is creating a new history."

At the ministry's daily briefing, spokesman Geng Shuang said China "welcomes and supports" the talks and that the United Nations Security Council's sanctions against the North could be suspended or lifted in accordance with the North's actions. "Sanctions are not an end," Geng said. "We believe the Security Council should make efforts to support the diplomat efforts at the present time."

Comment: So far, relief and supportive comments...except for US Senator Chuck Schumer representing Senate Democrats. Will they muck this up for their own purposes, forgo a peace construction and take the progress achieved back to minus square one?

Did the US help bomb a Doctors Without Borders cholera clinic in Yemen?

Jon Queally
AntiMedia
Mon, 11 Jun 2018 04:26 UTC

"Whether intentional or a result of negligence, it is totally unacceptable," said Doctors Without Borders a statement.

After the international humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières announced that a newly constructed cholera treatment center in Yemen was bombed on Monday, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) - who has led the fight in the U.S. Senate to end the U.S. military's key role in assisting Saudi Arabia's assault on its war-torn and poverty-stricken neighbor - lashed out in disgust and anger on social media.

According to MSF, the clinic in the city of Abs was empty at the time and no patients or medical personnel were injured or killed in the attack, but the building - which the group says was clearly marked on its roof as a healthcare facility - is now completely non-functional and operations have now been suspended in the area.

Comment: A clearly marked hospital bombing is just another nail in the Yemeni genocide coffin. Meaningful and effective global/UN outrage and intervening action should have brought this conflict to a grinding halt years ago. Instead, US/UK et al profiteers have prevailed and thrived at the expendability of thousands of innocent people.

EU Foreign Policy Chief Mogherini cancels Israel visit

Middle East Monitor
Sat, 09 Jun 2018 09:46 UTC

European Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini has cancelled an official visit to Israel, which was scheduled for Sunday, Israeli media reported Friday.

According to Israel's Channel Two, Mogherini was scheduled to participate in an international conference organised by the Jewish-American Committee (a pro-Israeli non-governmental organisation) next Monday in Jerusalem.

"Mogherini cancelled her trip to Israel after the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined to meet her," the channel said. Mogherini had requested Netanyahu's office to arrange an appointment with him, but the latter did not respond.

Channel Two quoted an Israeli political source as saying that Netanyahu had refused to meet Mogherini because of his "full agenda". The source said "Netanyahu in fact cancelled his meeting with the foreign minister of the European Union because of her very hostile position on Israel". Mogherini had rejected the US move to transfer its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and warned of consequences the embassy shifted.

Comment: Netanyahu's mind - where light is not invited to shine, and not a glimmer from an independent and objective perspective.

Saudi-led coalition's attack on Hodeidah, Yemen's 'humanitarian lifeline'

RT
Wed, 13 Jun 2018 04:08 UTC

The Saudi-led coalition and forces loyal to former president Hadi have launched an assault on Yemen's main port city of Hodeidah, one of the remaining humanitarian lifelines in the war-torn country, local news outlets report.

The operation to retake the vital port city from the Houthis was launched on Wednesday morning, after the rebels rejected an ultimatum and refused to surrender the city by the end of Tuesday, a deadline set by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Al Arabiya reports.

Large-scale ground operations, supported by the air and naval forces of the Saudi-led coalition, began to move in on the city from numerous directions, a military source told the publication.

Comment: Former president Hadi is just the cover-face for the multi-year deadly assault on Yemen. If the issue was only to restore his control, Hadi should have stopped this massacre long ago and advocated for the welfare of his people. This is about Iran.

Wilders' provocative Mohammed cartoon contest gets OK from Dutch counter-terror agency

RT
Wed, 13 Jun 2018 18:02 UTC

Dutch anti-Islam firebrand Geert Wilders has confirmed that a Prophet Mohammed cartoon contest will be held in his party's secure offices in Dutch parliament, after receiving approval for the event from security officials.

Comment: For more on Wilders' views, as well as the Garland, Texas contest debacle, see:

NATO stooge and vulgar twat Eliot Higgins has go-to message for critics - "Suck my balls"

RT
Wed, 13 Jun 2018 18:25 UTC

Eliot Higgins, praised by Western media as a bulwark against sinister Russian disinformation, has a persuasive, Atlantic Council-fellow retort for those who take issue with his Google Earth investigations: "Suck my balls."

Higgins gave up his lucrative career as a payments officer at a women's underwear company to create Bellingcat, a celebrated internet blog that specializes in using open-source information to blame Russia for every crime against humanity - real or imagined - committed so far this century.

Now a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, and a self-declared specialist in "social media & digital forensic research," Higgins recently teamed up with NATO-funded compatriots to create DisinfoPortal, "an interactive online guide to track the Kremlin's disinformation campaigns abroad."

I said this would happen...now they are looking to mandate companies with less that 100 employees...shits getting real, people[Link]

Bezel Bub

it's all a lie ! :O

cracker

"Falling out of windows" as an occupational hazard for people with access to sensitive information - compliments of the Soviet playbook and even...

Tsakoug

covid will seem like a walk in the park when the proper cold sets in later this month and beyond...

steven23

I've got an idea to help folks like this. Anyone know of any in Central Florida? R.C.

Rowan Cocoan

Puppet Masters

Ilan Pappe: Israel is not, and has never been, a Democracy

Bernie Sanders congratulates liberals for bringing 'extremist ideas' into the mainstream

How the mainstream media is misleading us on the Trump-Kim summit

Venezuela's elections not free nor fair - undermined by the US

'Creating new history': World reactions to landmark US-NK summit

Did the US help bomb a Doctors Without Borders cholera clinic in Yemen?

EU Foreign Policy Chief Mogherini cancels Israel visit

Saudi-led coalition's attack on Hodeidah, Yemen's 'humanitarian lifeline'

Wilders' provocative Mohammed cartoon contest gets OK from Dutch counter-terror agency

NATO stooge and vulgar twat Eliot Higgins has go-to message for critics - "Suck my balls"

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