Ad published in Haaretz, (Monday) August 7, 2006

[TahitiNut]

This is not
A resolution
For a cease-fire.

This is a resolution
For the continuation
Of the war,
The killing,
The devastation.

But what do
The Americans
And the French care?
It's nor their
Own blood.
http://zope.gush-shalom.org/home/en/index.html

"Bring the Soldiers Home!
"It will not End - Until we Talk!"

The biggest demonstration against the war held in Israel until now took place today (Saturday, August 5, 2006) in the heart of downtown Tel-Aviv, an area that is considered especially right-wing.

Close to 10 thousand demonstrators from all over the country, among them many Arab citizens, marched from Ben-Zion Boulevard, along King George Street, to Magen David Square. There, at the entrance to the Carmel market, a stage was set up. The thousands that did not find place in the square flowed over into Nahlat Binyamin and the other neighboring streets.

When the demonstrators were still waiting for the start, a salvo of eggs was thrown at them from the balcony of a building. The perpetrators fled before the police could reach them.

More serious was another act of sabotage. It had been decided to carry a mass of black flags. One of the activists brought the flags to the assembly point before the demonstrators arrived. Suddenly a car stopped, three youngsters got out, seized the flags by force and disappeared. The demonstration had to take place without them.

<snip>

The primary aim of Gush Shalom is to influence Israeli public opinion and lead it towards peace and conciliation with the Palestinian people, based on the following principles:

• Putting an end to the occupation,
  - Accepting the right of the Palestinian people to establish an independent and sovereign State of Palestine in all the territories occupied by Israel in 1967,
• Reinstating the pre-1967 "Green Line" as the border between the State of Israel and the State of Palestine (with possible minor exchanges of territories agreed between the parties); the border will be open for the free movement of people and goods, subject to mutual agreement.
• Establishing Jerusalem as the capital of the two states, with East Jerusalem (including the Haram al-Sharif) serving as the capital of Palestine and West Jerusalem (including the Western Wall) serving as the capital of Israel. The city is to be united on the physical and municipal level, based on mutual agreement.
• Recognizing in principle the Right of Return of the Palestinian refugees, allowing each refugee to choose freely between compensation and repatriation to Palestine and Israel, and fixing by mutual agreement the number of refugees who will be able to return to Israel in annual quotas, without undermining the foundations of Israel.
• Safeguarding the security of both Israel and Palestine by mutual agreement and guarantees.
• Striving for overall peace between Israel and all Arab countries and the creation of a regional union.

I'm sure many could find disagreement with this, always heavily salted with the notion that "they" want "us" dead, but I cannot look in such directions and see anything but cemeteries and mass graves.

[sabra]

1. thank you for this post.

[TahitiNut]

3. Certainly

It's with such people that I can find "common cause" - I've seen too much of the other approach.

I reject the rhetoric that speaks in terms of some mindless, monolithic, authoritarian 'sides' that pretend to obligate people to place their less common circumstances of birth above their more common humanity.

Of course, it's only consistent with my 'anti-partisan' leanings that I eschew toeing some partisan line. Such haste in becoming part of some rank-and-file is now relegated to my "been there - done that" less mature years.

[yellerpup]

2. K&R for Peace! eom

:kick:

[Oversea Visitor]

4. The killing being going on for 50 years

Do we need another 50 years before one see path to peace.

[donsu]

5. kicking for peace and justice

nt

[redqueen]

6. K&R

Thanks so much for this post!

[Little Star]

7. Wow, Gush Shalom gets it! Nice to read this post, Thanks!

This is what I would expect anyone being honest and truthful to say regarding this mess. People taking measure of their own, a good thing.
Israel needs to try some of their suggestions and maybe there could finally be some peace for her citizens. The one with the might needs to hold the olive branch and to proceed with diplomacy not bombs.

[Robbien]

8. How can there be an agreement for ceasefire if only one side is represente

in the negotiations.

Good ad. So glad they thought of using the paid media to voice their opinion.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. "Blessed are the peacemakers", was coined by a Jew. K&R.

[TahitiNut]

15. I don't think he was in the IDF, though.

:silly:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. Obviously a draft-dodging, unpatrioutic, lefty.

[flpoljunkie]

10. Has there been any coverage of this on the networks or cable news? Anyone?

Other than perhaps CNN International, will this be covered at all in this country?

I did hear Juan Cole say on "Democracy Now" last week that Wolf Blitzer was one of the only journalists who even gave time to the other side in this latest crisis in the Middle East.

[TahitiNut]

11. I don't think peace makes for 'exciting' news - no market.

Our media have been almost completely tabloidized - with 'editorial policies' set by the marketing departments. Paid advertising by global corporate interests and the robotic tally of eyeballs, no matter whether they're sentient or not, drives the 'perceptions' of the world. From 'reality TV' to GameBoy images of carnage thankfully without the stench, it's only about the action figures in a Happy Meal.

[TahitiNut]

12. Amazing.

A thread like http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1839526&mesg_id=1839526 gets the drooling hordes drenching one another with self-righteous spittle ....

... and this one get largely ignored. :puke:

[sabra]

17. well let's keep it kicked then

:kick:

[greatauntoftriplets]

19. Kicked....

and going back to the top to recommend.

[cool user name]

27. I'm hearing you loud and clear TahitNut!

Kicking!!!

[ceile]

13. Kick

[PA Democrat]

14. K & R for sanity.

[burythehatchet]

16. Blessed are the peacemakers...

[TahitiNut]

20. "We must be the change we wish to see in the world." (Gandhi)

Namaste

[malaise]

21. There is hope when we

get rid of these murderous warmongerer. Thanks for this.

[question everything]

22. And can you please post similar reports

from Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and other Arab countries?

[TahitiNut]

29. Perhaps you'd find this more satisfying?

It seems designed to appeal to some of the perspectives I've seen posted on DU ... even yours?

http://www.thepeoplescube.com/red/viewtopic.php?t=784

[bloom]

23. kick

[breakaleg]

24. I think we need to see more of the local Israelis with this point

of view. Just as there are two sides to this conflict here, there are two sides within Israel as well.

[leftchick]

25. Excellent TN!

but wait! Are these anti-war Jewish folks anti-semites then? I am so confused!?! :crazy:

:yourock:

[cool user name]

26. BRAVO!!!!

Cheers!

[breakaleg]

28. This article cuts right through the PR and to a solution.

It makes perfect sense to stop the debate on who is right and wrong, and focus on the goals the Israeli's want - no more violence.

[leftchick]

30. peace kick!

[TahitiNut]

31. "It will not End - Until we Talk!"

Well, d'uh!

[scarletwoman]

32. Thank you, TN! k&r What folks don't seem to get is that the agenda of

the Ruling Class of ANY nation -- and that includes Israel -- is rarely an agenda that takes the best interests of the common citizens into consideration.

All over the world, the masses suffer while their "leaders" play their power games.

sw

[Nikki Stone 1]

33. Amen, scarletwoman!

And I am so happy to see this post. This group is very courageous and I salute them.

And can someone tell them that a lot of Americans do care and that we are doing our damndest to let our voice be heard?

[TahitiNut]

34. "Because it's only with enemies that one makes peace."

Pretty obvious, huh?

The Knife in the Back
Date posted: August 04, 2006
By Uri Avnery

THE DAY after the war will be the Day of the Long Knives.

Everybody will blame everybody else. The politicians will blame each other. The generals will blame each other. The politicians will blame the generals. And, most of all, the generals will blame the politicians.

Always, in every country and after every war, when the generals fail, the "knife in the back" legend raises its head. If only the politicians had not stopped the army just when it was on the point of achieving a glorious, crushing, historic victory…

That's what happened in Germany after World War I, when the legend gave birth to the Nazi movement. That's what happened in America after Vietnam. That's what is going to happen here. The first stirrings can already be felt.

THE SIMPLE truth is that up to now, the 22nd day of the war, not one single military target has been reached. The same army that took just six days to rout three big Arab armies in 1967 has not succeeded in overcoming a small "terrorist organization" in a time span that is already longer than the momentous Yom Kippur War. Then, the army succeeded in just 20 days in turning a stunning defeat at the beginning into a resounding military victory at the end.

In order to create an image of achievement, military spokesmen asserted yesterday that "we have succeeded in killing 200 (or 300, or 400, who is counting?) of the 1000 fighters of Hizbullah." The assertion that the entire terrifying Hizbullah consisted of one thousand fighters speaks for itself.

According to correspondents, President Bush is frustrated. The Israeli army has not "delivered the goods". Bush sent them into war believing that the powerful army, equipped with the most advanced American arms, will "finish the job" in a few days. It was supposed to eliminate Hizbullah, turn Lebanon over to the stooges of the US, weaken Iran and perhaps also open the way to "regime change" in Syria. No wonder that Bush is angry.

<more>
http://www.miftah.org/Display.cfm?DocId=11060&CategoryId=5

[Ms. Clio]

35. thanks for posting this n/t