(more…)

Boycott Indigo and Chapters Bookstores in Canada

KabobFest

NOW Magazine in Toronto reports that Palestine solidarity activists from the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid have launched a boycott campaign against the chain of Indigo and Chapters bookstores, Canada’s largest bookseller. Its owners run a scholarship fund for Israeli soldiers without family in Israel — in other words, Zionuts who travel to Israel just to fight for the Zionut vision of an exclusive ethno-religious state that suppresses and dispossesses the native Palestinians. Which is, in a word, racist.

On Thursday May 10, activists from the CAIA confronted Heather Reisman (left), majority owner of Chapters and Indigo bookstores at a book signing for Ralph Nader’s new book, The Seventeen Traditions. Nader, being the stud he is, asked for a “tip of the hat” to Israeli reservists who have refused to serve, Reisman departed, leaving her guest alone at the front the crowd. Of course, the mob of justifiably angry activists did not let him finish his response, which was unfortunate.

When in the question and answer period, CAIA activists questioned Reisman about her support for the Heseg Foundation for Lone Soldiers, a program of financial support for former ‘lone soldiers’ in the Israeli military, Reisman refused to “engage in a debate” and instead, shut down the event and walked out (watch a short video of the action by clicking here). (more…)

Eyewitness to an Act of War… A US Air Force Intelligence Officer Speaks with AFP About the USS Liberty

By Mark Glenn

The outrage in his voice was made all the more striking by his New England accent and Yankee assertiveness that long ago brought about the American Revolution. ‘I couldn’t believe it…One minute, nothing, and then the next minute they were attacking our ship in broad daylight…We had no warning that it was coming, and then ‘boom,’ there it was, and our guys were being slaughtered.’

Like hundreds of other individuals who have particular stories to tell concerning their actions and whereabouts on June 8th 1967 when the USS Liberty was attacked by the air and naval forces of Israel, Capt. Richard Block’s testimony is noteworthy, but in some respects much more important than others. At that time, he was in command of the 6931st Security Group of the USAF Security Services stationed on the island of Crete where his job was to act as the eyes and ears of the US intelligence community. What he and the others under his command heard that day obliterates the lie that has been foisted upon the people of the United States for the last 40 years that the attack was all the result of ‘mistaken identity’ and proves beyond any reasonable doubt that it was a deliberate and premeditated act of war.

‘We were getting the translations in real-time’ he said, speaking of the air-to-air and air-to-ground communications taking place between the pilots and C&C (command and control) on the ground in Israel. ‘They knew it was an American ship. We heard it with our own ears, several times. The story they have told for the last 40 yrs about the Liberty being mistaken for another ship is complete bull****.’ (more…)