Tag: Israel

Closing Thought–05Sep17

Remember the USS Liberty!

I have writing about the cowardly attack by Israeli forces on the USS Liberty during the 6 Day War….an attack that has been ignored for 50 years….

This post is t5he combination of all the posts that I have written over the years….

Source: USS Liberty–The 50th Year – In Saner Thought

Now there is some good news for those dead sailors…the American Legion is calling for a congressional inquiry into the attack by Israel.

On June 8th 1967 the United States Navy intelligence ship the U.S.S. Liberty was attacked in international waters by aircraft and vessels belonging to Israel. Thirty-four sailors, Marines and civilians were killed in the attack. The deliberate Israeli air and sea onslaught sought to sink the clearly identified intelligence gathering ship and kill all its crew. It was in truth the worst attack ever carried out on a U.S. Naval vessel in peace time. In addition to the death toll, 171 more of the crew were wounded in the two-hour assault, which was clearly intended to destroy the intelligence gathering vessel operating in international waters collecting information on the ongoing fighting between Israel and its Arab neighbors. The Israelis, whose planes had their Star of David markings covered up so Egypt could be blamed, attacked the ship repeatedly from the air and with torpedo boats from the sea. When one Israeli pilot hesitated, refusing to attack what was clearly an American ship, he was instructed to proceed anyway.

Most Americans are completely unaware that a United States naval vessel was once deliberately targeted and nearly sunk by America’s “greatest friend and ally” Israel. The attack was followed by a comprehensive cover-up that demonstrated clearly that at least one president of the United States even back nearly fifty years ago valued his relationship with the state of Israel above his loyalty to his own country.

Source: The USS Liberty Wins One! – The Unz Review

This is not justice for those dead but it will be a good start.

About goddamn time that America starting paying attention…..Israel needs to be held accountable for the deaths at their hands.

I would celebrate by jumping up and down but a broken foot makes that not such a wise idea….

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Closing Thought–25Aug17

May I Please Have Your Permission!

There is always lots of tension in and around the “Holy Land”….3 religions, 2 people, one land…..makes for lots of news and opinion.

It seems that Israel is trying some sort of “land swap” with the Palestinians and he is asking the US for permission…..

The idea of a vague “land swap” has often been discussed within Israel as a way not only to keep the settlements built in occupied territory, but as a way to get rid of some of their pesky ethnic and religious minorities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now floating a specific proposal to do just that.

Under the proposal, which Netanyahu is said to have forwarded to the White House, seeking a US imprimatur, the Israeli government would formally annex the Gush Etzion bloc of settlements in the West Bank, and “in return” would give the Palestinians a series of villages in Wadi Ara.

While this is being couched as an even-up trade, what’s actually being proposed here is for Israel to formally expel ethnic Arab villages in Wadi Ara, which are part of Israel’s pre-1967 borders, and whose residents, while Arabs, are Israeli citizens.

(antiwar.com)

Seriously?

Israel has been destroying homes and crops and stealing land for over 50 years and now they are asking the US if it is okay….really?

And what part of this deal involves the US?

Why would the US have any say in the situation?

This smells like a set-up…..a ploy to get the US to sign off on something that can be used on many occasions….don’t trust them they LIE!

Time for me to close down the operation for the day…..back tomorrow with more stuff.  chuq

Closing Thought–18Aug17

After 50 years of conflict!

If anyone can recall our fearless leader said that a Middle East peace deal would be offered in his first days……that did not work out as planned……

By now it is obvious that the “ultimate deal” between Israelis and Palestinians, which President Donald Trump promised in his first days in office, was little more than an optical illusion. A series of conversations with Israeli, Palestinian and diplomatic sources depicts a very different picture. The diplomatic process is bogged down. President Trump is not involved in any way, nor does he have any interest in getting involved. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is severely disappointed with the United States, and the US “peace team” has lost what limited credibility it had on the Palestinian side. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government is rubbing its hands eagerly beneath the table and dismissing all the serious concerns that sullied the mood of the past few months. Nothing will happen, because there is nothing there, ministers from the Likud and HaBayit HaYehudi whisper with smug satisfaction. We can all calm down.

I thought then that it was his normal idle promise…..

I have been saying for years that since the US will not step up and help find a peaceful conclusion to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that the Pals should expand their reach and ask other powerful countries for help….

Maybe someone was listening…..for the Chinese have stepped into the process in the region…..

China’s UN ambassador urged the international community on Monday to support President Xi Jinping’s new four-point proposal to end the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict and establish an independent Palestinian state.

Liu Jieyi said at a news conference that China’s future diplomatic efforts will focus on trying to move toward a negotiated solution based on the four proposals.

Xi signaled China’s stepped-up engagement in the Middle East when he met about two weeks ago in Beijing with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and outlined the plan.

The four points are:

– Advancing the two-state solution based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital of a new Palestinian state.

Upholding “the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security,” immediately ending Israeli settlement building, taking immediate measures to prevent violence against civilians, and calling for an early resumption of peace talks.

– Coordinating international efforts to put forward “peace-promoting measures that entail joint participation at an early date.”

– Promoting peace through development and cooperation between the Palestinians and Israel.

Sounds like every other plan these days…..couldn’t hurt having another player in this game…….

A small step for a large problem…..I wish them luck and success.  chuq

Closing Thought–08Aug17

Agents Of A Foreign Power

We have heard all the mash up about this person or that that has been working as an agent of a foreign country……and how they failed to register as an agent or they forgot some vital information when filling out their security forms…..

To me there are some PACs that need to register……a group like the pro-Israel AIPAC…..is the first to come to mind.

Last week the Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a meeting ostensibly convened to discuss the failure to enforce the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (FARA). Originally rescheduled for this week, the postponed meeting would have featured Donald Trump Jr. and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort testifying about their controversial Trump Tower meeting, but their subpoenas were canceled at the last minute after they arranged to turn over documents. The June 2016 meeting under investigation included Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, lobbyist Rinat Akhmetshin, publicist Rob Goldstone, businessman Ike Kaveladze, and translator Anatoli Samochornov. Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner was also in attendance, apparently only briefly.

The Judiciary Committee hearing was originally set up to look at the possible Russian links of former journalist and head of the research firm Fusion GPS Glenn Simpson, who was behind the infamous Trump dossier that appeared in January. Yet in reality it is part of the broader effort to determine whether Moscow interfered in the 2016 election on behalf of the Donald Trump campaign.

Source: Should AIPAC Register as a Foreign Agent? | The American Conservative

Yes they should register as the agent of a foreign government especially since they have so much influence over Congress and presidents.

I think anyone or any group that takes money to influence or country should be on record as a foreign “agent”……matters not your station in life.

Time to bow out…..hope everyone has a good afternoon and a better evening and I will see you guys tomorrow….chuq

Closing Thought–21Jul17

Soon To Be A Felon!

In my many years I have been on lists especially in the 70-90’s, I was watched by the program COINTELPRO and now I will once again be on another list….this time because I am a supporter of the BDS Movement…..a movement to punish Israel for their apartheid regime….

But why a felon?

The criminalization of political speech and activism against Israel has become one of the gravest threats to free speech in the West. In France, activists have been arrested and prosecuted for wearing T-shirts advocating a boycott of Israel. The U.K. has enacted a series of measures designed to outlaw such activism. In the U.S., governors compete with one another over who can implement the most extreme regulations to bar businesses from participating in any boycotts aimed even at Israeli settlements, which the world regards as illegal. On U.S. campuses, punishment of pro-Palestinian students for expressing criticisms of Israel is so commonplace that the Center for Constitutional Rights refers to it as “the Palestine Exception” to free speech.

But now, a group of 43 senators — 29 Republicans and 14 Democrats — wants to implement a law that would make it a felony for Americans to support the international boycott against Israel, which was launched in protest of that country’s decades-old occupation of Palestine. The two primary sponsors of the bill are Democrat Ben Cardin of Maryland and Republican Rob Portman of Ohio. Perhaps the most shocking aspect is the punishment: Anyone guilty of violating the prohibitions will face a minimum civil penalty of $250,000 and a maximum criminal penalty of $1 million and 20 years in prison.

Source: U.S. Lawmakers Seek to Criminally Outlaw Support for Boycott Campaign Against Israel

When did non-violent protest become a felony?  When did the US become the “bitch” of Israel?

I expect this kind of crap from the Trump toadies…but this goes deeper than the president.

So what they are telling me is that I do not have a choice…..I must not protest against Israel….is that about it?

Then come get me you BASTARDS!

I refuse to gravel at the feet of Israel.

I refuse to be told what I can do with my money or my activism!  BITE ME!

If you are not a coward then join me……

https://bdsmovement.net/

I must once again go back underground (wink wink) for my own safety…..see you guys later….chuq

Closing Thought–13Jul17

Twin Brothers From Different Mothers.

Birds of Feather….Corrupt Together……

The Trump/Netanyahu Bromance…….

Since he, Trump, came to office and the promise to move the Israeli capital there has been a bromance brewing between BiBi and the Donald…..

But recent news show that BiBi is just as under scrutiny as Trump with his corruption within the government……

Six suspects, including close associates of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have been detained on allegations of bribery, tax evasion, fraud offenses and money laundering according to Haaretz.

Police questioned the six early this morning regarding the potentially fraudulent purchase of naval vessels from Germany. The proposed deal involved German company ThyssenKrupp selling Israel three submarines, worth a total of $1.5 billion.

Among the suspects is Netanyahu’s personal lawyer and cousin, David Shimron, who is accused of influencing the billion-dollar deals in favour of the German shipbuilder which he represented in Israel.

Another is Avriel Bar-Yosef, a former deputy head of the National Security Council, who was accused in 2016 of accepting bribes in exchange for promoting German interests in the development of Israel’s gas fields.

Source: 6 senior Israeli officials detained in fraud case – Middle East Monitor

Does any of that sound a bit familiar?

Common ground for a bromance.

I love this stuff!

Enough for today….my brain is done for now…it needs coffee and food….see you guys tomorrow….chuq

Wait For a Coup?

Recently there was a shake-up in the line of ascension to the throne in Saudi Arabia….came as a surprise to many…especially the ousted uncle in favor of a prince….

Source: A Royal Shake-Up – In Saner Thought

Maybe the Saudi  monarchy has more problems than Qatar……

And since no one is really watching this I feel I need to keep my readers up to date…..

The is report is not one that I have confirmed but it is a turn that needs attention…..there seems to be some concern that there could be a coup aimed at the existing king because of this shake-up….and an unlikely ally has stepped forward……

While according to the official narrative, the Saudi power transition on Wednesday, when King Salman bin Abdulaziz announced his decision to replace Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz with his own son, Mohammed bin Salman, went smooth and by the numbers, what took place behind the scenes is more interesting.

Here, events were decidedly more interesting, because as Fars News reports (so take it with a grain of salt), after the decision was announced, the Israeli air force sent 18 of its fighter jets, including F16-I, F15-CD and F16-CD, along with two Gulfstream aircraft, two tanker airplanes and two C130 planes, special for electronic warfare, to Saudi Arabia at the demand of the new crown prince bin Salman to block his cousin (bin Nayef)’s possible measures.

On the surface, such close ties between the existing Saudi regime and Israel would appear a stretch, although it is far more plausible after this week’s WSJ report that when it comes to the Saudi proxy war, Israel and Saudi Arabia had been alligned from the onset of the Syrian conflict, with Israel secretly supplying Syrian rebels near its border with cash as well as food, fuel and medical supplies for years, “a secret engagement in the enemy country’s civil war aimed at carving out a buffer zone populated by friendly forces.”

Source: Israel Deployed 18 Fighter Jets To Saudi Arabia To “Prevent A Coup”: Fars

As I said earlier…I have no confirmation of this turn…but I will continue to watch for more info to pass on as it becomes available.