www.theaustralian.hatred.au/multiculturalismsux
Richar Kurbaji
15 November 2006
The researchers of human behavior in conjunction with genetic engineers are very close to isolating a unique gene in Muslims that determines why they are boring, depressing, depressed and violent.
Professor John Howard, the renowned expert on racial and religious hatred at the White Australia University (WAU) announced this discovery last night. He described his team researchers’ discovery as a milestone in solving global terrorism.
“We found a unique gene in each Muslim’s genetic material, regardless of their ethnic background, that makes them all terrorists by birth” said Prof Howard. “At last we can prove that the war on Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, Iran, Syria... are not because of any economic reasons related to Oil, but as counter-terrorism exercises.”
His colleague on the reasearch, Prof Phillip Ruddock, made similar observations and claims. He said that the team put a few Muslims from different backgrounds and different social and economic classes under different circumstances. These were ranging from total isolation at Long Bay jail to total isolation at desert detentions in Woomera, then total isolation in the Ghettos of Lakemba and Bankstown. They all showed the same symptoms of depression which were then translated into violent actions. These violent actions were ranging from trying to run away to trying to commit suicide by drinking bleach or swallowing razor blades.
Another colleague on the research, Dr Tony Abbot, observed very clear signs of mistrust, inability to adapt and integrate and high inclination to easily explode among the Muslims under research conditions.
“They were very depressed, never understand humor, easy to jump to conclusions and believe in conspiracies” said Dr Abbot. “We acknowledge that we put them under big pressure, humiliate them immensely, degrade their humanity and torture them badly. But in a Western democracy, they should not act so depressed then violently. They should remember the suffering of our ancestors, the convicts, who (regardless of the circumstances) never reacted so violently”
Support for the results of this research also came form Prof Bob Brown, in his section on Biodiverse-related human behavior. He said that the only Muslims he saw in his life were the environmentally ignorant, violent and never smiling heavy-bearded men and totally covered women.
“I never saw a Muslim tying themselves to a tree to stop its uprooting” said Prof Brown. “I also never saw muslims in the park trying to plant a tree at the Tree day celebration. The only time I see Muslims in the park is when they are having BBQs cutting several trees branches to use them as charcoal. They only know how to destroy, never how to plant and construct”
Prof John Howard is now expressing his optimism for the future.
“Once we will isolate the gene, we will be able to produce peaceful genetically-modified Muslims. The new-born Muslims can fit easily in the Western societies, alongside their counterpart born-again Christians”
It is expected that the production of new generation of genetically modified Muslims will start within one year.
This was another satirical opinion piece, proudly brought to you by Jamal Daoud (http://www.jamaldaoud.blogspot.com)
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Al Hlialy and Muslims to be blamed for the global warming
www.theaustralian.lies.au/conspiracies/getridofthem
Ritchar Kurbaj
10 November 2006
While the row about the Hilaly's comments on rape and “uncovered meat”, did not finish totally yet, Al Hilaly and his community have been blamed by members of parliament, both state and federal for escalating global warming.
Those experts noticed that Al Hilaly is not preaching against his followers from the smoking of the Argilla, a type of water pipe (widely known in the western world as Hubbly Bubbly). The Argilla was found to emmit a large quantity of Carbon Dioxide and other poisonous gas. Taking into account that the Muslim numbers are exceeding 1 billion in population around the world, the emmited gases could cause a lot of damage to our environment and possibly contribute to global warming.
In one religious ceremony during last Ramadan, Al Hilaly was stressing that smoking the Argilla, while not promoted, it is not forbidden. He was quoted as saying “at the moment you can smoke Argilla without any fear of divine punishment”
On another occasion, he was saying that global warming is a “divine punishment” for following secularism. It is very clear that he urges his folowers not to care about the damage to environment.
The Australian prime minister has described his comments as “unAustralian” and urged his community to sack him immediately.
“It is very clear that the Egyptian born shiekh who cannot speak English well, does not feel the 'heat' caused by global warming and other events” said Mr Howard.
Kim Beazely, the federal opposition leader has questioned the reason why Shiekh Al Hilaly cannot feel the “heat”, as if he is not really from this earth. He demanded a royal commission to investigate these claims and the Muslim's responsibility for the global warming. He blamed the government for not doing enough to measure the amount of CO2 emmision from the Argillas, a policy vacuum he promised to fill when he wins government. He also questioned the ignorance from the Department of Immigration to stop the Argilla's smokers to gain residence in Australia, and later, Citizenship. Mr Beazely said, “they should at least learn to speak English before they go smoking the Argilla”.
Kevin Rudd was quick to demand an apology from the Mufti and his community. He also asked the Attorney General to investigate if the Mufti's act was such a serious breech of national security that it should warrant deportation.
Bob Brown, the leader of the Greens Party, demanded that the Muslim community to sack the Mufti immediately and replace him with environment-friendly Mufti, who would commit himself to sign the Kyoto protocol. Mr Brown noted that the Mufti and the Muslim community had the least participation in the rally on global warming last week.
“I did not see the Mufti at the rally last week; I was told that he refused an invitation to attend and commit himself and his community to the principles of Kyoto” Mr Brown noted.
When asked about these claims outside Lakemba Mosque, the Mufti shook his head, smiled and kept going. This could be translated that he cannnot find any excuses any more.
Some Muslims who are long term opponents of AL Hlilay said that he does not represent the Muslims, and without him as Mufti, the community could have easily signed the Kyoto Protocol decades ago. They added their voices to the chorus of politicians asking for his immediate sacking and for a candlelight vigil outside the Mosque until he does.
For more satirical comment, contact: Jamal Daoud (0413 467 367 – that's real!)
Note: The above text does not actually represent the views of those mentioned but the satirical position of our collective existence.
Ritchar Kurbaj
10 November 2006
While the row about the Hilaly's comments on rape and “uncovered meat”, did not finish totally yet, Al Hilaly and his community have been blamed by members of parliament, both state and federal for escalating global warming.
Those experts noticed that Al Hilaly is not preaching against his followers from the smoking of the Argilla, a type of water pipe (widely known in the western world as Hubbly Bubbly). The Argilla was found to emmit a large quantity of Carbon Dioxide and other poisonous gas. Taking into account that the Muslim numbers are exceeding 1 billion in population around the world, the emmited gases could cause a lot of damage to our environment and possibly contribute to global warming.
In one religious ceremony during last Ramadan, Al Hilaly was stressing that smoking the Argilla, while not promoted, it is not forbidden. He was quoted as saying “at the moment you can smoke Argilla without any fear of divine punishment”
On another occasion, he was saying that global warming is a “divine punishment” for following secularism. It is very clear that he urges his folowers not to care about the damage to environment.
The Australian prime minister has described his comments as “unAustralian” and urged his community to sack him immediately.
“It is very clear that the Egyptian born shiekh who cannot speak English well, does not feel the 'heat' caused by global warming and other events” said Mr Howard.
Kim Beazely, the federal opposition leader has questioned the reason why Shiekh Al Hilaly cannot feel the “heat”, as if he is not really from this earth. He demanded a royal commission to investigate these claims and the Muslim's responsibility for the global warming. He blamed the government for not doing enough to measure the amount of CO2 emmision from the Argillas, a policy vacuum he promised to fill when he wins government. He also questioned the ignorance from the Department of Immigration to stop the Argilla's smokers to gain residence in Australia, and later, Citizenship. Mr Beazely said, “they should at least learn to speak English before they go smoking the Argilla”.
Kevin Rudd was quick to demand an apology from the Mufti and his community. He also asked the Attorney General to investigate if the Mufti's act was such a serious breech of national security that it should warrant deportation.
Bob Brown, the leader of the Greens Party, demanded that the Muslim community to sack the Mufti immediately and replace him with environment-friendly Mufti, who would commit himself to sign the Kyoto protocol. Mr Brown noted that the Mufti and the Muslim community had the least participation in the rally on global warming last week.
“I did not see the Mufti at the rally last week; I was told that he refused an invitation to attend and commit himself and his community to the principles of Kyoto” Mr Brown noted.
When asked about these claims outside Lakemba Mosque, the Mufti shook his head, smiled and kept going. This could be translated that he cannnot find any excuses any more.
Some Muslims who are long term opponents of AL Hlilay said that he does not represent the Muslims, and without him as Mufti, the community could have easily signed the Kyoto Protocol decades ago. They added their voices to the chorus of politicians asking for his immediate sacking and for a candlelight vigil outside the Mosque until he does.
For more satirical comment, contact: Jamal Daoud (0413 467 367 – that's real!)
Note: The above text does not actually represent the views of those mentioned but the satirical position of our collective existence.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
David Hicks, Al Hilaly and the three Muslims in Yemen: Conviction by media because of faith!
In any civilised society, every citizen has the right of presumption of innocence, except in Howard's Australia. The golden rule of natural justice in any secular democratic society is that every “accused” is innocent until proven “guilty”.
For David Hicks who was in detention for more than 4 years, Howard and his ministers decided that he deserves this, even though there was no trial or conviction. They have not only abandoned him, but sent an envoy to England, to encourage them to refuse him English citizenship. After this attempt failed, the Australian envoy was sent to abort any diplomatic intervention on his behalf.
For Al Hilaly, he should be sacked, possible jail and prospective deportation. All this without any court conviction, sacking through legitimate channels or losing in polling boxes.
The Australian government is ready to spend millions of dollars following him from country to country, taping all his speeches and ceremonies, translating all these into English and then staging media and political circus after circus.
For the three Australians arrested in Yemen for possible links to a “terrorist organisation”, Howard has already decided that they “broke the laws and they deserve everything”; full-stop, no need for any further evidence, a fair trial or conviction.
Howard knows as a legally trained person that the ‘accused is innocent until proven guilty’. Does not he know as PM, who controls many security agencies, that Yemen is a very corrupt government from its head to toes?
What kind of a leader are we having in Australia?
Let us compare his response on other issues!
Do we remember Schapelle Corby?
She was caught red-handed trying to smuggle drugs into Bali. John Howard wrote a letter to her personally promising that he will use all in his power to save her.
Do you also remember Fred Nile, member of NSW Legislative Council. He attacked Muslim women's rights. Howard did not stage any media circus to sack him. On the contrary, he supported his right to express his personal and religious views, even if they are bigotted.
And I do not want to remind you with his response to Pope's remarks of “we should really move on.”
What hypocrisy?
Mr Hicks, Al Hilaly and the three Australians arrested in Yemen are all still innocents (not like Corby) and deserve fair treatment and presumption of innocence, until proven otherwise.
It is very clear that in Howard's Australia, you are guilty according to either your faith or your appearance.
You are guilty until prove your innocence if:
●You are Muslim.
●You are of Middle Eastern appearance.
●You speak English with an accent, unless you prove that you are not Arab or Muslim
This is a better and cheaper-to-run system, where any politician can decree a conviction. Even an ordinary policman can do this job. All what it needs is to add ethnic origin and faith/religion to the driving licence or ID card.
This Howard has a very good non-conventional method for every agenda item. This time he invented the persecution of his opponents by media. No need to spend money to construct cases, no need to spend money for diplomatic missions to help “accused”, no need to spend money for judges and courts.....
On the contrary: he will save a lot of money: ‘if you do not do what I want, I will withheld funds for your community’!
The actions of the Howard government mirror that of a kangaroo court process and affront the Australian constitution as it severely compromises the doctrine of the separation of political power and judicial power, an integral part of the Westminster system of government he supposedly cherishes so much.
And we still believe that we are living in a secular democratic society, not in a banana republic!!
For David Hicks who was in detention for more than 4 years, Howard and his ministers decided that he deserves this, even though there was no trial or conviction. They have not only abandoned him, but sent an envoy to England, to encourage them to refuse him English citizenship. After this attempt failed, the Australian envoy was sent to abort any diplomatic intervention on his behalf.
For Al Hilaly, he should be sacked, possible jail and prospective deportation. All this without any court conviction, sacking through legitimate channels or losing in polling boxes.
The Australian government is ready to spend millions of dollars following him from country to country, taping all his speeches and ceremonies, translating all these into English and then staging media and political circus after circus.
For the three Australians arrested in Yemen for possible links to a “terrorist organisation”, Howard has already decided that they “broke the laws and they deserve everything”; full-stop, no need for any further evidence, a fair trial or conviction.
Howard knows as a legally trained person that the ‘accused is innocent until proven guilty’. Does not he know as PM, who controls many security agencies, that Yemen is a very corrupt government from its head to toes?
What kind of a leader are we having in Australia?
Let us compare his response on other issues!
Do we remember Schapelle Corby?
She was caught red-handed trying to smuggle drugs into Bali. John Howard wrote a letter to her personally promising that he will use all in his power to save her.
Do you also remember Fred Nile, member of NSW Legislative Council. He attacked Muslim women's rights. Howard did not stage any media circus to sack him. On the contrary, he supported his right to express his personal and religious views, even if they are bigotted.
And I do not want to remind you with his response to Pope's remarks of “we should really move on.”
What hypocrisy?
Mr Hicks, Al Hilaly and the three Australians arrested in Yemen are all still innocents (not like Corby) and deserve fair treatment and presumption of innocence, until proven otherwise.
It is very clear that in Howard's Australia, you are guilty according to either your faith or your appearance.
You are guilty until prove your innocence if:
●You are Muslim.
●You are of Middle Eastern appearance.
●You speak English with an accent, unless you prove that you are not Arab or Muslim
This is a better and cheaper-to-run system, where any politician can decree a conviction. Even an ordinary policman can do this job. All what it needs is to add ethnic origin and faith/religion to the driving licence or ID card.
This Howard has a very good non-conventional method for every agenda item. This time he invented the persecution of his opponents by media. No need to spend money to construct cases, no need to spend money for diplomatic missions to help “accused”, no need to spend money for judges and courts.....
On the contrary: he will save a lot of money: ‘if you do not do what I want, I will withheld funds for your community’!
The actions of the Howard government mirror that of a kangaroo court process and affront the Australian constitution as it severely compromises the doctrine of the separation of political power and judicial power, an integral part of the Westminster system of government he supposedly cherishes so much.
And we still believe that we are living in a secular democratic society, not in a banana republic!!
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Why mixing religion with politics again: Sheikh Hilaly's comments should not be gone on air?
In the context of the media circus about Al Hilaly's comments sparked by The Australian today, we want to put facts into context:
٭ There are no justifications for the violence inflicted on any rape victims. The perpetrators of such violence should be tried and punished accordingly.
٭ In a secular democracy like Australia, it is unacceptable to interfere in people's choice of their dress or the way they choose to go in their life, as long as it does not harm others.
٭ The issues of criminal justice, defamation and inciting hate and violence should be dealt with in the courtrooms, and not in the media by creating a circus that will interfere with the natural justice.
And here we want to ask basic questions:
٭ Why was a religious ceremony blown out of context and leaked to the media?
٭ Why did this happen at this particular time, and after a month of its delivery?
٭ What is the role of Howard's government in this leak and circus, taking into consideration the unacceptable remarks of Howard and his ministers about Islam and Muslims and their wish to change the Muslim “leadership” to a more “Liberal-friendly” one?
٭ Why did Pru Goward, the Liberal candidate who failed to be preselected for Epping seat because she is not far right-extremist, enter the debate in such provocative way?
And we can conclude:
٭ There is a fishy conspiracy here by the Liberal right-extremists to blow things out of its context to achieve electoral gains. As since when in a secular democracy, security agencies and media are spying on religious ceremonies? And why only on a Muslim ceremony? And why dealing with this ceremony in the media instead of appropriate channels, if there is no fishy conspiracy to use all these for electoral victories?
٭ The Al Hilaly's comments, while highly inappropriate, could not amount to inciting hate or rape. He was stating his opinion about events concerning some members of the community. He was not urging Muslim youth to rape any “uncovered meat”, but was urging them to stick to Islamic code of dress and behavior.
٭ By the same token as Al Hilaly cannot direct Australian women how to act, Muslims have the right to promote socially conservative code of dress and behavior according to their religion. As far as there is not incitement of hate or violence, this right should be respected for all (including Muslims).
٭ The Pru Goward attempt to match the Liberal extremists to win a candidacy somewhere by demanding deportation of Al Hilaly is not more than a pathetic move. Pru Goward should go and read the immigration law, principles of natural justice and principles of separation of powers in the secular democracy. She appointed herself as prosecutor, jury and Judge. She even gave instant judgment before looking into the evidence or heard the “accused”. Then Al Hilaly is an Australian citizen and, if convicted of inciting hate, should be sentenced in Australia and not sent overseas. We did not hear any suggestions that the “white” criminals should be deported and sent back to England.
We would like to stress here that this media circus about Al Hilaly's comments are not more than another episode from the Federal government to interfere in Muslim community affairs to further marginalise and criminalise the whole community on one hand. And it is another move to enforce Liberal-friendly “leadership” on the community that will work hand-in-hand with the government agenda to dehumanize the community to legitimise the neo-conservative attacks on Islam and Muslims.
٭ There are no justifications for the violence inflicted on any rape victims. The perpetrators of such violence should be tried and punished accordingly.
٭ In a secular democracy like Australia, it is unacceptable to interfere in people's choice of their dress or the way they choose to go in their life, as long as it does not harm others.
٭ The issues of criminal justice, defamation and inciting hate and violence should be dealt with in the courtrooms, and not in the media by creating a circus that will interfere with the natural justice.
And here we want to ask basic questions:
٭ Why was a religious ceremony blown out of context and leaked to the media?
٭ Why did this happen at this particular time, and after a month of its delivery?
٭ What is the role of Howard's government in this leak and circus, taking into consideration the unacceptable remarks of Howard and his ministers about Islam and Muslims and their wish to change the Muslim “leadership” to a more “Liberal-friendly” one?
٭ Why did Pru Goward, the Liberal candidate who failed to be preselected for Epping seat because she is not far right-extremist, enter the debate in such provocative way?
And we can conclude:
٭ There is a fishy conspiracy here by the Liberal right-extremists to blow things out of its context to achieve electoral gains. As since when in a secular democracy, security agencies and media are spying on religious ceremonies? And why only on a Muslim ceremony? And why dealing with this ceremony in the media instead of appropriate channels, if there is no fishy conspiracy to use all these for electoral victories?
٭ The Al Hilaly's comments, while highly inappropriate, could not amount to inciting hate or rape. He was stating his opinion about events concerning some members of the community. He was not urging Muslim youth to rape any “uncovered meat”, but was urging them to stick to Islamic code of dress and behavior.
٭ By the same token as Al Hilaly cannot direct Australian women how to act, Muslims have the right to promote socially conservative code of dress and behavior according to their religion. As far as there is not incitement of hate or violence, this right should be respected for all (including Muslims).
٭ The Pru Goward attempt to match the Liberal extremists to win a candidacy somewhere by demanding deportation of Al Hilaly is not more than a pathetic move. Pru Goward should go and read the immigration law, principles of natural justice and principles of separation of powers in the secular democracy. She appointed herself as prosecutor, jury and Judge. She even gave instant judgment before looking into the evidence or heard the “accused”. Then Al Hilaly is an Australian citizen and, if convicted of inciting hate, should be sentenced in Australia and not sent overseas. We did not hear any suggestions that the “white” criminals should be deported and sent back to England.
We would like to stress here that this media circus about Al Hilaly's comments are not more than another episode from the Federal government to interfere in Muslim community affairs to further marginalise and criminalise the whole community on one hand. And it is another move to enforce Liberal-friendly “leadership” on the community that will work hand-in-hand with the government agenda to dehumanize the community to legitimise the neo-conservative attacks on Islam and Muslims.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Did the Greens senators convert to Islam lately?
Since my attack started (on 18 July 06) on the hypocrisy and lack of any real commitments or vision of the Greens party (especially handling of the crisis in the Middle East) the election machine of the party are sending very strange messages.
I should mention here that the disgraceful stances of the Greens on these issues started when the Greens politicians were deadly silent on the banning of Hizboullah, on 14 June 03. Then they very noisily and enthusiastically supported the banning of Hamas and Lashker e Taybeh, 7 November 03.
After that, there was silence on all related issues, after I led a campaign against these disgraceful stances inside the Greens. This continued until this cease-fire was finished when the Greens federal election machine 04 re-opened fire on our community and its central issue, Palestine. The Greens machine put out a very disgraceful media release on 1 September 04 condemning Palestinian military factions and holding them responsible for the halt of the peace process (which peace process!!).
At that time I had no choice but to break my silence. I did condemn, publicly, such political prostitution to gain some Zionist support. I, proudly, attacked the Greens media release and the shift to total loss of principled stands and a visionary approach, in the media and the community. I also participated in collecting signatures and names to condemn this prostitution in a petition sent to both senators.
After the disgraceful media release of the Greens on the Israeli attack on Lebanon, 17 July 06, I had no choice but to attack in full force and on all fronts to expose the real colour of the “Greens”.
Since my initial attack on 18 July, the Greens were putting out media releases at the rate of one media release per week. Then they were keen to start talking about some issues that they refused to touch in the last half decade.
On November 2002 (during my campaigning in Victorian election), I organised a meeting with Senator Nettle and Asem Judeh, to encourage the Greens senators to talk about the issues that matter. We urged them to talk about the tax-deductibility of the money sent to be used in illegal activities (like building illegal settlements, buying arms and financing confiscation of Palestinian lands), Israeli army recruitment in Australia,... etc. All our requests were ignored and fell on deaf ears. No motion or discussion on such issues was initiated in the parliament by the Greens politicians.
Suddenly, and after my recent attack on the credibility of the Greens as a left party, The Greens senators showed a strong appetite to talk about some of these issues. We saw the pathetic motion after motion (including a motion to ask about arms trade with Israel), with no coordination with anyone in the Parliament, then media release after media release on the issue and many media interviews on the issues.
What a hypocrisy!!!
Could not these senators move these motions, ask for debate, and demand answers since 2002? Why this postponement?!!
Then came the biggest lie of its kind!
I should mention that the Greens was promoting for the last decade the “clean politics” slogan as an essential part of their claim of “political alternativeness” to the major parties.
On 30 July 06, The Greens senator Kerry Nettle claimed, on the air on the SBS radio – Arabic program, that the Greens regarded Hizboullah as national resistance and not a terrorist organisation, and they did oppose the legislation to put it on the list of terrorists organisations.
What a cheap lie!!
Let us start exposing this lie from recent events. This is strange and a total contradiction to the content of Bob Brown's media release on 17 July 06.
Where were the senators when Hizboullah was banned on 14 June 03? The Greens senators were deadly silent among a very noisy and big debate in the senate. And at the end of the session, they did not even abstain from voting.
I read the senate Hansard. The Greens tried to treat us (as a community) as naive immature children, who can receive any piece of lie unquestioningly. The truth is that the Democrats, while they supported banning Hizboullah as terrorist organisation, sought amendments to stop the retrospectivity of applying this legislation. The Greens supported these amendments and objected to this issue, not the issue of banning.
After the deterioration in the reputation of the Greens among the Muslim and Arabic communities, the election machine is desperate to do anything to gain some ground before the state and federal elections next year. They could even go to the extent of supporting Hizboullah as national resistance and not terrorist organisation!!!!!!
And they are keen now to pursue the issue of Israel’s arms trade with Australia. They are even organising a forum about this issue.
Halleluyah!!!
But why are they keen to talk about this irrelevant issue, where the trade is less than 2 million dollars and is non important item. Why are they not keen to ask about the tax-payers money which is going to support illegal activities like building settlements or buying arms!!
Then they cried for long time for the death of the Lebanese civilians.
If I was not a Greens member for long time, and read in those days the Greens' many media releases, speeches at the rallies, motions in the Parliament and interviews with the ethnic media, I would suspect that the Greens senators did convert to Islam and became members of Hizboullah, or maybe Hamas (at least they have the same Green flag).
There are a few questions to ask here:
1- Why did they convert to Islam just now?
2- Will they stay members of Hamas or Hizboullah after the end of the federal election, 2007?
3- Would they defy the Australian governments ban on sending money to help Hamas and Hizboullah?
4- How long will this cheap political prostitution last?
And in Arabic we say: “and your intelligence is enough”! (وفهمكم كفايه)
I should mention here that the disgraceful stances of the Greens on these issues started when the Greens politicians were deadly silent on the banning of Hizboullah, on 14 June 03. Then they very noisily and enthusiastically supported the banning of Hamas and Lashker e Taybeh, 7 November 03.
After that, there was silence on all related issues, after I led a campaign against these disgraceful stances inside the Greens. This continued until this cease-fire was finished when the Greens federal election machine 04 re-opened fire on our community and its central issue, Palestine. The Greens machine put out a very disgraceful media release on 1 September 04 condemning Palestinian military factions and holding them responsible for the halt of the peace process (which peace process!!).
At that time I had no choice but to break my silence. I did condemn, publicly, such political prostitution to gain some Zionist support. I, proudly, attacked the Greens media release and the shift to total loss of principled stands and a visionary approach, in the media and the community. I also participated in collecting signatures and names to condemn this prostitution in a petition sent to both senators.
After the disgraceful media release of the Greens on the Israeli attack on Lebanon, 17 July 06, I had no choice but to attack in full force and on all fronts to expose the real colour of the “Greens”.
Since my initial attack on 18 July, the Greens were putting out media releases at the rate of one media release per week. Then they were keen to start talking about some issues that they refused to touch in the last half decade.
On November 2002 (during my campaigning in Victorian election), I organised a meeting with Senator Nettle and Asem Judeh, to encourage the Greens senators to talk about the issues that matter. We urged them to talk about the tax-deductibility of the money sent to be used in illegal activities (like building illegal settlements, buying arms and financing confiscation of Palestinian lands), Israeli army recruitment in Australia,... etc. All our requests were ignored and fell on deaf ears. No motion or discussion on such issues was initiated in the parliament by the Greens politicians.
Suddenly, and after my recent attack on the credibility of the Greens as a left party, The Greens senators showed a strong appetite to talk about some of these issues. We saw the pathetic motion after motion (including a motion to ask about arms trade with Israel), with no coordination with anyone in the Parliament, then media release after media release on the issue and many media interviews on the issues.
What a hypocrisy!!!
Could not these senators move these motions, ask for debate, and demand answers since 2002? Why this postponement?!!
Then came the biggest lie of its kind!
I should mention that the Greens was promoting for the last decade the “clean politics” slogan as an essential part of their claim of “political alternativeness” to the major parties.
On 30 July 06, The Greens senator Kerry Nettle claimed, on the air on the SBS radio – Arabic program, that the Greens regarded Hizboullah as national resistance and not a terrorist organisation, and they did oppose the legislation to put it on the list of terrorists organisations.
What a cheap lie!!
Let us start exposing this lie from recent events. This is strange and a total contradiction to the content of Bob Brown's media release on 17 July 06.
Where were the senators when Hizboullah was banned on 14 June 03? The Greens senators were deadly silent among a very noisy and big debate in the senate. And at the end of the session, they did not even abstain from voting.
I read the senate Hansard. The Greens tried to treat us (as a community) as naive immature children, who can receive any piece of lie unquestioningly. The truth is that the Democrats, while they supported banning Hizboullah as terrorist organisation, sought amendments to stop the retrospectivity of applying this legislation. The Greens supported these amendments and objected to this issue, not the issue of banning.
After the deterioration in the reputation of the Greens among the Muslim and Arabic communities, the election machine is desperate to do anything to gain some ground before the state and federal elections next year. They could even go to the extent of supporting Hizboullah as national resistance and not terrorist organisation!!!!!!
And they are keen now to pursue the issue of Israel’s arms trade with Australia. They are even organising a forum about this issue.
Halleluyah!!!
But why are they keen to talk about this irrelevant issue, where the trade is less than 2 million dollars and is non important item. Why are they not keen to ask about the tax-payers money which is going to support illegal activities like building settlements or buying arms!!
Then they cried for long time for the death of the Lebanese civilians.
If I was not a Greens member for long time, and read in those days the Greens' many media releases, speeches at the rallies, motions in the Parliament and interviews with the ethnic media, I would suspect that the Greens senators did convert to Islam and became members of Hizboullah, or maybe Hamas (at least they have the same Green flag).
There are a few questions to ask here:
1- Why did they convert to Islam just now?
2- Will they stay members of Hamas or Hizboullah after the end of the federal election, 2007?
3- Would they defy the Australian governments ban on sending money to help Hamas and Hizboullah?
4- How long will this cheap political prostitution last?
And in Arabic we say: “and your intelligence is enough”! (وفهمكم كفايه)
Howard and North Korea: Courage without limits!
Really this time, I am proud of you Mr John Howard.
You showed the whole world that you have both vision and courage, with your description of North Korea as an “International Outlaw”, and then demanding International collective measures against it.
Your words, vision and integrity should be taught in all universities around the world.
You cannot allow the proliferation of nuclear weapons around the world. Frankly, I share your vision in this.
But...
I recall that months ago you did sign an agreement with India to export to them Uranium. To the best of my knowledge, India is a member of the nuclear countries club.
And to the best of my knowledge, you did not criticize Israel for the last 10 years.
To the best of my knowledge, North Korea does not occupy any other country's land.
But as I recall, Israel is occupying lands of at least 4 neighbouring countries.
To the best of my knowledge, North Korea did not stage any war against any of its neighbors in the last half century.
But for the same period, I know that Israel waged 5 major wars against its neighbors, in addition to the daily incursions and violation to their sovereignty.
To the best of my knowledge, North Korea did not violate any UN resolutions.
On the other hand, Israel is refusing to implement more than 65 UN resolutions, the latest is resolution 1701.
To the best of my knowledge, North Korea did not violate any international treaty.
On the other hand, Israel violated almost every major International treaty, starting from the IV Geneva Convention, Convention on the Rights of Children, Convention to Protect the Rights of Indigenous People,......
Despite all of this, you “have always admired Israel's extraordinary fortitude and resilience” (as you stated in an interview with Australian Jews News Weekly, 22 September 2006).
Then you added another reason to why you are condemning North Korea's nuclear test: the arrogance of the North Korean government to spend the money to build nuclear weapons, while depending on the International community to “feed” its citizens.
A clever argument that shut up the North Korea's argument forever.
But was Israel not dependent on the many billions of dollars from the US to “feed” its population, but is still too spending the biggest proportion of this money on arms, army and stacking non-conventional arsenals.
Why is Howard not threatening to stop the millions of tax-payers money to Israel, until it stops producing nuclear, chemical, biological and other internationally-forbidden weapons of mass destruction?
Do we call this genius or hypocrisy?
In Arabic we say “if you have no feeling of shame, do whatever you want”.
You showed the whole world that you have both vision and courage, with your description of North Korea as an “International Outlaw”, and then demanding International collective measures against it.
Your words, vision and integrity should be taught in all universities around the world.
You cannot allow the proliferation of nuclear weapons around the world. Frankly, I share your vision in this.
But...
I recall that months ago you did sign an agreement with India to export to them Uranium. To the best of my knowledge, India is a member of the nuclear countries club.
And to the best of my knowledge, you did not criticize Israel for the last 10 years.
To the best of my knowledge, North Korea does not occupy any other country's land.
But as I recall, Israel is occupying lands of at least 4 neighbouring countries.
To the best of my knowledge, North Korea did not stage any war against any of its neighbors in the last half century.
But for the same period, I know that Israel waged 5 major wars against its neighbors, in addition to the daily incursions and violation to their sovereignty.
To the best of my knowledge, North Korea did not violate any UN resolutions.
On the other hand, Israel is refusing to implement more than 65 UN resolutions, the latest is resolution 1701.
To the best of my knowledge, North Korea did not violate any international treaty.
On the other hand, Israel violated almost every major International treaty, starting from the IV Geneva Convention, Convention on the Rights of Children, Convention to Protect the Rights of Indigenous People,......
Despite all of this, you “have always admired Israel's extraordinary fortitude and resilience” (as you stated in an interview with Australian Jews News Weekly, 22 September 2006).
Then you added another reason to why you are condemning North Korea's nuclear test: the arrogance of the North Korean government to spend the money to build nuclear weapons, while depending on the International community to “feed” its citizens.
A clever argument that shut up the North Korea's argument forever.
But was Israel not dependent on the many billions of dollars from the US to “feed” its population, but is still too spending the biggest proportion of this money on arms, army and stacking non-conventional arsenals.
Why is Howard not threatening to stop the millions of tax-payers money to Israel, until it stops producing nuclear, chemical, biological and other internationally-forbidden weapons of mass destruction?
Do we call this genius or hypocrisy?
In Arabic we say “if you have no feeling of shame, do whatever you want”.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Douglas Wood cowboy-like press conference
Originally posted on 21 June 2005
It was deeply disappointing to see an Australian citizen act in arrogant irresponsible cowboy-like way. Watching Douglas Wood's press conference let me feel deeply ashamed as Australian.
Douglas Wood was outraged of his kidnapping(and I can understand this), but he was not outraged or ashamed of kidnapping of 25 million Iraqis, killing of hundreds of thousands of them, humiliation of hundred of thousands of Iraqis and destroying the country of the first civilization on earth, as a direct result of the invasion that he supports.
Douglas Wood, who was in Iraq profiteering from the misery of millions of Iraqis, did not show any sign of humanity when he supported the invasion and then destruction of Iraq by the "Coalition of Willings". Douglas Wood would like to make more profit by sending more racist supremacist "cowboy" accusations and challenges on Channel Ten this Sunday.
Douglas Wood "Cowboy-like" remarks and promises to make "Rambo-like" return to Iraq was in deep contrast of his family members' pleads during his kidnapping, when they "traveled" several times to Lakemba to ask for help, then traveled to the Middle East and appeared on all TV channels and newspapers there pleading for help.
Douglas remarks are most unhelpful because it will definitely put the life of all "White Anglo" Australians under immediate risk, not only in Iraq, but in the whole Middle East. It provoked even the most moderate people there, who expected some restraints, respect and fairness from Douglas, who thinks that the life, freedom and human rights of "Westerners" are the most important while the life, dignity and well-being of Iraqis are irrelevant.
Not only me who should be ashamed of these remarks and attitude, but every descent Australian who read the Universal Human Rights Declaration and believes that human life and rights are sacred regardless of nationality, race, skin color, gender, religious affiliation ...
It seems that the attempt of Muslim community and Muslim leaders to reduce the division and fear among the society because of Howard's racist and barbaric policies was failed miserably and even got opposite effects.
Lastly I personally advice Douglas Wood to abandon his "Rambo-like" dreams of returning to Iraq, as such move would mostly (taking into account the personality of Iraqis and the lawless situation there) result in another disaster for him, and this time I do not think that he will win any sympathy from anyone, in Australia or abroad.
It was deeply disappointing to see an Australian citizen act in arrogant irresponsible cowboy-like way. Watching Douglas Wood's press conference let me feel deeply ashamed as Australian.
Douglas Wood was outraged of his kidnapping(and I can understand this), but he was not outraged or ashamed of kidnapping of 25 million Iraqis, killing of hundreds of thousands of them, humiliation of hundred of thousands of Iraqis and destroying the country of the first civilization on earth, as a direct result of the invasion that he supports.
Douglas Wood, who was in Iraq profiteering from the misery of millions of Iraqis, did not show any sign of humanity when he supported the invasion and then destruction of Iraq by the "Coalition of Willings". Douglas Wood would like to make more profit by sending more racist supremacist "cowboy" accusations and challenges on Channel Ten this Sunday.
Douglas Wood "Cowboy-like" remarks and promises to make "Rambo-like" return to Iraq was in deep contrast of his family members' pleads during his kidnapping, when they "traveled" several times to Lakemba to ask for help, then traveled to the Middle East and appeared on all TV channels and newspapers there pleading for help.
Douglas remarks are most unhelpful because it will definitely put the life of all "White Anglo" Australians under immediate risk, not only in Iraq, but in the whole Middle East. It provoked even the most moderate people there, who expected some restraints, respect and fairness from Douglas, who thinks that the life, freedom and human rights of "Westerners" are the most important while the life, dignity and well-being of Iraqis are irrelevant.
Not only me who should be ashamed of these remarks and attitude, but every descent Australian who read the Universal Human Rights Declaration and believes that human life and rights are sacred regardless of nationality, race, skin color, gender, religious affiliation ...
It seems that the attempt of Muslim community and Muslim leaders to reduce the division and fear among the society because of Howard's racist and barbaric policies was failed miserably and even got opposite effects.
Lastly I personally advice Douglas Wood to abandon his "Rambo-like" dreams of returning to Iraq, as such move would mostly (taking into account the personality of Iraqis and the lawless situation there) result in another disaster for him, and this time I do not think that he will win any sympathy from anyone, in Australia or abroad.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Citizenship test: an opportunity for good lies!
My father thinks that he is, at the age of 70, past the time for tests. He thinks he does not need any more to remember and be reminded of things, accept rubbish as facts, fed up with reading unnecessary items and trying to digest their contents.
He thought that he would have peace of mind at this age, but he was wrong.
Howard will test him now about Australian values.
Howard will ask him the dumb questions like: what are the NRL rules? Do you play cricket? Which beach you are going to usually? And what is the slip-slop-slap? What is the official language of Australia? Where can you find wombats?...
But how will Howard ask him about the Australian civilization?
Would he ask him: who conducted the first genocide of the Aboriginal people? Or would the question be more tricky as: who did bring civilization to Aboriginals? Would he dare to ask him about his feeling about the meaning of Australia Day?
How would the questions be formulated about the Australian participation in Imperialists' wars in Vietnam, Korea ... and before that in the First and Second World Wars?
Would my father be asked about his opinion on the dumbness of Sir Menzies and how did he succeed in fooling Australians for around 2 decades? Or he would be required to mention the achievements of the “Greatest Australian PM”?
Would my father be enforced to lie about his opinion on the war on Iraq and its legitimacy? Would his criticism of the lies of this government about “illegal migrants”, “queue jumpers”, “kids overboard”... be tolerated?
My father asked me a tricky question. He asked what is the relation between the timing of this discussion paper and the fact that English migrants are refusing to take up citizenship. He let me know that there are more than 800,000 (mostly Britsh citizens) who are refusing to give up European citizenship for an Australian one.
Now, and knowing my father's progressive views, I am wondering how many decades under a Liberal government it will take him to pass this simple test?
I until now cannot see how the people can be tested for their feelings?
Does anybody think that citizenship is an issue that can be tested in the same manner as Chemistry and Physics? Can any clever creature compare feeling of belonging with the understanding of the English grammar?
Although I know that my father is speaking English very well, I also know how stubborn he is.
He would not accept the logic of “terra nullius” to justify genocides and colonisation.
He would prefer to stay stateless rather than to accept the lies of why we invaded Iraq.
My father lived all his life in a country where football (or what Aussies call soccer) is a religion, but failed to learn its rules. He also considers it as a “waste of time, energy and a stupid thing to run for hours to catch “a piece of rubber”.
I can imagine that we would need a miracle to convince him to watch a cricket match, let alone to learn its rules.
He lived all his life in a tribal country where everything could be done easily by “connections” and bribes, but refused to participate in this and lived his life the “hard way”.
I am sure that none can convince him to lie just on the day of this citizenship test to say things like:
- Australian government was right to lock up innocent kids, women and men in detention for years.
- Australian government is the most pro-multiculturalism government this land had in the last century.
- Robert Menzies was not a lying fool, and James Cook was not a criminal butcher
- Australian government is not committing war crimes by invading Iraq and Afghanistan
Frankly, it would need a “divine intervention” to convince him to start lying at this age, start eating sausages, walk nude at Bondi, accept the lies of Menzies and Howard and support the war on Iraq.
Would he ever pass this test and get Australian citizenship!!!
But if this is what is required: do you think he cares!!!
He thought that he would have peace of mind at this age, but he was wrong.
Howard will test him now about Australian values.
Howard will ask him the dumb questions like: what are the NRL rules? Do you play cricket? Which beach you are going to usually? And what is the slip-slop-slap? What is the official language of Australia? Where can you find wombats?...
But how will Howard ask him about the Australian civilization?
Would he ask him: who conducted the first genocide of the Aboriginal people? Or would the question be more tricky as: who did bring civilization to Aboriginals? Would he dare to ask him about his feeling about the meaning of Australia Day?
How would the questions be formulated about the Australian participation in Imperialists' wars in Vietnam, Korea ... and before that in the First and Second World Wars?
Would my father be asked about his opinion on the dumbness of Sir Menzies and how did he succeed in fooling Australians for around 2 decades? Or he would be required to mention the achievements of the “Greatest Australian PM”?
Would my father be enforced to lie about his opinion on the war on Iraq and its legitimacy? Would his criticism of the lies of this government about “illegal migrants”, “queue jumpers”, “kids overboard”... be tolerated?
My father asked me a tricky question. He asked what is the relation between the timing of this discussion paper and the fact that English migrants are refusing to take up citizenship. He let me know that there are more than 800,000 (mostly Britsh citizens) who are refusing to give up European citizenship for an Australian one.
Now, and knowing my father's progressive views, I am wondering how many decades under a Liberal government it will take him to pass this simple test?
I until now cannot see how the people can be tested for their feelings?
Does anybody think that citizenship is an issue that can be tested in the same manner as Chemistry and Physics? Can any clever creature compare feeling of belonging with the understanding of the English grammar?
Although I know that my father is speaking English very well, I also know how stubborn he is.
He would not accept the logic of “terra nullius” to justify genocides and colonisation.
He would prefer to stay stateless rather than to accept the lies of why we invaded Iraq.
My father lived all his life in a country where football (or what Aussies call soccer) is a religion, but failed to learn its rules. He also considers it as a “waste of time, energy and a stupid thing to run for hours to catch “a piece of rubber”.
I can imagine that we would need a miracle to convince him to watch a cricket match, let alone to learn its rules.
He lived all his life in a tribal country where everything could be done easily by “connections” and bribes, but refused to participate in this and lived his life the “hard way”.
I am sure that none can convince him to lie just on the day of this citizenship test to say things like:
- Australian government was right to lock up innocent kids, women and men in detention for years.
- Australian government is the most pro-multiculturalism government this land had in the last century.
- Robert Menzies was not a lying fool, and James Cook was not a criminal butcher
- Australian government is not committing war crimes by invading Iraq and Afghanistan
Frankly, it would need a “divine intervention” to convince him to start lying at this age, start eating sausages, walk nude at Bondi, accept the lies of Menzies and Howard and support the war on Iraq.
Would he ever pass this test and get Australian citizenship!!!
But if this is what is required: do you think he cares!!!
Saturday, September 23, 2006
The Liberal Party's media release on Hungarian unrest
Media release The Liberal Party of Australia
The Hungarian hooligans should go home
The Liberal Party of Australia is expressing its deep disappointment at the unnecessary unrest in Hungary against the PM Ferenc Gyurcsany, and demanding an immediate end to the street protests. The Liberal Party leader and Australian Prime Minister John Howard expressed his deep concern over the Hungarian people intolerance of “political lying”.
“It is very clear that the Hungarian people are suffering from naive insensitivity to political pragmatism” said Mr John Howard. “The Hungarian people need to open their minds and look to other people’s bright experience in this field”
The Liberal Party leader is urging his Hungarian counterpart not to give in to the hooligans’ demands and hold onto the top position. Mr Howard is urging the Hungarian government to urgently introduce to Parliament tough “Anti-Terrorism Laws” and link the hooligans to the Al Qaeda group.
“We are ready, if asked by Mr Gyurcsamy, to send our experts to show him how to deal with this crisis” Mr Howard announced today. “Mr Ruddock had demonstrated his fine capability to cook up conspiracies here in Australia and can easily do the same and save Mr Gyurcsamy's political future”.
Mr Howard indicated his readiness to send the Hungarian PM a ready-to-use kit on how to avoid any accountability. This could include expressions like “I was not told”, “I did not know”, “I was misinterpreted”, “the tape was manufactured in Tora-Bora mountains” and “I cannot give you details for security reasons”. Any of these would see end of the crisis immediately.
But for longer term, Mr Howard advised his Hungarian counterpart not to be bothered to rule such people that cannot tolerate “simple lies”. He advised Mr Gyurcsamy to seek a new political career somewhere else, where these kinds of lies could be accepted as “necessary steps” to “finish the job”.
“But I will not accept his application to join the Liberal Party of Australia” stressed Mr Howard. “To be a good Liberal politician he should be able to lie for a long time without being caught by media or other politicians”
Mr Howard said that there is still a lot for Mr Gyurcsamy to learn about how to be a good Liberal politician. He reminded the disgraced Hungarian PM that he had been successfully lying in Australia for 10 years, no tapes were leaked to the media or to the opposition politicians. His hero and founder of the Liberal party, Sir Robert Menzies, was successful in lying for more than 18 years.
For further information on how to keep lying without being caught, you can ring the Liberal Party headquarter or ring Kiribilli House directly.
The Hungarian hooligans should go home
The Liberal Party of Australia is expressing its deep disappointment at the unnecessary unrest in Hungary against the PM Ferenc Gyurcsany, and demanding an immediate end to the street protests. The Liberal Party leader and Australian Prime Minister John Howard expressed his deep concern over the Hungarian people intolerance of “political lying”.
“It is very clear that the Hungarian people are suffering from naive insensitivity to political pragmatism” said Mr John Howard. “The Hungarian people need to open their minds and look to other people’s bright experience in this field”
The Liberal Party leader is urging his Hungarian counterpart not to give in to the hooligans’ demands and hold onto the top position. Mr Howard is urging the Hungarian government to urgently introduce to Parliament tough “Anti-Terrorism Laws” and link the hooligans to the Al Qaeda group.
“We are ready, if asked by Mr Gyurcsamy, to send our experts to show him how to deal with this crisis” Mr Howard announced today. “Mr Ruddock had demonstrated his fine capability to cook up conspiracies here in Australia and can easily do the same and save Mr Gyurcsamy's political future”.
Mr Howard indicated his readiness to send the Hungarian PM a ready-to-use kit on how to avoid any accountability. This could include expressions like “I was not told”, “I did not know”, “I was misinterpreted”, “the tape was manufactured in Tora-Bora mountains” and “I cannot give you details for security reasons”. Any of these would see end of the crisis immediately.
But for longer term, Mr Howard advised his Hungarian counterpart not to be bothered to rule such people that cannot tolerate “simple lies”. He advised Mr Gyurcsamy to seek a new political career somewhere else, where these kinds of lies could be accepted as “necessary steps” to “finish the job”.
“But I will not accept his application to join the Liberal Party of Australia” stressed Mr Howard. “To be a good Liberal politician he should be able to lie for a long time without being caught by media or other politicians”
Mr Howard said that there is still a lot for Mr Gyurcsamy to learn about how to be a good Liberal politician. He reminded the disgraced Hungarian PM that he had been successfully lying in Australia for 10 years, no tapes were leaked to the media or to the opposition politicians. His hero and founder of the Liberal party, Sir Robert Menzies, was successful in lying for more than 18 years.
For further information on how to keep lying without being caught, you can ring the Liberal Party headquarter or ring Kiribilli House directly.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Open letter to His Grace Cardinal George Pell
Dear Cardinal Pell
First of all, I should stress that I am not theologian, but your remarks about violence and Islam prompted me to write you this letter.
I heard you on the ABC radio this morning and heard your questions to your Muslim cleric counterparts.
I would remind you that if you do not know things about Islam, there should be other venues and ways to ask clarifications. Your questions in this way (by creating a media circus), is not constructive and does not help anyone but the extremists on all sides. You should be able to ask for a religious conference with Muslim clerics and direct your questions to them.
After hearing your questions, I have few questions for you:
1- What is the official position of the Catholic church about the successive Popes using Christian faith to invade other people to achieve politico-economic goals? Should I remind you of the blood in the Holy Land by crusade wars for hundreds of years called by the Pope of the day? What about the war between the Catholics and Protestants? Then the colonial movement and re-occupation of the Holy Land by the French and British, in the beginning of the 20th century, with the blessing of the church leaders of the day? And the brutal murder and torture of thousands of Muslims and Jews in Spain when they refused to convert to Catholicism ?
2- What is the benefit of having a very peaceful and fantastic holy book (the Bible), if the followers do not follow its commandments?
3- What is the relationship between the fact that your church is losing followers to the evangelical churches and your (and your Pope's) comments on Islam? Does this have anything to do with competing to attract (or to keep, in your case) church attendees?
4- What is your church definition of “terrorism” and “violence”? Does your church recognise that the invasion (by Chrisitian evangelicals supported by their Governments) of Iraq and Afghanistan is in fact state-terrorism, and subsequently the people of Iraq and Afghanistan have the right to defend themselves?
5- With a long history of your church's complacency in raging violence in many parts of the world at different stages of history, who gave you (and your church) the moral ground to question other people beliefs and commitments to peace and social-justice?
I would appreciate your reply and further discussion on this issue.
Jamal Daoud
First of all, I should stress that I am not theologian, but your remarks about violence and Islam prompted me to write you this letter.
I heard you on the ABC radio this morning and heard your questions to your Muslim cleric counterparts.
I would remind you that if you do not know things about Islam, there should be other venues and ways to ask clarifications. Your questions in this way (by creating a media circus), is not constructive and does not help anyone but the extremists on all sides. You should be able to ask for a religious conference with Muslim clerics and direct your questions to them.
After hearing your questions, I have few questions for you:
1- What is the official position of the Catholic church about the successive Popes using Christian faith to invade other people to achieve politico-economic goals? Should I remind you of the blood in the Holy Land by crusade wars for hundreds of years called by the Pope of the day? What about the war between the Catholics and Protestants? Then the colonial movement and re-occupation of the Holy Land by the French and British, in the beginning of the 20th century, with the blessing of the church leaders of the day? And the brutal murder and torture of thousands of Muslims and Jews in Spain when they refused to convert to Catholicism ?
2- What is the benefit of having a very peaceful and fantastic holy book (the Bible), if the followers do not follow its commandments?
3- What is the relationship between the fact that your church is losing followers to the evangelical churches and your (and your Pope's) comments on Islam? Does this have anything to do with competing to attract (or to keep, in your case) church attendees?
4- What is your church definition of “terrorism” and “violence”? Does your church recognise that the invasion (by Chrisitian evangelicals supported by their Governments) of Iraq and Afghanistan is in fact state-terrorism, and subsequently the people of Iraq and Afghanistan have the right to defend themselves?
5- With a long history of your church's complacency in raging violence in many parts of the world at different stages of history, who gave you (and your church) the moral ground to question other people beliefs and commitments to peace and social-justice?
I would appreciate your reply and further discussion on this issue.
Jamal Daoud
Monday, September 18, 2006
John Howard: go to hell with your values!
Did you all not notice the change in John Howard's rhetoric lately?
From purely xenophobic “we will decide who will come to this country” into Nazi rhetoric of “Australian vs unAustralian” and the need for migrants to embrace “Australian values”.
So what is wrong with Indian values? Why is Howard upset from Germans? Are the Nigerian values inferior to Australians?
Does John Howard mean that Australia is the only country that has “codes of ethics”?
Do I hear here Hitler's arguments of German superiority?
To the best of my knowledge, every culture on the earth is advocating for good behaviors against the evil of lying, stealing, deceiving, killing...etc. No difference between the Indian, Chinese, German, Arabic, Nigerian etc unless there are hobbit politicians who use lies and deceptions to achieve some political scoring.
Let me ask now what is the “Australian values”?
If playing cricket is Australian, should the government ban soccer?
If eating sausages is “Australian”, why is “Tabbouleh” still in our markets?
If having sex once mature is “Australian”, why are the “virgins” not rounded up and sent to the “cultural correction camps”?
If English is the test for good citizenship and good manner, why are the “English illiterate” still wandering in the streets and not in Silverwater jail ?
If drinking beer is “Australian”, why did the government included it in the GST, instead of giving it away with each immunization injection?
If “Australian” includes to be racist, why is Paul Keating not in jail?
Well, John Howard, go to hell you and your values especially if they include detaining kids, women and innocent people without any charges.
Go to hell with your values if they include abandoning drowning people in the middle of the ocean, to succeeding electorally on their bodies.
Go to hell with your values if they justify sending troops to wipe out nations, destroy countries and kill innocents.
Go to hell with them if they include depriving the working class of their rights to a fair share of wealth.
Go to hell if they include spreading racial and religious hate, leading to face-spitting on followers of certain religion/culture.
Go to hell with them if they include the requirement to strip me from my cultural, linguistic and religious/irreligious beliefs.
Go to hell with your “values” if they include spreading lies and deception of “illegal immigrants”, “queue jumpers”, “kids overboard”, and “Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction”.
John Howard, if to be Australian, I should do all these evil things, take my citizenship and deport me to Mars.
If we come as a nation to define what is “Australian values”, which should include to be truthful, tolerant, compassionate and hard-working, I am sure who will be deported.
So John Howard, go to hell with your values.
From purely xenophobic “we will decide who will come to this country” into Nazi rhetoric of “Australian vs unAustralian” and the need for migrants to embrace “Australian values”.
So what is wrong with Indian values? Why is Howard upset from Germans? Are the Nigerian values inferior to Australians?
Does John Howard mean that Australia is the only country that has “codes of ethics”?
Do I hear here Hitler's arguments of German superiority?
To the best of my knowledge, every culture on the earth is advocating for good behaviors against the evil of lying, stealing, deceiving, killing...etc. No difference between the Indian, Chinese, German, Arabic, Nigerian etc unless there are hobbit politicians who use lies and deceptions to achieve some political scoring.
Let me ask now what is the “Australian values”?
If playing cricket is Australian, should the government ban soccer?
If eating sausages is “Australian”, why is “Tabbouleh” still in our markets?
If having sex once mature is “Australian”, why are the “virgins” not rounded up and sent to the “cultural correction camps”?
If English is the test for good citizenship and good manner, why are the “English illiterate” still wandering in the streets and not in Silverwater jail ?
If drinking beer is “Australian”, why did the government included it in the GST, instead of giving it away with each immunization injection?
If “Australian” includes to be racist, why is Paul Keating not in jail?
Well, John Howard, go to hell you and your values especially if they include detaining kids, women and innocent people without any charges.
Go to hell with your values if they include abandoning drowning people in the middle of the ocean, to succeeding electorally on their bodies.
Go to hell with your values if they justify sending troops to wipe out nations, destroy countries and kill innocents.
Go to hell with them if they include depriving the working class of their rights to a fair share of wealth.
Go to hell if they include spreading racial and religious hate, leading to face-spitting on followers of certain religion/culture.
Go to hell with them if they include the requirement to strip me from my cultural, linguistic and religious/irreligious beliefs.
Go to hell with your “values” if they include spreading lies and deception of “illegal immigrants”, “queue jumpers”, “kids overboard”, and “Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction”.
John Howard, if to be Australian, I should do all these evil things, take my citizenship and deport me to Mars.
If we come as a nation to define what is “Australian values”, which should include to be truthful, tolerant, compassionate and hard-working, I am sure who will be deported.
So John Howard, go to hell with your values.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Howard's Anti-Muslims remarks and IR “reforms”
What a great leadership we have in this country!!
A Prime Minister that is master only in fabricating lies and farces, inciting religious and ethnic hatred, sending our troops to invade other countries to destroy them and “wipe them off the map”, ...etc
Was I shocked to hear his latest messages of religious hatred, after all his lies of “queue jumpers”, “kids overboard”, “Saddam's weapons of mass destruction”......??
Frankly? Yes. I was shocked.
I was shocked because he could not stop after all his claims of “Muslim” extremists that want to carry out terrorist attacks on Australian land, which turned out to be not more than cheap farces and lies (after the re-aquittal of “Jihad Jack” and “Zack Mallah” and no charges to any of the rest.)
I was shocked at the low level of desperation that he is showing at the moment.
I was shocked at his assumption (but maybe his assumption is right) that the Australians are the dumbest people on the earth!!
I was shocked that his deeply discriminatory and offensive remarks did not spark immediate widespread condemnations, rallies and civil unrest.
I was shocked at what a beautiful community we have. A community that after 10 years of constant viscious attacks and disgraceful remarks, is still deep calm on the streets of Lakemba, Auburn and Bankstown.
I was shocked at the lack of any alternative leadership in Australia at the moment. All other political forces were very shy to take any practical steps in the last decade and resorted only to very shy media releases (mainly for political scoring).
I was shocked that a few so called “Muslim leaders” were quick to “self flogging”, by blaming the problems on the “extremist” elements in the community.
Let me go back to the remarks and try to understand why I am deeply shocked.
John Howard is urging the Muslims migrants to learn English language “as quickly as possible”.
Very nice words. But how?!!
Did not this Howard know that his government slashed all funding for English teaching since 1996?
Does he recall that his government is stopping (by the law) migrants from studying English language. Do I need to remind him that his government created so many “temporary” visas that are not allowed to study English. Let me remind him of some of these visas: “Temporary Protection Visa” (at least 3 years), “Temporary Spouse Visa” (at least 2 years), Temporary Bridging Visas (unlimited time)..... and all of them are not allowed to access Federally funded English classes.
Even holders of Permanent visas are allowed to access very limited numbers of hours (if any).
So how can this genius assume that these new migrants would learn English!!!
Do his remarks at this moment indicate that he and his government are in crisis!!
Do these remarks have any relation to the Industrial Relation Laws “reform” and their devastating effect on the society??
Have these remarks any relation to the deterioration of the situation in Iraq and the increasing revelation of how much the government knew about the “weapons of mass destruction lies”, the kick back to Saddam's regime and how much they knew about the abuse of Iraqi human rights at Abu Ghreeb?
Would I be shocked for longer than the next year???
A Prime Minister that is master only in fabricating lies and farces, inciting religious and ethnic hatred, sending our troops to invade other countries to destroy them and “wipe them off the map”, ...etc
Was I shocked to hear his latest messages of religious hatred, after all his lies of “queue jumpers”, “kids overboard”, “Saddam's weapons of mass destruction”......??
Frankly? Yes. I was shocked.
I was shocked because he could not stop after all his claims of “Muslim” extremists that want to carry out terrorist attacks on Australian land, which turned out to be not more than cheap farces and lies (after the re-aquittal of “Jihad Jack” and “Zack Mallah” and no charges to any of the rest.)
I was shocked at the low level of desperation that he is showing at the moment.
I was shocked at his assumption (but maybe his assumption is right) that the Australians are the dumbest people on the earth!!
I was shocked that his deeply discriminatory and offensive remarks did not spark immediate widespread condemnations, rallies and civil unrest.
I was shocked at what a beautiful community we have. A community that after 10 years of constant viscious attacks and disgraceful remarks, is still deep calm on the streets of Lakemba, Auburn and Bankstown.
I was shocked at the lack of any alternative leadership in Australia at the moment. All other political forces were very shy to take any practical steps in the last decade and resorted only to very shy media releases (mainly for political scoring).
I was shocked that a few so called “Muslim leaders” were quick to “self flogging”, by blaming the problems on the “extremist” elements in the community.
Let me go back to the remarks and try to understand why I am deeply shocked.
John Howard is urging the Muslims migrants to learn English language “as quickly as possible”.
Very nice words. But how?!!
Did not this Howard know that his government slashed all funding for English teaching since 1996?
Does he recall that his government is stopping (by the law) migrants from studying English language. Do I need to remind him that his government created so many “temporary” visas that are not allowed to study English. Let me remind him of some of these visas: “Temporary Protection Visa” (at least 3 years), “Temporary Spouse Visa” (at least 2 years), Temporary Bridging Visas (unlimited time)..... and all of them are not allowed to access Federally funded English classes.
Even holders of Permanent visas are allowed to access very limited numbers of hours (if any).
So how can this genius assume that these new migrants would learn English!!!
Do his remarks at this moment indicate that he and his government are in crisis!!
Do these remarks have any relation to the Industrial Relation Laws “reform” and their devastating effect on the society??
Have these remarks any relation to the deterioration of the situation in Iraq and the increasing revelation of how much the government knew about the “weapons of mass destruction lies”, the kick back to Saddam's regime and how much they knew about the abuse of Iraqi human rights at Abu Ghreeb?
Would I be shocked for longer than the next year???
Friday, August 25, 2006
المقاومه اللبنانيه – الفلسطينيه و اوراق التوت المتساقطه
الصمود البطولي لمقاتلي المقاومه اللبنانيه لحوالي شهر، والمقاومه الفلسطينيه لاكثر من 6 سنوات، في وجه اله الدمار الوحشيه الاسرائيليه اسقطت كل اوراق التوت وكشفت عورات الكثيرين، بدءا من الرياض، مرورا بقاهره المعز وعمان انتهاءا بواشنطن ولندن وكانبرا.
فالمقاومه التي منعت "الجيش الذي لا يقهر" من الاستقرار في بنت جبيل ومارون الراس وغيرها من القرى الحدوديه واجبرته على التقهقر عده مرات تاركا عشرات القتلى والجرحي، كشفت اولا عوره اسرائيل التي كانت تسترها بعجز النظام العربي وتآمره على شعوبه المسحوقه، متدثره بعجز الامم المتحده المتشابك مع مصالح الدول العظمى في المنطقه.
فالجيش الذي احتل عام 1967 الضفه الغربيه وقطاع غزه وسيناء والجولان واجزاء من الاردن ولبنان في عده ساعات، يقف هذه المره عاجزا لاكثر من شهر امام مارون الراس وبنت جبيل والخيام، الواقعه على الحدود مباشره. وطائراته الجباره وبوارجه الحربيه تستطيع حصد الاطفال الرضع والنساء والشيوخ، ولكنها غير قادره على تركيعهم. كما انها تستطيع تدمير الجسور والمدارس والمستشفيات، ولكنها غير قادره على حسم المعركه في شريط حدودي لا يتجاوز الكيلومترين.
اسرائيل العاريه تماما الان، اخلاقيا وعسكريا وسياسيا واعلاميا، لا تستطيع الا ان "تفش خلقها" باطفال قانا والنبطيه وبنت جبيل وخطف اطفال ومدنيين من بعلبك،انتظارا للفرج ياتيها من واشنطن ليدثرها بورقه توت زرقاء بختم اممي.
وبنفس العري التام، تقف كل الانظمه العربيه العاجزه الان حتى عن كلمه شجب واستنكار، قد تغضب واشنطن وحلفائها وتعرض قائلها لمخاطر اضافته الى قائمه دول “محور الشر”. هذه الانظمه التي تنتظر هي الاخرى الفرج من اروقه البيت الابيض و"مجلس امنه" في نيويورك.
فالانظمه التي ضحت بالغالي والرخيص من اجل الانفاق العسكري وبناء جيوش جراره، فشلت في تحرير شبر من اي ارض عربيه محتله، لتحررها مقاومه بدون جيوش وبدون جنرالات تعج صدورهم بنياشين لا نعرف لماذا منحوها. والمليارات التي انفقت لتكديس سلاح لم يستعمل الا في قمع تظاهرات طلاب المدارس او تظاهرات الخبز، لم تستعد شبرا محتلا او تحرر اسير من سجون الاحتلال كما فعلت المقاومه اللبنانيه التي حررت اراض واسرى ونفوس.
النظام العربي بمجمله يقف الان فاشلا في الاجابه عن اسئله بسيطه يسالها كل مواطن بسيط مثل "لماذا فشلت الجيوش العربيه خلال ستين عام من تحقيق ما حققته المقاومه بسنوات قليله وبعتاد اقل وميزانيه لا تذكر، بالمقارنه مع ميزانيات جيوشكم؟". ليس هذا فحسب، بل السؤال الاكثر الحاحا هو انه "الا يكفي عجزكم الكامل والشامل، فلماذا تحاولون طعن المقاومه في ظهرها والتامر عليها؟" ام انكم من جماعه الذي "لا يرحم ولا يريد من الله ان يرحم"؟
النظام العربي العاري تماما امام شعوبه المنكوبه به، يعرف انه ان لم يجهز مع اسرائيل وحلفائها على هذه المقاومه، فان الامل الذي بثته المقاومه في النفوس العربيه المنسحقه بعد عقود من الهزائم وثقافه الاستسلام، قد يحيي امالا ظنتها الانظمه قد تلاشت بلا رجعه: امالا بالكرامه والعزه والتحرير.
النظام العربي الواقف على مفترق طرق بعد اسقاط نظام صدام حسين الدموي والذي اثبت ان العماله والانبطاح لشروط الهيمنه الامريكيه، لا يعطي اي مناعه من السقوط بدبابات امريكيه، ان رات سيده العالم الحر ان ذلك مهم من اجل "شرق اوسط جديد". هذا النظام امام خيارات احلاها امر من العلقم: اما السقوط بدبابات امريكيه او بانتفاضات امل قادمه من بنت جبيل ومرجعيون.
النظام العربي الذي احرجته (قبل ان تحرج حكومه اسرائيل) قدره المقاومه على تدمير بوارج حربيه، ومطارات عسكريه ودبابات متطوره وطائرات حربيه، يقف الان حائرا كيف يجيب على اسئله اطفال قانا وبئر العبد: كيف استطاعت المقاومه من فعل كل ذلك، ولم تستطع جيوشكم؟
النظام العربي الذي حاول ان يقنعنا ان المواجهه مع اسرائيل لم تجلب الا الخراب والدمار، في تسويقه لمشاريع الاستسلام،ولكنه لم يستطع تحقيق اي امن اقتصادي او اجتماعي لمواطنيه طوال سنوات الاستسلام الماضيه، بل راينا كيف ان ذلك الاستسلام لم يجلب الا الاميه والجهل والتخلف والياس، الذي قاد الكثيرين اما للادمان او الهجره والتشرد في دول العالم.
النظام العربي برمته لا يستطيع مجرد النظر في وجوه اطفال قانا وبنت جبيل ومرجعيون والرشيديه وباقي القرى والمدن التي طالتها ايدي الهمجيه. النظام العربي الان في مازق خطير لتبرير وجوده بالاصل. فما مبرر وجود نظام ان كان يعاني من ازمه كلام حتى، ناهيك عن اي قدره على فعل.
تحيه لاطفال ونساء وشهداء وصامدي بنت جبيل ومارون الراس ومرجعيون وقانا والرشيديه ورفح وخان يونس والشجاعيه وكل من يدافع عن شرف هذه الامه ووجودها في ظل الفاشيه الجديده ومشروعها لشرق اوسط جديد.
فالمقاومه التي منعت "الجيش الذي لا يقهر" من الاستقرار في بنت جبيل ومارون الراس وغيرها من القرى الحدوديه واجبرته على التقهقر عده مرات تاركا عشرات القتلى والجرحي، كشفت اولا عوره اسرائيل التي كانت تسترها بعجز النظام العربي وتآمره على شعوبه المسحوقه، متدثره بعجز الامم المتحده المتشابك مع مصالح الدول العظمى في المنطقه.
فالجيش الذي احتل عام 1967 الضفه الغربيه وقطاع غزه وسيناء والجولان واجزاء من الاردن ولبنان في عده ساعات، يقف هذه المره عاجزا لاكثر من شهر امام مارون الراس وبنت جبيل والخيام، الواقعه على الحدود مباشره. وطائراته الجباره وبوارجه الحربيه تستطيع حصد الاطفال الرضع والنساء والشيوخ، ولكنها غير قادره على تركيعهم. كما انها تستطيع تدمير الجسور والمدارس والمستشفيات، ولكنها غير قادره على حسم المعركه في شريط حدودي لا يتجاوز الكيلومترين.
اسرائيل العاريه تماما الان، اخلاقيا وعسكريا وسياسيا واعلاميا، لا تستطيع الا ان "تفش خلقها" باطفال قانا والنبطيه وبنت جبيل وخطف اطفال ومدنيين من بعلبك،انتظارا للفرج ياتيها من واشنطن ليدثرها بورقه توت زرقاء بختم اممي.
وبنفس العري التام، تقف كل الانظمه العربيه العاجزه الان حتى عن كلمه شجب واستنكار، قد تغضب واشنطن وحلفائها وتعرض قائلها لمخاطر اضافته الى قائمه دول “محور الشر”. هذه الانظمه التي تنتظر هي الاخرى الفرج من اروقه البيت الابيض و"مجلس امنه" في نيويورك.
فالانظمه التي ضحت بالغالي والرخيص من اجل الانفاق العسكري وبناء جيوش جراره، فشلت في تحرير شبر من اي ارض عربيه محتله، لتحررها مقاومه بدون جيوش وبدون جنرالات تعج صدورهم بنياشين لا نعرف لماذا منحوها. والمليارات التي انفقت لتكديس سلاح لم يستعمل الا في قمع تظاهرات طلاب المدارس او تظاهرات الخبز، لم تستعد شبرا محتلا او تحرر اسير من سجون الاحتلال كما فعلت المقاومه اللبنانيه التي حررت اراض واسرى ونفوس.
النظام العربي بمجمله يقف الان فاشلا في الاجابه عن اسئله بسيطه يسالها كل مواطن بسيط مثل "لماذا فشلت الجيوش العربيه خلال ستين عام من تحقيق ما حققته المقاومه بسنوات قليله وبعتاد اقل وميزانيه لا تذكر، بالمقارنه مع ميزانيات جيوشكم؟". ليس هذا فحسب، بل السؤال الاكثر الحاحا هو انه "الا يكفي عجزكم الكامل والشامل، فلماذا تحاولون طعن المقاومه في ظهرها والتامر عليها؟" ام انكم من جماعه الذي "لا يرحم ولا يريد من الله ان يرحم"؟
النظام العربي العاري تماما امام شعوبه المنكوبه به، يعرف انه ان لم يجهز مع اسرائيل وحلفائها على هذه المقاومه، فان الامل الذي بثته المقاومه في النفوس العربيه المنسحقه بعد عقود من الهزائم وثقافه الاستسلام، قد يحيي امالا ظنتها الانظمه قد تلاشت بلا رجعه: امالا بالكرامه والعزه والتحرير.
النظام العربي الواقف على مفترق طرق بعد اسقاط نظام صدام حسين الدموي والذي اثبت ان العماله والانبطاح لشروط الهيمنه الامريكيه، لا يعطي اي مناعه من السقوط بدبابات امريكيه، ان رات سيده العالم الحر ان ذلك مهم من اجل "شرق اوسط جديد". هذا النظام امام خيارات احلاها امر من العلقم: اما السقوط بدبابات امريكيه او بانتفاضات امل قادمه من بنت جبيل ومرجعيون.
النظام العربي الذي احرجته (قبل ان تحرج حكومه اسرائيل) قدره المقاومه على تدمير بوارج حربيه، ومطارات عسكريه ودبابات متطوره وطائرات حربيه، يقف الان حائرا كيف يجيب على اسئله اطفال قانا وبئر العبد: كيف استطاعت المقاومه من فعل كل ذلك، ولم تستطع جيوشكم؟
النظام العربي الذي حاول ان يقنعنا ان المواجهه مع اسرائيل لم تجلب الا الخراب والدمار، في تسويقه لمشاريع الاستسلام،ولكنه لم يستطع تحقيق اي امن اقتصادي او اجتماعي لمواطنيه طوال سنوات الاستسلام الماضيه، بل راينا كيف ان ذلك الاستسلام لم يجلب الا الاميه والجهل والتخلف والياس، الذي قاد الكثيرين اما للادمان او الهجره والتشرد في دول العالم.
النظام العربي برمته لا يستطيع مجرد النظر في وجوه اطفال قانا وبنت جبيل ومرجعيون والرشيديه وباقي القرى والمدن التي طالتها ايدي الهمجيه. النظام العربي الان في مازق خطير لتبرير وجوده بالاصل. فما مبرر وجود نظام ان كان يعاني من ازمه كلام حتى، ناهيك عن اي قدره على فعل.
تحيه لاطفال ونساء وشهداء وصامدي بنت جبيل ومارون الراس ومرجعيون وقانا والرشيديه ورفح وخان يونس والشجاعيه وكل من يدافع عن شرف هذه الامه ووجودها في ظل الفاشيه الجديده ومشروعها لشرق اوسط جديد.
هل تخضع السياده والكرامه الوطنيه لحسابات الدولار
مسكين من يخضع مسائل العزه والكرامه الوطنيتين لحسابات الارباح والخسائر بالدولار والسنت. مسكين من يقول ان لبنان لم ينتصر لانه خسر 5 مليارات دولار و1000 شهيد
لو كانت العزه والكرامه الوطنيه تقاس بخسائر الدولارات والسنتات، لما تحرر بلد ولما قامت ثوره في العالم ضد الظلم والاضطهاد. لو كانت الامور تقاس بهذه المقاييس، فعلى الحريه السلام
لو اخضعنا التجربه الفيتناميه لهذه المقاييس، لما ضحى فيتنامي واحد بحياته. فهل يستحق اي تراب في العالم 5 مليون قتيل ومليارات الدولارات خسائر اقتصاديه، وتلوث بيئي نتيجه استخدام الاسلحه الكيماويه والجرثوميه. فهل انتصرت فيتنام في حرب الاستقلال، ام انها مهزومه وبالضربه القاضيه؟
ولو طبقنا المقياس الدولاري هذا، لخرج الشعب الجزائري مهزوما في حربه الطويله ضد الاستعمار والتي ادت الى مليون شهيد ودمار شامل في البلد
ولو كان الشعب الفلسطيني يحسب الخسائر بالدولار والسنت، وكم شهيدا قتل وجريحا اعيق، لما فكر يوما بحمل السلاح و لقبل قرار التقسيم عام 1947 بدون تردد
مسكين من اراد ان يخفي عنته وعجزه حتى عن الكلام، بابتكار مقياس جديد للكرامة يعتمد على اسواق المال العالميه وعلى سعر صرف الدولار، وكم يمكن توفيره باعلان الخنوع التام للقوى العظمى
مسكين من يريد ان يستبدل اوراق التوت باوراق بنكنوت امريكيه ليخفي عورته و يخفي اسباب انحيازه لمشروع شرق "بوش" الجديد
مسكين من ينسى انه ليس بالخبز وحده يحيى الانسان، بل بالشعور بالكرامه والعزة والحرية والانتماء لمجتمع يحترمه ويقدره
مسكين من يريد ان يخرج اسرائيل من ورطتها (الاولى منذ عقود) على اسس نقديه تتبع لقوانين الوول ستريت ومؤشر النازداك
مسكين من يريد ان يؤلبنا على المقاومة، بنفس المنطق الذي فشلت منشورات اسرائيل في تاليب ابناء عيطرون وبنت جبيل، بل زادهم الدمار والخسائر تمسكا بمنطق المقاومه كلغة وحيدة يفهمها اي معتدي وكل مستعمر
مسكين من لم يقرأ كتب التاريخ عن اسباب الثورات والانتفاضات والتغييرات الجذريه في المجتمعات، وكلها لا
علاقة لها لا من قريب ولا من بعيد بحسابات الدولارات او بسعر صرف العملات
نعم خسر لبنان كذا مليار دولار والف شهيد وعدة الاف من الجرحى، ولكنه حقق ما عجز عن تحقيقه ملايين العرب والمسلمين
لاول مرة منذ اربعين عاما تدمر بوارج اسرائيلية وتسقط طائرات عسكريه
لاول مره منذ ستين عاما تعجز اسرائيل عن حمايه مدنييها ومنشاتها في العمق من الاصابات المباشرة
لاول مره يتساءل الجندي والمواطن الاسرائيلي : هل انتصرنا؟
لاول مرة تلجأ اسرائيل (وعلى غير العادة) الى الامم المتحدة لتنجدها من الورطة
في كل المرات الماضية، وبعد كل هزيمة، كنا نحن الذين نهرول الى الامم المتحدة لنستصدر قرارا بوقف العدوان ومطالبة اسرائيل باعادة جزء مما اخذت، ثم نبدأ بمطالبة الامم المتحدة بحث اسرائيل على الالتزام بتلك القرارات
هذه المرة، اسرائيل كانت المسارعه للمطالبة بقرار دولي "يردع حزب الله" ويوقف "اعتداءاته" على اسرائيل
في كل المرات الماضية، كنا نتابع سير المعارك من اذاعة اسرائيل او لندن، لانعدام ثقتنا بالانظمة العربية التي كانت تكذب في كل بيان
هذه المرة كان الاسرائيلي يتابع سير المعركة على شاشات المنار او الجزيرة، بعد ان كذبت قيادتهم وصدقت قيادة المقاومة
في كل المعارك السابقة، كنا نخرج منها مطأطئي الرؤوس، ونخجل حتى من الخروج من منازلنا. هذه المرة، وبرغم الدمار والخراب، خرج الجميع ورؤوسهم مرفوعة، من المحيط الى الخليج
الا تستحق كل هذه الانجازات، ان نخسر 5 مليارات دولار، كان يمكن ان نخسرها في جيوب المسؤولين الذين سيخسروها بدورهم على موائد قمار لندن وباريس
الا تستحق هذه الانجازت ان يضحي الف شهيد بارواحهم، بدلا ان يضحي مئات الالاف ممن سبقوهم بحياتهم في حروب اهلية هنا او هناك، بدون اي مبرر او نتيجة
الا تستحق كرامة امة باكملها بهذا الثمن، الذي كان من الممكن ان ندفعه لو ضربنا زلزال متوسط القوة او تسونامي، دون ان نحقق اي نصر او اعادة كرامة
نرجو على المشككين بالنصر الذي تحقق ان يكفوا عن القاء محاضراتهم الاقتصادية وتذكيرنا بعدد الدولارات التي خسرناها، قبل ان يشمت فينا ابناء الشعب الفيتنامي والكوري والكوبي والفنزويلي والجنوب افريقي وشعوب العالم المناضلة ضد الاحتلال والاستعمار
لو كانت العزه والكرامه الوطنيه تقاس بخسائر الدولارات والسنتات، لما تحرر بلد ولما قامت ثوره في العالم ضد الظلم والاضطهاد. لو كانت الامور تقاس بهذه المقاييس، فعلى الحريه السلام
لو اخضعنا التجربه الفيتناميه لهذه المقاييس، لما ضحى فيتنامي واحد بحياته. فهل يستحق اي تراب في العالم 5 مليون قتيل ومليارات الدولارات خسائر اقتصاديه، وتلوث بيئي نتيجه استخدام الاسلحه الكيماويه والجرثوميه. فهل انتصرت فيتنام في حرب الاستقلال، ام انها مهزومه وبالضربه القاضيه؟
ولو طبقنا المقياس الدولاري هذا، لخرج الشعب الجزائري مهزوما في حربه الطويله ضد الاستعمار والتي ادت الى مليون شهيد ودمار شامل في البلد
ولو كان الشعب الفلسطيني يحسب الخسائر بالدولار والسنت، وكم شهيدا قتل وجريحا اعيق، لما فكر يوما بحمل السلاح و لقبل قرار التقسيم عام 1947 بدون تردد
مسكين من اراد ان يخفي عنته وعجزه حتى عن الكلام، بابتكار مقياس جديد للكرامة يعتمد على اسواق المال العالميه وعلى سعر صرف الدولار، وكم يمكن توفيره باعلان الخنوع التام للقوى العظمى
مسكين من يريد ان يستبدل اوراق التوت باوراق بنكنوت امريكيه ليخفي عورته و يخفي اسباب انحيازه لمشروع شرق "بوش" الجديد
مسكين من ينسى انه ليس بالخبز وحده يحيى الانسان، بل بالشعور بالكرامه والعزة والحرية والانتماء لمجتمع يحترمه ويقدره
مسكين من يريد ان يخرج اسرائيل من ورطتها (الاولى منذ عقود) على اسس نقديه تتبع لقوانين الوول ستريت ومؤشر النازداك
مسكين من يريد ان يؤلبنا على المقاومة، بنفس المنطق الذي فشلت منشورات اسرائيل في تاليب ابناء عيطرون وبنت جبيل، بل زادهم الدمار والخسائر تمسكا بمنطق المقاومه كلغة وحيدة يفهمها اي معتدي وكل مستعمر
مسكين من لم يقرأ كتب التاريخ عن اسباب الثورات والانتفاضات والتغييرات الجذريه في المجتمعات، وكلها لا
علاقة لها لا من قريب ولا من بعيد بحسابات الدولارات او بسعر صرف العملات
نعم خسر لبنان كذا مليار دولار والف شهيد وعدة الاف من الجرحى، ولكنه حقق ما عجز عن تحقيقه ملايين العرب والمسلمين
لاول مرة منذ اربعين عاما تدمر بوارج اسرائيلية وتسقط طائرات عسكريه
لاول مره منذ ستين عاما تعجز اسرائيل عن حمايه مدنييها ومنشاتها في العمق من الاصابات المباشرة
لاول مره يتساءل الجندي والمواطن الاسرائيلي : هل انتصرنا؟
لاول مرة تلجأ اسرائيل (وعلى غير العادة) الى الامم المتحدة لتنجدها من الورطة
في كل المرات الماضية، وبعد كل هزيمة، كنا نحن الذين نهرول الى الامم المتحدة لنستصدر قرارا بوقف العدوان ومطالبة اسرائيل باعادة جزء مما اخذت، ثم نبدأ بمطالبة الامم المتحدة بحث اسرائيل على الالتزام بتلك القرارات
هذه المرة، اسرائيل كانت المسارعه للمطالبة بقرار دولي "يردع حزب الله" ويوقف "اعتداءاته" على اسرائيل
في كل المرات الماضية، كنا نتابع سير المعارك من اذاعة اسرائيل او لندن، لانعدام ثقتنا بالانظمة العربية التي كانت تكذب في كل بيان
هذه المرة كان الاسرائيلي يتابع سير المعركة على شاشات المنار او الجزيرة، بعد ان كذبت قيادتهم وصدقت قيادة المقاومة
في كل المعارك السابقة، كنا نخرج منها مطأطئي الرؤوس، ونخجل حتى من الخروج من منازلنا. هذه المرة، وبرغم الدمار والخراب، خرج الجميع ورؤوسهم مرفوعة، من المحيط الى الخليج
الا تستحق كل هذه الانجازات، ان نخسر 5 مليارات دولار، كان يمكن ان نخسرها في جيوب المسؤولين الذين سيخسروها بدورهم على موائد قمار لندن وباريس
الا تستحق هذه الانجازت ان يضحي الف شهيد بارواحهم، بدلا ان يضحي مئات الالاف ممن سبقوهم بحياتهم في حروب اهلية هنا او هناك، بدون اي مبرر او نتيجة
الا تستحق كرامة امة باكملها بهذا الثمن، الذي كان من الممكن ان ندفعه لو ضربنا زلزال متوسط القوة او تسونامي، دون ان نحقق اي نصر او اعادة كرامة
نرجو على المشككين بالنصر الذي تحقق ان يكفوا عن القاء محاضراتهم الاقتصادية وتذكيرنا بعدد الدولارات التي خسرناها، قبل ان يشمت فينا ابناء الشعب الفيتنامي والكوري والكوبي والفنزويلي والجنوب افريقي وشعوب العالم المناضلة ضد الاحتلال والاستعمار
Friday, June 30, 2006
My speech at Interantional Refugee Day rally - 25 June 2006
Hello everyone
I would like first to acknowledge the historical custodian of the land
Thanks for coming today to mark the celebration of the International Refugees Day.
In the last few weeks the government tried to celebrate this occasion its own way. They tried to introduce new legislation that was regarded by everyone dealing with refugees as a total departure from Australian obligation to the Geneva Convention to protect the Refugees, 1951, and other related conventions and agreements.
The Australian government is moving now to convince its backbenchers that excising the whole mainland from the migration zone, re-introduction of the policy of detaining families and kids, detaining people outside Australia for indefinite time and depriving refugees and asylum seekers of any access to their legal rights - should be acceptable practices.
All these violations to international conventions and agreements are just to appease Indonesia and guarantee its cooperation in implementing the so called “border protection” laws and to cover up the lie that these border protection laws were the ones which stopped the boat people.
I will not talk too much about these things as other speakers will cover them I guess. I will talk more about the dilema of the Palestinian refugees, especially in Australia.
You may know that the Palestinians are the largest ethnic group amongst the refugee community. 3 out of 5 Palestinians world wide are refugees. These refugees are facing uncertainty for the last half century, as they are living temporarily in refugee camps for more than 50 years.
I will talk more about this later on, but I would like to mention some of the issues facing Palestinian refugees in Australia. Let me mention one case to fully understand these challenges. Ibrahim Ishratih, a Palestinian refugee, who was kicked out of his home in Gaza, to wander in many countries in the middle east, until he settled in Algeria. He lived there and worked until the Algerian civil war started, when he was enforced to leave the country. He could get a 6 months visa to his homeland, Gaza, after Oslo accord. After the expiry of his visa, and therefusal of the Israeli authorities to renew his visa, he became illegal in his own homeland.
Can you imagine being illegal on the land that your grandparents were living in for more than 5 thousands years consecutively.
He started to hide from the authorities, as he knew what will happen to him if this will happen. But this did happen, and the Israeli authorities did arrest him on one of the checkpoints one day. He was deported by the Israelis to the Egyptian border. Egypt refused his entry, as he is Palestinian and has no Egyptian passport. He was left in limbo on the borders for couple of days, until he could get a forged passport and ticket to leave to Indonesia. Then by boat to Australia.
Australian authorities detained him for more than 2 years, and at the end decided that he is not refugee, according to his DIMA case officer. This case officer apparently does not know where Gaza is and what the situation is there. He immediately signed to be repatriated voluntarily. He knows more than his case officer what is happening in Gaza. The Australian authorities could not find him a single country to be deported to, and was enforced to release him from the detention on the basis of the Akram Al Masri habeas corpus decision. He was released with a single piece of paper, no photo ID, no right to work, no right to Medicare, no right for any government assistance. He was living for the last 4 years on the generosity of the charity organisations. But this is not the end of the story. He could not see his wife and 4 kids for more than 6 years. He was released from small detention to bigger detention, with no support.
The dilema here is that he will be stateless in Australia indefinitely. Israeli authorities refused to cooperate with Australian ones to accept his return, as this could be seen as the beginning of the right of return of millions of Palestinian refugees.
70 foreign embassies in Australia have refused granting him a visa. He is facing indefinite dilemna. I saw the latest report of his psychologist. He is suffering Chronic Adjustment Disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood
These symptoms could be eased immediately if he will be granted a permanent visa, consequently being able to re-united with family and so feeling some sort of certainty and belonging.
I just mentioned this case because of the unique nature of it. I also want to say that Ibrahim is not the only case of a refugee facing indefinite statelessness because of DIMA policies and decisions. These DIMA officers failed to find answers for our questions: when will Ibrahim’s suffering be finished? When could he see his family again? What did DIMA do in the spirit of the convention, which was introduced to protect the rights of refugees and guarantee dignified treatment? When will DIMA listen to the reports of professionals (like the psychologists) and act to implement their recommendations.
Let me get back to the suffering of Palestinian refugees in general. There are many well-documented reports about the destructive effect of Temporary Protection Visas on the health and well-being of refugees. These reports demonstrated very clearly that the temporary nature of the visa and so the accompanied uncertainty, are leaving devastating effects on the health and well-being of the refugees. All this because of 3 or 4 years temporary nature of the visa.
Imagine :there are more than 4 million Palestinians living on temporary visas and hope for the last 58 years. They could not plan for a natural ordinary life for 58 years! Year after year, they were waiting for the UN and international community to enforce Israel to let them go back to their villages, towns and cities. They are still living until now, in refugee camps in Lebanon, Syrian, Jordan .... on a hope that they will be able to go back one day to their homeland. What could professionals working in this field diagnose the whole Palestinian refugee community with? How many recurrent post traumatic disorders are we suffering form? Can they convince DIMA that Ibrahim and his Palestinian and other stateless asylum seekers have suffered a lot in the last half a century and they deserve Ministerial intervention at least to end their dilema? Is DIMA waiting for the solution to the Palestinian issue and creation of a Palestinian state to send Ibrahim then there? How long this will take? My family waited 58 years, and there is no signs that it could happen soon in the immediate future.
On the other hand can the Australian government, who is sending representatives and spending millions to recruit tens of thousands every year to fill the workforce shortages, convince us why they could not allow Ibrahim to live in Australia and help in filling the shortage of the workforce?. I forgot to tell you that he is a qualified schoolteacher and definitely can help with filling the shortage of workforce.
What kind of message does the Australian government want to send to the whole world? That we lack basic compassion and humanity in helping solving the dilema of a couple of stateless people. Australia has full moral and legal obligation to help the Palestinian refugees. Australia helped to occupy Palestine 1917 which opened the door to create the worst refugee crisis in contemporary history. Australia has the obligation, not only under the Geneva Convention, to help the Palestinian refugees, but as an occupying force that led to this crisis.
Let us hope that on our next celebration of international refugee day, Ibrahim's dilema would be solved, along the dilema of hundreds of detainees in detention centre and asylum seekers living in the community on bridging visas. I know that this is maybe very hard under this government. But we should not rest until achieving this.
Thanks and keep up the good work. Ibrahim and the other refugees and asylum seekers need you.
I would like first to acknowledge the historical custodian of the land
Thanks for coming today to mark the celebration of the International Refugees Day.
In the last few weeks the government tried to celebrate this occasion its own way. They tried to introduce new legislation that was regarded by everyone dealing with refugees as a total departure from Australian obligation to the Geneva Convention to protect the Refugees, 1951, and other related conventions and agreements.
The Australian government is moving now to convince its backbenchers that excising the whole mainland from the migration zone, re-introduction of the policy of detaining families and kids, detaining people outside Australia for indefinite time and depriving refugees and asylum seekers of any access to their legal rights - should be acceptable practices.
All these violations to international conventions and agreements are just to appease Indonesia and guarantee its cooperation in implementing the so called “border protection” laws and to cover up the lie that these border protection laws were the ones which stopped the boat people.
I will not talk too much about these things as other speakers will cover them I guess. I will talk more about the dilema of the Palestinian refugees, especially in Australia.
You may know that the Palestinians are the largest ethnic group amongst the refugee community. 3 out of 5 Palestinians world wide are refugees. These refugees are facing uncertainty for the last half century, as they are living temporarily in refugee camps for more than 50 years.
I will talk more about this later on, but I would like to mention some of the issues facing Palestinian refugees in Australia. Let me mention one case to fully understand these challenges. Ibrahim Ishratih, a Palestinian refugee, who was kicked out of his home in Gaza, to wander in many countries in the middle east, until he settled in Algeria. He lived there and worked until the Algerian civil war started, when he was enforced to leave the country. He could get a 6 months visa to his homeland, Gaza, after Oslo accord. After the expiry of his visa, and therefusal of the Israeli authorities to renew his visa, he became illegal in his own homeland.
Can you imagine being illegal on the land that your grandparents were living in for more than 5 thousands years consecutively.
He started to hide from the authorities, as he knew what will happen to him if this will happen. But this did happen, and the Israeli authorities did arrest him on one of the checkpoints one day. He was deported by the Israelis to the Egyptian border. Egypt refused his entry, as he is Palestinian and has no Egyptian passport. He was left in limbo on the borders for couple of days, until he could get a forged passport and ticket to leave to Indonesia. Then by boat to Australia.
Australian authorities detained him for more than 2 years, and at the end decided that he is not refugee, according to his DIMA case officer. This case officer apparently does not know where Gaza is and what the situation is there. He immediately signed to be repatriated voluntarily. He knows more than his case officer what is happening in Gaza. The Australian authorities could not find him a single country to be deported to, and was enforced to release him from the detention on the basis of the Akram Al Masri habeas corpus decision. He was released with a single piece of paper, no photo ID, no right to work, no right to Medicare, no right for any government assistance. He was living for the last 4 years on the generosity of the charity organisations. But this is not the end of the story. He could not see his wife and 4 kids for more than 6 years. He was released from small detention to bigger detention, with no support.
The dilema here is that he will be stateless in Australia indefinitely. Israeli authorities refused to cooperate with Australian ones to accept his return, as this could be seen as the beginning of the right of return of millions of Palestinian refugees.
70 foreign embassies in Australia have refused granting him a visa. He is facing indefinite dilemna. I saw the latest report of his psychologist. He is suffering Chronic Adjustment Disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood
These symptoms could be eased immediately if he will be granted a permanent visa, consequently being able to re-united with family and so feeling some sort of certainty and belonging.
I just mentioned this case because of the unique nature of it. I also want to say that Ibrahim is not the only case of a refugee facing indefinite statelessness because of DIMA policies and decisions. These DIMA officers failed to find answers for our questions: when will Ibrahim’s suffering be finished? When could he see his family again? What did DIMA do in the spirit of the convention, which was introduced to protect the rights of refugees and guarantee dignified treatment? When will DIMA listen to the reports of professionals (like the psychologists) and act to implement their recommendations.
Let me get back to the suffering of Palestinian refugees in general. There are many well-documented reports about the destructive effect of Temporary Protection Visas on the health and well-being of refugees. These reports demonstrated very clearly that the temporary nature of the visa and so the accompanied uncertainty, are leaving devastating effects on the health and well-being of the refugees. All this because of 3 or 4 years temporary nature of the visa.
Imagine :there are more than 4 million Palestinians living on temporary visas and hope for the last 58 years. They could not plan for a natural ordinary life for 58 years! Year after year, they were waiting for the UN and international community to enforce Israel to let them go back to their villages, towns and cities. They are still living until now, in refugee camps in Lebanon, Syrian, Jordan .... on a hope that they will be able to go back one day to their homeland. What could professionals working in this field diagnose the whole Palestinian refugee community with? How many recurrent post traumatic disorders are we suffering form? Can they convince DIMA that Ibrahim and his Palestinian and other stateless asylum seekers have suffered a lot in the last half a century and they deserve Ministerial intervention at least to end their dilema? Is DIMA waiting for the solution to the Palestinian issue and creation of a Palestinian state to send Ibrahim then there? How long this will take? My family waited 58 years, and there is no signs that it could happen soon in the immediate future.
On the other hand can the Australian government, who is sending representatives and spending millions to recruit tens of thousands every year to fill the workforce shortages, convince us why they could not allow Ibrahim to live in Australia and help in filling the shortage of the workforce?. I forgot to tell you that he is a qualified schoolteacher and definitely can help with filling the shortage of workforce.
What kind of message does the Australian government want to send to the whole world? That we lack basic compassion and humanity in helping solving the dilema of a couple of stateless people. Australia has full moral and legal obligation to help the Palestinian refugees. Australia helped to occupy Palestine 1917 which opened the door to create the worst refugee crisis in contemporary history. Australia has the obligation, not only under the Geneva Convention, to help the Palestinian refugees, but as an occupying force that led to this crisis.
Let us hope that on our next celebration of international refugee day, Ibrahim's dilema would be solved, along the dilema of hundreds of detainees in detention centre and asylum seekers living in the community on bridging visas. I know that this is maybe very hard under this government. But we should not rest until achieving this.
Thanks and keep up the good work. Ibrahim and the other refugees and asylum seekers need you.
Friday, May 26, 2006
We should all be proud Australians
The success of John Howard’s US-European tour is giving all of us tremendous pride of belonging to this nation.
Our Howard was able to represent us on global arena and reflect our values, as only he could.
I should be proud most of all of his tour in Ireland, where the Parliament of that nation gave him the welcome he deserves. That’s right: the Parliament of Ireland was a quarter empty. So – although I wouldn’t want people to think me disloyal - I was really proud when a few Irish politicians gave him the description that he deserves.
Of course I was not proud of him, but proud of the Irish brave politicians.
“Xenophobic warmonger” is the description that the UN Human Rights Committee could not quite give him during the last 10 years, despite the repeated criticisms of his government’s policies regarding human rights.
It took the Irish politicians to put him in the box that he should be in.
But who did lose the most?
John Howard?
Of course he will be remembered as the worst devil in the contemporary history of Australian politics, but so what?
For the people like him, this is irrelevant. Even if he will be kicked out in the coming years (by his own party, or by Australian voters), he will walk away with a fortune of millions of $s.
The real losers are the Australian people and the people who were affected by his bloody policies.
The Australians who started to be known as xenophobic racist people around the world will pay some price.
The Australians that lost their life style, will be among the losers of this “xenophobic warmonger”.
The Australians that lost their Telstra, National Airport, free education, good health system, relaxed life-style, … will be the ones who will pay the biggest price of his 10 years in power.
The Australians who were welcomed anywhere they went, and now are treated with contempt and suspicion, will feel the disastrous 10 years of Howard.
The Australians that never witnessed violent attacks do know the difference.
The Australians that can compare the freedom of speech, the level of civil liberties, would realize who are the real losers.
The women who wear hijab and veil fully understand the political agenda why they were spat on in the last few years, and do fully understand that this was part of the price for the prosperity he promised us.
And?
The refugees, who lost 6 or more years in detention center then were released on temporary protection visa, would be the one who paid some of the price for the king to keep his throne.
The refugees who were sent to their death, in order to teach the “people smugglers” the lesson of not trying to send boats to Australia, would understand (but in the other life), how devastating was the last 10 years.
The SIEVX’s human cargo who was drowned in the ocean, because the Australian navy had orders to enable “little Johnny” to win 2001 election, were the ones who paid by their blood for the success of Howard in his Irish tour.
The women, kids and men who were detained and then released on constant medication of anti-depressants, would know that their health and mental status was the price.
The kids of Iraq, who lost their fathers, mothers and their childhood because of his agenda invading their country, would know exactly how dear the price was.
The kids of Palestine know very well how evil is this Howard.
What a bloody record.
Were the Irish politicians not right to boycott the speech of the “butcher of Baxter and Woomera”? Were they not right to describe him as xenophobic and warmonger? How did he feel when he was described on International media as “Xenophobic and Warmonger”? And the more important how did the Australians feel at that moment?
The Irish politicians deserve the hand-clapping.
But the picture would be more clear if the other politicians took the same stand.
Shamelessly The Greens and Social Democrats were more polite to this “war criminal”. They were more reconciliatory with “Xenophobic warmonger”, who cannot be even reconciliatory with the native people of his nation.
We should do our best to erase this shameful chapter from the history of Australia, by sending this warmonger not to his home, but to Hague.
Long-live Irish bravery.
Our Howard was able to represent us on global arena and reflect our values, as only he could.
I should be proud most of all of his tour in Ireland, where the Parliament of that nation gave him the welcome he deserves. That’s right: the Parliament of Ireland was a quarter empty. So – although I wouldn’t want people to think me disloyal - I was really proud when a few Irish politicians gave him the description that he deserves.
Of course I was not proud of him, but proud of the Irish brave politicians.
“Xenophobic warmonger” is the description that the UN Human Rights Committee could not quite give him during the last 10 years, despite the repeated criticisms of his government’s policies regarding human rights.
It took the Irish politicians to put him in the box that he should be in.
But who did lose the most?
John Howard?
Of course he will be remembered as the worst devil in the contemporary history of Australian politics, but so what?
For the people like him, this is irrelevant. Even if he will be kicked out in the coming years (by his own party, or by Australian voters), he will walk away with a fortune of millions of $s.
The real losers are the Australian people and the people who were affected by his bloody policies.
The Australians who started to be known as xenophobic racist people around the world will pay some price.
The Australians that lost their life style, will be among the losers of this “xenophobic warmonger”.
The Australians that lost their Telstra, National Airport, free education, good health system, relaxed life-style, … will be the ones who will pay the biggest price of his 10 years in power.
The Australians who were welcomed anywhere they went, and now are treated with contempt and suspicion, will feel the disastrous 10 years of Howard.
The Australians that never witnessed violent attacks do know the difference.
The Australians that can compare the freedom of speech, the level of civil liberties, would realize who are the real losers.
The women who wear hijab and veil fully understand the political agenda why they were spat on in the last few years, and do fully understand that this was part of the price for the prosperity he promised us.
And?
The refugees, who lost 6 or more years in detention center then were released on temporary protection visa, would be the one who paid some of the price for the king to keep his throne.
The refugees who were sent to their death, in order to teach the “people smugglers” the lesson of not trying to send boats to Australia, would understand (but in the other life), how devastating was the last 10 years.
The SIEVX’s human cargo who was drowned in the ocean, because the Australian navy had orders to enable “little Johnny” to win 2001 election, were the ones who paid by their blood for the success of Howard in his Irish tour.
The women, kids and men who were detained and then released on constant medication of anti-depressants, would know that their health and mental status was the price.
The kids of Iraq, who lost their fathers, mothers and their childhood because of his agenda invading their country, would know exactly how dear the price was.
The kids of Palestine know very well how evil is this Howard.
What a bloody record.
Were the Irish politicians not right to boycott the speech of the “butcher of Baxter and Woomera”? Were they not right to describe him as xenophobic and warmonger? How did he feel when he was described on International media as “Xenophobic and Warmonger”? And the more important how did the Australians feel at that moment?
The Irish politicians deserve the hand-clapping.
But the picture would be more clear if the other politicians took the same stand.
Shamelessly The Greens and Social Democrats were more polite to this “war criminal”. They were more reconciliatory with “Xenophobic warmonger”, who cannot be even reconciliatory with the native people of his nation.
We should do our best to erase this shameful chapter from the history of Australia, by sending this warmonger not to his home, but to Hague.
Long-live Irish bravery.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
My speech at Nakba day vigil - 14 May 2006
Hi Everybody
First of all I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land.
Thanks for coming today to mark the 58th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba. As you probably all know, Nakba means in Arabic “catastrophe”, and 58 years ago it was catastrophe, at least for Palestinians.
750, 000 Palestinians overnight found themselves refugees in other countries, or inside their own. Hundreds of villages and towns were destroyed and erased from the map. Most importantly a very bloody conflict started, which cost tens of thousands of innocent lives, and lasted for more than half century, and is still going on.
We, in the Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine, decided to hold a vigil outside the British consulate, because we are holding the British politicians historically, legally and morally responsible for the Nakba and the subsequent suffering in the area because of it. The British Empire was the one which created and allowed this Nakba to happen. The British politicians in London gave the land that they do not own to the people that do not belong to.
The Nakba did not only affect the 750,000 Palestinian refugees. It affected the lives of their children, and grandchildren who were born and raised up as refugees till today.
Also, and subsequent to it, there were several bloody conflicts in 1967, 1973, 1978, 1982, 1989, 2000… which resulted in more refugees, deaths, invalids and orphans.
At the moment, and subsequent to the Nakba and the insistence of Israel to remain Jewish, to use any means to be the most powerful in the region and to keep the occupation, even if this means refusing to implement UN resolutions or recognize International law and suppressing the fundamental human rights of Palestinians.
Israel at the moment is acting as above-the-law state that can do whatever it wishes. Yesterday’s shooting on the peace activists, one of them Australian, is a very good example where Israel is disregarding any consequences of violation of human rights and international laws.
These acts were well covered because 2 of the injured were Western citizens. The same acts are committed daily by Israeli soldiers, and even on more deadly scale, under the eyes and ears of international community and even with no mentioning in the media.
Instead of holding Israel responsible for its acts, the Palestinian people were punished for exercising their democratic choices. US and EU, instead of demanding from Israel to implement UN resolutions, withdraw from the occupied territories, stop the killings of innocents, stop the destruction of homes and allowing the return of the refugees and their compensation for the years of sufferings and their losses, instead of all this, they are infact starving the Palestinian population under occupation, creating humanitarian crises and encouraging Israel to continue with its violations and abuses.
We should all keep the campaign to demand from Israel to abide by international law and the UN resolutions, including the dismantling of the Apartheid Wall and the end of occupation.
Thanks again for coming here and keep up the good work. The Palestinian people need your help.
First of all I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land.
Thanks for coming today to mark the 58th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba. As you probably all know, Nakba means in Arabic “catastrophe”, and 58 years ago it was catastrophe, at least for Palestinians.
750, 000 Palestinians overnight found themselves refugees in other countries, or inside their own. Hundreds of villages and towns were destroyed and erased from the map. Most importantly a very bloody conflict started, which cost tens of thousands of innocent lives, and lasted for more than half century, and is still going on.
We, in the Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine, decided to hold a vigil outside the British consulate, because we are holding the British politicians historically, legally and morally responsible for the Nakba and the subsequent suffering in the area because of it. The British Empire was the one which created and allowed this Nakba to happen. The British politicians in London gave the land that they do not own to the people that do not belong to.
The Nakba did not only affect the 750,000 Palestinian refugees. It affected the lives of their children, and grandchildren who were born and raised up as refugees till today.
Also, and subsequent to it, there were several bloody conflicts in 1967, 1973, 1978, 1982, 1989, 2000… which resulted in more refugees, deaths, invalids and orphans.
At the moment, and subsequent to the Nakba and the insistence of Israel to remain Jewish, to use any means to be the most powerful in the region and to keep the occupation, even if this means refusing to implement UN resolutions or recognize International law and suppressing the fundamental human rights of Palestinians.
Israel at the moment is acting as above-the-law state that can do whatever it wishes. Yesterday’s shooting on the peace activists, one of them Australian, is a very good example where Israel is disregarding any consequences of violation of human rights and international laws.
These acts were well covered because 2 of the injured were Western citizens. The same acts are committed daily by Israeli soldiers, and even on more deadly scale, under the eyes and ears of international community and even with no mentioning in the media.
Instead of holding Israel responsible for its acts, the Palestinian people were punished for exercising their democratic choices. US and EU, instead of demanding from Israel to implement UN resolutions, withdraw from the occupied territories, stop the killings of innocents, stop the destruction of homes and allowing the return of the refugees and their compensation for the years of sufferings and their losses, instead of all this, they are infact starving the Palestinian population under occupation, creating humanitarian crises and encouraging Israel to continue with its violations and abuses.
We should all keep the campaign to demand from Israel to abide by international law and the UN resolutions, including the dismantling of the Apartheid Wall and the end of occupation.
Thanks again for coming here and keep up the good work. The Palestinian people need your help.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
My speech at the launch of Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine - 2 April 2006
Dear friends of Palestine
Thanks for coming today to commemorate the Palestinian Land Day and remember the Palestinians who were killed while defending their lands. We are also here today to launch the Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine, the new voice for all of you, the friends of Palestine, in Sydney and NSW.
When a few of us came together about 7 months ago and talked about forming the coalition, we came together because we had big concerns about the situation in Palestine.
Sydney is the only capital on the eastern coast of Australia that has no organization to coordinate the activities of friends of Palestine. The situation was not normal, and we put in our mind to challenge it, and we are trying to do just this today.
By establishing this coalition we are aiming to create organization where organizations and individuals believing in the justice of the Palestinians’ struggle for freedom, independence and self-determination can come together and discuss strategies, campaigns and steps to both raise the awareness of the Australians about this issue and try to make it an important issue in Australian politics.
After the election of the new Israeli Parliament on the platform of unilateral drawing of borders – that is, on the Israeli government terms, regardless of the international laws and agreements - we know that the Palestinians are desperately needing every supporter and friend anywhere in the World. The Palestinians under occupation and in exile have a bitter feeling that the whole world abandoned them to face the most brutal occupation in the world. We are trying to send them a clear message that they are not alone.
Today I am, on your behalf, committing this coalition to do our best to raise the awareness about the genocide in Palestine and expose the apartheid policies of Israel. We cannot do this without your help, help of every peace and freedom loving person. I urge all of you to support this coalition by becoming member, subscriber on our emailing list, or donor.
We all have historical responsibilities towards the Palestinians and today I am putting you face to face with these responsibilities. The issue here is not concerning the Palestinian people; it is an issue of global justice, peace and security.
I hope we will not let them down.
Thanks for coming today to commemorate the Palestinian Land Day and remember the Palestinians who were killed while defending their lands. We are also here today to launch the Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine, the new voice for all of you, the friends of Palestine, in Sydney and NSW.
When a few of us came together about 7 months ago and talked about forming the coalition, we came together because we had big concerns about the situation in Palestine.
Sydney is the only capital on the eastern coast of Australia that has no organization to coordinate the activities of friends of Palestine. The situation was not normal, and we put in our mind to challenge it, and we are trying to do just this today.
By establishing this coalition we are aiming to create organization where organizations and individuals believing in the justice of the Palestinians’ struggle for freedom, independence and self-determination can come together and discuss strategies, campaigns and steps to both raise the awareness of the Australians about this issue and try to make it an important issue in Australian politics.
After the election of the new Israeli Parliament on the platform of unilateral drawing of borders – that is, on the Israeli government terms, regardless of the international laws and agreements - we know that the Palestinians are desperately needing every supporter and friend anywhere in the World. The Palestinians under occupation and in exile have a bitter feeling that the whole world abandoned them to face the most brutal occupation in the world. We are trying to send them a clear message that they are not alone.
Today I am, on your behalf, committing this coalition to do our best to raise the awareness about the genocide in Palestine and expose the apartheid policies of Israel. We cannot do this without your help, help of every peace and freedom loving person. I urge all of you to support this coalition by becoming member, subscriber on our emailing list, or donor.
We all have historical responsibilities towards the Palestinians and today I am putting you face to face with these responsibilities. The issue here is not concerning the Palestinian people; it is an issue of global justice, peace and security.
I hope we will not let them down.
Monday, March 13, 2006
Sheikh Ruddock and his Fatwas
I was not surprised to hear the latest fatwa of Sheikh Philip Ruddock. This time he issued a fatwa that the Muslim Imams should deliver their Friday preaches in English, instead of their own language.
It is very clear that Sheikh Ruddock is basing his fatwah on the teaching of his Imam, the Grand Ayatollah John Howard.
The Grand Ayatollah Howard has a dream for this nation. His dream is to maintain Australia as White and English speaking as possible. His understanding of multiculturalism is restricted to multicultural food, multicultural dance and music (but not songs, as this involves languages other than the superior English!) and multicultural faces (silent ones!).
It appears that Sheikh Ruddock’s motive for this fatwa was not more than encouraging all Australians to take advantage of the billions of dollars spent on English classes that the federal government is allocating every year. It seems too that the other motive was to promote equality of access to the Friday preachers by all Australians, even the non-Muslims, if they choose.
I think too that he is trying to spread his historical discoveries that the prophet Mohammed in fact was an English man, but the Arabs denied him this privilege and claimed that he was Arab. Shiekh Ruddock wanted to correct this historical mistake.
I do not think that the motive has anything to do with the lack of “multicultural” ASIO spies who can speak another languages. I also do not think that he has any motive of any further contempt to Muslims and their religion. I strongly do not think that this Fatwa has anything to do with the campaign of “divide and rule” policies that his government was following for the last decade.
The only innocent question I asked after hearing this fatwa was why this Ruddock did not issue a fatwa that the Greek Church must adopt English for their Sunday prayer? Why he did not extend his fatwa to include Armenian Church, Arabic churches, Hindu temples, Buddhist temples, Jews synagogues …?
Arabs say “and the clever will understand from signs”.
Long live Sheikh’s fatwas! Long live the white racist Howard-Ruddock’s multiculturalism.
It is very clear that Sheikh Ruddock is basing his fatwah on the teaching of his Imam, the Grand Ayatollah John Howard.
The Grand Ayatollah Howard has a dream for this nation. His dream is to maintain Australia as White and English speaking as possible. His understanding of multiculturalism is restricted to multicultural food, multicultural dance and music (but not songs, as this involves languages other than the superior English!) and multicultural faces (silent ones!).
It appears that Sheikh Ruddock’s motive for this fatwa was not more than encouraging all Australians to take advantage of the billions of dollars spent on English classes that the federal government is allocating every year. It seems too that the other motive was to promote equality of access to the Friday preachers by all Australians, even the non-Muslims, if they choose.
I think too that he is trying to spread his historical discoveries that the prophet Mohammed in fact was an English man, but the Arabs denied him this privilege and claimed that he was Arab. Shiekh Ruddock wanted to correct this historical mistake.
I do not think that the motive has anything to do with the lack of “multicultural” ASIO spies who can speak another languages. I also do not think that he has any motive of any further contempt to Muslims and their religion. I strongly do not think that this Fatwa has anything to do with the campaign of “divide and rule” policies that his government was following for the last decade.
The only innocent question I asked after hearing this fatwa was why this Ruddock did not issue a fatwa that the Greek Church must adopt English for their Sunday prayer? Why he did not extend his fatwa to include Armenian Church, Arabic churches, Hindu temples, Buddhist temples, Jews synagogues …?
Arabs say “and the clever will understand from signs”.
Long live Sheikh’s fatwas! Long live the white racist Howard-Ruddock’s multiculturalism.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
My letter to John Howard regarding his comments about Muslim community
Dear Prime Minister
Though I was not surprised by your cheap comments about Australian Muslims, I was deeply disgusted by them. For the leader of this nation to insist on playing the race card, despite the deep damage already done to the image of Australia globally and the deep division in the society which culminated in the shocking disgraceful Cronulla riots is something that makes every one of us ashamed that you are the PM of our nation.
You are very clearly lacking any vision and humanity in dealing with these issues in such hard times. On the one hand, you are stressing that there is a minority of Muslims who are praising extremism (even with no proof of this), but on the other hand you are generalizing our failure (as a community) to “become easily absorbed by the Australian mainstream”.
Until now, I cannot understand how we can become “mainstream”. Do we need to change the color of our skin? Or do we need to cut out tongues, as we cannot speak English like you? Do we need as a community to start playing cricket, drink beer, change our names to Anglo names and eat ham, to become mainstream?
To the best of my knowledge, the Australian Jews, Hindus and some other evangelists are not eating ham, and cannot speak English fluently as you (although admittedly some Indians may play cricket!). So how did you consider them to be “easily absorbed by mainstream” but failed to consider us?
Please Mr Howard, we need strong leadership in these dark ages you brought us into by your xenophobic ideas. We need you to be good example, and not the “devil’s advocate”.
Remember Mr Howard that all the world is watching us!
Jamal Daoud
Punchbowl, NSW
Though I was not surprised by your cheap comments about Australian Muslims, I was deeply disgusted by them. For the leader of this nation to insist on playing the race card, despite the deep damage already done to the image of Australia globally and the deep division in the society which culminated in the shocking disgraceful Cronulla riots is something that makes every one of us ashamed that you are the PM of our nation.
You are very clearly lacking any vision and humanity in dealing with these issues in such hard times. On the one hand, you are stressing that there is a minority of Muslims who are praising extremism (even with no proof of this), but on the other hand you are generalizing our failure (as a community) to “become easily absorbed by the Australian mainstream”.
Until now, I cannot understand how we can become “mainstream”. Do we need to change the color of our skin? Or do we need to cut out tongues, as we cannot speak English like you? Do we need as a community to start playing cricket, drink beer, change our names to Anglo names and eat ham, to become mainstream?
To the best of my knowledge, the Australian Jews, Hindus and some other evangelists are not eating ham, and cannot speak English fluently as you (although admittedly some Indians may play cricket!). So how did you consider them to be “easily absorbed by mainstream” but failed to consider us?
Please Mr Howard, we need strong leadership in these dark ages you brought us into by your xenophobic ideas. We need you to be good example, and not the “devil’s advocate”.
Remember Mr Howard that all the world is watching us!
Jamal Daoud
Punchbowl, NSW
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Hamas’ victory: the reasons and the implications!
What was described by an Israeli Government spokesperson as the political “earthquake” of the landslide win of Hamas in the Palestinian parliamentary election was in fact widely expected by political experts. They are now expected to win around 60% of the votes, which means an absolute majority.
The reasons:
A 13 year failed peace process, which already entailed big and historic compromises from the Palestinian side, did not change anything of the daily misery of Palestinians under occupation.
After 13 years of this peace process, all territories remain under occupation. The only free one is the Gaza strip, which was freed unilaterally outside Oslo and the Road Map.
During the last 13 years of the process, consecutive Israeli governments were making excuses to not implement the agreed matters. Each agreement apparently needed subsequent agreement to start implementing it, which then needed a new agreement to approve it, until the government would collapse and the new government would say that it was not obliged to implement these dozen of agreements, as it did not sign them.
The Palestinian people were going in circles waiting to start the peace. The Palestinian people agreed, according to Oslo, to recognise the right of Israel to exist, which was a historic compromise from the indigenous people. They also agreed to stop violence against Israel, and if there was violence, the Palestinian security agencies would deal with them according to law.
The Palestinians waited for the release of Prisoners of war, which started to happen during Rabin’s time, but stopped immediately after his assassination, then more prisoners of war were detained or extra-judicially killed.
The freedom of movement is nil, the security is absent, unemployment has skyrocketed and daily humiliation became routine.
On the other side, Israel and US were happy to deal only with Palestinian Authority (PA) officials, even after the many counts of corruption. They saw that it was easy to get signatures, guarantee full cooperation (to the extent of collaboration) and get dirty things done from corrupted people than from transparent ones. I can mention here the incident of Qurei’s companies scandals, where these companies sold donated cement (from Egypt to Palestinians) to Israeli contractors to build the Apartheid wall.
Israel, US and the European Union knew about all this corruption, but turned deaf ears, for the same reasons as mentioned above. But the implications were clear: the Palestinians lost their faith in the PA and its army of bureaucrats and security agencies.
What helped Hamas here is the welfare work they’ve done to close the gap. Hamas built wide-spread networks of hospitals, schools and welfare payment to orphans, invalids and unemployed at the time when PA agencies were fighting for their own interests and welfare.
Also Hamas was declaring that it would not accept any compromises on the rights of the Palestinians as the indigenous people of the land, in accordance with the UN resolutions and international conventions. Hamas did not rule out that they could recognize Israel’s existence, but according to these principles. UN resolutions would, for example, guarantee the rights of return, compensation, and an independent state and sovereignty.
The narrative of Hamas was very attractive to the Palestinians and was based on the fact that there should be many lessons from the failed peace process. The clearest lesson should be that if you made bigger compromises, you will end up getting nothing, while if you insist to get your rights, even your enemy would respect you and take you more seriously.
Successive Israeli governments were not taking PA as a serious partner or even a serious service-deliverer. They looked at PA as their deputy sheriff to oppress the Palestinians.
Successive Israeli governments, according to this understanding, did not help PA to win the hearts and minds of the Palestinians. They did not give them any “bones” to play with. Instead of freeing prisoners, coordinating withdrawals with PA, stopping assassinations of Palestinians (even only during the election campaign) and easing movement restrictions – they intensified the oppression. In addition to the reason above, Israeli governments (especially the latest) wanted to wash their hands of any obligation towards the peace process by claiming that they will not negotiate with Hamas.
The implications :
Well, there are great implications of the landslide win of Hamas. These could be looked from 3 perspectives:
1. Hamas and Palestinian perspective
2. Israeli perspective
3. International perspective
1-Hamas and Palestinian perspective:
There is no doubt that the Hamas victory was the “enough is enough” message. The Palestinian Fateh movement must look at its structure, policies and tactics. If they want to stay active and effective in the Palestinian streets and life, they should show some leadership. They should show some discipline, stop lawlessness, reduce the corruption and denounce decisions made before in which they gave a lot of compromises, without anything in return.
So the expectations are that the Palestinian society will be more toughened against the corruption (this already happened where many of the corrupt and Israeli collaborators (like Jebril AlRjoub) had lost their seats). They will also be more demanding of historical rights and more unified and proud of its leadership. Although the Palestinian Muslims are moderate on the whole, but their vote yesterday was a vote for political transparency and principled demanding of their historical and human basic rights)
But this victory will put Hamas under pressure, too. It will be required to make tough decisions about the basis of any peace process, about negotiating with Israel and possible signing of a peace accord!
Hamas at the moment is giving very little detail about this.
2- Israeli perspective
Israel too will have a more tough opponent now. The Israeli politicians should start to think about how they will deal with the new facts on the ground: Hamas is the ruling party!
It is very clear that the Palestinian people had made up their minds. The message is: we want some of our rights, no more mucking around. The other choice is total anarchy. The Palestinians announced yesterday that they have nothing more to lose, and it is now time they should get something in return.
The ball now is in the Israeli court. Any refusal to negotiate with Hamas and start making real compromises would mean more bloodshed and on large scale.
3- International perspective:
The initial response from the leaders of the Western countries could be described as unreal, at least. Hamas was chosen by democratic means to represent the Palestinian people. Any denial of such facts would be undemocratic.
Furthermore, the demand of Hamas to lay down its arms before any negotiation is unrealistic and hypocritical too. The US negotiated with the VeitCong, while the war was raging. The same happened with the French in Algiers, English in Egypt…
The whole idea of negotiation is to settle down violence. If the violence could be settled down without negotiation, why should we have it anyway!
After all, was Israel not negotiating with the PA (dominated by Fateh), while the AlAqsa martyrs brigades were full of arms?
There is occupation, and a very brutal one, and the international community should ask the perpetrators to stop its aggression, and not ask the victims to stop complaining. The international community (including US and Australia) should start to ask Israelis to recognize UN resolutions, international laws and conventions and honor their commitments according to treaties they signed.
The Palestinians sent a clear message to the international community yesterday: we are sick of your hypocrisy.
Palestinians are really sick of the whole world ignoring their daily suffering, and the treatment of such suffering only as yet another news item.
The reasons:
A 13 year failed peace process, which already entailed big and historic compromises from the Palestinian side, did not change anything of the daily misery of Palestinians under occupation.
After 13 years of this peace process, all territories remain under occupation. The only free one is the Gaza strip, which was freed unilaterally outside Oslo and the Road Map.
During the last 13 years of the process, consecutive Israeli governments were making excuses to not implement the agreed matters. Each agreement apparently needed subsequent agreement to start implementing it, which then needed a new agreement to approve it, until the government would collapse and the new government would say that it was not obliged to implement these dozen of agreements, as it did not sign them.
The Palestinian people were going in circles waiting to start the peace. The Palestinian people agreed, according to Oslo, to recognise the right of Israel to exist, which was a historic compromise from the indigenous people. They also agreed to stop violence against Israel, and if there was violence, the Palestinian security agencies would deal with them according to law.
The Palestinians waited for the release of Prisoners of war, which started to happen during Rabin’s time, but stopped immediately after his assassination, then more prisoners of war were detained or extra-judicially killed.
The freedom of movement is nil, the security is absent, unemployment has skyrocketed and daily humiliation became routine.
On the other side, Israel and US were happy to deal only with Palestinian Authority (PA) officials, even after the many counts of corruption. They saw that it was easy to get signatures, guarantee full cooperation (to the extent of collaboration) and get dirty things done from corrupted people than from transparent ones. I can mention here the incident of Qurei’s companies scandals, where these companies sold donated cement (from Egypt to Palestinians) to Israeli contractors to build the Apartheid wall.
Israel, US and the European Union knew about all this corruption, but turned deaf ears, for the same reasons as mentioned above. But the implications were clear: the Palestinians lost their faith in the PA and its army of bureaucrats and security agencies.
What helped Hamas here is the welfare work they’ve done to close the gap. Hamas built wide-spread networks of hospitals, schools and welfare payment to orphans, invalids and unemployed at the time when PA agencies were fighting for their own interests and welfare.
Also Hamas was declaring that it would not accept any compromises on the rights of the Palestinians as the indigenous people of the land, in accordance with the UN resolutions and international conventions. Hamas did not rule out that they could recognize Israel’s existence, but according to these principles. UN resolutions would, for example, guarantee the rights of return, compensation, and an independent state and sovereignty.
The narrative of Hamas was very attractive to the Palestinians and was based on the fact that there should be many lessons from the failed peace process. The clearest lesson should be that if you made bigger compromises, you will end up getting nothing, while if you insist to get your rights, even your enemy would respect you and take you more seriously.
Successive Israeli governments were not taking PA as a serious partner or even a serious service-deliverer. They looked at PA as their deputy sheriff to oppress the Palestinians.
Successive Israeli governments, according to this understanding, did not help PA to win the hearts and minds of the Palestinians. They did not give them any “bones” to play with. Instead of freeing prisoners, coordinating withdrawals with PA, stopping assassinations of Palestinians (even only during the election campaign) and easing movement restrictions – they intensified the oppression. In addition to the reason above, Israeli governments (especially the latest) wanted to wash their hands of any obligation towards the peace process by claiming that they will not negotiate with Hamas.
The implications :
Well, there are great implications of the landslide win of Hamas. These could be looked from 3 perspectives:
1. Hamas and Palestinian perspective
2. Israeli perspective
3. International perspective
1-Hamas and Palestinian perspective:
There is no doubt that the Hamas victory was the “enough is enough” message. The Palestinian Fateh movement must look at its structure, policies and tactics. If they want to stay active and effective in the Palestinian streets and life, they should show some leadership. They should show some discipline, stop lawlessness, reduce the corruption and denounce decisions made before in which they gave a lot of compromises, without anything in return.
So the expectations are that the Palestinian society will be more toughened against the corruption (this already happened where many of the corrupt and Israeli collaborators (like Jebril AlRjoub) had lost their seats). They will also be more demanding of historical rights and more unified and proud of its leadership. Although the Palestinian Muslims are moderate on the whole, but their vote yesterday was a vote for political transparency and principled demanding of their historical and human basic rights)
But this victory will put Hamas under pressure, too. It will be required to make tough decisions about the basis of any peace process, about negotiating with Israel and possible signing of a peace accord!
Hamas at the moment is giving very little detail about this.
2- Israeli perspective
Israel too will have a more tough opponent now. The Israeli politicians should start to think about how they will deal with the new facts on the ground: Hamas is the ruling party!
It is very clear that the Palestinian people had made up their minds. The message is: we want some of our rights, no more mucking around. The other choice is total anarchy. The Palestinians announced yesterday that they have nothing more to lose, and it is now time they should get something in return.
The ball now is in the Israeli court. Any refusal to negotiate with Hamas and start making real compromises would mean more bloodshed and on large scale.
3- International perspective:
The initial response from the leaders of the Western countries could be described as unreal, at least. Hamas was chosen by democratic means to represent the Palestinian people. Any denial of such facts would be undemocratic.
Furthermore, the demand of Hamas to lay down its arms before any negotiation is unrealistic and hypocritical too. The US negotiated with the VeitCong, while the war was raging. The same happened with the French in Algiers, English in Egypt…
The whole idea of negotiation is to settle down violence. If the violence could be settled down without negotiation, why should we have it anyway!
After all, was Israel not negotiating with the PA (dominated by Fateh), while the AlAqsa martyrs brigades were full of arms?
There is occupation, and a very brutal one, and the international community should ask the perpetrators to stop its aggression, and not ask the victims to stop complaining. The international community (including US and Australia) should start to ask Israelis to recognize UN resolutions, international laws and conventions and honor their commitments according to treaties they signed.
The Palestinians sent a clear message to the international community yesterday: we are sick of your hypocrisy.
Palestinians are really sick of the whole world ignoring their daily suffering, and the treatment of such suffering only as yet another news item.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Sharon’s death: is this divine justice?!
It is natural to send sympathy and condolences to the family and friends of anyone suffering severe illness or death. And thus it should be with the deterioration of Ariel Sharon’s medical situation and his possible death today.
Nevertheless this should not prevent us from recognizing that his particular death will not be mourned by millions of people who were affected by his monstrous war crimes.
The victims of Qybya, the small Palestinian village near Ramallah, who in 1953 lost 45 houses and 69 civilians, most of them women and children, are probably feeling better today.
The families of 270 Egyptian prisoners of war who were butchered in Sinai in 1956 in cold blood under his command may also feel some comfort. They were demanding justice for such horrendous crimes from the UN, ICJ and international law but it seems that divine justice is the only one they will get.
The kids who were uprooted from their houses, which were there family homes for centuries, and were enforced to live without fathers as refugees in neighbouring countries would also be feeling some sense of justice today.
The sons, wives, husbands, fathers, mothers and relatives of the 30,000 (mostly civilians) killed during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 (when Sharon was Defence Minister) are still having tragic nightmares because of such crimes. Can anyone blame them if they might celebrate the death of this war criminal?
Can the UN and the international community explain to the relatives of more than 2,700 Palestinian civilians butchered in Sabra and Shatila camps in September 1982, how this war criminal escaped indictment and persecution?
What do you think is the feeling of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who lost their historical lands for new settlements under his minsterialship?
All the Palestinians and peace-loving people are asking why the UN Security Council did not move to impose sanctions on Israel after it refused, under his leadership, to implement the Security Council’s resolution to investigate the Jenin massacres on 2002!
This name nicknamed “bulldozer” was really a bulldozer: a bulldozer of blood, international law violations, massacres and genocides.
This bulldozer is also responsible not only for Palestinian blood, but for Arab blood and Jewish blood alike. His neo-nazi ideas of imposing his own agenda by “iron and fire”, his refusal to negotiate with the Palestinians and neighbouring Arabic countries and his insistence on continuing to uproot Palestinians and assassinate their leaders and activists, cost “Israelis” more than a thousand deaths.
So at the end, the kids who have grown up in exile, with no security, with minimum rights, with nightmares of blood of their relatives spilt in battlefields, villages and camps, will understand that at least there is divine intervention to bring some justice.
But is this justice enough? Should not this “bulldozer” spend his last days behind bars in The Hague? Is this divine justice proving more and more that there is no human justice? Does this give the Palestinians and other oppressed people any hope in the future, if they will be required to wait for divine intervention to get rid of every monster war criminal?
Over recent years the world has watched as the last of the Nazi war criminals have been brought to justice, and as dictators like Pinochet are finally being called to account. So it should be with those who have been responsible for horrendous state-sponsored violence which has been investigated and repeatedly condemned by the United Nations.
All peoples wish to live peacefully under a rule of law. However for any role of law to be respected it must be just and seen to be just by those it governs.
As we move to mark what might soon be the passing of a confirmed perpetrator of international war crimes and crimes against humanity, let us not rush to eulogise him, but stop to remember those who suffered at his hands.
Nevertheless this should not prevent us from recognizing that his particular death will not be mourned by millions of people who were affected by his monstrous war crimes.
The victims of Qybya, the small Palestinian village near Ramallah, who in 1953 lost 45 houses and 69 civilians, most of them women and children, are probably feeling better today.
The families of 270 Egyptian prisoners of war who were butchered in Sinai in 1956 in cold blood under his command may also feel some comfort. They were demanding justice for such horrendous crimes from the UN, ICJ and international law but it seems that divine justice is the only one they will get.
The kids who were uprooted from their houses, which were there family homes for centuries, and were enforced to live without fathers as refugees in neighbouring countries would also be feeling some sense of justice today.
The sons, wives, husbands, fathers, mothers and relatives of the 30,000 (mostly civilians) killed during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 (when Sharon was Defence Minister) are still having tragic nightmares because of such crimes. Can anyone blame them if they might celebrate the death of this war criminal?
Can the UN and the international community explain to the relatives of more than 2,700 Palestinian civilians butchered in Sabra and Shatila camps in September 1982, how this war criminal escaped indictment and persecution?
What do you think is the feeling of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who lost their historical lands for new settlements under his minsterialship?
All the Palestinians and peace-loving people are asking why the UN Security Council did not move to impose sanctions on Israel after it refused, under his leadership, to implement the Security Council’s resolution to investigate the Jenin massacres on 2002!
This name nicknamed “bulldozer” was really a bulldozer: a bulldozer of blood, international law violations, massacres and genocides.
This bulldozer is also responsible not only for Palestinian blood, but for Arab blood and Jewish blood alike. His neo-nazi ideas of imposing his own agenda by “iron and fire”, his refusal to negotiate with the Palestinians and neighbouring Arabic countries and his insistence on continuing to uproot Palestinians and assassinate their leaders and activists, cost “Israelis” more than a thousand deaths.
So at the end, the kids who have grown up in exile, with no security, with minimum rights, with nightmares of blood of their relatives spilt in battlefields, villages and camps, will understand that at least there is divine intervention to bring some justice.
But is this justice enough? Should not this “bulldozer” spend his last days behind bars in The Hague? Is this divine justice proving more and more that there is no human justice? Does this give the Palestinians and other oppressed people any hope in the future, if they will be required to wait for divine intervention to get rid of every monster war criminal?
Over recent years the world has watched as the last of the Nazi war criminals have been brought to justice, and as dictators like Pinochet are finally being called to account. So it should be with those who have been responsible for horrendous state-sponsored violence which has been investigated and repeatedly condemned by the United Nations.
All peoples wish to live peacefully under a rule of law. However for any role of law to be respected it must be just and seen to be just by those it governs.
As we move to mark what might soon be the passing of a confirmed perpetrator of international war crimes and crimes against humanity, let us not rush to eulogise him, but stop to remember those who suffered at his hands.
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