But even if she was right, pop music shows that there is no decrease in animosity towards Israel in Egypt.

Mubarak exited the stage few months ago.  The music from Egypt that we are seeing is a lot bolder than Mona would like to admit. A number of songs released in the past few months had harsh words for Israel, marking this country as Egypt’s enemy. This is bad news for Mona who seems to be alone in her arguments about how welcoming the Egyptians are of Israel–they are not. Just because Ms. Eltahawy lived in Israel does not make her an authority on how the people of Egypt feel about the country.

But do not take it from me. Take it from the Egyptian entertainers who tell it as it is, appealing to popular currents in Egypt. I hope Mona and her supporters take note. Pop culture is the best indicator of the pulse of the street. It does not come from a vacuum, like opportunistic voices for hire. Such voices cannot just and go invent another reality that will advance their careers and open Israel-loving doors for them.

Here is some music “moderate” Arabs need to put on their iTunes:

Mohammad Roshdy اغنية محمد رشيدى – رسالة الى اسرائيل

This is an A list singer that does mostly romantic songs, but when it comes to Israel he offers no love.

The lyrics go something like this:

“We have a message to deliver to you! We came to remind you of Sinai and the war that has revealed who’s the coward, we are the Arab youth, and we will liberate Palestine”

Ana Ya Israel “Asmy Masr”- Hamza Namira | أنا.. يا إسرائيل – حمزة نمرة

This is the hottest Independent Egyptian singer who is actually making real music and has released one of the best selling albums in Egypt’s history. He has the busiest concert schedule compared to any other singer. See toward the end of the song as Hamza performs it live, the crowd goes wild.

The lyrics:

Israel, I am not a government or regime, nor I am not a king with bodyguards!, I am an ancient word as old as civilization. Israel, my son was killed when the meaning of peace was lost! The dead are alive in their places in Hebron, Bethlehem, and Lebanon! I have the greatest name, my name is Egypt!

3enwany – Sodfa Band – ZAP Tharwat – Mohamed Suwaid – Kazaz – عنواني

The all dude band Sodfa with household names like ZAP Thawarwat and Mohamed Suaid, the power duo that records a number of soundtracks for popular shows on Egypt’s TV. This is a powerful clip where the Palestine flag can be seen throughout this clip.

The lyrics go like this:
Forgive me Jerusalem! Palestine is my address. I see Saladin standing at your gates with his troops, bringing down those walls, millions of revolutions. We took what’s ours. March for liberty”

Finally to me those songs are not about hate or violence, they are about justice. Justice shouldn’t offend people, if offends you, then you might be doing something wrong to begin with.

Say what you say about teen idol Justin Bieber, but he has more back bone than Shakira does and he has bigger brains too.

Shakira, the Lebanese Colombian singer went to Israel despite calls for her to cancel her appearance in that country.

Shakira was the guest of Israel President Shimon Peres who got the job because the guy before him raped too many women. Peres himself has a despicable record.

If Shakira was Lebanese or had any link to Lebanon, she would know that this guy wearing a suit taking picture with her, is a cold blooded murder who killed hundreds of Lebanese children in the Qana Massacre when he bombed the hell out of the shelter. But that was 1996 when Shakira was keeping it real then by making music she felt in her heart of hearts.

Shakira went there as a UNICEF ambassador, yet met with Peres, the same guy who bombed a UN compound where hundreds of unassuming civilians were killed and injured. I bet Shakira knew that, but went to Israel anyway. Shakira did not forget to visit schools in Israel, but had no backbone to bring up the subject of  how Israel bans thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem from getting an eduction. Maybe the starlet needs to get an education herself.

And for Israelis, they must be excited it as they now been officially recognized as a country by the Hips Don’t Lie lady. On another note, with this visit Shakira seems to have answered her own question in her earlier hit song “Dónde Están los Ladrones” -Where Are the Thieves?- because she found a place that was founded by ladrones.

Click  here to see her video with brother Shimon Peres

You once said that you have standards, that there are certain individuals you would not have on your show as guests (in reference to Novak for revealing the identity of a CIA agent), but I think over the years your standards have been diminishing. February 23, 2011, the day you had Donald Rumsfeld on your show (see video), a man much worse than Novak, was perhaps your lowest point since the beginning of you hosting the Daily Show.

What was the point of having him on? To promote his book? To promote your show? We both know your show does not need promoting, unless of course you keep nauseating your audience by shaking hands with men wanted for crimes against humanity.

You thought you could nail him with your wits? Did you think you could corner him into apologizing or expressing regret, or confessing to his war crimes? From your choice of questions, you certainly did not express any such attempt. You didn’t even prepare any of his quotes handy to hit back whenever he felt the usual urge to contradict facts. And worst of all, you kept reiterating that you did not question anyone’s honor or integrity, in reference to George Tenet, Collin Powell, and George Bush, all of whom have a lot of blood on their hands. Who knows, maybe you do find them honorable, and perhaps you do have respect and confidence in your government. However, your satire on every single show conveys a very different set of sentiments that most of your viewers share. You certainly showed all of us what you’re really made of on CNN’s crossfire.

The next time you wanna get up someone like Rumsfeld on the show, and shake his hand, you better have handcuffs in your other hand. You should have citizen-arrested him right in front of everyone; cuffed him to the chair, dialed 911, and called in the cops to come pick him up from your studio. And while we all waited for the cops to show up, you could then have your short interview, where you get him to respond to your list of facts.

If that’s not your style, then I recommend you go the Iraqi way — take off your shoes and throw them at his face, one at a time, right after you tell him: “This is from the American people and the free people of the world.”

We caught up with Khaled M, a Chicago based Libyan American rapper whose own father Fathi had a run with the Libyan dictator regime who imprisoned him and torture him for five years. And when the then young man found a home in America, there were assassins. Khaled M came from Chicago few days ago and has been taken part of protests in front of the White House since he arrived to the nation’s capital.  Khaled and his country men and women have been organizing for years, but now their moment has arrived and they need your voice. You cannot see this bloodshed and brutality and be silent because your very silence is what the evil man banks on.

Here are some videos and footage from the protest and call to action by Khaled M.

January 2, 2011

When you do not distinguish between combatants and unarmed civilians during war, then you deserve to be named a “terrorist.” It makes no difference what your religion is! Yes, even if you are Jewish!

That is exactly what happened thousands of miles away and two days before last Christmas, when Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian shepherd in the back and injured two others. A 14 year old suffered a serious head injury and another 19 year old was injured in his hand.

The shooting took place in the Northern part of Gaza near the town of Beit Lahia. Israel considered the area a war zone, Palestinians called it home.

An Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed the shooting, adding “The soldiers fired warning shot and aimed at the lower body.” Not only was that unprovoked and cold blooded murder, but rather a naked lie by the Israeli spin machine.

It took a quick search on the story to find out what the so-called “most moral army” actually did to the 22 year old Palestinian shepherd, Salamah Abu Hashish. My search reveals shocking and inhumane details. After the Palestinian medics arrived at the scene, they were denied permission by the Israeli soldiers to aid or remove the victims.

A nearby metal scraper was able to move Abu Hashish on the back of his donkey into the Kamal Udwan Hospital in Gaza where he died. Hospital officials said, one bullet went through his kidney.

The sad truth is: Abu Hashish’s wife gave birth to their first child the night before, and the couple have not even chosen a name to their child.

He was the 13th Gazan to be killed by Israeli soldiers since last November and the 35 to suffer injuries near the border.

The shooting was condemned by Robert Serry, the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process. Mr. Serry urged Israel to show “maximum restriant,” andding “I am distressed that incidents such as these continue in the perimeter area of Gaza, and deplore the killing of one apparently unarmed Palestinian civilian and the injuring of a number of others, by Israel.”

Despite the UN official appeal, 48 hours later, Israeli troops once again shot a 26-year-old Gaza fisherman twice, once in each foot. He was identified as AZ, and his injures were described by Palestinian medical officials as light. Now you have a young lady who suddenly became a widow, with an orphan to care for and whose child will never know his/her father, a 14 year old boy with his life in the balance and a disabled fisherman who will no longer be able to stand on his feet or help feed his family. If these stories do not make you sick to your stomach, you are not a normal person.

Keep in mind, Israel was able and continues to commit these crimes with our tax-dollars and our government’s total silence. Israel knows exactly who butters her bread! Just when your children abuse their spending money, you will certainly lecture them about how to be responsible and act wisely. Not US officials, who fear Israel more than they fear death itself.

It is therefore vital that readers who are incensed by the aforementioned atrocities by Israeli soldiers against unarmed Palestinians to express their concern to the embassy of Israel at our national capitol via email at info@washington.mfa.gov.il or by telephone:202-364-5500

Israel should cease its war crimes against Palestinians, obey the rules that the rest of the world’s civilized nations follow and end the illegal and inhumane siege of Gaza.

Mahmoud El-Yousseph

Retired USAF Veteran

Feedback: elyousseph6@yahoo.com

IDF admits doctoring audio of raid on Gaza flotilla

The IDF’s latest version of the audio is actually the third version the military organization has released. Its first audio version of the incident, a one-minute clip released the day of the raid, did not include any of the controversial comments — no voices can be heard saying “Go back to Auschwitz” or “remember 9/11.”

I am still waiting for the mix-tape version and you know it will be coming soon and that doesn’t take a genius,

Read Here

Texas senator defends Israel over killing of US activist

“We don’t know all the circumstances yet,” Cornyn replied. “But it appears to be a premeditated provocation of Israel and an attempt to run the blockade that’s existed since Hamas took over Gaza.”

Cannot Texas separate already from the rest of America? Cornyn does not all the circumstances, but that does not stop him from endorsing the killing of American citizens by “friends”.

Read Here

Doctors group says Bush Administration conducted medical experiments on detainees

The report states that, “Medical personnel were required to monitor all waterboarding practices and collect detailed medical information that was used to design, develop and deploy subsequent waterboarding procedures.”

That’s what you get with a free health care,

Read Here

Iran Red Crescent to send two aid ships to Gaza

“One ship will carry donations made by the people and the other will carry relief workers. The ships will be sent to Gaza by end of this week,” Adibzadeh said.

He said the Red Crescent has called for Iranian volunteers to act as relief workers and accompany the vessels.

“Volunteers who want to go to Gaza and help the oppressed people of occupied Palestine can refer to the Red Crescent website and register,” Adibzadeh said.

If a moderate Muslim country like Turkey cannot help Gazans, the conservatives might pull it off. The Israelis won’t use paintball guns,  to deter the Iranians the Israelis will use bubble gum balls this time. I hope Justin Bieber goes on the Iranian ship.

Read here

Feds arrest analyst who allegedly exposed US Army killing of civilians

Federal officials have arrested a 22-year-old intelligence analyst who they accuse of leaking classified materials to the web site Wikileaks.org, which released video showing the US military killing innocent civilians in Iraq.

I hope no one asks the State Department employees who work to promote more open and free press in other countries, now they might need a local initiative now.

Read here

US used cluster bombs on Yemen civilians: Amnesty

A US cruise missile carrying cluster bombs was behind a December attack in Yemen that killed 55 people, most of them civilians, Amnesty International (AI) said on Monday.

I am guessing those kind of guns worked too well for Israel in Gaza and Lebanon, the people of Yemen had to sample them as well by a different dealer.

Read Here

Egypt: Gaza blockade a failure, border stays open

An Egyptian security official declared the blockade of Gaza a failure Monday and said his country will keep its border with the Palestinian territory open indefinitely.

Keeping that crossing point open long term would seriously undercut Israel’s efforts to isolate and punish Gaza’s Hamas rulers and give the Palestinians back a crucial link to the outside the world.

صباح الخير في الليل President Mubarak Should have had surgery a long time ago. I am guessing he is refusing to be outdone by the Turkish government. It’s a matter of time till Vice President Biden makes him an offer he cannot refuse.

Read here

Israeli Soldiers prevented his brother and father from extending their hands to him

The Israeli Criminal Army has imprisoned 12-year old Alhassan Muhtasib of Hebron for the past 9 days. Alhassan, was arrested with his younger brother, Alameer, 7, who was severely beaten by the barbaric forces for suspicion they threw stones.

While the younger Muhtasib was located by his family on day one at an Israeli Army base, the older was moved three different times to different settlements and army prisons. His bail was set too high for the family living under military occupation to come up with, and as such, the kid remained in jail.

Until today; he appeared in court in front of a military judge who agreed to release him ‘on bail’ sort of speak. Basically forcing his father to sign an affidavit assuming “responsibility” for the kid’s appearance at his next court date… this could mean Father’s arrest, or family home’s demolition, or a whole host of other collective punishment actions that Israel has mastered.

This is how Israelis do

The Palestinian Prisoners Society has assembled a team of ten lawyers to defend the 12-year old from the Israeli “Justice System.”

Hassan’s older brother, Rashid, extended his hand to his brother, but was restrained by Israeli police. The father also was prevented from holding his son, and a heated argument followed with Israeli forces.

The child told attendees that he was not afraid to stand trial before the military court.

On Wednesday, Hassan’s detention was extended, with his father commenting, “My child was brought to court with both his hands and feet cuffed. He was very scared of the many soldiers around him. It is ironic that the judge extended his detention until Sunday until an indictment is issued against him,” he said.

He sure looks composed and proud in those court pictures, But his mother relayed a different story, she spoke of her son being terrified of the uniformed, armed soldiers who had beaten him along with his younger brother, and that he had wetted his pants.

May be no one told him the monster-like soldiers were the ‘world’s most ethical army’ and as such, he had no reason to fear them.

It's a pattern, not an isolated incident

By Mahmoud El-Yousseph
February 23, 2010

Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon face a very uncertain future. They deserve better. When Palestinians were kicked out of their homeland at gun point in 1948, some found a safe haven in Lebanon, where they were received with an open arms. Lebanese provided them shelters, food and other life essentials years before the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) took over. For that I am grateful, because I was born in one those 12 refugee camps 59 years ago.

Over six decades later, these refugees who constitute 17% of the total Palestinian population, continue to live in camps awaiting the right of return to their original homeland in Palestine. Until then, they have nowhere to go. Since most of the 450,000 refugees currently living in Lebanon (ten percent of Lebanon’s population) were born and raised there, why not grant them the basic civil rights enjoyed by their Lebanese counterparts and the rest of the world? With that I mean give them the right to work, own property and the right to medical benefits and social services.

Nawal Assadi is a young Palestinian writer who lives in Lebanon and writes extensively about the suffering of the refugees. In one of her articles she mentioned the story of Salah, who is a father of six children and unable to work for a medical reason. He relies on fishing to provide for his family, but that only nets him enough income for one meal per day to feed eight people. And if he is caught fishing, he has to pay a $1000 dollars fine.

Miss Assadi also met a family who lives only on deep fried potatoes [French Fries], never tasted fruits, and fresh vegetables are not part of their diet. Another heartwrenching story is about an elderly Palestinian living in a camp near Beirut who has to rely on the good will of others to survive and has no clue where her next meal is coming from.

Another heartbreaking story of mistreatment happened several years ago when a Lebanese-born Palestinian refugee was was refused entry at Beirut airport because of some trumped-up problem with his documents by Lebanese authorities; he could see his mother through the glass partition but had to turn back to Bahrain without being able to visit.

Late last year, my niece Nadia’s husband Mohammad, who works at a dairy processing factory, was picked up at a checkpoint as a result of mistaken identity. His family was forced to pay 2000 dollars in legal fees to prove his innocence. He was kept in jail for nearly 5 months. He is a father of five and the only bread winner. Mohammad told his wife who visited him weekly not to bring his children along, as he did not want them to see him behind bars. As a condition of his release, his wife has to come up with $1000 bond, which she had to borrow. Talk about coercion and embezzlement!

Generally speaking, Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon are not much better off than their counterparts living under Israeli occupation in the West Bank or under siege in Gaza. Their life is a sad chapter full of sorrow. They are denied basic civil and human rights and their movement is restricted. In fact, they are caged inside the twelve camps like animals with armed guards at the gate.

American researcher Franklin Lamb, along with several non-governmental organizations are trying to generate awareness and pressure Lebanon to grant Palestinian refugees their basic civil rights. Mr. Lamb, a leading expert on the Palestinian issue, recently published a letter arguing for the need such rights. After all, the U.S. government has given the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) a written guarantee in 1982 that Palestinian civilian refugees in Lebanon would be protected if they withdrew their fighters from Beirut following the Israeli siege of the Lebanese capital.

No one puts more smiles on the faces of Palestinian children in Lebanon and in other refugee camps throughout the Middle East than Susan Abulhawa. Abulhawa, who is a resident of Philadelphia, is the founder of Playground for Palestine. For the last serveral years, she has been busy building playgrounds in every Palestinian refugee camp. Abulhawa is the author of the book,The Scar of David.

As of late January, a three-member team of volunteers sent from the USA by the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (www.pcrf.net) visited Lebanon to provide hundreds of Palestinian refugees highly specialized wheelchairs at no cost that were otherwise not available to them locally. The chairs were shipped by the PCRF in cooperation with ANERA and Hope Haven International Ministries, both of which the PCRF has partnered with in the past to help handicapped children in the Middle East. The team included Greg Skolaski, Tom Glumac and his son Michael, all three of whom have worked with the PCRF in the past in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Syria. Throughout the country the PCRF cooperated with several Palestinian and international NGOs to ensure that each person got the proper chair to fit their needs.

Finally, the aforementioned stories of abuse and mistreatment of Palestinians are used by Zionists to counter critics of Israeli policies. For instance, how can the government of Lebanon or Egypt demand Israel comply with U.N. Resolution 194 granting the right of return, but at the same time deny Palestinian refugees living in their countries very basic human and civil rights. Case in point is the traitorous regime in Egypt who is currently aiding Israel in starving Palestinians to death in Gaza.These governments serve one master, and we know who that is.

That said, it would be unfair not to recognize and honor the Lebanese family who employs my niece Nadia’s husband. As of this writing, I have learned from my older brother, Nimer, that the “Koju family” has rehired Mohammad upon his release. Not only that, they provided his wife and children all of his lost income during his wrongful imprisonment. That act of compassion and generosity is what gives me hope that one day, the Palestinians I left behind in Lebanon in 1971 will soon have the same rights and freedom that my family and I enjoy in the USA.

Mahmoud El-Yousseph
Retired USAF Veteran
Feedback: elyousseph6@yahoo.com

“I’ve never done this before, I don’t know how my body will react, but I’ll do whatever it takes,” as she sat on a chair surrounded by hundreds of protesters outside the United Nations building in Cairo. There is also another protest being staged on the Street of the French Embassy in Cairo by few hundred French citizens who are part of the march.

The Egyptian foreign Ministry through its spokesperson had said they would not allow any of the 1,300 protesters who have come to Egypt from 42 countries to take part in the march to enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing, the only entry that bypasses Israel. Not sure why does Egypt insist on giving themselves all bad publicity in the world, by both insulting hundreds of international activists and telling the people of Gaza to simply die quietly. The authorities of Egypt have restored to name calling games, accusing the march and its organizers of using “sick”, “cheap” tactics. But perhaps the biggest insult came to light when the Egyptian government and its newspapers have been labeling the besieged and starved people of Gaza as “drug smugglers”, and “weapon dealers” in an attempt win the support of the Egyptian people.

Turkey another non-Arab actor sent an official on Saturday to try to convince the Egyptian government to to allow Viva Palestina to go through the Red Sea port, but Egypt insisted the convoy can only enter through El-Arish, on its Mediterranean coast. The fun started with the Foreign Ministry claimed that they will never allow the people of Gaza to starve and argued that they in the government have made sure that Gazans get their medications and food. This is a whopper and most people in Egypt are not going to buy that. It’s known that the tunnels–not the Egyptian government bring most of the goods that Gazans use daily.

I want to understand Egypt’s position I honesty want to, but it is hard to see their motive. First, they are mad the the Hamas leadership in Gaza (the botched prisoner swap, and the failed unity agreement), this is something many Palestinians understand. But why punish the people of Gaza and starting a pissing match with activist who only want to support Gaza in their struggle. If Egypt really wanted to punish Hamas Perhaps a better way to punish Hamas, is to ban their leaders from coming in and out of Egypt like a Vegas Casino and not denying the populace of Gaza freedom of movement. If readers comments on Egyptian news websites were an indication of the rage the people of Egypt have over their own governments tactics, the government and its slick spokesperson have not done a good job when lying through their teeth. I How Will Egyptian historians look at this incident and justify it to their coming generations? or do we not care about what our children think about us?

[Image source Mahjoob]