Israel's Long Arm

by Stephen Lendman

Right wing extremism defines it. So does institutionalized  persecution. More on both below.

On December 27, Netanyahu addressed an air force pilot graduation ceremony. He threatened Iran and Syria.

He said Israel's "long arm" will strike forcefully. He considers himself above the law. He'll violate international and Israeli law at his discretion. He knows he can do it with impunity.

"We can all see what is happening in Syria," he said. He lied. He accused Assad of killing civilians. He'll "stop at nothing," he added. He'll even use weapons "banned by international standards."

"Israel is following developments in Syria, and will do whatever it takes to defend itself against any threat," he continued.

Israel's only threats are ones it invents. Syria sought rapprochement for years. Netanyahu and previous governments spurned it. Conflict is prioritized over peace, reconciliation, and stability.

Netanyahu's address came days after holding secret talks with Jordan's King Abdullah. Syria was discussed. Reports suggest he sought Jordanian approval to attack Syrian chemical weapons sites.

Doing so would be disastrous. It would invite retaliation. It would also spread toxic contamination. Unknown numbers would be affected. Deaths would likely escalate. Fingers would point the wrong way. Assad would be blamed for Israeli crimes.

On December 23, Netanyahu told cabinet ministers that:

Israel "is following dramatic developments in Syria, cooperating with the US and the international community, and taking the necessary steps to prepare for the possibility of radical changes to the regime with all the consequences these may hold for its network of sensitive weapons."

He's preparing for Assad's ouster. He falsely accused him of firing Scud missiles at Free Syrian Army positions. Damascus categorically denies it.

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Netanyahu claim using them reflects desperation. It's Syria's penultimate weapon, they say. It's second only to chemical and biological ones.

Inflammatory accusations have no basis in fact. They're repeated anyway. Media scoundrels highlight them.

Netanyahu claims US intelligence suggests desperation perhaps drives Assad to use chemical weapons. Lose lips start wars. Intense propaganda precedes them. Big Lies are repeated ad nauseam. People smart enough to know better believe them.

Louise Arbour is president and CEO of the pro-Western International Crisis Group (ICG). She's a former Canadian Supreme Court justice/chief Yugoslavia/Rwanda prosecutor.

She suppressed the murder of Rwandan president Juvenal Habyarimana and Burundian president Cyprien Ntaryamira. On April 6, 1994, a missile downed the plane carrying both men.

Evidence suggests current Rwandan president/US puppet Paul Kagame’s involvement. Former Rwandan army chief of staff, Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa, said he ordered the assassination. Arbour covered it up.

International criminal lawyer Christopher Black called her "criminal, corrupt, (and) a shame to all Canadians." Instead of indicting Paul Kagame and others complicit in murder, she refused to investigate.

She destroyed evidence. Black called her "an accessory to mass murder and a war criminal." He referred to mass Rwandan slaughter following the killing of both leaders.

On December 27, Arbour headlined her Foreign Policy article "10 conflicts to watch in 2013." She discussed Syria. She turned truth on its head.

Assad's "approach in dealing with those opposed to his rule tore Syrian society apart," she claimed. He "dug in his heels." He's "committing atrocities spurred on by the perception of facing a 'kill or be killed' situation."

Opposition forces and "members of the international community need to coordinate their policies" more effectively. She favors "military struggle" to achieve "political" transition. She wants pro-Western puppet leadership replacing Assad.

So does former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. On November 23, she got feature Washington Post op-ed space. She targeted Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah. Like Arbour, she turned truth on its head.

She called Syria the regional "lynchpin." Toppling Assad is key to isolating Tehran, she said. The Islamic Republic races toward developing nuclear weapons, she claims.

It "uses terror groups….to do its bidding." It's "destroying the integrity of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Lebanon." She urged forceful Washington intervention. She wants Syria destroyed like Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.

She teaches political science and business at Stanford. Her presence lowers university standards. Students are advised to avoid her.

Netanyahu repeatedly targets Iran. His graduation address did so. His bluster wore thin long ago. It's red meat for ideological Israeli extremists. He told graduating pilots:

"Today you are becoming part of the long arm of the State of Israel. We have strengthened many muscles and tendons of this arm."

"Israel's hand is offered in peace to those who are poised for peace, and those who threaten us, both near and far, they should know that our long arm will strike with force in order to protect Israel."

For over 64 years, Israel spurned peace. Violence is prioritized over diplomacy and conflict resolution. Arabs are considered lesser beings. Brute force targets them.

Former Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir once said Israel's 1982 Lebanon war was launched because of a "terrible danger….not so much a military one as a political one."

Israel created a pretext to preemptively attack. No threat or justification existed. Around 18,000 Palestinians were massacred. Doing so was one of history's great crimes.

Shamir bore full responsibility. So did Ariel Sharon. As defense minister, he ordered mass slaughter. He called doing so "ridding the world of the center of international terrorism." He let Phalangist fascists do his dirty work.

He later became prime minister. In Israel, crime pays. Previous Israeli prime ministers, other officials, and IDF commanders were war criminals. Current ones share culpability.

"Protecting Israel" involves ravaging the region and humanity. Netanyahu perhaps prioritizes more of the same ahead.

Daily Palestinian attacks occur. In the week ending December 26, 71 West Bank community incursions occurred. Dozens of arrests followed. At least six children were targeted.

Settlement construction continues unabated. Thousands of new units were approved. On December 27, Al Haq headlined "Israel Providing Settlers' Illegal Actions with Rubber-Stamp of Approval."

Al Haq documented Israel's "continuing campaign of intimidation and violence by Israeli settlers." They commit repeated violence against Palestinians. They destroy property.

Israel is an occupying power. Despite its international obligations, it "turn a blind eye" to settler crimes against humanity. On December 20, Khaled Hayil Uthman's two cars were burned. Fire completely destroyed them.

His kitchen window screen was damaged. He reported the incident. He accused settlers. Graffiti left behind identified them. Israeli soldiers and police came to his home.

He was told to file an official complaint. Doing so accomplishes nothing. Settlers commit crimes with impunity. Khaled feels unsafe. His four children are traumatized. When will they attack again, they ask?

On December 17, Huda Ibrahim Nassar and her adult children headed toward al-Khalayla. It's near Itzihar settlement.

A settler attacked her eldest son, Ma'moun, earlier that day. Two soldiers accosted him. They placed him on the ground handcuffed. His face was bleeding. The settler kept "hitting his face and head with an M16 rifle."

Soldiers didn't intervene. They prevented Huda and Ma'moun's brothers from helping. They threatened to shoot them. Huda tried helping anyway. So did her daughter, Linda. Soldiers struck both with their rifles.

Nearby Palestinians came to help. Conditions "escalated to a confrontation between Palestinians and (about) 40 settlers and Israeli soldiers."

Tear gas was fired. Live fire was used. Huda's son Amir was wounded. Emergency hospitalization was needed.

Family members said Ma'moun was arrested and detained. He was interrogated at Howarra military camp for two days. He was transferred to Majido prison.

He's still there. He'll appear in court on January 18. His crime is wanting to live free in peace on his own land. Israel considers doing so terrorism.

These type horrific confrontations occur daily. Palestinians face ongoing state terror. Netanyahu reflects the worst of extremist governance.

Palestinians aren't sure from day to day who'll live, die, be gravely hurt, an/or be imprisoned. They live in a virtual war zone. Children are vulnerable as adults.

Israeli state terror menaces anyone not Jewish. Militarized persecution is official policy. International High Contracting Parties do nothing to stop it. Palestinians struggle largely on their own. Liberation remains a distant hope.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour

http://www.dailycensored.com/israels-long-arm/