challenge Canada’s nefarious role in war on Syria, Iraq

Words of Ken Stone, a friend who has long been active in anti-war movement in Canada, and who is a member of the Hamilton Coalition To Stop The War. Ken Stone lectures on R2P (see attached business card at bottom):

“…both the Taliban and ISIS are creations of the USA. The Taliban was organized, funded, trained, and armed by the USA in order to drive the forces of the former Soviet Union out of Afghanistan in the 1980’s. Bin Laden’s Al Qaeda was created for the same purpose and later helped the USA to overthrow the government of the former Yugoslavia and to foment trouble for Russia in Chechnya. ISIS is the direct result of the Anglo-American invasion and occupation of Iraq. Saddam Hussein had never allowed Al-Qaeda to exist in Iraq. But the US & UK invasion destroyed the state of Iraq and opened a Pandora’s box for Al Qaeda to emerge. ISIS grew out of the covert aggression against Syria, sponsored by the so-called “Friends of Syria” Group of countries which includes the USA, Canada, Britain, France, Turkey, the Arab monarchies, and others. In the illegal aggression against Syria since 2011, Obama, Harper, Cameron, et al have openly funded terrorist mercenaries who have laid waste to much of that country and its infrastructure, beheaded thousands, sold girls into slavery, destroyed churches and monasteries, executed prisoners of war, killed journalists, caused the deaths of over 200,000 people, turned millions into internal and external refugees, and produced youtube videos proudly displaying their crimes against humanity. Where was the indignation of the politicians and the mainstream media for last four years over the war crimes in Syria?

Convening for Palestine

Delegate Feroze Mithiborwala at the conference.

December 8, 2014, Crescent-online

Beirut, Eva Bartlett:
As the Zionist state increasingly and openly reveals its criminal, genocidal nature, more and more citizens from around the world are waking up and standing in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for justice. Activists, academics, journalists, unions and ordinary people are confronting the lies of Zionist propaganda, rendering the Zionist narrative weak and its genocidal, colonial agenda opaque.

Rather than leaving the issues of justice, the return of Palestinian refugees, the release of Palestinian Political Prisoners from Zionist jails, the Palestinian just struggle for sovereignty, and ending the siege on the Palestinians of Gaza to institutions and governments, Palestinians and supporters take matters into their own hands, among other actions organizing conferences to share strategies and successes and build networks.

Over 80 delegates from around the world attended the Second “Global Convention of Solidarity With Palestine” in Beirut for two days of discussions (December 1-3), including delegates from Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Senegal, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Chile, Argentina, Venezuela, North America, Britain, Europe, Russia, Iran, among other nations. Notably, delegates from Gaza under siege and other areas of occupied Palestine were unable to make it to the conference due to the Zionist, and sadly the Egyptian, control of border crossings.

Special focus was put on the Zionists’ summer massacre of Gaza and on the ongoing assaults on Palestinians in al-Quds (Jerusalem) and the openly-admitted intent to Judaize Jerusalem and all of occupied Palestine.

“Two hundred thousand people came out to demonstrations to support Gaza. That’s even more than when Mandela was released,” said South African delegate Firoz Osman, of Media Review Network.

Mads Gilbert: “I saw beheaded children in Gaza, I have pictures… what we see in Gaza, is by definition pure state terrorism.”

When he shares stories of Gaza, ‘the Palestinians change from being terrorists to being humans’, Gilbert says [AP]

Dec 7, 2014, Al Jazeera [not endorsing Al Jazeera, but Mads Gilbert’s words deserve to be heard] When called to return to Gaza to help out in al-Shifa hospital, doctor Mads Gilbert was denied access with valid papers.  Gilbert told Al Jazeera that he was turned away at the Erez border crossing after Israeli authorities deemed him a “security risk”. After asking for an explanation, Gilbert was threatened with arrest. Al Jazeera: Did you just get a note from the Israelis saying you are no longer allowed to come back? Mads Gilbert: No, actually, I had been in Gaza in June for three weeks on an assignment for the UN and they had applied for a multiple entry visa for me, which I got from the Israeli army. It was a multiple entry visa valid until the 11th of November. So I went in on that to do the job for the UN, stayed for three weeks, wrote up the report and went home to Tromso in Norway to pick up my call in the helicopter. It is a week-long call. While I was on call in my helicopter, the bombing started. I went back to Amman over the Allenby Bridge to Erez. I showed my papers in the guard house, and he called up and he said ‘you are not allowed in’. I told him that my papers are valid and he said ‘no, we have a security problem with you and I can’t tell you what’.

So I called the commander at Erez and he was very cross and he said ‘we have orders from the higher authority of security and we have a security problem with you’, so I asked if they can tell me what the problem is and he said, ‘it’s none of your business and if you don’t leave the premises we will call the police, I will arrest you’.

So I called my ambassador and I called Tel Aviv. My diplomatic missions there and my minister of foreign affairs called them and they said ‘there is no way he is getting in’.

So I returned to Norway and the Norwegian authorities, my minister for foreign affairs, formally inquired and asked why and they only get the response that there is a security issue from Shin Bet Mossad.

Interestingly, the minister for foreign affairs has been protesting this denial of entry formally; they do not accept it. They have asked Israelis to reverse this denial, citing that it is inconceivable and unacceptable that humanitarian staff should not be allowed in to support Palestinians in a difficult situation on the medical side.

AJ: What do you think the reason is for them not letting you in?

MG: I think the truth is the security risk because when I, as a white medical doctor with blue eyes and white hair, tell the real story of the realities in the sharp end of the Israeli attacks, the Palestinians change from being terrorists to being humans, the numbers change from being numbers to being people, and the children appear as yours and my children.

So when I write my articles and when I do my research, and when I publish in The Lancet and when I write my books, this is actually a danger to the Israeli narrative and, in a way, the global reputation of Israel, which is partially falling apart now.

A Good Friend’s Project: Midwife to Gaza

    

This is the fundraising campaign of a good friend of mine, Sharyn Lock, who I worked with in Gaza in 2008/9 [her blog from Gaza].

A bit of background: Sharyn was on the first Free Gaza boat to Gaza in August 2008, and was a core component of organizing the boats, five trips of which (six boats) successfully arrived at Gaza’s port (I was on the third).  Along with others in Gaza at the time, we did farmer and fisher accompaniment, trying to be in solidarity with these vulnerable sectors who are bullied (read: killed, maimed, abducted) on a daily basis by the world’s most immoral army, and to document these crimes.  Similarly, during the 2008/9 Gaza massacre, we accompanied medics in their ambulances, documenting the worst of the war crimes. Sharyn was in the Quds hospital when it was bombed repeatedly [see her blog entry on that], including with white phosphorous.  And was among the first rescuers to reach the Samouni district in al-Zeitoun, where horrific crimes and massacres were committed against the extended family.

But beyond some of those key moments, Sharyn interacted with Palestinians in Gaza respectfully, whole-heartedly, with dedication and professionalism, and continued her activism after leaving Gaza.

Since then, she’s thrown herself into studying and practising to become a mid-wife, which she just has.

 

Please look at and consider supporting and sharing her fundraising appeal, to get back to Gaza. From Sharyn’s appeal:

I am aiming to raise £3000 after site fees. Rounding up, £5=$9, £10=$17, £20 =$34, £50=$84, £100=$167. I will be blogging here, so you can go click “follow” to be all ready if you like :)

Is the British state supporting ‘ISIS’ and ‘Al Qaeda’?

Event to launch Dan Glazebrook’s new book: “Divide and Ruin: the West’s Imperial Strategy in an Age of Crisis”
FB page

Speakers:

Dan Glazebrook, Author of “Divide and Ruin”

Sukant Chandan, Chair of the Tricontinental Anti-Imperialist Platform

Marcel Cartier, anti-war activist and hip-hop artist

Chaired by Hafsa Kara, Writer and broadcaster

Followed by food and socialising

Hosted by the Tricontinental Anti-Imperialist Platform

4pm, Saturday, November 8th, Florence Park Community Centre, Cornwallis Rd, Oxford, OX4 3NH

speakers at GAZA AND THE PALESTINIAN REVOLUTION [videos]

“The war on Syria and the war on Gaza are inextricably linked. Solidarity with Syria, solidarity with Gaza are two sides of the same coin. Because the people of Palestine, the people of Syria, the people of Iraq are fighting the same enemy, they are victims of a wide-ranging regional war which is being fought by western imperialism, by “israel”, and by its allies in the region….The purpose is to completely wipe out all Resistance to imperialism and to zionism in the region, in the Middle East.” ~ Carlos Martinez

“We are anti-zionists. We are against the zionist monstrosity known as ‘israel’. We believe it should not exist. We’re not into this ‘you have a bit here, you have a bit there.’ Nothing in Palestine belongs to the zionists…and if we give them one bit, they’ll come for more.” ~ Brother Omowale

“The question of Palestine is really central to the struggle of oppressed people over the world.” ~ Sami Ramadani

“We are unapologetic about being pro-Resistance, because it’s only through the Resistance and the Revolutionary Struggles of OUR people which win their own liberation.”~ Sukant Chandan

“Syria hasn’t fallen. After three and a half years, the Syrian people stay strong. They are fighting, the army is fighting, the government is fighting. They refuse to be defeated.” Carlos Martinez

***

This remarkable event took place on Sep 28, videos now up at the FB event page and also a the Youtube site, Tri Continental:

Sukant Chandan – Gaza and the Palestinian Revolution:

Sukant Chandan introduces the Gaza and Palestinian Revolution event in London on September 28th and gives an overview of the Tricontinental Anti-Imperialist Platform (TAIP).

***

New Project – Nasr Post‏

There are a number of journalists, podcasters, bloggers, political analysts, and those sharing on social media that I’ve only belatedly–in the last couple of years–come across.

I value all of their contributions, many of them pushing the “accepted discourse” on international and local events and issues, all of them countering the lies of corporate media.

I’ve linked to many of those who I hold in great regard (and hope I’ve not overlooked anyone—please notify).

Navid is someone I’ve been listening to for the past year; I’ve found his interviews both highly informative and also at times entertaining (appropriately placed wit is appreciated when dealing with such weighty subjects).

So, not to highlight Navid above others, but he is embarking on a new media initiative which I endorse and would love to see be supported. I’ll let his own words explain:

 

“My Facebook page, and my radio show, have been a resource for people seeking alternatives to the dominant narrative about conflicts, uprisings and revolutions happening all over the globe. Over the years many people have encouraged me to pursue a web project in order to broaden my reach and to properly organize and disseminate all this information. Well, after an unfortunate and aborted attempt at doing so earlier this year, I’m finally ready to just that in a proper way.

I intend to launch NasrPost.com by January 2015. It will look at events all over the world and analyze things with a critical eye, never accepting anything at face value, never taking official representatives of “nationality x” at their word on anything without factoring their class status in this society, their political ties and their actual ideologies into the picture.

What will differentiate this project from other, already existing, alternative media is that it will take on local issues and conflicts with the same critical, discerning eye that it casts towards international events.

But whereas the Facebook page has been a labor of love, and obsession, the website can’t be. I’m going to need funding to both get it off the ground and sustain it. And that’s where you come in.

I Need Your Help

The initial seed money for the project is $4000. Web hosting, web development/design, social media presence and ongoing maintenance require both substantial time and funding. The money raised will go towards ensuring this project can get off the ground and, just as important, lay the groundwork for long-term success.

This means that if 50 of you can give a one-time donation of $80 right now, or two $40 monthly donations this project will be fully funded. But, of course, any donation of any amount will be gratefully accepted and appreciated and put to good use.