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one root cause of the problem:
A German Q&A with Kenneth Stern who co-authored the anti-semitism definition which has caused so much pain and trouble.
I however do not think he is entirely aware of WHAT he set in motion:machine-translated:
BERLINER ZEITUNG:“Kenneth Stern wrote the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism and sees it misused – including by Chialo
The IHRA definition of anti-Semitism is the basis of the controversial Berlin anti-discrimination clause. Kenneth Stern explains why you shouldn’t use them for this.”
22/1/24via naked capitalism:
“Main Documents in the International Court of Justice South Africa v. Israel Case”
“Yves here. The formal name of the action South Africa initiated with the International Court of Justice is Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip. Below in order are South Africa’s written filing (its “application”) and then the verbatim transcripts of the oral arguments by South Africa and Israel, respectively.”
and again naked capitalism:
“Further Discussion of the South Africa Genocide Case Against Israel: Evaluating What the Court Might Do”
https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2024/01/further-discussion-of-the-south-africa-genocide-case-against-israel-evaluating-what-the-court-might-do.html“Why Don’t More Countries Take Action Against Israel?”
https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2024/01/why-dont-countries-take-more-action-against-israel.htmlAG, I thought Mr Stern did not show much awareness about the effects of his definition. He had some vague idea about the punishment that those who have fell foul of this formula have experienced but it seems I know more about how his work is being mis-used than he does and I am a mere punter!
He mentions the danger to democracy but as a Brit who watched what happened to Jeremy Corbyn I see the real damage caused to our democracy and wonder why he is not speaking with more weight, more gravity to tell those who use his work improperly to cease and desist.
Maybe I am expecting too much. Yet I am suprised how lackadaisical his overall response was
will moon
I agree.From the German standpoint his interview however is important. At least as the author he provides arguments against the “lawfare” taking place in Germany right now. And that is very important.
Only today a provision to introduce anti-semitism clauses for any future artistic funding request on the local level in Berlin had been withdrawn. This is in fact the case Stern mentions in the very end (the Berlin senator called Chialo.)
I assume Stern had to do something with this surprising and upbeat turn of events since several US-Jewish ex-patriates living in Berlin were involved in opposing this provision.(which of course does not mean it´s off the table entirely. They still intend to find a way to block “antisemitism to get tax funding” as they express it. So it is a delay only. But still surprised people here. Me too.)
re: Stern. To act as you and me would urge him to would mean to refrain from what he did 15 years ago. And that is most unlikely in any case. People who are of public interest in such cases almost never do such a thing. Imagine what their private/professional environment would say. The people they see every day. People they might depend on.
Not many possess the stamina of Finkelstein. After all you have a career over what you love to do. Why jeopardize that?
“Will World Court’s Ruling in Genocide Case Signal the End of International Law? A credibility crisis with sharp consequences could result if the court rules in favor of Israel, despite the evidence.”
By Michel Moushabeck
January 22, 2024
https://truthout.org/articles/will-world-courts-ruling-in-genocide-case-signal-the-end-of-international-law/excellent talk by Rashid Khalidi on Mid East and Cold War, 2012, 75 min.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwlTceGVGu0“Ghassan Abu Sitta on why Israel attacks Gaza hospitals”
20/1/24
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/tamara-nassar/ghassan-abu-sitta-why-israel-attacks-gaza-hospitals200 palestinians killed past 24 hours and israel call on palestinians to evacuate from the southern parts of Gaza that was said to be “safe”. Of course this is nothing but ethnic cleansing, acts of genocide.
Hamas condemns deliberate targeting of Gaza hospitals by Israel as a ‘war crime’
Hamas, in a statement on Tuesday, called on the United Nations, and other international bodies to take immediate action against the Israeli aggression against medical centers in Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis.
The responsibility to heed the calls from the palestinians is on the middleastern/muslim nations first and foremost, but they do nothing. What a disgrace.
And in other news, Iraq keep letting the americans target the actual resistance forces, anti-occupation forces.
Iraqi resistance groups vow to continue operations as US military strikes sites near Syria
Elon Musk keep sinking deeper and deeper,
He just visited Auschwitz…along with..Ben Shapiro and then they had chat about pro-palestinian demonstrations initate hate!?
Video in the link:
Elon Musk says he’s ‘Jewish by association’ after Auschwitz visit, sees ‘almost no antisemitism’
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/elon-musk-says-jewish-association-auschwitz-visit-sees-almost-no-antis-rcna135271I mean, this guy have ties from South Africa, HELLO? Musk? Ever heard of apartheid? The demonstrations throughout the west in the 80s-90s- against south african apartheid, was that fostering…hatred??
This guy is a complete bozo – not realizing how stupid and naive he portray himself.
JACK
most individuals who make a fortune as businessmen and then live a life as celebrity and doing nothing are 99% idiots.
He is a mediocre actor. Nothing more.
Had he any inclination of building or developing something or engaging in something meaningful, he would simply have no time for such nonsense PR stunts. In fact there would be no PR with him at all.
How many business people who run and manage companies seriously do you see in public?
0.Indeed AG, I remember the first time I happen to see a interview with Musk and it struck me instantly how hollow he is, like there was nothing…there. On top of that he is not a great speaker even to the point where he seems to have great difficulties crafting proper replies to questions in interviews. Very odd person, amazing how he could be one of the richest people on earth.
Anyway, why does he not visit Gaza? AFter all, as he seems to believe, Israel do not target civilians, so what keeps him from going to watch the horror and the reason why so many pro-palestinians demonstrate in the west?
Or why does he not visit the West bank, where, the alleged evil-antisemitic, Hamas do not even rule, still that region is attacked time and time again by Israel. In the West bank he could also see with his own eyes what apartheid looks like 2023.
Jack
…and considering that E.M (not E.T.) spent his childhood in Pretoria…after all he is SAn and thus should have a certain knowledge, which, I would assume, he did endorse 30 years ago. Until capital and power would grab him and he would give in…
“Zionism’s History Is Also a History of Jewish Anti-Zionism
An interview with Shaul Magid
Defenders of Israel’s brutal war on Gaza have attempted to conflate anti-Zionism with antisemitism. But since its beginning, different forms of Zionist ideology have competed with varied anti-Zionisms for Jewish allegiance.”
https://jacobin.com/2024/01/shaul-magid-interview-zionism-anti-zionism-judaism-history
This is a very long piece. I haven´t been able to work through yet. There seem to be contestable formulations in it but much to learn too.
Washington Post published a smear piece about Electronic Intifada. EI on this in a panel discussion:
“What’s behind Washington Post hit piece on EI?”
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/whats-behind-washington-post-hit-piece-ei
You couldn´t make it up.
And this paper – the WaPo – is still regarded as a serious outlet.Here the original WaPo piece:
“Growing Oct. 7 ‘truther’ groups say Hamas massacre was a false flag
In city council hearings, protests and online, a growing movement with ties to Holocaust denial is effacing history in real-time”
By Elizabeth Dwoskin
21/1/24Two links from Irish media quoting Leo Varadkar following an EU meeting of heads of state. They both pretty much refer to the same things, UNWRA funding, possible recognition of the Palastinian state and even a reappraisal of the EU/Israeli trade agreement.
RTE is Ireland’s BBC.
St. Patrick’s day coming soon on March 17. As described in the piece linked below in The Irish Times:
“Next month, 35 Cabinet and junior ministers, the Ceann Comhairle, the Seanad Cathaoirleach and the Attorney General will love-bomb planet Earth with St Patrick’s Day visits to 48 countries. About one-third of the delegation will swoop on the US, including Taoiseach Leo Varadkar bearing a bowl of shamrock to the White House.”
As the tag line to the article states:
“If Leo Varadkar goes to the White House, it can’t be for a quiet word about Gaza.
Taoiseach must convey Ireland’s message about Gaza publicly, unambiguously and for international consumption.”https://web.archive.org/web/20240202101833/
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2024/02/02/justine-mccarthy-if-varadkar-goes-to-the-white-house-it-cant-be-for-a-quiet-word-on-gaza/It is high time Iraq get their sense together and kick the americans out!
Pentagon confirms strikes against 85 targets in Iraq and Syria
https://swentr.site/news/591737-us-retaliatory-strikes-syria/Oxford historian Helen Lackner on Houthis in interview with Democracy Now:
“The Houthis Are Not Iranian Proxies”
https://www.democracynow.org/2024/2/1/yemen_strikes“But it’s very important to note that the Houthis are an independent movement. The Houthis are not Iranian proxies. They are not Iranian servants. They don’t do what the Iranians tell them to do. They make their own decisions. If their decisions and their policies coincide with those of Iran, then, you know, there’s no issue. But if they don’t, they don’t do it. So it’s very important, I think, to destroy this myth of Iran-backed Houthis in a single word as if it’s kind of a conglomerate. That is not the case.”
Comments from President Michael D Higgins follow briefing from WHO’s Michael Ryan here
“President Higgins warned that any further extension of the bombing campaign into what is a densely populated area to which so many have fled “would leave any respect for humanitarian law in tatters”.
“The suggestion that such a development take place and be watched in near silence is a suggestion that removes all morality from any stated position of public concern for the most basic of human rights.”
“What is at stake now, given the high proportion of loss of life of non-combatants, and particularly of women and children, is the potential emptying-out of the entire space and discourse of human rights and international humanitarian law.”
“Such an eschewing of moral considerations is a moment of global crisis that offers a terrible nadir of human concern and must be opposed in order to prevent it being invoked in future conflicts.”
The President of Ireland is a titular non-political post elected by national vote. He’ll probably take some flak but that’s an eloquent expression of views.
Thanks for that great statement by the WHO’s Mike Ryan, I remember him from the Covid, already back then I knew he had his heart in the right place.
The tragic reply, does it matter if the law is left shattered? The West and Israel do, obviously not, care for international law, the law is so to speak already in feathers and there are no real effort to put the breaks on these actors outside of the western world.see for the image:
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2024/02/the-picture-shows-one-man-and-one-zionist.html#commentsit shows a man probably during interrogation with torture facing an IDF-soldier
“According to local sources. His name is Hamza from Shujjaiya Neighborhood, East Gaza city.
Before his arrest in the footage above, Israeli military killed his father, his brother’s wife and his two nephews (infant and a child 2 yo), his brother was also killed back in 2014.”
revisiting the fake NYT reporting on mass rapes:
18 min. videoThe NYT piece reviewed:
“U.N. to Study Reports of Sexual Violence in Israel During Oct. 7 Attack
A team from the United Nations has arrived in Israel to examine multiple reports of sexual violence during the Hamas-led attack.”2xTHE INTERCEPT
1) Jeremy Scahill with a very long summary of the most important Israeli propaganda stunts since Oct. 7th covering every major issue, from Hannibal Directive, to alleged rapes, to smearing UNRWA.
“Netanyahu’s War on Truth
Israel’s Ruthless Propaganda Campaign to Dehumanize Palestinians”
https://theintercept.com/2024/02/07/gaza-israel-netanyahu-propaganda-lies-palestinians/However:
Scahill operates within the confined space of what is admissible in the West.
Which means: HAMAS is beyond discussion.
Therefore he fails to draw substantial conlusions from the 75 history of apartheid and suppression, which he acknowledges, for a mature assessment and understanding of HAMAS´ attacks on Oct. which is oddly counter-factual.But I still recommend the piece to everyone who wants to offer others a decent overlook of the massive deception and lies carried out by Israel in cooperation with our media. As usual extensive hyperlinks provided.
(The fact that Mrs. Levy, responsible for the rape lie cover-up, used to work for Shin-Bet is missing e.g. but there have to be a few wrinkles, I guess.)2) Interesting comment by my favourite THE INTERCEPT author, Jon Schwarz (may be because he used to work for “Saturday Night Live” as a writer), on Thomas Friedman from the NYT.
As a long-time Chomsky reader I know that Friedman basically is an idiot.
But Schwarz puts it more delicately and with more empathy in fact (I don´t know Friedman so I don´t care).“Thomas Friedman and the Red Lines in Journalism on Israel and Palestine
His column comparing Middle East nations to insects reveals how the New York Times publishes crimes against human cognition.”
https://theintercept.com/2024/02/07/israel-palestine-journalism-nyt-thomas-friedman/Yes AG I read about the Friedman article – bizarre and frightening. It shows how far gone the Times is – it’s fitness for disseminating propaganda seems questionable
BTW Covert Action magazine has just published an article on Clinton as governor of Arkansas, cocaine and Mena airport. It seems Clinton was already well gone when he first became governor in 1979! A recording of a police wiretap on his half-brother’s phone has Roger saying “I need to find some coke for Bill – he’s got a nose like a hoover!”
At the heart of the story is death of two boys who were supposedly run over by a train after taking drugs and passing out on the rail tracks yet there is plenty of evidence that they were beaten to death and placed on the track. Take a look at the pictures of Clinton, young and certain – my spidey-sense tells me he had already sold his soul. He has the look of a man whose course is set and he is going all the way. It is a creepy, dark story
