Israel Failed

Update II: Gideon Levy in Haaretz: "The only recognition that is needed now is Israel's recognition of the Palestinians as human beings."

Update: Inside Gaza: The Land of Ghosts

Some wonder if the humanistic dictum of standing with the victims of militarism and racism that - far away from the slaughter of Palestinians and assorted Arabs - animated the creation of Israel lives on today.

No.

How many corpses of Bassem Ibrahim Abu-Rahma and Rachel Corrie need shatter the lives of their families and communities before we realize that whatever idealism and humanism existed in Israel has vanished as it has become a failed moral state.

But it's not the ravings of foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman or rightwing coalitions that brought this tragedy about.

It's inaction, far too many good people in Israel who did nothing these last 40 years as Israel became a terror state and a moral disgrace.

Find out who among your national representatives is working against militarism and for humanism, because without the abiding, bipartisan support of America this continuing atrocity could not go on. See Gwen Moore, profile in courage on Gaza.

From Amy Goodman's Democracy Now last month on the anniversary of Corrie's death:

Footage of demonstration in Bil'in, the shooting of Bassem in fluro yellow-Fiat t-shirt - (Please note: this video contains graphic and upsetting images) Video by David Reeb. This is Israel. Wake up:

Israel Is a Pirate Nation

Update: Greenwald: "Not only is it virtually certain that the right-wing militarist Benjamin Netanyahu of the Likud Party will become the new Prime Minister, but it is highly likely that the ultra-right, anti-Arab nationalist and West Bank settler Avigdor Lieberman of the racist Yisrael Beitenu (Israel Our Home) Party will perform scandalously well."

Israel wants to become the Bushian state, swearing off all that soft, humanistic stuff flowing from Judaism.

From Free Gaza:

Scottish activist Theresa McDermott has been found in Ramleh prison four days after she was disappeared by the Israel government after being forcibly removed from a seaborne Lebanese aid mission to Gaza.

In early February Theresa responded to a call for support from internationals from the organizers of a Lebanese humanitarian aid voyage to Gaza aboard the Togo flagged ship, Tali.
Theresa was one of only 9 passengers aboard the cargo ship on February 4, 2009 when Israeli gunboats intercepted it, boarded and forced the ship to Ashdodport in Israel.

All the passengers and crew aboard were released on Thursday, February 5 except Theresa.

Between Thursday evening and Sunday morning there was no word about Theresa's whereabouts except several false stories saying that 'Britons' had departed to London.

Finally on Sunday,Theresa was able to call her brother John in Scotland to say she was in Ramleh prison in Israel.

According to Al Jazeera journalist Salam Khodr, when the ship was boarded, the passengers were beaten and kicked by Israeli soldiers before being removed from the ship.

No information has been provided by Israeli officials about why Theresa has been detained, what the charges are if any and why her detention was concealed.

When the British Consulate in Israel was contacted for assistance in finding Theresa, staff refused to help locate Theresa saying they couldn't provide assistance to a UK citizen unless she personally requested it.

Members of the Scottish Parliament including Pauline McNeil and Hugh O'Donnell who were part of a fall delegation to Gaza aboard the Free Gaza boat, Dignity, are working with the British government to ensure that Theresa receives the protection and assistance to which she is entitled.

Theresa went to Gaza with the first Free Gaza boats in August and returned with the ship Dignity for a second voyage. She is a respected, long time human rights activist who has worked with the International Solidarity Movement in Palestine as well as with FreeGaza.

At home in Scotland she works for the Post Office.

The Israelis found only medical and other humanitarian aid on the Tali but refused to return the ship. The status of its humanitarian cargo is unknown.