mintpressnews--2020-08-24--Hoping to Seize on UAE-Israel Deal, Pompeo and Kushner Head East in Search of New Allies for Israel

U.S. Secretary of State , Mike Pompeo and unelected advisor to President Donald Trump , Jared Kushner , are embarking on a tour of the Middle East beginning with a stop in Israel to discuss “ regional security issues related to Iran ’ s malicious influence ” with Prime Minister Netanyahu , followed by visits to Sudan , Bahrain and now official U.S. partner , the United Arab Emirates .
Spun as an effort to speed up a U.S.-brokered “ normalization ” between Arab countries and Israel , the trip comes just four days after the White House sent the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council with the message that all UN sanctions against Iran were to be restored ; invoking a clause in the Iran nuclear deal “ that allows participants to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran.
” Critics of the move have deemed it illegal , not only because the Trump administration itself withdrew from the deal it is now attempting to enforce , but also because the UN Security Council had previously voted to allow the arms embargo to expire in the fall .
As Pompeo and company land in Jerusalem , tensions are high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the countries on the itinerary , is in political disarray nearly two years after the ouster of longtime President Omar al-Bashir in 2018 .
In July , Sudanese Prime Minister , Abdalla Hamdok , replaced seven senior cabinet officials , including the ministers of finance , foreign , energy , and health .
Five days ago , he sacked his official spokesperson for disclosing ongoing talks with Israel during a press conference in which spokesman Haider Badawi said he was “ looking forward to concluding a peace agreement ” with the apartheid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Badawi ’ s comments , asserting that “ no one tasked [ the spokesman ] with making statements on this matter.
” Meanwhile , Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen has reportedly confirmed talks with Sudan , adding that “ Israel hopes to reach a peace agreement that includes the return of Sudanese refugees to their country , ” according to the Al-Ittihad newspaper .
Israeli officials have also claimed that Netanyahu himself met with the head of Sudan ’ s transitional government in Uganda last February for a top-secret meeting to discuss normalizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ client state , is also on Pompeo ’ s diplomatic schedule .
The tiny Gulf state of fewer than two million people has played host to the U.S. Navy since 1947 and was the headquarters for the British protectorate of the lower Persian Gulf after World War II .
The crown prince of Bahrain , Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa descends from a long line of Al-Khalifas to rule the nation under Britain ’ s neo-colonial eye and , later , as a sovereign country since 1971 .
Considered a “ strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ host of the only operating American naval base in the region with 7,800 U.S. troops , the Trump administration recently lifted arms sales restrictions imposed by Obama .
Another member of the Al-Kahlifa clan , Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Al-Khalifa , sat down for an interview with The Times of Israel last summer in which he said he “ hoped to visit Israel , when it ’ s all open , peaceful , ” signaling Bahrain ’ s openness to facilitate normalization between Israel and Arab states .
A report updated in June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CSR ) titled “ Bahrain : Unrest , Security , and U.S. Policy , ” outlined the country ’ s human rights record and history of political repression , which should nevertheless be overlooked because the country “ has long presented a policy dilemma for the United States because Bahrain is a longtime ally that is pivotal to maintaining Persian Gulf security.
” The policy dilemma is limited to whether or not Bahrain , Sudan or any other oil-rich countries wish to abide by Atlanticist dictates for their particular region , which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Palestinian people living under the apartheid regime in Israel and an intensification of the campaign of isolation against Iran .
This is being called normalization and some , like Sudan ’ s former government spokesman , see nothing wrong with it .
In what may be the most disingenuous statement ever made , Haider Badawi told Sky News Arabia that Sudan “ shall be able to build an exemplary peace deal to all our neighboring countries in the region , so that they are able to follow our footsteps and do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like to note here that even Palestinians have had a long history of diplomatic ties with Israel .
So , why should it be right for them and considered wrong for us.
” Pompeo will finalize his trip in the UAE , where he will meet with Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan to discuss the deal signed with Israel a few weeks ago .
Jared Kushner ’ s itinerary , however , has not been made public .
He will be accompanied on an ostensibly separate excursion by National Security adviser , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Iran , Brian Hook in what is only being described as “ talks with leaders in the region to encourage more Arab countries to follow in the UAE ’ s footsteps and move forward with full normalization of relations with Israel.
” Feature photo | Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , left , and White House adviser Jared Kushner , right , listen as President Donald Trump speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House .
Susan Walsh | AP

U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo and unelected advisor to President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, are embarking on a tour of the Middle East beginning with a stop in Israel to discuss “regional security issues related to Iran’s malicious influence” with Prime Minister Netanyahu, followed by visits to Sudan, Bahrain and now official U.S. partner, the United Arab Emirates.
Spun as an effort to speed up a U.S.-brokered “normalization” between Arab countries and Israel, the trip comes just four days after the White House sent the Secretary of State to the U.N. Security Council with the message that all UN sanctions against Iran were to be restored; invoking a clause in the Iran nuclear deal “that allows participants to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran.”
Critics of the move have deemed it illegal, not only because the Trump administration itself withdrew from the deal it is now attempting to enforce, but also because the UN Security Council had previously voted to allow the arms embargo to expire in the fall.
As Pompeo and company land in Jerusalem, tensions are high in the region. Sudan, one of the countries on the itinerary, is in political disarray nearly two years after the ouster of longtime President Omar al-Bashir in 2018. In July, Sudanese Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, replaced seven senior cabinet officials, including the ministers of finance, foreign, energy, and health. Five days ago, he sacked his official spokesperson for disclosing ongoing talks with Israel during a press conference in which spokesman Haider Badawi said he was “looking forward to concluding a peace agreement” with the apartheid state.
The Sudanese government immediately disavowed Badawi’s comments, asserting that “no one tasked [the spokesman] with making statements on this matter.” Meanwhile, Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen has reportedly confirmed talks with Sudan, adding that “Israel hopes to reach a peace agreement that includes the return of Sudanese refugees to their country,” according to the Al-Ittihad newspaper. Israeli officials have also claimed that Netanyahu himself met with the head of Sudan’s transitional government in Uganda last February for a top-secret meeting to discuss normalizing relations.
The long-time ally
Bahrain, a long-time Atlanticist client state, is also on Pompeo’s diplomatic schedule. The tiny Gulf state of fewer than two million people has played host to the U.S. Navy since 1947 and was the headquarters for the British protectorate of the lower Persian Gulf after World War II. The crown prince of Bahrain, Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa descends from a long line of Al-Khalifas to rule the nation under Britain’s neo-colonial eye and, later, as a sovereign country since 1971. Considered a “strong security partner” by the U.S. and host of the only operating American naval base in the region with 7,800 U.S. troops, the Trump administration recently lifted arms sales restrictions imposed by Obama. Another member of the Al-Kahlifa clan, Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Al-Khalifa, sat down for an interview with The Times of Israel last summer in which he said he “hoped to visit Israel, when it’s all open, peaceful,” signaling Bahrain’s openness to facilitate normalization between Israel and Arab states.
A report updated in June by the U.S. Congressional Research Service (CSR) titled “Bahrain: Unrest, Security, and U.S. Policy,” outlined the country’s human rights record and history of political repression, which should nevertheless be overlooked because the country “has long presented a policy dilemma for the United States because Bahrain is a longtime ally that is pivotal to maintaining Persian Gulf security.”
An easy dilemma
The policy dilemma is limited to whether or not Bahrain, Sudan or any other oil-rich countries wish to abide by Atlanticist dictates for their particular region, which has now shifted to a policy of exclusion of the Palestinian people living under the apartheid regime in Israel and an intensification of the campaign of isolation against Iran.
This is being called normalization and some, like Sudan’s former government spokesman, see nothing wrong with it. In what may be the most disingenuous statement ever made, Haider Badawi told Sky News Arabia that Sudan “shall be able to build an exemplary peace deal to all our neighboring countries in the region, so that they are able to follow our footsteps and do the same with Israel. I would like to note here that even Palestinians have had a long history of diplomatic ties with Israel. So, why should it be right for them and considered wrong for us.”
Pompeo will finalize his trip in the UAE, where he will meet with Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan to discuss the deal signed with Israel a few weeks ago. Jared Kushner’s itinerary, however, has not been made public. He will be accompanied on an ostensibly separate excursion by National Security adviser, Robert O’Brien and special envoy for Iran, Brian Hook in what is only being described as “talks with leaders in the region to encourage more Arab countries to follow in the UAE’s footsteps and move forward with full normalization of relations with Israel.”
Feature photo | Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, and White House adviser Jared Kushner, right, listen as President Donald Trump speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House. Susan Walsh | AP
Raul Diego is a MintPress News Staff Writer, independent photojournalist, researcher, writer and documentary filmmaker.


mintpressnews--2020-08-24--New Survey Highlights Effectiveness of Anti-China COVID Rhetoric

A new survey published today highlights the vast gaps between public perception and the reality of the impact of COVID-19 on the world .
The survey , conducted by YouGov across eight Western nations — the United States , the United Kingdom , Germany , France , Spain , Italy , Sweden and Denmark — asked around 10,000 participants to rank the impact that the coronavirus has had on a number of countries .
Respondents correctly placed the United States among those countries worst affected by the pandemic ; nearly six million Americans have tested positive for the virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives , with Brazil being the only other country to reach 100,000 deaths .
However , over ten percent of Europeans falsely stated that China was the worst hit by COVID-19 .
Americans were even further off the mark , with 28 percent thinking the same , and over half believing that China was in the top two states hardest hit by the virus .
China actually appears at only number 168 in Worldometers ’ list of countries ranked by COVID-19 deaths per capita and number 199 on COVID-19 infections per capita , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have done nothing like the testing Beijing has .
Indeed , judging by deaths per capita , China has fared better than Western COVID-19 poster child New Zealand , a country showered with praise for its exceptional response to the coronavirus , Prime Minister Jacinta Arden being christened “ Saint Jacinta ” by the Financial Times .
There have been precious few articles praising Beijing for its handling of the novel virus , which it first detected just before the new year .
In fact , pundits and politicians alike have excoriated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response as callous , ineffectual , or even near-genocidal , to the point where 54 percent of Americans believe that China should be made to pay reparations to the U.S. and the world .
China ’ s impressive COVID-19 figures could be explained by undercounting , either deliberate or accidental .
This is certainly the opinion of most of the West , as large majorities in each of the eight countries polled respond that Beijing is doing so , and deliberately .
Only nine percent of Americans , for instance , said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Western public skepticism clashes strongly with the international medical community , who have effusively praised China ’ s “ commitment to transparency.
” “ I have never seen the scale and commitment of an epidemic response at this level in terms of all of government involvement , ” said Dr. Michael Ryan , the World Health Organization ’ s Chief Executive Director for Health Emergencies , praising the organization of the Chinese state .
“ The challenge is great , but the response has been massive and the Chinese government deserve huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transparency in which they have dealt with this.
” The editor ’ s of The Lancet , perhaps the most prestigious medical journal in the world , also praised China ’ s “ remarkable ” commitment , “ working diligently and effectively ” to eradicate the virus .
However , they warned , their transparency and effectiveness are being “ threatened by rumors and misinformation ” emanating from the United States .
While some have criticized Chinese authorities for not acting sooner and allowing the pandemic to escape from Wuhan , by January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Hubei province , roughly the size and population of the United Kingdom , after only 17 people had died .
In comparison , only 42 percent of Americans thought the U.S. was undercounting , with 27 percent responding that they were overreporting deaths and infections .
This is despite President Trump publicly stating that lowering the figures would help him politically , his administration subsequently taking control of the official numbers from the CDC , and almost immediately seeing a drop in the infection rate .
( Europeans polled were far more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were ) .
Much of the great gap in public opinion and the empirical data might be explained by the anti-China rhetoric emanating from the White House , where officials have insisted on calling COVID-19 the “ Wuhan Flu , ” the “ China Virus ” or similar names aimed to deflect public anger towards Beijing .
Thus , when images of a huge , crowded pool party in a reopened Wuhan surfaced , they went viral online , causing outrage around the world .
Yet Wuhan residents were unrepentant , telling the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endured for months have paid off , and there is a lesson to be learned .
Both major parties have also ramped up the hostile rhetoric towards Beijing , with Trump and Biden accusing each other of being soft on China .
With an ever larger U.S. military presence in the South China Sea , blaming China could turn to bombing China unless we are careful .
Feature photo | A woman holds a sign as she attends a rally outside the Missouri Capitol to protest stay-at-home orders put into place due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday .
Jeff Roberson | 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 .

A new survey published today highlights the vast gaps between public perception and the reality of the impact of COVID-19 on the world. The survey, conducted by YouGov across eight Western nations — the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden and Denmark — asked around 10,000 participants to rank the impact that the coronavirus has had on a number of countries. Respondents correctly placed the United States among those countries worst affected by the pandemic; nearly six million Americans have tested positive for the virus, and over 180,000 people have lost their lives, with Brazil being the only other country to reach 100,000 deaths.
However, over ten percent of Europeans falsely stated that China was the worst hit by COVID-19. Americans were even further off the mark, with 28 percent thinking the same, and over half believing that China was in the top two states hardest hit by the virus. China actually appears at only number 168 in Worldometers’ list of countries ranked by COVID-19 deaths per capita and number 199 on COVID-19 infections per capita, with all those lower being poorer countries that have done nothing like the testing Beijing has. Indeed, judging by deaths per capita, China has fared better than Western COVID-19 poster child New Zealand, a country showered with praise for its exceptional response to the coronavirus, Prime Minister Jacinta Arden being christened “Saint Jacinta” by the Financial Times. There have been precious few articles praising Beijing for its handling of the novel virus, which it first detected just before the new year. In fact, pundits and politicians alike have excoriated Xi Jinping and his government’s response as callous, ineffectual, or even near-genocidal, to the point where 54 percent of Americans believe that China should be made to pay reparations to the U.S. and the world.
China’s impressive COVID-19 figures could be explained by undercounting, either deliberate or accidental. This is certainly the opinion of most of the West, as large majorities in each of the eight countries polled respond that Beijing is doing so, and deliberately. Only nine percent of Americans, for instance, said that Chinese figures were “probably about right.” Western public skepticism clashes strongly with the international medical community, who have effusively praised China’s “commitment to transparency.” “I have never seen the scale and commitment of an epidemic response at this level in terms of all of government involvement,” said Dr. Michael Ryan, the World Health Organization’s Chief Executive Director for Health Emergencies, praising the organization of the Chinese state. “The challenge is great, but the response has been massive and the Chinese government deserve huge credit for that response and for the transparency in which they have dealt with this.” The editor’s of The Lancet, perhaps the most prestigious medical journal in the world, also praised China’s “remarkable” commitment, “working diligently and effectively” to eradicate the virus. However, they warned, their transparency and effectiveness are being “threatened by rumors and misinformation” emanating from the United States. While some have criticized Chinese authorities for not acting sooner and allowing the pandemic to escape from Wuhan, by January 23, they had locked down most of Hubei province, roughly the size and population of the United Kingdom, after only 17 people had died.
In comparison, only 42 percent of Americans thought the U.S. was undercounting, with 27 percent responding that they were overreporting deaths and infections. This is despite President Trump publicly stating that lowering the figures would help him politically, his administration subsequently taking control of the official numbers from the CDC, and almost immediately seeing a drop in the infection rate. (Europeans polled were far more skeptical of official U.S. figures than Americans were).
Much of the great gap in public opinion and the empirical data might be explained by the anti-China rhetoric emanating from the White House, where officials have insisted on calling COVID-19 the “Wuhan Flu,” the “China Virus” or similar names aimed to deflect public anger towards Beijing. Thus, when images of a huge, crowded pool party in a reopened Wuhan surfaced, they went viral online, causing outrage around the world. Yet Wuhan residents were unrepentant, telling the world that the strict anti-virus measures they endured for months have paid off, and there is a lesson to be learned.
Both major parties have also ramped up the hostile rhetoric towards Beijing, with Trump and Biden accusing each other of being soft on China. With an ever larger U.S. military presence in the South China Sea, blaming China could turn to bombing China unless we are careful.
Feature photo | A woman holds a sign as she attends a rally outside the Missouri Capitol to protest stay-at-home orders put into place due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Jefferson City on Tuesday. Jeff Roberson | 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 Tribulations of Triangulation: Few Options for Belarus Amid a Color Revolution

A “ color revolution ” is a media term for a movement based on legitimate grievances only to be co-opted into a regime change operation backed by the US and confederates .
There have been so many – Georgia in 2003 , Ukraine in 2004 , Kyrgyzstan in 2005 – that they have run out of colors .
Belarus is amidst the “ slipper ” color revolution .
Belarus , a former constituent republic of the USSR , declared its sovereignty in 1990 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union .
Under its new and now contested President Alexander Lukashenko @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rejected the western-imposed “ economic shock therapy ” that looted the public wealth of many of the other former Soviet republics .
Earning the sobriquet of the “ last Soviet republic , ” Belarus retained state-run industry and agriculture , the social safety net , and the relative equality of the socialist period .
Along with that came the enduring Cold War enmity of the US and its NATO epigones .
In contrast , the newly “ liberated ” Russian Federation , with its US-installed leader Boris Yeltsin and its cabal of nouveau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capital .
( Note : The Slavs have “ oligarchs , ” while the US has “ philanthropists ” like Turner , Gates , and Soros . )
Its standard of living , social services , and life expectancy went into freefall .
Initially , Belarus was more prosperous than Russia , but as the Belarusian economy slowed in the early 2000s , the Russian economy surged with the ascendance of Vladimir Putin .
The sprawling US embassy in Belarus occupies an area the size of a city block .
Clearly , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The US is preoccupied with regime change .
In 2004 , the US passed the Belarus Democracy Act overtly funding anti-government NGOs in Belarus and prohibiting loans .
The official languages of Belarus are Belarusian and Russian .
Some 80 % of the population is ethnic Belarusian followed by Russian .
In 2000 , Belarus and Russia established the Union State , a supranational confederation for economic integration and common defense .
Though the two sovereigns declared the goal of a single entity , efforts at implementation have variously been stalled by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas to Belarus at discounted rates .
Belarus permits Russia to have a missile defense system on its territory , which is considered a critical deterrent against a NATO nuclear first strike .
Following the US-backed coup in neighboring Ukraine in 2014 , Lukashenko took a more independent , nationalist tack , reflecting the predicament of Belarus as a buffer between Russia and an increasingly aggressive NATO .
Lukashenko has tried to triangulate between Russia and the West .
Muammar Gaddafi chose a similarly conciliatory path , which ended badly for him and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sided mainly with Russia in addition to upholding Palestinian rights , warm relations with Venezuela , and trade with Syria .
From Washington ’ s perspective , these have been fatal moves for Lukashenko .
But the primary motivator of US foreign policy – with Lithuania , Latvia , and Estonia joining NATO in 2004 and post-coup Ukraine likely on the way – is to complete the military occupation of Russia ’ s western border .
Hence “ Europe ’ s last dictator ” must go .
Playing both carrot and stick , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last February to conclude an oil deal to wean Belarus from dependence on Russian-sourced petrol .
Then in April , the US and Belarus reestablished diplomatic relations .
The National Endowment for Democracy ( NED ) , the quasi-governmental US agency which does legally what the CIA does extra-legally , currently lists projects in Belarus euphemistically described as “ developing civil society , ” “ fostering freedom of the media , ” and “ fostering youth activism.
” They sound so good that one might wish for the NED to import some “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the run-up to the August 9 presidential election in Belarus , credible reports circulated of suppression of the opposition .
Lukashenko won with a less than credible 80 % of the vote .
Still , most observers not aligned with the regime-change project believe he carried a majority .
The runner-up candidate , Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya , received 10 % of the vote .
She absconded to Lithuania after the election , where she proclaimed herself the winner and ready to lead Belarus .
The West now has their puppet president in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showing of industrial workers , erupted calling not only for “ free and fair elections , ” but for total system change .
A national protest strike , centered in Minsk , is in the making .
Angry young people wave the red and white flag that was flown during the Nazi occupation , as the opposition protest morphs into a force aligned with the West and against anything Russian .
While the leadership of these protests is deeply anti-Russian , most of the protestors are not .
But the winds of xenophobia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protest movement is being co-opted by foreign interests .
The call for “ democracy ” raises the question of democracy for whom and under what kind of system .
A coalition of opposition groups published a program of the Belarusian opposition .
Among the sponsors of the program is the USAID , the cover agency for the CIA .
A nearly identical document had been promulgated in 2014 after the Ukrainian coup .
This published opposition program calls for a complete reorientation of the Belarusian state and society from east to west and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Politically , Belarus would withdraw from the Union State and all other structures where Russia is prominent and join the European Union and NATO .
In conjunction with the privatization of state enterprises and the creation of a thorough market economy , purchase of Belarusian enterprises by Russia would be prohibited while being opened to western corporate interests .
Russian media along with scientific and cultural exchanges would be suppressed .
The official use of the Russian language would be banned in a nation where 70 % speak Russian at home .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Belarusian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church .
The embers of reactionary nationalism would be fanned .
By just about all accounts , Lukashenko ’ s 26-year rule of Belarus degenerated with questionable elections , authoritarian practices , mismanagement , and corruption .
Even if Lukashenko won the last election , he has lost much of his credibility with his people , certainly with the West , and even with his Russian ally .
The US involvement in Belarus is not nearly as overt as it was in the Ukraine coup and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to be to achieve desired outcomes .
Obama ’ s former deputy national security advisor , Ben Rhodes , tweeted on August 11 : “ Americans have to recognize that the fight against Lukashenko in Belarus is our fight.
” Similarly , the UK , France , and Germany are fishing in these troubled waters along with Poland and the Baltic states .
While Russia and China have recognized Lukashenko ’ s election , they have not more vigorously supported him publicly .
Lukashenko may have thought through the consequences of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no other elections , unless you kill me.
” He appears to have reassessed his options and is triangulating back towards the Union State with Russia in hopes of weathering the protests and , perhaps , holding elections in the new state .
The West is bent on Lukashenko ’ s ouster and Putin is at best lukewarm .
Domestically the intelligentsia are alienated , workers discontented , and even his security services show signs of disloyalty .
Lukashenko may try to save his skin and the quasi-socialist state he founded by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complexity of contending interests , international law and the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of sovereign states must be upheld .
Belarus needs to have the freedom to resolve the crisis without outside interference .
Based on the examples of Ukraine , Moldova , Romania , and Poland , Armin Fischer , a German observer , warns that a color revolution in Belarus could bring : “ Free elections , ” Fischer admonishes , would bring the “ freedom ” to be migrant workers competing for low-paying , undesirable jobs in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eighteen Communist parties of the former Soviet republics recall the consequences of the dissolution of the USSR in their August 18th statement on Belarus : Belarus under Lukashenko has its faults .
Even so , a neoliberal coup would be worse for the people .
The economic collapse of post-coup Ukraine , now the poorest country in Europe , serves as a cautionary example .
Those who condemn the excesses of the present government need also consider the greater bloodbaths that followed rightist putsches in other former Soviet republics .
George W. Bush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re either with us or with the terrorists ” epitomizes the dilemma of Belarus in a world dominated by a hegemonic superpower .
The playbook is familiar .
Years of foreign subversion feeding on genuine domestic discontent erupts into an orchestrated regime change movement .
Belarus shows that any small state with a mildly socialist system and independent foreign policy invites subversion by the Yankee hegemon and its collaborators .
Even if Belarus had met the highest standards of democracy and efficiency , a western-backed color revolution might not have been avoided .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ old Belarusian national flag as he stands in front of police during a demonstration in Minsk , Belarus , Aug. 9 , 2020 .
Sergei Grits | AP Roger D. Harris is with the Task Force on the Americas , a human rights group working in solidarity with the social justice movements in Latin America and the Caribbean since 1985 .
Two of his grandparents were from Belarus .

A “color revolution” is a media term for a movement based on legitimate grievances only to be co-opted into a regime change operation backed by the US and confederates. There have been so many – Georgia in 2003, Ukraine in 2004, Kyrgyzstan in 2005 – that they have run out of colors. Belarus is amidst the “slipper” color revolution.
The last Soviet republic
Belarus, a former constituent republic of the USSR, declared its sovereignty in 1990 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Under its new and now contested President Alexander Lukashenko, first elected in 1994, Belarus rejected the western-imposed “economic shock therapy” that looted the public wealth of many of the other former Soviet republics.
Earning the sobriquet of the “last Soviet republic,” Belarus retained state-run industry and agriculture, the social safety net, and the relative equality of the socialist period. Along with that came the enduring Cold War enmity of the US and its NATO epigones.
In contrast, the newly “liberated” Russian Federation, with its US-installed leader Boris Yeltsin and its cabal of nouveau riche oligarchs, was plundered by western capital. (Note: The Slavs have “oligarchs,” while the US has “philanthropists” like Turner, Gates, and Soros.) Its standard of living, social services, and life expectancy went into freefall. Initially, Belarus was more prosperous than Russia, but as the Belarusian economy slowed in the early 2000s, the Russian economy surged with the ascendance of Vladimir Putin.
The sprawling US embassy in Belarus occupies an area the size of a city block. Clearly, the Yanks do more than just issue visas. The US is preoccupied with regime change. In 2004, the US passed the Belarus Democracy Act overtly funding anti-government NGOs in Belarus and prohibiting loans.
The tribulations of triangulation
The official languages of Belarus are Belarusian and Russian. Some 80% of the population is ethnic Belarusian followed by Russian. In 2000, Belarus and Russia established the Union State, a supranational confederation for economic integration and common defense. Though the two sovereigns declared the goal of a single entity, efforts at implementation have variously been stalled by Lukashenko.
Russia sells oil and natural gas to Belarus at discounted rates. Belarus permits Russia to have a missile defense system on its territory, which is considered a critical deterrent against a NATO nuclear first strike.
Following the US-backed coup in neighboring Ukraine in 2014, Lukashenko took a more independent, nationalist tack, reflecting the predicament of Belarus as a buffer between Russia and an increasingly aggressive NATO. Lukashenko has tried to triangulate between Russia and the West. Muammar Gaddafi chose a similarly conciliatory path, which ended badly for him and his country.
Internationally, Belarus has sided mainly with Russia in addition to upholding Palestinian rights, warm relations with Venezuela, and trade with Syria. From Washington’s perspective, these have been fatal moves for Lukashenko. But the primary motivator of US foreign policy – with Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia joining NATO in 2004 and post-coup Ukraine likely on the way – is to complete the military occupation of Russia’s western border. Hence “Europe’s last dictator” must go.
Playing both carrot and stick, US Secretary of State Pompeo visited Belarus last February to conclude an oil deal to wean Belarus from dependence on Russian-sourced petrol. Then in April, the US and Belarus reestablished diplomatic relations.
The National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the quasi-governmental US agency which does legally what the CIA does extra-legally, currently lists projects in Belarus euphemistically described as “developing civil society,” “fostering freedom of the media,” and “fostering youth activism.” They sound so good that one might wish for the NED to import some “pro-democracy measures” back to the homeland.
Legitimate protest morphs in a reactionary direction
In the run-up to the August 9 presidential election in Belarus, credible reports circulated of suppression of the opposition. Lukashenko won with a less than credible 80% of the vote. Still, most observers not aligned with the regime-change project believe he carried a majority.
The runner-up candidate, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, received 10% of the vote. She absconded to Lithuania after the election, where she proclaimed herself the winner and ready to lead Belarus. The West now has their puppet president in exile.
Mass protests, including a showing of industrial workers, erupted calling not only for “free and fair elections,” but for total system change. A national protest strike, centered in Minsk, is in the making.
Angry young people wave the red and white flag that was flown during the Nazi occupation, as the opposition protest morphs into a force aligned with the West and against anything Russian. While the leadership of these protests is deeply anti-Russian, most of the protestors are not. But the winds of xenophobia are being fanned. An initially legitimate protest movement is being co-opted by foreign interests.
A complete reorientation
The call for “democracy” raises the question of democracy for whom and under what kind of system. A coalition of opposition groups published a program of the Belarusian opposition. Among the sponsors of the program is the USAID, the cover agency for the CIA. A nearly identical document had been promulgated in 2014 after the Ukrainian coup.
This published opposition program calls for a complete reorientation of the Belarusian state and society from east to west and the establishment of a neoliberal political economy.
Politically, Belarus would withdraw from the Union State and all other structures where Russia is prominent and join the European Union and NATO. In conjunction with the privatization of state enterprises and the creation of a thorough market economy, purchase of Belarusian enterprises by Russia would be prohibited while being opened to western corporate interests.
Russian media along with scientific and cultural exchanges would be suppressed. The official use of the Russian language would be banned in a nation where 70% speak Russian at home. Even the Belarusian Orthodox Church would replace the Belarusian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church. The embers of reactionary nationalism would be fanned.
The situation is volatile
By just about all accounts, Lukashenko’s 26-year rule of Belarus degenerated with questionable elections, authoritarian practices, mismanagement, and corruption. Even if Lukashenko won the last election, he has lost much of his credibility with his people, certainly with the West, and even with his Russian ally.
The US involvement in Belarus is not nearly as overt as it was in the Ukraine coup and, given the circumstances, may not need to be to achieve desired outcomes. Obama’s former deputy national security advisor, Ben Rhodes, tweeted on August 11: “Americans have to recognize that the fight against Lukashenko in Belarus is our fight.”
Similarly, the UK, France, and Germany are fishing in these troubled waters along with Poland and the Baltic states. While Russia and China have recognized Lukashenko’s election, they have not more vigorously supported him publicly.
Lukashenko may have thought through the consequences of his previous stance: “There will be no other elections, unless you kill me.” He appears to have reassessed his options and is triangulating back towards the Union State with Russia in hopes of weathering the protests and, perhaps, holding elections in the new state.
The West is bent on Lukashenko’s ouster and Putin is at best lukewarm. Domestically the intelligentsia are alienated, workers discontented, and even his security services show signs of disloyalty. Lukashenko may try to save his skin and the quasi-socialist state he founded by a “phased leadership transition.”
A small fish in a superpower sea
Despite the complexity of contending interests, international law and the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of sovereign states must be upheld. Belarus needs to have the freedom to resolve the crisis without outside interference.
Based on the examples of Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, and Poland, Armin Fischer, a German observer, warns that a color revolution in Belarus could bring:
the liquidation of state enterprises, mass layoffs, collapse of collective farms, mass exodus from the countryside and the death of villages…disintegration of the social infrastructure of daycare centers, hospitals, old people’s homes and the consequences for life expectancy, alcoholism and neglect…. In return, you will certainly get new oligarchs.”
“Free elections,” Fischer admonishes, would bring the “freedom” to be migrant workers competing for low-paying, undesirable jobs in Western Europe.
The leaders of the eighteen Communist parties of the former Soviet republics recall the consequences of the dissolution of the USSR in their August 18th statement on Belarus:
In Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, and Tajikistan, a bloody conflagration of fratricidal interethnic war broke out. In the Baltic States, the neo-fascists who came to power staged a real apartheid – they divided the entire population of their ‘independent,’ ‘democratic’ States into ‘citizens’ and disenfranchised sub-humans, the so-called ‘non-citizens.’”
Belarus under Lukashenko has its faults. Even so, a neoliberal coup would be worse for the people. The economic collapse of post-coup Ukraine, now the poorest country in Europe, serves as a cautionary example. Those who condemn the excesses of the present government need also consider the greater bloodbaths that followed rightist putsches in other former Soviet republics.
George W. Bush’s declaration of “you’re either with us or with the terrorists” epitomizes the dilemma of Belarus in a world dominated by a hegemonic superpower. The playbook is familiar. Years of foreign subversion feeding on genuine domestic discontent erupts into an orchestrated regime change movement.
Belarus shows that any small state with a mildly socialist system and independent foreign policy invites subversion by the Yankee hegemon and its collaborators. Even if Belarus had met the highest standards of democracy and efficiency, a western-backed color revolution might not have been avoided.
Feature photo | A protester holds an old Belarusian national flag as he stands in front of police during a demonstration in Minsk, Belarus, Aug. 9, 2020. Sergei Grits | AP
Roger D. Harris is with the Task Force on the Americas, a human rights group working in solidarity with the social justice movements in Latin America and the Caribbean since 1985. Two of his grandparents were from Belarus.


mintpressnews--2020-08-24--“Paid Vacation” for Kenosha Cops Who Shot Unarmed Jacob Blake in the Back

The police officers responsible for shooting unarmed black man Jacob “ Jake ” Blake yesterday have been placed on administrative leave , Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul confirmed today .
The officers involved in what Kaul terms an “ officer involved shooting ” were said to be cooperating with investigations , according to police .
This , for many , was not an adequate response .
“ Kenosha cops who shot Jacob Blake 7 times in the back are given a paid vacation , ” reacted writer Arun Gupta on Twitter , reflecting the mood of many in the small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a peacemaker at an incident yesterday , trying to break up a fight between two women .
However , after police arrived , they tased him and proceeded to draw their firearms on him .
Video of the incident shows Blake walking towards his car pursued by police .
As he opens the door , an officer grabs his shoulder , at which point at least one officer begins repeatedly emptying rounds into his back from point blank range , to the screams of the many bystanders watching .
Blake falls forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Remarkably , he did not die immediately and was taken for emergency treatment to a hospital in nearby Milwaukee .
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump , the lawyer representing George Floyd , claimed that Blake ’ s three young children were in the car at the time police shot seven rounds into it .
“ They saw a cop shoot their father .
They will be traumatized forever .
We can not let officers violate their duty to protect us .
Our kids deserve better , ” he said .
The extremely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ below .
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers condemned the police actions , stating that Blake is “ not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country.
” “ I have said all along that although we must offer our empathy , equally important is our action , ” he added .
“ In the coming days , we will demand just that of elected officials in our state who have failed to recognize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country for far too long.
” The afternoon ’ s shooting sparked spontaneous protests in the city ’ s center that evening , with hundreds of people converging , chanting , “ Whose streets ?
Our streets , ” and , “ No justice .
No peace .
No crooked police.
” While most of the demonstrators were peaceful , riots also began to flare , with businesses destroyed and police cars vandalized .
Large dump trucks were also set on fire during the evening and one police officer was struck in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Riot police and SWAT teams were called in around the city ’ s courthouse and a curfew was declared , with authorities shooting tear gas at protesters .
Yesterday ’ s Kenosha shooting immediately drew parallels with the killing of George Floyd in May , an event which sparked a summer of protest and discussion across the United States , changing the national conversation around policing .
But in the previous case , Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin was quickly fired , as police officials sensed they had little other option , given the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved in yesterday ’ s shooting , however , have been given what effectively amounts to paid leave , suggesting that authorities do not expect as much of a public pushback as in the George Floyd case .
Police kill , on average , about 1,000 people every year across the United States , more than all other developed countries combined .
In many European countries , police shootings are virtually unheard of because they do not carry guns .
This year , however , American law enforcement officers have already killed 731 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average .
Being shot by police is a leading cause of death for young black men in the United States , who are three times more likely to be victims of police violence than white men .
In 99 percent of all police shootings between 2013 and 2019 , officers involved were not charged .
Far fewer were convicted .
Judging by the initial response from the Wisconsin Attorney General , it does not appear particularly likely that the unnamed officers involved in yesterday ’ s violence will be among the one percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gear stand outside the Kenosha County Court House , Aug. 24 , 2020 , in Kenosha , Wis .
Protests broke after a police shooting .
Morry Gash | 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 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Herald Tribune and The Canary .

The police officers responsible for shooting unarmed black man Jacob “Jake” Blake yesterday have been placed on administrative leave, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul confirmed today. The officers involved in what Kaul terms an “officer involved shooting” were said to be cooperating with investigations, according to police. This, for many, was not an adequate response. “Kenosha cops who shot Jacob Blake 7 times in the back are given a paid vacation,” reacted writer Arun Gupta on Twitter, reflecting the mood of many in the small Wisconsin city.
Blake was reportedly acting as a peacemaker at an incident yesterday, trying to break up a fight between two women. However, after police arrived, they tased him and proceeded to draw their firearms on him. Video of the incident shows Blake walking towards his car pursued by police. As he opens the door, an officer grabs his shoulder, at which point at least one officer begins repeatedly emptying rounds into his back from point blank range, to the screams of the many bystanders watching. Blake falls forward into the car, activating the horn. Remarkably, he did not die immediately and was taken for emergency treatment to a hospital in nearby Milwaukee.
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, the lawyer representing George Floyd, claimed that Blake’s three young children were in the car at the time police shot seven rounds into it. “They saw a cop shoot their father. They will be traumatized forever. We cannot let officers violate their duty to protect us. Our kids deserve better,” he said. The extremely graphic video of the event is included below.
Jacob Blake was shot in the back 7 times. This is what they’re doing in Kenosha. Unarmed. And was breaking up a fight. But he gets shot. This was a shoot to kill. And yet, people will still try to justify this. YOU CAN’T. pic.twitter.com/gUQFJ8jLcB — Sir Abdur Pricè (@abdurprice) August 24, 2020
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers condemned the police actions, stating that Blake is “not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country.” “I have said all along that although we must offer our empathy, equally important is our action,” he added. “In the coming days, we will demand just that of elected officials in our state who have failed to recognize the racism in our state and our country for far too long.”
The afternoon’s shooting sparked spontaneous protests in the city’s center that evening, with hundreds of people converging, chanting, “Whose streets? Our streets,” and, “No justice. No peace. No crooked police.” While most of the demonstrators were peaceful, riots also began to flare, with businesses destroyed and police cars vandalized. Large dump trucks were also set on fire during the evening and one police officer was struck in the head in a protester involved incident. Riot police and SWAT teams were called in around the city’s courthouse and a curfew was declared, with authorities shooting tear gas at protesters.
I took this video while passing the #Kenosha County Courthouse just before 1 a.m. Protesters left the shooting scene and came here Sunday night, where they lit several garbage trucks (initially positioned in an attempt to block streets) on fire. pic.twitter.com/Kp5xLRnJFp — Kasey Chronis (@KaseyChronisTV) August 24, 2020
Yesterday’s Kenosha shooting immediately drew parallels with the killing of George Floyd in May, an event which sparked a summer of protest and discussion across the United States, changing the national conversation around policing. But in the previous case, Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin was quickly fired, as police officials sensed they had little other option, given the scale of the response. The officers involved in yesterday’s shooting, however, have been given what effectively amounts to paid leave, suggesting that authorities do not expect as much of a public pushback as in the George Floyd case.
#BREAKING: Large crowd has formed outside the scene of an officer-involved shooting in #Kenosha. @KenoshaPolice say they a man is seriously hurt. People are now breaking the windows of cop cars. Warning – expletives @tmj4 pic.twitter.com/pKqbSKrZQY — Lauren Linder (@lauren_linder) August 24, 2020
Police kill, on average, about 1,000 people every year across the United States, more than all other developed countries combined. In many European countries, police shootings are virtually unheard of because they do not carry guns. This year, however, American law enforcement officers have already killed 731 people, meaning they are well above average. Being shot by police is a leading cause of death for young black men in the United States, who are three times more likely to be victims of police violence than white men. In 99 percent of all police shootings between 2013 and 2019, officers involved were not charged. Far fewer were convicted. Judging by the initial response from the Wisconsin Attorney General, it does not appear particularly likely that the unnamed officers involved in yesterday’s violence will be among the one percent.
Feature photo | Police in riot gear stand outside the Kenosha County Court House, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Protests broke after a police shooting. Morry Gash | 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--Diana Johnstone’s “Circle in the Darkness” Gives an Insider’s View Into Media Manipulation

Diana Johnstone has written a compelling and insightful book .
It is mostly a review and analysis of significant events from the past 55 years and concludes with her assessment of different trends that are being debated on the Left today , including “ identity politics , ” Antifa , and censorship .
This is a book to be read , enjoyed , and discussed The book , “ Circle in the Darkness : Memoir of a World Watcher , ” gives glimpses into Johnstone ’ s personal life .
Born in St. Paul , Minnesota , Johnstone grew up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studied and taught at the University of Minnesota before moving to Europe where she spent most of her life – mostly in France with stints in Germany and Italy .
Her parents divorced when she was young and she had a special love and connection with her father who , somewhat ironically , was a Pentagon analyst .
Evidently , he also had an open and critical mind , writing the memoir “ From MAD to Madness : Inside Pentagon Nuclear War Planning.
” Johnstone had a daughter at a young age and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She finished her Ph.D. in French literature and then worked as a teacher , translator , photographer , and journalist .
As Johnstone and her daughter moved between Minnesota and France , she compared their educational systems and notes , “ There is a tendency in American grade schools for the kids to gang up against whichever unfortunate schoolmate has been selected by class bullies for tormenting ….. from my observation it is not like this in France.
” She also describes the difficulties of being a single mother before it was more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full of insights based on her first-hand experience living in Yugoslavia as a young exchange student , working as a photographer for the Associated Press , translating news reports for Agence France Presse , reporting on the end of the Cold War for In These Times and working as a press officer for the coalition of Green Parties in the newly formed European Union .
One theme that runs through the book is the need to reach out and engage with regular people .
Johnstone recounts her experiences opposing the U.S. war on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a campaign to educate and engage with regular Minnesotans , to explain what was happening in Vietnam and why the war should be opposed .
She helped organize teams of students and teachers who went door to door in Minneapolis .
Later , they sent a citizen delegation to Paris to meet with , and hear from , Vietnamese representatives .
Afterward , they reported back to communities throughout the state and country .
Johnstone recalls how these actions did not get media attention yet were able to deepen opposition to the war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teachers going into the neighborhoods had to educate themselves in advance ; they learned from the questions ( and sometimes opposition ) from community members ; the delegation , which met the Vietnamese representatives in Paris , was deeply impressed and conveyed their experience on their return .
Johnstone is an unusually perceptive analyst .
Her analyses of the Watergate scandal and Nixon ’ s resignation , for example , raise important but overlooked issues .
Rather than seeing them as the hallmark of investigative journalism , she notes that they established a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government sources .
Looking back , Watergate effectively deflected attention from the ongoing slaughter in Southeast Asia .
Johnstone gives a stark assessment of what happened to the Left .
“ As for the American antiwar movement , half a century later , it has vanished almost without a trace as an influential political force .
There are perhaps more intelligent critics of war than ever before , but they are largely confined to the virtual world of the web , without significant impact on a political system which is totally integrated into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endless conflicts .
Through her work at the Associated Press and Agence France Presse , Johnstone saw how stories are selected and prioritized depending on establishment bias .
She also witnessed how the media promotes certain types of protest leaders .
In her book , she offers critical assessments of protest leaders who became famous , including Daniel Cohn Bendit .
She gives a scathing critique of celebrity French philosopher Bernard Henri Levy .
Johnson has valuable insights on many events over the 1970s and ‘ 80s .
These include among others , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palme , who was likely behind it , and how it has led to Swedish subservience to the U.S .
The causes and consequences of the assassination of Aldo Moro by ultra-leftists in Italy .
The murder of Palestinian moderate Dr. Issa Sartawi at a Socialist Party conference .
The attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II by a Turkish militant and the propaganda campaign trying to link him to Bulgaria and the Soviet Union , and the growing influence of Israel in western foreign policy .
In the 1980s and early 1990s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players , and reported on the rise of detente between the U.S. and Soviet Union , concluding , that “ Not enough credit is given to Mikhail Gorbachev and to the 1980s peace movement.
” The book , subtitled “ Memoirs of a World Watcher , ” describes how radical Islamists were used to undermine the socialist Afghanistan government beginning 1979 .
When the Soviet Union collapsed , the U.S. had no restraints , Johnstone recalls .
She summarizes “ Mikhail Gorbachev was a naive negotiator , outfoxed by the Americans ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ existing ’ communism in the East contributed to the defeat of the Western Left.
” In 1991 , the U.S. seemingly invited Saddam Hussein to go into Kuwait , then built up a huge force to expel and then massacre thousands of retreating Iraqi soldiers .
With operation “ Desert Storm ” viewed as a military success , President Bush declared : “ The Vietnam syndrome is over !
” With the dissolution of the Soviet Union , neoliberal economic policies quickly dominated the globe and the European Union was formed in 1992 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules and requirements that favored private banks and institutions and restricted or prevented state intervention and solutions .
Yugoslavia , as the sole remaining socialist holdout , was under increasing pressure and media attack .
Johnstone describes how “ humanitarian imperialism ” emerged at this time .
With the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact in 1991 , the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) needed a new mandate and reason for existing .
They found this new purpose in media distortion and demonization of Serbia and Yugoslavia .
NATO promoted the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elements and then bombed Serbia for 78 consecutive days .
Yugoslavia was broken into pieces .
In 2002 , Johnstone wrote a book about the NATO attack , western propaganda , and show trial .
Following the publication of that book , titled “ Fool ’ s Crusade : Yugoslavia , NATO and Western Delusions , ” she was attacked in the media for challenging the dominant assumptions about the conflict .
Johnstone responded to the attacks saying , ” I do not deny atrocities , but unlike others , I give them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her .
Canadian law professor Michael Mandel wrote , “ Fools Crusade is not only the definitive work on the Balkans Wars , it is also an inspiring example of how to rescue truth from the battlefield when it has become war ’ s first casualty.
” Western media distortion and intervention in Yugoslavia went almost unopposed .
The antiwar movement was widely confused and silent .
This was followed by the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and then Iraq .
Along with media distortions and comparisons to Hitler and the Holocaust , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on the “ Right to Protect ” ( R2P ) .
This was the pretext for overthrowing the Libyan government of Moammar Gadhafi .
Johnstone discusses how R2P has been used to confuse and silence antiwar forces , even some prominent traditional antiwar analysts .
She has interacted with Noam Chomsky many times over the decades and is overall very positive , but notes that “ even he might get something wrong.
” She documents how the coauthor of Chomsky ’ s seminal work , “ Manufacturing Consent ” was evidently fooled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Libya .
Chomsky said the western sponsored uprising was “ wonderful.
” It has since been made clear that media reports and NGO accusations from Benghazi were false .
They were the pretense to launch the NATO campaign to overthrow the government .
Western intervention , including the sponsorship of terrorist armies in Syria , has been sold to the unwitting public using this model .
Wherever the U.S. and NATO wish to intervene , there is a “ humanitarian crisis ” and “ responsibility to protect.
” “ Circle in the Darkness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate on the left .
In it , Johnstone argues that suppression of debate and free speech , whether by the Right or the Left , is counter-productive .
She argues that violence and vandalism hurt the progressive cause even when it gives a spurt of publicity and media attention .
She describes many examples over the past 50 years and how frequently the instigators were government or police agents .
Johnstone describes the spectacular growth of the “ Yellow Vest ” movement in France .
She documents how it began , how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , and how it reached across party lines .
She contrasts the broad support of the Yellow Vest movement with narrow support of the student protests of May 1968 , writing , “ Sociologically , this revolt was the opposite of May ’ 68 .
Instead of privileged students , imagining a non-existent working class revolution in a time of prosperity , this was the working class itself , in hard times.
” Johnstone describes how French police attacked the Yellow Vest protesters with many injuries and even deaths .
She writes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handed repression totally failed to prevent masked ‘ Black Bloc ’ members from taking advantage of this opportunity to attack the police , set fires , break shop windows ….. Police did nothing to prevent unidentified intruders from invading the ground floor of the Arc de Triomphe to smash up a statue of Marianne… .
It is noteworthy that almost all the seriously injured were peaceful Yellow Vest protesters , whereas the Black Blocs often got away unscathed .
Perhaps the Black Blocs believe they are fighting the system .
Whatever their intentions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ auxiliary to government repression.
” On the massive media effort to control popular thoughts and anger , Johnstone notes : She writes in her belief that the Left is infused with dogma .
Johnstone recounts her falling out with Counterpunch magazine after they published a “ barrage of attacks ” on analyst and writer Caitlin Johnstone ( no relation ) .
Johnstone argues in favor of working for peace with all forces which agree on that issue , whether or not they agree on all issues of “ identity politics.
” She argues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the root causes of war and social inequality .
When the Left focuses on the fringe right , the establishment is not only happy , they encourage and promote this diversion .
Johnstone is hopeful and encouraged by two things : a new generation of truthseekers and that life is full of surprises .
This book is full of insights and analysis about where the world is and how we got here .
It includes important ideas and thoughts about what we can do to resist the drift toward global war and catastrophe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the importance of discussion , debate , and keeping it real .
Feature photo | A still from a video of a 2016 German-language interview with Diana Johnstone by KenFM .
Rick Sterling is an independent journalist based in the SF Bay Area .
He can be reached at rsterling1 @ gmail.com

Diana Johnstone has written a compelling and insightful book. It is mostly a review and analysis of significant events from the past 55 years and concludes with her assessment of different trends that are being debated on the Left today, including “identity politics,” Antifa, and censorship. This is a book to be read, enjoyed, and discussed
The book, “Circle in the Darkness: Memoir of a World Watcher,” gives glimpses into Johnstone’s personal life. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Johnstone grew up there and in Washington DC. She studied and taught at the University of Minnesota before moving to Europe where she spent most of her life – mostly in France with stints in Germany and Italy.
Her parents divorced when she was young and she had a special love and connection with her father who, somewhat ironically, was a Pentagon analyst. Evidently, he also had an open and critical mind, writing the memoir “From MAD to Madness: Inside Pentagon Nuclear War Planning.”
Johnstone had a daughter at a young age and raised her largely on her own. She finished her Ph.D. in French literature and then worked as a teacher, translator, photographer, and journalist.
As Johnstone and her daughter moved between Minnesota and France, she compared their educational systems and notes, “There is a tendency in American grade schools for the kids to gang up against whichever unfortunate schoolmate has been selected by class bullies for tormenting ….. from my observation it is not like this in France.” She also describes the difficulties of being a single mother before it was more common.
Johnstone’s book is full of insights based on her first-hand experience living in Yugoslavia as a young exchange student, working as a photographer for the Associated Press, translating news reports for Agence France Presse, reporting on the end of the Cold War for In These Times and working as a press officer for the coalition of Green Parties in the newly formed European Union.
Grassroots activism
One theme that runs through the book is the need to reach out and engage with regular people. Johnstone recounts her experiences opposing the U.S. war on Vietnam. She and her allies launched a campaign to educate and engage with regular Minnesotans, to explain what was happening in Vietnam and why the war should be opposed. She helped organize teams of students and teachers who went door to door in Minneapolis. Later, they sent a citizen delegation to Paris to meet with, and hear from, Vietnamese representatives. Afterward, they reported back to communities throughout the state and country. Johnstone recalls how these actions did not get media attention yet were able to deepen opposition to the war in profound ways. The students and teachers going into the neighborhoods had to educate themselves in advance; they learned from the questions (and sometimes opposition) from community members; the delegation, which met the Vietnamese representatives in Paris, was deeply impressed and conveyed their experience on their return.
Johnstone is an unusually perceptive analyst. Her analyses of the Watergate scandal and Nixon’s resignation, for example, raise important but overlooked issues. Rather than seeing them as the hallmark of investigative journalism, she notes that they established a model of journalism that relies on unidentified government sources. Looking back, Watergate effectively deflected attention from the ongoing slaughter in Southeast Asia.
Getting rid of Nixon was a brilliant coup that united generations, torn asunder by opposing attitudes toward the war …..Watergate washed away the national sins. It prepared America to be ‘born again’ first as the innocent Gerald Ford and then as the good Christian Jimmy Carter, champion of human rights..
Moreover, she writes,
The shenanigans around Watergate were a distraction from the most significant acts of the Nixon administration, in particular the shakeup of the world economy by the August 1971 decision to suspend (meaning to end) the convertibility of the dollar into gold. This was a direct result of the huge U.S. debt resulting from the cost of the Vietnam War.”
Johnstone gives a stark assessment of what happened to the Left. “As for the American antiwar movement, half a century later, it has vanished almost without a trace as an influential political force. There are perhaps more intelligent critics of war than ever before, but they are largely confined to the virtual world of the web, without significant impact on a political system which is totally integrated into a military industrial complex that relies on endless conflicts.
Critical international events
Through her work at the Associated Press and Agence France Presse, Johnstone saw how stories are selected and prioritized depending on establishment bias. She also witnessed how the media promotes certain types of protest leaders. In her book, she offers critical assessments of protest leaders who became famous, including Daniel Cohn Bendit. She gives a scathing critique of celebrity French philosopher Bernard Henri Levy.
Johnson has valuable insights on many events over the 1970s and ‘80s. These include among others, the assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olaf Palme, who was likely behind it, and how it has led to Swedish subservience to the U.S. The causes and consequences of the assassination of Aldo Moro by ultra-leftists in Italy. The murder of Palestinian moderate Dr. Issa Sartawi at a Socialist Party conference. The attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II by a Turkish militant and the propaganda campaign trying to link him to Bulgaria and the Soviet Union, and the growing influence of Israel in western foreign policy.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, Johnstone watched closely, interviewed key players, and reported on the rise of detente between the U.S. and Soviet Union, concluding, that “Not enough credit is given to Mikhail Gorbachev and to the 1980s peace movement.”
The book, subtitled “Memoirs of a World Watcher,” describes how radical Islamists were used to undermine the socialist Afghanistan government beginning 1979. When the Soviet Union collapsed, the U.S. had no restraints, Johnstone recalls. She summarizes “Mikhail Gorbachev was a naive negotiator, outfoxed by the Americans” and “The total surrender of ‘real existing’ communism in the East contributed to the defeat of the Western Left.”
In 1991, the U.S. seemingly invited Saddam Hussein to go into Kuwait, then built up a huge force to expel and then massacre thousands of retreating Iraqi soldiers. With operation “Desert Storm” viewed as a military success, President Bush declared: “The Vietnam syndrome is over!”
Yugoslavia and “humanitarian imperialism”
With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, neoliberal economic policies quickly dominated the globe and the European Union was formed in 1992. Johnstone describes how the EU imposed rules and requirements that favored private banks and institutions and restricted or prevented state intervention and solutions. Yugoslavia, as the sole remaining socialist holdout, was under increasing pressure and media attack.
Johnstone describes how “humanitarian imperialism” emerged at this time. With the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact in 1991, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) needed a new mandate and reason for existing. They found this new purpose in media distortion and demonization of Serbia and Yugoslavia. NATO promoted the “Kosovo Liberation Army” and other divisive elements and then bombed Serbia for 78 consecutive days. Yugoslavia was broken into pieces.
In 2002, Johnstone wrote a book about the NATO attack, western propaganda, and show trial. Following the publication of that book, titled “Fool’s Crusade: Yugoslavia, NATO and Western Delusions,” she was attacked in the media for challenging the dominant assumptions about the conflict. Johnstone responded to the attacks saying,” I do not deny atrocities, but unlike others, I give them a political context.” Others strongly defended her. Canadian law professor Michael Mandel wrote, “Fools Crusade is not only the definitive work on the Balkans Wars, it is also an inspiring example of how to rescue truth from the battlefield when it has become war’s first casualty.”
Western media distortion and intervention in Yugoslavia went almost unopposed. The antiwar movement was widely confused and silent. This was followed by the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and then Iraq.
Along with media distortions and comparisons to Hitler and the Holocaust, there emerged the justification for violating national sovereignty based on the “Right to Protect” (R2P). This was the pretext for overthrowing the Libyan government of Moammar Gadhafi. Johnstone discusses how R2P has been used to confuse and silence antiwar forces, even some prominent traditional antiwar analysts. She has interacted with Noam Chomsky many times over the decades and is overall very positive, but notes that “even he might get something wrong.” She documents how the coauthor of Chomsky’s seminal work, “Manufacturing Consent” was evidently fooled into believing media reports from Benghazi, Libya. Chomsky said the western sponsored uprising was “wonderful.” It has since been made clear that media reports and NGO accusations from Benghazi were false. They were the pretense to launch the NATO campaign to overthrow the government.
Western intervention, including the sponsorship of terrorist armies in Syria, has been sold to the unwitting public using this model. Wherever the U.S. and NATO wish to intervene, there is a “humanitarian crisis” and “responsibility to protect.”
Critical current issues
“Circle in the Darkness” analyzes current issues of contention and debate on the left. In it, Johnstone argues that suppression of debate and free speech, whether by the Right or the Left, is counter-productive. She argues that violence and vandalism hurt the progressive cause even when it gives a spurt of publicity and media attention. She describes many examples over the past 50 years and how frequently the instigators were government or police agents.
Johnstone describes the spectacular growth of the “Yellow Vest” movement in France. She documents how it began, how it was supported and joined by common people, and how it reached across party lines. She contrasts the broad support of the Yellow Vest movement with narrow support of the student protests of May 1968, writing, “Sociologically, this revolt was the opposite of May ’68. Instead of privileged students, imagining a non-existent working class revolution in a time of prosperity, this was the working class itself, in hard times.”
Johnstone describes how French police attacked the Yellow Vest protesters with many injuries and even deaths. She writes, “Curiously, all this heavy handed repression totally failed to prevent masked ‘Black Bloc’ members from taking advantage of this opportunity to attack the police, set fires, break shop windows ….. Police did nothing to prevent unidentified intruders from invading the ground floor of the Arc de Triomphe to smash up a statue of Marianne…. It is noteworthy that almost all the seriously injured were peaceful Yellow Vest protesters, whereas the Black Blocs often got away unscathed. Perhaps the Black Blocs believe they are fighting the system. Whatever their intentions, they have served as a useful auxiliary to government repression.”
On the massive media effort to control popular thoughts and anger, Johnstone notes:
The mainstream media have moved farther and farther away from informing the public and nearer to instructing them in what they should think and do.”
She writes in her belief that the Left is infused with dogma. Johnstone recounts her falling out with Counterpunch magazine after they published a “barrage of attacks” on analyst and writer Caitlin Johnstone (no relation).
That was indeed the start of Caitlin’s rise to great prominence in anti-war circles and beginning of CounterPunch’s decline from ‘fearless muckraking’ to snide sniping at the genuine heirs to the independent spirit of the founder, Alexander Cockburn. The gist of the CounterPunch attacks on the Australian Johnstone were that she dared say she would join even with someone on the right against war. That is simple good sense, but it was picked up by the Antifa purification squad as proof of tendencies toward fascism. When I saw them coming after Caitlin, I figured they’d be coming after me, and that my association with CounterPunch was soon coming to an end.”
Johnstone argues in favor of working for peace with all forces which agree on that issue, whether or not they agree on all issues of “identity politics.” She argues that we should not be distracted from the root causes of war and social inequality. When the Left focuses on the fringe right, the establishment is not only happy, they encourage and promote this diversion.
The specialty of the AntiFa is to situate the threat of tyranny on the powerless margins of society – from isolated groups of costume party neo-Nazis to outspoken persons on the left accused of ‘red-brown’ tendencies. This amounts to keeping the Left herded into its sheep pen, while the wolves roam freely.”
Johnstone is hopeful and encouraged by two things: a new generation of truthseekers and that life is full of surprises.
This book is full of insights and analysis about where the world is and how we got here. It includes important ideas and thoughts about what we can do to resist the drift toward global war and catastrophe. Above all, Diana Johnstone argues for the importance of discussion, debate, and keeping it real.
Feature photo | A still from a video of a 2016 German-language interview with Diana Johnstone by KenFM.
Rick Sterling is an independent journalist based in the SF Bay Area. He can be reached at [email protected]


mintpressnews--2020-08-24--Just “Arabs killing Arabs”: Israel’s Inaction Over Palestinian Murders Gets Frustrated Moms Marching

Bilal Yousef , a Palestinian producer and writer from the town of Dabburiya , semt me the following message , “ We walked for six days , from Haifa to Jerusalem .
Calling it difficult is an understatement !
.
” Yousef is a Palestinian citizen of Israel who has made several award-winning documentaries , among them a film he produced for Al Jazeera called ” Conflict of Loyalty.
” It follows the story of Palestinian attorney and activist Yamen Zaydan .
Zaydan is a Palestinian citizen of Israel , an attorney from the Druz community who leads the movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Israeli military .
It is a riveting personal and political film that outlines the Druz community and the challenges it faces .
Another excellent film he produced , “ Gideon Levy : Going Against The Grain , ” is about the Israeli dissident journalist Gideon Levi .
Yousef follows Levi on some of the more difficult stories he reports and documents the difficult environment in which Levi finds himself as he tries to tell Israeli readers about the horrific crimes committed by their state .
Currently , Yousef is working on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Palestinian towns within 1948 Palestine .
The residents of these towns are Palestinian citizens of Israel and are directly governed by the State .
Israeli police neglect to address the problem , mostly because no one cares if “ Arabs kill Arabs.
” It is not unlike the inner cities in the U.S. where young black men kill one another as a result of neglect by the authorities and the availability of arms .
When Muna Khalil told Israeli police in Haifa that she knew who murdered her 28-year-old son , Khalil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intervening in crimes when the victims are Palestinian , said there was insufficient evidence and did nothing .
Watfa Jabali is from Taibe , and her son Sa ’ ed was 26 when he was murdered .
The police did nothing in this case either , and the two mothers decided to act .
They left the northern city of Haifa and embarked on a 100 mile march to Jerusalem with a handful of supporters in what became known as Mothers for Life Movement .
“ At first we were about 15 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then gradually more and more people joined.
” Knesset member Ayman Odeh , head of the Joint Arab List along with other Palestinian members of the Knesset joined as well .
“ Towards the end , we were more than one hundred people marching.
” With the exception of one night when the marchers were invited to stay with Israeli Jews on a Kibbutz , they were welcomed by Palestinian communities along the way as heroes and that was where slept and ate .
With just a water supply truck and an ambulance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the country , carrying a message that they would not be silent in the face of the State ’ s callousness .
The Israeli press was notified of the march and was told that several parliamentarians were marching .
Their response , according to Bilal , was that “ This is not a news item , Israelis don ’ t want to see Arabs on their screen , ” so there was no coverage in the Israeli press .
Consequently , there was no international coverage either .
Then , on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstrators reached Jerusalem and asked for an audience with the President of Israel , Reuven Rivlin .
Rivlin received three of the mothers , the two initiators along with Fardus Habib , who lost her daughter Arub .
Arub was a 15-year old and a gifted musician from a town near Nazareth .
She was run over by gangs racing their cars through town .
The meeting with the President did garner media attention in the Israeli press .
In 2019 , there were 138 murder cases throughout the state of Israel .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizens of Israel , a community that makes up only 20 percent of Israeli citizens .
Gil ’ ad Erdan , Israel ’ s former Minister of Internal Security , who is in charge of the Israeli police , stated in an interview that , these high numbers of murder cases are the result of a “ violent culture.
” “ Palestinians society ” according to Erdan , who is slated to be Israel ’ s incoming ambassador to Washington , “ is very , very , very , a thousand times very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” This claim , not uncommon among Israelis , is easily refuted .
Three million Palestinian live in the West Bank , almost double the number of Palestinian citizens of Israel .
In that same year , 2019 , there were 28 murder cases within that community .
Racist arguments always fall by the wayside once the facts are brought to light .
The simple fact is that Israel makes it very easy for criminals to purchase and sell weapons and drugs within that community , and that police do not intervene , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jewish casualties .
Aida Touma-Sliman , another member of Knesset that joined the march , is also a member of the Joint Arab List and in a piece she wrote for the progressive Hebrew publication , Mekomit , writes that women are rarely involved in crime in this community , nor do they carry weapons .
“ However , ” she adds , “ the women are the ones left to care for the family once the men are murdered .
The women need to care for the wounded and injured survivors.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to all women to join the struggle , ” a struggle to end the senseless killing of innocents .
The mothers ’ march was initiated by women who lost what was most dear to them .
The way in which they turned their grief into action is courageous and awe-inspiring .
The response of the State of Israel and Israeli society , however , is sad and pathetic .
For Israel , any Palestinian that is killed without the State having to spend money on a bullet is a bonus .
In this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killing one another with bystanders getting caught in the middle .
At the end of the march , Rivlin sat with the mothers and listened to them .
Rivlin is a racist Zionist , a right-wing neo-fascist .
In 2015 , he attended the funeral of Moshe Levinger , a man that headed the Israeli assault on Hebron and helped build the violent , racist Kiryat Arba settlement .
Levinger was a vicious , violent leader of the “ Religious Zionist ” movement .
He led the push to build Jewish-only colonies throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cultivated some of the most fanatic , violent settlers , an entire community that views terrorizing Palestinians as a religious calling .
During his eulogy to Levinger , Rivlin said , “ It is hard for us to say goodbye to you , ” referring to the deceased Levinger .
Rivlin , in his role as president , is the symbol of the State of Israel .
He will do nothing to stop the killing , the racism , or the forced expulsion of Palestinians .
Violence against the Palestinian people will only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the land is decolonized and when Palestine is free .
Feature photo | Arab mothers from the Mothers for Life Movement march for the sixth day to call attention to Israeli inaction in their children ’ s murder cases .
Photo | Sikkuy via Twitter Miko Peled is an author and human rights activist born in Jerusalem .
He is the author of “ The General ’ s Son .
Journey of an Israeli in Palestine , ” and “ Injustice , the Story of the Holy Land Foundation Five .
”

Bilal Yousef, a Palestinian producer and writer from the town of Dabburiya, semt me the following message, “We walked for six days, from Haifa to Jerusalem. Calling it difficult is an understatement!.” Yousef is a Palestinian citizen of Israel who has made several award-winning documentaries, among them a film he produced for Al Jazeera called ”Conflict of Loyalty.” It follows the story of Palestinian attorney and activist Yamen Zaydan. Zaydan is a Palestinian citizen of Israel, an attorney from the Druz community who leads the movement within that community to refuse service in the Israeli military. It is a riveting personal and political film that outlines the Druz community and the challenges it faces.
Another excellent film he produced, “Gideon Levy: Going Against The Grain,” is about the Israeli dissident journalist Gideon Levi. Yousef follows Levi on some of the more difficult stories he reports and documents the difficult environment in which Levi finds himself as he tries to tell Israeli readers about the horrific crimes committed by their state.
Currently, Yousef is working on a film about the devastating effects of crime in Palestinian towns within 1948 Palestine. The residents of these towns are Palestinian citizens of Israel and are directly governed by the State. Israeli police neglect to address the problem, mostly because no one cares if “Arabs kill Arabs.” It is not unlike the inner cities in the U.S. where young black men kill one another as a result of neglect by the authorities and the availability of arms.
Mothers began to march
When Muna Khalil told Israeli police in Haifa that she knew who murdered her 28-year-old son, Khalil, the police, who refrain from intervening in crimes when the victims are Palestinian, said there was insufficient evidence and did nothing.
Watfa Jabali is from Taibe, and her son Sa’ed was 26 when he was murdered. The police did nothing in this case either, and the two mothers decided to act. They left the northern city of Haifa and embarked on a 100 mile march to Jerusalem with a handful of supporters in what became known as Mothers for Life Movement.
“At first we were about 15 people,” Bilal told me. “Then gradually more and more people joined.” Knesset member Ayman Odeh, head of the Joint Arab List along with other Palestinian members of the Knesset joined as well. “Towards the end, we were more than one hundred people marching.”
With the exception of one night when the marchers were invited to stay with Israeli Jews on a Kibbutz, they were welcomed by Palestinian communities along the way as heroes and that was where slept and ate. With just a water supply truck and an ambulance, they march almost half the length of the country, carrying a message that they would not be silent in the face of the State’s callousness.
The Israeli press was notified of the march and was told that several parliamentarians were marching. Their response, according to Bilal, was that “This is not a news item, Israelis don’t want to see Arabs on their screen,” so there was no coverage in the Israeli press. Consequently, there was no international coverage either.
Then, on the final day of the march, the demonstrators reached Jerusalem and asked for an audience with the President of Israel, Reuven Rivlin. Rivlin received three of the mothers, the two initiators along with Fardus Habib, who lost her daughter Arub. Arub was a 15-year old and a gifted musician from a town near Nazareth. She was run over by gangs racing their cars through town. The meeting with the President did garner media attention in the Israeli press.
Numbers speak for themselves
In 2019, there were 138 murder cases throughout the state of Israel. Out of those, 93 were Palestinian citizens of Israel, a community that makes up only 20 percent of Israeli citizens. Gil’ad Erdan, Israel’s former Minister of Internal Security, who is in charge of the Israeli police, stated in an interview that, these high numbers of murder cases are the result of a “violent culture.” “Palestinians society” according to Erdan, who is slated to be Israel’s incoming ambassador to Washington, “is very, very, very, a thousand times very, violent. These are cultural codes.” This claim, not uncommon among Israelis, is easily refuted.
Three million Palestinian live in the West Bank, almost double the number of Palestinian citizens of Israel. In that same year, 2019, there were 28 murder cases within that community. Racist arguments always fall by the wayside once the facts are brought to light. The simple fact is that Israel makes it very easy for criminals to purchase and sell weapons and drugs within that community, and that police do not intervene, as long as there are no Israeli Jewish casualties.
Aida Touma-Sliman, another member of Knesset that joined the march, is also a member of the Joint Arab List and in a piece she wrote for the progressive Hebrew publication, Mekomit, writes that women are rarely involved in crime in this community, nor do they carry weapons. “However,” she adds, “the women are the ones left to care for the family once the men are murdered. The women need to care for the wounded and injured survivors.” She calls this march “a cry to all women to join the struggle,” a struggle to end the senseless killing of innocents.
Arabs killing Arabs
The mothers’ march was initiated by women who lost what was most dear to them. The way in which they turned their grief into action is courageous and awe-inspiring. The response of the State of Israel and Israeli society, however, is sad and pathetic. For Israel, any Palestinian that is killed without the State having to spend money on a bullet is a bonus. In this case, these are mostly Palestinian criminals killing one another with bystanders getting caught in the middle.
At the end of the march, Rivlin sat with the mothers and listened to them. Rivlin is a racist Zionist, a right-wing neo-fascist. In 2015, he attended the funeral of Moshe Levinger, a man that headed the Israeli assault on Hebron and helped build the violent, racist Kiryat Arba settlement. Levinger was a vicious, violent leader of the “Religious Zionist” movement. He led the push to build Jewish-only colonies throughout the West Bank. His movement has cultivated some of the most fanatic, violent settlers, an entire community that views terrorizing Palestinians as a religious calling.
During his eulogy to Levinger, Rivlin said, “It is hard for us to say goodbye to you,” referring to the deceased Levinger. Rivlin, in his role as president, is the symbol of the State of Israel. He will do nothing to stop the killing, the racism, or the forced expulsion of Palestinians. Violence against the Palestinian people will only end when Zionism is brought down, when the land is decolonized and when Palestine is free.
Feature photo | Arab mothers from the Mothers for Life Movement march for the sixth day to call attention to Israeli inaction in their children’s murder cases. Photo | Sikkuy via Twitter
Miko Peled is an author and human rights activist born in Jerusalem. He is the author of “The General’s Son. Journey of an Israeli in Palestine,” and “Injustice, the Story of the Holy Land Foundation Five.”