Silencing The Voice Of Western Conscience
by William Hanna, 14.12.2016. Having been encouraged back in February by
the introduction of bills in Congress seeking to authorise state and local
governments to divest assets from and prohibit investment in any entity that
“engages in a commerce or investment-related boycott, divestment or sanctions
activity targeting Israel,” many states have introduced anti-BDS legislation
that criminalises the right to boycott which leading international legal
experts regard “as a lawful exercise of freedom of expression”: a lawful
exercise, incidentally, which Western governments were quite happy to
encourage, support, and uphold against an Apartheid South Africa.
the introduction of bills in Congress seeking to authorise state and local
governments to divest assets from and prohibit investment in any entity that
“engages in a commerce or investment-related boycott, divestment or sanctions
activity targeting Israel,” many states have introduced anti-BDS legislation
that criminalises the right to boycott which leading international legal
experts regard “as a lawful exercise of freedom of expression”: a lawful
exercise, incidentally, which Western governments were quite happy to
encourage, support, and uphold against an Apartheid South Africa.
Earlier this month, in a move intended to
dramatically broaden Department of Education probes of colleges and
universities who tolerate criticism of Israel by students, the Senate
unanimously passed the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act without any debate or
fanfare. The bill’s objective is to do so by instructing the Department of
Education on the use of the State Department’s definition of anti-semitism,
which broadly includes criticism of Israel or attempts to “delegitimise”
Israel’s status as a Jewish state, or even “focusing on Israel” for human rights
investigations or urging peace.
dramatically broaden Department of Education probes of colleges and
universities who tolerate criticism of Israel by students, the Senate
unanimously passed the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act without any debate or
fanfare. The bill’s objective is to do so by instructing the Department of
Education on the use of the State Department’s definition of anti-semitism,
which broadly includes criticism of Israel or attempts to “delegitimise”
Israel’s status as a Jewish state, or even “focusing on Israel” for human rights
investigations or urging peace.
Not to be outdone by their southern
neighbours, earlier this month the Ontario provincial legislature passed a
symbolic motion condemning the growing BDS movement which Palestinian rights
activists in Canada claim was aimed at stifling criticism of Israeli human
rights violations. The motion stated that the provincial legislature stands
against any position or movement that promotes “any form of hatred, hostility,
prejudice, racism and intolerance in any way.” The motion was also endorsed by
the (Ottawa Protocol on Combating Antisemitism), which Canada signed during the tenure of former prime minister
Stephen Harper, a staunch supporter of Israel.
neighbours, earlier this month the Ontario provincial legislature passed a
symbolic motion condemning the growing BDS movement which Palestinian rights
activists in Canada claim was aimed at stifling criticism of Israeli human
rights violations. The motion stated that the provincial legislature stands
against any position or movement that promotes “any form of hatred, hostility,
prejudice, racism and intolerance in any way.” The motion was also endorsed by
the (Ottawa Protocol on Combating Antisemitism), which Canada signed during the tenure of former prime minister
Stephen Harper, a staunch supporter of Israel.
While hypocritical Western legislators with
yellow streaks down their backs are always willing to subserviently prostrate
themselves before the pro-Israel Jewish lobby and sanctimoniously condemn human
rights activists seeking justice for the barbarically oppressed Palestinian
people, they, however, remained inconspicuously silent when Yair Lapid — the
blatantly obvious racist leader of Israel’s Yesh Atid party — told Channel 2’s
“Meet the Press” program that “We need to get the Palestinians out of our
lives. What we have to do is build a high wall and get them out of our sight .
. . There will be no peace. We do not want two nations packed into a single
state.”
yellow streaks down their backs are always willing to subserviently prostrate
themselves before the pro-Israel Jewish lobby and sanctimoniously condemn human
rights activists seeking justice for the barbarically oppressed Palestinian
people, they, however, remained inconspicuously silent when Yair Lapid — the
blatantly obvious racist leader of Israel’s Yesh Atid party — told Channel 2’s
“Meet the Press” program that “We need to get the Palestinians out of our
lives. What we have to do is build a high wall and get them out of our sight .
. . There will be no peace. We do not want two nations packed into a single
state.”
Though such “hatred, hostility, prejudice,
racism and intolerance” may have been reported by The Times of Israel, it
was mostly ignored by the mainstream Western media’s presstitutes who
religiously — whenever negative news about Israel is concerned — always forget
the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics which states “that
democracy, a just society and good government require an informed public.
Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is
accurate, fair and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with integrity. The
Society declares these four principles as the foundation of ethical journalism
and encourages their use in its practice by all people in all media.”
racism and intolerance” may have been reported by The Times of Israel, it
was mostly ignored by the mainstream Western media’s presstitutes who
religiously — whenever negative news about Israel is concerned — always forget
the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics which states “that
democracy, a just society and good government require an informed public.
Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is
accurate, fair and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with integrity. The
Society declares these four principles as the foundation of ethical journalism
and encourages their use in its practice by all people in all media.”
There can be no greater threats to free
speech than a “gagged” mainstream media and legislation that criminalises
criticism of, or activism against Israel’s illegal occupation of the
Palestinian Territories. An example of the success of this “war on truth” was
recently confirmed by a statistically-significant survey that revealed 49.2
percent of Americans believe that it is the Palestinians who occupy Israeli
land, and not the other way around. A simultaneous survey of Canadians revealed
that 51.4 percent correctly believe Israelis occupy Palestinian land, while
54.6 percent of Mexicans also believe Israel occupies Palestinian territory.
speech than a “gagged” mainstream media and legislation that criminalises
criticism of, or activism against Israel’s illegal occupation of the
Palestinian Territories. An example of the success of this “war on truth” was
recently confirmed by a statistically-significant survey that revealed 49.2
percent of Americans believe that it is the Palestinians who occupy Israeli
land, and not the other way around. A simultaneous survey of Canadians revealed
that 51.4 percent correctly believe Israelis occupy Palestinian land, while
54.6 percent of Mexicans also believe Israel occupies Palestinian territory.
A similar degree of lack of knowledge also
exits in Europe where for example two-thirds of the British public are still
unsure whether Israel is occupying the Palestinian territories or vice versa.
In its relentless “war on truth,” the pro-Israel Jewish lobby along with its
bought and paid for Western politicians, its media lackeys, and other sundry
blinkered individuals and organisations, has just notched up another victory in
its efforts to silence the voice of Western conscience: Britain has adopted a
new legal definition of anti-Semitism which is based on one created by
the Berlin-based (International Holocaust
Remembrance Alliance) (IHRA),
which according to its website is “an intergovernmental body whose purpose is
to place political and social leaders’ support behind the need for Holocaust
education, remembrance and research both nationally and
internationally.” In her announcement the British Prime Minister pointedly
ignored mentioning hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities and
focussed on anti-Semitism: “It means there will be one definition of
anti-Semitism — in essence, language or behaviour that displays hatred towards
Jews because they are Jews — and anyone guilty of that will be called out on
it.”
exits in Europe where for example two-thirds of the British public are still
unsure whether Israel is occupying the Palestinian territories or vice versa.
In its relentless “war on truth,” the pro-Israel Jewish lobby along with its
bought and paid for Western politicians, its media lackeys, and other sundry
blinkered individuals and organisations, has just notched up another victory in
its efforts to silence the voice of Western conscience: Britain has adopted a
new legal definition of anti-Semitism which is based on one created by
the Berlin-based (International Holocaust
Remembrance Alliance) (IHRA),
which according to its website is “an intergovernmental body whose purpose is
to place political and social leaders’ support behind the need for Holocaust
education, remembrance and research both nationally and
internationally.” In her announcement the British Prime Minister pointedly
ignored mentioning hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities and
focussed on anti-Semitism: “It means there will be one definition of
anti-Semitism — in essence, language or behaviour that displays hatred towards
Jews because they are Jews — and anyone guilty of that will be called out on
it.”
“It is also evident that in its
determination to suppress free speech and the reporting of true facts, Israel
frequently also deliberately targets journalists with The Foreign Press
Association regularly reporting attacks which more recently included the
following report:
determination to suppress free speech and the reporting of true facts, Israel
frequently also deliberately targets journalists with The Foreign Press
Association regularly reporting attacks which more recently included the
following report:
“During an Israeli arrest raid Sunday in the West Bank village of
al-Ram, Associated Press photographer Majdi Mohammed was hit by a rubber-coated
bullet fired by Israeli forces from very close range. Majdi had been ordered to
leave the scene and was walking away when he was shot in his upper back.
al-Ram, Associated Press photographer Majdi Mohammed was hit by a rubber-coated
bullet fired by Israeli forces from very close range. Majdi had been ordered to
leave the scene and was walking away when he was shot in his upper back.
We have reason to believe that this shooting was intentional. The
border policeman who we believe fired the bullet had shouted and cursed at
Majdi moments before the shooting. Majdi was shot from a distance of just 10
meters, and the bullet struck him in an area that was not covered by his protective
vest. Majdi’s vest clearly identified him as “press,” and he was nowhere near
the stone-throwing protesters who were clashing with the forces at the time.
border policeman who we believe fired the bullet had shouted and cursed at
Majdi moments before the shooting. Majdi was shot from a distance of just 10
meters, and the bullet struck him in an area that was not covered by his protective
vest. Majdi’s vest clearly identified him as “press,” and he was nowhere near
the stone-throwing protesters who were clashing with the forces at the time.
This is just the latest in a string of attacks by Israeli border
police on journalists. Yet our repeated calls for Israel to uphold its
commitment to honour press freedom and safety have repeatedly fallen on deaf
ears.”
police on journalists. Yet our repeated calls for Israel to uphold its
commitment to honour press freedom and safety have repeatedly fallen on deaf
ears.”
William Hanna is a freelance writer with published
books the Hiramic Brotherhood of the Third Temple and The Tragedy of
Palestine and its Children. Purchase information, sample chapters, other
articles, and contact details at:
books the Hiramic Brotherhood of the Third Temple and The Tragedy of
Palestine and its Children. Purchase information, sample chapters, other
articles, and contact details at:
