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September 2012
Embassy protests and Middle East unrest in context
By Stephen Zunes: It seems bizarre that right-wing pundits would be so desperate to use the recent anti-American protests in the Middle East—in most cases numbering only a few hundred people and (except for a peaceful Hezbollah-organized rally in Lebanon) in no cases numbering more than two or three thousands —as somehow indicative of why the United States should oppose greater democracy in the Middle East. Even more strangely, some media pundits are criticizing Arabs as being “ungrateful” for U.S. support of pro-democracy movements when, in reality, the United States initially opposed the popular movements that deposed Western-backed despots in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen, and remains a preeminent backer of dictatorships in the region today. Read More
Fearing backlash on Christians in Egypt:American Coptic Church denounces the anti-Islam movie
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Fearing backlash of the American Coptics’ produced anti-Islam movie on the Christians in Egypt, the Los Angeles Diocese of the Coptic Orthodox Church has denounced the movie and emphasized that no religion or group should be blamed for the actions of one. Copts in Egypt constitute the largest Christian community in the Middle East accounting for an estimated 10% of the Egyptian population. Read More
Democratic leaders undermine Israeli-Palestinian peace and their own procedures
By Stephen Zunes: In a stunning violation of its own rules, the wishes of the majority of delegates at its national convention, and positions taken by the United Nations and virtually every country in the world, the Democratic Party leadership pushed through an amendment to its platform early during its proceedings on Wednesday, with barely half the delegates present and without allowing for any discussion or debate, stating that Jerusalem "is and will remain the capital of Israel” and should be “undivided.” Read More
U.S. shares responsibility for Rachel Corrie's death
By Stephen Zunes: On August 28, an Israeli court rejected a civil lawsuit against Israeli occupation forces for the 2003 murder of Rachel Corrie, a 23-year old American peace activist killed in the Gaza Strip, upholding a severely flawed internal Israeli military investigation. Amnesty International strongly condemned the decision, noting how “the verdict continues the pattern of impunity for Israeli military violations against civilians and human rights defenders in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). The verdict shields Israeli military personnel from accountability and ignores deep flaws in the Israeli military’s internal investigation of Corrie’s death.” Read More
American Muslims remain in the dock 11 years after 9/11
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Seven million-strong American Muslim community remained in the dock 11 years after 9/11 with Republican Party’s witch-hunt against Muslims in the U.S. government and meteorite rise in anti-Islam and anti-Muslim rhetoric in the 2012 election campaign. This is an election year and for many hysteria-peddling politicians fear-mongering remains the best tool to exploit the fear among masses fomented by the anti-Islam and anti-Muslim rhetoric by media and extreme right politicians as well as some religious leaders. Read More
All roads lead to Tehran: 16th Non-Aligned Movement summit ends Iran’s isolation
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: After staying virtually dormant for years, the 51 year-old Non-Aligned Movement of 120 countries took a center stage in Tehran end of August which perhaps put on hold Iran’s prolonged diplomatic isolation. The 26-31 August summit adopted a document that condemned unilateral sanctions, backed the right of Iran and other states to peaceful nuclear energy, and supported the creation of a Palestinian state. The document also advocated nuclear disarmament, human rights free from political agendas and opposition to racism and “Islamophobia.” Read More
California State Assembly seeks to stifle debate on Israel
By Stephen Zunes: The California State Assembly has just passed a bipartisan resolution (HR 35) by voice vote which constitutes a serious attack on academic freedom and the rights of students and faculty to raise awareness about human rights abuses by U.S.-backed governments. While purporting to put the legislature on record in opposition of anti-Semitism on state university campuses, it defines anti-Semitism so widely as to include legitimate political activities in opposition to Israeli government policies. Read More
Pakistan rules out handing over Dr Shakeel Afridi to US
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: No proposal is under consideration to hand over Dr Shakeel Afridi, who helped CIA in Osama Ben Laden compound raid in May 2011, to the United States, says chief of Pakistan’s spy agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). The ISI Director General Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam said in Islamabad on August 31, 2012 “US should forget the matter of Dr Afridi for at least 10 years.” He also said that no proposal is under review for the swap of Dr Afridi with Dr Aafia Siddiqui, who is serving 86 year jail sentence in US for allegedly attacking American soldiers in Afghanistan. Read More
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