As one of the replies said; this should be on the front page of every newspaper in the world.
I am an OAP, who retired to Greece pre Brexit, and feel utterly helpless to do anything other than be an 'armchair activist' who is bearing witness to all the atrocities.
Israel will, certainly in my lifetime, be abhorred. The leaders of the western world? Expletives deleted.
And we sit in horror watching and waiting for the inevitable. Unable to speak unable to act . It sickens me to my very core , where is the humanity in this are we all lost 😞
The US is a paradigm state, one that other countries see as a model and copy. Israel too, to some extent. If it's okay for them to do these things, who can object to any other country doing them too.
What Israel is doing is not defence. It's not even revenge. It is the worst kind of settler colonialism: clear out the natives and take all the land. They've planned to do it for years. October 7th was the excuse they needed.
If they clear out Gaza, they'll do the same to the West Bank. Then they'll get rid of the "Israeli Arabs," who are nominally Israeli citizens with nominal rights. Who's going to stop them, or even object? Tom Friedman?
I am Irish-American Catholic cradle to grave. 4 of my brothers and I served active duty in the US Military; 3 services Navy, Army, Marines. I condemn Israel Zionist terrorism and genocide against Palestinians and Lebanese; as a Catholic, a Christian, American of Irish descent, and as a U.S. military veteran. I am a member of the Catholic Church, AOH and American Legion. It is immoral, unChristian, unjust and evil.
This is an excellent article and analysis of the horror that's being perpetrated in Palestine with the unconditional support of the US and UK. That the mainstream media distort and misrepresent what is happening shames them. That there are still principled and good journalists prepared to report on this atrocity gives us all some hope. I hope humanity prevails, and Israel and it's backers - US and UK governments - end up in the Hague. Thank you Mr Cook for this powerful article. 👏
You’ve said it all, Jonathan. Well done. It’s a powerful piece. When a civilization abandons its humanity, loses its moral compass, and crosses every line to silence those who resist, using its strength to mask its ugliness with lies, these are the marks of its fall. Yet, in that darkness, there’s always the sign of a new beginning—a glimmer of hope, a spark of light that hints at the rise of something better, even in the shadow of collapse.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
“Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought because they were wronged, and indeed, Allah is able to grant them victory.”
Allah the Almighty has spoken the truth.
To the esteemed sisters and brothers present, to the dear and hospitable country of Malaysia, my greetings to you.
Greetings to you, and Um Yusuf is still searching for her curly-haired son.
Greetings to you, and the girl is still searching for her mother, whom she recognizes by her hair among the martyrs.
Greetings to you, and the fighters are still defending their land.
Greetings to you, and a mother in Jenin buries her four martyred sons and is shy in her mourning in front of the catastrophe in Gaza.
Greetings to you, and the nails of the people of the West Bank have been clipped under Oslo, in protection of the settler herds that roam and corrupt our land.
Greetings to you, and the free women of Palestine are still being tortured in prisons but remain unsilenced.
Greetings to you, and the doors of Al-Aqsa are closed to its lovers and devotees, but open to the herds of settlers who desecrate it
Greetings to you, and the rulers of the so-called super powers bury their heads like ostriches, deaf to the truth and seeing only what the occupying entity shows them, repeating its claim of “Israel’s right to defend itself.”
Greetings to you, and the Arab rulers were castrated, with their voice nowhere to be heard.
Greetings to you, and the Islamic countries still do not see their duty towards the land that Allah has blessed and claimed to himself those who defend it, as He said: “We sent against you servants of Ours of great might.”
Greetings to you, and to the living consciences that refused to be like a herd behind their rulers, those shouting no to injustice, and demanding freedom for Palestine. These consciences will be the safety valve to their countries,
for those who cry out against injustice.. are alive.
Greetings to the unity of the fields, the happy Yemen with its decision, the proud Iraq, Iran the supporter, and the great Hezbollah, victorious by the will of Allah.
Greetings to the resistance fighters from all backgrounds in Gaza the proud, Jenin the steadfast, Tulkarem the dignified, Qabatiya the heroic, Nablus the mountain of fire, and to everyone who broke their silence to defend their land and protect their honor.
Despite all the pain and wounds that have afflicted the entire Palestinian body, our cause is not just a humanitarian issue; it is a matter of an occupied homeland, a lost right.
“And Allah is predominant over His affair, but most of the people do not know.”
We trust in Allah’s victory.
Greetings to the wounded Sudan, the injured Syria, and to the Philippines to Vietnam, greetings to all the oppressed peoples from the north to the south of the earth, and from east to west.
Greetings to you, and peace be upon the people of Gaza for their patience. They have indeed been afflicted as Allah said: “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives
and livelihood, but give good tidings to the patient.”
The US has become such a force for evil. Its support of Israel, its continued strangulation of Cuba that is resulting in power cuts, endless economic pain, its sanctions on Venezuela that has resulted in conditions similar to an economic depression and then led to masses of people heading north, ironically to the borders of the same country that is causing all the problems. So much for "American values" What are they? They just seem to be "might is right". All these other spineless western leaders afraid to speak out in case it leads to economic pain from an American reaction or being accused of "anti-Semitism" And if Trump gets in? Is that what Netanyahu is waiting for? I am waiting for some kind of just retribution on both the US and Israel.
It seems to me that there are two United States of America: 1/ The 'We, the People' republic; 2/ 'Corporate America', which predates on 'We the People' & is, in fact, as much at war (economic & actual, by means of militarised police) with the people of the USA as it is with the people of Cuba/Venezuela/... Palestine.
Not to forget Haiti, that the bigot/hypocrite Thomas Jefferson, and all his successors up to today, could not allow to stand free as an example to others. (Where do you think the guns for the gangs in Port au Prince, & spreading, come from? With whose money?)
The only parallel that I can see to what Israel is doing now is the wars led by Joshua as described in the Old Testament book of same name. No mercy, no quarter, just total slaughter of the enemy. To the last woman and child. And Bibi Netanyahu openly celebrates Joshua and the massacre of the Amorites. So I'm not exactly seeing something no one else is seeing, I have the company of authorities.
I was born in Israel in 1953, 71 years ago. We left Israel for good in 1969 but we lived in Cambridge, England from 1964-1968. My parents could see the direction that Israel was going as early 1955. I feel sad that l was born in a country founded illegally. When l look back at my childhood , I am horrified that Palestinian people were driven out of their homes and that their villages and towns were destroyed and replaced by new construction carried out by the Israeli government.
The big question is what are those of us witnessing and objecting to it to do?
My thoughts: don't vote for anyone whose party is supporting this genocide. Boycott, divest, attend protests buy a keffiyeh from Palestine and wear it.
It's excruciating watching this and seeing our tax dollars supporting this ongoing genocide while western political leaders give us a word salad while sending money and arms to Israel.
The entire Western tradition is monstrous and blood-soaked. Israel is just another manifestation of the supremacist, sadistic sickness that has been a (if not the) central characteristic of the West since the 15th century at least. No one should be in the least surprised at what Europeans (and their diaspora, including the US, Israel and others) are doing. The sooner the US/European/Israeli white supremacist, capitalist, environment-destroying axis is defanged the better. Humanity will not survive otherwise.
"The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters."
That was a difficult read, Jonathan Cook. Perhaps your most powerful polemic. It should be on the front page of every newspaper in Europe and the Americas tomorrow. But we know it won't be.
Yet again you have crafted a masterful article.
I will share with as many as I can.
As one of the replies said; this should be on the front page of every newspaper in the world.
I am an OAP, who retired to Greece pre Brexit, and feel utterly helpless to do anything other than be an 'armchair activist' who is bearing witness to all the atrocities.
Israel will, certainly in my lifetime, be abhorred. The leaders of the western world? Expletives deleted.
Thank you. Please continue keeping us informed.
And we sit in horror watching and waiting for the inevitable. Unable to speak unable to act . It sickens me to my very core , where is the humanity in this are we all lost 😞
The US is a paradigm state, one that other countries see as a model and copy. Israel too, to some extent. If it's okay for them to do these things, who can object to any other country doing them too.
What Israel is doing is not defence. It's not even revenge. It is the worst kind of settler colonialism: clear out the natives and take all the land. They've planned to do it for years. October 7th was the excuse they needed.
If they clear out Gaza, they'll do the same to the West Bank. Then they'll get rid of the "Israeli Arabs," who are nominally Israeli citizens with nominal rights. Who's going to stop them, or even object? Tom Friedman?
Iran is the target...BP wants 'our' oil back.
Maybe the brutality that Israel is using against the Palestinians is meant to desensitize us for the bigger war to come..
Possibly...if so it enraging rather than desensitising.
As an aging pacifist I'm thinking if I met Nut&yahoo I'd drop the paci- and raise the fist.
I am Irish-American Catholic cradle to grave. 4 of my brothers and I served active duty in the US Military; 3 services Navy, Army, Marines. I condemn Israel Zionist terrorism and genocide against Palestinians and Lebanese; as a Catholic, a Christian, American of Irish descent, and as a U.S. military veteran. I am a member of the Catholic Church, AOH and American Legion. It is immoral, unChristian, unjust and evil.
This is an excellent article and analysis of the horror that's being perpetrated in Palestine with the unconditional support of the US and UK. That the mainstream media distort and misrepresent what is happening shames them. That there are still principled and good journalists prepared to report on this atrocity gives us all some hope. I hope humanity prevails, and Israel and it's backers - US and UK governments - end up in the Hague. Thank you Mr Cook for this powerful article. 👏
Jonathan Cook is one of the very rare journalists with any integrity and commitment to truth!
You’ve said it all, Jonathan. Well done. It’s a powerful piece. When a civilization abandons its humanity, loses its moral compass, and crosses every line to silence those who resist, using its strength to mask its ugliness with lies, these are the marks of its fall. Yet, in that darkness, there’s always the sign of a new beginning—a glimmer of hope, a spark of light that hints at the rise of something better, even in the shadow of collapse.
I wish I had your positivity.
I wish I had your positivity.
Text of Etaf Alayan’s comments: https://samidoun.net/2024/09/etaf-alayan-woman-of-valor-for-palestine/
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
“Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought because they were wronged, and indeed, Allah is able to grant them victory.”
Allah the Almighty has spoken the truth.
To the esteemed sisters and brothers present, to the dear and hospitable country of Malaysia, my greetings to you.
Greetings to you, and Um Yusuf is still searching for her curly-haired son.
Greetings to you, and the girl is still searching for her mother, whom she recognizes by her hair among the martyrs.
Greetings to you, and the fighters are still defending their land.
Greetings to you, and a mother in Jenin buries her four martyred sons and is shy in her mourning in front of the catastrophe in Gaza.
Greetings to you, and the nails of the people of the West Bank have been clipped under Oslo, in protection of the settler herds that roam and corrupt our land.
Greetings to you, and the free women of Palestine are still being tortured in prisons but remain unsilenced.
Greetings to you, and the doors of Al-Aqsa are closed to its lovers and devotees, but open to the herds of settlers who desecrate it
Greetings to you, and the rulers of the so-called super powers bury their heads like ostriches, deaf to the truth and seeing only what the occupying entity shows them, repeating its claim of “Israel’s right to defend itself.”
Greetings to you, and the Arab rulers were castrated, with their voice nowhere to be heard.
Greetings to you, and the Islamic countries still do not see their duty towards the land that Allah has blessed and claimed to himself those who defend it, as He said: “We sent against you servants of Ours of great might.”
Greetings to you, and to the living consciences that refused to be like a herd behind their rulers, those shouting no to injustice, and demanding freedom for Palestine. These consciences will be the safety valve to their countries,
for those who cry out against injustice.. are alive.
Greetings to the unity of the fields, the happy Yemen with its decision, the proud Iraq, Iran the supporter, and the great Hezbollah, victorious by the will of Allah.
Greetings to the resistance fighters from all backgrounds in Gaza the proud, Jenin the steadfast, Tulkarem the dignified, Qabatiya the heroic, Nablus the mountain of fire, and to everyone who broke their silence to defend their land and protect their honor.
Despite all the pain and wounds that have afflicted the entire Palestinian body, our cause is not just a humanitarian issue; it is a matter of an occupied homeland, a lost right.
“And Allah is predominant over His affair, but most of the people do not know.”
We trust in Allah’s victory.
Greetings to the wounded Sudan, the injured Syria, and to the Philippines to Vietnam, greetings to all the oppressed peoples from the north to the south of the earth, and from east to west.
Greetings to you, and peace be upon the people of Gaza for their patience. They have indeed been afflicted as Allah said: “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives
and livelihood, but give good tidings to the patient.”
So rejoice, O patient ones, in Allah’s victory.
Greetings to you, and peace be upon you.
The US has become such a force for evil. Its support of Israel, its continued strangulation of Cuba that is resulting in power cuts, endless economic pain, its sanctions on Venezuela that has resulted in conditions similar to an economic depression and then led to masses of people heading north, ironically to the borders of the same country that is causing all the problems. So much for "American values" What are they? They just seem to be "might is right". All these other spineless western leaders afraid to speak out in case it leads to economic pain from an American reaction or being accused of "anti-Semitism" And if Trump gets in? Is that what Netanyahu is waiting for? I am waiting for some kind of just retribution on both the US and Israel.
It seems to me that there are two United States of America: 1/ The 'We, the People' republic; 2/ 'Corporate America', which predates on 'We the People' & is, in fact, as much at war (economic & actual, by means of militarised police) with the people of the USA as it is with the people of Cuba/Venezuela/... Palestine.
Not to forget Haiti, that the bigot/hypocrite Thomas Jefferson, and all his successors up to today, could not allow to stand free as an example to others. (Where do you think the guns for the gangs in Port au Prince, & spreading, come from? With whose money?)
The only parallel that I can see to what Israel is doing now is the wars led by Joshua as described in the Old Testament book of same name. No mercy, no quarter, just total slaughter of the enemy. To the last woman and child. And Bibi Netanyahu openly celebrates Joshua and the massacre of the Amorites. So I'm not exactly seeing something no one else is seeing, I have the company of authorities.
I was born in Israel in 1953, 71 years ago. We left Israel for good in 1969 but we lived in Cambridge, England from 1964-1968. My parents could see the direction that Israel was going as early 1955. I feel sad that l was born in a country founded illegally. When l look back at my childhood , I am horrified that Palestinian people were driven out of their homes and that their villages and towns were destroyed and replaced by new construction carried out by the Israeli government.
The big question is what are those of us witnessing and objecting to it to do?
My thoughts: don't vote for anyone whose party is supporting this genocide. Boycott, divest, attend protests buy a keffiyeh from Palestine and wear it.
It's excruciating watching this and seeing our tax dollars supporting this ongoing genocide while western political leaders give us a word salad while sending money and arms to Israel.
Thanks for this powerful post, Jonathan.
The entire Western tradition is monstrous and blood-soaked. Israel is just another manifestation of the supremacist, sadistic sickness that has been a (if not the) central characteristic of the West since the 15th century at least. No one should be in the least surprised at what Europeans (and their diaspora, including the US, Israel and others) are doing. The sooner the US/European/Israeli white supremacist, capitalist, environment-destroying axis is defanged the better. Humanity will not survive otherwise.
"The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters."
That was a difficult read, Jonathan Cook. Perhaps your most powerful polemic. It should be on the front page of every newspaper in Europe and the Americas tomorrow. But we know it won't be.
Because the monsters are here..
Excellent article! I am sharing it with friends.