mintpressnews--2020-08-20--New FOIA Docs Expose Conditions in Private Immigration Prison So Bad That Even ICE Was Shocked

New documents shed light on what activists are calling “ a dark pattern of abuse ” at a privately-run , for-profit prison in Virginia used by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) .
Obtained by the civil rights group the Advancement Project under the Freedom of Information Act , the documents describe a long pattern of abuse , neglect and mismanagement of detainees at Immigration Centers of America ( ICA ) Farmville — a facility where almost everyone has coronavirus .
In 2015 , for instance , one detainee was pepper sprayed in the face while in full restraints @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shackled from the ankles and wrists and pepper sprayed again , then left tied to a bed for two days .
In later proceedings , the prison attempted to argue that the man was a “ threat ” to staff because he was “ unresponsive ” to their commands after being sprayed , despite the fact that he was lying prone in a padded cell while in full restraints .
This justification was not accepted by the ICE disciplinary report , which found ICA was in violation of several standards .
Another incident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years later was also highlighted in the documents .
Guards pepper sprayed a crowd of detainees , later claiming that they were defying orders .
However , video evidence shows the opposite .
As ICE noted in a review , “ all detainees appear [ ed ] to be complying with verbal commands and returning to their bunks.
” Hundreds of detainees have also been subject to food unfit for human consumption .
In 2015 , for instance , some complained after finding a number of white worms in their meals .
ICA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severe ” and “ swift ” consequences if they continued in actions that “ degraded the reputation ” of the facility , including threatening them that any complaints would negatively impact their immigration cases .
ICA Farmville ’ s treatment of those in its custody was so poor that it appears to have shocked even ICE , not an organization known for its rigid defense of human rights ; the documents showing that they considered ICA Farmville ’ s actions “ chilling ” and “ beyond the pale.
” Those familiar with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the findings .
Electra Bolotas from LaColectiVA , a grassroots social justice organization in Virginia told MintPress that , Madhvi Venkatraman , an organizer with Sanctuary DMV , a volunteer group helping immigrants in the Washington , D.C. area , said that “ These newly revealed incidents also speak to the overall cruelty of migrant detention .
We must free them all and work to defund ICE and Customs and Border Protection before we lose more people to this racist system.
” MintPress also contacted ICE and ICA Farmville for comment but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publication .
The documents come amid a rampant coronavirus outbreak at the prison .
With 247 currently infected , nearly 90 percent of the prison population at ICA has tested positive for COVID-19 , accounting for around a quarter of all current detainee positive cases across the entire nationwide ICE prison network .
In April , MintPress reported on a hunger strike involving around 100 detainees at Farmville who were demanding their release on medical and humane grounds , fearing an outbreak .
The strike was broken after threats of retaliation , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been vindicated , their fears realized .
Bolotas said that throughout ICA ’ s history there has been a “ pattern ” of abuse : Even as the country went into lockdown and the government was advising people not to travel , ICE was transferring detainees from Arizona and Florida to Farmville , resulting in an explosion in the number of cases .
It was also deporting coronavirus-positive immigrants back to their home countries , overwhelming their response systems .
The Minister for Health for Guatemala , for example , noted that 75 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with COVID-19 .
Losmin Jiménez , project director and senior attorney for the Immigrant Justice Project , told MintPress that she was not surprised by the coronavirus outbreak at Farmville .
The medical situation recently claimed the life of one detainee at the prison .
James Hill , a 72-year-old Canadian died earlier this month after a lengthy battle with the virus .
He was scheduled to be deported to Canada on July 9 , but three days before his flight , he was hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms .
Hill ’ s death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were foreshadowed last summer by a bad outbreak of mumps , a classic disease of overcrowding , and poor sanitation .
Authorities ’ overbearing response to the situation sparked a “ meal strike ” from detainees .
Their protest was crushed by guards , and leaders were put in solitary confinement .
Inmates sued ICE for their treatment .
The newly released documents also note that one detainee who took to cleaning the floor of his cell himself in 2015 was handcuffed and held in a restraint bed for four days afterward .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ place for anyone to be , ” said Jiménez .
ICA opened its Farmville facility in 2008 , sparking protests from some locals .
There is less opposition from local authorities however , the town of Farmville pockets around $ 20,000 per month in what the National Immigrant Justice Center has called a huge “ kickback scheme.
” In 2019 , the company also applied to open a new prison in Dwight , Illinois , but amid the mumps outbreak and meal strike , Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill banning private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and always will be a welcoming state , ” the governor said .
“ Let me be perfectly clear : the state of Illinois stands as a firewall against Donald Trump ’ s attacks on our immigrant communities .
Invoices show that ICA charges ICE at least $ 120 per person , per day , a sum around the same as a king room at the Hilton Richmond downtown or a five bedroom townhouse in historic city center costs .
Per month , the company is paid around $ 2.3 million on average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Analyst with the National Immigrant Justice Center , told MintPress that , For profit , private prisons are a growing phenomenon in the United States .
Since 2000 , the number of people incarcerated in private facilities has increased by 39.3 percent , compared to an overall rise in the prison population of 7.8 percent .
Some states have seen the practice explode .
Arizona ’ s private prison population , for example , has grown nearly sixfold over the last 20 years , although Virginia ’ s has stayed relatively stable .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hundreds of detainees , ultimately , many are looking to close the facility and to abolish ICE altogether .
Polls show that around a quarter of Americans favor scrapping the agency .
Bolotas was clear that the practice of incarcerating undocumented immigrants should end .
“ There is no humane way to incarcerate or detain somebody brought here and held against their will , waiting for immigration proceedings , trapped in bureaucracy .
During that time their life is being taken away from them , ” she said .
Feature photo | @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of America facility Farmville on Aug. 12 , 2020 in Farmville , Va. Steve Helber | AP Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News .
After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books : Bad News From Venezuela : Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age : Still Manufacturing Consent .
He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , The Guardian , Salon , The Grayzone , Jacobin Magazine , Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary .

New documents shed light on what activists are calling “a dark pattern of abuse” at a privately-run, for-profit prison in Virginia used by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Obtained by the civil rights group the Advancement Project under the Freedom of Information Act, the documents describe a long pattern of abuse, neglect and mismanagement of detainees at Immigration Centers of America (ICA) Farmville — a facility where almost everyone has coronavirus.
In 2015, for instance, one detainee was pepper sprayed in the face while in full restraints. He was then stripped naked, shackled from the ankles and wrists and pepper sprayed again, then left tied to a bed for two days. In later proceedings, the prison attempted to argue that the man was a “threat” to staff because he was “unresponsive” to their commands after being sprayed, despite the fact that he was lying prone in a padded cell while in full restraints. This justification was not accepted by the ICE disciplinary report, which found ICA was in violation of several standards.
Another incident of liberal use of pepper spray two years later was also highlighted in the documents. Guards pepper sprayed a crowd of detainees, later claiming that they were defying orders. However, video evidence shows the opposite. As ICE noted in a review, “all detainees appear[ed] to be complying with verbal commands and returning to their bunks.”
Hundreds of detainees have also been subject to food unfit for human consumption. In 2015, for instance, some complained after finding a number of white worms in their meals. ICA Farmville retaliated by threatening them with “severe” and “swift” consequences if they continued in actions that “degraded the reputation” of the facility, including threatening them that any complaints would negatively impact their immigration cases. ICA Farmville’s treatment of those in its custody was so poor that it appears to have shocked even ICE, not an organization known for its rigid defense of human rights; the documents showing that they considered ICA Farmville’s actions “chilling” and “beyond the pale.”
Those familiar with the prison were shocked, but not surprised by the findings. Electra Bolotas from LaColectiVA, a grassroots social justice organization in Virginia told MintPress that,
We have been working on issues in ICA Farmville since 2017, so the documents just confirmed what we already knew was happening inside, including abuses of migrants who are detained there, retaliation of the guards with pepper spray, food that is not fit for eating and medical neglect. The FOIA documents solidify the reputation of Immigration Centers for America, the private prison company that runs the detention facility in Farmville, as a company that profits from harm and abuse of migrant people.”
Madhvi Venkatraman, an organizer with Sanctuary DMV, a volunteer group helping immigrants in the Washington, D.C. area, said that “These newly revealed incidents also speak to the overall cruelty of migrant detention. We must free them all and work to defund ICE and Customs and Border Protection before we lose more people to this racist system.” MintPress also contacted ICE and ICA Farmville for comment but has not received a response as of publication.
A COVID Nightmare
The documents come amid a rampant coronavirus outbreak at the prison. With 247 currently infected, nearly 90 percent of the prison population at ICA has tested positive for COVID-19, accounting for around a quarter of all current detainee positive cases across the entire nationwide ICE prison network. In April, MintPress reported on a hunger strike involving around 100 detainees at Farmville who were demanding their release on medical and humane grounds, fearing an outbreak. The strike was broken after threats of retaliation, including solitary confinement, but those protesting have been vindicated, their fears realized. Bolotas said that throughout ICA’s history there has been a “pattern” of abuse:
Whenever anybody inside speaks up about the conditions they are met with retaliation and threats to their immigration proceedings and their immigration cases. ICA is really careful about its brand image because it is trying to build more detention centers, especially in places where local economies have been depressed. So they sell themselves [incorrectly] as a company with humane conditions.”
Even as the country went into lockdown and the government was advising people not to travel, ICE was transferring detainees from Arizona and Florida to Farmville, resulting in an explosion in the number of cases. It was also deporting coronavirus-positive immigrants back to their home countries, overwhelming their response systems. The Minister for Health for Guatemala, for example, noted that 75 percent of deportees on one flight arrived with COVID-19.
Losmin Jiménez, project director and senior attorney for the Immigrant Justice Project, told MintPress that she was not surprised by the coronavirus outbreak at Farmville.
Medical neglect is the norm in immigration detention so when the COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization, we knew it would spread rapidly inside jails, prisons and immigration detention centers. We knew that time was of the essence and that releasing people would be critical. Social distancing [and] basic hygiene is impossible inside cages.”
The medical situation recently claimed the life of one detainee at the prison. James Hill, a 72-year-old Canadian died earlier this month after a lengthy battle with the virus. He was scheduled to be deported to Canada on July 9, but three days before his flight, he was hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms. Hill’s death and the coronavirus epidemic at ICA Farmville were foreshadowed last summer by a bad outbreak of mumps, a classic disease of overcrowding, and poor sanitation. Authorities’ overbearing response to the situation sparked a “meal strike” from detainees. Their protest was crushed by guards, and leaders were put in solitary confinement. Inmates sued ICE for their treatment. The newly released documents also note that one detainee who took to cleaning the floor of his cell himself in 2015 was handcuffed and held in a restraint bed for four days afterward. “Clearly, ICA Farmville is no place for anyone to be,” said Jiménez.
Prison Profiteering
ICA opened its Farmville facility in 2008, sparking protests from some locals. There is less opposition from local authorities however, the town of Farmville pockets around $20,000 per month in what the National Immigrant Justice Center has called a huge “kickback scheme.” In 2019, the company also applied to open a new prison in Dwight, Illinois, but amid the mumps outbreak and meal strike, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill banning private immigrant detention centers. “Illinois is and always will be a welcoming state,” the governor said. “Let me be perfectly clear: the state of Illinois stands as a firewall against Donald Trump’s attacks on our immigrant communities.
Invoices show that ICA charges ICE at least $120 per person, per day, a sum around the same as a king room at the Hilton Richmond downtown or a five bedroom townhouse in historic city center costs. Per month, the company is paid around $2.3 million on average. Jesse Franzblau, a Senior Policy Analyst with the National Immigrant Justice Center, told MintPress that,
ICE and ICA have subjected people to violent force by guards as they suffer the worst COVID-19 outbreak. Newly obtained records provide undeniable evidence of what people inside have been saying for years, and illustrate a years-long history of abuse that foreshadowed today’s tragedy. The ICE contracting system builds in an inhumane profit-driven incentive to keep people locked in detention. All the while, ICA is pursuing contracts to try to expand ICE detention to new regions, with no accountability for past and ongoing atrocities.”
For profit, private prisons are a growing phenomenon in the United States. Since 2000, the number of people incarcerated in private facilities has increased by 39.3 percent, compared to an overall rise in the prison population of 7.8 percent. Some states have seen the practice explode. Arizona’s private prison population, for example, has grown nearly sixfold over the last 20 years, although Virginia’s has stayed relatively stable.
Although they want conditions to improve for the hundreds of detainees, ultimately, many are looking to close the facility and to abolish ICE altogether. Polls show that around a quarter of Americans favor scrapping the agency. Bolotas was clear that the practice of incarcerating undocumented immigrants should end. “There is no humane way to incarcerate or detain somebody brought here and held against their will, waiting for immigration proceedings, trapped in bureaucracy. During that time their life is being taken away from them,” she said.
Feature photo | This aerial view shows the Immigration Centers of America facility Farmville on Aug. 12, 2020 in Farmville, Va. Steve Helber | AP
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.


mintpressnews--2020-08-21--Mail Sorting Machines Across America Dismantled Ahead of November Election

With little explanation from management , United States Postal Service ( USPS ) machines are being disassembled across the country .
A USPS worker leaked images of a newly decommissioned machine — capable of handling 30,000 pieces of mail per hour — to NBC Montana .
Local news outlet KUOW report that 40 percent of the post sorting machines in the Seattle-Tacoma area have been recently dismantled , to the dismay of the local workforce .
“ It would take a crew of 20 to 30 people hand-sorting the mail all night to do what one of these machines can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t work without these machines , ” one worker said .
“ In our meetings with management , the union has been given no rationale whatsoever , ” he added .
Newly appointed postmaster general Louis DeJoy also ordered the removal of six huge sorting machines in San Antonio , Texas , and has ended the practice of paying workers overtime to finish delivery rounds , causing long delays .
In total , some 671 machines nationwide have been decommissioned .
The gutting of USPS capability comes amid a coronavirus pandemic that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , claiming the lives of over 177,000 , forcing many to rely on the postal service like never before .
USPS will also play a critical role in the upcoming presidential election in November , where record numbers of Americans are expected to vote by mail .
Indeed , any potential increase in cases might necessitate postal only voting in some areas due to the infectious nature of the virus .
Donald Trump has set his sights on mail-in voting and explicitly stated that he is attempting to undermine the practice .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars for something that ’ ll turn out to be fraudulent , that ’ s election money basically…Now they need that money in order to make the Post Office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots , ” the president said .
“ But if they don ’ t get those two items that means you can ’ t have universal mail-in voting because they ’ re not equipped to have it , ” he added .
Trump earlier casually admitted while calling into Fox News that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d never have a Republican elected in this country again.
” The president ’ s words echo those of conservative political activist Paul Weyrich , who in 1980 said that “ I don ’ t want everybody to vote ” because GOP “ leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down.
” Speaker Nancy Pelosi recalled the House from its vacation in order to fight the changes being made to the postal service .
DeJoy recently backtracked , agreeing to suspend all further changes until after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homeland security and governmental affairs committee today , he stated that he would not restore the sorting machines already removed , arguing they were “ not needed.
” This has failed to convince many civil rights organizations , including the Lawyers ’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law , the League of Women Voters , Public Citizen and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ( NAACP ) , who have filed lawsuits against him , claiming that his actions amount to voter disenfranchisement .
“ As we approach the November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is critical to ensure that every eligible voter has access to reliable mail service .
The USPS ’ decision to suddenly reduce services this summer has resulted in unacceptable mail delays that stand to profoundly affect the delivery of mail-in ballots and ballot applications , ” said Sam Spital from the NAACP ’ s Legal Defense and Educational Fund .
Public Citizen described DeJoy ’ s actions as “ a coup in the making ” for President Trump .
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it a reduced quantity of mail , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yet many have argued that it is a vital public service and should be treated like one , and not subject to the pressures of the profit motive .
The USPS delivers far more items than any other service and is the only one committed to delivering to every address in the country .
It is also one of the few steady employers in many areas , particularly rural ones .
Furthermore , the existence of the USPS allows a huge array of other businesses to flourish .
According to successive Gallup polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America ’ s favorite federal agency and a whopping 92 percent favor a government bailout of the postal service .
Even if voters do not intend to vote by mail , they might find it difficult to cast a ballot .
Since the Shelby County vs. Holder decision of 2013 , Southern states have closed at least 1,688 polling stations , including 750 in Texas , 320 in Arizona and 214 in Georgia .
Perhaps more troubling is the specificity of so many of the closures .
Eighteen Georgian counties have closed more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and several have shut down almost 90 percent , according to a 2019 report .
These have been primarily in lower income and majority black neighborhoods .
There are still nearly three months until the election that pits Democratic candidate Joe Biden with the incumbent Trump ; plenty more time for more dirty tricks and October surprises .
This will likely not be the last election controversy .
Feature photo | Erica Koesler , left , and David Haerle , both of Los Angeles , demonstrate outside a USPS post office , Aug. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Feliz section of Los Angeles .
Chris Pizzello | AP Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News .
After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books : Bad News From Venezuela : Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age : Still Manufacturing Consent .
He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , The Guardian , Salon , The Grayzone , Jacobin Magazine , Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary .

With little explanation from management, United States Postal Service (USPS) machines are being disassembled across the country. A USPS worker leaked images of a newly decommissioned machine — capable of handling 30,000 pieces of mail per hour — to NBC Montana. Local news outlet KUOW report that 40 percent of the post sorting machines in the Seattle-Tacoma area have been recently dismantled, to the dismay of the local workforce. “It would take a crew of 20 to 30 people hand-sorting the mail all night to do what one of these machines can do in a couple hours…Our infrastructure doesn’t work without these machines,” one worker said. “In our meetings with management, the union has been given no rationale whatsoever,” he added. Newly appointed postmaster general Louis DeJoy also ordered the removal of six huge sorting machines in San Antonio, Texas, and has ended the practice of paying workers overtime to finish delivery rounds, causing long delays. In total, some 671 machines nationwide have been decommissioned.
These are leaked photos sent to me by someone who wants to stay anonymous of what they say is a disassembled DBCS sorting machine in a MT USPS plant. I’m told the stackers are waiting to be sent to other facilities. #mtnews #USPS pic.twitter.com/ouW8zGty9k — Maritsa Georgiou (@MaritsaNBCMT) August 20, 2020
The gutting of USPS capability comes amid a coronavirus pandemic that has infected at least 5.7 million Americans, claiming the lives of over 177,000, forcing many to rely on the postal service like never before. USPS will also play a critical role in the upcoming presidential election in November, where record numbers of Americans are expected to vote by mail. Indeed, any potential increase in cases might necessitate postal only voting in some areas due to the infectious nature of the virus.
Donald Trump has set his sights on mail-in voting and explicitly stated that he is attempting to undermine the practice. “They want three and a half billion dollars for something that’ll turn out to be fraudulent, that’s election money basically…Now they need that money in order to make the Post Office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots,” the president said. “But if they don’t get those two items that means you can’t have universal mail-in voting because they’re not equipped to have it,” he added. Trump earlier casually admitted while calling into Fox News that if more people voted “you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again.” The president’s words echo those of conservative political activist Paul Weyrich, who in 1980 said that “I don’t want everybody to vote” because GOP “leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down.”
Trump: “The things they had in there were crazy. They had levels of voting, that if you ever agreed to it you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again.” pic.twitter.com/KxMYxOnqbs — Resistbot (@resistbot) March 30, 2020
Speaker Nancy Pelosi recalled the House from its vacation in order to fight the changes being made to the postal service. DeJoy recently backtracked, agreeing to suspend all further changes until after the election. Yet testifying before the Senate homeland security and governmental affairs committee today, he stated that he would not restore the sorting machines already removed, arguing they were “not needed.”
This has failed to convince many civil rights organizations, including the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the League of Women Voters, Public Citizen and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), who have filed lawsuits against him, claiming that his actions amount to voter disenfranchisement. “As we approach the November election amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical to ensure that every eligible voter has access to reliable mail service. The USPS’ decision to suddenly reduce services this summer has resulted in unacceptable mail delays that stand to profoundly affect the delivery of mail-in ballots and ballot applications,” said Sam Spital from the NAACP’s Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Public Citizen described DeJoy’s actions as “a coup in the making” for President Trump.
If we said that “schools are losing billions annually” it would obviously be laughably incoherent, because the point of schools is to provide a public service. Yet people say this with a straight face about USPS. (But also remember Congress made the USPS spend needless billions) https://t.co/9Nrt3sBhdi — Nathan J Robinson (@NathanJRobinson) August 8, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it a reduced quantity of mail, resulting in the USPS hemorrhaging money. Yet many have argued that it is a vital public service and should be treated like one, and not subject to the pressures of the profit motive. The USPS delivers far more items than any other service and is the only one committed to delivering to every address in the country. It is also one of the few steady employers in many areas, particularly rural ones. Furthermore, the existence of the USPS allows a huge array of other businesses to flourish. According to successive Gallup polls, the organization is consistently rated as America’s favorite federal agency and a whopping 92 percent favor a government bailout of the postal service.
Even if voters do not intend to vote by mail, they might find it difficult to cast a ballot. Since the Shelby County vs. Holder decision of 2013, Southern states have closed at least 1,688 polling stations, including 750 in Texas, 320 in Arizona and 214 in Georgia. Perhaps more troubling is the specificity of so many of the closures. Eighteen Georgian counties have closed more than half of their polling places, and several have shut down almost 90 percent, according to a 2019 report. These have been primarily in lower income and majority black neighborhoods.
There are still nearly three months until the election that pits Democratic candidate Joe Biden with the incumbent Trump; plenty more time for more dirty tricks and October surprises. This will likely not be the last election controversy.
Feature photo | Erica Koesler, left, and David Haerle, both of Los Angeles, demonstrate outside a USPS post office, Aug. 15, 2020, in the Los Feliz section of Los Angeles. Chris Pizzello | AP
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.


mintpressnews--2020-08-21--A UN Vote Exposed Canada’s Blind and Unconditional Support for Israel

The notion that ‘ Canada is better ’ , especially when compared with US foreign policy , has persisted for many years .
Recent events at the United Nations have , however , exposed the true nature of Canada ’ s global position , particularly in the matter of its blind and unconditional support for Israel .
On June 17 , Canada lost its second bid for the coveted UN Security Council seat , which , had it won , would have allowed Ottawa the opportunity to become a world leader , pushing its own agenda – and those of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , this , too , was a wasted opportunity .
Only 108 countries voted for Canada while 130 and 128 voted for Norway and Ireland respectively .
Both these countries will be admitted to the Security Council , starting January 1 , 2021 .
What is striking about Canada ’ s missed opportunity is that it was in retribution for Canada ’ s bias towards Israel , at the expense of Palestine , international and humanitarian laws .
Over the last twenty years alone , for example , Canada has voted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Canadian author and human rights advocate , Yves Engler .
Moreover , Canada has lobbied – and continues to lobby – against the International Criminal Court ( ICC ) investigation of war crimes in Palestine .
Along with Germany , Austria and others , Canada has challenged the ICC ’ s jurisdiction on the matter , erroneously alleging that Palestine is not a State .
Shortly before the June vote on new Security Council members was held , a group of human rights activists circulated a letter to all UN members , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palestine .
“ Despite its peaceful reputation , Canada is not acting as a benevolent player on the international stage , ” the letter read .
It added , “ Since coming to power , the Justin Trudeau government has voted against more than 50 UN resolutions upholding Palestinian rights , even though they have been backed by the overwhelming majority of member states.
” Among the signatories of the letter were renowned American intellectual , Noam Chomsky , famed rock star , Roger Waters and former Quebec National Assembly member , Amir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UN was understood to be a stance against Ottawa ’ s position on Israel and Palestine , despite Canada ’ s Ambassador to the UN , Marc-Andre Blanchard , going on the defensive in a desperate attempt to dissuade member states from voting against his country .
In a letter sent to all member states , Blanchard argued that an earlier document written by “ a group of Canadians regarding Canada ’ s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict … contains significant inaccuracies and characterizes Canada ’ s longstanding policy positions ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent years , where a country like Canada loses the respect and support of other UN member states largely due to its failure to respect the rights of the Palestinian people .
To better understand the significance of this event , we spoke to Yves Engler , who played a direct role in championing the Palestinian cause and pushing for Canadian accountability at the United Nations .
Engler has also authored several books , among them “ Canada and Israel : Building Apartheid ” and “ Left , Right : Marching to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is important for people to realize that this anti-Palestinian position that Canada pursues today is not new .
It is grounded in at least a century of Zionist policy in this country , ” Engler said .
Explaining the context of the June UN vote , Engler said that “ the current Prime Minister , Justin Trudeau , who is a liberal politician , expended a lot of energy into winning that seat ; he undertook a huge campaign , called dozens of leaders around the world , lobbied very hard for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ round of voting , Canada was defeated resoundingly by Ireland and Norway.
” Engler added , “ In my mind , there was no issue that contributed more to Canada ’ s loss in its bid for a Security Council seat than its anti-Palestinian record .
And , more specifically , its voting against UN General Assembly resolutions that almost the entire world supports , isolated Canada with the US , Israel , Micronesia , and maybe one or two other countries.
” The Canadian setback at the UN should be directly attributed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Activists ’ groups – that I was part of – exposed records spanning the past two decades of the Canadian government voting consistently against the UN General Assembly resolutions .
It voted against 166 UN General Assembly resolutions over the past twenty years .
In comparison , Ireland and Norway did not vote against a single one of those UN General Assembly resolutions.
” “ But how did Canada become pro-Israel ?
” we asked Engler .
“ There is a very well-organized , pro-Israel lobby in Canada that is able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Engler said .
“ For instance , the pro-Israel group , ‘ Honest Reporting Canada ’ , concentrates on criticizing every media source that expresses even a hint of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
” However , compared with the dynamics of Israeli influence over Washington , Canada is quite different .
Unlike the US , Engler continues , “ Canada has much clearer restrictions on the funding of politicians , so there is nobody like Sheldon Adelson who gives a couple of hundred million dollars to Donald Trump which , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more extreme anti-Palestinian positions .
This dynamic does not exist in Canada , but the dominant media has always been sympathetic to the Zionist movement.
” Encouragingly , pro-Palestinian sentiment in Canada has grown over the last twenty years or so , to become a large network , an organized movement in its own right , which has , according to Engler , to “ some extent , countered the dominance of the Zionist narrative.
” Canadian media , however , is still unwilling to challenge Israel ’ s power in the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-Israel groups … to attack pro-Palestinian activists.
” “ There is an incredible amount of trepidation , even in the pro-Palestinian movement , of being labeled as anti-Jewish , ” Engler said .
Similar to the trend in other western countries , pro-Palestine groups in Canada are small , diverse , and organized at grassroots levels .
These groups “ tend not to be particularly well-founded or institutionally strong , while the pro-Israel side is far better organized.
” Yet , despite the pro-Israeli influence in government and media , “ polls show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly sympathetic to the Palestinian cause than what appears in the dominant media or in the official protocol .
A recent poll has revealed that Canadians are very sympathetic towards boycotting Israel for violating international law.
” A March 2017 poll indicated that 78 % of all Canadians believe that “ BDS is reasonable ” .
Engler sees much hope in these numbers , referring to them and to the vote at the UN as “ small victories.
” The growing pro-Palestinian sentiment is now also seeping into politics .
Following Israeli Prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to annex nearly a third of the occupied Palestinian West Bank , 57 members of parliament strongly protested this decision , demanding action from their government should Tel Aviv proceed with its illegal measures .
The change is far more rewarding within labor unions in the country than in politics .
“ Forty years , ago… unions were aggressive in their support of Zionism ; today , this is no longer the case , as many unions have passed resolutions supporting BDS campaigns.
” While Canada ’ s support for Israel is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada ’ s own colonial past and present interventionist foreign policy , the Canadian people and the international community remain major obstacles , challenging the toxic affinity between Ottawa and Tel Aviv .
The hope is that the growing pro-Palestinian tide , predicated on respect for international law and human rights , will eventually prevail in order to sever the Canada-Israel rapport permanently , and allow Canada to earn its place as a global leader .
Feature photo | A worker prepares the Canadian flag next to the Israeli flag ahead of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who meets with Israeli Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during her first to Israel , at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem , Oct. 31 , 2018 .
Jim Hollander | Pool via AP Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle .
He is the author of five books .
His latest is “ These Chains Will Be Broken : Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons ” ( Clarity Press , Atlanta ) .
Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CIGA ) , Istanbul Zaim University ( IZU ) .
His website is www.ramzybaroud.net Romana Rubeo is an Italian writer and the managing editor of The Palestine Chronicle .
Her articles appeared in many online newspapers and academic journals .
She holds a Master ’ s Degree in Foreign Languages and Literature , and specializes in audio-visual and journalism translation .

The notion that ‘Canada is better’, especially when compared with US foreign policy, has persisted for many years. Recent events at the United Nations have, however, exposed the true nature of Canada’s global position, particularly in the matter of its blind and unconditional support for Israel.
On June 17, Canada lost its second bid for the coveted UN Security Council seat, which, had it won, would have allowed Ottawa the opportunity to become a world leader, pushing its own agenda – and those of its allies – on the global stage.
However, this, too, was a wasted opportunity. Only 108 countries voted for Canada while 130 and 128 voted for Norway and Ireland respectively. Both these countries will be admitted to the Security Council, starting January 1, 2021.
What is striking about Canada’s missed opportunity is that it was in retribution for Canada’s bias towards Israel, at the expense of Palestine, international and humanitarian laws. Over the last twenty years alone, for example, Canada has voted against 166 resolutions supporting Palestinian rights, says Canadian author and human rights advocate, Yves Engler.
Moreover, Canada has lobbied – and continues to lobby – against the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation of war crimes in Palestine. Along with Germany, Austria and others, Canada has challenged the ICC’s jurisdiction on the matter, erroneously alleging that Palestine is not a State.
Shortly before the June vote on new Security Council members was held, a group of human rights activists circulated a letter to all UN members, detailing Canada’s poor record on Palestine. “Despite its peaceful reputation, Canada is not acting as a benevolent player on the international stage,” the letter read.
It added, “Since coming to power, the Justin Trudeau government has voted against more than 50 UN resolutions upholding Palestinian rights, even though they have been backed by the overwhelming majority of member states.”
Among the signatories of the letter were renowned American intellectual, Noam Chomsky, famed rock star, Roger Waters and former Quebec National Assembly member, Amir Khadir.
The vote against Canada at the UN was understood to be a stance against Ottawa’s position on Israel and Palestine, despite Canada’s Ambassador to the UN, Marc-Andre Blanchard, going on the defensive in a desperate attempt to dissuade member states from voting against his country.
In a letter sent to all member states, Blanchard argued that an earlier document written by “a group of Canadians regarding Canada’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict … contains significant inaccuracies and characterizes Canada’s longstanding policy positions”.
This succession of actions is unprecedented in recent years, where a country like Canada loses the respect and support of other UN member states largely due to its failure to respect the rights of the Palestinian people. To better understand the significance of this event, we spoke to Yves Engler, who played a direct role in championing the Palestinian cause and pushing for Canadian accountability at the United Nations.
Engler has also authored several books, among them “Canada and Israel: Building Apartheid” and “Left, Right: Marching to the Beat of Imperial Canada”.
“It is important for people to realize that this anti-Palestinian position that Canada pursues today is not new. It is grounded in at least a century of Zionist policy in this country,” Engler said.
The UN vote
Explaining the context of the June UN vote, Engler said that “the current Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, who is a liberal politician, expended a lot of energy into winning that seat; he undertook a huge campaign, called dozens of leaders around the world, lobbied very hard for that seat but, on the first round of voting, Canada was defeated resoundingly by Ireland and Norway.”
Engler added, “In my mind, there was no issue that contributed more to Canada’s loss in its bid for a Security Council seat than its anti-Palestinian record. And, more specifically, its voting against UN General Assembly resolutions that almost the entire world supports, isolated Canada with the US, Israel, Micronesia, and maybe one or two other countries.”
The Canadian setback at the UN should be directly attributed to grassroots activists and intellectuals like Engler.
“Activists’ groups – that I was part of – exposed records spanning the past two decades of the Canadian government voting consistently against the UN General Assembly resolutions. It voted against 166 UN General Assembly resolutions over the past twenty years. In comparison, Ireland and Norway did not vote against a single one of those UN General Assembly resolutions.”
The media lobby
“But how did Canada become pro-Israel?” we asked Engler.
“There is a very well-organized, pro-Israel lobby in Canada that is able to exert its influence over the media,” Engler said. “For instance, the pro-Israel group, ‘Honest Reporting Canada’, concentrates on criticizing every media source that expresses even a hint of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.”
However, compared with the dynamics of Israeli influence over Washington, Canada is quite different. Unlike the US, Engler continues, “Canada has much clearer restrictions on the funding of politicians, so there is nobody like Sheldon Adelson who gives a couple of hundred million dollars to Donald Trump which, then, sway Trump to adopt even more extreme anti-Palestinian positions. This dynamic does not exist in Canada, but the dominant media has always been sympathetic to the Zionist movement.”
Encouragingly, pro-Palestinian sentiment in Canada has grown over the last twenty years or so, to become a large network, an organized movement in its own right, which has, according to Engler, to “some extent, countered the dominance of the Zionist narrative.”
Canadian media, however, is still unwilling to challenge Israel’s power in the country, leaving the stage open to “pro-Israel groups … to attack pro-Palestinian activists.” “There is an incredible amount of trepidation, even in the pro-Palestinian movement, of being labeled as anti-Jewish,” Engler said.
Grassroots activism
Similar to the trend in other western countries, pro-Palestine groups in Canada are small, diverse, and organized at grassroots levels. These groups “tend not to be particularly well-founded or institutionally strong, while the pro-Israel side is far better organized.”
Yet, despite the pro-Israeli influence in government and media, “polls show, repeatedly, that the public is increasingly sympathetic to the Palestinian cause than what appears in the dominant media or in the official protocol. A recent poll has revealed that Canadians are very sympathetic towards boycotting Israel for violating international law.”
A March 2017 poll indicated that 78% of all Canadians believe that “BDS is reasonable”. Engler sees much hope in these numbers, referring to them and to the vote at the UN as “small victories.”
The growing pro-Palestinian sentiment is now also seeping into politics. Following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent decision to annex nearly a third of the occupied Palestinian West Bank, 57 members of parliament strongly protested this decision, demanding action from their government should Tel Aviv proceed with its illegal measures.
The change is far more rewarding within labor unions in the country than in politics. “Forty years, ago… unions were aggressive in their support of Zionism; today, this is no longer the case, as many unions have passed resolutions supporting BDS campaigns.”
While Canada’s support for Israel is, to a certain extent, consistent with Canada’s own colonial past and present interventionist foreign policy, the Canadian people and the international community remain major obstacles, challenging the toxic affinity between Ottawa and Tel Aviv.
The hope is that the growing pro-Palestinian tide, predicated on respect for international law and human rights, will eventually prevail in order to sever the Canada-Israel rapport permanently, and allow Canada to earn its place as a global leader.
Feature photo | A worker prepares the Canadian flag next to the Israeli flag ahead of the arrival of Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland who meets with Israeli Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during her first to Israel, at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, Oct. 31, 2018. Jim Hollander | Pool via AP
Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of five books. His latest is “These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons” (Clarity Press, Atlanta). Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA), Istanbul Zaim University (IZU). His website is www.ramzybaroud.net
Romana Rubeo is an Italian writer and the managing editor of The Palestine Chronicle. Her articles appeared in many online newspapers and academic journals. She holds a Master’s Degree in Foreign Languages and Literature, and specializes in audio-visual and journalism translation.


mintpressnews--2020-08-21--FSO Safer: Stricken Oil Tanker Off Yemen Coast Could Cause Explosion Dwarfing Beirut Blast

HODEIDA , YEMEN — In the wake of the deadly port explosion in Beirut , Lebanon on August 4 , many in Yemen are hoping that the world , and the United States and Saudi-led Coalition , in particular , will have gained a renewed sense of urgency in working to avoid a similar disaster off the coast of Yemen in the heavily traveled Bab al-Mandab Strait , one of the worlds ’ busiest international shipping lanes .
There , the FSO Safer sits roughly 25 miles northwest of Yemen ’ s port city of Hodeida , not only threatening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but also posing a very real threat to all countries bordering the Red Sea and to international navigation in general .
The vessel , which is filled with an estimated 1.1 million barrels of crude oil , has already entered a critical stage and is vulnerable to a disaster that could potentially rival that seen in Beirut .
With its built-in weight of 409,000 metric tons and a capacity of more than a million barrels of oil , the FSO Safer contains enough volatile material , over 150,000 metric tons of oil , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ammonium nitrate housed at the Beirut port seem relatively insignificant .
Though crude is not typically as explosive as ammonium nitrate , in the right conditions , it can be very volatile .
In the 2013 Quebec Lac-Mégantic rail disaster , 47 rail cars carrying crude oil caught fire , exploded , and produced a blast radius of one kilometer , leveling much of the town of Lac-Mégantic , killing more than 40 people and creating a massive environmental disaster .
The potential explosion of the Safer could leave millions of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and epidemic amid a Saudi-led bombing campaign and blockade vulnerable by forcing the closure of the Hodeida port , the gateway for 90 percent of the country ’ s food , medical and aid supplies , and by strangling traffic on one of the world ’ s busiest waterways , the Bab al-Mandab Strait .
Dozen of fishermen in Hodeida who spoke to MintPress expressed deep concern .
They called the FSO Safer a “ floating bomb ” lurking off their coast and say it could destroy their last source of food and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bab al-Mandab Strait would affect more than 100 Yemeni islands and coastal provinces , including Hodeida , Hajjah , and Aden .
It would also eradicate millions of tons of fish stocks , shattering the lives of Yemeni fishermen already facing impossible odds : bombing , free-falling fish stocks , shattered boats , an unreliable sea , hunger , and disease .
An oil spill in the Red Sea port would also destroy sensitive marine ecosystems and pose a threat to what remains of Yemen ’ s coastal tourism .
Worst of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of people in Hodeida without clean drinking water .
Experts at IR Consilium , a consultancy firm focusing on maritime law and security , warned that a spill in the area would force multiple desalination plants surrounding the Red Sea to close , depriving millions of access to clean drinking water .
According to a team of government officials that visited the tanker , oil from the vessel could begin leaking into the Red Sea at any time .
Those officials say that if any of the ship ’ s tanks rupture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area of 939 trillion square meters ( approx .
366,000 square miles ) , warning that the ship ’ s boilers and coolers suffer from severe corrosion .
In fact , the United Nations has claimed that oil on the Safer may have begun leaking three months ago , stemming from a leak in a cooling pipe that sent water bursting into the engine room .
Despite opposition from most of Yemen ’ s political factions , the Ansar Allah-led Salvation Government in Sana ’ a granted visas to a UN team to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a call by the UN for access to the ship .
Many political parties saw the move as a violation of Yemen ’ s sovereignty and an attempt to internationalize the tanker , similar to the attempt to internationalize the Beirut explosion investigations .
They say that it is not the time for visits , but to send urgently-needed maintenance equipment and spare parts .
The United Nations wants to dispatch a team , not to conduct the necessary maintenance of the ship , but to tow to an undisclosed location and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Ansar Allah , who see the survival of the tanker as a national security concern .
The ship needs restoration and maintenance , not disposal , according to Hussein al- Ezi , Ansarallah Deputy Foreign Minister who accused the Saudi-led coalition of politicizing the tanker issue .
“ The infrastructure that Saudi Arabia has not destroyed , it is trying to destroy it in a soft manner through the United Nations , ” he said .
Like most other economic and aid issues in Yemen , the plight of the tanker has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeatedly sounded the alarm and warned of a major catastrophe , but their warnings have been ignored .
Now , they say , the United States and Saudi-led Coalition has revived the controversy in order to deprive Yemenis of the oil stored on the ship , seizing on public awareness that arose following the Beirut explosion .
An official in Hodeida who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the situation said that there are concerns in the Houthi-led government that the FSO Safer could be bombed by local or international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Red Sea to a head .
The official referred to terrorist groups , Israel and the United Arab Emirates as the most significant threats .
Other political bodies in Yemen have accused the Saudi-led Coalition of politicizing the oil tanker in order to blackmail opposition forces who have made advances in the rich-oil Marib province .
In June , the UN Security Council expressed concern over “ the growing risk that the Safer oil tanker could rupture or explode causing an environmental , economic and humanitarian catastrophe for Yemen and its neighbors.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coalition allow the government in Sana ’ a to send maintenance and repair equipment , they called on the Houthis to “ immediately grant unconditional access to United Nations technical experts .
The Houthis eventually relented and have agreed to let a UN team access the tanker in order to avoid a spill .
Most of Yemen ’ s political bodies have rejected the outward concerns of the United States and UN Security Council about the fate of the FSO Safer , saying that they display interest in marine life and the environment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the thousands of Yemenis who die in Saudi bombings .
Some are calling for Ansar Allah to use the FSO Safer as a bargaining chip to negotiate an end to the war , a lifting of the Saudi blockade , or at least to allow much-needed oil to enter the country .
The Houthi-led government in Sana ’ a has repeatedly called for an assessment of the tanker , but those demands have been rejected .
On December 21 , 2016 , Yemen ’ s Minister of Oil and Minerals asked leaders of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a solution to the impending crisis .
He repeated his warnings in May of 2017 ; the situation , however , continued to worsen .
In April 2017 , the General Authority for Maritime Affairs announced that the cessation of most activities , including maintenance on the floating tanker , threatens a maritime disaster that could affect Yemen and neighboring countries , but the Saudi-led Coalition showed no interest .
The Saudi-led Coalition has accused the Houthis of using the Safer as a “ nuclear bomb ” for bargaining since the Houthis want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onboard the tanker will go to vital facilities including hospitals , electricity , and water treatment plants which are suffering from lack of fuel due to a Saudi blockade on Yemen .
The Coalition wants to keep that oil revenue , much as they have the revenue from Yemen ’ s southern regions where Saudi Arabia and the UAE are extracting oil from Shabwa , Balahaf , and Hadramout regions and transferring them to the National Bank in Saudi Arabia .
In 2015 , when the Saudi-led Coalition military campaign began in Yemen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from leaving Hodeida and forced crew members to abandon it , leaving important maintenance work undone and creating what is essentially a floating time bomb .
Since the vessel was abandoned , the Coalition has repeatedly prevented other ships from refueling the tanker with diesel to operate its generators used for cooling and to discharge gas emitted by the crude oil .
In 1988 , SEPOC anchored the ship permanently off the Ras Essa oil port , 4.8 miles offshore from the Yemeni coast on the Red Sea , and connected it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Marib .
The ship was outfitted with equipment to allow the transfer of crude oil to other transshipment vessels .
The Safer soon became the main export terminal for light crude oil extracted from Sector 18 in the Safer region of Marib , east of Yemen ’ s capital city of Sana ` a , as well as Sector 9 in the Malik area of the country ’ s Shabwa governorate .
It is designed to undergo constant maintenance in order to prevent the build-up of explosive gases .
In November of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Company ’ s Rama-1 ships from entering Rass Issa in Hodeida to unload 300 tons of diesel to supply the Safer FSO enough fuel to operate its generators and safety systems , according to a letter submitted by Middle East Shipping Company Limited to the Yemen Oil Company dated November 7 , 2016 .
Feature | An edited satellite image of the FSO Safer tanker moored near Hodeida , Yemen , June 17 , 2020 .
MintPress | Maxar Technologies via AP Ahmed AbdulKareem is a Yemeni journalist .
He covers the war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as local Yemeni media .

HODEIDA, YEMEN — In the wake of the deadly port explosion in Beirut, Lebanon on August 4, many in Yemen are hoping that the world, and the United States and Saudi-led Coalition, in particular, will have gained a renewed sense of urgency in working to avoid a similar disaster off the coast of Yemen in the heavily traveled Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the worlds’ busiest international shipping lanes. There, the FSO Safer sits roughly 25 miles northwest of Yemen’s port city of Hodeida, not only threatening the poorest country in the Middle East but also posing a very real threat to all countries bordering the Red Sea and to international navigation in general.
The vessel, which is filled with an estimated 1.1 million barrels of crude oil, has already entered a critical stage and is vulnerable to a disaster that could potentially rival that seen in Beirut. With its built-in weight of 409,000 metric tons and a capacity of more than a million barrels of oil, the FSO Safer contains enough volatile material, over 150,000 metric tons of oil, to make the reported 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate housed at the Beirut port seem relatively insignificant. Though crude is not typically as explosive as ammonium nitrate, in the right conditions, it can be very volatile. In the 2013 Quebec Lac-Mégantic rail disaster, 47 rail cars carrying crude oil caught fire, exploded, and produced a blast radius of one kilometer, leveling much of the town of Lac-Mégantic, killing more than 40 people and creating a massive environmental disaster.
The potential explosion of the Safer could leave millions of people already struggling against starvation, disease, and epidemic amid a Saudi-led bombing campaign and blockade vulnerable by forcing the closure of the Hodeida port, the gateway for 90 percent of the country’s food, medical and aid supplies, and by strangling traffic on one of the world’s busiest waterways, the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Dozen of fishermen in Hodeida who spoke to MintPress expressed deep concern. They called the FSO Safer a “floating bomb” lurking off their coast and say it could destroy their last source of food and income. An oil spill in the Bab al-Mandab Strait would affect more than 100 Yemeni islands and coastal provinces, including Hodeida, Hajjah, and Aden. It would also eradicate millions of tons of fish stocks, shattering the lives of Yemeni fishermen already facing impossible odds: bombing, free-falling fish stocks, shattered boats, an unreliable sea, hunger, and disease.
An oil spill in the Red Sea port would also destroy sensitive marine ecosystems and pose a threat to what remains of Yemen’s coastal tourism. Worst of all, officials say, it could leave millions of people in Hodeida without clean drinking water. Experts at IR Consilium, a consultancy firm focusing on maritime law and security, warned that a spill in the area would force multiple desalination plants surrounding the Red Sea to close, depriving millions of access to clean drinking water.
A ticking timebomb
According to a team of government officials that visited the tanker, oil from the vessel could begin leaking into the Red Sea at any time. Those officials say that if any of the ship’s tanks rupture, the fallout could potentially cover an area of 939 trillion square meters (approx. 366,000 square miles), warning that the ship’s boilers and coolers suffer from severe corrosion. In fact, the United Nations has claimed that oil on the Safer may have begun leaking three months ago, stemming from a leak in a cooling pipe that sent water bursting into the engine room.
Despite opposition from most of Yemen’s political factions, the Ansar Allah-led Salvation Government in Sana’a granted visas to a UN team to visit the ship this week in response to a call by the UN for access to the ship. Many political parties saw the move as a violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and an attempt to internationalize the tanker, similar to the attempt to internationalize the Beirut explosion investigations. They say that it is not the time for visits, but to send urgently-needed maintenance equipment and spare parts.
The United Nations wants to dispatch a team, not to conduct the necessary maintenance of the ship, but to tow to an undisclosed location and dismantle it. The move is rejected by Ansar Allah, who see the survival of the tanker as a national security concern. The ship needs restoration and maintenance, not disposal, according to Hussein al- Ezi, Ansarallah Deputy Foreign Minister who accused the Saudi-led coalition of politicizing the tanker issue. “The infrastructure that Saudi Arabia has not destroyed, it is trying to destroy it in a soft manner through the United Nations,” he said.
Yet another bargaining chip
Like most other economic and aid issues in Yemen, the plight of the tanker has become a bargaining chip. Yemenis have repeatedly sounded the alarm and warned of a major catastrophe, but their warnings have been ignored. Now, they say, the United States and Saudi-led Coalition has revived the controversy in order to deprive Yemenis of the oil stored on the ship, seizing on public awareness that arose following the Beirut explosion.
An official in Hodeida who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the situation said that there are concerns in the Houthi-led government that the FSO Safer could be bombed by local or international actors hoping to bring tensions in the Red Sea to a head. The official referred to terrorist groups, Israel and the United Arab Emirates as the most significant threats. Other political bodies in Yemen have accused the Saudi-led Coalition of politicizing the oil tanker in order to blackmail opposition forces who have made advances in the rich-oil Marib province.
In June, the UN Security Council expressed concern over “the growing risk that the Safer oil tanker could rupture or explode causing an environmental, economic and humanitarian catastrophe for Yemen and its neighbors.” Yet instead of requesting that the Saudi coalition allow the government in Sana’a to send maintenance and repair equipment, they called on the Houthis to “immediately grant unconditional access to United Nations technical experts. The Houthis eventually relented and have agreed to let a UN team access the tanker in order to avoid a spill.
Most of Yemen’s political bodies have rejected the outward concerns of the United States and UN Security Council about the fate of the FSO Safer, saying that they display interest in marine life and the environment but show disregard for the lives of the thousands of Yemenis who die in Saudi bombings. Some are calling for Ansar Allah to use the FSO Safer as a bargaining chip to negotiate an end to the war, a lifting of the Saudi blockade, or at least to allow much-needed oil to enter the country.
The Houthi-led government in Sana’a has repeatedly called for an assessment of the tanker, but those demands have been rejected. On December 21, 2016, Yemen’s Minister of Oil and Minerals asked leaders of the oil bodies and institutions to find a solution to the impending crisis. He repeated his warnings in May of 2017; the situation, however, continued to worsen. In April 2017, the General Authority for Maritime Affairs announced that the cessation of most activities, including maintenance on the floating tanker, threatens a maritime disaster that could affect Yemen and neighboring countries, but the Saudi-led Coalition showed no interest.
The Saudi-led Coalition has accused the Houthis of using the Safer as a “nuclear bomb” for bargaining since the Houthis want guarantees that the revenue from the oil onboard the tanker will go to vital facilities including hospitals, electricity, and water treatment plants which are suffering from lack of fuel due to a Saudi blockade on Yemen. The Coalition wants to keep that oil revenue, much as they have the revenue from Yemen’s southern regions where Saudi Arabia and the UAE are extracting oil from Shabwa, Balahaf, and Hadramout regions and transferring them to the National Bank in Saudi Arabia.
In 2015, when the Saudi-led Coalition military campaign began in Yemen, Saudi Arabia prevented the FSO Safer from leaving Hodeida and forced crew members to abandon it, leaving important maintenance work undone and creating what is essentially a floating time bomb. Since the vessel was abandoned, the Coalition has repeatedly prevented other ships from refueling the tanker with diesel to operate its generators used for cooling and to discharge gas emitted by the crude oil.
In 1988, SEPOC anchored the ship permanently off the Ras Essa oil port, 4.8 miles offshore from the Yemeni coast on the Red Sea, and connected it to the 430 km oil export pipeline originating from Marib. The ship was outfitted with equipment to allow the transfer of crude oil to other transshipment vessels.
The Safer soon became the main export terminal for light crude oil extracted from Sector 18 in the Safer region of Marib, east of Yemen’s capital city of Sana`a, as well as Sector 9 in the Malik area of the country’s Shabwa governorate. It is designed to undergo constant maintenance in order to prevent the build-up of explosive gases. In November of 2016, Coalition forces prevented the Safer Company’s Rama-1 ships from entering Rass Issa in Hodeida to unload 300 tons of diesel to supply the Safer FSO enough fuel to operate its generators and safety systems, according to a letter submitted by Middle East Shipping Company Limited to the Yemen Oil Company dated November 7, 2016.
Feature | An edited satellite image of the FSO Safer tanker moored near Hodeida, Yemen, June 17, 2020. MintPress | Maxar Technologies via AP
Ahmed AbdulKareem is a Yemeni journalist. He covers the war in Yemen for MintPress News as well as local Yemeni media.


mintpressnews--2020-08-21--Carefully Choreographed Convention Confirms Progressive Policies Not Central to Biden Bid

The Democratic National Convention continued for a fourth night last night , as the party coronates former vice president Joe Biden as its nomination for November .
Originally scheduled to be held in Milwaukee , the current pandemic meant that it is mostly taking place virtually , allowing the DNC to hold a more carefully choreographed celebration than would otherwise have been possible .
One key message from the proceedings is the emphasis the Biden campaign is putting on reaching out to so-called “ moderate Republicans , ” presenting Trump as an aberration and himself as the cure ( Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running mate ) .
The convention features a number of GOP speakers , chief among them John Kasich , who Donald Trump asked to become his vice-president in 2016 , offering him substantial control over both domestic and foreign policy .
“ I ’ m a lifelong Republican , but that attachment holds second place to my responsibility to my country , ” Kasich said .
“ We ’ re being taken down the wrong road by a president who has pitted one against the other.
” George W. Bush ’ s secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plea to voters to “ restore [ decent ] values to the White House ” by electing the former Delaware senator .
Other Republicans featured included former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Todd Whitman and former California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman .
There were fewer progressives speaking , undermining Trump ’ s claim that “ Sleepy Joe ” is a pawn of the “ radical left.
” Perhaps the star of Thursday evening ’ s events was a 13-year-old boy with a stutter that Biden , who formerly suffered from the same condition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden I wouldn ’ t be talking to you today , ” said Brayden Harrington , to the delight of journalists and political commentators .
Massachusetts Senator , Elizabeth Warren , meanwhile , spoke from an empty classroom , where she displayed the letters “ BLM ” prominently behind her — clearly a symbolic message .
However , breaking convention , Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard was not invited to speak , despite winning more delegates than Biden ’ s VP pick Kamala Harris .
Meanwhile , Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was given just one minute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overcome the progressive challenge and beat out Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for the nomination .
But Sanders ’ and other progressives ’ marks are clearly seen in the party ’ s platform , formally adopted on Tuesday .
The platform calls for universal free COVID testing , treatment and vaccination , making state and community college tuition-free for most people , comprehensive criminal justice reform , including decriminalizing marijuana usage , a $ 15 minimum wage , and an end to what it calls the “ race to war with Iran.
” However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Green New Deal , leading many on the party ’ s left-wing to vote against it .
The embarrassing visual shot of large numbers of voters on the convention floor voting against it was spared due to the pandemic .
Progressive as it is , the platform is in no way binding and represents only a symbolic “ wishlist ” of party proposals .
Even if the Democrats championed all the legislation , it is far from clear whether it would survive negotiations with Republicans , and could potentially be filibustered even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ house and senate .
Moreover , Biden himself refused to say he would lift sanctions on Iran if president , and insisted that “ nothing would fundamentally change ” under his administration .
Furthermore , the platform also includes the line “ Democrats believe the Western Hemisphere is America ’ s strategic home base , ” and promises to continue to “ rescue ” — i.e .
“ overthrow ” — Venezuela , a section which sounds eerily familiar to the Reagan era of dirty wars in Latin America .
John Negroponte , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the region ’ s genocides of the 1980s , recently endorsed Biden , stating that he was , “ just not sure the country can withstand another four years of the presidency with a man who has shown such disregard to the office.
” The Democratic establishment has also assiduously avoided discussing its progressive platform , focusing on Biden ’ s values and Trump ’ s lack of them , Biden ’ s wife Jill asking , “ How do you make a broken family whole ?
The same way you make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understanding .
And with small acts of kindness .
With bravery and with faith.
” While poll aggregators show Biden with a relatively healthy lead , this time in 2016 Hillary Clinton also ran on a policy-light ticket and presented Trump as an aberration , not a symptom of a wider problem in American society .
Clinton had a larger lead than Biden does and lost decisively .
Furthermore , Biden is suffering from an enthusiasm gap , with most Democratic voters viewing their ballot as one purely against Trump , with less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running mate .
And with Trump actively trying to undermine the postal voting process , determination might be a prerequisite just to cast a ballot in November .
The race is on .
Feature photo | Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention , Thursday , Aug. 20 , 2020 , at the Chase Center in Wilmington , Del .
Andrew Harnik | AP Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News .
After completing his PhD in 2017 he published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age : Still Manufacturing Consent .
He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , The Guardian , Salon , The Grayzone , Jacobin Magazine , Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary .

The Democratic National Convention continued for a fourth night last night, as the party coronates former vice president Joe Biden as its nomination for November. Originally scheduled to be held in Milwaukee, the current pandemic meant that it is mostly taking place virtually, allowing the DNC to hold a more carefully choreographed celebration than would otherwise have been possible.
One key message from the proceedings is the emphasis the Biden campaign is putting on reaching out to so-called “moderate Republicans,” presenting Trump as an aberration and himself as the cure (Biden himself floated picking a Republican as a running mate). The convention features a number of GOP speakers, chief among them John Kasich, who Donald Trump asked to become his vice-president in 2016, offering him substantial control over both domestic and foreign policy. “I’m a lifelong Republican, but that attachment holds second place to my responsibility to my country,” Kasich said. “We’re being taken down the wrong road by a president who has pitted one against the other.” George W. Bush’s secretary of state Colin Powell made a similar plea to voters to “restore [decent] values to the White House” by electing the former Delaware senator. Other Republicans featured included former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Todd Whitman and former California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman. There were fewer progressives speaking, undermining Trump’s claim that “Sleepy Joe” is a pawn of the “radical left.”
Perhaps the star of Thursday evening’s events was a 13-year-old boy with a stutter that Biden, who formerly suffered from the same condition, had helped. “Without Joe Biden I wouldn’t be talking to you today,” said Brayden Harrington, to the delight of journalists and political commentators. Massachusetts Senator, Elizabeth Warren, meanwhile, spoke from an empty classroom, where she displayed the letters “BLM” prominently behind her — clearly a symbolic message. However, breaking convention, Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard was not invited to speak, despite winning more delegates than Biden’s VP pick Kamala Harris. Meanwhile, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was given just one minute to speak.
Progressive policies or platitudes?
Biden was able to overcome the progressive challenge and beat out Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for the nomination. But Sanders’ and other progressives’ marks are clearly seen in the party’s platform, formally adopted on Tuesday. The platform calls for universal free COVID testing, treatment and vaccination, making state and community college tuition-free for most people, comprehensive criminal justice reform, including decriminalizing marijuana usage, a $15 minimum wage, and an end to what it calls the “race to war with Iran.” However, it did not adopt Medicare-For-All nor a Green New Deal, leading many on the party’s left-wing to vote against it. The embarrassing visual shot of large numbers of voters on the convention floor voting against it was spared due to the pandemic.
Progressive as it is, the platform is in no way binding and represents only a symbolic “wishlist” of party proposals. Even if the Democrats championed all the legislation, it is far from clear whether it would survive negotiations with Republicans, and could potentially be filibustered even if they had a majority in both house and senate. Moreover, Biden himself refused to say he would lift sanctions on Iran if president, and insisted that “nothing would fundamentally change” under his administration. Furthermore, the platform also includes the line “Democrats believe the Western Hemisphere is America’s strategic home base,” and promises to continue to “rescue” — i.e. “overthrow” — Venezuela, a section which sounds eerily familiar to the Reagan era of dirty wars in Latin America. John Negroponte, the Republican diplomat infamous for his role in the region’s genocides of the 1980s, recently endorsed Biden, stating that he was, “just not sure the country can withstand another four years of the presidency with a man who has shown such disregard to the office.”
Let me here some policy proposals? Please? All these platitudes mean nothing — Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) August 21, 2020
The Democratic establishment has also assiduously avoided discussing its progressive platform, focusing on Biden’s values and Trump’s lack of them, Biden’s wife Jill asking, “How do you make a broken family whole? The same way you make a nation whole. With love and understanding. And with small acts of kindness. With bravery and with faith.” While poll aggregators show Biden with a relatively healthy lead, this time in 2016 Hillary Clinton also ran on a policy-light ticket and presented Trump as an aberration, not a symptom of a wider problem in American society. Clinton had a larger lead than Biden does and lost decisively. Furthermore, Biden is suffering from an enthusiasm gap, with most Democratic voters viewing their ballot as one purely against Trump, with less passion for President Obama’s former running mate. And with Trump actively trying to undermine the postal voting process, determination might be a prerequisite just to cast a ballot in November. The race is on.
Feature photo | Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Del. Andrew Harnik | AP
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.


mintpressnews--2020-08-24--The Biden Campaign Walks Back its Attack on BDS… Sort Of

Linda Sarsour , a prominent Palestinian American activist , got the cold shoulder from the Biden campaign last week , followed by a sotto voce apology – but an elephant lingers in the room with the initials B.D.S .
Sarsour has worked across the progressive agenda on issues running from immigration , mass incarceration , and Black Lives Matter , to name a few .
But her position on free speech has overshadowed all the rest , and made her an outcast – at least temporarily – from the Joe Biden campaign .
The Boycott , Divest , Sanction ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community to exert economic pressure on Israel to comply with international law .
In its own words , “ BDS is a Palestinian-led movement for freedom , justice and equality .
BDS upholds the simple principle that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity.
” Sarsour ’ s support for the movement is what ostensibly led to the Biden campaign ’ s hostility .
When she appeared in a DNC virtual meeting Tuesday on Muslim voter engagement , the “ Trump War Room ” tweeted : “ Anti-Semite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boycotts Jewish-owned businesses Her extreme bigotry is welcomed by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
” A Biden spokesperson was quick to distance the campaign from Sarsour , saying in a statement : A number of Arab , Muslim , and progressive groups called for a retraction of the campaign ’ s censure of Sarsour and the Biden campaign eventually issued a semi-apology in an off-the-record phone call that did not include Sarsour .
Biden ’ s top foreign policy adviser , Tony Blinken told the activists , “ Historically , Republicans and Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arab-American and especially Palestinian-American voices , and I want to reiterate on behalf of all of us our support for your communities.
” The DNC platform , however , suggests otherwise .
This is not the first time the DNC has publically admonished a Muslim , a Palestinian , or a woman – and the attack on Sarsour was consistent with the plaform ’ s public stance on BDS .
This is how DNC does business The Democratic platform is clear on the issue of BDS : The party can not “ do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this clause is in place , some activists argue .
They worry that condemnation of BDS not only alienates those who support the movement – but neglects a position held by a majority of Democrats .
In fact , recent polls show that over 70 percent of American adults are against anti-boycott measures , and 53 percent of Democratic voters say BDS is a legitimate movement The DNC ’ s platform does not , therefore , align with the Democratic people .
Israel and its allies have targeted the BDS movement since its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is inherently anti-Semitic because of its criticism of the “ Jewish State.
” BDS critics point to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance ( IHRA ) working definition of anti-Semitism – particularly to some of the “ contemporary examples , ” including : “ Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination , e.g.
, by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.
” However , the IHRA definition and its application are not without their detractors – including by one of its authors .
The boycott movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the BDS effort is modeled – also denied a group the right to self-determination : white South Africans , whose self-determination came at the expense of non-white South Africans .
When Sarsour was attacked for giving a commencement address at CUNY in 2017 – not because of the content of her speech , but because of her criticism of Israel and support for BDS – at least one hundred Jewish American leaders came out in support of her , writing in an open letter , “ We may not agree with Sarsour on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our stamp of approval to every tweet or message she has ever posted .
But…we are committed to bridging communal boundaries and standing in solidarity with one another.
” One of Sarsour ’ s most famous remarks , made at the 2019 annual conference of American Muslims for Palestine in Chicago , may also be her most controversial : When criticized for this statement , she apologized unequivocally , explaining that she was not referring to the Jewish people – rather , Sarsour was referring to Israel ’ s 2018 Nation-State Law .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ our Constitution ) declares , among other things : The right to exercise national self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish people .
The state [ Israel ] will be open for Jewish immigration .
The state [ Israel ] views the development of Jewish settlement as a national value and will act to encourage and promote its establishment and consolidation .
These statements met with disapproval , not just by Sarsour , but also by many American Jewish leaders .
This legislation disregards the 20 percent non-Jewish minority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; Palestinian refugees ’ right of return ; and the worldwide consensus on the illegality of Israeli settlements .
If the DNC wishes to truly become the inclusive platform that stands for social justice and the marginalized , it must reconcile its position on Israel , BDS and the wider movement for human rights .
Feature photo | Linda Sarsour quiets the crowd at the start of a protest against Judge Brett Kavanaugh in the Russell Senate Office Building Rotunda , on Capitol Hill , Sept. 24 , 2018 in Washington .
Alex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MintPress News and If Americans Knew .
She speaks regularly about the injustice and demonization Palestinians face at the hands of Israel with complicity from the United States , especially to Christian audiences .
Kathryn has lived in the Middle East for ten years and has traveled extensively .
She blogs at PalestineHome.org .

Linda Sarsour, a prominent Palestinian American activist, got the cold shoulder from the Biden campaign last week, followed by a sotto voce apology – but an elephant lingers in the room with the initials B.D.S.
Sarsour has worked across the progressive agenda on issues running from immigration, mass incarceration, and Black Lives Matter, to name a few. But her position on free speech has overshadowed all the rest, and made her an outcast – at least temporarily – from the Joe Biden campaign.
The Boycott, Divest, Sanction (BDS) movement calls on the international community to exert economic pressure on Israel to comply with international law. In its own words, “BDS is a Palestinian-led movement for freedom, justice and equality. BDS upholds the simple principle that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity.”
Sarsour’s support for the movement is what ostensibly led to the Biden campaign’s hostility. When she appeared in a DNC virtual meeting Tuesday on Muslim voter engagement, the “Trump War Room” tweeted: “Anti-Semite Linda Sarsour…supports the Israel-hating BDS movement which boycotts Jewish-owned businesses Her extreme bigotry is welcomed by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.”
A Biden spokesperson was quick to distance the campaign from Sarsour, saying in a statement:
Joe Biden has been a strong supporter of Israel and a vehement opponent of antisemitism his entire life, and he obviously condemns her views and opposes BDS, as does the Democratic platform. She has no role in the Biden campaign whatsoever.”
A number of Arab, Muslim, and progressive groups called for a retraction of the campaign’s censure of Sarsour and the Biden campaign eventually issued a semi-apology in an off-the-record phone call that did not include Sarsour. Biden’s top foreign policy adviser, Tony Blinken told the activists, “Historically, Republicans and Democrats have been quick to dismiss Muslim, Arab-American and especially Palestinian-American voices, and I want to reiterate on behalf of all of us our support for your communities.”
Biden adviser Symone Sanders added,
That’s not how we do business… We are not in the business of condemning people and large swathes of the community, absolutely not. We are going to do better going forward. This will not be a situation that will happen again.”
The DNC platform, however, suggests otherwise. This is not the first time the DNC has publically admonished a Muslim, a Palestinian, or a woman – and the attack on Sarsour was consistent with the plaform’s public stance on BDS.
This is how DNC does business
The Democratic platform is clear on the issue of BDS:
[We oppose] any effort to unfairly single out and delegitimize Israel, including at the United Nations or through the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement [BDS].
The party can not “do better going forward” as long as this clause is in place, some activists argue. They worry that condemnation of BDS not only alienates those who support the movement – but neglects a position held by a majority of Democrats.
In fact, recent polls show that over 70 percent of American adults are against anti-boycott measures, and 53 percent of Democratic voters say BDS is a legitimate movement The DNC’s platform does not, therefore, align with the Democratic people.
Is BDS anti-Semitic?
Israel and its allies have targeted the BDS movement since its inception in 2005, alleging that it is inherently anti-Semitic because of its criticism of the “Jewish State.”
BDS critics point to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism – particularly to some of the “contemporary examples,” including: “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.”
However, the IHRA definition and its application are not without their detractors – including by one of its authors. The boycott movement against apartheid South Africa – on which the BDS effort is modeled – also denied a group the right to self-determination: white South Africans, whose self-determination came at the expense of non-white South Africans.
Is Linda Sarsour anti-Semitic?
When Sarsour was attacked for giving a commencement address at CUNY in 2017 – not because of the content of her speech, but because of her criticism of Israel and support for BDS – at least one hundred Jewish American leaders came out in support of her, writing in an open letter, “We may not agree with Sarsour on all matters. We do not offer our stamp of approval to every tweet or message she has ever posted. But…we are committed to bridging communal boundaries and standing in solidarity with one another.”
One of Sarsour’s most famous remarks, made at the 2019 annual conference of American Muslims for Palestine in Chicago, may also be her most controversial:
[H]ow can you be against white supremacy in America and the idea of being in a state based on race and class, but then you support a state like Israel that is…built on the idea that Jews are supreme to everyone else.”
When criticized for this statement, she apologized unequivocally, explaining that she was not referring to the Jewish people – rather, Sarsour was referring to Israel’s 2018 Nation-State Law. This Basic Law (on par with our Constitution) declares, among other things:
The right to exercise national self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish people.
The state [Israel] will be open for Jewish immigration.
The state [Israel] views the development of Jewish settlement as a national value and will act to encourage and promote its establishment and consolidation.
These statements met with disapproval, not just by Sarsour, but also by many American Jewish leaders. This legislation disregards the 20 percent non-Jewish minority in Israel: Palestinian aspirations for self-determination; Palestinian refugees’ right of return; and the worldwide consensus on the illegality of Israeli settlements.
If the DNC wishes to truly become the inclusive platform that stands for social justice and the marginalized, it must reconcile its position on Israel, BDS and the wider movement for human rights.
Feature photo | Linda Sarsour quiets the crowd at the start of a protest against Judge Brett Kavanaugh in the Russell Senate Office Building Rotunda, on Capitol Hill, Sept. 24, 2018 in Washington. Alex Brandon | AP
Kathryn Shihadah writes for MintPress News and If Americans Knew. She speaks regularly about the injustice and demonization Palestinians face at the hands of Israel with complicity from the United States, especially to Christian audiences. Kathryn has lived in the Middle East for ten years and has traveled extensively. She blogs at PalestineHome.org.