Bono invited to honour Israel.

by Dick Doyle Tue Feb 26, 2008 13:45

Let him go, & while he's there he can criticise the injustices perpetrated by the Israeli Government......here's hoping!

by Barry Tue Feb 26, 2008 19:43

Hezbollah are expected to retaliate for the assassination of one of their senior members in Syria by the zionists . Bono is off to meet the zionists . The chances of a Katyusha rocket making a direct hit on a small balding messianic man are pretty high , but not altogether impossible . Therefore I believe the best policy for progressive people to take is to let him go and say nothin till later .Because you never know , we might get lucky .

by C. Tue Feb 26, 2008 20:08

http://www.pacbi.org/boycott_news_more.php?id=315_0_1_0_C

2006 Banner

by Honest man Wed Feb 27, 2008 11:56

I can not belive that any of you would place your faith in this ego maniac, hypocritical, BS merchant. Lest we forget that Paul Hewson is the man who repeatedly tells the world that they have to pay their share to ease suffering. Yet, as soon as the artists tax exemption was removed, he was not so keen on paying his share to ease the suffering of the Irish people. He always has been and always will be a poor mans Geldof.

by Peres watch Wed Feb 27, 2008 12:26

Interesting to note that the inviation was extended by the Israeli President Shimon Peres.

This man himself boasts a very dubious history in the category of respect for Human Rights.
It was Peres who launched the barbaric military campaign in Lebanon in 1996 called Operation Grapes of Wrath during which among many other atrocities 102 people were slaughtered by artillery fire in Qana.
Peres had this to say of the massacre :

"In my opinion, everything was done according to clear logic and in a responsible way. I am at peace."

I see people saying Bono should go and then speak out agsainst Israeli policies but if things had worked out differenlty in the Balakans could anyone rightly propose that Bono accept an invite from Slobadon Milosevic to celebrate Serb achievments.

Then by way of token solidarity sing Miss Sarajevo on the runway before he left.

Best to stir clear of Peres and issue a statement clarifyig his support for Human rights.

by donkylemore Thu Feb 28, 2008 00:40

I think he has pulled it off once more.
You see the real plan is his the launch of his Judaeo / ABrahamic world tour.
To do so with traditional spectacle he has organised a meeting with Bin Laded in the Tora Bora Mountain cave , The set up will Bono in the middle - Peres on his right and Osama on his left .
The trio will having declared peace will emerge nto the amber sunlight ( because it is really Ardmore Studios) singing We have Overcome .. Bono on banjo, Osama on clarinet and Peres on basoon
The next shot will be on Hill of Calvary . Zoom in. "2 crosses bare . Only Bono remains -Wailing Why hast thee forsaken me , for fucksake .. forfuckensakenmee !!''
Camrea pans over Dome of The Rock ;clouds darken and a thunderous voice booms from the vermilion sky -
Tis easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle ... Pay Thy Fuckin Taxes Bono .. Thine hour hath commeth ''

by The Torturer Thu Feb 28, 2008 11:37

Lets not forget about torture , as well. This is what Bono had to say to the Americans just a few months ago about the use of torture:

"Today I read in the Economist an article reporting that over 38 percent of Americans support some type of torture in exceptional circumstances. My country? No. Your country? Tell me no. Today, when I receive this great honor, I ask you, I implore you as an Irishman who has seen some of these things close up, I ask you to remember, you do not have to become a monster to defeat a monster. Your America is better than that."

In Israel torture is a daily occurrence. In fact it is legal to torture people in Israel and all the torturer needs to do to justify the Human rights abuse is say that it was an exceptional circumstance.

Bono needs to be consistent and call Shimon Peres and the Israeli people on the state's use of torture.

by donkylemore Fri Feb 29, 2008 14:23

The Milgram Experiment
This was a crude but enlightening experiment conducted in the 60s The quest was to determine whether normal people would willfully inflict torture on subjects who were either slow to learn of perform a given task
It showed that normal people are prepared to inflict a punishment as extensive as to kill the subject for their perceived obduracy or delinquency.
See Wikipedia .
''The Milgram experiment carried out on normal people demonstrated thast up to 65^ of experiment participants administered the experiment's final 450-volt shock, though many were very uncomfortable doing so; at some point, every participant paused and questioned the experiment, some said they would refund the money they were paid for participating in the experiment. No participant steadfastly refused to administer shocks before the 300-volt ''

The boundaries of mans inhumanity are determined by culture , persuasion, faith , a self belief in altruism.
This group as I recall also established that rats .( lemmings ) ants and man are the only creatures who will commit suicide either for selfish reasons or for the betterment of their colony/ community.
I had the misfportune to witnes the exchange of priosoners from the Kiam prison in S lLebanon , then occupied by and administered by Israelis.
Both sides frequently used torture.
My '' patients '' were Palestinians or members of Immal movement.
They all declined to be examined , '' Not for you Hakim''
I dont know whether that meant that that they didnt want me involved where they were determined to exac revenge .
I was then a MO with UNIFIL 90-95

by U2BE Sat Mar 01, 2008 16:15

On January 30, 1972, British troops opened fire on unarmed and peaceful civilians in Derry, Ireland during a civil rights march, just like the Zionist do, in Gaza Concentration Camp almost daily. This music video is a tribute to the 14 killed and others wounded - combining video/music of U2, video from "Bloody Sunday" (2002 movie), and photographs from that terrible day. The butchery still goes on today with guns and aircraft given to the Zionists by the USA, today. Support the boycott, of all International War Criminals and their states.

http://u2b-irishblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/u2-stop-massacre-in-gaza-concentration.html

by Abu Saad Sun Mar 02, 2008 18:14

There was a massacre in Gaza yesterday. It is still going on today. Among the murdered are bunches of kids and a 2 day old baby . According to sources in Palestine 100 have been killed in the last couple of days alone, more than 50 yesterday alone.

Bono,

If you have a shred of belief in you own Human Rights preechings then speak out now against Israel and start the ball rolling. Stop pussy footing around with Bush and Blair and Tsipi Livni and other facilitators of slaughter. Speak out and call a boycott on this rogue murderous regime.

http://www.imemc.org/article/53167

by Bono ? LOL. Sun Mar 02, 2008 18:32

Is nobody going to put an end to this madness ? Forget Bono !!!!!!!!!

If this was happening in Europe NATO would be on the ground or bombing the hell out of the perpetrators.

Within the last 24 hours the Israelis have killed more than 62 Gaza Strip residents.All of the victims are from the Northern parts of Gaza Strip

1-Eayd Abu Shebak 25, 2-Jacklin Abu Shebak 17, 3-Bassam Obied 45, 4-Mahmoud Bassam Obied 15, 5-Samah Asalyia 17, 6-Salwa Asalyia 14, 7-Mosleh Abu Ali 22, 8-Hamza El-Jamal 40, 9-Mustafa Abu Jalala 18,10-Muhamad El-Mabhoouh 17, 11-Hassan Rashad Safi 25, 12-Abed Allah Abed Rabu 20,13-Mustafa Manoun 21,14-Sa'ed El-Hasheem 21,15-Ibrahim El-Zien 26,16-Abed Allah Abu She'iera 18,17-Mustafa Abed Rabu 24,18-Muhamad Sliem 16,19-Ghada Saleh 16,20-Hussien El-Batsh15,21-Tala'at Dardouna, 22-AbedEl-Hamied Hamada, 23-Thabet Jenied22,24-Sultan El-Zien, 25-Muhamad Obied, 26-Mahmoud El-Attar, 27-Na'el Abu Oun 20,28-Abed El-Rahman Shehab 22 (member of Hamas and PLC,Palestine Legislature Council ),29-Ali El-Ketnani, 30-Safa'a Abu Sief 12, 31 Sa'ed Dabour 18,32-Jihad Abu Helial,33-Thari Abu Obied,34-Tamer Weshah,35-Ahmed Saleh,36- Muhamad Eqila, Eqila, 37-Hassan Abu Harb,38-Khaled Att Allah,39-Ibrahim Att Allah, 40-So'ad Att Allah, 41- Mahmoud Rayian- 42-Abed El karim El-Haou 28, -,43-Omar Inshassi 20, 44- Ra'fat Yassin 22 khan-Yonis, 45-Hassan Abu El-Naja 21, khan-Yonis,46-Mustafa Zaghlol 32, 47-Belal El- Jamal 25, 48-Moa'tasem Abed Rabou 24, 49- Mosleh Muhamad Musleh 23, 50-Belal El-Jamal 25,
:51-Nehad Daher 12,52-Hamada Sa'ed 18,53-Belal Azaam21,54-Mohanad El-Shami 20,55-Muhamad Abu Rayia 19,56-Abed El-Mo'ty Sa'ed 20.
57-Khaled Abu Eiada,58-MuhamadAbu Ne'ma,59-SadeqEl-Balishi,60-SamerQeshta,61-Emad, 61-EmadQeshtaEl-Tala'a,62-Sobhi Awad Allah

by Sceptic Sun Mar 02, 2008 20:19

The Israelis are not blameless in this matter but they are being continually provoked by rocket attacks and that cannot be lost sight of. This reaction (or overreaction, if you like) would not be happening without such rocket attacks that are an act of war with official connivance from Hamas. Energy and outrage and protest should also be directed at that quarter if people want all of this to stop.

Reference was made to parallels with the events of Derry in 1972. However there was an armed IRA presence in the area at the time (Martin McGuiness has admitted that to the Saval Tribunal) and there had been a history of IRA attacks on the British Army including a particular brutal “honey trap” type of murder of three young Scottish soldiers the year before. Combined with British inexperience in NI and a host of leadership failures, disaster took place – a disaster for which the British have made some amends and from which they learned a lot and from which other armies learned a lot too. Unlike the then local Stormont administration, the British themselves had no quarrel with the Civil Rights Movement.

The parallel is more that the British and Israeli overreaction/excess in both Derry and Gaza plays(ed) into the hands of the IRA and Hamas extremists respectively. Both situations are also similar to the reactions to the Kirov assassination and the Reichstag fire – it is those who profess to be most offended who in reality have most to gain from the sense of outrage generated. In particular the terrorist technique is common – strike from a hidden position within the civilian population. Wait for the reaction that will kill innocents and then benefit from the sense of grievance generated internally and the propaganda value abroad. It becomes a self-reinforcing dynamic in which members of the community which the terrorists / militants are technically pledged to defend are in fact expended in furtherance of an upping of the military/sectarian ante.

I’ve no brief for Bono nor am I a fan but I suspect what really annoys some of you guys is that he is keenly interested in issues like poverty and justice but yet is not a knee jerk far lefty or anarchist or an America basher. He is more realistic and evenhanded than that and has a more rounded view of why great problems exist and what remedies would be most effective and available in ameliorating them. He also has a certain amount of respect for leaders with democratic authority and for the pope. He can see that the terrorists and extremists and those who follow false Gods like ethno nationalism are part of the problem.

by donkylemore Sun Mar 02, 2008 23:51

The comparison with the Hammas movement and the IRA of the 70s is more emotive than real.
The shootings on Bloody Sunday followed from years of subjugation of the catholic community. They could not get arms because they could not form gun clubs; the Loyalists were heavily equipped by the late 60's .
The march was a civil rights protest against the injustice of the local council giving a house to a single protestant mother rather that a catholic family.
Bloody Sunday , irrespective of whatever enquiries ensue ( remember the farce of the Widgery Inquiry ?) will always remain the British Army at their lowest ebb in NI . They essentially lost control of the day. Panic was rife ; vengeance and confusion reigned . And after the carnage - butchers dozen - when there were 13 dead.. then the 14 th died- , they decorated the commanding Officer of the day.
The similarities are nonetheless real. the IRA did use civilian shields to snipe at the BA forces. The later marches were undoubtedly organized to facilitate IRA strategies.

by Babs Mon Mar 03, 2008 01:21

HAMAS wanted this war and they have got it

Remember they took over Gaza and kept on firing rockets

Remember they were elected by a big majority as the people hated the corrupt Fatah

Remember 4000 to 5000- rockets came from poor blockaded Gaza in the past 2 years

What priorities Hamas must have ?

by paul o toole Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:40

bono is a smokescreen, so is geldof.
Some people think that they can do more on the 'inside', truth is, if they choose to say a word against the bush/blair/bertie/christian/zionists, there carreer is over.
If either of them gave the slightest shit about any suffering, they would expose their friends for taking trillions of dollars of Africas, Iraq's etc , resources. They looked for a few billion which wouldent even cover interest . Why dont they say...'Africa dosent need our 'AID', we need to stop ripping Africans off... the reason...without ripping off poor nations for their oil mainly...all our economies would collappse tomorrow.
They had their live 8 slumber party and Oxfam declared it a total failure on the same day Israel launched rockets into Gaza killing 14 and breaking an 18 month UN brokered ceasefire, this happened on world cup day.
Bono is yet another psycho christian zionist pretending to the rest of his sleeping congregation that he cares- Michael Powell would end his carreer in 24 hours if he says a word out of place.
Bono provides us with the pretence that we are doing something to ease our guilt as we live off their wealth and wear the true radicals rubber wrist bands.

by Arty Pain Tue Apr 01, 2008 21:18

Now Bjork is off to bring joy to the trudging boredom of the oppressor's daily lot.
Singin a few songs for the tired occupiers ears weary of listening to themsleves shouting at Palestinians at roadblocks all day. What will she sing from her extensive repertoire , I wonder. Here's a list of possibles.

Army of me, I see who you are , Its in our hands, declare independence, ancestors, play dead... and wrap it all up with - There's more to life than this.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9431.shtml

" You uttered one word ["Tibet"] in a concert in Shanghai that sent ripples across many disapproving seas. This time, say it louder, and support another just cause: that of the Palestinian people.

Do not sing in Israel, so that your silence will prove to be more deafening. "

by Sad Smiths fan Wed Apr 16, 2008 15:42

Morrisey ( The Music Artist) December 2007 :

"I abhor racism and oppression or cruelty of any kind and will not let this pass without being absolutely clear and emphatic with regard to what my position is. Racism is beyond common sense and I believe it has no place in our society."

Morrisey ( The Hypocrite) April 2008 :

"God bless Israel, stay nice!"

Morrissey,

Today, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz revealed your video message to the Israeli public, confirming your performance in Tel Aviv on 29 July 2008.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9461.shtml

by Charlie Wed Apr 30, 2008 09:56

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/artic...6.ece

What a completely sickening bullshitter Morrisey is. He gets all excited about a Zoo because of the infringment on Primates rights then swans off to visit Israel where 1.5million primates are trapped in a zoo in Gaza.

" MORRISSEY, the pop singer and animal rights activist, has called for a boycott of the world's largest chimpanzee enclosure, which is due to open at Edinburgh Zoo next month.

The former frontman of the Smiths has claimed that keeping primates in captivity is cruel and has urged parents to take their children to their local abattoir instead “for a lesson that no kid would ever forget”. "

This sad misguided vegan needs to spend a day of two in the Gaza Abbatoir , the largest human enclosure in the world,and watch the Israeli butchers go to work on the local primates with bombs and bullets for a couple of days.

Morrisey, go to hell.

by Dave Williams Wed Jun 25, 2008 19:47

Lo and Behold we have the Next hypocrite stepping up to shame himself. Who is it this time? The one and only Sir Paul Mc Cartney. The fool on the Hill who once said the following :

"I wouldn't even dream of going over there [China] to play, in the same way I wouldn't go to a country that supported apartheid. This is just disgusting. It's just against every rule of humanity. I couldn't go there."

And what was this outrage against Humanity that has made the X Beatle vow never to play China ?

Cruelty to Cats and Dogs !

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4476664.stm

But Palestinians dont show up on Sir Paul's outrage radar and Israeli two tier social system and occupation and Bantustanisation of Palestine does not qualify as supporting Apartheid. We wont even mention the fact that Israel supported the country that invented Apartheid . Thats a double wammy for you Macca.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3560256,00.html

by Old Rocker Thu Jun 26, 2008 00:01

Clearly he is unaware of the national and international call for artists of every stripe to boycott invitations to Israel. Either that, or he has, like some writers, chosen to ignore it. That's showbiz! Next we'll be asking odd questions, such as how much of U2's fortune has ever been sent to alleviate famine and poverty in Third World countries. No one should be surprised: it is showbusiness, all of it. Israel's propaganda machine will get mileage out of it.

by Animal Lover Thu Jun 26, 2008 05:20

Please don't begrudge animals their paltry rights just because humans are cruel to humans. For every awful indignity and cruelty visited upon humans by other humans, there are a thousand times as many visited upon animals which are, it seems, socially acceptable. So leave animals out of it please. Mans Inhumanity to man is not their fault. They are on the receiving end of it too.

Personally I feel very strongly about Israel's abhorrent behaviour and I believe people like bono are total hypocrites and tools of the world bank and other imperialist organisations. As for paul McCartney, well he is just a weak willed ass, likely influenced to make those statements about china by his ex wives who both cared deeply about animals and their welfare (you should watch the awful cruelty videos from china before commenting on this). In reality, he probably doesn't care much about anything really except getting laid and being rich and famous.

But why do you expect anything decent from a popstar except pop music? They're mostly a pretty egotistical and shallow lot, dependent on applause and an audience for their self worth. The very definition of weak willed. So don't waste your time being disappointed with popstars. Or resenting animals the paltry rights that they currently get. Just get up off your own ass and fight for the cause YOU so obviously care about instead of posting stupid comments on the internet and perpetuating your warped "either or" morality which is quite clearly a logical fallacy.

Let me put it plainly for you. Being kind to animals is not mutually exclusive to being kind to humans. Newsflash: You can be both!!

Most sentient and caring humans ARE. Human cruelty and brutality of all kinds should be protested. It's a pity bono, maca and morrissey are just too self motivated and egotistical to see that. That's their failing as sentient beings, not that of the poor dumb animals they pretend to support.

by Dave Sat Jun 28, 2008 19:26

Woah Animal Lover,

I have a lot of time for animal rights issues as well and wildlife protection and habitat protection is very big on my horizon. I resent you calling my comment Stupid. Its not stupid to bring to people's attentions to what their favourite pop-stars are doing and how it perpetuates the violations of Human Rights in some instances.
Animal rights are important and obviously important to Macca also and to highlight his out rage over animal rights violation in a thread that is basically about Human rights violations is a good way to give a jolt to those who would be travelling to his music tours but who are opposed to the Apartheid occupation in Palestine and are animal lovers.

hey, it got you on here talking about animal rights so now maybe a few more people are aware of Mc Cartney's hypocritical attitudes. Whats stupid about that ? You dismissing my post is the logical fallacy.

by Animal Lover Sat Jun 28, 2008 19:59

I retract the word "stupid" from my comment and apologise. I should not have used it.

by Mr Man Sat Jun 28, 2008 21:44

Dave-
I wouldn't say that the actions of celebrities perpetuate human rights violations. I mean i'm sure bono has done more for human rights than you or I, so are we perpetuating human rights violations aswell/more? I dislike the condescending twat as much as the next guy but he has done a lot of good, the same goes for a multitude of celebrities, who have actually done/donated a lot more than we ever could. And although we may not like it, soft diplomacy can work.

In any case, I still dispute characterising Israel as an apartheid state.

by Peter - None Mon Jun 30, 2008 02:21

What makes you so sure that Bono has done more for Human Rights than me and you ?

Didnt Bono pal around with Tony Blair and George Bush?

Two worse Human Rights abusing politicians will never be found I think.

Bono endorsed that pair, Bono endorsed Blair and Bush, Bono endorsed Human rights Abuse.

by Willie OD Tue Sep 23, 2008 10:15

Lifelong Beatles fan gives his opinion of Paul Mc Cartney accepting 4.3Million dollars to endorse Israeli Aparteid against the Palestinians.

" What will McCartney open with, "Pipes of Peace" or "Ebony and Ivory"? Given the reality on the ground, which he refuses to acknowledge, why not open with "Live and Let Die" to a rapturous Israeli audience? "

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9846.shtml

by Fred Johnston Tue Sep 23, 2008 13:19

Bono should not go to Israel. He should be aware of the call, here and in the UK, for artists of every kind to think hard before accepting invitations to perform or appear in Israel; I would have imagined he had more knowledge of the situation vis-a-vis the Palestinians than to go. Israel is delighted to have singers, poets, musicians travel to perform for them, as it tends to point away from the destruction that is being meted out to the Palestinians. If he does go, it would be useful if he made a public statement while there condemning Israeli action in Gaza, for example, but I doubt he would.

by Noel Thomas Martin - Communist Party of Ireland Sun May 29, 2011 21:29

As a respected musician, lyricist and social activist you more than many people are aware of the pain and suffering that the palestinian people have suffered under Israeli occupation. For you to participate in the obvious Israeli P.R. excercise is a denial of all your achievements in defending downtrodden peoples across the world. As the Americans activists would say, "Bono, it's time to man-up".

by Fred Sun May 29, 2011 23:14

This was in 2008 whats up now ?