I wrote to Reuters to ask what the editorial process was that lead to this.

Good Afternoon,

I was wondering if there was any sort of explanation as to why, in a story about a UN commission looking into alleged Israeli Human rights abuses your editors saw fit to place an uncredited photo that was proof of Palestinian human rights abuses.

Thank you,
Zachary Barbera
Boston, MA
USA

They wrote back and said that due to the amount of feedbak they get there may be no response. And they thanked me for my interest in Reuters.

< email | 4/25/2002 09:32:00 AM | link

If you are just coming for the first time, check out my solution to the Israel issue. I'm proud of it. I think it is tough enough that it could work.

< email | 4/25/2002 01:05:00 AM | link

Wednesday, April 24, 2002

20 Facts about Isreal and the Middle East.

< email | 4/24/2002 11:43:00 PM | link

Crown Prince Abdullah is now a political advisor for the President of the United States. In a bleak assessment, he said there was talk within the Saudi royal family and in Arab capitals of using the "oil weapon" against the United States, and demanding that the United States leave strategic military bases in the region.

This is, I think, the single greatest threat that Bush has faced so far. And may be the biggest threat in decades. Abdullah is clearly offering us an ultimatum. If we choose the side of the Arabs we are condemning an entire people to extermination. We would be no better than certain countries that rolled over and closed their eyes during the Nazi death camps.

If the President doesn't dress him down for this I will lose all faith in this administration. He is going to come here and tell us to allow his country and the other Arab states to wipe out Israel without any interference, and he expects Bush to roll over because he is going to make oil threats. He better be told in no uncertain terms that he is welcome to try the oil threat and we will inform him and Saddam Hussein at the same time "Good luck in your new relations with the Iraqi state, you'll be saluting them as you see watch our troops leave."

I'm sorry but, this just makes me sick. The religious and secular leaders in Arabia call for Jihad against all Jews and Christians and Westerners and we are supposed to sit quietly on our hands. I want a working Palestinian stae, I want peace with Arabs and everyone else, but how can we continue to call them our friends and make concessions to them when they treat us like this?

"It is a mistake to think that our people will not do what is necessary to survive," the person close to the crown prince said, "and if that means we move to the right of bin Laden, so be it; to the left of Qaddafi, so be it; or fly to Baghdad and embrace Saddam like a brother, so be it. It's damned lonely in our part of the world, and we can no longer defend our relationship to our people."

All that we have asked of them is to denounce, in no uncertain terms, suicide bombing and terror. In turn we get slapped in the face and threatened with an oil embergo and embrace of our enemies. Bush should say good riddance. And make very clear that his new friend Saddam will be hanging from a lamp post in Baghdad very soon.

< email | 4/24/2002 11:12:00 PM | link

Repentant Algerian Tells of Bomb Plot.

An Algerian held in Germany tells his tale

< email | 4/24/2002 03:38:00 PM | link

Powell speaks out about allegations of massacre in Jenin. The Secretary of State testified in before the Senate Appropriations Foreign Ooperations Subcommittee, today.

On allegations of a massacre:
"Clearly, innocent lives may well have been lost," Powell testified. But, he said, "I have no evidence of mass graves. I see no evidence that would support a massacre took place." Powell said he based his assessment on a 3-hour inspection of the refugee camp Friday by Assistant Secretary of State William Burns.

I don't deny that civilians may have been killed and the possibility exists that IDF forces used some brutal measures, but for international bodies and governments to make the allegations without definitive evidence is unconscionable. After all, we have much more convincing evidence and concrete proof that Yasser Arafat is an active terrorist chieftan.

Now it appears Colin Powell was reading my page last week. I wish they would cite me on this :
Powell said he saw no reason why accusations of Palestinian atrocities against Israel should not be explored by the United Nations, as well.

What did he tell Yasser?
"I made clear that if we don't see deeds, if we don't see action, there is not much we can do for him,"

I hope he said it in those terms.

When the 'good' Mr. Leahy tried to intone that, while surely not the fault of the honorable Secretary, the Administration was slow to act in the conflict Mr Poweel responded:
"I don't think that's an accurate portrayal," he told Leahy. "As soon as taking office, we became engaged," Powell said. He cited approval of recommendations by former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell for easing tensions between Israel and the Palestinians and starting them on a road to peacemaking. Violence sidetracked action, but "the failure was theirs, not ours," Powell testified.

I think that the accusations that Powell is a dove and maybe a bit squishy are hastily made. Surely he is taking and advocating different tracks in some of the issues the Administration faces but, I get the feeling that Powell's public persona is a very carefully built construct. Not that he is insincere or fake, but I think he knows he is to play a role and he does so.

< email | 4/24/2002 03:35:00 PM | link

Saudis and Iran moving closer together? A UPI article that looks at the converging Saudi and Iranian views on oil and Israel.

In Saudi Arabia, supporting the Palestinians is seen as a lightning rod to distract a population feared to be far more radical than its rulers. In Iran, supporting the Palestinians serves the same purpose. But there the aim is distract a population that is believed to be far less radical and hard-line than its leaders.


The Bush administration has consistently wooed Saudi Arabia and turned a blind eye to the two-faced nature of many of its policies. At the same time, it has repeatedly ignored and failed to woo more moderate elements in Iran.

This seems to be a widespread perception. And I certainly have not seen any overt actions by the Administration to counter this perception. I can only hope that there are some strengthening ties with the disaffected population of Iran.

< email | 4/24/2002 01:19:00 PM | link

More on US military efforts to rebuild Afgahnistan. Again, it seems to be something that major media outlets don't care to report more prominently.

The team tries to downplay its military connection. Members dress in civilian clothes, are allowed to have beards and non-military hair styles, and travel in an unmarked Toyota pick-up. The relaxed look helps in dealing with contractors and other local suppliers, said Gamble. ``The uniforms can intimidate them or complicate the negotiations,'' he said Tuesday.

The practice has angered some aid groups. They believe it can blur the lines between soldiers and civilians and possibly put humanitarian workers in danger.

< email | 4/24/2002 12:52:00 PM | link

Someone out there must read my blog. Back on the 19th I said someone in the 'International Community" needed to be calling for an investivagtion into the homicide bombers.

Israel intends on "co-operating" with the team, but demands that it also look into suicide bombings by Palestinian militants, Ben-Eliezer said.

< email | 4/24/2002 12:27:00 PM | link

Hamas cares about children? They call for children to refrain from futile attacks on Israel. So, I guess that means carrying out non-futile attacks (homicide bombing etc.) still has the green light.

< email | 4/24/2002 11:11:00 AM | link

Uraguay just figured out that Stalinist Cuba is a bad place and has cut ties with the island nation.

Uruagayan President Batlle said: "The rupture will remain until it is clear that the Cuban people have peace and liberty"

< email | 4/24/2002 10:04:00 AM | link

"Effect of the Offensive in Doubt" The Washington Post asks if the Israeli defensive operations may not have been all that productive. Their evidence consists of Palestinian "activists" calling for more bombings.

However, many Israeli experts have acknowledged failures and holes in the operation that allowed some militants to escape. They admitted the effect on terrorist operations is likely to be short-lived and said those who were eliminated can soon be replaced.

Palestinians went further. They said the destruction and death from Israel's attacks will produce a groundswell of volunteers seeking revenge and ready to die in the effort. "Did they get some key players? Yes," said an activist from Yasser Arafat's Fatah organization who asked not to be named. "Will it stop the bombings? No. It will only bring more."

Isn't this what they said about Afghanistan. Our military operations were just going to drive more Afghanis to join the Taliban in resisting the US and coalition forces. They are kid enough to show us the concrete rsesults of Israeli actions:

More narrowly, the army wanted to sweep up those involved in attacks on Israel. Col. Miri Eisin, an army intelligence officer, estimated 70 percent of top, wanted Palestinians were seized or had died. Of a list of 33 wanted Palestinians prepared for U.S. negotiators, only eight are believed to be free...

Basically they say that there were gains, but Israel didn't complete the job. I don't think Israel ever claimed to have much more effect than this, so I don't understand where the doubt part comes in.

< email | 4/24/2002 09:25:00 AM | link

Just a thought on France and LePen and the people of France. America is constantly portrayed as a racist place full of cowboys that constantly needs to be told to be nice to foreigners. And when LePen, who is compared to David Duke or Pat Robertson, wins a vicotry in the French election we are told by a number of commentators that, "well, don't read too much into this, he didn't win a much bigger block of voters thn he normally does and if the Trotskyites and Communists voted for Jospin he would have taken it."

But, I have a question about the voters in general. Pat Robertson's xenophobic message resonated with less than 1% of the American population whereas 17.3% of the French population identified with a similar message from LePen. Hmmmmmm.....

< email | 4/24/2002 09:07:00 AM | link

I just saw some footage of two more Palestinians surrendering at the Church of the Nativity. After opening his shirt to show he had no weapons or explosives, he walked over to the Israeli soldiers and they all shook hands before being patted down and taken away. It made me do a little "what if" scenario. And there was no need to think hard about it since we already know what happens to Israeli soldiers captured by Palestinians. They usually end up hanging from something or their tortured body turns up in a field somewhere.

< email | 4/24/2002 07:16:00 AM | link

Tuesday, April 23, 2002

Another rational voice out of Massachusetts. Minuteman Journal

< email | 4/23/2002 06:10:00 PM | link

Palestinians are are still applying what the UNHRC, AI, HRW and the others must consider acceptable and moderate justice. I find it interesting that all of these organizations monitor every move of the IDF and elected officals of the Israeli government, we see quote after quote from them after every Israeli action. But in this entire article there is not one statement from a human rights organization

< email | 4/23/2002 04:06:00 PM | link

Double posted. See above.

< email | 4/23/2002 03:10:00 PM | link

Triple Posted. See above

< email | 4/23/2002 03:02:00 PM | link

Quadruple posted. See above.

< email | 4/23/2002 02:59:00 PM | link

Ariel Sharon laid out his outline for peace. First, he said, there must be a complete cessation of violence and incitement to attack Israel. Then, he said, Israel would be prepared for a long-term armistice with the Palestinians. In a third stage, Israel and the Palestinians would reach a final settlement. This doesn't seem unreasonable. But, I am sure that past refusals to end incitement and terror will be the continuing stumbling block. How can people who support Arafat be so blind? All that Israel asks for the first step is "Stop killing us and telling your people to kill us." Arafat and the Arab leaders have consistently found reasons to avoid doing this, this places the blame for the continuing violence squarely on thier shoulders.

And in a move sure to unsettle the cultured sensibilities of the Euro-elite, Congress announced that they firmly stand by the Israelis. Rep. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., and Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas spoke their support. ``You will not hear silence, you will not hear neutrality,'' Menendez said. He went on to say that the recent Israeli military action ``was defensive in nature, no less than the United States' activities in Afghanistan,'' Menendez said. And for Yasser Arafat Menendez had this: ``The Palestinian Authority has resorted to its terrorist past.''

DeLay declared that the Palestinian Authority is ``a holding company for terrorist subsidiaries'' and, ``democracies must never negotiate with terrorists.''

< email | 4/23/2002 12:16:00 PM | link

What makes the US military great? Is it the power we can project? The superior Naval vessels or jets and bombers we field? Partly, but it is alo that our military carries on operations that don't make headlines and get cheers from the international community. Things like drilling wells and building homes to help Afghan refugees who have not seen their homes in years become self sufficient.

< email | 4/23/2002 11:54:00 AM | link

Maybe now the Church will speak out about the occupation of the Curch of the Nativity.

Three of the priests escaped last night holding up signs saying "Please Save Us". They told of the gunmen beating some of the priests and stealing gold artifacts.

< email | 4/23/2002 10:10:00 AM | link

''courageous or a moron''. Someone finally agrees to take on John Kerry for the Senate here in MA. Not that he stands a chance, but it would be a pitiful showing if a Senate seat went uncontested.

< email | 4/23/2002 09:28:00 AM | link

This article in the Washington Post about LePen and Frane is worth it for this one paragraph.

Left-wing activists and anti-racism campaigners held large demonstrations in cities across France today to protest the ascendancy of Le Pen and the far right. Many in the crowds said they did not bother to vote on Sundayvoted for minor left-wing candidates, unaware that this would allow Le Pen to capture second place and make the runoff.

< email | 4/23/2002 08:49:00 AM | link

Monday, April 22, 2002

Israeli human rights abuses?

"When we are confronted with the extent of destruction in the Jenin refugee camp, in an area of civilian concentration, it is difficult to accept that international humanitarian law has been fully respected,'' said Rene Kosirnik, regional chairman of the Red Cross.

The human rights group did not present any evidence it said its investigators have come up with. It also said its preliminary investigation had found no evidence of mass graves.

In other words. We'll make lots of serious allegations even though we have no evidence.

< email | 4/22/2002 10:37:00 PM | link

Anti-Semetic attacks have moved to Slovakia now. So far just some Cemetary vandalization. Hopefully, it won't turn into anything more ugly.

< email | 4/22/2002 10:24:00 PM | link

So far, the Irish Catholic Church has been responsive and done the right thing in the allegations that have been coming up. A Cardinal has retired his position and now they are launching a full investigation. Bernard Cardinal Law's response, in contrast, has been evasive and self-aggrandizing. I am extremely disappointed in the American Catholic Church so far and hope that they take soon take their example from the Irish.

< email | 4/22/2002 10:21:00 PM | link

I am sure however that the International Human Rights organizations will be investigating this, however. Apparently, Marwan Barghouti's lawyer claims the Tanzim leader is being interrigated for periods of up to 18 hours a day.

``He is exhausted ... and I could understand from his body language that he is really suffering,'' Boulus said. ``One of the worst things that can be done to a detainee is to prevent him from sleeping." It could be worse he could be in an accused collaberator in a Palestinian jail, where he would be dragged out into the street shot, dragged and strung up, instead of just losing some sleep.

< email | 4/22/2002 09:08:00 PM | link

The AP is running a story on the battle in Jenin. Saying that the sharpest criticism of Israel has come so far, since the 'massacre' title has gone 'unsubstantiated', are:

"It has been faulted, in particular, for failing to allow in search-and-rescue teams during after the fighting ceased, of initially delaying shipments of supplies into the camp, and for not allowing treatment of the wounded during the fighting."

By the accounts of the 'activists' in the camp there were booby traps everywhere and everyone including the children were armed. To have allowed any of these activites would have resulted in dead rescue teams and doctors.

< email | 4/22/2002 09:00:00 PM | link

A little more info on the murder of the three "alleged" collaboraters. Not only were the three gunned down in the middle of the street, the crowd blocked the ambulances. Had the IDF done this there would be full investigations by the UNHRC, Red Cross, Amnesty and every other organization that could fit representatives on the next plane in.

The murderers running from the scene claimed to be 'activists' from the al-Aqsa 'militia'. A group that reports to Yasser Arafat's Fatah organization.

More than 800 suspected collaborators were murdered during the first intifadah lasting from 1987-1993. How many Israeli citrizens who are Palestinian sympathisers have been murdered since 1987? How many have even been jailed? Is it any wonder that there are no vocal Palestinian voices for peace?

< email | 4/22/2002 08:27:00 PM | link

The Israelis killed Marwan Zalloum. The head of Al-Aqsa in Hebron. The AP still refers to the Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigade as a militia. And Mr, Zalloum is an activist, in case you wanted to know his professional title.

< email | 4/22/2002 07:55:00 PM | link

The AFL-CIO has jumped into the anti-CFR bandwagon. Filing a suit in federal court today. Inconcievably (or perhaps not) the AP still fails to mention that Floyd Abrams and the ACLU are also involved in the suits being filed. They only mention the AFL-CIO suit and similar suits by the NRA, Christian Coalition, and Mitch McConnell. They did forget Ken Starr, too.

``The AFL-CIO supports strong disclosure laws, but forced publication of the mere intention to speak later will exert chilling effects and impose unjustified burdens and costs,'' the federation said.

< email | 4/22/2002 07:48:00 PM | link

Apparently the five 'collaberators' to escape the Church of the Nativity were a varied lot. Two civilians, two Palestinian Police and a member of Yasser Arafat's Guard.

< email | 4/22/2002 04:28:00 PM | link

Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Elie Yishai and Ariel Sharon are calling on Jews living in France to emigrate to Israel, following the voting results yesterday. They also note the attacks on Jews over the past couple of months as a reason for the call.

< email | 4/22/2002 12:50:00 PM | link

Yasser has decided that he should indeed try the men who assassinated the Israeli cabinet minister Rehavam Ze'evi. The 'trial' started yesterday at 5:00PM.

< email | 4/22/2002 12:44:00 PM | link

Den Beste give a great in depth analysis of what I said below about LePen's victory.

< email | 4/22/2002 11:34:00 AM | link

Palestinian jusitce. Three Israeli 'collaberators' shot down in the street.

< email | 4/22/2002 10:02:00 AM | link

The UN Commision on Human Rights have decided that the human rights conditions in Iran are peachy-keen. They have voted 20-19 (14 abstentions) not to condemn Iran's record.

< email | 4/22/2002 09:58:00 AM | link

More on LePen's victory.

"Today's hangover is horrible... France is being pointed at, with a jabbing finger, as a source of shame among democracies." - From an editorial in Liberation. How is a functioning democratic election shameful? Robert Mugabes 'victorious' election was a shame. Maybe those who are 'shocked' and 'shamed' should look at the root causes of why people would feel desperate enough to vote for LePen.

Rather than analyse the reasons for the upset, Left-leaning papers and politicians in Europe are lamenting the working democratic process. Rather than addrees the issues, it seems they would just be happier to not give people the chance to use their vote to make a statement.

< email | 4/22/2002 09:56:00 AM | link

Sunday, April 21, 2002

Mr. Gore on the attack. Maybe while VP he was too busy inventing the internet or doing a 'damn good job' to notice that Enron was the biggest supporter of Kyoto. Which would explain why he makes the statment Just as Enron executives were allowed to interview candidates for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission — and to veto those they didn't think would approve of Enron's agenda. If this were true President Bush would have supported Kyoto which would have made his Enron 'pals' tremendous sums of money. Mr. Gore conveniently ignores what would have happened to the US eceonmy in the wake of Kyoto. Which could be why others are now dropping it (including Japan and some European nations). Perhaps he should consder why the nations that are the loudest supporters of Kyoto would like to see it in place.

He also failed to read the accounts that show the Administration did try ot consult the environmental advocacy groups, but were flatly rejected.

With Chris Dodd and oither Democrats paving the way to Enron needed auditors who wouldn't blow the whistle when the company lied about the magnitude of its future liabilities while the Administration that Mr Gore served as Vice President for, perhaps he should be more careful when drawing attention to how he and his friends set the stage for the things he now accuses the present Administration of doing.

Still grasping at straws in the run up to November.

< email | 4/21/2002 05:18:00 PM | link

Jimmy Carter writing in the Times on how we should exert control on the Israelis, but fails to take on the hard part of the equation. How to stop Palestinian terror. Once that stops it will be very easy, 'aggressive and provocative' Ariel Sharon or not, to get the Israelis to stop incursions. Making Israel stop is not the first step in the equation. If they have no reason to retaliate, they won't. I wish Jimmy would wake up to that and make some constructive proposals to get there.

< email | 4/21/2002 05:02:00 PM | link

Update: I'm reading the NY Times report on it right now. LePen is an extreme right-wing candidate.

The TImes apparently can't face the truth of the matter either. The only man on the street quote they can come up with is ``That's not possible,'' said Agathe Romon, 17, a student in Paris. ``It's unbelievable. We were all expecting a duel between Jospin and Chirac.''

LePen probably won't absorb most of those votes that Jospin had, so it will probably be Chirac again. But, it should be a wake up call that things have to change. Hopefully Chirac will take it as a mandeate to take steps to crack down on crime and try to inject some moderate measures to a country that has been sliding off the table toward a shattering on the floor for years. Their economy presently ranks 13th of the 15 EU countries. Voter apathy is very high in France and turnout is historically low as the vast majority of the people do not believe the government actually has their best interest at heart. This should make it clear to Chirac clear that they want change.

With the swings in other nations, toward the right (Spain, Austria, Italy) and probable swings coming (Norway, Holland) and the addition of the Eastern European (aside from England, our staunchest supporters) countries that spent years under the tyranny of Communism there could be a glimmer of hope on the horizon for Europe. A vibrant and moderate Europe moving away from the paternal bureaucratic stateship more closely aliied with American thought could bring some real change to the struggling countries out there and send a strong message to the petty hate filled would be mass-murderers. I do really hope this but only time and the people of Europe will be able to show this to be true.

< email | 4/21/2002 04:55:00 PM | link

I think the French people may be awakening to the excesses of the 'enlightened' elite. Jospin has been very vocal of the US and anti-terror campaigns holding a good deal of spotlight time in recent months. And now LePen has had a stunning vistory. The thugs roaming the streets terrorising the citizens of France should be afraid. Last week the NY Times ran a peice about LePEnmaking clear he stood no chance, becasue he was comparable to an American Republican. O will wait with baited breath to see how the Times reports this.

Le pen said - "It's a great flash of lucidity by the French people,"

< email | 4/21/2002 04:38:00 PM | link