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"In what world does a member of government declare that it intends to wipe out what remains of an area and aims, “with God’s help”, to remove its inhabitants, only for the response be nothing more than vague threats of “concrete action”? What deterrence is required to stop a doctor going to work and then returning to the charred remains of nine of her 10 children, wiped out in a single blow?" Must read from Nesrine Malik.
An air of complicity has prompted new rhetoric from UK and EU leaders. But it won’t redeem them – or change history’s course, says Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik
TEHRAN, May 25 (MNA) – In a congratulatory message to the Jordan King, President Masoud Pezeshkian said Sunday that Iran is committed to further expanding bilateral relations with Jordan across all sectors.
Father, you continually raise up your faithful to the glory of holiness. In your love kindle in us the fire of the Holy Spirit who so filled the heart of Philip Neri. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
________
May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
Following a request from a Swiss NGO, the Swiss government is considering investigating the Gaza Humanitarian Fund, which the UN has declined to support.
D’ici 2027, les compagnies ferroviaires anglaises privées vont toutes être renationalisées. La fin de trente années de privatisation du rail outre-Manche à l’impact économique désastreux.
Le 25 mai, la South Western Railway, qui relie le sud-ouest de l’Angleterre à Londres, a été la première compagnie reprise par l’Etat britannique depuis l’arrivée au pouvoir en juillet dernier du gouvernement de Keir Starmer.
Les travaillistes avaient fait de la renationalisation des chemins de fer une promesse de campagne. Ils n’ont pas tardé à passer à l’acte : en novembre dernier, la loi de renationalisation a été approuvée par le Parlement. Le changement ne se fait néanmoins pas du jour au lendemain. Pour éviter de devoir verser des indemnités, le gouvernement attend que les licences des opérateurs arrivent à échéance pour ensuite transférer l’exploitation des lignes dans une structure publique, DFT (Department for Transport) Operator.
Une chose est sûre : la population soutient largement cette mesure. Selon un sondage YouGov1, deux tiers des Britanniques y sont favorables. Le syndicat ferroviaire TSSA salue « un moment historique ». Les trente années de privatisation du rail laissent un goût amer.
« Le fantasme du libre marché selon lequel la concurrence améliorerait les services et ferait baisser les prix ne s’est pas concrétisé, et les tarifs ferroviaires au Royaume-Uni restent parmi les plus chers d’Europe », constate Bruce Williamson, porte-parole de RailFuture, organisation indépendante de promotion du rail.
L’étude de l’ONG Transport & Environment le confirme. La palme est détenue par la Great Western Railway, dont le prix des billets est 2,2 fois plus élevé que la moyenne des opérateurs européens. A cela s’ajoute le fait que les rames sont généralement bondées et régulièrement en retard. Entre juillet et septembre 2024, seulement 67,7 % des trains sont arrivés à l’heure. Sans oublier une complexité tarifaire vertigineuse, les usagers devant comparer les prix des billets entre les différentes compagnies. Un grand nombre de surcoûts
La privatisation, décidée en 1992, avait elle aussi obéi en son temps à un calendrier politique.
« Les conservateurs venaient de remporter successivement leur quatrième élection. Il ne leur restait plus grand-chose à privatiser. Mais même Margaret Thatcher n’avait pas osé le faire avec les chemins de fer, jugeant le processus trop complexe », souligne Christian Wolmar, auteur de British Rail (Penguin, 2023).
Commence alors un véritable démantèlement. British Rail gérait jusqu’alors à la fois l’infrastructure ferroviaire, le matériel, son exploitation, la recherche et développement… Tout était intégré. Ces branches vont être confiées à une centaine d’entreprises distinctes : Railtrack prend ainsi en charge la gestion du réseau, tandis que l’exploitation est partagée entre une trentaine de compagnies. S’il s’agit majoritairement d’entreprises britanniques, quelques étrangers se sont aussi lancés sur ce marché ; la compagnie publique allemande Deutsche Bahn a possédé jusqu’en 2023 Arriva tandis que Keolis, filiale de la SNCF, est codétenteur de Southern.
L’impact économique se révèle désastreux, en raison d’un grand nombre de surcoûts.
« La privatisation a inévitablement provoqué une fragmentation de l’industrie, multipliant les acteurs et les sous-traitants, sans oublier les avocats et les comptables qui interagissaient avec eux. Il n’y avait plus d’économie d’échelle », rappelle Bruce Williamson.
Dans son étude sur la rentabilité ferroviaire parue en 2011, Sir Roy McNulty fait alors un constat sans appel : à partir de 1996-1997, les dépenses des opérateurs du secteur (notamment en termes d’infrastructure, de crédit-bail des trains, de maintenance…) ont augmenté de 4 milliards de livres par an. Résultat, le rail britannique est, selon son rapport, jusqu’à 40 % plus cher par passager-kilomètre que les chemins de fer des autres pays européens.
En parallèle, les moyens publics accordés aux chemins de fer ont paradoxalement explosé, passant de 2 milliards de livres en 1990 à 6 milliards de livres à partir des années 2000. L’Etat a notamment fait face à la hausse des coûts de régulation et dû augmenter ses subventions à des compagnies pour maintenir des lignes jugées non rentables.
« Depuis la privatisation, le réseau britannique a reçu beaucoup plus de soutien financier de la part des contribuables, alors que l’objectif initial était de permettre au secteur privé de prendre la place de l’Etat », pointe Rob Jenks, conseiller en stratégie du syndicat des transports TSSA.
La fabrication des trains va elle aussi connaître d’importants soubresauts. Depuis sa privatisation (qui était intervenue dès 1989), l’industriel British Rail Engineering Limited a changé plusieurs fois de propriétaire avant d’être racheté par le géant canadien Bombardier, lui-même repris en 2021 par Alstom. Ce dernier avait de son côté déja acquis l’usine de Derby, aujourd’hui le plus grand site de production au monde de la multinationale française. Mais au final, il n’y a donc plus de constructeur ferroviaire britannique, pays qui a pourtant inventé le chemin de fer. Renationalisations en cascade
Les conséquences en termes de sécurité des voyageurs sont aussi pointées du doigt. « Des économies ont été réalisées en ignorant les normes de maintenance des voies, engendrant un risque direct pour la sécurité dans un seul souci de rentabilité. Cela a conduit à plusieurs déraillements, qui ont fait des victimes », dénonce Rob Jenks. Et Christian Wolmar d’insister : « Plusieurs accidents n’auraient sans doute pas eu lieu sans la privatisation. »
Le 5 octobre 1999, à Ladbroke Grove, à l’ouest de Londres, une rame de la compagnie Thames Train entre en collision avec un train de la First Great Western. Le bilan, de trente-et-un morts, en fait l’une des pires catastrophes ferroviaires de l’histoire britannique. L’un des convois n’avait pas respecté le signal, or l’adoption d’un système automatique de protection des trains (ATP), rejeté à l’époque pour des questions de coûts, aurait sans doute empêché ce drame.
Des compagnies, qui ont bien souvent surestimé les gains potentiels, ont fait faillite et ont été renationalisées
Le changement de pied britannique sur la privatisation n’est cependant pas récent. Le gestionnaire du réseau, Railtrack, est repassé en 2002 dans le giron public, devenant Network Rail. Des compagnies, qui ont bien souvent surestimé les gains potentiels, ont fait faillite et ont été renationalisées. Les contrats de franchise pour l’exploitation des lignes se sont transformés en un système de concessions qui laissent peu de marges de manœuvre aux entreprises.
Face aux défaillances des compagnies (retard à répétition, dégradation des conditions de travail des employés), le gouvernement conservateur de Boris Johnson annonce en 2020 la nationalisation des lignes du nord de l’Angleterre.
« L’industrie ferroviaire arrivait de moins en moins à trouver son modèle économique. Cette tendance a été exacerbée par le Covid, avec la baisse du nombre de passagers, rendant la réforme inévitable », note John Preston, professeur spécialiste du transport ferroviaire à l’Université de Southampton.
Avant l’arrivée au pouvoir l’année dernière des travaillistes, 40 % des lignes avaient ainsi déjà été renationalisées.
« Avec le réseau et plusieurs grands opérateurs dans le giron public, et le gouvernement fixant un plafond d’augmentation du prix des billets, les chemins de fer sont déjà bien plus proches de la renationalisation que beaucoup de gens ne le réalisent », observe Bruce Williamson.
A noter aussi qu’en Irlande du Nord, les chemins de fer sont toujours restés publics, tandis qu’au Pays de Galles et en Ecosse, ils ont déjà été renationalisés, respectivement en 2021 et 2022. Le rail en plein essor
Mais désormais, les travaillistes passent à la vitesse supérieure. Une loi doit être votée cette année pour créer Great British Railways. Cette structure réunira la gestion de l’infrastructure ferroviaire et son exploitation, sur le même modèle que la SNCF.
« Cette intégration va permettre une meilleure gestion du réseau, d’autant plus face à l’encombrement de certains axes, en particulier autour de Londres, Manchester et Birmingham », souligne Christian Wolmar.
Grâce au transfert de ces entreprises dans le secteur public, le gouvernement britannique estime qu’il réalisera des économies de 100 à 150 millions de livres, en réduisant notamment ses coûts de gestion. Mais John Preston prévient : « Il s’agit d’une renationalisation partielle. »
La propriété des rames restera privée, tout comme les opérations de fret. Certains opérateurs privés ont aussi obtenu une dérogation, comme Heathrow Express, qui relie l’aéroport au centre de Londres.
Après South Western Railway, ce sera au tour de la licence de la c2c (entreprise ferroviaire qui assure la desserte de la ligne London, Tilbury & Southend Railway) d’arriver à terme en juillet puis de celle de Greater Anglia à l’automne. Les dernières concessions de compagnies privées expireront d’ici 2027. Les contrats de travail des salariés sont à chaque fois transférés à la tutelle publique, DFT Operator.
L’Association de l’industrie ferroviaire (RIA) prévoit une augmentation des déplacements en train de 20 % d’ici 2035
Cette renationalisation intervient dans un contexte où le rail est en plein essor. Selon l’Office of Rail and Road, les voyages ferroviaires ont augmenté de 7 % au cours du troisième trimestre 2024, par rapport au même trimestre en 2023. L’Association de l’industrie ferroviaire (RIA) prévoit une croissance annuelle moyenne de 1,6 % dans les prochaines décennies, soutenue par la croissance économique et démographique, soit une augmentation des déplacements en train de 20 % d’ici 2035, correspondant aussi aux nouvelles habitudes des voyageurs depuis la crise sanitaire, avec davantage de déplacements le week-end.
La Grande-Bretagne va aussi voir arriver sa deuxième ligne à grande vitesse, HS2 (High speed 2 ; la première fut celle du Tunnel sous la Manche), reliant Londres à Birmingham. « L’opérateur proposé, Avanti West Coast, sera repris par les pouvoirs publics en octobre 2026. Mais la mise en service de la ligne ne devrait pas commencer avant 2030 », rappelle John Preston. La Grande-Bretagne a très peu investi dans la grande vitesse ferroviaire, contrairement à la France ou l’Espagne. Billets toujours chers
Reste que les spécialistes du rail mettent en garde contre de trop fortes attentes des passagers. « Il pourrait y avoir un défi politique à la fin du processus de renationalisation, lorsque les citoyens remarqueront peu de changements réels et que les prix des billets resteront élevés », note Bruce Williamson.
Le porte-parole de RailFuture craint que « si des économies sont obtenues, elles seront probablement utilisées par le gouvernement pour réduire la dette publique et non pas rendues aux passagers sous forme de prix de billets réduits. » Rob Jenks pointe un autre impact : « À long terme, pour les travailleurs, il pourrait y avoir une menace pour l’emploi en raison de l’intégration et de l’élimination des postes dédoublés. »
La leçon anglaise est-elle un cas d’école démontrant que le train doit rester un secteur régalien ? Oui, selon Rob Jenks :
« Les trains publics de la côte Est ont réinvesti leurs bénéfices dans leurs activités, alors que les entreprises privées redonnent l’argent à leurs actionnaires, voire à des gouvernements étrangers dont les chemins de fer publics détiennent des parts dans certaines compagnies. »
Mais John Prexton est, lui, moins catégorique : « Dans un sens, la propriété importe moins que l’organisation. Au Royaume-Uni, l’organisation était excessivement complexe et a finalement échoué, mais les chemins de fer gérés par le privé réussissent au Japon. »
Le secteur privé va désormais se concentrer sur l’international. Le groupe britannique Virgin prépare une levée de fonds pour lancer à partir de 2029 des trains à grande vitesse entre Londres, Paris et Bruxelles, venant concurrencer l’Eurostar. La bataille du rail qui oppose les acteurs privés et publics n’est pas près de s’arrêter.
• JSDB: In-process, in-memory JavaScript database that persists to append-only JavaScript logs: codeberg.org/small-tech/jsdb
As Site.js reached an evolutionary dead-end, and as I learned from my experiements with replicated data types that replicated data types are *not* a prerequisite for a decentralised web (actual topological decentralisation and ease of use are), I started writing a new server/platform called Kitten from scratch while still making use of the tried and tested modules listed above.
Last week, I switched over our last site using Site.js to Kitten and, with that, today I’ve sunset³ Site.js:
Say “hello” to Small Technology Foundation.
Today, Laura and I want to introduce you to Small Technology Foundation, where we will be continuing the work we started at Ind.ie five years ago.
Remember your leaders, who preached the word of God to you, and as you reflect on the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same today as he was yesterday and as he will be for ever. Do not let yourselves be led astray by all sorts of strange doctrines.
“It’s a matter of urgency,” she (Kristina Kallas, Estonia’s minister of education and research) said. “We are facing this evolutionary, developmental challenge now. We either evolve into faster-thinking and higher-level-thinking creatures, or the technology will take over our consciousness.”
I have installed LMDE on my mothers Notebook and I like the feature for example mass rename and home folder encryption? What are those tools and how can I get them on Arch? Does someone has the source code?
A team of scientists at the University of Manchester has launched a project exploring the potential of marine cloud brightening as a temporary measure to mitigate global warming.
"PAFER assumes that recipients of benefits have criminal tendencies and must therefore be denied financial privacy. It empowers the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to compel banks and financial institutions to scrutinise accounts of benefit claimants and provide specified information to help it verify eligibility of claimants of benefits."
"Banks will be required to develop algorithms to search and report information demanded by DWP. The cost of developing algorithms is to be borne by banks and will ultimately be passed to bank customers. Inevitably, banks are not keen on the new duties, especially as it makes them a de facto arm of the repressive state and conflicts with their duty of confidentiality."
"No court order is needed for such en masse surveillance. The affected individuals won’t be told. There is no right of appeal. The information that DWP will demand has not yet been explained. The government has promised a code of practice but that has not yet been published i.e. the law has been passed by the Commons without knowing the full details."
Periodic reminder: #Substack profits off Nazi pages bc they don't want to be "in the censorship business," but they also won't host adult content, so they ARE in the "censorship business." They just think Nazis are better than pornographers.
This is why I will never give Substack a single shiny nickel.
Germany may resume compulsory conscription if it fails to recruit enough willing contract soldiers, the country’s defence ministry chief Pistorius has said. “Our model is initially based on voluntary participation.
Le Reichsleiter Bouhler et le Docteur Brandt sont chargés d’étendre les pouvoirs des #médecins à être nommément désignés afin que, selon le jugement humain, les patients en phase terminale puissent BÉNÉFICIER D’UNE MORT MISÉRICORDIEUSE après l’évaluation la plus critique de leur état de santé. Signé Adolf #HITLER
Rogue communication devices found in Chinese solar power inverters
“Rogue communication devices not listed in product documents have been found in some Chinese solar power inverters by US experts who strip down equipment hooked up to grids to check for security issues, the two people said. Over the past nine months, undocumented communication devices, including cellular radios, have also been found in some batteries from multiple Chinese suppliers, one of them said.”
I generally ignore all the unsubstantiated propaganda (think Huawei) out of the USA unless it actually is substantiated by some evidence. This does look like such a case, as undocumented devices have apparently been found in some Chinese inverters. Pure speculation is never evidence of anything.
My own LiPO4 battery for example does have a Wi-Fi communication device in it for calling home to the OEM, but firstly it is documented, and secondly I configure it to only connect via my IoT VLAN, and thirdly it calls home to the local company in my town who manufactured it. The same goes for my German made Victron inverter.
It is becoming more and more apparent though, given all the IoT devices we now install on our home networks, that just using any basic ISP router is no longer acceptable. You do need to separate your user devices from any such IoT devices, and then also vet which of those devices are allowed to access the Internet. There may be valid reasons for accessing the Internet such as getting updates, managing warranties, syncing to a cloud service you know about, etc.
Remotely accessing your IoT devices when you are away from home should be considered carefully. For example, my CCTV cameras are not allowed any Internet access, and if I want to access them while I’m away, I have to initiate a secure Tailscale tunnel and only then can I see them. The same goes for login access to my OPNsense firewall, it has no open login access facing the Internet at all.
It is true though that anyone capable of accessing your inverter (or many of them across a city or a country) could not only disable all your power, but it could also spark a massive demand load on the grid, possibly calling a blackout. So this has more severe implications than one home just being hacked to access data.
The analogy could be made with cars where 20 or 30 years ago airbags were not seen as essential, and going back further, neither were seatbelts nor power brakes, but today those are essential standard components of all cars. It is also time that home networking started to move with the times. There is actually no excuse on the hardware side, as much of this is just about software, not even actual hardware requiring replacement.
The problem though is a bit more complex as:
OEMs want to sell you new hardware, not just upgrade software on what you have.
Many cheaper devices have no automatic software upgrades.
Most home users are just not skilled enough yet to implement VLANs properly.
It is too easy for IoT devices to just be connected with a Wi-Fi ID and password to open home networks.
So there is some way to go still before this type of vulnerability will be properly addressed.
Griechenland, bekannt für seine antike Geschichte und atemberaubenden Inseln, etabliert sich zunehmend auch als erstklassiges Ziel für Golfer. Wer eine einzigartige Kombination aus kulturellen Entdeckungen und erstklassigem Golf sucht, sollte die verschiedenen Angebote für Golfreisen nach Griechenland in Betracht ziehen, die dieses faszinierende Land zu bieten hat. TEMA Golf ist Ihr Experte für die Gestaltung maßgeschneiderter Golferlebnisse, die Ihre Erwartungen übertreffen und sicherstellen, dass jede Runde so entspannend ist wie ein Sonnenuntergang über der Ägäis.
Die Hauptregion für Golf in Griechenland ist zweifellos die Halbinsel Peloponnes. Hier finden Sie das renommierte Costa Navarino, ein wahrer Juwel für Golfer. Mit seinen vier preisgekröften Plätzen – The Dunes Course, The Bay Course, The Olympic Course und The International Olympic Academy Golf Course – bietet Costa Navarino eine unvergleichliche Vielfalt und Qualität. Entworfen von Legenden wie Bernhard Langer und Robert Trent Jones Jr., fügen sich diese Plätze nahtlos in die mediterrane Landschaft ein und bieten spektakuläre Ausblicke auf das Ionische Meer und die umliegende Natur. Es ist ein Ort, an dem Luxus, Nachhaltigkeit und exzellentes Golf Hand in Hand gehen.
Abseits der Peloponnes gibt es auch auf der Insel Korfu einen schönen Golfplatz, den Corfu Golf Club, der sich in einem grünen Tal befindet und eine entspannte Atmosphäre bietet. Auch wenn die Anzahl der Golfplätze im Vergleich zu anderen europäischen Destinationen noch begrenzt ist, zeichnet sich Griechenland durch die hohe Qualität seiner Anlagen und die einzigartige Umgebung aus.
Ein Golfurlaub in Griechenland ist mehr als nur das Spiel. Er bietet die Möglichkeit, die reiche Geschichte zu erkunden, köstliche mediterrane Küche zu genießen und die berühmte griechische Gastfreundschaft zu erleben. Nach einer Runde Golf können Sie antike Ruinen besichtigen, in kristallklarem Wasser schwimmen oder einfach die entspannte Inselatmosphäre genießen. TEMA Golf kümmert sich um alle Details Ihrer Reise, von der Auswahl der besten Abschlagzeiten bis hin zu luxuriösen Unterkünften, damit Ihr Golfurlaub zu einem unvergesslichen Erlebnis wird. Entdecken Sie die perfekte Symbiose aus Leidenschaft und Erholung!
Planen Sie mit TEMA Golf Ihren perfekten Golfurlaub in Griechenland. Spielen Sie auf traumhaften Plätzen und erleben Sie Griechenlands Schönheit und Kultur!
"Un nouveau sondage de Penn State confirme que la société juive israélienne est globalement fasciste, totalement irrécupérable et qu'elle constitue une menace grave pour l'humanité : -82% soutiennent l'expulsion forcée des habitants de #Gaza -56 % soutiennent l'expulsion forcée des citoyens arabes d' #Israël -47% pensent que l'armée israélienne devrait « agir comme les Israélites bibliques sous Josué à Jéricho - tuer tous les habitants d'une ville conquise ». -65% « croient en une incarnation moderne d' #Amalek, l'ennemi biblique des #Juifs ». -93 % de ceux qui croient en « Amalek » pensent que le commandement biblique d'« effacer Amalek » s'applique encore aujourd'hui. -69 % des Israéliens laïques soutiennent l'expulsion de la population de Gaza et 31 % sont favorables à l'imitation de la destruction biblique de Jéricho. -Seulement 9 % des hommes de moins de 40 ans s'opposent à tous les scénarios de #génocide des Palestiniens." source : Max Blumenthal @MaxBlumenthal
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday sent a congratulatory letter to the 20th Western China International Fair, held in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province.
This is a Resonite headless server running on the Poco F1, and I have a music visualizer being rendered on it in chromium that's being encoded using venus and streamed into the session
SANAA, May 25 (YPA) - Ansarullah Political Bureau in Sanaa congratulated on Sunday the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, and the Lebanese people on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of resistance and liberation.In
En directe de la conférence qui présente la sortie du nouveau rapport de l’observatoire citoyen de la marchandisation des associations #OCMA. Après le 1er rapport expliquant le processus de marchandisation des #associations, on explore les pistes concrètes de « démarchandisation » pour mieux défendre un socle associatif : la #nonLucrativité avec l'exemple Belge avant le contre exemple italien.
Conférence de presse lundi 26 mai à 10h30 : La marchandisation des associations : un processus inexorable ? Le premier rapport de l’observatoire citoyen de la marchandisation des associations (OCMA), sorti en 2023, a permis de poser et de partager la…
Yacobi, Haim. 2016. “From ‘Ethnocracity’ to Urban Apartheid: A View from Jerusalem\al-Quds.” Cosmopolitan Civil Societies: An Interdisciplinary Journal 8 (3): 100–114.
Over the past 20 years, changes in demographic control, militarization, and state violence have radically transformed the city from an ethnocracity into an urban apartheid.
An ethnocracity refers to a city where a dominant ethnic group appropriates and controls the city apparatus to produce a contested, unstable space. Jerusalem was previously theorized as an ethnocracity.
Urban apartheid combines ethnic exclusion and segregation with market-driven forces like privatization, gentrification, and tourism planning. It relies less on formal legal structures and more on economic restructuring.
Urban apartheid intentionally segregates groups and allocates resources/rights based on race rather than residency. It is an intentional creation reflecting ideology and policy goals of domination, not just individual choices.
#reference / Solidarity and the Palestinian Cause: Indigeneity, Blackness, and the Promise of Universality. Zahi Zalloua (2023).
[…] Foregrounding Palestinian Indigeneity reframes the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as a problem of wrongful dispossession, a historical harm that continues to be inflicted on the population under the brutal Occupation of the West Bank and #Gaza. At the same time, in a global context marked by liberal democratic ideology, such an approach leads either to liberal tolerance – the minority is permitted to exist so long as their culture can be contained within the majority order – or racial separatism, that is, appeals for national independence typically embodied in the two-state solution.
Aburish, Saïd K. 1989. Children of Bethany: The Story of a Palestinian Family. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
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In the 1920s and 1930s, life in the peaceful village of Bethany, outside #Jerusalem, was dominated by its flamboyant headman, Khalil Aburish, guardian of the tomb of Lazarus. Said Aburish, grandson of the headman, relates the vivid history of his family which, like so many others, has been torn apart by events in Palestine in the course of the century.
In 1948, with #Palestine in flames, the Aburish family scattered. Some remained in #bethany. Others began a new life across the world, establishing themselves as journalists, advertising executives, professors, bankers-even revolutionaries.
The Aburishes who stayed in Bethany watched as their peaceful way of life was destroyed by events in the outside world-culminating in the Israeli occupation of the West Bank which threatens their very existence.
#reference/ Chances for Peace: Missed Opportunities in the Arab-Israeli Conflict. University of Texas Press, 2015.
“Drawing on a newly developed theoretical definition of “missed opportunity,” Chances for Peace uses extensive sources in English, Hebrew, and Arabic to systematically measure the potentiality levels of opportunity across some ninety years of attempted negotiations in the Arab-Israeli conflict.
With enlightening revelations that defy conventional wisdom, this study provides a balanced account of the most significant attempts to forge peace, initiated by the world’s superpowers, the Arabs (including the Palestinians), and Israel.
From Arab-Zionist negotiations at the end of World War I to the subsequent partition, the aftermath of the 1967 War and the Sadat Initiative, and numerous agreements throughout the 1980s and 1990s, concluding with the Annapolis Conference in 2007 and the Abu Mazen-Olmert talks in 2008, pioneering scholar Elie Podeh uses empirical criteria and diverse secondary sources to assess the protagonists’ roles at more than two dozen key junctures.
A resource that brings together historiography, political science, and the practice of peace negotiation, Podeh’s insightful exploration also showcases opportunities that were not missed. Three agreements in particular (Israeli-Egyptian, 1979; Israeli-Lebanese, 1983; and Israeli-Jordanian, 1994) illuminate important variables for forging new paths to successful negotiation.
By applying his framework to a broad range of power brokers and time periods, Podeh also sheds light on numerous incidents that contradict official narratives. This unique approach is poised to reshape the realm of conflict resolution.”
Magid, Shaul. 2023. The Necessity of Exile: Essays from a Distance. First. Brooklyn: Ayin Press. ayinpress.org/the-necessity-of….
[...] Magid's book dissects and critiques terms like Zionism, anti-Zionism, identity, Indigeneity and antisemitism – subjects that have dominated the public discourse over the past two and a half months.
[...] "But still, amidst the mourning and devastation, when the fog of war lifts and the mourners rise from shivah or take down their mourning tents, the same dilemma will exist: competing claims for rights, claims of ownership, and the land, the land, the land. … We can think – we must think – a way out of the cognitive trap of exceptionalism and exclusivity, rights and victimhood, on both sides, and the illusion of seeing violence as a solution, whether terrorism or state violence, even if we must do so through tears of grief, of sorrow, and of pain."
A thought-provoking work of political imagination, The Necessity of Exile seeks to rethink exile as a positive stance for constructive Jewish engagement with Israel|Palestine, antisemitism, diaspora, and a broken world in need of repair.
While researching the work of the Palestine Conciliation Commission (PCC, or UNCPP) , came across this quote from Conciliation Commission member Mark F. Ethridge in Moris' "The birth of the Palestinian refugee problem revisited" (2012):
[...] Mark Ethridge, the Southern Baptist appointed by Truman to the PCC, quickly understood that the developing impasse over the refugees was lethal to any possibility of peace. Ethridge thought Shertok’s attitude – that the refugees were ‘essentially unassimilable’ in Israel and should all be resettled in the Arab world – ‘inhuman’. Israel’s views in this context, he said, were ‘similar to those which I heard Hitler express in Germany in 1933. It [sic] might be described as anti-Semitism toward the Arabs.’ At the same time, he believed that ‘it might be wise in long run to resettle greater portion Arab refugees in neighbouring Arab states’.
#reference / Zwi Migdal (or Zvi Migdal) was a Polish-Jewish-run, most profitable prostitution ring in South America and beyond
Apropos Jeffrey Epstein’s unsealed court documents , his real heritage is possibly Zwi Migdal - a Jewish global crime syndicate trafficking Jewish women as sex slaves.
Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1930 - The big trial had just ended. Judge Manuel Rodriguez Ocampo convicted 108 criminals with long sentences, forever disrupting the activities of the Zwi Migdal, the 30-year old, Jewish-run, most profitable prostitution ri…
#reference / The Catholic Church, anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism
from Theodor Herzl's personal diaries [English translation]; Book I, May-June 17, 1895:
[...] Anti-Semitism has grown and continues to grow — and so do I.
[...] I can still recall two different conceptions of the Question and its solution which I had in the course of those years. About two years ago I wanted to solve the Jewish Question, at least in Austria, with the help of the Catholic Church. I wished to gain access to the Pope (not without first assuring myself of the support of the Austrian church dignitaries) and say to him: Help us against the anti-Semites and I will start a great movement for the free and honorable conversion of Jews to Christianity.
[...] And because the Jewish leaders would remain Jews, escorting the people only to the threshold of the church and themselves staying outside, the whole performance was to be elevated by a touch of great candor.
[...] We, the steadfast men, would have constituted the last generation.
#reference/ Tabar, Linda, and Samia Al-Botmeh. 2021. “Real Estate Development Through Land Grabs: Predatory Accumulation and Precarity in Palestine.” New Political Economy 26 (5): 783–96. doi.org/10.1080/13563467.2020.…
Global capitalist dynamics within the settler colonial realities in #Palestine, examining the implications for Palestinians struggling to remain on their land
#reference / Shlaim, Avi, Nadim Rouhana, Andre Zaaiman, and Na’eem Jeenah. 2012. “Pretending Democracy: Israel, an Ethnocratic State.”
The "Iron Wall" doctrine is a political strategy proposed by Zionist leader Ze'ev Jabotinsky in 1923. Knowing very well European Jewish presence in Palestine would never be accepted, It advocated for the establishment of a Jewish state as a so-called "iron wall". The doctrine argued that Zionists should prioritize building up their own military and economic power without making any concessions to Arab interests or seeking Arab cooperation.
----------
Zionism, the founding fathers and the Palestine Arabs, Avi Shlaim
[...] My central thesis in this chapter is that the iron wall was a national strategy to which rival Zionist political camps subscribed during both the pre-independence and the post-independence periods. In other words, it will be argued that there was a remarkable convergence between mainstream Labour Zionism and right-wing Revisionist Zionism when it came to the Arab question and that this convergence persisted after 1948 under the Labor Party, Likud, and Kadima. To say this is not to deny the existence of deep differences between the rival political camps. Clearly, there was always a European-style ideological divergence between the left and right wing on social, economic and political issues. Nor is it to deny that there were also significant differences when it came to the Arab question. Rather, the argument is that while left and right were divided on the territorial aims of Zionism, they were united on the strategy of the iron wall. Revisionist Zionism staked a claim to a Jewish state over the whole of the British mandate of Palestine, including Transjordan. Labour Zionists, on the other hand, accepted the principle of the partition of Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab. At the risk of over-simplification, the two groups may therefore be described as territorial maximalists and territorial realists. Yet – and this is the crucial point – regardless of the extent of their territorial ambition, the two groups understood that, given the absolute Arab rejection of the whole idea, a Jewish state could be established only by force of arms.
#Palestine and the UN / Imseis, Ardi. The United Nations and the Question of Palestine: Rule by Law and the Structure of International Legal Subalternity. Cambridge, United Kingdom ; New york, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2024.
Imseis criticizes the two-state solution, stating that it was not aligned with core principles of international law when originally envisioned and has contributed to Palestine's contingent status in the international legal order. Despite the Palestinian Liberation Organization's recognition of Israel in 1988 and acceptance of the partition plan of 1947, the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territory remains in place, raising questions about the validity of this historical compromise.
[...] Put simply, partition could never be legal without the freely expressed consent of the governed, and in #Palestine the vast majority of the population outright refused partition as an abomination of international law and their right to self-determination vis a vis the European settlers in their midst. Examination of the #UN record, in the form of the public and private meetings and report of the UN Special Committee on Palestine (#UNSCOP) as well as the General Assembly debates that followed, demonstrates that partition was not based on these international legal considerations. Rather, it was driven by powerful European states and their settler-colonial affiliates. The UN record reveals that the declared goal of these states was to rectify Europe’s centuries-old Jewish question in the wake of the #Holocaust and to do so at the expense of the innocent third-party Palestinians.
Germany and Israel: Whitewashing and Statebuilding by Daniel Marwecki (London: Hurst & Company, 2020), 274 Pages
From the abstract:
[…] Thorough archival research shows how German policymakers often had disingenuous, cynical or even partly antisemitic motivations, seeking to whitewash their Nazi past by supporting the new Israeli state. This is the true context of West Germany’s crucial backing of Israel in the 1950s and ’60s. German economic and military support greatly contributed to Israel’s early consolidation and eventual regional hegemony. This initial alliance has affected Germany’s role in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict to the present day.
#UNRWA / Preserving the Palestine Heritage: paper and film documents held by UNRWA need preservation
[...] Hundreds of thousands, 296,680, of family files containing more than 16 million documents, including travel documents; land deeds; birth, death and marriage certificates; guardianship papers; utility and tax bills; curfew permits from the British Mandate period and other documents dating back to the period of Ottoman rule before World War I are also held by UNRWA. They are being preserved now through a project that is seeing the digitizing and indexing of these files.
In #genocide and #colonialism / Ahmida, Ali Abdullatif. Genocide in Libya: Shar, a Hidden Colonial History. Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY: Routledge, 2021.
[…] Between 1929 and 1934, thousands of Libyans lost their lives, directly murdered and victim to Italian deportations and internments. They were forcibly removed from their homes, marched across vast tracks of deserts and mountains, and confined behind barbed wire in 16 concentration camps. It is a story that Libyans have recorded in their Arabic oral history and narratives while remaining hidden and unexplored in a systematic fashion, and never in the manner that has allowed us to comprehend and begin to understand the extent of their existence.
Tamir, Dan. Hebrew Fascism in Palestine, 1922-1942. 1st ed. 2018, Springer International Publishing : Imprint: Palgrave Macmillan, 2018.
A timely read, considering all the conditioned Tamir discussed in 2019 seem to be present in Israel today.
The combination of a constitutional crisis, a major national threat, economic distress, and a charismatic right-wing leader could potentially lead to a resurgence of fascist-like politics in Israel, even if the manifestations would differ from historical #fascism. But this scenario is not inevitable.
CAMERA [The Zionist Watchdog] vs. JPS [and Ilan Pappé):
#CAMERA's relentless pro-Israel activism has drawn significant criticism, yet some mainstream media outlets continue to quote the organization as if it is a neutral arbiter on Middle East issues.
This is one example of how they work.
The Journal of Palestine Studies (#JPS) published an article by Ilan Pappé in 2006 that contained an inaccurate citation of a quote attributed to David Ben-Gurion. #CAMERA jumped at the opportunity.
Upon further review, JPS found an even more serious error - a misplaced quotation mark that significantly changed the meaning of the Ben-Gurion quote. To correct this and provide more context, JPS obtained a full translation of Ben-Gurion's 1937 letter to his son, which discusses Ben-Gurion's views on partition, the need to transfer Arabs, and using force if necessary.
The full letter shows that Pappé's portrayal of Ben-Gurion's thinking on transfer was accurate, and that the quotes attributed to Ben-Gurion are well-supported by the historical record.
"We must expel Arabs and take their place."
"If the Arabs stand in our way, we shall have to push them aside with the use of force, if need be."
"Our strength vis-à-vis the Arabs will likewise increase. The possibilities for construction and multiplication will speedily expand. The greater the Jewish strength in the country, the more the Arabs will realize that it is neither beneficial nor possible for them to withstand us."
"If we are compelled to use force - not in order to dispossess the Arabs of the Negev or Transjordan, but in order to guarantee our right to settle there - our force will enable us to do so."
The letter shows Ben-Gurion explicitly supporting the idea of forcibly transferring Arabs out of areas designated for a future Jewish state, even if it required the use of military force.
“JPS Responds to CAMERA’s Call for Accuracy: Ben-Gurion and the Arab Transfer.” Journal of Palestine Studies, vol. 41, no. 2, 2012, pp. 245–50. JSTOR, doi.org/10.1525/jps.2012.xli.2…. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
More information on the letter, Ben-Gurion's intent. Of interest is Rabbi Chaim Simons , who concludes:
"But at no point during the 1930s and 1940s did Ben-Gurion ever go on record against the idea or policy of transfer. On the contrary, Ben-Gurion left a paper trail a mile long as to his actual thinking, and no amount of ignoring, twisting and turning, manipulation, contortion, and distortion can blow it away."
Attar, Samar. Debunking the Myths of Colonization: The Arabs and Europe. Lanham, Md: University Press of America, 2010.
[...] Chaim Weizmann (1874–1952), who was born in Russia and later became a naturalized British subject and in 1948 the first president of the State of Israel, said of the Palestinians: “The British told us that there are some hundred thousands Negroes. . . and for those there is no value.” Rafael Eitan, the Israeli general and former Chief of Staff, whose ancestry goes back to Russia too, speaks of Palestinians in 1983 as “drugged cockroaches inside a bottle.” This is the common crude language of intruders/ colonists who have originally arrived from Europe to different parts of the world. Ironically, the Jews in Europe were never considered Europeans, yet some of them seemed to have emulated the racial and ideological make-up of their tormentors!
It's still colonialism, but Epstein was witness to the dispossession of Palestinian tenant farmers from their land by Jewish land purchasing practices, and in his speech to the 7th Zionist Congress in Basel in 1905, he advocates for an ethical and inclusive approach to the Zionist settlement, recognizing the rights and humanity of the Arab population, and promoting a path of coexistence, cooperation, and mutual understanding between Jews and Arabs in #Palestine.
[...] We devote attention to everything related to our homeland, we discuss and debate everything, we praise and criticize in every way, but one trivial thing we have overlooked so long in our lovely country: there exists an entire people who have held it for centuries and to whom it would never occur to leave.
Author Ehud Ben Ezer [...] From my understanding, the issue that troubled Yitzhak Epstein was the manner in which lands were acquired from the #Druze tenant farmers in the Metullah area (now the Rosh Pina moshav). He opposed the violent expulsion of the peasant farmers from the lands they had worked for generations, despite it being a difficult process accompanied by hatred and a desire for revenge from the displaced Druze.
Epstein supported an approach of coexistence and cooperation between Jews and Arabs in Palestine. He criticized the violent way in which the Metullah lands were acquired and called for closeness and mutual respect between the two peoples, as he tried to implement in the Rosh Pina moshav where he taught, in an attempt to expose his students to Arab culture.
In his speech "The Hidden Question," he presented his firm stance against the expulsion of Arab peasants from their lands, and called for mutual respectful relations, learning about Arab culture, and cooperative agricultural methods that would benefit both sides.
"צל הפרדסים והר הגעש: שיחות על השתקפות השאלה הערבית ודמות הערבי בספרות העברית בארץ־ישראל מסוף המאה הקודמת ועד ימינו / אהוד בן עזר - פרויקט בן־יהודה." 25 Apr. 2024, benyehuda.org/read/25465.
See also:
+972 Magazine. "The Zionist educator we should have listened to - +972 Magazine." +972 Magazine, 3 Apr. 2016, 972mag.com/the-zionist-educato….
At a time when Israel’s education minister sees only Jews as moral, it is worth remembering a prominent Zionist educator who taught us that things could have turned out differently.
Wind, Maya. Towers of Ivory and Steel: How Israeli Universities Deny Palestinian Freedom. Verso, 2024.
Excerpts:
The settler university: Israeli academia has always been part of Israel’s territorial objectives in Palestine. (2024, April 29). Retrieved from mg.co.za/thought-leader/opinio…
This is part two of three excerpts from Maya Wind's book Towers of Ivory and Steel. Based on research, the book is a gamechanger in the conversation about Israe
[cont'd] Eve of the 1948 war: 20,000 tons in food supplies for the Jewish community
Contrary to the myth that "few triumphed over many," Israel was well-prepared for a protracted conflict in 1948 and stood to benefit from taking over more Palestinian land than was allotted to it in the partition plan.
This preparedness became evident even before the British Mandate (occupation) over Palestine ended on May 15th, 1948. Israel's reliance on external assistance is a recurring theme throughout its history.
Unfortunately for the Palestinians, this reliance was not reciprocated by neighboring Arab countries.
Snippet from a UN Palestine Commission report dated April 12, 1948:
“walked back to #Palestine against the traffic of exile”
[…] In 1967, Sireen Sawalha's mother, with her young children, walked back to Palestine against the traffic of exile. My Brother, My Land is the story of Sireen's family in the decades that followed and their lives in the Palestinian village of Kufr Ra'i.
A riveting and unapologetic account of Palestinian resistance, the story of one family's care for their land, and a reflection on love and heartache while living under military occupation.
Diplomacy in the Shadow of Memory: Israel and West Germany, 1953–1965 ( Roni Stauber, 2023) [translation of the original title in Hebrew]
Israel's story is one where realpolitik often superseded moral considerations. Leveraging the "guilt card" proved advantageous for Israel, a tactic it continues to employ effectively even today. However, in recent decades, Israel has wielded this strategy more from a position of strength than out of the survivalist mindset of a persecuted people.
Tauber's books includes interesting revelations (or reminders, really), among which:
- Former Nazi officers assisted Israel in the 1950s and 1960s.
- Israel secretly used reparations money from Germany to purchase military equipment, with the Germans turning a blind eye to this violation of the reparations agreement.
- Germany funded the purchase of submarines, helicopters and missile boats for Israel from Britain and France.
- There are hints, but no definitive proof, that Germany also helped fund Israel's nuclear program at Dimona.
- High-ranking former Nazis and Wehrmacht officers who took senior positions in the West German administration assisted Israel and expressed admiration for its military capabilities, seeing it as a strategic asset in the Cold War.
- Israeli leaders like Ben-Gurion were willing to ignore the Nazi pasts of the German officials in order to secure vital military and economic aid for Israel's security.
- There were fierce internal debates in Israel over this pragmatic policy towards West Germany, with critics like Golda Meir accusing Ben-Gurion of giving Germany a "certificate of integrity."
- Israel later used the "guilt card" and Jewish influence (real or perceived) to pressure West Germany into establishing full diplomatic ties in 1965 after a crisis over an arms embargo.
While this heart-warming Israeli-German relationship has undoubtedly benefited Israel, it has come at a cost to the Palestinians. A reasonable expectation could be for Germany to adopt a more neutral stance regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, rather than favoring Israel, regardless of Israel's implicit involvement in war crimes. Israel's security concerns are no longer existential in nature, and its primary motivation is to annex the occupied territories.
See also: Germany and Israel: Whitewashing and Statebuilding by Daniel Marwecki (London: Hurst & Company, 2020), 274 Pages kolektiva.social/@oatmeal/1120…
Germany and Israel: Whitewashing and Statebuilding by Daniel Marwecki (London: Hurst & Company, 2020), 274 Pages
From the abstract:
[…] Thorough archival research shows how German policymakers often had disingenuous, cynical or even partly antisemitic motivations, seeking to whitewash their Nazi past by supporting the new Israeli state. This is the true context of West Germany’s crucial backing of Israel in the 1950s and ’60s. German economic and military support greatly contributed to Israel’s early consolidation and eventual regional hegemony. This initial alliance has affected Germany’s role in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict to the present day.
#Israel / On the brink of fascism, will Israel actually cross over? In light of the occupation, the ethnocracy, and the strengthening of racist forces, one cannot ignore the danger of the fascist option being realized in Israel.
[...] At the head of the arrow of the nationalist ideology and the historical philosophy that mandates 'the eternity of Israel' and is intertwined with non-recognition of the legitimacy of 'the enemy', stands a populist, charismatic, demagogic and authoritarian leader - #Netanyahu, who is one step away from becoming a fascist leader. It is no wonder that neo-fascist or authoritarian-populist leaders, like Donald #Trump in the US, Narendra #Modi in India or Viktor #Orban in Hungary, are his reference group and fitting analogies for the kind of leadership he represents.
[...] If we add to all this the occupation and #apartheid regime that #Israel has been leading for more than half a century in the West Bank - and the transition from a 'temporary occupation' to a permanent colonialist situation, which paved the way for the legal process now awaiting at the International Criminal Court in The Hague - and if we add the ethnocratic features, whereby according to the political geographer Oren Yiftachel one ethnic group appropriates the institutions and resources of the state at the expense of minorities, while continuing to present itself as a (hollow) democracy, and above all the strengthening of the religious-racist forces - then we cannot ignore the danger of the fascist option materializing in Israel.
Prof. David Ohana is the author of the book The Fascist Temptation (Routledge 2021), and Prof. Oded Heilbronner is the author of the book From Popular Liberalism to National Socialism (Routledge 2017).
Tamir, Dan. Hebrew Fascism in Palestine, 1922-1942. 1st ed. 2018, Springer International Publishing : Imprint: Palgrave Macmillan, 2018.
A timely read, considering all the conditioned Tamir discussed in 2019 seem to be present in Israel today.
The combination of a constitutional crisis, a major national threat, economic distress, and a charismatic right-wing leader could potentially lead to a resurgence of fascist-like politics in Israel, even if the manifestations would differ from historical #fascism. But this scenario is not inevitable.
Memorandum Prepared in the Department of State from June 4, 1947.
A Plan for the Future Government of Palestine
I. basic principles
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[...]
B. Palestine should become neither an Arab State nor a Jewish State but a single independent Palestine State in which all its people, of whatever religion or blood, may dwell together in concord. In particular, Palestine should continue to provide a Jewish National Home in its spiritual and cultural aspects, as well as a home for the Arabs and all others who live there.
This document is a memorandum prepared in the U.S. Department of State in 1947 outlining a plan for the future government of Palestine. It was published as part of the Foreign Relations of the United States (#FRUS) series, which is a collection of documents compiled by the U.S. Department of State that contains records of the foreign policy of the United States.
W. Thomas Mallison and Sally V. Mallison. 1979. “International Law Analysis of Major UN Resolutions Concerning the Question of Palestine - CEIRPP Study.” un.org/unispal/document/auto-i….
On the issue of self-determination and its application to Palestine: The analysis examines the development of the right to self-determination as a legal principle, citing historical examples like the American Revolution and its codification in the UN Charter. It analyzes General Assembly resolutions that further define and apply this right (Resolutions 1514, 2625, 2649, 3089D, 3236) and asserts its specific applicability to the Palestinian people. The analysis underscores that this right encompasses "national independence and sovereignty" and permits "all means," including armed struggle, to regain it when denied.
[...] Since the American Revolution relied upon armed struggle to achieve self-determination about a century and a third before the principle of self-determination was used in the post World War I peace settlement, 168/ it is not surprising that the General Assembly specifies it as a permissible method now. Its permissibility is legally significant as an authoritative General Assembly assertion that armed struggle for self-determination is consistent with the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. In a situation such as Palestine where the people has been denied its right of self-determination by armed force, the right to regain it by armed struggle is considered permissible under article 51 of the Charter concerning self-defense.
Please scroll down for Arabic, Spanish, French and Russian versions and PDFs.
AN INTERNATIONAL LAW ANALYSIS OF THE MAJOR UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTIONS CONCERNING THE PALESTINE QUESTION
by W. Thomas Mallison *
[...] Ben-Gurion probably never heard the word “Nakba,” but early on, at the end of the 1950s, Israel’s first prime minister grasped the importance of the historical narrative. Just as #Zionism had forged a new narrative for the Jewish people within a few decades, he understood that the other nation that had resided in the country before the advent of Zionism would also strive to formulate a narrative of its own. For the Palestinians, the national narrative grew to revolve around the Nakba, the calamity that befell them following Israel’s establishment in 1948, when about 700,000 Palestinians became refugees.
Historian Shay Hazkani (today an associate Professor of History at the University of Maryland) uncovered in this early publication a concerted effort orchestrated by Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, to manipulate the historical narrative surrounding the 1948 Palestinian exodus/explosion.
Seeking to secure international sympathy for the Jewish state (which declared independence unilaterally after a failed attempt to implement the partition resolution and while the UN were busy formulation a trustsheep, suggested by the U.S.), Ben-Gurion instructed Israeli historians to produce research that would obscure the expulsion of Palestinians, instead promoting the narrative that they fled their homes voluntarily.
Hazkani argues that this manipulation was a calculated attempt to rewrite history, downplaying Israel's role in the Palestinian #Nakba and swaying global opinion in favor of the newly established nation.
"The Palestinian Arabs wanted Palestine because they lived there. The Zionists demanded it because the land had been promised by their God "Yahwa" which promise was later confirmed by "Balfour", ratified by the League of Nations, and finally, by the United Nations. For the Zionists it was a "return" full of mystical significance. For the Arabs, it was simply another invasion."
Armajani, Yahya. 1970. Middle East: Past and Present. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice-Hall. p. 315.
Book review: **Dimitri Shomsky**. Did Zionism Seek to Establish a Nation-State? The Zionist Political Imagination from Pinsker to Ben-Gurion (1882-1948)
Dimitri Shomsky's book challenges the conventional narrative of Zionist aspirations, arguing that before the Peel Commission's 1937 proposal to partition Palestine, the dominant Zionist vision wasn't necessarily a fully independent nation-state. Instead, Shomsky posits that many Zionist leaders favored a model of Jewish autonomy within existing empires, drawing parallels to similar aspirations of other nationalities within the Austro-Hungarian, Russian, and Ottoman empires.
He examines the writings of key Zionist figures like #Herzl, #Jabotinsky, and Ben-Gurion, highlighting instances where their proposals suggested a degree of autonomy rather than outright independence.
The book also explores the influence of the "Helsinki Program," a plan focusing on securing equal rights for Jews within the Russian Empire. Shomsky's work introduces previously unknown Russian-language materials, particularly concerning Jabotinsky's dual commitment to both Jewish nationalism and his deep-rooted connection to his Russian identity.
The author ultimately presents an alternative historical perspective on Zionism, suggesting a path that could have been, but wasn't, taken.
Review by Anita Shapira, Professor Emerita, Department of Jewish History, Tel Aviv University.
Dr. Omri Shefer Raviv’s book, “The Homeowners: The Israeli Government and the Palestinians, 1967-1969”, researches the formative decisions that shaped Israel’s governance of the Palestinians in the immediate aftermath of the 1967 war—policies whose echoes resonate today while Israel is destroying Gaza and attempting, again, to empty it of its indigenous population (mostly descendants of the internal refugees of the 1948 #Nakba).
Raviv argues that the initial assumption of a temporary occupation quickly fractured, with divergent views emerging within the Israeli government. While some envisioned annexation, others saw the territories as bargaining chips, and still others prioritized a strong military presence. However, a common thread was the desire for control.
Moshe Dayan, Minister of Defense, emerges as a central figure, actively dismissing any prospect of a political solution and advocating for the perpetuation of the occupation. As described in the book, Dayan prioritized a strategy of economic dependence to maintain control, declaring that it was the "most important success" and that "100,000 refugees have passed from Israel to Jordan.” The book details how policies were deliberately designed to create this reliance, hindering Palestinian development.
[...] "I wish they would all leave… I know the images and descriptions in the newspapers of people wading through water with their children… and in the heat of Jericho, those aren’t dignified scenes… but it’s the most practical thing happening today, with 1,000 refugees crossing every day.”
Raviv describes systematic efforts to encourage Palestinian emigration, including outright expulsion. Dayan reportedly expressed a desire to see Palestinians leave, stating that "it would be a pity if we had to deal with them," and that he hoped "they all pass”. These actions, coupled with the creation of conditions meant to incentivize migration, foreshadowed current strategies.
In this document, which is a communication from the UK Delegation to the UN Palestine Commission, forwarding questions and answers from the UK House of Commons on February 18, 1948, Mr. Bevin, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs outlines the UK's stance on Palestine as the mandate nears its end on May 15th [1948], is acknowledging the #UK will not enforce the partition of Palestine or impose solutions unacceptable to both Arabs and Jews.
[...] Mr Bevin: I have repeatedly announced, as my Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies announced at the beginning and His Majesty’s Government adhere to it now, that we cannot take part in forcing partition in Palestine or in any solution that is not acceptable to the Arabs and the Jews.
Something *really* big seems to be happening in Russia. Government official planes fly east, military build up near border at Lithuania and overflight into Finnish airspace.
Link is live feed but timestamped top pick up where it gets interesting.
Only minutes ago over a dozen Russian government aircraft have taken off form Moscow's airports, flying to every corner of the Russian Federation filled with...
Health authorities in Gaza report 38 killed and over 200 injured in 24 hours, bringing the total toll to 53,939 dead and 122,797 wounded since the Israeli genocide began.
With the right care routine, you can keep your marble looking stunning. Here’s how to clean and protect it in humid environments.
Marble’s timeless elegance enhances any space, but humid climates can threaten its pristine condition. If you’re in a damp, coastal, or tropical area, you may have noticed marble surfaces—like a large marble slab for wall accents or luxury wall tiles—showing signs of mildew, yellowing, or dullness. With the right care routine, you can keep your marble looking stunning. Here’s how to clean and protect it in humid environments.
Why Marble Struggles with Humidity
Marble’s porous nature makes it vulnerable to moisture. In humid conditions, water from steam, spills, or even the air can penetrate the stone, leading to stains, etching, or mold growth. Grout lines are particularly susceptible to mildew, especially in bathrooms or kitchens. High-end installations like luxury wall tiles or a large marble slab for wall use require consistent care to maintain their beauty in moist settings.
Keep It Dry Every Day
The best defense against humidity is keeping marble dry. Wipe down marble surfaces daily with a soft, dry microfiber cloth, especially in high-moisture areas like bathrooms or kitchens. Focus on areas where water tends to pool, such as near sinks or the base of a large marble slab for wall installations in showers. Even small amounts of standing water can cause damage over time.
Don’t let wet items like towels, sponges, or soap bottles sit on marble surfaces. A quick daily wipe-down prevents moisture from seeping in and keeps mold at bay.
Clean with Care
Marble demands a gentle cleaning approach. Avoid acidic cleaners like vinegar or bleach, which can etch or discolor the stone. Opt for a pH-neutral cleaner formulated for natural stone, or mix a few drops of mild dish soap with warm water. Wipe the marble with a damp, soft cloth, rinse with clean water, and dry immediately to avoid water spots.
This method is essential for luxury wall tiles, where even slight damage is noticeable. Never let cleaning solutions linger, as they can cause etching if not rinsed promptly.
Seal Consistently for Protection
Sealing is critical in humid climates to protect marble from moisture. A quality sealant forms a protective layer that blocks water and prevents stains. In drier climates, sealing once a year may be enough, but in humid areas, reseal every six months. This is particularly important for light-colored marble or luxury wall tiles in high-traffic areas like bathrooms.
To check if resealing is needed, place a few drops of water on the marble. If they bead up, the sealant is working. If they soak in or darken the stone, apply a new coat of stone-specific sealant, ensuring the surface is clean and dry.
Maintain Grout Lines
Grout is a magnet for moisture and mold in humid environments. Seal it every six months alongside the marble to keep it protected. For stains or mildew, apply a paste of baking soda and water, let it sit for a few minutes, then scrub gently with a soft brush. Rinse thoroughly and dry completely to prevent further issues.
Avoid harsh chemicals or abrasive scrubbers, as they can damage both the grout and the marble. Regular grout maintenance ensures your marble installation stays clean and durable.
Enhance Ventilation
Good airflow is essential for marble in humid spaces. Stagnant, damp air encourages mold growth, even on sealed surfaces. Run exhaust fans during and after showers or cooking to lower humidity levels. A dehumidifier can help in consistently moist rooms. Open windows when the outdoor air is less humid, and use ceiling fans to promote air circulation. This is vital for large marble slabs for wall use, where trapped moisture can cause unseen damage.
Prevent Small Mistakes
Marble damage often results from minor oversights. Don’t let wet items like soap dispensers or damp cloths sit on marble surfaces, as they can cause stains over time. Clean spills immediately to avoid etching. Avoid abrasive scrubbers or generic cleaners, which can strip the sealant or scratch the stone. Regularly dry areas prone to water buildup, like shower corners or sink backsplashes.
Polish Carefully
If your marble loses its shine, a marble-specific polish can restore its natural luster. Use it sparingly with a soft cloth, following the product’s instructions closely. Over-polishing or using the wrong product can harm the surface, so aim for a gentle, natural sheen rather than an overly glossy finish.
Call in Experts When Needed
For deep stains, persistent mold, or severe etching, professional help is the best option. DIY attempts to sand or chemically treat marble can worsen the damage. A stone restoration specialist can safely repair high-value installations like luxury marble tiles or a large marble slab for wall use, ensuring long-lasting results.
Final Thoughts
Marble can remain stunning in humid climates with consistent care. Dry it daily, clean it gently, seal it regularly, and maintain good airflow. These straightforward steps protect your investment, keeping your marble—whether it’s a large marble slab for wall accents or exquisite luxury wall tiles—beautiful for years.
This paragraph from the excellent article in the Irish Examiner nails it. #TransRights #SistersNotCISters “It’s too early to know the practical ramifications of Wednesday’s UK Supreme Court ruling on trans identities, in which the meaning of the Gender Recognition Act was reversed without a single testimony from a trans person being heard, but said ruling has been a source of lip-smacking delight for the fringe group of gender-critical activists who have worked hard to making Britain the Anglosphere’s uncontested capital of galloping, gleeful transphobia. And it is this glee, this sheer horrible joy at everything being done, that can be so hard to swallow, so wearying to comprehend. It’s not enough that decades of slow, painful advances in human rights and basic decency can be reversed in a matter of weeks, it’s that we must watch the world’s collective ghouls cackling loudly with ecstasy as it happens”
Séamas O'Reilly: 'We’ve watched as the worst people on Earth have had the best days of their lives' irishexaminer.com/lifestyle-co…
UPDATE; I am adding this long and excellent article from The Gist, because it’s a really important one; it clarifies where the UK has gone wrong, and where the EU gives protections for trans people. It also points out at the end that the UK is going to have a little issue with that ruling from the Supreme Court…. thegist.ie/the-gist-trans-righ…
Another important edit. - the science on genetics DNA and the variety of genders. The transphobes, Starmer and the Supreme Court judges really need to read and understand all of this. thinkbigpicture.substack.com/p…
UPDATE [26th April 2025] This is one excellent journalist, who really gets to the heart of the matter. And no, we do not want this very British hate and harassment coming to Ireland at all. #TransRightsAreHumanRights irishexaminer.com/lifestyle-co…
A UK court has made a decision defining genders which has put it at odds with a less noticed, more important, decision from the CJEU. This is the Gist.
Caracas, May 25 (Prensa Latina) President Nicolas Maduro called today for a vote for peace and life for a better Venezuela, at the start of the regional and legislative elections taking place there.
President Trump is ramping up pressure on the European Union with a stark trade ultimatum: either align with Washington’s tariff agenda vis-à-vis China or risk sweeping 50% duties on exports to the US.
My wife's Meta accounts have been deleted for reasons that are not particularly clear.
She uploaded some (extremely uncontroversial) family holiday photos to Instagram and some AI bot has decided they "Violated community rules". She appealed and another AI bot agreed with the first one.
So her Instagram account was "permanently disabled", and that appears to have taken down her Facebook and Messenger access too. Because apparently that's a thing that can happen to loyal users of 15 years.
Doing my best to convince her to take the hint and join the Fediverse instead, but running into the usual Mutual Action Problem.
Anyway, I was reminded of this column from Cory Doctorow, outlining how Metagoogle have done even worse to others. pluralistic.net/2022/08/22/all…
Well that sucks. But stories like yours will be grist to the mill when trying to convince others to migrate. Like many families, we use Facebook Messenger for chats, photos and general banter. But recent changes there (in particular the intrusion of various "AI" "assistance") is making things less and less useful. I think this might be enough to convince at least some some of those families move to Signal @signalapp
Painful though it is, this is a bit like the first time someone loses all their data because they weren't backing up. I.e., it's a lesson that most people have to learn the hard way.
The added irony is that she doesn't even care about Instagram, and only uses it to post photos for some far-flung family. But it's taken down Facebook and Messenger that she does rely on for communication.
The added added irony is that she posted the exact same photos to Facebook the day before without any problems.
Welcome to a world where AI has ingested The Trial by Franz Kafka and mistaken it for an instruction manual.
#Germany / Growing internal pressure to halt weapon exports to Israel
Leading members of Germany's SPD are urging the government to stop weapon exports to #Israel die to concerns about potential war crimes in #Gaza. Pressure is mounting on the government due to the humanitarian crisis and alleged violations of international law. The #SPD is also facing internal pressure to take a stronger stance.
In Gaza könnte sich Deutschland an Kriegsverbrechen mitschuldig machen, fürchten führende Sozialdemokraten. Die Regierung dürfe keine Waffen mehr an Israe...
Es ist gut, dass sich der Wind in Deutschland ein bisschen dreht und sagbar wird, dass in Gaza Menschen leben, hungern, sterben.
Etwas kritische Selbstbetrachtung derer, die das jetzt endlich sagen, würde nicht schaden. Auch hier leben Palästinenser*innen und es ist kaum Vertrauen übrig.
Mes amis, nous ne sommes ni dans un film ni dans les années 40. Nous sommes en 2025, les sionistes ont frappé l’école Fahmi Al-Jargawi, brûlant vives 30 personnes, dont les frères et la famille de la petite fille qui a survécu aux flammes.
Partagez au maximum pour que le monde voie la réalité : c’est un nettoyage ethnique sous les yeux de tous.
I will be selling my Pete zine at this market in Saturday. Our local writers networking group will have a stall there ❤️ I love this market and try to get there as much as possible to support local creatives. If you are in #launceston go check it out ❤️👏#writer
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Aral Balkan
Unknown parent • • •Poujol 𝖱𝗈𝗌𝗍 ✅
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