LOS ANGELES (July 25)— Young people dressed in military fatigues with Israeli
flag pasted to their helmets, startle on-lookers as they enter the crosswalk,
with their cardboard M-16’ s raised.

Handing flyers to drivers stopped at a red light, the soldiers reveal that
they are members of Jews for a Just Peace (LA-JJP), staging street theater.
"Imagine you are one of 1,000s of Palestinians trying to cross one of the 100
Check-points sealing off the West Bank," the leaflet reads with a map
pointing out the locations.

On the sidewalk, nearly 200 Jewish, Muslim and Christian supporters chant,
"No more US dollars to kill Palestinian children." They are outside the
Israeli consulate to condemn Israel’s bombing of a densely populated Gaza
neighborhood and 35 years of occupation of Palestinian territories.

Waving Israeli flags several dozen counter-protesters across the street and
behind yellow police-tape, angrily shout, "Traders," "Self-Hating Jews," Death to Arabs."

"As a daughter of a Jewish family that survived the holocaust, I believe that
it is my duty to voice my dissent to the actions of the Israel," explained
Yael Korin an Israeli-born LA-JJP organizer. "We are constructing this
checkpoint today to draw attention to the daily humiliations that
Israel inflicts on the over three million Palestinians. "

"Like the F-16 air strikes that killed more than a dozen innocents in Gaza,
the checkpoints that Israel has used to divide and conquer the Palestinian
territories are all funded by our tax dollars," said Barry Trachtenberg, a
spokesperson for LA-JJP. "We urge the American government to stop
military aid to Israel.
###

Writing from Occupied Palestine with love and gratitude:
This is exactly the kind of direct action we need right now. Good work!
Tamara

There were between 100 and 200 people protesting the occupation, and across the street, a slightly smaller group of between 50 and 100 in support of the occupation.

The counter-protesters were not as funky as the pro-palestine side, and sported a different range of signs, ranging from a stated desire for peace, through zionism, and veering off into anti-abortion. They waved many american and israel flags. Fortunately, there was nothing I saw that was offensively racist.

The protest proper was more vocal, and more militant. A few palestinian flags were waved, but, overall, the mood was against flags, favoring signs instead. As with the other side, there was nothing that struck me as overtly racist. JJP executed a "checkpoint" artistic protest to give people a taste of what it might be like to have your movement restricted, as palestinians have in israel. This demo was executed a few times, but was curtailed because the BHPD traffic cops threatened them. Despite this, it was a powerful symbol of one salient aspect of occupation -- the loss of the freedom to move freely.

Midway into the event, a flag waver from the pro-israel side came to talk with, and (it seems) switch sides. Dialogue began, but some protesters grabbed and pulled at the flag. Reps of jews for a just peace tried to get the flag-pullers to stop, but voices were raised, and the situation, confused. Sensing a potential row, the police intervened and forced the parties apart, and sent the man back to the other side. I could not help but feel that a potential moment for a meeting of hearts and minds had been lost. I thought the crowd could have self-regulated the situation.

The protesters were a motley group of jewish americans, people who'd lived in israel, muslims, palestinians, students, disabled, activists, and others representing a wide diversity of communities and progressive positions. It was nice, and felt like a good cross section of Los Angeles.

The demonstration operated at many levels, to memorialize the people who died in the bombing in Gaza, to raise the concrete issues of occupation, to find solidarity in the moment of protest... I also thought it was a moment when jews on both sides of the street explored and debated, within the confines of street demonstrations, questions of nation, empire, and human rights.

Let's get some equal coverage:


Now all these guys need to do is throw towels over there heads and pass out leaflets that said:

"Imagine your just driving home from work and a bomb suddenly blew up in front of you: that's just a standard day in the life of thousands of Israelis"

...And then they handed out a map of bombs and shootings the Palestians have unleashed on innocent civilians over the years!

Let's get some equal coverage:


Now all these guys need to do is throw towels over there heads and pass out leaflets that said:

"Imagine your just driving home from work and a bomb suddenly blew up in front of you: that's just a standard day in the life of thousands of Israelis"

...And then they handed out a map of bombs and shootings the Palestians have unleashed on innocent civilians over the years!

1600 Palestinians since January vs 200 Israelis.

Who are the terrorists again???

So the Palestinians are inept as well as unreasonable...

You see: that's the problem with conning young men into becoming suicide bombers... they don't build up much experience


What's your point?

Would you sleep that much better at night if the palestinians were that much more effective in slaughtering civilians?

Reality Check,

What you don't seem to understand is that this is a military occupation organized and directed by the state of Israel, an occupying army. Fighting an occupation is called resistance. It just so happens that the palestinians use crude methods since they don't have tanks and planes. I personally think using suicide bombings is tragic and does constitute terrorism, but I won't ignore Israeli terror and massacres.

For a real reality check people should see the following articles:

Part One:

http://palestine.indymedia.org/news/2002/07/58773.php

Part Two: the Brutalities of Colonial Occupation:

http://palestine.indymedia.org/news/2002/07/58775.php

Part Three: Concerning Violence:

http://palestine.indymedia.org/news/2002/07/58776.php

Also, for a direct report from Angelinos in Palestine, reporting on ISRAELI terrorism of the population, see:

http://www.straybulletins.com/palestine/index.html

000

Yeah, and I noticed you neglected why Israel was forced to occupy the territory in the first place:

go to google and look up a little thing known as the seven day war...

as far as ethnic cleansing, and other great lies, the proof that these are indeed blatant lies is quite simply that Israel could have wiped out the entire palestinian population any time they felt like it over the past 30 years.

Instead, they've allowed them autonomy, have been willing to forgive arafat, sit down at the bargaining table, and work toward an independent palestinian nation.

Now we're seeing the thanks they're getting from the palestinians for being resonable!


As far as the B.S. articles you posted as "proof", here's one back at you from the same sight:

http://palestine.indymedia.org/news/2002/08/63152.php

remember the bullshit claims that the palestinians were blowing out their asses about Jenin?

Well, according to the UN, they were just that!

What are you going to do now?

Claim Kofi Anan is a zionist sympathyzer?

(P.S: if you're going to post "evidence", please try something from a source a little less biased: the main page of palestine.indymedia doesn't even seem to recognize that a bomb just went off in an Israeli University...)

We need more people like you to open up the eyes of those who are in ignorance. The injustices that Israel and the U.S. has commited against the palestinians is horendous. Keep strong, for we are with you and the palestinians fight for freedom!

im glad to see that some are fighting the b.s. that is being fed to us by our government/media! people are dying on all sides of the issue, and all sides must take responsibility; however, the u.s support of israeli violence is adding a bit more to one side and does not help the situation at all. we need peace, we need understanding, and we need cooperation. stop hating over race and religion differences and start accepting that everyone around you has thoughts and beliefs that differ from yours. right now we need dissent to get us to where this can happen, and complacency -- or support of military confrontation -- will never allow peace.
"an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind."

In these days of pain and terror, when the "outer husks" are being battered and burnt, it is important to look beyond the flames of destruction and see the spark of faith growing brighter and brighter.

At one of the recent funerals a father made the following speech over the grave of his murdered son. The father and the son shall remain nameless as they in fact represent all the fathers and all the sons ... all the mothers and all the daughters.

He said in a voice heavy with pain, "Son when we brought you under the wedding canopy we sang the song 'Im Eshkachech Yerushalayim' [If I Forget Thee O' Jerusalem] ... now that we are bringing you into Heaven we need to sing the same song".

The father began singing this song over the grave of his son and all the other broken hearted participants joined with him.

This is the strength of the Divine Spark being rekindled.

This is the burning ember under the deteriorating husk.

May it continue to grow in strength ...

... but may it do so in joy.<< Oriana Fallaci, one of Italy's most prominent journalists, has written
a powerful polemic on anti-Semitism. It was the cover story in the
current issue of Panorama, one of Italy's leading weekly news magazines.

There is much discussion about her article throughout Italy and a great
deal of controversy surrounding it. Fallaci, now aged 71, broke onto the
scene in the late ' 60s when she covered Vietnam, the Greek colonels'
coup, the Middle East, etc. She was then ultra-liberal, ultra-trendy,
and a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause. Some will undoubtedly
ask if she is a Jew. She is not.


J'accuse!


Oriana Fallaci in Panorama.


I FIND IT SHAMEFUL.Shameful, that in Italy there should be a procession
of individuals dressed as suicide bombers, spewing vile abuse at Israel,
holding up photographs of Israeli leaders with swastikas drawn on their
foreheads, inciting people to hate the Jews. People, who just for the
pleasure of seeing the Jews slaughtered again, would sell their own
mother.

I FIND IT SHAMEFUL that the Catholic Church allows a bishop,
residing in the Vatican no less, a "saintly" man who was caught in
Jerusalem with a shipment of arms for terrorists hidden in the secret
compartments of his "holy" Mercedes, to participate in that procession;
to plant himself in front of a microphone, and thank in the name of God
the suicide bombers who massacre the Jews in pizzerias and supermarkets;
and to call them "martyrs who go to their deaths as one goes to a
party."

I FIND IT SHAMEFUL that in France - the France of Liberty,
Equality, Fraternity - synagogues are torched, Jews are terrorized, and
their cemeteries desecrated; shameful that the youth of Holland and
Germany and Denmark flaunt the kaffiah, just as Mussolini's guards once
flaunted the club and the fascist badge. I find it shameful that in
universities throughout Europe, Palestinian students are sponsoring and
nurturing a new wave of anti-Semitism; that in Sweden, they asked that
the Nobel Peace Prize given to Shimon Peres in 1994 be taken back and be
left solely in the hands of Arafat, that supposed "dove" with the
supposed olive branch in his mouth. I find it shameful that the
distinguished members of the Nobel Committee make choices based on
politics and not merit, and are even taking this request into
consideration and responding to it. To hell with the Nobel Prize.

I FIND IT SHAMEFUL that, here in Italy, state-run television
stations contribute to the resurgence of anti-Semitism, deploring
only Palestinian deaths while glossing over Israeli deaths, reporting
them briefly and dismissively.

I FIND IT SHAMEFUL that in televised debates, the hoodlums with
turban or kaffiah, who only yesterday praised the slaughter in New York
and today sing hymns to the massacres in Jerusalem, in Haifa, in
Netanya, and in Tel Aviv, are received with such deference. I find it
shameful that the press does the same; that it is indignant because
Israeli tanks surround the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, but not
at all upset that the same church is desecrated by 200, well-armed
Palestinian terrorists (and then accept bottles of mineral water and
baskets of apples from the Israeli soldiers). I find it shameful that,
in citing the number of Israelis killed since the beginning of the
second intifada (412 so far), one well-known daily newspaper found it
appropriate to trivialize their deaths by stressing that more Israelis
are killed in traffic accidents.

I FIND IT SHAMEFUL that L'Osservatore Romano, the Pope's organ -
yes, the same Pope who not long ago left a letter in the Wailing Wall
apologizing to the Jews - wrongly accuses of extermination the very
people who were slaughtered in their millions by Christian Europeans. I
find it shameful that this newspaper denies the survivors of that
people, who still bear tattooed numbers on their arms, the right to
defend themselves from being slaughtered again. I find it shameful that
in the name of Jesus Christ (a Jew without whom they would all be
unemployed), the priests of our parishes and community centers flirt
with the murderers of Jews in Jerusalem, who cannot go out for a pizza
or do their grocery shopping without getting blown up. I find it
shameful that they choose the side of the very ones who inaugurated terrorism, committing mass murder on airplanes, in airports, at the Olympics; and today those same people entertain themselves by killing Western journalists, by shooting them, abducting them, slitting
their throats, beheading them. (After the publication of my piece "The
Anger and the Pride," someone in Italy wanted to do the same to me.
Citing Koranic verses, he exhorted his "brothers" in the name of Allah
to kill me - actually, to die with me. Since he is someone who speaks
English well, I respond to him in English: "F--k you.")

I FIND IT SHAMEFUL that virtually the entire Left, the Left that
twenty years ago allowed one of its unions to deposit a coffin in a
mafia-like warning in front of the synagogue of Rome, has forgotten
the contribution made by Jews to the fight against fascism. The supreme
sacrifice made by Carlo and Nello Rossini; Leone Ginzburg; Umberto
Terracini; Leo Valiani; Emilio Sereni; by women like my friend Anna
Marie Enriques Agnoletti, who was shot in Florence on June 12, 1944; by
75 of the 335 people killed at the Fosse Ardeatine; by the endless
numbers of others killed under torture or in combat or in front of
firing squads; the friends, the teachers of my childhood and of my early
youth. I find it shameful that in part through the fault of the Left -
no, PRIMARILY through the fault of the Left -Jews in Italian cities are
once again afraid. This is the Left that inaugurates its congresses by
applauding the PLO envoy, the representative in Italy of
the Palestinians who seek the destruction of Israel. And in French
cities and Dutch cities and Danish cities and German cities, it is the
same.

I FIND IT SHAMEFUL that when the hoodlums dressed like suicide
bombers march, Jews tremble, just as they trembled in Berlin
during Kristallnacht, the night Hitler began the hunt for the Jews. I
find it shameful that in the name of their foolish, vile, dishonest, and
self-serving political correctness, the usual opportunists and parasites
exploit the word "peace". In the name of the word "peace", now more
devalued than the words "love" and "humanity", they absolve one side
alone of its hate and bestiality. In the name of "pacifism" (in fact,
conformity), the same people who once licked Pol Pot's boots are now
inciting people who are confused, naive, or intimidated. They trick
them, corrupt them, take them back half a century, to the time of the
yellow star on the coat - charlatans who care about the Palestinians
about as much as I care about them (the charlatans), i.e., not at all.

I FIND IT SHAMEFUL that so many Italians and other Europeans have
chosen Arafat as their standard-bearer - Arafat, this nonentity who,
thanks to the money of the Saudi royal family, plays the eternal
Mussolini, and in his megalomania believes that he will go down in history as the George Washington of Palestine. This blundering nincompoop who, when I interviewed him, was unable to put together a complete sentence, or a single coherent, articulate thought. To make something publishable out of that interview was such a tremendous effort, I concluded that compared to him even Ghaddafi becomes Leonardo da Vinci. Arafat, the brave warrior who always goes around in his uniform like Pinochet, yet has never participated in a single battle. War is something he sends others to do for him, the poor souls who believe in him. Arafat, this pompous incompetent who, playing the role of a head of state, caused the collapse of the Camp David peace negotiations. This compulsive liar who only has a flash of sincerity when - in private, of course - he denies Israel's right to exist, and who, as I wrote in my book, contradicts himself every five seconds. The eternal terrorist, who knows only how to be a terrorist (from a safe distance), who - in the 70's, when I interviewed him -
even volunteered to train members of the notorious Bader-Meinhof Gang, and along with them, ten-year-old Palestinian children. Poor kids - now he trains them to become suicide bombers. This opportunist, who keeps his wife in Paris, cared for and revered like a queen, while keeping his people mired in shit. He only removes them from the shit to send them to die, to kill and to die. Like the eighteen-year-old girls who, in order to earn equality with men, must strap explosives to their bodies and blow themselves to smithereens together with their victims. And yet he is admired by many Italians - yes, just like they admired Mussolini - and by so many other Europeans along with them.

I FIND IT SHAMEFUL to witness the rise of a new fascism, a new nazism
- a fascism all the more malevolent and revolting because it is
conducted and supported by those who hypocritically pose as "the good
guys" - liberals, progressives, pacifists - or even worse, so-called
pious Christians, who have the gall to label those like me who dare to
shout truth at them, a warmonger.

I see all this, and I must state the following:

To that tragic and Shakespearean figure, Sharon: I never gave him
a break. "I know you've come to add another scalp to your collection,"
he mused almost sadly when I came to interview him in 1982. I've argued
often, and bitterly, with the Israelis, and in the past I defended the
Palestinians a great deal - maybe more than they deserved. But I stand
with Israel, I stand with the Jews. I stand with them now, just as I did
as a young girl, fighting alongside them, and just as I did when the
Anna Maries were shot to death. I defend their right to exist, to defend
themselves, to not let themselves be slaughtered again. I am disgusted
by the anti-Semitism of many Italians and other Europeans. I am ashamed
of this blight that dishonors my country and all of Europe - Europe, in the best of cases, not a community of nations, but a well of Pontius Pilates.

And even if all the inhabitants of this planet think differently, I
will continue to think this way.

You do not help our society you only bring it down both in property value and in intelligence.

- Please use protection do not procreate.
- Think about making self sacrifices for your cause like the monks did in Vietnam

palestine

your blood is my blood
your body, my body
your grave is my grave
every child's body is me



end all war now!!!!
PEACE & LOVE

Today is the first day I did not have to swallow a bitter pill! There are Jews in L.A that get it! I might go out side today! and breath in the smog and say I love LA because I do! Ok first of all Im not a self hating Jew, but I do hate alot jews Why you ask? Well lets see the oppressed becomes the oppressers! anybody with 1/2 a soul can see what we are doing to the palestinian is just sick! I will not even argue this issue with my so called Jewish tribe,because it will be the same old same old status quo they attacked us 1967!they want to drive us to the sea! "NUKES " will stop that! and they know it!!! take them in fuckers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thats what you do when you conquer! Wait I have a better idea The Nazis would put us jews in ghetto after they destroyed are homes or biz's hmm sound familiar!! OH and I love the settlers what good people!!! settlers=welfare my taxes!!! even israelis love the lets sale bullets to are arab and pally friends! Settlers are Gods chosen! Yea 5 bedrooms for a Beverly Hills Doc! One more thing I think muslims or should I say islam is about peace as much as my LTM OR NOC Stocks are!! Im not a self hating jew! I love myself you know why because I do not think im better than any other human! a lesson my tribe has not learned! P.S Thank you my muslim friends for making me rich keep on living in 605 Ad. I might buy exon next! one more thing Unions suck! I hope I have some long lasting friends here!!! I LOve You aLLL!!!!! calikafir

There is a bible verse that says "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". If everyone, everywhere, did this there would be no war. I don't think this will happen, so there will always be conflict. Which came first? Suicide bombers or checkpoints. I am not a historian, but I don't recall there being a Palestine before the UN gave Isreal the land they're on now. There is only one thing that will cure this problem once and for all. All Jews must be driven out of the middle east. This is the only thing arabs will go for in the region. Of course, since almost every conflict in the world has muslims in the thick of it, that may not bring peace to the region either.

Listen, morons. Just because more palestinians have died doesn't mean they're the good guys.

More germans died in WW2 than americans, does that mean germans were the good guys in WW2?

Palestinians (well their "friends" mostly) are the ones that started the wars, israel is the one who had to fight the wackos off, and have been just trying to preseve themselves, not the other way around.

at the first time should know that they are been expected to catch it while comming back.

I support our country's efforts to eradicate terrorism but question the administrations criticism of Israel for doing the same thing. The bombing of discotheques and pizzerias and the unprovoked shootings of civilians, specifically targeting women and babies on the roads and plazas of Israel, cannot be tolerated. Our country must support the efforts of all countries to stop terror, not only our own efforts.

Arafat and his Palestinian entity do not seek peace, but the eradication of the State of Israel. The Palestinian radio and news media broadcasts racist propaganda and hatred. Their schools teach the same hatred, and their summer camps teach the same genocidal goal. There is essentially no mention of or aspiration for peaceful coexistence.

Clearly Arafat plans to take whatever territory he can get by diplomacy, and then use it as a more advantageous position from which to continue his war for Israelג€™s destruction. One need not be blinded or fooled by Arafat's letters and agreements that disavow terrorism. Since Arafat's value system condones the murder of innocents, he feels no compunction about lying and ignoring his obligations under signed agreements.

All the while, there already exists a Palestinian State on 80% of Palestine of the original League of Nations Palestine Mandate. This state is called Jordan. It has a Palestinian Queen, and the majority of its population is Palestinian. A SECOND Palestinian State will endanger the ONLY Jewish State in the world, and provide another sanctuary for the Islamic terrorism which we are currently sacrificing so much blood and treasure to defeat in Afghanistan.

I urge you to support Israel in its efforts to protect its citizens, and stop the State Department's pronouncements that criticize Israel's justified acts of self defense in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. Please stop your administration's continued financial and diplomatic support for a PLO State, which will only further endanger the security of Israel and America. If you must have a "vision" of a Palestinian State, please see it where it already exists--in Jordan.



Arafat's absent police. A tale that you can repeat again and again.

Gaza is a tiny, crowded bit of scrub and sand on the Mediterranean. It's Yasser Arafat's headquarters (together with west bank Ramallah), and is patrolled by thousands of his police.

So how was it that, in the midst of a ceasefire with Israel, Palestinian extremists from the Hamas group clad in military fatigues and armed with assault rifles and grenades, were able to avoid detection, make their way through Gaza's pathetically few streets, murder two young Israeli civilians and injure 15 ?

The Israelis promptly moved in tanks and troops, and six Palestinian gunmen died in clashes.

It wasn't an isolated incident. In the past few days Israeli troops have faced a riot, a car bomb, gunfire, firebombs, grenade and mortar attack and an attempted bombing.

Yes, Gaza and the West Bank are rife with extremists trying to undermine Arafat. And yes, he has denounced some of the attacks.

But Arafat has embraced the ceasefire. He must police his turf. If he
cannot, or will not, Israelis will have no confidence that a Palestinian state created next to them will not be a threat to their security.