alanjjohnstone
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We shouldn't over-focus on the potential wealth of Golan's resources. In 1967, it was occupied for strategic reasons and those have not disappeared. The Golan Heights offers the military of Israel commanding heights. Oil or no oil, Israel will be reluctant to surrender this advantage. If we seek to link it to resources, then it is water that is central as ALB's link and Wikipedia confirm.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44079831France has condemned as "unacceptable" a US move to re-impose sanctions on companies trading with Iran.The action from Washington followed President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of a landmark deal that sought to curb Iran's nuclear programme.French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said European companies should not have to pay for the US decision.The US says firms have six months to halt business and cannot enter into new contracts or they will face sanctions.
What the Bundists said was your homeland was where you were born and live and you stay to resist anti-semitism, not flee.Even though now defunct their arguments still remain valid. Netanyahu and his ilk, however, expressed the traditional response of the Zionist when he announced in France after an atrocity against Jews that the Jewish diaspora should emigrate to Israel.https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-to-french-jews-israel-is-your-home/And, of course, the only source of cheap housing is in the illegal settlements in the Occupied territory. After all, Tel Aviv has seen protest marches and demonstrations against rents and prices.The term "settlement" suggests some sort of frontier-style but these are sizable towns and many inhabitants commute to work to Israel proper.With half a million Israelis in the West Bank, i find it difficult to perceive a solution that is either creating a Palestinian Bantustan nation which cannot be viable, or civil war amongst the Israelis if relocation becomes the route of reconciliation with the Palestinians. The admittance of Palestinian refugees back into Israel, will not be permitted as it upsets the demographics of Israel too much.The present status quo seems ideal for Israel. America pays for its defence, EU pays for Palestinian upkeep and the PA police the inhabitants. As Norman Finkelstein explains – it is an occupation without cost to Israel. South African apartheid did come at a price and that is why white South African business compromised with concessions. I simply do not see any significant social movement in Israel that is moving towards any sustainable agreement with the Palestinians …and i cannot see any Palestinian answer whether it is the One-State or Two-State being acceptable or even possible.We are fated to have the conflict to continue for many more generation. Israel effectively besieged that it has to build a big wall around itself and the Palestinians state-lessAnother sign of my gloom and doom analysis, i am afraid.The only hope on the far horizon is an increased secularisation of both populations and the Jewish diaspora distancing themselves from Zionism and Israel…and Palestinians demanding the end of being refugees in Lebanon and elsewhere and insisting on full citizenship in the countries they dwell.
As i mentioned in #45, if Begin had still been around and prime minister, repeating Einstein's description of him would have been classed as anti-semitic because "Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis." is also classed as anti-semitism.And there are still a number of Israeli politicians that still fit Einstein's portrayal of Begin "…closely akin in its organization, methods, political philosophy and social appeal to the Nazi and Fascist parties…"…their current defence minister Leiberman being one, imho.So that clause, too, can be subjected to restricting fair comment.
I would have expected the UK meia to have highlighted this interview with Assad…but ignoring it demonstrates that the media are reluctant to provide full information.http://www.dw.com/en/syrias-bashar-assad-talks-world-war-chemical-weapons-and-political-solution-in-new-interview/a-43734655"I hope we don't see any direct conflict between these superpowers, because this is where things are going to be out of control for the rest of the world," Assad said in the interview,
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israel-iran-crisis-live-updates-war-golan-heights-syria-air-strikes-nuclear-deal-netanyahu-rouhani-a8344501.html Netanyahu said Israel's air strikes were “appropriate” because Iran had “crossed a red line.” Theresa May has told Benjamin Netanyahu that Britain supports Israel's right to defend itself against Iranian aggression during a phone call today."The Prime Minister condemned the Iranian rocket attacks against Israeli forces, and said we strongly support Israel's right to defend itself against Iranian aggression," Ms May's office said in a statement. Angela Merkel's office says the German leader has condemned an Iranian rocket barrage on Israeli positions in the Golan Heights in a phone conversation with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/may/10/labour-mps-back-antisemitism-measures-rejected-by-corbynJewish leaders also argued Labour should adopt the IHRA definition – including all its clauses and examples. However, Labour is concerned about one of the examples of potential antisemitism given in the IHRA definition: “denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, eg by claiming that the existence of a state of Israel is a racist endeavour”.Concerns were raised that this example could preclude criticism of Israel’s creation, though its defenders argue it is meant to highlight that the concept of a Jewish homeland is not in itself racist.
Britain could increase its funding to the Syrian volunteer rescue group the White Helmets following reports that Donald Trump is withdrawing US support. £38.4m went through the conflict, stability and security fund to the White HelmetsIn March, Trump froze a $200m (£148m) package of US aid to Syria, which included money for the White Helmets. The US has given the group $33m to date,
Messages #7 and #25 covers the Irish Republic.The thread has also reported on Northern Ireland restrictive abortion laws # 6, #11, Scotland #20Ealing, London #27We are a world socialist movement and i do my best to attract international commentWhen the Irish referendum is over, you can be assured i would have posted the result.But to repeat my post in #25
Quote:I would expect every socialist with a vote to use it to end of the Irish Constitution's restrictions on abortion. As the Standard wrote:Quote:"…ultimately it is for the individuals themselves to decide…."So regardless of a member's individual view, they should support the repeal of the law to permit that exercise of that individual responsibility.It struck me in the media reporting that today's Israel air attacks are described as retaliation to Iran's barrage upon Golan Heights, none that were aimed at Israel territory itself, yet the fact seems that the Iranians were the ones who were retaliating to the bombing reported above by Marcos, one that took place within hours of the US reneging on the nuclear treaty with Iran.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/09/iran-fires-20-rockets-syria-golan-heights-israel
On cue, Israel has 'retaliated'.The IDF’s Arabic-language Twitter account said its military was “moving” against Iranian targets in Syria and warned Damascus not to intervene. The Syrian capital was shaken with explosions as jets flew overheard before dawn,.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/09/iran-fires-20-rockets-syria-golan-heights-israel
I think this article should be read to understand the reason why limits will always be imposed upon UBIhttps://www.marxists.org/archive/hardcastle/means_test.htm
Quote:Capitalism cannot exist without something which will drive the workers to submit themselves to exploitation for the benefit of the propertied class. That something is poverty and the threat of starvation. The capitalists must have always at their disposal the millions of wage-earners ready to be exploited in order to live. Once allow the able-bodied (i. e., profit-producing) workers to have free access even to the most frugal necessities of life and capitalism is ended. For reasons of stability and security of property the rulers must provide something for those workers whose services are not at the moment required, but it must be so hedged about by restrictions that it does not enable workers to receive from all sources more than will barely keep them alive…One thing is absolutely certain. Any political party which administers capitalism has got to find some means of compelling the workers to produce profits for the capitalists. Nothing but the alternative of starvation will do it. No appeal, whether in the name of patriotism, religion, social duty or anything else will serve the purpose. Capitalism is supported by force and will collapse if the force is withdrawn… capitalism is based on class ownership, class antagonism. The effort to keep the basis but humanise the administration may decrease somewhat the amount of human misery, but cannot solve the problem…Only Socialists have a solution. Society must get rid of the class basis and the system of wage-labour. It must be so organised that people are no longer offered the alternatives of being exploited or of striving to retain or become an exploiter. Wealth must be produced only for use and without the wealth producers being driven to their uncongenial tasks by the whip of starvation wielded by the ruling class and their governments. The incentive must be the common appreciation that work, in which all will co-operate, will be for the good of all. Access to the necessaries and comforts of life must be free. There will be no need for “means tests” for anyone. All will be members of society without privilege one over the other.Quote:Came across this by Proudhon on Jewshttps://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/economics/proudhon/1847/jews.htm
Quote:December 26, 1847: Jews. Write an article against this race that poisons everything by sticking its nose into everything without ever mixing with any other people. Demand its expulsion from France with the exception of those individuals married to French women. Abolish synagogues and not admit them to any employment. Demand its expulsion Finally, pursue the abolition of this religion. It’s not without cause that the Christians called them deicides. The Jew is the enemy of humankind. They must be sent back to Asia or be exterminated. H. Heine, A. Weill, and others are nothing but secret spies ; Rothschild, Crémieux, Marx, Fould, wicked, bilious, envious, bitter, etc. etc. beings who hate us. The Jew must disappear by steel or by fusion or by expulsion. Tolerate the elderly who no longer have children. Work to be done – What the peoples of the Middle Ages hated instinctively I hate upon reflection and irrevocably. The hatred of the Jew like the hatred of the English should be our first article of political faith. Moreover, the abolition of Judaism will come with the abolition of other religions. Begin by not allocating funds to the clergy and leaving this to religious offerings. – And then, a short while later, abolish the religion.A provocative read on Israel's promotion of Islamophobiahttps://dissidentvoice.org/2018/05/the-israeli-government-role-in-promoting-islamophobia-internationally/
Quote:“Islamophobia is not a form of racism. We have long drawn attention to the danger of conflating Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. To do so would impede all criticism of Islam, such that the fundamental rights of [other] religions could not be respected. The CRIF will, therefore, block all resolutions against Islamophobia”.Less than 24 hours after breaking the international agreement that guaranteed Iran would not develop nuclear weapons, President Donald Trump threatened Iran. "Iran will find out, they're gonna find out," Trump said during a Cabinet meeting when asked what he would do if Iran "restarts" its nuclear program. "I don't think they should do that. I would advise Iran not to start their nuclear program. If they do, there will be very severe consequence." https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/05/09/day-after-ditching-international-deal-trump-threatens-very-severe-consequence-if
