.png)
Lebanon-Deconstructing the Lies-Hip Hop Speaks
Lebanon-Deconstructing the Lies-Hip Hop Speaks
It’s good to see Hip Hop artists and activists alike taking a stand and offering keen insight into the situation in Lebanon. Last week we heard from Lebanese Rapper Clotaire K who is shown holding the sign.
We also heard from Cali producer Fredwreck who gave an incredible breakdown of the situation. odeo.com/audio/1567601/view
During the Hip Hop Political Convention in Chicago an Amendment was put before the body regarding the Middle East Crisis. Part of what was proposed that the US follow International Law as well as its own laws with regards to how weapons provided to another country (Israel) will and WILL NOT BE used on civilian populations.
Our country’s refusal to call for a ceasefire is unbelievable especially when you keep in mind that many of the same players in Bush’s innercircle who have influence in this conflict including our Vice President Dick Cheney stood proudly and firmly AGAINST the armed struggle waged by the Nelson Mandella’sAfrican National Congress during South Africa’s Apartheid Regime. We should also never forget that Israel’s government during that horrible time, freely sold weapons and gave that wicked white Apartheid Government nuclear capabilities. This was inspite of the worldwide economic boycott and sanctions against South Africa.
This week long time B-girl and activist Mona Ibrahim aka Dragon Lion comes through and kicks the science on this situation. Her background and understanding of this situation is deep. Some of these talk shows need to reach out to Fred, Clotaire and Mona to be a part of those roundtable discussions to offer up fresh new takes on things..
LEBANON: DECONSTRUCTING THE LIESby Mona Ibrahim aka Dragon Lion
I don’t even know where to begin. So much to say. Though what Israel is doing is absolutely horrifying, it is by no means surprising. In fact, it is completely in line with the unjust nature in which Israel has conducted itself since its colonialist inception. It is completely in line with the nature of an apartheid imperialist country such as Israel. Let us not forget Israel’s history of oppression. This is just one of many examples of that. For those who don’t know or those who need a reminder you can check this link, www.dying2live.com/did_you_know.htm
And to see a listing of some of the over 70 plus United Nations Security Council Resolutions violated by Israel, the most UN resolution violations by any country in the world, you can check this link: www.doublestandards.org/unres.html
Now on to the media. It is torturous to listen to mainstream American media as it is so absolutely twisted. I cannot even count the number of times that I have heard so called “educated” commentators from various political and social backgrounds insist, “Israel has a right to defend itself.” Hmmmmm……let us rewind back to the so called beginning of the current assault on Lebanon. Two Israeli soldiers are kidnapped by Hizballah and this means Israel has the right to inflict mass punishment upon the entire country of Lebanon? Hmmm….does not sound very rational to me. In fact, it is a brazen violation of international law (look up Geneva Convention IV, Article 33).
Lebanon is NOT Hizballah. Hizballah holds power in the South of Lebanon and yet all of Lebanon is being punished for the actions of Hizballah. Two Israeli soldiers are kidnapped and that justifies the killing of over 600 Lebanese civilians, many of them children, the destruction of Lebanon’s civilian infrastructure, and the displacement of half a million Lebanese people? To say this is brutally disproportionate and horrifically unjust is a gross understatement. So how can these so called “educated” commentators justify such blatant, austere injustice?
As Irish Labour Party President and spokesman on foreign affairs Michael D. Higgins TD states,”The response of Israel, supported by the most powerful country in the world [the US], is outrageous both in terms of the killing and injuring of civilians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, which is occurring in such fashion as to even make impossible the delivery of humanitarian relief by the United Nations and its agencies. Such destruction is something which should not surprise the international community. Israel has followed this policy for decades in Gaza and the occupied territories of the West Bank. At the heart of the policy lies the principle of collective punishment of civilians, the denial of human rights and the destruction of a way of life. In full knowledge of this, the European Union has remained silent, refusing to implement the human rights clauses of its own agreement with Israel despite being called on by the European Parliament to do so.”
I would like to now take the time to quote Israeli military leaders to highlight their brash cowboy mentality: Maj. Gen. Udi Adam, head of Israel’s Northern Command, said, “This affair is between Israel and the state of Lebanon. Where to attack? Once it is inside Lebanon, everything is legitimate — not just southern Lebanon, not just the line of Hizballah posts.” Israel’s chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz, told Israel’s Channel 10, “If the soldiers are not returned, we will turn Lebanon’s clock back 20 years.” No further comment on this as their very own words speak volumes…
I must say now that I personally do not believe that Hizballah is a terrorist organization; in my eyes they are a legitimate resistance group, but regardless of whether one believes that Hizballah is a terrorist organization or not, there is still no justification for the destruction of an entire country based on one group. What about the right of an oppressed and occupied people to stand up and defend themselves? Let me say that again because it seems the mainstream media cannot seem to grasp this very basic human right–What about the right of an oppressed and occupied people to stand up and defend themselves?
How many people truly know the origins of Hizballah? Hizballah was formed in 1982 in response to Israel’s brutal invasions, yes invasions, plural, and occupation of Lebanon. How quickly people forget. Over 20,000 Lebanese were killed during this occupation. And what about the massacres at the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatilla for which the Belgian International Courts sought to prosecute former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide as he was the Israeli Defense Minister at the time of the Sabra/Shatilla massacres in 1982 and largely responsible for the massacres. Yet people want to throw around the word “terrorism” so selectively. For the most part when oppressed people (most often people of color) are defending themselves against colonialist, occupying forces, they are almost always dubbed “terrorists.” Yet the pernicious actions of an oppressive, colonialist, occupying force are self defense? Even an idiot can see that this makes no sense. It really is ridiculous yet sadly many people buy into this egregious distortion of truth.
Another misconception I would like to address here that has been circulated in the media is that Hizballah started this and there was no provocation from Israel. That is the most asinine, unintelligent, overly simplistic BULLSHIT. Israel’s partial withdrawal from Southern Lebanon in May of 2000 was not the end of its occupation of the region. Israel has continued to violate Lebanon’s sovereignty long after 2000. Let us not forget that the Shebaa Farms region is still occupied by Israel and many Lebanese political prisoners still linger in Israeli jails many of whom have been denied a trial. To this day, Israel still refuses to provide to Lebanon, through the UN, a list of the 400,000 landmines Israel planted during its occupation of the region.
Thus, Hizballah has very legitimate beef with Israel, meaning Israeli military is fair game considering that it is in fact the Israeli military facilitating Lebanon’s occupation, violation of human rights etc. Hizballah’s attack on Israeli soldiers and kidnapping of two of those soldiers is not a terrorist act as they were attacking military not civilians–an occupied region kidnapping military from the occupying force is not a terrorist act–take the time to examine international law if you don’t believe me. Richard A. Falk, Professor Emeritus of International Law and Practice at Princeton University and Honorary Vice President of the the Society of American International Law said in response to Israeli soldiers being kidnapped by Palestinians in Gaza: “An Israeli soldier is part of the Israeli military capability, and I think given the whole context of a belligerent occupation that has not abided by international law, that has not followed the resolutions of the United Nations, that has not abided by the Geneva conventions, that this has to be viewed as an act of war and that it is in the context of what Israel itself regards as a relationship of war. My best judgment…is that it is not intrinsically a violation of international law. If he¹s subject to torture or is executed while in captivity, that would be a violation of international law. But to capture a soldier is not in itself in violation of international law in this context.” I believe Falk’s assessment can be extrapolated to the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers by Hizballah as Lebanon too has been a victim of Israeli occupation.
So now let’s examine the grotesque double standards perpetuated in mainstream media. First let me make very clear that I do not advocate the murder of innocent civilians whether by Hizballah or Israel. Now onto hypocritical media: Hizballah bombs Israel in response to Israel’s bombing of Lebanon and kills some innocent Israeli civilians and they are “inhumane monsters” according to the media yet Israel kills almost 20 times that number of Lebanese civilians and they are merely asserting their right to defend themselves against Hizballah, a group that was formed in reaction to Israel’s occupation and oppression of the Lebanese people. This makes no damn sense. So why are people believing such flagrant lies spewed by an ignorant media clearly pushing a very specific agenda.
This same double standard has historically been used by colonialist, imperialist nations to demonize legitimate resistance movements across the globe. Remember the Mau Mau’s in Kenya who fought against the malicious occupation of their land by the British, the FLN in Algeria that fought the violent French colonization of their land, Nat Turner and the Maroons who resisted the holocaust of slavery; they too were all dubbed “terrorists” when they were merely defending their basic human rights of self determination, sovereignty, and freedom. The same unwarranted label of “terrorist” has been placed on legitimate resistance groups that fought colonialist, imperialist powers throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. And look at mainstream media’s portrayal of Northern Ireland in their struggle against the British occupation–instead of recognizing their right to resist an occupying force, the mainstream media dub resistance groups in Northern Ireland as “terrorists.” The list of such audacious examples of double standards goes on and on…
Israel’s actions against Lebanon are not merely about the two kidnapped soldiers; the kidnapping of the soldiers was a convenient trigger for them to proceed with a strategic plan they have had in mind for a long time. Things are not simplistic. Please take the time to read alternative forms of media. Educate yourselves. The US and Israel love to bring up international law when it benefits them but they throw international law out the window in their own policies towards the rest of the world. This is deplorable to say the least. As Irish Labour Party President Michael D. Higgins TD wrote, “The refusal of the US to agree to talks with Syria, or to an immediate ceasefire, is reprehensible. Its policy in supporting the continuing loss of life and destruction of civilian infrastructure in Lebanon by Israel as a collective punishment of the Lebanese people for having Hizballah in their midst is such a breach of international law as merits bringing it before the international courts.”
But of course the US and Israeli governments, as proven by their history, think and act as if they are above international law. And the world is sitting idly by and allowing it. No more…WE MUST ACT…
To read all of Michael D. Higgins TD article,”Is this the Beginning of the End of International Law?” click here: www.medialens.org/board/
In Solidarity and Struggle,
Mona Ibrahim
Comments