| Author | Message | | Alpha | | Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 9:08 am Post subject: |
| http://www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2007/10/cameras-unwritt.html
October 28, 2007
CAMERA Director: 'Many, Many Times We Have Urged' Israeli Gov't to Take Action Against American Publications
Last Sunday I went to the CAMERA conference on "Jewish defamers of Israel" and it took me a day or two to recognize what the news was: a speech in which CAMERA president Andrea Levin said that the pro-Israel lobbying group has "an unwritten contract" with the American media to watch their step when writing about Israel. Having listened to my recording of the event, I wanted to set out Levin's comments in full.
Levin's speech was about Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper whose bleak portrayal of the occupation has helped to brief the world on the horrifying conditions there. Levin said that after Haaretz ran an opinion column describing the separate roads in the West Bank as "apartheid" roads, CAMERA members wrote letters to Haaretz publisher Amos Schocken saying this was a false charge. She then read from Schocken's responses. In one he said "the term 'roads for Jews only,' which may be mathematically incorrect, is fine with me.. because it describes the true nature and purpose of the roads." In another reply, Schocken wrote, "Your legalistic response is exactly the type that is used to blur reality, rather than clarify it. It is utterly ridiculous not to call these roads apartheid roads because the entire presence of Jews in the Occupied Territories is of an apartheid nature..."
This was distressing, Levin said, because Haaretz calls itself "the New York Times of Israel." The audience groaned and jeered.
Levin said, "The fact is, you know, we may be unhappy with the New York Times from time to time, and we at CAMERA have been, but I have to say we are fortunate. The American media is much, much more geared to understanding that there is an unwritten contract between them and us, and that is, that things should be factually accurate, and we get corrections all the time. Those corrections are very meaningful sometimes. We can prevent the repetition of serious errors... So there is that give and take here in the States."
Someone in the audience asked if the Israeli government couldn't take action. "Good question," Levin said. "Many many times we have urged in regard to American coverage-- to really, really serious defamatory reports in the American media--we have urged the Israel government, whether it was the IDF or some other components of officialdom, to be involved. Times that we thought that legal actions could be taken." But evidently that couldn't happen in Israel, where they have a "very free press."
Wow. An Israel lobbyist turns over some of her cards! Urging the Israeli government to take legal action against American publications over controversial reports? An unwritten contract with the American media not to say apartheid? A give-and-take with the New York Times?
Amos Schocken's lordly indifference to this sort of bullying makes me proud to be a Jew; his is the unassailable authority of a journalist who says what he says because he believes it, and will not be moved...
P.S. A few days ago I blogged about Jerome Slater's article contrasting Haaretz's coverage of the occupation and the New York Times's coverage. Slater argues that the Israel lobby is not the cause of the difference in coverage. I think he's wrong, for any number of reasons. Certainly he has not heard Levin describe her activities.
Posted at 07:46 PM in Israel, Journalism, U.S. Policy in the Mideast | Permalink | |  | | Alpha | | | | Alpha | | Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 8:36 pm Post subject: |
| Subject: Get Kucinich, By KEVIN ZEESE
“There is a report circulating the web that before the Nevada primary Kucinich was visited by representatives of Nancy Pelosi and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the right wing Israeli lobby. They told him that if he would drop his campaigns to impeach Cheney and Bush, they would guarantee his re-election to the House of Representatives. Kucinich threw them out of his office.”
“Back home the issue of right wing Israeli lobby funding is becoming an issue. Cimperman put out a press release that urges Kucinich to refute a report in the People's Weekly World Newspaper that said the "Kucinich campaign charged" that Cimperman's effort to unseat Kucinich was financed in large part from "a right-wing pro-Israel group."”
This, folks, is how the Lobby and its puppets operate. Oh, and don’t miss out what AIPAC (in its own words) has accomplished in Washington:
As America's leading pro-Israel lobby, AIPAC works with both Democratic and Republican political leaders to enact public policy that strengthens the vital U.S.-Israel relationship. With the support of its members nationwide, AIPAC has worked with Congress and the Executive Branch on numerous critical initiatives -- from securing vital foreign aid for Israel to stopping Iran's illicit nuclear program. Some highlights include:
Securing critical foreign aid to Israel, which totals $2.42 billion in 2008 and provides military aid and refugee assistance.
Strengthening U.S.-Israel energy cooperation by passing legislation that establishes a grant program that funds joint projects between U.S. and Israeli entities in the field of alternative energy.
Calling upon the administration in a letter signed by more than 180 members of the House to provide strict guarantees that the proposed sale of sophisticated technology to Saudi Arabia will not harm U.S. forces or undercut Israel’s qualitative military edge.
Strongly urging the administration to take its decision to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist group and weapons proliferator through an amendment supported by 76 senators and key legislation passed in the House of Representatives.
Strengthening U.S.-Israel homeland security cooperation by passing landmark legislation creating an office within the Department of Homeland Security to support joint research and development projects between the United States and key allies such as Israel.
Calling for the strengthening of UNIFIL’s mandate to stop arms shipments to Hizballah across the Syrian border by supporting a letter signed by 104 House members.
Highlighting the need to stop weapons smuggling in Gaza through a letter signed by 32 senators urging the United States to press Egypt to take action.
Passing a House resolution congratulating Israel on the 40th anniversary of the Six-Day War, praising the Jewish state for reunifying Jerusalem and protecting religious freedom in the city, and calling on the president to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Reiterating standards for the Palestinian government through letters signed by 259 House members and 79 senators urging the EU and United States not to provide aid or grant recognition to any Palestinian government until it fulfills internationally backed requirements.
Prohibiting U.S. aid and contacts with the Hamas-led PA until its leaders recognize Israel’s right to exist, renounce violence and ratify previous Israeli-Palestinian peace agreements.
Extending U.S.-backed loan guarantees to Israel until 2011 and renewing the authority to transfer U.S. military equipment to be stored in Israel for use in a potential crisis.
Ratifying an agreement that led to the Israeli medical service Magen David Adom’s admission to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (IRC).
Condemning Iran for holding a conference casting doubt on whether the Holocaust happened. The resolutions reproached the anti-Semitic statements made by Iranian leaders and asserted the United States’ commitment to preventing a nuclear Iran.
Passing the Iran Freedom Support Act, which renews and strengthens sanctions aimed at curtailing funds and international cooperation necessary for Iran to pursue nuclear weapons.
Passing the Iran Libya Sanctions Act, which seeks to reduce funds for Iran's nuclear weapons program by allowing sanctions against foreign companies investing in Iran's energy sector.
Reauthorizing the Iran Nonproliferation Act to include sanctions against entities providing technology to the missile and weapons of mass destruction programs of both Iran and Syria.
Fostering U.S.-Israel homeland security cooperation by supporting the countries' efforts to sign a landmark Memorandum of Understanding and taking U.S. homeland security professionals on trips to Israel to meet with their Israeli counterparts.
Passing congressional resolutions that demonstrate overwhelming support for Israel's right to self-defense in the face of attacks by Hizballah and Hamas.
Designating Hizballah's TV station as a terrorist entity through legislative language as well as support of a letter to President Bush signed by 51 senators.
Passing the Syrian Accountability Act, which allows the president to sanction Syria for its continued involvement in Lebanon and support of terrorism.
Increasing military aid to Israel during the height of the Palestinian intifada by working for $1 billion in government grants that help cover the escalating costs of the war on terrorism.
Keeping world pressure on Hamas, by working to pass a House Resolution before PA elections that warned of serious policy implications for U.S.-Palestinian relations should Hamas be part of the Palestinian government.
Source: http://www.aipac. org/about_ AIPAC/default. asp
Quite impressive. Should anyone critical of Israel’s criminal behaviour quote this list, Foxman’s ADL would be quick to have him or her denounced as anti-Semitic.
Kris
http://www.counterp unch.org/zeese02082008.html
Weekend Edition
February 8 / 10, 2008
Is Dennis Kucinich Being McKinney'd?
Get Kucinich
By KEVIN ZEESE
On the Hill some call it being McKinney'd-- the treatment Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney received when she was in Congress. Twice, rather than protecting the incumbent, the Democrats put up well funded challengers against her. Now, it looks like Dennis Kucinich may be facing the same treatment in Cleveland.
There is a report circulating the web that before the Nevada primary Kucinich was visited by representatives of Nancy Pelosi and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the right wing Israeli lobby. They told him that if he would drop his campaigns to impeach Cheney and Bush, they would guarantee his re-election to the House of Representatives. Kucinich threw them out of his office.
Kucinich has aggressively challenged the Democratic Party leadership in Congress and on the presidential campaign trail on the issues of war, civil liberties, impeachment and big business control of government. He's even refused to pledge to endorse the party's presidential nominee.
The Democratic leadership has insisted that impeachment was off the table since taking control of the House in 2006. Congressman Conyers, Chair of the Judiciary Committee, has even refused to investigate whether President Bush and Vice President Cheney have violated the law. But Kucinich pushed the issue. He introduced articles of impeachment against Cheney, then against Bush and he brought the issue up on the House floor. He pushed and pushed to try to make sure the president and vice president were not above the law.
On the campaign trail he didn't let Senator Clinton or Obama get away with campaign peace rhetoric in the Democratic primary while they voted war funding with no strings attached in the senate. He pointed out that their rhetoric was not consistent with their actions. He pushed the issue of all troops being removed; while Obama and Clinton parse their words carefully making it clear they will withdraw only some of the troops and neither promising a complete troop withdrawal even by 2012.
And he pierced the veil of campaign rhetoric of Democrats who call for "universal health care" but put forward plans that will enrich their donors in the private health insurance industry.
On issue after issue Kucinich pushed against the Democratic Party leadership-- now, it seems he is paying a price.
In Cleveland, Kucinich is being challenged by several candidates. The one that is getting the most attention and funding is City Councilman Joe Cimperman. He's served on the council for ten years and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars from real estate interests to challenge Kucinich. He's been saying that Kucinich focuses too much on campaigning for president and not on the district. The Mayor of Cleveland and the Cleveland Plain Dealer has endorsed Cimperman.
Kucinich, who has been focused on the presidential campaign, has very little money in the bank (reportedly only about $30,000). He's been putting out fundraising appeals (see, e.g., http://www.youtube. com/) and has a fundraiser planned with Sean Penn.
Back home the issue of right wing Israeli lobby funding is becoming an issue. Cimperman put out a press release that urges Kucinich to refute a report in the People's Weekly World Newspaper that said the "Kucinich campaign charged" that Cimperman's effort to unseat Kucinich was financed in large part from "a right-wing pro-Israel group."
Cimperman has been somewhat theatrical in his campaign. He's been putting up signs "Where's Dennis?" and describing him as a "Missing Congressman." Cimperman took the poster to Kucinch's office and delivered a copy on videotape. Kucinich responded by asking Homeland Security to investigate the filming of government property. Cimperman responded with another video calling Kucinch a hypocrite for violating his privacy while railing against government intrusion into people's lives.
No doubt if Kucinch had kow-towed to Nancy Pelosi, been less aggressive in his comments in the presidential debates and agreed to endorse the Democratic presidential nominee, the Democratic Party would be discouraging opponents and coming to the aid of an incumbent who has been in the House since 1996.
But elected officials like McKinney and Kucinch who challenge the Democratic Party line--who think for themselves and feel a responsibility to fight for their constituents and challenge corporate power--are a hindrance to the party leadership. They get in the way and let the public know what is really going on. So, they must be either tamed or made an example of. If Kucinich gets McKinney'd you can be sure the message will be received. Those, like Congressman Conyers, who've been around for awhile (Conyers has been in the House since 1965) know better than to step too far out of line. So, Conyers has remained silent on Bush's law breaking--protectin g his committee chairmanship by being afraid to use it. Conyers has been tamed but Kucinich hasn't. So, Kucinich needs to be taught a lesson that other members will learn from. The growing revolt of the "Out of Iraq Caucus" needs to be kept impotent. Knocking out Kucinich will prevent others from too loudly disobeying leadership.
Kucinich has faced tough battles in Cleveland before. When he was mayor he stood up to corporate interests that wanted to take over Cleveland's public utility and survived a recall election. And, Cimperman is not the only challenger, there are several, so the anti-Kucinich vote may be sufficiently divided for the congressman to retain his seat.
If he doesn't Kucinich may find new political opportunities that give him a bigger platform. Perhaps he will leave the Democratic Party with whom he has had so much disagreement and join Cynthia McKinney in the Green Party (see -a party whose platform is consistent with his. If so a McKinney-Kucinich ticket could be an interesting development in the 2008 election year. The Democrats may regret their punishment of both McKinney and Kucinich.
Kevin Zeese is Executive Director of Voters for Peace www.VotersForPeace. US. | | | | Alpha | | Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 2:50 am Post subject: |
| http://www.counterpunch.org/ali02112008.html
February 11, 2008
A CounterPunch Exclusive
A Discussion with Walt and Mersheimer
The Power of the Israel Lobby
By WAJAHAT ALI
A lengthy interview conducted by an American of Pakistani origin who is described as "neither a terrorist nor a saint, a playwright, essayist and humorist". Well worth reading. Click on the link first above.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Israeli Lobby Declares War On Gandhi
By Punyapriya Dasgupta
12/02/08 "ICH" -- -- The problem the Israelis and their supporters have with Gandhi refuses to go away.. In what they call their pre-State era, they tried to get Mahatma Gandhi to endorse their campaign to dispossess the Arabs and transform Palestine into a Jewish homeland. He not only branded their enterprise unjust but even made comments which lend support to the Palestinian resistance that has been calumniated more recently by Israel and its American backers as terrorism. Today, the Israel lobby in America is baying for the blood of Arun Gandhi for his temerity in advising the Jews in Israel that it is time they got over their holocaust fixation and for their own secure future moved on to build peace and friendship with their neighbours.
Arun Gandhi, a grandson of the Mahatma, together with his wife Sunanda, founded the M.K.Gandhi Institute of Non-Violence in Memphis to spread the Gandhian philosophy in America and later made it a part of the University of Rochester. Early last month Arun Gandhi wrote in a Washington Post blog: "The Jewish identity in the past has been locked into the holocaust experience – a German burden that the Jews have not been able to shed. It is a very good example of a community that can overplay a historic experience to the point that it begins to repulse friends. The holocaust was the result of the warped mind of an individual who was able to influence his followers into something dreadful. But it seems to me that the Jews today not only want the Germans to feel guilty but the whole world must regret what happened to the Jews. The world did feel sorry for the episode but when an individual or a nation refuses to forgive and move on, the regret turns into anger. The Jewish identity in the future appears bleak. Any nation that remains anchored to the past is unable to move ahead and especially a nation that believes its survival can only be ensured by weapons and bombs. In Tel Aviv in 2004, I had the opportunity to speak to some MPs and peace activists all of whom argued that the wall and the military build up was necessary to protect the nation and the people. In other words, I asked, you believe that you can create a snake pit with many deadly snakes in it – and expect to live in the pit secure and alive? What do you mean? They countered. Well, with your superior weapons and your attitude towards your neighbours would it not be right to say you are creating a snake pit? Would it not be better to befriend those who hate you? Can you not reach out to share your technical advantage with your neighbours and build a relationship?"
This is vintage Gandhian logic about the means to an end. Arun Gandhi is a true inheritor of Gandhism except in such obsolete externals as the asceticism the Mahatma espoused in dress to identify himself with the poorest Indian nearly a century ago. When the Israel lobbyists turned on him for what they regard as sacrilege of the holocaust, Arun responded with more of Gandhism. He resigned from the presidentship of the institution of non-violence he had himself founded and issued an apology:
"My statement on the recent Washington Post blog was couched in language that was hurtful and contrary to the principle of non-violence.
My intention was to generate a healthy discussion on the proliferation of violence. Clearly I did not achieve my goal. Instead, unintentionally, my words have resulted in pain, anger, confusion and embarrassment. I deeply regret these consequences.
I would like to be a part of as healing process. The principles of non-violence are founded on love, respect, understanding and compassion. It is my sincere hope that this situation will give me and others the opportunity to work together and transform anger and negative emotions, create deeper mutual respect and understanding and build more harmonious communities."
The Zionist response was typical too. Not only was Arun Gandhi abused as soon as the blog appeared, even his apology was rejected as not enough or inconsequential. The Anti-Defamation League adjudged him guilty of a classic attempt at blaming the victim. Arun Gandhi was branded anti-Semite by the Israel lobbyists The director of the Simon Wiesenthal Institute seized it as a not-to-be lost opportunity to extend his sneer retrospectively to the Mahatma, a revered figure in world history. Efraim Zuroff was quoted by the Jerusalem Post as saying: "Even the great Mohandas Gandhi did not have a monopoly on wisdom, evidence his suggested passive resistance against the Nazis." Someone may take this cue and say that Arun Gandhi betrayed poor wisdom for he advised the Palestinians to defeat the Israelis with a massive non-violent march. John Mearsheimer who along with Stephen Walt wrote about the Israel lobby and faced its full fury, offered a consolation to Arun Gandhi with a comment that he would have gotten into serious trouble with the lobby even if he had chosen his words carefully "simply because he had criticized Israel and its American supporters, which one does at his or her own peril."
Sixty years after his death Mahatma Gandhi still remains a thorn on Zionism's side. His view, written in 1938, remains in indelible print and sharply relevant even now. "Palestine belongs to the Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France to the French. It is wrong and inhuman to impose the Jews on the Arabs. What is going on in Palestine today cannot be justified by any code of conduct. The Mandates have no sanction but that of the last War. Surely it would be a crime against humanity to reduce the proud Arabs so that Palestine can be restored to the Jews partly or wholly as their national home. I am not defending the Arab excesses. I wish they had chosen the way of non-violence in resisting what they rightly regarded as an unwarranted encroachment upon their country. But according to the accepted canons of right and wrong, nothing can be said against the Arab resistance in the face of overwhelming odds." | | | | Alpha | | Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:30 pm Post subject: |
| Joe Biden: "I am a Zionist"
March 28, 2007
Presidential hopeful calls Israel "the single greatest strength America has in the Middle East"
Says Jonathan Pollard deserves leniency but not a pardon
In an exclusive Shalom TV interview, US Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-DE) emphatically stated his commitment to the State of Israel, calling the country "the single greatest strength America has in the Middle East."
Senator Biden further stressed that without Israel, one could only imagine how many battleships and troops America would have to station in the Middle East.
Meeting with Shalom TV President Rabbi Mark S. Golub in Washington, DC, the candidate for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination said that it's insulting for any American to suggest that Israel is somehow the cause of the war in Iraq.
"If, tomorrow, peace broke out between Israelis and Palestinians, does anybody think there wouldn't be a full-blown war in Iraq? And, conversely, if Iraq were transported to Mars, does anyone think there would not be terrorism visited upon the Israelis every day?
"So let's get it straight. Israel is not the cause of Iraq. Iraq being settled or not settled has nothing to do with Israel's conduct."
The Senator also expressed a sensitivity and empathy for Israelis who have had to live with terrorism.
"[From 9/11], Americans can taste what it must feel like for every Israeli mother and father when they send their kid out to school with their lunch to put them on a bus, on a bicycle or to walk; and they pray to God that cell phone doesn't ring."
"I am a Zionist," stated Senator Biden. "You don't have to be a Jew to be a Zionist."
Asked about Jonathan Pollard, sentenced to life-imprisonment for giving classified information to the State of Israel, Senator Biden opened the door to leniency, but not a pardon.
"There's a rationale, in my view, why Pollard should be given leniency. But there is not a rationale to say, 'What happened did not happen and should be pardoned.'"
[A transcript of the Shalom TV interview follows]
SHALOM TV: Many Americans believe there's a link between America's war in Iraq and the State of Israel and that if America didn't have such a commitment to the state of Israel, there wouldn't be these problems in Iraq.
What would you say to anyone who's expressed that thought to you?
SENATOR BIDEN: It's bizarre.
When the Baker Commission filed its report saying peace in Israel is related to Iraq, I was the first and only person in Congress to point out [that] if, tomorrow, peace broke out between Israelis and Palestinians, does anybody think there wouldn't be a full-blown war in Iraq?
And, conversely, if Iraq were transported to Mars, does anyone think there would not be terrorism visited upon the Israelis every day?
The difference between now and before 9/11: many Americans can taste what it must feel like for every Israeli mother and father when they send their kid out to school with their lunch to put them on a bus, on a bicycle or to walk; and they pray to God that cell phone doesn't ring.
Every day, every day.
So let's get it straight. Israel is not the cause of Iraq. Iraq being settled or not settled has nothing to do with Israel's conduct.
The second part is: people should understand by now that Israel is the single greatest strength America has in the Middle East.
Imagine our circumstance in the world were there no Israel. How many battleships would there be? How many troops would be stationed?
So I find it not only incorrect, but mildly insulting.
SHALOM TV: In the American Jewish community, there's sensitivity to the plight of Jonathan Pollard.
What should be done now with Jonathan Pollard?
SENATOR BIDEN: If we don't want to play into the argument that Americans who support Israel have dual loyalties, then you can't deal with Pollard. He has to serve his sentence. There's a rationale, in my view, why Pollard should be given leniency. But there is not a rationale to say, "What happened did not happen and should be pardoned."
I was raised by a righteous Christian. My father was a gentle man. He was a white collar worker, high-school educated but a student of history and a devoted supporter of Israel.
My father could not understand how people could [fail to understand] that without an Israel no Jew in the world was safe. He couldn't understand how support [for Israel] could be translated into being un-American.
My worry is that, if I were president, to go and pardon Pollard would make a lie out of the notion that there are certain rules. Period. You cannot give classified information. Period. Even to a friend. If this were great Britain, it would be the same thing.
So the standard has to be maintained, in my view.
SHALOM TV: Have you ever been at a Seder
SENATOR BIDEN: I have.
SHALOM TV: Give us one Seder memory
SENATOR BIDEN: My son married a young woman whose mother and whole family is a very prominent Jewish family in the state of Delaware, the Bergers.
Probably my most poignant Seder memory is not with the Bergers, but what happened right after I came back from meeting Golda Meir [in 1973].
I had predicted that something was going on in Egypt. And I remember people talking about what it meant to them if Israel were actually defeated.
And there is this inextricable tie between culture, religion, [and] ethnicity that most people don't fully understand--that is unique and so strong with Jews worldwide.
When I was a young Senator, I used to say, "If I were a Jew I'd be a Zionist."
I am a Zionist. You don't have to be a Jew to be a Zionist. | | | | | ©2002-2009 WarWithoutEnd.co.uk |
