this cutie was taken by Crazyegg95 in 2005 and is from flickr

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for the main blog of poetry, whimsy and maybe beauty, now http://theheartbeatsoftly.wordpress.com/


Saturday 27 February 2010

Did we do anything at the time?

The Australian newspaper said Ali Kazak, a former Palestinian representative to Australia, had warned in 2004 that a Mossad agent in Sydney had obtained 25 false Australian passports.

In March 2004, two suspected Mossad agents were arrested in New Zealand and later convicted for fraudulently trying to obtain passports from the country, prompting diplomatic sanctions.

Highly unlikely.
In full, because these news sites do not keep their articles.

Mossad regularly faked Australian passports: ex-agent
by Talek Harris Fri Feb 26, 9:40 am ET

SYDNEY (AFP) – Israel's Mossad has regularly faked Australian passports for its spies, an ex-agent said on Thursday, as anger grew over the use of foreign travel documents for an alleged assassination.

Former Mossad case officer Victor Ostrovsky told ABC public radio that the spy agency had used Australian passports for previous operations before last month's hit on a top Hamas commander in Dubai that has been blamed on Israel.

He said agents had little trouble passing themselves off as Australians as few people in the Middle East have much knowledge about the country.

"Consider the fact that Australians speak English and it's an easy cover to take, very few people know very much about Australia," he said.

"You can tell whatever stories you want. It doesn't take much of an accent to be an Australian or New Zealander, or an Englishman for that matter.

"And I know people had been under Australian cover not once (but) quite a few times. So why not use it (again)?"

Australia summoned the Israeli ambassador and warned that the countries' friendly ties were at risk after Dubai police named three Australian passport-holders in a list of new suspects in the murder of Mahmud al-Mabhuh.

Britain, Ireland, France and Germany expressed similar outrage after people holding documents from their countries were also linked to the January 20 killing in a luxury Dubai hotel.

Israel has previously dismissed claims from Ostrovsky, who is now an author and has detailed various accusations against the country in his books.

He said Mossad prefers to use "false flag" passports as Israeli papers frequently invoke suspicion in the Middle East.

"They need passports because you can't go around with an Israeli passport, not even a forged one, and get away or get involved with people from the Arab world," he said.

"So most of these (Mossad) operations are carried out on what's called false flag, which means you pretend to be of another country which is less belligerent to those countries that you're trying to recruit from."

Ostrovsky said Mossad had a "very, very expensive research department" dedicated to manufacturing the fake documents which simulates different types of paper and ink.

"If they create a passport at a top level for use of that nature... I don't think anybody will be able to find the difference," he said, adding there was no chance any of the people named as suspects were Mossad agents.

"Except for James Bond, who actually pronounces or announces his arrival at the scene by saying, 'I'm Bond, James Bond', most people who work in the intelligence field don't present themselves by their real name," he said.

The Australian newspaper said Ali Kazak, a former Palestinian representative to Australia, had warned in 2004 that a Mossad agent in Sydney had obtained 25 false Australian passports.

In March 2004, two suspected Mossad agents were arrested in New Zealand and later convicted for fraudulently trying to obtain passports from the country, prompting diplomatic sanctions.


American website, Tikun Olam has this report on the American-Israeli company which provided the credit cards for the assassins.

Thursday 25 February 2010

very serious

I will try to post more on this later including putting in the full text. Three Australian passports, or stolen passports, identities, have been used in the Israeli murder of a Hamas leader of their militant wing in the United Arab Emirates. I posted about the British and European passports which had also been used by Israel for the same crime, and the fact that they have been doing this for years - picking off Palestinian political figures, left right and centre; disallowing the results of a democratic election. Two different issues, but not unlinked.

On a radio news report today, our prime minister said it is very serious, but I doubt very much that he has the balls to back up the statement. Terrorism is a one-way street in Australia, and there are some people who commit it with very little consequence, and some people who can't. The Israelis will not be affected at all by this. They will just keep doing as they always keep doing, and the rest of the world will pick up the shattered pieces.

Adam

Adam Al-Ghawi, 4, after being hit with a stone thrown by a settler occupying his home
From the ISM.

Monday 22 February 2010

Christians with conscience

Donna Mulhearn

I really admire people who stick to the humanitarian beliefs of their religions, such as non-violence and love for their fellow people, enough to go out and try and defend them; both the beliefs and the people.

Naturally enough, I think humanism does not have to have a religious base, and there are enough agnostics and atheists out there who also follow the feelings of their general compassion.

Yet, I really admire those who go to Iraq as human shields, to Gaza as witnesses. There are Muslims, Christians and Jewish groups who are opposing injustice. Some of these might have the hope of converting souls, but more are there because they feel they should abide by the scriptures of their religions which promote peace, love, compassion and are against violence. I think the basis of all religions is actually love. I especially admire them in the face of religious zealotry, which to me, seems to be religion gone wrong or way off the track. If you see Buddha, kill him. Christ is within us. You are the Buddha. Saint Thomas, from what I know, preached belief from inside out rather than the other way around. From the surface understanding of Islam that I have, this seems to have a core principle, even if it might not be adhered to. Know thy own self and act accordingly within the confines of the society you belong to, the world you belong to, seems to me to be the message of religions that somehow gets aborted along the way. I do tend to think that people are more generous than dangerous and mean. I do believe in evolution, and though animals kill one another for survival, I see them live together in harmony when survival is not at stake. I do not think overriding human characteristics are to kill, steal, rape and deprive.

As from the evidence of the existence of Red Crescent and other groups, there are obviously Islamic groups which are also humanitarian in nature, Buddhist, Hindu and so on. Also, groups which are not linked to any religion. Medicin sans Frontieres, Physicians with Borders, Amnesty International to name a few.

Anyway, if you go to Indy-media on this link you can listen to Christian activist, Donna Mulhearn, who has gone to the continuing humanitarian disaster that is Gaza, who has been a human shield in Iraq, who has protested Pine Gap in Australia. She used to work for the Carr government in NSW. She was a political animal for the Australian Labour part at the time. The show is only half an hour, and Mulhearn appears probably in the last five minutes. The whole show is worth listening to, though.

I admire with all of my heart the people who feel that their conscience sends them out to the world to protect other people. I know that faith drives people to destroy other people, too, but I think this is a misinterpretation of faith, or at the least and the most, really, a misinterpretation of the best that human nature can offer and deserves.

Donna Mulhearn is at the Perth Writers' Festival. Good luck to you finding the exact dates! I am crap at navigating sites, but I have to say, a lot of them are not user friendly.

Through Autralian Eyes has this to add about human rights workers. Many of whom work for Christian groups such as Oxfam.

peace lovers

Settlers' tour of the Old City of Hebron, 20.02.2010

An Israeli soldier discusses with an armed settler in the streets of the Old City of Hebron during a settlers' tour on 20.02.2010. Settlers have started to tour the Old City of Hebron every Saturday from last year. They go around the Palestinian Old City with many soldiers. Many of the settlers are armed. They disrupt the lives of Palestinians, often harrassing them on the way. Hundreds of settlers live in Hebron. They make the life of the Palestinians so unbearable that many left the Old City of Hebron. Anne Paq/Activestills.org

Thursday 18 February 2010

Israel is out of control

This isn't the first time they have done this. Mossad agents are procuring foreign passports and assassinating people. The full news article is below under the heading, UK summons Israeli envoy in passport row. In the 90s Mossad agents tried to gain NZ passports using the identity of a tetraplegic man. That news article is fascinating, as is the one from the Sydney Morning Herald linked to below. NZ suspended diplomatic relations with them for a time, but Israel and the U.S. and Australia, and the world politics are so entwined that the diplomatic sanctions did not remain for long (resumed in 2005).

Australian journalist, Paul McGeough tells of the assassination attempt on Hamas leader, Khalid Mishal's,life in Kill Khalid. A Mossad agent, in Jordan, sprayed poison in his ear. Luckily the then king of Jordan was sympathetic towards Khalid and was able to get an antidote from his ally, Israel.

The cue for Kill Khalid is the attempted assassination of the Hamas leader Khalid Mishal in September 1997 by five Israeli agents posing as Canadian tourists. No great drama in that - Israel has been killing, or trying to kill, assorted Palestinian leaders for decades. (My emphasis).
That is a surprisingly honest review by the Sydney Morning Herald. Entertaining, fascinating and sickening, too.

Really, if we, and by we, I mean my government and its strongest allies, just didn't pretend this was all Okay, it might, it just might sit a little better with me. Why condemn one country for wrongdoing while blatantly supporting another? Government is dirty. Not a doubt. But I feel upset when the people who represent me do so with such smarmy hypocrisy. Way of the world, though.

People wondered how the Holocaust could happen. It really isn't that hard to see why. Not because of any religious reasons, but because those in power do not actually care if injustice occurs unless it is in their own backyards, and even then, I am sure there are any number of politicians who would not mind seeing laws put in place to protect civil rights disassembled, in the way that a lot already have been over the last ten years.

The article below is from Ninemsn and is in full as they pull their archives down, but I will provide a link.The picture is from this Times Online Slide show . The picture shows the suspects involved in the assassination. All were travelling on false passports. As was the Hamas man assassinated.




UK summons Israeli envoy in passport row
Thu Feb 18 2010


Britain has invited Israel's ambassador to the Foreign Office to discuss the use of fake British passports by suspected killers of a top Hamas figure in Dubai, a spokesman says.

"Given the links to Israel of a number of the British nationals affected, there will be a meeting between the FCO Permanent Under Secretary and the Israeli ambassador tomorrow," said the spokesman on Wednesday.

Speculation about who was behind the killing of Mahmud al-Mabhuh last month has centred on Israel's Mossad intelligence services, which have used agents with fake foreign passports for such operations in the past.

Dubai's police chief this week released the photos and names of the 11 European passport holders - six from Britain, three from Ireland, one from Germany and one from France - alleged to have been members of the hit squad.

"The defrauding of British passports is a very serious issue. The government will continue to take all the action that is necessary to protect British nationals from identity fraud," said the British government spokesman.

He added that, as well as inviting the Israeli ambassador to discuss the issue, Britain is providing support to its nationals involved, thought to be mostly dual nationals living in Israel.

"The British embassy in Tel Aviv is contacting the affected British Nationals, and stands ready to provide them with the support that they need," he said.

In addition "as the (British) prime minister has said, we need to ensure a full investigation is carried out into the fraudulent use of these passports," he added.

Britain's Serious Organised Crime Agency "will lead this investigation, in close co-operation with the Emirati authorities," he said.

Earlier, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown pledged a "full investigation" into how fake British passports were linked to the killers of a Hamas chief, amid calls for Israel to explain its role.

"We are looking at this at this very moment," he told London's LBC radio on Wednesday, a day after Britain said it believed six British passports held by members of an 11-member hit team which killed Mahmud al-Mabhuh were fraudulent.

"We have got to carry out a full investigation into this. The British passport is an important document that has got to be held with care," he told London's LBC Radio.

"The evidence has got to be assembled about what has actually happened and how it happened and why it happened and it is necessary for us to accumulate that evidence before we can make statements."

Mossad is facing questions over the killing of Mabhuh, a founder of Hamas's armed wing, as at least seven Israelis of dual nationality said their identities were stolen by the assassins.

Dubai's police chief this week released the photos and names of the 11 European passport holders - six from Britain, three from Ireland, one from Germany and one from France - alleged to have been members of the hit squad.

Menzies Campbell, a member of the House of Commons foreign affairs committee, said answers were needed over "speculation" about the involvement of Israel's Mossad secret service in the killing in Dubai last month.

"If the Israeli government was party to behaviour of this kind, it would be a serious violation of trust between nations," said Campbell, a former leader of Britain's third biggest party, the Liberal Democrats.

"If legitimate British passport holders were put at risk it would be a disgrace...

"Given the current speculation, the Israeli government has some explaining to do and the ambassador should be summoned to the Foreign Office to do so in double-quick time."

Another lawmaker, Hugo Swire of the main opposition Conservatives, also demanded a "full investigation".

"These allegations against the Israeli government need to be answered... I have no evidence one way or another. I have read all the allegations and the denials. It is an easy allegation to make," he said.

"This is not something that can just be swept under the carpet because of the bad feeling it is going to create in the Arab world.

"You cannot conduct foreign policy at this extremely sensitive time by this sort of illegal behaviour," he added.

The last line resonates: "You cannot conduct foreign policy at this extremely sensitive time by this sort of illegal behaviour." In less sensitive times it's Okay? And of course they can. They did it before, not once, not twice, countless times, they'll do it again, because there will be no sanctions or punishment ever levelled against Israel as they are levelled against the countries, states and territories which are supposedly, relentlessly, curtailing and impeding its every activity.

If that were the case, then this obviously wouldn't be happening, right? Israel can do whatever they want. They know it, and the world knows it, and why? Mainly because they receive a heap of foreign aid, and have great influence in the media and government of the United States. Other countries are allies of the United States, and are as culpable, even if their foreign aid might not reach the staggering proportions that the States does. Even so, Europe, especially the Scandinavian countries, seem to have policies in place which do not openly commend every action of Israel. It would be nice if there were a bit more balance in the media. Or something in the media.

The British court was pressured into not prosecuting Tzipi Livni when she came to the U.K. Israel was up in arms. The court wanted to try her as a war criminal. The foreign ministry put pressure on the court to withdraw the action. Why should Israel listen to any protests the British government has now? It, as well as most of the other western governments, is basically wrapped around its finger. Long live democracy.

This article from Times Online, Britons had passport details stolen by ‘Mossad death squad’ is far more comprehensive than the above.

Friday 5 February 2010

Tuesday 2 February 2010

the olive branch


A Palestinian walks next to an Israeli jeep with an olive tree on the lands of Jubbet ahd Dhib Theeb as part of a solidarity action to reclaim the lands in danger of confiscation by the settlers, on 01.02.1010. Around 20 Palestinians came to help farmers in a isolated area next to the settlement of Noqedim. 50 olive trees were planned to be planted but ithe [sic] solidarity action was stopped by settlers and Israeli soldiers. As soon as they started to plant, a car of armed settlers came with dogs and threatened the group, declaring that "this is our land". The Israeli army arrived and asked everybody to leave the area within 5 minutes, claiming that the owner should first go to the Civil administration to prove ownership. Journalists were also prevented to document. Palestinians living in this area are very isolated and subjected to constant harassment by the settlers. Photo by: Anne Paq/Activestills.org.

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A related story on the cutting down of olive trees by settlers.

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Further to the story below, there is a woman who is seven months pregnant on that boat. She was four months when the boat first entered Indonesian waters. Apparently the people on the boat are all highly skilled professionals, especially in the medical fields. Lord knows,Australia has a shortage of such individuals. A very good radio interview with one of the advocates can be heard here. It is the first interview of the programme.
this cutie was taken by Crazyegg95 in 2005 and is from flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazyegg95/69994802/

lizardrinking