Stephen Lendman

State terror is official Israeli policy. It's longstanding. It's war without mercy on Palestine. It’s against any nation, group or individual Israel targets.

Operation Protective Edge is the latest example. It was well-planned premeditated aggression. It was cold-blooded murder. It had nothing to do with Hamas rockets. It was about preventing Palestinian self-determination. It was to sabotage Palestinian unity. It was to maintain occupation harshness. It was to keep stealing Palestinian land. It showed Palestinians they're defenseless against overpowering Israeli might. It proved Israel can commit genocidal high crimes against peace with impunity. It can do it whenever it wishes. It can do it for any reason or none at all. It can blame Palestinian victims for its crimes.

Nora Barrows-Friedman is an Electronic Intifada editor and contributor. On Monday, she headlined "Dr. Mona El-Farra on mass trauma and destruction in Gaza." Dr. El-Farra is prominent Palestinian physician. She chairs Gaza's Palestinian Red Crescent Society. She directs Gazan projects for the Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA). During Operation Protective Edge, she lost nine family members. They included five children. Palestinians are aggrieved victims. Justice remains denied. A rocket or missile hit the El-Farra family home. Survivors fled in panic. A second Israeli attack struck them as they did so. It was clear, cold calculated murder. Israel murdered them in cold blood. It's standard Israeli practice. It's longstanding Israeli policy. Rogue states operate this way.

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Stephen Lendman

Every day is Kristallnacht in Palestine. Israeli security forces attack, brutalize, murder or injure nonviolent Palestinians with impunity. They're ruthless. They're lawless. It's standard practice. Crimes too grave to ignore occur multiple times daily. Soldiers, border guards and police harass, intimidate and terrorize Palestinians ruthlessly. They hold an entire population hostage.

Fear is constant. It's pervasive. Collective punishment is official Israeli policy. Peaceful public demonstrations are prohibited.

So are free expression and movement. Population centers are isolated. Borders are closed. Occupation harshness denies Palestinians control over their own land. Normal daily life is nonexistent. Economic strangulation is imposed. Institutionalized racism reflects official Israeli policy. Curfews, roadblocks, checkpoints, separation walls, electric fences, and other barriers are standard practice.

Neighborhood incursions, land, sea and air attacks, bulldozed homes, land theft, ethnic cleansing, slow-motion genocide, targeted killings, political assassinations, mass arrests, torture, and gulag imprisonment reflect daily life. Fundamental human and civil rights are verboten. Crimes of war and against humanity repeat without redress. Wanting to live free in sovereign Palestine is called terrorism. So is legitimate self-defense.

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Stephen Lendman

Israel is above the law. It's exempt for observing rule of law principles. It's free to rampage extrajudicially. It kills and kills again. It does so with impunity. It justifies lawlessness the old-fashioned way. It lies. It's standard Israeli practice. It calls legitimate self-defense "terrorism." It calls acts of aggression "self-defense." It calls nonviolent Palestinian men, women, children, infants, the elderly and infirm existential threats. Israel's only ones are those it invents.

World leaders able to act responsibly do nothing. They support Israel's worst crimes. Doing so makes them complicit. Washington is worst of all. Both countries partner in crime. America supplies billions of dollars in annual aid, the latest weapons and technology, and unconditional support.

Media scoundrels turn a blind eye to Israel's worst crimes. Occupation harshness is ignored. Besieged Gazans don't matter. NAKBA mass slaughter and displacement never happened. Lawless settlements are OK. Israel is more victim than aggressor. Palestinians choose conflict over peace. They're responsible for their own misery. Daily Israeli security force violence goes unreported. So do settler crimes. Peace process pretense is legitimate. Police state Israel is the region's only democracy. It's an oasis in a sea of despotism.

It's rap sheet includes horrendous crimes of war, against humanity and genocide. It's a malignancy in a troubled region. It's a threat to humanity. Zionism is "a machine for the manufacture of human rights abuses," says Joel Kovel. State-terror is official Israeli policy. So is torture. Numerous other abuses are standard practice.

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Stephen Lendman

Societies are perhaps best judged by how they treat prisoners, the elderly, their most disadvantaged and children. Israel fails on all counts.

On July 9, perhaps it reached a new low. Seven IDF soldiers and an officer terrorized a 5-year old boy. They threatened him and his parents. They handcuffed and blindfolded his father. They handed the boy over to police. They wrongfully accused him of stone-throwing. Many other children face similar charges.

Guilt by accusation is policy. Justice is a four-letter word. Fines, detention or longer-term imprisonment follow. More on the latest incident below. Defence for Children International (DCI)/Palestine "is a national section of the international non-government child rights organisation and movement." It "promot(es) and protect(s) the rights of Palestinian children." It does so according to international law principles. Each year, about 700 West Bank children are arrested, detained, interrogated, terrorized, and prosecuted in Israeli military courts. DCI lawyers represent 30 - 40% of them. They're treated like adults. According to DCI, Israel operates "almost completely devoid of international scrutiny." It systematically spurns human rights and humanitarian law. It does so with impunity. Due process and judicial fairness don't matter. Israel does what it pleases. It remains unaccountable.

Palestinian children are routinely terrorized. It's done for any reason or none at all. They're arrested at checkpoints, on streets, heading to school, coming home, helping parents plant and harvest crops, at play, and while sleeping pre-dawn. Family members are threatened not to intervene. They're beaten if attempt to. Regardless of weather, they're forced onto streets in their nightclothes. Their homes are disruptively ransacked.

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If Americans Knew

Israel has a population of approximately 7.7 million, or a million fewer than the state of New Jersey. It is among the world's most affluent nations, with a per capita income similar to that of the European Union.[1] Israel's unemployment rate of 6.3% is much better than America's 8.2%,[2] and Israel's net trade, earnings, and payments is ranked 146th in the world while the US sits at a dismal 193rd.[3]

Yet, Israel receives more of America’s foreign aid budget than any other nation.[4] The US has, in fact, given more aid to Israel than it has to all the countries of sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean combined—which have a total population of over a billion people.[5]

And foreign aid is just one component of the staggering cost of our alliance with Israel. Given the tremendous costs, it is critical to examine why we lavish so much aid on Israel, and whether it is worth Americans' hard-earned tax dollars. But first, let's take a look at what our alliance with Israel truly costs.

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Stephen Lendman

LRAD Sonic Weapon The LRAD, another sonic weapon,
has been used successfully to disperse protestors.

State terror is official Israeli policy. Community incursions, assaults, and other violent incidents occur daily. Palestinian suffering follows. They have no rights. Peaceful demonstrators are attacked.

In August 1967, Israel issued Military Order No. 101 ("Order Regarding Prohibition of Incitement and Hostile Propaganda Actions," as later amended).

Public or private political gatherings, assemblies, processions, or vigils of more than 10 Palestinians without permission are prohibited. Any attempt to "influence public opinion….in a manner liable to harm public safety or public order" is considered lawless. Publications "contain(ing) material with political significance" are banned. They include printed, photographed, recorded, filmed, online, or other materials. Displaying national symbols is prohibited. Military commanders have full authority. They "may empower any soldier or police officer….to exercise his powers in accordance with this order." "(A)ny soldier shall have the authority to use the force necessary" for enforcement.

Violators face up to 10 years imprisonment, a heavy fine, or both. Palestinians have no legal right to demonstrate, express views freely, or engage in nonviolent peaceful protests. Police state terror confronts those who try. Palestinians' rights are systematically denied.

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Stephen Lendman

Ziad Jilani was a dedicated, loving father and husband.

A new initiative called "Killing Without Consequence" wants justice for Ziad Jilani. Border guard Maxim Vinogradov murdered him with impunity. More on that below.

Systemic Israeli crimes against humanity include neighborhood incursions, unprovoked violence, air, ground and sea attacks, and killing with impunity.

Daily offenses are commonplace. Rule of law principles are spurned. Palestinian lives don't matter. They're murdered in cold blood. Accountability is denied.

In 2010, B'Tselem's report titled "Void of Responsibility: Israeli Military Policy not to investigate Killings of Palestinians by Soldiers" discussed it. Incriminating evidence was presented.

Throughout the Territories, liberation and justice protests occur regularly. Israeli security forces attack them with tear gas, rubber bullets, extended-range gas canisters, other weapons, and live fire. Deaths result. Evidence shows cold-blooded murder.

Numerous other incidents occur. Fishermen are attacked at sea. Border and checkpoint confrontations cause deaths. Along Gaza's border, farmers are shot in their fields. Children are used for target practice. Soldiers have license to kill.

"The vast majority of these cases have never been investigated." Most others are whitewashed. Guilty soldiers, police, and settlers are absolved.

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Stephen Lendman

Ken O'Keefe: "The Samouni Family Children – Survivors of the Israeli Massacre" - January 12, 2011 is a day I will never forget, visiting the Samouni family could not possibly be anything but a life-changing event. Words simply cannot describe the devastation wrought upon this family by a marauding band of Israeli psychopaths, otherwise known as the Givati Brigade of the Israeli Defence Forces.

Israel's 2008-09 Gaza war was one of history's great crimes. Missiles, bombs, shells, and illegal weapons were used against defenseless people. Mass slaughter and destruction followed.

Brazen crimes of war and against humanity were committed. International protection wasn't afforded. Responsible officials remain unaccountable.

Before his fall from grace, Richard Goldstone said:

"(T)here is evidence indicating serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law were committed by Israel during the Gaza conflict, and that Israel committed actions amounting to war crimes, and possibly crimes against humanity."

Over 1,400 Gazans were killed. Around 80% or more were civilians. Thousands of others were injured, many seriously. Extensive civilian infrastructure and private property were destroyed or damaged, including homes, schools, hospitals, mosques, and businesses.

Killing 29 members of one family perhaps was Cast Lead's greatest crime. Bombing their home killed 21. The previous day, IDF soldiers gathered 100 members there. Surviving ones and human rights activists demanded justice. They still do. They were denied.

On May 1, Israel said those responsible won't be prosecuted. The case was closed. Major Dorit Tuval, Deputy Military Advocate for Operational Matters, said civilians "who did not take part in the fighting" weren't killed "in a manner that would indicate criminal responsibility."

He lied! They were willfully targeted and murdered. All Israeli investigations are whitewashed. Justice is denied. It never has a chance. International law prohibits targeting civilians. Doing so is official Israeli policy.

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Stephen Lendman

Israeli Political Prisoner Khader Adnan Near Death

In 1948, brute force established Israel. In 1967, militarized occupation of one-fifth of former Palestine followed.

An entire people suffer. Collective punishment is official policy. So are torture, violence, land theft, apartheid, injustice, and other forms of state-sponsored terror.

They include imprisoning Palestinians for wanting to live free on their own land in their own country. As a result, since June 1967, over 750,000 Palestinians have been imprisoned.

Arrests occur regularly. Middle-of-the-night raids terrorize nonviolent men, women and children. Alleged "ticking bomb" ones are held in the name of "security." So are various other type political prisoners. Denied all rights, they're brutalized for praying to the wrong God.

They face torture and horrific prison conditions. International and Israeli laws are spurned.

Doing so constitutes blatant civil/human rights violations. B'Tselem said if Likud (and other) party members were held to the same standard, at least half their members would be administratively detained.

Lawless military tribunal trials follow. Those charged are guilty by accusation. Children fare no better. Some young as six are held for allegedly throwing stones. It's a catchall charge (like many others) to arrest anyone for any reason.

Once in custody, horrific mistreatment follows. Permanent scars remain. Entire families are traumatized. At issue always is who's next, for what reasons, and for how long.

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Stephen Lendman

Last July, B'Tselem published a report titled, "No Minor Matter: Violation of the Rights of Palestinian Minors by Israel on Suspicion of Stone-Throwing." It discussed their abusive treatment.

From 2005 through 2010, "at least 835 Palestinian minors were arrested" and faced military court trials for alleged stone-throwing. Thirty-four were aged 12 - 13, 255 aged 14 - 15, and 546 aged 16 -17.

All except one were convicted. Due process and judicial fairness were denied. In violation of international law, Israel treats children like adults. Some aged 10 or younger are arrested, intimidated, tortured, or otherwise abused.

In fact, on January 12, Al Haq reported "a new line crossed" after Israeli security forces harassed, blindfolded, arrested, and detained a seriously ill six-year old boy for seven hours. Obviously, his parents were frantic.

Soldiers usually make middle-of-the-night arrests. Children are taken away alone. Parents can't accompany them. Abusive interrogations follow. Enough food and water, bathroom privileges and proper sleep are denied. Nearly always, convictions and detentions follow.

Defense for Children International/Palestine Section (DCI/Palestine) covers their ill-treatment and torture during arrest, transfer, interrogation, detention, and for some, solitary confinement isolation. Case studies explain the traumatizing effects. More on them below.

DCI/Palestine says about 700 Palestinian children are prosecuted annually in Israeli military tribunals affording them no rights. Conviction rates are 99%. Those charged are guilty by accusation.

Children like 12-year old Bashar M. was arrested pre-dawn. His hands were painfully bound behind his back. He was blindfolded, placed on a military vehicle floor, verbally abused, slapped on the face, kept blindfolded at Al Mascobiyya interrogation center, strip-searched on arrival, struck again, denied bail or legal representation, traumatized, and told either confess (to stone throwing) or be imprisoned for a very long time.

Other children report similar or worse treatment including pre-trial isolation, torture, and other forms of abuse.

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