by Richard Silverstein for the Guardian The hasbara brigade strikes again! You always hear about Israeli attempts at media manipulation. Everyone knows it’s going on but usually the process happens through cyber insurgents like those involved with Giyus (and its media monitoring software, Megaphone). Now, we know that the Israeli foreign ministry itself is orchestrating propaganda efforts designed to flood news websites with pro-Israel arguments and information. A reader of
The Jerusalem Post reports: AIPAC on Thursday praised a bipartisan US Senate resolution which expressed support for Israel in its fight against terrorism. The resolution, which was sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, “conveys America’s unequivocal and steadfast support for Israel’s right to self-defense,” according to a statement from the pro-Israel lobby group. Reid was quoted in the statement as telling the Senate
Press TV reports: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has ordered the Israeli ambassador to leave the country in a move meant to show solidarity with the besieged Gazans, The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the government “has decided to expel the Israeli ambassador and part of the personnel of the Israeli embassy” to protest Israel’s hostilities against the Palestinians in Gaza, AP reported. Chavez had earlier condemned the
Al-Manar reports: “Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah called on Tuesday Lebanese to take part in the massive Ashoura march scheduled on Wednesday to renew commitment to the Resistance choice and hostility to the Zionist entity as well as the “Greatest Satan” which gives the orders. His eminence slammed the decision to launch a war on the Gaza Strip as foolish, thanking God “for making our enemies so stupid and
It is an Israeli tradition of sorts to attack UN compounds in each of its war. Remember the first and second Israeli attacks on the UN compound in Qana? Well, this time the ‘glorious and invincible Tsahal’ did it again: they just attacked a UN compound in Gaza killing 40+ people who had found a shelter in this school converted into a refugee center. As always, the UN had given
Take a look at the photo the Israeli government has just released: Olmert is visiting and Israeli Air Force base and is trying on a pilot’s helmet. Is that the Israeli version of Dubya’s landing on an aircraft carrier off the California coast? A lawyer fancying himself as a member of the “elite” (read:civilian murdering) IAF. How pathetic and lame can those politicians get?
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Israel’s lack of options – sympathy with the devil? After weeks of rumors, speculations and not so veiled threats, Israel has finally begun its assault on the Gaza strip. Predictably, it began with F-16 airstrikes at “Hamas targets” and, equally predictably, the hospitals in Gaza are filling up with many casualties (190+ killed and many more wounded). Actually, this is the “least-bad” strategy for Israel as it makes it possible
Israel has a long history of ‘spitting’ at the United Nations. From the 1996 and 2006 Israeli artillery assaults on the UN position in Qana, Lebanon, to the refusal to let a UN investigate the Jenin massacre, the Israelis have never been shy about showing their utter contempt for international law (or any kind of law, for that matter) and the United Nations. This time, it is an American Jew
This will appear in the next issue of Al-Ahram Weekly http://weekly.ahram.org.eg Disappointment follows disappointment with each ‘new’ face, bemoans Eric Walberg, but there is a sort of silver lining Yes, we mustn’t expect too much. We all know it is the establishment that comes first in United States politics. Obama’s presidency could easily be sabotaged by the powers that put him there. But still. He would never have made it
By Grant F. Smith for “Dissident Voice” via Information Clearing House According to the Jerusalem Post, the US Department of Treasury’s new Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI) unit is going after the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines. TFI targeted the company and 18 affiliates for their alleged effort to “facilitate the transport of cargo for UN Designated proliferators.” TFI further charges it “falsifies documents and uses deceptive schemes to
Al-Manar TV: Israeli media on Thursday hailed Barack Obama’s choice of Rahm Emanuel to be his chief of staff, with one daily calling the Democrat of Israeli descent “our man in the White House.“ Radio stations and newspapers pointed out Emanuel’s occupied Jerusalem-born father was once a member of Irgun, an underground, ultra-nationalist Jewish movement that fought British troops before the 1948 existence of Israel. Emanuel himself volunteered to serve
This from the BBC: Barack Obama has started forming his administration by asking Rahm Emanuel, a former adviser to President Clinton, to be his chief-of-staff. So that’s who Obama will put in the single most sensitive position in his White House and that is who will form the rest of the Obama team for “change”. I can’t wait to hear the rest of the names…..
As a follow up to my previous post, I would like to introduce Rahm Emanuel to those of you who are not familiar with him. Here are three excellent articles which I highly recommend to you all:Andrew Cockburn: Meet Rahm EmanuelJohn Walsh: How Rahm Emanuel Has Rigged a Pro-War CongressJohn Walsh: Emanuel’s War Plan for Democrats I think these three are a *must read* for anyone contemplating an Obama vote.
Check this AP news item: Barack Obama’s campaign has approached Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel about possibly serving as White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel is, along with Joe Lieberman, just about the most fanatical Ziocon in Congress. He is at least as evil and fanatical as any Richard Perle or Paul Wolfowitz. The simple fact that Obama is seriously considering making him his Chief of Staff really says it
I often get very interesting emails from my readers and friends. This morning, I got this from ‘G’ (emphasis in red added): http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24246275/ I just cannot believe how outrageous statements like these go unquestioned. Instead of being questioned regarding her sanity–she is after all committing America’s nuclear forces to the defense of a country with which we have no treaty obligations to and is of absolutely no strategic importance in
Two rather interesting, if unrelated, reports from PRESS TV this morning: Obama slammed for anti-Israeli advisor US Presidential nominee Barack Obama has come under fire over his anti-Israeli national campaign co-chairman, Gen. Merrill Tony McPeak. An inquiry by conservative American media outlets reveals that McPeak, who is also Obama’s military advisor, is a longtime anti-Israel critic who slammed American Zionists for acting against US interests. In an interview with The
