|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
This repor thas copied from http://bracewell.livejournal.com
By Susan Howard-Azzeh
Al-Jazeerah, October 5, 2005
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The majority of Palestinian fighters are engaged in a lawful struggle of resistance to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem, Golan Heights, parts of Southern Lebanon, and oppression within Israel proper.Israeli tanks, gunships and troops have killed three times as many [Palestinians], including many women and children, as Arabs have killed Jews, which is terror even if it comes from the state.
June 2005 Premier Dalton McGuinty told the Canadian Arab Federation that a trip such as this will never happen again. The damage however, has already been done.
The main propaganda agenda of the "Ontario Police Security Personnel Mission to Israel" March 1-8, 2005 proved to be a very profitable strategy for Canada’s powerful pro-Israel lobby.
1 PUBLISHED CRITICISM OF TRIP
Journalists were quick to recognize the propaganda use of the trip. In Thunder Bay we read, “The trip has been criticized in some quarters, including columnists who appear in The Chronicle-Journal. They complain the trip was more a PR stunt for the Israeli government than a practical information-gathering exercise.” (“Middle east trip learning experience” by Julio Gomes, April 18, 2005, Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal.)
Bill Dunphy of the Hamilton Spectator wrote, ”What’s startling is… a respected Canadian chief of police [Hamilton’s Chief Mullan] allowing himself to be used by the Israeli government’s sophisticated propaganda machine… Accepting an invitation from supporters of one side of a vicious, bloody territorial conflict to study how that side suppresses its enemies and protects itself is wading into the politics of the situation, albeit perhaps with your eyes screwed shut… What Mullan and [Hamilton Police Services Board Chair] Morelli failed to see is that by his simple presence, Mullan was lending the good name and reputation of his office to the Israeli government’s security apparatus… His presence helps legitimize Israel’s actions in the conflict, actions that have included torture, assassination, the wholesale destruction of homes and illeg! al occupation…The photos and police pres! ence on a partisan Israeli junket sends a (wildly inaccurate) message that terrorism is a mere criminal, not political, problem. Mullan [and other chiefs on the trip] was not merely conferring with his peers on policing techniques.” (“Police chief’s Israel trip bound to blow up on him - and it did” by Bill Dunphy, March 26?, 2005, The Hamilton Spectator). “Mullan’s presence unwittingly helped buff Israel’s image” (“Column on Chief Mullan’s trip to Israel draws readers’ wrath” by Bill Dunphy, March 29, 2005, The Hamilton Spectator.)
For his comments, Dunphy came under attack from the pro-Israeli lobbyist Bernie Farber, National CEO of the Canadian Jewish Congress.(“Whiff of agenda bias” by Bernie Farber, March 29, 2005, The Hamilton Spectator).
Christina Blizzard of the Toronto Sun wrote in response to Farber’s defense of the trip, if a terrorist threat to Canada is real as Farber and others allege, “Do we want that many police chiefs out of the country at the same time? If the answer is yes, then shouldn’t we be paying their way and not have them beholden to a foreign airline, a foreign government and an organization that has a political agenda?” (“Why send Top Cops to Israel” by Christina Blizzard, March 2, 2005, Toronto Sun.)
2 VERBATIM PARROTING OF PRO-ISRAELI PROPAGANDA
The majority of news articles covering the trip repeat verbatim heavily from the original news releases issued by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, which read very much like direct excerpts from classic Canadian Jewish Congress and United Jewish Appeal texts (making one wonder who actually composed the news releases).
An OACP news release at the conclusion of the trip outlined some of the chiefs’ activities while in Israel: “Meetings with senior corrections officials at the Ofek Juvenile Facility at Tel Mond where delegates learned of the efforts to address the illiteracy, lack of education and other issues at the root of much of the crime and terrorist activity in Israel.” (Media Release, March 8, 2005, Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.)
That exact line was repeated verbatim in numerous news articles, such as by one of Ontario’s northern newspapers, “Meetings with senior corrections officials at Ofek Juvenile Facility at Tel Mond where delegates learned of efforts to address the illiteracy, lack of education and other issues at the root of much of the crime and terrorist activity in Israel” (“Police leaders wrap-up historic mission to Israel” by David Helwig, March 9, 2005, SooToday.com.) In this case the media even parroted the title of the news release verbatim in their article’s headline: “Police Leaders Wrap-Up Historic Mission to Israel” (Media Release: March 8, 2005, Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.)
The Ofek example is one of the most infuriating and insulting examples of propaganda coming out of the trip. Illiteracy and lack of education among Palestinian youth is not “at the root of much of the crime and terrorist activity in Israel” but is a direct and inevitable consequence of the discrimination, harsh living conditions, and barriers to education imposed on Palestinians living under Israeli rule.
Many news articles parroted the misleading news release statement that there was “A meeting with senior police and security officials with the Palestinian Authority to learn about the policing challenges facing that community.” (Media Release, March 8, 2005, Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.) Most news articles did not mention that the meeting was squeezed into the final day of the trip and constituted only 2 of 13 meetings overall, all the others being with Israeli officials.
3 ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES OF PROPAGANDA
Other examples of propaganda coming out of the trip are statements such as, “one of the world’s most sophisticated democratic states”, Israel "carved a beautiful society out of a desert", “This is about learning from and watching Israel’s police service, which is widely seen as one of the world’s best”, countless references to “terrorism”, “the spirit and motivation of the people and their willingness to persevere is deeply admirable”. “The bottom line is that Israelis are heroes,” Inspector Merle Foster - deputy chief of Bellville, Ontario - said Monday”. (“Canadian police chiefs on visit” by Yaakov Katz, March 7, 2005, The Jerusalem Post.)
Co-chair of the trip, Chief La Barge states, “This is a wonderful opportunity for the OCAP and for Police Chiefs from across the province to witness firsthand the manner in which one of the world’s most sophisticated democratic states deals with terrorism and security in the 21st century,”. (“Deputy Police Chief [Bob Kates, Sault Ste. Marie] Heads To Israel”, March 1, 2005, LTVNews.com) Israel is certainly not a democratic country, but rather uses "state terrorism" and legislation to control and oppress the native Palestinians living under occupation and in Israel where they are systematically discriminated against in every sphere of life such as housing, education, employment, the right to own or lease land, funding for social programs, even drivers’ licenses etcetera, and w! here Palestinians are discriminated against as official second and third class ! citizens in Israel proper. This year one Israeli Supreme Court Judge ruled, “that the government’s handling of the Arab population has been both “neglectful and discriminatory” and it criticized the police service for its attitude towards Arabs” (“Israeli Arabs: ‘Unequal citizens’ “, by Jonathan Marcus, May 2, 2005, BBC News.)
“I learned that the goal of terror is to demoralize a country - to beat it psychologically by attacking the most vulnerable elements - the citizens,” said Hamilton Police Chief Brian John Mullan. “In that sense, the spirit and motivation of the people and their willingness to persevere is deeply admirable.” (“Canadian Police Learn how to bolster security at home during Israel visit” by Leora Eren Frucht, March 10, 2005, Canada Israel Committee website.) Chief Mullan is speaking in reference to Israelis.
Now read the same statement from the perspective of the Palestinians. It applies precisely. “I learned that the goal of [state] terror is to demoralize a country - to beat it psychologically by attacking the most vulnerable elements - the citizens. In that sense, the spirit and motivation of the [Palestinian] people and their willingness to persevere is deeply admirable.” We suspect that officers on the trip may not have realized this point of view, which reflects how their perspective was co-opted by the trip’s political agenda.
Minister Monte Kwinter, MPP York Centre states, “This is not about protecting Ontario from suicide bombers. This is about learning from and watching Israel’s police service, which is widely seen as one of the world’s best.” (“Fantinos’s Flying Start”, by Rob Ferguson March 1, 2005, The Star.) Really? I have never heard or read that “Israel’s police service is widely seen as one of the world’s best”, except of course directly from pro-Israeli lobbyists such as Bernie Farber himself. However, we have heard, read, and seen on numerous occasions that ‘Israel’s police service is one of the most extra-judicial, brutal and oppressive’.
The declared master of pro-Israeli propaganda, CJC’s Bernie Farber states, “It’s post 9/11 and there’s a real willingness among police forces in Ontario and across Canada to learn from the best, and sadly Israel is one of those democratic states that has had to learn through tragedy how to deal with security, how to deal with terrorism.”(“Why send Top Cops to Israel” by Christina Blizzard, March 2, 2005, Toronto Sun.) In all sincerity, this is a quote Ryerson University’s propaganda class might enjoy as a classic to pick out the 8 or so propaganda techniques crafted into the statement. One propaganda technique ! for example - Farber purposely leaves out the source of the on-going tragedy - Israel’s horrific treatment of the entrapped Palestinians and the creation of Israel on ancestral Palestinian lands. Tragically, when Israel will not permit! peaceful methods of dissent and resistance to occupation, by for example imprisoning people such as the “Palestinian Ghandi” and Huwaida Arraf chair of the International Solidarity Movement, people resort to other methods. (“Palestinian Ghandi Still In Jail” http://groups.yahoo.com/group/palsolidarity/message/1217 , “Israeli military targets leaders of non-violent resistance” http://groups.yahoo.com/group/palsolidarity/message/1233 , "My Wife is in Jail, Again" by Adam Shapiro - Huwaida Arraf in Bil'in http://groups.yahoo.com/group/palsolidarity/message/1232 )
One classical propaganda technique is telling half-truths, distorting facts, and leaving out pertinent information. Unfortunately Chief La Barge has learned this well and adopted the technique. In the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police Presidential Swearing-in-Speech, Chief Armand La Barge states, “In March of 2005, I had the pleasure of joining Paul (Hamelin) and many members of our Association as we journeyed to Israel with Bernie Farber, Joel Richler and Morris Zubar of the Canadian Jewish Congress and the United Jewish Appeal where we met with representatives of both the Israeli Police Service and the Palestinian National Police Service.” La Barge conveniently neglects to mention that he had approximately 13 meetings with not only the Israel Police Service but also the Israeli army, but had only 2 meetings with Palestinian poli! ce, squeezed into their final day- not t! he balanced and bias-free meetings implied by the statement, “where we met with representatives of both the Israeli Police Service and the Palestinian National Police Service”. (Participants met with policy advisor to the Palestinian Authority Yaser Dajani and Col. Mohamed Jayousi a member of the Palestinian National Security Council. “Canadian police chiefs on visit” by Yaakov Katz, March 7, 2005, The Jerusalem Post.)
One article describes that, “Chief La Barge has always been committed to stamping out anti-Semitism, racism and hate-crimes, but a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum gave him even more insight on how even the smallest act of anti-Semitism concerns the entire Jewish community… The approach is never again” (“Chief gains insight from police in Israel” by Martin Derbyshire, March 13, 2005, Metroland Papers.) The visit to Yad Vashem and this statement cast confusion on the issues. “The approach is never again”, and yet genocide continues to be repeated. And by some of the most surprising sources. Palestinians are not Nazis. However, many feel that what the Nazi’s did to the Jews and others, Zionists are now doing to the Palestinians. Not in the same numbers, but with the same intent. (Of interes! t, “The Holocaust Industry” and “Beyond Chu! tzpah: On The Misuse of Anti-Semitism and The Abuse of History” by Norman Finkelstein http://www.serendipity.li/more/finkel.html , http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/content.php?pg=11 )
4 IMMEDIATE IMPACT OF PROPAGANDA AGENDA
One of the immediate propaganda effects of the trip was already mentioned above in the complaint. On his return from Israel Chief Bill Blair lead the Toronto "Walk With Israel", took the stage and referred to "the great state of Israel". It is inappropriate for a Canadian Ontario Chief of Police to act as the spokesperson for a foreign country, the state of Israel. Chief Blair went on to praise the Israelis for having "carved a beautiful society out of a desert" - old Zionist propaganda. Palestine, now called Israel, was a populated and flourishing agricultural and cosmopolitan country well before the arrival of British, French and Jewish Zionists.
Conversely when Canadian Palestinians and supporters of Palestinian human rights hold a rally or demonstration in Toronto, they are met with riot police and mounted horses. (“Blair Feels a Little Heat. Challenged over pro-Israel event. Youth workshop led by Arab group.” by Sikander Z. Hashmi, August 8, 2005, Toronto Star.
An example of the impact of the police chiefs’ trip in propagating stereotypes was felt in Hamilton. In response to news coverage of a complaint regarding the trip, one of Hamilton’s citizenry wrote, “I suppose Ali Cheaib, president of the Hamilton Council of Canadian Arabs and Ann Holubeshen who writes “for the Palestinian community of Hamilton” will now want the police chief to visit the leaders of the Palestinian terrorist organizations for the terrorists’ perspective to fighting terrorism.” (“The desire to live in peace” Harold Pomerantz, April 1, 2005, Hamilton Spectator.)
Interestingly, half of the Chiefs who were newly elected to the executive of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police in June, were on the Israel trip. (June 25, 2005, Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police http://www.oacp.on.ca/ )
5 “TERRORISM”
“Police chiefs across the globe are trying to develop a “far more integrated model of policing, where we gather, analyze and share information so we are better prepared to prevent any terrorist threats,” [Sudbury Chief Ian] Davidson said.” (“Sudbury’s top cop in Israel” by Laura Stradiotto, March 1, 2005, The Sudbury Star.) Participants attended meetings for example with, “Dr. Boaz Ganor, an internationally-renowned expert on counter-terrorism…” (Media Release, March 8, 2005, Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.)
There are countless references to “terrorism” throughout the many, many news articles that came out of this trip, creating a climate of unrealistic fear here in Canada.
Although, “We have thankfully not been touched by terror” Deputy Commissioner of Investigations and Organized Crime of the Ontario Provincial Police Maurice Pilon said.” (“Canadian police chiefs on visit” by Yaakov Katz, March 7, 2005, The Jerusalem Post.)
If Chiefs were going to Israel to learn anti-terrorism techniques, what does that imply about Palestinians? Any possible threats to Canada are not coming from Palestinians as implied by the trip. Palestinians were not involved in terrorist attacks in the US or London. Palestinians are not a threat to Canada. This trip has contributed enormously to the further stereotyping of Palestinian Canadians and Muslim and Arab Canadians here at home, and further targets them for racial profiling and hate crimes. Even within Israel and the territories, Palestinians are not “terrorists”.
In general, the word “terrorist” is used very casually by many trip participants, journalists, and ordinary Canadians. By definition, only those who specifically target civilians are guilty of “terrorism”. The majority of Palestinian fighters are engaged in a lawful struggle of resistance to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem, Golan Heights, parts of Southern Lebanon, and oppression within Israel proper. Resistance is difficult considering there is no Palestinian army, air force, navy, or adequate international support, but only guerrilla fighters, children throwing stones, the non-violent International Solidarity Movement, the Jewish left, and, truly sadly, out of desperation, terrorism by definition - suicide bombers. Palestinians are fighting in this manner against the fourth largest military in the ! world consisting of the Israeli army, air force, navy, the Mossad and Shabak, Israeli police, armed Israeli settlers, a biased judicial system, and trillions of American dollars supporting the Israeli side.
“Jews have suffered many tribulations, but some find it offensive when police imply terrorism comes from only one side, the Palestinians. Since Arabs began their uprising against those occupying their land by force, Israeli tanks, gunships and troops have killed three times as many [Palestinians], including many women and children, as Arabs have killed Jews, which is terror even if it comes from the state. (“Liberals Bow to Lobbies - Toronto-Premier Dalton McGuinty boasts he does not bow and scrape to lobbies, but he is finding some are too powerful to resist” by Eric Dowd, March 13, 2005, The Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal.
http://www.northernlife.ca/Voices/dowd/default.asp?240id15-pn=&view=83544#log83544 )
POLICE COMPLAINT TO McGUINTY http://www.montrealmuslimnews.net/policecomplaint.htm
CANADA'S HISTORY WITH PALESTINE http://www.jewsforajustpeace.com/pages/azzeh_01.html
POLICE COMPLAINT TO McGUINTY http://www.montrealmuslimnews.net/policecomplaint.htm
CANADA'S HISTORY WITH PALESTINE http://www.jewsforajustpeace.com/pages/azzeh_01.html
Niagara Palestinian Association http://groups.yahoo.com/group/niag_pal_news/ .