January 2019, Week 2

January 2019, Week 2

Tuesday
01.08.2019 America’s last? First Senate bill of 2019 aims to protect Israel from boycott. RT Another article in the alternative press about the Senate working to fund Israel, and punish Americans who boycott it, while the American government is shut down and government workers aren’t getting paid.

01.08.2019 Israel imposes water rations on Palestinian prisoners
Electronic Intifada by Tamara Nassar. Israelis say they’re cutting back on water for the thousands of Palestinians in Jewish State prisons. Article also discusses charges against 5 Jewish terrorist suspects arrested for murdering Aisha Rabi. Their lawyer said, [this is no joke], “When a Jew throws a rock at a Palestinian it is not terrorism. When a Palestinian throws a rock at a Jew it is terrorism, because it’s part of a larger effort to wipe us out from our land.” [Apparently, Jews wiping Palestinians out from their own lands doesn’t count.]

01.08.2019 How Israel usurps Palestinian land in calculated stages Haaretz by Amira Haas. Brave Haas continues her truth telling.

Wednesday

Angela Y. Davis Distinguished Professor Emerita, History of Consciousness and Feminist Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz                                           photo by Sandi Sissel

01.09.2019 Birmingham honors Angela Davis after Israel lobby sabotages award Electronic Intifada by Ali Abunimah. Once again, the Israel lobby misjudges the American public and shoots itself in the foot. There is serious blow-back against the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, and against the Israel lobby, after the former caved in to pressure from ‘the Jewish Community,’ reneged on giving civil rights icon Angela Davis an award they’d promised her and cancelled the annual gala where it was to be awarded. Why would certian members of the Jewish community care about Davis? Because she supports the BDS movement to boycott Israel until Palestinians achieve equal rights and the occupation ends. Birmingham’s mayor wrote a public letter slamming the way Davis was treated, the Birmingham city council passed a unanimous resolution supporting Davis’ work, and activists are calling for the ouster of BCRI leadership.
Article notes that Davis is the second Black activist to be targeted by the Israel Lobby in the past few weeks after professor Mark Lamont Hill was fired from CNN immediately after Hill testified before the U.N. in support of Palestinians.

01.09.2019 Following Natalie Portman PR disaster, Genesis Prize goes to loyal friend of Netanyahu and Trump Haaretz.
Last year Natalie Portman was to receive the Genesis prize that Israelis call the, ‘Jewish Nobel.’ Many Israelis expressed love for Portman at first. Then she refused to go to Israel, expressing instead her extreme distress with events there. Plus she didn’t want to be on stage with Netanyahu. The gala was cancelled. Large number of Israelis turned on Portman and some had ugly comments. Winner the year before, Indian-Jewish sculptor Anish Kapoor, also had turned down the prize, saying “such festivities would be inappropriate given the horrors of the Syrian war taking place so close to Israel.” So this year New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has been selected for the prize.
Genesis was conceived six years ago by four Russian oligarchs. Three of the four are connected to the Trump-Russia mess. Two of them hold Israeli citizenship and co-founded the Russia Jewish Congress. They control billions of dollars.
[update: Turns out Kraft wasn’t the non-controversial winner the prize foundation had hoped for. In February, 2019 he was charged in Florida with two counts of soliciting prostitution. The young Asian women involved are reported to be victims of a human trafficking operation. ]

01.09.2019 Robert Kraft, New England Patriots owner, announced as 2019 Genesis Prize laureate The Genesis Prize Website. “Robert Kraft is one of the largest donors to Jewish and Israeli causes, as well as a major investor in the Israeli economy.” Kraft says he will use the million dollar prize to fight anti-Semitism, efforts to delegitimize Israel.”

01.09.2019 Chinese investments in Israel could pose security threat, Shin Bet chief warns. Haaretz   In speech at Tel Aviv University, Nadav Argamon warned Israelis that Chinese investment projects like China’s Haifa Port takeover, could pose a threat to Israeli security.

01.09.2019 Love Bollywood, hate apartheid! by Palestinian campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI). Israel trying to get Indian movie stars to artwash apartheid.

Thursday
01.10.2019 Their pretense is over. The settler leadership is a violent, lawless, racist, gang of vigilantes Haaretz by Anshel Pfeffer. Commentary on colonist support for the 5 Jewish terror suspects arrested this week for murder of a Palestinian mother of 8, Ashida Rabi. Rock throwing colonists threw a boulder through the windshield and killed her.  Jewish colonists including some rabbis are loudly challenging the arrests.

01.10.2019 Court releases 4 of 5 suspects in Aisha Rabi killing Times of Israel by Jacob Macid. The Israeli government has a gag order on this case of 5 Yeshiva students suspected of killing Ashida Rabi. Details will follow.

01.10.2019 New Jerusalem ‘Apartheid Road’ opens, separating Palestinians and Jewish settlers Haaretz by Nir Hasson.[ This headline is in an Israeli newspaper, remember]. Road built so Jewish colonists in the occupied West Bank can get to Jerusalem without having to slow down for checkpoints examining Palestinians. The road has a high wall along its entire length. Jews on one road. Palestinians on the other.

01.10.2019 Israeli forces detain ‘wanted’ Palestinian for alleged attack Maan News On December 12, 2018 Saleh-al Barghouti committed a drive-by shooting of Jewish colonists in the West Bank. He wounded 7 including a pregnant woman whose baby died at the hospital. Israeli occupation troops arrested and executed al-Barghouti. His brother Asseme is accused of killing two Israeli soldiers one day after they killed Saleh. Israel has measured their family’s home for demolition which is collective punishment and illegal under international law. Israel does this only to Palestinian families and not to families of Jewish terrorists.

01.10.2019 5 Israeli soldiers arrested for allegedly beating detained Palestinians out of revenge Haaretz by Yaniv Kubovich. One of the detainees, a father beaten in front of his son, was so badly injured he couldn’t be interrogated.

01.10.2019 Israel to confiscate 139 dunhams (34.1/3 acres) for settlement project near Ramallah Maan News

01.10.2019 Minors among 16 Palestinians detained by Israeli forces Maan News Jewish occupation troops attacked various homes around the West Bank in middle-of-the-night raids, rousting families from their beds and arresting people including a couple of 14-year-olds.

01.10.2019 Palestinian boat catches fire as Israeli navy attacks fishermen Maan News Siege navy shot at Gaza fishermen causing one of the boats to catch fire. The fishermen aboard have been taken to an unknown location and their boat confiscated.

01.10.2019 US Senators vote down anti-BDS, pro-Israeli bill Maan News [Apparently the Senate’s pro-Israel legislation has back-fired. Too many of the 800,000 Americans who are not getting a paycheck because of the government shut-down are asking why the hell Israel is the Senate’s #1 priority] The bill aims to fast-track billions of dollars to Israel at a time when Coast Guard families have been advised to hold a garage sale to make up for not getting paid, and the bill is also to punish Americans who exercise their first Amendment right to free speech by boycotting Israel. This legislation is a top priority of the Israel Lobby. As noted last week, this was very the first bill of the year put forth by the Senate. The perpetrating senators are Marco Rubio, Mitch McConnell, Cory Gardener, and James Risch. It’s called, “Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act of 2019.” [notice Israel is not even mentioned in the title] [It will be back.]

01.10.2019 Opposing honors for Angela Davis isn’t racist The National Review by Jonathan S. Tobin. Jonathan S. Tobin is Editor in Chief of the Jewish News Syndicate. In this article he attempts to explain why Southern Jewish Life Magazine and the Birmingham Jewish Community were right to target activist Angela Davis to prevent her from receiving the Fred L Shuttlesworth Award.

Friday
01.11.2019 Palestinian woman killed, 25 injured in Gaza protests. Maan News. Palestinian Health Ministry said Jewish snipers shot a woman to death and wounded 25 other people including a journalist and medics. Occupation troops also fired dozens of tear gas bombs at ambulances trying to reach the victims.

01.11.2019 In video: Palestinian shot, injured by Israeli forces in Hebron Maan News 35-year-old shot in abdomen and legs by Jewish occupation troops, allegedly for attempted knife attack. No Israelis injured.

01.11.2019 Dozens of Israeli settlers attack Palestinian vehicles near Tugu Maan News Over 50 Jewish colonists surrounded part of an area to throw rocks at Palestinian cars. No response from occupation troops to stop the settlers noted.

01.11.2019 Israeli forces detain 4 Palestinians during West Bank raid Maan News Jewish occupation troops raided/closed two villages, fired small bombs into a home hat started small fires. They shot a Palestinian journalist in the leg with rubber coated steel bullet.

01.11.2019 Hundreds protest in Israel over ‘McJesus’ art exhibit Haaretz by Noa Shipgel. Haifa Museum of Art, funded by the state of Israel, has an exhibit featuring Ronald McDonald being crucified on a cross. The local Christians weren’t happy about it.

01.11.2019 The High Court of Justice against the Israeli people Haaretz by Israel Harel. Israeli supreme court to ‘debate petitions against the legality of the Nation State Law.” You will recall that Israeli Knesset passed the Nation State Law in 2018. Among other things, it says the right to national self-determination in Israel is for Jews only.

01.11.2019 Egypt courts U.S. Jews in effort to prevent Trump aid cuts. Haaretz by Zvi Barel. Quote from the article: “Israel exercises its influence in the U.S. Congress for Egypt’s benefit, much like Netanyahu lobbied for Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salamin, he also acted to prevent slashing of the aid to Egypt. Presumably this time too AIPAC will be activated to persuade Congress not to approve the cut back precisely for the reasons Sissi mentioned in the interview.” (The 60 Minutes interview).
Article notes Israel and Egypt] have, “…close military collaboration, agree on the need to block Iran, and sign gas deals.” The U.S. House of Representatives appropriations act would cut $300 million off the $1.3 billion the U.S. gives Egypt every year. [America has been paying Egypt and Jordan not to fight with Israel since the 1970’s]. The cut to Egypt is for human rights violations, 15 Americans being held in Egyptian prisons, and for Egypt refusing to pay $500,000 for medical expenses to professional skater April Earley, whose tour bus was bombed by an Egyptian helicopter in 2015.
Egyptian dictator/president al-Sisi revealed Egypt’s close relations with Israel in a recent 60 minutes interview which the Egyptian government tried to suppress.
Article notes that Egypt is planning to hire a public relations company to improve its image in the U.S.

01.11.2019 Your tax dollars are propping up the intellectual heirs to an Israeli terrorist Washington Post by Rabbi Jill Jacobs. Rabbi Jill is on a list of “Sonei Yisrael”—haters of Israel—who are banned from Jerusalem Heritage House, a hostel that promotes the rhetoric of US born Israeli terrorist hatemonger Rabbi Meir Kahane who formed the Jewish Defense League, promoted and directed terrorism against those he determined were against Israel, advocated for forced expulsion of Arabs from  Israel and the occupied territories. Article names various U.S. non-profits who send millions in tax deductible donations to places in Israel like Heritage House.

01.11.2019 Exclusive: Angela Davis speaks out on Palestine, BDS and more after civil rights award is revoked Democracy Now 40 minute interview. The Israel Lobby’s behind the scenes attempt to keep Davis (who supports BDS) from getting the Fred L. Shuttlesworth prize has resulted in outstanding national publicity for BDS. Instead of being a Birmingham thing, or a Black community thing, millions of people have seen the story. In addition to the Mayor, the City Council, the School Board, and at least 2 former prize recipients coming out in support of Davis, Jewish Voice for Peace wrote a letter on her behalf that was signed by over 350 academics so far. Three board members of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute have resigned, protests are taking place in front of the building, and!, although the award Gala was cancelled, Davis supporters are staging an event in her honor on the night the Gala was supposed to have taken place. She’s going.
In this interview Davis said this whole thing is providing a much needed discussion about BDS, freedom of speech, and the need to define what exactly constitutes anti-Semitism.

01.11.2019 Netanyahu: Every Palestinian who killed an Israeli in 2018, dead or arrested Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon. After spending a lifetime in public office and 12 of those years as Prime Minister, this is what Netanyahu has to show for himself at election time. [Missing from the article is the fact that Israelis killed over 300 Palestinians in 2018 and not one of their killers was executed, sentenced prison, had their family home demolished, or was even brought to trial.]

01.11.2019 Israel playing catch-up in expanding its water infrastructure Haaretz by Ira Coren. Officials looking for $3.8 billion over the next 7 years to build more desalination plants. Because they don’t have enough water.

Saturday
01.12.2019 Killed Palestinian woman laid to rest in Gaza Maan News The woman shot dead by Jewish snipers yesterday was 47-yar-old Amal Mustafa Taramsi. Rest in Peace.

01.12.2019 Israeli settlers assault Palestinian shepherds in Hebron Maan News 3 shepherds attacked by Jewish colonists in 3 different places. Instead of arresting the colonists, occupation troops told the Arab shepherds to move their sheep somewhere else. One of the shepherds was bitten by a dog the colonists sicced on him.

01.12.2019 Elite Israeli commandos tried to bug Hamas communications during botched Gaza op, Hamas says. Haaretz by Jack Khoury. Hamas says 15 Israeli special operations commandos were involved in the November, 2018 fiasco where Israelis posing as Palestinians, were stopped and questioned by Hamas police inside Gaza. They tried to play it off but when the police didn’t buy the story the Israelis opened fire on them killing 7. Hamas reacted quickly enough to shoot up the escaping terrorist’s car and kill the Israeli Lt. Colonel leading the operation. Israel bombed Gaza behind the fleeing Jewish terrorists to help them get away.

01.12.2019 Report IDF strikes Iranian, Hezbollah targets near Damascus Jerusalem Post by Yasser Okbi. Israel bombed Syria again. Not Iran-not Hezbollah-as the title implies. They bombed Syria, again, and they violated Lebanese airspace again to do it.

01.12.2019 Five Palestinian families face eviction in favor of Israeli settlers Maan News 5 East Jerusalem families have been handed immediate eviction notices by Israeli court. They’re to be out by January 23 after a Jewish court has given the building they live in to Jewish colonists.

01.12.2019 ‘Israelis are living on the Titanic—no one wants to hear bad news about the army’ Haaretz by Amos Harel. Amos interviews outgoing Major General Yitzhak Brik. The General discusses low motivation in the army, and, ‘the worst personnel crisis since 1965.’

Sunday
01.13.2019 Israeli settlers uproot olive trees near Hebron’s Ibrahimi mosque Maan News Jewish occupation troops protected Jewish colonists as they attacked the mosque garden and uprooted trees. The Palestinian Civil Liaison intervened to stop the attack.
Article notes that this was the mosque that Jewish terrorist Baruch Goldstein attacked in 1994 and machine gunned 29 worshipers to death and wounded 120.

01.13.2019 Israeli air strikes target multiple locations in Gaza. Maan News Jewish state pilots bombed 4 places: 2 in east Gaza, 1 in the north at Beit Lahiya, 1 in the south at Khan Younis.

01.13.2019 Palestinian detained for alleged shooting at military base Maan News Unidentified Palestinian arrested at military base. No Israeli injuries reported.

01.13.2019 In video-Israeli army distributes leaflets threatening Tuqu’s residents Maan News In one of several raids around the West Bank last night in which families were rousted from their beds and 9 people arrested, Jewish occupation troops raided Tuqu, broke into several homes and arrested a 16-year-old. They put up leaflets threatening collective punishment if someone from village throws rocks at Jewish colonists. When Jewish colonists throw rocks and Molotov cocktails at Palestinians, there’s no response or collective punishment from Israeli troops.

01.13.2018 Israeli bulldozers demolish green houses, steel structures in Beit Iksa Maan News Occupation troops demolish more Palestinian properties in the West Bank.

01.13.2019 Israeli settlers destroy 1,000 tree saplings in West Bank village Maan News. Jewish extremists from the illegal settlement of Hamish attacked Burqa village and destroyed about a thousand trees of a community planting project.

Tuesday
01.14.2019 Rather than consider bills to reopen government, McConnell keeps Senate arguing about Israel Think Progress by Josh Israel. McConnell (R-KY) is blocking votes wanted by Democrats to reopen the government calling them a waste of time. Instead, McConnell supports the Senate talking—for the third Monday in a row—about the pro-Israel bill wanted by the Israel Lobby. Called the “Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East” bill, the legislation contains Marco Rubio’s, “Combating BDS Act of 2019” which seeks to punish Americans who boycott Israel.

01.14.2019 Gaza teen succumbs to wounds sustained during Friday protests Maan News. 14-year-old boy died today after being shot in the head by a Jewish sniper last Friday. Rest in peace.

01.14.2019 Netanyahu challenger Benny Gatz faces Dutch war crimes case Electronic Intifada by Adri Nieuwoff. During the 2014 Gaza massacre Gatz was head of the Israeli army when it slaughtered a Dutch Palestinian’s mother, 3 brothers, step-sister, 12-year-old nephew and a visitor. The Dutch guy is suing Gatz and the head of Israel’s air force at the time.

01.14.2019 Israel orders construction halt of Palestinian structures at Yatta Maan News Occupied West Bank in Hebron. The occupation handed Palestinians notice that they’re going to demolish a water well, a livestock shed, and issued stop construction orders for a house to one family while ordering another family to stop working on a room they were adding to their home.

01.14.2019 Israel reaches deal with several eastern Mediterranean countries to form regional gas market Haaretz Other entities include, Egypt, Jordan, Greece, Italy and Palestinian Authority.

01.14.2019 Belittling immigrants underscores Israeli columnist’s ignorance Cleveland Jewish News by Marcy Oster. Two parts of this column. 1) When the author moved to Israel from the U.S. she went to Hebrew language classes with 20 Ukranian recent immigrants who couldn’t believe she’d leave the U.S. for Israel. All of them planned to leave Israel and were using it for a stepping stone to get a visa to the United States. 2) the other part of the article is about how biased Israelis are against Americans and how they say that Americans who immigrate to Israel do so because they aren’t able to get a job in America.

01.14.2019 World desalination industry is dumping 50 percent more toxic brine than thought Haaretz by Ruth Schuster. UN Reports on 16,000 desalination plants dumping brine into the ocean. Very Israeli article. After all these years of crowing that it’s the desalinated water super power. Israel takes a problem the UN—not Israel—defined: massive brine dumping, and blames the Arabs “their (fresh water) recovery rate is low.” Next the article fluffs Israel’s aura “Israel justifiably takes vast pride in its desalination industry.” And ends with upbeat, pie in the sky scenarios where brine is used to raise algae to feed the world, and Israel can use solar power, wind, and geothermal energy to run its desalination plants.