yet they believe propaganda photos and articles? mmhm.
shaolin_Z
quote:
Originally posted by Haunted
yet they believe propaganda photos and articles? mmhm.
Care to demonstrate the validity of any of your assertions punk? Or are do you always limit yourself to empty words?
Dopey
quote:
Originally posted by shaolin_Z
punk
you and hardcore prancer can call us punks and retards all you want, but it is not going to erase Israel from the map :)
M.Johan
quote:
Originally posted by Dopey
yea you're right, you strap explosives to your women and children and tell your children to run to the IDF soldiers because they have lollipops, us smart Palestinians know better, diplomacy is the only way :)
not against diplomacy or giving reasons to terrorism.There're many international reports WHICH defines for the confirmation and the contending of the Israeli depredation & violation practises against Palestinians
every time SO wat do u expect
quote:
Human Rights Council Report
Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories John Dugard* 23 February 2007
In a report handed over to the United Nations Human Rights Council, John Dugard draws up a detailed balance sheet of Human Rights conditions in the Palestinian territories. The famous South African jurist concludes that this situation is comparable to that of the South African apartheid and that its peristence places in jeopardy the International community’s capacity to promote Human Rights. We republish below the complete text. Sumary
Gaza has again been the focus of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). In response to the capture of Corporal Gilad Shalit by Palestinian militants on 25 June 2006, and the continued firing of Qassam rockets into Israel, Israel conducted two major military operations within Gaza - “Operation Summer Rains” and “Operation Autumn Clouds”. In the course of these operations, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) made repeated military incursions into Gaza, accompanied by heavy artillery shelling and air-to-surface missile attacks. Missiles, shells and bulldozers destroyed or damaged homes, schools, hospitals, mosques, public buildings, bridges, water pipelines and electricity networks. Agricultural lands were levelled by bulldozers. Beit Hanoun was the subject of particularly heavy attacks, and on 8 November 19 civilians were killed and 55 wounded in an artillery attack. Economic sanctions have had a major impact on Gaza. About 70 per cent of Gaza’s workforce is out of work or without pay and over 80 per cent of the population live below the official poverty line. The siege of Gaza is a form of collective punishment in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949. The indiscriminate use of military power against civilians and civilian targets has resulted in serious war crimes.
The West Bank has also experienced serious human rights violations resulting from frequent military incursions; the construction of the Wall; house demolitions and checkpoints. Over 500 checkpoints and roadblocks obstruct freedom of movement within the OPT. The Wall being built in East Jerusalem is an instrument of social engineering designed to achieve the Judaization of Jerusalem by reducing the number of Palestinians in the city.
The construction of settlements continues. Today there are some 460,000 settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. A study by an Israeli non-governmental organization (NGO) has shown that nearly 40 per cent of the land occupied by settlements in the West Bank is privately owned by Palestinians. It has become abundantly clear that the Wall and checkpoints are principally aimed at advancing the safety, convenience and comfort of settlers.
There are some 9,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. There are serious complaints about the treatment, trial and imprisonment of prisoners.
Since 2000, over 500 persons have been killed in targeted assassinations, including a substantial number of innocent civilians. In December 2006 the Israeli High Court failed to find that such assassinations were unlawful but held that they might only be carried out as a last resort and within the bounds of proportionality.
Israeli law and practice makes it impossible for thousands of Palestinian families to live together. A new practice of refusing visas to foreign residents in the OPT has aggravated this situation.
Discrimination against Palestinians occurs in many fields. Moreover, the 1973 International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid appears to be violated by many practices, particularly those denying freedom of movement to Palestinians.
The Report of The Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 pursuant to resolution 3/1 of the Human Rights Councilhttp: 20 December 2006 http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/dpage_e.aspx?m=91
The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2006
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
March 6, 2007
THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES (INCLUDING AREAS SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY)
Israel occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, and East Jerusalem during the 1967 War. In 2006 the population of Gaza was approximately 1.4 million, of the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem) approximately 2.4 million, and of East Jerusalem about 415,000, including approximately 177,000 Israelis. Approximately 250,000 Israelis resided in the West Bank. Various agreements transferred civil responsibility to the Palestinian Authority (PA) for Gaza and parts of the West Bank and divided the territories into three types of areas denoting different levels of PA and Israeli control. However, after Palestinian extremist groups resumed violence in 2000, Israeli forces resumed control over a number of these areas, citing the PA's failure to abide by its security responsibilities. During the year both violence and Israeli-imposed internal and external access restrictions increased.
The PA has a democratically elected president and legislative council, which select and endorse a prime minister and cabinet. In January 2005 Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chairman Mahmud Abbas won approximately 62 percent of the popular vote in a presidential election regarded as generally free and fair. Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) elections were held on January 25; international observers concluded the elections generally met democratic standards, despite some irregularities. Israel exercised occupation authority through the Ministry of Defense's Office of Coordination and Liaison.
During the year 660 Palestinians were killed during Israeli military operations. On December 28, the Israeli nongovernmental organization (NGO) B'Tselem claimed that of the 660 Palestinians killed, at least 322 were not engaged in hostilities when killed and 141 were minors. A total of 23 Israelis, including six Israeli Defense Force (IDF) soldiers, and six foreigners were killed by Palestinians in terrorist attacks in both Israel and the occupied territories.
Since formation of the Hamas government in March, the Preventive Security Organization (PSO), Civil Police, and Civil Defense came under the authority of the Minister of Interior. The National Security Forces (NSF) and General Intelligence Services (GI) remained under the authority of President Abbas. President Abbas and his subordinates maintained control of security forces in the West Bank and over some forces in Gaza. The Hamas-controlled Interior Ministry created a new security branch, the "Executive Force," in Gaza, over which President Abbas had no authority. The Executive Force killed or injured several Palestinians affiliated with security forces loyal to President Abbas or the Fatah movement. Neither the president nor the Interior Ministry maintained effective control over security forces under their respective authorities, and there were reports that members of security forces committed numerous, serious abuses. The Israeli government maintained effective control of its security forces; however, there were reports that Israeli security forces used excessive force, abused, and tortured Palestinian detainees.
In September 2005 the Israeli Supreme Court reaffirmed its earlier decision that the separation barrier is permissible under both international law and Israeli law, however, the Israeli Supreme Court questioned whether the segment of the barrier at issue (in the West Bank, near Jerusalem) utilized the least intrusive route available, and it asked the government to consider whether there was an alternative route. In a 2004 advisory opinion, the International Court of Justice concluded that the barrier was contrary to international law in a number of respects.
Regarding the PA there were reports of torture, arbitrary and prolonged detention, poor prison conditions, insufficient measures to prevent attacks by terrorist groups either within the occupied territories or within Israel, corruption and lack of transparency, domestic abuse of women, societal discrimination against women and persons with disabilities, and child labor.
Regarding the Israeli occupying forces, there were reports of death and injuries to civilians in the conduct of military operations, numerous serious abuses of civilians and detainees, failure to take disciplinary action in cases of abuse, improper application of security internment procedures, temporary detention facilities that were austere and overcrowded, and limited cooperation with NGOs.
Regarding Palestinian terrorist organizations, there were several instances of terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians, resulting in deaths and injuries in the West Bank and Israel.
And in Israel also there's many Israelian civilians're killed
quote:
With a population of approximately 7 million, including approximately 5.3 million Jews, Israel is a multiparty parliamentary democracy. "Basic laws" enumerate fundamental rights. The 120-member, unicameral Knesset has the power to dissolve the government and mandate elections. On March 28, the 17th Knesset was elected democratically. On May 4, Prime Minister Olmert presented his government to the Knesset.
The judiciary is independent and has sometimes ruled against the executive, including in some security cases. Notwithstanding some cases of abuse by individuals, the civilian authorities maintained effective control of the security forces. (An annex to this report covers human rights in the occupied territories. This report deals only with human rights in Israel.)
Palestinians in the occupied territories are not citizens of the country and do not enjoy the rights of citizens, even if living in areas under full Israeli authority or arrested in Israel. The approximately 20,000 non-Israeli residents of the Golan Heights were subject to Israeli authority and Israeli law.
The government generally respected the human rights of its citizens; however, there were problems in some areas, including serious abuses by some members of the security forces against Palestinian detainees. Poor conditions and improper application of security internment procedures (see annex) persisted in some detention and interrogation facilities. Institutional, legal, and societal discrimination against Israeli Arabs continued. Non-Orthodox Jews and other religious groups continued to face discrimination in personal and civil status matters. Women suffered discrimination and, in some cases, violence. The educational systems for Arab and Jewish students remained unequal. Trafficking in and abuse of women and foreign workers remained a problem in some areas and industries although the government passed new antitrafficking legislation. De facto discrimination against persons with disabilities occurred. Government corruption and other criminal activity by political leaders was a problem.
On July 12, the Lebanese terrorist organization Hizballah killed three Israeli Defense Force (IDF) soldiers and kidnapped two others in northern Israel, resulting in a widened conflict in July and August. During that period, Hizballah fired missiles into Israel, killing civilians. Apart from the July-August conflict, Palestinian terrorist attacks killed 10 Israeli civilians and four foreigners during the year.
RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom From:
a. Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life
The government or its agents did not commit any politically motivated killings.
On January 19, a border policeman killed Nadim Milham, an Israeli Arab, while reportedly searching for weapons in his home. A family member reported that police beat Milham and shot him when he attempted to escape; the Mossawa Advocacy Center for Arab Citizens of Israel (Mossawa) claimed to have evidence that Milham was shot twice from behind. On November 21, the State Prosecutor's Office indicted the policeman for manslaughter; however, there was no further action by year's end.
On July 3, a police officer killed Mahmoud Ghanim, an Israeli Arab whom police suspected of stealing a car. According to police Ghanim was shot while attempting to run over police officers seeking to arrest him. Witness accounts collected by Mossawa indicated that Ghanim was shot in the back while sitting in his father's nonfunctioning car. At year's endthe Police Investigation Department (PID) was investigating the shooting.
On October 4, a border policeman killed Iyad Abu Aya, an illegal Palestinian worker, in Jaffa. Abu Aya was shot during a police operation to arrest illegal workers. According to press reports, eyewitnesses said the shooting was not justified. The police officer was placed under house arrest pending a PID investigation; there were no further developments at year's end.
On January 6, the government assigned a Deputy State Attorney to reexamine the PID decision to close its investigation into the police killings of 13 (12 Israeli Arabs and 1 Palestinian) protesters during October 2000 demonstrations (see sections 2.b. and 5). Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and Israeli-Arab community leaders generally welcomed the government's decision to reexamine the PID investigation but questioned the impartiality of the Deputy State Attorney since his direct supervisor was among those responsible for the PID decision not to investigate the killings initially. At year's end the government's review of the PID decision was ongoing.
.
quote:
Last update - 20:25 09/03/2007
UN:Israel must stop discrimination against Arabs, Palestinians
By Reuters
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination said Israel's security measures to ward off suicide bombings and other attacks must be re-calibrated to avoid discrimination against Arab Israelis or Palestinians living in Israeli-occupied lands such as the West Bank.
The committee specified that Israel should ease roadblocks and other restrictions on Palestinians and put a stop to settler violence and hate speech.
Its 18 independent experts, who examined the records of 13 countries at a four-week meeting in Geneva, also said Israel should cease building a barrier in and around the West Bank and ensure its various checkpoints and road closures do not reinforce segregation.
In its conclusions, the committee also voiced concern at an unequal distribution of water resources, a disproportionate targeting of Palestinians in house demolitions and the "denial of the right of many Palestinians" to return to their land.
Differing applications of criminal law between Jews and Arabs had caused "harsher punishments for Palestinians for the same offence", said the committee, whose recommendations are not legally binding.
A high number of complaints by Arab Israelis against police officers are not properly investigated and many Arabs suffer discriminatory work practices and high unemployment, it said.
Excavations beneath and around the Al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's holiest site in Jerusalem, should also be undertaken in a way that will "in no way endanger the mosque and impede access to it", it added.
Israel argues that the UN committee's remit, to ensure compliance with a 1965 international treaty against racial discrimination which the Jewish state has ratified, does not apply to the Palestinian territories it has occupied since 1967. The committee rejects that position.
Israel's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Itzhak Levanon, told the committee last month it was crucial to understand the pressing security threats faced by his country.
While u're focussing on the groups who have Terrorism ideology
,U MISS SOMETHING IS VERY DANGEROUS on the other side.
do u know that Israeli Textbooks and Children's Literature Promote Racism and Hatred Toward Palestinians and Arabs and portray Palestinians and Arabs as 'murderers,' 'rioters,' 'suspicious', and generally backward and unproductive. http://www.palestinemonitor.org/nue...n_textbooks.htm http://www.wrmea.com/backissues/0999/9909019.html
Remark:they're not posted completely.
quote:
Israel repeatedly, and falsely, alleges that Palestinian textbooks teach children hatred, violence, and jihad. But how are Israeli children taught to hate Arabs, and trained to kill them?
Israeli daily newspaper Yedioth Ahronot, May 7th 2002, published a letter titled Dear Soldiers, Please Kill a Lot of Arabs. That came from Israeli children who sent such letters to Israeli soldiers serving in the Tulkarm area during the so-called Operation Defensive Shield . The letters sent by Israeli school students encouraged soldiers to disregard rules and regulations and to kill as many Arabs as possible. According to Yedioth Ahronoth , dozens of the letters were sent to soldiers, mostly from children in the 7th through 10th grades, who attend national religious schools.
Ruth Firer and Sami Adwan, an Israeli and a Palestinian scholar, who conducted research comparing Palestinian and Israeli textbooks, March 2002, wrote about Israeli books: "These texts enhance religious-national education, strongly emphasizing the collective values connected to the history of the Jewish nation in 'their land' and God's promises to the Jews that give them an absolute right on the land. The land of Eretz Israel described in the books includes the territories of the PNA from 1967."
A study by Daniel Bar-Tal of Tel-Aviv University, 124 Hebrew language books approved for use in 1994 by the Ministry of Education, were reviewed, The study concludes that "the majority of [Israeli school] books stereotype Arabs negatively." In one children s book, Bar-Tal offers this sampling, "We were lonely pioneers surrounded by a sea of enemies and murderers." In elementary school books, according to Bar-Tal, Arabs are often stereotyped negatively and portrayed as "uneducated people and enemies."
In a report titled "Israeli Textbooks and Children s Literature Promote Racism and Hatred toward Palestinians and Arabs," free-lance journalist Maureen Meehan concluded that "Israeli school textbooks as well as children s storybooks, according to recent academic studies and surveys, portray Palestinians and Arabs as 'murderers,' 'rioters,' 'suspicious', and generally backward and unproductive. Direct delegitimization and negative stereotyping of Palestinians and Arabs are the rule rather than the exception in Israeli schoolbooks." (Washington Report for Middle East Affairs September 1999)
A study presented at the hearing of the political committee of the European Parliament, 24 October 2003, titled "The attitude towards Palestinians in Israeli textbooks," by Dr. Nurit Elhanan, of the Hebrew University, revealed that "the Palestinians are absent from all textbooks, The Occupation is never mentioned, and the area where Palestinians live is presented in the maps either as an empty space referred to as 'an area without data' (Man and Space-maps) or it is incorporated into the state of Israel (The Geography of the land of Israel- maps). In both cases use of the term 'occupation' is out of the question, since you cannot occupy illegally what is yours anyway and you cannot occupy illegally an empty space."
Dr. Elhanan added: "When reference is made to date in the West Bank it is only to Jewish colonies or to main cities like Nablus, Hebron or Beth Lehem as Israeli tourist sites (maps) In Israel today there is already a second generation of children who don t know there are occupation, illegal domination and illegal settlements."
The Convention on the Rights of Child of November 1991, Article 2, obliges State Parties to respect and ensure the rights set forth in the present Convention to each child within their jurisdiction. Israel has repeatedly violated these rights and ignored it obligations. In its 20 November 2004 press release, Defense for Children International (DCI), appealed "to the international community and world leaders to abide by their declared commitment to protect the rights of all children, including the children of Palestine. We urge them to bring pressure on the Israeli government, to abide by international law and end the occupation which is incompatible with any declared commitment to promoting and protecting the basic human rights of all."
In the same press release DCI reported that: "Since the start of the second Intifada on 29 September 2000, Palestinian children have borne the brunt of the upsurge in Israeli violence. Over the course of the past four years, more than 660 Palestinian children have been killed and almost 9,000 injured hundreds of whom have been left with permanent physical disabilities. Many thousands more are suffering psychological trauma from the daily horrors they witness. An estimated 3,000 children have been arrested during this Intifada, while currently there are still 335 children being held in Israeli prisons and detention centers."
BUT On the other side in Palastine
quote:
The European Union, in a statement issued in Brussels on 15 May 2002 asserted that "Quotations attributed by earlier Center for Monitoring the Impact on Peace (CMIP) reports are not found in the new Palestinian Authority schoolbooks. It added that the "New Textbooks, although not perfect, are free of inciteful content and improve the previous textbooks, constituting a valuable contribution to the education of young Palestinians." It concluded, "Therefore, allegations against the new textbooks funded by EU members have proven unfounded."
Prof. Nathan Brown, from George Washington University, a former adviser to the U.S. Agency for International Development, in his study of the Palestinian curriculum (November 2001), noted that the PA's National Education books for grades 1 and 6 were "devoid of any anti-Semitic or anti-Israeli material." And in an interview in the Forward (Jewish American publication) by Marc Ferledman, 18 January 2002, Brown described think tank groups like CMIP accounts of incitement as highly misleading, always unreliable, generally ignored historical context and used a prosecutorial style." They have an agenda, Mr. Brown told the Forward, "They are out to attack the Palestinian Authority and they have great access to the media and politicians to spread their harsh criticism."
Palestinian opposition to Israel must be understood in the context of their opposition to Israeli occupation and oppression, their quest for freedom and self-determination, self preservation, and national liberation. Ruth Firer, of the Hebrew University, who carried out research on Palestinian textbooks was quoted in American for Peace Now interview as saying "we were surprised to find how moderate the anger directed toward Israelis in the Palestinian textbooks is, compared to the Palestinian predicament and suffering."
In his evaluation of Palestinian Civic Education, Dr. Wolfram Reiss, University of Rostock, Germany, at the Conference on "Teaching for Tolerance, Respect and Recognition in Relation with Religion or Belief," Oslo, 2-5 September 2004, Wrote:
"[I]t must be said first that, in general, the Palestinian textbooks cannot be considered a war curriculum . At least these textbooks of Civics Education convey visions of society, in which tolerance to other religions, human rights, peace, pluralism, democracy and other values are encouraged and fostered much There is no hatred or incitement against Israel, the Israeli people or Judaism. The textbooks do not contain anti-Semitic language."
Dr. Reiss added that "civics education textbooks do not only avoid hatred and incitement against the West, but foster very much Western values: democracy, human rights, the individual rights, the education for peace and tolerance of all religions, the rights of women and children, the civil society and the protection of the nature From a Western perspective the civics education textbooks therefore have to be highly praised indeed."
The Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI), in their June 2004 report, "Analysis and Evaluation of the New Palestinian Curriculum" (30 books for Grades 4 and 9), commissioned by the US Congress and submitted to the Public Affairs Office of the US Consulate General in Jerusalem, concluded that:
"There is, moreover, no indication of hatred of the Western Judeo-Christian tradition or the values associated with it," and that "the textbooks promote an environment of open-mindedness, rational thinking, modernization, critical reflection and dialogue."
The report also confirmed that the textbooks "promote civil activity, commitment, responsibility, solidarity, respecting others feelings, respecting and helping people with disabilities, and... reinforce students understanding of the values of civil society such as respecting human dignity; religious, social, cultural, racial, ethnic, and political pluralism; personal, social and moral responsibility; transparency and accountability."
Look i'm a father but u arenot,SO u don't know how to deal with CHILDREN AND i don't give reasons for terrorism.
BEC.i'm father and i'm against involveing children into terrorism to kill civillians.
SO in ur images u shows the folowing:
1.Kids holding guns and wearing bombstraws.
2.They're wearing maskes to not b identified.
3.They're in violance of terrorism.
I'm with u that the terrorism ideology willmake the situation worse and worse And these children are victimes of this ideology.THE Terrorism Ideology depends mainly on the advantage of the Israelian lacking affection ,uncaring,unrespection of the internatinal and human rights reports and orders for ex: about the order of The International Court of Justice who has ruled that Israel's West Bank barrier is illegal and construction of it should be stopped immediately.SO it must cut off their reasons for terrorism.
YES it minimize the Terrorism attacks against civillians
But on the other side many lands are cut off and many wearyings and loss of rights have been occured to Palastenine civillians.
SO DOSE ISRAEL CARES ABOUT CIVILLIANS OR THIR RIGHTS?
Anyway Saeb Erakat and Israeli Deputy Premier Shimon Peres are at one table in Tokyo.WE HOPE THEY HAVE A DEAL.
SO my images don't show any terrorism against civillians,these kids,youth don't hold any guns,bombstraws or wearing any masks or the special wearing of the terroristic groups.THEY are showing their ANGER, MEASRABLE ,FEARING from the two much IDF power against them.They make great official protestes bec. of these damn viloance against them from the IDF and the West Bank Barrier.
Last words do u remember the thread u made about a wining Oscar movie
about a lovestory between an Israelian soldier and a Palastenin woman
the "West Bank Story"
There's a true story about this (mayb terroristic):p :p
ofcourse not.
read the story of the Israelian woman Tali Fahima.
I'll say again:"i know that we mustnot let the raising fire from the both sides ,and the raising hostility in many young
generations ,returning back the RIGHTS of palastenine civllians
MANY innocents'll b killed from both sides"
M.Johan
quote:
Originally posted by shaolin_Z
So I posted this in the state sponsored terrorism thread, but I think it belongs here too. Any of you curious about the US' intimate and unusual relationship with Israel? Well, I think this indicates that the US is Israel's bitch, not the other way around:
How many other nations can you think of who would carry out an act of war against the US and not recieve a response (which would be the end of that nation btw)? AIPAC, those little Zionist pricks, have absolutely no influence in the US right? :rolleyes:
Body of Secrets: Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret National Security Agency (Hardcover)
by James Bamford (Author)
shaolin_Z
quote:
Originally posted by M.Johan
Body of Secrets: Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret National Security Agency (Hardcover)
by James Bamford (Author)
Interesting... Thanks for the heads up.
quote:
From Wikipedia James Bamford is a bestselling author and journalist who writes about the world of United States intelligence agencies. He was raised in Natick, Massachusetts, spent three years in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War, and used the GI Bill to earn his law degree.
Mr. Bamford's first book, The Puzzle Palace (1982), was the first book published about the National Security Agency (NSA). The book was researched through extensive use of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). As a super-secret agency, the NSA was quite concerned about their unveiling to the world and accordingly, the government acted to stop publication. He published Body of Secrets (also about the NSA, 2001), and A Pretext for War (2004). Bamford lectures nationally and is a distinguished visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley. He also spent nearly a decade as the Washington Investigative Producer for ABC's World News Tonight.
Mr. Bamford's fans praise his ability to gather previously classified information through inside sources and FOIA requests. Among his most recent honors is the 2006 National Magazine Award for Reporting, the top prize in magazine writing.
Remarks by Vice President Cheney to the Republican Jewish Coalition Leadership
Sat Mar 24, 9:38 PM ET
To: FOREIGN EDITORS
Contact: White House Press Office, +1-202-456-2580
WASHINGTON, March 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a transcript of remarks by Vice President Cheney to the Republican Jewish Coalition Leadership:
Manalapan, Florida 6:52 P.M. EDT
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. (Applause.) Well, it's great to be with you. And, Mel, I appreciate that kind introduction. A little short. (Laughter.) A warm reception like that almost makes me want to run for office again. (Applause.) Almost, almost. (Applause.)
But I want to thank your fine chairman, David Flaum, and all of you for being here this evening. And I have many great friends in the room. And I'm deeply grateful for the tremendous strength and support and encouragement that you've provided over the years. And I also want to bring you good wishes from the President of the United States, George W. Bush. (Applause.)
You know, many of our best efforts have been focused right here in the state of Florida. After the narrow margin in 2000, we worked very hard to build our strength in Florida -- and in 2004, of course, with Ken Mehlman's critical support and leadership, the Bush-Cheney ticket won this state by more than 380,000 votes. (Applause.) And earlier this year, of course, after two successful terms, Jeb Bush left office in the good hands of Governor Charlie Crist. (Applause.) And I get to see Mel Martinez (news, bio, voting record) every Tuesday for lunch in the Senate, with the other Republicans -- an original member of our Cabinet, he's doing an outstanding job as Florida's U.S. senator and general chairman of the RNC. (Applause.)
The Republican Jewish Coalition is a terrific organization -- and thanks to the leadership of all of you, it's a growing organization. You're spreading the President's message of freedom and progress, low taxes and limited government, empowering the common sense and the good judgment of Americans. I'm here tonight, not because I'm going to be on the ballot again, but because I share your commitment to the President's agenda and to the vision for the country. (Applause.)
We look to the future with confidence because we have the right ideas for the country -- and because we have delivered on our commitments to the American people. We cut income taxes on the middle class. In fact, we've cut income taxes for every American who pays them. We reduced the marriage penalty, doubled the child tax credit, cut taxes on dividends and capital gains, and gave small businesses incentives to invest in new equipment and the creation of jobs.
Now the results are clear for all to see: The Bush tax relief has proven to be exactly the right policy for the country. If you think of all that's happened in these eventful years -- the recession we inherited, terrorist attacks, corporate scandals, natural disasters, a tripling in the price of oil -- it's remarkable how tremendously resilient our economy has been. (Applause.) We've created more than 7.5 million new jobs in the past three and a half years. Unemployment is low, inflation is low, wages are rising. In fact, since 2001, our GDP has grown by 16 percent. (Applause.) Let me put that another way: In less than six years' time, the American economy has expanded by an amount greater than the entire economy of Canada.
Along the way, we've also disproved the fallacy that tax cuts are bad for the budget. The fact is that the economic expansion, driven by tax cuts, has generated higher-than-projected federal revenues. You might recall that back in 2004, President Bush set a goal of cutting the deficit in half by 2009. This pledge was greeted with skepticism, to put it mildly. Yet we met that target in 2006, three years ahead of schedule. (Applause.)
But despite the growth in revenues, we still have to hold the line on spending -- and on that score there's still a lot to do. The President's budget continues reducing the deficit each year, and balances the budget in 2012 without any new taxes. To meet that goal, we need to set the right priorities. The first priority is to remember that we are a nation at war, and we cannot cut corners on homeland security or defense. (Applause.) Our enemies are still trying to attack us, to kill innocent Americans. Overseas, of course, we have troops in the field, engaged with the enemy, and reinforcements on the way. Job number one is to provide the resources necessary to protect the American people, and to meet all the needs of the United States armed forces. (Applause.)
Setting priorities for the budget also means dealing with the matter of congressional earmarks -- those items that get slipped into spending bills at the very last minute. Many earmarks never make it to the floor of the House or Senate -- they're simply dropped into the committee reports that aren't even part of the legislation. Congress does not pass them into law. The President does not sign them into law. Yet somehow they get treated as having the force of law. We're going to work with Congress to reform the budget process and to get those earmarks under control.
Spending discipline, budget reform, and, yes, entitlement reform are vital to keeping the economy strong. And so is a low-tax policy that promotes growth, that rewards enterprise, and that keeps government within its proper limits. Under current law, many of the Bush tax cuts are set to expire over the next few years. We feel strongly that Congress should make all the tax cuts permanent -- and that includes ending the federal death tax. (Applause.)
On every issue, from the economy to the courts to national security, the leadership of George W. Bush has made a tremendous difference for the country. He's the first President in a generation to deliver major tax cuts. He's the President who expanded health savings accounts, and updated Medicare to cover prescription drugs. He's the President who got us out of the antiquated ABM treaty and deployed missile defenses for the first time. (Applause.) And he's the first President since Ronald Reagan to appoint a new Chief Justice, and made an outstanding choice in John Roberts. (Applause.)
Above all, ladies and gentlemen, George W. Bush is the President we can count on to protect America, to keep our commitments, to stand by our friends, and to win the war on terror. (Applause.)
Progress in the cause of security and long-term peace never comes easily. It requires moral clarity, the courage of our convictions, a willingness to act when action is necessary, and a refusal to submit to any form of intimidation, ever.
We persevere because we are the prime targets of a terror movement that is global in nature and global in its ambitions. The leaders of this movement speak openly and specifically of building a totalitarian empire covering the Middle East, extending into Europe, and reaching around to the islands of Indonesia, one that would impose a narrow, radical variety of Islam that rejects tolerance, suppresses dissent, brutalizes women -- and has as one of its foremost objectives the destruction of Israel. Their aim, ultimately, is to acquire the means to match that hatred -- and to use chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons to impose their will by unspeakable violence or by blackmail.
An enemy that operates in the shadows, and views the entire world as a battlefield, is not one we can fight with the strategies that we used in other wars. An enemy with fantasies of martyrdom is not going to sit down at a table for negotiations. (Applause.) Nor can we fight to a standoff, hoping that some form of containment or deterrence will protect our people. The only option for our security and survival is to go on the offensive -- facing the threat directly, patiently, and systematically, until the enemy is destroyed. (Applause.)
We are facing every challenge with resolve. In Afghanistan, where I visited just last month, American and NATO forces are preparing a spring offensive against Taliban and al Qaeda fighters. In Iraq, our goal remains a democratic nation that upholds the rule of law, respects the rights of its people, provides them security, and is an ally in the war on terror. But for this to happen, the elected government in Iraq needs the space and the time to work on reconciliation goals. And it's hard to do that without basic security in the nation's capital in Baghdad. Our coalition is pursuing a new strategy that brings in reinforcements to help Iraqi forces secure the capital, so that nation can move forward and the political process can turn toward reconciliation. General Dave Petraeus and his troops are in the midst of some extremely tough, intense, and dangerous work. They are doing a brilliant job, and they need to know this country is behind them all the way. (Applause.)
The ones doing the fighting never lose their focus on the mission, or on what is at stake in this war. And neither should the rest of us. Five and a half years have passed since the attacks of September 11th, 2001, and the loss that morning of nearly 3,000 innocent people here in the United States. As we get farther away from 9/11, I believe there's a temptation to forget the urgency of the task that came to us that day, and the comprehensive approach that's required to protect this country against an enemy that moves and acts on multiple fronts. In fact, five and a half years into the struggle, we find ourselves having to confront a series of myths about the war on terror -- myths that are often repeated and deserve to be refuted.
The most common myth is that Iraq has nothing to do with the global war on terror. Opponents of our military action there have called Iraq a diversion from the real conflict, a distraction from the business of fighting and defeating bin Laden and al Qaeda. We hear this over and over again -- not as an argument, but as an assertion meant to close off argument. Yet the critics conveniently disregard the words of bin Laden himself: "The most... serious issue today for the whole world," he said, "is this Third World War...[that is] raging in [Iraq]." He calls it "a war of destiny between infidelity and Islam." He said, "The whole world is watching this war," and that it will end in "victory and glory or misery and humiliation." And in words directed at the American people, Osama bin Laden declares, quote, "The war is for you or for us to win. If we win it, it means your defeat and disgrace forever." This leader of al Qaeda has referred to Baghdad as the capital of the Caliphate. He has also said, and I quote, "Success in Baghdad will be success for the United States. Failure in Iraqis the failure of the United States. Their defeat in Iraq will mean defeat in all their wars." End quote.
Obviously, the terrorists have no illusion about the importance of the struggle in Iraq. They have not called it a distraction or a diversion from their war against the United States. They know it is a central front in that war, and it's where they've chosen to make a stand. Our Marines tonight are fighting al Qaeda terrorists in al Anbar Province. U.S. and Iraqi forces recently killed a number of al Qaeda terrorists in Baghdad, who were responsible for numerous car bomb attacks. Iraq's relevance to the war on terror simply could not be more plain. Here at home, that makes one thing, above all, very clear: If you support the war on terror, then it only makes sense to support it where the terrorists are fighting us. (Applause.)
The second myth is the most transparent -- and that is the notion that one can support the troops without giving them the tools and reinforcements they need to carry out their mission.
Twisted logic is not exactly a new phenomenon in Washington-- but last month it reached new heights. At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator John McCain (news, bio, voting record) put the following question to General Dave Petraeus, who was up for confirmation: "Suppose we send you over to your new job... only we tell you... you can't have any additional troops. Can you get your job done?" General Petraeus replied, "No, sir." Yet within days of his confirmation by a unanimous vote in the Senate -- I repeat, a unanimous vote of confidence in General Petraeus, not one single negative vote -- a large group of senators tried to pass a resolution opposing the reinforcements and support that he believed were necessary to carry out his mission. The House of Representatives, of course, did pass such a resolution. As President Bush said, this may be the first time in history that a Congress "voted to send a new commander into battle and then voted to oppose the plan he said was necessary to win that battle." It was not a proud episode in the history of the United States Congress.
Yesterday, the House Democrats passed the defense appropriations supplemental to fund our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. This will hamper the war effort and interfere with the operational authority of the President with our military commanders. It's counterproductive, it sends exactly the wrong message because of the limitations that are written into the legislation. When members of Congress pursue an anti-war strategy that's been called "slow bleed," they're not supporting the troops, they're undermining them. And when members of Congress speak not of victory but of time limits, deadlines, or other arbitrary measures, they're telling the enemy simply to run out the clock and wait us out.
Congress does, of course, play a critical role in the defense of the nation and the conduct of this war. That role is defined and limited by the Constitution -- after all, the military answers to one commander-in-chief in the White House, not to 535 commanders-in-chief on Capitol Hill. (Applause.) If they really support the troops, then we should take them at their word and expect them to meet the needs of our military on time, in full, and with no strings attached. (Applause.)
There is a third myth about the war on terror, and this is one that is perhaps the most dangerous. Some apparently believe that getting out of Iraq before the job is done will strengthen America's hand in the fight against the terrorists. This myth is dangerous because it represents a complete validation of the al Qaeda strategy. The terrorists do not expect to be able to beat us in a stand-up fight. They never have, and they're not likely to try. The only way they can win is if we lose our nerve and abandon the mission -- and the terrorists do believe that they can force that outcome. Time after time, they have predicted that the American people do not have the stomach for a long- term fight. They've cited the cases of Beirut in the '80s and Somalia in the '90s. These examples, they believe, show that we are weak and decadent, and that if we're hit hard enough, we'll pack it in and retreat. The result would be even greater danger for the United States, because if the terrorists conclude that attacks will change the behavior of a nation, they will attack that nation again and again. And believing they can break our will, they'll become more audacious in their tactics, ever more determined to strike and kill our citizens, and ever more bold in their ambitions of conquest and empire.
That leads me to the fourth, and the cruelest, myth -- and that is the false hope that we can abandon the effort in Iraq without serious consequences to our interests in the broader Middle East. The reality is that, if our coalition withdrew before Iraqis could defend themselves, radical factions would battle for dominance in that country. The violence would spread throughout the country, and be very difficult to contain. Having tasted victory in Iraq, jihadists would look for new missions. Many would head for Afghanistan and fight alongside the Taliban. Others would set out for capitals across the Middle East, spreading more sorrow and discord as they eliminate dissenters and work to undermine moderate governments. Still others would find their targets and victims in other countries on other continents.
We must consider, as well, just what a precipitous withdrawal would mean to our other efforts in the war on terror, to our interests in the broader Middle East, and to Israel. What would it tell the world if we left high and dry those millions of people who have counted on the United States to keep its commitments? What would it say to leaders like President Karzai and President Musharraf, who risk their lives every day as fearless allies in the war on terror? Commentators enjoy pointing out mistakes through 20/20 hindsight. But the biggest mistake of all can be seen in advance: A sudden withdrawal of our coalition would dissipate much of the effort that has gone into fighting the global war on terror, and result in chaos and mounting danger. And for the sake of our own security, we will not stand by and let it happen. (Applause.)
Five and a half years ago, the President told the Congress and the country that we had entered a new kind of war -- one that would require patience and resolve, and that would influence the policies of this government far into the future. The fact that we've succeeded in stopping another attack on our homeland does not mean that we won't be hit in the future. But the record is testimony not to good luck, but to urgent, competent action by a lot of very skilled men and women -- and to a series of tough decisions by a President who never forgets that his first job is to protect the people of this country. (Applause.)
We can be confident in the outcome of this struggle. America is a good and an honorable country. We serve a cause that is right, and a cause that gives hope to the oppressed in every corner of the Earth. We're the kind of country that fights for freedom, and the men and women in the fight are some of the bravest citizens this nation has ever produced. (Applause.) The only way for us to lose is to quit. But that is not an option. We will complete the mission, and we will prevail. (Applause.)
Once again, ladies and gentlemen, let me thank you for the warm welcome this evening, and for all you continue to do as members of the R.J.C. You've proven your commitment to the principles we share. Tonight you're paying special tribute to Sam Fox. (Applause.) I've known Sam for many years. He's an entrepreneur, a leader in education and the arts, a patriot, a gentleman -- and also a very courageous man, because he hunts with me. (Laughter.) As a matter of fact, he's even got a nickname in the White House. Before I came here today, the President said, be sure to say hi to "Foxy." (Laughter.) The President and I are very grateful to Sam for his hard work and idealism over these many years. He's a most deserving recipient of tonight's honor.
Sam, congratulations -- and thank you very much. (Applause.) END 7:15 P.M. EDT
An interesting article written by Avigail Abarbanel , a former Israeli and a former Staff Sergeant in the Israeli military. She is a psychotherapist/counselor in private practice in Canberra, Australia and an activist for the Palestinian plight:
GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli forces killed at least six Palestinians on Saturday, including one in an air strike in the Gaza Strip, in the worst flare-up in Israeli-Palestinian fighting in months.
The Israeli army said the air strike, only the second in Gaza since a November truce, targeted militants who had fired makeshift rockets at the Israeli border town of Sderot, hitting a house.
A top aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the Israeli actions jeopardised Abbas's efforts to expand the fragile truce from Gaza to the occupied West Bank as part of a U.S.-led peace push.
In the most deadly incident, an Israeli undercover unit killed three armed militants while they were driving in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, Palestinian security sources said.
In a village near Jenin, a Palestinian policeman was also shot and killed by Israeli forces, Palestinians witnesses said.
They said the policeman was shot when he peered out of his window and had not been involved in any fighting in the area. The Israeli army said its troops "noticed an armed militant firing from the top of a building and identified hitting him."
Later in the day, a 17-year-old Palestinian girl was shot dead by Israeli troops as she stood at her window in Jenin refugee camp, Palestinian medical workers said.
The army issued a statement in which it said it had launched an investigation into the girl's shooting and said that the findings would be brought before the military advocate general for consideration whether to charge anybody in the matter.
Palestinian militants in Gaza responded to the West Bank killings by firing at least three rockets at least three rockets at Sderot. An Israeli ambulance service said two people in the Israeli town which lies close to the border with Gaza were treated for light injuries.
The Islamic Jihad militant group said a 45-year-old man was killed in the Israeli air strike. The group described him as a civilian but said he was riding in a car with two militants, who were seriously wounded.
"The Israel Air Force fired at a rocket-launching cell which launched the Qassam rockets at the Israeli town of Sderot," an Israeli army spokesman said.
An Israeli ambulance service said two people had been taken to hospital and were being treated for light injuries after one of the rockets hit a house in Sderot. Local residents said four others, including a pregnant woman, were being treated at the scene for shock.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of the Islamist faction Hamas condemned the killings in a statement.
"These crimes are new proof on the brutality of the occupation (Israel), its pursuit of liquidation and is a futile attempt to break the will of the Palestinian people and push them to surrender," the statement read.
Haniyeh urged Arab countries to help break an international aid embargo on the Palestinian government and not to normalise relations with Israel.
A top Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, former foreign minister Mahmoud a-Zahar, seized on the Israeli actions and vowed the militant group, which leads the Palestinian government, would continue to fight Israel until "the liberation of Palestine, all of Palestine."
Abbas aide Nabil Abu Rdaineh, said: "This is dangerous aggression and it will lead to instability at a time when the Palestinian Authority is making great efforts to maintain a truce. We urge the international community to intervene immediately to stop Israel's aggression."
(Addtional reporting by Wael al-Ahmad in Jenin, Ori Lewis and Ari Rabinovitch in Jerusalem and Yehuda Peretz in Sderot)
Where is the intelligent bomb???????
Many innocents are killed because of
terrorphobia and they(israeli occupation forces)don't attack the (real terrorism)they don't care and worth poor blood:wtf:
Scorpion4231
Where is the intelligent bomb???????
Many innocents are killed because of
terrorphobia and they(israeli occupation forces)don't attack the (real terrorism)they don't care and worth poor blood:wtf: [/QUOTE]
innocent people ? terrorists!
Scorpion4231
the UN hates israel just think who was the leader of the UN a muslim
