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“It is protest season once again in Egypt. Scores of activists take to the streets only to be met by hundreds, if not thousands, of black-clad baton-wielding riot police from the Egyptian government. What ensues is almost barbaric; the activists are beaten, abused, often detained and some of the female protesters are sexually harassed. It is a never-ending spiral that has left the country lamenting a continued political stalemate.”

I never believe a word that Elie Wiesel says. I never respected a man who profited from exploiting the holocaust for commercial and political purposes (victims–and he was a victim) can commit injustices you know. During the controversy about Bernie Madoff, Elie Wiesel appeared in the media and court to talk about his Madoff wiped out his entire fortune and fund for this stupid foundation. Yet, today this Wiesel has an anthology of lies and fabrication about Jerusalem contained in a one-page ad in the New York Times. In it, Wiesel discounts Muslim claim to Jerusalem entirely because he said that there was on mention of Jerusalem in the Qur’an at all (a lie because it is here: سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى

“Such claims evoke an unbelievably wide smile from As’ad Abu Khalil. The media expert and political scientist from Stanislaus University in California sees all broadcasters as pursuing a clear ideological mission.”

“Prices of the book, like all commodities, have risen dramatically since Israel imposed an embargo on the Gaza Strip after Hamas movement forced its rival from Gaza in 2007. Israel tightened its restrictions banning virtually all imports except humanitarian basics. The list of banned goods not only includes thousands of items for everyday activities but also cultural items like musical instruments and books. However, plenty of the banned goods can be found in Gaza’s markets as a lucrative smuggling trade has grown along the Gaza-Egypt border through thousands of tunnels underneath.”

“It looks as though the Palestinian Authority (PA), sick of being slated as an Israeli puppet, is trying to reinvent itself as the People’s Authority.”

“Israel gives itself the license to destroy any village and kill its people under the rubric “pre-emptive operation”, sometimes called “retaliation”. Under this principle, you are allowed to think that your neighbour has nasty looks and he may one day decide to kill you. So you decide to take action at once by catching him unaware and kill him. You do not need to see advancing tanks. You do not need any proof. Your mental mindset is enough, especially if you are a racist. That was the explanation given by Israel for the killings in Bureij camp, Qibya, Samou’ and a dozen other places. This policy entered the language of international diplomacy as a respectable word. You see it now splashed on the newspapers’ headlines, although it is in stark violation of the word and spirit of the UN Charter.”

Saudi King, `Abdullah, issues a royal decree to to establish a city named after him.

“Two vehicles in a Palestinian village in the northern West Bank were torched early Friday. The vandals, who have not yet been located, scrawled the words “price tag” on one of the cars. The incident was apparently carried out by settlers, who have taken on the phrase price tag as part of their protest against Israel’s temporary construction freeze in the West Bank.”

So now the US says it is not the delivery of scuds that worries them but the intent: “Washington believes there is a Syrian “intent” to transfer Scud missiles to Hizbullah but there are doubts about whether the Scuds were delivered to the Shiite group, U.S. officials have said. “We think the intent is there,” a senior U.S. official said.”

“Four boys accused of throwing rocks at soldiers were released after a month of administrative detention in an Israeli prison facility, and sentenced to an additional three months of housr arrest in addition to a fine.”

“Last month, UC Berkeley student senate voted 16 – 4 in favor of a divestment bill calling on the university to halt its investments to the companies General Electric and United Technologies, “which support war crimes”. The two companies supply the Israel Air Force with F-16 and Black-Hawk engines. But following an Israeli diplomatic effort, assisted by pro-Israeli students of the Hillel Foundation, the decision was overturned last week. In response to the bill, which has no practical significance and serves only as a recommendation, Will Smelko, president of the Associated Students of the University of California, was bombarded with some 12,000 emails from the bill’s opponents. Smelko used his authority to veto the bill, and the student senators called a meeting on Thursday in an attempt to override the veto.”

“The Palestinian Authority called on Israel yesterday to investigate the death of a Palestinian prisoner in a jail in southern Israel. Issa Qaraqi, minister of prisoner affairs in the Western-backed government of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said 27 year-old Raed Abu Hammad died on Friday in solitary confinement. An Israel Prison Service spokesman said Hammad, who was about half-way through a 10-year sentence for attempted murder, was found dead on the floor of his cell. “Israel is fully responsible for the death of the prisoner because he was sick and Israel and the doctors in the prison authority knew that,” Qaraqi said.”

Nader sent me this: “As’ad, You have to read this article to see the magnitude of sheer Lebanese stupidity and arrogance. There are also references to being among the “top ten” research projects according to the American Chemical Society (you think that will check out?) and to academic conferences… and some White Man Worship. chemical engineer thinks he has discovered a cure for cancer (by blocking cholesterol receptors?!) and he gets defensive when challenged to submit his “cure” to rigorous clinical trials and testing. Among the many precious jewels in the article, I liked this one best, a quote by the “genius”:
“إمّا هو اكبر بكثير من من الأميركيين والأوروبيين الذين جلسوا معي وإمّا ليس مؤهلاً للتحدّث معي”.

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