Israeli ambassador flees Egyptian protesters

ISRAEL'S amabassador to Egypt has fled the country after angry crowds stormed the embassy in Cairo.

Reports Al Jazeera: "Protesters demolished the wall, erected to protect the embassy which has become a focus for protests, with makeshift battering rams and hammers on Friday after peaceful demonstrations in Tahrir Square earlier in the day against the country's military rulers.

"Some protesters then scaled the wall of the building, replacing the Israeli flag with Egyptian and Palestinian flags. Others got inside and threw thousands of pieces of paper from upper-floor windows.

"Essam Sharaf, the Egyptian prime minister, called a crisis cabinet meeting for Saturday morning, while the interior ministry declared a state of alert.

"Yitzhak Levanon, Israel's ambassador to Egypt, and senior embassy staff were evacuated and flown home to Israel, Israel Radio said.

"Hundreds of Egyptian soldiers backed by armoured cars were rushed to the embassy district and clashed with the protesters, who torched police vehicles and attacked regional police headquarters nearby.

"Protesters played cat-and-mouse with police throughout the night, amid clouds of tear gas and smoke from burning tyres."

Protesters try to storm Tel Aviv city hall

DEMONSTRATORS tried to storm Tel Aviv city hall on Wednesday in protest against the clearing of a protest camp in the Israeli city.

Reports AFP: "Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said several hundred demonstrators convened outside city hall, chanting slogans and hurling raw eggs and other projectiles.

"Police sought to bar entry to the building, while demonstrators attempted to block adjacent streets in response to the evacuation of the tent city set up in protest at the high cost of living.

"An estimated 450,000 people took to Israel's streets to protest the high cost of living on Saturday night, piling pressure on the government to take action and prompting the movement to say it would now look to other means to advance its agenda."

The unprecedented social protest movement is widely seen as Israel's version of the Arab Spring, with younger generations fed up with the inequality and militarism of the Israeli state and looking back to the Jewish socialism of the original post-war settlements.

Massive protests for Palestinian freedom

PROTESTS have been held all over the world to mark Al Quds Day, an annual event suppporting Palestians suffering under Israeli occupation and oppressed people everywhere.

Rallies have taken place in Iran, Egypt, Iraq, Turkey, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, USA, Europe, as well as Gaza and the West Bank in occupied Palestine.

Reports Press TV: "In defiance of a government ban on Quds Day rallies in Bahrain, protesters have taken to the streets (above) to mark the international event and have set fire to the Israeli flag.

"Witnesses say hundreds of Bahrainis took to the streets in the capital, Manama, and several villages to protest against the government ban on the anti-Israeli rally and show solidarity with Palestinians.

"Protesters set fire to the Israeli flag and called for an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine."

In another report, it says: "Tens of thousands of Egyptians have staged a massive anti-Israel protest, demanding an end to the peace-accord between Cairo and Tel Aviv.

"Following the Friday Prayers, protesters and activists gathered in several cities and Cairo's Liberation Square to stage a million-man demonstration.

"Egyptians called for the expulsion of the Israeli envoy and chanted anti-Israeli slogans."

Al-Quds Day is named after the Arabic word for Jerusalem and its environs, the Holy Land. Yawm Al-Quds or Al-Quds Day is a day of solidarity with the oppressed Palestinians in their struggle against the Zionist-Apartheid system of Israel. Al-Quds Day also extends beyond Palestine to support all oppressed people in their struggles across the world. All over the world seminars, rallies and marches are held on this day, the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadhan in order to pledge solidarity with those seeking peace through justice.

Egyptians angry at Israel's killing

ANGRY crowds have besieged the Israeli embassy in Cairo after five Egyptian policemen were killed by the unpopular neighbouring state.

Reported the BBC: "More than 1,000 Egyptians protested outside the Israeli embassy late on Saturday night. They demanded the immediate expulsion of the Israeli envoy from the country.

"Military police stood outside the embassy, but did not intervene when one protester pulled down the Israeli flag."

Press TV added that the young Egyptian protester had replaced the flag with Egypt's.

It said: "Amid ongoing protest of thousands of Egyptians in front of Israel's embassy in Cairo on Sunday, Ahmad al Shahhat climbed the building and removed the Israeli flag.

"Following the move, people cheered and honked their car horns as protesters prevented police from arresting the young man."

Israel 'backing Syrian ruler against protesters'

AS PEOPLE power in Syria threatens to topple autocratic leader President Assad, Israel is hoping that he stays in power.

That's the anaylsis in an article by Edmund Sanders in the Los Angeles Times.

He writes: "Syrian President Bashar Assad's race to tamp down public unrest is stirring anxiety in Israel that is even higher than its hand-wringing over Egypt's recent regime change.

"Unlike Israel and Egypt, Israel and Syria have no peace agreement, and Syria, with a large arsenal of sophisticated weapons, is one of Israel's strongest enemies.

"Though Israel has frequently criticized Assad for cozying up to Iran, arming Lebanon's Hezbollah movement and sheltering leaders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, many in Israel think their country might be better off if Assad keeps the reins of power.

"Several Israeli government and military officials declined to speak in depth about Assad, fearing any comments could backfire given the strong anti-Israel sentiments in the Arab world.

"That's what happened when some Israeli officials attempted to bolster Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak before he resigned Feb. 11."

Meanwhile, Assad has been claiming that conspiracies involving Israel and the USA are behind the insurrection.

Protests countinue to mount and further bloodshed is predicted over the coming days as the President clings to power.

Court victory for arms factory saboteurs

FIVE activists who caused £180,000 damage to a UK arms factory were acquitted after they argued they were seeking to prevent Israeli war crimes.

Reports The Guardian: "The five were jubilant after a jury found them not guilty of conspiring to cause criminal damage to the factory on the outskirts of Brighton.

"The five admitted they had broken in and sabotaged the factory, but argued they were legally justified in doing so.

"They believed that EDO MBM, the firm that owns the factory, was breaking export regulations by manufacturing and selling to the Israelis military equipment which would be used in the occupied territories. They wanted to slow down the manufacture of these components, and impede what they believed were war crimes being committed by Israel against the Palestinians.

"After being acquitted, one of them, Robert Nicholls, told the Guardian: 'I'm joyful really, at being a free man. The action was impulsive really, we just wanted to do something that would make a real difference to the people of Palestine.'

"Another, Ornella Saibene, said: 'I've felt very peaceful all the way through the trial because I'm proud of what I've done. It was the right thing to do.'

"They are the latest group of peace and climate-change activists to successfully use the 'lawful excuse' defence – committing an offence to prevent a more serious crime – as a tactic in their campaigns.

"They had decided to act last January after three weeks of Israeli military manoeuvres against Gaza in which many Palestinians were killed. According to a UN investigation by former South African judge Richard Goldstone, Israel committed war crimes by deliberately attacking civilians during the offensive known as Operation Cast Lead.

"In his summing up, Judge George Bathurst-Norman suggested to the jury that 'you may well think that hell on earth would not be an understatement of what the Gazans suffered in that time'.

"The judge highlighted the testimony by Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, that 'all democratic paths had been exhausted' before the activists embarked on their action.

"Hove crown court heard the activists had broken into the factory in the night. They had video-taped interviews beforehand outlining their intention to cause damage and, in the words of prosecutor Stephen Shay, 'smash-up' the factory.

"These statements were posted on the Indymedia website shortly after they were arrested. Dexter Dias, barrister for one of the defendants, accused Paul Hills, EDO MBM's managing director, of lying in the witness box when he said his company did not supply components which were being used by the Israeli military. The jury is considering its verdict on two other defendants."

Thousands of Israelis protest against brutality

THOUSANDS of leftist Israelis have taken to the streets of Tel Aviv to protest against their government's brutality.

Says a report on Indymedia: "Finally the wind of change is starting to blow in Israel. On Saturday evening 15.000 Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv to march against their right wing government. With a population of only a 5,5 million this is very good turnout.

"The rally's manifesto read: 'It's time to return to sanity and save our society from ruin. Without a solution of two states for two peoples and two capitals in Jerusalem, the whole region's future is in doubt.'

"The coalition of left wing parties and peace organisations attacked the government over the IDF´s brutal and lethal attack on the Free-Gaza Flotilla. Young and old protesters held placards, accusing Barak and Netanyahu 'The government is sinking all of us – we must aspire for peace', 'Israel, Palestine, two states for two people' and 'We love the country but are ashamed of the government'.

There were also clashes between the protesters and Israeli fascists. Reported Ynet News: "Following the leftist rally, dozens of rightists marched along Ibn Gvirol Street, one of Tel Aviv's major thoroughfares, shouting at coffee shop goers: "Stinking Tel Avivians, get out of your bubble…While IDF soldiers are subjected to a lynching you remain indifferent – you're traitors."

"Several physical clashes were reported between protestors and residents. Some coffee shop goers responded to the rightist activists, telling them to "go to hell" and referring to them as far-rightists who should "go back to the hole they crawled out of'."

Flotilla: Israeli lies exposed

ISRAELI lies over the murderous attack on the Gaz flotilla are analysed in a detailed post on Uruknet.

Says the article: "As reports of the massacre hit the wires, prompting outrage around the world, the navy revealed their version of events. At this time there could be no contradiction, as all activists and journalists were being quietly herded to Ashdod without means of communication to the outside world.

"Before they arrived stories of the lynch mob had been widely disseminated. Foreign Ministry Deputy Danny Ayalon terrified the world’s media that morning, announcing the aid flotilla was in fact an "armada of hate and violence in support of the Hamas terror organization. The organizers are well-known for their ties to Global Jihad, Al-Qaeda and Hamas. They have a history of arms smuggling and deadly terror." Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu continued in the same vein, "they were mobbed, they were clubbed, they were beaten, stabbed, there was even a report of gunfire. Our soldiers had to defend themselves".

"The IDF information channels were full of accounts from the real victims, Israeli commandos. One frightened young man, still in a state of shock and disbelief reported "we came to talk, but they came to fight". One Naval Special Forces Commander stated on Tuesday that "there were terrorists who wanted to kill us. I cannot explain it any other way." Meanwhile a steady stream of videos was released by the IDF to bolster their story. 13 videos have been uploaded to the their YouTube channel."

Concludes the analysis: "As facts emerge from those onboard the flotilla, more holes are shot through the official version of events. As the façade crumbles, the cover up grows more obvious. Israel may finally be held to account for its crimes. This time it won't go away."

Greek anger against Zionist murders

EMERGENCY demonstrations were called in at least fourteen Greek cities last night, after the atrocious attack by Israeli commandos on the Free Gaza ships, reports From The Greek Streets.

In Athens, the Greek government, otherwise “quick to condemn” the attacks, had no hesitation in preempting an attack on those who gathered outside the Israeli embassy in Athens.

Riot police guarding the embassy, according to eye-witnesses, were in full gear and fully masked up before the demonstration had started: the attack on the demonstration that followed was planned.

Most of the Greek activists who were on board have landed in Athens this morning. Michalis Grigoropoulos, a sailor on the ship “Free Mediterranean” stated the following at Athens airport:

“You know, of course, that we had a pirate attack against us. What I want to tell you, is that comrades from our Incentive have been tortured. I refused to sign any document and was deported against my will. I was put in isolation.

"I denounce the Zionist state for yet another crime against humanity. We saw from afar the onslaught by the commandos of the Zionist army on the Turkish ship of the Freedom Flotilla.

"I denounce the Greek government, which left the Greek ships and the Greek citizens unprotected. A huge popular movement must now be formed, which will demand the release of all hostages and the return of our ships. Solidarity to the Palestinian People must grow. Palestinian Resistance must win, and it shall win.

Meanwhile, in his blog The Cutting Edge, author Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed writes: "Many of those activists being shot at while they slept, didn't wake up.

"Many of those that did wake up, woke up bleeding and wounded. Many tried to defend themselves in whatever way they could, obviously terrorising their commando-attacks even more, unleashing further bloodshed.

"Under Netanyahu, the IDF has become increasingly unhinged. Utterly incapable of grasping that its war crimes and crimes against humanity can no longer simply be dressed up as a fight against terrorists, when terror itself is a primary instrument of statecraft.

"Completely incapable of self-reflection or self-critique. Pathetically incapable of putting to rest the 'final solution' of the knee-jerk trigger-finger. It is a sign of things to come."

World protests against Israeli massacre

PROTESTERS demonstrating against the Israeli attack on a Gaza-bound aid ship have attempted to storm the BBC in Manchester (above).

Reported the BBC: "More than 800 people marched through the city centre and down Oxford Road, where the crowd surged the BBC's entrance, smashing its front doors.

"One man climbed to the top of the building to plant a Palestinian flag and there were at least three arrests.

"Protesters said they were also angry about the BBC's coverage of Israel.

"Police officers formed a human chain across the BBC's Oxford Road entrance and surrounded the building with police vehicles and officers.

"Protesters from the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, who organised the demonstration, chanted slogans including: 'BBC tell the truth'.

In London, around 5,000 people joined a protest in Downing Street that turned into a march on the Israeli embassy - though the event was predictably underplayed in the corporate media.

In Bristol, protesters got underneath a delivery lorry having already removed Israeli produce from Tesco and occupying the first storey of M&S.

There were also protests in many other parts of the UK including Sheffield, Birmingham, Falmouth, Brighton, Oxford, Cambridge, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Moffat, Inverness and Banff.

Around the world there were countless demonstrations in, for instance, Scandinavia, France, Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon, Iran, Pakistan and the Zionist state itself.

Global outrage at Israeli terror state

GLOBAL anger is erupting over the Israeli army's murder of unarmed activists trying to bring relief to Gaza.

Protests have been breaking out all over the world, with one planned for Downing Street, London, at 2pm today (Monday).

Thousands of Turkish protesters tried to storm the Israeli consulate in Istanbul soon after the news of the operation broke. The protesters shouted "Damn Israel" as police blocked them.

There are also signs that the imperialist system of which Israel forms a part is trying to prevent opposition to the murders from spreading. It seems Twitter is censoring trending topics about #gaza and #flotilla

Reports Al Jazeera: "Israeli forces have attacked a flotilla of aid-carrying ships aiming to break the country's siege on Gaza.

"More than 10 people were killed and dozens injured when troops intercepted the convoy of ships dubbed the Freedom Flotilla early on Monday, the Israeli military said.

"The Israeli Army Radio had earlier said that up to 16 people had been killed.

"The flotilla was attacked in international waters, 65km off the Gaza coast.

"Footage from the flotilla's lead vessel, the Mavi Marmara, showed armed Israeli soldiers boarding the ship and helicopters flying overhead.

"Al Jazeera's Jamal Elshayyal, on board the Mavi Marmara, said Israeli troops had used live ammunition during the operation.

"The Israeli military said four soldiers had been wounded, two of them moderately, and claimed troops opened fire after 'demonstrators onboard attacked the IDF Naval personnel with live fire and light weaponry including knives and clubs'.

"Free Gaza Movement, the organisers of the flotilla, however, said the troops opened fire as soon as they stormed the ships.

"Al Jazeera’s Ayman Mohyeldin, reporting from Jerusalem, said the Israeli action was surprising.

"All the images being shown from the activists on board those ships show clearly that they were civilians and peaceful in nature, with medical supplies on board. So it will surprise many in the international community to learn what could have possibly led to this type of confrontation," he said.

'Wear black and rise up!'

WEAR black, take to the streets and rise up in memory of the men, women and children killed in the Israeli onslaught in Gaza a year ago.

That's the message from anti-militarist direct action group Smash EDO! as it launches details of its next big protest on Monday January 18.

Its activists have been campaigning for several years against a factory in Brighton, Sussex, UK, which supplies weapons parts to the military machine, including the Israelis.

Said the group this week on its website: "For three weeks in January 2009, the bombs rained down on Gaza. At the end of Israel's brutal bombing campaign and ground offensive over 1400 Palestinians had been murdered, including 314 children.

"Here in Brighton EDO MBM/ITT manufacture some of the weapons components that devastated so many lives. All over the world thousands of people watched appalled at the carnage on the streets of Gaza. Thousands marched and raged at the destruction of peoples' homes and lives. On January 18th 2010, the anniversary of the final day of Operation Cast Lead, we will come together to remember the people of Gaza.

"We will not allow those who supported their pain and profited from their suffering to go unchallenged. We will not let this genocide be forgotten. On the first anniversary after their deaths, we will rise up. We will take to the streets. We will remember...

"Assemble at 1pm, wear black...

"More details, including the meeting place, will be published here closer to the date."