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Don't Miss These Brilliant Essays on Gaza

By Jan Frel, AlterNet. Posted January 15, 2009.


A quick guide to some of the best essays on Israel's assault on Gaza and the larger questions posed by the recent violence.

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The events in Gaza have resulted in the producution of more media than any one person could digest in a lifetime. And since few of us have more than a small part of the day to learn about what's going on, it's almost certain that you might have missed some of the absolutely superb essays written in recent weeks that give the big picture.

Here's a quick guide to some of the best essays I've read on Gaza and the larger questions posed by the recent violence.

Israeli Uri Avnery in CounterPunch argues that after witnessing the events in Gaza, even through the distorted lens of televised mass media, "seared into the consciousness of the world will be the image of Israel as a bloodstained monster, ready at any moment to commit war crimes and not prepared to abide by any moral restraints. This will have severe consequences for [Israel's] long-term future, our standing in the world, our chance of achieving peace and quiet."

Chris Hedges has a sublime touch when it comes to writing about the insanity we are capable of when warmaking consumes a society. We all saw, and most of us, if you believe the polls, personally experienced this madness most recently during the onset of the U.S. invasion in Iraq. In his latest essay, in TruthDig, "The Language of Death," Hedges writes,

"[T[he assault on Gaza is about creating squalid, lawless and impoverished ghettos where life for Palestinians will be barely sustainable. It is about building ringed Palestinian enclaves where Israel will always have the ability to shut off movement, food, medicine and goods to perpetuate misery. The Israeli attack on Gaza is about building a hell on earth. This attack is the final Israeli push to extinguish a Palestinian state and crush or expel the Palestinian people. The images of dead Palestinian children, lined up as if asleep on the floor of the main hospital in Gaza, are a metaphor for the future. Israel will, from now on, speak to the Palestinians in the language of death. And the language of death is all the Palestinians will be able to speak back."

Naomi Klein makes the case in The Nation that Israel should become the target of the kind of global movement that put an end to South Africa's apartheid, calling for boycotts.

Bill Moyers argued forcefully last week in his PBS show, Bill Moyers Journal, "[B]rute force can turn self-defense into state terrorism. It's what the U.S. did in Vietnam with B-52s and napalm, and again in Iraq, with shock and awe. By killing indiscriminately -- the elderly, kids, entire families, by destroying schools and hospitals -- Israel did exactly what terrorists do and exactly what Hamas wanted. It spilled the blood that turns the wheel of retribution." [Transcript here]


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See more stories tagged with: israel, jimmy carter, gaza, bill moyers, naomi klein, chris hedges, laila al-arian, gary brecher, uri avnery, stephen zunes, suzanne maneh

Jan Frel is AlterNet's senior editor.

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RE: COPY OF LETTER TO ALTERNET
Posted by: masthead on Jan 15, 2009 6:04 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"I have a deep and abiding concern that vandals who are dissentients have compromised your forums. " dissentients? get serious, dissent not allowed huh. anyone who calls themselves "bondservants" of a totalitariam system like yours can be considered suspect and biased.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

RE: COPY OF LETTER TO ALTERNET
Posted by: AMERICAN VETERAN on Jan 15, 2009 7:33 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Typical neurotic mumbojumbo from the krister imbeciles.

Not surprisingly, you're in texass.

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RE: COPY OF LETTER TO ALTERNET
Posted by: msteryis on Jan 15, 2009 8:57 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Christian, huh? Well, Hitler was a devout Catholic.

If you do not like the views expressed here, feel free to retreat to your neo-Nazi echo chamber.

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Tedain
Posted by: TEDain on Jan 15, 2009 4:53 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It is unbelieveable how stupid these articles are. They do not reflect the truth. Israel is pushed into a war to defend themselves, Hamas dose not care for Gaza or it people, uses them for human shields, cries for the loss of human life, but uses schoools, places of worship to store guns,etc, and intends to kill every Jew they can. I say, kill every Hamas thers is and absorb the population into the vast Arab lands.
The only peace Hamas wants is a piece of everything Israel has.

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» I think you have it backwards Posted by: constitution, what constitution
» RE: Tedain Posted by: jhop
» RE: Tiring Tears Posted by: americansheep
» RE: Tiring Tears Posted by: mkdelta69
» RE: Tedain Posted by: AMERICAN VETERAN
» RE: Tedain Posted by: mkdelta69
oh boy..here we go...culture war in total effect
Posted by: jakethesnake on Jan 15, 2009 5:21 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Notice how above poster stated right off the bat, that they were "christian". Why was this necessary? To identify themselves by name, rank and seriel number and geopolitical location too? Classic manipulation technique (like doing this gives their post more authority).
Bottom line is we have a first amendment right to free speech in order to protect dissident voices, and the tax-free status of this organization (indepedent media institute, which according to various rating systems such as charity navigator, is already on thin ice anyway) depends on its adherence to these constitutional principles of free speech. Hazen risks losing his 120K/year salary if he deviates.
As for the above post, personally, I think your israeli/zionist plants. We've all seen a concecerted effort worldwide by the jewish internet defense force (www.thejidf.org) and other jewish student organizations attempt to control blogs throughout the US from many different psychological/sociological angles, but the truth is, this economy is going to collapse in 09, the union will come apart and the trail will lead back to the zionists on wall street, in academia, government, media, etc that have worked collectively to drain every bit of resources from the US system to support israel. Yes, christian zionists in the south have played a major role, but most of them are over 60 and approaching death (and cannot bear the thought of people continuing to "live" after they're gone). I'll be cruising the other sites looking for your technique Dwight.

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BILL MOYERS, I love you, BUT...
Posted by: americansheep on Jan 15, 2009 5:39 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Whereas I consider him to be the lone wolf of PBS, I will have to disagree with him on his statement that this mayhem of killing by Israel is "just what Hamas wants". Hamas is being killed as well are Hamas family and friends. By saying Hamas welcomes this genocide on their people and themselves is just another effort to seperate Hamas from the other Palestinians, which is simply poppycock. Victims do not welcome death.

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» RE: BILL MOYERS, I love you, BUT... Posted by: americansheep
The Humiliation of America
Posted by: MeyravLevine on Jan 15, 2009 6:08 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I was naive to think that US was the puppet-master. When it comes to Israel, it appears it is the other way around:

“Early Friday morning the secretary of state was considering bringing the cease-fire resolution to a UNSC vote and we didn’t want her to vote for it,” Olmert said. “I said ‘get President Bush on the phone.’ They tried and told me he was in the middle of a lecture in Philadelphia. I said ‘I’m not interested, I need to speak to him now.’ He got down from the podium, went out and took the phone call.”

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» RE: The Humiliation of America Posted by: VZEQICVA
Learn The Reality of Palestine
Posted by: iris89 on Jan 15, 2009 8:00 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Now, with respect Palestine there is a scripture all should consider, 1 Peter 3:11, "Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it." (Authorized King James Bible; AV).

But neither the Ishmaelites - Hamas, nor the Hebrews - Israelites are considering it. Strange as they are both descendants of Abraham, one by Ishmael and one by Issac.

Now, even though the Ishmaelites control over 98% of the Middle East, they are greedy for the less than 2% of the Middle East belonging to their brother tribe, the Hebrews - Israelites. This is NOT the way for the descendants of Abraham who walked with Almighty God (YHWH) to act.

Why is this? It is because neither is walking with the TRUE GOD as did Abraham, but both are being mislead by none other than Satan the Devil per 2 Corinthians 4:4, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (AV).

In fact, the Ishmaelites instead of pursuing peace in accordance with what Jesus (Yeshua) the Son of God said at Matthew 22:37-40 said, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (AV).

This is clearly shown by what one Australian Newspaper said, "Did you know that 90-95% of the conflicts in the world today are Muslims fighting non-muslims or each other? " [source - The Weekend Australian, November 26-27, 2005 AD]"

However, what the world needs is peace, not war. So clearly we can see that the Ishmaelites are in a false religion not walking with Almighty God (YHWH), the God of Abraham; nor are the Hebrews who do not recognize his son, Jesus (Yeshua), anymore than the Ishmaelites.

All need to be showing love for neighbor by exposing false beliefs that are ruining mankind by misleading him from walking with the True God of Abraham, Almighty God (YHWH).

To learn more, go to:

http://religioustruths.proboards59.com/ An Educational Referral Forum

And going down to:

DISCUSSIONS AND EXPOSURES, and to subject Exposing False Belief A Loving Act

Iris89

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» Hate Speech as well ... Posted by: Hechicera
The question should NOT be who broke the cease fire, but that of peace.
Posted by: iris89 on Jan 15, 2009 8:02 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The question should NOT be who broke the cease fire, but that of peace. All should pursue peace and love and NOT violence and hate. But many are just fooling themselves, it is not what either the Bible or the Bible knockoff the Qur'an actually say, but how religious leaders be they priest and/or imams or muftis or what ever teach the people is the interpretation of what is written either in the Bible or the bible knockoff the Qur'an that matters and governs actions. It matters not what the Bible and/or the Bible knockoff really say. People go by what they are taught by their religious leaders. Take the genocide committed by the Roman Catholic Church at the direction of their supreme religious leader, the pope, what mattered was not that the Bible clearly said at Exodus 20:13, "Thou shalt not kill." (Authorized King James Bible; AV), but what their religious leaders told them. Therefore, it is the religion at fault, irregardless of what their particular holy book, be it the Bible or the Bible knockoff the Qur'an may say. Neither is so called Christianity or in Islam are most individuals actions really governed in any way by what their particular holy book really says, but they are governed by the interpretation of their religious leaders. Thus, knowing this reality, one would be either just plain stupid and/or dumb to even bother looking at a particular religion's holy book and expect the members would conform to it. Take the Rig Vede and find me for example a Hindu actually conforming to it instead of the interpretation given to it by his religious leaders, like looking for a needle in the haystack per K.S. Lal, India's greatest historian.

Hamas is NOT seeking peace as clearly shown by Hamas' denial of the right of the Israelites to exist; whereas, Israel never has denied the right of the Palestines to existence. Nor has Israel ever used civilians as human shields or suicide bombers. Both of these practices show a clear disregard for peace and love of life and fellow man. Both the Ishmaelites - Hamas, and the Hebrews - Israelites should be walking with the TRUE GOD as did Abraham, but neither are.

For details, go to, http://religioustruths.proboards59.com/

An Educational Referral Forum and start learning the ways of peace and reality. If there are any questions or you want to discuss, PM me at this forum.

NOW A QUESTION

Why do the residents of Gaza keep firing rockets and mortars at Israel if they do NOT like the humanitarian conditions it creates? Is it some kind of irrational insane self induced flagellations. It just does NOT make sense to me.

That makes as much sense as a carpenter who hits his thumb instead of the nail purposely doing it again and again - most would consider this a mental case as I do Hamas' actions, and those of suicide bombers.

For those wishing to discuss this with me or ask questions, go to:

http://religioustruths.proboards59.com/ An Educational Referral Forum

and PM me.

Iris89

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» Seek and ye shall find? Posted by: Hechicera
let's keep things in perspective
Posted by: rayne on Jan 15, 2009 10:33 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
while i certainly agree that israel has gone beyond the pale in their actions of late against palestinians in general and hamas in particular, we cannot forget that hamas and their followers have dedicated themselves to the absolute destruction of israel. i am not arguing that either side is right/wrong/justified/etc. i am saying that BOTH parties created this problem. the fact that israel has a more powerful military and is therefore being more destructive doesn;t mean that ALL blame lies at israel's feet. some of the burden is on the shoulders of those who have sworn to wipe israel off the face of the earth, or some such annihilistic language. the fact that this problem can't be resolved by violence seems to be escaping BOTH parties, to everyone's detriment.

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US politicians complicit in Israeli slaughter of innocent Palestinian civilians
Posted by: Garvagh on Jan 15, 2009 11:47 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Great piece! Thanks to the current murderous Israeli campaign in Gaza, the US is even more closely associated with what the tens of millions of Arabs see as the US-created "monster" in the Middle East - - the militaristic, heavily-armed state of Israel.

Israel cannot slaughter enough Palestinians to force them to accept the illegal colonies of fanatical Jewish "settlers" splattered all over the West Bank.

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You forgot one:
Posted by: oregoncharles on Jan 15, 2009 11:55 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
http://www.alternet.org/audits/118039 /is_the_gaza_catastrophe_really_about_natural_resources_/
(remove the space to activate link.)
That's right, from Alternet, Jan. 8th.

The most informative piece I've seen, stuffed with links. And it brings up the gas field off of Gaza, which just may be a critical factor.

On a wider note: One of the most disturbing features of the whole conflict is that Israel has openly adopted so many Nazi techniques. I would have thought this inconceivable, until it happened.

It's especially disturbing because it says really bad things about human beings, things I didn't want to know but now find inescapable.

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» RE: I fixed your link for you Posted by: DCostello2
» RE: I fixed your link for you Posted by: oregoncharles
Israel bombs the UN
Posted by: sonofloud2 on Jan 15, 2009 12:36 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Israel shelled the United Nations headquarters in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, engulfing the compound and a warehouse in fire and destroying thousands of pounds of food and humanitarian supplies intended for Palestinian refugees.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090115
/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians

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Becoming the enemy
Posted by: SlyGuy on Jan 15, 2009 1:06 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
US and Israel, among others, have in many conflicts past and present failed to heed the adage "Beware lest ye become that which you detest or oppose."

How exactly does "shock and awe" in a pre-emptive invasion of Iraq differ morally from Hitler's Germany and the invasion of Poland or Russia? Motivations aside, what differs?

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STUPID OR BLIND? AT THIS TIME OF THE GENOCIDE KEEP GOING WITH SONGS LIKE "HAMAS" AND "SELF DEFENSE"
Posted by: Artra on Jan 15, 2009 1:26 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
AT THIS TIME ONE NEEDS TO BE NOT IGNORANT BUT VERY INSENSIBLE.

HOW BIG IS THE INTERNATIONAL, SUPRANATIONAL POWER BEHIND A STATE, FOUNDED OVER WIDE AND ALL SPREAD FOOTSTEPS OF INFAMY?

HOW LOW CAN HUMAN BEINGS CAN FALL TO ACCEPT SAVING IN HIS/HER MEMORY HER/HIS OWN COMPLICITY IN HUMAN DEGRADATION?

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Another article worth reading
Posted by: translator on Jan 15, 2009 5:53 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
See Fintan O'Toole's piece in the Irish Times of January 6, the most succinct statement of the dilemma

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no one notices
Posted by: billwald on Jan 15, 2009 6:06 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
that apparently the Egyptians and the rest of that part of the world hate the Palestinians as much as the Jews do. Both Gaza and the West Bank have common borders with Moslem nations.

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» Egyptians hate Palestinians? Posted by: Harris20
The irony is the world ends up paying for Zionist Vandalism
Posted by: ceti on Jan 15, 2009 6:07 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Just like in Lebanon, western governments shelled out aid money to pay for the damage done by Israel. What to do with this serial vandalism?

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UK Jewish MP: Israel acting like Nazis in Gaza
Posted by: saadasim on Jan 18, 2009 4:14 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I saw the soldier standing next to the shop. I looked for my mum and then he shot me. One bullet him my hand and the other went through my back and out through my stomach,
http://whtt.org/index.php?news=2&id=2811

Jewish MP of UK Parliament on Israel: "They are not simply war criminals; they are fools."
http://whtt.org/index.php?news=2&id=2810

UK Jewish MP: Israel acting like Nazis in Gaza
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMGuYjt6CP8#

Top 5 Lies About Israel’s Assault on Gaza
http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/
articles/2009/01/03/
hammond_top-5-lies-about-israels-assault-on-gaza.html
Lie #1) Israel is only targeting legitimate military sites and seeks to protect innocent lives.
Lie #2) Israeli bombardment is a response to Palestinian rocket fire.
Lie #3) Hamas is using human shields.
Lie #4) Arab nations have not condemned Israel’s actions.
Lie #5) Israel is not responsible for civilian deaths because it warned the Palestinians.

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no more involvement
Posted by: politicky on Jan 18, 2009 3:17 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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