Canadian ‘aid’ to Beirut: Let us remember Qana

Graves of Lebanese civilians massacred by Israeli airstrikes on Qana on July 29, 2006 | Feyrouz

By Tony Seed

It is not acceptable that Canada which has troops and special forces stationed in Lebanon, Iraq and Israel is offering statements of regret and sympathy for the victims while making aid conditional on Lebanon making “reforms” dictated by the big powers. Given its hostility to Lebanon and how it has militarized aid to the Caribbean in the name of hurricane or earthquake relief such as Haiti, or arms to Saudi Arabia to attack the Yemeni people despite the endemic cholera, we need to be vigilant.

The Government of Canada’s unacceptable response to the tragedy in Lebanon

People of Quebec stand with Lebanese people at vigil at the Lebanese consulate in Montreal, August 6, 2020.

Canada has made aid to Lebanon in the midst of this great tragedy they have suffered conditional on the Lebanese government enacting all kinds of reforms demanded by the imperialist financial institutions. It blames the Lebanese government for the plight of the country for which the U.S. imperialists, Israeli Zionists, Lebanon’s former colonial power France and others are fully to blame. The conditions which exist in Lebanon today and the many tragedies the Lebanese people have suffered in the past and which they suffer today are of their making. Instead of taking up their responsibilities and putting the well-being of the Lebanese people in command of their decisions on getting aid to Lebanon, these governments blame the Lebanese people and the factional fighting in the government – a government based on the model given to them by the French imperialists in the first place. They are demanding regime change, while they channel aid through their own agencies to further undermine the unity in action of the people to deal with the tragedy which has befallen the people. Experience shows this will merely enrich these so-called humanitarian agencies while the plight of the people will remain.

Our Hearts Are with Beirut

The Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) expresses its deepest sympathies to the families of all victims of the August 4 explosion in Beirut, another tragedy of unprecedented proportions which has hit the Lebanese people at home and abroad including the large Lebanese community in Quebec and Canada. Our hearts go out to those living in Beirut and to the Lebanese people who have been sorely tested, and even more so within the extremely difficult conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, onerous demands and conditions imposed by the international financial institutions and continuous breaches of Lebanon’s sovereignty by Zionist and Anglo-American forces along with Lebanon’s former colonial power France and others such as Canada.

Heartfelt condolences and solidarity to the people of Beirut

Vigil at the Lebanese consulate in Montreal, August 6, 2020.

A reflection, from a Facebook post, August 5, 2020

My heartfelt condolences and solidarity to the people of Beirut, the families and victims, the comrades from Beirut, the city which I came to love, having spent a memorable week there in summer of 2014. A huge disaster and tragedy on the eve of the 75th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I am only glad that so far those whom I came to know are safe.

On a personal note, I owe a debt in addition to the Lebanese community in Halifax which dates back to the 1920s if not before and who schooled me in the tapestry of their rich history, culture and politics, beginning from the time in 1982 when we marched together to oppose the Israeli invasion. From that moment we shared weal and woe on many issues, as have the Canadian and Lebanese people. In October 2002 Father John of the Greek Orthodox Church freely provided facilities of his parish for the launch of our Dossier on Palestine, defying the united pressure of local Falange and Zionist elements, as he did on other occasions.

This Day. Remembering Israel’s 2014 attack on Gaza’s universities

The Islamic University of Gaza was damaged after it was bombed by Israeli warplanes early on Saturday, 2 August, 2014 | Mustafa Hassona/Anadolu Agency

MEMO | August 4, 2020

What 

Six years ago, Israeli occupation forces targeted the Islamic University of Gaza (IUG) in one of the deadliest military offensives against the two million Palestinians living within the besieged enclave. The conflict left 2,251 people dead, with more than 11,000 wounded, according to Palestinian and UN sources. A further half a million Palestinians were displaced. Six years on, the UN has complied an extensive report on the scale of destruction to Gaza’s higher education facilities during the 50-day onslaught which began 8 July 2014.

Syrian army blocks passage of US military convoy

Images broadcast on Syrian television showed soldiers and militiamen blocking a group of three armoured vehicles of the US occupying forces, which had to back down and change course.

In recent weeks, the rejection of the illegal presence of US troops has grown through armed actions, protests, or intercepting convoys with logistical reinforcements destined for more than a dozen military bases, mostly located in the oil fields and gas from the Syrian provinces of Hasakeh, Deir Ezzor and Raqa.

This Day. The downing of Iran Air Flight 655

By TONY SEED*

(July 3) – On this day in 1988, the American warship USS Vincennes deliberately fired missiles at an Iranian civilian aircraft, Iran Air Flight 655. Two hundred and ninety innocent passengers died. Vice President George W. Bush honoured the warship, saying: “I don’t care what the facts say: I will never apologize for the United States … Life goes on!”

A300B2-203 Iran Air EP-IBT at Mehrabad International Airport, Tehran | Khashayar Talebzadeh

Word. The destruction of the Syrian electricity network

By Dr Bashar Ja’afari

UN Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic.

(May 19, 2020) On instructions from my Government, I wish to convey to you the following important current information relating, first, to the destruction of the cooling tower of the Zayzun power plant in the Ghab plain, in the countryside outside Hama, by the Turkistan Islamic Party terrorist group and, second, to the scale and breakdown of the losses incurred by the electricity sector in the Syrian Arab Republic:

The ominous jihadis war: From Tripoli to Tripoli

GHASSAN KADI on a potentially huge situation brewing in Libya that barely makes the news

The ‘War on Syria’ is far from being over, and it will continue until all foreign forces illegally present on Syrian soil retreat; either willingly, or defeated.

And even though the American presence in Syria has no clear and realistic political purpose other than wreaking havoc and making it hard for Russia to help reach a decisive victory, in a twist of fate, the focus of the Russo-American conflict in the region may soon move away from Syria.

Profile. William Roebuck, Ambassador of Destruction

By Steven Sahiounie*

Since 2006, William Roebuck, a US Diplomat, has been working toward ‘regime change’ in Syria at any cost. The destruction of Syria, hundreds of thousands of deaths and injuries, and the migration of one-third of the population have been the price of the US policy under Roebuck’s tenure. The ultimate goal of ‘regime change’ has never been about greater freedoms, democracy, or human rights for Syrians, but has been with the single target spelled out by Roebuck in 2006: to break the relationship between Iran and Syria.

Crocodile tears in Beirut

GHASSAN KADI’s thoughts on anti-Syrian rhetoric coming from sectors of society in Lebanon.*

The traditional Lebanese Left and Right and their followers are united in venting out their anger against the alleged illegal transport of fuel and subsidized wheat flour from Lebanon to Syria. According to their reports, which I haven’t been able to confirm the validity of, truck loads of the above are being stolen away from the Lebanese people who are suffering immensely under rising high costs of living and devastating financial ruin, and transported to Syria to “support the Assad regime.”

Discontent and partisan warfare against illlegal US occupation of East Syria will increase

By Ekaterina Blinova

On 22 April, the foreign ministers of Russia, Iran, and Turkey held a trilateral video-conference on the situation in Syria within the framework of the Astana format. International observers have explained why the group has succeeded in maintaining the balance of interests in the region and what is behind the growing divisions within jihadi ranks.

The Astana group, a trilateral format comprising Russia, Turkey and Iran created in 2017 to tackle the Syrian crisis, acknowledged on Wednesday that the 5 March 2020 ceasefire deal had facilitated the de-escalation of the situation in Idlib, following Turco-Syrian clashes earlier this year, despite Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s* attempts to obstruct it.

COVID-19 outbreak in greater Middle East as of April 8, 2020

Click to enlarge | Southfront.org

The trouble with ‘preventing Palestine’

Seth Anziska’s book on the Arab-Israeli “peace process” is a useful primer on the conflict, but it does not fully examine the paradox of the Carter administration’s solution that we are still living with, argues AS’AD ABUKHALIL*

Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin, left, and U.S. National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brezinski play chess at Camp David, September 9, 1978 | CIA

A new book by Seth Anziska, titled “Preventing Palestine: A Political History from Camp David to Oslo” created quite a buzz before its official release in late 2018. The writer had mentioned it in press articles and noted that he had unearthed important documents. The book, however, is not as firm in its Palestinian advocacy as has been assumed by supporters of the cause who have praised it on social media and in reviews.

Israeli airstrikes vs Palestinian rockets: Facts & stats on air attacks

Chart of Israelis killed by rockets from Gaza and Palestinians in Gaza killed by Israeli airstrike | If Americans Knew (Click on to enlarge)

Canadian and US media news reports on Israel-Palestine virtually always mention ‘thousands of rockets have been fired from Gaza.’ However, the media rarely report how many people these rockets have killed, when they began, and what they look like. Canadian and US media reports also fail to compare these Palestinian weapons to the weapons Israel uses in its airstrikes.

China bolsters global effort to combat coronavirus

International Cooperation to Help Countries Cope

Chinese and Cuban doctors arrive in Italy to help treat COVID-19 pandemic.

Assistance to Italy and Other EU Countries

On March 12, a group of nine Chinese aid professionals arrived in Rome with tons of medical supplies, including 700 ventilators, monitors and defibrillators, as part of China’s efforts to help Italy contain the novel coronavirus outbreak.

US imperialists’ utter contempt for human life; new sanctions imposed on Iran

On March 17, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced further sanctions on Iran amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The sanctions are ostensibly in response to March 12 rocket attacks in Taji, Iraq, that killed two members of the U.S. occupation forces, for which it claims Iran is responsible. According to a statement by Pompeo, the sanctions target entities and individuals mostly related to Iran’s petrochemical industry that “provide revenue to the regime that it may use to fund terror and other destabilizing activities.” These include five companies based in the United Arab Emirates, three companies in China, three in Hong Kong and one in South Africa.

The gateway to Idlib goes via Cilica

In this article Ghassan Kadi, our Middle East analyst, looks at the historical reasons that put Syria in a vulnerable position with Turkey. According to his analysis, the buck stops at the long forgotten issue of the Cilician Gates. Ghassan has been warning about this issue for some years now.

***

The root of the military conflict in Idlib is not something that arose from contemporary times. And with all due respect to Sputnik, the cause did not start 80 years ago.

Actually, the seed of the conflict was sown five centuries ago. Its germination could have been prevented a century ago. However, the colonialists had other plans. They implemented them when Syria was weak and unable to exercise its own right of self-determination.

Erdogan’s long-coming reality check

By GHASSAN KADI

TSB Middle East Analyst

(February 14) – It is hard to say if Erdogan is running out of choices, friends, time, or all of the above; and his stands on various issues and the contradictions he ploughs through are making his situation increasingly untenable.

Sighting. Palestinians converge on Jordan Valley checkpoints to protest Trump plan

Israeli soldiers fire sound grenades at Palestinian protesters by the Tayseer checkpoint, the Jordan Valley, the West Bank, January 30, 2020 | Ahmad Al-Bazz / Activestills

By KEREN MANOR*

The morning after President Donald Trump committed to recognizing Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank during the release of his much-awaited Middle East peace plan, Palestinians protested the deal that would annex the Jordan Valley, the breadbasket of their territory, by motoring trackers through an Israeli checkpoint.

Breaking with Washington: Arabs and Muslims must take a stance for Palestine

By RAMZY BAROUD

(February 12) – A negotiated solution to the ‘Palestinian-Israeli conflict’, at least the way envisaged by successive US administrations, has failed. Now, Palestinians and their allies would have to explore a whole new path of liberation that does not go through Washington.

It is easy to place all the blame on the current US administration, setting apart dodgy characters such as the President’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as the man who has single-handedly diminished any real chances for a just peace in Palestine and Israel.

No to the imperialist US-Israeli “Deal of the Century!” End Israeli occupation of Palestine!

Defend and support the Palestinian people’s heroic resistance to occupation!

– Statement of the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist), January 31, 2020 –

The Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) resolutely condemns “Peace to Prosperity: A Vision to Improve the Lives of the Palestinian and Israeli People,” put forward by President Donald Trump on January 28 as a provocation and act of violence against the Palestinian people. It is aimed at extinguishing their rights, particularly the right of return, a collective right which has been affirmed year after year by the United Nations General Assembly. By proposing that the more than 7 million Palestinians, including those in Gaza and the West Bank, be settled in what will be a bantustan in Gaza, in the countries where they are now living or in some other state that the U.S. will generously broker, the aim is to extinguish the historical memory of the Palestinian people and their decades-long struggle for their rights so gloriously expressed in the “Great March of Return” in Gaza in 2018 to 2019.

Embracing Palestine: How to combat Israel’s misuse of ‘antisemitism’

Palestinians head towards eastern border of Gaza strip to participate in weekly Great Return March protests under the slogan “Normalization with Israel is a crime and betrayal.”

By RAMZY BAROUD

I find it puzzling, indeed disturbing, that Israel, directly or otherwise, is able to determine the nature of any discussion on Palestine in the West, not only within typical mainstream platforms but within pro-Palestinian circles as well. 

At a talk I delivered in Northern England in March 2018, I proposed that the best response to falsified accusations of antisemitism, which are often lobbed against pro-Palestinian communities and intellectuals everywhere, is to draw even closer to the Palestinian narrative.

Trump ‘solves’ the Arab-Israeli conflict

President Donald J. Trump listens as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers remarks on Jan. 28, 2020, during the unveiling of the Trump administration’s Middle East Peace Plan | White House, Shealah Craighead

This plan goes beyond all previous U.S. commitments to Israel and of course it too will not work, writes As’ad AbuKhalil in Consortium News

Glory has long motivated U.S. presidents in their approach to the Arab-Israeli conflict. That has been clear since the administration of John F. Kennedy attempted to “solve” the intractable conflict.

They all know that by solving the conflict, once and for all, they would manage a secure place for their names in history. And for many of the biblically-minded presidents there are also religious motivations in associating their names with “peace plans” which aim to reward or elevate the status of biblical Israel. (Jimmy Carter in his book, “The Blood of Abraham,” could not distinguish between the modern occupation state of Israel, and Israel of the Bible.)

Netanyahu exploits the Holocaust to brutalize the Palestinians

Netanyahu didn’t invent the idea of leveraging the Holocaust for political gain. Yet he is taking even that low to new depths, stripping Palestinians of basic human rights in the name of the survivors of the Holocaust | Hagai El-Ad, Haaretz

A demonstrator poses with a Palestinian flag outside the International Criminal Court during rally urging the court to prosecute Israel’s army for war crimes in The Hague, Netherlands, Nov. 29, 2019 | Peter Dejong, AP

Benjamin Netanyahu did not invent the idea of leveraging the Holocaust for political gain. Yet, like so much else in current Israeli politics, he is taking even that low to new depths.

Haligonians say No War with Iran

“Folks are using the plane crash as a justification for war. Like so many people I lost someone on that plane. It has touched us all. We will not let this be used as a justification for war. My friend did not die so that his people could be murdered.” – Masuma Khan

From 200 to 300 people of all ages and walks of life rallied at Victoria Park in Halifax on Saturday, January 11 to say No War with Iran and to condemn the U.S. terrorist attacks against Iran and Iraq. Haligonians let the Trump Administration know that we do not support another war. They warned Canadian elected officials that Canada needs to stand up against any acts of war and be a voice of peace.

Lies, the Bethlehem Doctrine, and the illegal murder of Soleimani

By CRAIG MURRAY*

 

Protest against the second war on Iraq, Windsor, October 25, 2003.

In one of the series of blatant lies the USA has told to justify the assassination of Soleimani, Mike Pompeo said that Soleimani was killed because he was planning “Imminent attacks” on US citizens. It is a careful choice of word. Pompeo is specifically referring to the Bethlehem Doctrine of Pre-Emptive Self Defence.

Developed by Daniel Bethlehem when Legal Adviser to first Netanyahu’s government and then Blair’s, the Bethlehem Doctrine is that states have a right of “pre-emptive self-defence” against “imminent” attack. That is something most people, and most international law experts and judges, would accept. Including me.

US air strike on Iraq: Denounce US lawless killings and wars and demand Canadian Forces be brought home immediately

– Statement of the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist), January 4, 2020 –

The Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) condemns the U.S. imperialist regime’s killing of Major General Qasem Soleimani of the Iranian armed forces, Abud Mahdi al-Muhandis, a leading member of the Iraqi armed forces, and eight other officials. The U.S. military carried out its lawless assassinations with drone missile strikes at the Baghdad civilian airport on January 3.

Renouncing Israel on principle

By STEVEN SALAITA

Brian Naughton – CC BY 2.0

When anti-Zionists discuss the Middle East, the topic of Israel’s existence rarely arises.  It’s almost exclusively a pro-Israel talking point. We’re focused on national liberation, on surviving repression, on strategies of resistance, on recovering subjugated histories, on the complex (and sometimes touchy) relationships among an Indigenous population disaggregated by decades of aggression.  That a colonial state – or any state, really – possesses no ontological rights is an unspoken assumption.

“Do you recognize Israel’s right to exist?” pretends to honour the downtrodden, but it is an altogether different proposition, transforming sophisticated ideas of liberation into a crude test of political respectability. Prioritizing the state as worthy of relief, as something to which we automatically owe deference, subsumes life to the imperatives of capital.

Turkish aggression against Syria: For a principled and permament solution to the Kurdish question

On August 7, Turkish and US officials agreed to jointly manage a buffer zone between the Turkish border and areas in Syria controlled by the Kurdish YPG, which Istanbul considers a “terrorist” threat. On October 6, the Trump presidency announced that US forces would withdraw from the border areas to make way for a “long-planned operation” by Turkish forces. On October 8, Turkey, a member of the US-NATO bloc which hosts a massive US air base at Incirlik – hosting some 5,000 Air Force personnel, tactical nuclear weapons and used to fly sorties over Syria – launched a new military invasion of northern Syria dubbed Peace Spring, which began with airstrikes on positions of Kurdish units. The Syrian Arab Republic branded the operation, part of the old imperialist divide-and-rule of the Middle East on an ethnic and religious basis, as aggression. The Syrian Kurdish forces and the Syrian Arab Army swiftly launched a counter-offensive to block the Turkish advance.