by Stephen Lendman

Netanyahu represents lawless rogue leadership. He belongs in prison, not high office. Pre-election polls suggest he'll retain power.

Israelis aren't smart enough to spurn him. Palestinian suffering will continue. The new year began like 2012 ended. More on that below.

On December 22, Netanyahu warned he'll hit Hamas "with a heavier blow" than Pillar of Cloud. He spoke on Israeli television.

"I suggest Hamas not celebrate," he said. Israeli state terror remains ongoing. "We inflicted a very heavy blow," he added.

"We destroyed almost all of their long-range rockets. But I'm telling you that the IDF is preparing to strike a still-heavier blow. Our account with Hamas is not closed."

He discussed late January elections. "The public knows who will deal best with the security, regional and economic challenges. The public wants a strong prime minister with a strong party behind him."

Despots say these things. Demagoguery reflects their style. It's red meat for supporters. It works so it's prioritized.

Most people aren't wise enough to understand. They don't know what they're up against. They support what they should condemn and shun.

"On election day," said Netanyahu, "the citizens of Israel will send a message not just inside the country, but to the whole."

"Ahmadinejad, Nasrallah and Mashaal will want to know one thing: has the prime minister become stronger or weaker?"

"Because to them, it means that Israel has gotten either stronger or weaker. And they understand very well that the deciding factor is whether or not the prime minister's party has gotten larger or smaller."

"If it has gotten larger. Israel has gotten stronger, and that is the message that I expect and believe the citizens of Israel will send to our enemies around the world on election day."

Settlement construction will continue, he stressed. Palestine's UN upgrade was denounced. "They are the ones who simply tore all the agreements with us to shreds, going (to the UN) unilaterally," he claimed.

"My friends, we are not going to just stand back and do nothing. Would I go and give away land so that Iran takes it over? I'm not prepared to do that."

He vowed to entirely Judaize East Jerusalem. He'll build in the sensitive E1 corridor. "What kind of future does Israel have" otherwise, he said.

"We will build in Jerusalem because that is our right." He blamed Palestinians for failure to achieve peace. He omitted saying he spurns it. He did what political rogues do best. He ranted, raved, and lied.

He had unrevealed plans in mind. He began the new year with a bang. January began like December ended. Incursions, attacks, arrests, and destruction of Palestinian property followed.

Settlers raided Qusra village. It's near Nablus. Dozens of olive trees were destroyed.  Other property was damaged. Residents were assaulted. Nearby Israeli soldiers did nothing to stop them.

Settlers also invaded Beit Ummar village. It's north of Hebron. A car and tractor were burned. Graffiti sprayed said "A good Arab is a dead Arab" and "Yitzhar revenge is on the properties today, and tomorrow will be on the souls."

Soldiers invaded Beit Fajjar. It's south of Bethlehem. Pre-dawn raids stormed homes, ransacked them, kidnapped residents, and detained them. Hebron district Beit Ummar and Sa'ir were targeted the same way. Nonviolent Palestinians were arrested.

Jenin residents were affected. So were nearby villages. Youths and children were arrested.

Roadblocks were installed in other Hebron neighborhoods. Vehicles were stopped and searched. Dozens of Palestinians were interrogated. Disruptive and violent methods used.

Silwan youths were arrested. It's a predominantly Palestinian village. It's adjacent to Jerusalem's Old City. It's south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

It's home to about 45,000 people. It's one of 28 Palestinian villages incorporated into East Jerusalem. For years, settler encroachment fueled controversy and conflict.

Israel is systematically destroying Silwan's historical importance, archeology, and culture. It wants Jews replacing Arabs. It's doing so disruptively and violently.

In Nablus, protesters clashed with Palestinian security forces. They're longstanding Israeli enforcers. Demonstrations erupted over a recent PA decision to end exempting refugees from electricity costs.

They're impoverished and can't afford them. Abbas treats his own people disgracefully. He's a longstanding Israeli collaborator. He bears much responsibility for Palestinian suffering. Simmering discontent threatens greater eruptions.

On New Year's day, Israeli soldiers arrested other Palestinian youths pre-dawn. They were detained for interrogation.

Undercover Israeli forces raided Tamoun village. It's south of Jenin. They were disguised as vegetable venders. They're elite Mistaarvim (Arabized) counterterrorism members. They serve in various IDF divisions.

An unidentified military source said what began covertly went overt. Shin Bet operatives and auxiliary forces were involved.

They arrested Murad Bani Odeh. He's a nonviolent Islamic Jihad activist.

Clashes followed. Palestinian youths threw stones. Israeli forces used tear gas, rubber bullets and live fire. Dozens of Palestinians were hurt.

The Red Crescent said about 100 were affected. Injuries ranged from light to severe. Israeli persecution continues daily.

The New York Times notoriously suppresses deplorable Israeli crimes. It runs cover for Israeli lawlessness. It conceals what's vital to reveal.

It reported Tamoun clashes. It said they occurred "after an undercover Israeli force….arrest(ed) a wanted militant."

Murad Bani Odeh is nonviolent and non-militant.

An unnamed IDF spokeswoman was cited. She claimed Odeh is "suspected of being a terrorist." The Times called Islamic Jihad "an extremist organization." It's a legitimate Palestinian resistance group.

The Times consistently turns truth on its head. It suggested that Palestinian youths initiated clashes. Israeli forces responded defensively. It cited unnamed Israeli officials claiming:

"There has been a palpable rise in episodes of stone-throwing and firebombing by Palestinians against Israeli vehicles on West Bank roads, and an increase in localized clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and soldiers."

On Monday, they added, "an Israeli bus carrying civilians south of Hebron was shot at." No corroborating evidence was revealed.

"In the meantime," said The Times, "the Israeli military says it has been trying to balance proactive counterterrorism measures - like widespread arrests of militants belonging to Hamas and other armed groups - with a policy of restraint when faced with rioters, to try to prevent Palestinian fatalities and a subsequent spiral of violence."

Times reports exclude truth and full disclosure. Lawless occupation harshness is suppressed. Palestinians are blamed for Israeli crimes. Readers are betrayed. Managed news and misinformation substitute for what they most need to know.

It's longstanding Times policy. Electronic Intifada contributor Robert Ross discussed it. He's a Point Park University Global Cultural Studies Professor.

He focuses on Israeli/Palestinian/Lebanese/American political-economic geographies. He's involved with the Pittsburgh Palestine Solidarity Committee and Israel-Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

"How The New York Times erases Israel's Crimes," he headlined.

TimesSpeak claims "no siege of Gaza, no occupation of the West Bank, and (no) Nakba." Palestine's democratically elected government is called militant and terrorist. Coup d'etat West Bank authority is called legitimate.

Articles, commentaries, and editorials reflect historical revisionism. Palestinians are blamed for Israeli crimes. Collective punishment goes unnoticed. So does Palestinian suffering and their legitimate liberating struggle.

Zionism is sanctified, not condemned. It's corrosive, destructive, racist, undemocratic and hateful. It claims Jewish supremacy and uniqueness as God's chosen people.

It's repugnant, indefensible and malignant. It's contemptuous of moral and ethical values. It spurns rule of law principles.

It espouses violence, not peaceful coexistence. It favors confrontation over diplomatic conflict resolution. It prioritizes strength through militarism, intimidation, and naked aggression.

It's led by state terrorists posing as democrats. It harms Jews and gentiles alike. It menaces humanity. It should be explained and condemned, not supported.

Times reports whitewash truth. Ross calls its work "at best, delusional. At worst, it is intentionally misleading. (It) serves Israel's interests by keeping the American public in the dark about the true nature of Israel's occupation."

New Year's day continued December harshness. Every day is Kristallnacht in Palestine. Israeli security forces, PA enforcers, and radicalized settlers terrorize Palestinians with impunity.

Wanting to live free in sovereign Palestine is called terrorism. Mass arrests, torture, and gulag imprisonment reflect daily life. Praying to the wrong God is criminalized.

Fundamental civil and human rights are denied. Collective punishment is policy. So are crimes of war and against humanity.

Racist persecution persists without end. Monstrous crimes go unpunished. Netanyahu's Israel is worst of all. It's lawless, cruel, unjust and ruthless. Relief is nowhere in sight. When this ends, who knows.

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

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity."

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

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour

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