Americans Need to Know More About Palestine

Americans Need to Know More About Palestine

Posted on 28. Oct, 2010 by  Raja Mujtaba in Interviews

[Translate]

Interview with Jamal Krayem Kanj: Author Children of Catastrophe
Interview by Elias Harb
Author Jamal Kanj talks about life in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon. In his recent book “Children of Catastrophe: Journey from a Palestinian refugee camp to America”, he provides an account of life from Palestine to refugee camps in Lebanon and the events leading for the creation of the state of Israel.
Jamal Kanj joined me in an exclusive interview to discuss his book Children of Catastrophe.
ELIAS HARB: In your book you convey the personal aspect of the life of the refugees. Can you tell us what inspired you to write Children of Catastrophe?

Palestine Bid Member State hijacked

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Akashma Online News

UPDATED Posted by Marivel Guzman

September 21, 2012 Mahmoud Abbas Bid for Palestine Statehood

In 2011 Mahmoud Abbas applied for Statehood, as a full State not the non-member observer state that the UN and all the Western Countries are talking about.
Palestine it is already observer member since 1974 with no right not vote on issues of important. The Media is hijacking Palestine Bid for Statehood. All the propaganda being distributed in the major Paid Media Outlet are lies, they trying to convince Mahmoud Abbas to bid for Non-Member observer, trying to enticed Mr Abbas to abandon his intention to bid for Statehood. All the buzz going around telling Palestinians that if Abbas bid it will lose money, saying which country will vote yes and No, all it is sick Israel-US propaganda.
It is up to All of us in the free world, to speak, to protest, to boycott, to question against the US or any other country that do not agree with the Independence of  Palestine.
There is no more time for mockery “Peace Talks”, they were never intended to solve the conflict but to continue the occupation which some how in the road of 65 years has become “Legal”, go figure how the “Elite” understand democracy and freedom for others. All we know is that UN (Club of 5) were never partners for peace, not for the Palestinians or for no one. Now the best they can do is to stay on the sidelines and let the people to choose their destiny.
THE bid for UN recognition tonight could bring Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas new diplomatic weight and tools, but also cost his people hundreds of millions in much-needed cash.

The Arabs States will gladly give money to Palestine if Israel is out of the way. US should stop giving any money to Israel and fix its own economy.

Mr Abbas is assured of triumph at the UN General Assembly when he seeks backing for his bid to go from “observer entity” to “non-member observer state”. The US and Israel will be unable to spoil his big day. These are the enticing goodies offerings to Mr Abbas. The PR is strong against Palestine, but after the triumph in Gaza, the energy is contagious, and the open support from Iran is a strong additive to this race for independence.
The Palestinians have focused on getting support from European nations. France came through yesterday when Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told parliament the country would vote for the resolution. Portugal will also vote yes and Switzerland will probably back the resolution, but Germany is expected to vote no or abstain. Britain’s position remains unclear. Julia Gillard said on Tuesday that Australia would abstain.
“Victory will not give the Palestinians a vote at the 193-member assembly. But they will be able to join UN agencies and sign treaties for which the UN Secretary-General is the record keeper.” The farce seems credible, but do not let the smoke to blur the mirror. If Mr Abbas summit the Bid for Statehood how was originally intended, it gives all the rights on the floor of the United Nations.
The vote “implies recognition of statehood and it gives them certain privileges” and “a certain prestige”, said Vera Jelinek, dean of New York University’s Center for Global Affairs.-this wording is misleading, the observer status was recognized since 1974, when Yasset Arafat was invited to speak on the floor of the United Nations. This remind me of another hijacked moment. On November 11 this year Palestinians were commemorating the 8th Anniversary of Yasset Arafat death, but instead Palestinians in Gaza were running for cover, as Israel assault was already started, not the November 14 date that was widely publicized.
The Palestinians will be able to go to UN conferences open to all states and to vote like other states. The Vatican used its observer status to raise sensitive issues at UN conferences on women and population.
The most valuable prize for Mr Abbas could be recourse to the International Criminal Court. The prospect of an ICC prosecutor looking into Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank was one of the Israeli government’s major worries, diplomats said.
And it is a threat that Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour dangled yesterday.
If Israeli authorities did not “respect resolutions of the Security Council, continue to illegally build settlements, which is a war crime from the point of view of the ICC and the Rome statute, then we will consult with all of our friends” over how to bring Israel into compliance.
The ICC is not a UN agency, however.
The legal apparatus of ICC only work if any of these instances are meet:

1.- If the State is signatory of the Rome Status. As of July 2012, 121 state are states parties to the Statute of the Court.Israel voted against the adoption of the Rome Statute but later signed it for a short period. In 2002, the United States and Israel, “unsigned” the Rome Statute, indicating that they no longer intend to become states parties and, as such, they have no legal obligations arising from their signature of the statute.
Israel states that it has “deep sympathy” with the goals of the Court. However, it has concerns that political pressure on the Court would lead it to reinterpret international law or to “invent new crimes”. It cites the inclusion of “the transfer of parts of the civilian population of an occupying power into occupied territory” as a war crime as an example of this, whilst at the same time disagrees with the exclusion of terrorism and drug trafficking. Israel sees the powers given to the prosecutor as excessive and the geographical appointment of judges as disadvantaging Israel which is prevented from joining any of the UN Regional Groups.
2.- If a offense it is committed in the State being charge with a war crime. And under the present legal terms, the crimes are committed in Palestine, not Israel.
3.- If the UN security council summit the charge to the ICC. We know for a fact that the 15 member of the UN security council  will never summit a draft to the ICC to file a complain against Israel. At least not for the moment. Israel enjoys of full backing of the Western Nations whose blind support had shadowed any resolutions that will bring Israel to comply with its International Obligations.

There is no real advantage for Palestine unless is recognized as a Full State Member. The benefits will be vary in degree, if it is recognized State with full benefits, Palestine will be able to shop for  small and big weapons. The Oslo accord limit Palestine from acquiring weapons. Another of the benefits will be getting loans from the IMF.
The binding of the Oslo and David accords will be expired which make Palestine free to deal with the world, to explode its own natural resources, to dig for water and control it, which it is one of the biggest issues that Palestine faces today. Israel control 95 % of the water of Palestine.
Israel will have no excuse to expel Palestinians from West Bank, or to control the Jordan  and Egyptian borders. All these only if the UN enforced the resolutions agreed on regarding Israel on previous resolutions, resolutions that had been ignore by Israel.
Once a state Palestinians citizens will obtain the State Status and the stateless status will be obsolete giving benefits in foreign countries.
All the foreign agencies will have to put Palestine back in the map.
The signatories of the Rome statute which set up the ICC would have to carry out their own vote first to accept the Palestinians, diplomats said.
ICC membership could be “a little trickier”, said Ms Jelinek. “I am not sure whether it would accept a ratification from an observer state in the UN.”
Mr Abbas wants super-observer status at the UN to boost Palestinian recognition and force Israel back into talks.
The US and Israel could also inflict financial damage on the Palestinians. This will be the best thing that can happen to Palestine. Once Israel out of Palestinians lands, Palestine can work its national resources that amount to 7 billions annually
US law bans financing for any international body that recognizes a Palestinian state. When the Palestinians were voted on to the UN Cultural and Educational Organization last year, the US administration withdrew more than $US70 million in funding.
The cost of the Iron Dome single intercepting missile is 90 millions US dollars. US spent 1 billion 275 millions in the Iron Dome in 2012. Palestine it is self sufficient if Israel stop stealing its National Resources.
The disinformation going around is a real knock out of Israel against Palestine, there is no Indefinite Veto Power, the Security Council will make a recommendation on the Request from Palestine Authority to Be accepted as a Full Member of the UN being the 194 state. But the real power is in the General Assembly of the UN, that needs 3/4 of of the countries to pass a resolution.  And nothing is written in stone, any compromise reach on this historic resolution should be implemented and could be change for the good of the parties involved. Especially for Palestinians that have always get the worse part in any accords in the past. And by the way, those accords should be obsolete, they were never implemented from Israel part, but were forced on the Palestinians.  We the People Stand for Justice and Peace; Palestine UN State 2011
Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian authority, will discuss the application later this week at the UN General Assembly. While France, one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, has come out in support of Palestine, the United States has already signaled that it will attempt to block the bid.
Victoria Nuland, US spokesperson for the Department for Defense, said, “We disagree with our oldest allies [the French] on the topic, and they know it. But it’s their choice how to move forward”.
Nuland added that the only way for the  two-state solution to work is if Israel and Palestine first commit to peace talks. She indicated that the US would vote ‘no’ in the assembly.

Palestinians will go to the UN on September 23...Do not believe in rumors

A Strategy for Israel in the 1980′s…Read this article in entirely and see how the agenda is been followed to the last step. So do not get discourage, we keep fighting, we moving to a new era
People we do not know.…….We interact few times in the walls, in the channels, the spaces and we call ourselves, friends, brothers, comrades. We go to extreme lengths to fight for your rights, to fight for your country, to fight for your causes. We stand strong for a reason we do not completely understand, other than doing social justice to peace and friendship. What really Happen to all of us?, that suddenly we raise our voices for your flag, for the protection of your individual liberties, your civil rights

Americans Need to Know More About Palestine

Americans Need to Know More About Palestine

Posted on 28. Oct, 2010 by Raja Mujtaba in Interviews

[Translate]

Interview with Jamal Krayem Kanj: Author Children of Catastrophe
Interview by Elias Harb
Author Jamal Kanj talks about life in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon. In his recent book “Children of Catastrophe: Journey from a Palestinian refugee camp to America”, he provides an account of life from Palestine to refugee camps in Lebanon and the events leading for the creation of the state of Israel.
Jamal Kanj joined me in an exclusive interview to discuss his book Children of Catastrophe.
ELIAS HARB: In your book you convey the personal aspect of the life of the refugees. Can you tell us what inspired you to write Children of Catastrophe?

Iron Dome Main Actor in Gaza War

Posted on November 24, 2012 by Akashma Online News
By Marivel Guzman

Israel Test Iron Dome in Gaza – 90 % Success? Order Yours

Reuters Agency is running the story on the Iron Dome Defense System but their numbers do not add up.
Every intercepting missile cost $ 90,000 each, and Israel is saying that they used 2 interceptor missiles for every Rocket fired from Gaza, so every Rocket intercepted cost was of $ 180,000, multiply that by 421 Gaza Rockets intercepted, that gives us a total of $75, 780, 000 not the $30 millions Reuters agency is posting.

“Israel’s Iron Dome interceptions of Palestinian rockets during eight days of Gaza fighting cost $25 million to $30 million, the government said on Thursday, arguing the U.S.-backed system was well worth the money.” Reuters Agency

“Were Iron Dome traded on the (Tel Aviv) stock exchange or Nasdaq, it would have multiplied its share value several times over,” Civil Defense Minister Avi Dichter told Israel Radio in an interview where he outlined the system’s outlay.
The price for every battery is

“According to Israel the Iron Dome System using radar-guided interceptor missiles shot down 421 of some 1,500 rockets launched from the Gaza Strip between November 14 and Wednesday’s Egyptian-brokered truce, the military said.
It put Iron Dome’s success rate at 90 percent. To lower costs, the system engages only rockets that threaten populated areas, though it often fires two interceptor missiles at once.” Reuters Agency

Again the number do not add up, they talking of 90 % success wrong again. If they stop 421 Rockets out of 1500 fired from Gaza this is only 28 % rate success, this is simple math.
Rafael develops and produces fighting-technologies for the Israel Defense Forces as well for exporting abroad. All current projects are classified
Rockets killed 5 people in Israel and 162 in Gaza,  and wounded 27 people in Israel and 1200 in Gaza during the conflict. Three died in coastal Ashdod on a day when Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd, Iron Dome’s state-owned manufacturer, said the system had suffered a malfunction. Really? what happen with the other 1079 Gaza Rockets that were not intercepted? Was the Iron Dome malfunctioning?

“If more Hamas rockets had got through, especially the handful fired at the commercial hub Tel Aviv, and caused mass casualties, devastating Israeli retaliation perhaps including a full-scale ground assault would have been nearly certain.” Defense Minister Ehud Barak

A senior official estimated that such escalation could cost Israel (US) as much as $380 million a day. Keen to stem that risk, the United States has been helping bankroll Iron Dome. President Barack Obama pledged further support on Wednesday.
Israel says it needs 13 batteries for satisfactory nationwide Defense. A Defense industry source put the unit cost for Israel at around $50 million.
On 2011 The US congress approved 205 million dollars to built Iron Dome batteries and in 2012, 1 billion dollars was approved to build more Iron Domes.
In exchange for the second tranche of deployment funding, the United States is asking Israel for access to, and a stake in, elements of the system’s technology.
On 17 May 2012, when Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak met with U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, the Pentagon issued a statement from the Secretary saying in part, “I was pleased to inform Minister Barak that the President supports Israel’s Iron Dome system and directed me to fill the $70 million in assistance for Iron Dome that Minister Barak indicated to me Israel needs this fiscal year.”
The US taxpayer ticket price of Israel war over Gaza, 1 billion 275 millions, it is an eccentricity that we can not have. Taking in consideration the economic situation in the US this dilapidation of American tax dollars is betrayal to the American people. Our school are in a budgetary crisis since ever, the health system is broken, our elders are suffering the cuts and our Congress is giving the money away to Israel is outrageous.
According to Israel the focus of Israel’s aerial assault on Gaza were the stockpiles and launch silos of rockets imported or improvised by Hamas and other factions. Gaza medical officials said 162 Palestinians were killed, more than half of them civilians, including children, women and elderly.
This areal bombardment of Gaza infrastructure and residential areas speaks of abuse of power, blood thirsty Israel to inflict the most damage in the less time. The way Israel “guided” their  missiles has nothing to do with targets supposedly surgical accuracy, accuracy that killed 160 people from which 80 % were innocent civilians. This speaks of carnage, genocide and no regard for human life.
The most potent of those rockets were Iranian-designed Fajr-5s with 75 km (46 mile) ranges and 175 kg (385 lb) warheads, though Hamas also said it used a Gaza-made variant, “Qassam M-75″.

“On Wednesday, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Mohammad-Ali Jafari said Iran has provided the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, with only the technology to produce Fajr 5 (Dawn) missiles.
“Gaza is currently under siege so we cannot help them,” Jafari said, adding, “We offer all Muslims technological aid to [help them] stand up against arrogant powers and we offer [to give] them our experiences to defend their people.” Press TV

Iran denies supplying arms to the Palestinians.
Summarizing the Gaza assault in a separate Israel Radio interview, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said: “Hamas’s heavy rockets were destroyed (and) a large part of the mid-range rockets were destroyed.”
With the United States on track to greatly increase funding for Iron Dome, there have been calls for technology transfer and co-production of Iron Dome in the United States. Just as the US and Israel share co-production of the Arrow III missile system, with Boeing manufacturing 40–50 percent of the production content, there has been support in the U.S. Congress, media and think tanks in favor of co-production. The U.S. House of Representatives included report language in its FY-2013 Defense Authorization Act supporting Iron Dome with $680 million but also instructing that the Director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, Lt. Gen. Patrick O’Reilly, “should explore any opportunity to enter into co-production of the Iron Dome system with Israel, in light of the significant U.S. investment in this system.” There are media reports that the Pentagon is requesting similar language in the Senate Defense Authorization Act as well as the respective House and Senate defense appropriations bills for 2013. Adding Iron Dome to the list of high-tech military programs built jointly by both nations would help further strengthen ties between Israel and America
While the people suffer in United States, the Weapons manufactures are laughing their way to the bank.
With this Israel-Partnership type of partners in crime, Israel and US government are using their citizens money to enriched the weapons manufactures. They are creating regional conflict so they have the excuse to ask for more money for arms to our congress.
Israel chose Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd over the American defense contractor Lockheed Martin, why?
See it this way, US congress authorized 1 billion 275 millions between 2011-2012 for Israel Iron Dome Defense System, now that it was tested in Gaza, with 90 % rate success. US congress will give more money to Israel to built more Iron Domes, then Israel it will turn around and will sell to the US. If Lockheed Martin the American company was chosen over Rafael then Israel would not be making the money selling the Iron Done to US and the rest of the world.  Not bad for Israel, a Bad Deal for America.