Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's speech at the United Nations

Below is an excerpt. In his full speech he pointed out, among other issues, that war in Afghanistan and Iraq caused destruction and instability - not peace and stability. He stated that the turbulence in the Middle East will not help the world or 'super- powers'. He also talked about the plight of the Palestinians and brutality of Israel.

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"The speech wasn’t an unqualified embrace of the west. Rouhani condemned what he said was the “persistence of a Cold War mentality” and the “bipolar division of the world into a superior us and an inferior others.” He denounced the use of drone strikes in the Middle East and called the U.N. sanctions against his country “violent—pure and simple,” adding they “cause belligerence, war-mongering and human suffering.”

Read more NBC News here.


Full speech:

 

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Canadian United Church’s resolution on Israel/Palestinian situation

The United Church is critical of Israel and the treatment/ plight of Palestinians. Spokesperson Sid Shniad of Independent Jewish Voices has some interesting points of view. Rabbi Reuben Poupko defends Israel’s position. You be the judge.

I believe the United Church is showing courage and fairness to pass such a resolution. More organizations in the West need to speak out to end the atrocities against Palestinians.


Source: CBC- Power and Politics- Evan Solomon.

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Benjamin Netanyahu: The Most Powerful Man in the World

It looks like it’s Israel and its Prime Minister who are the most powerful in the World, and not the United States. When Barack Obama in his speech said that there is a need for a two-state solution (Palestine and Israel) with the starting point being the pre-1967 boundaries with mutually agreed-to land swaps, Republicans and many cons were up in arms against Obama, saying how dare he say something about America’s closest friend in the World, Israel.

Strangely enough, similar things were said by Bill Clinton in the past and George W. Bush said it in January 2008 when he was visiting Israel. The only difference is that George W. Bush made reference to the 1949 boundaries with appropriate land swaps (ie. The same boundaries). So, why so much fuss now?

Netanyahu right away said that Obama’s position was totally indefensible. He then visited Obama in the White House and practically reprimanded him for his “1967 boundaries” statement and gave him a big lecture. When Obama went before AIPAC (pro-Israel lobby organization) he had to emphasize that the friendship between Israel and America is iron-clad, and Obama never again mentioned the 1967 boundaries.

Then Netanyahu went to the US Congress and said something exactly the same thing as Obama, Bush, and Clinton said regarding boundaries. So one wonders, who is the most powerful nation in the World? Right now it looks it is Israel, and it can dictate its terms with any Palestinian resolution with more authority than the US.

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