The Zionist parasite has already apparently found a new host to infest:

8 Indians, given death penalty in Qatar, charged with spying for Israel: Report

The Hindutva host has bent over, spread wide to receive the ancient Pharisee tapeworm, now poised to be well marinated in curry ...

Posted by: Arch Bungle | Oct 29 2023 13:04 utc | 1

Not really a criticism of Murray but he should know that the ongoing slaughter of Palestinian’s is sadistic, not cold blooded.

Posted by: anon2020 | Oct 29 2023 13:56 utc | 2

".. The strange thing is, the BBC and the Guardian, and nearly the entire rest of the MSM, pump out their propaganda as though we have no other access to information or understanding of what is happening.

"More than that, there seems to be a presumption that the general population harbour the same Zionist assumptions which the journalists are paid to promote. Well, we don’t. It feels like something has snapped, not only in Palestine but in the UK and much of Europe, where the process of alienation between the governed and the ruling classes has been accelerated.

"Democracy has been failing in the West for a while – to take the UK as an example, the idea that a “choice” between Sunak and Starmer offers any kind of democratic alternative is risible. There are key moments in societal breakdown, and this is one."

Murray makes a very important point, one highlighted by the crescendo of mass demonstrations which just get bigger and bigger: the gap between the official line of media propaganda and what the people think is growing.
This has enormous implications.

The British politcal caste that Murray writes about are caught in the stratijacket that they put on to facilitate the removal of their enemy-Jeremy Corbyn and the millions behind him- if, as they argue opposition to zionist policies, founded on genocide, is that virulent form of racism, anti-semitism, then they are left with no choice but to applaud everything that Israel does.

They have no choice- they either swallow baby killing and hospital bombing, mass starvation and man made epidemics or they join the ranks of the 'Nazis" who hate Jews.

It would be funny if it were not so terrible. The good thing is that the entire intellectual and political leadersghip of the imperialist world is committing moral hari-kiri. (Take the idiotic woman posing as the Czech Republic's Foreign Minister who is calling for an to the UN because 'it supports the terrorists'!)

Posted by: bevin | Oct 29 2023 14:23 utc | 3

Re: De-Dollarization

The last 3 weeks should have seen a drop in Treasury interest rates as foreign investors rushed to buy Treasuries in a typical flight to safety <\i> . However, interest rates have risen. This suggests foreign investors no longer consider U.S. treasury market a safe haven.

Hmmmm

Posted by: Exile | Oct 29 2023 14:31 utc | 4

The essay (and book) „Clash of Civilizations“ by Samuel Huntington is now exactly 30 years old but it is more relevant than ever, worth a re-read:

https://faculty.georgetown.edu/kingch/Clash_of_Civilizations.html

Posted by: Zet | Oct 29 2023 14:51 utc | 5

Murray makes a very important point, one highlighted by the crescendo of mass demonstrations which just get bigger and bigger: the gap between the official line of media propaganda and what the people think is growing.
This has enormous implications.

Posted by: bevin | Oct 29 2023 14:23 utc | 3

Thank you for highlighting that. Caitlin Johnston‘s latest article makes the same point. Something is changing, even in Germany…

https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/theres-only-so-much-propaganda-spin

Posted by: Zet | Oct 29 2023 14:55 utc | 6

Any of the Germans here have any thoughts on Sahra Wagneknecht's new party?

Posted by: JR Garcia | Oct 29 2023 16:51 utc | 7

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2023/10/27/taez-o27.html

Craig Murray seeks UN protection in Switzerland against British police-state persecution.

Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Oct 29 2023 17:21 utc | 8

Thank you, b. Lots to read today.

This morning I have been researching who the Hittites were, that I mentioned in my post late last night as being the tribe with which Abraham negotiated his purchase of burial lands, first of all for Sarah, and later himself and other Israelites further on in Biblical history. (I had been intrigued by a post from Jonathan W, I believe, that mentioned an earlier speech by Netanyahu at the UN denigrating the UN's designation of Hebron as a 'World Heritage' site.) So, that's the background of my Sunday morning search.**

It turns out that the Hittites were descended from Canaan, himself mentioned in Biblical geneologies as the fourth son of Ham, one of the three sons of Noah. (Gen 10:6. Which led me to a discussion about what it means to be called a Canaanite. It turns out that designation can be applied to a turbulent sect of Jews also called "Zealots". Here's my Smith's Bible Dictionary 1813-1893 definition of that sect:

"... -- a turbulent and seditious sect, especially conspicuous at the seige of Jerusalem. They taught that all foreign rule over Jews was unscriptural, and opposed that rule in every way."

And a little more info concerning the term "Canaanite":

"...the designation of the apostle Simon, otherwise known as 'Simon Zelotes'... The Canaanites were descendants of Canaan, [their territory comprised what the Zionist seek to reclaim, the land between the Mediterranean and the Jordan river.] Their language was very similar to the Hebrew. The Canaanites were probably given to commerce; and thus the name became probably in later times an occasional synonym for a merchant."

I suspect that either term -- 'Canaanite' or 'Zealot' accurately describes what we today call 'a Zionist'. It would seem that, historically speaking, the destruction of the Jerusalem temple by the Romans can be laid at their doorstep.

I suggest that Netanyahu take more time to examine his heritage. Hebron indeed deserves to be designated a World Heritage site

**[I will backtrack and bring forward my post last night as a reference point to these musings.]

Posted by: juliania | Oct 29 2023 17:25 utc | 9

Let the conspiracy theories began a new:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently sparked controversy in his country after publicly stating that intelligence services did not inform him about impending plans of a Hamas attack. He later retracted his statement on social media and apologized, saying "The remarks I made during the press conference was wrong and I should have not said them".

The outrage was quickly felt by former Israeli Defense Minister and war cabinet member, Beni Gantz. He expressed - The Prime Minister needs to retract his statement and cease the discussion on this topic.
Israeli opposition leader Jair Lapid similarly criticized Benjamin Netanyahu stating, "Netanyahu crossed a red line today. While our soldiers and IDF commanders valiantly combat Hamas and Hezbollah, he is sterwarding blame towards them instead of offering support. This attempt to deflect responsibility and cast blame on the security establishment only weakens the IDF in their confrontation with Israel's adversaries. Netanyahu must apologize for his words," which was shared on the platform X (previously known as Twitter).

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/netanyahu-apologizes-about-hamas-remarks-i-was-wrong/ar-AA1j2AfY?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=VALBAN&cvid=e93c15d05d484bc4b64c96abcf8caf37&ei=9

I do not think that Benjamin Netanyahu will remain Prime Minister of Israel much longer.

Posted by: Ed | Oct 29 2023 17:35 utc | 10

Here's my last night post, referred to at Posted by: juliania | Oct 29 2023 17:25 utc | 9 above:

"Because in July, UNESCO declared the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron a Palestinian World Heritage Site. That's worse than fake news; that's fake history. "
Posted by: Jonathan W | Oct 28 2023 13:53 utc | 437

Posted by: laguerre | Oct 28 2023 14:13 utc | 443

Laguerre, you incorrectly ascribed the quotation to the poster, Jonathan W, when he was quoting Netanyahu in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on September 19, 2017.
Jonathan used the quotation to illustrate the latter's 'chutspah' in calling the Tomb's designation 'fake history.' So, those are Netanyahu's words, not Jonathan's.

It was an appropriate designation in my view, since in more peaceful times it was a holy site for both Muslims and Jews. Such history as we know of it is given in Genesis chapter 23, the description of Abraham's acquisition of the burial site for his wife Sarah from the Hittites, who would actually have gifted it to him. They have a friendly argument about it, with Abraham insisting on paying.

It is special for Christians also, as at the wedding feast at Cana, when his mother tells Jesus 'they have no wine', he answers her "What is that between you and me?", which is the same phrasing that the Hittite, Ephron, uses in insisting on his gift. Comparison of the two scenarios is a happy one; thanks, Jonathan, for referencing the speech.

[Oops, there I go again, but it is already Sunday in Biblical terms: "...there was evening and there was morning, one day..." So I think I'm okay.]

Posted by: juliania | Oct 29 2023 5:34 utc | 474

Posted by: juliania | Oct 29 2023 17:44 utc | 11

Posted by: Arch Bungle | Oct 29 2023 13:04 utc | 1

yeah. Kind of sad to see gov.in swinging in the wind over "alleged" Israeli assets. That's gonna leave more ahh "reputational damage" on the multipolar back bench that resists buffing. Bhadrakumar has been gradually demolishing Modi's pretensions to One World peace and neutrality, but lesser-known Ullekh N.P. brought receipts that gainsay India's supply chain dramas and miraculous economic growth—apart from Price Cap oil arbitrage. Why India is walking a tightrope on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Hamas is eating India's lunch.

...Firstly, nurturing closer ties with Israel, a country known for its startup, hi-tech, and military prowess, brings in advantages at a time when the country is growing as an economy and an important geopolitical player. Israel had supplied India with weaponry in crucial moments such as the Kargil War of 1999 and later helped equip it on the surveillance front.

India-Israel trade has grown from $200 million in 1992 to $4.5 billion in 2014. It was destined to grow further. In the 2023 fiscal year, Indian merchandise exports to Israel were valued at $7.89 billion and Israeli exports to India were at $2.13 billion. Besides, bilateral trade in services stood at $1.1 billion as of 2021, according to the latest data available. Indian tech companies and others are steadily investing in Israel. Similarly, Israel has made many investments in India, primarily in technology, agriculture, and water.

Most importantly, a consortium led by India’s Adani Group and a local partner owns the strategic Haifa port in Israel. One-third of the consortium’s shares are with the Israeli partner Gadot, while the other two-thirds are owned by the Adani Group....

I had been willing to suspend disbelief in Modi-flavored "national interest", mostly because I assumed that noise signified an extraordinary, if eccentric, committment to help boost its peer group up the value chain. (I had kept an eye on top-line IN trade balances since the "Howdy" Rally in Houston, Texass.) Also I assumed, Jaishankar was the true brain behind the BJP guru's nomination to G7 2023 model minority in SCO, G20, and BRICS pageantry. Then, the obsequious State Visit with Biden to rally diaspora remittances happened . Then, their beef against BRICS "expansion" exploded—adding IR, AE, and EG to the brace, diminishing post-colonial IN bona fides. Together blowing away every conceit of sophistication I had lended to gov.in foreign policy formulation since the COVID-19 pHARMa caper.

Shame on me.

Posted by: sln2002 | Oct 29 2023 18:01 utc | 12

moa is such a great place.. thanks b...

@ juliania | Oct 29 2023 17:25 utc | 9

i know of this place in turkey.. i wonder if it is connected.. interesting speculation on the terms zealot and etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hattusa

Posted by: james | Oct 29 2023 18:16 utc | 13

https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/theres-only-so-much-propaganda-spin

Posted by: Zet | Oct 29 2023 14:55 utc | 6

---

Thanks Zet. I sometimes forget to check her what with all the chaos.

Half-a-dozen kids murdered every hour in Gaza!

And I know there is a Palestine Open thread but I'll post a short poem from
Caitlin's blog here in case some want to pass it on. It would just get lost
over on that thread. You may want to get your handkerchief out:

Oh rascal children of Gaza
You who constantly disturbed me
with your screams under my window.
You who filled every morning
with rush and chaos.
You who broke my vase
and stole the lonely flower on my balcony.
Come back,
and scream as you want
and break all the vases.
Steal all the flowers.
Come back.
Just come back...

- Refaat in Gaza

Posted by: waynorinorway | Oct 29 2023 18:16 utc | 14

It turns out that the Hittites were descended from Canaan, himself [sic] mentioned in Biblical geneologies as the fourth son of Ham, one of the three sons of Noah. (Gen 10:6. Which led me to a discussion about what it means to be called a Canaanite. It turns out that designation can be applied to a turbulent sect of Jews also called "Zealots". Here's my Smith's Bible Dictionary 1813-1893
Posted by: juliania | Oct 29 2023 17:25 utc | 9

That's quite a trick, considering Hittite cuneiform were undecipherable when that dictionary was first published (1888). Documentary evidence in Anatolia, attributed to Hittite culture and Assyrian conquests, pre-date "israelite" settlements in (old) Canaan by some 1,500 years. Not a few historical linguists, archaeologists, and OT scholars have conceded, Judaic oral tradition and scripture are artifacts of more ancient belief systems. Have you thought about updating your library?

Posted by: sln2002 | Oct 29 2023 19:04 utc | 15

Any of the Germans here have any thoughts on Sahra Wagneknecht's new party?

Posted by: JR Garcia | Oct 29 2023 16:51 utc | 7

Not a German, but how much worse can it be than the now utterly degenerated Die Linke? Every sign coming from Wagenknecht herself is a positive one regarding the potential for a solid leftist party that will maintain a proper stance on domestic and foreign policy, dispense with identity politics (that may have been coming directly from her) and overall revamp that space of the political spectrum to offer an actual alternative to the current neoliberal, imperialist freak show.

Posted by: Constantine | Oct 29 2023 19:29 utc | 16

A sterling job b as per usual.

Posted by: Echo Chamber | Oct 29 2023 19:33 utc | 17

The naked capitalism piece on transition to B&R plus comments is very, very good. Thanks b!

Posted by: juliania | Oct 29 2023 19:34 utc | 18

Posted by: sln2002 | Oct 29 2023 19:04 utc | 15

The Hittites were Indo-Europeans and had little to do with Canaan, Israel and Judea. Their script has been deciphered. As for the scriptures of Judaism, some elements involve tribal history, some theology, some social criticism and some are downright fiction and I refer to alleged historical events, not religious interpretations. There are obvious influences of other cutures, but that does not discount the texts in their entirety. As in other subjects, they have to be treated on a piece-by-piece basis.

Posted by: Constantine | Oct 29 2023 19:35 utc | 19

Posted by: sln2002 | Oct 29 2023 19:04 utc | 15

Sorry sln, dates were for original author, William Smith. Text was updated by Peloubet, early 20th century, my version has publication date 1986. Okay?

Posted by: juliania | Oct 29 2023 19:43 utc | 20

1. People need to edit their posts. I immediately skip ungrammatical streams-of-consciousness.
2. People need to know something about what they post rather than regurgitate the latest published CT.
3. Anyone who claims to speak about the ancient past is invariably FoS. I rarely do even though I have a professional claim. 9 out of 10 comments here about antiquity are scattergun at best, moronic at worst.

Posted by: Patroklos | Oct 29 2023 19:45 utc | 21

Posted by: Constantine | Oct 29 2023 19:35 utc | 19

I bow to the archeologists among us for more accurate renditions of history and science than that which the Judaic Bible presents. I was answering Netanyahu's claims, not those of a factual nature. Put them in the realm of myth if it looks better there to you. Buber does that, using the stories as representative of 'larger than life' occurrences. I myself set them in literature being a form of writing containing a different sort of truth from the above. Start with Genesis -- what kind of 'days' are we talking about? Obviously not what we are used to thinking about as days on a 'mundane' level.

You can't look at the Bible as archeology or science; you just can't. That's not to denigrate any of those studies. We're multipolar here, not just north and south! The subject of my posts might be called 'heritage memory' perhaps - others can describe it better, I am sure.

Posted by: juliania | Oct 29 2023 20:03 utc | 22

The Hittites were [?] Indo-Europeans and had little to do with Canaan, Israel and Judea.
Posted by: Constantine | Oct 29 2023 19:35 utc | 19

Yes. Time is an arrow, contrary to popular comprehension of theoretical quantum physics. Time move from past to present. Everyone knows gah formed the world 6,000 years ago, and ibn told the chronologic end of OT is ~ 600 BCE. So. When did Hittites exit the "semitic" branch of the "Indo-European" family tree, before or after Hebrew, before or after Linear B?

More important, Why do you think so many MoA patrons rely on diverse *-English translations of OT to form an opinion about and ethical conclusion to armed conflict between contemporary migrants resident in such a marginal area of the world?

Posted by: sln2002 | Oct 29 2023 20:05 utc | 23

Yes. Time is an arrow...
Posted by: sln2002 | Oct 29 2023 20:05 utc | 23

"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana." - Groucho Marx

g'nite

Posted by: waynorinorway | Oct 29 2023 20:31 utc | 24

Exclusive: Hardline Pro-Palestine Protest Group With Ties to Extinction Rebellion Urges Supporters to Join a Campaign of Violence and Vandalism Against 50 UK Firms Backing Israel

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12683401/pro-palestine-protest-group-extinction-rebellion-campaign-violence-uk-firms-supporting-israel.html

German Greens: Radical Left-Liberal Youth Wing Leaders Opposed to All Deportations; Even for Child Rapists and Murders
https://www.voiceofeurope.com/german-greens-radical-left-liberal-youth-wing-leaders-opposed-to-all-deportations-even-for-child-rapists-and-murders/

Posted by: Dogon Priest | Oct 29 2023 20:36 utc | 25

Posted by: james | Oct 29 2023 18:16 utc | 13

That is fascinating, james! Particularly (to me) the large nephrite Green Stone - incredible! The maori in New Zealand honor that stone also, most of it being found west coast of the South Island. Other posts with reference to mine doubt the Hittite presence in Palestine, but I am thinking they could well have had their origins in Turkey -- from such a well established civilization as that seems to have been. Wasn't the site of Noah's Ark supposedly uncovered in Turkey also?

Well, just as history itself doesn't repeat exactly, but it rhymes, I'd say the same about beliefs and science - they aren't exact copies but when they connect, that's magical. There are more things in heaven and on earth than are dreamed of ...

Posted by: juliania | Oct 29 2023 20:53 utc | 26

To james again, the text I referred to in Genesis translated as 'Hittite' is found also in the Septuagint, where it is rendered as 'sons of Chet' or 'Chettites'. The Septuagint dates from early in the second century BC, the Pentateuch having been transcribed into Greek in Alexandria by Hebraic scholars, six from each of the twelve tribes arriving there at Ptolemy's request, so it is said, to add to his library.

Yes, speculation; that's a good word.

Posted by: juliania | Oct 29 2023 21:18 utc | 27

The Grayzone article is a must-read.

Posted by: S | Oct 29 2023 21:28 utc | 28

...Time is an arrow...

Posted by: sln2002 | Oct 29 2023 20:05 utc | 23

What do you make, then, of this, sln?

Time present and time past
Are both perhaps present in time future,
And time future contained in time past.
If all time is eternally present
All time is unredeemable.
What might have been is an abstraction
Remaining a perpetual possibility
Only in a world of speculation.
What might have been and what has been
Point to one end, which is always present.

[T.S.Eliot Four Quartets]

I can't say I understand it myself, but maybe that arrow has feathers at the end of it to help guide it to its mark?

Posted by: juliania | Oct 29 2023 21:45 utc | 29

Posted by: juliania | Oct 29 2023 17:25 utc | 9
-------------------------------------------------------------

That's quite a trick, considering Hittite cuneiform were undecipherable when that dictionary was first published (1888). Documentary evidence in Anatolia, attributed to Hittite culture and Assyrian conquests, pre-date "israelite" settlements in (old) Canaan by some 1,500 years. Not a few historical linguists, archaeologists, and OT scholars have conceded, Judaic oral tradition and scripture are artifacts of more ancient belief systems. Have you thought about updating your library?

Posted by: sln2002 | Oct 29 2023 19:04 utc | 15
----------------------------------------------------------------

Juliania, I mean no disrespect to your religion or your religious views, but the Bible, old and new, are not history books. Yes, some events and stories do correspond with places and events known in history, but that means very little as anyone can weave a story around known historical places and events.

What I am saying is that the Jewish narrative in the Bible may touch real historical events from time to time but the (many, many) authors and oral story tellers were not concerned with history, but rather they were developing a narrative that would bind their people together as a nation; this is especially true for the later Yahweh sect that wanted to separate themselves from the Canaanites and their pantheon of Gods.

The desire to actually prove that the OT and history were concurrent realities didn't start until the science of archaeology was developed (about 150 years ago). Even then, the goal (in the beginning) was to use archeology to prove that the bible was literally true word for word. In time, biblical archeology, and scientific archeology parted ways because they had different purposes and facts had to be faced about the meaning of their discoveries.

I hope that no one finds this comment offensive.

Posted by: Ed | Oct 29 2023 21:51 utc | 30

Any of the Germans here have any thoughts on Sahra Wagneknecht's new party?

Posted by: JR Garcia | Oct 29 2023 16:51 utc | 7

_____

bin auch kein Deutscher, also mit Verlaub:

Wagenknecht’s party will be powerful enough to win seats in the Bundestag, but the “respectable” parties will never form a coalition with it: Wagenknecht will be just as anathema as AfD…with which Wagenknecht would never form a coalition. So the new party will be in the opposition for the foreseeable future.

Posted by: malenkov | Oct 29 2023 22:11 utc | 31

I hope that no one finds this comment offensive.

Posted by: Ed | Oct 29 2023 21:51 utc | 30

____

Please feel free to risk being more offensive.

Posted by: malenkov | Oct 29 2023 22:13 utc | 32

The Grayzone article is a must-read.

Posted by: S | Oct 29 2023 21:28 utc | 28

I agree, S. It is why I posted what I did about Putin knowing the nature of terrorism, and not being 'rules based.' This is the absolute horror of a rules based program. No one could or should submit to it. Least of all propogate lies about it. Even Israelis, strong as their wish for a state of their own might be, cannot endure being forced to comply.

I think the evidence of those destroyed kibbutzes is irrefutable. No Hamas did this.

Posted by: juliania | Oct 29 2023 22:19 utc | 33

Armenian political commentator Beniamin Matevosyan on Pashinyan’s interview with the WSJ (archived copy of the WSJ article; full interview at Armenian PM’s official website):

Answering a question from The Wall Street Journal about the country’s historical relations with Russia, Nikol Pashinyan called for focusing on the much longer history of Armenia with its Turkic neighbors—Turkey and Azerbaijan.

“This is where all the questions lie, and this is where all the answers lie,” he said.

Back in May of this year, in an interview with Channel Five, I said that we are being led into the creation of a temporary union with Turkey and Azerbaijan. The reaction to my words was along the lines of “this cannot be, because this can never happen.”

The reaction came from roughly the same circles that, even being formally part of the opposition, did not understand until the very end that on October 6, 2022 in Prague Pashinyan has surrendered Karabakh, while they were convincing the Armenian society that “Aliyev will 100% unblock the Lachin corridor because the world will not forgive him for ethnic cleansing.”

The scale of threats to Armenia is so great that it is difficult to even contemplate it…

Turkey and Azerbaijan want to turn Armenia into their puppet, buying up its economy and gradually settling it with Turk population.

The West wants Azerbaijan to join NATO, so it needs Armenia to join as well because the expansion must be contiguous (Georgia can’t join NATO because of the territorial disputes). An added bonus is removing all Russian forces from Armenia (four military bases + FSB border guards). The tricky part for the West is to do it in such a way that the West is in full control of Armenia, while Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s influence is limited.

The West wants Azerbaijan to join NATO for the following reasons:

• cutting off the shortest land path between Russia and Iran;
• putting Azerbaijan’s Navy under NATO control;
• providing a well-defended Transcaspian trade route to then try to convince Central Asian nations to reduce their trade with Russia and China as much as possible, hoping to provoke another conflict;
• stoking separatist sentiments in Iran’s West Azerbaijan and East Azerbaijan provinces;
• stoking separatist sentiments in Russia’s Dagestan republic.

Posted by: S | Oct 29 2023 22:57 utc | 34

NYPost,Pro-Palestinian mobs force flight from Israel to Russia to be diverted — and target next airport where it landed, too

The flight initially bound for Makhachkala International Airport in the heavily Muslim Russian Republic of Dagestan was diverted after scores of people waving Palestinian flags took over the facility upon learning of the flight from Tel Aviv, according to the Moscow Times.
[...]
Despite the chaos, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said that there were no Israeli citizens or Jewish people aboard the flight from Tel Aviv. But other Jewish passengers in the airport at the time were gathered by security and scheduled to be evacuated to Moscow “at the earliest convenience,” the Jerusalem Post said. All flights to and from Makhachkala were temporarily suspended because of the security breaches, according to Russia’s civil aviation agency.

The drama unfolded after several channels on Telegram went up urging residents in Dagestan, which has a Muslim population of 83%, to riot at the airports and root out Jewish passengers, according to Medizona, an independent Russian [?!] news outlet.
[...]

LOL!

Posted by: sln2002 | Oct 29 2023 23:02 utc | 35

Posted by: Ed | Oct 29 2023 21:51 utc | 30

Thank you, Ed, although I do give more credit to those writing scriptural messages than you do. I liken them to the feathers on that arrow of time sln was describing. Directional, inspirational, not propagandistic.

Where I disagree with you is in applying some ulterior motive such as 'binding a nation together' in these writings. As Buber says in The Prophetic Faith "This is the teaching about the relation between the God of Israel and Israel."

Just that.

Posted by: juliania | Oct 29 2023 23:31 utc | 36

@ juliania | Oct 29 2023 20:53 utc | 26 / 27

thanks juliania.. i didn't pay attention to the green stone.. reminds me of the jade stone we have here in b.c. i chinese apparently like it too.. too bad the library at alexandria burned down... i have read some ptolemy... it is one of the early amalgamators of astro-astronomical literature..

@ Ed | Oct 29 2023 21:51 utc | 30

thanks for articulating all that.. i read that book by shlomo sand ' the invention of the jewish people.. he basically said much of it is fiction and he's some university prof in tel aviv, or he was... i tend to see the bible as a combo of fiction and history, with an emphasis on the fiction... i don't find your commentary offensive and i like @ malenkov | Oct 29 2023 22:13 utc | 32 response... don't worry about offending anyone.. people here will tell you either way, lol.. i know we sort of did in the past over this same issue..

Posted by: james | Oct 29 2023 23:33 utc | 37

The Invention of the Jewish People

i recommend the book......

Posted by: james | Oct 29 2023 23:35 utc | 38

@sln2002 #35

Not sure what’s so funny about it. Explains Rybar:

…
But the most striking event in the context of the conflict were the protests in the Republic of Dagestan, where, under the influence of channels from the TsIPsO [Tsentr informatsiyno-psikhologichnykh operatsiy, Ukrainian psy-ops forces — S] network, groups of young men have been rallying and looking for Israelis for two days as a sign of “solidarity with the Palestinians.” Yesterday, after a fake was disseminated through one of the channels, they tried to find Jews at the Flamingo Hotel in Khasavyurt, but there were none there.

Today the story has gained momentum: protests have reached the Makhachkala airport, where a plane from Israel landed. Those gathered broke through to the runway, breaking down the fence and doors at the secure facility. Ultimately, the Israelis were taken to a safe place, and the rioters began throwing stones at the law enforcement officers who were trying to disperse them.

In what way did all this mob action help the Palestinians remains a mystery. Meanwhile, TsIPsO channels are inciting residents of the North Caucasus Federal District to scale up their protests.

Posted by: S | Oct 29 2023 23:44 utc | 39

Posted by: S | Oct 29 2023 23:44 utc | 39

"Muslim Russia". Visions of NY Post anti-Hamas v. anti-Russia editors' combat to control the headline cross my mind.

Posted by: sln2002 | Oct 30 2023 0:06 utc | 40

Posted by: S | Oct 29 2023 23:44 utc | 39

Typical NY Post yella sheet coverage of Israel's genocidal administration.
Front-page click bait: Tunnels of terror
Click-through story: IDF vows to destroy Hamas’ 300-mile tunnel network as terrorists boast of ‘thousands of traps’ underground

...Although the secret system brought much needed aid to the more than 2 million Palestinians living in Gaza, they were soon transformed into a military weapon by Hamas to mount attacks against Israel....

Posted by: sln2002 | Oct 30 2023 0:12 utc | 41

The drama unfolded after several channels on Telegram went up urging residents in Dagestan, which has a Muslim population of 83%, to riot at the airports and root out Jewish passengers, according to Medizona, an independent Russian [?!] news outlet.
[...]

Posted by: sln2002 | Oct 29 2023 23:02 utc | 35

Putin better wake up and do it in a hurry. There's a whole lot of Muslim enclaves in Russia and I'm sure he doesn't want another decade long Chechen war on his hands at this time.

In fact, the Palestinian cause would be the ideal thing for the CIA to get the Muslim parts of the Russian Federation destabilized ...

One could say the Palestinian cause has become critical to Russian National Security.

Posted by: Arch Bungle | Oct 30 2023 0:16 utc | 42

@sln2002 #40:

Visions of NY Post anti-Hamas v. anti-Russia editors' combat to control the headline cross my mind.

But Russia and Russians are largely on Palestine’s side, including Orthodox and atheist ethnic Russians, so why would NY Post’s anti-Hamas and anti-Russia editors fight each other? Russian police is removing the protesters from the runway not because Russia supports Israel, but because it’s a runway and people shouldn’t be there.

An earlier post from Rybar:

About anti-Israeli protests in Dagestan

For the last two days, videos from Dagestan’s Khasavyurt have been circulating on the internet: young people are looking for Jews in the local Flamingo Hotel.

Why would the Jews come to Khasavyurt, and what is all this about?

The information about Israelis at the hotel was disseminated by the administrators of the notorious channel Utro Dagestana [Dagestan Morning — S] (part of the network of Ukrainian TsIPsO).

Ukrainian hirelings called for solidarity with the people of Palestine and riots. As “proof,” a screenshot of some people’s anonymous WhatsApp chat was provided, without any adequate [i.e., factual — S] information.

Last year, the channel’s editors actively incited protest sentiments in Dagestan against the backdrop of the partial mobilization announced in the Russian Federation. The resource is part of the network of fugitive ex-MP Ilya Ponomaryov. And judging by the fact that the search for Jews also began in Karachay-Cherkessia, the number of resources controlled by the Ukrainians has only grown.

It is surprising that no one got suspicious of the open incitement to block the federal highway on a flimsy pretext. No one was surprised by the ridiculous use by administrators [of the channel — S] of Islamic rhetoric like “more TAKBIRS!” along with other terminology every other word, which is more likely to be used by comic characters than by serious, spiritualized Muslims.

However, it still worked. The young people were unable to find a single Jew in the Flamingo Hotel in Dagestan, nor in Karachay-Cherkessia. But the Ukrainian TsIPsO managed to create a false perception, temporarily increase pressure on Russian law enforcement agencies and at the same time make some Russians look like fools.

By the way, back in 2013 it was reported that in the Russian Southern Federal District and North Caucasus Federal District combined there were only about 3.5 thousand Jews left, and their outflow continued. How many of them are left there today? A couple hundred? And it’s certainly unlikely that all of them are hiding in Khasavyurt.

Posted by: S | Oct 30 2023 0:43 utc | 43

A Dagestani intellectual looking for Jews inside a turbojet engine: photo. Only rivaled in intellect by MoA intellectuals predicting Russia will take Kharkov this November.

Posted by: S | Oct 30 2023 1:31 utc | 44

Juliania @ 9, James @ 13:

As others have already said, incorrectly perhaps replying to SLN2002 @ 15, the Hittites were linguistically Indo-European.

In addition, archaeologists and others working in Turkey in late 19th century were blinkered by their religious beliefs and possibly knowledge of Greek mythology, to the extent that whatever evidence they found, they interpreted it according to their beliefs, rather than evaluate it to see where it actually led.

This is rather like police finding a dead person and deciding the person had committed suicide, simply because they had been told by the person's relatives that s/he had been feeling depressed lately. Even though the fatal gunshot wound is in the person's back or nape of the neck.

You also need to be careful about deriving the Hebrew term for "zealot" from the Hebrew name Canaan if you are not familiar with the Semitic languages and their grammar. According to Wikipedia and some other sites, the term "Canaan" may derive from a root word meaning (depending on the source), to bring into synchronicity or to subjugate; or it may actually be a word imported from another Semitic language referring to purple-red dye.

Posted by: Refinnejenna | Oct 30 2023 1:37 utc | 45

Some videos from the riot at the Makhachkala airport:

• protesters at the airport entrance: video;
• rioters running into the airport, entering restricted areas: video;
• rioters running on the runway: video;
• rioters attacking a police car: video;
• protesters at the airport entrance, flying a Palestinian flag: video 1, video 2;
• rioters confronting passengers on an airport shuttle bus: video 1, video 2;
• a woman with a Palestinian flag delivering an inflaming speech to protesters: video;
• a protester screaming “Death to Yahuds [Jews], Allahu akbar!” at the airport entrance: video;
• rioters throwing stones at police: video 1, video 2.

Posted by: S | Oct 30 2023 2:49 utc | 46

Aleksandr Dyukov, Russian historian, employee of the Institute of Russian History of the Russian Academy of Sciences, head of the Historical Memory foundation, on the riot at the Makhachkala airport:

Briefly, as a member of the Commission for Monitoring and Resolving Conflict Situations in Interethnic Relations of the Presidential Council for Interethnic Relations (I have such a role as well):

— the enormous vulnerability of the societies of the Caucasian republics to manipulation using social networks has been demonstrated (criminal Ponomaryov and the Ukrainian intelligence services are now drinking champagne);

— in addition to social networks, there are probably organizational networks (most likely Islamist) that ensured the mobilization of pogromists—which is a clear security threat;

— the lack of a working system for countering incitement of interethnic conflicts at the regional level has been demonstrated;

— the unpreparedness of the police and the National Guard to protect the sensitive facility and the safety of passengers has been demonstrated;

— our country has suffered enormous foreign political damage.

And I also want to remind you that the collapse of the USSR began with interethnic conflicts on the outskirts, the resolution of which the central authorities kept avoiding, hiding behind the phantom of “friendship of peoples.” This shouldn’t happen again.

Posted by: S | Oct 30 2023 3:06 utc | 47

@ Refinnejenna | Oct 30 2023 1:37 utc | 45

thanks refinnejenna.. i plead ignorance right out of the gate.. cheers..

Posted by: james | Oct 30 2023 3:18 utc | 48

James @ 48:

No worries! I have been reading some articles (online, print) about the Hittites recently.

The name Hattusa (Ḫattuša, Hattush, Hattusha) may have come from the Hattians who preceded the Hittites in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) and who were neither linguistically Indo-European nor Semitic. The possibility exists then that the Hittites absorbed the Hattians or imposed their language on them while at the same time appropriating their culture to legitimise their rule.

Posted by: Refinnejenna | Oct 30 2023 5:21 utc | 49

"the world is multi polar".

But this also means that we will see MORE smaller regional wars/conflicts. And the Middle East won't be spared from those "regional wars".

Posted by: Mr. Market | Oct 30 2023 7:45 utc | 50

Posted by: Mr. Market | Oct 30 2023 7:45 utc | 50

Lol you are engaged in wild speculation. Why, because you think imperialist USA Aor Zionist Israel minimizes such things? Mkay.

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Oct 30 2023 7:48 utc | 51

@ Ton_Q_collins (post #51):

Currently A LOT OF countries fear the US (in the unipolar world). But in a "multi polar" world there will be more "poles" that each have their own interests. And those interests will (inevitable) lead to more "conflicts"/wars. Should be obvious IMO.

Posted by: Mr. Market | Oct 30 2023 14:43 utc | 52

@ Refinnejenna | Oct 30 2023 5:21 utc | 49

thanks! i think the past is too dark and hard to fathom with any degree of certainty... but it is ripe for imposing an ideology on it and i think that is what people do regularly.. they cultivate myths to live by... some believe them and some don't... i think the situation with israel is so loaded with biblical overtones, it is impossible to unravel.. and unfortunately there are christians and jewish orthodox folks too who take it all very literally... logos is different then mythos... words can be taken literally, as opposed to figuratively... sorry for the little diversion here, lol... people who are looking to confirm their bias off historical data may be doing this for any number of reasons, whether its a belief in something or for real interest in what exactly happened in the past... we will never know.. that is my take..

Posted by: james | Oct 30 2023 16:26 utc | 53

For the philosophically inclined, and those who enjoy stretching their vocabulary (part 4 in an ongoing series about the nature of life beyond the materialist-mechanical paradigm):

https://davidbentleyhart.substack.com/p/reflections-on-life-and-mind-part-70a

For those not already acquainted with him, David Bentley Hart of the University of Notre Dame is widely regarded as one of the two most influential academic theologians in the English-speaking world today (along with John Milbank of Nottingham University). Hart’s output is prodigious, and his range of intellectual interests—in the literature of various languages—is staggering. His published PhD dissertation, The Beauty of the Infinite (2004), caused reviewers to regard him, young as he was, as a leading Christian theologian.

Though Hart no longer has possession of his personal library of some 20,000 volumes, he seems to have read most of it and not to have forgotten much. Had he been born earlier, he’s the sort of scholar who might have sat beside C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and the other Inklings at The Eagle and Child pub in Oxford, and not only have grasped their exchanges on English literature, Western history, world mythology, and Christian theology, but also have taught them a thing or two. Those who think this must be hyperbole should examine the essays contained in three recent collections: A Splendid Wickedness and Other Essays (2016), The Hidden and the Manifest (2017), and The Dream-Child’s Progress (2017). These and other volumes by Hart I gladly commend.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/shall-saved-universal-christian-universalism-david-bentley-hart/
(Also read by Simplicius)

Posted by: Scorpion | Oct 30 2023 19:51 utc | 54

Below is a Reuters headline showing empire cutting off its nose to spite its face

US to evict Gabon, Niger, Uganda and Central African Republic from trade program

Posted by: psychohistorian | Oct 31 2023 1:59 utc | 55

Election time in Pakistan soon??

“The army and Rangers will be deployed in Punjab for the upcoming polls. As many as 147,000 army and paramilitary personnel will perform election security duties."

The Punjabi plebs have to vote correctly...

https://www.dawn.com/news/1785162/troops-to-be-deployed-for-elections-in-punjab

Posted by: Antonym | Oct 31 2023 5:43 utc | 56

- Current economic events in the US are a danger for the PETRODOLLAR. I.e. the Trade Deficit is shrinking while at the same time the US (federal) budget deficit is growing. For those who have knowledge how international money flows works and the implications of that, know that this is a very dangerous development for the US and the Petrodollar.

Posted by: Mr. Market | Oct 31 2023 8:10 utc | 57

Californians CCP love finally understood: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4T7dWEXm-3Y

Xi Jinping thinks that Californian governor Gavin Newsom will be the Democratic party's "saving" candidate for stand-in Biden next US presidential elections. Will Apple, Amazon, Meta, NVidia and even Tesla be on the next Wall street - Bund ferry again? It paid out very well last time - for the stockholders only that is.

Posted by: Antonym | Oct 31 2023 8:34 utc | 58

Thanks to b for the Week in Review, which I have yet to dive into, and to the bar, for all the thoughtful comments. Just two pieces of news to add:

Strike’s over on the St. Lawrence Seaway.

“The strike by Canadian workers that led to the closure of the St. Lawrence Seaway is over. Full operation of the binational Seaway system, including at Eisenhower and Snell Locks, is expected to resume tomorrow, October 30.”

https://x.com/SeawayUSDOT/status/1718823333624476072

Brazilian landless workers send two tons of food to Gaza (since the subject of left-wing parties came up, up thread).

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Brazilian-Landless-Workers-Send-Two-Tons-of-Food-to-Gaza-20231030-0006.html

“The new shipment of humanitarian aid consists of corn and powdered milk donated by the Landless Movement (MST), a left-wing peasant organization that has historically expressed its solidarity with Palestine.”

Posted by: Bruised Northerner | Oct 31 2023 10:25 utc | 59

S #43:

Russia and Russians are largely on Palestine’s side

I was wrong.

Russian pollster FOM provides the following data:

Which side do you personally sympathize with
in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict? (%)

Date               Israel  Palestine  Neither  Don't know

October 17, 2004     13        9        60         18
2005*                11        7        64         18
2006*                11        7        66         16
November 25, 2012    13        5        66         16
October 15, 2023      9       10        73          9

* Average of two polls.

Posted by: S | Nov 1 2023 0:51 utc | 60

McCarthyism is coming to Australia. Any body like me who do not believe the narrative will now be foreign agents.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-01/criticial-infrastructure-review-finds-insider-espionage-threat/103048752

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Nov 1 2023 5:53 utc | 61

Xinhuanet has a posting up with the link below about a financial meeting that Xi chaired. Lots of interesting information....too much to quote

Key meeting sets tone on China's financial development

China is actively managing their public finance system and evolving it to continue to serve their citizens.....yes, they admit they have corruption also.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 1 2023 6:15 utc | 62

Below is a Xinhuanet posting with both link and quote

Xi stresses organizing, motivating women to contribute to Chinese modernization

The quote

Xi called on the women's federations to translate the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee into specific tasks and encourage women to leverage their advantages.

The advancement of women's cause not only facilitates individual development of women, but also promotes family and social harmony as well as the development of the country and the Chinese nation, he said.

It is necessary to strengthen guidance on young people's perspectives on marriage, childbearing and family, he said, urging women's federations to fine-tune and implement supportive birth policies, enhance the quality of population development and respond to population aging.

Noting that protecting the legitimate rights and interests of women and children, promoting gender equality and the all-round development of women and children are important components of Chinese modernization, Xi called on women's federations at all levels to intensify efforts to solve the prominent problems that affect and infringe on the rights and interests of women and children.

Women's federations serve as the bond connecting the Party and the government with women, Xi stressed, urging continued efforts to deepen the reform of women's federations.

He asked women's federations to conduct in-depth investigations to gain insight into the thoughts and aspirations of women at the grassroots level and understand the urgent needs of the cause of women's development.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 1 2023 6:20 utc | 63

China's economy is growing at more than 5% and still we get BS from Reuters like below

Asia's factories squeezed as China's nascent recovery teeters

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 1 2023 6:45 utc | 64

"Geopolitics with Balaji Srinivasan: Decline of USA, Rise of India/China & More"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDlXPSKPtUo

Has many interesting new angles.

Posted by: Antonym | Nov 1 2023 8:31 utc | 65

I agree with a psychohistorian view on "materialism" (in all of its forms) as being a part of the Overton Window management in the West. - meme. - source.

Posted by: persiflo | Nov 1 2023 16:30 utc | 66

@ persiflo | Nov 1 2023 16:30 utc | 66 with the Chomsky links and thoughts...thanks

At the end of the interview the guy said we need checks and balances in society but I think more important is the core incentives to either do good or evil need to change.

Given our global private finance Western form of social organization, the incentives of that are not so much evil, I would say, as anti-humanistic....for a few instead of the many.

Replacing global private finance with sovereign public finance with a nation owned/managed BIS is the structural need and there will always be the need for checks and balances that evolve with our species but once the evil incentives of private finance are removed there will be less aggression/competition built into our interactions, IMO.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 1 2023 19:54 utc | 67

@sln2002 | Oct 29 2023 19:04 utc | 15

Yep, the Hittites were there long before the damn Jews invented themselves. The Hittites featured prominently before the Bronze Age collapse (approx. 1200BC), and the Jews only seem to have arisen after that period. Furthermore, its increasingly looking like some of the oldest man made structures are to be found in modern day Turkey, the old Hittite homeland, which was somehow built before man even supposedly learnt agriculture.

https://artincontext.org/oldest-buildings-in-the-world/

Furthermore, "Hittite is the oldest Indo-European language known—older than Greek, Latin, or Sanskrit."

https://isac.uchicago.edu/research/projects/hit/why-study-hittites

Since Europe is now mostly Indo-European, people used to joke that the Hittites were the first Europeans, that they moved into Europe after the Bronze Age collapse and then Europe became Europe. This looks increasingly likely as can be seen above that Hittite is the oldest known Indo-European language. I always thought that Sanskrit was the oldest.

Posted by: gT | Nov 2 2023 6:08 utc | 68