The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Nayef Al-Saud died at age
78. Nayef was the Interior Minister
known for his "efficient" crackdown on dissent and thus was praised
by US administrators for dealing with "terrorism" (the same
administrators who tortured and "rendered" subjects to be tortured). I will briefly write information that maybe
new to some you about this ruling family.
The founder of this kingdom was his father AbdulAziz Al- Saud (1876-1953)
whose family made income by raids especially on the area of the Rashid clan who
ruled much of the Arabian Peninsula then under the Ottoman Empire. AbdulAziz consolidated his rule with British
arms via wars against other ruling families and not just Al-Rashid but
Al-Hashemites (also installed by the British to rule part of Arabia). He
established a western-leaning "kingdom" and named it after his family
"Saudi Arabia". He married over 20 wives and had 37 children. Today's succession of elderly men ruling
Saudi Arabia were/are his children: Saud, Faisal (assassinated), Khalid, Fahd,
and now 87-year old Abdullah. There are 7000 members of the "Royal
Family" and they do not get along with each other and many are decent
human beings. Yet, much of the people's
wealth is in the hands of elite few deposited in Western Banks profiting Zionists.
Over $1 billion oil revenue flows
in EVERY DAY. Another source of income for the kingdom is from millions of pilgrims
flocking to Mecca and Medina for the Haj.
The trillions gathered could have made every citizen of the kingdom comfortably
rich but there are over 20% unemployment and the disparity between rich and
poor is one of the highest in the world. This Arab wealth could have helped develop
sustainable economy in an integrated Arab world. The Arab world, rich in natural resources and
educated and talented people could have become far more advanced than Europe or
the US. Instead, we remain mired in feudalism, tribalism, paternalism, factionalism,
sexism, consumerism, autocracy, and excessive religiosity (promoted by rulers to
keep people down).
The Ottoman Sultan AbdulHamid was forced to relinquish power
because he refused to acquiesce to the Zionist project in Palestine. By contrast, the founder of the kingdom of
Saudi Arabia, wrote with his own hand in 1915: " I the Sultan Abdel Aziz Bin
Abdel Alrahman Al-Faysal Al-Saud decide and acknowledge a thousand times to Sir
Percy Cox representative of Great Britain that I have no objection to give
Palestine to the poor Jews or to others as seen [fit] by Great Britain that I
would not go outside [disobey] its opinion until the hour of calling [end of
the world]." (See Qumsiyeh, Popular Resistance in Palestine", Pluto Press 2011). So while the kingdom's population grew, its
riches continued to pass through the hands of people like these, individuals
who routinely violate human rights, supported by Britain and now the USA.
Two days ago I was in Susya in the South of the West
Bank. Here Zionist European Ashkenazi established
a colony and discovered an old Canaanite temple which they claim falsely to be
connected to them. Here they have demolished
homes of native Palestinians (the real inheritors of these ancient
civilizations). Here settlers routinely
attack Palestinians (see video below). Here good people helped build solar
panels to give electricity to a community that Israel refuses to allow them to connect
to an existing grid. Here also is where
last week Israeli authorities gave demolition orders that will make over 300
men, women, and children homeless. Here
also is a place where an elderly resident tells me that some Palestinians profit
by capitulating on their miseries and.
Whether it is Palestinians or it is members of the Al-Saud family, all
give us lessons in human frailty and humanity. I did write my email last week on optimism and
as the late Khalil Gibran stated: "The optimist sees the rose and not its
thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious to the rose." Come
to think of it in a hundred years who will be more remembered: dead kings and
crown-princes or people like Khalil Gibran? Will it be the resident of Susya
who stuck-it out and resisted or his brother who now live comfortably in Yatta
while settler cultivate his land? Will it be a Palestinian who takes money from
internationals for his pocket or one who is on a hunger strike in an Israeli
jail?
We can say a kind word to real friends and to strangers in
need. We can do a gesture or a smile to
help someone who is down. We can teach.
We can sing. We can rebel. We can
simply live in dignity even if we are dirt poor. So I take this moment to thank you all: the
activists who care about justice and human rights, the artists, the teachers, the
peasants, the workers, and all those who maintain their humanity and do not
sell out their souls. You are principled and will not compromise your
integrity. That is why our late friend Vittorio
ended his emails with the admonition "Stay Human". May we all stay
human. And may those who have sold their souls for a fistful of silver coins
reclaim their humanity. It is never too
late. I even have a dream that the next
"king" of "Saudi Arabia" will be someone who uses his
existing powers to remove that power and transfer it in an orderly way to the people
and thus gains a perpetual place in history. I have a dream that Barack Obama or
his successor will finally show some backbone and do a similar thing in America
(challenging the Israel lobby).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Sobering video of what's at Stake: Total US debt is
not just $14.8 trillion, but $61 trillion (including social security obligation
that is off the balance sheet and only disclosed in the footnotes of US
government's financial statements as of the fiscal year ended September 30,
2011.) Every US citizens and taxpaying US residents should take 10
minutes to watch this Video made by the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants (AICPA), and find more time to read the resources cited in the
video, and get involved to change the direction the US is heading. http://www.aicpa.org/Advocacy/
(of course much of this debt is due to lavish funding for
Israel and countless wars done at the behest of the Israel lobby including the
$3 trillion Iraq war; watch for Iran now! The wonderful hard working Americans
I met when I lived there do not deserve this)
Nurit Peled-Elhanan’s moving reflections on the occupation’s
45th birthday
State Dep’t official’s ‘Are you Jewish?’ question to US
citizen keeps rattling Foggy Bottom
Supporter of human rights, Israeli Andrey Pshenichnikov
moved to one of our refugee camps near Bethlehem, and asked for Palestinian
citizenship. So "Israel detains ex-IDF soldier [and] accused [him] of ties
to Palestinian terror group"
Action: Send
TIAA-CREF’s Senior Vice President a note to let him know you are watching and
you expect public—not backroom—engagement with companies, like Caterpillar,
profiting from Israel's occupation.
Israel: Jesus was not born in Palestine!
Freedom bus upcoming events in Palestine
For interest-nonpolitical: Why is 'x' the unknown? By Terry
Moore
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