Disappeared News

by Larry Geller

When reading this snip, remember that “tabled” in British usage means “to put on the table” or introduce, while in American usage it means to take it off the table.

Also, I don’t know if it figured in the Malaysian debate, but there were activists from that country on board the Rachel Corrie which was intercepted by Israel.

Warning: what you will be reading are very strong words indeed:

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin tabled a special 15-point motion in the Dewan Negara condemning the Israeli attack on the May 31 humanitarian aid mission flotilla to Gaza.

The Israeli forces under the leadership of its Prime Minister Benjamin Nentanyahu had attacked the fredoom flottila without provocation and had caused nine deaths and injuries to many of the volunteers, Muhyiddin said in his speech.

Muhyiddin added that the oppression and inhuman crimes carried out by the Zionist regime on Palestinian Arabs was wholly based on the false Zionist belief of Jewish supremacy.

“This belief makes Israel the vilest apartheid state of this age,” he added.
…
“Malaysia is worried that if the blockade is not terminated immediately, the Palestinians will suffer a humanitarian crisis in which they will not be able to receive clean water, food, and medicine,” Muhyiddin said.
…
Last month, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had tabled a similar motion in the Dewan Rakyat.   [The Star (Malaysia), Special motion tabled condemning Israeli attack, 7/20/2010]

It’s not likely that the action will be reported in the US press, at least not with the language you see in this account. It probably couldn’t be done.

After that report, let’s try a happier thought:

(cartoon by Carlos Latuff) (free to use)

I would like to thank Carlos Latuff for his generosity in making his work available to bloggers and real news organizations without charge. Not only is it fine work, but IMHO each is worth far more than the proverbial 1000 words. Latuff has a very expressive pen.

While many Americans may not be ready for the depiction of Israel as in the above image, in many other countries the image would not be shocking or exceptional.

This drawing is a dream fantasy for now, but remember that a ship did make it through in 2008.

As the boats approached Gaza’s beach, they released 5000 balloons with the colors of the Palestinian flag.

"It was really amazing—there were kids swimming out and boats sailing out to meet us," said Jeff Halper, head of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions. "It took us a day and a half to get here, and most of the activists got seasick, but the people here were so happy when we arrived.

As to the shark in the cartoon, the same source reports that in 2008 Israeli ships fired warning shots at journalists covering the event.

Permalink posted by Larry @ 7/19/2010 10:37:00 PM