January 13, 2009 -- Israeli ambassadors, Lobby on propaganda offensive
As Israeli troops continue their bloody genocide of the people of Gaza, Israeli ambassadors are using their clout to cajole and pressure governments and media organizations around the world to take the Israeli side.
According to El Pais, Rafael Shultz, the Israeli ambassador to Spain, succeeded in having the Spanish Socialist Worker's Party (PSOE), Spain's governing party, tone down a manifesto read at a pro-Palestinian demonstration last Sunday in Madrid. The Israelis succeeded in having the word "genocide" removed from the PSOE's manifesto. Shultz had unsuccessfully tried to have the demonstration, sponsored by PSOE, the PSOE's Socialist Youth, United Left, UGT (Socialist Workers' General Union), and CCOO (Workers' Committees trade union) cancelled.
Spain's neo-fascist Popular Party called the PSOE's use of the term genocide to describe Israel's attack on Gaza "terribly irresponsible," according to El Pais. The Spanish neo-fascists have been joined in their support for Israel's actions by the Italian neo-fascist party that supports Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government and by the British National Party. The nexus of fascists and neo-Nazis and the Israeli government is not new. We have been told by two knowledgeable sources that the American Nazi Party, led by its later-assassinated leader George Lincoln Rockwell, was heavily financed by the Anti-Defamation League.
In a situation similar to President George W. Bush ordering Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to not vote for the UN Security Council resolution after Bush received a pressuring phone call from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who governs with the support of a far-right Danish political party, countered a statement by his own Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller, that Israel's attack on Gaza was out of proportion.
Rasmussen, a close ally of Bush, repeated the Israeli propaganda line that Hamas was solely responsible for the crisis. Rasmussen rejected Moeller's contention that Israel's attack was disproportionate.
Rasmussen also contradicted a statement by his Development Aid Minister Ulla Toernaes that Denmark was considering asking Israel for compensation for the Israeli destruction of Danish-funded medical clinics and a torture rehabilitation center in Gaza. Rasmussen, who obviously puts Israel interests ahead of Denmark's, said his government had no such plans to ask Israel for compensation. Denmark is plagued by the same "dual loyalty" problem vis a vis Israel as does the United States.
A similar situation in Malawi played out. Former President Bakili Muluzi called on President Bingu wa Mutharika and the government of Malawi to condemn Israel's killing of Gazans. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Henry Mumba said Muluzi's comments were ill-timed. State House Press Officer Chikumbutso Mtumodzi, obviously influenced by Israel's non-resident ambassador in heavily Israeli-influenced Kenya, called Muluzi's comments misplaced and influenced by his Islamic faith. Muluzi said, "while the rest of Africa countries are renting their voices and weight behind the suffering Palestinians, Malawi government is quiet. This silence is very disturbing and is costing a lot."
Meanwhile, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child condemned Israel's actions for the "devastating impact" they are having on the children of Gaza.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Mohammad Ali Hosseini called for Israeli leaders to be tried at the International Court of Justice in The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the use of banned weapons in Israel's aggression on Gaza and the deliberate targeting of hospitals, religious buildings and educational centers.
It is also apparent that pro-Palestinian groups in other countries are becoming more adept to seeking out Israeli intelligence targets. A Danish-Palestinian man attacked two Israelis recently at a shopping mall kiosk in Odense, Denmark. Israeli kiosks have been identified by U.S. intelligence and law enforcement as Israeli intelligence fronts. Five hooded men also attacked the Mestre (Venice) headquarters of Israel's Zim Shipping, the firm that moved out of the World Trade Center two weeks before the 9/11 attack.
The Turkish Consumers Association is promoting a boycott of products from Israel and the two major supporters of its Gaza aggression, the United States and United Kingdom.