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culated project of ethnic cleansing is flat. The hurried desperate mass flight Palestinians Will that continues unabated today. of Palestinians from the paramilitary as- To suggest that almost a million Pales- sault upon our age-old communities is Not Cease to tinians voluntarily left their homes, beyond honest debate or dispute. schools, mosques and churches in 1948 Despite near unanimity among inter- Demand Their is little more than to proclaim the earth national jurists about our cause, the Rights VOL. 21 ISSUE 3—MAY 2018 BY BASEM NAIM
he West has long been enam- TABLE OF CONTENTS ored with the specter of passive resistance with tens of thou- Palestinians Will Not Cease to It’s Time for AIPAC to Register T Demand Their Rights, As a Foreign Agent, sands of unarmed demonstrators fac- M.J. Rosenberg, ing off against a heavily armed and Basem Naim, The Forward OV-13 ruthless force in pursuit of justice. www.counterpunch.com OV-1 Today hundreds of thousands of Israel Sniggers at a Cowardly One Man Has Taken Over a Historic peaceful unarmed demonstrators World, Linda S. Heard, Organization. Is It Good for The Jews?, Josh Nathan Kazis, marched towards the rim of the sealed- Gulf News OV-3 off Gaza Strip. They got no closer than The Forward OV-14 Killing Palestinian Protesters several hundred yards from Israeli What Will Happen When Turns Into a PR Debacle for snipers before shots rang out, leaving Muslims Outnumber Jews in hundreds of Palestinians injured and at Israel, Philip Weiss, The U.S. by 2040?, least 10 dead. http://mondoweiss.net OV-4 Dunia El-Zobaidi, This is not a movie. It is Gaza. It is Is Trump Assembling a War The Arab Weekly OV-16 Palestine. Cabinet?, Patrick J. Buchanan, Palestinian Teen Ahed Tamimi For more than 70 years Palestinians Creators Syndicate, Inc. OV-5 Reaches Plea Bargain, to Serve have tried by all means possible to ob- 8 Months in Israeli Prison, Trump’s Choice of Bolton tain their rights as guaranteed under Yotam Berger, Haaretz OV-16 international and humanitarian law. Satisfies His Biggest Donor, You Bet It’s Apartheid, Over these decades dozens of resolu- Eli Clifton & Jim Lobe, Gideon Levy, Haaretz OV-17 tions have come from a wide range of http://lobelog.com OV-6 international bodies, associations and Trump’s and Pompeo’s Path to Take a Look Around. This Is NGOs in support of our fundamental Nuclear Crisis, Paul R. Pillar, What Annexation Looks Like, Michael Omer-Man, rights to freedom and self-determina- http://nationalinterest.org OV-7 tion and a return to our homes, from 972mag.com OV-18 We Made a Documentary which we were forcibly expelled in Sderot, “Bomb Shelter Capital Exposing the “Israel Lobby.” 1948. Of the World,” not as Heroic Why Hasn’t It Run?, Despite a romantic rewrite, dozens As Israel Claims, Clayton Swisher, The Forward OV-9 of respected historians and journal- Stuart Littlewood, ists, including Israelis such as Ilan U.S. Officials Demand Al Jazeera www.redressonline.com OV-19 Pappé and Gideon Levy, have docu- Register as Propaganda There Is No Justice in Our World, mented the coordinated Zionist attack “Agent,” Peter Van Buren, Eric S. Margolis, on hundreds of age-old Palestinian The American Conservative OV-11 ericmargolis.com OV-19 villages in 1948 as the onset of a cal-
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world community has been unable or bias, Israel has exploited this “negotia- segregation barricades that deny us any unwilling to provide justice for Pales- tion” as little more than dilatory cover meaningful scrap of self-determination. tinian people who live in walled-off while it has continued its agenda of il- This campaign will demand an end to Bantustans in our own homeland or in legal annexation of Palestinian land in the occupation, an end to the siege of a forced diaspora as so-much stateless the West Bank. Gaza, and recognition of the right of refugees throughout the world. Not satisfied with flooding the West Palestinians to return to their homes in Meanwhile Western states have Bank with hundreds of thousands of il- accordance with U.N. Resolution 194, openly embraced policies that not only legal “settlers,” Israel has continued its issued in December 1948. favor and protect Israel but empower it systematic attack upon fundamental These events, which begin today, co- to continue a now decades-old illegal rights of Palestinians throughout all incide with the anniversary of “Land occupation of the Palestinian territo- the occupied territories, including Day,” in which six Palestinians were ries. Gaza. killed in 1976 while defending their No state has been more supportive of What, then, has been the result of land as it was seized by Israeli authori- this historical injustice than has the this 25-year-old unilateral Israeli stall? ties in the Galilee area. United States. Not satisfied with more Have we not seen the destruction of In the tradition of passive resistance, than 250 billion dollars in direct gov- any meaningful opportunity for stabil- our activities will be peaceful and con- ernment aid to Israel, the USA has used ity and de-escalation of violence that, tinue on the borders until May 15th, its veto more than 70 times in the Se- predictably, has spilled over through- the 70th anniversary of the “Nakba,” curity Council to prevent passage of out the region? when upwards of a million Palestinians resolutions condemning Israeli policies. Has not the delay, by design, chal- were expelled from their homes. Among its unprecedented financial lenged the remaining hope for our peo- All Palestinians in our homeland and support for Israel, the U.S. has provided ple for freedom, an independent state diaspora, including men, women and many tens of billions of dollars in mil- and a return to the homes they have children, will participate in these itary aid and equipment that has subsi- been displaced from over these many marches and related demonstrations dized Israeli control over the legitimate years? And what of the daily life of that share a common theme of justice, rights and aspirations of millions of Palestinians under occupation, opportunity and freedom. Our activity Palestinians and inflicted widespread whether in the West Bank that is di- will be overseen by a national commit- death and destruction among our com- vided into controlled cantons or the tee which represents all Palestinian munities. Tens of thousands have lost besieged Gaza Strip? Both have been forces and factions as well as civil soci- their lives, many more been injured or turned into an unbearable hell, for all ety and independent Palestinian figures crippled, and even more detained for to see but for us to taste. Murder, im- and supporters. years on end in a military “justice” sys- prisonment, siege, land seizure, house The Committee has circulated nu- tem which denies Palestinians any demolitions, poverty, unemployment, merous publications and directives for modicum of justice. and denial of medical treatment and participants in the marches, which em- Recently, in an effort to further pun- travel have become the daily way of life phasize the peacefulness of this particu- ish Palestinian civilians for the temer- for millions of Palestinians. lar movement and the need to avoid ity of their political will, the U.S. ad- Like the rest of the world, Palestini- violence or any provocative escalation ministration cut more than $300 mil- ans are a people who love life, commu- by Israel. The Committee has also des- lion in aid out of what was its $360 nity and family and seek only a better ignated various on-site representatives million annual share to the U.N. Relief future for our children. However, it to oversee our collective efforts and to and Works Agency (UNRWA). This in- seems as if our collective and lawful as- ensure that our message is heard ternational aid effort provides health, piration is unacceptable to some of the through powerful and peaceful means. education and food benefits to some 5 world, which stands by with idle inter- Notwithstanding our best efforts, we million Palestinian refugees worldwide est and even less action as the occupa- full well expect provocation by Israel who represent some 40 percent of the tion and injustice unfolds in plain during our protests and will do all that total population of 11.5 million Pales- view. we can to ensure its inflammatory ef- tinians inside and out of Palestine. It seems few at the table of nations forts will pass without any response. For the last 25 years, Palestinians have felt the need to confront the Is- Despite our best efforts, once again, have tried in good faith, and in vain, to raeli aggression and its occupation this fear proved to be reality today, as achieve their legitimate aspirations which, by any definition, offends all Israel unleashed hundreds of rounds of through participation in a long, com- standards of decency and international live ammunition and canisters of tear plex and counter-productive negotia- law. gas at first sight of peaceful demonstra- tion process. Having considered our various op- tors armed with nothing more than Because of the fundamental imbal- tions, as well as our lawful right to re- their voice and self-determination. ance of power on the ground and an sist, Palestinians in Gaza have decided Ultimately, Israel has long feared and ever-present international pro-Israeli to launch peaceful marches near the challenged any and all efforts by Pales-
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tinians to expose the reality of the oc- “to defend its sovereignty”—as though cupation and the siege of Gaza, which Israel Sniggers at this military state masquerading as the certainly puts the lie to its claim as the only Middle East democracy requires only democratic state in the region; A Cowardly defending from civilians whose only one that respects and protects human weapons are stones. rights and honors the fundamental World The BBC reports I watched on Friday right to freedom of expression. THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE HAVE evening referred to “clashes,” a term Against this chant stands the daily BEEN ABANDONED BY AN which usually implies that both sides practice of occupation forces that show IMPOTENT AND SYCOPHANTIC were armed, and neglected to make a completely different face…one built mention of the numbers of dead and of racism, violence and systematic vio- INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. injured. Israel’s prominent human lation of human rights. BY LINDA S. HEARD rights organization B’Tselem was more Recently, the arrest and detention of forthright than any of Israel’s allies; its now 17-year-old Ahed Tamimi in the aced with Israel’s crimes against spokesman characterized shooting at West Bank because she slapped a heav- humanity, Western leaderships unarmed demonstrators as “manifestly ily armed Israeli soldier who broke into Fmirror the proverbial see no evil, illegal,” noting that some Palestinians her home is but one of hundreds of like hear no evil, speak no evil Wise Mon- were shot in the back. stories which depict life and death in keys bending their heads before the Kuwait requested an emergency Palestine. Not long ago, wheelchair- chest-beating Goliath on Pennsylva- meeting of the U.N. Security Council. bound Ibraheem Abu Thuraya was shot nia Avenue. “Let us be clear here, what happened and killed by an Israeli sniper for little Those self-appointed champions of today was a peaceful demonstration to more than waving a Palestinian flag on human rights, those whose outrage express their desire for their legitimate the Gaza border in plain view of Israeli knows no bounds over the poisoning rights,” said the Kuwaiti representative, soldiers, who control who and what of a traitorous double agent in the UK, adding, “These were defenseless peo- may go in and out of the beleaguered shrink from any criticism of the Jewish ple.” The UK and France uttered mealy home to some two million people. state. mouthed expressions of “concern.” Given a long and well-documented After all, who dares to risk being The meeting ended minus any official history of violence in furtherance of branded anti-Semitic, like the leader of statement. No surprise there! In a state- the occupation, Palestinians have a Britain’s Labour Party, poor old Jeremy ment, the U.N.’s Secretary-General An- well-founded fear that despite the Corbyn! Or worse, being the recipient tonio Guterres urged an independent peaceful nature of these marches, Israel of tongue-lashings and threats from and transparent investigation. He did will use them as a pretext to kill and in- Trump’s enforcer in the United Na- his duty, but that’s because Israel will jure more of our people. In the past, oc- tions, American Israel Public Affairs not cooperate. It never has. The Israeli cupation forces have been quick to pro- Committee’s (AIPAC) darling Nikki government, supported by the U.S., ac- voke nonviolent expressions of protest Haley. cuses the United Nations of anti-Se- into violent confrontations in which Israeli army snipers mowed down up mitic bias. our communities and children have to 1,400 unarmed Palestinian residents Just days ago, Haley said the United paid a dear price for their voice. of the Gaza Strip peacefully protesting States would withdraw from the U.N. Once again, today’s Israeli attack close to the border fence with Israel last Human Rights Council over resolu- upon our peaceful people proved that Friday to mark “Land Day.” Seventeen tions condemning Israel, accusing the history is often the most certain indica- were killed, including children. body of being “grossly biased.” In De- tor of what is yet to come. Evidenced by videos on social media, cember, the U.S. cut $285 million from Nevertheless, we will not be deterred several were shot while fleeing from its share of the U.N. budget. by Israeli aggression as we exercise our the hail of bullets and clouds of tear Let’s not beat about the bush, folks. fundamental rights to resist and to gas. All the estimated 30,000 protesters Only weak states outside the higher demonstrate so as to ensure that the were on their own side of the border echelons of the Western club are path for our children will lead to a bet- when they came under this vicious at- obliged to comply with human rights ter, just and equal future. tack, which if committed anywhere laws that are frequently cited as a else on the planet would have been weapon with which to beat them into Basem Naim, who resides in Gaza, is the for- called what it was, a massacre. compliance. mer minister of health and adviser to the What was planned to be a peaceful As for Israel, it enjoys absolute im- Palestinian prime minister on international re- occasion complete with picnics, social munity from any legal challenge. It lations. This article was first posted on interaction and traditional dances was would have been provided impunity
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Palestinians in cold blood. Israel, for all ers in Gaza, many of them plainly un- of itself was enough a reason to shoot its nuclear might and America’s slavish armed, by Israeli snipers from across a them dead,” he said. diplomatic cover, remains the eternal security fence: the hasbara—Israeli If the IDF wants to put out a statement victim. propaganda—is not working. saying the men were in the middle of carry- In short, the Palestinian people have The country has plainly done some- ing out an attack when soldiers engaged, been abandoned by a cowardly, syco- thing indefensible. The usual defenders that’s one thing but saying they were phantic international community. Very are silent, and the criticism from the “Hamas activists” means little soon Donald Trump’s plan to relocate left/center is stronger than ever. Sen. The Republican Jewish Coalition is the U.S. Embassy to [occupied] Bernie Sanders’s sharp criticism is actu- also reduced to slinging pathetic, Jerusalem, which he calls Israel’s eter- ally leading the U.S. discussion of the patently-false story-lines. It tweets: nal capital, will reach fruition, ham- event. Gaza March Used Civilian (Including mering the last nails into the coffin of Ori Nir of Americans for Peace Now Children) Human Shields to Trap Israel even a semblance of a Palestinian state. captures the moment, tweeting in He- While AIPAC tweets an article by While it is true that Hamas’ takeover brew (roughly translated): David Horovitz in The Times of Israel of Gaza has been a disaster for the 2 “National Public Radio” Morning Edi- that brims with Israeli paranoia: million people caged inside the world’s tion, the United States’s largest radio net- Gaza’s terrorist rulers make no secret of largest open-air prison camp, deprived work, opened its news: Israel says it will their agenda. They are out to destroy Israel. of basic necessities, blockaded by land, not investigate the circumstances of the 15 Suicide bombers, rockets, and tunnels have sea and air, that should not mean that Gaza residents killed in Friday’s clashes. failed. So now it’s mass marches on the the population is open to being treated Another propaganda achievement of the border. worse than penned cattle. government whose army is the most moral It is a sign of the discourse shifting However, many Palestinian residents in the world. that the Republican Jewish Coalition is of occupied Jerusalem and the West “A pro-Palestinian narrative” is dom- now fastened on—Bernie Sanders. Bank are only marginally better off, inating international media, The Times Violent, militarized “protesters” were at- faced with apartheid walls, check- of Israel reports; and fingers are being tempting to cross the Gaza border fence, points, house demolitions and land pointed throughout the Israeli govern- but @SenSanders would have the Israelis grabs. Their ongoing plight is a dark ment about who allowed Israel to be sit back and take it. That isn’t leadership, stain on the community of nations and led into this PR “trap” by Palestinians. it’s cowardice. the ever more impotent body founded Michael Oren, who can spin anything, You’d think Sanders would be be- in the aftermath of the Second World can’t spin this one. yond the pale. But no, the moral leader War to safeguard human rights and Michael Oren, for one, the deputy min- of the left in the U.S. is at center stage. freedoms. Time to say it like it is. The ister in the Prime Minister’s Office who is Sanders took a little while to condemn U.S. and Israel have got Western responsible for diplomacy, said Israel was the killings, but he has been extremely democracies by the jugular. patently unprepared for the crisis on the strong. Here is Ynet’s report: diplomatic and media battlefield, and that Sanders attacked Israel on Saturday with Linda S. Heard is an award-winning British the word he was getting from abroad was a tweet, saying, “The killing of Palestinian political columnist and guest television com- that the Israeli narrative is losing “big demonstrators by Israeli forces in Gaza is mentator with a focus on the Middle East. This time” to the Palestinian narrative. tragic. It is the right of all people to protest op-ed was first published by the Gulf News, A crisis indeed. Usually vehement Is- for a better future without a violent re- April 2, 2018. Copyright © Al Nisr Publishing rael defenders in the U.S. are keeping sponse.” LLC 2018. All rights reserved. Reprinted with quiet. They surely hope this will blow In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, permission. over. Bill Kristol has nothing to say Sanders was asked if he accepted Israel’s about the killings. Neither does the vol- version that most of the Palestinian dead uble Bret Stephens. Jennifer Rubin has were terrorists who directed attacks against Killing Palestin- been silent on Twitter. Israel under the cover of protesters. The liberal Zionist group Ameinu “No, I don’t,” Sanders responded. “My ian Protesters sent out a Passover greeting today with understanding is you have tens of thou- talk of the African refugees, but not a sands of people who were engaged in a Turns Into a PR word about the killings. As for J nonviolent protest. I believe now 15 or 20 Debacle for Israel Street—bupkus on Twitter. Nothing on people, Palestinians, have been killed, and the blog, either. many many others have been wounded. So BY PHILIP WEISS Jacob Magid of The Times of Israel dis- I think it’s a difficult situation, but my as- misses the effort by the Israeli govern- sessment is that Israel overreacted on that. omething has shifted in the dis- ment to justify the killings by saying Yet more evidence of the fact that Is- course of Israel since the Friday the army identified 10 of the 15 killed rael is getting thrashed in the interna- Skillings of 17 Palestinian protest- as “Hamas activists.” As if “this in and tional response is, the New York Times OV-4 MAY 2018 A SUPPLEMENTTOTHE WASHINGTON REPORTON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS OTHER VOICES OVr2_Other Voices Supplement 4/4/18 4:20 PM Page OV-5
op-ed page has had nothing to say what happened. But Israeli officials aren’t cabinet. about these atrocities, while a Washing- interested in finding out. An investigation? Trump himself has pledged to walk ton Post foreign affairs writer, Ishaan Defense Minister Lieberman said, “There away from the Iran nuclear deal—“the Tharoor, is condemning them outright: won’t be one” He said “all the soldiers de- worst deal ever”—and reimpose sanc- “For Israel, there’s little political cost to serve a medal.” tions in May. killing Palestinians.” Finally, even mainstream Israeli fig- His new national security adviser Tharoor’s article is clear about the ures are jumping ship. A leading radio John Bolton, who wrote an op-ed ti- moral outrage here, and about the rea- host might be fired for saying he’s tled “To Stop Iran’s Bomb, Bomb Iran,” son, Israel’s impunity. “ashamed to be Israeli.” Haaretz: has called for pre-emptive strikes and “These are the predictable outcomes of a Top Israeli radio host Kobi Meidan has “regime change.” manifestly illegal command: Israeli sol- been silenced on Army Radio after posting Secretary of State-designate Mike diers shooting live ammunition at un- on Facebook that he’s “ashamed to be Is- Pompeo calls Iran “a thuggish police armed Palestinian protesters,” said Amit raeli” after 15 Gazans were shot dead dur- state,” a “despotic theocracy,” and “the Gilutz, a spokesman for B’Tselem, a ing mass Gaza protests along the Israel- vanguard of a pernicious empire that is Jerusalem-based leftist organization that Gaza border last week. expanding its power and influence monitors human rights abuses in the occu- After talking with the media personality, across the Middle East.” pied territories. “What is predictable, too, Army Radio commander Shimon Elkabetz Trump’s favorite Arab ruler, 32-year-old is that no one—from the snipers on the ordered the station to no longer broadcast Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman, ground to top officials whose policies have Meidan on the air, but it remains to be calls Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei “the turned Gaza into a giant prison—is likely seen whether temporarily or permanently. Hitler of the Middle East.” to be ever held accountable.” We will of course be closely monitor- Bibi Netanyahu is monomaniacal on The Israeli leadership had reason to feel ing the international response to the Iran, calling the nuclear deal a threat to comfortable in its defiance. The most vocal killings, including in official forums. Israel’s survival and Iran “the greatest criticism from abroad came from Iran and But the media narrative is hardening, threat to our world.” Turkey; censure from either country is more Israel went way too far. No wonder a U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley echoes likely a source of relish for Netanyahu than local friend asked me yesterday, Has Is- them all. unease. And at the United Nations, the rael lost its mind? Yet Iran appears not to want a war. Trump administration blocked the Security U.N. inspectors routinely confirm that Council from issuing a statement that Thanks to Ofer Neiman, James North and Iran is strictly abiding by the terms of called for an “independent and transparent Todd Pierce. Philip Weiss is founder and co-ed- the nuclear deal. investigation” and affirmed the Palestini- itor of Mondoweiss.net, where this article While U.S. warships in the Persian ans’ right to peaceful protest. was first posted April 2, 2018. Copyright © Gulf often encountered Iranian “fast Tharoor links to Eric Umansky, 2018 Mondoweiss. Reprinted with permis- attack” boats and drones between Janu- deputy managing editor of Pro Publica, sion. ary 2016 and August 2017, that has who has produced a lacerating and elo- stopped. Vessels of both nations have quent series of tweets on the optics of operated virtually without incident. the murders: Is Trump What would be the result of Trump’s 1/ I know our capacity for outrage has trashing of the nuclear deal? been sapped, but the images coming from Assembling a First would be the isolation of the Gaza are truly shocking. 2/ Here’s a United States. video—shared by The Washington War Cabinet? China and Russia would not abro- Post—of a young man shot and killed as BY PATRICK J. BUCHANAN gate the deal but would welcome Iran he was *rolling a tire away from the bor- into their camp. England, France and der* 3/ Here’s a video of a man shot as he he last man standing between Germany would have to choose be- was praying with others 4/ Israel says the U.S. and war with Iran may tween the deal and the U.S. And if videos are fabricated. Except multiple Tbe a four-star general affection- Airbus were obligated to spurn Iran’s videos show same thing. 5/ Here’s another ately known to his Marines as “Mad orders for hundreds of new planes, young man who was shot in the head as Dog.” how would that sit with the Euro- he was watching the protests and puffing Gen. James Mattis, the secretary of peans? a cigarette. 6/ Sixteen Palestinians were defense, appears to be the last man in How would North Korea react if the shot to death, hundreds more wounded. the Situation Room who believes the U.S. trashed a deal where Iran, after ac- You’ve heard of Bloody Sunday, right? Iran nuclear deal may be worth preserv- cepting severe restrictions on its nu- That’s when British troops killed 14 pro- ing and that war with Iran is a dreadful clear program and allowing intrusive testers in N. Ireland. I wonder how history idea. inspections, were cheated of the bene- and we will remember Gaza, if at all. 7/ Yet, other than Mattis, President Don- fits the Americans promised? There may be plenty left to know about ald Trump seems to be creating a war Why would Pyongyang, having
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seen us attack Iraq, which had no in Iraq. participation in the Iran nuclear deal if WMD, and Libya, which had given up What is Trump, who assured us there Congress and U.S. allies did not bend its WMD to mollify us, ever consider would be no more stupid wars, think- to his efforts to effectively renegotiate giving up its nuclear weapons—espe- ing? Truman and LBJ got us into wars it—came directly from Bolton and was- cially after seeing the leaders of both they could not end, and both lost their n’t in the original marks prepared by nations executed? presidencies. Eisenhower and Nixon Trump’s staff. And, should the five other signato- ended those wars and were rewarded The line was added to Trump’s speech ries to the Iran deal continue with it de- with landslides. after Bolton, despite Kelly’s recent edict [re- spite us, and Iran agree to abide by its After his smashing victory in Desert stricting Bolton’s access to Trump], reached terms, what do we do then? Storm, Bush I was denied a second term. the president by phone on Thursday after- Find a casus belli to go to war? Why? After invading Iraq, Bush II lost both noon from Las Vegas, where Bolton was How does Iran threaten us? houses of Congress in 2006, and his visiting with Republican megadonor Shel- A war, which would involve U.S. war- party lost the presidency in 2008 to the don Adelson. Bolton urged Trump to in- ships against swarms of Iranian tor- anti-war Barack Obama. clude a line in his remarks noting that he pedo boats, could shut down the Per- Once Trump seemed to understand reserved the right to scrap the agreement en- sian Gulf to oil traffic and produce a this history. tirely, according to two sources familiar crisis in the global economy. Anti- with the conversation. American Shi’i jihadists in Beirut, Bagh- Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of a new Some analysts have suggested that dad and Bahrain could attack U.S. civil- book, Nixon’s White House Wars: The Bat- Bolton, an anti-Iran über-hawk, has the ian and military personnel. tles That Made and Broke a President and visit to Washington of Saudi Crown As the Army and Marine Corps do Divided America Forever. This article was Prince Mohammed bin Salman to not have the troops to invade and oc- first circulated March 27, 2018 by Creator’s thank for his imminent elevation. But cupy Iran, would we have to reinstate Syndicate, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Adelson, a huge supporter of Israeli the draft? Patrick J. Buchanan and Creator’s Syndicate, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, And if we decided to blockade and Inc. likely played a critical role in Bolton’s bomb Iran, we would have to take out ascendancy. all its anti-ship missiles, submarines, navy, air force, ballistic missiles and air Trump’s Choice HISTORY OF SUPPORT defense system. Adelson’s promotion of Bolton dates And would not a pre-emptive strike Of Bolton back at least to the days immediately on Iran unite its people in hatred of us, after Trump’s November 2016 elec- just as Japan’s pre-emptive strike on Satisfies His tion. According to The New York Pearl Harbor united us in a determina- Times, Adelson strongly supported tion to annihilate her empire? Biggest Donor Bolton for the position of deputy sec- What would the Dow Jones average retary of state as Trump was putting look like after an attack on Iran? BY ELI CLIFTON AND JIM LOBE together his cabinet: Trump was nominated because he Mr. [Rex] Tillerson has expressed misgiv- promised to keep us out of stupid wars ast August, shortly after John ings about having Mr. Bolton as his deputy, like those into which folks like John Kelly replaced Reince Priebus as according to a person who has spoken with Bolton and the Bush Republicans LWhite House chief of staff and Mr. Trump in recent days. But Mr. Bolton plunged us. Steve Bannon was fired as the presi- remains under consideration for the job. After 17 years, we are still mired in dent’s chief strategist, John Bolton And he enjoys a powerful ally in Sheldon Afghanistan, trying to keep the Taliban complained that he could no longer Adelson, the casino magnate and Republi- we overthrew in 2001 from returning get a meeting with Donald Trump. can megadonor who favors the kind of to Kabul. Following our 2003 invasion, Just three months later, however, on hard-nosed posture that Mr. Bolton would Iraq, once a bulwark against Iran, be- the eve of Trump’s belligerent address bring. came a Shi’i ally of Iran. to the United Nations, Bolton was once Mr. Adelson’s backing has gone an espe- The rebels we supported in Syria again in direct contact with the presi- cially long way with Mr. Trump’s son-in- have been routed. And Bashar Assad— dent. How did this turnabout take law, Jared Kushner, who is expected to take thanks to backing from Russia, Iran, place? The reconnection was reportedly on an important but still undetermined Hezbollah and Shi’i militias from the arranged by none other than Sheldon role in the new administration. Middle East and Central Asia—has se- Adelson, the Trump campaign’s biggest Tillerson won that battle at the time cured his throne. donor. in no small part because of the prospec- The Kurds who trusted us have been Politico reported that the most threat- tive difficulty of getting Bolton con- hammered by our NATO ally Turkey in ening line in Trump’s U.N. speech— firmed by the Senate (although it’s also Syria, and by the Iraqi army we trained that he would cancel Washington’s likely that mainstream foreign-policy
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Republicans like Condoleezza Rice, trous [nuclear] deal with Iran” as his its 2007 destruction of a Syrian reactor, de- Robert Gates and James Baker—to “number one priority.” signed and built by North Korea, can ac- whom Tillerson owed his surprise nom- Trump met Adelson in Las Vegas in complish what is required. Time is terribly ination as secretary of state—believed early October 2017. One week later, short, but a strike can still succeed. Bolton would constitute a clear and pre- Trump announced that he would no Adelson got his wish to move the sent danger to national security). De- longer certify that Iran was complying embassy to Jerusalem, but he still has- spite a Republican majority in the Sen- with the Iran nuclear deal, even n’t succeeded in pushing the U.S. into ate, Bolton failed to gain confirmation though the U.S. intelligence commu- a military confrontation with Iran. as George W. Bush’s U.N. ambassador in nity and all of Washington’s European Trump and the GOP’s biggest donor 2005 as a result of his extreme foreign- allies, as well as the International may now have installed their man in policy views. Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), had what is perhaps the most powerful for- Trump didn’t always like or identify found no evidence that Tehran was eign-policy position in the U.S. gov- with Adelson’s hawkish and pro-Likud cheating. ernment, besides the presidency itself. views or even his money. Indeed, Trump One month later, Adelson used his As a result, the likelihood of a new U.S. told a December 2015 audience at the own newspaper, The Las Vegas Review war of choice in the Middle East has Likudist Republican Jewish Coalition, Journal, to express his frustration with risen dramatically. where Adelson serves on the board of di- Trump’s failure to quickly redeem his rectors and is, no doubt, its biggest fun- promise to move the embassy. Two Jim Lobe served for some 30 years as the der: months after that, Trump reversed a Washington, DC bureau chief for Inter Press You’re not gonna support me because I half-century of U.S. policy by formally Service and is best known for his coverage of don’t want your money. You want to con- recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. U.S. foreign policy and the influence of the trol your politicians; that’s fine.…I do want According to Michael Wolff’s book Fire neoconservative movement. Eli Clifton reports your support, but I don’t want your money. and Fury, Steve Bannon credited Adel- on money in politics and U.S. foreign policy. Trump even mocked his primary op- son for Trump’s decision. Eli previously reported for the American Inde- ponent, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), for Since the embassy announcement, pendent News Network, ThinkProgress, and seeking Adelson’s financial support, the administration has aligned U.S. Inter Press Service. This article was first posted tweeting: policy ever more closely with Israel’s on
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dream, Trump and Pompeo are chart- rabid partisans on Capitol Hill. His de- An alternative scenario is that the ing a course toward endless conflict, es- termination to destroy this foreign pol- prospect of negotiations with North calating tension, and an upsurge in icy accomplishment of Obama is of a Korea may give Trump more of an in- weapons proliferation. piece with his role as leading attack dog centive to rip up the agreement with And they are doing it for all the against Obama’s first secretary of state Iran because, as one pro-Trump expo- wrong reasons. Tillerson certainly is no and would-be successor, Hillary Clin- nent of this scenario explains, “Kim is Iran-hugger. He came into his (short ton. Pompeo also has a long record of going to learn that if he thinks he is and unhappy) job as secretary of state Islamophobia and Iranophobia that is going to cut a deal, it’s going to have to with no identifiable ideological or po- more visceral than cognitive. The ex- be way more ironclad than the JCPOA.” litical obsessions that could be ex- treme to which Pompeo is willing to go As a negotiating strategy this makes no pected to shape his thinking one way to act on his obsession about Iran is sense at all, because of the disincentive or another about policy toward Iran. perhaps best illustrated by his tenden- to the North Koreans to strike a deal that He counseled Trump against destroying tious and irregular effort—taking a page they will have all the more reason to or pulling out of the JCPOA because from the playbook of those who sold believe the United States will not ob- any dispassionate and objective analy- the Iraq war to the American public— serve. As a U.S. objective it also makes no sis leads to the conclusion that a strict to conjure up an alliance between Iran sense, especially given the differences and rigidly enforced set of limits on and al-Qaeda, even though no such al- between the Iranian and North Korean Iran’s nuclear program to keep that liance has existed and those two players situations. The biggest difference, of program peaceful, which is what the are on opposite sides of most sectarian course, is that North Korea has a sub- JCPOA is all about, is squarely in the and geopolitical divides that matter. stantial arsenal of nuclear weapons and interests of the United States, of non- Iran has none. No conceivable agree- proliferation, and of the containment IRAN AND NORTH KOREA ment with Pyongyang at this point, of conflict in the Middle East. Now One possible remaining complication even one that everyone could applaud as Trump has one less subordinate to along the path to destruction involves a positive contribution to stability on the annoy him with advice that is based on the implications that policy toward Korean peninsula, would go as far as the dispassionate and objective analysis. Iran and the JCPOA may have for pol- JCPOA goes. An agreement identical to Trump’s crusade against the JCPOA is icy toward North Korea. Many com- the JCPOA would have been great to based mainly on what has been all mentators have observed that the time have several years ago, before Pyongyang along one of the two major drivers of frame for a prospective summit be- built its arsenal. Such an agreement opposition to the agreement, which is tween Trump and Kim Jong-un is simi- would have avoided the fix the world is to oppose and destroy anything Barack lar to that for the next scheduled U.S. in now with the problem of Kim’s nu- Obama accomplished. Trump’s urge to presidential waiver of sanctions on clear weapons. Today, an agreement do the opposite of whatever Obama Iran. A failure to waive would be a clear with North Korea that is identical to the did has probably been the single most violation of U.S. commitments under JCPOA would be wonderful—it would consistent thread in his otherwise in- the JCPOA, in the face of what has mean getting rid of all the North Korean consistent and erratic presidency. The been Iran’s consistent observance of its nukes—but that is beyond the reach of urge repeatedly has taken precedence, obligations under the accord. One line even the most self-confident deal-maker. as have the faux-populist memes and of analysis is that U.S. compliance with applause lines that energize Trump, the JCPOA is important for getting any TRUMP’S COURSE over anything that bears resemblance concessions out of Pyongyang regard- That an approach makes no sense to careful consideration of the national ing its nuclear program, both because does not mean Donald Trump won’t interest (as illustrated in recent weeks the North Koreans need to believe that take it. Besides, the more he thinks by trade policy). The other major driver the United States will keep whatever about it, the more he may not even of opposition to the JCPOA—the bend- bargain it strikes with them and be- want a deal with North Korea, just as ing to whatever the right-wing govern- cause U.S. violation of the JCPOA he probably is having second ment of Israel says and wants—has would antagonize other parties to that thoughts about the summit meeting been a slightly less consistent thread accord whose support is necessary to with Kim to which he impulsively for Trump personally but also a factor, maintain economic pressure on North agreed. Even after purging advisers as illustrated by other administration Korea. The analysis makes sense. North who try to talk sense to him, Trump policies such as the move to recognize Korea has no incentive to concede on probably will realize that any feasible Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. anything if it suspects that the Trump nuclear deal he could reach with As for Trump’s soon-to-be (if con- administration will renege on its North Korea would be less extensive firmed) partner in destruction, Mike promises, and nothing will feed this and less restrictive than the agree- Pompeo, his unrelenting hostility to suspicion more than for the United ment with Iran that he has excoriated the JCPOA is rooted in his record as a States to renege on its commitments in so long and so loudly. Rather than congressman who was one of the most another nuclear agreement. make an agreement with North Korea
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that, by his own implied standards, observing its agreements and sees a sought to offer its own side of the nar- would be subpar, it might look better U.S. foreign policy in which destruc- rative in this conflict by hosting from Trump’s perspective just to keep tion trumps productive diplomacy. thought leaders, including from the fulminating about how his predeces- American Jewish community. From sors had left such messes and about Paul R. Pillar is non-resident senior fellow at the reports in the Israeli press, I learned how he is putting more pressure on Center for Security Studies of Georgetown Uni- that Dershowitz had been brought to adversaries than ever before, while he versity and an associate fellow of the Geneva meet with the Qatari emir, and that goes ahead with pulling out of the Center for Security Policy. He retired in 2005 the American Jews had brought up JCPOA. That would mean two nuclear from a 28-year career in the U.S. intelligence what they saw as Al Jazeera’s “anti- crises and not just one, but in Trump’s community. This article was first posted on Semitism” in those meetings. universe that is not necessarily seen as
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tine Papers” leak of confidential meet- The UK Edition of “The Lobby” Nowhere are these lobbying efforts ing minutes from the Israeli-Palestin- aired in January 2017. We captured more prominent than in Washington, ian negotiations under Bush and on hidden camera an Israeli official, DC, where we had a second under- Obama, or the investigation I led into Shai Masot, manipulating domestic cover concurrently embedded to re- Yasser Arafat’s death, resulting in his British NGOs and threatening to tar- port on how the groups in America exhumation and the discovery of get pro-Palestinian MPs. Masot, whose really work. We explored American Polonium 210 in his corpse. business card read “Senior Political pro-Israel lobbyists and their relation- We have tackled a breadth of sub- Officer” with the Israeli Embassy in ships with Israeli entities, like the Is- jects and controversies, from exposing London, threatened to “take down” raeli Embassy or Israel’s Ministry of the depth of the Boeing 787’s battery the Foreign Office’s number two, Sir Strategic Affairs. Given the high vol- problems to genocide in Myanmar to Alan Duncan, a critic of Israeli settle- ume of footage we obtained, it took us presidential corruption in the Mal- ments. A British civil servant enter- until early autumn 2017 to carefully dives to a recent exposé on pedophilia taining the plot, who we secretly ready the U.S. edition for broadcast. in British youth football. recorded, was summarily dismissed. After our journalism was validated And we’ve won awards, including The UK edition of “The Lobby” was and upheld by Ofcom in October, we the Foreign Press Association, CINE of such public importance that it re- assumed that the U.S. edition of “The Golden Eagle, One World Media and sulted in a formal apology from Am- Lobby” would be aired in just a mat- the New York Film Festival, as well as bassador Mark Regev. Masot resigned. ter of weeks, as I said in a series of in- prestigious nominations in Europe’s Most significantly, a parliamentary in- terviews at the time. It was to be made top contests, including BAFTA, Monte quiry was launched into foreign inter- available in the U.S. on YouTube. Carlo and the Royal Television Society. ference in UK foreign policy. There was a final step to the process. Even though our network is a pri- Frustratingly, despite all these proofs As a UK-regulated entity, we are vate company funded by the govern- of the importance of our work, we obliged to send formal “right to reply” ment of Qatar, my unit operates inde- were met with accusations of anti- letters to anyone caught on our secret pendently and without government Semitism. The Jewish Chronicle anony- cameras, which I proceeded to do in interference. If that weren’t the case, I mously quoted a “communal figure” January. This late stage formality is have every confidence our staff— saying “the documentary revealed an done in every project to notify unwit- comprised of mostly British and ‘anti-Semitic’ mindset among those ting people of our intention to broad- American journalists—would walk. who made it.” A number of pro-Israeli cast. These letters clearly state the And rightfully so. activists brought complaints against essence of our findings, providing the From time to time, when other in- us, leading to an extensive regulatory subjects the opportunity to respond. I vestigative tactics won’t work, we esca- investigation by Britain’s top broadcast duly instructed our reporter to proceed late our efforts to include undercover regulator, Ofcom. But even that inves- with sending the letters, which he did. reporters and secret filming. This prac- tigation cleared Al Jazeera of any foul More than 70 letters went out. tice is used by many international play, including anti-Semitism. The To this day, our letters yielded only broadcasters, including BBC and CNN, lengthy verdict, issued last October, a paltry three replies. Instead we faced and is carefully managed, through found that our work yielded “a serious a spate of articles by right-wing pro-Is- multiple layers of legal and editorial investigative documentary” that was rael news sites in America, harshly at- review, to ensure it is performed con- in the public interest. “Surreptitious tacking our work. They came from the sistently with local laws, industry reg- filming,” Ofcom confirmed, “was nec- likes of the “Foundation for Defense of ulations, and our own Code of Ethics. essary to the credibility and authentic- Democracies,” whose staff was in- This tactic helped us to uncover ity of the program because without it, cluded in our secret filming, and who, sports doping at the highest levels of the program makers would have had according to earlier leaked e-mails, has American professional athletics and, to rely on second-hand accounts.” aligned its pro-Israeli advocates with more dangerously, to expose South We could not have agreed more. the United Arab Emirates government Africa’s illegal and gruesome rhino Our journalism got at the heart of the to smear Al Jazeera’s work as “an in- horn trade, which implicated the coun- crucial question of foreign interfer- strument of regional instability.” try’s own minister of state security. ence in the UK government, and it Others, like Noah Pollak from the It was under these auspices that our was of vital public interest. Committee for Israel, impugned our Investigative Unit placed concurrent It was this same question—whether journalism as a “professional espi- undercover journalists in both Wash- the Israeli government was funding or onage operation carried out by Qatar ington, DC and London to expose the involved in lobbying efforts in the on American soil.” clandestine efforts of Israel’s Ministry U.S. under the guise of a domestic Rather than reply to our letter invit- of Strategic Affairs to counter the lobbying group—that we sought to ing him to challenge our findings about global boycott, divestment and sanc- answer in the American edition of him, Pollak and other “leaders of Jew- tions movement. “The Lobby.” ish American organizations” instead
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took meetings with the State of Qatar’s senior management at its word. To registered agent and lobbyist, a former my own specially trained ears, “wait” U.S. Officials De- aide to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz named Nick did not constitute “stop.” Muzin, to “see if he could use his ties In fact, it must not constitute mand Al Jazeera with the Qataris to stop the airing.” “stop.” For if our documentary does Muzin, it seems, told them he not air, it may well lend credibility to Register as Pro- could. In February, Muzin told Haaretz the claim these 14 U.S. politicians paganda “Agent” that “he was discussing the issue with have used and defamed us with—that the Qataris and didn’t think the film Al Jazeera is indeed a foreign agent, at BY PETER VAN BUREN would broadcast in the near future.” the direction and control of Qatar’s One anonymous source even boasted government. bipartisan group of lawmakers to Haaretz that “the Qatari emir him- I confess my own disappointment has called for Attorney Gen- self helped make the decision” to with Al Jazeera’s non-response to Aeral Jeff Sessions to investigate spike our film. these attacks. In part because of this whether Al Jazeera, the news outlet These same zealots are now lobby- deep frustration and my inability to connected to the Qatari government, ing Congress to pressure the Depart- get any real transparency about the should register with the Justice Depart- ment of Justice to require our network decision to delay our broadcast, I ment as an agent under the Foreign to register as “foreign agents” under asked for and received a sabbatical, Agents Registration Act (FARA). This the Foreign Agent Registration Act (or which I began this week. Meanwhile, will have broad implications for the “FARA”). In a letter circulated on the attacks against us continue. Al- First Amendment, our access to dis- Capitol Hill last week, some lawmak- though Al Jazeera is a world class senting opinions, and even how the ers even raised alarm over “reports” media organization that wins awards rest of the world views us. that our undercover had “infiltrated and has changed history and the Arab The lawmakers include Representa- American 501(c)(3) and (c)(4) non- world so much for the better, our tives Josh Gottheimer, (D-NJ), Lee profit organizations” in the course of shortcomings remain being way too Zeldin (R-NY), and 16 other House our journalism. shy (and late) to tell our own story. members. Senator Ted Cruz, Texas Re- I was outraged. When the network Worse, we often let others who have publican, also signed the letter to Ses- launched in 1996, it was set up to an agenda against us to tell it for us. sions. The letter claims Al Jazeera “di- shine the light of transparency across I am distressed to find that our in- rectly undermines American interests” the Arab and Muslim world. Estab- vestigation into America’s pro-Israel and broadcasts “anti-American, anti-Se- lished powers hated us, and on any lobbyists may represent the most im- mitic, and anti-Israel” material. If forced given day, still do. Even the Bush ad- portant test yet of Al Jazeera’s inde- to register, Al Jazeera would join Russian ministration contemplated bombing pendence, and whether our network outlets RT and Radio Sputnik, Japan’s our headquarters during the second still has space to thrive amidst the un- Cosmomedia, the Korean Broadcasting Iraq war. It was incredible to hear just just blockade against our Qatari host. System, and China Daily as acknowl- a few years later then-Secretary of I pray those outside our network do edged foreign state propaganda outlets. State Hillary Clinton defending Al not seek short term political expedi- The DOJ has also been asked to look Jazeera as “real news” in testimony ency and inappropriately interfere into a range of other Chinese media. before Congress. I defy any journalist with our professional work, which we Ironically, the bipartisan request to who truly values her or his craft to say have zealously guarded and worked force Al Jazeera to register comes amid that Al Jazeera has not been a force for long term to preserve and uphold. a controversy over the network’s film- good in our troubled planet. Al Nothing less than free speech and ing of a documentary critical of pro-Is- Jazeera has without question ex- democratic values are at stake here. rael lobbying in the United States. For panded press freedoms throughout that exposé, the network used an un- the Arab and Muslim world. Clayton Swisher is a Doha-based investiga- dercover operative to secure footage re- And yet, I have to admit that some- tive journalist on sabbatical leave from Al vealing possibly illegal interactions be- one has been hard at work putting the Jazeera Media Network and author of The tween advocacy groups and lawmakers. kibosh on our film. Truth About Camp David and The Pales- The Foreign Agents Registration Act For since October, we’ve faced a se- tine Papers. The author speaks for himself was never intended to regulate journal- ries of unexplained delays in broad- and not for Al Jazeera. Follow him on Twit- ism. In fact, the legislation includes casting our project, the likes of which ter @claytonswisher. The views and opinions finely worded exemptions for journal- I’ve never experienced. I was repeat- expressed in this article are the author’s own ists, scholars, artists, and the like, who edly told by everyone I asked to and do not necessarily reflect those of the are not required to announce them- “wait,” and was assured our docu- Forward, where this article was first pub- selves as “agents of a foreign principal” mentary would eventually see the lished March 8, 2018. Reprinted with per- regardless of what they do. The law was light of day. Then, as now, I took my mission. created in 1938 in response to German
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propaganda, specifically Nazi officials register as propaganda agents. RT’s edi- “anti-American, anti-Semitic, and anti- and those they employed who were de- tor-in-chief maintained her network Israel.” In the specific case of Al Jazeera, livering pacifist speeches in then-neu- was an independent news outlet, but it seemingly extends American law to tral America to organize sympathetic chose to comply rather than face crim- cover anti-Israeli propaganda as well. As German Americans. By requiring those inal proceedings, adding “we congratu- with attempts to claim Wikileaks is es- working for the Nazis to register and re- late the American freedom of speech pionage and not journalism, this partic- port their finances and spending, U.S. and all those who still believe in it.” ular use of FARA looks to be another in- counterespionage authorities could Critics then swung RT’s snarky com- stance of laws wielded to harass those more easily keep track of their activities. ment on free speech into “proof” that with “un-American” opinions. FARA doesn’t even prohibit straight it unfairly criticizes America. The employment of FARA to restrict up propagandizing, though it does The use of FARA to allow the govern- foreign journalists also adds to the seek to limit the influence of foreign ment to declare which foreign media growing sense among too many al- agents by labeling their work, appar- outlets produce “news” and which pro- ready frightened Americans that our ently to help out Americans who oth- duce “fake news” and propaganda is “a freedoms are being used against us. erwise would not be able to tell the dif- shift in how the law has been applied “The U.S. is at a huge strategic disad- ference on their own. The law specifi- in recent decades,” said the Committee vantage when it comes to the New cally says that “disclosure of the re- to Protect Journalists. “We’re uncom- Media Wars because our information quired information facilitates evalua- fortable with governments’ deciding environment is so open and rich,” said tion by the government and the Amer- what constitutes journalism or propa- one former CIA deputy director of in- ican people of the statements and ac- ganda.” telligence. Perhaps too many dissent- tivities of such persons in light of their As the Justice Department wields its ing voices isn’t a good idea. The Inter- function as foreign agents.” Indeed, FARA weapon, here’s what Al Jazeera’s net is just too much freedom to respon- the Atlantic Council claims these ac- journalists could face. sibly allow. Maybe the government tions “do not suppress freedom of Designation under FARA requires should become more involved in what speech; instead, it serves the First that a media outlet label its reporting we say, hear, watch, and read, as Face- Amendment by supplementing infor- “with a conspicuous statement that the book and Twitter (which banned RT mation available to the public.” information is disseminated by the from advertising) do now—you know, Here’s a use of FARA in line with the agents on behalf of the foreign princi- for our own protection. Our open soci- law’s original intent: the Abu Dhabi pal”: in other words, a nutritional label ety is a vulnerability, not a strength. Tourism and Culture Authority, whose for journalism. It also means the outlet The roots of our most basic rights can job is to lobby Americans on behalf of must open its finances to the Depart- be found in the freedom of the press a foreign government—in this case, to ment of Justice. It means Americans written into the First Amendment. The take vacations in Abu Dhabi—is a FARA who choose to watch that media, or press must be unfettered in reporting registrant. That way, when the Abu participate in its talk shows, or who so citizens can make informed deci- Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority work legally for those outlets, open sions when voting, protesting, and pe- says they have decent beaches you themselves to accusations of “treason” titioning their government. Govern- should visit, you know who is up to (one political staffer was fired after ment should play no role in designat- what. Other typical registrants might being interviewed by Radio Sputnik). It ing good journalists from bad, in li- include an American lawyer hired by adds credence to the muddy cries of censing who can report on or access a Saudi Arabia to lobby Congress in favor “fake news” used to shut out dissenting broad range of ideas. Sorting out the of more arms sales. Being a foreign opinions. It gives credibility to groups marketplace of ideas—opposing opin- agent is very legal and very popular like PropOrNot, which lists websites it ions, bias exposed and hidden—is sup- with former congresspeople and gov- “determines” are Russian propaganda, posed to be our task as an informed cit- ernment bureaucrats; you just need to and Hamilton 68, which does the same izenry. We should reclaim that mantle announce who your employer is. for Twitter. and do the job ourselves. But FARA can also serve a more nefar- Subjecting journalists to FARA sends ious purpose: as a catch-22 prosecution a message about America. It encourages Peter Van Buren, a 24-year State Depart- (a “compliance statute”) for those the other governments to impose their own ment veteran, is the author of We Meant U.S. wants to declare as foreign agents restrictions (Russia has already passed a Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the but who resist. Once the feds want to law requiring outlets like CNN to regis- Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People and taint you as a foreign agent, you either ter as foreign agents). It uses the full au- Hooper’s War: A Novel of WWII Japan. Fol- agree and register or face jail time. thority of the American government to low him on Twitter @WeMeantWell. This ar- That is what happened in the cases declare that Al Jazeera, a network that ticle was first published by The American of RT and Radio Sputnik. Following the reaches 310 million people in more Conservative, March 27, 2018. Copyright 2016 election, frightened officials de- than 160 countries, has no place within © The American Conservative 2018. manded that the Russian organizations a free press because its broadcasts are Reprinted with permission.
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cilitating the illusion of an imaginary ues weren’t likely to diverge anyway, It’s Time For common interest in cases where no so what’s the problem? real common interest exists…betrays After Kenen retired, Israel and AIPAC AIPAC to Register the former into a participation in the took a rightward turn, and he saw the quarrels and wars of the latter without mistake he made. Toward the end of As a Foreign adequate inducement or justifica- his life, Kenen was outraged by the Agent tion.” AIPAC leadership with its unquestion- To protect against this kind of pas- ing support of the occupation of the BY M.J. ROSENBERG sionate attachment, the United States West Bank and the blockade against has laws in place that forbid foreign Gaza, and other right-wing Israeli poli- his weekend, 18,000 Americans governments from wielding certain cies. He hated what he saw as AIPAC from all over the country are kinds of influence or lobbying. Every using its political power to keep the Tcoming to Washington to par- foreign country represented in Wash- United States government and other ticipate in the annual American Israel ington by foreign agents must register influential Americans and, perhaps Public Affairs Committee Policy Con- under the Foreign Agents Registration most important, the media from stray- ference. Act. Under its terms, the country in ing from the Israeli line. AIPAC is one of the leading forces question is absolutely banned from Not only was AIPAC making it hard behind the Israel lobby, joined in re- participating in or influencing Ameri- for the United States to restrain the Is- cent years by the ascending Christians can elections. Every contact the agents raeli government, but it was also United for Israel. Other Jewish “pro-Is- have with Congress must be reported weakening forces inside Israel that rael” organizations are niche affairs, to the Department of Justice, along were trying to do so. The Israeli peace representing particular constituencies with how and where they spend their camp needed the United States on its on the left or right. But it’s AIPAC that resources. side, but thanks to AIPAC, the United is the registered lobby on Capitol Hill, This law applies to Canada as much States could not help our natural Is- and it is AIPAC whose clout on mat- as it does to Russia (although Russian raeli allies. Of course, when Prime ters relating to Israel exceeds the clout interference in our political process is Minister Yitzhak Rabin was actively of the National Rifle Association on now one of the biggest issues in our po- seeking peace and an end to the occu- matters related to guns; while the litical life). It also applies to Israel. pation, that was the moment AIPAC NRA’s sway is almost entirely over Re- But it does not apply to the Israel chose to separate itself from Israel, re- publicans, AIPAC has historically lobby as represented by AIPAC, which sulting in Rabin’s blistering exhorta- drawn its support from both parties. Is is heavily involved in our political sys- tion that it get the hell out of his way. there any place but AIPAC that not tem, funding candidates who are per- By the time of his death, Kenen was only gets Mike Pence, Paul Ryan, ceived to be “good on Israel,” and de- thoroughly alienated from the organi- Mitch McConnell, Chuck Schumer funding incumbents who fail to sub- zation. and Nancy Pelosi in the same room, scribe to the favored foreign state’s Now is the time to undo Kenen’s but also gets to hear them in near agenda. mistake. It is time to require AIPAC to total agreement? How does AIPAC get away with it? register as what it is: a foreign agent. But there’s something strange, too, It gets away with it because AIPAC’s It will still be able to advocate for Is- about AIPAC. Consider Vice President founder, I.L. Kenen, came up with a rael, but as an Israeli lobby, which ad- Mike Pence’s remarks at last year’s legal loophole by which AIPAC is de- mits to getting its marching orders conference: “Every freedom-loving fined not as a lobby for a foreign state from the Israeli government. What it American stands with Israel—because but for Americans who support that would not be able to do is direct cam- her cause is our cause, her values are state. It’s a critical distinction that paign money to politicians. Let’s see our values and her fight is our fight.” makes AIPAC’s dominance over U.S. how many vice presidents, senators How can America’s representatives Middle East policy possible. and representatives show up at its declare that any other country’s fight— I worked at AIPAC directly for conferences then. Let’s see how many even one as close to us as Israel is—is Kenen, back in the 1970s before mov- of its Israel-right-or-wrong resolutions our fight, its cause our cause, its values ing on to Capitol Hill. He told me that pass the House 435-0. Let’s see if pres- our values? he came up with the AIPAC formula— idents are still afraid to say what they It’s precisely this kind of overidenti- AIPAC as an American organization think about the occupation and the fication that George Washington lobbying for Americans—so that denial of democratic rights to Pales- warned against in his 1796 farewell AIPAC would be legally permitted to tinians. address. “A passionate attachment of engage in politics and not have to re- I began this piece by referring to one nation for another produces a va- veal its activities. A devoted American AIPAC as the major component of the riety of evils,” Washington said. and liberal Democrat, Kenen believed “pro-Israel” lobby. Actually, it isn’t. It is “Sympathy for the favorite nation, fa- American and Israeli interests and val- a lobby for the Israeli right and for a
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status quo that has turned Israel into n 2010, the American Jewish Con- losses resulting from Bernie Madoff’s an international pariah. That is not the gress announced it was shutting Ponzi scheme. Rosen took over the or- way it has to be. Idown. This past summer, it started ganization under terms that included In 1995, when the peace-seeking sending out fund-raising e-mails. Lots the abolishment of its network of Rabin was gunned down by a right- of them. At times in 2017 they arrived local chapters and its membership- wing Israeli zealot, more foreign leaders almost daily. driven model. The group is now run attended his funeral than had attended The e-mails posed a puzzle: Why was by Rosen and a board of 10 people. A any similar rite since John F. Kennedy’s. a defunct Jewish organization trying to new executive director was hired in Poll after poll showed Rabin, the man raise money? And why was it selling a T- late 2017; he has three staff members who negotiated honestly and directly shirt with the phrase “Make Hanukkah working for him. with the Palestinian leader, Yasser Lit Again” across the front? “The theory is, you don’t have to Arafat, to be among the most admired It turns out that instead of shutting have 500 people show up at a conven- people in the world. its doors, a wealthy Jewish businessman tion to vote on every issue and every Today, Netanyahu and AIPAC named Jack Rosen had quietly trans- resolution, or overturn everything that (which has kept the United States gov- formed AJCongress into his own private was done in the prior year,” Rosen said. ernment firmly behind Netanyahu’s Jewish State Department, taking meet- Today, most of the activities of AJ- policies) have turned Israel into a ings with presidents and expounding Congress consist of Rosen taking source of dissension even among on Jewish policy. Now, he’s bringing it meetings. Rosen said that the group’s American Jews. out of the shadows. unwritten mission statement is to No, AIPAC is not a “pro-Israel” lobby. “For the purpose of talking to leaders find the 500 most important decision- It’s the Netanyahu lobby and our laws around the world and getting them to makers on issues relating to Israel and should treat it as such, for Israel’s sake support our views on Israel, it doesn’t to get to know them. He does most of even more than our own. take a huge staff,” Rosen told the For- that relationship building. A lot of it As for the thousands of Americans ward. “We prefer to be sort of smaller.” seems to happen around the dinner gathered in Washington this weekend, In fact, AJCongress is pretty much table at his apartment near Manhat- they need to know one thing: They just Rosen. Though its name and his- tan’s Central Park. are not supporting the dream of a se- tory imply that it speaks on behalf of One night in 2016, Rosen had the cure, democratic Israel at peace with some sort of representative body, Rosen Argentine president, Mauricio Macri, its neighbors and the world. They are, answers to only a small board that in- over for steaks. Macri brought his for- unwittingly, supporting a right-wing cludes two of his sons. eign minister. Rosen invited a Wall political agenda that is placing Israel But the story of AJCongress is not as Street Journal columnist, “a couple of in ever-deeper peril and, frankly, jeop- unusual as it might seem. Many Jewish senators, congressmen [and] a whole ardizing its very existence. groups have shed their grassroots struc- bunch of Jews,” he said. tures amid a focus on major donors. AJ- Partway through the dinner, Rosen M.J. Rosenberg worked at AIPAC from 1974 Congress is an extreme example of the interrupted to criticize Argentina’s vote to 1976 and from 1982 to 1986. He worked phenomenon that’s changing the face in favor of a UNESCO resolution de- on Capitol Hill for 15 years and was a Clinton of the Jewish establishment. spised by pro-Israel groups. Macri agreed political appointee at USAID. Find him on “The notion that you have democ- that it was a bad vote. Weeks later, when Twitter @mjayrosenberg. This article was first racy in American Jewish life is not another version of the same resolution published by the Forward, March 2, 2018. championed by any organization in came up again, Argentina abstained. Reprinted with permission. The views and American Jewish life today,” said Deb- “Somebody has to talk to them, and I opinions expressed in this article are the au- orah Dash Moore, a leading scholar of don’t think what you need to talk to thor’s own and do not necessarily reflect those American Jewish history at the Univer- them is 500 people working for you of the Forward. sity of Michigan. and a staff of lawyers,” Rosen said. Founded in 1918, AJCongress was a Some former leaders of the old AJ- secular, liberal-leaning activist group Congress don’t like what Rosen has One Man Has organized democratically. Led for done with the group. decades by Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, it fa- “I think it unfortunate that an orga- Taken Over a vored popular protest and vocal public nization with the history and the re- advocacy, and was active in litigation markable success over the course of 100 Historic Organi- in support of civil rights and other do- years has been decimated, and now ap- zation. Is It Good mestic causes. Grassroots members set pears to be controlled by one individ- the organization’s policies through a ual,” said Jay Umansky, a former mem- For the Jews? complex internal process. ber of AJCongress’s governing council AJCongress collapsed in 2010 after and the former president of its St. Louis BY JOSH NATHAN-KAZIS decades of decline and catastrophic branch.
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In recent weeks, Rosen has been Rosen said that he had never gone mittee focused increasingly on foreign making efforts to shore up AJCongress’s into business with any mayor whom affairs, AJCongress specialized in do- image. In January, Rosen invited a For- AJCongress had invited on the Interna- mestic matters. ward reporter to the marble-floored of- tional Conference of Mayors. “We get it It differed, too, in its tactics. In con- fice of Rosen Partners, his investment all the time,” he said. “We get every- trast to the elite-driven philosophy of firm, in an art deco office building with body, including U.S. mayors, who want AJC, which preferred to seek backchan- a grand piano in the lobby, just down people to invest. We’re successful busi- nels through which its wealthy leaders the block from Trump Tower. nesspeople. I don’t believe I’ve ever could influence policy, it worked “Ban Ki-moon and Kofi Annan have done a deal with a mayor” he met through public advocacy and organiz- been to dinner at my house several through the conference. ing. The organization had tens of times,” he said, referring to the former The meetings that Rosen takes with thousands of members and regional secretaries-general of the United Nations. world leaders are undeniably high- offices across the country. Its members Rosen is known as an assiduous cul- level. He has met with the controver- had a direct hand in setting the poli- tivator of relationships. He was a friend sial new crown prince of Saudi Arabia, cies of the organization through con- of the Clintons and close enough to Mohammed bin Salman (“He’s a very ferences and resolutions. President George W. Bush that the pres- interesting guy”) and with the emir of Today, AJCongress is the epitome of ident gave him the nickname “Rosie.” Qatar. He attended the wedding of the the elite-driven model. The grassroots He’s had Robert de Niro over for din- son of the prime minister of the United model, meanwhile, has been aban- ner. “You’re in New York, you come Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin doned. Broad-based groups like B’nai across all kinds of people,” he said. Rashid Al Maktoum. In an e-mail, a B’rith and Jewish War Veterans of the Born in a displaced persons camp in spokesman for AJCongress said that the United States of America have shriv- Germany—the same DP camp where organization had other programs be- eled, while AJC, which has always em- Zionist Organization of America Presi- sides Rosen’s diplomatic work. Most of phasized elite leadership, has grown, dent Morton Klein was born—Rosen that appears to consist of op-eds and and had nearly $70 million in rev- grew up in the Bronx with a real estate statements by Rosen on anti-Semitism, enue in 2016. Meanwhile, Jewish fed- developer father. Rosen, too, is a real Iran and U.S.-Israel ties. erations across the country have em- estate developer, though the interests Abraham Foxman, the former leader phasized fund-raising from wealthy of his firm, Rosen Partners, are sprawl- of the Anti-Defamation League, said donors. ing. He has close ties to the Russian that Rosen has earned his position as a “Everybody wants to maintain the Jewish billionaire oligarchs behind Alfa spokesman for the Jews. “Jack Rosen appearance of larger representation, but Group, Mikhail Fridman and German earned his stripes, both in time and in increasingly actual decision-making is Khan, forming a massive joint invest- money and in effort,” Foxman said. confined to a relatively small number of ment venture with them in 2012 and “The organization disappeared. But people,” said one long-term observer of serving as a member of the advisory that doesn’t mean that he has to disap- the Jewish communal scene, who asked board Altimo, their telecommunica- pear. He’s not a fly-by-night.” not to be named. “The model of the tions investment firm. He also owns a Still, the current AJCongress is a far grassroots, policy-determined-by-demo- number of large Manhattan buildings. cry from its former self. In 2015, the cratic-vote national organization is, for In one instance, Rosen’s business in- most recent year for which tax filings better or for worse, in eclipse now on terests have messily intersected with are available, the group raised $340,000 the American Jewish scene.” his leadership of AJCongress. In 2012, and spent $503,000. At the end of that Foxman said that the legitimacy of a AJCongress brought Allentown, Penn- year, the organization was deep in debt, spokesman for the Jews is always in the sylvania’s mayor, Ed Pawlowski, on its with liabilities that amounted to a half- eyes of the beholder. “It’s always been annual mayors’ trip to Israel, called million more than it had in the bank. an issue,” he said. “Where do you get the International Conference of May- In its persistent fund-raising e-mails your credentials?…To a large extent, it’s ors. Later, Pawlowski solicited political and its public statements, AJCongress been what the outside world sees.” donations from Rosen while trying to focuses almost exclusively on Israel, a For some younger Jewish activists, drive a city contract to a security firm historical departure for the organiza- that may not be enough. Rosen controlled. Pawlowski was in- tion. While AJCongress was staunchly “To me it’s emblematic of the out-of- dicted in July 2017 on federal corrup- Zionist from its earliest incarnation, it touch establishment,” said Yonah tion charges over this and other inci- concentrated during its heyday on do- Lieberman, a leader of the leftist Jewish dents and is currently on trial. Rosen mestic advocacy. It fought for abortion group IfNotNow, which has a young has not been accused of any wrongdo- rights, women’s rights and civil rights. grassroots constituency. “There’s dozens ing, and though he donated to Its legal efforts were largely responsible of old white Jewish guys who are at- Pawlowski’s aborted U.S. Senate cam- for the end of the quota system in col- tempting to speak for the entire com- paign, the city contract never went lege and university admissions. As munity. And for too long we’ve let through. groups like the American Jewish Com- them do that.”
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This article was first published by the Forward, lims are also more likely to start on the Republicans and those who lean to- Feb. 12, 2018. Reprinted with permission. lower end of the salary scale, with 40 ward the GOP tend to hold much more percent of Muslim households averag- negative views about Muslims and ing less than $30,000 a year. Islam than Democrats and those who What Will Hap- “Muslims are a younger population lean towards the Democratic Party; 68 than the public overall, so they would percent of Republicans asked said Islam pen When Mus- have just finished their college degree is not part of mainstream American so- and are looking for their first job, so ciety, compared to 37 percent of De- lims Outumber they won’t be earning as much as mocrats. Republicans are twice as likely Jews in the U.S. by someone who has been in the field for as Democrats to say there is a natural 20 years,” Mohamed said. “So, this is conflict between Islam and democracy, 2040? not a trajectory. It’s just where they are survey data indicated. in their life at the time. White evangelical Protestants are more BY DUNIA EL-ZOBAIDI “Many U.S.-born Muslims are African- reserved about Muslims and Islam than American converts. African Americans, those in other religious groups. Nearly stimates from the Pew Research in general, tend to have lower incomes.” three-quarters of white evangelical respon- Center indicate that by 2040, The path a foreign-born Muslim takes dents said there is a natural conflict be- EMuslims will replace Jews as the to a high-paid job is usually different tween Islam and democracy, and approx- second-largest religious group in the from the one of a U.S.-born Muslim. imately half or fewer of those in other United States after Christians. By 2050, “Many foreign-born Muslims in the major religious groups express that view. the U.S. Muslim population will total United States are here because they Older Americans and those with rela- 8.1 million people, nearly double what have skills that are in high demand. tively lower levels of educational at- it is today. They are here with a high-paying job. tainment tend to be more negative How will this growth affect the way Institutionally, they have good connec- than others in their views about Mus- America views Muslims? Will they be tions abroad, so they have been fast- lims and Islam. more of a threat or less? tracked into success,” Mohamed said. “Americans have a mixed set of views Besheer Mohamed, the lead author For U.S.-born Muslims, success can de- on Muslims and Islam,” Mohamed said. of the Pew study, said Muslims will be pend on the extent to which their immi- “The majority of Americans feel there more influential in American society. grant parents know how to navigate the is a great amount of discrimination “People who know more Muslims American system. However, 24 percent against Muslims. They think there is personally can have more positive views of U.S. Muslims have U.S.-born parents. more discrimination against Muslims toward Islam and Muslims than people Many of them are children of converts. than toward Blacks, gays, Jews or any who don’t know Muslims. So, if there Mohamed said the latter group has the other group we have asked about.” are more Muslims, then there will be advantage of knowing the system. Mohamed’s full 2017 survey of U.S. more Americans that know Muslims For all the positive indicators for Muslims can be found on the Pew Re- personally,” Mohamed said. American Muslims, they are perceived search Center’s website. Many Muslims in the United States negatively in some quarters. are rising to the top of their chosen ca- Mohamed’s 2017 survey indicated Dunia El-Zobaidi is an Arab Weekly correspon- reers, and many more are entering high that 50 percent of Americans do not see dent in London. This article was first published positions in the federal government Islam as a part of mainstream society. in The Arab Weekly, Feb. 19, 2018. Copyright and in the ranks of state governments “They think there is a conflict between © 2018 The Arab Weekly. Distributed by across the country. Islam and democracy. So, there is ten- Agence Global. Reprinted with permission. “As Muslims will be here longer and sion,” Mohamed said. One respondent become more established, we will see said: “There is no democracy in Islam.” more Muslims in all walks of life with Some say there is a misunderstanding, Palestinian Teen larger amounts of influence, such as as the public does not understand Islam in Congress. We have already started or that terrorists give Islam a bad name. Ahed Tamimi to see it, as there are more Muslims in “A lot of people do not understand Congress now than 10 years ago,” Islam. They think it is [the Islamic Reaches Plea Mohamed said. State] and that is not true,” one re- Bargain, to Serve Muslims in the United States tend to spondent said. be as well off as the general U.S. public; Others, however, said Islam’s teach- 8 Months in 24 percent of Muslim households in the ings about gender and sexuality are not U.S. earn more than $100,000 a year, compatible with democracy. A respon- Israeli Prison compared to 23 percent of the general dent said: “Islam is not for freedom of population. However, U.S.-born Mus- women.” BY YOTAM BERGER
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alestinian teen Ahed Tamimi considered particularly lenient or par- courts. They were promoted and be- reached a plea bargain with mil- ticularly severe. The Israeli military felt came military judges. That’s what Pitary prosecution on Wednes- the need to end the legal matter, the they call the clerk-officers who work day, according to which she is to be source said, as it damaged the army’s for the moral army as judges of the sentenced to eight months in prison. reputation in the media and interna- occupied in the occupied territories. The military court handling her case tionally, which may be why the plea They work in a military unit with a approved the plea agreement on bargain was intensively promoted. biblical name: the “Judea Military Wednesday, making it an official court Tamimi’s initial January indictment Court,” and they decide people’s fate. order. included 12 charges going back to No doubt they’re certain they’re As part of the agreement, the 17- 2016. The indictment included five working in a legal system, like they year-old pleaded guilty to four counts counts of assault against security forces, were taught at university. There are, of assault, including the videotaped including stone throwing. She was after all, prosecutors and defense at- slapping of an Israeli soldier. In addi- charged with assaulting a soldier, torneys in it. There’s even a translator. tion to the eight-month jail sentence, threatening a soldier, interfering with a Most of the work attracts no atten- she is to pay a fine of 5,000 shekels soldier in the line of duty, incitement tion. In Israel, who cares what hap- ($1,437). and throwing objects at a person or pens in the prefabs at the Ofer mili- The prosecution also reached plea property. tary base? They have sent thousands agreements with Nur and Nariman Tamimi’s mother, Nariman Tamimi, of people to an aggregate tens of Tamimi, Ahed Tamimi’s cousin and was also charged with incitment on so- thousands of years of imprisonment, mother, both of whom were involved cial media—she filmed the slapping in- and almost never exonerated anyone; in the videotaped slapping of the sol- cident—and with assault. Tamimi’s at their workplace, there’s no such dier. The agreement, which the court cousin, Nur, was indicted on charges of thing. They have also approved hun- has also approved, sentences Nur aggravated assault. dreds of detentions without hearings, Tamimi to time served—16 days in Nur Tamimi said she and Ahed even though there is no such thing in prison—and a 2,000 shekel ($575) fine. slapped the soldiers in part because a country of law. Day after day, it’s Nariman Tamimi’s sentence is eight they had invaded Ahed’s yard on Dec. just another day at the office. months in prison and a fine of 6,000 15, the day they were filmed—but the And then Ahed Tamimi came to shekels ($1,725). main reason was that they had just them. Almost two million people Ahed Tamimi’s case has been con- read on Facebook that a cousin, Mo- around the world signed a petition ducted behind closed doors. The mili- hammed Tamimi, had suffered an ap- calling for her release. And the forces tary court rejected a request that she parently fatal head injury from an Is- of Israeli military justice just kept at it, made this week to hold proceedings in raeli soldier’s buillet. He actually sur- clerks devoted to the system. Now public. vived the shooting. they must be thanked. This time they Earlier Tamimi’s lawyer, Gaby Lasky, Bassem Tamimi, Ahed’s father, said exposed to the world the naked truth: confirmed that a plea agreement had that his wife and daughter had done They are working for an apartheid sys- been reached. “The fact that the plea nothing wrong and are “fighting for tem. They are its harbingers. They are agreement provides for the dropping freedom and justice.” its formulators. They are its contrac- of all of counts of the indictment that tors, small cogs in a big machine, but made it possible to detain her until This article was first published by Haaretz, reflective of reality. the end of legal proceedings is proof March 21, 2018. Copyright © Haaretz Daily The three officers who judged the that Tamimi’s arrest in the middle of Newspaper Ltd. All rights reserved. Reprinted teenage girl in various military courts, the night and the legal proceedings with permission. Col. Netanel Benishu, president of the against her were steps designed to set- Military Court of Appeals (there’s no tle scores,” Lasky said. shortage of titles here), who approved Before the ruling was confirmed by You Bet It’s the hearing in the dark behind closed the court, sources told Haaretz that ac- doors; Lt. Col. Menahem Lieberman, cording to the plea bargain, Tamimi Apartheid president of the Judea Military Court, would be found guility of the assault BY GIDEON LEVY who approved the plea bargain by that was videotaped in December, in- which Tamimi and her mother would citement to violence for the posting hey might not have intended serve eight months in prison for noth- of the video, and two other assaults it—this is too big for them, and ing, or for her heroism; and Lt. Col. on soldiers. Additional charges for as- Tperhaps even too big for their Haim Balilty, who approved her re- sault and stone-throwing were to be arrogance, but they are the initiators maining in custody throughout the dropped. of the regime, or at least its harbin- trial. One day they’ll be appointed to According to one source, the pun- gers. They studied law and wentto the Supreme Court. A colonel, and ishment in Ahed Tamimi’s case is not work (“to serve”) in the military two lieutenant colonels who told the
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world: There’s apartheid here. international law that deal with occu- Only by chance were the three all Take a Look pied territories. The wholesale applica- religious, a kind of innocent coinci- tion of civilian law to an occupied terri- dence. We don’t know who among Around. This Is tory amounts to annexation. them is a settler, but that of course There are many other small steps to- means nothing either. They went to What Annexation ward annexation being planned in the work in a military court of the occu- Looks Like near and long term. Israeli Prime Min- pation to protect human rights in the ister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday territories, in the name of the Lord of BY MICHAEL OMER-MAN stressed the need to advance those Hosts. After their rulings on Tamimi, plans in an organized manner, and not there are no fair-minded people left in he annexation of Palestine will as ad hoc proposals from individual the world, not even in brainwashed not come one day, it is hap- politicians looking to make headlines. Israel, who can seriously claim that an Tpening every day, and this is “With regards to the question of the apartheid regime does not exist in the what it looks like: legislating mun- application of Israeli law in Judea and territories. The BDS movement should dane changes about higher educa- Samaria and the Jordan Valley,” the congratulate the officers who lifted all tion councils. prime minister said in a Likud faction doubt from those who still had any There will be no definitive moment, meeting, referring to the entirety of the doubts. The legal system that has one event or a point in history, when we West Bank, “…it should be govern- law for Jews and another for Palestini- can say that annexation happened. Is- ment-sponsored legislation and not ans, without apology, without white- rael’s annexation is a process—a delib- private legislation. This is a process washing, should be appreciated for its erate process—which has been care- with historic consequences…We will honesty. A legal system that sen- fully planned, began a long time ago, act intelligently.” tenced a soldier who shot a wounded and which will continue for years to The media immediately latched onto man to only one more month than its come. a different part of Netanyahu’s state- sentence for a teenage girl who It is hard to get too excited over ment, in which he claimed Israel is co- slapped a soldier—this is a system that small steps toward annexation, such ordinating and holding ongoing dis- openly admits it considers slapping as a law that moves a university from cussions with the United States regard- the occupier equal to the murder of a the jurisdiction of one council of ing annexation plans. The Prime Min- person under occupation. Only one higher education to another. The in- ister’s Office was forced to retract that month separates the two. ternational community will not raise part of the statement, which made for A system that could not conceive of a storm. The U.N. Security Council even better headlines. The prime min- arresting, interrogating, indicting and will not hold an emergency session. ister openly and unabashedly describ- certainly not sentencing to many The EU will not threaten sanctions. ing how he plans to apply Israeli law to months in prison a girl from the set- Yet this is precisely what the annexa- the Palestinian territories, however, is tlements who slapped a soldier, threw tion of Palestine will look like. barely news anymore. It has fully pene- garbage at him, punctured the tires of The Knesset on Monday passed a law trated the mainstream discourse. his vehicle, threw stones at him or that places Israeli universities in the oc- And that is the point. Annexation is struck him—such a system sent cupied Palestinian territories under the no longer a topic that the Israeli right Tamimi to eight months in prison. aegis of the Israeli Council for Higher whispers about in closed meetings and Need we say more? Her attorney, Education, a civilian body created by Is- fringe conferences. The Israeli govern- Gaby Lasky, could do nothing but raeli law to oversee universities and col- ment no longer feels bound by the con- agree to the plea bargain. Lasky, too, leges in Israel. Settlement colleges and ventions of the past few decades, ac- like two million people around the universities were previously supervised cording to which it constantly reassures world, wants to see Tamimi free. by the Council for Higher Education in the world that it is working to achieve And perhaps Tamimi’s sentence is Judea and Samaria, a military body cre- a two-state solution—even if only years proper. Thanks to it, Israeli propaganda ated specifically because the civilian down the road. Ironically, the only can no longer argue with the world council’s jurisdiction did not extend be- world leaders who are willing to call out against the charge of apartheid without yond the State of Israel’s borders. that false sincerity these days are those, ridicule. The colonels from Judea have This was not the first time the Knes- like Donald Trump, who were never in- exposed the truth, which has long set decided that it could legislate be- vested in a two-state outcome to begin been known. You bet it’s apartheid. yond the boundaries of the territory with, and those, like John Kerry, who over which the state claims sovereignty. have left public life for good. This article was first published by Haaretz, Israel rules over the West Bank not with Annexation is spoken of as if it is an March 25, 2018. Copyright © Haaretz Daily the laws of its elected civilian govern- outcome in and of itself. But annexa- Newspaper Ltd. All rights reserved. Reprinted ment but rather with a military regime, tion is not the goal. The goal is simply with permission. in loose accordance with those parts of to strengthen and cement Israel’s con-
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trol over the entire area between the is a compulsory stop on these propa- villagers, all Muslim, were forced to flee Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea ganda tours. Being only a mile from the for their lives. Britain, the mandated (minus the Gaza Strip, at least these Gaza Strip, residents have little time to government, was on watch while this days). Annexation is merely a tool for take cover, though very few have been and many other atrocities were com- accomplishing that. killed by Gaza’s erratic garden-shed mis- mitted by rampaging Jewish militias. We can expect to see more and more siles. Arabs owned over 90 percent of the pieces of legislation pass through the The story of brave Sderot is told ad land in Najd and, according to U.N. Knesset in the coming months and nauseam to brainwash the media and Resolution 194 and the Universal Dec- years that move the process of annexa- their own people, besides the coach- laration of Human Rights, they are enti- tion along—like the higher education loads of gullible foreign politicians and tled to return home. But, as we have law, or the so-called Regularization tourists. The Israeli authorities have come to expect, Israel refuses to recog- Law, which regularizes the theft of pri- studiously counted and broadcast the nize the rights of others and will not vately owned Palestinian land by Jew- number of homemade Qassam projec- allow them back. Anyway, what is there ish settlers. Some of these laws may tiles, claiming that more than 15,000 for them to return to? The 82 homes grab the world’s attention enough to “terrorist” rockets have “rained down” there were bulldozed. Najd was one of garner up a few statements of protest. on Sderot since the Israeli occupier 418 Palestinian villages and towns eth- Many will be so seemingly insignificant pulled its citizens and troops out of the nically cleansed and wiped off the map that nobody will notice, and if they do, Gaza Strip in 2005, saying they were by Zionist Jews. Its inhabitants became they likely will not understand what, if making a concession of territory de- refugees in Gaza and their families are anything, these laws actually change. signed to bring peace. Of course, it probably still living in camps there. And the truth is, most of these small didn’t. Why? The irony is that some of them may bills and policies don’t really amount For several reasons. Israel’s “conces- be manning the rocket launcher! to much when taken individually. sion” was the handing back of territory When Barack Obama visited Sderot Taken in the aggregate, however, this is that didn’t belong to them in the first he spouted the well-worn mantra back- what annexation looks like. place. Furthermore, the pull-out on the ing Israel’s right to protect its citizens ground has still left Israel occupying from rocket attacks. “If somebody was Michael Omer-Man is the editor-in-chief of Gaza’s territorial waters and airspace, sending rockets into my house where +972 Magazine and a regular contributor of and in control of all land crossings—in- my two daughters sleep at night, I both reporting and analysis. Prior to joining cluding the one into Egypt. The Zion- would do everything to stop that, and +972 he worked as the news desk manager ist regime has thus maintained a vi- would expect Israel to do the same for JPost.com. This article was first posted on cious blockade on the tiny coastal en- thing.” Well said, Obama. But let’s hope
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The event was billed as helping Iraq claims. I discovered in Baghdad a When no such weapons were found, repair war damage caused by ISIS. In group of British scientific technicians the story from Washington and Lon- fact, most of the damage from that who had been sent by the UK Min- don was changed to “oops, it was an short-lived conflict was caused by U.S. istry of Defense to build outlawed bio- intelligence failure. Sorry about that.” bombing and a few Russian air strikes. logical weapons at Salman Pak. These Journalists like myself who asserted ISIS, as this column has long been cry- included deadly anthrax and Q- that Iraq had no weapons of mass de- ing in the wilderness, was largely a fever—but only for use against Iran if struction were fired or marginalized. I paper tiger confected by the U.S., a second Iraq-Iran war erupted. was blacklisted at CNN after the Britain and France to justify their mil- It is now widely accepted that Iraq White House told the network to fire itary re-entry into Syria. had no weapons of mass destruction me at once. All the “presstitutes” who Iraq’s government says it needs at pointed at the West, as George Bush acted as government boosters for the least $88 billion to rebuild war dam- and Tony Blair incessantly claimed. war were promoted and lauded. Wel- age. What the U.S.-imposed client But this was the excuse for going to come to the new Soviet media. regime in Baghdad won’t or can’t say war against Iraq and destroying it. Since Iraq, one of the Arab world’s is that the damage to Iraq is far greater most developed countries, was laid than $88 billion and was largely in- waste by U.S. bombing, and since the flicted by U.S. air power in 1990-1991 war was deemed a big mistake, who is and 2003. responsible for trying to repair Iraq to Iraq was ravaged, as I saw myself its pre-war condition? The money of- while covering the wars. This small fered last week in Baghdad by the nation of 23-25 million souls, a third Gulf Arabs was a drop in the bucket of whom were in permanent revolt and designed to bring Iraq into the against the Baghdad government, was forming anti-Iran alliance. pounded into rubble by U.S. air power If this war crime was being properly and cruise missiles. First in 1990-1991, litigated, Washington would likely then in 2003, everything of value was end up being assessed something like blown to bits: hospitals, schools, food $100 billion in damages just to re- factories, chemical plants making in- place physical infrastructure de- secticide, bridges, and communica- stroyed in the two wars, never mind tions. In short, all the attributes of a the deaths of so many Iraqi civilians. modern state. Iran would also have a claim against Most shocking to me was the de- Subscribe Iraq’s Western and Arab backers for struction of Iraq’s water and sewage Baghdad’s 1980-1988 war of aggres- treatment plants by U.S. air strikes. sion against Iran that caused an esti- Their destruction resulted in epi- mated one million Iranian casualties. demics of cholera and other water- to “Oops, I’m sorry we destroyed your born diseases. Children were the pri- country and children” is not a suffi- mary victims. The U.N. asserted that cient mea culpa. The Western leaders over 550,000 Iraqi children died as a who engineered this criminal war result of contaminated water. U.S. Sec- against Iraq deserve to be brought to retary of State Madeleine Albright Other Voices book. So far, they have gotten off scot later notoriously asserted that these free. In fact, the same terrible fate has deaths were “a price worth paying.” I since befallen Syria, Yemen and parts call them a war crime. of Somalia. Were these disasters also In 2003, 900,000 U.S.-directed Phone: mistakes due to faulty intelligence? troops massed in Kuwait, invaded Iraq to finish off, it was claimed, the “work Eric S. Margolis is an award-winning, inter- that the first President Bush failed to nationally syndicated columnist and the au- achieve,” the overthrow and lynching 1-888- thor of American Raj: Liberation or Domi- of Iraqi President Saddam Hussain. If nation? Resolving the Conflict Between Saddam had any nuclear or broad- the West and the Muslim World (available area biological weapons, the invader’s from AET’s Middle East Books and More). buildup in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia This article was first posted on
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