Driven by its politicians’ malevolent rhetoric, Israel foams with fascist fervour. In the streets zionist fanatics scream for Palestinian genocide. Not one to demur from a frolic in a foreign blood bath, the saturnine imperial potentate Obama mouths the customary western obscenity about the racist zionist entity having a right to defend itself, rubberstamping its criminality in chorus with one hundred percent of the good old boys and girls in the US senate. Ashton is ‘deeply’ duplicitous as the EU turns away from Israel’s collective punishment of the people of Gaza, a deliberate, premeditated crime against humanity which, as in November 2008, the ziocolony has orchestrated bloody mayhem to spice the lead up to its apartheid faux elections. In Australia, bipartisan prevarication oozes from the shonky Australian political shills for empire and zionism.
Fascist states refresh themselves continuously through calibrated, manufactured spectacles, to reprime the illusionist themes of sanctioned violence amd self-righteous racism, all the better to support the state’s drive for power and expansionism. To retain its expansionary, militarist, oppressive and racist nature, the ziocolony indulges in regular orgiastic, violent frenzies. Yet this sadistic, cathartic behaviour is inherently unstable and unsustainable.
Thicker than Netanyahu’s Amerikkkan accent, the putrid zionist hasbara flows through the western media, to obscure the deaths and maiming of Palestinian civilians who unlike cossetted, privileged Israelis, have no air raid shelters or early warning sirens, no Iron Dome defence system supplied by the world’s super-maniacal power. Children in Gaza are crying in fear and hurt, dying again in the arms of their parents, parents slaughtered before their children’s eyes, buildings new-built since Israel’s 2009 Cast Lead frenzy pulverised by torrents of bombs which in the urban density of Gaza take a bloody toll of innocent civilians. Israel’s vile oppression must end, with its war criminals and their western accomplices brought to justice at The Hague.
While awaiting the moral arc of governments to grind far too slowly toward justice, individuals can act = boycott apartheid Israel – conscientious attention costs nothing and adds to the growing weight of grassroots action to transform the racist, oppressive behaviour of the brutal apartheid entity. On no account buy your beloved diamonds for Christmas – you don’t know where they’ve been. Israeli diamonds are blood diamonds.
Revolución está al alcance de todos – resistir a la Bestia. Tierra y libertad!
Bombs and Lies
through shrouded sky
to a Gaza reprise
fascist drones fly
remotely contrived
for justice’s demise
at maimed childrens’ cries
chorused liberal sighs
can’t obscure genocide
in apartheid eyes
truth dies
as empire’s disguise
Israel lies
lies and lies
a Pillar of Lies
Forget the Australian Greens, overrun with white supremacism, zionism and equivocation between oppressor and oppressed. A good sign of their western colonialist infection perhaps is their use of the ‘deeply’ word, so beloved of Cashton and Rice.
The Malaysian government condemns Israel’s murderous attack on the civilian population of Gaza while “Viva Palestina Malaysia (VPM) chairman Datuk Dr Musa Mohd Nordin said the airstrike on Gaza that killed 10 Palestinians yesterday was yet another display of Israel’s contempt for international laws and its ruthless defiance of accepted norms of co-existence.”
Have you come across any of these fallacious excuses? Ubiquitous themes employed by apologists in attempts to defend, conceal and prevent racist or bigoted behaviour being exposed publicly include :
You are being *divisive*, we need non-partisanship, a unified movement (yet to include racists and bigots discredits and divides any ethical human rights movement) AKA “Don’t deprive the movement of important activists!” (despite their racist/bigoted behaviour). This point includes protecting divisive people who have attacked entire segments of the movement with their racist rationale, even going so far as to call an entire population within the movement, by mere identification with their ethnicity, an enemy of the movement;
You are smearing [insert racist here] by identifying their racist behaviour;
You are bullying us by identifying racist behaviour. (Or eg. Why are you ‘singling out’ Israel? as if the bully/Israel doesn’t single themselves out with their behaviour.);
You are witchhunting those poor racists and in public too (as if their behaviour was only expressed privately);
By criticising this racist behaviour, you are being racist. (Doublethink – eg. ‘criticism of [racist] Israel is anti-semitic’);
You will alienate people “on the fence” by identifying racist behaviour; eg. ‘Don’t call Israel “apartheid”, it will turn off potential supporters of peace’.
Our support of [insert racist behaviour here] is just a ‘difference of opinion’ AKA “We have a right to be racist”;
You are ‘gatekeeping the discourse’ by identifying racist behaviour; (new variant is “you’re censoring. what about free speech?”)
We need “education” and/or “dialogue” not “confrontation” with racists and racist behaviour (variation on 1.). (Yes, we do need education about racism and bigotry and why they aren’t acceptable within human rights movements, so we can confront the behaviour when it occurs. Why would one engage in normalising *dialogue* with zionists or any other racists? Resistance, not normalisation!);
What gives you the right to determine what is racist behaviour? (As Raoul Wallender said, ‘every individual has a responsibility to fight against racism and other human rights violations’) AND corollaries “Racism is whatever I say it to be” or “‘Racism’ has no fixed meaning therefore we cannot identify racism” (in order to derail discussion away from racism)”;
Your attitude is aggressive and counter-productive. (The “tone” non-argument) – variation on 3.;
Why are you bringing up racism over and over and over again? we heard you the first time! (but still didn’t confront the racist behaviour);
“I don’t see race. By seeing race you are being racist.” (Variation of 5.);
“[Insert group] isn’t a race so nothing we say or do about this group is racist.” (ignoring the social construct of racism and reiterating the biological determinism inherent to racist ideology;
“Please move on” AKA “Give peace a chance” AKA “We have these wonderful anti-racist principles and declarations, so now we can bury further discussion about racism and racist behaviour and get on with our ‘activism’.” AKA “Look over there, at Gaza/Syria!” AKA “The situation is complicated!” AKA “Yes, they may be a racist, but they raise good points”;
“Race is culturally determined”. Now that biologically constructed racism has been debunked, racists are constructing race via culture. eg. ‘you come from a non-western culture and your race is suspect.’ This is really just a variant on biologically determined racism, since the target/s have been born into a culture/ethnicity.
To help end racism and bigotry, which are both tools used by ruling elites to divide and rule all the better to disempower any opposition, it is logical and essential to deal with these behaviours as they arise. Movements for freedom, equality and justice are strengthened when there’s zero tolerance within and without for the racism and bigotry they are attempting to end. Racism and bigotry belong on the zionist, colonialist and imperialist side.
“It is helpful to think of normalization as a “colonization of the mind,” whereby the oppressed subject comes to believe that the oppressor’s reality is the only “normal” reality that must be subscribed to, and that the oppression is a fact of life that must be coped with. Those who engage in normalization either ignore this oppression, or accept it as the status quo that can be lived with.”
“Irrespective of its sources, racism is racism. Ignorance is no excuse. Insecurity is not justification…racism in all its forms should be uncompromisingly condemned.”
We are writing to you to ask that you not cross the Palestinian picket line by playing in Israel in December. As we write, the people of Gaza, who live in the world’s largest open-air prison, are being subjected to nightly airstrikes by Israel, a few miles from where you would be playing to a segregated audience. Last week, humanitarian activists trying to break the illegal, immoral siege of Gaza were kidnapped in international waters, tasered and imprisoned in Israel. Their crime? Showing solidarity to the Palestinian people.
Last month the United Nations issued a report: “Gaza in 2020, a Liveable Place?” [1] focusing on Gaza’s precarious situation, particularly regarding power supply, water, education and employment. Gaza’s 1.6 million people, most of them refugees and over half of them children, are held in a tiny piece of land with their movements controlled by Israel and their basic human rights denied. They are also terrorised by drone planes and military incursions regularly. Can you imagine that human beings are being treated like this? Can you imagine playing for the state that does this? Amnesty International, an organisation which you have supported, has documented Israel’s war crimes in Gaza, as have many other NGOs. [2]
Were this Israel’s only breach of human rights, it should be enough for you not to play in Tel Aviv. However, Israel is also guilty of gross human rights violations against the Palestinian people living in the West Bank and the Palestinian citizens of Israel. In November 2011 the Russell Tribunal on Palestine determined that Israel is practising apartheid against the Palestinian people. [3] Its session in New York this month saw submissions from Alice Walker, Angela Davis and Roger Waters among others and made the following findings:
“Among these violations of international law, several of them are criminally sanctioned: war crimes (Israeli settlements, inhumane treatment, torture, indiscriminate attacks, home demolitions, forced population transfer, collective punishment, 1996 ILC Draft Code of crimes against the peace and security of mankind, Art. 20; 4th GC, Art. 147, Rome Statute Art. 8), crimes against humanity (persecution defined by the International Criminal Court (ICC) Statute cited here as expression of international custom, Art. 7), and the crime of Apartheid (1973 UN Convention, Art. 1 ; on Apartheid and persecution, see 2011 Capetown findings of this Tribunal). Because of their systematic, numerous, flagrant and, sometimes, criminal character, these violations are of a particularly high gravity.” [4]
Archbishop Desmond Tutu described the situation thus: “I have been to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and I have witnessed the racially segregated roads and housing that reminded me so much of the conditions we experienced in South Africa under the racist system of Apartheid. International Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions against the Apartheid regime, combined with the mass struggle inside South Africa, led to our victory … Just as we said during apartheid that it was inappropriate for international artists to perform in South Africa in a society founded on discriminatory laws and racial exclusivity, so it would be wrong … to perform in Israel“. [5]
As a means of resistance to this apartheid, Palestinian civil society, like its South African counterpart during their struggle, has called for a boycott of Israel until it complies with international law and Universal Principles of Human Rights. The PACBI (Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel) call [6] for BDS, made by over 200 civil society organisations, is growing in international support daily and the list of artists respecting the call includes: Santana, Cat Power, Elvis Costello, Cassandra Wilson, Massive Attack, Jello Biafra, Faithless, Leftfield, Gorillaz, Pixies, Gil Scott Heron, and many more who have refused to play for apartheid. If there is any doubt that the state uses artists’ performances in Israel as endorsement of its policies, this quotation from the Israeli foreign ministry where it stated that it “sees no difference between propaganda and culture”, should dispel that. Indeed, the official state twitter was boasting about your upcoming performance when it was announced. [7]
Just this week the African National Congress (ANC) International Solidarity Conference voted to support the Palestinian-led campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel, cementing the links between the two struggles against apartheid. [8]
When a performer playing last week asked his Israeli interviewer if Palestinians could attend the concert, the response was: “We have to check.” Playing to a segregated audience is not worthy of you, Alanis, and would be a terrible disappointment to many of your fans.
Every day the Palestinian people endure Israeli oppression with dignity and immense courage – all they are asking is that you do not cross their picket line. In solidarity with them, we are asking you to not to play for apartheid. Alanis, please cancel.
Warmest Regards, Don’t Play Apartheid Israel
We are a group of 950 members, representing many nations around the globe, who believe that it is essential for musicians and other artists to heed the call of the PACBI, and join in the boycott of Israel. This is essential in order to work towards justice for the Palestinian people under occupation, and also in refugee camps and in the diaspora throughout the world.
The ANC has responded in the affirmative to calls for support for boycott against apartheid Israel.
“ANC International Solidarity Conference in Tshwane City Hall, Pretoria, takes a decision to support the 2005 call by Palestinians’ largest political gathering in Ramallah to impose Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions on Israel. ANC chair Baleka Mbete goes on to mention that Israel is worse than Apartheid. This was in response to German comrades opposing the motion to include BDS in conference declaration. This is the strongest statement yet, in support of BDS coming from an ANC related Conference. Inshallah, the rest of the world gathered here will follow. Viva BDS, Viva!”
This ANC affirmation is inspiring and significant particularly combined with the strength of past achievements by conscientious people all over the world in solidarity maintaining commitment to justice and rights – in the past against apartheid in South Africa, and now for Palestinian people and dismantlement of Israel’s apartheid tyranny.
CALL BY FORMER INTERNATIONAL ANTI-APARTHEID ACTIVISTS TO THE ANC
Dear South African Comrades,
We — former international anti-apartheid activists — supported the African National Congress (ANC) and the people of South Africa in their fight for liberation and against apartheid by mobilizing support for boycott, divestment and sanctions against the South African apartheid regime.
We succeeded to put the crime of apartheid on the agenda of political parties, trade unions, churches, non-governmental organizations, artists, sports bodies, universities and concerned citizens. We called on people not to buy apartheid products and we discouraged tourism to the country. We campaigned for a weapons embargo, an oil embargo, a Krugerrand boycott, a sports, academic and cultural boycott. We pressurized companies and banks to withdraw from apartheid South Africa. We mobilized thousands of people to participate in demonstrations against apartheid.
On the occasion of the 3rd ANC International Solidarity Conference, we call on the ANC to support the Palestinian people in their fight for freedom, justice and equality. We are deeply concerned about Israel’s ongoing violations of the rights of the Palestinian people with total impunity.
In 2005, Palestinian civil society released a call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel to pressurize the Israeli government to change. The call – anchored in universal human rights – de?ned three basic Palestinian rights that constitute the minimal requirements of a just peace, namely, that Israel should:
– End its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantle its Apartheid Wall;
– Recognize the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and,
– Respect, protect and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.
We call on the ANC to support the Palestinian call for BDS as expression of the party’s solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people to enjoy their rights, including the right to self-determination.
International boycotts and disinvestment, which were used as effective tools to fight apartheid should also be used to further the cause of the Palestinian struggle for self-determination.
This call was made at a tribute to the longest serving president of the ANC, Oliver Tambo, at the University of Witwatersrand (Wits) on Wednesday night.
The event organised by the Wits SRC also saw the screening of a special tribute “Have You Heard from Johannesburg”, highlighting OR’s campaign to isolate apartheid South Africa at a time when the ANC was viewed by the west as an agent of communist Russia or at worst a terrorist organisation.
Speakers said there were strong parallels between the two struggles against injustice and oppression.
They also pointed to the tactics used by Tambo to mobilise the international community against South Africa, and argued that the same strategies were needed to help the people of Palestine.
The Wits SRC reiterated its call for an academic and cultural boycott of Israel despite Wits management distancing itself from the move.
This comes at a time when there is a strong movement in favour of boycotting Israeli products in South Africa.
SRC representative Tokelo Nhlapo said that the similarities between apartheid South Africa and Israel’s occupation of Palestine were too great to ignore. The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ebrahim Ebrahim’s statement for the event read: “Today, there is a similar international civil society solidarity campaign in support of the Palestinians against Israeli policies and practices of occupation and aggression.
“The ANC fully supports this international movement to pressure Israel to engage with the Palestinian people to reach a just solution.”
University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) Prof Farid Essack, one of the guest speakers, said that Israel was an apartheid state and should be stopped.
“This is what is expected from the family of humankind. Not because we owe it to the Palestinian people but we owe it to ourselves,” he said.
International anti-apartheid movement organiser from the Netherlands Adri Neiwhof said that Tambo was “humble and a motivator”.
A boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaigner against Israel, Neiwhof spoke of the success of a Dutch boycott campaign in helping to end apartheid.
The famous Turkish alternative band Baba Zula has cancelled their planned concert in Israel. Originally planned for 9 November at the Barby in Tel Aviv, the band removed Tel Aviv from their tour schedule and Auris Media posted that the band from Istanbul had cancelled.
Musician Omar Saad refuses to join the criminal IDF: ‘I oppose the recruitment to the Israeli military and any other military for conscience and nationalistic reasons. I hate the injustice and oppose the occupation; I hate intolerance and restriction of freedoms. I hate those who detain children, the elderly and women.’
The global jewellery business is bankrolling the Zionist project in Palestine to a very significant degree. Jewellers deceitfully claim diamonds are conflict-free even though a large percentage of them are crafted in Israel where revenue from the diamond industry generates over $1 billion per year in funding for the Israeli military regime which is guilty of nuclear weapons proliferation and war crimes in the Middle East.
‘According to many international organisations, water is being used by Israel as a war weapon, threatening the life of the Palestinian people. Since the creation of the Zionist entity in Palestine, Israel has been working relentlessly on annexing Palestinian land and water sources lying beneath. Such a strategic design was confirmed in a document prepared, in 1941, by David Ben-Gurion (Israel’s first prime minister). In this document (which was released by the British Public Record Office) Ben-Gurion stated: “We have to remember that for the Jewish state’s ability to survive, it must have within its borders, the waters of [rivers] Jordan and Litani.”’
‘The Palestinian Authority has proved after 19 years to have been nothing more than a Palestinian guard for Israel’s brutal occupation instead of confronting the aggressor or taking any forward steps towards justice in the region.’
“During the military offensive, 18 schools were destroyed, (including eight government schools, two private schools and eight kindergartens) and at least 280 were damaged. Six of the destroyed government schools were in North Gaza alone, affecting almost 9,000 students who had to relocate to other schools.”
“‘Welcome to the first edition of the web based Voice of Palestine, the Voice of the Palestinian People. Our host Hanna Kawas talks live with Dr. Haidar Eid from Gaza City.
Haidar is a professor at Al Aqsa University in Gaza and a longtime activist for Palestinian rights and he covers a broad range of topics in this open discussion, including the recent airstrikes on Gaza and the visit of the Emir of Qatar, the limitations of the two state solution and his commitment to the one democratic state principle, as well as a frank critique of the visit to Gaza by Noam Chomsky.'”
On the Palestinian BDS action against an Israeli supermarket located in an illegal Israeli settlement in the Occupied West Bank. Includes media release, video and photos. Four activists were arrested, including her friend Bassem Tamimi who is currently being held in Ofer Prison.
