Tell me, who is peaceful, and who is violent? And remember, in England, the police do not normally wear firearms on their sides.
It is being reported that the entire bill for just last weekends riots over the Israeli military action in Gaza in London (one weekend ALONE) is MORE THAN £1 MILLION ($1.45 million USD). Cars were overturned. A Starbucks coffee shop next to the Israeli Embassy was seriously smashed. More here.
So, who is the cause of all this violence? Lets take a look, shall we? And both these videos are from London, on the same day. And all of this in the name of religion. Oh wait.. God is suppose to be peaceful, Allah says kill all those who aren’t Muslim. Good thing I don’t believe in either because in the “religion” that I follow? We don’t waste our time trying to tell the world that we are right and they are wrong. We just laugh at them and go merrily on our way, amused. And no I'm not Wiccan or Pagan either so don’t even go there. But I will say this, if someone comes after me all in the name of God or Allah, then they are personally gonna meet the person they follow. And I ain’t kiddin. I don’t discuss, argue or fight over religion... EVER.
Pro-Palestine
From January 11, 2009 in London.
Pro-Israel
From January 11, 2009 in London. The same day as above.
MORE
Take a guess at who is who....
From January 4th, 2009 in London.
From January 11, 2009 in London
More from January 3rd in London. This time the Bobbies are in riot gear.
So tell me, how long is it before the firebombs start? And how long before this level of violence reaches the United States, as it has everywhere else in the world.
NEW YORK (CNN) — At least nine protesters were arrested in a pro-Palestinian rally in New York that injured seven police officers, authorities said.
The extent of injuries varied from minor to serious, New York police said. Two officers sustained head injuries.
Detective Cheryl Crispin said the protesters taken into custody faced charges ranging from disorderly conduct to reckless endangerment.
In a statement, the NYPD said the officers were injured when trying to break up a fight between two demonstrators.
The demonstrators had gathered on Manhattan’s West Side on Sunday afternoon to protest the Israeli incursion in Gaza.
Over on Atlas Shrugs, there is a description of a woman who was carrying an Israeli and American flag while walking home. She was attacked after a rally, near her home, by a pack of Pro-Palestinian people. As a side note, the woman and man in this account, are not Jewish.
“After walking home from the 42 Street & 7th Avenue Pro-Israel rally, I watched the Muslim rally participants march up 8th Avenue closely controlled by many NYC police to keep them moving along. Even so, it appeared that many of the young men and women were eyeing the bystanders on the sidewalk in threatening way almost challenging someone to disagree with their “death to Israel” and “God Bless Hitler” chants.
I went back to my apartment where I met my boyfriend who had also just returned from the second Pro Israel rally on 39th Street & 7th Avenue. We walked outside the building and across a major midtown avenue on the West Side to buy some groceries. He was still carrying the Israeli flag and we were both wearing baseball caps with the American flag and USA on the brims. A large number of Muslims were milling around since it seems that their rally had reached its end point and was dispersing. Six Muslim men were being photographed with posters with the words, "Praise Hamas and Hezbollah, Reopen the Ovens" and were taking photos of themselves and their posters. Seeing us with the Israel flag, they began screaming, "You're assholes, Kill the Jews, We are going to kill you, This is OUR country," etc.
We went into the corner deli and they began banging on the window and stood outside in a very threatening mob waiting for us to leave. I heard one man say, "She is a female" - very observant. I don't know what this was suppose to signal to his fellow terrorists. When we left the deli a mob of the original Muslims and others who joined them came up to us screaming death to the Jews, and one man around 19/20 years old ran up and with force and hatred threw an egg into my friend's eye. This may not seem like much but I am sure the intent was for the egg shells to be lodged in his eye. The egg was not thrown from afar against his coat but was thrown like a rock would be - to inflict as much harm as possible. The assailant then grabbed our Israeli flag, threw it to the ground, and was spitting on it and wiping his feet on it. When we asked a traffic cop to make an arrest, the assailant ran away down the block but the traffic agent did not answer us nor did he call 911. He passively stood by doing NOTHING.
Two people standing on the street took photos of our attack and said they would email us with the photos to identity the criminals. We then walked back across the street to our building and were followed by a pack of Muslims - about 8 or 10 - who continued to threaten, mock and scream at us. They seemed surprised at our ferocious counter verbal attack. However, they came right within 6 inches of us saying they would kill us. One of the men was about to attack me when my boyfriend saw the assault about to begin and said, "If you touch her, I swear I'll kill you." At that point the original traffic control cop came over and a second traffic agent joined him and forced the crowd to disperse. They asked us to go into the apartment building lobby which we did.
We immediately called the police and asked to make a police report. Two NYC policemen came to the apartment about an hour later hour and took the information. They were very courteous and said they will file the report and a detective is to contact us tomorrow. They apologized for taking so long to come by but explained that there were many incidents of a similar nature that were taking place as the Muslim rally broke up. They also shared that 2 NYC police officers had been attacked at the rally and that the Muslims are 'out of control.'
Without the photos, it will be near impossible to find the Muslims involved. Even with the photos, I am not sure if the police can find the assailant or make an arrest. I am told by an attorney friend, that just the act of following and threatening is a crime in and of itself. Whatever it takes, we'll take it as far as possible to prosecute.
Any ideas as how to pursue this would be welcome. This attack could happen to anyone. This attack happened in midtown Manhattan, a major American city on a Sunday afternoon. Our country is under attack from within. We need to do much more than attend rallies."
This is an award-winning documentary on Radical Islam that has been out for a couple of years however, I think it’s time to bring it back to the surface. My first experience with this movie was back in September when it showed up inside my local Sunday newspaper where some 28 million copies of this DVD have been distributed for free.
Using images from Arab TV, rarely seen in the West, Obsession reveals an “insiders view” of the hatred the Radicals are teaching, their incitement of global jihad, and their goal of world domination.
Obsession examines how seemingly isolated acts of terrorism are seen by radical Islamists as an integral part of a global war or jihad for world domination.
Walid Shoebat is shown in this video. He was born in Bethlehem and became a member of the PLO. He was jailed and after his release came to the US and continued his anti-Israel activities. In 1993, he studied the Jewish Bible in a challenge to convert his wife to Islam. Six months later, Walid realized that everything he had been taught about Jews was a lie.
Nonie Darwish is also in this video. Her father headed the Egyptian military in Gaza and the Sinai when Gaza was under Egyptian control in the fifties. In 1978 she emigrated to America. After 9/11 she realized that her culture of origin is in a head of collision with the rest of the world, and started speaking out about terrorism. She believes that her support to Israel does not take away from her love of her culture of origin.
Mary Matalin, former Assistant to the President, Counselor to Vice President & Political Strategist and Commentator said about the movie:
For those people who don’t understand the threat posed by Radical Islam, and especially for those people who do understand the threat - ‘Obsession’ demonstrates in the clearest possible terms that we must stand up and defend our way of life.
Major General Bentley Rayburn (Ret) of the USAF had to say about ‘Obsession’:
As a retired Air Force Major General who has lived and traveled through the Middle East and has commanded major combat organizations in key Muslim countries, I believe ‘Obsession’ is a movie that every American ought to see. It is the most accurate description I’ve seen of the great struggle that the western world will face for many years to come."
Now the movie does have its share of refuters, calling the movie nothing but a lie filled with propaganda. One such website is “Obsession With Hate” saying that
“there are those who have misused Islam to promote an anti-Western militant ideology” but “Obsession is not an honest critique of violent radicalism. Instead, it is a propaganda piece that seeks to cast a wide net of suspicion of against Muslims by blurring the line between violent radicalism and mainstream Islam.”
“As such, it does not call on credible experts and reputable scholars but resorts to shady characters like “former-terrorist” Walid Shoebat, who has made such outlandish statements as: ‘Islam is no the religion of God Islam is the devil.’”
Those who oppose this movie, mostly Muslims, are quick to note that the movie was produced and made by Jews saying again, it is nothing more than propaganda against Muslims produced by Jews.
Either way, Obsession does show some interesting things. Only you yourself can decide what to get out of this movie, and what the movie is trying to say.
Below is the movie, in it’s entirety. The movie can also be downloaded via Google Video for your iPod.
To quote a line: “This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we’ll be lucky to live through it.”
Yesterday, Dec. 30th, 2008 there were many, many Pro-Palestinian demonstrations across the country. Nearly all, numbering more than 50, were organized by A.N.S.W.E.R. , a U.S. based organization. ANSWER stands for “Act Now To Stop War and End Racism”.
A “National Day of Action” to show solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza was organized by ANSWER, in conjunction with the Muslim American Society Freedom, Free Palestine Alliance, National Council of Arab American and Al-Awda, and the International Palestine Right to Return Coalition. From their website, they state:
“…to be a National Day of Action and are continuing to call for emergency demonstrations across the country to show solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza and to demand an immediate end to the murderous attacks carried out by the Israeli military against the people of Gaza.”
Now I blogged yesterday asking a couple questions. If ANSWER is really an anti-war, anti-racism, anti-terrorist, anti-imperialist organization as they claim, them why didn’t they organize protests when Hamas, who are on the US terrorist list and whose charter includes the annihilation of the Jews in Israel, was sending rockets and mortars across the border on a daily basis? That activity is an Imperialist act.
And if they are a true anti-war organization, they why are they not protesting against BOTH Hamas and Israel, but instead choosing to only protest against Israel? This makes them guilty of anti-Semitism.
“Several anti-war protests in San Francisco organized by ANSWER Coalition featured imagery and slogans some considered anti-Semitic, including the burning of the Israel flag, chants of support for terrorist groups like Hezbolla and Nazi-like arm salutes.” ANSWERS defense? “We strongly abhor all forms of racism and bigotry, including anti-Semitism. At the same time, we don’t believe that criticism of Israeli government policies should be labeled as anti-Semitism any more than criticism of U.S. government policy should be labeled as anti-American.”
But here’s a small sampling of protests around the world and in the United States yesterday. Okay, maybe more than a small sampling.
PROTESTS WITH VIOLENCE AROUND THE WORLD
Antwerp, Belgium
Jewish groups have condemned a Belgian public broadcaster, VRT, for airing a show in which a standup comedian jokes about the Holocaust and the persecution of Jews. Philippe Geubels, the comedian stated that the Holocaust cannot happen again because “Jews are much smarter now.” “They have spread across the world. Try rounding them up! Most are in America so you cannot send them by train to Germany” to die in gas chambers. “What are they going to do if there is a big gas leak in Antwerp? Take the city to court for provocation?” Additionally VRT came under criticism for a recent ad about a travel show focusing on Berlin. It showed a drawing of Hitler as a male stripper giving the Nazi salute in front of a swastika flag. That triggered a protest by teh Germany embassy, which called it “totally tasteless.”
The Arab European League (AEL) organized this demonstration. After the protest disbanded the demonstrators marched towards Jewish neighborhoods, clashing with the police. Car windows were broken, trams and buses were attacked. Now many Jews are afraid to go to out into the streets fearing vandalism and violence.
Odenza, Denmark
A group of Arab youths opened fire Wednesday evening on a number of Israelis working at a mall in the Danish city of Odenza. The Israelis, who were operating a stall in the shopping center, were lightly wounded in their legs.
But thanks to ANSWER, they have brought a nice little taste of Gaza City to the streets of America.
London, England
In London, and anti-Israel protestor snatched a policeman’s cap and set it on fire during a protest. Some climbed israel’s embassy gates and were restrained by police. Crowds chanted, “Palestine must be free from the river to the sea.”
And according to a person on YouTube by the name of “NiceIslamMedia101” which has an icon of a Hamas supporter, and a video that begins showing a Hamas flag, there will be additional protests in London nearly every day. There is a link for more information which leads to the “Palestine Solidarity Campaign” website.
Tehran, Iran
Hundreds of Iranian radicals stormed the British compound in Tehran last night, replacing the Union flag with a Palestinian one and held the consulate for about an hour. Additionally a “fire bomb” was thrown at the gates. A hardline Iranian news agency said that protests against Britain and Egypt, whose embassy was also targeted, would continue.
One demonstrator told the AP TV service: “We brought down the British flag and put up the flag of Palestine so we can send our message.” He said the people of Gaza were being ignored by the world and referred to Britain as an “old sleeping fox”.
Also yesterday, the Mash’had branch of the Basiji Students gathered and took to violent protesting in front of the main gates of the Saudi Arabian consulate. They chanted slogans against Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq and Jordan while carrying placards that had "traitor”, “coward” and “whore” on them. In addition, they threw rocks and heavy objects through the windows of the consulate building. One of the chants was “Woe is you, if Khamenei gives me my orders of Jihad.”
And one more incident occurred at the office of Saudi Arabia’s state-owned airline in Tehran over a Saudi-backed peace initiative with Israel. The group, identified as Ikhwan al-Radwan, or Brothers of Heaven, attacked the office with several Molotov cocktails. Minor damage was reported. The initiative offers Israel normal relations with all Arab countries if it withdraws from lands occupied in 1967 Arab-Israeli war and allows the creation of a Palestinian state with a capital in Jerusalem.
Stockholm, Sweden
Hundreds of demonstrators marched through the Swedish capital to protest against Israel, setting an Israeli flag on fire, and changing, “Israel, murderer, ” “Gaza solidarity,” and “Close the embassy.” “Enough blood! We’ve seen enough,” an organizer with the Swedish Islamic Association told the AFP.
PROTESTS IN THE UNITED STATES
Coming Soon To A Neighborhood Near You And all this in the name of Allah [God]. Radical Islam is NOT a religion, it is a political doctrine of world domination masked as a religion. The demonstrations as seen below, are what will get the United States into a state of Martial Law, especially if violence as seen in other countries begins. Now remember, ANSWER is SUPPOSE to be against anti-Semitism.
Los Angeles, California
Pro-Palestine
About 100 people gathered outside the Federal Building in Westwood. Another protest was underway outside the Israeli Consulate on Wilshire Blvd east of Beverly Hills, where Los Angeles police kept two groups of chanting protestors and supporters separate.
As part of the effort, Friday prayer meetings at more than 70 mosques throughout Southern CA will be dedicated to victims of the attacks. There are an estimated 650,000 Muslims living in So. Cal.
Hussam Ayloush of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said “This is an illegal bombardment by Israel. It is barbaric and it’s even more barbaric that it’s being done by the Bush Administration.” “Gaza’s people are prisoners in their own land. We depend on the help of the American people.”
Sacramento, California
Pro-Palestine
San Francisco, California
Pro-Palestine
This one looks CRAZY nutz. Take a look at “At the back of the hill” to find out what this protest was really like, from a non-Palestinian point of view.
Washington, DC
Pro-Palestine
About 750 keffiyeh-wearing Palestine supporters chanted outside the US State Department. Other reports state only close to 200 participated. What is interesting to note, is that when it came 5pm, out of the 750, only about 30 chose to participate in prayer. This was an ANSWER rally, that was organized by Brian Becker. Also present was Mara Verheyden-Hillard from the National Lawyers’ Guild.
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Pro-Palestine
Quotes that can be clearly heard and note, while people line street and street corners:
A Hijab is a “modest dress for women” that can include a veil to cover the face. The following is yelled by a woman in a partial Hijab, obviously NOT showing ANY modest behavior. ”You’re losers! Your losers! Losers! Your mother’s a whore! Your mother’s a whore! You’re losers. Yea, fuck yourself,” while carrying a sign that says “Nuke Israel”. She additionally yelled, “Nuke Israel. There is no Israel.” Obviously she knows NOTHING about her claimed religion, for if she acted this way in Gaza, she would be at a minimum, stoned to death for her actions.
A group of men yelling and chanting at a car, “Go to Hell! Go to Hell!” Note, they are smiling the entire time with one man carrying a sign saying “Nuke Israel. Go to Hell”.
Another woman, again wearing a partial burka: “Go steal other lands! Go! Murderers! Go back to the oven! You need a big oven, that’s what you need!”
Eventually the crowd begins to get out of control and break through a police line. The Pro-Palestinians cross the street, block the street and approach Israel supporters. Finally, the police step in. You can hear on pro-Israel supporter saying “They are so violent.”
Additional video via “Atlas Shrugs” of the same protest.
Tampa, Florida
Pro-Palestine
Atlanta, Georgia
Pro-Palestine
Kailua, Hawaii
Pro-Palestine
According to the AP, "A small group of placard-waving pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered near U.S. President-elect Barack Obama’s vacation retreat in Hawaii.”
[Obviously these people don’t know that President Bush has sent $85 billion to the UN that is marked for aid to Gaza and the West Bank.]
Boston, Massachusetts [Park Plaza]
Pro-Israel & Pro-Palestine
Boston, Massachusetts
Pro-Palestinian
Pro-Israel
Dearborn, Michigan
Pro-Palestine
Approximately 5,000 people showed up for this protest with the streets lined for eight city blocks. Some marchers chanted, “Gaza, Gaza dont’ cry, Palestine will never die” and “Israel is a terrorist state.” Others chanted, in Arabic, “God is Great” and “a martyr is beloved of God.”
One protestor said that the responsibility for the Israeli attack lies with the US government, which “gives billions of dollars in military aide to Israel.”
Another protestor said he marched to protest, “the aggression and the use of excessive force” by Israel in Gaza. “These are nothing but terrorist acts.”
One group of protestors carried a mock coffin decorated with pictures of dead and injured Arab children and labeled “U.S. Tax Dollars at Work” and “Victims of Zionism.”
Many spoke to at this protest said they had “hope that Obama would address the plight of the Palestinians.”
This protest was called by the Congress of Arab American Organizations. Spokesman Osama Siblani said, “There is disappointment and anger in our community and we need to express it toward the current U.S. administration that has given a blank check to the Israelis.”
The Detroit area has the largest and most concentrated Arab American population in the country, with as many as 350,000 residents in Southeast Michigan of Arab ancestry.
Over a thousand New Yorkers marched through midtown Manhattan, chanting and carrying signs and Palestinian flags on Tuesday. This demonstration was brought together by the ANSWER Coalition, the Muslim American SOciety NY, Free Palestine Alliance, National Council of Arab Supporters, and Al-Awda NY and Al-Asalah NY, among others.
They all gathered in front of the Permanent Mission of Israel to the UN. The spectators covered the sidewalk of the entire block at the corner of 42nd and 2nd Ave. This was the third day in a row for Pro-Palestinian protesting in midtown.
Demonstrators chanted in both Arabic and English, waving Palestinian flags and carrying placards with phrases such as “Olmert, Olmert, What do you say? How many kids have you killed today?” and “Viva viva Palestina.”
Pamphlets were handed out, including a petition to be sent to House Reps, which demands that the US condemn the war in the strongest terms, and that it uphold the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Times of War.
Across the street from 42nd and 2nd Ave was also a pro-Israel counter-protest. Some insults were hurled at these demonstrators. “You should be ashamed of yourself! Stop the ethnic cleansing!” on man screamed.
Ocala, Florida
Pro-Palestine
Roughly two dozen demonstrators gathered Tuesday in from of the Lockheed Martin plant in Silver Springs Shores. Lockheed Martin makes components for Hellfire missiles. One woman states, “This is not over. This is not going to be over for quite some time and this is just the beginning of another long, long, long piece of disturbance in the Middle East.”
One Lockheed employee, saw the protest, went home and got her two adult daughters. They returned to the scene and counter-protested across the street. The three shouted: “Support our troops”, “God Bless America,” and “If you’re so proud of it, go back to Gaza.”
I agree with both women’s statements.
Dallas, Texas
Pro-Palestinian protestors converged at the Dealy Plaza in Dallas.
Now fair warning. I’ve NEVER been considered to be politically correct, however, I am known to speak my mind, fairly on many matters. I am known to listen to both sides, in their entirety, and then go from there. And I do not take race, religion, or sex into consideration. I look at it from the point of view of ethics, simply right and wrong.
In this case, is it right to kill people. Well, that’s according to what you believe. If you are a Christian, the only time it is “okay”, if you will, to kill another person, along with man’s law, is during War. This also includes police actions when one must defend themselves. However, according to other religions, those who do not believe in their religion, and will not convert, should die, all in the name of God. To kill those who do not believe in what you believe, is considered to be a “Holy” act. Yet, when those same people are attacked, and killed, then they are the ones calling it murder. Does this EVEN make sense? Can you say hypocrites? Please, if you are Islamic, please explain that logic to me. And please don’t say that it’s different because Israel is killing children. Hamas is just as guilty of the same crime, if you want to put it that way.
But I have one small question for those who believe in Islam. And remember, I am not Jewish, I am not Muslim, and I certainly wouldn’t be considered Christian. But the question is, “Why are the Jews so bad?” Tell me exactly why they are bad. Who told you that the Jews are bad people? What is the basis for that prior to say, 42 years ago? What exactly did they do, more than 100 years ago, that was so bad? If you can not answer this question, other than because people have told you that, and because your “religion” tells you that, then you are guilty of racism. Welcome to the modern world, not a third world country.
And if you are not racist, then why are you supporting people who chose to vote in Hamas in their government, an organization that is considered a terrorist organization by nearly every country in the world, that has in their charter, the annihilation of Jews. That ladies and gentlemen, is genocide. Its not so nice when it comes back in your face does it?
Now if you are a follower of Islam, you aren’t going to like the way I’ve worded that question about Jews. But I, who is not a follower of Islam, or a Jew, who is an outsider, is trying to understand BOTH points of view from BOTH sides. You can take the attitude that I will never understand because I’m not a follower of Islam and will end up in Hell, or that it’s none of my business, well.. it is my business because this is happening on the streets of the country I live in.
And hey, I’ve been on my way to Hell for a long time, so no biggie in that threat. I never proclaim that I am perfect, and I will certainly go to Heaven. You as a person do not have the right to judge whether I will go to Hell or Heaven, only God can make that judgment. And if that is my destiny, then so be it. Your words of a “devil” or whatever you call those who are not followers of Islam, and saying I should die because of my beliefs does not offend me. Lemme put it this way, I don’t have a problem slinging around a few slabs of bacon in bacon grease coated hands which would do absolutely no physical damage to you. However, is violence towards my attitude worth losing your 40some virgins and existing in Hell for eternity?
Because if anything, I propose a campaign for PEACE on the streets of the United States between Pro-Palestinians and those who are Pro-Israel. Everyone is entitled to the right to assembly and the right to free speech thanks to our Constitution. That is something that is NOT available in MOST Middle East countries, especially to women. And general human rights and ethics entitles you to your own opinion, whether in my opinion, my neighbors opinion, or the person next to me’s opinion is different. Again, an option that is NOT available in MOST Middle East countries.
However, name calling, encroachment, and violence towards an opposite group because of religion and race are not. That is a hate crime here in the United States. I understand that the laws of Israel and of Gaza are different from here in the United States, but so should you. You live in the United States, not in Israel and not in Gaza. Please do NOT bring the Middle East conflict to OUR streets. Isn’t the fighting and way of life there the reason you left and came to the United States to live free?
And if you are so proud of your land, and state that an injustice is being done, instead of bringing violence to our streets here in the United States, go back to Gaza and fight alongside Hamas against Israel.
What you need to realize is that yes, the United States gave aid to Israel however, in the past few days President Bush also gave $85 million in aide to the UN marked for Gaza and the West bank. That’s more money per person for Gaza and the West Bank, than we as Americans got in our “stimulus” checks last year. Our president gave Gaza and the West Bank more money per person for aid, that Congress gave us for economic help.
And if you tell me that I have to make a choice? Then my choice is going to be those who break the law in the United States, according to our laws here, not the laws of Israel or of Gaza, should go to jail. Obviously you don’t like the way we do things here in the United States, so go back to the Middle East where your life was so much better than here… and take your never ending war with you. Oh wait, or is that why you came to the United States, so you could be free.
HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM
Here’s an easy one. Israel stops firing. If Hamas sends a rocket across the border, without provocation, then Israel has the right to send a Hellfire missile in. If Hamas sends two rockets or mortars across the border, unprovoked, then Israel has the right to send two Hellfire missiles in. Deal? I’m sure there’s something in Islam that is similar to “An eye for an eye.” You say that’s no end to the war? Well, hasn’t Hamas been attacking Israel for about ohh.. what seven years and Palestine never complained while you cheered Hamas on? And what about all the other years, basically since the beginning of time?
Because ultimately, the below picture is what all should be working for. Palestinians and Jews side by side, for the same cause. Peace between them both.
SOURCES FOR PICTURES:
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Last Thursday, Nov 13, a fight broke out at UC Berkeley, but this was no “normal” fight. And please note, I am NOT taking sides for ANYONE as you read this. And no, don’t email me or leave a message that I am contributing to the problem. This is not a new problem, there is already a problem there, the problem has been there for 10 years, including a magazine at one time entitled “Zionish: the Forgotten Apartheid” promoting Hamas and Hizbullah, and it needs addressed.
Last week, there was a concert promoting Israel Liberation Week and was sponsored by the Zionist Freedom Alliance student group. Around 5:30 PM three members of Students for Justice in Palestine hung up two Palestinian flags on the building above where the concert was going on. The students said they were responding to the anti-Palestinian lyrics they heard.
Three individuals, which included one who was a performer at the concert, went up to the balcony where the flag was being displayed. All three men were Jewish. A fight broke out.
ASUC officials who witnessed the fight said the three men interrupted ASUC meetings on the second floor in order to reach the balcony. They added that the fight prompted about four members of the audience to run up to the second floor.
“I went up to the second floor because the message they were sending was an abomination to our national rights,” said Gabe Weiner, ASUC former senator. Weiner was handcuffed and later cited with battery by UCPD. One additional student and one non-student were cited for battery, with both of them also being Jewish. (Gabe can be seen in the middle in an unrelated picture.)
Witnesses said that the Arab students shouted anti-Semitic curses and epithets throughout the incident, calling the Jews “Nazis” and “dogs,” and threatening to kill them. According to one witness, as many as 20 anti-Israel students participated in the fight.
Husam Zakharia, said the rap lyrics he heard spurred him to hang up the Palestinian flag. “We’re going to go up and we’re going to put up our Palestinian flag in silent protest-exercising our freedom of speech to say we’re here and we exist,” he said, adding that he was surprised by the reaction. Zakharia was hit in the face during the altercation.
According to blogger who states he has taught part-time at UC for 10 years, “the entire UC system has been plagued for some years by tension between Jewish and Muslim students due to the Israeli-Palestine issue.” Pro-Israel students at UC Berkeley have complained of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic harassment.
In a September incident, a poster promoting Israeli-Palestinian peace on a bus stop outside Eshleman Hall was vandalized with anti-Semitic marks and symbols. The Berkeley Police Department was investigating the incident as a hate crime, which Berkelely Police Officer Andrew Frankel said was “unusual.” [Frankel must not have worked at UC-Berkeley when four years ago, Chancellor Berdhal announced a 30-member task force to tackle hate crimes.]
At the time, the Dean of Students Poullard said he hoped the incidents [of hate related vandalism] would make students more conscious of preventing incidents of hateful speech. “I think it’s a reminder to all of us what we must be vigilant to create a safe space,” he said. “I think something good will come out of this.” [Yea, like what happened last week?]
In early September SJP claimed that one of their boards had been vandalized. The board “displayed an image of the apartheid wall that Israel is constructing in and around the West Bank, as well as a caricature of Handala, a famous cartoon of a Palestinian refugee by cartoonist Naji al-Ali.” One Jewish member of the SJP has argued that there is no such thing as a Jewish nation and that Jews have no claim to any territory anywhere.
Below however, in early October, ASUC Senator John Moghtader and Weiner lead a disruptive protest by Tikvah Students in October at a lecture titled “Israel, Palestine, and the Rule of Law: A Discussion on The Rights and Wrongs of Israel’s Occupation of Palestine.”. Because of this incident, the Jewish Student Union (JSU), student-led body that oversees 15 Jewish student groups, placed Tikvah: Students for Israel on probation.
The president of the JSU told Tikvah that if they issued an open letter to Students for Justice in Palestine apologizing, they would be taken off probation. Moghtader said it wasn’t going to happen. (In 2002, Students for Justice protested a Holocaust Remembrance Day commemoration where 79 pro-Palestinian protestors were arrested. SJP was put on suspension so no one is innocent here.)
Additionally, as for how long this has been going on, lets take a look at a few months in 2002 on UC campuses alone regarding anti-Semitism.
■ Feb 7, 2002 – Pro-Palestinian students staged a protest at the UC-Berkeley calling Israel an “apartheid state” and Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon a war criminal. Demonstrators also staged a skit, during which cardboard models of “Palestinian homes” were crushed by students holding photos of Prime Minister Sharon in front of their faces.
■ Feb 16-18, 2002 – A nationally promoted conference at the UC-Berkeley served as the kickoff for a student-led campaign to encourage universities to divest themselves of stock in corporations that do business with Israel.
■ March 27, 2002 – The UC-Berkeley Hillel Center was vandalized with anti-Israel and anti-Semitic graffiti and the glass front door was smashed in with a cement block.
■ April 6, 2002 – A construction site for new dormitories at UC-Santa Barbara was defaced with anti-Israel/anti-Semitic graffiti including the phrases: “Anti Zion/Nuke Israel,” “God Hates Jews,” and “Burn the Torah.”
■ April 9, 2002 – Campus police at UC-Berkeley arrested 79 pro-Palestinian protestors who had stormed into a classroom building in an attempt to disrupt a Holocaust Remembrance Day commemoration. In the aftermath of the incident, the university suspended the student organization, “Students for Justice in Palestine,” pending an investigation.
■ April 9, 2002 – A “National Day of Action in Commemoration of Massacre of Village of Deir Yassine April 9 1948” was held at UC-Davis, to coincide with Holocaust Remembrance Day activities.
■ April 12, 2002 – At UC-Riverside the Muslim Student Union sponsored a rally and protest for Palestine that concluded with a march to Riverside’s City Hall.
■ April 15, 2002 – Muslim student groups at UC-Berkeley and UC-San Diego posted fliers featuring fabricated, distorted and out-of-context quotations from the Talmud and other rabbinical literature. Samples include: - “A Jew is permitted to rape, cheat and perjure himself, but he must take care that he is not found out, so that Israel may not suffer.” - “A Gentile girl who is three years old can be violated.” - “The Jews are human beings, but the nations of the world are not human beings but beasts.”
■ April 15, 2002 – Al Kalima, the Muslim newsmagazine at UC-Irvine, jointly published a highly anti-Israel publication entitled “Zionism: the Forgotten Apartheid.” The magazine publicly lauds and promotes both Hamas and Hizbullah as legitimate and noteworthy resistance movements. The magazine has also been distributed at UC-San Diego.
■ April 24, 2002 – The Muslim Student Association at UC-San Diego sponsored a talk by Hatem al-Bazian, a speaker whose anti-Semitic and anti-American views were challenged by Hillel members, who placed fliers around campus that featured al-Bazain’s quotes. Muslim students who witnessed what Hillel members were doing began to scream and taunt the Jewish students: one allegedly made threats of physical harm.
■ May 2, 2002 – Following the rejection of a divestment resolution before the UC-Berkeley student government, a group of 500 protestors gathered to object to the University administration’s suspension of the Students for Justice in Palestine group.
■ May 7, 2002 – The Muslim Student Association at UC-San Diego distributed filers on campus titled, “The Jenin Massacre.” At the same time, fliers appeared on campus with an anti-Semitic diatribe written by the right-wing extremist and former Klansman David Duke.
■ May 14, 2002 – At UC-Irvine, an anti-Israeli demonstration featured the display of mock “body bags” of Palestinians “murdered” by the Israeli army.
As for this year, it seems the trend is down, as prior to the above incident, only four cases of bias-related crime has been reported on UCPD this year. Want more examples? How about another? Or another? Or another? There are way too many to list here, and against Jews.
And in 2005 when there was to be an anti-terror rally at Berkeley, that included the wreckage of Jerusalem Bus #19, that was destroyed in a suicide bombing that killed 11 and wounded 45, it almost never took place due to a crowd of 300 pro-Palestinian, and Socialist group protestors. In their protest, the expressed their outrage that Jews, Christians and other supporters of Israel and America had dared to gather and speak out against terrorism. About 40 pro-Palestinian college students waved Palestinian flags and used bullhorns to chant “Down with Israel!” and “Down with the U.S.A..”
RANT:
Obviously the UC system endorses anti-Semitism on their campuses as they continue to let it occur. And remember, I don’t take sides however, it seems that those who are pro-Palestinian are getting away with way too much and when pro-Israel students attempt something, the pro-Palestinian students make their lives miserable based upon the information I have found.
However, I do believe that those groups or individuals on campus that have repeatedly been put on probation or suspension due to basically what should be called hate crimes, should be suspended permanently. What is it going to take before this is addressed on UC campuses? Or is UC-Berkeley turning into a pseudo “war zone” like Israel and Palestine, where there has been fighting since the beginning of time, and thus this kind of activity will continue on also?
When a student can not even walk out of their dorm without fear of having to defend themselves because of their religion, then that school is not worth the paper the diploma is printed on. No student should have to defend themselves to get an education.
This is not the West Bank, this is not Palestine, this is the United States. If you want lines, go to to Israel, as there will be NO LINES of “my area” and “your area” as its “our area” as in WE THE PEOPLE here in the United States and that is what this country is based on. If you don’t like it, then leave it. No one is making you stay here. You want to fight for your religion, then go to Israel. Don’t like what I have to say? Hmm.. FIRST AMENDMENT, thank you. Because I really don’t care what you believe when it comes to God, as long as you aren’t pushing it down my throat, or blowing up or killing people because they aren’t “your” religion.
