Is The State of Israel Above The Law?

[Guest Stephen Turner]

I'd like to see the US cut off all aid to Israel, but it's very unlikely considering Congress is under the control of the Israel lobby.

It's not just the Israel lobby. The U.S. sees Israel as an important ally. I don't know why it's seen as an important ally, it just is.

Maybe DWD can tell us before his account runs out.

They're America's proxy in the Middle East. also, some far right religious nuts believe that "The final battle" will happen in Israel, at Megiddo.

[John Simkin]

Surely the unadulterated, peace loving, Proconsul for the region will speak shortly...or maybe he has!!

I can't hear you Mr Blair.

Tony Blair has been on holiday and has been unable to carry out his peace-keeping role in the Middle-East. However, he is now back-in his office. This takes the form of the entire floor of the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem (this costs £700,000 a year). Blair will not travel to Arab countries because he fears for his safety and therefore they have to be willing to travelling to Jerusalem in order to put their case.

Blair has been constantly questioned about his commitment to his post as Middle East peace envoy for UN, USA, Europe and Russia. He has still not called for a ceasefire and his past record shows it is impossible for him to be a peace negotiator in the region. Many people in the Arab world see him as a war criminal because of the role he played in the Iraq War. Blair is also not willing to spend time on peace-talks because his speaking tours keep him very busy (it is believed they will earn him £15m by July 2009).

Blair has been an important supporter of Israel for nearly 15 years. In March, 1994, Blair was introduced to Michael Levy at a dinner party at the Israeli embassy in London. Levy was a retired businessman who now spent his time raising money for Jewish pressure-groups. After this meeting, Levy acquired a new job, raising money for Tony Blair. According to Robin Ramsay (The Rise of New Labour, page 64), Levy raised over £7 million for Blair. This was used to promote him as future leader of the Labour Party.

Levy ran the Labour Leader's Office Fund to finance Blair's campaign before the 1997 General Election and received substantial contributions from Zionists such figures as Alex Bernstein and Robert Gavron, both of whom were ennobled by Blair after he came to power. Levy was created a life peer by Blair in 1997, and in 2002, just prior to the Iraq War, Blair appointed Levy as his personal envoy to the Middle East. Levy has praised Blair for his "solid and committed support of the State of Israel" and has been described himself as "a leading international Zionist".

As a result of obtaining this money Blair joined the pressure group, Labour Friends of Israel. It is one of the most fanatical Zionists groups in the UK. Gordon Brown also joined this group before he became prime minister. The group is led by Louise Ellman, who organized the defence of Israel's actions in Gaza in the media.

In 2006, Blair was heavily criticised for his failure to call for a ceasefire in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, with members of his cabinet openly criticising Israel. Jack Straw, the Leader of the House of Commons and former Foreign Secretary stated that Israel's actions risked destabilising all of Lebanon. The Observer newspaper claimed that at a cabinet meeting before Blair left for a summit with President George Bush on 28 July 2006, a significant number of ministers pressured Blair to publicly criticise Israel over the scale of deaths and destruction in Lebanon.

[David G. Healy]

"Israel, in their present form, have forfeited their right to exist, imo."

--Mark Stapelton

and you're suggesting WHAT, praytell?

I dunno. Boycotts, isolation, some form of global collective action. I kinda thought Obama might have something to say. Of course, he's tied by Congress and Congress is tied up by the Israel Lobby. Or maybe I'm just spreading false rumors, David.

Certainly peaceful. You don't always need to use force to be forceful.

What do you suggest? Business as usual?

Obama is not tied by Congress, Mark. Of course he'll listen to Congress (and take counsel), the Democrat party in particular. However, his feet aren't tied to the party... and there's 3 branches of Government in this country: The Legislative, Judicial, and the Executive Branch. Obama and his administration is, for all intents of purpose, the EXECUTIVE branch. As recently as this past week, Obama has stated there can not be 2 US Presidential voices dictating or putting forth foreign policy, PERIOD. He's also made clear, the day after assuming office, mid-east policy and the current situation will be addressed by his administration (I suspect those wheels are turning now).

I wouldn't look for any massive changes in US policy concerning the region, no. Lest anyone forget the USA is involved in two wars...

Obama certainly wasn't elected to office for the purpose of cleaning up a 3000 year biblical pissing match. We can't get the current fiscal situation under control (which Obama WAS elected to fix), there'll be more than a few Gaza types scenarios in the offing...

I doubt you're spreading false rumors, Mark. Simply don't equate current, perceived USA in-action with malfeasance. Ya want to make that charge, give the guy at least a few day's in office... hell, maybe he DOES have a plan. But he's no CHRIST, Mark!

aside: anyone notice Putin turned the gas back on in the Ukraine, guess its bad PR for one country to freeze another countries citizens to death during the height of winter? Couldn't find a damn protest anywhere, even the IRC (International Red Cross was mum -- the wuzzes) Where's the disgust? Millions of millions of people effected, where's the handwringing... How many froze to death?

Edited January 12, 2009 by David G. Healy

[Mark Stapleton]

Blair has been constantly questioned about his commitment to his post as Middle East peace envoy for UN, USA, Europe and Russia. He has still not called for a ceasefire and his past record shows it is impossible for him to be a peace negotiator in the region.

Maybe Blair is waiting until Israel "has achieved all it's military goals".

[Pamela Brown]

Kathy Kelly, a co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence, is

writing from Arish, a town near the Rafah border between Egypt and

Gaza. Bill Quigley, a human rights lawyer and law professor at Loyola

New Orleans and Audrey Stewart are also in Egypt and contributed to

this article. Kathy Kelly's email is kathy@vcnv.org

----------

Tunnel Vision

By Kathy Kelly

January 10, 2009

Arish, Egypt--As I write, we can hear the dull thud of explosions in

the distance. Israeli airstrikes continue to blast targets in southern

Gaza. Merciless bombing of the small Gaza Strip continues into a third

week. I heard some people here in Egypt wonder if the Israeli Air

Force must be running out of places and people to target. But perhaps

the surveillance drones we heard and saw flying over the Rafah border

crossing today hunted down more spots on which bombers could fix their

cross-hairs. Perhaps they spotted underground tunnels. The Israeli

government has, reportedly, already destroyed 80% of the tunnels that

connect Gaza with the outside world. It's common knowledge that a vast

network of tunnels, some say as many as 1700, were constructed, many

from outside Gaza's territorial borders, leading into the Territory.

Israel claims the tunnels are legitimate targets because the Hamas

government can use them to import weapons. But the buildup of the

tunnel industry was fueled by desperation for needed goods, within

Gaza, a desperation caused by Israel's decision, over the past 16

months, to tighten the thumbscrews of its blockade on Gaza. If the

blockade continues, and if the tunnels are completely destroyed,

besieged Gazans will be cut off from secure supplies of food, medicine

and fuel, yet another terrifying prospect for people who are desperate

to protect their children from any greater harm.

Supposedly concerned for Israeli security, the United States supports

the Israeli government's objective of eliminating Hamas's capacity to

fire primitive rockets into Israel. The extensive tunnel industry may

be used for weapons transport. I believe it's wrong to transport

weapons, and it's wrong to develop, store, sell or use them. Distant

thuds reinforce this belief, but if the U.S. and Israel believe

importation of weapons via underground tunnels is wrongful, then the

U.S. transfer of sophisticated weaponry to Israel must, seen in

perspective, be abominable, given the slaughter Israel has inflicted

on Gazan civilians since the airstrikes began on December 27th.

The taxpayers of the U.S. provided Israel with F16 fighter jets and

missiles to carry out these attacks. From 2001 – 2006, the United

States transferred to Israel more than $200 million worth of spare

parts to fly its fleet of F16s. Last year, the United States signed a

$1.3 billion contract with Raytheon to transfer to Israel thousands of

TOW, Hellfire, and "bunker buster" missiles. In July 2008, the United

States gave Israel 186 million gallons of JP-8 aviation jet fuel.

U.S. donations of jet fuel enable Israel to fire missiles into Gazan

homes, streets, schools and hospitals. Meanwhile, ambulances drivers

in Gaza, also directly targeted, don't have enough diesel fuel to

bring injured and wounded people to the Rafah border crossing, where

patients might be allowed to enter Egypt for critically needed care.

Within Gaza, even before December 27th, civilians lacked essential

fuels to power the main power plant, which operated at about 2/3

capacity. Now, it's inoperative. When trucks don't have fuel, this

means that rubbish can't be collected. Hundreds of tons of rubbish

went uncollected in Gaza because of the blockade. 77,000 cubic meters

of raw and partially treated sewage were dumped into the sea. Farmers

couldn't operate 70% of their agricultural wells. Power cuts affected

hospitals, water pumps, sewage treatment plants, bakeries and other

facilities dependent on back-up diesel generators.

Now Gazans not only face the consequences of a destroyed health care

system and rising sickness due to water-borne diseases, they also face

the reality that Hamas could be forced to sign a cease-fire that

doesn't allow for opening the Rafah border and which insists that

Egypt assume responsibility to prevent usage of underground tunnels.

In exchange for relief from cowering under bombs fired by

sophisticated weapon systems, Gazans would be required to endure slow

motion death through systematic cutoffs of their access to food,

medicine, and potable water. This is why it is so important for people

all over the world to insist that Israel not only stop attacking Gaza,

but also end the brutal and lethally punitive blockade imposed on

Gaza.

Here in Egypt, the government has stated that it will undertake

responsibility to be an effective partner in negotiating a cease-fire.

Israelis expect Egyptians to stop the tunnel industry. Egypt would be

responsible to assure that no one enters a tunnel, builds a tunnel, or

is an accomplice to maintaining a tunnel. Already, any Egyptian caught

inside a tunnel faces 15 years in prison. How much better for all

concerned if the cease-fire negotiations asked the Egyptians to

maintain an open border with Gaza, to lift the punitive blockade, and

to assist in the immediate and ongoing transport of goods and services

that could help Gaza rebuild and assume responsibility, above-ground,

for maintaining its citizenry and its sovereignty.

Egypt, the second largest recipient of military aid from the U.S.,

will be encouraged to use threat and force to curtail the tunnels,

supposedly in the name of insuring security for Israel. But who will

challenge the obscenely bloated so-called "defense industry" that

allows elite gangs, some comfortably occupying the board rooms of

major corporations, to supply a repressive, immoral and illegal

occupation force with the disproportionate capacity to kill, using

conventional weapons against civilian people who have no means to

escape?

U.S. support for hard-line, extremist Israeli government policies

again represents tunnel vision by choice. U.S. foreign policy makers

can begin a cure for this dangerously impaired vision by recognizing

the basic human rights of all Palestinian people, and at this crucial

moment by caring for the survival and dignity of Gazan people,

especially those for whom meeting basic needs depends on what might

come through a tunnel.

----------

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[Ron Ecker]

What has been the reason for the blockade of Gaza? I can see Israel wanting to keep any arms from going into Gaza, but why would they block things like food and medical supplies? I find it hard to believe they've been doing that.

[Evan Burton]

What has been the reason for the blockade of Gaza? I can see Israel wanting to keep any arms from going into Gaza, but why would they block things like food and medical supplies? I find it hard to believe they've been doing that.

Ron,

I think they have being doing that, probably because they fear it contains arms in some respect. Not good enough, IMO. They MUST let those supplies through. If the Red Cross are complaining, then I am listening.

[Cigdem Göle]

but why would they block things like food and medical supplies? I find it hard to believe they've been doing that.

I have no idea why they don't let Red Cross in but they let Red Crescent medical team and 11 trucks

loaded with medical supplies and food into Gaza.

Photos are taken from the Turkish Red Crescent official website.

http://www.kizilay.org.tr/english/index.php

Edited January 16, 2009 by Cigdem Eksi

[Cigdem Göle]

UN levels war crimes warning at Israel

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/09/gaza-palestinians-israel-evacuees-zeitoun

More than 750 Palestinians have died since the start of the Israeli military operation. More than half of Gaza's population are children, and the Palestinian ministry of health said about 42% of the casualties have been children.

Unicef said at least 100 children and minors were killed in the first 10 days of fighting. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, which posts staff at hospitals to track casualties, put this number at more than 160.

Stop child slaughter. Have mercy.

[John Simkin]

Letter in today's Guardian that I fully support (signed by 330 academics):

The massacres in Gaza are the latest phase of a war that Israel has been waging against the people of Palestine for more than 60 years. The goal of this war has never changed: to use overwhelming military power to eradicate the Palestinians as a political force, one capable of resisting Israel's ongoing appropriation of their land and resources. Israel's war against the Palestinians has turned Gaza and the West Bank into a pair of gigantic political prisons. There is nothing symmetrical about this war in terms of principles, tactics or consequences. Israel is responsible for launching and intensifying it, and for ending the most recent lull in hostilities.

Israel must lose. It is not enough to call for another ceasefire, or more humanitarian assistance. It is not enough to urge the renewal of dialogue and to acknowledge the concerns and suffering of both sides. If we believe in the principle of democratic self-determination, if we affirm the right to resist military aggression and colonial occupation, then we are obliged to take sides... against Israel, and with the people of Gaza and the West Bank.

We must do what we can to stop Israel from winning its war. Israel must accept that its security depends on justice and peaceful coexistence with its neighbours, and not upon the criminal use of force.

We believe Israel should immediately and unconditionally end its assault on Gaza, end the occupation of the West Bank, and abandon all claims to possess or control territory beyond its 1967 borders. We call on the British government and the British people to take all feasible steps to oblige Israel to comply with these demands, starting with a programme of boycott, divestment and sanctions.

Professor Gilbert Achcar, Development Studies, SOAS

Arshin Adib-Moghaddam, Politics and International Studies, SOAS

Dr. Nadje Al-Ali, Gender Studies, SOAS

Professor Eric Alliez, Philosophy, Middlesex University

Dr. Jens Andermann, Latin American Studies, Birkbeck

Dr. Jorella Andrews, Visual Cultures, Goldsmiths

Professor Keith Ansell-Pearson, Philosophy, University of Warwick

John Appleby, writer

Dr. Claudia Aradau, Politics, Open University

Dr. Walter Armbrust, Politics, University of Oxford

Dr. Andrew Asibong, French, Birkbeck

Professor Derek Attridge, English, University of York

Burjor Avari, lecturer in Multicultural Studies, Manchester Metropolitan University

Dr. Zulkuf Aydin, International Development, University of Leeds

Dr. Claude Baesens, Mathematics, University of Warwick

Dr. Jennifer Bajorek, Cultural Studies, Goldsmiths

Professor Mona Baker, Centre for Translation Studies, University of Manchester

Jon Baldwin, lecturer in Communications, London Metropolitan University

Professor Etienne Balibar, Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities

Dr. Trevor Bark, Criminology, WEA Newcastle

Dr. Susan Batchelor, Sociology, Glasgow University

Dr. David Bell, Tavistock Clinic and British Psychoanalytic Society

Dr. Anna Bernard, English, University of York

Professor Henry Bernstein, Development Studies, SOAS

Anindya Bhattacharyya, writer and journalist

Dr. Ian Biddle, Music, Newcastle University

Sana Bilgrami, filmmaker and lecturer, Napier University, Edinburgh

Professor Jon Bird, School of Arts & Education, Middlesex University

Nicholas Blincoe, writer

Dr. Jelke Boesten, Development Studies, University of Leeds

Dr. Julia Borossa, Psychoanalysis, Middlesex University

Dr. Mark Bould, Film Studies, UWE

Dr. Mehdi Boussebaa, Said Business School, University of Oxford

Professor Wissam Boustany, Trinity College of Music, London

Professor Bill Bowring, Law, Birkbeck

Dr. Alia Brahimi, Politics, University of Oxford

Professor Haim Bresheeth, Media Studies, University of East London

Professor John D Brewer, Sociology, Aberdeen

Victoria Brittain, writer and journalist

Professor Celia Britton, French, UCL

Professor Charles Brook, Paediatric Endocrinology, UCL

Dr. Muriel Brown, writer

Professor Ian Buchanan, Critical and Cultural Theory, University of Cardiff

Professor Ray Bush, African Studies and Development Politics, University of Leeds

Professor Alex Callinicos, European Studies, KCL

Dr. Conor Carville, Irish Studies, St. Mary's University College

Professor Noel Castree, Geography, University of Manchester

Matthew Caygill, lecturer in History and Politics, Leeds Metropolitan University

Dr. Rinella Cere, Arts, Design, Communication and Media, Sheffield Hallam University

Dr. John Chalcraft, Government, LSE

Dr. Claire Chambers, English Literature, Leeds Metropolitan University

Dr. Sue Chaplin, Cultural Studies, Leeds Metropolitan University.

Dr. Sharad Chari, Geography, LSE

Dr. Lorenzo Chiesa, Critical Theory, University of Kent

Dr. Andrew Chitty, Philosophy, University of Sussex

Professor Emilios Christodoulidis, Law, Glasgow

Professor Sue Clegg, Education, Leeds Metropolitan University

Professor Claire Colebrook, English Literature, Edinburgh University

Dr. John Collins, Philosophy, UEA

Professor Guy Cook, Education and Language Studies, The Open University

Professor Diana Coole, Politics and Sociology, Birkbeck

Professor Annie E. Coombes, History of Art, Birkbeck

Charlie Cooper, lecturer in Social Policy, University of Hull

Julia Copus, poet

Professor Andrea Cornwall, Institute of Development Studies, Sussex

Dr. Don Crewe, Criminology, Roehampton University

Professor Simon Critchley, Philosophy, University of Essex

Dr. Stephanie Cronin, Social Sciences, University of Northampton

Eleanor Crook, sculptor & lecturer, University of the Arts London

Laura Cull, artist and researcher, Drama, University of Exeter

Dr. Sonia Cunico, Modern Languages, University of Leicester

Dr. David Cunningham, English, University of Westminster

Catherine Czerkawska, writer and historian

Dr. Sarah Dadswell, Drama, University of Exeter

Dr. Gareth Dale, Politics and History, Brunel University

Dr. Gary Daniels, Public Policy and Management, Keele University

Neil Davidson, Senior Research Fellow, Geography and Sociology, University of Strathclyde

Dr. Graham Dawson, Cultural History, University of Brighton

Christophe Declercq, lecturer in Translation, Imperial College London

Dr. Helen May Dennis, English and Comparative Literary Studies, University of Warwick

Dr. Caitlin DeSilvey, Geography, University of Exeter

Dr. Mark Devenney, Humanities, University of Brighton

Dr. Pat Devine, Social Science, University of Manchester

Dr. Jorge Díaz-Cintas, Translation, Imperial College London

Professor James Dickins, Arabic, University of Salford

Kay Dickinson, Media and Communications, Goldsmiths College

Jenny Diski, writer

Dr. Bill Dixon, Sociology & Criminology, Keele University

Noel Douglas, lecturer and graphic designer, University of Bedfordshire

Professor Sionaidh Douglas-Scott, Law, University of Oxford

Professor Allison Drew, Department of Politics, University of York

Dr. Judit Druks, Psychology & Language Science, UCL

Professor Mick Dunford, Geography, University of Sussex

Dr. Sam Durrant, English, Leeds University

Dr. Graham Dyer, Economics, SOAS

Professor Abbas Edalat, Computer Science, Imperial College

Professor Rasheed El-Enany, Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter

Gregory Elliott, writer and translator

Dr. Richard Elliott, Music, Newcastle University

Professor Hoda Elsadda, Arabic Studies, University of Manchester

Bernardine Evaristo, writer

Dr. Howard Feather, Sociology, London Metrolitan University

Professor Patrick ffrench, French, King's College London

Dr. Clare Finburgh, Theatre Studies, University of Essex

Professor Jean Fisher, Fine Art, Middlesex University

Dominic Fox, writer

Dr. Jennifer Fraser, Spanish, Birkbeck

Professor Murray Fraser, Architecture, University of Westminster

Dr. Des Freedman, Media and Communications, Goldsmiths

Maureen Freely, writer and journalist, English, University of Warwick

Dr. Diane Frost, Sociology, University of Liverpool

Dr. Geetanjali Gangoli, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol

Juliet Gardiner, writer

Dr. James Garvey, philosopher

Professor Conor Gearty, Centre for the Study of Human Rights, LSE

Dr. Julie Gervais, Government, LSE.

Dr. Jeremy Gilbert, Cultural Studies, University of East London

Dr. Aisha Gill, Criminologist, Roehampton University, UK

Professor Paul Gilroy, Sociology, London School of Economics

Charles Glass, writer

Dr. Andrew Goffey, Media, Middlesex

Professor Barry Goldson, Sociology and Social Policy, University of Liverpool

Professor Philip Goodchild, Theology and Religious Studies, University of Nottingham

Dr. Paul Goodey, lecturer and oboist

Professor Ian Gough, Social Policy, University of Bath

Dr. David Graeber, Anthropology, Goldsmiths

Dr. James Graham, Media Culture and Communication, Middlesex University

Professor Penny Green, Law, Kings College London

Dr. Simon Gieve, Education, University of Leicester

Dr. Steve Hall, Sociology and Criminology, Northumbria

Professor Peter Hallward, Philosophy, Middlesex University

Keith Hammond, lecturer in Education, University of Glasgow

Dr. Sameh F. Hanna, Translation Studies, University of Salford

Nicky Harman, lecturer in Translation, Imperial College London

M John Harrison, writer

Dr. Rumy Hasan, Science & Technology Policy Research, University of Sussex

Owen Hatherley, journalist and academic

Dr. Jane Haynes, writer & dialogic psychotherapist

Dr. Jonathan Hensher, French Studies, University of Manchester

Dr. Barry Heselwood, Linguistics & Phonetics, University of Leeds

Tom Hickey, Tutor in Philosophy, Politics and Aesthetics, University of Brighton

Dr. Jane Hiddleston, Modern Languages, University of Oxford

Dr. Nicki Hitchcott, French and Francophone Studies, University of Nottingham

Professor Eric Hobsbawm, President, Birkbeck

Dr. Jane Holgate, Working Lives Research Institute, London Metropolitan University

Professor Derek Holt, Mathematics, University of Warwick

Professor Ted Honderich, Philosophy, UCL

Professor David Howell, Politics, University of York

Professor Richard Hudson, Linguistics, UCL

Professor John Hutnyk, Centre for Cultural Studies, Goldsmiths

Dr. Colin Imber, Turkish, University of Manchester

Professor Lyn Innes (emeritus), English, University of Kent

Professor Yosefa Loxxxxzky, Film, Media and Cultural Studies, University of East London

Dr. Lars Iyer, Philosophy, Newcastle University

Dr. Ian James, French, University of Cambridge

Dr. Daniel Katz, English and Comparative Literary Studies, University of Warwick

Dr. Mark Kelly, Philosophy, Middlesex University

Joanna Gilmore, lecturer in the School of Law, University of Manchester

Susan Kelly, lecturer in Fine Art, Goldsmiths

Dr. Christian Kerslake, Philosophy, Middlesex University

Dr. Alexander King, Anthropology, University of Aberdeen

David Kinloch, poet

Dr. Dianne Kirby, History and International Affairs, University of Ulster

Dr. Graeme Kirkpatrick, Sociology, University of Manchester

Dr. Laleh Khalili, Politics and International Studies, SOAS

Dr. Stathis Kouvelakis, European Studies, KCL

Professor Basil Kouvaritakis, Engineering Science, University of Oxford

Dr. John Kraniauskas, Spanish, Birkbeck

Dr. Cecile Laborde, Political Science, UCL

Professor Ernesto Laclau, Government, Essex

Dave Laing, writer and journalist

Dr. Juan Antonio Lalaguna, Humanities, Imperial College London

Professor William Large, Philosophy, University College Plymouth, St Mark and St John

Nicholas Lawrence, lecturer in English & Comparative Literary Studies, University of Warwick

Professor Andrew Leak, French, UCL

Dr. Barbara Lebrun, French, University of Manchester

Dr. Keekok Lee, Philosophy, University of Manchester

Professor Esther Leslie, English and Humanities, Birkbeck

Dr. Jo Littler, Media and Cultural Studies, Middlesex University

Tim Llewellyn, journalist and writer

Dr. Caroline Lloyd, Social Sciences, Cardiff University

Dr. Jill Lovecy, Politics, University of Manchester

Simon Lynn, lecturer in Social Work, UEL

David Mabb, artist and Reader in Art, Goldsmiths

Dr. Stephen Maddison, Cultural Studies, University of East London

Dr. Kevin Magill, Arts and Humanities, University of Wolverhampton

Michael Mahadeo, lecturer in Health and Social Sciences, University of Ulster

Dr. Suhail Malik, Art, Goldsmiths

Dr. Johanna Malt, French, KCL

Dr. Matteo Mandarini, Business and Management, QMUL

Professor Susan Marks, Law, KCL

Dr. Lee Marsden, International Relations, University of East Anglia

Professor Lauro Martines, historian

Dr. Luciana Martins, Spanish, Birkbeck College

Dr. Nur Masalha, Religion and Politics, St Mary's University College

Dr. Dina Matar, Centre for Media and Film Studies, SOAS

Dr. Graeme Macdonald, English, University of Warwick

Professor (emeritus) Moshé Machover, Philosophy, KCL

Dr. Maeve McCusker, French Studies, Queen's University Belfast

Dr. James McDougall, History, SOAS

Dr. Sonia McKay, Working Lives Research Institute, London Metropolitan University

Dr. Susan McManus, Politics, Queen's University Belfast

Dr. Saladin Meckled-Garcia, Human Rights Studies, UCL

Professor Susan Melrose, Performing Arts, Middlesex University

Dr. Farah Mendlesohn, Media and Creative Writing, Middlesex University

Dr. Mahmood Messkoub, Business, University of Leeds

Dr. China Miéville, writer and academic

Dr. Anna-Louise Milne, French, University of London Institute in Paris

Dr. Surya Monro, Politics, University of Sheffield

John Moore, lecturer in Sociology & Criminology, University of the West of England

Professor Bart Moore-Gilbert, English and Comparative Literature, Goldsmiths

Dr Farhang Morady, Globalisation and Development, University of Westminster

Dr. Stephen Morton, English, Southampton University

Dr. Pablo Mukherjee, English and Comparative Literature, University of Warwick

Professor John Mullarkey, Philosophy, University of Dundee

Professor John Muncie, Criminology, The Open University

Professor Martha Mundy, Anthropology, LSE

Dr. Alex Murray, English, University of Exeter

Dr. Karma Nabulsi, Politics, University of Oxford

Ali Nasralla, Senior Fellow (retired) at Manchester University Business School

Professor Mica Nava, Cultural Studies, University of East London

Marga Navarrete, Lecturer in Spanish and Translation, Imperial College

Dr. Nick Nesbitt, French, Aberdeen

Dr. Michael Niblett, Translation and Comparative Cultural Studies, University of Warwick

Professor Christopher Norris, Philosophy, University of Cardiff

Julia O'Faolain, writer

Michael Oliva, composer and lecturer, Royal College of Music

Wendy Olsen, Development Studies, University of Manchester

Professor Peter Osborne, Philosophy, Middlesex University

Dr. George Paizis, French, UCL

Professor Ilan Pappé, History, University of Exeter

Professor Benita Parry, English and Comparative Literature, University of Warwick

Dr. Diana Paton, History, Newcastle University

Dr. Ian Patterson, Queens' College, Cambridge

Lara Pawson, writer and journalist

Dr. Maeve Pearson, English, University of Exeter

Carmen Perea-Gohar, lecturer in Spanish, Imperial College

Dr. Luis Perez-Gonzalez, Translation Studies, University of Manchester

Dr. Andrea Phillips, Art, Goldsmiths

Dr. Nina Power, Philosophy, Roehampton University

Dr. Jane Poyner, English, University of Exeter

Professor Scott Poynting, Sociology, Manchester Metropolitan University

Dr. Nicola Pratt, Political, Social & International Studies, UEA

Professor Al Rainnie, Centre for Labour Market Studies, University of Leicester

Dr. Kamran Rastegar, Arabic and Persian Literatures, University of Edinburgh

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Professor Dee Reynolds, French, University of Manchester

Dr. Chris Roberts, School of Community Based Medicine, University of Manchester

Dr. Mark Robson, English Studies, University of Nottingham

Professor William Roff, Islamic & Middle Eastern Studies, University of Edinburgh

Professor Bill Rolston, Sociology, University of Ulster

Caroline Rooney, English and Postcolonial Studies, Kent

Professor Hilary Rose, Social Policy, University of Bradford

Michael Rosen, writer

Dr. Elaheh Rostami-Povey, Development Studies, SOAS

Professor William Rowe, Spanish and English, Birkbeck

Dr. Juliet Rufford, Theatre Studies, University of Reading

Professor Jonathan Rutherford, Cultural Studies, Middlesex University

Professor Alfredo Saad Filho, Development Studies, SOAS

Dr. Gabriela Saldanha, English Language, University of Birmingham

Dr. Shahira Samy, Politics, University of Oxford

Dr. Stella Sandford, Philosophy, Middlesex University

Professor Sanjay Seth, Politics, Goldsmiths

Carole Satyamurti, writer

Professor Yezid Sayigh, War Studies, KCL

Professor Phil Scraton, Law and Criminology, Queen's University Belfast

Professor Richard Seaford, Classics and Ancient History, University of Exeter

Amanda Sebestyen, writer and asylum campaigner

Professor David Seddon, Development Studies, University of East Anglia

Richard Seymour, writer and activist

Dr. Subir Sinha, Development Studies, SOAS

Dr. Debra Benita Shaw, Social Sciences, Media & Cultural Studies, University of East London

Professor Avi Shlaim, International Relations, St Antony's College, University of Oxford

Mark Shuttleworth, lecturer in Translation, Imperial College London

Professor David Slater, Geography, Loughborough University

Dr. Andrew Smith, Sociology, Anthropology and Applied Social Science, University of Glasgow

Dr. Graham Smith, Law, University of Manchester

Professor Neil Smith (emeritus), Linguistics, UCL

Olivia Smith, Centre for Editing Lives and Letters, Queen Mary, University of London

Dr. Anthony Soares, Portuguese, Queen's University Belfast

Ahdaf Soueif, writer and journalist

Professor William Spence, Physics, QMUL

Dr. Robert Spencer, Postcolonial Literatures, University of Manchester

Professor Paul Stewart, Human Resource Management, University of Strathclyde

Dr. Alison Stone, Philosophy, Lancaster

Colin Stoneman, writer

Professor Paul Sutton, Caribbean Studies, London Metropolitan University

Professor Helen Taylor, English, University of Exeter

Professor Phil Taylor, Business, University of Strathclyde

Dr. Jennifer Terry, English Studies, University of Durham

Dr. Nicholas Thoburn, Sociology, University of Manchester

Adriana Tortoriello, translator

Dr. Alberto Toscano, Sociology, Goldsmiths

Professor Martin Upchurch, Business, Middlesex University

Dr. Anastasia Valassopoulos, English and American Studies, University of Manchester

Dr. Rashmi Varma, English and Comparative Literary Studies, University of Warwick

Dr. Ritu Vij, International Relations, University of Aberdeen

Professor Dennis Walder, Ferguson Centre for African and Asian Studies, Open University

Dr. Geoffrey Wall, English, University of York

Sean Wallis, Survey of English Usage, UCL

Dr. Vron Ware, Social Sciences, The Open University

Dr. Eyal Weizman, Centre for Research Architecture, Goldsmiths

Professor Lynn Welchman, Law, SOAS

Dr. Jutta Weldes, Politics, University of Bristol

Tony White, writer

Geoff Whittam, Reader in Entrepreneurship, University of the West of Scotland

Dr. David Whyte, Sociology, University of Liverpool

Dr. Paula Wilcox, Criminology, University of Brighton

Dr. Caroline Williams, Politics, QMUL

Professor Eddie Williams, Linguistics, Bangor University

Professor James Williams, Philosophy, University of Dundee

Dr. Carla Willig Psychology, City University

Dr. Jon E. Wilson, History, KCL

Dr. Nicole Wolf, Visual Cultures, Goldsmiths

Dr. Jim Wolfreys, French and European Politics, KCL

Professor Andy Wood, History, University of East Anglia

Professor Geof Wood, International Development, University of Bath

Robin Yassin-Kassab, novelist

Professor Nira Yuval-Davis, Gender & Ethnic Studies, University of East London

Dr. Shamoon Zamir, American Studies, KCL

Professor Slavoj Zizek, Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities

Dr. Paquita de Zulueta, Medicine, Imperial College

[Ron Ecker]

Israel must accept that its security depends on justice and peaceful coexistence with its neighbours, and not upon the criminal use of force.

This statement doesn't make any sense. How can Israel's security depend on "peaceful coexistence" with neighbors whose leaders, be they in Gaza City, Damascus, or Tehran, want to see Israel destroyed?

In a nutshell (and please tell me where I'm wrong or off-base), here is the history of this conflict. Rightly or wrongly, the state of Israel was established in 1948. At the time, the Palestinians were offered a state and refused it. Israel's neighbors then went to war against Israel. Israel won the war, but has been attacked by neighboring terrorists ever since, and has responded ever since.

I have said before, and say again, that there is no solution to this, based to a large extent, I believe, on the extreme religious element involved: The notion of infidels encamped in the world of Islam who must be expelled. As long as this irrational notion is encamped in the heads of Muslim extremists, there can be no peace.

[Charles Drago]

Israel must lose.

If the arc of the universe truly bends toward justice, then Israel surely will lose.

But I agree with John Simkin and the letter's signatories that all people of conscience must spare no effort to hasten that day.

Edited January 16, 2009 by Charles Drago

[Mark Stapleton]

In a nutshell (and please tell me where I'm wrong or off-base), here is the history of this conflict. Rightly or wrongly, the state of Israel was established in 1948. At the time, the Palestinians were offered a state and refused it. Israel's neighbors then went to war against Israel. Israel won the war, but has been attacked by neighboring terrorists ever since, and has responded ever since.

I have said before, and say again, that there is no solution to this, based to a large extent, I believe, on the extreme religious element involved: The notion of infidels encamped in the world of Islam who must be expelled. As long as this irrational notion is encamped in the heads of Muslim extremists, there can be no peace.

The history of the conflict in a nutshell, from the Lawrence of Cyberia site:

http://lawrenceofcyberia.blogs.com/news/2008/12/what-if.html

This is good. The past 5000 years of the region's history in a 90 second flashmap. From LOC again, via Syd Walker's blog (highly recommended):

http://sydwalker.info/blog/2009/01/16/3000...-in-90-seconds/

[David G. Healy]

but why would they block things like food and medical supplies? I find it hard to believe they've been doing that.

I have no idea why they don't let Red Cross in but they let Red Crescent medical team and 11 trucks

loaded with medical supplies and food into Gaza.

Photos are taken from the Turkish Red Crescent official website.

http://www.kizilay.org.tr/english/index.php

you don't, Cigdem? There's been a pissing match over the Red Cross and some of its "old" actions for years.... Perhaps a Google search or two is a good place to start.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_...f_the_Red_Cross (item 6.1 in the contents)

and there is this Red Cross reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International...s#The_Holocaust (item 1.5 in the contents)

The Holocaust

By taking part in the 1995 ceremony to commemorate the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, the President of the ICRC, Cornelio Sommaruga, sought to show that the organization was fully aware of the gravity of The Holocaust and the need to keep the memory of it alive, so as to prevent any repetition of it. He paid tribute to all those who had suffered or lost their lives during the war and publicly regretted the past mistakes and shortcomings of the Red Cross with regard to the victims of the concentration camps.[6]

In 2002, an ICRC official outlined some of the lessons the organization has learned from the failure:

* from a legal point of view, the work that led to the adoption of the Geneva Convention relative to the protection of civilian persons in time of war;

* from an ethical point of view, the adoption of the declaration of the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, building on the distinguished work of Max Huber and the late Jean Pictet, in order to prevent any more abuses such as those that occurred within the Movement after Hitler rose to power in 1933;

* on a political level, the ICRC's relationship with Switzerland was redesigned to ensure its independence;

* with a view to keeping memories alive, the ICRC accepted, in 1955, to take over the direction of the International Tracing Service where records from concentration camps are maintained;

* finally, to establish the historical facts of the case, the ICRC invited Jean-Claude Favez to carry out an independent investigation of its activities on behalf of the victims of Nazi persecution, and gave him unfettered access to its archives relating to this period; out of concern for transparency, the ICRC also decided to give all other historians access to its archives dating back more than 50 years; having gone over the conclusions of Favez's work, the ICRC acknowledged its past failings and expressed its regrets in this regard.[7]

In an official statement made on 27 January 2005, the anniversary of the liberation of Auswitz, the ICRC stated:

Auschwitz also represents the greatest failure in the history of the ICRC, aggravated by its lack of decisiveness in taking steps to aid the victims of Nazi persecution. This failure will remain part of the ICRC's memory, as will the courageous acts of individual ICRC delegates at the time.[8]

apparently the Jews still don't trust the IRC. -- then there's that long standing debate over THE Red 'Crescent' the symbol, so, why not the Red 'Star of David', too?

www.ifrc.org

Many twists and turns, not to mention, disinfo from both sides of the "Israelii" question. Your question is a good one and demands understanding of the entire problem...

Edited January 16, 2009 by David G. Healy

[Ron Ecker]

The history of the conflict in a nutshell, from the Lawrence of Cyberia site:

http://lawrenceofcyberia.blogs.com/news/2008/12/what-if.html

That article offers a poor analogy in asking what Americans would do if Zionists wanted to establish their own state in America. To begin with, there were no Jews in America before the "white man" came, only Indians. But there were Jews in Palestine before the "Palestinians." There were two Jewish states there, Israel and Judea. The Romans kicked out the Jews, but centuries later some of their descendants came back to Palestine looking for a homeland. The idea was to establish two states, Israel and Palestine, but the Palestinians refused, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Now if you want an American analogy to the Gaza problem, here's one. The white man displaced the Indians, like the Jews displaced Palestinians, and many of the Indians who remain now live on reservations. You can say that what the white man did was wrong, and what the Jews did was wrong, and I won't argue either point. But suppose that some Indians on a reservation decided to do something about this, and started lobbing rockets at the white folks living in, say, Arizona or Oklahoma (as if this was going to solve anything). If the only way to stop these Indians from firing rockets at the citizens of Arizona or Oklahoma was to go into the reservation and root them out, even if it meant some Indian women and children might be harmed in the process, would the National Guard or some other armed entity of Arizona or Oklahoma be justified in going in and rooting them out? You betcha.