Wednesday, 8 April 2009

Choudary, Ghannouchi, Wilders and the "British malady", by Claude Moniquet

"Her Majesty’s Government might as well tolerate the activities of a Choudary – advocate ofthe Sharia. It might as well offer its protection to a Ghannouchi – propagandist of the Jihad. It is doing nothing other than preparing new "July 7" disasters and new defeats for democracy."

"There was a time when Great Britain was led by Sir Winston Churchill, and that was the Age of Resistance and of Glory. Today all we have is Gordon Brown and the time of capitulation has arrived.

One could have hoped that after the tragedy of 7 July 2005, Londonistan - this symbol of the age whereby the British capital serves as the place of refuge of all the Islamists of the world - belonged to the past. Don’t kid yourself ! Less than four years after the London massacre, those who plotted against democracy in Europe and against societal progress in the Muslim-Arab world are getting a warmer welcome from Westminster than ever before.
Let’s consider one fact, to begin with: in mid-February the Dutch populist deputy Geerts Wilders, who made a film critical of Islam – Fitna - was purely and simply expelled from Great Britain. He had been invited by a member of the House of Lords to speak before a group of parliamentarians during a private meeting at which his film was supposed to be screened. Another member of the honourable assembly, Lord Ahmed, who is of Pakistani origin, threatened to mobilize thousands of Muslims to prevent Geert Wilders from getting inside the Parliament building. The Labour Government, more precisely Madame Jacqui Smith, Interior Minister, then ordered the arrest of Mr. Wilders, who was taken, manu militari, to his plane and expelled from the country. One may like Mr. Wilders or not, but we are talking about the elected representative of a member country of the European Union. If some people, rightly or wrongly, believe themselves to be insulted by the views he holds of Islam, they have the possibility of taking the matter to the courts. But in London, they will not have to go so far: the Interior Minister has spared them the effort by censuring the troublemaker.

On the other hand, there is no censure for Anjem Choudary. He is a charming man, a true moderate: he has "forbidden" British Muslims to cooperate with the police in the struggle against terrorism and, in 2006, he called for the assassination of the Pope. Two groups which he created or directs - al-Muhajiroun and al-Ghurabaa - have been found to be "terrorist organizations" and banned. But on 28 February he was allowed to organize a demonstration in London in favour of the Sharia and against "the oppression of human law." For him, his British compatriots are "unbelievers" who, among their other vices, indulge in gambling, are alcoholics and worship false gods. A moderate, you say…

Neither is there censure for Rachid Ghannouchi, a Tunisian extremist who, in the 1980s, was the founder of the Islamic Tendency Movement, then of Ennahda, two movements which aimed to transform Tunisia into an "imamat," in the framework of a grand Islamic caliphate.

These past few weeks, he spoke out against Israel in the British media - which is his fundamental right. What is undoubtedly more debatable is that he acted as the advocate of Hamas, which is considered as a terrorist movement in Europe - and he believes Hamas is the spearhead of the Palestinian resistance. Better still, on 19 February he co-signed with several other Islamist leaders close to the Muslim Brotherhood a call for the creation of a "third Jihadist front." The document was adopted at the conclusion of a "summit" held in Istanbul during the course of which the same leaders called upon the Arab states to facilitate "the passage of combatants’ and arms" before hurling out the cry: "There will be no accord with Israel."

On 22 February, in an interview with the satellite television network Al-Hiwar (during a broadcast of "Taamoulat fiddine wal siyassa" - reflections on religion and politics), he said he admired the Qassam rockets, a "civilised weapon": "The word "terrorize" has, here, a magnificent meaning… That’s why I admire the Qassam rockets. The aim of those missiles being only to terrorize …".
.
More recently, on 23 March, he cast doubt even on the right of the Jewish state to exist: "Israel is a temporary political reality. In the 1920s or 1960s, there was a state called Zanzibar. Where is it today, this state called Zanzibar?" Can one be clearer? We note that in the same interview the "moderate" Ghannouchi gave us quite directly his political plans for Tunisia: "A democratic state in a Muslim society like Tunisia can only be an Islamic state." Here again: can one be any clearer?

When you criticise the great degree of tolerance which they have shown for years when confronted with Islamism, the English authorities are used to responding that this is nothing more than respecting freedom of speech. That is a nice excuse for covering up a quite cynical calculation. Because the reality is quite different: London believes in fact that in order to protect itself against the Muslim-Arab world toppling into the hands of the Jihadist "extremists" they have no choice but to take sides and encourage the accession to power of the "moderates." They forget a few small details: in Pakistan it is the "moderate" Islamists who have encouraged the Afghan Taliban; in Algeria it is the "moderate" Islamists of the Islamic Salvation Front who gave rise to the killers of the GIA in the 1990s. And here and there around the world, it is the "moderates" of the Muslim Brotherhood who are currently preparing the establishment of the Caliphates which we will perhaps be confronting tomorrow.

Her Majesty’s Government might as well tolerate the activities of a Choudary - advocate of the Sharia. It might as well offer its protection to a Ghannouchi - propagandist of the Jihad. It is doing nothing other than preparing new "July 7" disasters and new defeats for democracy.

"You were given the choice between war and dishonour. You have chosen dishonour and you will get war," Winston Churchill told Neville Chamberlain the day after the Munich agreements.

But Great Britain is run by Mr. Gordon Brown in 2009, not by Mr. Churchill."
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Source: Editorial by Claude Moniquet, President of ESISC
Copyright© ESISC 2009

Tuesday, 7 April 2009

Zionists behind Abou Jahjah being barred from re-entering UK

"... the launch of the IUPFP British branch with Jeremy Corbyn MP [and Dyab Abou Jahjah, President of the pro-Hezbollah and pro-Hamas Arab-European League (see photo below)] in the British Houses of Parliament on the 31st March."

"Deep sensitization and spreading awareness on the aggressive, terrorist and racist nature of the Zionist entity as well as the hazards on security and peace in the world it causes. Exposing its expansionist objectives and inhuman practices and crimes against the Palestinian people and the sacred places, and seeking the expulsion of the Zionist entity from international institutions." (IUPFP
articles of association)

1. Invitation (31 March)

"As the Chairperson of the English branch of the International Union of Parliamentarians for Palestine (IUPFP), I am pleased to invite you to our launch meeting in Parliament on 630pm Tuesday 31st March under the title 'Solidarity with Palestine after the Gaza onslaught'.

We are honoured to have speaking at this meeting guests who are leading elected representatives of the Palestinian and Lebanese people in the persons of Mr Hussein el-Hajj Hassan MP from the Loyalty to the Resistance Parliamentary Bloc in Lebanon, and also Mr Hasan Khreishi the Vice President of the Palestinian Parliament.

We also have esteemed guest speakers Mr Jeremy Corbyn MP and Mr Dyab Abou Jahjah the International Director of the IUPFP.

To confirm your attendance please RSVP to me via replying to this email at the and you will receive a confirmation of your attendance. Please also let me know if you are bringing any other person(s) with you.
Sukant ChandanSukant.chandan@gmail.com
07709112126, Chair, English Branch of the IUPFP
-------------------------------------------------
2. Press release (4 April)

"Last week Dyab Abou Jahjah, the International Director of the International Union of Parliamentarians for Palestine (IUPFP) was in London to launch the British branch of the IUPFP.

The Zionists put pressure on the British government to bar Abou Jahjah from entry into England without success. Two conferences sucessfully took place in London organised with the involvement of the IUPFP , both events featured our guest speaker and Hizbullah leader Dr Hussein El-Hajj Hassan. The first conference was under the auspices of the Stop the War Coalition and one of it's leader John Rees on Monday 30th March; and the second was the launch of the IUPFP British branch with Jeremy Corbyn MP in the British Houses of Parliament on the 31st March.

After a short trip to Belgium and upon Abou Jahjah's re-entry to Britain on the 3rd April, Abou Jahjah was stopped for six hours by British immigration police and denied entry.

This is a part of European criminalisation of the resistance and of the movement of solidarity with Palestine, a movement which is on the rise in the West. This is the second attempt at Western criminalisation of solidarity with Palestine and the resistance after the refusal of entry by the Canadian authorities of George Galloway MP, the leader of Respect Coalition and the initiator of the Viva Palestina convoy to Gaza, Palestine.

This poses the question: are European powers sincere in their steps towards opening a dialogue with the resistance in the region?

We demand from European parliamentarians to protest to the British authorities that they lift these anti-democratic measures.

Luk Vervaet, President of the IUPFP - Belgium
Sukant Chandan, President of the IUPFP - Britain"

Photo from the Belgian-based Arab European League website: "We will not recognize what so-called Israel" (Hamas)

- British writer Alan Hart calls for the creation of an international anti-Zionist lobby
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Muslim European group posts anti-Semitic cartoons
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Arab-European League lashes out at Geert Wilders and MEMRI

Monday, 6 April 2009

British academic union drops call to boycott Israel

"It is regrettable that the union continues to place Israel at the top of their list of international issues without balancing it with a condemnation of those in the Arab world who are not willing to recognize the existence of the State of Israel." (Ronnie Fraser)

"The trade union behind previous attempts to boycott Israeli academia will not call for a boycott at their congress next month.

Though the University and College Union (UCU), the UK's largest trade union for academics, lecturers and researchers, will raise a number of motions critical of Israel, it is the first time since 2003 that an academic trade union will not propose a boycott of Israeli academia.

Last year the UCU was forced to drop its proposed boycott call following a threat by members to take legal action.

This year, several motions, with various degrees of hostility towards Israel, have been submitted by the union's branches for debate at the conference.

One motion calls for the "ending of apartheid and lifting of all barricades in Gaza; recognition of the democratically elected Gaza [Hamas] government; the establishment of free independent Palestine; respect for human rights in Palestine and the stopping of killing of defenseless Gazans." The same motion call for Israel to be tried for "human rights violations." Another motion calls for an arms embargo on Israel, a ban on settlement goods and that "the British government expel the Israeli ambassador."

However, a motion proposed by the union's National Executive Committee (NEC) calling for solidarity with the Palestinians also condemns "the use of rockets against Israeli civilians."

Last year the NEC submitted a motion that revived a call for a boycott of Israeli academia that had been aborted in 2007.

"The absence of a motion on boycotting Israel is undoubtedly a sign of progress," said Jeremy Newmark from Stop the Boycott, a campaign group launched in 2007 to oppose trade union boycott initiatives.

"We also welcome the NEC's more balanced position on Israel, especially as last year the executive itself proposed a boycott.

"However, the draft motions still attack Israel from all directions, this is an 'anything but boycott' document that singles out Israel as the only country for condemnation and sanction. UCU members should reject these motions at their congress," he added.

"Very little has changed apart from the absence of a boycott motion for the first time this decade," said Ronnie Fraser, chair of the Academic Friends of Israel. "The UCU continues to be the most anti-Israel union in Britain with five motions this year condemning Israel's actions in Gaza.

"It is regrettable that the union continues to place Israel at the top of their list of international issues without balancing it with a condemnation of those in the Arab world who are not willing to recognize the existence of the State of Israel."

Fraser said that a boycott motion could still be raised before the conference, as any UCU branch can still propose an amendment motion. He also questioned the motivation behind a motion calling for a campaign against anti-Semitism.

The NEC has also proposed a motion calling for a campaign against anti-Semitism, and for a one-day commemoration on Holocaust Memorial Day each year that "commemorates the different groups targeted by the Nazis and looks at how to campaign against racism and fascism today with other education unions."

Notes Fraser: "The UCU's motives for a campaign against anti-Semitism now are unclear, as one asks how can the UCU, which has previously said that it does not accept the recommendations in the Parliamentary Committee against Anti-Semitism report or the European Monitoring Center on Racism definition of anti-Semitism, now want to campaign against the rise of anti-Semitism.

"It first has to clearly understand and publicly acknowledge that anti-Semitism exists on both the left and the right and is a threat to Anglo Jewry," Fraser said.

The UCU congress will take place May 27-29 in Bournemouth, on the southern coast of England."

Source: article by Jonny Paul in TJP

Sunday, 5 April 2009

Rotterdam: complaint about Tariq Ramadan prayer

"God, strengthen their belief, those who are in Palestine, and let them celebrate their victory over their enemy, your enemy, enemy of the faith."

"Let Islam and the Muslims triumph and let your word triumph everywhere."

Video
"The VVD party (People's Party for Freedom and Democracy) in Rotterdam published a translation of the following clip, in which Tariq Ramadan [also an Oxford University professor] is praying for the Muslims of Palestine.

The VVD demands explanations as to how such prayers affect the context of his job as adviser to the municipality.

(...)

(2:47) God, let your light and appearance descend on their grave. God, strengthen the belief of our brothers and sisters in Palestine.

(3.13) God, strengthen their belief, those who are in Palestine, and let them celebrate their victory over their enemy, your enemy, enemy of the faith.

(3.26) Only with your victory and mercy, you generous God. Allah, strengthen their belief in Palestine, in Chechnya, in Afghanistan, and in Morocco, and in Algeria, and in Tunisia, and in Egypt, and in Sudan, and in Kashmir, and in the whole world and out of the way places, you merciful God.

(4.01) Accept everything of them, and let them stand with both feet on the ground, and give them a place in your paradise, with the chosen believers and with the martyrs.

(4:15) God, strengthen their belief, those who are in prison and who live under torture. They are innocent. God, our enemies, your enemies, and enemies of the faith, let us leave to you.

(4:38) Let Islam and the Muslims triumph and let your word triumph everywhere. (...)"

Source: Islam in Europe

- Rotterdam: Municipality to investigate Ramadan tapes
- US: Obama backs Tariq Ramadan's visa rejection

Swedish journalist looks for Swedish extremist Jews

"Jews and pro-Israelis do not threaten churches and mosques and foreign embassies. They do not riot in the streets and throw stones at the police. Yet our Middle East expert Hilde Henriksen Waage warns the nation about a smear campaign being conducted against Norway, and Håkon Gullvåg hires in more guards to protect his paintings at the exhibition at Trondheim kunstmuseum. And now this Swedish journalist searches for extremist Jews."

Source: article in Norway, Israel and the Jews blog

"Here is an inquiry from a Swedish journalist looking for radicalization among Jews. On the one hand, this inquiry makes perfect sense. This year’s events have repeatedly shown us how anti-Israeli sentiment in the Scandinavian countries tends to blend in with outright anti-Semitism.

For instance, during the Davis-cup demonstrations in Sweden left-wing and right-wing extremists joined ranks with men commemorating the massacre at Khyber.

As for Norway we have Minister of Finance Kristin Halvorsen’s anti-war march on January 8th, when there were cries of "Kill the Jews" from some of the demonstrators. When the Jerusalem Post wrote an article on this issue, the Norwegian media and political elite reacted by denying that such cries were heard, and that the march was a "peaceful and dignified" affair.

This depressing example of Norwegian self-righteousness is unfortunately not unique. So would it be all that strange if someone decided to do a "Mazel" and protest against, say, either some aspect of demonization of Israel or a pure act of anti-Semitism?

On the other hand there is nothing to indicate that Scandinavian Jews are radicalizing. Jews and pro-Israelis do not threaten churches and mosques and foreign embassies. They do not riot in the streets and throw stones at the police. Yet our Middle East expert Hilde Henriksen Waage warns the nation about a smear campaign being conducted against Norway, and Håkon Gullvåg hires in more guards to protect his paintings at the exhibition at Trondheim kunstmuseum. And now this Swedish journalist searches for extremist Jews.

One thing is for certain, if any Jewish extremism should surface it would come as a huge relief to Nordic politicians and media alike. Let us pray they are not given this satisfaction."
————————— Original Message —————————-
Subject: Inquiry from the Swedish Television
From: Eva Renström <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JustPeaceUK/post?postID=AA9I90pKOiOPMEQaAnAmpg3UDorNifosnVIHmefNoSOGT12op3GFl3EWNDSfqBuPI8IxoDZJ2R9o2w>
Date: Fri, January 30, 2009 2:38 pm
To: mail@…
————————————————————————–
Dear Peace-worker, [!!!]

My name is Eva Renstrom and I'm working as a journalist at the Swedish Television; the public service company in Sweden, with a program called Existens; Existence. It's a secular program about religion and society,and our assignment is to describe what happens when these two meets and collides.
Now we are planning to do a program about the escalated Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and what happens with the manifestation of the religions; Islam and Judaism, in the current situation.
Our focus will be Islam, but we intend to discuss growing radicalism and intolerance among the Jewish population as well. Here in Sweden, we see moderate movements in this direction. But since everything in Sweden is more or less moderate in comparison, we suspect that the effect is enhanced in the rest of Europe as well as in the Middle East. We want to know more about the risk of increased radicalism and extremism, about where this situation can take us. We want to know more about if and how the religious manifestation will change.
Now I'm looking for someone to talk to; who can analyze the situation, especially when it comes to the situation among Jews. I've read about you on the web site, and I thought that you maybe can help me! I´m grateful for your help!

Best wishes, and a nice weekend to you!
EVA RENSTROM
Reporter SVT Existens
+46 708 35 85 36
mailto:36eva.renstrom@…
http://svt.se/existens

Saturday, 4 April 2009

Anti-Israel campaigning by Dutch Christian NGO and Oxfam

"The Web site omits any of the barrier's security benefits, and focuses solely on the human suffering it has caused by separating some Palestinian families and dividing their communities and businesses."

List of "barriers" here, but only one gets European NGOs' attention

"The security barrier between Israel and the West Bank is getting a commercial face-lift. A venture by a Dutch organization allows Internet users around the world to get their personal message on the Palestinian side of the barrier, part of which is a concrete gray wall, for €30 per missive.

The maximum 80-character messages, which are sent over the Web and then spray-painted on the wall by a Ramallah-based Palestinian group, are then digitally photographed, with three copies of their missives on the wall sent back to clients via e-mail.

Both humorous and serious messages are acceptable, while obscene, offensive and extremists texts will be rejected, the organizers say.

Some of the messages shown at www.sendamessage.nl are blatantly political while others are surprisingly romantic.

"Elisabeth and Jakob - Forever in my heart - Anna," one message pictured on the Web site reads.

Others are unequivocal.

"Take down that wall," reads one message spray-painted in red capital letters.

The initiators of the Dutch-Palestinian venture say that the goal is to encourage Palestinians living in the West Bank.

"Your message on the wall reminds Palestinians that they have not been forgotten. It helps them keeping [sic] hope alive. That's the message you are sending to them, whatever the words are," the site says.

"Our aim is to make sure there is another method of communication aside from throwing rocks," said Ben Melis, a director of the Dutch organization which initiated the project. "We have no illusion that what we are doing will make the wall go away or change things, but we want to address the issue to raise awareness."

He said that more than 800 people from around the world had sent a message via the Web site since it was launched a year and a half ago.

A Defense Ministry spokeswoman said Wednesday that the office was "unaware" of the international spray-paint venture.

The Web site omits any of the barrier's security benefits, and focuses solely on the human suffering it has caused by separating some Palestinian families and dividing their communities and businesses.

Potential customers are told that there is no danger for Palestinians in spray-painting on the wall in the West Bank, noting that the territory is "a lot more stable than in far away Gaza."

"'Our' Palestinians will never risk their lives to get your message on the wall," the Web site states.

The initiative, which was started by a group of Dutch advertisers during a visit to Ramallah, is supported by the Dutch NGO ICCO [Interchurch Organization for Development Co-operation] as well as Oxfam.

Organizers say that the revenue is intended to support grassroots social and cultural projects in the West Bank via accredited Palestinian NGOs, and that the money does not go to buy weapons for the Palestinians."

Source: article by Etgar Lefkovits in TJP

Friday, 3 April 2009

European Coalition for Israel director calls for broad coalition against anti-Semitism

"As faith leaders we have a duty to be "our brothers’ keeper" and cannot keep silent when Jews are again threatened on the streets of Europe." (Tomas Sandell)

"These conspiracy theories of Jews taking over the world have been presented many times before in European history but are now resurfacing with new intensity on the internet and in other media." (Ioannis Dimitrakopoulos)

"ECI director Tomas Sandell called for "a broad coalition of faith leaders for fighting the resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe" when he spoke at a one-day conference in the European Parliament in Brussels on Monday.

"The enemies of Israel and the Jewish people are plotting together like never before. This is our opportunity to find new partnerships for defending our European values and supporting the Jewish people", he said in a panel discussion together with, among others, Archbishop Philippe Barbarin of Lyon, Chief Rabbi of Poland Michael Schrudrich and Imam Hassen Chalghoumi of Drancy in Paris.

"As faith leaders we have a duty to be "our brothers’ keeper" and cannot keep silent when Jews are again threatened on the streets of Europe", he said in his speech. He also called upon the European Union, as well as civil society organizations, to withdraw from the planned UN World Conference on Racism in Geneva in order not to legitimize those powers who want to demonize Israel and wipe out the Jewish state from the world map. In the draft resolution, which is being prepared for the UN conference by a working group consisting of, among others, Libya, Cuba and Iran, only one state is singled out as a "racist state", namely Israel.

"This is unacceptable", said vice-president Jacques Barrot of the European Commission who promised to personally follow the developments leading up to the UN conference starting on April 20 in order to blow the whistle if the final resolution text is not compatible with EU values as they are codified in the Charter for Fundamental Rights but Sandell objected.

"There is no need to wait," he said. "The draft text is known to everyone and now is the right time to withdraw, not later".

The one day conference "Building Together the Future of Europe - The fight against anti-Semitism, defending European values and co-existence" was initiated by the European Jewish Congress and organized under the patronage of the European Parliament president Hans-Gert Pöttering. In presentations both from Head of Unit Ioannis Dimitrakopoulos from the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency and Jewish representatives from various countries the message was same; the level of anti-Semitic violence has now reached its highest level since the end of the Second World War and the month of February has been the most violently anti-Semitic in Europe during this whole period.

"It is both the high number of anti-Semitic incidents as well as the intensity of these incidents which gives us causes for concerns", admitted Dimitrakopolus. "It is not only the military operation in Gaza which has contributed to this rise of anti-Semitism but also the current financial crisis where the Jews are openly accused for being behind the financial meltdown."

"These conspiracy theories of Jews taking over the world have been presented many times before in European history but are now resurfacing with new intensity on the internet and in other media," he warned.

Several speakers noted how the criticism of Israel has become radicalized. The last few weeks banners of terrorist organizations, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, have been openly displayed in marches where many mainstream political leaders have also taken part. Both terrorist organizations call for the dismantling of the Jewish state.

Though there were few reasons to be optimistic in the present climate the chairman of the Finnish Jewish Community Ronny Smolar presented one.

"In the Nordic countries the small Jewish communities have been living in relative peace up till now. Now many feel that they are being personally blamed and targeted because of the events in Gaza. Many feel insecure."

"But the situation is not out of hand. When Jews in the Nordic countries have been targeted in street demonstrations our Christian friends have come to our help", he said.

Several national leaders of Jewish communities called upon the ECI to come alongside to help stand against the new threats.

"This is perfectly in line with what the ECI wants to accomplish", replied Sandell. He recalled that in a similar conference at the European Commission in Brussels in 2004 Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel spoke about the lack of support from other groups than the Jewish organizations. "Where are all the others", he asked.

"We want to be that coalition of "all the others", concluded Sandell. " This is the time to stand together as one to prevent history from repeating itself."

Source: ECI (A Christian initiative promoting European-Israeli Cooperation)

- European Parliament conference vows to fight anti-Semitism
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"Do not let Israel become the Sudetenland of today", Hanna Orgonikova (ECI)
-
European Coalition for Israel warns against surge of anti-Semitism in Europe
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"Are we using European tax money to promote peace or hatred?", asks ECI director
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European Coalition for Israel on working visit to Paris