A.LOEWENSTEIN ONLINE NEWSLETTER

• The best way to deal with Netanyahu
• How Palestine inspires the people of Kashmir
• The English Defence League and Zionism; friends forever?
• Don’t tell the major parties but corporate whoring isn’t the only way
• What the US press follows closely
• Young Jews lead the way for Palestinian rights

The best way to deal with Netanyahu09 Nov 2010

How Palestine inspires the people of Kashmir09 Nov 2010 Arundhati Roy in the New York Times powerfully expresses the conflict in Kashmir, America’s willful impotence and the mood of resistance: A week before he was elected in 2008, President Obama said that solving the dispute over Kashmir’s struggle for self-determination — which has led to three wars between India and Pakistan since 1947 — would be among his “critical tasks.” His remarks were greeted with consternation in India, and he has said almost nothing about Kashmir since then. But on Monday, during his visit here, he pleased his hosts immensely by saying the United States would not intervene in Kashmir and announcing his support for India’s seat on the United Nations Security Council. While he spoke eloquently about threats of terrorism, he kept quiet about human rights abuses in Kashmir. Whether Mr. Obama decides to change his position on Kashmir again depends on several factors: how the war in Afghanistan is going, how much help the United States needs from Pakistan and whether the government of India goes aircraft shopping this winter. (An order for 10 Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, worth $5.8 billion, among other  huge business deals in the pipeline, may ensure the president’s silence.) But neither Mr. Obama’s silence nor his intervention is likely to make the people in Kashmir drop the stones in their hands.I was in Kashmir 10 days ago, in that beautiful valley on the  Pakistani border, home to three great civilizations — Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist. It’s a valley of myth and history. Some believe that Jesus died there; others that Moses  went there to find the lost tribe. Millions worship at the Hazratbal shrine, where a few days a year a hair of the Prophet Muhammad is displayed to believers.Now Kashmir, caught between the influence of militant Islam from Pakistan  and Afghanistan, America’s interests in the region and Indian nationalism (which is becoming increasingly aggressive and “Hinduized”), is considered a nuclear flash point. It is patrolled by more than half a million soldiers and has become the most highly militarized zone in the world. The atmosphere on the highway between Kashmir’s capital, Srinagar, and my destination, the little apple town of Shopian in the south, was tense. Groups of soldiers  were deployed along the highway, in the orchards, in the fields, on the rooftops and outside shops in the little market squares. Despite months of curfew, the “stone pelters” calling for “azadi” (freedom), inspired by the Palestinian intifada, were out again. Some stretches of the highway were covered with so many of these stones that you needed an S.U.V. to drive over them.Fortunately the friends I was with knew alternative routes down the back lanes and village roads. The “longcut” gave me the time to listen to their stories of this year’s uprising. The youngest, still a boy, told us that when three of his friends were arrested for throwing stones, the police pulled out their fingernails — every nail, on both hands.For three years in a row now, Kashmiris have been in the streets, protesting what they see as India’s violent occupation.

08 Nov 2010 The increasing ties between the hard-right and Zionism is clear. Israel has few friends in the world and the far-right loves the Jewish state for its abusive treatment of Arabs and Palestinian. Witness the upcoming visit to Israel by Dutch politician Geert Wilders to speak about creating a Pales-tinian state in Jordan. My friend and colleague Reuben Brand was recently in London and sent me the following  exclusive information and photos. They really speak for themselves but note the complete lack of outcry by Zionist groups that Jews are now seemingly working alongside fascists. This is what blind nationalism and Zionism has done to my people. Over to Reuben: Got stuck in the middle of a protest in London a week or so ago. It was outside  “Ahava” an Israeli company that basically steals its produce from occupied territories. Loads of Palestinian supporters rallied outside, effectively closing the shop for a couple of hours. But the Israelis were there in force – it would seem that they have now banded together with the EDL (English Defence League) a Neo-Nazi kind of organisation hell bent on ridding the UK of all Muslims. One flag was a combination of EDL along with the Israeli flag with a caption “EDL Jewish Division”; interesting considering such groups were once responsible  for mass discrimination against Jews…hmmm. One guy was waving a rainbow gay  rights flag and shouting: “No gay rights in Gaza!” “Hamas hates homos!” Have some  pics I’ll send your way if you want (peeps wrapped in Israeli flags, EDL members, Pro Palestine protesters… usual suspects) Reuben continues: I was approached by both sides at the protest, the pro Israel people gave me a flyer that clearly states the following: “THE LIE: The protesters claim that Israel oppresses the Palestinians”   “THE TRUTH:”   “PALESTINIANS: Palestinian terror organisations refuse to recognise Israel’s right to exist and are committed to war against Israel”   “ISRAEL: Israel wants a two-state solution with Israel and Palestine living side-by-side in peace   “PALESTINIANS: There were regular suicide bombings inside Israel on par with our own 7/7 attacks on the British transport system.”   “ISRAEL: Israel managed to put a stop to suicide bombings with tightened security.”   “PALESTINIANS: Now Palestinian people are being oppressed by their own terror organisations just like the Taliban oppressed the Afghan people.”   “ISRAEL: Israel has no choice but to fight Palestinian terror organisations just like our brave troops are fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan.”   “Sadly, in war civilians get killed. Many Afghanistan civilians have been tragically caught up in the  fighting. But the reason for these civilian deaths is that terror organisations like the Afghanistan Taliban and the Palestinian Hamas purposely fight within their own civilian areas. They have no respect for their own people.”   Interesting propaganda line re likening it to the ever so popular war in Afghanistan… and pulling on ye olde heart strings re the 7/7 attacks… The Palestinian side gave me a flyer also – all the info is on their website: http://www.palestinecampaign.org/   That, along with the slogans that were being shouted out made for an interesting day… It would seem that the EDL has some vested interest in joining forces with this mob… Re Ahava: Apparently they have made a submission to the Australian Government re petroleum, gas and mineral explor- ation in the Woomera prohibited areas in SA http://jobs.ahavaresources.com/engineering_&_geology_jobs/mining-&-geology-jobs.html

08 Nov 2010 It is possible to both sustain and support a successful political party without corporate donations, tobacco companies and lobbyists: For the better part of two decades the Victorian Greens have continued to exist by relying on the financial indulgence of its cashed-up members. Following a strong federal vote in August, it has received about $2 million in public funding and is likely to qualify for a further $1.3 million if its vote holds up as expected in the state poll. As a comparison, public funding to the Greens after the 2006 state election totalled $788,000. It will be no comfort to the established political parties, but the Greens are about to become a self- sufficient, on-going political machine. Indeed, the Greens have a growth trajectory unmatched by any minor party in Australian politics. The party will remain a machine dependent on public funding and an army of volunteers, but the days of tapping individuals for bridging finance appear to be over.

08 Nov 2010 This is “news” on the Huffington Post: Michelle Obama shines at state dinner in India

Young Jews lead the way for Palestinian rights08 Nov 2010 This is what democracy about; not respecting leaders who actively oppress another people: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the Jewish Federations General Assembly on Monday was marked by repeated heckling from members of the audience, who were then unceremoniously escorted from the plush ballroom. The first heckler, who interrupted Netanyahu barely moments after he began his 30 minute speech, was ejected while shouting “the loyalty oath delegitimizes Israel”. The prime minister, unperturbed by the interruption, responded by saying, “I was going to talk about delegitimizing Israel but they really have the wrong address.” Subsequent interruptions of regular intervals protested Israel’s occupation, claiming that it too delegitimizes Israel. Hannah King, a 17-year-old student and member of the Jewish Voices for Peace, which organized the protests, told Haaretz that the protesters had been escorted out of the hotel, where they were handed over to the police, although she did not believe that they had been arrested. King said that she had been driven to act as she felt Israel’s behavior went against her Jewish upbringing. “We believe that the actions that Israel is taking, like settlements, like the occupation, like the loyalty oath, are contrary to the Jewish values that we learnt in Jewish day school,” she said. “This is not Tikkun Olam. Oppressing people in refugee camps is not Tikkun Olam. And it is a hypocrisy that I cannot abide.”