Bassem Youssef (Egypt’s Jon Stewart) upon his release in Cairo

FLC

‘Life is Like a Box of Chocolates!’

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River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

Brotherhood Wages War On Egyptian Media

Prominent writer Alaa al-Aswany walks with protesters against Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, as they chant anti-government slogans in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Nov. 27, 2012. (photo by REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih)

By: Alaa al-Aswany Translated from As-Safir (Lebanon).

اقرا المقال الأصلي باللغة العربية

The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is waging war against media outlets that are beyond the group’s control. They are tightening restrictions on freedom of expression in a way that surpasses the oppression during the Mubarak regime. It is as if the media must stay silent about everything perpetrated by the Brotherhood, and everything the media uncovers is considered a conspiracy against the authorities — an attack on the religious doctrine that the party of the “supreme guide” upholds.

Dear readers, imagine what would happen if an Egyptian newspaper published information confirming that one of the Brotherhood’s leaders had sexually harassed a young member of the organization. What would be the Brotherhood’s reaction? Would they be glad that this crime had been uncovered and demand that the perpetrator be held accountable — or would they feel that even if the crime occurred it would be best to cover things up, to protect the Brotherhood’s reputation? Would the Brotherhood thank the journalist that published details of the crime — or would they consider him corrupt, an agent working for the Mubarak regime and world Zionism?

All of these questions came to my mind when I read what happened in the United States this week. Years ago, the American press revealed a scandal involving Catholic priests who were sexually assaulting children that belonged to the church. American newspapers continued to fight to prove the crimes of harassment, until the church apologized and the accused priests went on trial.
The church then established a system to prevent these crimes from recurring. They even appointed a special investigator, Rev. Robert Oliver, to investigate the harassment crimes within the church. Oliver opened his investigation with a press conference, in which he said something along the lines of: The press, which insisted that we face these scandals, did us a service. The press has helped us to face the facts with transparency and sincerity.

His speech reflects psychological and mental maturity, and also indicates a deep understanding of the media’s message.

Let’s compare this to the way the Brotherhood deals with the media.

Since the Brotherhood’s arrival to power, they have waged a war on media outlets that are beyond their control. Freedom of expression was severely limited during the days of Mubarak, but restrictions on the media under the Brotherhood’s rule are even worse than those imposed by Mubarak. Many journalists have been referred to trial on charges of insulting President Mohammed Morsi — a fake, illegal charge that is leveled against anyone who criticizes the president.

Respectable media personalities, such as Dina Abdel Fattah and Wael Ibrashi, were put on trial because they dared to host members of the Black Bloc, which opposes the Brotherhood’s rule. This is despite the fact that the whole world knows that to host someone, even if they are doing something illegal, doesn’t imply liability on the part of the media figure hosting them. The Brotherhood’s war against independent media is violent and relentless.

At Morsi’s behest, or at least with his consent, supporters of Hazem Abu Ismail laid siege on the Egyptian Media Production City and assaulted actors and media personalities. They attacked the headquarters of the Al-Wafd newspaper and burned its building, and no one held them accountable. On the second anniversary of the revolution, millions of Egyptians turned out to protest — denouncing the Brotherhood’s rule, demanding the overthrow of the invalid constitution and calling for early presidential elections. These protestors were confronted by the police, under the leadership of the new interior minister, who fired live bullets at them, killing 53 martyrs in a single week.
Unlike hundreds of detainees who have been brutally tortured out of the public’s eye, we see a vivid example in the tragedy of Hamada Saber, an Egyptian citizen who appeared on television begging police officers for mercy as they dragged him around naked, disgracing his honor and his humanity.

Prime Minister Hesham Kandil then came out to address the nation, and rather than talking about all of these crimes, Kandil surprised us by eagerly emphasizing the importance of natural breastfeeding. He said that it was important for the mother to clean the breast before breastfeeding in order to prevent the child from contracting diarrhea. This astonishing statement humiliated the prime minister in front of the entire world, and it demonstrated that senior officials should undergo serious medical tests to measure their mental abilities before assuming their posts.

The strange thing here is that the Brotherhood-affiliated minister of information demanded that the producer who was in charge of the prime minister’s press conference stop his work and referred him to trial. Why? The minister believes that the producer should have stopped the broadcast when the prime minister began making this silly statement. In the Brotherhood-affiliated minister’s view, the media isn’t obligated to report the facts, but rather should prevent people from seeing anything that could offend the Brotherhood.

The same logic was adopted by the Brotherhood’s minister of justice, Ahmed Mekki, when the daily Al-Watan reported that the minister’s son had gone to Qatar to work for a large salary. This, of course, creates shared interests between the minister and the state of Qatar, which could lead to an abuse of power. Mekki admitted that his son had gone to work in Qatar, and then proceeded to curse the corrupt media. It’s as though, in Mekki’s view, the media should cover up anything that could offend him, even if it is true.

It is strange that the Brotherhood and the Salafists dominate many religious channels which are funded by Wahhabis in the Gulf. Sheikhs who appear on these channels do not mainly speak about religion, but rather obscenely curse the Brotherhood’s opponents, sometimes even provoking their murder. Nevertheless, the Brotherhood considers the insults and incitement on the part of their religious channels to be normal and acceptable, but they do not tolerate any criticism of themselves in other media outlets.

Is this confusion between media and propaganda the result of ignorance or stupidity on the part of the Brotherhood? I don’t think so, since many Brotherhood members received a good education. So why don’t they understand that the media does not create facts, but rather reports them — and that the primary task of the media is to reveal to the public all kinds of offenses and crimes?

Here we come to the crux of the problem. We must first acknowledge that it is rare for a human to choose his religion of his own free will. Most of the time we are born into a religion that is predetermined by our parents, and from childhood we learn to believe and practice the religion into which we were born. We need religion in our lives and God created us with religious sentiments. We feel a sense of deep comfort when we practice this religion, regardless of the religion we embrace. Thus, we first embrace religion in our hearts and then think about it in our minds, not vice versa. In other words, we first believe with our emotions, and then harness our minds to search for evidence of faith. Religion, therefore, is an absolute and exclusive emotional conviction.

Believers from any religion always trust that their religion is the only true religion and all others are wrong. Muslims believe that Christianity and Judaism were corrupted, and that adherents of these two faiths are misguided. Meanwhile, Christians believe that the Prophet Muhammad was not a prophet sent from God, while Jews deny both Islam and Christianity and believe that the real Messiah has yet to appear. Thus there is no point in debating religion with someone, since he will defend his beliefs with zeal, regardless of whether that results in self-deception, fallacies and contradictions. Such is the nature of religion, and there is no harm in this, as long as citizens in a democratic state know how to accept other religions, even if they are not convinced of their veracity. The problem occurs when humans practice politics with religious sentiment. At that time, we will inevitably be caught up in what the Brotherhood is doing now.

Brotherhood members do not believe that they hold a point of view. Instead, they believe that they hold the sacred truth, and everyone else has gone astray. Members of the Brotherhood do not think in order to reach an opinion; instead, the truth is provided by their “supreme guide.” Thus, they embrace it and defend it. What is most dangerous is that members of the Brotherhood believe that they alone carry the word of God and represent Islam, and thus, in their opinion, everyone who opposes the Brotherhood offends Islam. Try to write any criticism of the Brotherhood’s supreme guide on the internet, and you will immediately receive a barrage of insults from someone who claims to be pious. You will also receive advice to refrain from criticism of the supreme guide and repent before God, before you die and are thrown into hell.

The fact that the Brotherhood is equated with Islam prevents them from seeing their mistakes and crimes. Anyone who opposes them is an “enemy of religion,” who in their opinion has no rights whatsoever. Perhaps the assault carried out by Brotherhood members against protesters in front of the presidential palace is the best evidence of this.

The Brotherhood members who assaulted girls with complete vileness and brutality, and who tortured protesters in a repugnant manner, are simultaneously faithful believers, eager to perform sincere acts of worship. Their conscience will keep them awake if they miss the dawn prayer, but they can torture others without the slightest sense of guilt. This is because they represent Islam, and anyone who opposes them hates Islam. These haters of Islam are either infidels, promiscuous adulterers who have gone astray or foreign intelligence agents who are fighting Islam.

In short, Brotherhood opponents are enemies of Islam, and there is no room to talk about their rights. There is nothing wrong with beating them, dragging them, or even killing them if necessary. All of these things are considered to be crimes when committed against the Brotherhood, but if the Brotherhood commits these same crimes against the enemies of Islam, they consider it a kind of jihad and an obligation.

The Brotherhood will never admit to all of the crimes they committed, which are recorded on video and audio. They will use all of their energy to deny the truth, regardless of how obvious the facts may be. When you ask a Brotherhood member to recognize the crimes of the supreme guide, it is as though you are asking a pious man to admit to contradictions in his religion.

Morsi, who began as an elected president, has obstructed the law and stomped on it with his feet. He has imposed upon Egypt a constitution that does not express the will of Egyptians. He is responsible for the torture and killing of protesters, just as Mubarak was responsible for the same crimes and then tried and thrown in jail. All of these facts are as clear as the sun that can be seen in the east and the west. There is no hope, however, that the Brotherhood will see these facts or admit to them. To them, acknowledging Morsi’s crimes would hurt their religious doctrine, which is based on the fact that everything the Brotherhood does represents Islam itself. The battle in Egypt is no longer between the opposition and the government, it is between all of Egypt and the Brotherhood.

Democracy is the solution.

Read more:

• On polygamy in Islam and Khairat Al-Shater secret marriage
• Salifis Sexual “Jihad” for Syria…The 3 days marriage of Salafis LEADER Hazem Abu Ismail blessed By Khairat Al-shater

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

ANTI-US SENTIMENT ON THE RISE IN TURKEY

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Alexandra Valiente

Anti U-S sentiment is on the rise in Turkey on multiple levels. In the public sphere, the Turkish residents are angry at what they call the U-S attempt to impose its hegemony over their country. On the diplomatic level, Ankara seems to be angry at Washington for leaving the Turks up the creek without a paddle on the Syrian issue.

Turkey: Facing International Responsibility

Dmitriy SEDOV

 

The very complexity of Middle East situation and the games of their own played by such influential powers as Iran and Israel resulted in Turkey’s getting bogged down in a web of contradictions. Trying to become a dominant regional force using the Syrian crisis as leverage will hardly lead Turkey out of the precarious situation.

The Turkish leadership has done its best to get the Syrian rebels tied by the burden of future commitments hoping they will become the backbone of dependent regime under the Turkey’s influence. Meanwhile the Turkish powers are tightening the screws inside their own country. The Ergenekon case came to surface in 2008. It’s not over as yet. Ergenekon is the name given to an alleged clandestine, secularist ultra-nationalist organization in Turkey with possible ties to members of the country’s military and security forces. The would-be group, named after Ergenekon, a mythical place located in the inaccessible valleys of the Altay Mountains, is accused of terrorism in Turkey. 330 of armed forces commissioned officers and generals are behind bars now accused of participation in an attempted coup d’etat. The Turkish media is persecuted. The New York based Committee to Protect Journalists reports, «The government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has waged one of the world’s biggest crack¬downs on press freedom in recent history. Authorities have imprisoned journalists on a mass scale on terror-ism or anti-state charges, launched thousands of other criminal prosecutions on charges such as denigrating Turkishness or influencing court proceedings, and used pressure tactics to sow self-censorship. Erdoğan has publicly deprecated journalists, urged media outlets to discipline or fire critical staff members, and filed numerous high-profile defamation lawsuits. His gov¬ernment pursued a tax evasion case against the nation’s largest media company that was widely seen as politi¬cally motivated» (1). That’s what gives rise to protests each time the official Ankara calls for intervention in Syria. Erdogan tries to take advantage of the chaos caused by the Arab Spring in order to make Turkey become a dominant regional power, but the plans are not echoed by due public support.

Not so long ago the relations with Syria were the backbone of Turkish foreign policy. The bilateral trade was burgeoning, the visa regime was repealed. Erdogan and Assad spent vacations together. The Greater Middle East concept authors exerted pressure on Turkey to make it change the policy in 2011.

The present situation in the region is a real headache for Turkey. The support of rebels requires huge expenditure. Turkey had to accommodate over a hundred of thousands Syrian refugees on its soil spending over 300 million dollars for the purpose. But it’s not the main issue of concern. The international terrorists have moved to Syria from North Africa. Where will they strike next? The politicians in Ankara have reasons to be anxious about the future after the Syria’s crisis is over. The Patriot air defense missiles deployed in Turkey are a real irritant for the «Allah servants».

Now the events unfold in the aftermath of Patriot deployment. The Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front, a Marxist group with a history of political violence in Turkey, claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at the American Embassy in Ankara releasing a statement calling the United States «the murderer of the peoples of the world.» The organization came out in support of Assad, the explosion was not the first terror act committed by the group. This time they killed an embassy guardian, a few passers-by were wounded. The suicide bomber had enough explosive to destroy a three storey building.

Former U.S. ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson, speculated that the masterminds of the embassy bombing may have been partly motivated by U.S.-Turkish policy on Syria. «A successful attack would embarrass the Turkish government and security forces, and it would have struck at the United States, which is widely – if wrongly – thought to have manipulated the Erdogan government into breaking with Bashar al-Assad and supporting efforts to remove him from power», Wilson, director of the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center at the Washington-based Atlantic Council, wrote in an analysis. «That might rekindle public support for the group. Alas for DHPK/C, this seems unlikely», (2) he added.

One can recall thousands hit the streets in Turkey to protest the government’s policy at the times the situation in Syria aggravated. In October 2012 the Turkish parliament sanctioned new military actions against the neighbor, the demonstrations flooded Istanbul. No doubt, anti-NATO and anti-US sentiments will flare up again when the flows of extremists coming from Syria will reach critical numbers, they will mix up with Kurdish militants and become part of a «terrorist cocktail» that would serve as a tool to destroy the state.

According to estimations, there are about 15-20 millions of Alevi Muslims in Turkey or one fourth of population. Unlike the Kurds, the Turkish Alevis don’t have plans to create an independent state; their only demand is equality with the Sunni majority. But they have strong blood ties to Syrian Alawites and are capable of influencing Turkish policies. In case the situation worsens again, there would be enough Alevis ready to lend a helping hand to Damascus.

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party is a Kurdish organization which has since 1984 been fighting an armed struggle against the Turkish state for an autonomous Kurdistan and cultural and political rights for the Kurds in Turkey. It’s a leading Kurdish force in the Middle East. The Damascus consent to cede the control over the Kurdish inhabited territories in Syria was inspiring for their brethren in Turkey. Syrian government forces have abandoned many Kurdish-populated areas, leaving the Kurds to fill the power vacuum and govern these areas autonomously, including providing for their own security. The Kurds saw the action as a step on the way of establishing an independent state together with their brethren in Iraq. Under the circumstances, the radicalization of Turkish Kurdistan is inevitable. Actually it is already taking place. Kurdish militants regularly attack Turkish military and officers of justice. The Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) is a Syrian affiliate of the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). It is one of the most important Kurdish opposition parties in Syria as well as a charter member of the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change and the People’s Council of Western Kurdistan. The PYD calls for the constitutional recognition of Kurdish rights and «democratic autonomy», rejecting classical models such as federalism and self-administration. While condemning authoritarian rule in Damascus, the PYD is responsible for disrupting Kurdish efforts to form a united opposition front. Its influence among the Turkish Kurds is on the rise.

* * *

The stability of Middle East has always been intertwined with interethnic and interconfessional relations in the region. General order and Ankara’s siding with radical extremist forces engendered by the Arab Spring are incompatible things. The Turkey-fuelled rebellion in Syria will hardly be limited by the territory of one country; it could spill over and destabilize Turkey itself. Today Ankara coordinates activities with Washington’s Persian Gulf puppets on strings. But Turkey is a major actor in West Asia; it has much greater international responsibility in comparison with the Gulf oil monarchies. Will Turkey be able to be up to par and face its international responsibility with dignity?

(1) http://cpj.org/reports/Turkey2012.English.pdf

(2) http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/national_world&id=8978129

 

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The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

Arab Info Ministers Council Decides on Bahrain’s Request against Manar, Nour

Local Editor

Arab Information Ministers Council decided in its 44th round to refer Bahrain Kingdom’s request to cancel the memberships of Al-Manar TV Channel and Al-Nour Radio Station from the Arab States Broadcasting Union to the latter’s general assembly. Similarly, Bahrain’s request to stop the broadcasting of Al-Manar and Al-Nour on Arabsat and Nilesat was referred to the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat) and the Egyptian Company (Nilesat) to review the Lebanese Media Group’s commitment to the contracts and agreements signed with them. Lebanese Information Minister Walid Daouk had hoped earlier, during the meeting which was held in Cairo, that “the issue between the Bahraini authorities and the Lebanese TV channel Al-Manar and radio station Al-Nour would be eventually settled on positively,” NNA reported. Speaking during the meeting, Daouk said that “both stations are licensed by the Lebanese authorities pursuant to the according effective laws and regulations.” “The Lebanese laws and regulations emphasize the importance of preserving good and fraternal relations among Arabs. Lebanon also confirms commitment to this essential matter and seeks to have special and excellent ties with everyone,” he assured. Bahrain had issued a request to stop broadcasting the Lebanese Media Group Al-Manar and Al-Nour due to their coverage of the anti-regime protests in Bahrain in a way which the latter considered “biased”. الوزراء العرب يبحثون وقف بث قناة المنار ‏الأربعاء‏، 16‏ كانون الثاني‏، 2013 أوقات الشام التزمت «المجموعة اللبنانيّة للإعلام» (تلفزيون «المنار» وإذاعة «النور») الصمت التام، تجاه طلب مملكة البحرين وقف بثّ «المنار» و«النور»، المرفوع لـ«مجلس وزراء الإعلام العرب» المنعقد في القاهرة. واتهمت البحرين المجموعة «بالقيام بدور تحريضي ضدّ المملكة أثناء «الأحداث» التي شهدتها البحرين منذ العام 2011، وتبني وجهة نظر المعارضة » رغم ان القناة إستضافت معارضين و قياديين من لسلطة و نقلت أخبار السلطة و المعارضة, و ذلك في اجتماع المجلس في دورته الرابعة والأربعين الذي عقد أمس في القاهرة، قرر المجتمعون إحالة طلب البحرين على «اتحاد إذاعات الدول العربية» و«المؤسسة العربية للاتصالات الفضائية» (عرب سات) و«الشركة المصرية الصناعية» (نايل سات). وذلك لا يعني وقف بثّ «المنار» و«النور»، بل مراجعة «مدى التزام المجموعة اللبنانية للإعلام العقود والاتفاقيات المبرمة معها». وعلمت «السفير» أنّ هذا الإجراء يعني وأد الطلب البحريني. وقال مصدر مقرّب من «المنار» إنّ المحطّة التزمت الصمت عن الطلب البحريني، على غير عادتها في محطّات مماثلة سابقاً (المنع في فرنسا مثالاً)، لتترك المجال لتحرّك سياسي، قادته الوزارات اللبنانيّة المعنيّة (الخارجيّة والإعلام)، ورئاسة الحكومة، لعدم تصعيد الموقف. ويشير المصدر إلى أنّ «المنار» و«النور» تلتزمان بالعقود والاتفاقيات كاملة، ما يعني أنّ ترحيل الملف بعيداً عن جدول أعمال المجلس، يعني وضعه على الرفّ. حيث شكّلت «المنار» منبراً صريحاً للمعارضة البحرينيّة،دون أن تتجاهل تصريحات القادة البحرينيين ويبدو أنّها كانت مصدر إزعاج حقيقياً للسلطة البحرينيّة التي نجحت بالحصول على صمت الفضائيات العربيّة الأخرى، إزاء الاعتقالات وعمليّات التعذيب والقتل في المنامة. وإن كان المقرّبون من «المنار» متفائلين بالحلّ السياسي المبرم في الكواليس، لا شيء يؤكّد أنّ السلطة البحرينيّة ستتنازل عن موقفها، فعلياً. فهل تلقى «المنار» مصير “قناة الدنيا السورية» و “الإخبارية السورية” و “الفضائية السورية”. مقررات «مجلس وزراء الإعلام العرب» تستحقّ التوقّف عندها، خصوصاً أنّها دعت «الدول العربية والجهات المتضررة مما تقوم به بعض المحطات الفضائية من حملات إعلاميّة مسيئة ضدها، لللجوء إلى القضاء، وضرورة تفعيل العقود المبرمة بين مشغلي الأقمار الاصطناعية والقنوات الفضائية بحيث تتضمن بنوداً تلزم القنوات الفضائية ميثاق الشرف الإعلامي العربي، وان الخروج عن هذا يتيح لهذه المؤسسات وقف البث». وهذا ما يحتمل تأويلات عديدة، خصوصاً أنّها دعوة صريحة لجعل الفضائيات العربيّة تتفادى توجيه أيّ نقد صريح للأنظمة العربيّة، بحجّة أنّها “حملات إعلاميّة مسيئة”, في حين كل الفضائيات العربية الرسمية خرقت الاتفاقات العربية تجاه الازمة السورية. وتضمّنت قرارات المجلس الطلب من وزارات الإعلام العربية وضع قوانين تنظيمية على مستوى كل دولة من الدول الأعضاء «تجرّم عملية القرصنة الفضائية والمتمثلة في التشويش على الأقمار الاصطناعية العربية، مع ضرورة وضع العقوبات اللازمة وتنفيذها ضدّ المخالفين»، بحسب «الوكالة الوطنيّة للإعلام». وقرر مجلس وزراء الإعلام العرب «دعم جهود اتحاد إذاعات الدول العربية والمؤسسة العربية للاتصالات الفضائية (عرب سات) لاتخاذ الاجراءات الكفيلة بإيجاد الحلول المناسبة لمعالجة التشويش، ومن أهمها عقد ندوة دولية في تونس لدراسة مشاكل الداخل والتشويش الساتلي وإيجاد الحلول الممكنة بمشاركة مؤسسة الاقمار الاصطناعية الدولية والاتحاد الدولي للاتصالات والهيئات الدولية، وكذلك جميع الهيئات التلفزيونية العربية». و يذكر أن الجامعه العربية التي تبحث وقف بث قناة المنار و تعاني من صمت مطبق تجاه التهويد في القدس و الإستيطان في الضفة الغربية و القدس فضلا عن التواطؤ مع الصهيوني ضد السلطة الفلسطينية.

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The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

Murdering the Truth

Dr. Paul Balles Salem-News.com

Israelis haven’t wanted the gory truth out.

Gaza TV facility being attacked by Israel

(MANAMA, Bahrain) – Judging from the latest Israeli attacks on Gaza with its bombs and missiles, Palestinian journalists have been doing their best to get the news reported.

Son of BBC journalist

Robert Hardman describes Gaza as “one of the most desperate and dismal places on Earth…a place so poor that 80 percent of the population eat aid agency bread and the zebra in the local zoo turns out to be a painted donkey.”

If the Israelis aren’t simply keeping the Gazans locked in their open-air prison, they’re providing the Palestinians with the kind of deprivation the Israelis imagine their ancestors endured in concentration camps.

A number of columnists have written about the treatment of Palestinians in Gaza. Most have been internet journalists, since the mainstream Western media is under Israeli control.

A few Western journalists, following Operation Cast Lead and since, have had to do their investigative reporting from outside of Gaza.

Meanwhile the local Palestinian journalists have kept the Arabic speaking world informed, contrary to the wishes of the Israelis, who haven’t wanted the gory truth–the images of their missile massacres–revealed in any language.

Now, Israeli airstrikes in Operation of Pillar of Cloud targeted two buildings that house journalists in Gaza injuring nine journalists. Other attacks resulted in deaths to three journalists.

The international Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has written a letter to Benjamin Netanyahu insisting on an explanation of Israeli targeting of journalists in Gaza.

According to CPJ “Israeli officials have broadly asserted that the individuals and facilities had connections to terrorist activity but have disclosed no substantiation for these very serious allegations.

“On November 18 and 19, airstrikes targeted Al-Shawa and Housari Tower and Al-Shuruq Tower, both of which are well-known for housing numerous international and local news organizations.”

It has been a consistent practice of the Israel Defence Force (IDF) to target civilians–especially women and children–and then to try to justify their murders by claiming that the victims were terrorists or being used as human shields.

Two cameramen for the Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV, were driving away from an assignment at Al-Shifaa Hospital when an Israeli missile hit their vehicle, and the two men were killed.

Here’s some raw footage of Israel’s wars on the defenceless people of Gaza.

“THE WORLD SHOULD SEE THIS; UTTERLY REPREHENSIBLE,” wrote one journalist.

Don’t stay away from this video because it’s sickening. Bear with it; and after your stomach settles, write to U.S. congresspersons and senators, all of whom gave Netanyahu 95 standing ovations when he addressed Congress.

Don’t let the Western media propaganda of the past convince you that Israel was exercising a right to defend itself. You will see much more than self-defence on the video.

You should then make the connection between the advanced military hardware used to kill journalists and innocent civilians provided by generous donors in America.

Some of those donors in the Congress have authorized 10 Billion dollars in aid for Israel’s faux defence. Where do you think the gargantuan military gift to Israel is coming from? From all of the taxpayers in America.

Why would an American taxpayer contribute to the purposeful slaughter of innocent women and children who have had nothing to do with any useless missiles fired into Israel?

The answer: they have been cheated by a media under Israeli control.

Since the Palestinian media hasn’t been controlled, the Israelis simply blow up the buildings and journalists who are writing about and photographing the truth.

Congratulations, America. Keep it up until enough husbands and fathers of murdered wives and children move to avenge the losses you support.
___________________________________

Throughout his life as an educator, Dr. Paul J. Balles, a retired American university professor and freelance writer, has lived and worked in the Middle East for 40 years – first as an English professor (Universities of Kuwait and Bahrain), and for the past ten years as a writer, editor and editorial consultant.

He’s a weekly Op-Ed columnist for the GULF DAILY NEWS . Dr. Balles is also Editorial Consultant for Red House Marketing and a regular contributor to Bahrain This Month. He writes a weekly op-ed column for Akbar Al Khaleej (Arabic). He has also edited seven websites, including bahrainthismonth.com, womenthismonth.com

Paul has had more than 350 articles published, focusing on companies, personality profiles, entrpreneurs, women achievers, journalists and the media, the Middle East, American politics, the Internet and the Web, consumer reports, Arabs, diplomats, dining out and travel. Paul’s articles on Salem-News.com are frank and enlightening. We are very appreciative of the incredible writings Dr. Balles has generated for our readers over the years, and we are very pleased to list him among our most valued contributors.

Indulging the hard subjects that keep the world divided is our specialty at Salem-News.com, and with writers like Dr. Paul Balles on our team, we amplify our ability to meet challenges and someday, will see the effects of this exist in context with a more peaceful and generally successful world.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
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The Reporters Without Borders, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), ARTICLE 19, the International Press Institute have finally issued a joint statement in which they express their deep concern about the life of the kidnapped Ukrainian journalist Anhar Kochneva.

By Reem

– December 13, 2012 – Posted in: Sideviews

Syria: FSA threatens to kill all Russians, Ukrainians and Iranians in Syria.

The Reporters Without Borders, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), ARTICLE 19, the International Press Institute have finally issued a joint statement in which they express their deep concern about the life of the kidnapped Ukrainian journalist Anhar Kochneva.

In addition, this joint statement of the partly non-objective associations is urging the heads of the foreign-backed “Free Syrian Army” (FSA) and the staged “Syrian National Coalition” (“Syrian Opposition Coalition”) to ensure that Anhar Kochneva is safe and soon released by the gang of kidnappers, which seem to be a part of the military wing of the external Syrian opposition, which is made up of Syrian Exiles and Islamists.

The Ukrainian Journalist Anhar Kochneva is set to be executed today by her kidnappers, although it is questionable whether this armed radical group will really execute her – due to the fact that they could use this journalist as leverage and also as human shield. This armed group behind the kidnapping of Anhar Kochneva has also warned that it would now start to target all Iranians, Ukrainians and also Russians in Syria. This is, to be honest, not surprising.

That the joint statement of the Reporters Without Borders, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), ARTICLE 19, the International Press Institute also calls on the British, French and US governments as well as on the European Union (UN) to work with “their” external staged Syrian opposition in order to facilitate the release of the journalist Anhar Kochneva is also not surprising. It either shows who are the masterminds and supporters behind the “Free Syrian Army” (FSA) or who is really responsible for this fucked up situation in Syria.

Anhar Kochneva – Video by the Kidnappers.

The Ukrainian journalist has reported the truth about the foreign-backed terrorists of the “Free Syrian Army” (FSA) for Russian and Ukrainian newspapers till she was kidnapped near the Syrian city of Homs in the beginning of this October. The gang of kidnappers have threatened to kill the kidnapped journalist if a US$ 50 million ransom is not paid – of course, nobody will pay a US$ 50 million ransom for her. It is questionable what the Syrian authorities and the Ukrainian authorities have done since the information about the kidnapping of Anhar Kochneva.

At least, the Ukrainian authorities urged the Syrian government to increase its work in helping to free Anhar Kochneva and the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Aleksandr Dikusarov said that he expects “concrete results” now in the attempts to release the journalist.

The kidnappers are meanwhile not really concerned about their situation and they published a video answer to the statements of the Ukrainian authorities. In this video response, the kidnappers, which are probably a part of the Western-backed “Free Syrian Army” (FSA) in Syria, threatened to target the Ukrainian, Russian and Iranian embassies in Syria and also all Russians, Iranians and Ukrainians on Syrian soil.

The Ukrainian news channel “Ukrainia” has broadcasted this video response of the kidnappers in which the armed insurgents said, among other things, that they “urge not to let a single Russian, Ukrainian or Iranian alive out of Syria”. The Ukrainian side said in terms to the latest video of these religious fanatics that the authenticity cannot be verified and thus, there is no response of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry to the latest threats of this foreign-backed group in Syria.

Of course, these armed radicals claim that the Ukrainian journalist Anhar Kochneva would be a spy and that she was not only carrying weapons but also working as an interpreter for Russian officers. This is a lie in order to justify their misanthropic behaviours.

At least, the International Press Institute, Reporters Without Borders, CPJ and ARTICLE19 doubt the statements of the formerly published videos after the kidnapping of Anhar Kochneva and so these organisations do not believe the questionable claims of the kidnappers in Syria.

“We are deeply concerned that in both video appeals the journalist seems to be speaking under pressure.” (Quote of the joint statement)

It is, at least, a good step that these associations finally care about a journalist in Syria, although she is no journalist of the side that these associations usual support.

The behaviour of some of these allegedly good associations since the beginning of the foreign-driven “revolution” in Syria has often been very hypocritical and thus, it was hard to answer the question whether these organisations are better than Human Rights Watch and amnesty international, which are both just propaganda tools and no real objective organisations for human rights and peace.

Meanwhile, a car bomb exploded in Qatana, which is near the Syrian capital of Damascus. This next car bomb has cost the lives of at least 16 people, including women and children, while 25 other people have been injured due to the explosion of this car bomb by the Western-backed “Free Syrian Army”.

According to SANA, the Syrian state news agency, seven children are among the victims of this car bomb that was located in a car near a Syrian school in Qatana. Already on Wednesday a series of explosions hit the Syrian village Aqrab and has cost the lives of at least 125 people.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian
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Zionist Entity Urged to Justify ’Targeting’ Journalists: Watchdog

Local Editor

The Zionist entity must provide an “immediate and detailed explanation” for its targeting of journalists and media buildings during last month’s Gaza conflict, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Sunday. In a letter to the Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the watchdog said it was “gravely concerned that Israeli airstrikes targeted individual journalists and media facilities in the Gaza Strip between November 18 and 20.” The New-York based CPJ noted that two cameramen for Hamas’s Al-Aqsa television station and the director of the private Al-Quds Educational Radio were killed by the Zionist army during its eight-day military campaign to halt rocket fire from Gaza. At least three media buildings, including one housing AFP’s Gaza office, were hit during the conflict. “Israeli officials have broadly asserted that the individuals and facilities had connections to terrorist activity but have disclosed no substantiation for these very serious allegations,” the letter reads. “We request your government provide an immediate and detailed explanation for its actions,” CPJ executive director Joel Simon wrote. Netanyahu’s spokesman Mark Regev said the Zionist entity would reply to the CPJ’s letter via its US ambassador. “There were a number of situations where terrorist operatives used journalists as human shields, in those cases we acted as surgically as humanly possible,” he allegedly said. CPJ said all journalists “regardless of the perspective from which they report” were entitled to protection under international law. “The Israeli government does not have the right to selectively define who is and who is not a journalist based on national identity or media affiliation,” the group wrote. River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

Syria: New Video of kidnapped Journalist Anhar Kochneva

Susana Al Halabi

– November 29, 2012 – Posted in: Sideviews

Syria: Staged Video with Ukrainian journalist Anhar Kochneva.

The Ukrainian journalist Anhar Kochneva was kidnapped in Syria some weeks ago. It is already over 45 days ago that an armed group has kidnapped the journalist. Meanwhile, the Syrian and Ukrainian sides were contacted in order to help in the process that she finally is set free from this group of the so-called “Syrian rebels”.

The Ukrainian journalist Anhar Kochneva is clearly a hostage of a group that is in relation with the Western-backed “Free Syrian Army” (FSA). This has been already confirmed by a previously published video.

Just recently, a new video with the journalist Anhar Kochneva has appeared on the internet. In this video, which was probably recorded in Syria, the armed kidnappers have forced the journalist to say that she is a spy.

So the Ukrainian woman Anhar Kochneva confesses in front of the camera that she is a spy – and it is clear that she was forced to do so. It even goes further. The journalist who was so fearless to still work and travel in Syria, after all the threats by the members and supporters of e.g. the “Free Syrian Army” (FSA) and the staged foreign opposition like the “Syrian National Council” (SNC) and the new staged “Syrian National Alliance” (SNA), was even forced to confess in front of the camera that she was working for the Syrian military as a translator and that she has also contributed in the fighting. That is, honestly, a complete nonsense.

Anhar Kochneva – Video by the Kidnappers.

After all, it is nothing new that armed groups within Syria force some hostages to confess such things. The Ukrainian journalist Anhar Kochneva has disappeared for over 45 days and that she was kidnapped by one of the Western-backed groups in Syria was never far-fetched. The first assumptions were already correct, sad but true. Anhar Kochneva needs help and is hopefully released soon by the armed gang.

Of course, one might think that the circulating picture of Anhar Kochneva carrying a Kalashnikov suggests that she is a spy or that she contributed in the battles, but that is really nothing more than pure nonsense. In addition, the statements that are also circulating and also made in this new clip with Anhar Kochneva from Syria are to put into question.
In previous statements and earlier reports about the course of events of the kidnapping of this Ukrainian journalist in Syria, there was no information about any captain from the Syrian army and who had the duty to protect Anhar Kochneva.

Anhar Kochneva wanted to get back to Damascus after a lecture in the Syrian coast town of Tartous but as a colleague of her has told some time ago, Anhar seemed to be on a new story suddenly and she has changed her plan to get back to the Syrian capital.

This new video with the journalist Anhar Kochneva that was recorded by the “Free Syrian Army” (FSA) thugs in Syria (perhaps around the Syrian city of Homs) is a bad but sad joke and a huge farce. Anhar Kochneva is no spy, neither for the Syrian nor for the Ukrainian side that would even be standing to reason, considering that she is a Ukrainian journalist and not a Syrian journalist or a Russian journalist like it was first assumed by some.

After over 45 days of her kidnapping by Al Qaeda FSA terrorists near the city of Homs, central Syria, the kidnappers release another video of the kidnapped prominent Ukrainian Journalist Anhar Kochneva forcing her as it seems to state that she was a spy and was working for the military as a translator, and that she contributed in the battles. (Source)

Like the Blogger apxwn has pointed out, it seems to be a smear campaign against the media agency ANNA-News or, at least, it looks like this, considering some further statements and mentioned dates. Honestly, it is no surprise that the armed thugs, Islamists and groups of fanatics in Syria, which are still supported by foreign powers, want to get rid of ANNA-News.

The media agency ANNA-News (even it is small compared to a lot of other agencies) had and has no fears. It still reports from places in Syria, now even together with Kreml TV. For example, there is almost daily a new “live stream” by ANNA-News and Kreml TV from Syria (e.g. in and around the Syrian capital Damascus).

The new video with the kidnapped journalist Anhar Kochneva is a huge stunt and staged clip. Anhar Kochneva was forced to say all what she has said in this new video. One can only hope that this fearless Ukrainian journalist is still alive and will be released by the armed thugs in Syria.
This video is another staging by the religious fanatics and mercenaries in Syria and although it includes stupid statements, one can be sure that the lowbrow supporters and radical religious followers of the staged “revolution” in Syria will buy it.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!
 

Biased Washington Post!

Here we go again, “Palestinian-controlled” American Media through its “anti-Semitic” Washington Post outlet, dared to publish a “biased photo” on its front page!

“Anti-Semetism” and “Anti-Israel” bias in USA knows no boundaries.

The photo was of a grieving father who works for BBC in Gaza,  and his baby Omar, 11 months old, who happen to “die” after an Israeli warhead  struck his house.

“Jewish groups and American Jews in large numbers wrote to the ombudsman and to Post editors, protesting the photo as biased“.

The Palestinian-controlled Washington Post defends the publication of the photo, saying there were no photos of Israeli child deaths to “balance” this image.

Zionist Entity Targets Press in Gaza, including Al-Manar Office

Local Editor

Even Press is targeted by the Israeli enemy in Gaza. At least nine journalists were injured on Sunday as the Zionist air forces targeted Ashorouq building in the strip.

The building which includes offices for several International and Arab televisions and news agencies, including al-Manar office, was targeted by an Israeli airstrike early on Sunday.

Al-Manar Correspondent said he was fine, along with al-Manar staff, after they left the building shortly before the raid.

Nine journalists were injured in the raid; most of them were members of al-Quds television’s crew.

Meanwhile, AFP news agency said the Gaza-based offices of a Kremlin-funded international Russian TV broadcaster were severely damaged Sunday in an Israeli raid on Ashorouq building.

The agency said the raid completely destroyed the offices of Al-Aqsa TV.

Few hours later, al-Mayadeen correspondent reported that the Zionist entity warned the foreign journalists who have offices in Ashorouq building to leave the structure.

Source: Al Manar TV Russian TV office destroyed in Israeli attack on Gaza –   River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!