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Plugging Our Ears Does Not Serve Israel
by Oded Na’aman
An Israeli soldier poses with Palestinian detainees in an undated photo taken by an Israeli soldier and made available by the campaign group Breaking the Silence.
I was born in Israel. I served in the Army. Israel is the only home I know. You would think my speaking to students at Hillel would be welcomed. Yet my presentation to students at Washington University’s Hillel in St. Louis last month sparked a storm of controversy.
I had been invited by J Street U and was graciously hosted by Hillel at their beautiful new building. As a member of Breaking the Silence, a group of Israeli combat veterans that collects and publishes the testimonies of soldiers who served in the occupied territories, I was on campus to discuss the practices and principles of Israel’s military rule.
In the days leading to my visit, many in the Jewish community called for the event’s cancellation, claiming our sole goal was to “bash Israel.” Jacqueline Ulin Levey, executive director of St. Louis Hillel at Washington University, backed the event. She did, however, impose certain restrictions, asking that I not show any photographs or mention any testimonies besides my own. Hillel also flew in an Israel Fellow from Yale University to “balance” my talk by debriefing the students before and after.
Despite the constraints, the talk went well, with a long question and answer session. After the event, Lawrence Wittels, the chair of the school’s Hillel board, congratulated me.
But in the days following, the assault on Hillel and J Street U escalated. Eric Fingerhut, President and CEO of Hillel International, subsequently wrote to members of the Hillel community defending the organization’s decision. “While we join with the majority of the community in deeply resenting the actions of the former IDF soldiers in Breaking the Silence, who come to college campuses in America to disparage the IDF,” Fingerhut wrote, “it is, regrettably, part of the broad tent of dialogue regarding Israel.” By housing the event within Hillel, he argued, the staff could control and mitigate an unfortunate debate.
I applaud Hillel’s work facilitating a broad dialogue within the American Jewish community. But Fingerhut and those whom his letter addressed, seem to be more concerned with their own feelings toward Israel — their “tent” — than with Israel. Mention of the actions of the IDF, the values to which Israel is committed, and concern for the well being of Israel’s residents, whether Israeli or Palestinian, are noticeably absent from Fingerhut’s letter.
I don’t doubt Fingerhut’s genuine concern for Israel. I am sure those who called for the event’s cancellation are also sincerely dedicated to my country. But their concern does not protect Zionism. Rather, it threatens it. If Zionism is the dream of Jews to overcome a state of mere survival and forge our own destiny, then claiming that the occupation is necessary, that Israel “has no other choice,” is the betrayal of Zionism. Israel’s rule of force over a civilian population threatens our democratic integrity, moral character, and international standing – in short, it threatens that future.
Israel is a strong and thriving country. We can take responsibility for our actions, hold our institutions and military accountable, acknowledge our mistakes, and correct them. We can forge our own future, but only by ending the occupation.
Naturally, our claims are met with doubt. But we encourage critical debate based on evidence. We have testimony from over 950 soldiers about their service, many of them on film. Incidents we exposed have been confirmed by the Israeli media and we have been invited to speak at the United States Air Force Academy. Carmi Gillon, former head of the Shin Bet, has praised our work.
The testimonies portray a system of control and expropriation of land that is founded on the use of military force. Arbitrary violence is of the essence of military rule, which cannot rely on democratic legitimacy.
Instead of an actual dialogue about our reality and future, they are content to have a conversation about the conversation about Israel. Rather than respond to what they hear, they argue over whether they should plug their ears. This may serve some staff and some donors of Hillel International, but it doesn’t serve Israel. It takes some chutzpah to claim that by silencing our voices you are protecting our own country from us.
Oded Na’aman served in the IDF between November 2000 and October 2003. Since 2005 he has been a member of Breaking the Silence, a group of Israeli veterans that collects soldiers’ testimonies from the West Bank. Oded is currently pursuing his PhD in Philosophy at Harvard University.
AIPAC, Decapitators Inside US Government: Intelligence Analyst
Posted on December 03, 2012 by Akashma Online News
By Gordon Duff and Press TV
“Behind the plotters are drug cartels that have penetrated the US government, former lobbyists who were moved into government during the Bush administration and now are suspected of being involved in a coup attempt.”
IPAC designed to made policy in the US. Israel first, Jews next then US
Seventy hours ago, at this writing, while on Air Force One, President Barack Obama issued a press release that has been utterly ignored by the Western Press.
The president has openly announced a move against violent plotters inside the US government and espionage agents. He does not use the terms “AIPAC” or “the Israel lobby” but it is highly unlikely he could be referring to anything else.
In fact, we can think of no other group.
I was privately briefed on some of the reasons behind this document. On what is known, not “surmised,” I will explain:
There is, currently, within the US military, the Executive branch of government and among extremist “power brokers” in America an active plot to “alter” America’s form of government through “decapitation.”
Let me be clear. Where the memo, printed in full below, refers to “violent”, it means “assassination” of many top leaders in America including but not limited to the President, Vice President, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense and others.
The plot makes use of the resources of major private defense contractors and their intelligence and special operations personnel. There has been active recruiting that has been noted and is why the memo was released and why many members of the military have been subjected to investigation.
The Benghazi attack was planned and financed by this group.
Many writers in the alternative media have noted much of what is going on but not all. Some have shown access to very knowledgeable sources.
Behind the plotters are drug cartels that have penetrated the US government, former lobbyists who were moved into government during the Bush (43) administration and now are suspected of being involved in a coup attempt.
There is no direct evidence tying any foreign government to this plot though most are “fanatically” aligned with the militant Likudists in Israel under Netanyahu’s regime.
The President’s text below, unedited:
The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release
November 21, 2012
Presidential Memorandum — National Insider Threat Policy and Minimum Standards for Executive Branch Insider Threat Programs
Memorandum for the heads of executive departments and agencies
Subject: National Insider Threat Policy and Minimum Standards for Executive Branch Insider Threat Programs
This Presidential Memorandum transmits the National Insider Threat Policy and Minimum Standards for Executive Branch Insider Threat Programs (Minimum Standards) to provide direction and guidance to promote the development of effective insider threat programs within departments and agencies to deter, detect, and mitigate actions by employees who may represent a threat to national security. These threats encompass potential espionage, violent acts against the Government or the Nation, and unauthorized disclosure of classified information, including the vast amounts of classified data available on interconnected United States Government computer networks and systems.
The Minimum Standards provide departments and agencies with the minimum elements necessary to establish effective insider threat programs. These elements include the capability to gather, integrate, and centrally analyze and respond to key threat-related information; monitor employee use of classified networks; provide the workforce with insider threat awareness training; and protect the civil liberties and privacy of all personnel.
The resulting insider threat capabilities will strengthen the protection of classified information across the executive branch and reinforce our defenses against both adversaries and insiders who misuse their access and endanger our national security.
Barack Obama
A very real threat to world stability
To some, at a glance, this might actually sound like a response to leaks within the CIA and White House except for some extraordinary language. Please make very special note of the following:
“…to deter, detect and mitigate actions by employees who may present a threat to national security…These threats include…violent acts against the Government and the Nation…”
Please note that they refer to “violent acts” and speak of both the “government” and “nation.”
By “government,” they are indicting, with no “wiggle room,” assassination plots.
By “nation,” they may well be referring to false flag terrorism that may well include use of weapons of mass destruction. Britain was subject to such a threat during the London Olympics, one that would never have been successfully overcome without the help of journalists who put themselves at great risk.
Espionage
The US government has had a twelve-year moratorium against arrest and prosecution of spies within our government and military other than those who can be tied to China.
The most famous Chinese “spy” was Wen Lee Ho, a nuclear scientist at Los Alamos Labs. He was arrested in 1999, held in solitary confinement for a year and then released.
In order to get an accurate picture I phoned two friends, one a senior FBI counter-intelligence operative and the other a very senior US Army intelligence officer.
The question I put before them, while eating breakfast, was:
“Please list the nations that represent the greatest threat of espionage against the United States and, which nations, in order, are believed to represent the “penetration threat” that President Obama is referring to.”
From the FBI, their appraisal not intended for the “pop culture” media:
“Our greatest direct threat is Israel and the Israel lobby. They have systematically penetrated every aspect of government and the military and, if they cannot get documents from those branches, friends in congress will give them access to anything that branch has available. After that is India, with every research facility at risk from RAW (Indian Intelligence) penetration and then Cuba, Mexico and Turkey.
The primary end users of this intelligence, the “clients,” are Russia and China.”
From the US Army:
“I agree with Israel and the rest but we have not had Turkey on our radar. The obvious end users are, of course, Russia and China based on capability.
The issue I have is how a presidential press release, an extraordinary and almost “draconian” document has gone without an uproar from congress and wide press coverage. Who has the power to suppress reporting on something like this, though, I know that you will say it is Israel, I would want proof.
Though there has been no official notification of this, I am of the impression that we now consider any mention of Israeli spying to be highly classified. Only Russia and China are officially listed, entirely out of concern not to offend lobbyists whose feelings outweigh real issues of national security.”
Then I turn on my television, hour after hour of TV shows about espionage and terrorism. Both American and British TV are the same.
All spies are from Iran and Pakistan; nations that our actual intelligence agencies indicate represent no espionage threat to speak of.
In fact, in my two Saturday morning phone interviews, which can, of course, be confirmed by Homeland Security who has tapped my phones, I have reflected with great accuracy. Thus, we ask you to read what President Obama really did not say “between the lines,” the message is quite clear.
We do not see a roundup of AIPAC spies, not like in the early days of the Bush administration although Attorney General John Ashcroft quashed that investigation.
What we are seeing is a hunt for traitors within the American government and military, some of which is working its way onto the news.
The question of the moment, however, is this:
How can a President of the United States announce that the government is infiltrated with terrorists and spies and no newspaper, television network or other form of media notices?
AIPAC Inside the US Government
AIPAC Inside Britains Israel Lobby
Related Posted:
It’s Time to Challenge the Propaganda Regarding Who is Killed by U. S. Drones: The CIA runs the drone program and it is shrouded in secrecy, which enables people like Brennan to characterize the program in glowing terms, which go mainly unchallenged by the media, and contribute to the public assumption that drones are accurate, safe, and taking out the bad guys.
Hight Alert in Israel Kings in Gaza Matters
Posted on November, 04, 2012 by Akashma Online News
Head of States visiting Gaza means only one thing; The Blockade is Off.
After the pompous Royal visitors leave Gaza, Israel renewed its attacks on the coastal enclave. The joy lasted for 2 weeks. The Gazan residents and the world were expecting that these visits will be the beginning of the end of the Gaza blockade.
After the visit of Qatar Royalty with 400 millions to invest in Gaza, another Royal delegation followed with more money. Bahrain lesser entourage but not less important came and brought their EID gift for the besieged Gaza.
Israel is not receiving these shows of acceptance of Hamas too well, after all, in 2006 after Hamas won the election against the official Israeli choice Fatah Israel yelled “Terrorist” and half of the Western World put Hamas in the terrorist list. Which in reality it is US/Israel list. The rest of the world do not believe that the little government of Gaza has the means or the technology to play war with Israel.
“This visit has great political significance,” said Hamas government spokesman Taher al-Nunu. He is the first Arab leader to break the political siege.” The investment project seeks to build 1,000 homes for poor families in the devastated Khan Younis area in the south of the Strip.
Khan Younis refugee camp is located about two kilometres from the Mediterranean coast, north of Rafah. It lies west of the town of Khan Younis, a major commercial centre and stop-off point on the ancient trade route to Egypt. Khan Younis Refugee Camp
Laying the foundation stone of the project, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh thanked the emir “for his brave decision to visit Gaza”. “The visit of the emir announces officially the breaching of the political and economical siege imposed on Gaza for more than five years,” said Haniyeh.
The hopes still linger in the minds of Palestinians politicians and the people of the besieged Gaza, after all this is the first time a Head of State brakes Israel siege. Meaning only one thing; the Qatari King does not recognize the siege, and coming to Gaza was a show of just that. Israel could not dare to fire a single fireworks with the Royals in Gaza. Why would Israel will shot her own foot if the money of the kings indirectly benefit Israel one way or another. The oil rich State it is a staunch ally of US, and headquarter of Aljazeera the News Outlet that controls the Media in the Arab World.
The king of Qatar with Hamas Prime Minister
Photo Credit Hatem Moussa AP
Fatah in West Bank and Israel are the side liners spectators of these New Royal diplomatic ties that Hamas had gained.
The Arab Spring that swept the Middle East last year taking Mubarak Egypt in its winds of revolution, brought Muslim muscle to the game in Egypt. Saudi Arabia long time financier of the Muslim Brotherhood has a stronghold in Egypt with the new government, too close to Israel’s borders . Hamas is the pet project of Saudi Arabia which also control Egypt now.
This could be the reason the King himself came to Gaza under the covers of 400 millions in Aid to reassured Israel that business as usual will run the region? It is hard to say.
We all wonder what is going on, Qatar is the closest military ally of the US in the Middle East. Qatar has close military ties with the United States, and is the location of U.S. Central Command Headquarters and of Middle East Navy and Air Operations Center.
The base was also the source of the cluster bombs Israel dropped on Southern Lebanon in 2006 and of the white phosphorous bombs Israel used to bomb Gaza Strip in 2008/2009. It was reported that these shipments were supervised by the Emir Sheikh Hamad personally. Similar to all the Arab dictators, subservient to the American military protection and political support, Qatar was instructed to normalize relationship with Israel. This started with opening Israeli trade offices in Doha, then upgraded to mutual official visitations and meetings to establish trade agreements especially supplying Israel with cheap Qatari gas. MWC Media with conscience
If Israel is the closest friend of the US placed in the heart of the Middle East, and Hamas is the only enemy of the Jews State, why will the best military friend of US, which is the best friend of Israel will brake the blockade imposed by Israel in Gaza?
We can not discount also that Qatar is the richest state in the region and Gaza shores is found to hold $4 billion in gas reserves. Why not come and explore the possibilities to share the discovery with Palestinians.
It is premature to say what is the advantages in the long run for Gaza, but for sure the 400 millions and the promise to bring fuel are needed badly in Gaza after 6 years of Israel blockade.
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