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Don't slam Carter; Israel's grip is real
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | By SHULAMIT ALONI
Former Israeli cabinet minister
Published on: 01/24/07
Jewish self-righteousness is taken for granted among ourselves to such an extent that we fail to see what's right in front of our eyes. It's simply inconceivable that the ultimate victims, the Jews, can carry out evil deeds. Nevertheless, the state of Israel practices its own, quite violent, form of apartheid with the native Palestinian population.
The U.S. Jewish establishment's onslaught on former President Jimmy Carter is based on him daring to tell the truth which is known to all: Through its army, the government of Israel practices a brutal form of apartheid in the territory it occupies. Its army has turned every Palestinian village and town into a fenced-in, or blocked-in, detention camp. All this is done in order to keep an eye on the population's movements and to make its life difficult. Israel even imposes a total curfew whenever the settlers, who have illegally usurped the Palestinians' land, celebrate their holidays or conduct their parades.
If that were not enough, the generals commanding the region frequently issue further orders, regulations, instructions and rules (let us not forget: they are the lords of the land). By now they have requisitioned further lands for the purpose of constructing "Jewish only" roads.
Wonderful roads, wide roads, well-paved roads, brightly lit at night — all that on stolen land. When a Palestinian drives on such a road, his vehicle is confiscated, and he is sent on his way.
On one occasion I witnessed such an encounter between a driver and a soldier who was taking down the details before confiscating the vehicle and sending its owner away.
"Why?" I asked the soldier.
"It's an order. This is a Jews-only road," he replied. I inquired as to where was the sign indicating this fact and instructing [other] drivers not to use it.
His answer was nothing short of amazing. "It is his responsibility to know it, and besides, what do you want us to do, put up a sign here, and let some anti-Semitic reporter or journalist take a photo, so he then can show the world that apartheid exists here?"
Indeed apartheid does exist here. And our army is not "the most moral army in the world" as we are told by its commanders. Maj. Gen. Yair Naveh, renowned for his superior patriotism, has issued a new order. Coming into effect on Jan. 19, it prohibits the conveyance of Palestinians without a permit. The order determines that Israelis are not allowed to transport Palestinians in an Israeli vehicle (one registered in Israel regardless of what kind of number plate it carries) unless they have received explicit permission to do so. The permit relates to both the driver and the Palestinian passenger. Of course none of this applies to those whose labor serves the settlers. They and their employers will naturally receive the required permits so they can continue to serve the lords of the land, the settlers.
Did man of peace, former President Carter truly err in concluding that Israel is creating apartheid? Did he exaggerate?
Don't the U.S.-Jewish community leaders recognize the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination of March 7, 1966, to which Israel is a signatory?
Are the U.S. Jews who launched the loud and abusive campaign against Carter for supposedly maligning Israel's character and its democratic and humanist nature unfamiliar with the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid of Nov. 30, 1973? Apartheid is defined therein as an international crime that among other things includes using different legal instruments to rule over different racial groups, thus depriving people of their human rights. Isn't freedom of travel one of these rights?
From now on, Israelis and international humanitarian organizations' volunteers are prohibited from assisting a woman in labor by taking her to the hospital. And volunteers of Yesh Din, an Israeli human rights group, cannot take a robbed and beaten-up Palestinian to the police station to lodge a complaint. (Police stations are located at the heart of the settlements.)
Is there anyone who believes that this is not apartheid?
Shulamit Aloni is a former Israeli cabinet minister. This column originally appeared in Yediot Aharonot, a daily newspaper in Israel.
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Comments
ADL Will Love This !
mparent; Astounding ! Have you recommended republication of this piece to the ADL ?
quasimodo
Not apartheid?
Israelis and their government refer to the wall as a "separation barrier."
In Afrikaans, "apartheid" means separation (literally "apartness").
However in Israel, apartheid and separation are not really apartheid and separation. That is, separation exists, but it doesn't really exist. Or rather, separation does exist, but it doesn't really REALLY exist.
It all depends on what one's definition of "is" is. Clearly someone who claims that an item that exists actually exists is anti-Semitic. That is, if you claim that something that does not exist does indeed exist, then you are guilty of non-existence denial, which is the same as holocaust denial. Therefore to say there is apartheid in Israel is to engage in holocaust denial.
If you selfishly believe your own eyes, rather than the righteous testimony of Jewish victims, then you are guilty of a hate crime, and should be prosecuted accordingly.
Hopefully that clears up the entire controversy.
Still LMAO
And the top snark of the day award goes to this comment.
Quick, somebody email this to the ADL.
Me too
This anti-zionist is pretty funny and right on, I have spotted two of his comments on the board, both very well informed, and to the point.
Yours MParent7777 are also very good btw, keep it up...it is encouraging to know that there are 'others' out there who are more aware and are active.
___________________
Thanks
US imperial policy in the Middle East
1) The power and influence of Israel and the Zionist power configuration over US political institutions (Congress, the Executive branch, the mass media, the two major political parties and electoral processes), their economic leverage on investment and financial institutions (state and trade union pension funds, investment banks), their cultural domination of journals, the performing arts, magazines, films and newspapers. Zionist political, economic and cultural power is directed exclusively toward maximizing Israel’s military, economic and political expansion and superiority in the Middle East even when it conflicts with other US imperialist interests.
2) The capacity of the US Empire to construct and instrumentalize Middle East client states and mercenary forces to implement US policies. The most prominent and important current instruments of US policy in the Middle East include the puppet regime in Iraq, the Abbas-Dahlan group in Palestine, the Kurds in Iraq, the Sinoria-Harari-Jumblat regime in Lebanon, the Mujahideen-e Khalq Organisation, Kurds and Sunni tribalists in Iran and the puppet Somali ‘regime’ backed by Ethiopian-Ugandan mercenaries.
3) An alliance with right-wing regimes and rulers in Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States and Israel to provide military bases, intelligence and political backing for the colonial occupation in Iraq, the division of Iraq, economic sanctions and war against Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and any other clerical-nationalist and leftist movements in the Middle East.
4) The capacity to contain, repress and limit the opposition of the majority of the US public and a minority of Congress members to the current war in Iraq and a future war against Iran. The key problem for US imperialism is the discrediting of the civilian-militarists in the White House and their increasing tendency to resort to new political ‘adventures’ and ‘provocations’ to recover support and to concentrate dictatorial powers in the President’s office.
Collins, The Editor of the Journal 'Cialis Alternative'
US imperial policy in the Middle East
1) The power and influence of Israel and the Zionist power configuration over US political institutions (Congress, the Executive branch, the mass media, the two major political parties and electoral processes), their economic leverage on investment and financial institutions (state and trade union pension funds, investment banks), their cultural domination of journals, the performing arts, magazines, films and newspapers. Zionist political, economic and cultural power is directed exclusively toward maximizing Israel’s military, economic and political expansion and superiority in the Middle East even when it conflicts with other US imperialist interests.
2) The capacity of the US Empire to construct and instrumentalize Middle East client states and mercenary forces to implement US policies. The most prominent and important current instruments of US policy in the Middle East include the puppet regime in Iraq, the Abbas-Dahlan group in Palestine, the Kurds in Iraq, the Sinoria-Harari-Jumblat regime in Lebanon, the Mujahideen-e Khalq Organisation, Kurds and Sunni tribalists in Iran and the puppet Somali ‘regime’ backed by Ethiopian-Ugandan mercenaries.
3) An alliance with right-wing regimes and rulers in Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States and Israel to provide military bases, intelligence and political backing for the colonial occupation in Iraq, the division of Iraq, economic sanctions and war against Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and any other clerical-nationalist and leftist movements in the Middle East.
4) The capacity to contain, repress and limit the opposition of the majority of the US public and a minority of Congress members to the current war in Iraq and a future war against Iran. The key problem for US imperialism is the discrediting of the civilian-militarists in the White House and their increasing tendency to resort to new political ‘adventures’ and ‘provocations’ to recover support and to concentrate dictatorial powers in the President’s office.
Collins, The Editor of the Journal 'Cialis Alternative'