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Posted on Sunday, 13 January, 2008 By yours truly | TOOLS: Talk or Share
Today I donate the following post to members of Rachel Corrie’s family who recently visited various parts of the middle east. Bonnie Brodersen and Gene Robbins, aunt and uncle to Rachel Corrie, traveled the Middle East in late 2007 with their daughter Emily Robbins, visiting Syria, the occupied Palestinian territories, Israel and Lebanon. These are Gene’s observations.
By Gene Robbins
Two things make this trip different from our two-week stay in Syria two years ago – Emmy’s superb fluency in Arabic and getting out of Damascus for more than just day trips.
We spent 10/19 eating at courtyard restaurants in the Old City of Damascus with Syrian friends (families) of Emily. These courtyards are huge open-air areas originally designed so that women could be outdoors and yet not have to go out in public.
— Read the rest at the Rachel Corrie Foundation website
Posted on Thursday, 17 August, 2006 By yours truly | TOOLS: Talk or Share
So, before submitting the Hezbollywood article to CounterPunch, I came to the realization it was way the hell to long so chopped it up. But then I decided there were enough spare parts for a piece of its own. I re-arranged those, updated some information and submitted that creature to Electronic Intifada. It’s a little more strident in its conclusions, but also a mericfully shorter read.
Posted on Wednesday, 16 August, 2006 By yours truly | TOOLS: Talk or Share
I have to be honest, I didn’t realize this was satire at first. There are so many theories being floated by the whacked-out wingnuts out there that I initially took this as one of them. In actuality, it’s a clever spoof.
Prop rocks?
And if you buy that, he’s got some moon rocks to sell you.
Posted on Tuesday, 15 August, 2006 By yours truly | TOOLS: Talk or Share
Digitally Erasing a Massacre: Why Hezbollywood Was Born
CounterPunch published today an article I wrote on attempts to whitewash the massacre in Qana Lebanon.
If a regular old picture is worth a thousand words, how much does a digitally altered image fetch on the international market today? I ask because a lot of words have been spilled over one digitally altered photograph in particular.
I’ve spent a great deal of time as of late poring over a pair of images, both allegedly derived from a single click of the shutter by Reuters photographer Adnan Hajj on August 5. Both depict a Beirut skyline filled with black smoke after an Israeli bombardment. The one cited as the original unedited version shows a jet blue sky over white, sun-soaked buildings from which inky smoke plumes rise. In the obviously altered second photo, the sky is washed out and pale, the skyline is noticeable higher in the frame, the buildings are darker and have strangely sharpened edges, and the cloud plumes have been digitally cloned with no dramatic or even realistic effect. Smoke just doesn’t look like that.
Posted on Tuesday, 15 August, 2006 By yours truly | TOOLS: Talk or Share
As a solidarity volunteer, I expect to share the suffering of the Lebanese, but seven hours of meetings in one day seems a bit much. I deferred on the committee meeting and will return soon for another at 10:00 p.m. I am awed by the stamina of the Lebanese people.
Our neighbors to the south provided a brief interlude during the second afternoon meeting with an unusually intense bombardment of the southern Beirut suburb of Haret Hreik, shown live on the projection television screen at Thé Marbuta, an as-yet-unopened café in the former Pavillon cinema building now serving as the center of Samidoun, a coalition of Lebanese civilian volunteer organizations formed to deal with a fraction of the million refugees of the Lebanese nakba (catastrophe). We speculate that Israel was using the new gifts from its American uncle, bunker busters that shook the ground even several kilometers away. A good Geiger counter to measure inhaleable uranium dust should be able to determine whether we are right.
If so, it probably marks a desperate effort to assassinate Hassan Nasrullah, the Hezbollah leader, before the ceasefire supposedly goes into effect at seven o’clock tomorrow morning local time. If they succeed, there will obviously be no ceasefire, which is probably what they have in mind. If not, they will have to find another way to sabotage it, but probably not before it already begins. They are very resourceful.
One of the jobs of the committee that is meeting as I write this is to explore the possibility of going south after the ceasefire takes effect but before the international forces arrive. I think it’s an ideal time to confront the Israeli military directly with a civilian action aimed at being in the way, returning Lebanese civilians to the south, and bringing relief supplies to the population that never left. During that time, Israel will have committed itself to refrain from
military action, so it becomes possible to become a nonviolent pain in the butt, something in which the ISM specializes. We would have to be sure that we’re not in the way of armed resistance forces, because that would be dangerous, and we never place ourselves directly between parties engaged in combat. The decision rests with our Lebanese colleagues, but I’m crossing my fingers.
I can’t say that I’m optimistic about having a quiet night. I’m sure Israel will try to get in its last licks before the ceasefire is due to start. Still, it will be easier for me than for those who are more directly exposed.
Have to head back for the meeting. I try to sleep in between, but sometimes it’s easier to succumb during.
Posted on Tuesday, 15 August, 2006 By yours truly | TOOLS: Talk or Share
Beirut, August 13- Marking the passing of a month on Israel’s war unleashed on Lebanon, we, members of civil society that had mobilized from the first days to aid and support the victims of this aggression, launched this Campaign of Civil Resistance. In addition to marking the one-month anniversary of this latest Israeli war against Lebanon, and the anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, (passed August 12, 1949), on August 12, communities around the world protested against the Israeli aggression on Lebanon.
Here, in Lebanon, the first convoy of civilians was to depart on August 12 to the south, whose final destination, pending questions of security on the ground, was to reach Nabatiyeh. The mission of the convoy, as the mission of the campaign, is to mark a stand in solidarity and unity of all the people of Lebanon, to break the siege on the south, and to defy Israel’s policy of forced expulsions, terror and organized massacres of civilians.
We convened on Martyrs’ Square at 7:00 am on August 12th morning. More than 200 people were gathered, supported by more than 50 participants from 19 countries. Fifty cars, carrying more than 250 rations of food and medicines, with more than 15 representatives from the local and international media, proceeded on the path to the south.
The convoy could not reach its destination because it was forcibly stopped at a passageway, located between the site where the bridge and a gas station were shelled recently, in the coastal village of Na’meh by the Lebanese Internal Security, on orders from the Ministry of Interior.
Despite citing concern for our security, the checkpoint at Na’meh remained open for everyone else, including other convoys.
As members of civil society, while our government’s concern for our safety is appreciated, we disagree with our government’s missive. As members of the civil society organizing for civil resistance against the Israeli aggression on Lebanon, we specifically chose not to protest against the Lebanese government’s decision; our struggle is first and foremost against the Israeli war on our people and our country, and we stand for unity among all Lebanese, embodying plural political perspectives.
Nevertheless, we would like to clarify several points. (1) The Lebanese security forces did have notification of our intention to go to the south. Our convoy was widely publicized in the local and international press, and days before conversations were held with members of the Lebanese security forces. (2) We were organizing, and continue to be organizing, acts of
civilian resistance, and not acts of civilian suicide. We were aware of the risks of our action, and we were continuing to study the situation on the ground even during the trip. Our allegiance was not to a particular geographical destination, but to the solidarity with our people and the rejection of Israeli dictates. Furthermore, it is ultimately not a question of risk, but one of choice; Israel has the choice to target and bomb known civilian convoys or not. (3) August 12 marks the launching of this campaign of civil resistance. We will continue to resist aggression until a semblance of justice is achieved, and we will continue to build
for practical solidarity after the aggression ceases. (4) Our convoy was successful in gathering a significant number of committed, serious people to express solidarity with Lebanese and with Lebanon.
We are invigorated by the serious, grassroots amount of support that we have inspired. We will build on this support and work towards committed, long-term solidarity with our people in the south and throughout our beloved country.
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We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusation is not proof, and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law. We will not walk in fear – one, of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of un-reason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men; Not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate, and to defend causes that were – for the moment – unpopular.
