Los communistas israelies condenan el criminal golpe militar en Honduras

De Solidnet.org

El Partido Comunista de Israel condena el golpe de estado en la República de Honduras que ha alejado momentáneamente al Presidente legítimo Manuel Zelaya Rosales y lo ha deportado con procedimientos brutales a Costa Rica.

Esto indica que los pueblos y los gobiernos progresistas, tienen que estar prevenidos pues las fuerzas reaccionarias no cejarán en su propósito de liquidar con los procesos de cambio y con la democracia, aun ensangrenténdolos y sometiéndolos por la fuerza bruta. El pueblo hondureño está valerosamente en la calle defendiendo la legalidad democrática y al Presidente Zelaya, frente al ejército y a la oligarquía más antidemocrática.

El Partido Comunista de Israel manifesta su total solidaridad con el pueblo hondureño y con sus autoridades legítimas y exige el castigo de los golpistas y de las autoridades impuestas por los militares y el inmediato retorno a la normalidad democrática.

El pueblo hondureño vencerá!

Newslinks: Público2, Vanguardia2

Barakeh: "Netanyahu has Chosen Settlements - not Peace"

A few days late to publish this, but copying a quote from Hadash Knesset member Mohammad Barakeh on Netanyahu's bantustani 'two-state solution' speech (from solidnet):

Hadash Chairman and Member of the Knesset Mohammad Barakeh said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech in Bar-Ilan University indicated that he was "once again choosing the peace of the settlements, which collides head-on with the peace of the region and all of its nations".

"Netanyhau spoke like a chameleon about a Palestinian state, with conditions and dimensions no Palestinian would ever hear of," stated Bakakeh, a leading member of the Communist Party of Israel.

Formalization of apartheid discourse: Banning voices of dissent in Israel

This is a few days late, but still highly relevant, namely that the Israeli cabinet has voted in favour of a draft law to ban al-Nakbah commemorations. Read the Maki statement (source) below:

Israeli cabinet wants to ban Naqba commemoration

The Israeli cabinet has voted yesterday (Sunday, May 24, 2009) in favour of a racist proposal to ban Naqba commemorations. Many Arab-Palestinians commemorate the proclamation of the state of Israel as Naqba, the Arabic word for disaster.

In the proposal, anyone participating in the commemoration of 15 May 1948 could face a three-year prison sentence. The proposal has been made by the racist coalition party Yisrael Beitenu. It still has to go through the Knesset.

The Communist Party of Israel and Hadash (The Democratic Front for Peace and Equality) have sharply criticised the proposal and call it an act of an apartheid regime. Hadash chairman, MK Mohammed Barakeh said the fact the cabinet "ratified the delusions and lack of historical and factual knowledge of a single MK shows the stinking sewers to which government discourse has sunk, as is very much to be expected." Barakeh said Arabs would continue to commemorate the Nakba, adding that the commemoration was not meant "to threaten the existence of Israel, but to correct a historic wrong to the Palestinian people." The proposed bill "is no less severe than the laws enacted by the Third Reich," added MK Afo Agbaria (Hadash). "The State of Israel has declared jihad on the Arab population. Israel is gradually becoming an apartheid state. I won't be surprised if in the future the Netanyahu-Lieberman government imposes additional restrictions on Arab citizens, including forbidding the use of the Arabic language."

The Civil Rights Association also attacked the draft law.
"For the past year we have witnessed a worrying deterioration in Israel of the right to expression and other democratic rights," association chairman and well know author Sammy Michael said in a statement. "Commemoration of the Naqba does not threaten Israel at all. It is a legitimate expression of the feelings of individuals and an entire people," he said.

Tel-Aviv, May 25, 2009

Protest in Tel Aviv yesterday, condemning killing in Bil'in

More than a thousand people demonstrated in Tel Aviv yesterday evening, taking a procession outside the Security Ministry to protest their outrage over the murder of unarmed Palestinian demonstrator Ibrahim Abu Rahma in the West Bank village of Bil'in on Friday. At the end of the rally, Hadash Knesset member Dov Khenin caid that Abu Rahma had been killed in cold blood. Khenin also stated that Ehud Barak has a personal responsibility for the prevailing atmosphere in the occupied West Bank. In his speech, Khenin also mentioned the shooting of U.S. activist Tristan Anderson, who is yet to recover from his injuries.

Source and photo credit: Al-Itihad

Protest in Tel Aviv today, condemning the murder of Ibhrahim Abu Rahma in Bil'in

Dov Khenin, Knesset member of Hadash, has issued a call for peace forces to join a demonstration in Tel Aviv today April 18, to condemn the murder of Ibrahim Abu Rahma. The 30-year old Abu Rahma, was killed yesterday by Israeli Occupation Forces during a peaceful protest in Bil'in, West Bank. The rally will assemble at King George Avenue 19.30 p.m., and procede to the "Security" Ministry.

Fellow Hadash Knesset member, Afu Agbaria, has labelled the killing "a henious crime" and "a cold-blooded murder". Furthermore, he stated that "The martyrdom of the Palestinian demonstrator in Bil'in reveals the ugly face of the Government of Israel - the Lieberman rightwing of which is not interested in peace -, a Government which allows the fascist rightwing elements to wreak havoc, unleashes the army in order to protect the settlers so they can continue their attacks on the children of the Palestinian people."

Arab Druze Inititiative Committee in solidarity with refusniks

Hadash website has an article on solidarity visit by the Arab Druze Inititiative Committee to the family home of a Druze man who refuse to serve in the IOF. The young man, Tariq Gul Sirhan, had declared that he would not serve in the Israeli military, after which he was issued an 'insanity' certificate (a politically motivated punishment, that can give problems for future employments) and detained him for a period.

Jihad Saad, the Arab Druze Initiative Committee secretary and head of the delegation, stated that the Committee "througout its history has supported all those who refuse the compulsory military service imposed on our youth".

Knesset member Barakeh assaulted by occupation forces in Hebron

Mohammed Barakeh, Knesset member of the Arab-Jewish Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash), was violently assaulted as Israeli police attacked an anti-settlement protest in Hebron, occupied West Bank, on Land Day. Reports: Maan, Hadash (in Arabic), Haaretz

Earlier on the day, the demonstration had been attacked by settlers, as protestors entered a street that Israeli occupation authorities have banned Palestinians from using.

يا شعوب الشرق

Hadash vote

The Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (better known by its Hebrew acronym 'Hadash', meaning 'new'), the mass front of the Communist Party of Israel, appears to be getting four seats (up from three in 2006). The votes of the front has been increased by a quarter, and at its website it is declared that the result is "a victory of all the masses of our people".

In two subdistricts, Jezreel and Akko, Hadash became the largest party. In Nazareth, the party won 52% of the votes, in Umm al-Fahm (the largest Arab city in Israel) 54%, Mashhad 36%, Tur'an 47%, Shefa-'Amr 38%, Tamra 35%, Maghar 24%, etc. (Hadash has summarized the vote in Arab towns and villages here) In Haifa, the party got 4% of the votes, but dominated in several neighbourhoods. In Tel Aviv-Jaffa Hadash received 2%. The Arab neighbourhoods in the southern parts of the city, United Arab List (Ra'am)-Ta'al became the largest party. But Hadash presence has not limited to the Arab neighbourhoods, but spread in various other parts of the city. The party has noted an increasing support from young people in Tel Aviv.

The four Knesset members of the party will be Muhammad Barakeh, Hanna Sweid, Dov Henin and Abu Agberiah.

Hadash contested the elections on a platform opposing discrimination and social injustices. It campaigns for equality between Jews and Arab. During the Gaza massacre, it actively mobilized opposition to the bombings. In the election it ran the slogan 'Opposite of Lieberman: Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies' (see bumber sticker pictured), positioning itself as the main force for Jewish-Arab cohabitation. Having surpassed the traditional Zionist 'Left' (which supported the massacre in Gaza), Hadash is now the main left force in Israel. After the election result was declared, Dov Hanin stated that "Hadash is currently the largest left-wing movement in Israel, and we therefore have a great responsibility to advance and build the new Left that Israel so dearly needs. A new Left that can offer an real alternative to power politics, Jewish-Arab segregation, cruel capitalism and deepening environmental injustice."

The party has declared that it will not join any governing coalition.

The best result of Hadash in any election was in 1977, when it won five seats. In 2003 it had two seats, in 2006 three.



News on the elections: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Blogs: Esbati, Acidtrunk

Votes in settlements, kibbutzim and Bedouin villages

At Haaretz website you can read election results by city and sector. If you read Hebrew, Ynet has an interactive map of the results (with comparisons to 2003 and 2006). The Ynet map is a nightmare if you have a slow internet connection, though. Do note that the Ynet map includes both West Bank and Golan as parts of Israel, borders that are not internationally recognized. On the plus side, you can even see results at submunicipal levels at some places.

*Settlements: According to the Ynet map, 'Judea and Samaria' (i.e. West Bank settlers) have voted in the following fashion: Likud 25%, National Union 20%, United Torah Judaism 14%, Shas 11%, Kadima 8%, Jewish Home 8%, Yisrael Beiteinu 8%, Labour 2%, United Arab List-Ta'al 1%, Green Movement-Meimad 1%. Other parties got less than 1%.

*Kibbutzim: According to Haaretz, Kibbutzim votes have been divided along the following lines: Kadima 31%, Labour 31%, Meretz 18%, Likud 6%, Yisrael Beitenu 3%, Jewish Home 3%, Green Movement-Meimad 2%, National Union 2%, Ale Yarok (Green Left, pro-marijuana party) 1%, Green Party 1%, Shas 1%, Hadash 1%. Other parties received less than 1%.

*Bedouins: According to Haaretz, the Bedouin communities have predominately voted for the United Arab List-Ta'al (80%). Other parties in the Bedouin areas were National Democratic Assembly (Balad) 5%, Hadash 2%, Kadima 2%, Labour 2%, Shas 2%, Likud 1%, Green Party 1%, Yisrael Beitenu 1%, Meretz 1%. Other parties received less than 1%.

Israeli elections: the Bad, the Ugly and the Terrible

At this point 99.7% of the votes have been counted in the Israeli elections. Sometime later today, I'll try to write a longer post with more analysis. At this point (albeit slightly different Knesset seat counts appear on different websites) a few things can be said (based on figures from this morning in the Jerusalem Post):

*There is no clear winner between Kadima and Likud, Kadima appears to have gotten 28 seats, Likud 27. Kadima has thus been able to position itself slightly under its 2006 result. Both parties claim to have won, both parties will try to form a governing majority. Lots of wrangling negotiations to follow, probably even worse than the horse-trading that torpedoed Livni's first attempt to form a cabinet in 2008.

*Far-right Yisrael Beiteinu came third (15 seats), a historic shift in Israeli politics. Party supremo Avigdor Lieberman has declared that he's willing to negotitiate with both blocs, as long as they can promise extensive bloodshed in Gaza and zero negotiations with Hamas.

*Labour Zionism has suffered a humiliating defeat. The Israeli Labour Party, for decades the dominating force of Israeli politics is now reduced to fourth position (13 seats). The Meretz party only got three seats. In the 1949 elections, Labour had 46 seats and Mapam (the Marxist-Zionist precursor of Meretz) had 19. Now the non-Zionist left (Hadash) is larger than the Zionist 'Left' (Meretz), a historic occurance. The shift to the right in Israeli politics is now sealed, and the last illusions on the pioneering Israeli socialism (that some Western leftists have nurtured after spending a vacation in a kibbutz) ought to be shed.

*There was an expectation that Arabs would increasingly boycott the elections in protest of the Gaza massacre. It seems that the rise of Lieberman in the polls reversed that trend to some extent. According to Jerusalem Post, the United Arab List (Ra'am)-Ta'al got 5 seats, Hadash (a joint Arab-Jewish front, led by the Communist Party) 4 seats and the National Democratic Assembly (Balad) 2. Ra'am-Ta'al and Balad have, combined, the same number of seats as in 2006 whilst Hadash has increased with one seat.

*Other results: Sepharhim Orthodox party 'Shas' comes fifth with 11 seats (down from 12), the Pensioners Party 'Gil' falls out of the Knesset (had 7 seats last time), United Torah Judaism 4 seats (down from 6). The far-right parties Jewish Home and National Union got 3 and 4 seats respectively (they had contested the 2006 election unitedly, getting 9 seats). The advances of Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu has weakened other right-wing parties.

*The remaining votes (0.3%) to be counted are those of diplomats, soldiers, seamen, prisoners and hospitals. Final results will be declared only on February 18. I won't guess how these 0.3% will incluence the outcome, but probably Arab parties will not be represented very well amongst them.

News links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 Blogs: Svensson, Bildt, Anna W, Röda Malmö

Leftwing forces salute the international solidarity with Palestine

Four leftwing groups met yesterday and in their joint statement, which condemned the brutality of the Israeli aggression and called for broad Palestinian national unity, a message was conveyed to the millions around the world who arose in defense of the people of Gaza during the last month:

"And we also salute all the forces, movements and solidarity groups, from around the entire world which acted in solidarity with our people, led by the diverse freedom-lovers. Especially we pay tribute to the left-wing and communist states, forces and parties, movements of solidarity with the Palestinian people and in particular Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba, as well as other forces and movements.

Long live the Palestinian national unity,
Glory and eternity for our innocent martyrs,
and Forward for the sake of unity, freedom and democracy

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Palestinian People's Party, Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Democratic Front for Peace and Equality"

(unofficial translation by the Gaza; Peace n' Freedom blog)