July 15, 2008 4:11

'Security threat' turns Blair back from Gaza

Posted by Tim McGirk | Comments (34) | Permalink | Trackbacks (0) | Email This

So what was the “specific security threat” that kept Tony Blair out of Gaza today? The visit by ex-British prime minister and special Middle East peace envoy Blair would have been a boon for Hamas, the rulers of Gaza. Blair was pointedly not seeing any Hamas officials --only traders and UN officials and touring a sewage plant-- but he would have been the highest profile diplomat to visit the blockaded Palestinian territory since Hamas seized it in June 2007.

Let’s see…who didn’t want Blair going to Gaza? The Israelis can’t have been too enthused about his visit; any visitor is struck by the devastation and poverty of the besieged enclave. But the Israelis aren’t the only ones. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas can’t have been too pleased about it, either. Abbas is already playing second banana to Hamas in Gaza and is sulking over the fact that Hamas in large part has managed to keep up its end of the bargain and stop militants from lobbing rockets into southern Israel –-upping their credibility among Palestinians and Arab states. Abbas’s Fatah militia still has many sympathizers in Gaza capable of carrying out mischief –-or worse-- against Blair.

It was the Israelis, Time was told, who warned Blair’s delegation to cancel the trip because of the vague and all-encompassing term "security threat". The UN security experts had previously cleared the visit, and examined every step that Blair’s convoy would take as it moved through the blasted-out rubble around Erez crossing into northern Gaza where he was to inspect a waste water project and talk to traders about how the year-long economic-blockade has crippled them. The security team encountered nothing suspicious.

Hamas didn’t mind that Blair snubbed them. It was good PR to have him in Gaza, so Hamas went all-out setting up checkpoints and security patrols along the route that Blair was to travel inside Gaza. A Hamas spokesman said it knew of no security threat to the ex-prime minister and blamed “Israel and other parties” who didn’t want Blair to witness “the catastrophe of the siege on Gaza”.

I'll bet that Blair won’t be knocking at the gates of Gaza any time soon, no matter if the threat is real or invented.

By Tim McGirk/Jerusalem

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Reader Comments (34)

eileen fleming

Statement by Archbishop Desmond Tutu,
Leader of the High Level Fact-Finding Mission
into events at Beit Hanoun on 8 November 2006

Press Conference, Gaza, 29 May 2008

We were appointed by the Human Rights Council as a fact-finding mission to investigate the attack on November 8 2006 in Beit Hanoun which left 19 people dead.

We have a three point mandate: the assessment of the situation of victims, addressing the needs of survivors and to make recommendations on ways and means to protect Palestinian civilians against any further Israeli assaults.

The mission returns to Geneva tomorrow and we will be reporting to the Human Rights Council at its session in September, so these are impressions on our part for it is to the Council first that we are obliged to present our report.

We have tried three times in 18 months to secure the cooperation of the Israeli Government to no avail, and in the end we were forced to come to Gaza through Egypt.

We want to begin by thanking the Government of Egypt for their facilitation of our mission. We also want to thank all of the United Nations personnel for their logistical support. We want to say thank you also to the UN in Egypt and to the Secretariat of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for their efficient and friendly help, as well as to the interpreters who have assisted us. We want to thank all the people we have met here in Gaza, members of NGOs, but especially the survivors and victims of the attack itself. I also want to express my deep appreciation to Professor Christine Chinkin, my co-expert on this mission.

All we had heard about the conditions in Gaza - the deprivation, the sense of despair, the lack of economic activity - had not prepared us for the stark reality we saw. We saw a forlorn, deserted, desolate and eerie place. Hardly any pedestrians as would be the case in a more normal setting. We were struck particularly by the absence of the sounds of children shrieking and playing. Usually, when there is a convoy in a normal situation, children will rush out to wave, to be funny and to laugh. We saw none of this. There was no hustle and bustle as in a normal urban setting. There are hardly any vehicles on the road because of the scarcity of fuel. We saw more donkey and horse-drawn carts.

We are in a state of shock, exacerbated by what we subsequently heard from the victims and survivors of the Beit Hanoun massacre. For us, the entire situation is abominable. We believe that ordinary Israeli citizens would not support this blockade, this siege if they knew what it meant for ordinary people like themselves.

No, they would not support a policy which limits fuel supplies or automatically cuts off the electricity supply.

They would not support a policy which jeopardizes the lives of ordinary men and women in hospital, that cuts off water and food from hospitals jeopardizing the lives of babies.

No, they would not support a policy that results in what happened in Beit Hanoun on 8 November 2006, when a mother scooped up the brains of her baby lying with its skull cracked open by an Israeli shell, the same mother rushing out into the street to find her son staring at his bowels hanging out and then seeing him scoop them up and shove them back into his abdomen. No, they would not.

As a matter of principle, Profesor Chinkin and I wanted to go to Israel to hear directly from the Israeli authorities their version of the events. We wanted to meet any other interested parties and NGOs.

But we also wanted to go to Sderot to meet with victims and survivors of the Qassam rockets.

We care about all people.

That is why we told Mr Haniyeh that the firing of those rockets is a gross violation of human rights, and asked for them to stop the firing.

We are the descendents of Abraham: Jews, Christians and Muslims. We revere the teaching of scripture. And so we call on Israel to end the siege, the blockade.

Why?

First, because it is a gross violation of human rights. In terms of the scripture that Jews and
Christians alike invoke, the blockade is contrary to the teaching of those scriptures.

Those scriptures speak about a God: a God of the Exodus, a God notoriously biased in favour of the weak, of the oppressed, of the suffering, of the orphan, of the widow, of the alien. And this God will not be mocked! The God who sided with the slaves against the Pharaoh, the God who sided with Naboth against King Ahab, who sided with Bathsheba's husband against King David. The God who came down to deliver the Israelites from their bondage, who was not deaf to their cries, not blind to their plight, who knew their suffering, is the same yesterday, today and forever!

The siege is contrary to the Jewish tradition of siding with the oppressed. In South Africa, the most outstanding stalwarts in our fight against apartheid were often Jews. People like Helen Suzman, people like Joe Slovo. Almost instinctively, Jews must be on the side of freedom, justice and peace.

The siege must stop because it is not in the interests of Israelis. There can be no justice, no peace, no stability, not for Israel, not for the Palestinians, without accountability for human rights violations.

This includes accountability for the human rights violations which occured in Beit Hanoun on 8 November 2006.

Israel has admitted that it made a mistake, but this falls far short of accountability and due redress for victims and their families.

Accountability applies also to those firing rockets into civilian areas of Israel. The culture of impunity on both sides must end!

True security and peace will not come from the barrel of a gun.

It will come through negotiation: negotiation not with your friends.

Peace can come only when enemies sit down and talk. It happened in South Africa.

It happened more recently in Northern Ireland.

It will happen here too.

Please, please, Israelis and Palestinians: for the sake of your children, for the sake of your future, for your sake , for God's sake, for all our sakes. Please, please end the injustice and sit down and talk to one another.

It is possible for Israelis and Palestinians to live amicably side by side in two sovereign, viable states.

There can be no peace, there can be no security, there can be no freedom in isolation. Israelis and Palestinians will be free, will be secure, will prosper only together.

My message to the international community is that our silence and complicity - especially on the situation in Gaza - shames us all. It is almost like the behaviour of the military junta in Burma.

Gaza needs the engagement of the outside world, especially of its peacemakers.

Finally, to you our brothers and sisters in Gaza: you will be free. Your isolation and loneliness will end. We want you to know that we are with you, and we will come back to celebrate with you your freedom!

Received in an email from
Friends of Sabeel--North America
www.fosna.org

Posted by eileen fleming | July 15, 2008 6:56 PM

NK-:

That's the modus operandi of the Israeli government (similar to that of many African warlords): keep committing atrocious acts of heinous and unjust violence in the name of ethnic cleansing and maintain superior control over the information flow regarding these acts. Why aren't there cameras at Israeli borders? Why aren't there cameras all over the Gaza strip? Why is it that anybody and everybody who witnesses Gaza first hand comes back with tales of a situation worse than South African apartheid?

It's time to hold Israel accountable. Nuclear inspections aren't the only mandate of the UN Security Council. It's time to force human rights inspections on a self-proclaimed democracy and to reassess our outlook on this US ally.

Posted by NK- | July 15, 2008 7:29 PM

NK-:

Tim, in the interests of fairness it should also be noted that he canceled his trip to Sderot as well. Even though that would be like Disney Land compared to Gaza.

Posted by NK- | July 15, 2008 8:55 PM

eileen fleming

Dearest NK,

As you say:

"Israeli government...keep committing atrocious acts of heinous and unjust violence in the name of ethnic cleansing and maintain superior control over the information flow regarding these acts."

But, with the Internet and cell phones we the people can seek and know the truth:

This American Girl spoke with Guss in Gaza for the first time during Super Bowl weekend [Do you recall Tom Petty at halftime?]

Guss is a civil engineer who speaks to me from his cell phone in Gaza by candlelight:

"The Israelis tell the media they are letting electricity in, but it's not true. Although, today was a big day, we had electricity for six hours; it's been only two or three hours a day that we have been having electric. It's hardest on the children, and they are all afraid in the dark. All they have is candle lights and they all worry if the Israelis are going to start the bombing again."

Gus has worked as a Civil Engineer in Gaza for the last ten years, but since Hamas was democratically elected in 2006, he has been forced to not report to his job if he wants to feed his family.

"The Abbas government in Ramallah pays us to stay home. If we go into work, they will cut our salary and prices keep going up, the black market is taking over. Flour, sugar and beans have gone up 35% and there is never enough petrol. It's been freezing last five days and all we have is charcoal and we burn old shoes for warmth.

"The only ones who are going into work are in the Ministries of Health and education. Hamas pays them with assistance from charities and individual support. Doctors make less than $1,000.00 a month and teachers around $300.00. Minimum wage is $200.00 and there is not much work anyway; just clerks and low level positions. Our infrastructure is hell and everyone is upset and angry, but not at Hamas.

"We have been living under siege for two years now. We live like primitives in third world conditions, like in Africa. The International world needs to understand we are human beings under siege and all we want is what every human being wants; we want to have dreams, but Gaza is a nightmare...

"The Ministry of Power is paid by Hamas, but Israel never allows enough gas and supplies in to keep up the maintenance. Our infrastructures are bankrupt and Israel allows barely a trickle of gas into Gaza a day."

You also hit another MAJOR nail on the head when you said: "It's time to hold Israel accountable. Nuclear inspections aren't the only mandate of the UN Security Council. It's time to force human rights inspections on a self-proclaimed democracy and to reassess our outlook on this US ally."

A great place to begin is for the USA MSM to report on the ongoing trials of Mordechai Vanunu.

Israel's statehood was contingent upon upholding the UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Article 13-2:
"Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country."

"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to
seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."-Article 19.

On July 8, 2008, instead of ending Mordechai Vanunu's freedom of speech trial which began in January 2006, the three Judges have put
off their decision until September.

His brother Meir has predicted, "So we wait to September, and then I bet it will be another postponed hearing."

In July 2007, Israel convicted Vanunu on 14 counts-from over a hundred interviews he gave foreign journalists in 2004.

Vanunu has been prohibited from leaving the state and denied the right to speak with any foreigners since his 2004 release from 18 years in prison for exposing Israel's secret nuclear weapons program in 1986.

From email conversations with Vanunu between July 9 -14, 2008, he wrote:

I have the right to leave, the right to be free. It is time for this case to be ended and time to allow me my rights.

These are three new judges reviewing the previous decision by one judge, who decided I am guilty and should serve 6 months in jail for
the interviews I gave foreign media in 2004.

These three judges have the power to drive my case and open the way for me to leave Israel.

These three judges asked many questions of the prosecution who spoke for an hour. The judges wanted to know why the government insists on
putting me back in prison, although I have not caused any security damages from meeting with thousands of foreigners.

I continue to refuse to speak to Israeli media, and no other media except Norway was present, but many friends and supporters were with me.

Since my release from prison on April 21, 2004, Israel has denied me the right to speak with any foreigners and I have openly defied this
unjust order by speaking with thousands of human beings because human beings have rights and States have obligations.

My photographic evidence taken in 1985, before I departed the Dimona for the last time has not caused Israel a breach of security, nor has
any of my speaking to human beings.

I never received any payment for my photos or from the over 100 interviews I gave to journalists in 2004, which were used as testimony against me.

All I am asking is to leave the state for my life is in danger in Israel and I am unable to find employment in occupied East Jerusalem.

All I am asking for is the right to leave Israel and have a life that is not under occupation.

VANUNU MORDECHAI J C.
KIDNAPPED IN ROME SEP' 30 TH'-1986.
AFTER 18 YEARS IN ISRAEL PRISON.
Waiting In East Jerusalem.To Be Free,To Leave.
P.O.Box 20102. Salah Adin St'.
East Jerusalem. 91384
Mobile ( 9 7 2 ) 0 5 2 3 7 4 4 5
http:/www.vanunu.com

On July 11, 2008, I sent the following email to:

Ehud Olmert, Prime Minister, Ehud Barak Minister of Defense, Ms. Tsipi
Livni, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Daniel Friedman, Minister of
Justice and President Bush

Dear Mr. Ehud Olmert, Mr. Ehud Barak, Ms. Tsipi Livni, Prof. Daniel Friedman and President George W. Bush,

Real friends speak the truth in love and the truth is that thousands of internationals have met and spoken with Mordecahi Vanunu since his
release in 2004.

The truth is that the ONLY way Vanunu can harm Israel is with bad PR.

A new generation of youth are now being inspired by Vanunu's story and USA Christians are learning the truth about the 'democracy' of Israel on the World Wide Web.

Vanunu has openly defied the unjust order against him denying him the inalienable right to speak to foreigners, by meeting with thousands of tourists and pilgrims because

"Everyone has the right to freedom of
opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and
ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers"-Article 19,UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

Vanunu never desired to harm Israel, but only to bring Israel to its senses when he told the truth about Israel's secret underground WMD
Program.

Emile Zola warned, "If you shut up the truth and bury it under the ground, it will but grow, and gather to itself such explosive power
that the day it bursts through it will blow up everything in its way."

In 1946, Lewis Mumford understood that, "You cannot talk like sane men around a peace table while the atomic bomb itself is ticking beneath
it. Do not treat the atomic bomb as a weapon of offense; do not treat it as an instrument of the police. Treat the bomb for what it is: the
visible insanity of a civilization that has ceased...to obey the laws of life."

The photographic evidence Vanunu provided in 1985, before leaving the Dimona for the last time has not caused Israel a breach of security, nor has any of his speaking to human beings over the last four plus years.

However, much bad PR has been reaped, for EVERYONE who meets Vanunu has compassion on this man whose on going persecution has made him into an Icon for Freedom of Speech and Christian Persecution by the Jewish State.

As a true friend to Israel, I am reminding you of Israel's own Declaration of Establishment:

"On the day of the termination of the British mandate and on the strength of the United Nations General Assembly declare The State of
Israel will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel: it will ensure complete equality of social and
political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion it will guarantee freedom of religion [and] conscience and will be faithful to the Charter of the United Nations."

Israel has so far chosen to invoke the British Mandate Emergency Defense Regulations against Vanunu, and our "30 Minutes with Vanunu"
taped in March of 2006 discussed this very fact.

After WW II, Attorney Yaccov Shapiro, an Israeli Minister of Justice, described the Emergency Defense Regulations as "unparalleled in any civilized country: there were no such laws in Nazi Germany."

Please honor your prophets and in the name of Justice, Mercy and Democracy allow Vanunu to leave Israel, so that he may have a life of
liberty and pursue happiness.

In Solidarity with Micah 6:8: "What does God require? He has told you o'man! Be just, be merciful, and walk humbly with your Lord," the
following videos are freely streaming on the World Wide Web:

"13 Minutes with Vanunu" taped January 2008

"30 Minutes with Vanunu" taped March 2006

Vanunu's Message to USA Christians taped June 2005

ALL freely streaming under Vanunu Archives on WAWA:
http://www.wearewideawake.org/

Most Sincerely,

Eileen Fleming, Reporter and Editor WAWA:
http://www.wearewideawake.org/

Author "Keep Hope Alive" and "Memoirs of a Nice Irish American 'Girl's' Life in Occupied Territory"

Producer "30 Minutes With Vanunu" and "13 Minutes with Vanunu"

Posted by eileen fleming | July 15, 2008 10:07 PM

Jacob Blues:

Ah Tim, once again bringing us the finest in sit on your ass journalism.

Let's see, so today's sweat-breaking comments come from what, the AP article, which mentions word of a specific threat (apparently, Tim, who has no direct knowledge of the situation, has a better appreciation of the nature of the threat than Tony Blair's security detail).

Based on the same ideology, we're supposed to take at face value, the HAMAS idea that there's nothing to worry about.

And of course, there's no reason at all why Tony Blair would be at risk from HAMAS, after all, he's only there to help. I believe similar sentiments were spoken by BBC journalist Alan Johnston before his abduction.

Certainly, the UN has a full hnadle on security, when it was their own buildings that were attacked only last summer by HAMAS when the organization grew upset.

Posted by Jacob Blues | July 15, 2008 10:08 PM

NK-:

Jacob, don't you think Hamas would be shooting itself in the foot by attacking Blair? The world, countless human rights organizations including the Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN, several nations in the European Union, neighboring countries, South Africa, and innumerable others view the Gazans as the victims, notwithstanding your arguments. I think you would agree with me that Hamas knows about media PR. They would not risk compromising this position given the easily recognizable human rights violations in the strip in plain view. So my question to you is, what would Hamas gain from committing an act of violence at a time when they've muted the rocket attacks to the best of their abilities in trying to achieve a truce with Israel?

Seems improbable and I'm asking for GOOD reasons (not inferences, not assumptions) as to why you think they would go down that avenue. The burden of proof is on you.

Posted by NK- | July 15, 2008 10:19 PM

Concerned:

eileen fleming:

who wrote this>>>
"We live like primitives in third world conditions, like in Africa."

My people are not primitve!

People live in squalor, in poverty, in pain and desease not because they are of a particular race or because they are some sort of primitive animal or they lack will but because of oppourtunity. Being born in the so-called third world (as if these people are from space)does not make one inferior or primitive. Being from Africa does not mean you automatically don't get it or can't do it.

What a douchebag that guy is for saying something so stupid.

Posted by Concerned | July 15, 2008 10:34 PM

Concerned:

VANUNU MORDECHAI:

You should ask your brothers and cousins for help:)! Why ask foreigners? Surely there must be a relative in Tel Aviv that can help you?

Posted by Concerned | July 15, 2008 10:40 PM

Concerned:

Hey Gus:

There's lot of jobs here in america. We are always looking for a good civil engineer what with all the bridges and roads needing repair. Come here if you'd like.

Posted by Concerned | July 15, 2008 10:44 PM

Concerned:

Brother Tutu:0)

What about Allah? I think he'll be very angry with the Israelis' as well.

So far, Jehovah ahs been very quite not angry.

Posted by Concerned | July 15, 2008 10:47 PM

eileen fleming

Dear Concerned,

I quoted what the man said to me and I have utmost respect for him and compassion for all people caught in the crossfire of violence. I also doubt Guss meant what he said the way you perceived it; he was only sharing how he felt and he is the one enduring in Gaza.

Dear Everyone,

There are NO card carrying members of Hamas.

On my third [of 5] trips to Israel and Palestine, I met with four members of Hamas-but NOT one was a terrorist- after listening to Mrs. Hind Khoury, the Palestinian Ambassador to France and a Representative of the Board of Directors of Sabeel, address my Sabeel group:

"The truth has been hidden, and it has been maneuvered by an oppressive and violent occupation. Sabeel explains the Christian perspective on the occupation and Sabeel calls for nonviolent resistance. This occupation violates every single human right imaginable. Governments today are getting their own way to serve their own interests which are: money and power.

"It is ethnic cleansing that is happening in Jerusalem. Bethlehem is a ghetto, an island, an open air prison! When the gate in Beit Jala is done, it will completely isolate Bethlehem from her sister city Jerusalem which is only three miles away.

"Before Hamas won the elections there were 370 checkpoints. There are now 25% more. Because of the moral bankruptcy of the PA, Hamas won the elections and they should not be feared. They have an open mind and open heart and many of them say: ‘Fight them with love.’

"The International community put conditions on Hamas, but it is not about Israel’s existence we are speaking of, it is the existence of Palestine and Human Rights that must be addressed! The world is unbalanced and the polarization just increases the violence. Civil society must become responsible."

This was seven months after the 'Disengagement' in Gaza, but in reality the Israeli government still controlled all access to Gaza by land, sea and air, and thus are responsible under international law to provide for the needs of those under occupation.

Only 25 of over 150 settlements were dismantled, and only 8,475 of over 436,000 settlers [less than 2 % of settlers] were evacuated.

As of October 2005, 12,800 new settlers had moved into the West Bank, which is 50%, more settlers than were evacuated.

The four newly elected members of Hamas that I met were:

PLC Representative, Anwer M. Zboun, who lives in the Abiet refugee camp and has a Masters Degree in Physics.

Thirty-three year old Mahmoud Alkhatib lives in Aida refugee camp and has obtained a Masters Degree in Islamic Studies.

Khaled Saada and Salah Shuka were elected to the Municipality/local government.

Mr. Zboun greeted us in English with a broad smile on his face and stated:

"We welcome you to our home and the Holy City of Bethlehem. We are suppose to be terrorists, are you afraid?"

We all laughed then Zboun continued earnestly, "We are a Palestinian resistance movement and we are not against any people. We are against the occupation. We want to rebuild what the occupation has destroyed. Hamas was born from the suffering of the Palestinian people and we belong to the global Muslim movement. It was on December 14, 1987 after an Israeli driver killed nine Palestinians that the first Intifada [uprising] began and the Islamic Resistance movement in Palestine was renamed Hamas.

"Hamas is a national liberation movement based on Sharia; Islamic Laws and Orders. Hamas is not against any religion. We are not a terrorist movement, but we resist the occupation. Christians voted for us for many reasons and they know we are faithful to this cause: that God knows better than we ourselves know what is for our benefit. We do not force anyone to believe as we do. The public and private schools both teach Islam and Christianity.

"In November 1988 Arafat issued a birth certificate for the Palestinian State and under religion he stated: ‘None.’ This is because we are a secular state. As Muslims and Christians we live together peacefully and our attitude is citizenship is for everyone. Everybody should have freedom of belief, traditions and a personal life. Hamas does not propose anything that contradicts Christianity.

"Our slogan is: Remove Suffering for everyone. The issue of Israel is about the occupation. We have no problems with religious beliefs; our problem is that Israel is illegally occupying our land. Since March 2005, we have honored a unilateral cease-fire. But Israel martyred 200 Palestinians, injured 1,200 and has detained 3,500. Many are under the age of sixteen. In the last two weeks Israel has killed twenty-five Palestinian and yet we have maintained the cease-fire. Israel does not recognize us and recognition takes both sides.

"Abbas has stated that we do recognize Israel, but there must be clear borders and Israel does not yet have them.

"The PA recognized Israel ten years ago but we Palestinians are detained in an open air prison.

"We resist the occupation which is our right guaranteed under International Law.

"International Law demands Israel withdraw to the 1967 borders, release the prisoners, and stop the assassinations, illegal wall and home demolitions.

"Hamas defines terrorism as a violation of the rights of others and their property. Bush defined terrorism as evil.

"We are weak with resources and our voice is not heard in the West, only the voice of America and Israel gets press.

"America asked us to hold democratic elections and we did. We thank everyone who was involved in our transparent and democratic elections.

"We did what the USA asked and now they are punishing our people. Democracies are supposed to respect and not intervene in what others want.

"We had democratic and transparent elections and how are we rewarded? By the EU and the USA who have cut funds to the poorest of people who live under occupation.

"Hamas suggested that the International community monitor all the financial aid to assure that it went to the people and not to Hamas. We offered this suggestion to the world and we have been ignored.

"So now we look to the Arab and Muslim world to strengthen our local infrastructure and economy and hope to bring back investors. We know there are people in Europe and America who will not allow us to go hungry. We believe aid and support are in Gods hands and not governments."

I also met with American Israeli, Jeff Halper, the Founder and Coordinator of ICAHD/Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions and a Noble Peace Prize Nominee for 2006 who informed me that while still Prime Minister, Tony Blair admitted that "70% of all the conflicts in the world can be traced back to the Israeli Palestinian conflict...What gives us hope is that as this conflict worsens maybe Europe will figure out that American policies are against their interests and intervene...This conflict impacts the global community and especially everyone in the USA....If we do fix this conflict it would be a tremendous step forward in global reconciliation...This whole issue is based on Human Rights and it is a global issue requiring global intervention...Israel is not a democracy, it is an ethnocracy: full rights to Jews, but not Palestinians."-excerpted from "Memoirs of a Nice Irish-American 'Girl's' Life in Occupied Territory" by eileen fleming

Posted by eileen fleming | July 15, 2008 11:00 PM