STOP THE WAR AGAINST IRAN – BEFORE IT BEGINS

11 November 2011, Communist Party of Israel המפלגה הקומוניסטית הישראלית http://maki.org.il

Written by Uri Weltmann

Intervention in the 18th General Assembly of World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) by the Young Communist League of Israel (YCLI)

Dear Comrades,

The Young Communist League of Israel thanks the JCP for hosting this assembly. Today's assembly convenes at a time of great political unrest in the Middle East region. There are increasing signs that the Israeli government is preparing a new war of aggression, this time – against the people of Iran.

Last week, Israel conducted a test launch for a new long-range missile. The week before that – the Israeli air force conducted maneuvers with NATO armies, near Italy. The British Head of Military recently visited Israel, and the Israeli Minister of Defense visited Britain, with the question of an attack against Iran on the agenda.

At a time where Imperialism and Zionism begin to beat the drums of war, the Young Communist League of Israel, based on our internationalist commitment to defend peace, calls out -

Stop the war against Iran, before it begins!
No to new wars of aggression against the peoples of the Middle East!

But the Israeli government prepares new provocations not only against the Iranian people, but also against the Arab peoples, most notably – the Palestinian people.
Just recently, we've observed the happy occasion of Palestine's admittance as a full member of UNESCO. The Israeli government responded to this, with a decision to construct 2000 new houses in its West Bank settlements.

Thus, it is revealed that all the talk of the Israeli rightwing government, about "advancing peace", is but an empty talk. The Israeli government claims to support a peace, but in fact – creates facts on the ground, which only deepen the occupation and deepen the oppression of the Palestinian people.

In September, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas spoke in the UN General Assembly, and presented a realistic and just peace program. The Israeli government's response was to reject it, with the backing of US Imperialism. Israel also rejects the Arab Peace Initiative, promoted by the Arab League.

Therefore, we need not have illusions in the Israeli government's talk, nor have illusions in some intervention from the Imperialist powers. The United States government, the European Union, serve not the interests of the people. They will not intervene in defense of the rights of the Palestinians, and we've witnessed this in the UN General Assembly in September.

They are part of tripartite alliance of Imperialism, Zionism and Arab reactionaries, which works against peace, against social progress, against the rights of the peoples.

The ending of the Israeli occupation of Arab lands, remains to be a job of the peoples of the region themselves.

And peace can be achieved. Not imperialist peace, based on the continued oppression of the peoples, but a peace based on respecting the national sovereignty of all peoples of the region:

A peace which is based on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, alongside Israel, on all of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital;

A peace which is based on the dismantling of all Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the dismantling of the Separation Wall;

A peace which is based on the release of all Palestinian political prisoners, held in Israeli jails;

A peace which is based on achieving a just solution to the problem of Palestinian refugees, according to UN resolution 194, which recognizes the Right of Return of the Palestinian refugees, which is an inalienable right.

Comrades,

We must remember that Israel occupies not only Palestinian lands.

We oppose the Israeli criminal occupation of Lebanese Shebaa farms, and support the patriotic and steadfast resistance of its people, especially the kind we've witnessed five years ago, when Israel invaded Lebanon.

We support the struggle of the Syrian people to restore the national integrity of its homeland, and end the Israeli occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights.

We stand completely behind the Arab Spring, the popular revolutionary upheavals and demonstrations for democracy and social justice, we've witnessed in Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen and elsewhere.

However, we unequivocally reject all Imperialist interference in the Arab countries, under the guise of "helping the Arab Spring". NATO bombings of Libya did not serve the interests of the Libyan people, but harmed it; In Syria, the interference of the United States and France did not serve the interests of the Syrian people, but harmed it.

Comrades,

The Israeli government follows aggressive policies not only in its foreign policy, but also in its domestic policy.

Harsh neo-liberal measures, privatization of public services, cut-backs in social spending – have all harmed the living conditions of the popular strata within Israel. The recent global capitalist crisis made things worse, as the government tried to have the working people pay the price of the crisis.

While the cost of living is on the rise, the wages remained stagnant. Young people, working in precarious jobs, found themselves unable to make ends meet, as food becomes more expensive, as public transportation becomes more expensive, as housing becomes more expensive.

Four months ago, these social tensions gave birth to a massive popular social protest movement, led by young people. This movement was able to mobilize Israelis in demonstrations in an unprecedented way.

The movement, in which comrades from the Young Communist League of Israel have leadership roles, demanded a new social thinking, one that puts social justice on the fore, rather than the profits of a few ultra-rich.

At the height of the mobilization, on September 3rd, half a million of Israelis demonstrated at once – 300,000 thousands in Tel Aviv and 200,000 elsewhere throughout the country - which amounts to about 6% of the country's population.

These developments fill us with optimism and make us more resolute to continue struggling for the rights of the youth.

The Young Communist League, basing itself on Marxism-Leninism, will continue struggling for revolutionary social transformations, for achieving Socialism, which is the only way to solve the social problems created by Capitalism.

The Young Communist League, the sole political youth movement in Israel which has both Jewish and Arab members, will continue struggling against racism, against discrimination, against nationalism and Zionism.

The Young Communist League of Israel is committed to fortify the World Federation of Democratic Youth as a consistent Anti-Imperialist youth organization. The role that WFDY fulfills in this respect is very unique, and most be preserved.

There are many philanthropic and humanitarian international bodies. We don't need another one.

There are many youth forums that have a liberal perspective. We don't need another one.

But there is only one world Anti-Imperialist youth organization, there is only one world youth organization that has a Socialist perspective, and that is WFDY.

This is a legacy we, in the YCL of Israel, are determined to defend.

Comrades,

The Palestinian poet, Mahmoud Darwish, once wrote على هذه الارض ما يستحق الحياة "This land has in it what justifies life". Inspired by these words, and drawing from the overwhelming energy of the recent social protest movement, we in the YCL of Israel will continue to struggle for a better life on this land, for all.

Long Live International Solidarity!
Long Live WFDY!

Delivered by Uri Weltmann, member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Young Communist League of Israel (YCLI), Lisbon, Portugal, November 8th, 2011

Globes: The social rebellion in Israel will burst into violence

5 july 2011, Communist Party of Israel המפלגה הקומוניסטית הישראלית http://maki.org.il

"This protest is the start of a broader and much more serious social rebellion. It is an expression of terrible anger that will burst out in violence," the owner of a large consumer products factory told yesterday to business evening newspaper in Israel "Globes".

He added, "Bibi (Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu), is a nice guy, he has created a free economy, flourishing, but the partners to this prosperity are the owners and a very thin socio-economic layer of talented and young people in senior positions in high-tech, in industry and in the banks. 50% of the population have sub-normal salaries and are not part of the celebrations."

"People Before Profits", May Day in Tel-Aviv, 2011 (Photo: Al Ittihad)

He continued, "In the end it will be like a bomb hitting our heads. We cannot carry on with 10% of the population living and 50% of the population earning the minimum wage plus a little. A democratic state will be here for many years only if there is a very strong middle class. There cannot be a polarization of the rich when most of the population has their heads in the ground. I'm hurting."

The senior executive is harshly critical of the government. He said, "What sort of government do we have? What sort of idea was it to raise excise on fuel? It's OK to take excise on fuel but what's the point of putting up excise when the price of all fuels is going up? The government is putting up all prices all the time and without any limits."

He added, "They are asking women to go out to work. And who will look after the kids? How can a young couple where both partners are working spend NIS 5,000 on two children per month? Why do we need such surpluses in the government coffers? To build more roads in the (occupied) territories? While putting the age of compulsory kindergarten down to three, give something to ordinary citizens."

If you sat in the government what would you do?

"I see the macroeconomic picture. Those in the government only see a picture where they need to air the opinion that it is possible to raise the minimum wage. The revolutions in the Arab countries are not happening because of Mubarak's corruptness but because of 40% unemployment among young people. If we want to prevent that we need to give to the population. I'm in favor of enlightened capitalism not greedy capitalism."

Africa’s less-known business ventures offer lessons for Israel

8 June 2011, +972 http://972mag.com (Israel)

Roee Ruttenberg*

As Israelis look for solutions to deal with some of the country’s growing economic and social problems, they could stand to sometimes take a few less lessons from America and a few more from Africa.Finance ministers and bank officials from Africa and investing countries are heading to the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, for the annual gathering of the African Development Bank.

The international lending group’s two-day meeting begins on Thursday, but it was preceded by a forum focused on helping some of Africa’s less known ventures: entrepreneurs from the southern continent who have gathered in the Portuguese capital Lisbon to find new ideas among their colleagues and new markets among their neighbours.

They are CEOs, but of companies you’ve likely never heard of, invited to Portugal by the EMRC, a Brussels-based international association that serves as a network for people just like them … and brings their brains in direct contact with global financiers, consultants and officials.

A select group was asked to present their business plans before the gathering. Among them was Soumaïla Coulibali, whose Mali-based company Prosema promotes the development and marketing of sesame. In the last five years, it has exported nearly six-thousand tonnes to China, Turkey, Israel and Senegal. And Amande Sonde, whose telecoms business in Burkina Faso hopes to provide five million minutes of communications this year to the local population. He reveals, his passion stems from fond memories of his first ever phone call at age 6.

The EMRC awarded fifteen-thousand dollars cash to the most impressive proposal decided in part by audience applause. Five finalists, but there could be only one winner.

(PHOTO: Suzanne Marie Belemtougri, a veterinarian-turned-managing director of Burkina Faso's SOPHAVET receives EMRC prize, along with $15,000 for her emerging business venture./photo: Roee Ruttenberg)


Suzanne Marie Belemtougri is a veterinarian-turned-managing director, whose company SOPHAVET raises guinea fowl and eggs as a culinary alternative to poultry. It has an annual operating budget of some one-million euros, though it rents most of its vital equipment. Belemtougri hopes to use the money to buy some of it instead.

“The EMRC allows us to develop a project and move ahead,” Belemtougri said upon winning the award. “It gives us the opportunity to grow and reach our objectives, helping farmers produce more. I’m thankful for what they’ve done for me, for my country, and for those who fight for Africa.”"
Ventures like hers are known as SMEs – small-to-medium enterprises. They can make up as much as 70-80 percent of Africa’s economies and are crucial in generating jobs. Organizers say overlooking them is a mistake, and one of the key factors holding back the African continent’s development.

“It is extremely important to deal with this sector, which suffers for so many barriers in Africa which we Europeans don’t know,” says Idit Miller, managing director of the EMRC. “So we came here for two days with experts, bankers and consultants, and entrepreneurs from Africa — lots of entrepreneurs from Africa — to discuss these barriers.”

Global development groups say support of SMEs and their unique role in societies is crucial. “In the developed world, interestingly, it’s not the size of the companies that seems to matter most, but the rate at which they grow,” says Pedro Conceicao, Director of UNDP Office of Devemopment Studies. “In other words, the companies that create more jobs are those that grow faster. But in Africa, the evidence seems to suggest that with small and medium enterprises – the size of the company is critical to stimulate jobs.”

The EMRC forum is called “the Missing Middle”. It focuses on those whose borrowing needs fall in between micro-finance options and more traditional lending institutions. It is a precursor to the annual summit of the African Development Bank, which begins on Thursday here in Lisbon. And some say: it sends a clear message to the bank: focus less on Africa’s governments, and more on the people they govern.

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Additionally commentary: When I was living in Mexico City, I remember being fascinated by some of the small scale entrepreneurship I witnessed, from the vendor selling chopped-up fruit at his corner stand, to the drive-way kitchen selling gourmet lunches. I also remember a Mexican friend of mine telling me that in Mexico everyone has the initiative to start (including my friend, who recently launched a fitness program), but few have the desire to go beyond the first steps … because they were not institutionally raised with the same business drive as the Americans to the North.

Essentially what he was saying was that if the Mexican has one successful shop from which he earns enough money to live off of and to feed his family, he’s unlikely to naturally think to expand. He will rarely consider hiring someone to replace him while he opens up a second shop, or taking out a loan against his first shop’s success to support any such expansion. (This is not to say that it is not done, I should qualify, but rather than it is not the institutionalized way of thinking.) In the U.S. by contrast, the “small business owner” dream of millions of Americans is what keeps the economy going. American Presidents, particularly when campaigning for re-election, love to talk about what they have done for one man’s little packing company in Tulsa, Oklahama, or one woman’s chain of comsetic shops in Indiana. For one, it makes them sound like they are in touch with America’s emerging entrepreneurial class. But two, it speaks to the memories that Americans have from early childhood: that, like homeownership, business-ownership is the American dream.

To promote this end, the U.S. has over the years put in place a large infrastructure of governmental and non-government bodies aimed at providing small business support, including tax tips, loan guidance and management training. However, unlike the developing world, the goal here is to grow — the bigger you are and the more you earn, the more successful you have been. This would be in line with American values that focus on individualism. And of course, the government promotes this system because it creates tax revenues and establish stable households.

But in much of the developing world, not only are the resources not there — as I have noted above — but neither is the cultivation of what we in the West consider a natural human drive. For most people, it’s not about getting a business from A to Z. People are not creating companies with their eye on exit strategies. They are thinking about getting from A to B, and then maintaining B. To me, that’s fascinating in the context of what Conceicao says. These people are generating jobs and then maintaining jobs, mostly for people who simply cannot afford NOT to work (meaning, they will literally die). They are not trying to get rich on the backs of others — they are trying to survive, and to help others do the same. Calling them “middle class” once they establish some sort of consistent income does not do justice to the predicaments in which they find themselves: they now have enough cash to buy the things they need, but perhaps not the things they want (if they even know to want them in the first place.)

But the idea here is to support these people, not because doing so allows them to individually get rich, but because doing so allows them to support each other. That’s a novel idea.

In Israel, you have a growing disparity among the country’s wealth classes. The government attempts to provide some of the same resources seen in the U.S. but to a population that is not necessarily ingrained to use them. Yes, Israel is among the world’s leaders in start-ups, but that most often than not reflects a drive that is instilled in the home, not necessarily in the schools or in public debate. And like in the U.S., the end goal is not to make Israel a better, more stable place, but to make the entrepreneur a richer man or woman.

This is not the first time Israel’s old world socialism has morphed into new world capitalism. Rather it serves as another example and another reminder. As Israelis look for solutions to deal with some of the country’s growing economic and social problems, they could stand to sometimes take a few less lessons from America and a few more from Africa.

*Roee Ruttenberg is a freelance journalist and news producer. He has worked for ABC News, CCTV (Chinese Television), Al Jazeera International and ZDF German Television, as well as several other international news outlets. He divides his time between Israel and the United States.