Thursday July 5, 2012, 2:42 am
As Americans mark their country’s independence today, we recall the ringing, aspirational words of the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident,” that all people “are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”



The long struggle for equality in the United States isn’t over. As we continue to struggle today for equality here, our country’s $30 billion in military assistance and our invaluable diplomatic support for Israeli occupation and apartheid denies Palestinians that same equality, the very principle on which our country was founded.


A few weeks ago, the Coalition to Stop $30 Billion to Israel, a member group of the US Campaign, drew attention to how our taxes bankroll Israel’s inequality toward Palestinians. They erected 23 billboards in the Los Angeles area to tell Congress to end aid to Israel.


Guess what? Almost as soon as the billboards went up, the billboard company—CBS Outdoor—took them down.

US Campaign to end the Israeli occupation

Thursday July 5, 2012, 3:12 am
Thanks Abdessalam - Thank you so much for taking action to send this message to Congress opposing military aid to Israel. = Signed, (#3163) but I doubt they will take any notice, I'm just a person, not a corporation funding the US/Israeli government.

Thursday July 5, 2012, 3:45 am
Enough! This is how America deals with bad behaviour. Throw money at them. When it comes to blame, the US certainly shares Israel's. America's continued support for a country that runs on Apartheid principles, isn't an asset to the US's self interest anymore and even marginalizes 20% of its' own population, the giving has to stop.

Thursday July 5, 2012, 5:02 am
Already signed, Thanks Abdessalam for posting. The USA as a corporation do what they please.. The US people have no voices & that is very sad for the people as they are not in favour of supporting the military or Israel.

Thursday July 5, 2012, 6:10 am
Noted and signed. I really understand why America (corporate America?) keeps on spending so much money on military - its own around the world, and of Israel. I don't see any positive reward...at least for the people of the US.

Thursday July 5, 2012, 6:41 am
Dear Rep. Berman,
I support the message in the Los Angeles billboards about which you recently complained: Spend Our Money at Home, Not on the Israeli Military!

I had previously signed this but I'm glad you got it on C2 news. I'll forward around this link. It so amazes me how Israel can justify the logic of what is being done to the Palestinians when they themselves were an oppressed people.

But I suppose it is the same twisted logic that my Country, the USA, makes policy on, that this billboard shows, that we deny our own children money for reading programs to keep other children from also being educated, at the same time our President goes on the airways speaking how important it is for ALL children to get a good education. However, previous Administrations have done no better when it comes to supporting policies that do more harm than good.

Is why my ancestors since the invaders came use to say, "they speak with a fork tongue". Some things never do change, unfortunately. When the corrected history isn't taught here in the USA then the People are not allowed to get a grasp onto that concept.

Thursday July 5, 2012, 7:02 am
Thank you so much for signing this petition to Rep. Berman supporting the message in the Los Angeles billboards about which he recently complained.

Thursday July 5, 2012, 8:26 am
I would suggest stopping US Aid to Arab and Islamic countries instead - it would save US economy 30 Billion a YEAR, not in 10 years. And there is nothing Arab and Islamic states give in return: Pakistan military pocketed 4.5 Billion a year and yet provided safe heaven for Osama Bin Laden!

Beware of Arab US Aid recipients giving advises on how to spend US tax money. They never suggested stopping UNWRA fraud, where Billions of dollars are spent every year on millions of Arabs living in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, West Bank and Gaza just because 30,000 of their ancestors were real refugees from Israel!

Thursday July 5, 2012, 8:40 am
Thanks Abdessalam for picking it out and posting here, you know I already signed.
They need to put up thousands of this poster in all states all over the US! Keep that darn CBS OUTDOOR real busy! Every single representative should "drive past it every morning" until Congress gets the message!

Thursday July 5, 2012, 9:01 am
Dear U,S. Reader, Ever wondered how billions of your tax dollars are spent on Israel? - Do you approve? - Testing DU ammunition on Palestinians is not very nice? - Read on.........

From: http://www.alternativenews.org

MIFTAH
A) The nature of US foreign aid to Israel

A1. Constitutes 30% of the total US foreign aid budget, which renders Israel to be the largest recipient of US aid in the world

Since 1987, the US congress has annually been approving a foreign aid bill totaling an average of $3 billion to Israel, $1.2 billion in economical aid, and $1.8 billion in military aid.

After the gulf war in 1991, the US has additionally been offering Israel $2 billion annually in federal loan guarantees, which brings the total US foreign aid to Israel to about $5 billion, or $13.7 million per day. This amount excludes the approximate $1.5 billion in total tax-deductible private donations from numerous Jewish charities and individual donors.

All in all, this is the largest amount of foreign aid given to a country, and constitutes 30% of the total amount of US foreign aid budget.

A2. Started in 1948 and gradually increased over the years

Soon after the Truman decision in 1948 to recognize Israel as a Jewish State, the US Congress approved an aid package in the form of a $135 million Export-Import Bank loan in order to take in holocaust survivors and provide them with homes.

Until 1973, aid was mainly made up of military, economic and export-import bank loans, although annual economic grants ranging between $0.1 and $74 million were also offered between the years 1951 and 1962.

After the 1973 war, the US aid to Israel constituted largely of military and economic grants to help strengthen the Israeli defense forces. This included $12-80 million, which was annually granted towards the establishment of Jewish refugee camps.

This TABLE shows the history of US financial assistance to Israel, as documented by the Jewish Virtual Library. Notice the pattern of increased assistance over the years for economic, military and Jewish refugee grants, especially after 1973. This pattern reflects the US interests (section A3) in empowering Israel as the only democratic, close ally in the region, and not for the pure intent to assist a developing country.

A3. Promotes American interests in the Middle East

The US funding to Israel acts as the backbone for the strategic partnership between both countries. By advancing Israel's technological and military powers, the US is able to share intelligence information regarding Arab militant groups, like Hizbullah, as well as information regarding the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in countries such as Iran, Iraq and Syria.

Three quarters of the military aid to Israel goes for importing US-made military equipment such as F-16 and Apache attack helicopters. This creates a job market for US citizens and transforms Palestine into a test ground for US made weaponry, used daily against Palestinians.

Israel has cooperated with the US arms industry to develop more effective military equipment at affordable costs to the US. About one quarter of the military aid to Israel is contributed towards military research and development, where several innovative jet fighters, missiles and navigating and targeting devices have been manufactured and sold back to the US. Examples are the ITALD, Litening, Popeye and the UAV.

A4. Proposed by Israel in 1998 to be reduced in an effort to establish an economically independent country

In 1998, according to an agreement with the Clinton Administration and Congress, Israel voluntarily requested to decrease its financial dependence on US economic aid by phasing it out over a period of 10 years.

The $1.2 billion in economic aid will be reduced by $120 million each year until it is down to zero in the year 2008. This will help Israel to become an economically independent country.

However, 50% of the savings (i.e. $60 million) each year will be added to an emergency military aid fund to Israel. This demonstrates the US's persistence and commitment to help Israel gain control of the region.

B) The controversy for US foreign aid to Israel

B1. Granted in disproportion to Israel's size and needs

Israel is an economically, technologically, and militarily advanced country, with a per capita rate of $14,000, which is higher that that of all neighboring Arab countries, including the oil-rich Saudi Arabia. It is ranked as the world's sixteenth wealthiest country, yet the US aid to Israel constitutes 30% of the total US foreign aid budget.

Israeli population is 5.8 million, which only constitutes one thousandth of the world's total population. Between the years 1949 and 1998, the US has provided a total of $84 billion in aid to Israel, which exceeds that given to all countries of sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean combined, with a total population of about 1.054 billion people.

B2. Promotes the illegal occupation of Palestinian land in order to establish settlements for Jewish refugees

A portion of US foreign aid to Israel, which has increased in the past decade to $80 million annually, goes into building settlements for Jewish immigrants. This occurs by the illegal confiscation of Palestinian land and home demolition to allow for space. Jewish settlements surround every single Palestinian city in the West Bank, and their rapid construction since 1973 has prevented the creation of a feasible Palestinian State.

Jewish settlements are built on confiscated Palestinian land to accommodate Jewish immigrants from all over the world, based on the Israeli Law of Return. These immigrants are guaranteed the right to Israeli citizenship, free Hebrew learning, and immediate employment. On the other hand, Palestinian refugees who were forced to flee their homes in 1948 and 1967 are forbidden from returning to their towns of origin.

B3. Transforms Palestine into a military test ground

Seventy five percent of US military aid to Israel goes into purchasing US-made military equipment, such as tanks, machine guns, bullets, helicopter gunships, and more. The US depends on Israel to test new military technologies in war conditions. For example, uranium-depleted ammunition has been fired at civilians in Palestine.

B4. VIOLATES US LAW AND ABUSES HUMAN RIGHTS.

The Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) of the United States, which provides guidelines for the eligibility of certain countries to purchase US-made weapons and military equipment, states in section 116 that "No assistance may be provided under this part to the government of any country which engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights." However, Israeli army engages daily in degrading and inhumane treatments towards Palestinians, such as prolonged detention without charges, strip searches at checkpoints, beatings, torture, and home demolitions. According to Amnesty International, Israel is the only country that legalizes torture.

Similarly, section 4 of the Arms Export control Act prevents the US government from selling defense articles to countries that abuse their use for non-self-defense purposes. In 2001, the US State Department described the actions of Israeli army against Palestinians as an "excessive use of force," referring to the use of live ammunition when soldiers were not in a pending danger. This clearly shows that the US does not agree with the way these weapons are being used against Palestinians, yet the US military aid to Israel continues consistently as agreed between both countries.

SOURCES:
Al-Awda, http://al-awda.org/
Global Exchange, http://www.globalexchange.org/
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, http://www.aipac.org/
The Jewish Virtual Library, http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/
The Palestine monitor, http://www.palestinemonitor.org/
USAID, http://www.usaid.gov/

Thursday July 5, 2012, 9:03 am
signed and forwarded, thank you Abdessalam and Henriette for forwarding.

People here need to make their choices based on truth, not hidden agendas. We have enough troubles here, we don't need to spend money on any military, anywhere, period.

Thursday July 5, 2012, 10:28 am
Thank you Absessalam for the excellent post.

Thursday July 5, 2012, 1:15 pm
Thanks to all the brave people who dared to speak up and spread the word .I am out of green stars for some of the commentators.
John D.
Thanks for the valuable information about US aid to the Zionist entity.Te truth always prevails and it is obvious that more Americans understand facts daily and one day they will impose their word regardless of AIPAC and other Zionist lobbies that,unfortunately controls not only US congress but also the white house itself.

Thursday July 5, 2012, 1:30 pm
Urgent: 83 Days of Hunger Strike- Take action for Palestinian prisoner Akram Al-Rikhawi!
http://samidoun.ca/2012/07/urgent-83-days-of-hunger-strike-take-action-for-palestinian-prisoner-akram-al-rikhawi/

Thursday July 5, 2012, 1:42 pm
I apologize. It seems that there is something wrong about the link I provided for the 83 days hunger striker. The following link will lead to the post and the petition

http://www.care2.com/news/member/830372471/3404688

Thursday July 5, 2012, 4:00 pm
Here goes Bob again with not only offensive statements, but bigoted statements as well. Bob seems to think of countries predominantly Arab or Muslim as part of some big collective pot with no consideration that whether it is Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Syria, etc. They just belong all to one big group. Doesn't matter if they have different governance, different customs, a different history. They are all the same. This is the same kind of thinking that existed prior to the civil rights movement and the American African American population.

So Bob puts the aid one country receives against what the collective body of 40 countries receive and calls foul? Bob claims "30 Billion a YEAR" to Arab or Muslim States, but fails to mention two of the largest recipients are Afghanistan and Iraq constituting $11 billion of the aid given. Hmmm…I wonder why these two countries receive such a large amount of "aid"? Could it have something to do with in Iraq's case destroying a whole country America waged war on based on a lie, a complete fabrication?

So Bob, how ridiculous is it when the comparative is what 40+ countries receive against what one country gets? Do you really think that the aid one country receives against the 40+ countries is a meaningful comparative? I see that you have stopped claiming that Pakistan gets $10 billion dollars in aid from the US, but now have moved on into the complete zone of ridiculousness. I wonder if Anderson Cooper could feature your claim on his Ridiculist.

Thursday July 5, 2012, 6:44 pm
Action taken, thank you.

Thursday July 5, 2012, 8:19 pm
Marg, thank you

Thursday July 5, 2012, 10:20 pm
3899th

Friday July 6, 2012, 3:03 am
Thank you Camila!

Friday July 6, 2012, 5:54 am
Dandelion" Dear Rep. Berman,
I support the message in the Los Angeles billboards about which you recently complained: Spend Our Money at Home, Not on the Israeli Military!.....etc."
Thanks Sheryl.Highly appreciated.

Friday July 6, 2012, 5:58 am
Thanks Marg.for your response to Bob comments.

Friday July 6, 2012, 6:00 am
Sending a Green Star is a simple way to say "Thank you"
You cannot currently send a star to Nancy because you have done so within the last week.

Friday July 6, 2012, 4:56 pm
#4095 Signed and noted
Thanks Abdessalam for sharing this petition.

Friday July 6, 2012, 9:22 pm
The money's definitely needed here in America itself. Money gifted to foreign militaries doesn't make sense when we've such a crying need on our own streets. Doesn't usually make sense even if we've no crying need. Israel's had its hand in the pocket of the American taxpayer for too long (so've other nations who're very sticky-fingered as well when it comes to American taxpayer greenbacks).

Friday July 6, 2012, 9:37 pm
Israel definitely needs the money if it is to continue manufacturing Drones, selling them to Canada which leases them to the Australian military in Afghanistan...Gotta keep those subsidies rolling in!

America doesn't need the money, after all, it is 'the richest nation in the world'? - Or is that just the propaganda it feeds its non-Chinese 'believers?

Friday July 6, 2012, 10:05 pm
Thanks Abdessalam, Signed already

Friday July 6, 2012, 10:12 pm
all foreign aid needs to stop until we have our country back on track. then we can look into sending aid again but never to enemies. we should stop all monies going to any enemy state. that includes all of the muslim states since there isn't a single one that's not our enemy.

Friday July 6, 2012, 11:17 pm
Do you believe everything you read in the US mainstream news Billie? - Muslim states are not attacking America, America is attacking them. Who is the 'enemy'?

Saturday July 7, 2012, 12:00 am
signed

Saturday July 7, 2012, 1:49 am
Signed and shared on FB.

Saturday July 7, 2012, 2:12 am
Congratulations! The Care2 Community has promoted your submission to
the Care2 News Network Front Page.


News: Tell Congress: Spend Our Money at Home, Not on the Israeli Military

Congratulation to all those who noted,signed and commented.YOU ALL are the ones who made this submission a front page.

Saturday July 7, 2012, 2:34 am
Thank you John . As I mentioned up here more people are opening their eyes daily.Last night, after years of engagement, a Presbyterian Church USA overwhelmingly voted to boycott all Israeli settlement products. Not long ago, such a vote would have been unthinkable. Today, it won by over 70%.

Saturday July 7, 2012, 4:09 am
Not noted or signed.

TIme to clean up the military that we give so much aid to in Egypt before worrying about other nations and their questonalble practices, or did you really think the revolution in Egypt is a success, with full equality for women, Christians and other persecuted groups?

This is hypocritical to the core. Stop bashing Israel alone when your human rights abuses in Egypt are just as bad and their minorities are denied equal rights by law and society.

See these articles:
http://terrorism.about.com/od/humanrights/a/EgyptTorture.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Egypt

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/egypt-new-sweeping-powers-army-threaten-human-rights-2012-06-19

Saturday July 7, 2012, 5:40 am
Signed with pleasure. Unfortunately our politicians are much too beholding to the Jewish dollar and are afraid of doing the right thing. It's about time we let the people of the mid-east sort their homelands out for themselves instaed of along artificial lines drwan by various foreigners. Israel must return to its 1967 borders and Palestine deserves to be a recognized state.

Saturday July 7, 2012, 7:13 am
Signed, thank you Abdessalam

Saturday July 7, 2012, 10:26 am
thankyou for posting this. signed. I won't go into the problems caused by the military aspect of it, but I'll say this instead; I've met a lot of Americans. Most seem really nice. I'd love to see the US fixed.

Saturday July 7, 2012, 12:31 pm
signed & noted

Saturday July 7, 2012, 12:50 pm
Gladly signed. Thank you Abdessalam.

Saturday July 7, 2012, 1:02 pm
Signed, noted and shared on FB

Saturday July 7, 2012, 1:58 pm
Is he trying to play the race/religion card here? We should be sending NO military aid to ANY country!! Food, medical, yeah..that is humanitarian.
But what the heck about our own children who need school lunches, our own homeless that need some sort of tent cities and better yet...real shelter.
And how about medical aid to our own people?
Charity begins at home, until we have no more vets begging for money on streetcorners, former homeowners sofa surfing with relatives, infrastructure with potholes that swallow cars.,levees that break open, on and on
Don't waste money on bullets, drones and rockets that blow up in the sand...

Saturday July 7, 2012, 2:11 pm
Signed and Noted, Thank You Abdessalam.

Saturday July 7, 2012, 2:55 pm
Our world politic has become perverted with corruption, greed and and lack of morals
. The few lord over the many and we all suffer for it.

Saturday July 7, 2012, 4:01 pm
Gladly signed & noted. Thanks, Abdessalam.

Saturday July 7, 2012, 4:08 pm
Cal

I think that we expect Egypt to overthrow an American supported dictator and expect to have a Western style democracy in place the next day. Democracy is a long hard road and to claim that it "isn't working out", let's wait and see what happens.

I have faith in the Egyptian people to find their way to the democratic model they want. Considering that they were oppressed form 30+ years, they sure did a good job overthrowing a government. We are considered free living in democratic nations. How is the change we are demanding working out for us?

It is hypocritical for you to claim that you are against settlements and occupation, yet support the actions of the Israeli government and the IDF. It is really convenient to blame this on the extremist faction of the ultra Orthodox, but this has been going on one way or another for over six decades. It is not a new phenomena.

One of the news articles you sent the link for is about torture perpetuated upon terrorist suspects while under Mubarak. The other from Amnesty International is commenting on military violation of human rights. Did the Egyptians elect the military to power Cal? Does anyone support military rule? Did anyone claim that governance under Mubarak is good government? Does anyone say that Saudi Arabia (another of the US's allies) is the poster child for Democratic rule in the Middle East.

That is an extremely weak argument Cal. To compare what is self described as the nation unto nations, the shining light and we can't forget, the only democracy in the Middle East to countries which either are not ruled democratically or are just making their way is kind of pathetic and demonstrative of the knee jerk reaction you give when you read about anything bringing attention to the huge problems with the Israeli governance and their part in the conflict.

We give military aid in excess of $3 billion/annum to use the weaponry purchased on human beings, many innocent of any crime. We support disproportionate force against a state that has no military. We support or certainly turn a blind eye on kicking people out of the only home they ever have known, kick them to the curb and move in an American Jew or Canadian Jew for that matter because we have decided to make aliyah and rediscover their roots. If any other country did what Israel did to Gaza, the world would be screaming and would not stop. But who cares for a bunch of, as Bob would put it, welfare recipients, who are terrorists to boot. That is what it comes down to. While Israel is screaming antisemitism, the Holocaust, delegitimization and isolation; to the point their overuse of these words have made them lose all meaning, Americans, Canadians and certainly the Israeli government actually participates in racial profile and stereotyping of a whole population based on their ethnicity and faith.

So when you want to state that something is hypocritical, perhaps you should look inward a little. It is hypocritical for you to hold the states you are criticizing to a much higher standard that the state you support.

Saturday July 7, 2012, 4:23 pm
signed and noted

Saturday July 7, 2012, 4:34 pm
#4353 Noted and signed!

Saturday July 7, 2012, 8:58 pm
signed, thanks

Saturday July 7, 2012, 9:07 pm
It is time for the US to stop subsidizing the military budgets for all of NATO, Israel, Japan, Korea,Bahrain, Saudi Arabia.... Hell the US paid for and illegally suppled Israel with nuclear technology and weapons. Just why do you suppose that the US DOD/Military budget accounts for 40% of global arms spending or why the US Military Budget is 6.5 times that of China and more than the next top 20 largest military spenders combined.

Sunday July 8, 2012, 1:29 am
Adding my voice to Gloria's: "We should be sending NO military aid to ANY country!! Food, medical, yeah..that is humanitarian.
But what the heck about our own children who need school lunches, our own homeless that need some sort of tent cities and better yet...real shelter.
And how about medical aid to our own people?
Charity begins at home, until we have no more vets begging for money on streetcorners, former homeowners sofa surfing with relatives, infrastructure with potholes that swallow cars.,levees that break open, on and on
Don't waste money on bullets, drones and rockets that blow up in the sand... "/ quote

LLoyd also makes an excellent point.
I vote to end ALL military payments to any country. It's time we settle our differences without bullets & bombs. Humanitarian efforts are the answer to our global problems.

Sunday July 8, 2012, 2:10 am
S+N

Sunday July 8, 2012, 4:35 am
Signed and noted.

Sunday July 8, 2012, 7:43 am
Sad, sad days for our country, when we support countries like Israel, Saudi Arabia, etc., while in our own country people are loosing their homes, living on the streets, children are starving,and the respect for America is at at a all time low!!!! Americans, wake up, we must stop our politicians from ruining our once great country!!! " A country is only vulnerable from destruction from the outside, when it has destroyed itself from the Inside" !!!

Sunday July 8, 2012, 8:34 am
''SIGNED''.....thanks Abdessalam......I agree that the U.S. should spend money here and NOT in Israel. The U.S. doesn't have money to give away so freely, they are in debt up to there eyeballs now. The U.S. NEEDS jobs desperately and they don't need to be funding the Israeli Military. Time to wake up America, before it is TOO late. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!!!!!

Sunday July 8, 2012, 11:01 am
Sending a Green Star is a simple way to say "Thank you"
You cannot currently send a star to Marg because you have done so within the last week.
YES I can, Thanks Marg. M.

Sunday July 8, 2012, 12:00 pm
I have chosen to ignore the comments of both B. and C. as they try to turn the attention of participants to something else rather than the petition > I highly appreciate the response of those who could understand the thread and decided to join others in signing the petition. At the same time I am not pushing any one to sign against his own will.All care2 members can chose to sign or not to sign.
Facts are facts. Saudi Arabia ,to the best of my knowledge ,is not getting any military aid from USA. On the contrary,Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates(UAE) beside countries like Qatar and other Arabian/Persian gulf states are feeding the US military industry with Hundreds of Billions of dollars against their increasing purchase of US military air crafts together with other military weapons and equipment. USA policy to frighten Arab countries of Iranian threat to the stability and alleged nuclear threat to Gulf Arab countries is a major reason to recruit Arabs money to US military equipment purchase.Since the signature of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel Egypt gets about $1.3B annually.FMF aid to Egypt is divided into three general components: (1) acquisitions,
(2) upgrades to existing equipment, and (3) follow-on support/maintenance contracts. According to U.S. and Egyptian defense officials, approximately 30% of annual FMF aid to Egypt is spent on new weapons systems, as Egypt’s defense modernization plan is designed to gradually replace most of Egypt’s older Soviet weaponry with U.S. equipment.

Sunday July 8, 2012, 12:07 pm


Thnx for posting!

Sunday July 8, 2012, 1:20 pm
Signed !

Sunday July 8, 2012, 1:29 pm
Signed and Noted

Sunday July 8, 2012, 1:32 pm
The American people should come first.

Sunday July 8, 2012, 2:01 pm
thanks for telling the world

Sunday July 8, 2012, 3:07 pm
Thanks for posting, Abdessalam. On another threat I said I wish there was a petition in order to stop the U.S. support for Israel - and here it is !! Of course I've signed. The people must be heared in this serious matter. Israel is wrong and shouldn't be supported any longer ! I hope many people would watch the film "Five broken camera's", that tells a lot. The comment of the Zionist Cal Mendelsohn is indeed poor, I'm glad that Marge pointed that out. Anybody who is reasonable must come to the same conclusion : Israel must not be supported by the U.S..

Sunday July 8, 2012, 8:00 pm
What short memories most of us have.
It wasn't that many years ago, that the militaristic extreme right, was very anti-Semitic, due to religious differences. All of a sudden, they changed minds, preferring the Jewish community over the Muslim community.
I guess, it's all about, WHOM YOU HATE MORE.

Sunday July 8, 2012, 8:18 pm
Marg--Human rights is for everyone or for no one. Your argument doesn't state that, but that's what I believe and it is a little more than the pot calling the kettle black when the very heavily US-military supported Egyptian government is allowed to get away with its human rights abuses while the heavily military supported Israel government is not. It is hypocritical to the core to do so.

Democracy in Egypt is indeed a work in progress, but does that honestly give the Egyptian government and society a pass when it comes to treating women and minorities there equally ? It is a really poor argument that human rights in egypt is just some sideshow to be negotiated or figured out later. Modern Egypt has had a long time "to figure out" that this is not moral behavior and to change it, and far longer than the six decades that Israel has been a modern state!
ANd you are dead wrong that I hold Egypt to a higher standard than Israel Marg--indeed they are both lacking, and Egypt should not be held to a lesser standard just because it's easier to do so than face the truth of their abysmal human rights record and societal traditions and practices.

Sunday July 8, 2012, 9:12 pm
There's a very simple solution.
1 Cancel all aid to the military regime which holds the real power in Egypt.
2 Cancel all aid to the 7th century Muslim government in Pakistan, which is more than happy to provide a safe haven to sworn enemies of the US like Bin Laden and the Taliban.
3 Increase US aid to Israel, America's only real friend and ally in the Middle East.

Monday July 9, 2012, 1:38 am
I appreciate your journey of conscience Marg.
For me, I am stuck on the cynical side that Israel's existence is justified for the one reason that seems intractable
and irrefutably true--that without it anti-Semitism and persecution of Jews will be far worse in many places, especially democratic places like the US and Canada. There is far too much historical evidence (which would take hours to repeat here, so I won't do it) about how anti-Semites have thrived because of both official sponsorship by influential policymakers and societal tolerance of anti-Semitic tendencies and thoughts. The clearest example was the lead-up to World war Ii and the unwillingness of governments to take in Jewish refugees in meaningful numbers from places they were outright persecuted in body, law and soul. These memories run deep in the Jewish soul like a scar that never heals.We know the results of this hatred all too well, and I'm not willing to bet that people have changed enough that this would not occur again. So much for my skepticism and cynicism on this.

I do expect more from Israel, Marg. I am still a believer in Zionism in its earliest pure form which called for a haven for Jews from oppression from the angry intolerance of anti-Semites sponsored by church and state everywhere. It was intended as the liberation of the Jewish people and their fulfillment of national expression, as you know.
I am not brainwashed to Israel's shortcomings with Arabs, women, Palestinians, any less than I am about how the US and Canada treats their native populations (First Nations) and other minorities. I hold the US and Canada to a higher standard on this, too. What offends me is not that higher standards for these nations come into play for Israel, the US< and Canada, but that many of the same people (NOT You!) who openly advocate consistently against Israel policies here on Care2 and elsewhere only show themselves where the abuses of Israel are concerned and don't speak out on human rights in other places and on behalf of people who aren't looking and tied to them. That's where my "human rights are for everyone or for no one" comes from. If you think that the rights of the Roma in Europe or Native Americans in the US and Canada, for example, are less important than those for Palestinians, you really have no idea what human rights are for anyone and have a personal agenda. You aren't part of this disturbing phenomenon, Marg, but many here are who have clearly an agenda of their own, and not a friendly or "democratic" one.

This agenda runs to a very evil end sometimes, Marg. Somehow, for the author of this post, It's really easy to post something like this article when your own country smells to high heaven from human rights abuses under the guise of protecting human rights.I don't advocate "separate but equal" when it comes to Palestinian rights, but give us al a break when you post this one-sided condemnation on misappropriating American military aid by Israel. How much misappropriation of aid in persecuting Egyptians has occurred before and after Tahrir Square? How many have died and how many ruined lives because of this? I ask the author of this post to Take a look in the mirror before posting things like this.If you can't hold your own government to a higher standard in the world, even so, why do you hold Israel to one? You can't tell me in any seriousness that you hold Israel to a higher standard as Marg does for the reasons she does, which make a lot more sense and is much more justified from the journey she's taken than from where you are coming from. I don't think if I was an Egyptian women or an Egyptian Copt, that you could so easily dismiss the opinion of outsiders as you absolutely will attempt to when responding to this. Why do I never see you creating human rights stories on groups outside of the Palestinians ever??? Are human rights limited to one group for you, really? Is that your only motivation in posting this and other articles you have posted on the subject of Israel's really questionable behavior?

Monday July 9, 2012, 3:53 am
Margaret, I am tired of the old tactic of Islamic PR workers to attack their opponents personally. If anything was offensive, that were your words.

Yes, I see US Aid to Arab states as one huge lump sum going to the One Arab Nation, united be their presence in one and the same Arab League. You may claim that the League does not exist, that Arab states don't call each other brothers and don't vote in one pack on all questions related to the non-Arab world. You may claim, but the truth is the opposite.

There is no Organization of Christian Countries, yet there is an Organization of Islamic Countries, the most powerful lobby in UN, making this supposedly neutral organization biased and useless.

If Pakistan after getting 4.5 Billion a year for its military, which is 1.5 Billion more a year than Israel, was hiding Osama Bin Laden, and now jailed the doctor who found him, I say: This 4.5 Billion given to Pakistan Military is wasted! They did not benefit America, they more likely benefited the Taliban.

Egypt, which Abdessalam for some reasons omitted, gets 2 BILLION in US tax money, to include support Egyptian military as well. At the time when Egyptians elected militant extremist openly planning a breaking the agreement with Israel and going to war for Islam, isn't it time to stop giving money to Egypt as well! Because this money will result in a war, not in peace.

Israel has to fight off many aggressive Arab states,which attacked it as a pack. Israel is tiny and need the advanced weapons to stop the Arab aggression coming from road snipers, Lebanese Hesbola, Gaza Al-Queda and other evil forces, which otherwise would be fighting our boys somewhere on a battle ground.

That's why I refuse to follow Islamist propaganda, will ignore the call of Islamic extremist to weaken Israel so that they could conquer it. And I don't believe that those who danced on 9/11 are NOW acting in the interests of American people.

Monday July 9, 2012, 9:46 am
It angers me to send any military help at all to Israel the war mongers that they are. Send it to Jordan instead, they try to keep peace when all the countries around them are so radical.

Monday July 9, 2012, 11:18 am
gladly signed.. HELL YES...we can use the money..here at home. thanks for the post Abdessaiam

Monday July 9, 2012, 12:26 pm
http://endtheoccupation.org/

Monday July 9, 2012, 12:45 pm
Thanks to all free people who have the courage to speak up.If you can Please sign this petition as well

http://www.care2.com/news/member/797865952/3407110#addcomment

Monday July 9, 2012, 1:58 pm
gladly signed. If Israel didn't exist there might or might not be more anti-semitism. What is indisputable is that the existance of Israel has fueled conflicts that now has the middle east world on the brlink of a third world war, America on the verge of bankruptcy mainly due to it spending on the military and war, and the social fabric of our nation by torn apart because America can't devout the needed attention to it's infrastructure.

These conditions mentioned above are obviously not all due to the fault of Israel and its supporters. But having a corporate media with an unstated blackout of anything having to do with Israel helps to fuel an already volitile situation.

Israel is and zionist are not blamed for these conditions not because they are innocent; They are not blamed because the information is so controlled and black out that the American citizenry is simply not aware. This insures that our children can be sent to these horrible wars to be maimed and killed and not have any idea who they are really sacrificing their life and well being for.

Would you send you child to die for a greedy zionist at the Federal Reserve Board?

Monday July 9, 2012, 3:00 pm
Terrance, why wouldn't you suggest: "What is indisputable is that the existance of countries run by Islamists has fueled conflicts that now has the middle east world on the brlink of a third world war, America on the verge of bankruptcy mainly due to it spending on the military and war, and the social fabric of our nation by torn apart because America can't devout the needed attention to it's infrastructure. "

After all,wars in Iraq, Afganistan, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Uzbekistan, Chechnya, etc have nothing to do with Zionists or Israel and everything to do with militancy and terrorism of militant Islamic sects, fighting for the specific type of Caliphate to impose on the world.

and FYI, Federal Reserve Board follow up Saudi agenda, not Israel. Obama bowed to Saudi King, and sent Netaniyahu home before dinner. Obama outreaches to Islamists and let the whole Middle East to fall into Wahhabism and to Muslim Brotherhood.

There are greedy Islamists running the show, and blaming all the troubles on Jews, whom they called Zionists to be politically correct.

Monday July 9, 2012, 5:03 pm
Thank you so much for signing this petition to Rep. Berman supporting the message in the Los Angeles billboards about which he recently complained.
signer # 4726, thank you

Monday July 9, 2012, 6:20 pm
N&S with thanks.

Tuesday July 10, 2012, 2:20 am
When I posted this link,I wanted to show you who are the authors of this petition. It is US campaign to end the occupation and this is the link again to see by yourselves

http://endtheoccupation.org/

Tuesday July 10, 2012, 6:30 am
From a report of American Council for the National Interest

" Our uniquely massive support for Israel has cost trillions of dollars and multitudes of lives. It has diminished our moral standing in the world, lessened our domestic freedoms, and exposed us to unnecessary and growing peril.


The majority of Americans – as well as our diplomatic and military experts – oppose this unique relationship. Yet, the lobby for Israel continues to foment policies that are disastrous for our nation and tragic for the region.

If we are to have Middle East policies that serve the national interest, that represent the highest values of our founders and our citizens, and that work to sustain a nation of honor, decency, security, and prosperity, then it is essential that all Americans become active and informed. Below are the facts:

American taxpayers give Israel over $8 million per day

(See report from Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress):


This to a nation of about 7.5 million people – smaller than New Jersey. Israel has received more American money than any other nation on earth. It is more than we give to all the starving countries of Africa put together.

From 1950-53 Israel’s financial influx from the U.S. was one billion dollars; Israel at that time had 1.6 million inhabitants

In the past 40 years, American taxpayers have given Israel approximately $200,000 per Israeli family of five.

This costs us even more:

US aid to Israel is given in a lump sum at the beginning of the fiscal year.

Since the US is operating at a deficit, this means that we borrow the money, give it to Israel, and then pay interest on it long after it is gone.

Israel, on the other hand, makes interest from it. Congress has mandated that Israel’s aid be immediately deposited to an interest bearing account with the Federal Reserve Bank.

Additional financial costs: $3 trillion


* About $1.5 billion to Egypt and $843 million to Jordan is dispensed annually under arrangements made to induce these countries’ friendly relations with Israel.

* Billions of dollars have been lost to U.S. manufacturers because of the Arab boycott engendered by Israeli actions.

* Enormous and continuing costs to U.S. consumers of petroleum, which surged to such heights that it set off a world-wide recession during the Arab oil boycott imposed in reaction to U.S. support of Israel in the 1973 war.

There are a multitude of such costs.

A report by an economist commissioned by the Army War College in 2002 to analyze the situation in full found that the total cost to Americans over Israel’s 60+ years has been $3 trillion.

Americans have a higher unemployment rate than Israel and 10 million families are reportedly sliding into foreclosure; yet Americans continue to give tax money to Israel.

Tuesday July 10, 2012, 9:39 am
Abdessalam, you forgot to mention that US Aid to Israel is given as a military equipment, manufactured in US. That means, that 3B dollars provide 60,000 manufacturing jobs.

Now, Saudis demand to buy everything that Israel gets. That means, that Saudis are PAYING 3B to cover additional 60,000 jobs.

In essense, this schema works as "Get One Free - Buy One". Margin on the military equipment is more than 50%, and so US economy really benefits from US Aid to Israel.

Second, you did not mention that for the US Aid US military can prevent Israel on supplier contracts - and it did, with Israel canceling contracts with China and India worth TENS of Billions of dollars.

Now, the aid to Arab and Islamic states comes as CASH. That very same CASH you consider the most important. And if Israel gets 8million a day, Islamic states get 80 millions bucks a day, which is tens times more.

Despite getting this money, anti-US sentiment in Arab world runs high, and hatred for the modern civilization permeating Islamic governments makes US Aid to them completely useless, with the best example of Pakistan, pocketing more US Aid than Israel and still providing sanctuary to Osama Bin Laden.

Arab states vote against US interests in UN in about 80%. Egyptian current Islamic extremist rules denounce US and want to improve ties to Iran, with the possible war with Israel.

Why on Earth even Obama would want to give Egypt more cash, that Americans need so badly at home!!!

Tuesday July 10, 2012, 12:15 pm
Bob, not all Zionist are Jews and not all Jews are Zionist. There many Christian Zionist dedicated to a distorted messianic view that Christ can't return unless Israel completely controls all the lands in greater Israel.

Islamist are not all militarist or terrorist either. Zionist I contend are deeply in key places throughout our government, media, banking, military and in every aspects in American society. AIPAC is one of the main organizations spear heading this onslaught.

Americans are slowly waking up to this Zionist influence as our nation is being destroyed by these banksters and the federal reserve. Because of a gimmick called fractional reserve banking, our nation is in hock to the tune of 15 trillion dollars. Not to mention our cities and states who are also deeply in debt. Why doesn't the media seriously examine why America is in such debt?

Instead we are fed by the corporate never ending political compaigns, sports, entertainment, and gossip. The internet and a few TV station like Link TV are the only outlets courageous enough to tell the truth about this corporate media control..

Tuesday July 10, 2012, 2:21 pm
a very interesting comment Terrance - In my experience the average American is a very nice, but ill informed person. I believe Faux News is largely responsible for that, 10 minutes of heavily right wing biased news, 15 minutes of sport and 5 minutes of weather. Apparently and sadly Fox is the most watched news channel in the US? Aljazeera is banned? Fortunately many people are taking to the internet to get the 'real' news. Those who do will be aware that Israel is not quite the paragon of virtue that Fox paints it to be. - Wake up America, civilization needs you!

Tuesday July 10, 2012, 2:41 pm
Terrance, you are right: not all Zionists are Jews and not all Jews are Zionists. By the same token, not all Muslims are Islamists, but all Islamists are Muslim. However, other followers are strong and militant doctrines - Communism, Fascism, etc - may be not Muslims.

Islamists by definitions are people trying to impose Sharia on those who does not want it by militant ways.

AIPAC is just a public lobby, useless to achieve anything good for Israel. Saudi Lobby is much more stronger and efficient, though much more quiet. Israeli spy Pollard sits in jail for much longer than Syrian spy, and many other spies. Obama feeds of Liberal Jews, and Liberal Jews are not known to be strong Zionists. After all, it was Saudi King to whom Obama bowed, while Netaniyahu was send home before dinner.

.I am worried about growing Islamic extremism much more than those who support the right of Israel to exist in safety. Blaming Jews for the deficit while Obama is in power is ridiculous. Socialism always leaves its citizen penniless at the end.

Corporate America is also NOT doing that great - the jobs were created in public and union sectors, meaning higher taxes for the rest of the crowd. Thanks for Obama. BTW, his accommodation of Saudis and closing Canadian pipeline at the cost of losing 30,000 Amercan jobs is just another favor to Saudis, not to AIPAC.

There is little courage needed to blame Israel: Islamic lobby got tons of dough from Europeans that they successfully spend on PR machine. In comparison, protesting voices are hardly heard.

Why are we not discussing the fact that 22 Arab states got 22 votes in UN, while 50 American states got 1 and 22 Chinese provinces got one as well? Does anybody forget that 22 is much bigger than 1, and thus one ethnic group of population got huge leverage over others?

Try to talk about this, and see names you will quickly get.

Wednesday July 11, 2012, 7:47 am
One person here comments using a 19 century broken gramophone that he can't stop. Repeating again and again the same old records that makes people laugh when they hear them in the 21 century.

Wednesday July 11, 2012, 12:16 pm
"Blaming Jews for the deficit while Obama is in power is ridiculous". Bob, you are the one fixated on blaming Jews. Where have you read anyone blaming the Jews for the deficit. I mainly blame the Federal reserve and bankster organizations like Goldman Sach's for profitting off the foreclosure crisis while bankrupting our state, cities, our federal government and eventually the world economy.

the Federal reserve and Goldman Sach's are made up of many organizations and nationalities. But both organizations are basically led by Zionist who are made up of so-called Christians, Jews, Hindu's, and quite possibly Muslims. I emphasize so-called because anyone professing any kind of religions is a hypocrit to be associated with such criminal organizations.

The main tools of the Federal Reserve and Goldman Sachs is fractional banking, or the creating of money out of thin air that isn't backed by anything. Then they turn around and lend us, our cities, states, and government this same counterfiet money at exorbitant interest rates. This my friend is usury. Usury is condemned in just about every spiritual scripture written.

Bob, I appreciate your admitting that all Jews are not Zionist, but instead of being a blind supporter of Israel, you need to be a supporter of the truth.

Wednesday July 11, 2012, 12:24 pm
Recently lots of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel folks start calling themselves Jews so to stop accusations of
antisemitism and to gain more credibility.

On the Internet, one can call himself the Pope, and some dummies may believe him.

If a person attacks only Israel for some human rights violation while leaving much worse offenders aside, it proves that the person does not care about human rights. The only goal of that person is to weaken Israel on a diplomatic arena, scare it against decisive fighting Islamic terrorists and weaken US by weakening its ally in the Middle East, the only reliable ally not susceptible to Islamization, like Egypt.

Now, let's see, would an Egyptian man and a supporter of Islamic regimes, be honestly interested in well-being of America, or he would be more interested in weakening their perceived enemy of Israel? Israel, who returned them lots of land in Sinai for the promise of peace!

What do you think, Abdessalam, you posted this article after all?

Thursday July 12, 2012, 5:54 am
Thanks Kit and you are absolutely right.Unable to send you a green star now but I am sending you a gold star instead.
As for B.I have mentioned before I'll ignore his comments untill he opens his eyes and see the truth about his beloved the Zionist entity.To help him see a part of the truth,I hereby post a report published by Humanitarian news and analysis,a service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs about a sample of Israeli behavior toward Palestinians in area "c" of the occupied Palestinian Terretories (OPT)in the west bank.

OPT: Demolitions, drought and displacement in West Bank Area C

Saleem Hadaleen: “My cistern was bulldozed by Israeli authorities without warning in December”
RAMALLAH, 18 February 2011 (IRIN) - Demolition of livelihood structures and drought are hitting already impoverished Palestinian communities living in Area C of the West Bank hard this year, according to UN agencies and international aid organizations working in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT).

Demolition of livelihood structures - including commercial structures, educational facilities, wells, water cisterns, water storage tanks, farmland and animal pens - by Israeli authorities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem increased by about 85 percent in 2010 and so far in 2011, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told IRIN.

“Over 12,500 Palestinians were affected by the demolition of livelihood structures in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 2010,” Ramesh Rajasingham, head of OCHA in Jerusalem, told IRIN, and “the majority of people effected, were impacted by the demolition of water cisterns in Area C.”

During 2010, 21 cisterns were demolished by the Israeli army, of which 9 were built thanks to funding from international donors. Of those demolished, 20 were in Hebron and one in Bethlehem, and two were built before 1948, OCHA says.

Cisterns - used to collect rainwater - are the only water source for livestock in these herding communities and the demolitions create economic hardship for thousands of people. During summer cisterns are also a domestic water source.

Forced to buy costly fodder, water

The West Bank is facing a rainfall shortage this season (September-March), which decreases grazing pastures and water levels in cisterns, forcing herders to purchase costly fodder and water from private tanks to sustain their animals, said the Palestinian Authority (PA) agricultural ministry.

About 150,000 Palestinians and 300,000 Israeli settlers - out of the West Bank’s 2.5 million people - live in Area C, according to UN estimates, while a total of 500,000 settlers live in occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank.

“My cistern was bulldozed by Israeli authorities without warning in December,” said goat herder Saleem Hadaleen, 32, from Khashem ad-Daraj in south Hebron. About 1,200 people live in his herding community.

“The Israelis claim they tacked a demolition order to the cistern, but I did not receive it,” he said, “and now the animals have to walk twice as far to reach a water source.”

Saleem and his flock have been forced to return home, struggling to support his family of eight.

Saleem and many community members say their proximity to the construction of the “barrier” to the southeast and the expansion of the Israeli settlement Karmel to the northwest account for the demolitions which are forcing them to relocate.

Livelihood structures demolished

Two hundred and ninety-four livelihood and services structures in the West Bank were demolished by Israeli authorities in 2010, including 240 in Area C and 54 in Jerusalem, said OCHA.

UN Humanitarian Coordinator for oPt Max Gaylord told IRIN some 3,000 outstanding demolition orders remain for various residential and livelihood structures across the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

“There is a clear increase in the demolition of livelihood structures in 2010 and 2011. This is happening mostly in the Jordan Valley, Area C, and in areas adjacent to settlements and the `barrier’ and in occupied East Jerusalem,” said Ghassan Al-Khatib, an official from PA prime minister Salam Fayyad’s office in Ramallah.

“Israel is trying to prevent economic and infrastructure development in these areas to reduce the Palestinian presence on the land to allow for further settlement expansion, and construction of the barrier,” said Al-Khatib.

Maj Guy Inbar, the Coordinator for [Israeli] Government Activities in the Territories, told IRIN: “In 2010, 172 warrants for the dismantling of structures [including houses] belonging to Palestinians were issued in Area C, an almost identical figure to the number of structures belonging to Israelis that were dismantled in the same time period.”

Another 150 such structures were removed from firing (closed military) zones, said Inbar.

“The legal standing of the firing zones is exactly the same for both Israelis and Palestinians,” he said.

Areas A, B and C

The 1995 Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip (also known as Oslo II) categorized land in the West Bank into areas A, B and C.

According to the agreement, Area A is under the control of the PA, and Area B under the joint control of Israel and the PA. About 95 percent of the Palestinian population live in these two areas, though they make up only 40 percent of the land area.


In Area C, Israel retains military authority and full control over the building and planning sphere, while responsibility for the provision of services falls to the PA.

About 70 percent of Area C is classified as a firing zone, settlement areas, or nature reserves, and is inaccessible to Palestinians, said OCHA’s Rajasingham.

Yousef Hadaleen, `muktar’ (community leader) of Khashem ad-Daraj in south Hebron since 1979, said only two families and the elementary school are connected to a water network in his community located 3-4km from where the “barrier” will be constructed.

“The movement of our community is restricted within a master-plan given to us by the Israeli authorities in 2008,” he said.

“Herders move seasonally, and we are continuously fined 750 NIS [Israeli New Shekels, about US$200] by Israeli authorities for being in areas near the ‘barrier’,” he added.

However, even structures within the “master-plan” are not guaranteed security from demolitions, said Rajasingham.

OCHA is monitoring displacement risks for the population in Area C through community profiling exercises with other agencies.

Eight cisterns in the West Bank recently received demolition orders.

NGO dilemma

International NGOs working in Area C are struggling to find a compromise between meeting the emergency needs of the population, and building within the legal framework outlined by the Israeli Civil Administration, according to a recent study published by Italian NGO GVC.

NGOs want to rebuild livelihood structures, but fear they will be re-demolished.

UN agencies and aid organizations view Area C as one of the biggest humanitarian concerns in the West Bank due the threat of demolitions, lack of access to basic services, particularly water and sanitation infrastructure, and movement restrictions.

An inter-agency assessment in February 2010 found that 79 percent of the herding population in Area C is food insecure, citing the erosion of livelihoods due to a lack of access to land, and water scarcity, as the main contributing factors.


Humanitarian news and analysis
a service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Thursday July 12, 2012, 12:57 pm
signed! and wow if 13 million a day were spent on our elderly and disabled it would solve the health crisis and retiree's could actually retire

Thursday July 12, 2012, 1:13 pm
Abdessalam,

What did UN say about Egyptians killing Coptic Christians and burning the churches?

when Arab states got 22 votes in UN, and Islamic states got 72 and make a stable majority, UN became biased and morally bankrupt.

Syria as a defender of Human Rights, Iran a defender of armament control and Saudi for women affairs, if I am not mistaken, are good sarcastic to sick jokes of what had become from the supposedly neutral body.

You will have to wait a very long time, Abdessalam, for me to start seeing "truth" as YOU see it.

For now, let's just see how Egypt, once a leader in the ME, will go down with its militant extremist Morsi, eat up its last resources saved up by Mubarak, and come to US to beg for more infidels' money to feed you guys.

Don't forget that those money include taxes on alcohol and gambling including some cash from me, and you guys are not really allowed by Koran to take and to use them, I mean, if you are sincere believers.

Thursday July 12, 2012, 2:35 pm
Bob, are you a person who would drowl in awe at a powerful person like Mao, Hitler, Netanyahu, Obama, Bush, or a Clinton? Would you side and agree with these individuals based on ideology and ignore the truth ?Are you nothing but a good soldier?

Would you beat and injure peaceful demonstrators for these charismatic personalities? Would you torture to maintain the status quo? Would you bulldoze and kill a Rachel Corre to maintain the Jewish state? Would you shoot a tear gas cannister into the face of a peaceful demonstrator?

If you would do these things Bob, you are like so many good German's who were only doing their jobs for their state and leader. Or are you a free individual leader who sides with the truth.

Thursday July 12, 2012, 3:00 pm
Noted and signed..

Seems Bergman cant handle that WE dont agree with those who buy his votes.
Green stars to Abdessalam for the story and bringing it to care2. and to Kit, and Joe and so many others who I cant send another star to this week. The sky is filled with them!

OK, people so WHERES THE OUTRAGE? WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT THIS
????

Thursday July 12, 2012, 4:52 pm
Netanyahu and his corrupt bunch of thugs are still in power - Why is it so? - He was warned by Obama to stop building 'settlements all over Palestinian territory. He reluctantly agreed, and held the builders back for ten months. But the day the ten months ended the builders began building again.

Why is this power crazy idiot allowed to dictate terms to anyone. I have no doubt that he does not represent the majority of Israeli Citizens. He seriously needs to be put in his place. Not as the PM of Israel but ejected as the dictator he is, How to do that, I do not know. Do you? the world would be a better place without him.

Saturday July 21, 2012, 6:24 am
Is it 1984? Reject the Levy Committee Report!



It seems to be 1984. George Orwell gave us, in his book by that name, the term “Doublethink,” in which “war is peace, freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength.” The Levy Committee – an Israeli government Committee- with a straight face expects us to believe that occupation can be erased simply by defining it out of existence. But no one does believe it.


The committee’s report states that Israel is not an occupier in the West Bank. It asserts that establishing settlements in the West Bank does not violate international law. It recommends legalizing illegal settlement construction. It suggests facilitating additional settlement in the West Bank. Finally, it recommends permitting Israeli settlers to register land ownership in the West Bank. This is outrageous!


Prime Minister Netanyahu is preparing the report for government discussion. Right now, some officials are planning to submit a bill to the Knesset that would enshrine the Levy committee's recommendations in Israeli law. Adopting the recommendations of the report would cause terrible damage to Israel’s international standing. The relationship between Israel and the United States would be deeply undermined. Prospects for peace with the Palestinians and the Arab world would be devastated. Adopting these recommendations would be a definitive statement that the current government has no respect for the rule of law, for the commitments of previous governments to remove illegal outposts, or for the interests of the 96% of Israelis who are not part of the ideological settlement enterprise.


Tell Ambassador Oren: The Levy report cannot be accepted as law!

http://wfc2.wiredforchange.com/o/8682/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8765