Flashpoints Nov 27: Israeli forces invade Dheisheh; Allegra Pacheco; Kissinger

Wednesday, Nov 27, 2002 - Start Audio
-00:00 Dennis Bernstein: introduction: Israeli forces invade Dheisheh with attack dogs.. Allegra Pacheco on the arrest of her husband in Bethlehem.. Peter Cornbluh about Henry Kissinger's appointment to head Bush's 9/11 inquiry.. Interview with Henry (or is it an imposter?) in his own words.
-01:00 Robert Knight and the Knight Report.. Robert: a Knight Report exclusive interview with Republican Senator Charles Grassley, of Iowa, who is launching an investigation into the Total Information Awareness program.. Senator: I want to know: a) where the DOD gets the authority?.. b) how is it being funded?.. c) the scope of the program?.. d) how was Poindexter appointed?.. e) how is this program coordinating with the FBI and law enforcement?.. f) how are civil liberties to be protected?.. Robert: about 'posse comatatus'?.. Senator: an old law, says military not to be involved in law enforcement.. also problem with lack of discussion.. Robert: about the discrepancy between the program's reported budget of 10 million dollars and another report that the budget was a quarter of a billion dollars?.. Senator: yes, that's a significant difference.. we need to know our defence money is being spent on national defence.. I'm petitioning the inspector general.. I'm excising congressional oversight.. Robert: are you concerned also about Homeland Security?.. Senator: yes, the very same concerns.. Robert: Poindexter not the only shady character seeping back into the halls of power.. today Bush picked Henry Kissinger to head a commission investigating 9/11.
-06:26 Dennis: Friday morning Allegra Pacheco received a surprise visit.. Allegra: the Israelis were invading Bethlehem.. they came at 4AM and shot in the air.. said we must all come outside.. we were held on the ground at gunpoint for two hours.. my UN car was parked outside.. I told them I was a UN official.. my husband also a UN official.. they searched everyone's apartment.. I'm five months pregnant, I demanded to go inside to the bathroom.. I noticed my phone was missing.. I came out and asked where is my phone.. a soldier produced it from his pocket.. they took my husband for questioning.. because he is a relative of a wanted person.. Dennis: I understand you visited your husband in prison?.. Allegra: we're under strict curfew, a 'shoot to kill' policy.. I took a chance, drove my UN car to the checkpoint, got out with my hands in the air.. allowed to go to the prison.. about our life under curfew.. my husband being held with about 50 other relatives of wanted people.. held as hostages.. this is collective punishment, a violation of international law.. he is ill.. tortured in prior imprisonment.. Dennis: your car was marked with UN ensignia.. are the Israelis trying to purge UN workers out of the occupied territories?.. Allegra: I don't know about that.. but it is very difficult, getting aid into the West Bank.. after all the conventions the Israelis have agreed to honor.. the Israel army as an occupier is obligated to.. Palestinians can not get food, medicine from any other source (than UN and NGOs).. the general promises by the IDF over the last couple months.. now Iain Hook's death, and the search of my home.. I am sick myself, and now in Jerusalem.. Dennis: our hearts go out to you.. Allegra: my case is a weak reflection of the pain and suffering of the Palestinians.. Israel is not held accountable by anyone.. is it surprising to anyone that Palestinians take things into their own hands?
-17:00 Dennis: now w Misun Ziad (sp?) of International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in Dheisheh camp.. Misun: since 4AM Friday morning troops in Dheisheh (indymedia report).. they have taken 45 men, not wanted, not militants.. and they went into the mosque and destroyed parts of the mosque.. the people have no food, no fruit here.. not even any bread for the people.. the streets full of garbage.. just today a woman went into labor and not allowed to go to the hospital.. delivered at home, the baby died.. the tanks drive around and shoot in the middle of the night.. they scream (an arabic phrase) meaning a muslim call to prayer.. after warning anyone on the street will be shot.. a huge insult.. the israelis have taken to using dogs.. barking, chasing children.. soldiers throwing tear gas at the children.. children with swollen eyes.. the children not allowed to go to school for a week now.. Dennis: about the mosque?.. Misun: they came at 4:35 in the morning, during morning prayers.. troops went in, threw everyone out and destroyed things in the Mosque.. they've been going house to house.. writing insults on the walls, destroying things.. stealing.. thankfully they haven't entered the Ibdaa Cultural Center.. I'm staying in Ibdaa hopefully to protect it.. they have stolen phones, stolen gold, stolen money here.. Dennis: you were detained Friday morning with Allegra Pacheco?.. Misun: how I feel about being a disabled American citizen held at gunpoint.. the Israelis think they are above the law.. children not allowed to go outside.. people ill from not being allowed food or water.. Israel taking relatives of wanted people.. collective punishment.. these are the early stages of war crimes.. they don't plan to lift the curfew.. no milk, no fruit, no meat, no bread even.. malnutrition.. no media coverage at all.. Dennis: heavy media coverage of suicide bombings though.. Misun: Ibdaa was working on a play, about a true story, a 14 year old, not doing anything, shot and killed.. all too common.. I'm afraid the soldiers could come in here and kill anyone, and it wouldn't even be reported.. Dennis: are the soldiers close by?.. Misun: I can not see any tanks outside the center tonight.. there were tanks the last two nights.. across the street though, they took over a house and hung the Israeli flag.. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT.. THEY ARE NOT EVEN LETTING INTERNATIONALS LEAVE AND GET SUPPLIES, MEDICINES.. PLEASE WE ARE PLEADING FOR YOUR LISTENERS TO CONTACT SOMEONE, DO SOMETHING.. MAKE ISRAEL LIFT THE CURFEW SO PEOPLE CAN GET FOOD, WATER, MEDICINE.
-27:40 Dennis: continuing the coverage of happenings in Haiti.. now w Kevin Pina in Port-au-Prince.. Kevin: it has been pretty quiet.. except for rumors, not true.. people are trying to stay calm.. calls to overthrow the constitutional government coming from many quarters.. the situation made almost unbearable by the US aid embargo.. the US has just committed 20,000 assault rifles to the Dominican Republic.. the US stirring up.. Dennis: the media quoting Otto Reich today.. Kevin: Rueters gets its feed from Radio Metropol.. and yesterday I saw a reporter from Radio Metropol instigating students to throw rocks at pro-Aristide demonstrators.. a demonization built over the last five years.. the US has created the reality they wanted for Haiti.. the acts of destabilization.. Otto Reich used to be the head of an office bullied the press into following.. on Nicagagua.. popular democracies have been springing up all over Latin America.. popular democracies are anethema to the US.. Senator Frank Church must be rolling in his grave.. Dennis: Rueters reporting today that mobs attacking peaceful anti-Aristide demonstrators.. Kevin: the media not showing any pictures of the Lavalas supporters.. if they're going to call for the overthrow of this democratically elected government, they should understand that Lavalas supporters are passionate, and it will get bloody..
-37:10 Dennis: now w Peter Cornbluh, of the Chile Documentation Project in the National Security Archive, writing a book about Henry Kissinger.. about Bush's appointment of Kissinger to his 9/11 investigation.. (no further review this segment)
-49:15 Dennis: now w Henry Kissinger.. Henry: glad to be on Flashpoints.. on my 400th birthday.. Dennis: you were just appointed to head Bush's 9/11 commission.. what's your aim there?.. Henry: we'll try to whitewash the links between Saudi Arabia and 9/11.. Dennis: but sir, you are charged with getting to the bottom.. Henry: we want to blame Pacifica, they're making the FBI very nervous.. not a whitewash actually, we just want to protect the people from the truth.. important not to scare the public.. Dennis: you are implicated in overthrowing Salvador Allende and the invasion of East Timor.. Henry: thank you for your acolades.. Dennis: you have no qualms about invading East Timor and overthrowing a democratic government?.. Henry: we got rid of 200,000 terrorists.. think of all the planes that *weren't* flown into buildings.. Dennis: Israel occupying Palestine.. Henry: it's important to tell the truth.. we belive Iraq eventually wants to occupy Palestine.. Dennis: is it about oil?.. Henry: not so.. why did we go into Somolia?.. we left Somalia because we didn't find oil.. Henry: I am appointing as my assistant, William Casey.. Dennis: but he's dead!.. Henry: yes, but still a very intelligent man.. his country needs him now.. Dennis: that was the voice of comedian and imposter, Randy Critico
-57:07 End today's show. today's review by john lionheart

Tuesday, Nov 26, 2002 - Start Audio

An eight year old boy murdered by an israeli sniper yesterday.. no warning given..