links for 2009-06-05

Comment: "..the President's heavy and obvious reliance on the teleprompter, does undermine the heartfelt sentiment of the speech somewhat. Once again an American President demands that the Palestinians renounce violence and presents it as a demand equal to Israel ending the ongoing illegal occupation (he might have mentioned the occupation, he didn't mention it's flagrant illegality) and to DISMANTLE the existing settlements and repatriate the illegal settlers alongside halting new settlement construction.The Palestinians have not chosen violence, they have been forced into it by decades of Zionist policies which have robbed them of their dignity and their homeland and continue to do so. All the cards are in Israel's hands, the decision to renounce violence is simply not a decision at all. Mr. Obama says violence never brings about justice, has he never heard of the Irish resistance to British occupatiion? Resistance isn't a choice or a decision, it is a regrettable duty."