Let me make another prediction. Obama will be taken by Israeli occupation commanders on a helicopter tour of West Bank and Golan heights. Upon descending from the helicopter, he will make a statement to the effect that he did not know how small the terrain is, and how narrow Israel is. He will say a few words more about Israeli security needs. All U.S. senators, congress people, and presidential candidates go through this rituals. But they don't realize that when they make these statements they are saying basically this: I am not very bright, and I am really ignorant of geography. I never bothered to look at the map, and I am willing to utter whatever words dictated to me by my AIPAC-approved advisers. Oh, and I also am very insincere, and may criticize Israel after I celebrate my 80th birthday, like Jimmy Carter.

White Supremacists for Israel: "Betancourt also spoke out for other prisoners held throughout the world, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest in her native Myanmar, and Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who was captured by Hamas-allied militants in 2006." So this new expert on foreign policy thinks that an Israeli occupation soldier is a prisoner, but the more than 10,000 Palestinian prisoners (including women, children, and elderly) are not? It says something about her race/ethnic standards, no?

Remembering Ghassan Kanafani (thanks Mirvat)

I reviewed this book by Ajami when I was still a graduate student. Notice that Zionist fanatics still regularly quote that review. But I don't understand: I have written more negative things about him since. And notice the language used: so even words are equated with "physical assault." I mean, I know that Zionist fanatics are very protective of one of their own, but don't they need to update their propaganda files? "In a review of his book The Vanished Imam, Asad Abu Khalil verbally assaulted Ajami, calling him a "neo-orientalist," an insult in Middle East studies circles."

"Questions about the attitude of Italians to their Roma minority were again being asked yesterday after photographs were published of sunbathers continuing as normal with a day at the beach despite the bodies of two Gypsy girls who had drowned being laid out on the sand nearby."

"“The commanding officer told me ‘shoot him, shoot him,” the IDF soldier from armored Battalion 71, who was documented firing a rubber-coated bullet at a bound Palestinian in the Naalin village near the West Bank city of Ramallah, said Monday during his interrogation by the Investigating Military Police (IMP)."

"Local sources reported that the Israeli army invaded the West Bank city of Jericho with a number of military vehicles and attacked a charitable institution in addition to a kindergarden."

"Pour les Occidentaux, la langue, la religion et la race sont constitutives d'une communauté. Ils vont donc survaloriser les identités religieuses, privilégier les «minorités», celles qui ne relèvent pas du courant sunnite: les chrétiens, les musulmans hétérodoxes (chiites, ismaéliens, druzes). Et, ce faisant, provoquer un véritable émiettement de la région, en suscitant l'éveil de sentiments communautaristes." (thanks Ziyad)

"Zbigniew Brzezinski, the former US national security adviser and prominent supporter of Barack Obama, has warned the Democratic presidential candidate that he risks repeating the defeat suffered by the Soviet Union in Afghanistan."

"Murky ownership of two Montreal companies is feeding allegations by U.S. activists that the firms are being used as fronts for Israeli developers intent on building settlements in Palestinian territory." (thanks David)

"Dean's Israel troubles began at a Sept. 3 campaign event in Santa Fe, N.M. When it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he said that day, "It's not our place to take sides." Then, on Sept. 9, he told the Washington Post that America should be "evenhanded" in its approach to the region.That's all Dean said. It's a view held by more than 70% of Americans. It ought to be completely uncontroversial -- if anything, it ought to be that view that is deemed a political piety. But what happened? This, according to an excellent account of that "controversy" in Salon by Michelle Goldberg:..." (thanks Sellam)

Obama Puzzle. The support of anti-war activists for Obama is rather puzzling. The man promised to remove "combat troops" from Iraq, thus leaving 100,000 troops in the country. And he also promised to escalate the war in Afghanistan. Does that pass as pacifism in the U.S.?

"Liberating" their sons and daughters: "US forces shot dead the 17-year-old son and another relative of the governor of northern Iraq's Salahuddin province in a raid on Sunday, local officials said."

"In the film, the soldier can be seen aiming his weapon from a distance of about 1.5 meters from the bound demonstrator, and firing rubber bullets. According to Abu-Rahma's testimony, his big toe was injured and he received treatment from a military medic on the scene, after which he was released by the soldiers. "During the demonstration the soldiers caught me, arrested me – and after a few moments I heard shots and felt a fire in my body. I was afraid and didn't know what it was," Abu-Rahma said. The shots were fired while the officer was holding the Palestinian's arm."" (thanks Olivia)

Let me predict this for you: upon returning to the U.S., Obama will claim that he now understands Israel's security concerns better than before. And audiences will cheer him for that.

This is delicious. How Saudi media praises and criticizes by royal orders. Here, the mouthpiece of Prince Salman (Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat) apologizes to Qatari prime mininster.

More investigative journalism from the newspaper of Hasan Fattah: the UAE's ruling dynasties could not be more pleased. "Abu Dhabi introduces electronic patient record system"

"The government of Prime Minister Maliki has assumed an increasingly large share of the cost of Iraqi security [i.e. security for the American occupation], paying $3 for each American dollar contributed, and is on track to assume near total responsibility next year as revenues from oil exports continue to rise."

"So we return to our original conundrum: can a man seemingly without ethical scruple, who exuberantly supports ethnic cleansing and damns entire religions and ethnicities to perdition, who blames the victims of a historic tragedy for their misfortune, make valuable contributions to historiography? It doesn’t seem possible." (thanks Brandon)

"We learned that he is returning to Palestine. We came to record our names to return with him."

You should read this interview with the Israeli occupation ambassador at the U.N. for many reasons. Notice the fluff questions that they throw at him. Not one question raised critical issues of Israeli occupation and injustices. And then this:
"What about Mahmoud Abbas, the impressively moderate head of the Palestinian Authority? I am not saying Abbas is a Mandela. But at least he is willing to talk, and the Arab world should stand with him and legitimize him and stand against the extremists. They are not doing that."

Thus spoke the puppet of occupation. The occupation puppet (who has allegiance to both Iran and U.S.) is trying to have it both ways: "Iraq, Maliki went on to say, "would like to see the establishment of a long-term strategic treaty with the United States, which would govern the basic aspects of our economic and cultural relations." He also emphasized though that the security agreement between the two countries should only "remain in effect in the short term."" But then the puppet was reprimanded by the White House and was forced to issue this statement: "But a spokesman for al-Maliki said his remarks "were misunderstood, mistranslated and not conveyed accurately.""

""Il n'est pas question de dénier à Israël le droit d'exister, mais je dois avouer que je suis choqué par ce que j'ai vu", déplore Geoff Budlender, lui aussi juif. Ce juriste a été frappé par l'extension de la colonisation, par "la façon de traiter un peuple comme s'il était de seconde classe, par les pesanteurs de l'occupation militaire et le contrôle de tous les aspects de la vie quotidienne des Palestiniens, par la séparation de plus en plus marquée de deux communautés"." (thanks Jean-Paul)

"In other cases, Israeli Jewish killers of Palestinians have been pardoned by the Israeli state and have continued to take part in anti-Palestinian incitement even as Israel insists it can never release Palestinians “with blood on their hands” as part of negotiated prisoner exchanges. For example, Uzi Sharbav, one of three Israeli Jews convicted of murdering three Palestinian students and injuring dozens in a bomb attack on a school in Hebron in 1983, was freed from prison by Israel’s president in 1990. In March 2008, Sharbav signed a widely distributed statement calling for revenge attacks against Arabs following the Mercaz HaRav shootings.³⁰ These examples fit into a much wider pattern of severe, indiscriminate and collective punishment of Palestinians, combined with impunity for Israeli Jews who commit crimes against the lives and property of Palestinians.""

"Not only has this move failed to stem the enthusiasm and empathy many Palestinians have for Hamas, and the support it provides for disadvantaged Palestinians; but it also appears to be backfiring with the moderate and pro-Western Palestinian Authority (PA) and in the process, narrowing the gap, however minutely, between the PA and Hamas." (thanks Enrique)

"Susan Sarandon has expressed surprising unwillingness to denounce her support for the Israeli Billionaire, Lev Leviev, who is has been criticized by a variety of NGOs for his involvement in building settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank." (thanks David)

"The next President must also recognize that the Bush Administration's project of "standing up" Iraqi security forces has itself armed and trained combatants in the civil war."

Somalia Update. My very inside source in Somalia sent me this (he/she does not wish to be identified): "

Here are the latest about the tragedy in Somalia. Today, the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) opened their congress in Djibouti (it will last until the 24 July). The main 2 objectives of this congress are a briefing about the reconciliation meeting between and within the ARS that took place in Sana'a, Yemen, during the last week and the official adoption by the ARS of the Djibouti Agreement reached last June 09. A weeks-long reconciliation process within the fractured Islamic Courts movement ended 2 days ago, with both sides announcing a new agreement that would end a public dispute among Somalia's Islamist leaders. That reconciliation meetings in Sana'a attracted delegations from Eritrea and Djibouti, where exiled Islamists have lived since the Ethiopian intervention of late 2006. Some of the ARS members who took part at this meeting told me that the ceasefire clause, the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces from Somalia and their replacement by a United Nations stabilization force were the most hotly debated topics during meetings in Yemen. But it seem that the good news is that they reached a final agreement… Although no words were heard from officials of the Eritrea-based Islamist faction. They didn't addressed the media about the Yemen talks, but one senior insider confirmed me that an agreement had been reached. According to my source, the Islamic Courts factions of Eritrea agreed to accept UN peacekeepers on the condition that they are from "Muslim countries." The Palestinian ambassador residing in Djibouti, H.E Kamal Gazzaz (and dean of the diplomatic corps -he like very much that title!) made a speech today at the opening of the ARS congress in the name of the Arab League and he presented to Sheikh Sharif Sheik Ahmed, chairman of the ARS, a list of muslim country that may be ready to send troops to Somalia. He added that it is the responsability of the ARS to lobby the Arabs and Muslims countries if they went to reach a positive result in term of Peacekeeping troops from muslim countries. He even added to the insult that he can even give them advises on how to lobby Arabs and Muslims countries and that the ARS should learn from the late Yasser Arafat in terms of lobbying!! I saw a lot of the ARS members who were fulminating!!! In his brefing speech in front of the 106 members of the ARS who were able to be present (the quorum was 96), Sheik Sharif confirmed that the ARS is again united and that the division was the result of bad communications. He said that the main issue is still the departure of the Ethiopian occupation troops from Somalia and if that goal can be reached politically, it is still an achievment for the ARS. The Djibouti peace agreement called for a 90-day ceasefire to be implemented within one month, while setting a timetable for Ethiopian troops to withdraw by October 9 after being replaced by a "sufficient" number of UN peacekeepers. First of all, the so-called International community is still refusing to comit themselfs concerning the UN peacekeepers (we will see what will happen with the so called list of Kamal Gazzaz and his advices in term of lobbying).... Secondly, the Al-Shabaab fighters, who formed the core of the Islamic Courts military machine and are believed to be spearheading the insurgency, did not participate at the Djibouti peace conference and are no more part of the ARS alliance, which also includes ex-Somali lawmakers and Diaspora activists.
It is for these reasons that critics continue to voice many doubts about the implementation of the peace deal, especially regarding the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces and the arrival of UN peacekeepers in the war-ravaged Horn of Africa country (see the report drafted by Dr. Michael A. Weinstein, professor of Political Science in Purdue University: 'Somalia: A Paper Cease-Fire Turns in to Ashes' ) On the other side, the Somali transitional parliament (TFG) has broadly welcomed the peace agreement reached last month in Djibouti between the Somali transitional government and the ARS. The lawmakers listened to a briefing about the Djibouti Agreement from government ministers including the Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Abdisalam who led the Somali government delegation to the UN mediated peace talks in Djibouti early last June. So, now the the 2 sides have adopted the Djibouti agreement, all of them have secured their tickets to Makka where they will meet the Saudi king at the nd of this month and in his 'blessed' presence, they will officially ratify this agreement... Ironically, yesterday, July 18, 2008, marked the 48th anniversary of the independence and unification of the Somali Republic, but nowadays there was nothing worth celebrating about after the total disintegration of the Somali nation-state and the complete destruction of all its institutions. But at least, there is always someone who still have an indefectible faith and hope... Mr. Ban Ki-Moon said in his latest quarterly report to the Security Council that: "Somalia remains a challenge for the international community, but recent developments provide reason to hope'... Youpie! for the nearly 3.5 million Somalis who are in urgent need of food assistance by the end of this year, according to the UN's World Food Program. P.s: The Economist published 2 days ago an interesting article about pirates in the Somali coast. Hope you will like it reading...
That's all for now. Starting from tomorrow and for the next 3-4 days, the ARS congress will continue but behind closed doors. I will do my best to get interresting info and keep you update."

"The plan is based on cooperation with Jordan, which is supposed to promote a similar program on its side of the border, including a large desalinization plant near Aqaba that would serve both Jordanians and Israelis. In its initial stages of operation, the plant would run on natural gas from Egypt or Saudia Arabia." (thanks R.)

"The Palestinian Authority's official news agency Wafa says Israel is using rats to drive Arab families out of their homes in the Old City of Jerusalem." (thanks Olivia)

Did people notice the news that the Lebanese Forces sent a delegation to the Kurdish region in Iraq last week? Both the Lebanese Forces and the Kurdish militias have a history of alliance with Israel and its occupation army. Amin Gemayyel visited there a few months ago too. But with Amin Gemayyel money is always the primary consideration, and subservience to foreign powers comes second.

Several people wrote to me about what I wrote about Samir Al-Quntar. Many of course merely repeat the claims of Israeli propaganda. I was thinking about this: I mean, yes. I am in favor of finding the truth about what happened back in 1978. I am in favor of an independent commission of inquiry that can investigate and interview witnesses and survivors. I am not a fan of the Palestinian Liberation Front that sent the 16 years old Samir (Che Guevara used to turn away anybody less than 18 from joining the Revolution), but has there been more terrorism committed in the Middle East than by Zionist gangs and armies? But notice that the issue then becomes--as always--the focus on an Israeli civilian victim or two. I am for that (and for protecting all civilians in combat), but what about the thousands of Palestinian and Arab civilian victims of Israeli bombings and killing over the years? Why are they not the issue? And why the personalization and dramatization of Israeli victims, and only Israeli victims? Surely, this approach is based on racist standards that consider some lives more precious than others. Spare me.

The pioneers of terrorism in the Middle East: "Richard Westwood-Brookes, Mullock’s historical documents specialist, said the pamphlet was a remarkable find, which “ amounted to a manifesto for terrorist action”." (thanks Marcy)

"The United States’ positions, and the less vocal resistance of other arms exporting countries, including China and Iran, deadlocked discussions in 2006, when the last full meetings on the subject were held here."

Notice how the U.S. justice system is enamored with anti-communist terrorists and hijackers. See how the New York Times refer to those right-wing hijackers: "In 1976, Croatian independence fighters hijacked T.W.A. Flight 355 shortly after it left La Guardia Airport. They said they had five bombs on board the jetliner and had planted a sixth in a locker at Grand Central Terminal." Do you think that the New York Times refers to Palestinian hijackers as "Palestinian independence fighters"?

British Zionist, `Adil Darwish (a favorite of Saudi media--you will see why), said that the speech by the Saudi King in Madrid represented "a new profound philosophy."

Lebanese MP, Nabil Niqula (a member of the bloc of Gen. `Awn) has officially complained and made a scene at a Paris airport because he was asked to remove his shoes. Tell him to take it easy, and tell him it is not that big a deal to be a member of the lousy Lebanese parliament. Twice, I stood at security lines at Dulles airport and watched a U.S. senator removing her shoes without complaining, and another time a member of Congress did the same.

I don't like flags and I don't like nationalisms, but...for Palestine and the Palestinians, anything and everything. (AFP)

"But it was also a day of humiliation. Humiliation most of all for the Israelis. After launching their 2006 war to retrieve two of their captured soldiers, they killed more than a thousand Lebanese civilians, devastated Lebanon, lost 160 of their own – most of them soldiers – and ended up yesterday handing over 200 Arab corpses and five prisoners in return for the remains of the two missing soldiers and a box of body parts."

"McCartney, 66, and his fellow Beatles were banned from performing in Israel in 1965 when the country's then education minister, David Zarzevski, thought that a show by the band would threaten the morals of the nation's youth."

"Guantánamo's child prisoners came from all over the world: they were Afghan, Yemeni, Saudi, Russian, Uighuri, and Canadian. Five of them are still there. They are: Mohammed el Gharani, aged 14-15 when he was seized while praying in a Karachi mosque; Hassan bin Attash, aged 16-17 when seized in Pakistan, and rendered to Jordan where he endured 16 months of torture before being transferred; Faris Muslim Al Ansari, an Afghan-Yemeni who was 17 when captured; Mohamed Jawad, an Afghan who was 17 when seized and faces trial by military commission; and Omar Khadr."

How many Arab children have to die before the Guardian newspaper can dare to refer to Israeli occupation soldiers and leaders as killers? But the white supremacist agenda of the Guardian, and of many Western newspapers, has been exposed in their coverage of Zimbabwe. Just drop the pretenses.

As if this is the first time that Israel has used cluster bombs against Arab civilians: "A former Israeli defense official says the Israeli military used cluster bombs for two weeks during the 2006 Lebanon war without telling the Israeli government."

My mother is most impressed with Samir Al-Quntar. She has been watching his public appearances and is impressed with his ability to articulate his views without regard to local sensibilities and parameters. My sister has been impressed with his constant references to the liberation of Palestine. My sister called him yesterday and congratulated him on his release. He has been keeping up with the news from his jail and they even watched Arab satellite channels. He even asked her about her "brother in California" and said some nice things about me. She was pleased. As for the Zionist fabrications about Quntar, well, these are the typical Zionist lies and fabrications that surround every single confrontation between Israel and Palestinians. It is rather satisfying for me to see Israeli propaganda emulate the stupid propaganda of the Syrian, Egyptian, and Jordanian regimes in 1967. And it is a sign of humiliation that you increase the lies and fabrications, as Israel has been doing as of late, especially after its humiliation in the summer of 2006. They have been calling Quntar a "child-killer" when the then 16 years old did not even see the mother her daughter in that case: they were buried with Israeli indiscriminate gun fire--typical Israeli tactic in such situations. Child killer? Israel killed more babies and children in one day in Lebanon in 2006, than all the Israeli children that have been killed either recklessly or indiscriminately in the years of confrontation between Israel and Palestinian fighters. But Israel has more important business now: Israeli propaganda and Saudi propaganda are busy reflecting the honeymoon between the House of Saud and Zionism. This only proves my theory: that Israel always manages to get along with notorious anti-Semities provided they give support to Israel and its wars in the region.

My article in Al-Akhbar: "Arab Liberals and the Iraqi Question"