Israel: US embrace turning painful

Israel’s transition from a welfare state to a market model closer to the US economy is turning out to be a painful — and unpopular — one. Among developed countries, the gap between rich and poor in Israel is second only to the US, a remarkable position for a country that was founded partly on socialist ideals.

Experts say Israel is moving away from a system of “total welfare” to a “minimal welfare” system along US lines. Yet many Israelis wonder why huge governmental deficits are being offset by welfare cuts, but then made worse by tax cuts — mostly for the rich. The government defends its policies as necessary for growth while experts note there have always been differences between rich and poor in Israel, especially between immigrants from Arab countries and immigrants from Europe.

As one single mother protesting the welfare cuts said, “We never really took the economy into account when we voted [because of the security situation] but I’m sure that will change now because what’s the use of having security if you don’t have a life?”

The current economic crisis, Israel’s worst since its creation in 1948, is exacerbated by the violence of the past three years and an unemployment rate of 12 percent — which reaches 17 percent in the Arab population. (IPS)

Clashes ahead as gay rights strengthen

Gay rights activists and some of the world’s most entrenched institutions appear poised for more clashes following recent decisions that signal a growing liberal attitude towards gays and lesbians in many regions.

Anglican bishops from Southeast Asia and Africa are considering severing ties with their US counterparts after this week’s decision by the Episcopalian Church of New Hampshire to elect a gay bishop.

One month after the US Supreme Court in Texas struck down the state’s sodomy law, calling it “demeaning” to homosexuals, Pres. Bush told reporters at a press conference he believes “Marriage is between a man and a woman.”

Prime Minister Jean Chretien of Canada faces a revolt from his backbenchers after announcing that Parliament will adopt a law granting same-sex marriage.

Leading the opposition to same-sex unions, which are now legal in Denmark, Britain, and the Netherlands, is the Catholic Church, which, on the same day Bush announced his position, reaffirmed its opposition to the marriages, terming them “deviant behavior.”

In Mexico City, the Catholic Church prevented the City Legislative Assemble from enacting a domestic partnership statute. Resisting the Catholic Church’s active opposition to initiatives granting legal status to same-sex couples in Latin America, a few countries in the region are forging ahead with the liberal legislation.

Gay rights activists believe there has been a shift in public opinion in the last ten years towards more acceptance of homosexual unions and that the trend will continue, in spite of the fact that many activists believe Bush and his right-wing forces will make opposition to same-sex marriage their last stand to prevent recognition of gay rights. (IPS/GIN)

Pentagon plans war in North Korea

Senior Pentagon advisor and former CIA director James Woolsey has given details of a war strategy for invading North Korea and toppling its regime within 30 to 60 days, adding muscle to a lobbying campaign by US hawks urging a pre-emptive military strike against Pyongang’s nuclear facilities.

Woolsey believes massive air power — including 4,000 daily air strikes, cruise missiles, and stealth aircraft — is the key to destroying North Korea’s nuclear facilities and protecting South Korea from attack. The plan also includes the stationing of US Marines off the coasts of North Korea, the deployment of two US Army divisions to aid South Korea in a land offensive, and the call-up of National Guard and Reserve units to replace US combat forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Some analysts predict North Korea could test a nuclear warhead by the end of this year — an event that could cross the “red line” that would provoke a US attack. Military conflict in the Korean peninsula could trigger a catastrophe because of North Korea’s suspected nuclear weapons and its known military weapons along its southern border which could inflict death and destruction on millions of people in Seoul, South Korea’s capital, which is within striking distance. (Toronto Globe and Mail)

Immunity for Iraqi oil dealings raises alarm

An executive order signed by Pres. Bush more than two months ago is raising concerns that US oil companies may have been handed blanket immunity from lawsuits and criminal prosecution in connection with the sale of Iraqi oil. The Bush administration said last Wednesday that the immunity wouldn’t be nearly so broad.

But lawyers for various organizations said the two-page executive order seemed to completely shield oil companies from liability — even if it could be proved that they had committed human rights violations, bribed officials, or caused great environmental damage in the course of their Iraqi-related business. (Los Angeles Times)

NATO takes control of Afghanistan peace mission

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) took command of the 5,000-strong international peacekeeping force in the Afghan capital Kabul Monday, its first ground mission outside Europe since it was created 54 years ago. NATO took command from the Germans and the Dutch, who jointly led the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in the city since February.

The NATO command — seen by many as a sign of the international community’s commitment to rebuilding the war-shattered country — will give more continuity to the mission, in part by ending the arduous task of searching for a new “lead nation” every six months to run ISAF. (AP)

UN faults mercenaries as they pursue
political leaders

The United Nations is condemning the recruitment of mercenaries by governments and rebel groups amidst reports that bounty hunters are pursuing two political leaders: former Liberian Pres. Charles Taylor and former Iraqi Pres. Saddam Hussein. The US is offering about $25 million for the capture or assassination of Hussein.

The UN special rapporteur mandated to investigate the use of mercenaries says in a report to the upcoming session of the General Assembly that “Despite statements condemning mercenaries, their numbers are increasing.” Companies that recruit mercenaries are also “springing up” because the “International legal instruments condemning mercenary activity are imperfect and incomplete.” (IPS)

India Atty. General defends workers’ right to strike

India’s Attorney General Soli Sorabjee came out strongly Aug. 11 against India’s Supreme Court ruling on the right to strike, saying its observations that government employees had “no moral or equitable right to go on strike” were “uncalled for” and “beyond comprehension.” He said the right of collective bargaining and ancillary right to strike were invaluable rights of employees.

Taking an overall view of the working conditions in India, Sorabjee said, “There can be horrendous situations in which the employees have no effective mechanism for redressal of their grievances and are left with no option but to resort to strike.” (Press Trust of India)

Protesters attack Brazil’s Congress

A group of the 40,000 civil servant demonstrators taking part in a march against pension reform last on Aug. 6 in Brazil attacked the National Congress building, smashing windows with stones before they were forced back by police.

Earlier that day, the lower house of the Brazilian Congress gave its initial approval to the reform bill. If it passes the entire parliamentary procedure, the bill will raise the age of retirement, place ceilings on civil servant’ pensions, and allow the pensions to be taxed — changes the government says are vital to prevent the whole pension system from collapsing.

Protesters are calling Pres. Lula da Silva a traitor to his working class background. (BBC)

Union reaches agreement with Hyundai

Unionists of Hyundai Motor Co. in South Korea Friday approved a tentative agreement on a pay raise, the introduction of a five-day workweek, and union representatives’ participation in the company’s major decision-making process concerning employment.

As many as 29,444 unionized workers, 80.2 percent of the 36,685 voters, approved the agreement reached last Tuesday after a 42-day walkout, marking the highest approval rating in the history of the Hyundai union.

The approval rating comes amid an outcry by business organizations and the government that Hyundai’s management compromised too much, giving the impression to foreign investors that South Korea is no longer an optimum place for investment due to a lack of employment flexibility, higher wages, and too much labor union influence on management. (Asia Pulse)

Report chastises treatment of Iraq’s wounded

Around 20,000 civilians were wounded in the Iraq war and the US-British occupiers are ignoring their suffering, a research group said last Thursday in a report that it termed the first study of the conflict’s casualty toll. The Iraq Body Count, an Anglo-American group of academics and peace activists, chided US and British postwar administrators for failing to set up programs for the wounded or pay them compensation. The full report, entitled Adding Indifference to Injury, is available at www.iraqbodycount.net. (Reuters)