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Correspondence with Israeli Embassy re Gaza Piracy

category international | anti-war / imperialism | feature author Wednesday July 01, 2009 18:24author by Raymond Deane - writing in a personal capacity Report this post to the editors

featured image
Raymond Deane

My complaint to the Israeli Embassy elicits a remarkably informal and rude reply, to which I respond as politely as I can under the circumstances...

From me to the Israeli Embassy, Dublin:

To the Ambassador of Israel -
Your country is once again disgracing itself. This time it has committed an act of piracy: the arrest on the high seas of a boat, appropriately named "The Spirit of Humanity" (a spirit that your state forever seeks, in vain, to crush), and the confiscation of its cargo of medicines and toys for the beleaguered people of Gaza.

There are two Irish citizens aboard this craft, as well as a former US presidential candidate. I hope that these facts will contribute towards bringing the infamy of your country's conduct more prominently to the attention of the people of the world, who have for too long turned a blind eye to Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people.

In the name of humanity, I demand that your criminal armed forces release the crew and passengers of the "Spirit of Humanity", and allow the boat to continue on its way to Gaza.

Yours faithfully -
Dr Raymond Deane

From Derek O'Flynn, Press Officer, Israeli Embassy, Dublin:

You are completely wrong:

) since Hamas control Gaza and their stated intent since their Charter of 1988 is to destroy Israel and exterminate Jews, Israel cannot permit unrestricted access to Gaza for fear of arms being imported etc.

2) the restrictions on Gaza imports/exports are by Israel and also Egypt (which likewise doesn’t want Hamas to be built up in arms and resources)

3) the Palestinian Authority also permits Israel to patrol the waters off Gaza. These are not international waters; they are internationally recognized as Israeli-patrolled waters.

4) 300,000 tons of humanitarian supplies have been facilitated by Israel alone since January alone into Gaza

5) if people wish to give aid to Gaza’s people, they can easily do so through normal channels. Charging a boat into Israeli waters is simple attention-seeking, not about real aid, because they know they will be stopped and get their 15 minutes of fame (e.g. a boat in august 2008 was carrying 5,000 balloons!!!!).

6) on this occasion, laws were breached – the boat flew the Greek flag (illegally), told the Cypriot authorities they were going to Port Said Egypt (a lie – they knew they would not get a permit to go to Gaza), they changed their declared destination en route (violating international maritime law) and then violated the Israeli-patrolled waters off Gaza.

Get your facts straight and don’t rely on the IPSC (Ireland Propaganda Solidarity Campaign.)

PS if you care so much for humanity, why don’t you and your pals go to Iran and actively support the democratic activists there; or go to Saudi Arabia and demand equal rights for women and the right to build a church; or go to Syria and demand homosexual equality… but of course you won’t because you wouldn’t come back alive. It’s so easy to bash Israel, a liberal democracy, the only one in the region, because you can get away with it.

Cheerio

Press Officer

Embassy of Israel

122 Pembroke Road

Ballsbridge

Dublin 4

Tel: 01-2309407

Fax: 01-2309446

Website: www.israel.ie

My response to Mr O'Flynn:

Mr O'Flynn -
You seek to counter my arguments by repeating the clichés of Israeli propaganda, but you're wasting your time.

Firstly, despite being democratically elected Hamas does not control Gaza, because Israel controls its airspace, borders, and marine access. Under international law Gaza is still occupied by the rogue Israeli state.

Secondly, the fact that the Egyptian dictatorship colludes with Israel's criminal policies out of fear of its own internal Islamic opposition is scarcely something to be proud of.

Thirdly, it's a joke to say "the Palestinian Authority also permits Israel to patrol the waters off Gaza". (a) The PA is a Quisling or Vichy regime - again, this is scarcely an alliance you should be proud of - and (b) the PA has no power to "permit" or "forbid" Israel from committing any crimes it chooses to commit. The phrase "internationally recognized [sic - interesting and appropriate that you use the American spelling] as Israeli-patrolled waters" is as meaningless as asserting "the coast of Somalia is internationally recognised as pirate-patrolled waters."

Fourthly, the 300,000 tons you refer to - even if this figure is correct, which is by no means certain, as Israeli propagandists pick figures out of the air - is utterly insufficient to deal with the humanitarian needs of the Gazans.

Fifthly, Israel and its dictatorial Egyptian ally block all "normal channels" of aid to the Gaza people. The "Spirit of Humanity" did not "charg[e] into Israeli waters" - it was not in Israeli waters. "Seeking attention", in this context, means alerting the world to Israel's crimes and Egyptian/EU/US complicity in those crimes and is an honourable procedure.

Sixthly, laws were indeed breached - by the Israeli pirates. There was nothing illegal about the boat's flying the Greek flag (and had this been the case, it would still not have justified Israel's piracy), and since the entire world - including the co-operative Cypriot authorities - knew of its plans to travel to Gaza for weeks prior to disembarkation, it is pathetic nonsense to claim that wool was being pulled over anyone's eyes. And, once again, the phrase "Israeli-patrolled waters off Gaza" means much the same as "pirate-patrolled waters off Somalia", except that at least those pirates are within their own waters.

Your final gambit constitutes the standard recourse to red herrings: the fact that Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia violate human rights doesn't in some mysterious way mitigate Israeli crimes, although it's interesting that you implicitly acknowledge that Israel belongs in such dubious company. Even if it were true that Israel is "a liberal democracy" - which it is not, because Israel is an Apartheid ethnocracy or racial state - this would in no way mitigate its crimes.

If this is the best you can do, Mr O'Flynn, I recommend you seek employment elsewhere - I'm sure Mr Mugabe needs a press officer.

Sincerely -
Dr Raymond Deane

author by opus diablos - the regressive hypocrite partypublication date Mon May 31, 2010 19:16author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Sorry Frank Adam,i spent a couple of years travelling in South Africa,Jan '69-Aug '70.Palestine is a Bantustan,except that the Palestians are not actually ethnically a Bantu people.Pretty similar all right.And if SA had succeeded in getting the nukes in time CRH might be raising the barriers out there yet.Boycott is an honourable Irish form of non-aggressive response to aggression.Time to change from a neutered nation to a pro-active neutral one.brian mcgeown should holster that scatter-gun all scumbag bullshit.I'd say there are probably as many decent disgusted Israelis and Jews today as anywhere.Israeli lawyers are down for the courts tomorrow to charge their rogue state with piracy,among other crimes,and Gush Shalom and the refusniks are the real,steady,constant thorn in the Zionist arse,the one constituency that really worries them and they dont seem to be able to shekel into submission.Dont get lazy.There is such a thing as legitimate DISCRIMINATION.Its in the field of ideas,not false ethnic divisions that give us an illusion of moral superiority.Shalom.

author by evelynpublication date Fri Aug 28, 2009 14:13author address author phone Report this post to the editors

To Mr O Flynn,
We can peacefully demonstrate and come back alive was it?

I was going to bring you up to date with reality by chronologically listing episodes of multiple killings/injuries of Palestinian peaceful protestors. However, I decided just in case your prejudice is so deep you cannot get your head around what is fundamentally wrong with killing unarmed Palestinian civilians/children, for example recently February 2009 - 4 children, five women, 2 men, all holding white flags - to restrict the question to apply to western peaceful protestors. Keep it even simpler, killings of your closest allies US and UK citizens.

We westerners, can peacefully demonstrate and come back alive can we without getting shot in the head at close range or shot in the back? Can we?

Please google: Tom Hurndall (21 years old), Iain John Hook (54 years old), or more recently, probably brain damaged and possibly dying poor Tristan Anderson (37 years old)....

I presume you know that your great state is declaring that it was an ‘act of war’ for Tristan to peacefully demonstrate against the ‘internationally recognised’ illegal building of the wall.

Note: I’m using ‘internationally recognised’ in standard vernacular. You used the term in a fairly non standard form in your response to Raymond Deane when you made the fairly preposterous claim that Gazan waters are not international waters rather they are ‘internationally recognized as Israeli-patrolled waters’. Please inform us as to who aside from yourselves make up this ‘international’ recognition.

author by Frank Adam - private citizenpublication date Sun Jul 26, 2009 17:25author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Ref Frankson and Greg, the South Africans like other people initially judge others by their own experiences. This is natural but can be frequently wrong with regard to phenomena outside that previous experience when the new experience has its own complexities independent of the person making judgement. This is why one should carefully check for fallacies before relying on initial similarity - unless you want to trip down a camouflaged manhole?

author by Sean Ogpublication date Sun Jul 12, 2009 01:05author address author phone Report this post to the editors


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbIQto3KPUM

Ceratinly worth looking at .

Especially for those who have never been there .

author by Franksonpublication date Sat Jul 11, 2009 12:22author address author phone Report this post to the editors

This is a reply to Corkboi's comment of 6th July in which he states :

"To call a country more liberal and tolerant than any of its neighbours,........ an Apartheid state.Just shows the true lack of education some members of the Pro Palestinan (sic) lobby have in Ireland"

The Human Sciences Research Council based in South Africa (so they know a thing or two about apartheid) has just published a report which states categorically that Israel is operating an apartheid system.

I would suggest that Corkboi add to his education by going to their website and reading the report.

Related Link: http://www.hsrc.ac.za/
author by Greg T - IPSC (personal capacity)publication date Wed Jul 08, 2009 17:59author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Corkboi in his continued ranting conveniently ignores the fact that there are many Jewish people in favour of a just peace settlement, for example the US based Jewish Voice for Peace ( a non orthodox group);
http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/publish/about.shtml

Also Palestinian society is pretty diverse;

The vanguard of Palestinian feminism: Sahar Khalifa at Bethlehem University
http://womensphere.wordpress.com/2008/06/19/the-vanguar...sity/

James Kirchick's "Queers for Palestine?"
http://www.advocate.com/letters_detail_ektid80712.asp

Aswat - Palestinian Gay Women
http://www.astraeafoundation.org/grants/meet-a-grantee/...omen/
http://www.aswatgroup.org/english/

The future of Palestinian Christianity and prospects for justice, peace, and reconciliation
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0MDO/is_5_34/ai_...3787/

author by Feyadeenpublication date Wed Jul 08, 2009 16:21author address author phone Report this post to the editors

"Who said she lost her election due to AIPAC.Nothing to do with her crack pot notions.He genuine insulting stance about 9/11"

I notice you don't try to respond to my rebuttal of your earlier claim, merely moving on to come out with some more muck-racking against critics of Israel - hard luck mate, you are not dealing with fools who will believe any lie you come out with. What was "insulting" about McKinney's stand on 9/11? She merely pointed out the fact that the Bush administration had ordered legal agencies to take a step back in their pursuit of Al-Qaeda because those investigations were often leading them onto the trail of members of the Saudi elite which enjoys such close relations with ... the Bush family. Inevitably, this was deliberately distorted by the US media which claimed that McKinney had accused Bush and Cheney of having advance knowledge of the 9/11 attacks and allowing them to ahead - she had never said anything of the sort. Greg Palast gives a good account of this sorry episode in his book The Best Democracy Money Can Buy.

author by Edpublication date Wed Jul 08, 2009 11:14author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Both of you are partly right:
Nethurey Karta lives both in Mea Shearim & Beith Shemesh. But in Beith Shemesh they are not the original inhabitanats - those are both secular Jews and Modern Orthodox. In recent years Ultra-Orthodox started moving there, regular Charedim as well as Modern Orthodox.. They are very violent, by the way, in reaction to people that don't follow their ways: there were cases of Modern Orthodox girls that were thrown acid at, since they weren't dressed according to the Nethurey Karta code, and busses that were burned down since there wasn't seperation between man & women as Nethurey Karta demand.

author by Justin Morahanpublication date Wed Jul 08, 2009 01:12author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Corkboi says: "And yes isn't it funny, Israel is supposed to be so intolerant.Yet anti Israeli groups within the state can operate freely"

Operate freely?
Here is a description of what happened in Bil'in about twenty hours before you wrote that line, Corkboi.

"Explosions Pierce the Quiet of Bi'lin
On July 7th at 3:30 (a.m.), soldiers disrupted the tranquility of Bi'lin by forcing their way into several houses. Israeli soldiers came with a list of 10 names for arrest . When Palestinian, international, and Israeli activists arrived at the scene they were subjected to violence and intimidation by the Israeli occupation forces.

One activist with the International Solidarity Movement had non-violently blocked the entrance to one of the doors when he was attacked by soldiers, forced to the ground, and subjected to pain compliance. He was then arrested and carried by a group of soldiers into a military jeep.

When activists and community members responded, they were beaten back with batons and forced to dodge a large number of percussion grenades.

Meanwhile, activists tried blocking the jeeps from leaving by erecting makeshift barricades in the street. The Israeli occupation forces responded with a number of percussion grenades and then rammed their jeeps through.

They forced their way up the street and to several other houses. While there, they arrested a young man and issued nine summons to families of youths who were not present. This was done without explanation or warning.

In the process of storming other houses, the soldiers were again confronted by activists and community members who refused to be dispersed even after repeated percussion and flash bang grenade attacks by soldiers. The jeeps had to make an escape through a second set of erected barricades and they exited into the night with their victims inside.

Related Link: http://www.anarkismo.net/article/13671
author by Sean Ogpublication date Tue Jul 07, 2009 23:53author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Meah Shearim not Beth Shemesh is the district where the 100 or so Neuturea Carta people live in Jerusalem - means for some reason a Thousand Gates - maybe the way to Heaven
living in the Jewish Holy City .

The rest of them live in New York and one in Manchester and a few in London

Beth Shemesh is a thriving town in the mountains half way between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv
and has a mainly modern othodox Jewish population .

Very orthodox Jews are called "Chareidim "
N K are Chareidim but not all Chareidim are NK

author by Corkboipublication date Tue Jul 07, 2009 23:26author address author phone Report this post to the editors

"in New York the Rabbi's marched to demonstrate their horror "

I find it amazing people within the Pro Palestinan camps.Don't know much about the Jews that support them
And it truely shows the lack of basic knowledge about Judaism.

These so called Rabbi's are actually members of Neturei Karta,Just because they were the tradition Ultra Orthodox Clothes does not make them rabbi's.Lay Ultra Orthodox People also wear these.
There are a few Neturei Karta in London,New York but surprisingly enough.Most live in Jerusalem. In an area called Beit Shemesh ( I recommend if ever in Israel walking through Beit Shemesh.Though cover up modestly and DON'T take any pictures.)

Funnily enough Neturei Katra moved to Jerusalem in the early 19th Century from Hungary and Lithuania to Jerusalem,Funnily enough their actions back then would be called ILLEGAL as they built a new suburb outside the city walls of Jerusalem called Beit Shemesh.

So really the Bunch of Jews in Black hats seen at Pro Palestinan marches are the original Settlers.Which makes them hypocrits.

As for the likes of Naomi Klien and other left wing Jews,Many are not religious or even secularly observant.So they have no belief in the idea they were driven out of Israel thousands of years ago.No belief they will return.

And yes isn't it funny, Israel is supposed to be so intolerant.Yet anti Israeli groups within the state can operate freely.That ranges from Neturei Katra to Arab Israeli's calling for the Destruction of the state.
These people are all engaged in the debate,They hold demonstrations and they only add to the wackiness of that Middle Eastern State.

Apartheid South Africa.Imprissoned anyone who questioned the state.Anyone who challenged the state.Anyone who protested against the state.

Israel is not the same.
To claim it is an Apartheid state.Does show a true lack of education and reflects negatively on the Palestinan Solidarity groups.

author by Corkboipublication date Tue Jul 07, 2009 23:12author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Are you talking about the Green Party Canidate for the US elections who uses the racist and anti Semitic Black Panthers as security gaurds

Who said she lost her election due to AIPAC.Nothing to do with her crack pot notions.He genuine insulting stance about 9/11
The same women who said 5,000 Prisoners were shot in the Head after Hurricane Kathrina then dumped.(She claimed from a Reliable source) Yet surprising no one with family members in American Prisions seem to be missing that many people.

HMM.Yes what an inspiration she truely is

author by Greg T - IPSC (personal capacity)publication date Tue Jul 07, 2009 19:25author address author phone Report this post to the editors

'Hasbara' is I think a word that might be used to describe Corkboi's comments, which might be considered hilarious if the situation in that part of the world wasn't so tragic.
If you want an example of just how tolerant the Israel state really is you might do well to read this;
http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2009/07/106254.html
(Cynthia McKinney: Letter from an Israeli Jail)

author by old codger - pensionerpublication date Mon Jul 06, 2009 15:32author address author phone Report this post to the editors

To Corkboi.
The uneducated are just as capable of recognising genocide and mass murder as the educated. Just to put you straight education is not intelligence. All honest people would condemn the murder of jews by the natzi's and likewise condemn Israel for the seige and mass murder of the families in Gaza.
There are thousands of Jewish people that have condemned Israel , in New York the Rabbi's marched to demonstrate their horror at what some of their people consider normal, that is to break international laws and to bomb defenceless people with phosphorous and other atrocious weopons.
attacking the people that post on this site will not cleanse your soul.

author by Feyadeenpublication date Mon Jul 06, 2009 15:14author address author phone Report this post to the editors

"There are no buses seperately for Jews and Arabs,No seperate restaurants,Cafes,Universities."

When people refer to an apartheid state, they are referring to the treatment of Palestinians in the occupied territories, which are de facto part of the Israeli state and have been since 1967 - in the occupied territories, there is no need for "Jew-only buses" or "Jew-only parks", because the ethnic segregation goes much further - there are "Jew-only" towns and "Jew-only" roads - Palestinians would never get near enough for it to be necessary to put them at the back of the bus or give them their own drinking fountains.

Within pre-1967 Israel, the Palestinian Arabs are a minority and it is therefore not necessary to impose the same restrictions on their activity that were imposed on the black majority in South Africa - they can be allowed run candidates for parliament because their representatives will have no impact whatsover on the balance of power. That didn't stop the Israeli parliament from voting to ban Arab and multi-ethnic parties from running in the recent elections because they dared to protest against the attack on Gaza.

author by Corkboipublication date Mon Jul 06, 2009 01:35author address author phone Report this post to the editors

*I said North America. I mean North Africa

author by Corkboipublication date Mon Jul 06, 2009 01:31author address author phone Report this post to the editors

I have read some of the comments here and laughed at how some people flower a few fancy words together and consider themselves educated.

Over 50 per cent of Israeli Citizens are in fact decendants from Jews refugees from Arab and North American Lands.ie Yemen,Morocco.Libya,Tunisia,Egypt and Iraq.

These refugees are never spoken about ,No on ever speaks about their right of return or indeed compensation.

So if Israel has fifty per cent Jews from Arab lands and 20 per cent Arab.That leaves 30 per cent who come from Europe and America.Hardly the overwhelmingly colonalist majority you seem to fasely claim.

In fact add the thousands of Ethiopian Jews,Indian Jews and Oriental Jews and the figures for so called 'WHITE' Jews is probably less than 25 per cent.

As for Apartheid.I am reading Rabble Rouser at the moment.Which Is Desmond Tutu's book.

I have been to both South Africa and Israel.

There are no buses seperately for Jews and Arabs,No seperate restaurants,Cafes,Universities.

Israeli Arabs serve in all areas of Israeli social and politcal life from Politicans who call for the destruction of Israel.To Ambassadors and Supreme Court Judges.

Arabic is an offical language.The Islamic Calender is an offical calender.

Islamic holy sites are all protected by law,As are Jewish and Christian.

Israel is a liberal democracy.The vast majority of Israeli's are secular.Tel Aviv is more liberal than any city I have seen.Where openly gay or lesbian
Couples can walk down the street and kiss and hold hands.

Israel has the most progressive laws for women and homosexuals.

Another little fact for the propaganda teams Israel has taken in 10,000 Black Sudanese both Muslim and Christian.

To call a country more liberal and tolerant than any of its neighbours.A country that would put Ireland to shame for its integration of Immigrants, an Apartheid state.Just shows the true lack of education some members of the Pro Palestinan lobby have in Ireland

What makes it more funny,Is the people who call Israel an Apartheid state.Yet demand a Palestinan state.

Which will be Judenrein (Free of Jews).Which has already seen vast numbers of Christians leave.Quite simply a Palestinan state will be an Apartheid state.A State where if your Jewish or Christian your not welcome.

author by TD - Free Palestine Campaignpublication date Sun Jul 05, 2009 21:48author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Some of the UK FreeGaza 21 detainees are likely to be deported Monday, should arrive to Heathrow 13.30 Monday - at least 3 of the 6 British FreeGaza detainees are being put on a flight to London in the morning, due to arrive at Heathrow at 13.30 p.m.

author by M. O'publication date Sun Jul 05, 2009 09:00author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Why haven't the IPSC been protesting to Ireland's real foreign minister - Javier Solana? After all he's the one directing our foreign policy - Michael Martin is but the parrotting boy servant.

author by Fred Johnstonpublication date Fri Jul 03, 2009 23:08author address author phone Report this post to the editors

It seems clear enough the Israeli ambassador should be summoned by the Irish government to explain the actions of his government or be asked to go. There should be no 'explanatory' features by the Israeli Embassy or their spokesmen in The Irish Times, as appears to be the norm. The reply to Raymond Deane would not be tolerated were it to come from any other country. An apology from the Embassy should be the very least next thing. We are clearly dealing with an administration who believe themselves beyond the law, who can commit acts of piracy and put protestors on trial and expect not to receive the world's condemnation because the US backs them. Piracy, as I understand it, is an international crime. The holding of the relief vessel is a crime. It is time the Irish people said no.

author by Sean Hpublication date Fri Jul 03, 2009 01:20author address author phone Report this post to the editors

If I am not mistaken, he also recently wrote a critically acclaimed biography of yer man Redomnd and the Irish National Party. got a fair bit of Radio Coverage about the book too.

Does anyone know if Dermot was actively associated with any of the Pro Israeli groups in this country before being made Press Officer??

author by Greg T - IPSC (personal capacity)publication date Thu Jul 02, 2009 18:05author address author phone Report this post to the editors

http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2009/07/106229.html
with live feed from radical TV station WBAI-in-Exile;
http://www.livestream.com/wbaix

author by Pepepublication date Thu Jul 02, 2009 15:13author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Shame I could not make it yesterday, but well done for getting the people out there and once again demonstrate that Palestine is not forgotten. Also, well done Raymond for your original letter and reply to that predictable response by the Propaganda office of the Israeli State. The final comparison with Mugabe shows Israel for what it is: an authoritarian Apartheid state that fantasizes about it being the highest representatives of everything that it is good in the world (well, except for bombing all those "nasty and troublesome" Palestinian children). As usual, you came across clear and convincing.

author by Sammy8374publication date Thu Jul 02, 2009 14:30author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Apologies if it is not appropriate to post this here but the Amnesty International report on the war crimes carried out during the Gaza War (Operation Cast Lead) was released today.

PDF Document Amnesty International report on Operation 'Cast Lead' 0.39 Mb


Related Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8128210.stm
author by TD - FPCpublication date Thu Jul 02, 2009 00:28author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Video to Follow.

spiritofhumanity6.jpg

spiritofhumanity7.jpg

Rizq
Rizq

author by TD - Free Palestine Campaignpublication date Thu Jul 02, 2009 00:19author address author phone Report this post to the editors

yesterday evening's IPSC protest at the Spire in O'Connell Street against Israel's brigandage and kidnapping of Free Gaza activists and supporters on a humanitarian mission to the Strip.

spiritofhumanity1.jpg

Sinn Fein TD; Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Sinn Fein TD; Aengus Ó Snodaigh

spiritofhumanity3.jpg

IPSC National Events Coordinator; Freda Hughes
IPSC National Events Coordinator; Freda Hughes

spiritofhumanity5.jpg

author by Sean Clinton - IFPALpublication date Wed Jul 01, 2009 21:34author address author phone Report this post to the editors


Is this "liberal democracy" the one which immediately after it was undemocratically established set about the ethnic cleansing of 70% of its citizens simply because if given the opportunity to express their democratic will the Zionist state would never have come into existence?

Is it the same "liberal democracy" which razed over 500 villages to circumvent the return of these same citizens?

Is it the same "liberal democracy" which stole the homes, posessions, bank deposits, farms, orchards, vineyards and land of the same indigenous inhabitants?

Is it the same "liberal democracy" which continues to deny the right of return to these same people who 61 years later continue to languish in refugee camps in the region while Zionists from America, Russia and Europe occupy their homes, farms and land?.
Is it the same "liberal democracy" which put in place an apartheid judicial system which grants, those who can demonstrate even a tenuous Judaic lineage and are willing to come an occupy the land, superior rights to the indigenous people?

Is this "liberal democracy" the one which continues to confiscate more and more Palestinian land and continues the construction of the Apartheid wall ruled illegal by the international Court of Justice?

Is this the "liberal democracy" which can only be maintained by illegal force and the use of lethal weapons of mass destruction against innocent men, women and children?

Thought so.

author by Raymondpublication date Wed Jul 01, 2009 21:19author address author phone Report this post to the editors

The real villain in there is Dermot Meleady. I'm surprised that he entrusted replies to this hothead. I subsequently got a message from Meleady, but binned it without reading it - he once libelled me in the Irish Times.

author by David L - IPSCpublication date Wed Jul 01, 2009 16:47author address author phone Report this post to the editors

It seems that the press officer is sending the same email to all who write in. This isn't surprising. What is surprising is the arrogance and insults in the email. In revealing Israeli callousness to the world it's not exactly very good hasbara (Israeli word for propaganda). Anyway, off to the demo now. See youse there.

author by Ronan - IPSC (pers. cap)publication date Wed Jul 01, 2009 14:41author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Good stuff Raymond.

If anybody wants to contact the Israeli embassy to demand the release of the 21 human rights activists, here are the details..

01 6680 303 or email them on [email protected]

Let’s keep the pressure up!

author by Alan in Mayopublication date Wed Jul 01, 2009 13:03author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Well done Raymond on your letter and your reply to the response received. The words of the Israeli Press Officer are just stunning in their arrogance, indifference and distortion.

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