Stop the Slaughter in Gaza

by fatthar - none Wed Jan 14, 2009 18:54

Is the slaughter of innocents and non combatants not an act of terrorism?
If it is so,then let it be said regardless of whom it is being said by.

Children whom are in Ireland with Palistinian birthrights,displaced by Israel past aggression in my view have a place on a political platform particularly during another even more blatant and deadly Israel campaign that so far could possibly have led to the deaths of 300 or more similar children,I think you are greatly mistaken and niave to herald this as exploitation.

by Jacqueline Fallon Tue Jan 13, 2009 17:00

"Let the Irish people view the involvement to date at protests of children in the proper context of the Palestinian culture and the context of the Israeli onslaught. The risk of doing anything else is to legitimise the brutal killing of innocent children by Israel."

So, if Irish people are of the view that hauling 7-year-old Palestinians onto a platform to shout Israel - terrorists!" is wrong, then they are all in support of the killing of children by Israel! Jesus wept.

I am totally against the Israeli military attacks on the Palestinian people, and I will continue to attend protests as an expression of my outrage (as I've done numerous times in the past), but I do not have to agree with the exploitation of Palestinian infants at these demos - I am very disheartened by it and believe it to be counterproductive, and I don’t care what way you dress it up, it is wrong to me and I am unanimous in that.

I want peace for both Palestinians and Israelis. Both cultures are rich and important to the world and much can be learned from both. But, I believe both cultures will inevitably lose out if the current diabolical warfare goes on unabated - it could possibly result in the complete obliteration, architecturally, at least, of important cultural sites and records to both sides - and the world would be a far poorer and uninteresting place as a result.

I resent your comment that by not supporting your point of view, I am in some way "legitimising the brutal killing of innocent children", that is absurd and an example of an extreme case of ridiculousness.

by Miriam Tue Jan 13, 2009 02:30

Scroll down to article at this link

http://www.counterpunch.com/kharma01122009.html

by fatthar - none Tue Jan 13, 2009 01:59

Youre observation raised in relation to the fact that Irish people(being of a different culture)not being used to hearing and seeing children making particular chants sometimes in garb that may appear to be militant type must be taken.On seeing and hearing as an attendee of all protests in Dublin thus far I myself initially felt in the least uncomfortable with this.However on raising this particular issue with some Palistinian friends and pointing out the fact of the cultural difference and the fact that opponents of the pro Palastinian cause may actually capitalise from raising this particular issue the following discussion concluded that Palistinian people despite the great support received by Irish people in general outside of the established support groups also, still feel the need to envoke the heart string pulling presence of children due to two main reasons,one being that the world media presents all post teen Palistinians as millitants and out of sheer despiration due to the fact that the entire moral thinking world community are opposing the Israeli slaughter in Gaza it still goes on unabeited.

Maybe Jacqueline the fact that you mentioned the culture difference is the more important point you identified.This conflict,sorry i should have said onslaught is far removed from Irish culture at least modern Irish culture and should be put in the correct context.Children,sadly are a main component of this issue but my main concern is the numbers of children that are being orphaned,made homeless and killed.Let the Irish people view the involvement to date at protests of children in the proper context of the Palistinian culture and the context of the Israeli onslaught.The risk of doing anything else is to legitimise the brutal killing of innocent children by Israel.

by Jacqueline Fallon Sun Jan 11, 2009 15:03

One thing that did dishearten me about yesterday’s protest and I noticed it displeased others also, was the chanting by the Palestinian children on the march and platform of: “Israel - terrorists!”. I do not agree with such young children being encouraged and told to shout words of vitriol and exploited in this way to rounds of applause.

Maybe, it is a cultural difference between Palestinians and Irish people, but many Irish people would disapprove of children as young as 7-years-old being used as ‘speakers’ at these demos and on a previous occasion being dressed up in military garb resembling a suicide bomber, etc., it is not traditionally an acceptable practice here for infants and youngsters, and this should be pointed out to them. I believe this sort of practice should be left exclusively to adults, who need no assistance whatsoever with it.

In general, most Irish people find the exploitation of children at these events very disillusioning. Children are supposed to be symbols of hope for the future of a nation and it is very disillusioning for people attending these demos to see such a youngster of 7-years-old encouraged to get up on a platform and chant extremist slogans such as “Israel - terrorists!” and it achieves absolutely nothing - but leaves us all so disheartened for the future instead, and sends out the wrong message that: peace for the next generation of young Palestinians and Israelis is absolutely hopeless, given the extreme language taught to infants from both sides of the conflict.

by risso Sat Jan 10, 2009 19:42

I was at the protest today. 800 - 1000 people was about right. The city was relatively quiet. It was a cold day and the negative publicity attributed to last week's behavior of burning flags and dressing up children would definitely turn people off. It was a good turn out and people were genuinely with the Palestinian people In Gaza in in spirit at least.
One aspect of today's march was the disappointing discovery that the collection being taken was not going to any relief effort or the Palestinian cause, but was going directly to the Anti- War Group.

by Saddened Sat Jan 10, 2009 18:32

I'm saddened that the demonstration toady attracted fewer people to it than the demonstration last weekend in contrast to the increased numbers in Belfast and London. I think that a large part of the reason for this were the scenes of flag-burning and children dressed as Hamas fighters at the last rally. There also appears to be increasing resistance by ordinary Dubliners to the very prominent profile that Far Left groups have been carving out for themselves at these rallies.

In order to ensure that protest against Israel's criminal slaughter in Gaza is not further marginalised in Dublin I would strongly suggest that urgent thought be given by the organisers of future marches to the adoption of a common message, placards and banners which emphasise a unified message and not the current confusion.

by Vincent Sat Jan 10, 2009 16:36

al jazeera reporting 100,000+

by ec Sat Jan 10, 2009 16:16

Something sounds a little fishy about that. This is fishy too

BBC reporting 15,000 in London

Demonstrators reporting 100,000

by shauny Sat Jan 10, 2009 15:52

i don't know if readers are familiar with the work of israeli apologist alan dershowitz but in his book ' the case for israel' he argues that there was a clear jewish majority in the area of land allocated to israel when the UN partioned the disputed land in 1947. he says that there was a clear jewish majority 538,000 jews and 397,000 arabs in the area that was to be israel proper. i am interested to hear what those better read on this subject than me would say in response to this. Is this fact? If so, what degree of responsibility for the present conflict should be shared by the Arab peoples for rejecting the 2 state solution when it was first proposed?

by Reporter12 Sat Jan 10, 2009 14:15

US Congress backs wholeheartedly the slaughter in Gaza where according to Doctor Moawiya Hassanen, of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 804 Palestinians, including 230 children, 92 women, and 92 elderly were killed, and more than 3300 were wounded; 400 seriously.

http://www.imemc.org/article/58411

House Majority Leader Boehner reiterated the US commitment to Israel, saying that it would stand by its ally of 60 years in the current conflict. The US, he said, cannot abide with Hamas decision to violate the ceasefire agreement and launch violent attacks on Israel. Congress, he concluded, unequivocally supports Israel's right to self defense unequivocally.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3653617,00.html

by Reporter12 Fri Jan 09, 2009 19:50

Uncomfirmed reports of eight terrorists killed in Beit Lahiya.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2008/12/20....html

by Carl Fri Jan 09, 2009 09:20

"I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me insufficient for that day." From http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Lincoln%2C+%22I+ha...earch

Related link: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Man%27s+inhumanity...earch

by Reporter12 Fri Jan 09, 2009 02:03

The Israeli people take the appropriate reaction to her commentary and challenge the exchange.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3653183,00.html

" Dear Achinoam Nini,

I chose to answer you personally and not the entire raging Right, because I believe that the betrayal of the peace camp, at this of all times, and the ease with which it gives itself over to the roars of war, exceeds the damage caused by the Right a thousand fold, and because it hinders the creation of a meaningful peace movement that can create a true resistance to occupation. "

by Reporter12 Thu Jan 08, 2009 01:11

Israel takes the appropriate action in response to the US sending a plumber and sends a bimbo.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3651784,00.html

by Reporter12 Wed Jan 07, 2009 22:48

The US finally takes decisive action and sends Joe the Plumber to Gaza.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3652495,00.html

by ;; Wed Jan 07, 2009 22:00

.