Bulletin N° 798
Subject :
PALESTINE : PRESENTE !
13 May 2018
Grenoble, France
Dear Colleagues and Friends of CEIMSA,
The late Joel Kovel’s 2007
book, Overcoming
Zionism, describes the creation of Israel as a “Death Trap”; a fatal
imperialist project, lethal to both Jews and to Palestinians, creating an abyss
of religious bigotry, racism, militarism, and ultimately disappearance into a
black hole of self-righteous suicide.
The solution, according to Kovel,
is to learn to live together . . . . But the imperialist context of the moment
does not permit this; all capitalist incentives are presently pushing us
towards extinction.
At the age of 22, the young French Renaissance
writer Etienne de La Boétie - born in the Perigord region of southwestern France in 1530, and friend
of the essayist Michel de Montaigne - wrote his famous tract, The Discourse of Voluntary Servitude.
(For more information on Boétie and his work, see CEIMSA Bulletins N°712, N°713, & N°718.) In his work, the
intention of which was diametrically opposed to that of his nearly contemporary
Italian counterpart, Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527),
author of The
Prince - whose purpose was “to
speak truth to power” - Boétie sought to arm common people against tyranny.
Everyone knows that the fire from a little
spark will increase and blaze ever higher as long as it finds wood to burn; yet
without being quenched by water, but merely by finding no more fuel to feed on,
it consumes itself, dies down, and is no longer a flame. Similarly, the more
tyrants pillage, the more they crave, the more they ruin and destroy; the more
one yields to them, and obeys them, by that much do they become mightier and
more formidable, the readier to annihilate and destroy. But if not one thing is
yielded to them, if, without any violence they are simply not obeyed, they
become naked and undone and as nothing, just as, when the root receives no
nourishment, the branch withers and dies.(pp.46-47)
.
. .
Doctors are no doubt correct in warning us
not to touch incurable wounds; and I am presumably taking chances in preaching
as I do to a people which has long lost all
sensitivity and, no longer conscious of its infirmity, is plainly suffering
from mortal illness. Let us therefore understand by logic, if we can, how it
happens that this obstinate willingness to submit has become so deeply rooted
in a nation that the very love of liberty now seems no longer natural.
In the first place, all would agree that, if
we led our lives according to the ways intended by nature and the lessons
taught by her, we should be
intuitively obedient to our parents; later we should adopt reason
as our guide and become slaves to nobody. Concerning the obedience given
instinctively to one’s father and mother, we are in agreement, each one
admitting himself to be a model. As to whether reason
is born with us or not, that is a question loudly discussed by academicians and
treated by all schools of philosophers. For the present I think I do not err in
stating that there is in our souls some native seed of reason, which, if
nourished by good counsel and training, flowers into virtue, but which, on the
other hand, if unable to resist the vices surrounding it, is stifled and
blighted. Yet surely if there is anything in this world clear and obvious, to
which one cannot close one’s eyes, it is the fact that nature, handmaiden of
God, governess of men, has cast us all in the same mold in order that we may
behold in one another companions, or rather brothers. If in distributing her
gifts nature has favored some more than others with respect to body or spirit,
she has nevertheless not planned to place us within this world as if it were a
field of battle, and has not endowed the stronger or the cleverer in order that
they may act like armed brigands in a forest and attack the weaker. One should
rather conclude that in distributing larger shares to some and smaller shares
to others, nature has intended to give occasion for brotherly love to become
manifest, some of us having the strength to give help to others who are in need
of it. Hence, since this kind mother has given us the whole world as a dwelling
place, has lodged us in the same house, has fashioned us according to the same
mold so that in beholding one another we might almost recognize ourselves;
since she has bestowed upon us all the gift of voice and speech for fraternal
relationship, thus achieving by the common and mutual statement of our thoughts
a communion of our wills; and since she has tried in every way to narrow and
tighten the bond of our union and kinship; since she has revealed in every
possible manner her intention, not so much to associate us as to make us one
organic whole, there can be no further doubt that we are all naturally free,
inasmuch as we are all comrades. Accordingly it should not enter the mind of
anyone that nature has placed some of us in slavery, since she has actually
created us all in one likeness.(pp.50-51)
The 10 items below testify to the murderous
intentions in this period of Late
Capitalism. The so-called realism
of the ruling class, and their dominant ideology of possessive individualism, which they try to pass off as some kind
of universal modernization, is
recognized by many as nothing more than another ruling-class attempt at public
brain washing. The real experts on methods for achieving our own well-being
–despite the ubiquitous capitalist propaganda and psychological warfare -
remain none other than ourselves, as has always been
the case . . . .
Francis
Feeley
Professor
emeritus of American Studies
University
Grenoble-Alpes
Director
of Research
University
of Paris-Nanterre
Center
for the Advanced Study of American Institutions and Social Movements
The University
of California-San Diego
a.
Eclipsing Factionalism: The Missing
Story from the Gaza Protests
http://www.ramzybaroud.net/eclipsing-factionalism-the-missing-story-from-the-gaza-protests/
===========
b.
Is Russia
Washington’s Next Vassal?
https://southfront.org/paul-craig-roberts-asks-is-russia-washingtons-next-vassal/
by Paul Craig Roberts
If reports coming out of Russia are
true, Vladimir Putin is considering appointing Washington’s agent, Alexei Kudrin, to negotiate Russia’s surrender to Washington. http://johnhelmer.net/vice-president-for-capitulation-putin-decides-what-job-to-give-kudrin/#more-19143
and https://russia-insider.com/en/putin-has-shown-weakness-armenia-and-syria-his-credibility-collapsing/ri23361
In checking out this story with
well-informed and connected experts, I am advised that John Helmer
in his report might have put too much credence in the story planted on the Financial Times by Kudrin. One
expert whose judgment I trust told me that Kudrin and
other members of the “pro-US lobby”—the traitors that The Saker
calls the Atlanticist Integrationists—are playing their usual games. Kudrin
may have gone too far this time by planting the story in the UK’s Financial times of his forthcoming appointment as negotiator
of Russia’s surrender to Washington. The expert, whom I trust, told me that
everyone in the Putin administration really dislikes Kudrin
as a person and political figure — the sly games he plays, exploiting Putin’s
personal loyalty from the past. It is widely said in Russia that Putin is too
loyal to old friends like Kudrin who no longer serve
him well. Kudrin’s few allies are in Medvedev’s group, and Washington’s incompetence recently sanctioned a
couple of Kudrin’s Russian allies.
+
Death
Toll for Gaza’s March of Return Keeps Rising, Call for International Protection
===========
c.
Laleh Khalili: Palestinian “Gandhis”
Are Marching Every Day
for
Freedom from Israeli Apartheid
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/5/11/laleh_khalili_palestinians_gandhis_are_marching
and
Breaking Gaza Coverage
https://therealnews.com/series/breaking-gaza-coverage
+
https://electronicintifada.net/
===========
d.
Latest Gaza Border Protest
Turns Deadly
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/latest-gaza-border-protest-turns-deadly/
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip—Israeli troops fired live
bullets and tear gas Friday across a border fence into Gaza where Palestinian protesters
threw stones, burned tires and flew kites with burning rags attached. One
protester was killed and 146 were wounded by Israeli fire, Gaza health
officials said.
It was the seventh weekly protest aimed at shaking
off a decade-old border blockade of Gaza, and a preview of what is expected to
be a much larger border rally on Monday. On that day, protests are timed to
coincide with the planned move of the U.S. Embassy in Israel to contested
Jerusalem, where Palestinians hope to establish a future capital.
Protester Ahmed Deifallah,
25, said that President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as
Israel’s capital and move the embassy there “is causing the volcano to spew.”
===========
e.
From: Mark Crispin Miller
Sent: Fri, 11 May 2018
There's going to be a massacre on Monday.
(URGENT)
On Monday, when the US embassy in Israel
moves to Jerusalem, there will be a mammoth protest in Gaza—and, there is no
doubt, a lethal reaction by the Israeli government.
As most of "our free press" has not
reported, that state has been slaughtering unarmed Palestinian protestors for
weeks: two were shot down just today,
And many wounded. (See the photos below.)
As I reported on May 3, some earlier
donations are in limbo, due to an apparent cyberattack
on the nurses' PayPal account; and I'm now trying to help them get those funds
returned to those who sent them, so that they can be re-sent and put to proper
use.
Meanwhile, their new account is active.
Please read Amal's appeal below,
and thank you for whatever you can do.
MCM
From Amal Arafa:
We have great work on Monday and Tuesday,
because of calls for a million people to go to the border east of Gaza.
The number of wounded on May 14 and 15 will
probably reach more than 10,000.**
(**This is the expectation from the Health
Committee in Gaza.)
We need your help to cover that. And first
aid to the largest number of wounded.
Thank you.
I wish you the best life and health.
I hope you help us as much as you can.
See: https://www.youcaring.com/thefamiliesofgaza-1160587
________________
PayPal account: <anahona366@gmail.com>
and
Gaza on the Brink (2/2)
https://therealnews.com/stories/gaza-on-the-brink-2-2
+
===========
f.
John Pilger :Beyond the Headlines on Syria, Salisbury, Yemen & North Korea
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/49371.htm
===========
g.
The Skripals will most
likely never be allowed to talk
http://thesaker.is/the-skripals-will-most-likely-never-be-allowed-to-talk/
There
have been major developments this week, all of them bad, including Putin re-nominating
Medvedev as his Prime Minister, and Bibi Netanyahu
invited to Moscow to the Victory Day Parade in spite of him bombing Syria, a
Russian ally, just on the eve of his visit. Once in Moscow, Netanyahu compared Iran
to, what else, Nazi Germany. How original and profound indeed! Then he
proceeded to order the bombing of Syria for a second time,
while still in Moscow. But then, what can we expect from a self-worshiping
narcissist who finds it appropriate to serve food
to the Japanese Prime Minister in a specially made shoe? The man is clearly
batshit crazy (which in no way makes him less evil or
dangerous). But it is the Russian reaction which is so totally disgusting:
nothing, absolutely nothing. Unlike others, I
have clearly said that it is not the Russian responsibility to “protect”
Syria (or Iran) from the Israelis. But there is no doubt in my mind that
Netanyahu has just publicly thumbed his nose at Putin and that Putin took it. For
all my respect for Putin, this time he allowed Netanyahu to treat him just like
Trump treated Macron. Except that in the case of Putin, he
was so treated in his own capital. That makes it even worse.
[Interestingly,
while whining about “Nazi Iran” Netanyahu did say something truly profound and
true. He said “an
important history lesson: when a murderous ideology emerges, one has to push
back against it before it is too late”.
That is indeed exactly what most people across the world feel about Israel and
its Zionist ideology but, alas, their voice is completely ignored by those who
rule over them. So yes, it sure looks to me like it is becoming “too late” and
that the consequences for our collective cowardice – most of us are absolutely
terrified from speaking the plain truth about our Zionist overlords – will cost
us all a terrible price.]
Then,
of course, there is Donald Trump pulling out of the so-called Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in spite of Iran’s full compliance and in
spite of the fact that the USA does not have the authority to unilaterally
withdraw from this multilateral agreement. But being the megalomaniac that he
is, and not to mention the spineless lackey of the Israel Lobby, Trump ignored
all that and thereby created further tensions between the USA and the rest of
the world whom the US will now blackmail and bully to try to force it to
support the USA in its rabid subservience to Israel. As for the Israelis, their
“sophisticated” “strategy” is primitive to the extreme: first get Trump to
create maximal tensions with Iran, then attack the Iranians in Syria as visibly
and arrogantly as possible, bait the Iranians into a retaliation, then bellow
“OI VEY!!!” with your loudest voice, mention the Holocaust once or twice, toss
in a “6 million people” figure, and get the USA to attack Syria.
How
anybody can respect, nevermind admire, the Israelis
is simply beyond comprehension. I sure can’t think of a more contemptible,
nasty, psychopathic gang of megalomanical thugs (and
cowards) than the Israelis. Can you?
Nonetheless,
it appears undeniable that the Zionists have enough power to simultaneously
force not one, but two (supposed) superpowers to cave into their demands. Not
only that, they have the power to do that while also putting these two
superpowers on a collision course against each other. At the very least, this
shows two things: the United States have now
completely lost sovereignty and are now an Israeli protectorate. As for Russia,
well, she is doing comparatively better, but the full re-sovereignization the Russian people have voted for when
they gave their overwhelming support to Putin will not happen. A comment I read
on a Russian chat put it: “Путин
кинул народ – мы
не за
Медведева
голосовали”
or “Putin betrayed the
people – we did not vote for Medvedev”.
I am not sure that “betrayed the people” is fair, but the fact that he has
disappointed a lot of people is, I think, simply undeniable.
It
is still way too early to reach any conclusions at this point, and there are
still way too many unknown variables, but I will admit that I am very worried
and that for the first time in 4 years I am having major doubts about a fundamental policy decision by Putin. I sure hope that I
am wrong. We will find out relatively soon. I just hope that this will not be
in the form of a major war.
+
http://thesaker.is/medvedev-re-nomination-this-does-not-look-good/
===========
h.
If
Europe Wants to Remain on the World Stage, It Must Resist Trump on Iran
“Iraq is
at the muzzle of the gun,” says Ali Allawi, Iraqi
historian and former minister, speaking of the increased turmoil expected to
follow the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement. It is not only Iraq
which is in danger: an escalating confrontation between the US and Iran will
affect the whole region, but its greatest impact will be in Syria and Iraq
where wars have long been raging and Washington and Tehran are old rivals. The
US will rely at first on the reimposition of economic
sanctions on Iran to force it to comply with US demands and hopefully bring
about regime change in Tehran. But, if this does not work – and it will almost
certainly fail – then there will be a growing risk of military action either
carried out directly by the US or through “green-lighting” Israeli airstrikes.
Iran is for the moment reacting cautiously to Trump’s denunciation of the 2015
accord, portraying itself as the victim of arbitrary action and seeking to spur
the EU states into taking practical steps to resist imposing draconian
sanctions along the lines of those that were imposed before 2015. Even if this
does not happen, it will be important for Iran that the Europeans should only
grudgingly cooperate with the US in enforcing sanctions, particularly on
Iranian oil exports.
===========
i.
Louis
Proyect: The Unrepentant Marxist
===========
j.
The Counted : People Killed by Police in the United States