CONNIVING AT GENOCIDE

by Jeremy Lee
It seems almost certain that, despite Israeli barriers to any journalistic presence in the Occupied Territories, the eventual withdrawal of troops will reveal evidence of horrific massacres in the West Bank. Ironically, when 13 Israeli troops were killed by explosive-collapsed buildings in a Palestinian ambush in Jenin, the Israelis asked for a ceasefire to collect the dead and wounded – a normal request they themselves denied throughout the invasion to Palestinians, whose bodies lay on the streets and in gutted homes day after day. They were denied any succour from ambulances and medical staff, which might have saved some of them.

What has happened in the last week or so during the Israeli occupation is a terrible retribution of such darkness that the usual backlash would make it counter-productive, more than off-setting any dubious strategic advantage gained. Sharon must be depending on the Jewish predominance in the media to gloss over the details, coupled with the hope that an ever-expanding Middle East conflict will replace yesterday's news with today's.

The Weekend Australian (13-14/4/02) reported: " ....Soldiers yesterday blocked the UN, the Red Cross and journalists from entering the 'closed military area'. Some journalists were detained. One had his Press Card ripped up. Footage filmed by a television cameraman was confiscated. The few pictures that did emerge from the camp showed scenes of devastation. "Refugees leaving the northern West Bank city talked of misery, horror and death inside the camp, which formerly housed 13,000 residents. They spoke of "countless dead bodies" and men being executed at close range .... An international group representing the UN, the Red Cross and the Norwegian government, which was given assurances it would be allowed inside the camp, was turned away. ....Reports from refugees include stories of executions of civilians and bulldozers piling dead bodies into a pit. The city is destroyed and there is no water ...."

It is against this background that President Bush has played a game of obvious obfuscation, making no comment on the Israeli invasion until it was far advanced and the bloodshed was too obvious to ignore. The Australian Financial Review (9/4/02) commented: " .... In all previous international interventions, the United States has either taken the lead or endorsed the leadership of others. But in this case the United States .... has shown little leadership and proved a stumbling block for the active involvement of the UN in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute ...."

In another article in the same issue the AFR reported: "US Secretary of State Colin Powell's mission to the Middle East faces deep Arab scepticism, with a widespread perception that Washington's new tone of censure towards Israel is a tactical manoeuvre which will have little impact. "Spurred in part by increasing alarm among the pro-US Middle East leaders of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and even Turkey - countries that would be key in any future US campaign against Iraq - the US last week stepped up its diplomatic efforts to seek a resolution to the conflict and called repeatedly on the Israelis to withdraw troops from Palestinian territory.
But Palestinian leaders and many Arab commentators believe that US President George Bush's calls on the Israelis to withdraw are intended mainly to give cover for Arab rulers scared that their populations will turn against them ...."

President Jimmy Carter's former Security Adviser, Zbigniew Brzezinski called George Bush's position "strategic incoherence". It is more likely that there was a pre-arranged agreement between Bush and Sharon to paint the invasion of the Palestinians as part of Bush' "war against terror". If so, it patently hasn't worked. Yasser Arafat is certainly not perceived as another bin Laden. His ambitions to be seen as a martyr figure have been enhanced.

The Australian (3/4/01) described it thus: " .... It's one thing to apply the Bush doctrine – under which those who support terrorists are terrorists – to al-Qu'ida and another to try applying it to Yasser Arafat and suicide bombers. "How can he criticize Sharon for attacking Arafat when the US has just bombed Afghanistan to strike back at Osama bin Laden?....." There is more than enough reason for the complacent US to take belated action.

Its pro-Israel bias is ever more obvious. Its propaganda is shred-bare. Its allies of nine months ago are deserting it. Across the world – including Australia – demonstrations of increasing size have been held against the Israeli invasion. In Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Sudan and Morocco the demonstrations have been massive, the biggest numbering over one million. But it's not only Islamic nations. In Europe, too, the protests have been growing.

The Australian Financial Review ((9/4/02) reported: ".... Slogans at the demonstrations have often compared Israelis with Nazis. Banners at a rally that attracted tens of thousands of people in Paris over the weekend proclaimed solidarity with the Palestinian people – and also included statements like 'Hitler has a son – Sharon'."

If between them, President Bush and Prime Minister Sharon imagined they could conveniently package the current invasion of the Palestinian terrorists with the events of September 11th and the "war against terrorism" they have miscalculated badly. In the process the US has alienated former friends and created the possibility of a much more united and resolute Islam across the world. The resulting dangers are incalculable. As Australia's Chief-of-Staff Admiral Barrie was reported to have said, "This could be the start of World War III".

OILS AIN'T OILS

The wily, brutal and hitherto impotent Saddam Hussein of Iraq, openly touted as President Bush's next victim in his holy war has thrown a further spanner into the Middle East works, with the declaration that he will embargo oil supplies to the West for 30 days, or until Sharon withdraws from the Palestinian territories. Although a major oil-supplier, Iraq's embargo could probably be sustained. The danger is if it spreads to other Persian Gulf oil suppliers. Already Libya has supported the idea, with the possibility that Iran will follow.

The Australian (10/4/02) said: ".... Saudi Arabia, the world's leading oil exporter, has said it will not use its oil supplies as a means of putting pressure on the West, but public opinion in the Arab world in favour of an oil embargo is growing ...."

Hugh Pope, commenting in The Australian Financial Review (10/4/02) wrote: ".... Saddam is attempting to present himself as a hero to those on Arab streets, taking action to defend Palestinians whose cause the Arab world has embraced. He was also careful to leave open the flow of oil to neighbouring Arab states such as Syria, Jordan and Egypt."
The move is especially vexing for US allies, such as Jordan and Egypt, who remain supportive of a US Government that is widely perceived by the Arab World as pro-Israeli but whose populations have rallied to the Palestinian cause. They feel the need both to take the street into account, and to stay in step with the US. They find themselves stretched between the two positions, and Saddam is increasing the stretch ....."

Wasn't it Joh Bjelke-Petersen who pointed out how uncomfortable it was to straddle a barbed-wire fence?

During January the United States imported the following quantities of oil from round the world: Saudi Arabia – 45.4 million barrels; Mexico – 40.6 million barrels; Canada – 40.3 million barrels; Venezuela – 38.6 million barrels; and Iraq – 30.8 million barrels. All of which will make it even harder for the US to present itself as objective in any war against Saddam.

WILL THE ALP RE-DISCOVER ITS ROOTS?

Writing in The Australian (10/4/02) the national secretary for the Australian Manufacturing Union, Mr. Doug Cameron, was realistic in pointing out how the ALP had moved further and further away from Australian workers. He also hinted – without being too specific – how financial policy was increasingly elevated over social concerns:
".... In the face of compelling evidence that the crisis in public health and education, research and development, salinity and environment degradation can only be resolved by the application of tens of billions of dollars of public funds the ALP mirrors the Coalition in committing unequivocally to balanced budgets.
"The ALP fails to distinguish itself from the Coalition in the minds of Australians when it comes to providing answers or leadership on issues surrounding the impact of globalisation, free trade, privatization, deregulation, and asylum seekers ...."

Mr. Cameron went on to point out: " .... Recent Australian Bureau of Statistics figures reveal that 87 percent of New jobs created between 1998 and 2001 pay less than average weekly earnings. Even more stark is the research by the Centre for Strategic Economic Studies which reveals that almost 90 percent of the jobs created in Australia in the decade to August 2000 were paying less that $26,000 a year ...."

It's only a hop, step and jump from this position to accept there is no solution unless the financial system itself is examined, with special reference to how money comes into existence (about $100 million each 24 hours) and how the debt system generates costs which place consumers in an ever-diminishing advantage when it comes to meeting basic needs. But it's the final jump before which most public commentators fail.

AFRICA : NOW A CHARNEL HOUSE

by Phillip D. Butler
The British explorer Dr. David Livingston, the first white man to see (and name after his Queen), Victoria Falls, would 'roll over in his grave' could he see the state of affairs in Africa today. He might even ask the question, "Has anything changed since I first went to the great continent?"

In the once prosperous and civilised central African country then known as Rhodesia, where 'meritocracy' enabled both black and white to achieve much and enabled both races to aspire to government and become members of the Rhodesian Legislative Assembly – all is in ruins. All has been destroyed by the murderous thugs under Marxist Robert Mugabe. Mugabe was assisted by the western world to come to, and cling to, power. In fact he was willingly assisted by the then leaders of Australia, Canada and the US.

It was Zionist Henry Kissinger, who as US Foreign Secretary, convinced former Prime Minister, Ian Smith, to agree to place the final nails in the coffin of the nation we knew as Rhodesia. Former Information Adviser to Smith, Ivor Benson, documents what took place in his books Truth Out of Africa and The Zionist Factor. (Both books are available from League book services).

Those who know the real story are still waiting for Mr. Malcolm Fraser to apologise to both black and white Rhodesians for helping to destroy that land.

When Rhodesia fell, Canadian PM at the time, Fabian Socialist Pierre-Elliot Trudeau, declared: "Any good white Rhodesian will not wish to leave the country, therefore, Canada will not accept them as immigrants." The inference being these people were 'racists'. Where is Malcolm Fraser's apology to the family of the white farmer Terry Ford who was butchered and then shot to death? Mr. Ford dared to protect his black workers and his farm against Mugabe's henchmen. Even the heart-wrenching photos of his dog 'Squeak' refusing to leave his murdered master's side (Sunday Herald Sun, 24/3/02) seems not to have raised the conscience of just one of the politicians who were, in part, responsible for bringing in this reign of terror.

Reports of rape, violence, intimidation and murder in this seemingly God-forsaken little land, now known as Zimbabwe, proliferate on the Internet. In a typical Marxist tactic, Mugabe is using food as a weapon to force submission. Where is Malcolm Fraser's apology to the black and white peoples of Zimbabwe?

JUDAISM'S PHILOSOPHY OF THE 'ONE-WAY STREET'

by Betty Luks
The underlying philosophy of 'the one-way street' of Judaism becomes apparent as one reads a selection of their own material dealing with recent events in Palestine and Israel. You will search long and hard to find any hint that 'maybe, just maybe, the policies and actions of the Israelis against the Palestinian people could be described as barbaric and are counter-productive'.

Christians are instructed to examine themselves before God and seek to live according to Jesus Christ's teaching. In which case, we were instructed to 'do unto others as ye would have them do unto you', which surely means, if it means anything at all, all relationships are meant to be 'a two-way process of giving and receiving, of giving and taking'. Thus, the policy stemming from Christian philosophy is that of a man's relationship with his fellowman must be that of 'a two-way street'. It is meant to be a mutual, co-operative relationship, whether of individuals or nations. That is the ideal, of course.

Recent events have forced the leaders of the Christian churches to take a stand on the plight of the innocent civilians (including their own church-goers) in Palestine. It was surely noted in the 'right circles' when the Archbishop of Canterbury at the Westminster Abbey funeral service for the Queen Mother made a plea for peace in the Middle East. No one was left in doubt as to who were the 'aggressors' and who were the 'frustrated' involved in the conflict. That was a very significant political statement coming from a church leader in today's climate of 'political correctness'.

NEW NRP LEADER SEEKS PALESTINIAN EXPULSION

Below is an example of Judaism's philosophy of a one-way street. Take careful note of what the Palestinians would be expected to agree to – no compromise here, no philosophy of the two-way street here.

"Tugging his beard or adjusting his skull cap, Effie Eitam, an ultranationalist slated to join Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Cabinet, speaks unabashedly of his controversial dream:
One day the more than three million Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip will move to Jordan," reports Laurie Copans (AAP). "Sitting in his modest office in an old Arab-style building in Jerusalem, Eitam gave his reasoning for attempting to push the Palestinians out. 'I think our Jewish conscience will be clean if we say' (to the Palestinians), 'you brought war and in war there are great human tragedies,' said Eitam, a brigadier general in the army reserves. 'They will cross the river and go to Jordan.'

Even among Israelis, such views were considered extreme until recently. But these days they are gaining popularity among a people fed up with Palestinian terror attacks. The National Religious Party (NRP) named Eitam as its chairman Sunday, and planned to accept an invitation to join Sharon's government, which will bring his voice and hard-line views into the Cabinet. Under Eitam's plan, Palestinians who would not agree to live under Israeli occupation without a state, without a government, and without an army could be forced to go to Jordan, which should become the Palestinian state, Eitam said. Sharon himself has said he supports a Palestinian state in at least parts of the West Bank and Gaza, and has given no sign that he would support Eitam's plan.

Still, one recent poll showed 46 percent of Jewish Israelis favor expulsion - through force or coercion – of the Palestinians living in the territories. Signs reading "Only Transfer!" or "No Arabs, No Attacks," have become popular at angry demonstrations demanding tough government action. In the new political climate, transfer is no longer a taboo subject in Israel. Several nationalist politicians who previously refrained from talk about expelling Palestinians now speak about it openly. In Eitam's plan, the army would take over the Palestinian areas in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as a first step toward annexation of the territories Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel has nearly 150 settlements in the territories where more than 200,000 Israelis live, while the Palestinians want a future state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with east Jerusalem as its capital..."

BETHLEHEM CHURCH SIEGE – BBC, Monday, April 8th

The Vatican has issued a stern warning to Israel to respect religious sites in line with its international obligations, following a gun battle around Bethlehem's besieged Church of the Nativity. Spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the Vatican was following events "with extreme apprehension" and trying to establish the truth about the fighting. Israel says its troops are under orders not to fire at holy places and blamed Palestinian militants for a fire near the church, which is revered by Christians as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Several hundred Palestinian gunmen and civilians fleeing Israeli tanks have been holed up in the church complex, along with a group of monks and nuns. Speaking from Rome, he said monks at the church had reported damage to "sacred spaces" and evidence that Israeli troops had entered the church.

The Pope, who has urged people to pray for peace in the Middle East, on Monday described the violence in the Holy Land as having reached "unimaginable and intolerable" levels. The Israeli army said Palestinian gunmen provoked a fire which broke out near the Church of the Nativity on Monday. An army officer told Reuters news agency gunmen had opened fire from a belltower, wounding two Israeli border policemen in a nearby rooftop look-out. He said the Israelis returned fire and a smoke grenade started the blaze in a second-floor meeting hall overlooking the Basilica of St. Catherine, adjacent to the Church of the Nativity. One Palestinian gunman was shot dead in the battle, the Israeli source said.

BUT PRIEST REFUTES ISRAELI CLAIM

But a priest inside the church, Father Amjad Sabbara, told the BBC that the Palestinian killed was a police officer who had been trying to douse the flames. He said the blaze had burned for an hour, destroying a piano, chairs, altar cloths and ceremonial cups. Father Sabbara estimated that there were 240 people in the church. Some were armed, he said, but they were "not using their arms". A spokesman for Catholic monks in the Holy Land, Father David Jaeger, said earlier that Israeli soldiers were guilty of an "indescribable act of barbarity". Israel had broken its international obligations and risked "long-term and incalculable" consequences. The Mayor of Bethlehem, Hanna Nasser, told the BBC that mosaics inside the Basilica of St Catherine had been "affected by the bullets".

IMMIGRATION CHANGES THE LANDSCAPE NOT JUST THE TAKEAWAY MENU

Diedre Macken in The Financial Review, 2-3/3/2002, asks her readers to "think for a moment about which Australians shoulder the burden of population growth," and highlights the fact it is the ordinary Australians who bear the burden, "not just in terms of competition for jobs, but also in financial, cultural and emotional terms."

Because, as it is so patently obvious to anyone else but the ruling elite, "Demographic policy lives next door to the working class." Why? Because the working poor share their life with the policy! Diedre Macken continues, "So the less-educated, low-skilled mum and dad with a couple of kids are forced to live in areas where they compete for poorly paid jobs and over-priced houses against another wave of migrants who will boost the profits of the big end of town..." "It's obvious by their voting patterns," she writes, "that the battlers realise the real cost of immigration, but they must have intuited the truth because none of these facts is paraded publicly."

THE METROPOLITAN "MELTING POT"? NOT SO

One would hardly describe the major cities as 'melting pots' of humanity as inferred by the headline of social affairs writer, Vanessa Walker article in The Australian, 18/3/2002. If that was the case we would see the inhabitants of these major cities changing to a dark shade of brown. Instead of which, what we really see are diverse ethnic enclaves living in uneasy proximity to one another. Of particular note is the study released by author and leading demographer Bob Birrell, using unpublished data from the Department of Immigration.

Titled "Two Australias", Bob Birrell reveals:
• A widening divide on where migrants from different countries choose to live.
• Those from Asian and Middle-Eastern countries are attracted to already booming like-ethnic communities in Sydney and Melbourne.
• Settlers from English-speaking countries, like U.K. and Ireland, are like many Australian-born urbanites, embracing a sea-change and shifting to more regional locations.
• Sydney and Melbourne now constitute the multicultural heartlands.
• The rest of Australia, with the exception of Perth, show a relative absence of ethnic diversity.
• This is manifesting to a multicultural divide tied to immigration.
• The study," observes Vanessa Walker, "highlights the failure of migrant programmes designed to divert new settlers away from cities to under-populated regions."

WHAT IS A 'BIZOID'?

GOLDEN JUBILEE - LETTER FROM BUCKINGHAM PALACE

BASIC FUND

BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS

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"Vigilance" by Ashley Mote: "Some people seem to think the United Kingdom has effectively been abolished. Not so. But we will cease to exist as a free and sovereign nation unless we reverse the erosion of our ancient rights, freedoms and customs by the endless interference in British affairs by the European Union," warns Ashley Mote. If you are concerned about the activities of the EU and its impact on the British way of life, then this book is for you. Price posted $45.00.

"In This Age of Plenty" by Louis Even. "French-Canadian Louis Even had a wonderful gift, the gift of teaching, and in this compilation of his printed material into book form, is the essence of what he taught on Social Credit. "Old economics was ruled by the presence of gold or any other rare commodity, when production itself was scarce. But it is to go against progress and logic, to want to keep an instrument linked to scarcity, to confer claims on automated production. In This Age of Plenty clearly shows that we are now dealing with an economy of plenty, in which the access to the huge possibilities of modern production is made easier for all." Price is $28.00. Posted $32.50, from all League book services.

Contact your State League Book Service and order today.

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