Newsgroup: it.arti.cinema
Titolo: (MO) There never was a darker Middle East summit meeting.

Sempre molto lucido, molto chiaro, molto severo.
Assolutamente da leggere.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17953.htm
Information Clearing House
July 2, 2007
The Dirty Word
There never was a darker Middle East summit meeting.
The darkest there can be.
By Uri Avnery
The four leaders at Sharm al-Sheik did not sit together
at an intimate round table. Each one sat alone behind a
huge table of his own. That ensured a striking
separation between them. The four long tables hardly
touched. Each one of the leaders, with his assistants
behind him, sat like a solitary island in a vast sea.
All four - Hosni Mubarak, King Abdallah of Jordan, Ehud
Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas - bore a severe countenance.
Throughout the official part of the conference, not a
single smile could be seen.
One after the other, the four delivered their
monologues. An exercise in shallow hypocrisy, in empty
deceit. Not one of the four raised himself above the
murky puddle of sanctimonious phrases.
A short monologue from Mubarak. A short monologue from
Abdallah. A medium-length monologue from Abbas. An
interminably long monologue from Olmert - a typical
Israeli speech, overbearing, educating the whole world,
sermonizing and dripping with morality. Held, of
course, in Hebrew, with the obvious aim of appealing to
the home public.
The speech included all the required phrases - Our soul
longs for peace, The vision of two states, We do not
want to rule over another people, For the good of
coming generations, bla-bla-bla. All in standard
colonial style: Olmert even talked about "Judea and
Samaria", using the official terminology of the
occupation.
But in order to "strengthen" Abbas, Olmert addressed
him as "President" and not as "Chairman", which has
been the de rigueur title used by all Israeli
representatives since the establishment of the
Palestinian Authority. (The wise men of Oslo
circumvented this difficulty by referring -in all three
languages - to the head of the Authority by the Arab
title of Ra'is, which can mean both president and
chairman.
And the word that did not appear throughout this long
monologue?
"Occupation".
OCCUPATION? What occupation? Where occupation? Anybody
seen any occupation?
The occupation was not on the agenda of this dark
summit. Even in their wildest dreams, the Arab
participants could not imagine anything more wonderful
than "easing the restrictions". Making life a little
bit less difficult for the suffering population. Giving
back the Palestinian tax revenues. (That is to say,
Israel may give back some of the money it has
pocketed.) Moving some of the roadblocks that prevent
people from going from one village to the next. (That
has already been promised many times and will not
happen this time either, because the army and the Shin
Bet object. Olmert has already announced that it is
impossible for "security reasons".)
With the air of a Sultan throwing coins to the paupers
in the street, Olmert announced his intention of
releasing some Fatah prisoners. 250 coins, 250
prisoners. That was the "generous gift" that was to
make the Palestinians jump for joy, "strengthen" Abbas
and awaken to new life the dry bones of his
organization.
If Olmert had not been sitting so far away from Abbas,
he could just as well have spat in his face.
First at all, the number is ridiculous. There are now
about 10,000 (ten thousand) Palestinian "security"
prisoners in Israeli prisons. Every night, about a
dozen more are being taken from their homes. Since
there is no more room in the prison facilities, the
wardens will be pleased to get rid of some inmates. In
previous gestures of this nature, the Israeli
government has set free prisoners whose term was
nearing the end anyhow, and car thieves.
Second, fraternization between Fatah and Hamas is well
established in prison. The violent struggle in Gaza has
not been projected into the prisons. The famous
"prisoners' document", which laid the foundation for
the (now defunct) Unity Government, was worked out
jointly by Fatah and Hamas prisoners.
Olmert's announcement of his readiness to release Fatah
- and only Fatah - prisoners is designed to sabotage
this unity. It could stigmatize the Fatah people as
collaborators, and Abbas as a leader who is concerned
only with the members of his own organization, not
giving a damn for the others.
SO WHAT did come out of this summit conference? Some
say: zero plus, some say: zero minus. No wonder that
the Arab participants looked so somber.
What was it good for? Abbas was in need of
strengthening after losing the Gaza Strip. Olmert
promised the Americans to strengthen him. But after the
conference, Olmert could have used the phrase
customarily uttered by Israeli leaders visiting
bereaved families: "I came to strengthen, but it is I
who have been strengthened."
The sole winner was Olmert. The conference has proved
that Mubarak's and Abdallah's influence on Israel is
nil, and that Abbas' position is even worse.
To eliminate any doubt about this, Olmert sent the army
at once into the kasbah of Nablus, the heart of Abbas'
virtual kingdom, in order to "arrest" the leaders of
the military arm of Fatah. They put up determined
resistance, wounding several soldiers. A lieutenant
lost a hand and a leg. In another incursion, this time
into Gaza, 13 Palestinians were killed, including a boy
of 9. According to the official version, the aim was to
throw the militants off balance so that they would feel
hunted.
If this is not occupation, what is it? But God forbid
that anyone mention this word in diplomatic discourse -
the ten letters that have turned into an obscenity. A
ten-letter word that has become taboo in polite
society.
THE DISAPPEARANCE of the occupation as a subject for
discussion is the real message of the conference. All
the arrangements and ceremonies were designed to create
the false impression that Olmert and Abbas were the
heads of two states conducting negotiations on the
basis of equality - rather than the leader of an
occupying power and a representative of the occupied
population.
That is true for all the discourse about the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict at this stage: the world has
become so used to the occupation that its very
existence has ceased to be a subject for discussion.
That is also evident in the daily reporting on the
conflict in the Israeli and foreign media. They report
on what's happening - the Gaza take-over by Hamas, the
actions of the Israeli army, the problems of Abbas, the
decisions of the Israeli government - without the
context of the occupation. As if the occupation, with
all its killing, destroying, depriving and
dispossessing, were a natural phenomenon like the light
of the sun during the day or the twinkling of the stars
at night.
There are many subjects that are being discussed, such
as: whether to ease the situation of the Palestinians
or to increase their misery, whether to allow Abbas'
policemen to move freely with their weapons in the West
Bank towns to try and eliminate the militias that fight
against Israel, whether to enlarge the settlements or
not. But all these discussions are based on the
unquestioned assumption that the occupation is there
forever.
All the talk about "strengthening" is conducted in this
context: Abbas and his people are supposed to function
as an administration under occupation. According to
Olmert's and Bush's perception, their job is to fulfill
the orders of the occupation, in return for their own
money and perhaps some small arms. Incidentally, that
is very similar to the "autonomy" promised by Menachem
Begin to the "Arab inhabitants of Judea, Samaria and
the Gaza District". Olmert is quite ready to talk about
the "Two-State Solution" - much talk, with a lot of
bloated words and pathos - while doing everything
possible in practice to prevent this "vision" from
being realized before the coming of the Messiah.
INTO THIS reality Tony Blair is now stepping.
He is being sent by the Quartet - something that does
not really exist, a diplomatic fiction of four that are
one.
Europe does not exist as far as the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict is concerned, except as a financial instrument
of the White House. When the President of the USA wants
it, Europe sends alms to the Palestinians (and arms to
Israel). When the President of the USA wants to starve
the Palestinians, Europe imposes a blockade on them.
The UN has long ago become an instrument of the US
Department of State, especially in the Middle East.
When the American drill sergeant shouts, the UN jumps
to attention or stands at ease.
Russia dreams of regaining the status of a Great Power.
As in the days of the Czars and Stalin, it thinks in
terms of "spheres of influence". The Middle East is an
American sphere of influence. Therefore, Russia will
not interfere, except by mouthing high-sounding
phrases.
The Quartet is simply an American front organization.
And Tony Blair is sent to Palestine as a special envoy
of President Bush. The master sends his poodle.
What for? If Bush really wanted to realize his "Vision"
of two states, he wouldn't need Blair. He could do it
all alone in a matter of weeks. Even poor Condoleezza
could do it, instead of babbling about preparing final-
status plans and pigeon holing them, if only she were
backed by the determined will of the President.
So what is Blair's appointment for? Is it only to give
some status to a redundant international star? To give
a consolation prize to somebody who loyally lied and
cheated for Bush before and during the Iraq war?
Yes, of course. But his main task is to draw out
developments and gain time, to postpone everything, to
foster make-belief activity, to provide the
Palestinians and the world media with an illusion of
progress.
Blair will come, meet, make declarations, ooze charm
from every pore, generate headlines, fly, come back,
make more announcements, meet again with kings,
presidents and prime ministers. A long tail of news-
thirsty journalists will follow him everywhere,
generate media noise, write, tape and take pictures, as
if he were a male Paris Hilton.
Meanwhile Palestinians and Israelis will keep dying,
the wall will be finished, more land will be
expropriated, settlements will be enlarged, targeted
"terrorists" will be killed, the blockade on Gaza will
be tightened, and all the hundred and one daily
activities of the occupation will go on, the occupation
that dares not speak its name.
The declared task of Blair, too, is to "strengthen
Abbas". Woe to the task. Woe to Blair. Woe in
particular to Abbas.
_______
Uri Avnery is an Israeli writer and peace activist with
Gush Shalom. He is one of the writers featured in The
Other Israel: Voices of Dissent and Refusal
-- 
www.iaciners.org

Sempre molto lucido, molto chiaro, molto severo.
Molto imparziale, soprattutto.
 
Ciao
Nicola
--
"Striving for mediocrity in a world of excellence."
----
"Nelle epoche buie la miglior guida dell'uomo e' la religione, cosi' come in una notte nera come
la pece la miglior guida e' un cieco: costui riconosce strade e sentieri meglio di chi vede.
Quando arriva il giorno, pero', e' da sciocchi usare per guida un vecchio cieco."
Heirich Heine

  
Ca va sans dire!
:)

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MALEDETTI PACIFISTI.
Arriveranno i lager e il filo spinato anche per loro.

 Arriveranno i lager e il filo spinato anche per loro.
E se lo dice l'esperto nazista del ng, possiamo crederci.

 E se lo dice l'esperto nazista del ng, possiamo crederci.
Sono tornato nazista?
E nel merito del commento di Uri Avnery, che spero tu sappia chi sia?

 E nel merito del commento di Uri Avnery, che spero tu sappia chi sia?
Esiste l'equivalente di GS a Gaza?

 Il tuo utilizzo del termine "lager" con disinvoltura
Una mia amica svizzera mi ha raccontato che passava le sue vacanze
d'infanzia in un lager.

 Esiste l'equivalente di GS a Gaza?
GS?
N.

Il Tue, 10 Jul 2007 10:15:15 +0200, James P. Sullivan ha scritto:
 Il tuo utilizzo del termine "nazista" con disinvoltura e faciloneria
merita  altra considerazione?

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Gush Shalom.
Avnery e' uno che e' passato dall'Irgun al pacifismo militante.
Un dispensatore di verita' incontrovertibile dalle cui labbra pende il
Persivale.

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Definiscimi "lager".

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E i menů glieli portavano con i prezzi o senza?

Il 10 Lug 2007, 14:29, "James P. Sullivan"
<sulleyN...@iaciners.org.invalid> ha scritto:
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in realta', letteralmente vuol dire "magazzino"
tant'e' vero che la Lager Beer e' una birra a bassa fermentazione e
pastorizzata che puo' essere conseravta a lungo nei magazzini (ed e' la
tipologia di birra commerciale piu' diffusa)
N.
--------------------------------
Inviato via 
http://arianna.libero.it/usenet/

 in realta', letteralmente vuol dire "magazzino"
Anche "cuscinetto".

 Persivale.
vabbe', ma senza persone come Avnery e altri, quella parte di mondo sarebbe 
veramente peggiore. Non trovi?
ciao,
alessandro

 Persivale.
vuoi dare del nazista anche a lui?
Oltre a Condoleeza, con chi altri ti trovi in sintonia sulla politica del
MO?

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Il problema non e' Avnery, Alessandro.

 MO?
Fassino e Prodi, per restare in Italia.
E tu, oltre a Forza Nuova, Craxi padre e Andreotti?

 E tu, oltre a Forza Nuova, Craxi padre e Andreotti?
Come volevasi dimostrare.
Interrogato, non rispose.