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News, July 2012

 

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Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

 
Mitt Romney Praises his Israeli Masters for Stealing Palestinian and American Fortunes

By Hassan El-Najjar

Al-Jazeerah, CCUN, July 31, 2012


The U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney made his pilgrimage to the Zionist, Apartheid, racist state of Israel, to pledge allegiance and loyalty to his masters there.

He expressed his admiration of his Zionist masters by telling them they are rich and their enemies, the Palestinian people, are poor because of culture (below). Basically, he implied that Palestinians are poor because they are Muslims and Christians while Israeli Zionists are rich because they are Jews.

Romney has chosen to ignore the fact that Israeli Zionists have dispossessed the Palestinian people of their homeland. They stole the whole country, with help from world Zionists who control US-EU governments and force them, through their control over corrupt politicians, to provide the Apartheid state with continuous economic, financial, and military aid, since 1948.

Politicians like Romney are groomed and supported by Zionists until they occupy the highest offices in the legislative and the executive branches of governments. The objective is to make sure that the US-EU governments continue their support to the Zionist state in its continuous wars of destroying Arab and Muslim states to pave the way for the emergence of the Israeli empire in energy-rich Middle Eastern region.

So, Mitt, Israelis are not rich because of their intelligence or hard work or innovations in service for the world peace and civilization. They never did any of that. Rather, they are rich because they stole the Holy Land of Palestine from its legal and rightful owners, the Palestinian people, who have lived in their ancestral homeland for thousands of years, even before Abraham arrived to Cana'an from Iraq.

Whether you like it or not, Mitt, the present-day Palestinians are the true descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as well as the Cana'anites and the Philistines. Most of them became Christians then Muslims but they are still descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The Zionists you admire are mainly of Central Asian, Khazari, and Eastern European origins. They have no roots in the Middle East and no affinity to the Semites of the region. Because of their continuous persecution of the Palestinian people and their continuous wars on almost all nations of that region, they presented themselves as the ultimate anti-Semitic ruthless invaders, who are not interested in coexistence with other nations around them.

The other major reason why the Israelis are rich is the continuous financial, economic, and military aid extracted from the US and EU countries through crooked politicians. The U.S. is $15.4 trillion in debt, mainly as a result of the Zionist global war on Muslims planned by Wolfowitz-Pearle-Feith and implemented by Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld. However, corrupt politicians have not stopped sending more than $3 billion to the Zionist state every year.

By the way, pirates and invaders were also rich throughout history by stealing fortunes of good people. Gamblers of our time, like your Zionist backers and handlers, are also rich.

May God guide Americans to defeat you in this coming elections, so the U.S. and Iran may be saved from the devastating war your Israeli masters want you to launch on their behalf.

Amen.


=============================================

Romney angers Palestinians with pro-Israel comment

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM —

CBS News, July 30, 2012

Mitt Romney's campaign stop in Israel left behind furious Palestinians charging that the Republican presidential candidate hasn't fully grasped the complexities of one of the world's most intractable conflicts.

Romney's sweeping embrace of Israeli government positions — especially on the Iranian nuclear program — came as no surprise. But Palestinian — and some Israeli — critics say he overshot by seeming to snub the Palestinians' President, dismiss their claims to Jerusalem, and suggest their culture is inferior to Israel's.

That came on Monday when Romney addressed the stark economic differences between Israel — a high-tech powerhouse with the per capita income of a developed nation — and the poorer Palestinians. Romney told an audience of affluent Jewish donors — including gambling magnate Sheldon Adelson, who is pumping millions into a crusade to defeat President Barack Obama — that some economic historians have theorized that "culture makes all the difference."

"You notice a stark difference in economic vitality" between Israel and the Palestinians, Romney said, proceeding to badly flub the economic output numbers on both sides. "And as I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things," he said, citing an innovative business climate and the Jewish history of thriving in difficult circumstances.

Palestinian leaders were outraged.

"The statement reflects a clear racist spirit," said Palestinian Labor Minister Ahmed Majdalani. "If Romney came here to rally Israeli and Jewish support in the U.S. election, he can do that without insulting the Palestinian people."

As criticism mounted as he traveled from Israel to Poland later Monday, campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said the candidate's comments were "grossly mischaracterized." The Republican's campaign contended Romney's comparison of countries that are close to each other and have wide income disparities — the U.S. and Mexico, Chile and Ecuador — showed his comments were broader than just the comparison between Israel and Palestine. While speaking to U.S. audiences, Romney often highlights culture as a key to economic success and emphasizes the power of the American entrepreneurial spirit compared to the values of other countries.

Palestinians noted that Romney's comments did not address the stifling effect of Israel's occupation. Although Israel withdrew its soldiers and settlers from Gaza in 2005, it continues to (blockade the Palestinian territory and) restrict Palestinian trade and movement there and in the West Bank. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have said repeatedly the Palestinian economy can only grow in a sustainable way of Israel lifts those restrictions.

Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian official, said Romney's comments are hurting U.S. efforts to restore Washington's standing in the Muslim and Arab world.

"There are 57 Muslim and Arab countries here, and while U.S. diplomats are exerting every possible effort to explain their position, here comes Romney, with no knowledge of the region, its history and culture, and gives such statements, which will only serve as ammunition in the hands of extremists in this region," Erekat said.

In recent years, the U.S. has remained constant in its support for establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel, regardless of whether a Democrat or a Republican sat in the White House. But two decades of on-again, off-again U.S.-led peace efforts have been bedeviled by violence and have not nudged the sides towards a final peace deal that would settle borders and other issues.

"We need the U.S. as an honest broker for peace, between us and the Palestinians," said Alon Liel, a former senior Israeli Foreign Ministry official. "It's not enough being a friend. If we don't have the honest broker, we don't have peace. There are no signs that Romney understands it."

Deputy Israeli Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, a former Israeli ambassador to Washington, came to Romney's defense, saying he was impressed by "his intellect, by his breadth of knowledge and his vision."

It's become the norm for U.S. presidential hopefuls to make a stop in Israel in hopes of winning support from Jewish voters in the U.S., and Palestinian officials say Romney's embrace of Israel's positions was expected, especially with polls showing a close race. Romney apparently hoped to exploit the sense that Obama's relations with Israelis and the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been rocky.

Israeli officials received Romney warmly as he agreed with Israel that Jerusalem is Israel's capital, disregarding the Palestinians' claim to the war-won eastern sector, annexed by Israel in 1967 in a move that is not internationally recognized. Romney also suggested he was open to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, something the Israelis have long sought but the U.S. has refused to do because it would imply recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the entire city.

Romney also spoke categorically about protecting Israel from Iran's nuclear ambitions, which both Israel and the U.S. think are directed at producing bombs, despite Tehran's denial. He also cancelled a planned meeting with Israel's opposition Labor Party leader, sparking concerns among Israeli commentators that Netanyahu and his visitor appeared so politically allied that it might endanger Israel's standing in Washington if Obama were reelected.

During his 36 hours in Israel, Romney did not make the 30-minute trip to the West Bank or seek a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, though he did meet briefly with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in Jerusalem. Romney left Israel on Monday.

Romney's remarks also managed to offend some Jews, who thought the talk about Jewish prosperity played into an anti-Semitic stereotype. "When I heard the association between Jews and money, it really caused me some uncomfortable feeling, I must say, because that was what was said by anti-Semites all over the years," said Abraham Diskin, a political science professor at the Inter-Disciplinary Center outside Tel Aviv.


Laub reported from the West Bank. Associated Press writers Diaa Hadid in Jerusalem and Mohammed Daraghmeh in Ramallah, West Bank contributed reporting.

Palestinian officials say Romney undermining peace process

Ma'an, 30/07/2012

(Reuters/Jason Reed) By Jihan Abdalla

RAMALLAH (Reuters) --

Palestinian officials accused US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Monday of undermining peace prospects by calling Jerusalem "the capital of Israel", ignoring Palestinian rights and most world opinion.

Romney used the term on Sunday to sustained applause from his Israeli audience in the Holy City, during a trip to present himself as Israel's closest ally ahead of the Nov. 6 election contest with President Barack Obama.

"We condemn his statements. Those who speak about the two-state solution should know that there can be no Palestinian state without East Jerusalem," Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Reuters on Monday.

"What this man is doing here is just promoting extremism, violence and hatred, and this is absolutely unacceptable," he said. "His statements are just rewarding the (illegal Israeli military) occupation and aggression."

Israel seized eastern Jerusalem during a 1967 war. A UN Security Council resolution condemns a 1980 Israeli law that declared Jerusalem the "complete and undivided" capital of the country as a violation of international law.

Most countries, including the United States, have not recognized Israel's declaration and have kept their embassies in the coastal city of Tel Aviv.

Previous US presidential candidates, including Senator Obama in June 2008, have referred to Jerusalem as Israel's capital ahead of elections, only to row back when taking power and suggest the issue should be resolved by negotiations.

A senior aide to President Mahmoud Abbas, Nabil Abu Rudainah, said Romney's statements were unhelpful, stood in the way of a peace settlement and "contradict the previous positions held by the American administration".

Palestine Liberation Organization secretary-general Yasser Abed Rabbo said: "American policy makers must abandon hypocrisy and stop attempting to gain votes at the expense of the Palestinian people's rights."

Hedging bets

He added: "Mr Romney must understand that such an era has ended and Arab nations who are rebelling for the sake of freedom and dignity will not allow him to mess with their fates in order to win some votes."

Romney met Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad briefly in Jerusalem on Sunday, but did not travel to the nearby occupied West Bank, focusing primarily on Israeli leaders.

In an interview with CNN, Romney refused to be pinned down on whether he would recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital if he beats Obama and wins the White House.

"A nation has the capacity to choose its own capital city, and Jerusalem is Israel's capital," he said.

"I think it's long been the policy of our country to ultimately have our embassy in the nation's capital, Jerusalem. The decision to actually make the move is one, if I were president, I would want to take in consultation with the leadership of the (Israeli) government which exists at that time. So I would follow the same policy we have in the past."

Pressed on whether he would make the move on becoming president, Romney said: "I'm not going to make foreign policy for my nation, particularly while I'm on foreign soil. My understanding is the policy of our nation has been a desire to move our embassy ultimately to the capital."

Seeking American Jewish and fundamentalist Christian votes, Romney has criticized Obama on Israel, alleging last year that the President had "thrown Israel under a bus" in pushing hard for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.

Direct peace talks brokered by Washington ground to a halt in 2010 and attempts to get the two sides back to the negotiating table have since failed.

Romney did not criticize Obama by name during his two-day stay but made some pointed criticisms of his policies.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak made clear on Monday he was happy with the support received from the US president.

"This American administration of Obama has been giving unprecedented backing to Israel's security ... This administration has done a lot to maintain Israel's qualitative advantage," he told Israel Radio.

Romney courts Jewish donors, says occupied Jerusalem capital of Israel

[ 30/07/2012 - 02:04 PM ]

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

US right-wing republican candidate Mitt Romney claimed on Sunday that the occupied city of Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and vowed to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem if elected president.

In a speech described as an attempt to bootlick the Jewish audience and donors of his presidential campaign, Romney emphasized, during a visit to Jerusalem, the shared interests and values between the US and the Israeli regime.

He also gave a solemn pledge to block Iran from achieving its nuclear aspirations and to stand by Israel if it decided to use military force against Iran.

"The ayatollahs in Iran are testing our moral defenses. They want to know who will object and who will look the other way," he said. "We will not look away nor will our country ever look away from our passion and commitment to Israel."

Political analysts opined that Romney declared himself in advance as a warmonger when he made an irresponsible full commitment to siding with Israel against its enemies by every conceivable means.

Mitt Romney arrived in the occupied Palestinian territories late on Saturday to meet top Israeli officials, deliver a public speech and hold a major fundraiser for his presidential campaign.

Romney raises over $1 million at end of Israel trip

July 29. (Reuters/Nir Elias) By Steve Holland
JERUSALEM (Reuters) --

US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Monday tapped Jewish-American donors for more than $1 million, ending a trip to Israel that aimed to show he would be a better ally than President Barack Obama.

After days in which Romney spoke mostly on foreign policy issues, the fundraiser returned him to more comfortable turf -- the state of the US economy, which he sees as the main issue in the Nov. 6 election.

It was the second fundraiser of Romney's trip abroad. He picked up $2 million from Americans in London, as the candidates compete for cash for the expected multi-million-dollar burst of political TV ads in the last 100 days of the campaign.

Las Vegas casino owner Sheldon Adelson, an ally of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well, sat to Romney's left at the breakfast event in Jerusalem.

Adelson had backed Romney rival Newt Gingrich in the Republican primary, but has turned his support to the former Massachusetts governor.

Adelson has contributed some $10 million to a "Superpac" that supports Romney. A Superpac is an outside group not directly affiliated with a campaign that can support a candidate.

 (This is one way of how Zionists control the U.S. political system, in addition to their control and ownership of the mass media).

'Stark Difference' of Income Between Israelis and Palestinians


Romney received a warm welcome from Israeli leaders as he tried to portray himself as a better friend of Israel than Obama, whose relationship with Netanyahu has been testy.

While Romney carried a clear pro-Israel message, he also noted a "stark difference" in the average incomes of Israelis and Palestinians -- $25,000 and $1,000, respectively.

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, who held a brief meeting with Romney on Sunday, told Reuters in a Twitter exchange they had discussed "the peace process and the economical challenges in Palestine."

But on Monday, Palestinians accused Romney of undermining peace prospects by calling Jerusalem "the capital of Israel," ignoring their own claims to the city and most world opinion.

Romney used the term on Sunday to sustained applause from his Israeli audience in Jerusalem.

"We condemn his statements. Those who speak about the two-state solution should know that there can be no Palestinian state without East Jerusalem," chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Reuters.

Romney began his foreign trip in London, where he irked Britons by questioning their readiness to host the Summer Olympics.

Romney heads to Poland later on Monday, where he is scheduled to meet with Solidarity leader Lech Walesa in Gdansk, as well as Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and to visit a World War Two memorial.



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