permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lflj@intrex.net>]

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/1/13/headlines#5

Abbas: Israel Is Aiming to “Wipe Out” Palestinians in Gaza
Residents of Gaza suffered the most intense bombardment of the eighteen-day war last night as Israel carried out air and 
artillery strikes throughout the Gaza Strip. Israeli tanks backed by attack helicopters have moved into several southern 
neighborhoods of the densely populated Gaza City. Hospital officials report dozens of calls for ambulances have been 
received, but they could not be dispatched because of the fighting. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel 
of aiming to “wipe out” the Palestinian people in Gaza by refusing to end its attack. The Palestinian death toll is now 
at least 935.

Red Cross: “There Is No Place Safe in Gaza for the Civilians”
More than 4,300 Palestinians have been injured. Thirteen Israelis have died over the past eighteen days. An estimated 
90,000 Palestinians have fled their homes, but many residents of Gaza have nowhere to go to because all of the Gaza 
border crossings are closed.

    Antoine Grand, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza: “There is no place safe in Gaza for 
the civilians. They’re afraid to stay home. They’re afraid to move. They’re also afraid to go down the street to try to 
find some water or to try to buy some food. No electricity, no water, difficult access to hospitals, ambulances that are 
not able to reach some places to collect the wounded.”

UN Human Rights Council Condemns Israel
On Monday, the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution condemning Israel. The non-binding resolution 
said Israel’s attack had “resulted in massive violations of human rights of the Palestinian people.”
US Abstained from UN Vote After Olmert Called Bush

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has publicly claimed that he personally called President Bush last week to urge him 
not to support a UN Security Council ceasefire resolution that was partially drafted by Secretary of State Condoleezza 
Rice. After Olmert’s call, the United States changed course and abstained from the vote, which passed 14-to-0.

Israel Accused of Testing Experimental Weapons in Gaza
Two Norwegian doctors who have just returned from Gaza have accused Israel of testing a new experimental weapon known as 
Dense Inert Metal Explosives, or DIME. The weapon causes the tissue to be torn from the flesh. Dr. Mads Gilbert said, 
“We have seen a number of very brutal amputations…without shrapnel injuries, which we strongly suspect must have been 
caused by the DIME weapons.” Dr. Erik Fosse said, “I have seen and treated a lot of different injuries for the last 
thirty years in different war zones, and this looks completely different.”

Israeli Soldier Jailed for Refusing to Fight in Gaza
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports an Israeli soldier has been jailed for fourteen days for refusing to fight in 
Gaza. The soldier, who has not been identified, was the first member of the IDF to be tried for refusing orders since 
the war on Gaza began.
Free Gaza Movement to Send More Boats with Aid to Gaza

Activists with the Free Gaza Movement are vowing to try again to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza by sea. Yesterday, a 
Free Gaza boat had to return to Cyprus after it suffered a mechanical failure.

    Free Gaza activist Huwaida Arraf: “We can’t wait ‘til Israel decides to stop the killing and then open up Gaza for 
the international community and aid workers to come pick up the pieces. No, we must insist on the right to enter. And 
so, in that sense, we’re not going to let the violence that Israel used against us or what they might use against us 
again stop us.”

Documents: US Officials Knew of Link Between Colombian Military & Death Squads
The Inter Press Service reports declassified US documents show that the CIA and former US ambassadors were fully aware, 
as far back as 1990, that the military in Colombia were committing extrajudicial killings as part of “death squad 
tactics” and of connections between the Colombian security forces and right-wing drug-running paramilitary groups. The 
US officials also knew that senior Colombian officers encouraged a "body count” mentality to demonstrate progress in the 
fight against FARC guerrillas. Colombia is the third largest recipient of US aid after Israel and Egypt. The 
declassified documents were published by the National Security Archives.

http://www.democracynow.org/
#
"An Unconscionable Legacy" - Veteran White House Correspondent Helen Thomas 
on the Bush Presidency

President Bush held his final news conference Monday. Bush fervently defended his record, saying he made the nation 
safer following the 9/11 attacks, rejected the idea that the nation’s moral standing has been damaged over the past 
eight years and defended the government’s response to Hurricane Katrina. We speak with veteran White House correspondent 
Helen Thomas. She’s the most senior member of the White House press corps and has covered every president since Kennedy. 
[includes rush transcript]
# Israeldemoweb
Pro-Israel Supporters Praise Gaza Assault as Justified Despite Mounting 
Civilian Death Toll

On Sunday, thousands turned out in New York for a rally to support the attack on Gaza. Speakers included New York 
Senator Chuck Schumer and Governor David Paterson. The journalist Max Blumenthal, also a Jewish American, spoke to some 
of the demonstrators. We play highlights. [includes rush transcript]
# Kushnerweb
"Catastrophically Misguided and Incomprehensible Policy" - Renowned Jewish Playwright Tony Kushner Speaks Out Against 
Israel's Assault on Gaza

On Monday, a group called Jews Against the Occupation staged a protest against Israel’s invasion of Gaza blocks away 
outside the Israeli consulate in New York. Among those protesting was renowned playwright and screenwriter Tony Kushner. 
Kushner won a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award for his play Angels in America, which was later made into an award-winning 
television mini-series. “The policy, on the part of the Israeli government, of reoccupation of Gaza seems to me 
catastrophically misguided,” Kushner says. “I can’t imagine this is not going to continue to be bloody and a violation 
of human rights.” [includes rush transcript]
# Gazachildweb
Gaza Suffers Most Intense Bombardment of 18-Day Israeli Assault

Residents of Gaza suffered the most intense bombardment of the eighteen-day war last night as Israeli warplanes carried 
out strikes throughout the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian death toll is now at least 930. More than 4,000 Palestinians have 
been injured. Thirteen Israelis have died over the past eighteen days. We speak with journalist Zaki Chehab, author of 
Inside Hamas: The Untold Story of the Militant Islamic Movement.