Mordechai Vanunu -- Where is our outrage?

[Pamela Brown]

Three long years after Mordechai Vanunu was released from Askelon prison in Jerusalem for revealing to the world the fact that the nuclear power installation Dimona in the Negev desert of Israel was also being used to develop nuclear capability in secret, he is again in prison for having violated the draconian restrictions placed on him at the time of the release. He allowed himself to be interviewed by journalists and dared to take a trip to Bethlehem!

http://www.counterpunch.org/goodman08182004.html

Now the press has forgotten about him. There are no action groups campaigning for his release, though Amnesty International has again expressed its outrage at the treatment he has received:

http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGMDE150442007

Vanunu recently stated that the laws used to imprison him stem from the British rule of Palestine and that perhaps only the Queen or the Prime Minister would have sufficient clout to see him released without restrictions so that he can seek asylum in another country and have a safe haven there.

Do any of you Brits have suggestions and/or connections who might be able to help?

Edited August 31, 2007 by Pamela McElwain-Brown

[Mark Stapleton]

Three long years after Mordechai Vanunu was released from Askelon prison in Jerusalem for revealing to the world the fact that the nuclear power installation Dimona in the Negev desert of Israel was also being used to develop nuclear capability in secret, he is again in prison for having violated the draconian restrictions placed on him at the time of the release. He allowed himself to be interviewed by journalists and dared to take a trip to Bethlehem!

http://www.counterpunch.org/goodman08182004.html

Now the press has forgotten about him. There are no action groups campaigning for his release, though Amnesty International has again expressed its outrage at the treatment he has received:

http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGMDE150442007

Vanunu recently stated that the laws used to imprison him stem from the British rule of Palestine and that perhaps only the Queen or the Prime Minister would have sufficient clout to see him released without restrictions so that he can seek asylum in another country and have a safe haven there.

Do any of you Brits have suggestions and/or connections who might be able to help?

Looks like no takers from Britain yet, Pamela. You'll have to settle for a tired and cynical Australian for now. I'm amused but not surprised at the silence of our British compadres who are so knowledgeable on historical and controversial issues--as long as you don't mention Israel's apartheid. However, I doubt anything the Queen or PM would say could get Vanunu released, but it's interesting that they haven't tried. I think fear of incurring the wrath of the mainstream media--or those who control it I should say--is pervasive everywhere. The public statements of prominent people are carefully vetted (to make sure they are 'sound', shall we say?) and this forum is a public forum. I speak from the comfortable vantage point of comparative obscurity, similar to you, perhaps, so I have nothing to lose by drawing attention to the unique lack of accountability awarded to Israel on issues ranging from human rights breaches, illegal occupation of territory, illegal invasions and nuclear proliferation. Global condemnation from politicians, journalists, actors, human rights activists and other prominent talking heads if another country was guilty of half as many things but barely a peep if its Israel. I never cease to marvel at this amazing spectacle. It seems the Palestinians are not the only people Israel has imprisoned.

The Vanunu saga stands in stark contrast to the global campaign to release Nelson Mandela. Moreover, I don't see much difference between South Africa's apartheid and Israel's apartheid (complete with a brand new wall), except that the traditional left, which so admirably campaigned against South Africa's apatheid, apparently lacks the balls to campaign against Israel's apartheid. Could it be that they realise they won't recieve the mainstream support from the Western media which they recieved in the campaign against South Africa?

I've seen Vanunu interviewed once on TV and he seems a bit hyperactive. Understandable. What I would like to hear are his reasons for claiming he had 'almost certain indications' that Israel was involved in the assassination of JFK. He has yet to elaborate, as far as I know. Maybe I give the claim more credibility than it deserves because Vanunu is clearly pissed at Israel. But I suspect the thing Israel is really worried about is not the nuclear secrets but the JFK secrets---which would surely have a more pungent odour if they were true.

[Pamela Brown]

Mark said:

Looks like no takers from Britain yet, Pamela. You'll have to settle for a tired and cynical Australian for now. I'm amused but not surprised at the silence of our British compadres who are so knowledgeable on historical and controversial issues--as long as you don't mention Israel's apartheid.

Unfortunately, I agree with you. Jimmy Carter, who has had amazing objectivity on the issues of the Middle East has been excoriated for his latest book "Peace, not Apartheid". I can't see why everyone is giving Israel a free pass on their treatment of the Palestinians.

However, I doubt anything the Queen or PM would say could get Vanunu released, but it's interesting that they haven't tried. I think fear of incurring the wrath of the mainstream media--or those who control it I should say--is pervasive everywhere. The public statements of prominent people are carefully vetted (to make sure they are 'sound', shall we say?) and this forum is a public forum.

Vanunu has said, in a brief and terse email to me, that nobody cares, that all the 'states' have turned against him. I have to agree this seems to be the case, particularly about this latest imprisonment.

I speak from the comfortable vantage point of comparative obscurity, similar to you, perhaps, so I have nothing to lose by drawing attention to the unique lack of accountability awarded to Israel on issues ranging from human rights breaches, illegal occupation of territory, illegal invasions and nuclear proliferation.

I decided a long time ago to not remain 'obscure' in JFK research; and I'm using the same tenet in this situation. Vanunu's refusal to be quiet or to change his story is what has made him such a threat to Israel.

Global condemnation from politicians, journalists, actors, human rights activists and other prominent talking heads if another country was guilty of half as many things but barely a peep if its Israel. I never cease to marvel at this amazing spectacle. It seems the Palestinians are not the only people Israel has imprisoned.

Indeed not. In fact, we are probably only seeing the tip of the iceberg. I grew up in the NYC metro area, and was a part of its pro-Israel furor. I remember the 6-day War, and how excited I was that Israel had gained so much land. Now I see Israeli newspaper articles about how many American Jews have immigrated to Israel this year, and my heart sinks. I really don't believe they understand how complicated the govt there is.

The Vanunu saga stands in stark contrast to the global campaign to release Nelson Mandela. Moreover, I don't see much difference between South Africa's apartheid and Israel's apartheid (complete with a brand new wall), except that the traditional left, which so admirably campaigned against South Africa's apatheid, apparently lacks the balls to campaign against Israel's apartheid. Could it be that they realise they won't recieve the mainstream support from the Western media which they recieved in the campaign against South Africa?

That is an interesting comparison. Vanunu does not come across as a martyr, which Mandela did, at least to me.

I've seen Vanunu interviewed once on TV and he seems a bit hyperactive. Understandable. What I would like to hear are his reasons for claiming he had 'almost certain indications' that Israel was involved in the assassination of JFK. He has yet to elaborate, as far as I know. Maybe I give the claim more credibility than it deserves because Vanunu is clearly pissed at Israel. But I suspect the thing Israel is really worried about is not the nuclear secrets but the JFK secrets---which would surely have a more pungent odour if they were true.

He says he won't talk about it. I understand his position; his priority is to get to asylum outside of Israel. I am trying to connect the dots. I think there may be a connection between the assassination of JFK and the Six-Day War. It is entirely logical, since JFK worked so diligently to see that Dimona was monitored. Surely he would not have approved Israel's escalation prior to the war, nor supported it as LBJ did, with a carrier group nearby, and of course, the fated Liberty also in the vicinity.

[Mark Stapleton]

Pamela,

I'm not surprised Vanunu was terse in his reply to you. There's a good chance his emails are being monitered by the authorities, imo.

I'm in agreement totally. There are too few people in the West who are actively concerned about the plight of the Palestinians, due in part to the efforts of Israel and its friends in the western media and various western Governments to conceal the real state of affairs.

[Pamela Brown]

Mark,

Agreed. I did not realize he had been re-imprisoned when I emailed. I certainly don't want to cause him any more difficulties.

I reached out to the St. Joan of Arc church here that has an objective view toward the Mid-East, but was promptly rebuffed. I do agree that there is less interest in a situation if it is not Israeli. In addition, Vanunu has become a Christian, so perhaps the regular Palestinian advocacy groups are reluctant to stand up for him.

[Pamela Brown]

It was the Brits who started the whole modern mess in the Middle East in all it's aspects - Israel and Palestine most particulalarly. As I don't think they feel apologetic for what they did, and don't believe in truth-tellers any more than Israel, Russia, US, China or most any country of power, I think they'll do zero. It is sad. I was very active the first time Vanunu was in prison to tell the world about his plight for the crime of telling the truth and trying to contribute to a world with more awareness of and fewer nukes. That most people in the world are trained to follows sports, celebrity non-news and other 'circus' is not an accident...but a well planed conspiracy to which most governments/oligarchy/media subscribe and participate, alone and together. The liars are the leaders and the truth-tellers often in prison or on the run. Such is the world. Sadly.

While I don't share Mark's idea that Mossad had anything to do with Dallas, I would say that Vanunu knows which countries helped secretly build up the Israeli nukes and about how Israel helped S. Africa on that and some other dirty deeds...as well as many other interconnected covert operations done by others. Sadly, none have an interest in his talkiing the truth..the dirty truths they created.

I would agree that British imperialism has had a negative effect on Palestine/Israel. The issues that these people are dealing with are things that, ideally, they should have been able to vote on and decide amongst themselves. No outside power, whether the UK, or the US, has enough insight or sophistication to deal with them.

I also hold the UN responsible for this mess, in that they allowed a partially-fullfilled mandate to move forward. Of course the Palestinians refused to acknowledge Israel -- that was only to be expected. There should have been a process in place to move forward on all the issues in a more gradual manner.

I recall all the excitement about Vanunu's initial 'release' from prison; what a disaster that was for him. Now there is no spotlight on him at all. We can only hope that works to his advantage somehow.

I also agree that Vanunu probably has a lot of information. In addition, he seems to be very good at putting things together. When we look at Mossad in regards to the JFK assassination, I agree, it is a murky mess. Even FINAL JUDGMENT can't clarify it sufficiently. However, if we look at the larger agenda -- the long-range mandate of Israel to expand its borders, grab Jerusalem, and succeed against its Arab foes, the elimination of not only JFK, but RFK and even JFK Jr. does make sense.