RENDER UNTO EDOM . . .

THAT WHICH IS EDOM'S

US Embassy intervenes to silence Sderot protest during Bush visit via purse strings?‏

Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA:

The Embassy didn't contact Batya Katan, the Sderot activist organizing the protest who also happens to be a central actvist in Gaydamak's "Social Justice" party in Sderot, they contacted Gaydamak's office. Katan told Haaretz (Hebrew edition) that she wanted to protest to Bush that in contrast to his harsh response to the destruction of the Twin Towers he prevents a harsh Israeli response to the ongoing attacks on Sderot. "I feel like he is holding us hostage to his policies and timetable."
www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/pages/ShArtPE.jhtml?itemNo=942663&contrassID=2&subContrassID=21&sbSubContrassID=0

Sure democracy, freedom of speech and public protest are values closely held by the United States and President Bush fervently believes that these values should be spread across the world. But hey - there is a time for democracy and then there's - a presidential visit.]
Gaydamak tells supporters to drop anti-Bush demonstration
By Lily Galili Last update - 01:58 08/01/2008
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/942481.html

Billionaire politician Arcadi Gaydamak has instructed his supporters in Sderot to call off a planned protest in Jerusalem against U.S. President George W. Bush during his upcoming visit to Israel. The instruction comes at the request of a senior American official. In a phone call from the American Embassy to Gaydamak's bureau, the official said that such a demonstration would embarrass the president.

Gaydamak told Haaretz that Bush's visit attested to the president's "earnest wishes to resolve the extremely problematic situation in the Middle East." Gaydamak said he had been informed that Sderot residents would protest to "attract [Bush's] attention to the extremely difficult situation they have been forced to live under." He added: "I myself have taken an initiative to dissuade the citizens of Sderot from organizing such a demonstration, so as not to disturb the visit and the important work laid out for President Bushduring his stay in Israel."
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IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
Website: http://www.imra.org.il/