Legendary Singer Stevie Wonder Set to Pull Out of Fund-Raising Gig for Israeli Army

For the past week there was a lot of buzz about how disappointed folks were with legendary singer Stevie Wonder when it was announced that he would be doing a special fundraising show for the Israeli military IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) in Los Angeles on December 6th. Many had come to view Wonder as a champion of Human Rights and felt him performing to raise money for Israel’s military of all organizations, was the height of hypocrisy.

For starters there has been a cultural campaign encouraging  artists not to perform in Israel because of the ongoing conflict with Palestine. You can read about that boycott HERE.  Granted Wonder wasn’t performing in Israel, but considering the gist of the cultural boycott is around the use of Israel’s military to oppress Palestinians, many felt Wonder had crossed the line and being insensitive. Word of him performing for IDF really caused upset given the recent bombings that have gone on in Gaza under Operation Pillar where dozens of children were killed.

If that wasn’t enough, recently the social media director of the Israeli Army, Sacha Dratwa took a photograph of himself in blackface, mocking President Obama.. You can read about that HERE

On social media, many raised the questions if Wonder actually knew about the IDF organization and what they stood for or if he was under some sort of pressure to perform. Whatever the case, it didn’t look good as folks from all over the world started to raise a stink and send out petitions. Here’s what the Change.org Petition said:

We call on Stevie Wonder, as a conscientious American advocate for human rights and dignity not to support the Israeli Defense Force by performing at their gala fundraiser. In the face of over 60 years of Israeli colonization of Palestinian land and the disenfranchisement of the Palestinian people and in the wake of Israel’s latest violent aggression against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip– we ask you NOT to support the IDF. The IDF is an institution which promotes, enables, and protects Israel’s Apartheid regime. You were arrested in 1985 protesting South African Apartheid, now we ask you: please remember that apartheid is apartheid, whether it comes from White Afrikaaner settlers of South Africa or from Jewish Israelis in Israel. Desmond Tutu has recognized that Israel’s Apartheid is worse than South Africa’s– will you stand with us against apartheid and cancel your performance at the IDF fundraiser?

Another petition put out by  the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, called on Wonder to  “Please be a ‘full-time lover’ of justice by standing on the right side of history and canceling your performance for the Israeli army.”

Late yesterday, there were news stories running in Jewish based publications like HAARETZ noting that Stevie Wonder is set to pull out of his performance. They note that Wonder’s representatives claim that he did not know the nature of the group, the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, and that he believes such a performance would be incongruent with his status as a UN “Messenger of Peace,”You can read about that HERE

Some may say that Wonder was using his UN position as a weak excuse and that he should’ve taken a firmer stand condemning Israel military and the policies that govern it. Others are happy that he’s pulling out and hopefully will not back track or commit himself to do future fundraisers for IDF.  It’s still a mystery to many of us as to why the IDF feel a need to host a  a fund-raiser for the Israeli Army considering the billions we give to them each  year via our tax dollars in military aid. Israel has the 4th largest army in the world and gets on average 3 billions dollars a year from the US. You can read about that HERE.

With Wonder pulling out, former Green Party VP candidate and activist Rosa Clemente raised a more challenging question. She released this statement via social media last night; “….all of you complaining about Stevie (Wonder) and asking about signing petitions, are you still rolling with the Obama Democratic administration that actually funds and supports Israel? I mean it’s not like he (Wonder) is making or implementing policy.”

Holding our public officials and the policies they support is where the real battle ground is..Stevie Wonder pulling out hasn’t changed our policies yet.. More pressure is needed.. In the meantime, here’s a song that was done in protest of Stevie Wonder’s initial decision to perform for the IDF. It’s done by a Palestinian singer known as Doc Jazz..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kR99M75T6A

Our HKR Roundtable on Gaza & the Importance of Freeing Palestine from Colonial Control By Israel

Yesterday we hosted an incredible round table with front line activists and journalist who have held it down for Palestine. We discussed everything from history in the region to mainstream media framing to the importance of connecting dots with struggles to end oppression and colonial rule world-wide.  Our guest included; Dr Hatem Bazian a popular professor who teaches Islamic Law and Society at UC Berkeley and also teaches Religious studies at St Mary’s College. He gave some keen historical insight about Gaza and the rest of the region as well as a history in way certain narratives have been shaped by corporate backed interests to describe what is taking place. We talked at length about living in what some call an Information Age where an end goal for imperial powers is to keep a narrative aflota that renders oppressors as victims and victims as oppressors. Batem spoke at length about why we should never forget that Palestine is a colonized state, with Israel and the US dominating and controlling all aspects of her existence.  He explained why many have come to overlook this dynamic.  You can peep our one on one w/ Dr Bazian by clicking the link below..

On the second part of our show we had a round table discussion with seasoned journalist Nora Barrows Friedman of the Electronic Intifada who talked about the work she’s done over the years both here in the states an in the Middle East in terms of covering this decades old struggle. She talked about how many mainstream journalist are embedded  with Israel and its army when covering conflicts which results in a lopsided perspective as to whats happening. She gave us some important insight about issues not being addressed in the media.

Nora also talked about the climate of fear being pushed by pro-Israel lobbyists groups who have attempted to equate criticism of Israel as being anti-semitic. She also talked about how many professors of college campuses have found themselves under the gun for speaking out against Israel or upholding a Palestinian point of view.

Ziad Abbas

Our other guest was Ziad Abbas, who is the  Associate Director, of Middle East Children’s Alliance. He is a Palestinian refugee from Dheisheh Refugee Camp in the West Bank. He is the co-founder of the Ibdaa Cultural Center in Dheisheh. Ziad is also a journalist who has worked with Palestinian and international media and has participated in the production of several documentary films.  During our discussion he built upon much of what Hatem had spoken about earlier.

He also gave his own personal accounts into some of the challenges facing Palestinians. He talked about the history of attacks on journalist and talked at length how he and his colleagues have found themselves locked up in Israeli prisons for being bold journalists.  Abbas gave us some rich history about shared struggled and connections made with the Palestinian push to end the occupation and other freedom struggles around the world.

Lara Kiswani

Our last guest was Lara Kiswani of the Arab Cultural and Organizing Center. She talked about whether or not there was a generation gap in terms of of those desiring peace and those holding on to tradition and age old grudges. She spoke at length explaining that she didn’t see a generation gap in terms of those who uphold oppressive ideals. She did speak about how many in her generation were very good at building coalitions and linking up with folks from other struggles.

She talked about how globalization has led to many all over the planet seeing themselves in the cross hairs of power elites who have formed their own cliques. She also talked about how urban police forces including our own embattled police force here in Oakland, Ca have actually gone to Israel to get trained. This has not been a good thing as the end result has been increased domestic spying, unfair racial profiling and a heightened perception that sees Muslims and Middle Easterners as enemies who need to be contained.

Click the link below to listen to the pt2 of our Middle East roundtable..

Some Thoughts to Consider on Helen Thomas & the Penalty for Criticising Israel

Thoughts on Helen Thomas

The other week we saw Israeli commandos board a ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza while still in International waters. The end result was hundreds arrested and detained. Many were brutality beaten and 11 were shot dead. The world screamed in outrage as Israel went into spin mode and started having everyone from its ambassador on down to its de-facto pundits within mainstream media craft stories that suggested the people who were on board the ship where folks were killed, were attached to some sort of terrorist organization.

Actually, lemme back up a sec, cause that’s the latest spin. The initial spin was when the Israeli commandos boarded the ship they were facing an ‘armed militia’ which caused them to shoot. The only problem was no weapons were found. This led to Israel changing up again. This time they said they switched the story and said the folks on the ship came at them with metal pipes, rushed them and made them fearful for their lives hence 11 people had to be killed including an American citizen..

Now, I’m not no military expert, but since my tax dollars pay for many of the weapons and high-end training used by our good friend in the Middle East (Israel), I would venture to say, that those commandos knew exactly what was going on. If they didn’t then our money is being wasted. I find it hard to believe that an army with ‘superior’ intel capabilities and precision training stormed a ship and were caught off guard by these ‘humanitarian activists turned terrorists’. I find it hard to believe this uber trained military outfit didn’t have undercover operatives amongst the flotillas to convey information that would allow for a smoother take down..

If we use our common sense we’d note that many of the folks aboard the flotillas included nobel laureates, professors and seasoned peace activists. It seems pretty far-fetched to think they would be consorting with terrorists, knowing that it would kill their credibility in the court of world opinion in addition to putting them in danger. These humanitarian workers have been well aware of Israel’s military might and would not try to go against them. The flotilla people have long been and continued to act in the long tradition of civil disobedience. Part of that tradition means acting non-violently to maintain a moral high ground. To suggest these folks were doing otherwise, even if its the Israeli ambassador spouting the story is in insult to our intelligence. The bottom line is Israel messed up and has been in spin mode ever since..Part of their defense is to use allies and friends in media and government to come down hard on anyone speaking against them. Folks are quickly labeled anti-semitic and black-balled from influential circles if possible. In short Israel can do no wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlElXOJV4CA&feature=player_embedded

Such was the case with longtime White House correspondent Helen Thomas who was caught on tape responding to a question..’Do you have anything you would like to say to Israel’? Thomas responded ‘Yes-Get the Hell out of Palestine‘… She then noted that Palestine was occupied land. When pressed as to where they should go, Thomas retorted, They should go back home to Germany, Poland and the United States. The outcry against Thomas calling for her ouster was deafening with former Bush press secretary Ari Fleisher leading the charge and everyone from Obama’s press secretary Robert Gibbs to no-name schleprocks dragged up and placed on talk shows, joining the chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQcQdWBqt14

The amount of anger that was directed at Thomas was overkill. First and foremost her remarks have a political context which could and is debated. When I heard her remarks I immediately thought of the new Israeli settlements that have caused lots of uproar and been heavily criticized. If Israel as was stated by Ambassador Michael Oren will have peace when we have a two states, than Thomas wasn’t off base when she said ‘get out of Palestine’. Sure her blutness ruffled feathers, but really when you consider what folks like Minister Pat Roberston and actor Mel Gibson, the late Reverend Jerry Falwall and numerous others have said about Israel, Thomas’ remarks are no where in the ballpark. What really angered her detractors was her stature. She gives a boost to a POV that has long been silenced here in the US while vigoriously debated elsehwere including in Israel.

Seems like the Zionist lobby wanted to send a strong signal by being relentless with their shut down of Thomas. Don’t speak ill of Israel. Don’t oppose Israel and don’t you dare give credibility to any POV or argument Zionist find problematic. This has long been a tactic used especially when Israeli policy was dead wrong.i.e Their support of Apartheid, South Africa or in recent days the tactic Zionist supporters of Israel used to intimidate including threats to blacklist UC Berkeley student Senators who voted to divest student funds from Israel.

Real News Network CEO Paul Jay wrote an insighful essay folks should peep that addresses this issue called ‘In defense of Helen Thomas on Apologizing top Apologist’. We also had a discussion on the topic which I am also including…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0UVJ35L2EU