ISRAEL USING KIDNAPPED WORLD VISION MANAGER TO TIGHTEN THE SIEGE OF GAZA

ISRAEL USING KIDNAPPED WORLD VISION MANAGER TO TIGHTEN THE SIEGE OF GAZA

1 A SHOW TRIAL TO TIGHTEN THE SIEGE OF GAZA

1.1 A KIDNAPPING, FAKE CHARGES AND WHAT ISRAEL FORGOT

Israel kidnapped World Vision's manager of besieged Gaza Strip operations Mohammad El-Halabi on June 15th at a border crossing.

The 'Western' media was silent. Now, when occupier Israel has charged him with such claims that their scale makes them unbelievable, the 'Western' media is eagerly repeating Israel's accusations.

Israel claims that El-Halabi would be a member of Hamas and would have during his tenure, which started in 2010, channeled to Hamas 7.2 million $ per year - 60 % of entire World Vision's annual aid to the besieged Gaza Strip. The entire sum would have supposedly been 50 million $ dollars.

The scale and duration of this - which no one but occupier Israel would have supposedly noticed - makes the charges unbelievable. It's not possible to carry out such long term fraud on such a colossal scale.

The likely real reason for the charges - tightening the siege of Gaza through attacking a major international NGO - is not explored by the 'Western' media. Which is not surprise, considering how difficult such words as 'occupation' and 'siege' are for 'Western' so-called 'journalists' to write and their employers to publish.

Israel forgot that to make wrong charges look believable they must be kept inside limits of the reasonable. Or - more likely - Israel's regime knows that the nature of the charges makes no difference. A kangaroo court will find El-Halabi guilty in a show trial and the loyal 'Western' media and politicians will do Israel's bidding.

Israel has forced El-Halabi to 'confess' not only that he would have joined Hamas back in 2004, but that also his father - an official working for UNRWA - would be a member of Hamas. To Israel El-Halabi's show trial is only a start in a web in which it will try to catch as many international aid organizations as possible.

Naturally the 'Western' media fails to put this show trial in a context and pinpoint its ultimate goal of tightening the siege of the tiny Gaza enclave.

No critical effort is made by the journalists themselves to question the claims, what is allowed in counter is quotes - often shortened, if included at all - from World Vision, saying it has regular, both internal and independent audit of all aid and that it "has no reason to believe that the allegations are true." This is passed by offhand in 'Western' media.

1.2 WHAT CAN'T BE MENTIONED AND THE ROLE OF THE 'WESTERN' MEDIA IN THE OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE

Israeli occupation's claim that el-Halabi had "confessed" to the charges is repeated without any mention of the methods Israel uses to make its captives to "confess". A code of Omerta is practiced by the 'Western' media when it comes to Israel's methods to 'interrogate' Palestinians: Torture must not be mentioned.

'Western' media is in this case again fulfilling the role it has set for itself when it comes to reporting about Palestine - to support the Israeli occupation and increase the range of the reach of Israeli propaganda. In essence, to be a mouthpiece of the Israel's regime.

Some, like Associated Press take the easiest route and just print quote after quote from Shin Bet yet need to credit the quote and paste job to two different reporters. 

Others, like The Guardian's Peter Beaumont pretend to believe that El-Halabi's show trial is about finding out if the charges are true and writes that if Israel finds a man charged by Israel guilty, then it "would be a big coup for Israel".

1.3 A TOUCHING SHOW OF CHILD-LIKE NAIVETY

Some might find the belief that Israel and it's secret police forces like Shin Bet always tell the truth a touching, child-like show of naivety.

But when we understand that 11 million Palestinians suffer as a result, its not very endearing that almost the entire press corps of the so-called 'Western Civilization' work under this assumption.

That supposed 'journalistic integrity' and 'objectivity' have been given a coup de grâce to achieve this, is not very endearing either.

2 ANTIPODEAN REACTION

2.1 AID SUSPENDED

Australia's Liberal government has used the opportunity to show it's allegiance to Israel and has announced that it will suspend it's aid to World Vision's programs in occupied Palestine.

Agricultural projects and psychological help for traumatized children suffer as a result of this cheap attempt to seek the approval of the local Israel Lobby.

Previously Australia has been, with a support from federal and state level authorities, a testing ground for Israel's 'lawfare" against individuals and organizations opposing the Israeli occupation and supporting the BDS movement.

2.2 ISRAEL LOBBY IN AUSTRALIA

Former Labour Foreign Minister Bob Carr has written and spoken of the "extraordinary influence" Israel lobby wields in Australia, concentrating on how it influenced government decisions during Julia Gillard's time as the Prime Minister.

But Israeli Lobby has for a long time have had a tight grip on the short-reigning Australian Prime Ministers, who seek to do it's bidding before yet another palace coup in Canberra - or more rarely, election defeat - dethrones them.

Gillard's predecessor and successor Kevin Rudd, his Liberal successor Tony Abbott who fell to current Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Turnbull himself have all declared their love for Israel with flowery language which would not be out of palace in a United States presidential campaign.

Prime ministers come and go but the Israel Lobby stays in the government offices. Of course to mention the existence of Israel Lobby is, like in all Anglo-Saxon countries, attacked with charges of antisemitism.

Israel Lobby groups can proudly declare of their 'successes' in influencing government decisions, but for critics of government foreign policy to bring these up is not acceptable in the polite establishment company in Canberra where everyone otherwise carries a figurative dagger waiting for any opportunity to strike.

2.3 SOLIDARITY BETWEEN EUROPEAN SETTLER STATES

Whatever Israel does to Palestinians is never enough to suspend anything when it comes to Australia's dealing with Israel, whose takeover of Palestine is viewed in Australia's ruling circles as similar to the colonization of Australia and Palestinians' fate as unimportant as that of Australian Aboriginals.

European settler states shows solidarity to other European settler states, not to the victims of European colonialism and illegal settlers.

3 CODA: IN THE LAND OF BALFOUR

In the fatherland of the Anglo-Saxon settler states one Richard Verber, described as "vice president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews" (our readers should not take this grand title to mean that he represents more than a very small part of British Jews) demands that everybody who is something lends a hand to the occupier in tightening the siege:

“This raises serious questions about the mechanisms in place to prevent such an outrage occurring. We also note that World Vision is supported by the Department for International Development, European commission and a host of other international organisations who we expect will investigate this case with the utmost urgency.”

On LinkedIn he describes himself as "PR and media specialist" educated in Oxford. Something that the Guardian - for whom the credit to the quote belongs to - forgot to mention.

But then the 'Western' media forgot to mention so many more important things: Like the occupation, siege and torture.

SOURCES:

Aussie media focus on Carr’s assertion that Israel lobby had ‘direct line’ into Prime Minister’s office http://mondoweiss.net/2014/04/aussie-assertion-ministers/#sthash.FhO0OL4P.dpuf

Australia’s pro-Israel policies, pro-Palestine public

https://electronicintifada.net/content/australias-pro-israel-policies-pro-palestine-public/8315

Australia’s repression of BDS movement coordinated with Israel

https://electronicintifada.net/content/australias-repression-bds-movement-coordinated-israel/10247

DFAT suspends World Vision Palestine Aid after allegations charity money went to militant group Hamas

http://www.news.com.au/world/middle-east/dfat-suspends-world-vision-palestine-aid-after-allegations-charity-money-went-to-militant-group-hamas/news-story/75b1e61d54c908cc3e43bec63e1b8662

Former foreign minister Bob Carr says 'pro-Israel lobby' influenced government policy

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-09/bob-carr-lashes-out-at-melbourne-pro-israel-lobby/5379074

Israel accuses Gaza manager of World Vision of funding Hamas

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/israel-world-vision-manager-in-gaza-funneled-money-to-hamas/2016/08/04/168b824a-5a31-11e6-8b48-0cb344221131_story.html#comments

Israel accuses World Vision's Gaza representative of funding Hamas

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-usa-hamas-idUSKCN10F1HD?il=0

Israel: World Vision Gaza boss diverted cash to Hamas

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-36974350