Iraq genocide and more, by Mazin Qumsiyeh | Human Rights Newsletter

In this digest:
Resumption of indirect negotiations a waste of time, video
of protest in Nabi Saleh, John Greyson calls on Elton John to cancel
appearance in Tel Aviv, Obama’s wrong appointment to the Supreme Court,
proposal for an commemoration of Iraq Genocide, how an Israeli general tried
to cover-up the murder of Rachel Corrie, and two Nakba articles.

"Every prophet has realized that nobody loves you for being the enemy of
their illusions. Every prophet has realized that most of us want peace at
any price as long as the peace is ours and somebody else pays the price.
That is why the prophet Jeremiah said, " 'Peace, peace,' they say, when
there is no peace" —William Sloane Coffin "Not to Bring Peace, But a Sword"

The indirect negotiations between the most rightist fascist government in
Israel’s history and the weakest, most divided and most unrepresentative
Palestinian leadership in history have started. Their chance of ‘success’ is
near zero.   And in this case success is giving us another Oslo like
arrangement to manage the conflict (as Israel always aimed for) rather than
address the injustice of occupation and colonization and reach a win-win
situation for the people of the region. Repackaging occupation and
colonization in the terminology of a ‘two state solution’ will be attempted
once again.  Meanwhile, Israeli authorities delivered a fresh wave of orders
for home demolitions including here in my town of Beit Sahour.  I believe it
is not worth paying attention to political machinations and concentrate
instead on intensifying our struggle for example on the ground with popular
resistance and internationally with boycotts, divestments, and sanctions (
bdsmovement.net).

Video of Protest by Nabi Saleh last Friday: notice how the soldiers did not
let the protest proceed peacefully and immediately attacked it with tear gas
which prompted stone throwing and escalation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFnaTMLrXSU

Palestinian civil society has called on Elton John to respect their boycott
call and cancel his June 17th concert in Tel Aviv. If he does so, he'll be
joining Santana and Gil-Scott Heron, who recently cancelled their spring
concerts in Israel. This video from Canadian filmmaker John Greyson suggests
six reasons why Elton should join the BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions)
movement. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HSClZbhB5g

Barack Obama’s nomination to the Supreme Court of Elena Kagan, like his
selection of Zionist racist Rahm Emanuel to be his chief of staff proves yet
again that he is no progressive.  Kagan was appointed dean at Harvard by her
mentor Larry Summers, another unabashed Zionist who equated Israeli
criticism with anti-Semitism and is now also in Obama’s inner circle.  Kagan
had called Aharon Barak “my judicial hero. He is the judge who has best
advanced democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and justice.” And who is
her hero?  Please read more about him in this brilliant article: ‘The Legacy
of Justice Aharon Barak: A Critical Review’ by Nimer Sultany
http://www.harvardilj.org/online/113
See also: U.S. Jews 'proud' of Obama Supreme Court nominee
http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/u-s-jews-proud-of-obama-supreme-court-nominee-1.289494

When confirmed, there will be three Jewish Zionists and three right-wing
Christian Zionists on the Supreme court (total two-thirds) when the US
public is mostly opposed to unfettered bias and support to Israeli policies
of destruction and discrimination.  Kagan said she loved the Federalist
Society and supported holding people without trial.  The center for
constitutional rights and other groups in the US voiced concern about
nominating someone who supports the premises and unconstitutional actions
accompanying the misnamed ‘war on terror’. But then again it fits the agenda
of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians to advance fictions and notions
associated with an endless war on terror.

>From my friend Stanley Heller comes a rational proposal: Mark May 12 as Iraq
Genocide Memorial Day
http://www.counterpunch.org/heller05102010.html
http://www.newhavenregister.com/articles/2010/05/09/opinion/doc4be4df9f99932692991250.txt

General 'Tried to Cover Up Truth About Death of Rachel Corrie'
Israeli war hero accused of suppressing testimony that could reveal what
really happened to Gaza activist
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/05/07-1

Two relevant articles as we commemorate the Nakba (the ethnic cleansing of
Palestine):
A Tale of Lies, Deceit, and Terrorism: the Birth of Israel by William A.
Cook
http://mwcnews.net/focus/editorial/2424-william-a-cook.html
The Ongoing Erasure of Palestine By Naseer Aruri
http://www.zcommunications.org/the-ongoing-erasure-of-palestine-by-naseer-aruri


Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD
A Bedouin in Cyberspace, a villager at home
http://www.qumsiyeh.org
Professor, Bethlehem and Birzeit Universities