The ESCWA report by Richard Falk and Virginia Tilley, entitled:  Israel Practices towards the Palestinian People and the Question of Apartheid  ,   has been removed from the UN ECSWA website. It is available in pdf here Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) head Rima Khalaf  was forced to resign for refusing to retract the damning report, calling Israel an apartheid state, an indisputable fact – written by Israel Practices towards the Palestinian People and the Question of Apartheid  ,   has been removed from the UN ECSWA website.distinguished academics Richard Falk and Virginia Tilley. They proved their accusation “beyond a reasonable doubt” – based on definitions of apartheid by the International Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid (the Apartheid Convention) and Rome Statute of the International Criminal…

The russian Foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov delivered remarks at the international security conference in Munich. He accused the United States of escalating the crisis in Ukraine, but expressed optimism that a deal could be reached. (more…)

(Posted by Dr. Vacy Vlazna on October 19, 2016 in Palestine/Israel) ‘While the resolution will unlikely alter the nature of the conflict fundamentally, it rejects – legally and morally – all Israeli efforts aimed at denying the rights of Muslims – and Christians – in their city, which they aspire to make their future capital,’ said Ramzy Baroud, the editor of Palestine Chronicle. In an interview with Muslim Press, Dr. Ramzy Baroud discusses Israeli Palestinian conflict and UNESCO’s latest resolution that strongly condemn the Zionist regime In what follows, full transcription of the interview has been provided. (more…)

Max Blumenthal Previously published on Alternet.org  (2,3 okt. 2016) Posing as a non-political solidarity organization, the Syria Campaign leverages local partners and media contacts to push the U.S. into toppling another Middle Eastern government.   October 3, 2016 On September 30, demonstrators gathered in city squares across the West for a "weekend of action” to “stop the bombs” raining down from Syrian government and Russian warplanes on rebel-held eastern Aleppo. Thousands joined the protests, holding signs that read "Topple Assad" and declaring, "Enough With Assad." Few participants likely knew that the actions were organized under the auspices of an opposition-funded public relations company called the Syria Campaign. By partnering with local groups like the Syrian civil defense workers popularly known as the White Helmets, and through a vast network of connections…

JERUSALEM // The death of Shimon Peres, the former Israeli president, was greeted with a stony silence from Arab leaders on Wednesday amid the outpouring of tributes from western politicians. Peres, who died early on Wednesday aged 93, won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for his role in negotiating the Oslo accords, which envisioned an independent Palestinian state. As the last surviving founding father of the Jewish state, he was revered in Israel and praised as a statesman. But in the Arab world and particularly for Palestinians, Peres was a deeply controversial figure. His role in a now defunct peace process has been called into question, but he is most reviled for his hawkish early years, when he was a…

source: New earstern outlook   en Global Research Despite claims made during NATO Summit Warsaw 2016, that “NATO remains a fundamental source of security for our people, and stability for the wider world,” it is clear that the threats and challenges NATO poses as existing to confront are in fact threats of its own, intentional creation and continued perpetuation. From the ongoing refugee crisis triggered by NATO’s own global-spanning and ongoing military interventions, invasions, and occupations, to its continued expansion along Russia’s borders – violating every convention and “norm” that existed during the Cold War to keep it “cold,” NATO has proven that it is to the populations it poses as protector over, in fact, their greatest threat. In particular, the summit in Warsaw, Poland centered on NATO’s expanding military presence along Russia’s borders,…

Widespread alarm has been expressed across Germany at the announcement of NATO exercises along Russia’s borders, in Poland and the Baltic states. The development came on the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, and as the conflicts in Ukraine and the NATO-driven war on Syria continue. There is deep unease in Germany over the expansion of NATO operations, in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. A recent poll showed that only 9% of German people backed NATO’s latest sabre rattling against Russia. Most feel less secure. Demonstrations persist against US bases in Germany which are used for drone warfare. (more…)

Be Aware of What Is Happening in Syria! U.S. Government Support of Fundamentalist Fighters Destroying Syria and Terrorizing the Syrian People is a Terrible Mistake” [Statement from SAWA, Syrian American Will Association] We at the Syrian American Will Association (SAWA) are writing to you, the great American people.  We are a U.S. civic, social, and educational association established by Americans of Syrian origin who are concerned that the American government policy toward Syria is harming the national interest of the United States, and is having a catastrophic impact on the Syrian people.  As set out in our Mission Statement, we are determined to bring to U.S. policymakers, the media, and the general public a better understanding of the true situation in Syria; especially why we oppose U.S. government support to the…