by Stephen Lendman

Global economic data signal trouble. Headlines reflect worsening conditions.

The Financial Times said America's dismal jobs report and world economic weakness raise "fears of a sharp global slowdown" or worse.

According to the London Guardian, Britain and Euroland face a "deeper recession after figures showed manufacturing output slumped at its fastest" rate in three years.

The Daily Telegraph said oil hit a 16th month low below $100 a barrel. At Friday's close, WTI crude stood at $83.26. Brent slumped to $98.63. Declining prices signal weakness.

The London Independent worried about "worldwide panic" as Dow prices plunged 275 points. It was the worst single day's performance since last year.

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By Stephen Lendman

First the good news.

On May 24, Haaretz headlined "Turkey issues arrest warrants for ex-IDF officers," saying:

Four former senior IDF officers were named. They include Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, military intelligence head Amos Yadlin, naval commander Eliezer Marom, and air force intelligence head Avishai Levi.

They were accused of ordering the May 31, 2010 Mavi Marmara massacre. Israeli commandos attacked the vessel with orders to assassinate targeted victims. They killed nine Turkish nationals, wounded dozens more, and terrorized everyone on board. It was a premeditated attack against unarmed, nonviolent activists delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.

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By Alan Hart

In retrospect it can be seen that the 1967 war, the Six Days War, was the turning point in the relationship between the Zionist state of Israel and the Jews of the world (the majority of Jews who prefer to live not in Israel but as citizens of many other nations).

Until the 1967 war, and with the exception of a minority of who were politically active, most non-Israeli Jews did not have - how can I put it? - a great empathy with Zionism’s child. Israel was there and, in the sub-consciousness, a refuge of last resort; but the Jewish nationalism it represented had not generated the overtly enthusiastic support of the Jews of the world. The Jews of Israel were in their chosen place and the Jews of the world were in their chosen places. There was not, so to speak, a great feeling of togetherness. At a point David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s founding father and first prime minister, was so disillusioned by the indifference of world Jewry that he went public with his criticism - not enough Jews were coming to live in Israel.

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