Criminalisation of Free Speech, Double Standards, and Hyper-Hypocrisy by William Hanna
Hi all,
happy to publish this new article by the author William Hanna.
Thanks a lot for reading and sharing
Sarah Meyer – ProMosaik e.V.
In what appears to be another
attempt to suppress criticism of Israel, the Canadian government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Israel which makes the claim that
“the selective targeting of Israel is the new face of anti-Semitism” and
declares that Canada will oppose those who support the Boycott, Divestment and
Sanctions (BDS) movement.
attempt to suppress criticism of Israel, the Canadian government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Israel which makes the claim that
“the selective targeting of Israel is the new face of anti-Semitism” and
declares that Canada will oppose those who support the Boycott, Divestment and
Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Shortly after
the MOU was signed, Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney announced to the UN
General Assembly that the Canadian government would exercise “zero tolerance”
toward “all forms of discrimination including rhetoric towards Israel, and
attempts to delegitimise Israel such as the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
movement.”
the MOU was signed, Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney announced to the UN
General Assembly that the Canadian government would exercise “zero tolerance”
toward “all forms of discrimination including rhetoric towards Israel, and
attempts to delegitimise Israel such as the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
movement.”
Despite the embarrassing and shameful sight of their political
leaders continually rushing to fawn and genuflect at the feet of the moneyed
Jewish lobby, there has been a growing international coalition of principled
individuals — such as the (http://www.bdsmovement.net) — who are
opposed not only to Israel’s belligerent disregard for international law and
human rights, but also to the chutzpah of its undisguised subversion of the
democratic process in countries that are supposedly allies. In response to this
audacious threat of people’s opposition to political corruption that precludes
respect for human rights and justice, Israel and its political allies have
chosen to respond with legislation — Bill C-51 for example — designed to intimidate
and suppress such opposition by either threatening to use or by actually using
legal punishments. Nowhere is this iniquitous ploy more evident than in Canada where
slippery Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s right-wing government is widely
regarded as Israel’s strongest bought and paid for ally.
leaders continually rushing to fawn and genuflect at the feet of the moneyed
Jewish lobby, there has been a growing international coalition of principled
individuals — such as the (http://www.bdsmovement.net) — who are
opposed not only to Israel’s belligerent disregard for international law and
human rights, but also to the chutzpah of its undisguised subversion of the
democratic process in countries that are supposedly allies. In response to this
audacious threat of people’s opposition to political corruption that precludes
respect for human rights and justice, Israel and its political allies have
chosen to respond with legislation — Bill C-51 for example — designed to intimidate
and suppress such opposition by either threatening to use or by actually using
legal punishments. Nowhere is this iniquitous ploy more evident than in Canada where
slippery Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s right-wing government is widely
regarded as Israel’s strongest bought and paid for ally.
Fortunately for Canada and its democracy, not all Canadians are
prepared to quietly acquiesce to the surrender of their right to free speech
and the IJV’s positive initiative has resulted in over 80 organisations —
including major trade unions, and labour councils along with civil liberty,
anti-war, religious and student groups — endorsing the statement: “We,
the undersigned organisations, oppose attempts by the Canadian government to
criminalise criticism of or opposition to the actions of any country.”
prepared to quietly acquiesce to the surrender of their right to free speech
and the IJV’s positive initiative has resulted in over 80 organisations —
including major trade unions, and labour councils along with civil liberty,
anti-war, religious and student groups — endorsing the statement: “We,
the undersigned organisations, oppose attempts by the Canadian government to
criminalise criticism of or opposition to the actions of any country.”
Jewish lobby influence is by no means restricted to North
America and in France recently French President Francois Hollande promised that
his government would soon announce a raft of tough criminal laws that crack
down on anti-Semitism, racism, homophobia, and Holocaust denial. His
announcement was made in a speech to CRIF, France’s main Jewish communal body
and Israel lobby group. Hollande added that the Internet needed to be
“regulated” to suppress videos and even search results deemed to be
“anti-Semitic” with an appropriate model being the laws used to prevent the
dissemination of child pornography. Criminalising criticism of Israel would
conflate Zionism with Judaism and restrict the right to the freedom of speech
that was much vaunted following the attack on the Charlie Hebdo French
satirical weekly magazine. Hollande has just reaffirmed his undying support for
Apartheid Israel by urging vigilance against anti-Semitism and racism — but not
the racist Israeli persecution of the Palestinian people — during a ceremony at
the Natzweiler-Struthof camp in Alsace marking 70 years since the last Nazi
camps were liberated by Allied troops.
America and in France recently French President Francois Hollande promised that
his government would soon announce a raft of tough criminal laws that crack
down on anti-Semitism, racism, homophobia, and Holocaust denial. His
announcement was made in a speech to CRIF, France’s main Jewish communal body
and Israel lobby group. Hollande added that the Internet needed to be
“regulated” to suppress videos and even search results deemed to be
“anti-Semitic” with an appropriate model being the laws used to prevent the
dissemination of child pornography. Criminalising criticism of Israel would
conflate Zionism with Judaism and restrict the right to the freedom of speech
that was much vaunted following the attack on the Charlie Hebdo French
satirical weekly magazine. Hollande has just reaffirmed his undying support for
Apartheid Israel by urging vigilance against anti-Semitism and racism — but not
the racist Israeli persecution of the Palestinian people — during a ceremony at
the Natzweiler-Struthof camp in Alsace marking 70 years since the last Nazi
camps were liberated by Allied troops.
One of the finest examples of a double standard was this
week’s main feature of the U.S. Congress where the American Israel Public
Affairs Committee (AIPAC) with an iron Zionist fist and deep Jewish coffers
implements Congressional allegiance to Israel rather than to the American
people. (http://www.hiramicbrotherhood.com/#!The-US-Congress-a-Metonym-for-AIPAC/c1whk/6D245DB5-80C2-443E-B22F-C50018A38E73).
Jewish
Senator Ben Cardin has throughout most of his life been active in supporting
boycotts —including anti-Apartheid boycotts of Afrikaner South Africa—as a
means of achieving racial, social and economic justice. Cardin’s unstinting
humanitarian efforts, however, do not apparently apply to the Palestinian
people whose legal and human rights were once again jettisoned to favour
Apartheid Israel. Cardin introduced an AIPAC-sponsored amendment to a trade bill
that seeks to derail the growing boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS)
movement. (http://www.bdsmovement.net)
week’s main feature of the U.S. Congress where the American Israel Public
Affairs Committee (AIPAC) with an iron Zionist fist and deep Jewish coffers
implements Congressional allegiance to Israel rather than to the American
people. (http://www.hiramicbrotherhood.com/#!The-US-Congress-a-Metonym-for-AIPAC/c1whk/6D245DB5-80C2-443E-B22F-C50018A38E73).
Jewish
Senator Ben Cardin has throughout most of his life been active in supporting
boycotts —including anti-Apartheid boycotts of Afrikaner South Africa—as a
means of achieving racial, social and economic justice. Cardin’s unstinting
humanitarian efforts, however, do not apparently apply to the Palestinian
people whose legal and human rights were once again jettisoned to favour
Apartheid Israel. Cardin introduced an AIPAC-sponsored amendment to a trade bill
that seeks to derail the growing boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS)
movement. (http://www.bdsmovement.net)
Cardin’s amendment is designed to pressure the European Union
(EU) — currently negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
(T-TIP) with the United States — to abandon steps taken in recent years to
oppose Israeli settlements. Such steps have included new guidelines to prevent
either individuals or organisations operating within Israeli-occupied
territories from receiving EU funding and a requirement that settlement
products entering the EU must be labelled accordingly. As presented, the
legislation would conflate Israel with the Occupied Palestinian Territories and
directly contravene decades of official U.S. policy by in part stating that
“the term ‘actions to boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel’ means actions
by states, non-member states of the United Nations, international
organisations, or affiliated agencies of international organisations that are
politically motivated and are intended to penalise or otherwise limit
commercial relations specifically with Israel or person doing business in
Israel or in Israeli-controlled territories.” Inclusion of the term
“Israeli-controlled territories” undoubtedly lends legitimacy to Israel’s
illegal settlements and you cannot get a more kosher double standard than
that apart from Israel’s exemption from criticism despite the First Amendment
of the U.S. Constitution: in the U.S. you can criticise anyone or anything
except the Jews and Israel.
(EU) — currently negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
(T-TIP) with the United States — to abandon steps taken in recent years to
oppose Israeli settlements. Such steps have included new guidelines to prevent
either individuals or organisations operating within Israeli-occupied
territories from receiving EU funding and a requirement that settlement
products entering the EU must be labelled accordingly. As presented, the
legislation would conflate Israel with the Occupied Palestinian Territories and
directly contravene decades of official U.S. policy by in part stating that
“the term ‘actions to boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel’ means actions
by states, non-member states of the United Nations, international
organisations, or affiliated agencies of international organisations that are
politically motivated and are intended to penalise or otherwise limit
commercial relations specifically with Israel or person doing business in
Israel or in Israeli-controlled territories.” Inclusion of the term
“Israeli-controlled territories” undoubtedly lends legitimacy to Israel’s
illegal settlements and you cannot get a more kosher double standard than
that apart from Israel’s exemption from criticism despite the First Amendment
of the U.S. Constitution: in the U.S. you can criticise anyone or anything
except the Jews and Israel.
Congress
shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of
the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition
the Government for a redress of grievances.
shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of
the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition
the Government for a redress of grievances.
U.S.
Constitution, 1st Amendment
Constitution, 1st Amendment
Despite the recent mainstream media hullabaloo regarding a
cooling of U.S.-Israeli relations following Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to
Congress and his subsequent pre-Israeli election pledge that under his
leadership there would never be a Palestinian state, President Obama —was he
blackmailed, bribed or threatened with assassination? — has just approved the sale
of 19 “stealth” aircraft at a cost of $2.7 billion, which will be deducted from
US aid funds to Israel. This not only confirms the influence of AIPAC over
the U.S. government, but also raises the question of how far does Israel have
to go with its violations of international law and and human rights before the
U.S. will finally voice an objection. Can you imagine the extent of
international outrage if the roles of the Arabs and Jews in the following video
clip were reversed?
cooling of U.S.-Israeli relations following Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to
Congress and his subsequent pre-Israeli election pledge that under his
leadership there would never be a Palestinian state, President Obama —was he
blackmailed, bribed or threatened with assassination? — has just approved the sale
of 19 “stealth” aircraft at a cost of $2.7 billion, which will be deducted from
US aid funds to Israel. This not only confirms the influence of AIPAC over
the U.S. government, but also raises the question of how far does Israel have
to go with its violations of international law and and human rights before the
U.S. will finally voice an objection. Can you imagine the extent of
international outrage if the roles of the Arabs and Jews in the following video
clip were reversed?
During
the past few weeks the world witnessed several large scale human tragedies
starting with the capsizing of a fishing vessel overloaded with migrants —with
some 700 reported dead —that caused the Interior ministers and senior police
officials from the 28 countries of the European Union to rush to Luxembourg for
emergency meetings on how to respond to the frequent migrant boat tragedies in
the Mediterranean. The second even greater tragedy was the earthquake in Nepal
where the Prime Minister said the death toll could reach 10,000. Both tragedies
have received — and quite rightly so — extensive mainstream media coverage that
elicited an outpouring of sympathy and the setting up of numerous relief
appeals. While such disasters —the former being man-made and the latter being
caused by nature — are for some reason or other unavoidable, there is much
human suffering and death that can be avoided.
the past few weeks the world witnessed several large scale human tragedies
starting with the capsizing of a fishing vessel overloaded with migrants —with
some 700 reported dead —that caused the Interior ministers and senior police
officials from the 28 countries of the European Union to rush to Luxembourg for
emergency meetings on how to respond to the frequent migrant boat tragedies in
the Mediterranean. The second even greater tragedy was the earthquake in Nepal
where the Prime Minister said the death toll could reach 10,000. Both tragedies
have received — and quite rightly so — extensive mainstream media coverage that
elicited an outpouring of sympathy and the setting up of numerous relief
appeals. While such disasters —the former being man-made and the latter being
caused by nature — are for some reason or other unavoidable, there is much
human suffering and death that can be avoided.
Tragic
as they were, these two disasters also served to highlight the unconscionable
human tragedy of hyper-hypocrisy. This writer cannot recall seeing a similar
international reaction or response during last summer’s Operation Protective
Edge when Israel with its U.S. taxpayer-funded military might pounded the
already hapless, persecuted, and blockaded Palestinian inhabitants of the Gaza
strip. EU leaders did not rush to Brussels to agree on a course of action that
would force Israel to cease its barbaric ethnic cleansing of the indigenous
Palestinian population; that bullshit champion of democracy and human rights,
the U.S., raised not a single forceful objection but continued to obsequiously
provide aid and military assistance to an Apartheid state that with impunity
violates every Article of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights; But worst
of all, we the people, cosseted by an illusionary belief that we are decent and
caring human beings, mostly remained silent, inactive, and consequently
complicit in Fascist crimes against humanity.
as they were, these two disasters also served to highlight the unconscionable
human tragedy of hyper-hypocrisy. This writer cannot recall seeing a similar
international reaction or response during last summer’s Operation Protective
Edge when Israel with its U.S. taxpayer-funded military might pounded the
already hapless, persecuted, and blockaded Palestinian inhabitants of the Gaza
strip. EU leaders did not rush to Brussels to agree on a course of action that
would force Israel to cease its barbaric ethnic cleansing of the indigenous
Palestinian population; that bullshit champion of democracy and human rights,
the U.S., raised not a single forceful objection but continued to obsequiously
provide aid and military assistance to an Apartheid state that with impunity
violates every Article of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights; But worst
of all, we the people, cosseted by an illusionary belief that we are decent and
caring human beings, mostly remained silent, inactive, and consequently
complicit in Fascist crimes against humanity.
So
why did most of us remain silent and inactive during last summer while Israel
killed 2,191 Palestinians including 521 children and 297 women; while 142
Palestinian families lost three or more members in a single strike with a total
of 739 fatalities and 1,500 children being orphaned; while 11,100 Palestinians
were wounded including 3,374 children, 2,088 women, 410 elderly with an
estimated 1,000 children suffering lifelong disabilities; while according to a
UN estimate some 373,000 children were being so traumatised that they now
require special psychological support; while 18,000 housing units were totally
destroyed and approximately 108,000 Palestinians were made homeless; while
according to a UN estimate some 485,000 Palestinians were displaced; while
Israeli attacks caused widespread damage to Gaza’s already frail and dilapidated
electrical grid, run down and in disrepair after seven years of siege and
blockade; while destruction of Gaza’s power plant caused the shutdown of
water treatment plants and Israeli tank fire put Gaza’s largest sewage
treatment plant out of commission; while 419 businesses and workshops were
damaged, and 128 totally destroyed; and while according to a UN report
“Hostilities forced farmers and herders to abandon their lands, and resulted
in substantial direct damage to Gaza’s 17,000 hectares [42,000 acres] of
croplands as well as much of its agricultural infrastructure, including
greenhouses, irrigation systems, animal farms, fodder stocks and fishing boats.
Access to the sea was also prohibited for most of the 50 days of hostilities?” SO
WHY DID MOST OF US REMAIN SILENT AND INACTIVE? THE ANSWER IS SIMPLY
BECAUSE WE FEARED BEING ACCUSED OF ANTI-SEMITISM.
why did most of us remain silent and inactive during last summer while Israel
killed 2,191 Palestinians including 521 children and 297 women; while 142
Palestinian families lost three or more members in a single strike with a total
of 739 fatalities and 1,500 children being orphaned; while 11,100 Palestinians
were wounded including 3,374 children, 2,088 women, 410 elderly with an
estimated 1,000 children suffering lifelong disabilities; while according to a
UN estimate some 373,000 children were being so traumatised that they now
require special psychological support; while 18,000 housing units were totally
destroyed and approximately 108,000 Palestinians were made homeless; while
according to a UN estimate some 485,000 Palestinians were displaced; while
Israeli attacks caused widespread damage to Gaza’s already frail and dilapidated
electrical grid, run down and in disrepair after seven years of siege and
blockade; while destruction of Gaza’s power plant caused the shutdown of
water treatment plants and Israeli tank fire put Gaza’s largest sewage
treatment plant out of commission; while 419 businesses and workshops were
damaged, and 128 totally destroyed; and while according to a UN report
“Hostilities forced farmers and herders to abandon their lands, and resulted
in substantial direct damage to Gaza’s 17,000 hectares [42,000 acres] of
croplands as well as much of its agricultural infrastructure, including
greenhouses, irrigation systems, animal farms, fodder stocks and fishing boats.
Access to the sea was also prohibited for most of the 50 days of hostilities?” SO
WHY DID MOST OF US REMAIN SILENT AND INACTIVE? THE ANSWER IS SIMPLY
BECAUSE WE FEARED BEING ACCUSED OF ANTI-SEMITISM.
Perhaps
if more of us were to speak up and actively oppose having our justified
concerns and criticisms gagged by pro-Israel Jewish lobby groups; perhaps if
more of us were to challenge and if necessary even defy Jewish lobby inspired
legislation criminalising criticism of Israel; perhaps if more of us were to
reject politically correct hypocrisy and insist that national affairs be
conducted to serve justice rather than the lobbied agendas of well financed
special interest groups; Perhaps if more of us would honestly recognise that by
idly standing by and allowing our political leaders to be blackmailed, bribed,
and bullied into supporting the warmongering Apartheid state of Israel, we are
forfeiting not only our own legal and human rights to live in peaceful
coexistence with others, but also the legal and human rights of future
generations; perhaps then, and only then, will we be able to create a better
world — a world where bigoted fanatical racist parasites do not thwart our
hopes or control our destinies.
if more of us were to speak up and actively oppose having our justified
concerns and criticisms gagged by pro-Israel Jewish lobby groups; perhaps if
more of us were to challenge and if necessary even defy Jewish lobby inspired
legislation criminalising criticism of Israel; perhaps if more of us were to
reject politically correct hypocrisy and insist that national affairs be
conducted to serve justice rather than the lobbied agendas of well financed
special interest groups; Perhaps if more of us would honestly recognise that by
idly standing by and allowing our political leaders to be blackmailed, bribed,
and bullied into supporting the warmongering Apartheid state of Israel, we are
forfeiting not only our own legal and human rights to live in peaceful
coexistence with others, but also the legal and human rights of future
generations; perhaps then, and only then, will we be able to create a better
world — a world where bigoted fanatical racist parasites do not thwart our
hopes or control our destinies.
William Hanna
is a freelance writer with recently published books the Hiramic Brotherhood
of the Third Temple and The Tragedy of Palestine and its Children. Purchase
information, sample chapter, other articles, and contact details at:
is a freelance writer with recently published books the Hiramic Brotherhood
of the Third Temple and The Tragedy of Palestine and its Children. Purchase
information, sample chapter, other articles, and contact details at:
