Israel’s lie machine working flat out to dodge “killer” question

[loki]

By Stuart Littlewood

31 December 2008

Stuart Littlewood shows how Israel’s public relations strategy frames and defines the situation in Israel’s own terms regardless of the truth and, using advanced propaganda skills and the elaborate Israel lobby network, it seeks to persuade Western politicians and media to accept Israel’s version of events.

While the murderous assault on Gaza continues, I notice there's a briefing document on the website of the Israeli Embassy in London which has a lie in every line. The West's mainstream media repeat them, and even the most senior TV and radio interviewers don’t bother to challenge them.

The document is a transcript of Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's statement to the Israeli press dated 27 December 2008 – a day that will live in infamy. It is a perfect example of the falsehoods used to dupe not only us Westerners but Israel’s own people. The statement shows how the regime's view of itself is constructed on a web of dishonesty and self-delusion.

For example:

• "Israeli citizens have been under the threat of daily attack from Gaza for years."
  Palestinians have been under harsh Israeli occupation for 60 years.
  
  
• "Only this week hundreds of missiles and mortars shells were fired at Israeli civilian communities."
  Only one in 500 Qassam rockets causes a fatality. How many thousands of Israeli bombs, missiles, rockets, grenades and tank-shells have been blasted into the crowded city and towns of the Gaza Strip by Israel’s high-tech weaponry?

  
  
• "Until now we have shown restraint. But today there is no other option than a military operation."
  The only legitimate option for Israel is to end the occupation and withdraw behind its 1967 border, as required under international law and UN resolutiosn. Israel has been killing Palestinians at the rate of 8 to 1 since 2000, and children at the rate of nearly 12 to 1 (B’Tselem figures). This is somebody’s idea of restraint?
  
  
• "We need to protect our citizens from attack through a military response against the terror infrastructure in Gaza."
  Self-defence is not a right exclusive to Israel. Palestinians have an equal right to protect their citizens from the terror tactics of Israel.

  
  
• "Israel left Gaza in order to create an opportunity for peace."
  Israel never left Gaza. It still occupies Gaza's airspace and coastal waters and controls all entrances and exits.

  
  
• "In return, the Hamas terror organization took control of Gaza and is using its citizens as cover while it deliberately targets Israeli communities and denies any chance for peace."
  
Hamas was voted into power as the legitimate government of Palestine. Israel chose not to accept the people's choice, which amounted to a denial of their human rights, and immediately set about obliterating it.
  
  
• "We have tried everything to reach calm without using force. We agreed to a truce through Egypt that was violated by Hamas, which continued to target Israel, hold Gilad Shalit and build up its arms."
  Try talking. The Israelis' ongoing siege and economic blockade, begun shortly after Hamas was elected early in 2006, was never going to generate calm. And why is Shalit considered more important than the 9,000 Palestinians abducted and held prisoner by Israel? As soon as a Hamas government was formed Israeli troops arrested eight Hamas ministers and 20 other parliamentarians, making the work of government impossible.

  
  
• "Israel continues to act to prevent humanitarian crisis and to minimize harm to Palestinian civilians."
  Every agency operating in Gaza has warned of the deepening humanitarian crisis and protested about the starvation and suffering, especially of children many of whom show evidence of stunted growth.

  
  
• "The responsibility for harm to civilians lies with Hamas."
  Not according to the Fourth Geneva Convention.

  
  
• "Hamas is a terrorist organization, supported by Iran, that does not represent the legitimate national interests of the Palestinian people but a radical Islamist agenda that seeks to deny peace for the peoples of this region."
  Hamas was the popular choice of Palestinians at the last election. It is entitled under international law to take up arms against an illegal occupier and invader. If it is supported by Iran, so what? Israel receives mega-support from the US. When it comes to terror, it is Israel's conduct which fits the US definition of terrorism so perfectly – see Bush's Executive Order 13224, Section 3.

  
  
• "While confronting Hamas, Israel continues to believe in the two-state solution and remains committed to negotiations with the legitimate Palestinian Authority in the context of the peace process, launched at Annapolis."
  Israel is busy establishing irreversible facts on the ground that make a viable Palestinian state impossible. As everyone knows, the regime has reneged on the peace process and carries on building illegal settlements and the illegal Wall, and demolishing Palestinian homes. Months ago Hamas accepted a Palestinian state based on internationally recognized (pre-1967) borders, in accordance with UN resolutions, with full sovereignty and its capital in Jerusalem, but this has been ignored. Hamas also offered a 10-year truce, also ignored. Earlier, Yasser Arafat and the Palestine Liberation Organization recognized the State of Israel in the Oslo agreement but what good did it do? Today’s US-backed, Fatah-controlled Palestinian Authority is not representative of the Palestinian people.
  
  
• "Israel expects the support and understanding of the international community, as it confronts terror, and advances the interest of all those who wish the forces of peace and co existence to determine the agenda of this region."
  
Israel, next to the US, is the biggest purveyor of terror in the region and only advances its own interests. It may get the support of Israel lobby stooges in other Western governments but is rapidly earning the contempt of everybody else.


  

From a statement dated 22 December 2008:

• "Hamas, backed by Iran, has regularly stated its desire to see the complete destruction of Israel."
  Israel is itself a leading destroyer and currently engaged in trying to wipe out Hamas and the Gazans. Iran’s President Ahmadinajad quoted the late Ayatollah Khomeini as saying that "this regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time" – fair comment considering that Jerusalem, with Bethlehem, was designated an “international city” under the UN Partition Plan. Israeli propaganda twisted the Iranian’s words to read “Israel must be wiped off the map”. Zionist sources and the manifestos of Israeli political parties have made it clear for a long time that Israel plans to wipe Palestine off the map, and every act and lie is directed towards that end.
  
  
• "Our fight is not with the people of Gaza; it is with the extremists of Hamas."
  Then why does the Israeli navy harass and fire on peaceable Gazan fishermen who are well within their own territorial waters? Why does Israel prevent Palestinian students from taking up places at foreign universities and block hospital spares, medicines, foodstuffs and foreign medics from entering Gaza? Why has the Israeli navy just rammed a mercy vessel in international waters taking doctors and medicines to Gaza? Latest air strikes have hit the Islamic University and the Ministry of Education. These are direct attacks on Gazan civil society and its infrastructure.
  
  
• "Hamas started this conflict, and it bears responsibility for any harm to civilians on either side."
  The conflict, started by Jewish terrorists, has been going on for 60 years, decades before Hamas came into being.
  
  
• "Israel’s only responsibility is to protect Israeli citizens."
  As the occupying power Israel has a duty to see that the people of the occupied territories come to no harm.
  
  
• "Just as Israel seeks to defend its civilian population, Hamas seeks to kill them."
  This reads far better the other way round: “Just as Hamas seeks to defend its civilian population, Israel seeks to kill them.”
  
  
• "Rocket attacks have continued for years and are now a daily occurrence. How long does the international community expect Israel will wait before defending itself against them?"
  The rocket attacks will end when Israel ends the occupation and stops terrorizing its neighbours.
  
  
• "In the south of Israel, Israeli citizens live with air raid sirens sounding every day – sometimes every hour. Their situation is intolerable."
  Not half as intolerable as it is for the Gazans, who live in constant fear of air raids and re-invasion and are constantly under surveillance by armed drones which can fire missiles under computer control from an armchair in Israeli headquarters.
  
  
• "For years, the international community has turned a blind eye to this onslaught. Only when Israel seeks to stop the rockets do they take notice."
  For years the international community has turned a blind eye to Israel's violations of international law and human rights, which is why the problem remains unsolved.
  
  
• "Hamas is not only the enemy of Israel – it is the enemy of every Palestinian who believes in peace."
  Israelis just can’t come to terms with the Palestinians' democratic choice and are bent on obliterating it.
  
  
• "It is Hamas' attacks – not Israel's reactions – that destroy every opportunity we have for peace."
  The world has managed to work out by now that Israel doesn't want peace until it has stolen all the land and water it needs to expand its racist state into a “Greater Israel". It is well on the way to achieving this and won’t be thwarted.
  
  
• "Palestinian militants targeted by Israel are not just the enemies of the Israeli people; they are criminals under international law, and enemies of peace."
  Israel is in no position to preach international law.
  
  
• "What is collective punishment? 'Collective punishment' is a city – schools, hospitals, homes – civilians being bombarded every single day by rockets and mortars."
  Collective punishment is keeping a whole population bottled up under siege and blocking supplies and exports, smashing their infrastructure, wrecking their economy and starving their children. Trying to equate Sderot with what’s happening in the Gaza Strip is idiotic.
  
  
• "Today's Middle East is divided between extremists and pragmatists. Hamas, backed by Iran, belongs to the extremists, who must be defeated for the sake of the future of the Middle East... Israel’s primary goal is peace."
  Israel's primary goal is the expansion of Israel by making the occupation of the West Bank permanent and bringing the Gazans to their knees.

The core issue in this struggle is the illegality of Israel’s brutal occupation. Israel goes to great lengths to avoid and suppress all mention of it and play-acts the pathetic victim. As the official statements (above) show, the strategy is to frame and define the situation in Israel’s own terms regardless of the truth. It uses advanced propaganda skills, and the elaborate Israel lobby network, to persuade Western politicians and media to accept Israel’s version of events (and even use Israel’s biased language) and not question its motives.

In political public relations terms it works wonderfully well. The loony leaders of my own government happily spread the poison and don’t seem interested in halting Israeli aggression and the vaporizing, dismembering and crushing of Gaza’s population. In human PR terms it is a disaster.

I have been listening to the BBC’s senior interviewers these last few days. None has had the gumption to ask Israeli spokesmen the only question that matters – the “killer” question on which hangs the key to peace: WHEN IS ISRAEL GOING TO END ITS OCCUPATION AND RETURN TO THE PALESTINIANS THEIR LANDS AND FREEDOM?
Stuart Littlewood is author of the book Radio Free Palestine, which tells the plight of the Palestinians under occupation. For further information please visit www.radiofreepalestine.co.uk.

http://www.redress.cc/palestine/slittlewood20081231

[ZingPao]

Does anyone have the 1967 map handy to post just to take a look? I had a whole series of maps over the years, but can't find them.

[loki]

Will this one do Zing?..............

[ZingPao]

As I mentioned earlier I seem to remember the British and French drew the Middle East map back in the 40s or so. I honestly don't know who should own what. Go back through history and it changes a lot. For example, look in the back of your Bible if you have one handy. From the Biblical perspective Israel has lost some land.

[loki]

Sorry Zing, but your saying your 2 inch unreferenced map is better than the United Nations map i gave you?

Also while we're at it, why did you bring the bible into this post, when I have not mentioned or pointed to religious dogma once? Please tell me that your not one of these people that think the jewish race has biblical rights to the land.

[ZingPao]

Originally Posted by loki

Sorry Zing, but your saying your 2 inch unreferenced map is better than the United Nations map i gave you?

Also while we're at it, why did you bring the bible into this post, when I have not mentioned or pointed to religious dogma once? Please tell me that your not one of these people that think the jewish race has biblical rights to the land.

The 2 inch map makes it a little easier to see on screen here and it appears to be at least roughly accurate. I could not testity that either map is accurate or factual. I'm not disputing that you posted a UN map, but who are they at any given time?

And damn! That thing is big. And I like the comparisons of the smaller map.

I would say that during Biblical times the 12 tribes of Canaan did indeed occupy that space. As to if the Jewish race had Biblical rights to that land it would depend on your own personal belief system.

Surely you have read my posts before. Of course you know I believe the Bible. That land belongs to Hebrews, Jews, Israelis, what ever you want to call them.

[loki]

Its late, and i'm off to lala land, I'm tired and have not read the article fully, but will entrust it to you to read and comment on at will. I hope theres no anti-semetic shit in it, but who knows................

MID-EAST STRIFE:
RE-DISCOVERING THE BIBLE'S FORGOTTEN SOLUTION

By Rev. Ted Pike

The raging conflict in the Middle East sparks two essential questions.
First: Do the Jews own Palestine? The answer is yes. Scripture makes it
clear that the land of Palestine was given by God to the physical
descendants of Abraham. (Gen. 12:7, 13-14-17- 11 Chron. 20:7; Acts 7:5)

Secondly- Do the Jews have the right to occupy Palestine? The answer to
this question is no! Scripture states that if Israel rejects Jesus,
(Yahweh) who brought them into Canaan, He will expel them from the land.
They can never lawfully return until they are obedient to their rejected
Messiah.

Yahweh's conditional terms of occupancy are bluntly laid down in
Leviticus 26-27,33. "Yet if in spite of this you do not obey me, but act
with hostility against me, then I will act with wrathful hostility
against you ... You ... I will scatter among the nations and will draw
out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities
become waste."

Deuteronomy 4:25-27 continues: "When you do that which is evil in the
sight of the Lord your God so as to provoke him to anger, I call heaven
and earth to witness against you today that you shall surely perish
quickly from the land ... You shall not live long on it, but shall be
utterly destroyed. And the Lord will scatter you among the nations,
where the Lord shall drive you."

And in Deuteronomy 28:63-4- "if you are not careful to observe all the
words of this law ... you shall be torn from the land where you are
entering to possess it. Moreover, the Lord will scatter you among all
peoples."

In the Old Testament, when Israel and Judah abandoned Yahweh, both
nations were exiled from Palestine: Israel by the Assyrians in 722 B.C.,
Judah by the Babylonians in 597 B.C.

Only abject repentance entitled a small minority of Judeans, under Ezra
and Nehemiah, to return from Babylon and again occupy their land of
promise. After the remnant Jews' rejection and crucifixion of Christ,
they also were scattered among the nations in fulfillment of God's
ancient decree.

Since their expulsion under Titus in 70 A.D., the Jews still have not
repented. They have not given Christ the obedience He demands.

Who Has Rights of Occupation? Who, then, are the legitimate occupants of
Palestine today? When God exiled Judah under Nebuchadnezzar in 597 B.C.
He allowed various mixed people, later called Samaritans, to occupy
Judea. Such occupancy was not conditional on righteousness. What was
important was that rebellious Jews not occupy the land.

Similarly, when God expelled the Jews from Palestine in 70 A.D. He
allowed various peoples eventually known as Palestinian Arabs to occupy
the land in lieu of Jewish obedience.

Do the Palestinians own the land? They do not. But they do have divine
approval, as did the ancient Samaritans, to become tenants of the land
until Israel repents.

Someday, out of great tribulation, a remnant of Jews will give God the
obedience He demands. Christ will lead this believing remnant back to
the land of their forefathers; they will dwell there lawfully, in peace
and safety. This will be the only legitimate return the Jews will make
to Palestine since their rejection of Christ 2000 years ago. It will
gloriously fulfill hundreds of Old Testament prophecies. (Isa. 4:4,
10:20, 59:20; Hos.14:4; Joel 2:18-20; Zeph. 2:7, 3:11-13) Until that
time, God calls heaven and earth to testify that unbelieving Jews must
remain dispersed, scattered, "wandering" among the nations (Deut.
4:25-27). And yet, as in ancient Babylon, God encouraged them to build,
plant, marry and take root in the land of their dispersion, and to
"seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile." (Jer.
29:4-7)

The proper role for unbelieving Jews is to dwell scattered among the
very safe and prosperous Jewish communities in New York, London, Paris,
etc. They are not to wrest Palestine from its divinely approved
occupants, thus inciting persecution and hatred against Jews worldwide.
This timeless principle of "no obedience, no occupancy" was illustrated
in the time of Joshua. (Num. 13:25-33; 14:1-45) God invited the Hebrews
to occupy Palestine by faith. Yet when unbelief emerged, He refused to
let them in. When the people decided they wanted to penetrate the land
anyway, God rejected them, ultimately condemning them to wander and die
in the wilderness. Only a new, obedient generation (like the later
generation under Ezra and Nehemiah) would be allowed to take root in a
land dedicated to obedience.
Changing Times and Laws

Today, God's law requiring Jewish obedience has been subverted by
Zionist Jews and by evangelical Christians. Zionism says to Jews, "We
don't have to remain scattered, wanderers according to the curse of
God's law. We can be re-gathered, established in peace and safety in the
land God expelled us from. Obedience doesn't matter any more." The
evangelical church heartily agrees, blessing them and bidding Godspeed.

Evangelicals believe the church has a responsibility, like a midwife, to
come alongside and encourage Israel's birth of faith in Christ by
blessing and endorsing unbelieving Israel, right or wrong. Such
blessing, the church believes, can only hasten Israel's eventual
national acceptance of Christ.

Yet the church has no biblical right to bless the Zionist experiment in
Palestine. Zionism's capitol is that fleshly Jerusalem which Revelation
describes as "the great city, which mystically is called Sodom and
Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified." (Rev. 11:8) It is anathema
that the church should bid Godspeed or pray for the peace of such a
city, a city Scripture portrays as embodying the perversions of Sodom
and all the bondage and occultry of ancient Egypt. The church is
obligated to encourage and pray for the peace of that spiritual
Jerusalem, which includes all Jews who accept the rulership of the "King
of Jerusalem," or "King of Peace," Jesus Christ. (Heb. 7:1-3) Yes,
Christians must be kind to Jews, responsive to their rights and
humanitarian needs - just as Christians are to be charitable, without
discrimination, to all people. (James 2:1-4) Yet the greatest blessing
the church can give Jews is to preach the gospel to them, leading them
to the gift of faith, joy, and eternal life in their only true messiah,
Jesus.
A Counterfeit Return

Zionism's defiance of God's law not only creates anger in Heaven, but
strife, hatred, revenge and terrorism within God's holy land, sending
shock waves through the Middle East and the world. Further, because the
Zionist presence in Palestine is against God's law, no attempt at
peace-making by America, Israel, or the Palestinians can succeed. If God
really endorsed the Zionist occupation of Palestine, He would bless
Israel and the region with harmony - the kind of harmony Solomon enjoyed
with his political neighbors. God is the One who causes even the enemies
of a righteous man to be at peace with him. (Prov. 16:7) Instead,
violence, hatred, terrorism erupt in the Middle East: God's laws have
been turned upside down.

What is to be done? The evangelical church, while seeking the spiritual
good of individual Jews, should end its support of the unlawful Zionist
occupation of God's holy land. Such a return to Biblical law does not
forsake or persecute Jews. Instead, it is a blessing, helping deliver
them from further persecution and anti-Semitism. The fact is, Zionism
stimulates hatred against Jews. The modern state of Israel was
established ostensibly to provide safe haven to European Jewry.
Actually, Zionists' unlawful occupation of Palestine, expelling and
persecuting the divinely sanctioned occupants has only heightened hatred
of Jews and lessened the security of Jews living in war-torn Palestine.
In fact, it would be difficult to imagine a less secure place for Jews
than Israel.
The Right Thing to Do

The argument can be made, of course, that God's law is impractical for
us today. Exodus of the Jews from Palestine, it could be said, would be
like giving America back to the Indians. Yes, it is inconvenient. But it
is also God's law - the right thing to do. The alternative - heightened
hatred and possible world war, destroying staggering numbers of Arabs,
Jews, and probably Americans in order to uphold the Zionists' unbiblical
claim - is a much more painful one.

Even worse, Zionist occupation will eventually precipitate the Great
Tribulation, when the antichrist, Israel's false messiah, turns on the
Jewish people in fury. (Isa. 10:5-11; Ezek. 38 & 39) Just as Sargon II
and Nebuchadnezzar scattered Israel and Judah, the antichrist will be
God's instrument to once again enforce God's law to expel and scatter
disobedient Jewry throughout the world. (Hos. 9:13, Ezek. 39:23-28, Luke
21:24) Scripture tells us that the Tribulation will be the period of
greatest suffering Israel has ever known, a holocaust to end all
holocausts at the hands of antichrist, Arabs and gentiles. (Deut.
28:15,18-29; Hos. 8:7-8,13; Isa. 47:6; Jer. 6:1-3; Ezek. 23:46-47,
33:28-29; Matt. 24:21-22
God's Forgotten Law

We have come to a time, as in the time of King Josiah, when the law of
the Lord concerning rightful occupation of Palestine has been forgotten.
Both Israel and the church have massively strayed from God's law. The
church, even when confronted with such law, has the greatest difficulty
comprehending it. Such light is unwelcome, painful to those who have
dwelt for a century in the dark shadow of Zionist propaganda.

It is time the church returned to confidence that God alone, in His time
and on His terms, will bring back His remnant Jews to Palestine. The
church dishonors God by joining with Christ-rejecting Jews in ramming a
counterfeit return down the throats of the Arab world. Further, the
church is siding with a bully. It bids Godspeed to arrogant and bloody
men. Such include Menachem Begin who, having committed such atrocities
as blowing up the King David Hotel and its occupants, proudly proclaimed
himself "the father of modern terrorism." Or Ariel Sharon, who presided
over the infamous Shattilla and Sabra Massacres in Lebanon, slaughtering
hundreds of innocent victims.

Scripture warns that those who misguidedly bless evil men, bidding
godspeed to them, become partakers of their evil deeds. (II Jn 1:11)
Only by separating from international Zionism can the church escape
further entanglement and corruption by it. The church must also remind
Jews that if they want to avoid persecution, anti-semitism and ceaseless
strife, they must return to Christ's divine law and terms of occupancy,
given not to the gentiles, but to their forefathers thousands of years
ago. If they obey, the Middle East will at last have peace.

For a complete discussion of the history and aspirations of the Jews,
past, present, and future, order Rev. Ted Pike's monumental 345 page
best-seller Israel: Our Duty...Our Dilemma and its video version The
Other Israel.

Video : The other Israel

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.p...3dce678cbd744?

[ZingPao]

Originally Posted by loki

Its late, and i'm off to lala land, I'm tired and have not read the article fully, but will entrust it to you to read and comment on at will. I hope theres no anti-semetic shit in it, but who knows................

I'm with you. I read the first few sentences and I will be back and post an opinion if I have one. Thanks for the post and good night.

I'm planning on a few more drinks and a good smoke.

I will be around this evening on RINF, but nothing heavy. Maybe just smashing spambots.

[Knight of the Word]

the bible without doubt is a lame book, for every sentence that kicks the jews out there is another bringing them in.

Jesus the Indian giver, remember the garden of eden story, same way the Europeans dealt with the Indians.

Why do people think that a book passed down by a roaming band of nomads gives them any right to a land lease..

We should all write a book saying were gods chosen people , by the way he gave us the northwest area 5to6000 years ago, submit it too the un assembly pay the 1 or 2 million dollar admittance fee ( fiat money), and move in. Kill off all protesters in the name of god and claim his blessings, of all the land and houses.

And all the religious morons of the world stand back and applaud because it right from their make believe storybook.

[Thinking Man's Idiot]

Originally Posted by ZingPao

As I mentioned earlier I seem to remember the British and French drew the Middle East map back in the 40s or so. I honestly don't know who should own what. Go back through history and it changes a lot. For example, look in the back of your Bible if you have one handy. From the Biblical perspective Israel has lost some land.

You can't use that book Zing. The vast majority Jews came from Europe, for political reasons. All of us can say what is 'God's' word with equal validity- no one has exclusive right to that concept and it would not make it historically or morally correct. The victor always rights history. It would suit the Christian Zionists of course, as 'the return' of the Jews to 'Israel' signals 'the second coming'. You keep looking up to the clouds for that glory, comrade! How many generations have been sure before you. Good luck!