If Alan Johnston is dead, who, really, was responsible?
At a public meeting in London on Wednesday 11 April, I was asked for my thoughts (as a former ITN and BBC Panorama correspondent) about Alan Johnston’s “disappearance” in Gaza. I said that I feared he could be dead, and that if he was, he might well have been shot in the head within minutes of being taken more than a month ago.
If Alan is dead, the truth about who killed him might be in accordance with the claim of the Tawhid al Jihad Brigades group that it was responsible; but it also might not be (repeat might notbe).
The group which claimed responsibility in a fax to news agencies on 17 April is an Al Qaeda franchise (driven by events in Iraq), and was unknown in the Palestinian territories; and what can be said for certain is that the Palestinians were the party with absolutely nothing to gain and much to lose from Alan’s permanent removal from the scene. And they had much to lose on two counts.
On Count One, Alan was not only the BBC’s man, he was the only permanent foreign correspondent in Gaza. He was, in short, the best and most informed provider of news about the Palestinian side of the story; a story which, in many of its details, is an embarrassment to Israel and those governments, most notably the Bush and Blair regimes, which support Israel’s efforts to break the will of the Palestinians to continue their struggle for an acceptable minimum of justice.
On Count Two, and if he has been murdered, Alan’s death, if it could be blamed on a Palestinian or a pro-Palestinian Arab and/or other Islamist group, would be a huge political setback for the legitimacy of the Palestinian struggle and the present leadership of it. (The Al Qaeda franchise would not give a damn about harming the Palestinian cause).
There is a case for saying (repeat acase) that the party with most to gain from Alan Johnston’s permanent disappearance was Israel. It would not be the first time that Israeli agents had dressed as Arabs to make a hit.
If Alan Johnston is dead, it’s my hope that the BBC at executive management level will rise above its fear of offending Zionism too much and allow its reporters (Frank Gardner and Jeremy Bowen are second to none) to make a full, thorough and honest investigation.
Ray:
April 16th, 2007 at 8:21 am
That’s it. Blame the Jews. Didn’t take long.
Boy are you scum.
Thermblog:
April 16th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Your speculation regarding Israel’s possible invovement should be examined regarding the balance of probablity.
Israel does not have a history of kidnapping journalists. Such an action, if uncovered, would lead to increased opprobrium against it.
Palestinian militant groups DO have such a history. Palestinian society is sectarian, often violently so; this has often caused various groups to act against the best interests of “The Palestinians.”
On April 12th, Mahmoud Abbas assured Mark Thompson (BBC DG) that: he had credible evidence that missing BBC correspondent Alan Johnston is “safe and well”.
Israeli involvement in this seems to be by far the lower probability. On the other hand, offering this possibility on no evidence at all, strengthens the belief that anything at all can be held against Israel. This will hardly discourage atrocities committed by Palestinians
dadling:
April 16th, 2007 at 10:06 am
what B.S.
Zeno:
April 16th, 2007 at 10:53 am
Dear Mr Hart,
Excuse me Sir, but are you blind, mad or just dumb?
1) Palestinian terrorists (aka militants) are not particularly known for their clever and subtle plans. They just bomb, kidnap and kill people. Maybe something went wrong in the kidnapping, maybe he was hurt, maybe he tried to escape, who the hell knows.
2) He was apparently kidnapped by a previously unknown group, closer to the salafists, who don’t really like Infidels, even if they are journalists who present an absurdly critical view of Israel 100% of the time.a2
Chris Edwards:
April 16th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Hey Zeno: And Israel dropping cluster bombs and white phosphorus on Lebanon was “subtle” I take it?
Your comment is suffused with the kind of self-righteous, supercilious myopia and hypocrisy for which apologists of Zionist colonialism are rightly noted.
InternetFred:
April 16th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
The old idea to look at “Who profits?” just doesn’t work. It never really did.
For example, look at the 9/11 attacks. I think we can agree that Islam did not gain any adherents from that. The Taliban lost the power it had. Al-queda has been decimated. George Bush has been made to look like a fool. Nobody won.
Oh, but they might have thought they’d win. Well, that’s the nub. Different ideologies predict different outcomes. Johnston’s kidnappers probably have a radically different world view than Alan Hart, and computed their political profits differently.
The entire concept of analyzing the Arab-Israeli dispute on the basis of logic and reason is deeply problematic.
And blaming the Jews for something they obviously did not do is just another blood libel.
William Tyroler:
April 16th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
So, the Palestinians couldn’t have done it because Johnston, the BBC’s man on the ground, was on their side:
He was, in short, the best and most informed provider of news about the Palestinian side of the story … which, in many of its details, is an embarrassment to … Israel’s efforts to break the will of the Palestinians to continue their struggle for an acceptable minimum of justice..
And yet that self-same BBC is loathe to “rise above its fear of offending Zionism too much.”
Which is it? The BBC man presented such a threat that the Jews (pardon me, Zionists) had to “make a hit”? Or that the BBC is too spineless to offend the Jews (excuse me, Zionists)?
I do, however, like that paean to the Palestinian to “struggle for an acceptable minimum of justice” — eradication of Israel and death to the Jews (I’m sorry, Zionists) being their acceptable minimum. Almost as risible as the idea that Pal-symps Frank Gardner and Jeremy Bowen are capable of a fair and honest investigation.
Zeno:
April 16th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
Dear Chris Edwards,
- I’m not Jewish, but I am a Zionist, in the sense that I do believe that Israel should exist.
- I don’t think that phosporus bombs are more or less immoral than katyucha rockets.
- The palestinians are “opressed” mostly by their corrupt cynical leaders and by the other arab countries, who prefer them as eternal victims.
- It’s true that palestinian “militants” are not helping their cause by killing friendly journalists, but it’s also true that terrorists are not particularly smart. Besides, there’ll always be a Western fool to blame Israel anyway.
Greg:
April 17th, 2007 at 5:54 am
I see, in a society where kidnappings happen daily, you decide to cast aspersions on the Jews (sorry, “Zionists”). Only in the fucked-up world of Islamist-leftist anti-semitism does that make any sense. I’m afraid you can’t blame the fact that some Palestinians are criminals on the Jews. Trying investigating the PA for once, you bigotted twat.
Shaun:
April 17th, 2007 at 7:35 am
Sad. Pathetic. Disgraceful. With no knowledge on which to base the speculation, you create a slanderous hypothesis.
The reality is 99% certain that it’s a splinter Palestinian political or Jihadi group, or an outright criminal group.
Gratuitously maligning the the Israelis adds nothing to solving problems.
Ben:
April 17th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Yet another example of the pervasive antisemitism present in the UK. If Jews (or when questioning their right to exist please feel free to call them Zionists) had the power bigots like you ascribe to them you would be silenced. Why are you still talking?
PatriotLady:
April 17th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Since these comments are moderated, I feel certain this will never see the light of day. However, I believe that the one most responsible for Alan Johnston’s possible death is…..YOU. You, and the rest of the British National Union of Journalists, who only days before to boycott Israeli goods and to show support for poor, pitiful Hamas and Hezbollah (that is sarcasm, in case you don’t recognise it). You stated you supported their terrorism with your actions, and they acted to show you and your brethren just how ridiculously stupid you are. Therefore, the one most responsible for his alleged death is, sadly, you….and every other UK resident who refuses to see the reality of radical Islamists.
Izzie:
April 17th, 2007 at 12:17 pm
Unbelieveable. I knew it wouldn’t take long for someone to blame ‘THE JEWS’.
You are an ignoramus of the highest order.
bob:
April 17th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
wow–you are clever–this guy was pro-Palestinian–then his beloveds kidnap him–then the British journalists union declare how awful Israel is in Gaza–then the beloveds kill him–and there you go out of your cage to figure out a way to to blame the Jews. You, sir, dance a very complicated ballet–
Chip:
April 17th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
“Cui bono?”
Obviously the Palestinians. They can kidnap and murder journalists and rely on Jew haters to blame the Israelis… every… single… time. Jihadis can blow up major U.S. landmarks, speak of it with pride, and still rely on the same people to blame the Jews or call it an “inside job.” Really, if you think about it, terrorists can’t possibly hurt their reputation with any act of violence in the present insane conspiratorial climate.
Suzanne:
April 17th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Even Abbas stated that Al Qaida operated in Gaza.
Ow wait. He is a puppet of the Jooooooooz, no?
Perhaps you should wake up from this bad dream of yours and get rid of being so biased against Israel that you even blame Israel for the (alleged) killing of Alan Johnston.
[who might even be still alive]
If that’s what journalism has come to,….
tommylotto:
April 17th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
The allegation is the thing. Proof, probability, etc. all these are nice to have, but, frankly, not necessary. Just throw out that unsupported firebomb and enjoy the flames.
I would call him delusional, but I think these otherwise intelligent people cannot possibly be so dense. They are willing to subordinate their reason to their political objective.
michael edelman:
April 17th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
I am saddened, but not surprised, to read such ignorant and bigoted specuilation. Fatah, Hamas and Hezballah all have a long hisotry of kidnapping, intimidating and killing journalists- and yet the first thing Hart thinks is “it must be the Israelis.”
Like many other “journalists”, Hart distrusts democracy, and has been seduced by the eroticism of terror.
McQueen:
April 17th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Following the logic of this article to its absurd conclusion, the Palestinian terror groups know that they can always count on brain-dead anti-Zionists to explain their atrocities, so they, in fact, never have anything to lose.
Of course, how seriously can we take the word of someone who claims that Arafat prepared his people for a great compromise? Arafat himself was not prepared for a great compromise, and he certainly made no attempt to prepare his people for one — unless, of course, you consider flooding Israel proper with 5 million “refugees” to be a historic compromise. Certainly compromise is in the eyes of the beholder.
the author:
April 17th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
Hey Allan, your an absolute idiot, period.
Speranza:
April 17th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
“If Alan Johnston is dead, it’s my hope that the BBC at executive management level will rise above its fear of offending Zionism too much and allow its reporters (Frank Gardner and Jeremy Bowen are second to none) to make a full, thorough and honest investigation.”
What kind of brain disease do you have to have to write something like that? Utter crap. Israel was also responsible for the Great Fire of 1666.
steve434:
April 17th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Hey Chris: Targeting civilians is what, ok? It was the Palestinians who have turned down every offer of peace, most notably when Clinton was involved in 2000. The Palestinian people fully supported Arafat or they would have kicked him out of office.
Your comment is suffused with the kind of self-righteous, elitist myopia appeasement and hypocrisy for which Anti-semantics are rightly noted.
janicememinger:
April 17th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Applying the same principle, who benefits from your pathologically anti-Semitic ravings? Israel, because its critics are stereotyped as being deranged. So Israel obviously wrote your demented conspiracy theory and coerced you to publish it. In fact, the Israelis forced you to kill Alan Johnston, didn’t they? C’mon, coward. Confess. There is at least as much evidence supporting my theory as there is supporting yours. Finally, please travel to Gaza as soon as possible so that your Palestinian friends can provide the greeting you so richly deserve.
James:
April 17th, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Its the Joooosss!
Uh Chris. Cluster bombs are not illegal you simplistic child.
FinanceDoc:
April 17th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Alan Hart is more like a demented 65 than a “young 65″. Then again, perhaps he knows exactly what he is doing in blaming the Jews. After all, it has been a successful formula for the last 2,000 years — justifying the Inquisition, a multitude of murderous pogroms, and the Nazi Holocaust. Why not employ a tried and true formula for vilifying the Jews so as to facilitate the current effort to eradicate their national homeland, eh Alan?
ngilbert:
April 17th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
Alan – your profile states that you are a ‘young 65.’ I regret to inform you that senile dementia and possible retardation caused by medical issues (have you had a stroke recently perhaps?) are hardly symptoms of youngness.
Unless of course you mean you are young in the sense that a child of 6 months may smear the wall with his own feces because he is unable to understand simple reality or reason.
I bet you never thought as a young child you’d grow up to be a ridiculous, aging moron did you?
Uri:
April 17th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
Remember also that the same “who profits?” style of reasoning has previously led to some embarrassing conspiracy theories: from the 9/11 Truthers, to the Nick Berg conspiracies (forgotten once more beheadings took place),
to Naomi Klein making a fool of herself by blaming the kidnapping of Simona Torretta on coalition troops.
And besides, Johnston’s kidnapping has hardly reflected badly on Palestinians as a whole: observe the multiple and widespread demonstrations in favour of his release. Its only real negative effect so far has been to emphasize the lack of law and order in much of the Palestinian areas.
Nir:
April 17th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Ah, the face of contemporary British journalism…
The Israelis might gain from Johnston’s murder, hence the Israelis probably murdered him. Well, he might have been kidnapped by Palestinians, and Israel has no history of murdering journalists, but having managed to fly those planes into the WTC and lay all the blame on the Muslims, what’s a BBC journalists for those crafty Jews?
i pity UK that these are its journalists.
Hey Chris: where did Zeno say Israel is “subtle”? What the hell has Lebanon to do with this? And just how is Zionism “colonialist” when Israelis have completely withdrawn from Gaza over a year ago?
Your comment is suffused with the kind of kneejerk mindless attacks for which idiot fanboys of any political affilation are rightly noted.
The Bronx Born Librarian:
April 17th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Pardon me for mentioning this, Mr. Hart, but your hatred for Jews is showing! What you’ve written here is utter nonsense!
Never Red:
April 17th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Hey Chris, I suppose you were there when they dropped all these cluster bombs and white phosphorus or are you just defending the fact that it fits extremely well with radical islamists pattern of kidnap ,propaganda and finally murder of unarmed civilians and of course they would only do this because Israel made them do it ,so based on this theory when peace is finally achieved between Israel and the middle east islamic countries ,this will then stop.
I think I know who is making excuses and its not those who play diplomacy with a one eyed view.
if you are so sure about all you have stated go and live there in peace.
Jacob:
April 17th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
This is the insane theorizing of a consistent anti-semite. Just because Israel could stand to gain from this sick act does not mean they did it. Since when have Palestinian terrorist groups acted logically anyways? Trust me, Israel did not need for this reporter to be executed to prove to the world that the Palestinians can’t govern themselves, AND NEVER HAVE. Give me a single shred of proof to defend your outrageous theory. What’s next, Israeli undercover troops captured their own soldiers so they could start a war this summer? This entry makes me think about everything that is wrong with our world.
Jaybo:
April 17th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Mr. Hart,
Since you insinuate that the Israelis and not the self named Palestinian “militants” are responsible for the kidnapping and murder of Alan Johnston, what would you do/say if it turns out you are wrong?
Rick:
April 17th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
alan, you are one sad sick fuck
Jonathan Levy:
April 17th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
“It would not be the first time that Israeli agents had dressed as Arabs to make a hit.”
It would certainly be the first time Israel deliberately murdered a journalist. Unless you wish to cite a precedent?
There are many other left wing journalists far more embarassing to Israel than Alan Johnston. By this reasoning, how would you explain the continued survival of Amira Hass and Gideon Levy?
There are plenty of precedents of Palestinians harassing journalists (Mark Seager’s harrowing account comes to mind http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2000%2F10%2F15%2Fwmid315.xml), plenty of precedents of fringe groups of Palestinians kidnapping foreigners against the interests of the collective, and plenty of precedents of muslim extremists (of which Gaza is not entirely free) executing prisoners.
And yet you seem quite certain that a “full, thorough and honest investigation” would yield results which would “offend Zionism”.
And when has the BBC ever shown “fear of offending Zionism”? The BBC?
baruch shmuel:
April 17th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Scapegoating the Jews. Ah, I just love the malodorous gasses wafting above the miasma of emoldened resurgent antisemitism. I look forward with perverse anticipation for what newly congealed creatures will emerge from the poisonous soup and I can’t wait to add to the long list of those who haunt the sole bastion of unoriginal thinking. But fear not Al, ‘ol pal, the Jews will triumph as they always do – generation upon generation, millenium after millenium while you and your ilk will slip back into the cesspool of forgotten mediocrity. The heavens and history are already chuckling.
Jeremy Jacobs:
April 17th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
(“Frank Gardner and Jeremy Bowen are second to none) to make a full, thorough and honest investigation”).
Jeremy Bowen, second to none. I think Stephen Pollard might disagree with you.
michael:
April 17th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
it was only a matter of time before some “well respected” conspiracy theorist with connections to mainstream european media openly blamed the jewish state for this cold blooded murder, for which a “Palestinian” “resistance” group has already taken credit. After all, Mr. Hart has incontrivertible evidence, logical argument and prescedence on his side.. oh wait.. nevermind, all he has is carte blanche to blame the jews for everything, reason be damned. Thank you for your transparent Hackery Mr. Hart. Perhaps you can go represent the poor people of Gaza in place of the good Mr. Johnston, until you too reap the hard won rewards of your advocacy.
..And if, by chance, fate has smiled upon Mr. Johnston, then we can all await the day that he is paraded in front of the cameras, singing the praises of his captors for being so very hospitable. In any case, when evidence eventually confirms Palestinian culpability for this, as with so many other, unforgivable acts of thugery, we can all be sure that the paranoid, inscrutable and outright sinister Mr. Hart will issue narry a peep in apology or correction for his baseless accusations and unnecessary incitement against the worlds favorite scapegoat. Thank you Mr. Hart, for your spineless, lack of journalistic integrity and contribution towards the vilification of an innocent people in the name of protecting the real villains from exposure as well as the public from the truth.
You Sir, in the parlance of our times, suck. Shame on you.
bernard:
April 17th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Bare in mind that Israel has numerous, paid Arab collaborators in the occupied territories, so ‘dressing up’ as a local would be pointless.
explummer:
April 17th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Mr. Hart, congratulations on your keen insight.
Also let’s keep in mind for the future: if Tel Aviv is ever destroyed by a nuclear bomb, it will be Israel that benefits the most from the international sympathy. Therefore, it will be obvious to all that proper blame belongs to the Mossad.
Bigcat1969:
April 17th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
ok, congratulations you may now join the “Israel is responsible for all that is bad” club as well as the Paliapologists Extrodinaire Association.
This is the most absurd rank speculation of the most transparent type.
By the way, BBC is not afraid of lying to smear Israel, let alone reporting facts to smear Israel…nah, the BBC is a good organziation for spewing propanda to support genocidal islamists.
email:
April 17th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
Alan Hart. You are a muppet. You’d believe the world was flat if HAMAS told you so.
Do you have any evidence that Israel kiddnapped and possibly killed Alan Johnson? No of course not.
I suppose you believe that Israel started the Lebanon war and that Hezbollah won.
rasul:
April 17th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
The “who stands to gain” argument is usually a simplistic , rather thoughtless defensive parry. In this case it probably represents your inability to face years of most heartfelt beliefs being shaken up and you are looking for a straw to grab on too.
I respect the fact that you are grappling with the question of how the Palestinians can kidnap a friend,and what this says about their future (and past). I would like to argue your points on their merits.
If one looks at the past six months in Gaza as was being reported by Alan ,it was more about the bloody infighting between Palestinian factions and rarely about Israel.Perhaps Alan was grappling with the same issues as you are now. Perhaps Alan despaired about the Palestinians ability to govern themselves as well,and it came through in his reporting. Regardless, it seems that over the last six months Gaza was suffering at the hands of the myriad militias affiliated to various political parties,and they stood to gain the most from siliencing Alan.After all who needs some Westerner exposing their dirty laundry.
Wishing you much luck in sorting out your confused feelings, I hope at the end logic will prevail.
BBCisapileofshite:
April 17th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Pillock
steve:
April 17th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
Blaming Israel without any evidence is typical of British journalist standards. British Jouranlists are not known for their impartiality and in fact the National Union of Journalists of Britain and Ireland is currently boycotting Israel (but not Sudan or anywhere else).
For Jews and Israeli’s this is merely another episode in the eternal European game of “blaming Jews” for everything from Aids to Sept. 11.
About the most intersting aspect of Mr. Hart’s libelous allegation is his unwitting recognition that Israel should have reason to dislike BBC and British Jouranlist due to their Anti-Israeli agendas.
Using Mr. Harts logic that the entity with the most to gain is always the perpetrator I would summise that the murderer is none other than Mr. Hart as obviously he has gained worldwide exposure with this article, raised his “journalistic” reputation in the eyes of his (anti-Israel) peers, and can now replace Alan Johnston at the BBC as their Gaza correspondent. Case Closed!
Jeremy:
April 17th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
Wait. Alan Hart has a good point. Let’s just “look at who benefits” from the killing. Must be Israel, right? Wrong.
Alan Johnston worked for the BBC. Alan Johnston was killed. Alan Hart does not work for the BBC. There is now an opening at the BBC. Alan Hart clearly stands to gain from the murder of Alan Johnston professionally. ALAN HART KILLED ALAN JOHNSTON!!!
I am truly amazed at your inane post. You know the thing about two points don’t you? You can always draw a line between them. You ignore every shred of evidence, including the claims of the kidnappers and invent tales out of wholecloth. You really cracked the case, Poirot.
M.A.R.S.L.:
April 17th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
Dear Mr. Hart,
I surely don’t know what’s wrong with you. Maybe it’s called dhimmitude. Maybe it’s called anti-semitism. Alan Johnston was kidnapped by Palestinians. His execution has been announced by Palestinians. Palestinians liders made pleas for him.
And you even think it’s Israel fault? That’s it. Blame the jews. But, if you are so convinced of Israel guilt, why don’t you go to Gaza and investigate? Palestinians would work with you to expose the “zionist crime”.
What’s up with this Jooo obsession, the Jews rule the world, the Jews are gonna get us, the Jews are hiding under your bed. The Jews are watching your every move.
Talk about paranoid people…
And it’s because of their “fear of offending Zionism” that the BBC is trying to prevent the release of their internal investigation of bias in reporting on the Middle East?
Ben W:
April 17th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
Let me guess, the Jews were also responsible for the Virginia Tech massacre, global warming and Arsenal’s bad run of form. Then again, you Brits are good at destroying entire civilisations in the name of “colonialism”.
Perhaps Israel is just a brilliant scapegoat that you use to both expunge and project all of the sins of colonial Britain on to so you can feel a sense of morality again. Projecting for example, the occupation and starvation of the Irish on the so called Israeli “occupation” must cleanse the hearts of all Brits, I mean, look at how nasty those Jews are, we Brits are not that bad anymore are we!
How Churchill came out of such a cesspool remains a mystery.
me:
April 17th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
How do we know it wasn’t YOU Mr Hart?
Do you have an alibi?
UNgetout:
April 17th, 2007 at 7:24 pm
It’s simply amazing to see the flexability of the “Blame the Jews” game. Blame the Jews, Blame the Jews, Blame the Jews. Even when a group claims responsibility, quite proudly I might ad, obviously its some devious plot by those clever Zionists. You are just like the Arabs, they cant accept responsibility for anything; e.g. 9/11 conspiracies that of course blame the Jews because how could an Arab do anything bad? Gee, people have HIV in a country that doesnt allow pre-marital sex, must be HIV infected Israeli melons. How are you even supposed to have an arguement with people like you that just make claims without any kind of substantiation. Maybe you could go to Gaza….just watch out for those Israelis in Arab disguises.
The Matrix:
April 17th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
So this is what passes as a “journalist” in the UK? Good lord!
Kevin:
April 17th, 2007 at 10:14 pm
Given the truly blood thirsty nature of Palestinian militant groups, one wonders how you could quickly try to blame the jews.
Jono:
April 17th, 2007 at 11:36 pm
Paranoia and conspiracy theories are pretty popular amongst the radical left these days.
chris edwards: What exactly are you talking about ? Israel bombed every inch of Lebanon with cluster bombs ? Have you ever heard of a group called Hezbollah ?
Whats wrong with phosphorous and cluster bombs ? Do you have other preferred weapons that you would employ when retaliating against a terrorist militia that fires thousands of crude rockets into your country ?
Suggesting Israel bombed all of Lebanon indiscriminately is pure fantasy.
Why thats like implying that the London train bombers were targetting every single civilian in Europe.
Which is closer to the truth than your far-fetched proposition.
Orwells_Ghost:
April 18th, 2007 at 12:31 am
It did not taske long for you to blame the Jews. Despicable creeps in UK , with their “knowledge” of Arabs that seems incalculated into British elites, are a feature of the media from the weeping BBC reporter at Arafats death to your own gruesome opinions. There is no worse form of racism than anti-semitism and few sights as loathsome as the British upper classes swaping the Jew for the fox. Disgusting,despicable and loathsome are words that will no doubt roll off your tired and emotional hide.
Lenny:
April 18th, 2007 at 1:18 am
If Mr. Hart were killed in a random accident, by his logic there would be “a case for saying (repeat a case) that the party with the most to gain from [his] permanent disappearance would be Israel.”
George Barth:
April 18th, 2007 at 5:08 am
Alan, you really need a psychiatric
evaluation. Your Israelphobia (or is it the good old anti-semitism)) have reached dangerous proportions.
Calev:
April 18th, 2007 at 5:34 am
I love the whiff of conspiracy! It’s that tangy smell of desperation that tickles the hairs at the tip of my nose. Thank you Alan Hart for revealing just how detached from reality you are (in case we hadn’t noticed by the sad attempt at self-promotion that depends heavily on your supposedly cosy chats with long-dead leaders).
Jack Bauer:
April 18th, 2007 at 5:35 am
Hey Chris Edwards: Are the Palestinian entity child killers, sociopaths, and murdering cnuts to “subtle” for your hate filled brain?
Your comment is suffused with the kind of self-righteous, supercilious myopia and hypocrisy for which apologists of the Jew haters and Islamo-fascist supporters are rightly noted.
Kurtlane:
April 18th, 2007 at 5:48 am
We Jews were accused of forcing Abraham to expel Hagar into desert. We were accused of stealing birthright from Esau. We were accused of murdering Jesus. We were accused of drinking the blood of babies, of turning into vampire bats and drinking blood at night, of turning into hyenas and eating corpses, of drying out rivers and poisoning wells, of being unnatural and not of this land, that land or any land, of exploiting the working class, of inventing Bolshevism, of plotting to establish a world government, speculating on the price of potatoes or real estate, causing plagues, destroying gene pools of nations, being cosmopolitan, being nationalist, causing earthquakes, tsunamis, hoof-and-mouth disease, AIDS, depleted uranium, democracy, atheism, aphrodisiac chewing gum, of causing wars, of disseminating corruption, heresy, homosexuality, alcoholism and drugs, of luring innocent children within shooting distance, of thousand other accusations I forgot.
Now, Alan Hart has accused us of murdering Alan Johnson. Of course, he says “Zionists” and not “Jews”, but then Stalin also spoke of “cosmopolitans” while he meant “Jews,” and everyone knew what he meant. Of course, Alan Hart said phrases like “might not be” and “There is a case for saying,” but then many accusations began this way. A priest would say that “there is a case for Jews killing Jesus,” and soon enough there would be a mob, and then there would be a pogrom.
Just two quotes:
“From here, Allah the almighty has called upon us not to ally with the Jews or the Christians, not to like them, not to become their partners, not to support them, and not to sign agreements with them. And he who does that, is one of them, as Allah said: ‘O you who believe, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies, for they are allies of one another. Who from among you takes them as allies will indeed be one of them…
Whether Likud or Labor, Jews are Jews. They do not have any moderates or any advocates of peace. They are all liars… O brother believers, the criminals, the terrorists – are the Jews, who have butchered our children, orphaned them, widowed our women and desecrated our holy places and sacred sites. They are the terrorists. They are the ones who must be butchered and killed, as Allah the almighty said: ‘Fight them; Allah will torture them at your hands, and will humiliate them… and will help you to overcome them, and will relieve the minds of the believers…’
America [...] established Israel here, in the beating heart of the Arab world, in Palestine…[as an] outpost of their civilization – and the vanguard of their army…
We will not give up a single grain of soil of Palestine, from Haifa, and Jaffa, and Acre, and Mulabbas [Petah Tikva] and Salamah, and Majdal [Ashkelon], and all the land, and Gaza, and the West Bank…
Let us put our trust in Allah, close ranks, and unite our words, and the slogan of us all should be, ‘Jihad! Jihad! For the sake of Palestine, and for the sake of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa!’
[The Jews] must be butchered and killed. Have no mercy on the Jews no matter where they are, in any country. Fight them, wherever you are. Wherever you meet them, kill them. Wherever you are, kill those Jews and those Americans who are like them – and those who stand by them – they are all in one trench, against the Arabs and the Muslims because they established Israel here, in the beating heart of the Arab world, in Palestine. They created it to be the outpost of their civilization and the vanguard of their army, and to be the sword of the West and the crusaders, hanging over the necks of the monotheists, the Muslims in these lands. They wanted the Jews to be their spearhead…”
– Gaza preacher, Dr. Sheik Ahmad Abu Halabiya, from a Friday sermon in the Zayed bin Sultan Aal Nahyan mosque in Gaza. Broadcast live on official Palestinian Authority television October 13, 2000.
Two days earlier two Israelis were killed and mutilated by Palestinians in Ramallah. Their bodies were disemboweled, their hearts and guts taken out. Palestinians paraded with human hearts
Nice people, those Palestinians, Alan Hart’s friends.
One more short quote:
“We should throw in their faces the flesh of their sons, minced and grilled.”
– Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, Jihad Bulletin, Dec. 1997
This is not just words. A few days ago, a Christian woman in Iraq had the body of her own child returned back to her fried and on a plate of rice.
So if Alan Johnston is dead, who, really, was responsible? It just might be you, Alan Hart.
And if Alan Hart is dead, who, really, would be responsible?
Let me sign by my real name:
David Tsal
Zionist
Go ahead, kill me. I will still be a Zionist
GG:
April 19th, 2007 at 12:55 am
Without any solid evidence whatsoever – and furthermore, ignoring that a Palestinian terrorist group has already taken responsibility for the killing – you are ready to blame Israel for the killing! Completely absurd! How do you possibly justify that?
You write: “Alan’s death, if it could be blamed on a Palestinian or a pro-Palestinian Arab and/or other Islamist group, would be a huge political setback for the legitimacy of the Palestinian struggle.”
If you have not noticed, the Palestinians havn’t been the wisest when it comes to PR. (You know, celebrating the 9/11 attacks, burning flags of Israel, America and the EU, etc.) Or were those all undercover Israelis?
An entire book could be written on what you choose to ignore – the history of kidnappings, the long history of journalist intimidation by the Palestinian Authority, etc.
As another commenter pointed out, looking at, “Who Benefits” just does not work. Let’s take the example of a murder. A murder kills and then ends up in court and then jail for the rest of his life. Meanwhile the policeman who arrests the murder is given a promotion. By your logic all murders are done by the police.
The reality, dear sir, is that the Palestinians kidnapped a journalists and killed him. You’re going to have to learn to deal with that reality instead of blaming it on Israel to fit your political views.
Chris Edwards:
April 19th, 2007 at 8:54 am
Hart’s perfectly reasonable suggestion that there might be more than one explanation of who was responsible for the “disappearance” and possible murder of Alan Johnson has caused apoplexy among the Zionist blogerati.
This avalanche of ranting comment is a bit of an over-reaction, don’t you think? Why are they going to such great lengths to bury Hart’s suggestion under a mountain of vilification, allegations of “anti-Semitism” and lame attempts at ridicule?
In vain. Hart has obviously touched a raw nerve. He has rattled the Zionists’ cage. Methinks they protest too much…
Chris Edwards:
April 19th, 2007 at 11:49 pm
What this pile of hate-mail and diatribes reveals is that “disproportionate retaliation” is not just a characteristic of the Zionist political and military hawks. It also applies to the organised Zionist Internet trolls and spin doctors (who might perhaps be dubbed “the squawks”).
These trolls constantly circle the web and blogosphere like demented buzzards ready to pounce on all critics of Zionism, when the word is given, squawking “anti-Semitism!”, “anti-Semitism!” in an attempt to guilt-trip anti-war liberals into silence.
While the military hawks walk the the walk, the squawks talk the talk–covering the backs of the military with a noisy campaign of spin and character assassination. This is designed to discredit all who dare to challenge the war crimes, atrocities, black-ops and false-flag terrorism of the Zionist military machine.
Ed:
May 15th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
It is amazing to read the hate spewing from other commenters, they sound angry, bigoted, irrational and frankly quite sad. I imagine most are coming from deluded American Christians who have no idea that they have been completely hoodwinked by the astoundingly self righteous and dangerous Zionist lobby.
Alan Hart is a courageous and honest commentator on the the cancerous situation presently threatening world stability. Those who can only sling juvenile insults betray their own weakess.
Ed:
May 15th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
It is amazing to read the hate spewing from other commenters, they sound angry, bigoted, irrational and frankly quite sad. I imagine most are coming from deluded American Christians who have no idea that they have been completely hoodwinked by the astoundingly self righteous and dangerous Zionist lobby.
Alan Hart is a courageous and honest commentator on the the cancerous situation presently threatening world stability. Those who can only sling juvenile insults betray their own weakess.
Ed:
May 15th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
It is amazing to read the hate spewing from other commenters, they sound angry, bigoted, irrational and frankly quite sad. I imagine most are coming from deluded American Christians who have no idea that they have been completely hoodwinked by the astoundingly self righteous and dangerous Zionist lobby.
Alan Hart is a courageous and honest commentator on the the cancerous situation presently threatening world stability. Those who can only sling juvenile insults betray their own weakess.
Zainub:
June 8th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
To all those who have criticised Alan Hart of being anti-Semitic, maybe you should all read the introduction and first chapter to volume one of his book ‘Zionism: The Real Enemy of the Jews’.
Within this you will find the close friendship Mr Hart held with Golda Meir – Mother Israel. This is hardly a friendship an anti- Semite can hold.
With reference to the blog, thank you. I had never thought who would profit from the kidnapping of Mr Johnston, and your analysis makes sense.
I just hope for the safety of Mr Johnston, and his return to his family.
Yid With Lid:
July 1st, 2007 at 1:49 pm
sorry I just got to this article..I was busy painting the Jewish Lobby. this is a great satire..Its not? You believe this stuff. Wow…do you live in a padded room?
ngoodgame:
April 14th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Ray,
As Mr. Hart stated in his blog, it wouldn’t have been the first time the Israeli agents dressed as Arabs to make a hit. Am I scum for pointing out facts like that too?