Showing posts with label Israel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Israel. Show all posts

PostHeaderIcon Israel’s Netanyahu rebukes deniers of the holocaust

9/25/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post




After yesterday’s speech of Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the General Assembly of the United Nations, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu followed with a rebuke of those who just stand by to watch a leader of nation deny the horror of holocaust and wish a nation to be wiped out on the face of the earth. Netanyahu debunked Iran’s odious assertion that the horror of the holocaust didn’t happen by displaying in the UN assembly a blueprint of the Auschwitz death camp and showing Nazi orders to kill Jews.

“The man who called the Holocaust a lie spoke at this podium. To those who refused to come and to those who left in protest, I commend you. You stood up for moral clarity and you brought honor to your countries. But to those who gave this Holocaust denier a hearing, I say on behalf of my people, the Jewish people, and decent people everywhere -- have you no shame? Have you no decency?"”----Brietbarttv.com(09/24/09)

“Netanyahu, 59, also defended his country against allegations of war crimes in a UN report on Israel’s military offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The prime minister said Israel sought to end rocket attacks on its communities, assaults he said the UN had ignored for years”---Bloomberg.com (09/24/09, Fersiger, J.)

Boycotting Ahmadinejad’s speech, Netanyahu clearly commended other UN delegates among them from Canada, Britain, and diplomats from France, Spain and other European contries who walked out in disdain over Ahmadinejad, the dictatorial leader of Islamic Iran with a long record of human rights violations and disregard of international covenants. The controversial Iranian leader who faced civil unrest and a disputed reelection in Tehran obviously didn’t represent decency and truth---but nontheles, he was welcomed in the UN.

In denying the merciless extermination of the Jews, Ahmadinejad insulted the memory of countless innocent victims of tyranny and evil during the Nazi regime. This comes on the heels of a growing worry that Iran is about to succeed in building a nuclear bomb in violations of UN samctions. If the world is populated with the likes of Amadinejad, the world’s future looks ominously dismal. (Photo Credit: ctv.ca; United Nations) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Iranian president to address UN general assembly in New York

9/24/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post




President Mahmoud Ahmadenijad Iran’s vitriolic president is in New York City to participate in the 64th annual UN General Assembly. The controversial Muslim hardliner who espouses medieval religious tenets to govern Tehran will deliver a speech in the world body of nations. A crowd of demonstrators picket in front of the Big Apple's UN building on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 to air their disdain for the president.

Ahmadenijad has caught media attention for denying the extermination of 6 million Jews during the Nazi regime and for wanting Israel to be “wiped out from the face of the earth.” Such brazen and horrendous rhetoric must have no place in the world community, but it happens right in the United Nations.

Ahmadenijad’s disputed reelection this year has ignited grassroots protests from Iranian opposition whose leaders have been incarcerated and tortured. He is in the forefront of denying the long-suspected nuclear program which the IAEA believes is capable of producing a radioactive bomb, thus posing a threat to its neighbors.

Representing a Muslim country which supports terrorism, Ahmadenijad has been an embarrassment to the United Nations and his people. The religious-led Muslim country is noted for violations of human rights, inspiring resistance from the Iranian people.

For his shameful provocations against Israel, the Canadian delegation intends to abandon the UN assembly during his speech. A Canadian official whose delegation plans to walk out when the Iranian president addresses the assembly said Ahmadenijad’s behavior is shameful.

“He uses his public appearances to provoke the international community, and that is why Canada’s seats will be empty. The gesture is a step stronger than one announced Tuesday by the German Foreign Ministry, which asked other European Union member states to walk out of the General Assembly chamber if Ahmadinejad again denies the Holocaust, or makes anti-Semitic statements.”----Ottawacitizen. Com (09/23/09, Edwards, S.) (Photo Credit: Reuters/ Leonard Foeger; Jasondecrow; AP) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Divided reactions to Barack Obama’s speech in Cairo

6/06/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post




US President Barack Obama who said he came to Cairo, Egypt to find a new beginning between the United States and the Muslims of the world, based on “mutual interest and respect” got mixed reactions from his audience worldwide during his speech on June 4, 2009:

"I think President Obama's speech had a positive meaning. However, we hope it will not become a mere slogan but be followed up in concrete terms," ---KH Salahuddin Wahid, Indonesian Cleric. Antara News Agency. www. Chinaview.net (06.05/09 Tong, X)

"No American president has ever gone out of his way to reach out to the Muslim world in the way that President Obama has. We applaud that. But our applause is discreet rather than rapturous for these are as yet mere words. Were we ever to see all -- or any -- of them transition from rhetoric to reality then the applause would thunder across the world, and bring together the hands of every faith."---The News (Pakistan) Rhetoric and Reality (editorial) www.rferl.org (06/05/09)

"His naivete can be dangerous,” said Aliza Herbst, West Bank Settler. Huffington Post (06/04/09 Gutkin, S)

"This has made him close to the heart of the people. Our people like the person who is honest and address them with frankness and opens his heart and says good words, but not without action," said Salah Mansour, Café manager, Cairo, Egypt VOA News (06/05/09, Desvarieux, J)

"It's a public relations address more than anything else," said Mohamed Habib, deputy leader of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. Reuters. (06/05/09 Alexander, D; Blair, E; Nakhoul. S)

“I feel that the speech was balanced and offered a new vision of rapprochement regarding relations with Islamic states. [His speech shows that the US] will deal with the region's issues with a sense of balance. This includes the Palestinian question, the end to Israeli settlements, Palestinian rights, which must be respected. “----Amr. Moussa, Head of the Arab League.Rhttp://news.bbc.co.uk (06/04/09)



“His bloody messages were received and are still being received by Muslims, and they will not be concealed by public relations campaigns or by farcical visits or elegant words," said Ayman al-Zawahri, al-Qaida's No. 2 in criticizing Obama’s upcoming message. AP (06/02/09, Youssef, M)

"The nations of this part of the world ... deeply hate America…Even if they give sweet and beautiful (speeches) to the Muslim nation “ said Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as reported by Reuters. www.npr.org (06/04/09 Holzma, T)

"It's some of the biggest pile of horseshit I've had to listen to in years.. and I still don't understand what's "historica"l about it?!!"---Hossam el Hamalawy, Egyptian leftist blogger. Guardian.co.uk (06/04/09)

"The Islamic world does not need moral or political sermons. It needs a fundamental change in American policy," said MP Hassan Fadlallah of Lebanon's Hezbollah. Reuters. (06/05/09 Alexander, D; Blair, E; Nakhoul. S)

“Obama has the intention to build goodwill with Muslims worldwide. But so far he is just an actor. This is just a spectacle. The dialogue is good. But if the policy doesn't change, nothing will change." - Dian Teja, 25, watching the speech at a café in Jakarta, Indonesia. www.politicsdaily.com ( 06/04/09 Kraskin, M)

“I think on human rights there were many things that were commendable... but it is disappointing that when he talked about democracy in the Muslim world he wasn't more specific about some of the problems.”---Eric Goldstein. Human Rights Watch. http://news.bbc.co.uk (06/04/09) (Photo Credit: Alex Johnson; Peter Gutierrez x 2)=0=

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PostHeaderIcon Fewer local jobs, rising numbers of OFW’s & fishermen plucked from stormy sea

1/22/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


35,000

As a consequence of the fall of the electronic industry, this is the number workers who lost their job in the major economic zone in Laguna according to reports that reached the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP.) The huge lay-offs put the pressure on workers to leave the country and seek employment abroad. It is consistent with the National Statistics Office (NSO) data showing that Philippine exports fell 11.9 percent to $3.49 billion in November, the second straight month of double-digit loss following a downward slide by 14.8 percent in October.

It is said the country lost $1.18 billion in exports, mostly from electronics ($960 million) in October to November 2008.

In a related development, the closing of Intel's Philippine testing and assembly plant in Cavite this year will displace an additional 1,800 workers (cut down from 3,000 in November 2008) after 20 years of operation.

1,376,823

According to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, the number of overseas Filipino workers (OFW’s) employed abroad totaled to 1,376,823 last year. The number exceeded the 2007 number by about 300,000. Employment abroad has steadily increased from from 867,969 in 2003, 933,588 in 2004, 1,077,623 in 2007 and 1,376,823 in 2008. This indicates the continuing dependence of RP for jobs abroad to provide employment to its citizens.

21

The number of fishermen rescued in the stormy seas of Sabina Shoal in Kalayaan Group of Islands in January 16, 2009. All crew members of M/B Lester, they were safely brought to Puerto Princesa, Palawan after being marooned in turbulent waters for 10 hours.

P330 billion

With the goal of creating 3 million jobs and build infrastructures this year, Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo signed an additional 10% in the stimulus package bringing the budget to P330,000. The 3 million jobs represent a fourth of the 12 million presently unemployed in the country. It is doubtful if this amount is enough to offset the impact of the economic downturn. A 2009 national budget of P1.415 trillion was ratified by the congress.

34

This is number of evacuees from Gaza who arrived in Manila on January 21, 2009. Another 20 is about to arrive after they crossed the Gaza-Israel border on their way to Amman, Jordan. Earlier 16 Filipinos returned to escape the bloody strife between the Israelis and Palestinians which killed more than 1,000 people in three weeks. (Photo Credit: Ian Riley; Diong)=0=



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PostHeaderIcon In war-battered Gaza, Filipinos mull on the price of working abroad

1/12/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post




With no end in sight, the red-hot Israel-Palestinian conflict completes its second week on January 11, 2009 with nearly 900 reported dead and many more wounded, about half of them are innocent non-combatants of war. Regardless of which side we may be in the decades-long hostilities, the clear message is that racial intolerance, religious bigotry, and territorial disputes don’t bring any good.

The duplicity in the exercise of diplomacy, the use of terrorism, and the rejection of a two-state solution by hardliners remain as huge stumbling blocks in bringing peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. The interference of countries that benefit from an unstable Middle East is partly to blame.



Civilians living in the Gaza Strip are in a crossfire that disrupts their lives and threatens their survival. In the bloody exchanges of a protracted cycle of violence, the innocents bear undeserved suffering. Among them are workers and migrants from the Philippines who come to this troubled part of the world mainly for economic reasons.

We can only sympathize with our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who put their lives on line to seek ways to survive and help their families back home. We can only ask for the cessation of the killings---an immediate ceasefire which is unheaded at this time.



According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA,) 16 Filipinos have left the war-torn area and arrived in Manila. Of the 121 still left in Gaza, 69 expressed their desire to evacuate, but the fierce fighting prevents them to do so. It is uncertain if this number includes the illegal Filipinos workers who take risky jobs in the shadows.



This brings us to the problem of our government which sorely lags behind in helping the people to be self-sufficient back home. If jobs and economic opportunities exist in the country, then there are few reasons for our kababayans to insist working in dangerous places like the Middle East. The cost to pay for family separations, isolation, and loneliness is incalculable. It’s sad that our cash-strapped government is in a losing policy of sending Filipinos abroad for the money they’ll earn for the nation's economy. With no sign of stopping, our workers continue to suffer on their own, at times trapped in harm’s way.





Just to land a job, no matter how menial, has been a source of hope and pride among poor Filipinos who ignore the risks of travel outside the country. Yet, this is the reality of our society faces. Adding to the 10 million Filipinos already deployed abroad, a restless stream still wants to leave for the money.

The government must do better than what our officials think is good enough. There will be a season that host countries won't justly pay for the services of Filipinos. To keep the country economically alive there'll be a time when going abroad will be one of our most dreaded options. (Photo Credits: Aryty; Rusty Stewart x 7 photos) =0=



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PostHeaderIcon Israeli air strikes leave 200+ dead in Gaza Strip

12/28/2008 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


As Pope Benedict XVI calls for renunciation of violence during the holy season of Christmas, Israelis and Palestinians are on a bloody confrontation again in the Gaza Strip leaving at least 200 dead and injuring about 400 more. This is the result of heavy air strikes conducted by Israeli troops against militant Palestinian targets in Hamas-dominated territory a week after a 6-month ceasefire truce expired.

The resumption of bombings and killings on Saturday, December 27, 2008, is supposed to be Israel’s retaliation to months of Hamas’ mortar fires and indiscriminate rocket launches which terrorize about ¼ million Israelis who live in the area.

Hamas infrastructures and installations had been destroyed and many security officers were killed or hurt. Gaza residents had been on the state of panic as the death toll rose and the wounded victims flooded hospitals and clinics.

“The offensive sparked angry protests throughout the Arab world, and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the Vatican, the U.N. secretary-general and special Mideast envoy Tony Blair all called for an immediate restoration of calm. The Arab League scheduled an emergency meeting Sunday to discuss the situation.”--- YahooNews.com; AP (12/28/08 Barzak, Brahim)

Hamas, the radical group considered by Israel as a terrorist organization, called for revenge, but Isreali military authorities had been firm in their stance. In spite of the call for calm, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak vowed to widen the military offensive if needed. Israel did not set a time-line on when the air strikes would end.

The long-standing conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians has taxed peace-makers for decades, but a solution has been consistently elusive. Extremist Arabs and Muslims in the Middle East who support the Palestinians call for the annihilation of the State of Israel. (Photo Credits: AP/ Mohammed Zastari; AP/ Mohammed Zastari; AFP; AP/ Mohammed Zastari) =0=




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PostHeaderIcon Orphaned boy, broken peace

12/08/2008 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post
A week of investigation has yielded evidence to suggest that the Mumbai terrorist attack which killed nearly 200 people is linked with the violent Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT,) a radical Islamic group with roots in the Pakistani soil.

The horrendous suffering of innocent people cannot be completely quantified in this recent act of terrorism. It is horrible to imagine that there are people who spend time to destroy lives rather than build them.

In the aftermath of India’s worst terrorist attack, the story of Moshe Holtzberg stuck out as the most heart-rending. The two-year old Jewish tot lost his father Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and mother Rivkha in the killings at the Chabad House during the 60-hour carnage.

If not for the decision of his quick-thinking nanny, Sandra Samuel, the innocent kid could also have been shot dead too. Safely back in Isreal with his grandparents, seeing him cry is upsetting.

Moshe’s uncertain future and those like him don’t bother the terrorists. The orphaned child wails when he remembers his dead parents whose religious mission in India came to an abrupt end.

The boy's young life seems to reflect the state of peace in the world today. It mirrors the trauma people have to endure as as they try to survive the climate of violence which seems difficult to stop. (Photo Credits: AFP/ Lorenzo Tugnoi; AP/ Hillary Levin)=0=

RELATED BLOG: "At least 82 killed & hundreds injured in terror attacks in Mumbai, India" Posted by mesiamd at 11/27/2008

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PostHeaderIcon Naked chicken can’t mate

10/03/2008 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post
The featherless chicken developed by scientists of the Rehovot Agronomy Institute in Tel Aviv,Israel has received mixed reviews. Bred from a meaty broiler and a featherless bird, the naked chicken is thought to be genetic engineering’s answer to the costly cooling systems needed to raise fowls in places with hot weather. Without the feathers, preparing the chicken for dinner will be easier.

Yet, others disagree. Feathers are essential natural protection of fowls from changes of weather and infestations of parasites. Constrained in movement, the birds suffer. Without feathers, they become susceptible to skin diseases, mosquito bites, and sunburn. Naked chickens cannot mate because they are clumsy and unable to flap their wings.

Those concerned with the welfare of animals say humans have no business making the chickens ugly. It’s obscene to tinker with genes, produce “frankenfood” for the convenience of the poultry industry. Photo Credits: www.nextnature.net; xtywebworks) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Iran's Ahmadinejad & the Impotence of the United Nations

9/24/2008 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post
Side by side with the financial crisis rocking America, the threat of terrorism showed its ugly head when Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, made a controversial speech in the United Nations (UN) in New York City today September 23, 2008, highlighting the impotence and hypocrisy of current world politics. His allusion to a pessimistic outlook of America is as though the United States is alone in its march towards a rough ride into the future.

Faced with a global economy, exploding population, dwindling resources, differing value judgments and relativist view of truth, America shares its problems with everybody. This is what is happening in the current economic crisis. The financial flu sweeping the United States is threatening to be a world pandemic of economic and political woes whose end result for the world is scary to imagine.

Wishing bad things to happen for America isn't good to the peace and stability of its global neighbors. Just as the full-blown effects of the present US economic downturn are starting to be felt, the world waits on the edge; nobody knows how it will end. But even without this, Iran has been suffering under the current Islamic regime of Ahmadinejad. Outside the UN headquarters, he is met by protests and jeers by those who disagree with him.



The United Nations (UN) has been inutile in convincing Iran to stop its nuclear program. Effective in fighting certain world problems, UN is “forced” to give air time to Ahmadinejad whose horrific support for terrorism and promotion to destroy Israel sends goose bumps to decent people worldide. Most observers doubt Ahmadinejad's hyperbolic rhetorics and many don’t believe his vitriol and clever pretentions. With a sluggish UN, few nations however speak up and stand against his way.

For not suspending its uranium enrichment, three rounds of UN sanctions hasn't deterred Iran from continuing its nuclear activities. It's this type of UN sanctions that Sadam Hussein endured until after 16 unheeded resolutions which led to the Iraq war that was supported albeit lamely by the UN.

The possibililty of nuclear war is ever more real in the current stockpiles of weapons whose oversight is increasingly becoming more difficult. Serving as a political tool and a weapon of intimidation, the acquisition of nuclear arms by unstable countries like Iran, Pakistan and North Korea is a scary step towards the planet's destruction. It encourages terrorists and extremists to work harder to destabilize the world and make the nuclear cloud closer to reality.



With rogue nations sitting side by side in UN in “cooperation” with those committed to make the world a peaceful place, the challenge of diplomacy is ever more complex and daunting. The world body cannot even agree on who are the terrorists. Having reckless leaders like Ahmadinejad who denies the holocaust, lacks accountability, threatens Israel, and wages proxy wars (Hezbollah and Iraq) could be the signs of what lies in the future. It’s at this late hour that world is learning. Sooner or later, it must wake up and confront the reality at hand. Photo Credits: Ben Heine; Nickolette22; MihaiRomanciuc)=0=
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PostHeaderIcon Amidst complacency and denial, terror persists, USA & the world still on the edge

9/11/2008 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post
Two days before the 7th year after 911, a bipartisan report suggests that the United States is still dangerously at risk of being attacked by weapons of mass destruction (WMB’s.) Democrats critical of Pres. George W. Bush are quick to highlight the dangers. And they don’t leave the psyche of Americans traumatized by the randomness of the attack.

“The report and supporting studies describe the failure of international cooperation to prevent terrorists from obtaining weapons of mass destruction, which they call a major problem. Many countries continue to ignore a United Nations mandate to prevent the spread of weapons; the ability of many countries to monitor potential bioterrorism is "essentially nonexistent," and dangerous chemical weapons stockpiles remain in some countries, including Russia and Libya, the report said.” AP (09/09/08, BlackledgeB; SullivanE.)

In spite of moves to make the homeland secure, the nature of terrorism makes it hard to wipe out the threats. This worry is part of the legacy of 911 when the rules of engagement of war have been defined by a small group of extremists who are bent to make America and the rest of the civilized world accede to Al Qaeda's and other Islamic toxic ideology of hate.

Bringing America down has serious implications in emerging and poor countries like the Philippines whose economies will further suffer in the midst of a threat of war, worldwide recession, dwindling resources, and exploding population. Though Pres. Bush must be credited for foiling a number of plots and in improving security during his administration, many don’t look at it this way. It is hard to see success in prevention that has an astronomical price tag.

The cost of underwriting a protective shield for Americans and the world is causing a toll on the US economy. Only when another attack as spectacular and hideous as 911 will Americans, (especially the cynical and complacent) will realize that the world they know has been turned upside down by a few rogues who wait for the singular chance to do harm and damage. Terror resonates in 911 and the attacks in Madrid, London, Jerusalem, Riyadh, Nairobi, Bali, Manila and other cities worldwide. As security experts experts have said, it’s not a question of if that another attack will be waged, but when. (Photo Credits: AP/TayloC;bp.blogspot)=0=
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