The Nakba

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Yesterday, 15 May, marks 69 years of the Palestinian Nakba, the catastrophe imposed upon the Palestinian people by the Zionist enterprise. On this day, in particular, the Palestinian people remember the massacres of Deir Yassin and Abu Shusha, among the many crimes against humanity perpetrated in order to found the Zionist state.

Instead of apologising for the Balfour Declaration that denied the Palestinian right to self-determination, United Kingdom governments choose to continue covering for Israel and smearing those who speak up for Palestine. The world community must demand that the Israeli Government open all of its 1948 archives to show the true purpose and extent of the ethnic cleansing and cruelty the Zionist state has practised against the native people.

The world must recognise the Palestinian right of return and repudiate Zionism. In its place, allow the establishment of a single state, founded upon goodwill and reconciliation, with equal rights for all. The principles for this are enshrined in international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.

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Leslie Bravery is a Londoner with vivid World War Two memories of the Nazi blitz on his home town. In 1947/1948 His father explained to him what was happening to the Palestinians thus: “Any ideology or political movement that creates refugees in the process of realising its ambitions must be inhuman and should be opposed and condemned as unacceptable.” What followed confirmed this assessment of the Zionist entity a hundredfold. Now a retired flamenco guitarist, with a lifelong interest in the tragedy of what happened to the Palestinian people, he tries to publicise their plight. Because the daily injustices they suffer barely get a mention in the mainstream news media, Leslie edits/compiles a daily newsletter, In Occupied Palestine, for the Palestine Human Rights Campaign. These days, to preserve his sanity, he enjoys taking part in a drama group whenever possible!

50 COMMENTS

  1. We can also celebrate the six month anniversary of the formation of the Middle East “Axis of Evil” ,comprising of Israel with its assistance to wounded Isis soldiers looked after in Israeli hospitals,and attacks on the one hope for a secular Syria ,the Assad Government .Saudi Arabia for its sponsorship of Isis in terms of terrorist ideology,weapons , and foot soldiers,and its disgusting war criminal attack on Yemen.The U.S for its state terrorist sponsorship of Isis to further its plans for an oil pipeline through Syria, and eliminating an independent nation.Three vile countries united in their efforts to destroy Syria! Meanwhile the poor Palestinians with seventy years of ethnic cleansing and an apartheid zionist overlord regime are forgotten!!

    • Please provide evidence for Israel’s treatment of wounded “ISIS” fighters! That is real evidence, not fake news, thanks.

      • Mike: If your sources are always M.S.M you will get an effect called “Rubbish in,rubbish out!”Broaden your reading by getting a communication called “ich newsletter “[ information clearing house ].It has a comprehensive list of alternative contributors from all around the planet.None of them will ever be guests at the White House.Before you read it check there is not a plain van parked outside your house.Put on a balaclava. Good luck!!

          • Check out an article in the Daily Mail. These journalists were embedded with Israeli forces, and watched them rescuing Islamic militants(mainly Al Nusra whose ideology is not far removed from ISIS)and taking them to Israeli hospitals for treatment
            The US State dept spokeswoman tried to pass this off as “Israel’s commitment to humanitarianism”Thats on You Tube
            You should get the DM piece by googling Daily Mail Saving their sworn enemy

            • Nothing new, have read it before, former Jabhat al Nusra, now Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, are of course fundamentalist islamists, but they are nevertheless very different to ISIS, which Historian Pete though claimed were supported by Israel. Nusra has of course also committed atrocities and suicide attacks and the likes, but they made great effort to spare civilians, that is usually.

              And offering medical treatment is not the same as passing on arms, by the way, although I would not rule out some forms of support by Israel to anti Syrian Army and Assad fighters.

              Israel is likely to support groups like the FSA and perhaps the odd other one, it will hardly be so foolish to support jihadists with weapons and more, who have as their aim the “liberation of Jerusalem” and the destruction of Israel.

              And we learned now, that Pres. Trump did apparently pass on highly sensitive info to the Russian Foreign Minister at the White House, that was from Israel, who appear to have contacts to informers within the so called Islamic State.

              Some on the left are as blind as those on the right, and cling to conspiracy stories, failing to realise the ulterior motives Israel may have when “collaborating” with certain extremist or other various groups in the Middle East. They maintain some contacts with persons that are useful for them, mainly for intelligence purpose. The overall aim is to destroy enemies of Israel, nothing else.

              They do the same with Hamas, at times getting collaborating Palestinians within Hamas to pass on information, or even do some sabotage or other “jobs”, not to “support” Hamas, but to actually hamper and try to destroy the organisation.

              This is a far cry from “supporting” ISIS and other groups, wake up, people, the truth is often simpler than what some here seem to believe.

              By presenting conspiracy stuff here, people actually lower the standard of the Daily Blog, as other readers who want to read more factual info and worthy comments get turned off and may write this blog off also, if this continues.

              That is why I challenge people on their “evidence” or sources, and I see the same kind of stuff being presented again and again, which is biased as Fox is in the USA, the only difference is it may come from Russia or alt right or other sources.

              • At the end of the day Mike you prefer to believe information sourced by what I consider MSM ie lacking balance and I prefer my sources which you consider biased.

                I rely on International experts over a wide range of subjects and merely suggested that you will find these people on RT.
                Your sources are journalists who are mouthpieces for their various governments and appear to be doing a damn good job of dumbing down their audiences.

                Your attempt to categorize the Jihadis is naive. There are no good rebels!!
                Everyone killing the Syrian people and the Syrian army can be all categorized as murderous extremists.

                https://consortiumnews.com/2016/07/21/us-backed-syrian-moderates-behead-12-year-old/

                Please provide evidence of the bodies in the crematorium.

                • “Please provide evidence of the bodies in the crematorium.”

                  Oh really, come on, this is SICK, and I feel offended by such tactics.

                  The Assad apologists at work, I cannot believe it. So that is how Hitler and his Nazis got away with it, the allies and Russians had no evidence of the bodies in the crematorium, not until they got there and beat Germany, oh yeah, history repeats itself.

                  Hence they took their time and let Hitler do his “work”.

                  • Sorry Mike
                    A fuller report of the State dept briefing reveals the State dept is not as unequivocal about the crematorium as headlined in the media.
                    Read The Daily Caller “State Dept
                    Admits Assad “Crematorium” Could just be a warmer part of the Building”

                • As for that horrific beheading, that no longer appears on You Tube, the group alleged to be behind it is covered by this more balance Wikipedia page:
                  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nour_al-Din_al-Zenki_Movement

                  I do NOT justify or defend former Nusra Front, now JFS, or whatever they and other groups call themselves. My misgivings are with some persons muddling up, or blurring the lines between ‘ISIS’ and those other groups, some of which may not appear any better.

                  But so far ISIS has shown the greatest contempt for human rights and any rules of war, by actually committing genocide and regular beheadings, crucifictions and torture, some done publicly to terrorise people. They have sold women, the Yesidi people in Northern Iraq suffered immensely.

                  While other groups also commit many atrocities, none have gone to such degrees as ISIS have, and to throw them all into the ISIS drawer simply serves as a kind of marginalisation of what ISIS are responsible for.

                  As for the civil war in Syria, and the endless killings and violence, any such fighting will turn many decent men and perhaps even women into potential monsters, as all that what happens will affect the psyche of persons involved, and we can see the same occur in many of not most wars all over the planet and throughout history.

                  How else can you explain what happened in WW1 and especiall WW2, in Cambodia under Pol Pot, in Uganda under Idi Amin, in Rwanda during the civil war?

                  War turns humans into killing machines and in some cases monsters, simple, but shocking.

                  • ok Mike, this is getting boring
                    Whatever comforts you, stick with it .Wikipedia has to be taken with a grain of salt, anyone can edit it.
                    Atrocities are atrocities, war is the crime, and one sided views only add to the misery

                    • “Wikipedia has to be taken with a grain of salt, anyone can edit it.”

                      Yes, but they have policies, and guidelines and rules to follow:
                      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_policies
                      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Editing

                      As it is not a ‘blog’ it therefore is checked and tidied up by the collective or community of users, editors and administrators.

                      Any inappropriate, false or even simply disputed entry will soon enough be tidied up, so generally Wikipedia is reasonably reliable on information offered.

                      As for this:
                      “war is the crime, and one sided views only add to the misery”

                      I can only agree.

                      This is not ‘boring’ though, I take information seriously, and object to one side being presented, thus try to also look at the other side.

                    • Indeed, Mike.

                      As well, information on Wikipedia generally has citations for the source of said information. So even if Wikipedia itself isn’t quoted, the original source of the information can be cited.

        • Actually, Pete, I echo Mike’s request for evidence of your assertions.

          I’m no friend of Israel’s imperialist ambitions in the Middle East, but I require something in the way of evidence to back up claims such as you made.

          Thus far you seem to be avoiding the question.

        • Global Research are heavily biased pro Syria and Russia, and RT is Russian government funded and supported, how “independent” is that?

          That news that there has been some indirect “assistance” by Israeli forces and/or some authorities to REBELS.

          This means nothing much:
          “The reports do not distinguish various Syrian militants fighting against President Bashar Assad, which range from West-supported Free Syrian Army to the radical Islamists of the Islamic State, formerly known as ISIS.”

          So the report on RT is trying to suggest – by blurring the lines between various rebel or “opposition” grounps, that Israel may have helped ‘ISIS’.

          There is absolutely NO proof of that, but there is some evidence, at least anecdotal, that the Israelis have to some degrees supported opposition rebels, which is NOT the same as Daesh!

          Daesh have not got much of a foothold near the Golan, other groups have.

          I regret you take the opportunity of this post about the Nakba to peddle more unsubstantiated, biased and conspiracy theory kind of information, thus trying to defend Assad and his brutal and oppressive regime in Syria.

          I could throw this in, to show what other allegations there are against the Syrian regime, I bet you consider this to be fake news:
          http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-finds-mass-crematorium-site-near-notorious-syrian-prison-433801589

          http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-39926914

          “Amnesty International appears to consider it quite likely that such a facility exists at a well known prison near Damascus. The also reported this not long ago:
          In February, Amnesty International said that mass hangings had taken place every week at the jail between 2011 and 2015.”

          So do we believe biased pro Syrian media, some Russian funded, or the BBC and other media, which do generally get more credit from my point of view, although they are also not always perfect.

        • Jax, do you have anything independent? Relying on RT News (whilst useful to get a Russian government perspective) and “Global Research” is like relying on Fox News to present impartial reporting on the Democratic Party.

        • Jax & Pete – hard evidence, please? If you’re going to make outlandish claims klike that, the least courtesy you can do is show us the evidence. A Russian govt news outlet and a conspiracy website don’t quite make the grade!!

        • “There have been many reports that support Israel’s assistance in helping Daesh. ”

          The only reports I’ve seen are Israeli medics helping wounded civilians.

          I suspect there is a bit of Fake News mischief-making coming out of certain quarters. Russia? Iran?

          The fact it is repeated here, without question, reveals the gullibility of some individuals

    • I concur, Mike. Al Jazeera is a real gem to watch. Along with the BBC and Radio NZ, it offers perspectives and insights that our own TV channels simply cannot match. (Though TVs’s Mike McRoberts made a good go of it a few years ago when Israel was launching bombing raids on the Gaza Strip.)

      • How can you have such belief in Al Jazeera, totally funded by the Royal Qatari family, with skin in the game over Syria?
        Check out the mass resignations of Al Jazeera journalists.It was even reported in Business Insider
        Ex AJ journo Ali Hashem said that Al Jazeera had become “a media war machine”
        There are many articles about this even in MSM
        Their news coverage of the ME is seriously biased , but some of the docos are magnificent
        Al Nakba has been repeated several times and is just gob smacking
        I also wonder about your endorsement of the BBC. They were found guilty of bias in favour of Israel during the 2014 war on Gaza

        • Of course there is an observable bias Al Jazeera has shown on Syria and the conflict there, I have noticed it myself, yet Al Jazeera English is overall offering a rather good program and alternative views and documentaries on many countries and issues well worth watching.

          With caution one can analyse what “news” by Al Jazeera are reliable, and what kind of news may have a bias, so yes, on ME matters, some caution is advisable.

          As for media in general, there tends to be some slight forms of bias in many if not all media services, so it pays to watch, read and listen to various media to get to the truth, or close to it.

          It has become a bit of a habit by some to hail the reports on RT and some other media, which are as biased, if not more so, as some US based media.

          To think RT are great and reliable, and BBC, Al Jazeera or western media are all “fake news” or biased, that is being blind on one eye, being biased in itself.

          What Historian Pete did above was making claims such as that Israel “assisted” Isis, which is absurd. It is like the Zionists supported Hitler during WW2, but as I have seen here, there will of course some conspiracy obsessed who will actually believe this kind of twisted “logic”.

          • People who watch RT tend to be among those who watch
            and read widely, both the MSM and independent sites.
            Seymour Hersh , a veteran investigative reporter , who broke the My Lai massacre story and Abu Graib along many others, could not get any newspaper to publish the “The Red line and the Rat line” about the Ghouta gas attack because it challenged the official line.The London Review of Books finally agreed to publish
            This is why I have lost faith in many former “respectable” newspapers like the Guardian, who used to have the intestinal stamina to publish a diversity of voices
            The Guardian also refused to publish a long time contributor, Jonathan Cook, because of his on the ground
            reporting on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.He was too critical of Israel.Now he writes independently

            • Here you criticise the Guardian, in another comment further down you use it to back up your views, strange this.

              • not at all Mike. I chose the source from the Guardian because I realise you are suspicious of non MSM sources. Be fair!

              • Second attempt
                Mike, You repeatedly spurn alternative sources as proAssad or pro Russian I am trying to provide you with a MSM source you find respectable. Please, be fair!

            • You endorse RT News, a mouthpiece for Putin and his cronies?? How gullible are you??

      • The BBC is the mouthpiece of the British government . Around the time of the Iraq war the British Govt moved to curb the independence of the BBC and ever since it has become just another propoganda outlet.
        As for Al Jazeera I concur with Francesca’s post. These people reflect the Suni perspective and like Saudi Arabia have been sponsors of Wahabism and extremists like Isis.

        It is thus natural for them to oppose Shia countries or governments such as Iran or Syria. This has also embedded Qatar and Saudia Arabia as allies of the American empire.
        The only reliable reporting by Al Jazeera is about Israel.

        I prefer to get my information on Syria from those on the ground
        which of course includes Russia. The US and the West and Al Jazeera rely on the Syrian Observatory, The White Helmets and various off shoots of Al Qaeda as there are no foreign journalists embedded with these opposition groups.

        RT delivers it’s news on a far different platform than any other for the following reasons.
        Firstly RT International allows anti Russian sentiment by way of programmes like Larry King ,Worlds Apart and Cross Talk. Here you can enjoy all the Russian slagging you desire.
        For shows with all American presenters you can check out alternative perspectives by watching The Keiser report, Watching the Hawks, Boom Bust and Redacted Tonight.
        For a British perspective Going Underground also provides alternative news.
        Where is the equivalent offered by America , the land of the free media ?

        Can I also observe that RT is the only channel that gave voice to Jane Kelsey during the TPPA negotiations , Kim Dotcom during his case for extradition and more recently Nicky Hager.

        RT is a source of some of the world’s best commentators, peace activists and anti war organisations.
        I value the knowledge it offers and if that makes me Pro Russia, Nostravia.

        • totally agree .Where else can I see an interview with John Pilger, except on RTs Underground?
          Where else can I find coverage of Corbyn for instance, that isnt totally and relentlessly rubbishing him?
          Who else gave Jill Stein a voice as often as RT did, certainly not Al Jazeera and certainly not the BBC
          And it is a delight to see David Swanson, who criticises both the US and Russia for their arms dealings on panel shows like Cross Talk

          • Oh dear, fans of the Russian oligarchy speak out for the Kremlin’s mouthpiece? Oh well, worth a giggle.

            • Pleas point out to me your favourite news sites who regularly feature David Swanson , John Pilger,Corbyn and Jill Stein and I will gladly giggle along with you

                • Democracy now is more concerned with domestic American politics.I don’t think I;’ve ever seen a doco on that channel either.But yes, I do watch it.

        • “Can I also observe that RT is the only channel that gave voice to Jane Kelsey during the TPPA negotiations , Kim Dotcom during his case for extradition and more recently Nicky Hager.”

          You can add the “asylum” offered to Edward Snowden also, if you want to go that way.

          Oh yes, RT loves to be liberal and free and allow dissenters within western countries that are friendly with the US a voice, to empower them to be heard internationally and at home. Of course that is not with any self interest, right? Yeah right, I say.

          RT is know in Europe to cover protest events such as those of Marine LePen, of the AfD in Germany and of other right wing, nationalist movements, who are anti EU and want to get out of the EU.

          I have watched a number of live casts on You Tube and RT itself, showing such events, rather generously, of fringe parties and protests against migrants and what else there is in Europe. A few years ago they showed a live event of Turkish nationalists, thousands of them, waving Turkish flags in the German city of Cologne.

          It may have been Erdogan himself speaking there.

          Do you really thing RT does it for the intention of promoting democracy, and that alone?

          There have been traces to websites, even hackers and funders of the Front Nationale in France, of right wing parties in Austria, Netherlands and Germany, who are based in Russia.

          Putin and his intelligence services and others involved have a great interest in undermining the EU and the west and of course the USA, to create instability, as that is in Russia’s interest, they think.

          Russian intelligence services work 24/7 at weakening the EU and NATO and so forth, not for advancing peace, but for their own nationalistic and strategic interests, that is the reality of it.

          I wish some people would start realising that not only the US is an imperialist and self serving super power, the same can be said of Russia, China and a few other powers on this planet. The black and white, good and bad picturing of global affairs is naive to the extreme.

          Look at how in Russia journalists fear for their lives, if they dare criticise Putin and the government, and how gays and lesbians treat very carefully there, same as other minorities, what a “free” country is Russia???

          • Touched by your belief in Al Nusra’s altruism in trying not to target civilians. Many instances of Al Nusra dominated East Aleppo firing rockets in to western Aleppo civilian areas, such as the womens maternity hospital causing mayhem as reported by the Guardian,May 3 last year.
            Turkey, Nato member is also known to have smuggled wounded ISIS fighters in to Turkish hospitals , as reported in the Daily Express,May 2016 and the Huffington post.
            Similar reports in the news sources you deem to be biased.
            Israel will use any fighters, extremist or not, just like the US has done countless times to further their project of weakening Iran, maintaining their illegal possession of the water and oil rich Golan Heights, and attacking Hezbollah
            To think of these factors as conspiracy theory is pretty naive in my book
            The sharia law instituted in East Aleppo and now Nusra dominated Idlib is not far removed from the extremist Islamic ISIS

            • “This is why I have lost faith in many former “respectable” newspapers like the Guardian, who used to have the intestinal stamina to publish a diversity of voices
              The Guardian also refused to publish a long time contributor, Jonathan Cook, because of his on the ground
              reporting on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.He was too critical of Israel.Now he writes independently”

              This is what you commented on re the Guardian a bit further above this afternoon, now you use the Guardian to back up another claim you make, or to back up your position.

              Well, what is it then, is the Guardian not reliable, or is it, or do you pick what suits you when it may fall within your preferred picture of world affairs?

              And where is this evidence from Huffington and the Daily Express re “Isis” fighters being “smuggled” into Turkey for medical treatment?

              And Sharia law applies in some ways in Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan and other Muslim countries also, what is your point, are they therefore the same as ISIS???

              • It depends how extremely they interpret sharia law
                Amputations for stealing, female executions for adultery I view as extreme
                Heard of google?
                The Daily Express has an article”Isis fighters smuggled in to Turkey for treatment”May 2016
                I am not endorsing this newspaper but bowing to your distrust of Global Research, Rt and others you deem to be “conspiracy “sites
                Also google “Research Paper:ISIS-Turkey links published under the aegis of Huff post Sept 2016, also covers supply of military assets, logisticals and medical treatment by Turkey
                An interesting read

          • +1

            Il’ll trust Rt News when it criticises Putin, and the journos get to make it home alive by Friday. Not until then.

            Rt News = Fox News. (Just different continents)

            • Well you’ve been missing out Priss. Putin is criticised regularly as I said, on Cross talk with David Swanson and other antiwar activists, on Worlds Apart where he consistently gets a pasting.
              I dont watch it for Russia’s internal politics, RT International covers world news and docos. Its where I go to for the Russian point of view on world news, just as CNN reflects American foreign policy.There seems to me to be an out and out bigotry that all Russians lie, its in their nature, until they defect to the west and then they sing like little birds. Whereas all the western MSM is totally respectable and truthful
              Is Al Jazeera also off limits for you,? as the royal Qatari family is not allowed to be criticised on that
              channel.

              • “There seems to me to be an out and out bigotry that all Russians lie, its in their nature, until they defect to the west and then they sing like little birds.”

                Sorry, nobody here has made such claims or allegations, or put all Russians into the Putin drawer!

                With such comments you only serve the black and white, good against bad simplification of matters, which I would have thought was not your intention.

                • well lets face it Mike, there is very little news of Russia given any air unless its to bash Russia or give voice to its critics
                  I have yet to read in the MSM any positive news.
                  There is a lack of balance which is my main beef.
                  Nothing is ever that black and white

  2. Frank and Mike.The difference between you and me is that I look at the full range of opinions.I look at Time Magazine,the NZ Herald,The New York times Articles, The W.Post,CNN,Fox news.I also look at Al Jazeera,R.T,and selected alternative sites on the net such as Ich newsletter, Consortium news,Russia insider,BSnews,and half a dozen others.I then collate what I read and come to hopefully an intelligent conclusion.I am aided by a 55 year interest in history and politics .I have lived through the Cuban Missile Crisis,the Anti Vietnam war movement,the Anti Apartheid movement,and have had personal experience with the Act Party, the National Party,the Labour Party, and the Communist Party.I have a degree in History and Political studies.I have run my own business for twenty years.I think I have had life experiences that enable me to discern between fake news and real news.In Russia during the Communist Govt period the population were subject to a news media that was totally according to the Govt line.Much as the U.S. media is today.However the population did their best to establish whether or not they were living in a workers paradise.You on the other hand have access to alternative views, but refuse to look at them.You seem mesmerized by invisible chains.Perhaps it is a case of your formerly broad minds and narrow waist changing places?! I am happy to write my posts and let my fellow bloggers decide whether or not I make sense.

    • As I commented above, I take issue with claims such as that Israel “assisted” or offered “assistance” to “Isis”. While there have been some reports on contacts between Israeli military and possibly intelligence services and opposition groups within Syria, that does certainly NOT prove Israel offered any support to the so called “Islamic State” or ISIS. You make assertions that are unproved until now. We all read many OPINIONS, but opinions ore one thing, facts is another.

      While I respect your back ground and views, it pays to perhaps be a bit more specific and correct when making assertions. Even if there may have been some medical treatment offered to fighters in Syria, that may be considered jihadist and Salafist, and perhaps even members of former Nusra group, that is not ISIS.

      As much as former Nusra Front, now JFS, is islamist and jihadist and fundamentalist, they have not as appalling a record of war crimes and such as ISIS or ISIL as they are called have had to this day.

      That was my main concern, I am still waiting for evidence that Israel supported ISIS members or fighters.

      We have now learned via MSM that Trump allegedly gave the Russians some secret info that appears to have been provided by Israel, who appear to have informers or spies within the ‘Islamic State’ (as they like to call themselves). Surely they do not support IS, they are working on defeating and destroying that group, and use spies or so to get there.

      That is all I wanted to point out, thanks. You are entitle to your view, so are others.

    • I think what we’re observing here is that classic divide in the left as exposed by reaction to Max Blumenthals 2 part essay on Syria.There is also a good piece by Louis Allday in the Monthly Review touching on this
      John Pilger and respected ME journalist Patrick Cockburn, published by the Independent ,both say the reporting on Syria is the poorest (relying almost totally on very partisan jihadist sources)is the poorest they have ever known in all their years of journalism
      I tend to go with journalists I trust these days rather than corporate news sources.
      Glenn Greenwald is good and John Pilger and Seymour Hersh are tried and true in my book

  3. It’s this simple.
    Israel’s there… All over Palestine like a rash no cream will give relief to.
    Can Henry Kissinger not find his Zionist mates a nice place to plot and scheme in Texas?
    He did, after all, start the middle east shit fight we’ve all lived with for years.

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