| There's still one more flotilla ship in the Med - but they are broke Posted: 15 Aug 2011 06:42 PM PDT From the Free Palestine Movement: Dear Friends and Supporters,
Please accept our apologies for the long delay in reporting to you on developments concerning the Free Palestine Movement and its participation in the Gaza Freedom Flotilla with our partners in the International Committee to Break the Siege of Gaza (ICBSG). Until now, our partners asked us to say nothing about our ship, and they were right to do so, because our silence allowed the ship to quietly leave Greece with the hope of placing the passengers on board at another location.
The Nour al-Haqiqa (Light of Truth), is a fine vessel, the largest in the Flotilla (not including the Mavi Marmara). It is approximately 40 meters in length and licensed to carry 120 passengers and crew for overnight travel.
The Nour is currently berthed in a secure location where it can receive fuel, provisions and servicing. Unfortunately, however, we have been unsuccessful until now in finding a country in the Mediterranean that will allow our passengers to go on board. In addition, there is a technical matter (not mechanical) to be resolved, which makes it difficult to move the vessel.
These difficulties are similar to those encountered by other boats in the Flotilla. There is, in effect, an international conspiracy to deny boats the freedom to sail to Gaza, regardless of who is or is not on board or what the boats may or may not be carrying, however harmless.
We're broke!
Our share of the boat purchase ($6000 per person), plus all the other costs of organizing and bringing our delegation to Athens has completely exhausted our funds. In the past, donors have quickly replenished our coffers after we set to sea and began to report on our experiences.
This time we have had no such opportunity - yet - and we don't even have enough funds to attend strategy meetings, much less to send a delegation if and when the opportunity arises. We don't even have operating funds for more than two weeks, which affects other projects besides the Flotilla.
Please help to keep us going. We're trying to raise at least $20,000 for operating costs until the end of the year, but will use part of it to send a delegation to the Nour if the opportunity arises, in which case we will also do a special appeal for that purpose.
Thank you for your support for our work. Please click here to make a donation.
About our delegation
Ambassador Sam Hart, American Indian Movement spokesperson Jimbo Simmons, Sister Patricia Chaffee, USS Liberty veteran and survivor Joe Meadors, FPM founder Paul Larudee and FPM Coordinator Deppen Webber returned to the US on or about July 10. Since then, we have all been engaged in speaking and writing about our experiences, and if the Nour sails, most of us will again try to be on it.
If you wish to schedule a speaking presentation by any of us in your area, please let us know. We would be happy to come.
Donate Raffle Prizes
Can you donate an item for the upcoming FPM fundraising raffle? We will be accepting donations from business owners and individuals to be listed as prizes on our raffle website and flyers. The drawing will be held in Pacifica on December 3, 2011 and we hope to have the prizes finalized in 2 weeks. Some popular items in previous raffles were air tickets, vacation accommodations, dinners, and massages. To donate an item please call +1 510-232-2500 or send email to info@freepalestinemovement.org The value of your donation is tax deductible. I think I'll offer a mug from my store for their raffle. Hey - it's tax deductible to donate to a ""charity" that supports Hamas, as this photo of FPM founder Paul Larudee shaking hands with Ismail Haniyeh shows: (h/t Leonard) 
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| What politician said this about Syria? Posted: 15 Aug 2011 01:22 PM PDT "This is our final word to the Syrian authorities, our first expectation is that these operations stop immediately and unconditionally. If these operations do not stop, there will be nothing left to say about the steps that would be taken. We have been in contact and have repeated our demands and have emphasized our expectations. In the context of human rights this cannot be seen as a domestic issue." Who said this? Answer after the jump. These words were spoken by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. It is an open question whether Syria would perceive this as a real threat, but this is a much stronger statement than someone saying he is "deeply concerned." 
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| Wasted weather post open thread Posted: 15 Aug 2011 12:24 PM PDT Yesterday, there was a record set in New York City for the amount of rainfall in a single day.
Also yesterday, there was a very unusual summer rain in Israel.
It seems to me that whenever there is a heat wave in the East Coast of the US, there seems to be higher than normal temperatures in Israel, and similarly the cold spells seem to coincide. In the winter, it feels like every time there is a major snowstorm in New York there is rain in Israel. Only one way to find out! So I just wasted a couple of hours trying to dig up temperature statistics for Tel Aviv and New York to see if I can find any correlation. I found some really interesting coincidences, for example, look at the peaks and troughs in high temperatures in January and especially February this year: But the other correlations were disappointing. Late March/early April were a lot of correlated rainstorms, but besides that not too much. If I would have found a mathematically significant correlation, then I could have changed the entire world of meteorology. Hey, when you swing for the fences, you tend to strike out every once in a while. It might still be worth doing a more mathematically sound study to see which diverse areas of the world have the most coincidental daily weather, but I don't quite care that much. If anyone wants to tackle 2010, feel free! If you want to play with the numbers yourself, it took a while but I found that Weather Underground has the best historical data for most world cities, although it doesn't give precipitation totals for Israel, only whether there was rain or storms. Meanwhile, consider this an open thread. 
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| Egyptian kiddie TV: Mubarak infected Egyptians with Zionist cancer Posted: 15 Aug 2011 10:13 AM PDT From MEMRI: Excerpts: Following are excerpts from a TV puppet show, featuring children as the prosecutors in a mock trial for Hosni Mubarak, portrayed by a puppet. The show aired on Al-Hekma TV on August 14, 2011.
Mubarak puppet: Brothers and sisters, I have spent my life serving this country. As I stand before you today, I tell you that I will not comply with these demands. I tell you... If anyone has a question, go ahead.
Children (in unison): There is no god but Allah, the martyr is loved by Allah.
There is no god but Allah, Hosni Mubarak is the enemy of Allah.
...
Child prosecutor: The trial has begun. We are now in session.
2nd child prosecutor: You fought against Islam and the Muslims.
Mubarak puppet: If we leave the Islamists to their own devices, they will reach power. Everybody will have to wear the niqab, and there will be anarchy.
[...]
Child prosecutor: You made the West affront the Prophet Muhammad – Denmark and other countries...
Child prosecutor: You are Israel's best friend. Israel was the country most saddened by your fall and your trial, because you were helping them to kill the Palestinians and to occupy their lands.
Mubarak puppet: As long as the Israelis occupy Palestine, we must treat them well. These Jews have always been good people. In the Jewish quarter here, we have always known that they keep their word.
...
2nd child prosecutor: You brought cancer upon the Egyptian people.
Mubarak puppet: Brothers and sisters, I have spent my life serving this country. My fellow citizens, the population is huge, and I didn't know how to feed them, so I brought cancerous pesticides from Israel for them. You've seen grapes the size of watermelons, watermelons the size of buffaloes, and buffaloes the size of chicks. There are 80 million people, praise the Lord. How is one to feed them?
[...]
Child prosecutor: You treated the vegetables and fruits with all kinds of hormones coming from Israel, in order to inflict the Egyptians with cancer, but God was lying in wait for you, and He gave you a taste of your own medicine, inflicting you with cancer.
Children in unison: Hosni Mubarak, you devil, you inflicted cancer upon your people. 
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| The Golan Druze, caught between two worlds Posted: 15 Aug 2011 08:51 AM PDT Die Welt (German) has a very interesting article about the Druze of the Golan Heights: Israel has controlled the Golan Heights since the Six Day War in 1967 when it captured the area from Syria; in 1981 Israel annexed the area - a move that neither Syria nor the international community have ever acknowledged. Even the residents of Majdal Shams to describe themselves as Syrians today. "We are Syrians, our ancestors were Syrians and as Druze our loyalty is to our country - and that is Syria," says Hamdani Tahrir, an apple farmer who supplements his income by renting two small cabins as vacation homes to Israeli tourists.
His Syrian self-identity has not prevented him from learning Hebrew well. "I have nothing against the Israelis," he tried to explain. "They are a democracy, and this is the best form of government," says Tahrir.
This is a strange answer because no one really wanted to know from him what he thought the best form of government is. When asked how he stands as to the brutal actions of the Syrian government against its own people, he turns away. "There are not many Druze in the world," he said then. "We need to take care of ourselves."
...While their co-religionists in the Israeli heartland have always participated in army service and by and large maintain good relations with the Jewish majority, the Druze in the Golan Heights sits between two stools.
On the one hand, in an anonymous survey, 75 percent of students said they wanted to remain in Israel if the Golan should one day be part of Syria as part of a peace agreement. On the other hand, fewer than 1,000 Druze have accepted the offer of Israeli citizenship. The majority are defined as "undefined nationality." It is the same in their travel documents.
There is one reason why they themselves often mention the principle of the Druze loyalty towards their home country - in this case, Syria. Tangible threats do the rest. Thus some religious leaders have called for a boycott of any Druze with an Israeli passport. One should not marry this man nor do business with them. Also many would rather not know what the Syrian regime has in mind for alleged collaborators under a return of the Golan.
Nihad is as a collaborator. The young man with the wrinkled face of his surprisingly blue eyes hidden behind mirrored sunglasses has accepted Israeli citizenship and is not afraid to be called by his real first name.
"Before the Syrian army sets foot on this territory, I'm going to escape with my family," he says, determined. He had already put out feelers in the Druze in the Galilee. There, one is quite prepared to admit him in an emergency. "I was born in 1979," said Nihad. "I've never lived in Syria, but only in Israel. And here I have it actually quite good." Unfortunately, many Druze are caught in the tradition, he says. Caution had become second nature to them. This is hardly surprising, because life is a religious minority in the Middle East is always difficult. The entire article is good, including a history of Druze and the fact that there are more female experts on the religion than men. (h/t Missing Peace) 
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| Syrians forcing Palestinian Arabs to flee camps Posted: 15 Aug 2011 07:55 AM PDT Now Lebanon quotes Shaam News Network: The Syrian army is calling on residents in Latakia's refugee camps in and in the Raml and Saknatouri neighborhoods to evacuate the region. They are threatening to consider everyone that remains an opponent. So the PalArabs are running for their lives: Thousands of Palestinians fled their refugee camp in Latakia, AFP cited UNRWA as saying. And some were killed: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, is gravely concerned about reports of heavy gunfire from Syrian security forces into the Palestinian refugee camp situated in the El Ramel district and surrounding areas of Latakia, including heavy fire from gunboats. Reports from various sources indicate deaths and casualties among the Palestinian refugee population, although poor communications make it impossible to confirm the exact number of dead and injured. All of this is happening among Syria's larger assault on Latakia and, today, Homs. The irony of Arabs forcing their Palestinian brethren to flee their homes is being lost on the Arab people, apparently. Some 42 civilians have been killed over the past day in Syria. 
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| Iran *sort of* cooperating with Israel on synchrotron project Posted: 15 Aug 2011 06:46 AM PDT The story of SESAME: The notion of scientists from Israel meeting in Jordan with counterparts from countries such as Iran, Bahrain, Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey seems like something out of a fantasy novel.
Yet such meetings have been occurring - most recently in November last year - for about 15 years, as a conglomerate of Middle East countries hammers out the details of a major scientific project to benefit scientists from across the region. The project, too, seems like something out of a sci-fi thriller.
SESAME, an acronym for Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East, will provide regional scientists with a multifaceted look at everything from proteins to archeological finds.
Eliezer Rabinovici, director of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Jerusalem and one of the founders of SESAME, explains to ISRAEL21c that a synchrotron "is like an enormous x-ray machine" that rapidly turns electrons until they radiate light that allows scientists to study the structure of substances, even tiny ones such as proteins, in more depth than ever before. Synchrotron studies are useful in chemistry, molecular biology, environmental science, pharmaceuticals and nanotechnology. Archeologists and art historians may also find uses for a synchrotron.
Though SESAME is sometimes erroneously referred to as a particle accelerator, it's not the same, Rabinovici explains. Both operate on principles of high-energy physics. However, particle accelerators smash atoms to provide a unique look into the composition of the material world at its most basic level. In a synchrotron, "there are no collisions. In order to study proteins, you don't have to smash them to pieces," he says.
Supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), SESAME is under construction in Allaan, Jordan - just 30 km from Amman. Many components are already in place inside the $10 million building begun in 2003. "You need a special, stable building to house this because the Jordan Valley is very seismic," says Rabinovici. But a couple of years ago the project was in danger of losing funding: In recent years, researchers decided it would be better to upgrade the older machine to a more sophisticated "third-generation" light source capable of delivering energies of 2.5 gigaelectronvolts. Llewellyn Smith, who took a leading role in the project in 2008, has supported the upgrade. "If it's good for doing science, the political aim of getting people together will follow," he says.
But building a world-class machine, even with recycled parts, costs money. A new estimate led by Llewellyn Smith, who has overseen projects such as the Large Hadron Collider, shows a $35 million gap in the construction budget. Foreign donors such as the European Union and the United States have been reluctant to get involved without a clear commitment from regional governments. So Israel stepped up: [In March 2010] Rabinovici talked Israel into pledging $1 million a year for five years—but only if four other members also do so. Two members have signed on already, and Sir Christopher Llewellyn-Smith, president of the SESAME council, is optimistic that others will also join in soon. Nadji says he'll continue to push his team to finish the job. "We've come this far," he says. "I have to believe we'll get there." And guess who has matched Israel's pledge? From FARS News: TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran's envoy to the International Centre for Synchrotron-Light for Experimental Science Applications in the Middle-East Seyed Mahmoud Aqa-Miri underlined Iran's determination to maintain its prominent role in SESAME.
"Iran insists on its participation in SESAME and we have reached a good level scientifically and technologically," Aqa-Miri stated, adding that Iran's non-participation in the project would give the Zionist regime of Israel the chance to gain control over the SESAME.
He also described the SESAME as "Israel's backyard", but meantime underlined that Iran's participation in the project doesn't mean that it has recognized the Zionist regime.
"As we have officially and repeatedly announced, we have not and will not recognize the Zionist regime," Aqa-Miri reiterated.
Iran contributes a major role in the implementation of the SESAME project in the region.
Iran ranks first in terms of scientific participation in the major project of SESAME in the region.
Iran has pledged to pay 5 million dollars for the SESAME project.
Iran has set conditions to pay one million dollar every year for 5 years for the SESAME project to advance.
The country has called for the supply of facilities for training its experts and receiving visas for its scientists in return for the financial help.
It has also said that its aid should be only used for providing facilities. It isn't direct, but Iran is clearly matching Israel's offer. There's another wrinkle in the pseudo-cooperation between Iran and Israel on the project. Two of the Iranian physicists working on SESAME have been assassinated.
Majid Shahriari, who attended only a single SESAME meeting, was a quantum physicist who specialized in neutron transport, a phenomenon that lies at the heart of nuclear chain reactions in bombs and reactors. "According to Ars Technica, Majid Shahriari was the top scientist and senior manager of Iran's nuclear program." His assassination may have been by Israeli or American spies and seems not to be connected to SESAME. But Masoud Alimohammadi, a particle physicist at the University of Tehran, as killed by a bomb in January 2010. He was not a nuclear researcher and seemed to be apolitical but he leaned towards Iran's reformist movement. He definitely spoke with his Israeli counterparts on the project. It seems unlikely that he was killed by Israeli or American agents. Could he have been killed for his cooperation with Israel in SESAME? 
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| Video of Gaza's latest luxury hotel Posted: 15 Aug 2011 05:50 AM PDT |
| New round of Shalit talks in Cairo Posted: 15 Aug 2011 04:40 AM PDT From YNet, in a story being widely reported in Arabic media: A second round of indirect talks between Israeli and Hamas teams negotiating the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit has been scheduled to begin Monday in Cairo, the London-based al-Hayat has reported.
Accordnig to the report, the first round of talks, mediated by Egyptian officials, took place last week, effectively ending a lengthy stalemate.
Al-Hayat reported that the teams sat in separate rooms in an Egyptian intelligence building, with mediators acting as messengers passing on "suggestions and ideas".
Last week, reports stated that Ahmed Jabari, known as the head of Hamas's military wing, led a delegation to Cairo to discuss a prisoner exchange deal with intelligence officials.
David Meidan, a Mossad official recently appointed to head the talks on Israel's side, also visited the Egyptian capital last week. Following these developments, Egypt has decided to host the negotiations once again.
A senior Egyptian official told the paper that there had been no breakthroughs in talks so far, but was hopeful both sides would be flexible.
He added that Hamas had given Jabari full authority to finalize a deal with Israel.
Another source cited by al-Hayat said that there were visible signs of progress. "If there is true desire to strike a deal and if Israel displays willingness to pay the price for Shalit, there will be an agreement," he said. There have been other negotiations in the past, always very unsuccessful, but there is a little hope that this round might work. Hamas feels sidelined by the entire unilateral UN stunt the PLO is planning and would like to appear heroic for getting a thousand prisoners released. Netanyahu is feeling pressure from the tent protests as well and a Shalit release could distract from domestic issues. And Egypt would love to broker a successful agreement to increase its prestige post-revolution. Not a perfect storm, but at least a little reason to keep an eye on the story. 
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| "Hollywood seeks Zionist world domination via disaster movies" Posted: 15 Aug 2011 02:26 AM PDT From Iran's ABNA agency: Hollywood uses art as one of the major means for influencing the audience and makes end-of-time movies seeking world domination.
This is according to cinema expert Seyyed Hashem Ghasemi speaking at a forum on "End of Time in Zionist Cinema". The session was held Saturday night, August 13, at the 19th International Holy Quran Exhibition.
He said God's main purpose of creation would be realized when the final chapter of the book of existence happens and the end-of-time prophet or Imam would reappear.
The cinema expert said there are many differences in the views of Shia Muslims and Christians concerning the end of time and that Christians try to convince people about their own version of savior.
"Here the importance and power of a medium like cinema is used by the west to influence the audience's mind. There is a saying in the west that a picture is worth a thousand words. This signifies how important the role of picture and cinema is in captivating the audience."
He added that the west uses cinema to introduce its own version of the end of time as the truth and the only truth.
Ghasemi then referred to the different types of end-of-time movies, saying there are five types of the genre including mythical, natural, technological, science fiction, and religious. "The religious end-of-time movies are the most ominous because they attack ideas that are usually the bases of a religion. They generally have an anti-human approach. Examples of such movies include "Terror", "The Omen" and "I Am Legend". Since I control Hollywood, I commissioned a micro-disaster movie that doesn't destroy the whole world, but only one unimportant part of it. 
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