Rebel News - Independent News and Analysis

This wall, adjacent to Abu Yassir's shelter is used by Shatila refugee camp tykes for playing ball and other games, unaware that some of their relatives and families' friends were among the hundreds butchered against 11 such "walls of death" 28 years ago, on September 16-18, 1982.Photo courtesy of the authorThe untreated psychic wounds are still open. Accountability, justice and basic civil rights for the survivors are still denied.

Scores of horror testimonies have been shared over the past nearly three decades by survivors of the September 1982 Sabra- Shatila massacre. More come to light only through circumstantial evidence because would be affiants perished during the slaughter. Other eyewitness are just beginning to emerge from deep trauma or self imposed silence.

“I don’t know how anyone given the task could draw a map of Israel: it is likely the only country in the world with no defined borders, and it actually has worked very hard over many decades to achieve this peculiar state,” John Chuckman.

Jossi Sarid in his recent column in Israeli daily Ha’aretz wrote: “Israeli democracy is mainly for decoration, like a tree grown for its beauty, not to bear fruit. Few people actually use it or the rights it affords. Many are merely happy that they can vote in the Knesset elections, and even this number is getting smaller. …. What a foolish government. If such people hadn’t been around to break through the fences and hold their own, Benjamin Netanyahu, Limor Livnat and Gideon Sa’ar would’ve had to invite them to do so, to find a special clause in the budget to support them. After all, these figures are their alibis and the last living proof of a democratic regime in Israel. …. During the past few months it appears as if fascism has already arrived here and is waiting just behind the wall.”

Why do Benjamin Netanyahu, Avigdor Lieberman, and other Zionist leaders insist that “without Palestinian recognition that Israel is the state of the Jewish people, there will not be peace”?  They have declared themselves as such.  They enjoy the support of most European nations, United States of America, Canada, Australia, and many other countries in the world that have no problem whatsoever in describing the state of Israel as such.  Many Arab countries – with leaders suffering from near-sighted vision – would have no problem going along with that concept.  Almost every country with significant military, economic, or diplomatic power and influence either fully agrees with the description of the state of Israel as the state of the Jewish people or has no real problem with it.  So, why does the Israeli leadership insist on demanding that recognition from the powerless, penniless Palestinian leadership?

The suggestion that he should was made by Thomas L. Friedman in his column for the New York Times on 7 September. My first response was to say to myself, “That proves Friedman doesn’t understand the complexities of the conflict and is at least a little bit bonkers.”

But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed to me that King Abdullah should do what Friedman suggested. In a moment I’ll get to what I think the Arabs and the Palestinians especially would have to gain without losing anything, but first here’s the essence what Friedman wrote.

We all know what peace between Israel and the Palestinians should look like. It should be, well, peaceful. It should be peace with honor and security for all -- and states for all too, one for the Jewish people, one for the Palestinian people. It should be reached by adhering to the "Clinton parameters" / "Geneva Accord" / "Arab peace plan" -- take your pick.

It was not anticipated that the 'autonomy' which emanated from the Oslo Accord would spread Islam, support it or make quantum leaps in endorsing Islam's practical implications toward the promotion of science, endeavour and self-reliance or striving in the way of God in all aspects of life. Nor was it expected that it would be a guide in the planning of the economy or within the social, cultural, intellectual, political, security and military arenas. Indeed the Palestinian Authority has not fallen short of our expectation as it hastened to take decisive action against the Muslims it disapproved of as the institutions run by Islamic groups. Moreover, it has not limited its attack to Hamas or Hizb ut-Tahrir but extended its hostility to include Islam itself implementing procedures that significantly and adversely affect it.

I am sitting in the middle of the wilderness and most of the days I am sincerely happy that the whole world is willing to come to me.

I clearly have nothing to do with this fame since my brother-in-law, Nadim Khoury, worked extraordinarily hard since the early 90’s to make one of the best products that exist in Palestine.  People from all of the world want to come and see how we make this great micro brewed beer, the only micro brew beer in the whole Middle East, Taybeh Beer.

In July 2010 – Ben Obama told Italy’s Corriere della Sera that Ankara could end up seeking alliance outside the Zionist-dominated West if the European Union keeps it danggling over it bid to join the “Christian Alone” club. It was Ben Obama’s reflection on Turkey’s vote against new UN Security Council sanctions against the Islamic Republic in early June 2010. Brazil also voted against the sanctions while Lebanon abstained (watch video below).

“I recognise that this raises strong feelings in Europe and I do not think the slow pace or European reluctance is the only or predominant factor at the root of some changes in the orientation recently observed in the Turkish attitude. But it is inevitably destined to play a role in how the Turkish people see Europe. If they do not feel themselves part of the European family, it is natural that they should end up looking elsewhere for alliances and affiliations” said Obama.

A Palestinian state is coming -- it's just not clear whether it will result from the current peace talks.

It is easy to be pessimistic, or even apathetic, about the latest round of Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. History is a witness to the lack of Palestinian accomplishments in incremental negotiations. All successful efforts to date have stemmed from secret talks made public only once a package agreement was reached.

 

The Muslim festival Eid approaches, but not the end to power cuts that have darkened the month-long Ramadan fasting leading up to the festival. Or to the agony of Gazans, made worse by the reminder that it’s approaching a festive time.

The prolonged electricity cuts, lasting from 12 to 16 hours daily, are the topic of conversation on everyone’s lips in the Gaza Strip. It’s hot, it’s Ramadan, and the people are tired, thirsty, hungry, and desperate.