Tag Archives: Hamas

Mar 29 2012

New Zealand ‘journalist’ Julie Webb-Pullman lies about Hamas terrorist for Global March to Jerusalem cause

New Zealand’s ‘Scoop Independent News’ has published an article on the subject of the Global March to Jerusalem by Julie Webb-Pullman – a self-described freelance writer who has been working for Scoop since 2003.  

Abdul Aziz Umar, second from right

The article includes a video interview – made by Webb-Pullman and uploaded by Scoop to YouTube – with Abdul Aziz Umar, whom she describes as follows:

“After the meeting, I spoke with Dr Abdul Aziz Umar, one of the prisoners released in last year’s exchange. Dr Aziz Umar holds a PhD in English Literature, and was a Professor at An-Najah University in the West Bank. On his release from prison, he was exiled to Gaza.”

Webb-Pullman’s video opens with the title:

 

 

The claim by Webb-Pullman that Umar’s blindness is a result of Israeli inaction – and implied cruelty – is a lie.

In a 2008 appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court, Umar himself stated that he was blinded in both eyes as a result of an illness when he was about 20 years old – i.e. around 1980.

Webb-Pullman makes no attempt whatsoever during the interview to challenge Umar’s own lies regarding the “division” of Jerusalem, the “racist separation wall”, “attacks on holy places” or “damaging archaeology”.

Neither does Webb-Pullman apparently see fit to inform her readers that the reason for Umar’s detention by Israel was his involvement with a Hamas terror cell which carried out a suicide bombing in a Jerusalem café in 2003 in which seven people were murdered. She is equally silent on the fact that Umar recently toured South Africa in order to promote the Global March to Jerusalem among Muslim Brotherhood supporters there.

The disgracefully low standards of journalism displayed by Webb-Pullman and Scoop Independent News can, however, be better understood when one appreciates the fact that Julie Webb-Pullman is in fact not a journalist at all, but a seasoned political activist.

Webb-Pullman is a member of ‘Kia Ora’ – an activist group described by GMJ endorser and International Advisory Committee member George Galloway in an e-mail to the Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad’s media advisor as a “the Viva Palestina sister organization in New Zealand“.

Webb-Pullman was a member of the Kia Ora delegation to a ‘Viva Palestina’ convoy to Gaza in October 2010. Her fellow travelers included Global March to Jerusalem spokesman Zaher Birawi (whom she also recently interviewed for Scoop) and GMJ organizer Kevin Ovenden of ‘Viva Palestina’, as well as Welsh activist Pippa Bartolotti.

In fact, Webb-Pullman wrote an article for Scoop at the time, enthusiastically describing her meeting with Hamas leaders in Gaza and offering her autographed scarf for auction. Scoop therefore cannot claim not to be aware of Webb-Pullman’s political bias – which is made all the more ironic by the fact that in 2005 she filed a complaint with the New Zealand Press Council regarding alleged problems of “accuracy, fairness and balance and confusion of facts and opinion” by a journalist. 

George Galloway (centre) congratulates the Kia Ora Gaza team for their “significant contribution to the success of the international aid convoy to Gaza”. From left: Roger Fowler, Julie Webb-Pullman, Pat O’Dea, Hone Fowler, Mousa Taher and Chris van Ryn

Left to Right - Rahmah Zarrincalaki, Julie Webb-Pullman, Mahmoud Zahar, Samah, Pippa Bartolotti, Summaya Zahar

Julie Webb-Pullman (to the right with white hat) in conversation with Ismail Haniyeh and Mahmoud al Zahar.

Obviously, the general public in New Zealand cannot rely on the reports put out by Hamas sympathiser Julie Webb-Pullman and her enablers at Scoop Independent News for information regarding the Global March to Jerusalem or indeed any other event in the Middle East. 

 

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Mar 28 2012

Global March to Jerusalem leader compares Israel to Nazis & declares their readiness for “martyrdom”

Prior to its departure for Lebanon from the Turkish port of Tasucu, the Global March to Jerusalem’s SE Asia delegation was joined by Turkish activists.

According to the Iranian Fars news agency, some of them previously took part in the 2010 flotilla aboard the IHH-owned Mavi Marmara.  The ‘Asian People’s Solidarity for Palestine’ website carries the same information.

At the SE Asia caravan’s final stop in Turkey – Konya – Global March to Jerusalem organiser Feroze Mithiborwala is reported to have made a speech somewhat contradictory to the march’s professed commitment to non-violence.

“Firouz Mitiborwala, representative for IEC and ICC, was invited to the podium to address the people of Konya. He stated that Palestine has become an element of unity for the people of Asia. In regards to Israel’s threats towards the GMJ – Asian Caravan, he stated, “Israel has gone crazy, and they are acting no different than Nazi’s. Our response to them is a response of bravery. We are ready for martyrdom for our Palestinian brothers.” 

Meanwhile in Lebanon itself, the Daily Star reports that the number of activists permitted to take part in Friday’s demonstrations may be limited to 5,000.

“The committee organizing the march, which is expected to attract several hundred international activists along with thousands of Lebanese and Palestinians, met Monday and decided that the number of people gathering at Beaufort Castle in Nabatieh would have to be limited in number.

They settled on Beaufort Castle, near the village of Arnoun, but members of the organizing committee visited the site Monday and voiced concerns that it could only handle 5,000 people.

Beaufort Castle is located on a steep hill. Members of the organizing committee, which includes representatives of Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, as well as civilian groups, expressed their worries about the venue, which is located on an outcropping with steep slopes on all sides.

A member of the committee, who requested anonymity, said that much of the enthusiasm for the event was waning because the authorities refused to give permission for a gathering south of the Litani River.”

Zeid Daher of Hezbollah and Yasser Ali of Hamas inspect the site.(Daily Star)

Mar 28 2012

Global March to Jerusalem journalist/activist Kunal Majumder’s selective reporting

 Kunal Majumder, journalist for the Indian weekly political magazine, Tehelka, is embedded with the SE Asia delegation to the Global March to Jerusalem which, after having been joined by Turkish activists en route, is currently on its way from Turkey to Lebanon.

In his latest article Majumder appears to have succumbed to the phenomenon of an over-active imagination which seems to be plaguing so many GMJ participants.

“As the Asian delegates prepare to leave for Beirut from the Port of Tasucu in Turkey, the talk among the protesters is whether Israeli forces will follow the Global March to Jerusalem (GMJ) ship like it did last time during the Asian convoy to Gaza. A cargo ship carrying pro-Palestinian activists was followed as it traveled from Latakia port in Syria to Al-Areesh in Egypt on 1 January 2011. The memories of the Mavi Marmara massacre in 2010 are still fresh in the minds of the Turks.”

“Even as activists of GMJ use multiple methods to publicise the event, counter publicity stunts allegedly on behalf of Israel is at work. An anti-GMJ website called http://www.gm2J.co has been constantly following the activities of the march and making numerous allegations. It claims to be a forum to expose “the truth about the Global March to Jerusalem.” Among numerous mails and online forums targeting GMJ, the most amusing attack came from “WORLD MUSLIM ZIONIST ORGANIZATION” based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It claims that there is an extensive history of collaboration of GMJ organizers with the jihadist Palestinian war criminals in Gaza, the Fatah gangsters in Ramallah, and the Hizbullah heretics in Beirut.” The organisers have refused to respond to such allegations.”

Of course Majumder is being somewhat disingenuous here. It is difficult to believe that he does not know of the participation of Ajit Sahi – until fairly recently his former executive editor at Tehelka – in the 2010/11 Asian convoy to Gaza and that Sahi was on board the ship he mentions above as having been followed.

Ajit Sahi (right), senior journalist from India on the caravan

It is also difficult to believe that Majumder is unaware of the fact that among Ajit Sahi’s fellow travelers on that convoy were Global March to Jerusalem organisers Feroze Mithiborwala, Mustapa Mansour, Sandeep Panday, Shaheen Kattiparambil, Gauhar Iqbal, Shaheen Mohideen, Salim Ghafouri and Roohulla Rezvi.

Equally unlikely is the possibility that Majumder is unaware that the Asia to Gaza convoy was aided in its organization by the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas-linked IHH, or that it visited Iran, Turkey, Syria and Lebanon en-route with its participants meeting senior members of the Syrian Ba’ath party, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Khaled Masha’al , Ismail Haniyeh and Mahmoud al Zahar in person.

Gauhar Iqbal (first on the left)

Roohulla Rezvi visiting the tomb of Hafez al Assad whilst en route with the Asia to Gaza convoy

Feroze Mithiborwala presenting Khalid Masha'al with a gift in Damascus whilst en route with the Asian convoy in 2010

Mithiborwala meeting Mahmoud al Zahar upon the arrival of the Asia to Gaza convoy

Majumder must also be aware that Ajit Sahi has shown considerable support for and collaboration with both Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and its youth group the ‘Solidarity Youth Movement’. He might even be privy to the fact that even whilst Sahi was still his boss, he was already on the GMJ organisers‘ e-mail list.

He will of course know that just a few days ago Sahi, along with Muthu Krishnan, (both of whom will be joining the GMJ in Jordan) in Hyderabad organized by Hyderabad City Students Islamic Organization and Friends of Palestine in solidarity with the Global March to Jerusalem.

“Addressing the participants of this long March, Mr. Ajit Sahi, Editor Tehelka and a renowned journalist expressed his support for the proposed march and said that the atrocities on Palestinians should be stopped by Israel. He appealed to all the countries of the world to bring Israel to the talking table. It should be imposed many restrictions. Private companies of Israel should not be allowed to transact any business in our country. They should not be allowed to invest money here. Universities and academicians of Israel should also be boycotted. Economic sanctions should be imposed against Israel. Referring to defense deals, he told that all the defense transactions should be withdrawn. All diplomatic ties should be discontinued. Famous columnist Muthu Krishnan condemned the attack on Gaza.

Israel Govt. has deprived the Palestinians of their basic amenities. Even drinking Water and electricity supply has been discontinued. He appealed to the organizers of the rally to express their solidarity to Global Peace March.”

If Kunal Majumder is really unaware of all of the above, one wonders how on earth he got his job as senior correspondent for a magazine which describes itself as ‘investigative’.

If he is better at his job than would seem from his latest articles, then his indignant cries of wolf indicate that he has embraced the role of ‘useful idiot’ for the GMJ convoy and that  ‘unbiased journalist’ he certainly is not.

Further in the above mentioned article, Majumder complained:

“The anti-GMJ activists have even started targeting independent participants, including this writer, through Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites.”

He also Tweeted his displeasure with certain “anti-GMJ activists”.

Tweet by Majumder

Additional Tweet by Majumder:

In fact, one cannot but wonder if his former executive editor’s well established connections to the Global March to Jerusalem organisers had something to do with his getting the gig in the first place.

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Mar 26 2012

‘Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe’ issues rallying call supporting Global March to Jerusalem

In a manner reminiscent of the way some animals and birds puff themselves up in order to appear larger to their adversaries, organisations associated with various organisers of the Global March to Jerusalem are issuing endorsements and statements which, at first glance, suggest a much wider support base than actually exists.

Into this category falls the March 22nd communique issued by the Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe (FIOE) and reproduced on the GMJ website. The press release opens:

“The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe (FIOE) invites Muslims, and the management bodies of organisations, Islamic centres, and mosques across the European Continent to dedicate the last week in March 2012 to intensive activities in support of the city of Jerusalem (al-Quds) and the blessed al-Aqsa Mosque, given the escalating Israeli threats to the city, its holy sites, and the Palestinian inhabitants.

This initiative comes as part of worldwide efforts to support the just cause of Jerusalem, including the ’Global March to Jerusalem’ on 30 March 2012 in opposition to Israeli occupation and prevailing for the values of truth, justice, liberties of peoples, and human dignity.

The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe (FIOE) voices its deep concern regarding the situation in the city of Jerusalem, and the violations of the sanctity of the blessed al-Aqsa Mosque, and Muslim and Christian holy sites by the Israeli Occupation and its extremist groups. Furthermore, the Federation affirms its solidarity with the Palestinian people, demanding they be allowed to regain their stolen rights, and realise their legitimate demands. The Federation emphasises the importance of universal, concerted effort and cooperation to confront the arrogance of the Israeli occupation persisting in its unrestrained and aggressive policies against the city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants, as well as engaging in effective action to bring an end to these flagrant violations.”

Logo – FIOE

The FIOE is, however, hardly an objective bystander. It is the umbrella organization of Muslim Brotherhood groups in Europe, with much of its funding coming from Gulf sources.   Several of the GMJ organisers are functionaries of one or more of those groups or branches of the Ikhwan elsewhere whilst still others among the GMJ organisers are members of or associated with Hamas – a Muslim Brotherhood offshoot.

In addition, the FIOE has ties to groups and personalities engaged in fundraising for Hamas.

Head of the Dublin-based ‘European Council for Fatwa and Research‘ – established by FIOE in 1997 – is Yusuf Qaradawi, who also heads the ‘Union of Good’ which is banned by Israel and the United States because of its provision of funds to Hamas – a proscribed terror organization.

The ‘Union of Good’ includes the owners of the Mavi Marmara – the IHH – (representatives of which are among the GMJ organisers) and a British charity named ‘Education Aid for Palestinians’ of which GMJ spokesman Zaher Birawi is a trustee.

Qaradawi is of course noted for his extreme anti-Semitism, admiration for Hitler and homophobia. He resides in Qatar, where he has a regular slot on the regime-owned TV station Al Jazeera, and has recently been banned from entering France. 

The FIOE’s expression of support for the Global March to Jerusalem is, therefore, akin to a glowing review of a book on Amazon written by the author’s mother. 

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Mar 25 2012

Turkish delights for the Global March to Jerusalem in Istanbul.

As previously reported, the SE Asia delegation of the Global March to Jerusalem (which has picked up some Iranian fellow travellers along the way) is currently in Turkey.

One of the Iranian delegates has provided photographs of the caravan’s reception at a sports centre in Istanbul on March 25th.

The event appears to have been hosted by the Turkish organisation ‘Mazlumder’ – otherwise known as ‘The Organisation of Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed Peoples’.

Mazlumder is part of the Muslim Brotherhood’s network in Turkey. It was founded in 1991 and declares itself to be associated with Islamist organisations tied to Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, Iran and the Jamaat-e-Islami of Pakistan. Its chairman, Ahmet Faruk Unsal was an AKP member of parliament from 2002-2007 and is also a senior member of the Hamas supporting organization, IHH.

Mazlumder collaborated with the IHH and George Galloway’s ‘Viva Palestina’ on a 2010 convoy to Gaza, where its chairman Unsal was received by Hamas  leader Ismail Haniyeh, along with the IHH’s head Bulent Yildirim. Also present on the convoy was GMJ spokesman and known Hamas activist Zaher Birawi.  Ahmet Unsal also took part in the 2009 ‘Masjid Al Aqsa Symposium’  in Istanbul together with Raed Salah.

The wording on the banners decorating the reception’s venue therefore comes as little of a surprise.

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Mar 15 2012

Global March to Jerusalem collaboration with Hizbollah & Lebanese terrorist warlord

H/T Challah Hu Akbar

The South-East Asian delegation to the Global March to Jerusalem is currently touring Iran.

It will then travel to Turkey, from where – according to the organisers – the delegates will take a passenger ferry to Lebanon, with the intention of reaching Israel’s northern border (or as they term it: “ the border of old Palestine of 1948″).

As Michael Totten observed whilst travelling to southern Lebanon to research his 2011 book ‘The Road to Fatima Gate’:

“…we had effectively left Lebanon and arrived somewhere else. Neither government soldiers nor police officers were allowed down there. The Shia-majority cities of Nabatieh and Tyre behind us were within the government’s jurisdiction, but the only authority near the border with Israel was Hezbollah. Tehran had more sovereignty there than Beirut did.”

It is clear that any delegation of foreign visitors intending to mass on Israel’s northern border needs Hizbollah approval and permission in order to do so.

On March 14th a Hamas delegation headed by Mousa Abu Marzouk (deputy leader of the Hamas politbureau) met with Hizbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. According to Al Manar (which is Hizbollah-run) the Global March to Jerusalem was among the subjects discussed.

“Hamas delegation also informed Sayyed Nasrallah about the preparations of the Global March to Jerusalem, organized by Lebanese parties and Palestinian factions on March 30, 2012 on Earth Day.”

However, this is not the first evidence of collaboration between Hizbollah and the GMJ organisers.  The Meir Amit Intelligence & Terrorism Information Centre reported that according to the Lebanese media outlet As Sapir, Hizbollah was represented by Sheikh Abd al-Majid Omar (also Ammar) at a GMJ meeting held in Beirut on February 21st 2012 at which representatives of the Iranian-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad were also present.

 GMJ organisers (including Hamas-linked Zaher Birawi and Mohammed Sawalha as well as Feroze Mithiborwala and Nabil Hallak) also met with Lebanese organisers of the 2011 border infiltrations.

An earlier report also reports that according to the Lebanese website Al Markazia, “local committees were appointed in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon to deal with organizing and supervising the march.” The figure heading the organization of the committees in the camps is Munir Maqdah from Ain al-Hilweh who was also involved in the organization of the 2011 Naqba and Naqsa Day events.

Maqdah has given interviews on the subject to various outlets:

“On February 11, 2012, he told the Lebanese website Al-Markazia that ‘thousands of our people will go to the border with Palestine. Extensive preparations are being made to organize marches of the return on Land Day, March 30, 2012.’ He added that they were ‘peace marches,’ whose objective was to ’emphasize the right of return.’ He claimed that following the failure of the negotiations with Israel, the event would initiate a third intifada, whose first sparks would be lit on Land Day.”

“Interviewed by PNN, Munir Maqdah (indirectly referring to the events of Nakba Day 2011) said that whoever killed a [Lebanese] citizen on the Israeli border would [himself] be killed. He said after the negotiations with Israel had stalled, the events planned for Land Day might signal the beginning of a third intifada, in which all options to ‘realize Palestinian rights” were open, including an armed struggle.’

Munir Maqdeh (also Mounir al Makdah) is often described as a Fatah commander. He is a former member of Arafat’s ‘Force 17’ and the founder of the ‘Black September 13 Brigades’, established in opposition to Fatah’s signing of the Oslo Accords. In December 1999 Maqdeh was among those (including Abu Qatada of the UK) implicated on suspicion of intention to attack Israeli and American targets in Jordan in the so-called ‘Millennium plot’ and in 2004 was sentenced to death in absentia.

 During Operation Defensive Shield in 2002, documentary evidence was found of Maqdeh’s involvement in the transfer of funds (presumed to originate in Iran and possibly transferred via Syrian intelligence) to terror organisations such as the Tanzim and Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade operating out of PA controlled areas.

Maqdeh was dismissed by the Palestinian Authorityfrom both his post as Fatah leader in Ain al-Hilweh and membership of the PLO in February 2010. Together with some 2,000 men from his militia, he defected to Hizbollah, apparently undergoing training by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.

Here is an interview with Munir Maqdeh from 2009 and below another from 2006.

In a 2011 interview with Al Manar, Maqdeh stated that:

“…the Resistance was the only road to liberate the land and restore the rights. He stressed that Fatah movement has never abandoned this choice, and described it as sacred. He said in contrast that negotiations with the Zionist enemy were absurd and useless.”

The collaboration of Global March to Jerusalem organisers with a known terrorist figure such as Maqdeh with his Iranian and Hizbollah links once more indicates that the march’s ‘peaceful popular protest’ meme is nothing more than a public relations exercise to soften its image and increase its appeal to gullible Western audiences. 

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Mar 13 2012

Global March to Jerusalem spokesman Zaher Birawi in Gaza

A New Zealand freelancer currently in the Gaza Strip has reported on a press conference held on March 12th by the GMJ Gaza National Committee (headed by Hamas member Ahmad Abo Halabiya) with the participation of GMJ organiser and spokesman Zaher Birawi from the United Kingdom. 

Birawi in Gaza on March 12th – second row, in the light blue jacket. Ahmad Abo Halabiyah is in the middle of the front row.

The press release:

Later, Birawi gave an interview to the reporter in which he accused Israel of trying to make Jerusalem the “capital of racism”, “for Jewish only”. 

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Mar 10 2012

Member of Hamas Terror Cell on Global March to Jerusalem Promotional Tour in South Africa

The South African chapter of the Global March to Jerusalem is dominated by the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) which is a member of Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi’s ‘Union of Good’ and is headed by Sheikh Ihsaan Hendricks.

It therefore comes as little surprise to find a convicted member of a Hamas terrorist cell currently in South Africa on a combined promotional tour in support of the Global March to Jerusalem and ‘Israel Apartheid Week’.

Abdul Aziz Umar (also spelt עבד אל-עזיז עמרו) claims to have been sentenced to seven life sentences plus 30 years “on charges of spreading ‘new and strange ideas’ in his intellectual and academic works”.

In fact he was part of the Hamas terror cell which perpetrated the suicide bombing at Café Hillel in Jerusalem on September 9th 2003 in which seven people were murdered, including Dr. David Appelbaum – head of the Emergency Department at Sha’are Tsedek Hospital – and his daughter Nava who was to be married the next day. In addition, 64 people were injured in the attack.  

Umar was released from prison as part of the deal for the release of Gilad Shalit in October 2011. 

As reported by the MJC’s broadcasting arm, ‘The Voice of the Cape‘:

“Umar is using his life-story as the impetus for South Africans to protest Israeli occupation and to be alerted to the atrocities committed against Palestinians. He hopes to drive this message during his South African tour as he promotes the Global March to Jerusalem (GM2J) set to take place on 30 March. He said the unified march was of utmost importance, as it would be the historical movement of masses of people of different nations.”

“It is a global march that will cross Africa, Asia and Europe even America. In Palestine and Gaza, this march represents the movement of history,” he said. “The Arab uprising was a turning point for the entire world. Now the world must wake-up and all say in one voice -a voice of faith – the occupation in Palestine and of Masjidul Aqsa must end. It is time for the occupation to be dismantled and come to an end forever.”

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Mar 6 2012

Malaysian Islamists within Global March to Jerusalem leadership organize anti-Zionist ‘flashmob’

On Friday, March 2nd 2012, members of the Malaysian Islamist organisation ‘Aqsa Syarif’ (also Aqsa Sharif), which is a member of the official GMJ organising body in that country, organised a ‘flashmob’ outside the Al Amaniah Mosque, Selayang (Batu Caves) in order to (according to their description) “create awareness on Palestinian issues and in support of Global March to Jerusalem”.

The chair of Aqsa Syarif – Mohd Tahir Abd Rahman – is also chair of GMJ Malaysia and a member of the GMJ Central Committee.  Aqsa Syarif has collaborated with ‘Viva Palestina Malaysia’ and the IHH on a convoy to Gaza. Last year Aqsa Syarif held a fundraising dinner at which the keynote speaker was Hamas activist Azzam Tamimi. Also in 2011 representatives of the organisation also went on a speaking tour to Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany.

“My husband and I express my deepest gratitude and appreciation to all Malaysian students in the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland for wanting to invite Aqsa Sharif to give explanations about the struggle to free Al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestine.”

Below are pictures of the ‘flashmob’ event taken from the official Facebook account of GMJ Malaysia. 

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Mar 4 2012

‘Global March to Jerusalem’: An Attempt to “unravel the Zionist edifice”

The following essay was originally published at The Jewish Press

The Global March to Jerusalem (GMJ) on March 30 (a date which commemorates what’s known as Palestinian Land Day), is a high-profile provocation involving groups of international “activists” who intend to set out from Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt and converge upon Israel’s borders demanding the “right” to reach Jerusalem.

Concurrently, they also plan to “besiege Israeli embassies over the world”

The broader aims of GMJ, according to the project’s official website, are as follows:

 “[To] end the Apartheid, ethnic cleansing and [racist]…Judaisation policies affecting the people, land and sanctity of Jerusalem… [which] is a crime not only against Palestinians but against all humanity”

The site further claims that their efforts “will ward off Israel’s threat to world peace through the ‘Judaization’ of the holy City”.

The organizers are a conglomerate of individuals and groups representing the ‘red-green alliance.

The Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, the government of Iran, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, Western Islamists, the extreme left, and radical NGOs have united with the aim of engineering a PR disaster for Israel and advancing their long-term assault on the legitimacy of the Jewish state.

However, the broader goal of GMJ needs to be understood, and certainly shouldn’t come as a surprise to those who understand the malevolence of those involved in such delegitimization campaigns.

One of the organizers of the march wrote the following in an email to a fellow activist about their intentions:

 “The point is that how do we build a movement that compels the governments of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon & Syria to let us in (which is easy) & then let us march across the borders into Palestine, challenging the Israeli army…Imagine a situation where we have more than a million people streaming in from four borders & Israel fails to stop the human tide. Once we have broken this mental barrier, then it’s all over. Next time we will have 5 million who will be marching in & it will only grow from there. This is exactly the nightmare situation for Israel.  Thus [we] will undermine the Israeli state, like no other strategy & then it will all begin to unravel & the Zionist edifice which is unraveling as we speak, will soon fall. It’s a matter of time now, as we well know.”

Unlike other such campaigns in the past, such as the “Nakba Day” protests on Israel’s borders last May, GMJ doesn’t even attempt to maintain the veneer of fighting for Palestinian rights

Obviously Israel, like any other sovereign country, can’t permit mass infiltration of its borders, especially by terrorists and other enemies committed to its destruction. The results are therefore likely to be even graver than the violent consequences of the organized Syrian attempt to infiltrate Israel’s northern borders in June 2011 – an event which marked the 44th anniversary of the Arab “downfall” in the Six Day War, known as “Naksa Day”.

The GMJ event also needs to be seen in the context of the recent International Conference for the Defense of Jerusalem in Qatar (Feb 26-27), where Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, addressing attendees during the first day of the conference, called on Muslims to go to Jerusalem and confront Israel’s accelerated efforts to “Judaize the city”. Abbas reportedly even claimed that Israel intended to destroy the Aksa Mosque.

As with the 2nd Palestinian Intifada, which claimed over 1000 Israeli lives between 2000 and 2004, and which was largely precipitated by calls from Palestinian leaders to defend the Al-Aqsa mosque (which they claimed was under Israeli attack), the cynical exploitation of issues relating to Jerusalem always has the capacity to incite Palestinians, and provoke riots, violence and bloodshed.

Such potentially dangerous conflagrations clearly represent scenarios the march’s organizers are counting on.

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