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British-Palestinian surgeon vindicated after medical council rejects Israel lobby complaint

MEMO | August 29, 2024

British-Palestinian surgeon Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah was vindicated this week after a complaint by a notorious pro-Israel lobby group was rejected by the General Medical Council. UK Lawyers for Israel sought to have the distinguished plastic and reconstructive surgeon suspended and banned from practising medicine.

The so-called “lawfare” organisation is widely known for filing vexatious complaints and litigation to silence critics of Israel and its apartheid policies. The lobby group was behind a complaint to remove art work by children from Gaza which was on display at a London hospital. In another case, UKLFI was slapped down by the chairman of an English football club for allegedly threatening behaviour.

UKLFI claimed that alleged social media posts by Abu-Sittah impaired his fitness to practise medicine and sought for his medical licence to be suspended. This smear is said to have been designed to bring Abu-Sittah’s distinguished reputation into disrepute, and undermine his prominent profile as a public figure in the British Palestinian community. It also sought to undermine Abu-Sittah’s rights to freedom of expression.

Dr Abu-Sittah is known for his humanitarian work in conflict zones, particularly Gaza. He argued that the complaint was politically motivated. He clarified that he was not the author of several posts in question, while others had been translated inaccurately. The tribunal expressed concern over UKLFI’s inability to provide verified translations of the Arabic language posts.

The tribunal also dismissed UKLFI’s arguments that Abu-Sittah’s alleged social media activity posed a risk to patients or the public. No evidence was found to suggest any compromise to patient safety. On the contrary, several compelling testimonies, including one from a British-Israeli colleague, attested to Abu-Sittah’s fair and professional treatment of all patients.

The move by one of the key arms of Israel’s lobby in the UK was seen widely as a smear campaign designed to tarnish Abu-Sittah’s reputation. Nevertheless, in April, he was elected as rector of the University of Glasgow, winning an overwhelming 80 per cent of the vote following a campaign that resonated deeply with students.

Abu Sittah’s successful legal team was comprised of experts from Bindmans LLP, 11KBW and Furnival Chambers. The team included Tayab Ali, who is also the Director of the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP); Axel Landin, Zac Sammour and Soraya Bauwens.

The surgeon’s humanitarian efforts in Gaza have been praised widely. He volunteered his medical services for forty-three days from 9 October 2023, when Israel launched what the International Court of Justice has called a plausible genocidal campaign in the besieged enclave.

Upon his return to London, Abu-Sittah spoke at an ICJP press conference, recounting the harrowing experience in Gaza, including performing multiple amputations on children and working with severely limited medical supplies.

The vindication of Abu-Sittah is the second legal victory for the British Palestinian doctor since his return from Gaza. In May, he successfully overturned a Schengen-wide travel ban imposed on him by the German government, in what appeared to be yet another vexatious legal campaign to silence the 55-year-old.

This vindication is seen as a major victory not only for Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah, but also for all medical professionals engaged in humanitarian work in conflict zones.

August 29, 2024 Posted by | Civil Liberties, Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Full Spectrum Dominance | , , , | Leave a comment

Zanuta: A Story of Return

International Solidarity Movement | August 26, 2024

Masafer Yatta – On Wednesday, August 21, following a long overdue court order, the families of Zanuta, in Masafer Yatta, returned to their village for the first time in 10 months after being forcibly displaced, determined to rebuild their home from the rubble of their village that remained.

Families returning to Zanuta

At the end of October 2023, the residents of Zanuta were told by settlers that if they didn’t leave in 24 hours, they would kill every last one of them. All of the residents of Zanuta – who had already been enduring unending violence from these settlers, from making it impossible to shepherd, to property damage, to physical attacks, to home invasions and assault – were forcibly displaced from their land and homes.

On Wednesday, the families and flocks returned to their land. Palestinians triumphantly drove their flocks over their land and camped out in the ruins of their homes and propped up the destroyed roof of the school using pieces of scrap metal.

After families left Zanuta in October, settlers came into the village and removed the roofs of the buildings. It was winter, so this meant it was impossible for the families to return. In November, they briefly went back to try to work their land. When they tried to rebuild the roofs, they were stopped by army who said that it was unauthorised building.

Later on settlers returned to destroy everything. The homes and school had their walls and contents destroyed. Trees were cut down and solar panels destroyed. While they would not allow Palestinians to return and tend to their lands, the settlers ploughed the land themselves. Plowing Palestinian land while making it impossible to return to is a legal tactic used by settlers to increase their “claim” to the land under Israeli law.

A supreme court order issued a few weeks ago says that villagers can return to Zanuta (and the smaller village opposite Zanuta). The order also defines Zanuta as a firing zone, meaning that no new building is authorized. With this court order, the Israeli army are required to support the safe return of the villagers, however army and police only made perfunctory visits.

Zanuta is close to Havant Meitarim (“Strings farm”) outpost, whose settlers Yinon Levi and Ilay Federman (son of renowned right wing Kahanist terrorist Noam Federman) were amongst those sanctioned by the US.

If you know anything about 48, you know that supposed court orders hold little to no meaning in ensuring the safety of the Zanuta residents as they come home. They are still legally unable to transform Zanuta into home again due to “unauthorized building” restrictions.

If you know anything about the people of Palestine, you know that sumud will carry on regardless.

August 29, 2024 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism | , , , , | Leave a comment

Why is Israeli society like this?

August 28, 2024 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Timeless or most popular, Video | , , , | Leave a comment

Israel says will evacuate Palestinians from parts of West Bank as bloody raids continue

Press TV – August 28, 2024

Israel’s foreign minister says Palestinians will be ordered to evacuate parts of the northern occupied West Bank, amid unprecedented bloody raids in the area as similar measures have been taken by the regime’s military in the Gaza Strip, which is subjected to a genocidal war since October.

In a post on social media platform X on Wednesday, Israel Katz said the Israeli military is working “intensively” to thwart what he alleged to be “terrorist infrastructures” in the Jenin and Tulkarm refugee camps, claiming that “an eastern terrorist front” is being established against Israel in the West Bank.

Katz noted that the raids see “temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents” in areas in the northern West Bank in measures akin to those imposed in Gaza.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli army launched raids in the cities of Jenin, Tulkarem and Tubas in the northern West Bank, killing at least 11 Palestinians.

Since the start of Israel’s aggression on the besieged Gaza Strip in October, the West Bank has also seen a rise in violence from Israeli forces and settlers that has claimed the lives of hundreds of Palestinians.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 662 Palestinians were killed and about 5,400 others injured by Israeli fire since October 7, considering the new deaths.

Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime’s decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.

The regime’s bloody onslaught on Gaza has so far killed at least 40,534 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 93,778 others. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under rubble.

In a landmark ruling, the United Nations’ top court said last month Israel’s presence in the 1967- occupied Palestinian territories is “unlawful” and must end.

In a 1967 war, Israel occupied the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East al-Quds, which it subsequently annexed.

The 83-page advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice also outlined a wide list of policies that it said violated international law, including the building and expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east al-Quds.

August 28, 2024 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, War Crimes | , , | Leave a comment

France’s chief rabbi urges Israel to ‘finish the job’ in Gaza

The Cradle | August 28, 2024

France’s chief rabbi, Haim Korsia, justified Israel’s brutal war on the Gaza Strip in a television interview on 26 August, urging the Israeli army to “finish the job.”

Korsia told French network BFM TV that he supports Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The rabbi described Israel’s indiscriminate strikes on the besieged enclave as “acts of war” and said all of Israel’s actions in the strip are necessary to “protect its nationals.”

“It’s an act of war that no country in the world would conduct like Israel is doing, and I have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of in how Israel is conducting the fighting,” Korsia said in response to a question on the civilian casualties.

When asked if he was critical of Netanyahu’s policy in Gaza, he said, “I’m never uncomfortable with a policy that consists of defending one’s citizens.”

In response to a question on whether he condemns Israeli massacres against civilians as he condemned Israeli deaths on 7 October, the rabbi said, “They are not of the same order.”

A member of the French parliament, Aymeric Caron, blasted the rabbi’s comments, calling them an “apology for war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

“Chief Rabbi Haim Korsia calmly declares that he supports the ongoing genocide in Gaza, that it is deserved, and makes clear his hatred of the Palestinians,” Caron added.

“These are crimes punishable by law … And here I thought religious men were supposed to defend moral values and the sanctity of life,” the MP went on to say.

The toll of confirmed deaths in the Gaza Strip has risen to 40,534, a majority of them women and children. Another 93,778 Palestinians have been wounded as a result of the war.

The Israeli army has repeatedly targeted schools and UN facilities housing displaced Palestinians.

Disease has spread across the besieged enclave due to the war. UN experts, the EU, and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have all said Israel is using starvation as a weapon against the people of Gaza.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced in May that it has decided to seek arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, a move backed by the French government. The ICC decision also includes warrants for Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar and Mohammad Deif.

Israel is also being accused of committing genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

August 28, 2024 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, War Crimes | , , , | Leave a comment

Do We Finally Have a Peace Ticket?

By Ron Paul | August 26, 2024

Just as the Harris/Walz campaign was looking for a boost from the content-free Democratic National Convention last week, real drama broke out that pulled the country’s attention back toward Republican candidate Donald Trump. Rumors had been swirling for days that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. might suspend his independent run for the White House and endorse Donald Trump and on Friday he did just that.

In his powerful speech explaining the decision, RFK, Jr. made it clear that suspending his run was difficult, as was leaving a Democratic Party that has been almost synonymous with the name “Kennedy” for many decades. On both issues RFK, Jr. explained that he was guided by principles and values over party orientation and the fluff that has increasingly come to characterize American electoral politics.

It seems the more “polarized” much of American society becomes over which political party they support, the more the rest of us continue to see less and less difference between the two when it comes to actual policy. Both parties support the warfare/welfare state. Both pursue policies leading to poverty and war instead of peace and prosperity. Both are deluded into believing that the Federal Reserve can effectively manage the economy while we amass unimaginable levels of debt.

Americans are seeking authenticity and politicians who put principles above political parties and that is exactly what RFK, Jr. did last Friday. In his speech at the Trump rally, RFK served up severe criticisms of the Democrats for their embrace of endless war.

He said: “Judging by the bellicose, belligerent speech last night in Chicago, we can assume that President Harris will be an enthusiastic advocate for this and other neocon military adventures. President Trump says he will reopen negotiations with President Putin and end the war overnight as soon as he becomes President. This alone would justify my support for his campaign.”

It was a well-aimed blow at the Biden/Harris Administration, which pretends to be seeking peace while pouring gasoline on the numerous conflicts overseas.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez claimed in her speech to the DNC that Vice President Harris is “working tirelessly” toward a ceasefire in Gaza literally as the Biden/Harris Administration announced another huge shipment of bombs to be used by the Israeli military to kill more Palestinians.

What can we hope for in RFK, Jr.’s bold move? For one, we should hope that coming out in favor of principles instead of hollow party identification can reduce the power of political parties altogether. Already in the Republican Party we are seeing a “new guard” emerge that is ready to break with the tired neocon stranglehold on the party.

So does RFK Jr.’s endorsement of Trump on principles rather than parties mean that we finally have a “peace ticket” to support? The short answer is “no,” we don’t have a peace ticket. Many of us who hoped that the first Trump presidency would be that peace ticket were disappointed to see the likes of John Bolton and Mike Pompeo litter the Administration. There is always the chance of a repeat of these mistakes. And neither Trump nor RFK seem reliably in favor of an end to the slaughter in Gaza.

So no, this is not a “peace ticket.” But at least with what we have seen this past week with RFK and Trump, we get the feeling that peace is on the menu. It’s a start.

August 27, 2024 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Militarism, Progressive Hypocrite | , , , , | Leave a comment

25 shelters, 4 wells in Deir al-Balah went out of service due to forced displacement

Palestinian Information Center – August 26, 2024

DEIR AL-BALAH – The Municipality of Deir al-Balah announced that 25 shelters and four water wells went out of service, following the Israeli evacuation of new neighborhoods in Deir al-Balah over the past 72 hours.

The municipality said in a press statement on Monday, “25 shelter centers went out of service after forced displacement of 250,000 citizens within the past 72 hours, including the only government hospital which was still operating in the southern Gaza Strip.”

The municipality further explained that the closure of the four water wells brings the number of disabled wells to 14, noting that the disabled wells were supplying nearly 70% of the people in the city, and their closure would exacerbate the water and food crisis.

The recent Israeli evacuation order in the vicinity of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital threatened the only remaining main water tank in the city, according to official sources.

Deir al-Balah municipality called on the international community to urgently intervene to enable the humanitarian service crews, including municipalities, hospitals and relief associations, to carry out their humanitarian duty to provide service to the displaced and citizens.

On Sunday evening, the Israeli occupation army issued a decision to evacuate new neighborhoods northeast of Deir al-Balah, and some neighborhoods west of Salah al-Din Street.

August 26, 2024 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, War Crimes | , , , , | Leave a comment

Israel expands Netzarim corridor to include ‘permanent outposts’

The Cradle | August 26, 2024

Israeli forces have expanded the Netzarim corridor in the Gaza Strip to include four large “outposts” designed to permanently house troops, according to satellite imagery reviewed by Hebrew news site Ynet.

“The IDF has been working to expand the corridor … Four large outposts were established in the corridor, for the permanent stay of hundreds of fighters,” the Israeli outlet reported on 26 August.

Ynet explains that Israel recently launched an operation in Gaza City’s Zaytoun neighborhood, where Israeli troops have operated several times since the start of the war, failing to root out Hamas’ Qassam Brigades.

Four reservist soldiers have been killed in the operation, including one on Sunday by an explosive device planted by the Palestinian resistance. The ongoing operation in Zaytoun was launched specifically “to expand” the Netzarim corridor, which lies in close proximity to the Gaza City neighborhood, the report said.

“In the raid, the forces were required to locate tunnels, terrorist infrastructures and weapons of Hamas. The brigade raid continues, and includes hitting the terrorists and destroying munitions stocks that threaten the forces in Netzarim.”

The Netzarim corridor was established by Israeli forces during the early months of the war on Gaza. The corridor, which runs through the former grounds of the old Netzarim settlement, splits the strip in two and prevents the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza.

“The corridor was established … to prevent the return of armed terrorists to the north of the Gaza Strip, and to generally prevent the return of Palestinians to the north of the Gaza Strip. Palestinians can move south – but not in the opposite direction,” Ynet explains, reinforcing the Israeli narrative that displaced Gazans returning to the north as part of any agreement are actually militants.

Israeli forces have set up a “newly constructed operational route … and a drainage point” along the corridor to prevent displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza from returning to their homes in the north, Ynet goes on to say.

The report further confirms Israel’s plan for a permanent presence in the Gaza Strip. Israeli defense officials who spoke with the Wall Street Journal in February said the corridor is part of Tel Aviv’s “plans to maintain security control over the enclave for some time.”

Israeli forces stationed at Netzarim have come under numerous attacks by Palestinian resistance factions since the corridor was established.

Satellite imagery analyzed by the Forensic Architecture research group last week revealed that Israeli forces are also working on a new east-to-west land corridor near Gaza City’s Beit Hanoun. Over the past several months, Israeli troops have destroyed Palestinian homes and farmlands to establish this new corridor, according to Forensic Architecture.

A photo that circulated on social media on 25 August shows that Israeli forces have built an asphalt road on the Philadelphi corridor on the Gaza–Egypt border in the southern strip.

The Netzarim corridor, as well as the Philadelphi corridor and Rafah crossing on the Gaza–Egypt border, are two of the main topics that have complicated ceasefire talks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is insisting on keeping troops in these areas despite Hamas’ demands for a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

Netanyahu insists on a screening and inspection mechanism at the Netzarim corridor to inspect Gazans returning to the north as part of any agreement.

The premier also insists that any captive exchange be followed by a continuation of the war. As a result, ceasefire talks have yielded no results.

August 26, 2024 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism | , , , | Leave a comment

The IDF Uses Palestinian Civilians As Human Shields to Inspect Gaza’s Tunnels

Richard Medhurst | August 24, 2024

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Richard Thomas Medhurst (1992) is an independent journalist, political commentator, and analyst from the United Kingdom with a focus on international affairs, US politics, and the Middle East.

Medhurst is known for his coverage of the Julian Assange extradition case in London, as one of the only journalists to report on the trial of the WikiLeaks founder from inside the court.

He has also covered the Iran nuclear deal talks on the ground in Vienna. Medhurst was born in Damascus, Syria.

His father is English and mother is Syrian. Both his parents served in United Nations Peacekeeping and Observer missions and were among the UN Peacekeepers awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988. Owing to his parents’ professional mobility, he has lived in Syria, Pakistan, Switzerland, and Austria.

He speaks four languages fluently: English, Arabic, French, and German. As an independent journalist, Medhurst regularly hosts live broadcasts and video reports on his YouTube channel.

Previous guests include the Foreign Minister of Venezuela, the Dep Foreign Minister of Iran; the Palestinian, Russian and Cuban ambassadors to the United Nations in Vienna; the former British Ambassador to Syria; and various UN officials, journalists, and more.

Medhurst’s reports and analysis on Yemen, Ukraine, Syria, Niger, Lebanon, Iran, the Israeli occupation in Palestine and its genocide in Gaza have gone viral countless times, racking up millions of views.

Richard Medhurst has a combined following of roughly one million people online, and appears regularly on international news outlets including Al Jazeera, WikiLeaks, Black Agenda Report, Al Mayadeen, The Times, LBC, and others.

Richard Medhurst on Twitter:   / richimedhurst  

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Richard Medhurst on Substack: https://richardmedhurst.substack.com/

August 25, 2024 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Video, War Crimes | , , , , | Leave a comment

Hezbollah carries out ‘first phase’ of retaliation, Israel imposes strict censorship

The Cradle | August 25, 2024

Hezbollah launched a major drone and rocket attack at over 10 Israeli targets early on 25 August in what it called the “first phase” of its response to the assassination of top military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut’s southern suburb on 30 July.

An undisclosed “vital military target,” was the main objective of this operation, according to the Lebanese resistance.

“All the attack drones were launched at the times specified for them and from all their [predetermined] positions and crossed the Lebanese-Palestinian borders towards the desired target and from multiple paths, and thus our military operation for today has been completed and accomplished, praise be to Allah Almighty,” a statement issued by the Lebanese resistance movement said.

The movement said it fired over 320 rockets at sites in the Galilee, which served as a diversion to prevent Israel’s Iron Dome system from shooting down the attack drones.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military claimed it carried out pre-emptive strikes that successfully thwarted a massive attack by Hezbollah after identifying overnight preparations for a major attack.

“Approximately 100 IAF fighter jets struck and destroyed thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels, aimed for fire toward northern and central Israel.”

The Lebanese resistance movement addressed Israel’s announcements in one of its statements, calling them “empty claims” that “contradict the facts on the ground and will be refuted in a speech” by Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.

Following the operation, Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued an order banning press interviews with Likud ministers until further notice.

Additionally, BBC journalist Nafiseh Kohnavard reported on X that the Israeli government “issued a series of new censorship regulations for media that includes the damage caused by rocket attacks to ‘strategic national infrastructure or to military bases.’”

The Israeli military said some 210 rockets and some 20 drones were launched from Lebanon at northern Israel in Hezbollah’s attack this morning.

Some of the projectiles were intercepted, while others impacted, causing damage and injuries. Many rockets also struck open areas, the military said.

Palestinian journalist Qassem Qassem noted that “The Hebrew media is currently exaggerating the size of the enemy army’s ‘preventive’ strike, and the talk about destroying 1,000 missiles directed at Tel Aviv is ridiculous.”

Al-Mayadeen noted that “Hezbollah hit its targets despite the occupation’s reliance on significant American intelligence and operational support. The resistance’s response to the assassination of martyr Fouad Shukr succeeded despite Israel’s full state of alert for over a month.”

Israel’s allies have been scrambling to prevent Iran and Hezbollah from retaliating to the Israeli attacks on their capitals last month. The assassination of top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut on 30 July killed several civilians, including children.

Washington has expressed hope that reaching an agreement to end the war in Gaza could stymie an incoming response and avoid a larger-scale regional war. Yet ceasefire talks continue to yield no results.

Hezbollah has repeatedly vowed that it will not stop operations until the war in Gaza ends and promised a harsh retaliation to Shukr’s assassination in the Lebanese capital. It has also refused any discussion on Lebanon’s border situation until an end to the war is achieved.

“Our borders with Lebanon will change and will not return to what they were before the war,” an Israeli military source told Sky News Arabia on 21 August, echoing months of Israeli threats to launch an expanded war on Lebanon.

August 25, 2024 Posted by | Deception, Full Spectrum Dominance | , , , | Leave a comment

UAE’s support of Israeli economy and militarism

Press TV – August 24, 2024

The UAE has allocated $10 billion for direct investment in the Zionist entity in compliance with its obligations under the US-guided Abraham Accords.

The UAE’s deep involvement in Zionist militarism is barely noticed in the shadow of the Gaza genocide.

A deal was signed in 2021 between state-owned UAE arms firm, Edge Group, and weapons manufacturer, Israel Aerospace Industries, to design unmanned surface vessels with a range of military applications.

The UAE has also initiated a partnership between G42 and the Zionist entity-owned arms firm, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. G42 is run by Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s National Security Advisor who is the controlling shareholder and chairs the company.

Dorian Barak, co-president of the UAE-Israel Business Councilو expects to see about 1000 Israeli-owned companies operating in the Persian Gulf state very soon.

One such example could be Elbit Systems, which has set up a subsidiary in the UAE known as Elbit Systems Emirates. The branch produces weapons for both the UAE military and Israel.

The UAE state-owned firm, Mubadala, has an 11% participating interest in the Tamar and Dalit leases, which includes the bountiful Tamar gas field.

Mubadala has also invested in the Israeli venture capital firm, Pintango Venture Partners. Originally named Polaris Venture Capital, it was founded in 1993 by Chemi Perez, the son of the late Israeli president, Shimon Peres.

The UAE has also invested in the tech firm Synaptech, which is closely linked to the Israeli military. The chairman of Synaptech is the former war minister and the military chief of staff, Moshe Ya’alon.

The UAE is deeply integrated, economically, with the Zionist entity.

August 24, 2024 Posted by | Economics, Militarism | , , | Leave a comment