GWOT logics

In an earlier post I had commented how the brutality of the Israeli assualt on Gaza and the silent acceptance of Western governments to the Israeli atrocities, also has negative impacts on other conflicts around the world. Many governments are eager to copy-cat the pathological Israeli rhetoric of branding all of it's actions as 'fight against terrorism'. In short the logic is that as long as you can brand your enemy a 'terrorist', you can get away with anything.

Compare the following video (al-Jazeera trailer)


with the final parts of this January 30 al-Jazeera broadcast


The is a stark similarity, namely that both the Israeli and Sri Lankan ministers seek to avoid the actual question of responsibility of bombings of trapped civilians by focusing on characterizing and demonizing their enemies as 'terrorist'. The Sri Lankan Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe mimics Livni in stating that "Our fight is not with the civilians. ... Our fight is with terrorism".

The Sri Lankan civil war and the Israeli occupation of Palestine are not 100% analogous, there are important differences between the two conflicts, but the logic of how international conventions are disregarded in the light of the Global War on Terror is a common feature.

News links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 Blogs: Roya, Erik, Svensson, PTR, ST, DS, Topnews, Pragoti

Surreal conversations

Israeli Foreign Minister Livni has met with U.S. envoy George Mitchell. According to the Jerusalem Post, Livni has appealed to Mitchell that Israel and the United States should "strengthen the moderate forces in the region while harming the extreme factions such as Iran and Hamas."

That is, of course, diametrically opposite to the actual conduct of Israel during the Gaza massacre. All 'moderate' (read collaborationist, Quisling) Arab leaders have been extremely discredited during the massacre, whilst those governments that took a firm stand against aggression and atrocities have been vindicated. As per Hamas, reports indicate that it support has been significantly boosted in the Fatah-ruled West Bank. Does anyone take Livni's comment seriously anymore?

News links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

More about the hypocrisy on the issue of 'recognition of Israel'

In an earlier post, I pointed at the hypocrisy of Western politicians/media demaning that Hamas recognizes Israel whilst no such demands at levelled against Israeli political parties. Go to the Kadima website. In the lower left side, you'll see a map with links to info about local candidates. The map shows West Bank, Gaza and the Golan heights as parts of Israel.

On the website of Likud, you'll see a small map in the left part of the headline, including the occupied Gaza, West Bank and Golan heights as parts of Israel.

The small Green Party differs somewhat, leaving out Gaza, showing West Bank in a different shade than 1948 Israel but including the Golan heights.

Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu, on the rightward side of the Israeli political spectrum, advocates repression against Arab 'enemies', classic fascist discourse. The party also seeks limit the possibilities for Arabs to retain their Israeli citizenships.