by Stephen Lendman

Conspiratorial scoundrel media ignore Israeli high crimes against defenseless Palestinians, failing to condemn them and demand accountability.

Long-suffering people are disgracefully referred to as knife-wielding terrorists, vilifying their humanity and struggle for justice, brutalized under occupation harshness, denied their international law guaranteed rights for not being Jewish.

The death toll since October 1 is at least 92, including 23 young children and four women, extrajudicially executed, over 10,000 others injured, thousands shot by live fire or potentially lethal rubber/plastic-coated rubber bullets, countless thousands more harmed by toxic tear gas inhalation. 22-year old Fadi Hoosh was the latest victim, an Israeli citizen, his immolated body found Friday night inside a vehicle in a garbage dump - a human being disposed of violently like other refuse, ignored by media scoundrels. Imagine the difference if he was an Israeli, US, or European Jew.

An unreported state of war exists, Israel bearing full responsibility. Vicious attacks continue daily throughout the Territories. No safe havens exist - not at home, at work, at prayer in mosques, or when hospitalized for illness or injury.

Children in public places risk being gunned down by Israeli snipers, murdering them for target practice. Anyone legitimately protesting for inviolable human and civil rights is vulnerable to being attacked, shot, imprisoned, possibly killed or seriously injured.

Any Palestinian in the wrong place at the wrong time risks death, injury or arbitrary arrest and imprisonment. Palestinian Red Crescent Society medical workers, facilities and ambulances are attacked.

PRCS president Younis al-Khatib said “(e)ver since the start of the latest Israeli attacks in the oPt (on October 1), Israeli occupation forces have intentionally assaulted and directly targeted PRCS’ teams, in a clear and blatant violation of IHL.”

“The Israeli army has committed more than 277 aggressions against PRCS and its ambulances. As a result, more than 131 paramedics and volunteers were wounded while 76 ambulances were damaged. Moreover, PRCS’ medical teams were denied access to sick and wounded persons on 70 different occasions.”

On Saturday, Israeli security force thugs shut down Hebron-based Al-Khalik Radio, the second area station closed this month. Director Amjad Shawar said Israeli forces stormed their facility, ransacked it, smashed or confiscated equipment, committing willful damage to silence their voice.

The usual phony pretext was given - broadcasting “incitement against Israel,” wanting accurate reports of its daily atrocities suppressed. Media, reporters and photo-journalists are prime targets.

Shawar called what happened “Israeli piracy.” An IDF statement lied, saying “(t)he al-Khalil radio station has repeatedly broadcast content which promotes and encourages terror and acts of violence against Israeli civilians and security forces.”

Israel equates truth and full disclosure, exposing its high crimes to “incitement” or “terrorism.” It calls state-sponsored murder and other atrocities “self-defense.”

In early November, the Palestinian Center for Development & Media Freedoms (MADA) reported over 450 Israeli violations of media freedoms since January - its longstanding state-sponsored war on press and speech freedoms.

“Father of American Anthropology” Franz Boas (1858 - 1942) founded the American Anthropological Association (AAA). On Friday at its annual meeting, it overwhelmingly approved a resolution, boycotting Israeli academic institutions by a vote of 1,040 to 136.

A separate resolution opposing BDS (proposing “engagement” instead) was rejected - 1,173 - 196. All AAA members will vote on the resolutions ahead.

Anthropologists for the Boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions hailed the vote as a “historic result” - saying it came after “over three years of organizing within the Association to educate and mobilize members to stand against Israel’s widespread, systematic, and ongoing violations of Palestinian rights, as well as to protest the complicity of Israeli academic institutions in these abuses.”

It enjoins AAA from entering into any formal collaborations with Israeli academic institutions. Individual Israeli scholars may continue participating in AAA conferences and contributing to its publications. Individual AAA members are free to decide to what extent, if any, to support the organization’s move.

It’s the largest US academic association so far to endorse BDS. Others include the American Studies Association, Association for Asian American Studies, Critical Ethnic Studies Association and Native American and Indigenous Studies Association.

The Middle East Studies Association (MESA) stopped short of BDS endorsement - at the same time, defended the right of academics to urge boycotting Israel.

The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) welcomed the vote. Co-founder Prof. Lisa Taraki said “anthropologists at the AAA conference have sent a clear message of international solidarity with Palestinians and upheld some of the best values of the profession.”

PACBI steering committee member Professor Haidar Eid added: “We are certain that this outstanding expression of support for the Palestinian-led BDS movement will further galvanize academics to pursue the institutional boycott of Israel.”

Expect more BDS triumphs ahead, showing opposition to Israeli atrocities the longer they continue. New York City artists expressed their support for BDS, endorsing Palestinian self-determination, saying “Brand Israel” is not welcome in New York.

They’ll boycott events sponsored by Israel or its institutions - in New York, Israel and elsewhere. They called on artists and cultural workers everywhere to join their boycott until Palestinians are free from Israeli occupation and racist persecution.

Boycotting Israel culturally, politically and economically is the way to defeat its monstrous agenda - slow-motion genocide against an entire people, the highest of high crimes.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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