Israel’s High Court has rightly been hailed as a beacon of justice in the Middle East. However the court and the state have recently been in conflict over two important matters, first the routing of the fence or security barrier and second illegal settlement construction. Israel is now at a turning point and in the balance is whether the law or the movement for a greater Israel carries more weight.
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As a dual citizen of the United States and Canada I must decide how I will vote in two elections. I must admit that Israel is not high on my list of concerns for several reasons. My primary loyalty is as a citizen of the country I am voting in, to choose the best candidates for the general welfare of my two countries.
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By Roberto Malini, Gruppo EveryOne
How much longer are we going to keep ignoring the persecution of the Roma people in Italy? How much longer will we use “caution” when talking and writing about the cases of arson, fires lit by racists with the intention of killing “gypsies”, or fires caused by dangerous and unsuitable heating and lighting? How much longer are we going to avoid counting the Roma children who die every year of cold, hunger and infection in the camps and micro-settlements?
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By Roberto Malini, Dario Picciau, Matteo Pegoraro
EveryOne Group is sounding the umpteenth alarm about the persecution of the Roma people in Italy. The group will soon be presenting a new dossier to the European institutions and authorities concerning the abuse carried out on a daily basis, in violation of EU directives, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the ethical and moral laws that should be at the root of civil society.
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B’nai Brith Canada has recently awarded Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper its Presidential Gold Medal for Humanitarianism. This should inspire similarly appropriate awards for our other party leaders. Liberal Stephan Dion might be selected as Mr. Charisma for 2008. Separatist Gilles Duceppe must surely be named the Outstanding Canadian and the NDPs Jack Layton could be the nominee for Introvert of the Year.
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Can you please pass on to the Amstetten-Mauer Clinic these heartfelt words for Elisabeth and her family... I don't not know how to get a message to them.
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All of us have friends who fill our ears with praise and are uncritical of our every action: they are mere sycophants. And then we have really good friends who are unafraid to criticize us when we are heading off the track, acting against our best long term interests. Thus, those so-called friends of Israel who support the expansion of settlements, maintaining illegal outposts, not negotiating with enemies, and urge alliances with the Christian right are like the “friend” who will “not only let you drive home drunk but offer you their Porsche and a shot of tequila for the road.”
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As many of us join to celebrate Israel’s 60th Anniversary, my thoughts turned to the subject of her Arab minority. Along with most of my fellow Jews I rejoice in the many achievements of Israel’s sixty years, including her: welcome of successive waves of oppressed Jewish immigrants, vigorous democracy, cultural triumphs including Israel conductors at the helm of the world’s great orchestras and novelists translated into the world’s major languages, and her scientific and technological achievements. One could go on and on with these successes but this anniversary should also be a time for reflection.
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The different cultural aspects of the “People” of America are a fascinating treasure trove of enigmas and disclosures. As a product of the dominant American culture, I found “Understanding Race” , a video on the various ethnic minorities that now reside in the United States, extremely informative. Yet, as I watched the different cultural groups, I was conscious of my own culturally conditioned reactions to various aspects of the presentation, While watching this video, I kept asking myself: Who, exactly, make up “We, the People”?
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Jerusalem - Judging by its behavior, Iran’s leadership is in a panic. It has good reason to be. Over a month has passed since Israel successfully attacked an alleged Syrian nuclear installation, proving that the Russian built anti-aircraft defenses, which Iran too has bought, are vulnerable.
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