NEWS AND VIEWS THAT AREN’T TRUE
August 16, 2010 at 15:09 (Activism, Associate Post, Corporate Media, Israel, Occupied West Bank, Palestine)


The ‘news’ that is transferred to masses in the West through controlled media are so disconnected from reality that it is shameful. Fortunately the spreading of real news by decent people through the internet and other alternative media is shaking the foundations of oppression (which are ignorance, apathy, racism).




Invasion of the body snatchers‏


Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD



The ‘news’ that is transferred to masses in the West through controlled media are so disconnected from reality that it is shameful. Fortunately the spreading of real news by decent people through the internet and other alternative media is shaking the foundations of oppression (which are ignorance, apathy, racism). Thus, an anonymous ‘US official’ is quoted as threatening Turkey if it does not start towing the line in opposition to Iran and support of apartheid Israel. And the Israeli government statements about the removal of a wall in Gilo are printed as if they are facts (the wall was actually erected to keep residents of an illegal colony of Gilo afraid and supportive of apartheid rather than to protect them and since polls show that Israelis have developed fear of gentiles to paranoia levels, it is no longer needed). And the Quartet (US, UN, EU, Russia) is unwilling to challenge the fascist government of Israel so it pressured Abbas to go to direct negotiations (already 19 years of that produced only expanded colonies and shrinking Palestinian lands). But the Zionist controlled media does not dare publish reality: what is happening on the ground to people. The popular resistance is all but ignored by the self delusional right wing Zionists and their managed media outlets.

If we allow exceptionalism in any way, we are all doomed. Now in the “democratic” US, there are challenges to building an Islamic center in New York City, in “democratic” Europe there are countries were you can examine and challenge any historical event except the Zionist version of WWII history, and in Apartheid Israel calling for BDS may soon be declared a crime punishable by law. The International investigations on war crimes are ignored (e.g. Goldstone report) or scuttled (e.g. Israel’s attack on the Freedom Flotilla). But more and more people are realizing that this project of “chosen people”, “democracy is only how we chosen define it”, “above the law” notions, and “us here them there” must fail and is failing whether it comes from ideologies of Nazism or Zionism (and the two collaborated closely for 11 years) whether from the mouth of Osama Bin Laden or Shimon Peres or Benjamin Netanyahu.

Can humanity rise to the challenge? In this article by Patrick Cockburn, you can read how even a tiny state like Lebanon was able to challenge the might of Israel and defeat its plans. Lebanon’s popular pressure also got Syrian forces to leave Lebanon. Maintaining its independence from Both Israel and Syria (and by extensions US and Iran) is no small deed. If we Palestinians can just take the lessons of how, by the will of common people, a small nation can succeed against the interests of powerful countries. We must rise to this challenge instead of allowing ourselves to fall into the traps set for us (see Palestinian democracy Under threat from all sides: Democracy is flagging in both the Palestinian territories . What if all of us stop talking about two states in Palestine and instead reveal the reality that Israel is a racist apartheid state (see for example this brilliant article by George Bisharat and Nimer Sultany in the Miami Herald. What if we set aside factional and personal interests and put the people interest first? We can start by demanding unity and by that there would be no direct or indirect negotiations until Palestinians are strengthened (via struggles and sacrifices) to negotiate as equals not as prisoners and prison guards. We can demand simple human rights including the right of return and full equality instead of ghettos and Bantustans with a flag and elites who are rich.

We can achieve this by first liberating our minds from the notion that the hegemony of the US, Israel or any other country is permanent and really understand that history changes (is changing). A nation like Egypt cannot forever remain prisoner to the whims of Hosni Mubarak (and soon his son Jamal) and must again retake its place as leader in the Arab world. If we just have faith in Egyptians and Palestinians and Jordanians and Israelis; i.e if we have faith in ourselves. We all must continue to push with all our energies towards utilizing the tools available to us for educating others (personal interactions, internet and other modern communication tools) and with all our energies on boycotts, divestments and sanctions (BDS). On the latter front, the successes continue to pile-up as Harvard University fund just sold all its Israel holdings (see ).

I am reminded of the old science fiction movies like “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” But the choice for us individuals is to be like robotic groaning Zombies or active and alive human beings challenging injustice.

Take action now:
Please call your Congressperson to oppose H.Res. 1553 (see ) – A House Resolution introduced on July 22, 2010 which gives support for possible Israeli military strike on Iran. The Resolution has been referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

And as always, come visit us in occupied Palestine…
http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2010/08/16/news-and-views-that-are...