The Only Democracy? » Discrimination
Meanwhile in gender: Israel hosts men only economic conference
While our attention is rightly on the new anti-boycott law , this development reminds us of the other inequalities in Israeli society. While not the keystone oppression like that of Palestinians, conditions for women seem to be worsening, as they often do in both situations of conquest and religious fundamentalism. It is also worth noting that defenders of Israel often criticize gender relations in Arab societies as if it was a problem unique to them. Photo: Emil … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
Julia Chaitin: First They Came for the Boycotters
Instead of blogiating myself about the wonderful new “Boycott the Boycott” Law the democratic geniuses in the Knesset have just cooked up, I am crossposting what Dr. Julia Chaitin just wrote on her blog. Julia (bio) is a lecturer in psychology at the Sapir College in Sderot. She specializes in long-term social trauma, from Holocaust to Occupation, and on its healing. And she walks the walk, active on Bedouin rights, dialogue across the Gaza border, and on and on. Without further ado: ————————— As our democracy slips further and further into the Mediterranean, it is past time to wake up. The New World Order is upon us, and a sad one it is at that. First, there was the boycott law (see information on law and Association for Civil Rights response here). Then there was the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination, Featured, Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs
A bad day for Israeli democracy
Coalition of Women for Peace, whose campaign we have featured before on this site, have a new video, and sadly, a new update on the progress of the “Boycott Bill” working its way through the Israeli Knesset. H/t to ACRI for the blog title, it came from the subject line of their email alerting us to the passage of this bill and the news that journalists aboard the Gaza Flotilla would be treated as criminals, which the government backed away from. “Boycott Bill” update, June 27, 2011 A new article was introduced in the Knesset committee hearing today denying public and non-profit tax status to organizations who “call for boycott.’ Knesset committee approved bill including new article for final vote. Members of Kadima party who supported the bill withdrew their support. The bill was heavily criticized … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
Top 10 Reasons why Rafah opening doesn’t cut it
From Gisha’s Gaza Gateway, more on the inadequacy of the new Rafah Crossing rules on the Egypt-Gaza border. The top 10 reasons why the opening of Rafah Crossing just doesn’t cut it In no particular order of importance, we thought we’d list some of the reasons why the opening of Rafah, while significant and helpful, doesn’t meet all of Gaza’s needs for access and why, as some voices in Israel have recently suggested, it can’t serve as Gaza’s only access point. Despite four unanticipated days of closure last week, the crossing has been operating for the passage of travelers on a more regular but still semi-limited basis. Passage through the crossing remains limited: Egypt has indicated that it will operate the crossing six days per week during regular working hours, but it … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
Restrooms and Sanitation at Umm-Al-Kheir (a story for Shavuot)
Mohammed Salem is about 30 years old. He lives in Umm-Al-Kheir, in a home inherited from his late father right next to the fence of the Carmel settlement (sometimes spelled “Karmel”; see picture). In 2005, when Carmel built an expansion neighborhood, Mohammed was beaten by settlers involved in the construction. Since this assault, he has suffered from post-traumatic stress (PTSD). He has stopped functioning, fears and runs away from any stranger, and even from some family … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination, On The Ground Reports
Gaza not un-besieged after all
When I was arguing with AIPAC attendees in Washington D.C., the one thing they didn’t seem to have an answer for was if the occupation of Gaza was supposedly over, why was Israel controlling all its borders? Well, with the seemingly heartening news that Egypt’s military government was opening the Rafah crossing, Israel’s defenders could briefly claim that even the Siege was over! This was absurd on the face of it, as Larry Derfner points out, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination, Featured
Why do protesters only count in Syria?
Mitchell Plitnick has an argument here about why Syria should stay out of Palestinian protests. It’s an interesting case though I am happy to see the larger issue of the Palestinian refugee diaspora raised, I agree that Syria is a deeply flawed messenger, given its current brutal crackdown on its own demonstrators. The New York Times coverage of the “Naksa” (a word I am embarrassed to admit I just learned this year” seems to support Plitnick’s … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
At Umm-Al-Kheir, Fighting Demolitions with Art
In November 2009, we reported to you about demolition orders, issued by Israel’s Civilian Administration of the Occupied Territories, against eleven structures in Umm-Al-Kheir (including stone and tin residential structures, lavatory structures, tents, and a tin storage structure). The structures are located in two residential clusters in Umm al-Kheir that are home to five extended families (over 100 children and adults). Thirty years ago, these families have had the misfortune of the Israeli settlement … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination, On The Ground Reports
5 things you may not know about Silwan
The Israeli group Solidarity sent along this flyer from a joint action they did with Silwanic, a Palestinian center in the Silwan neighborhood that seeks to counter the erasure of Palestinian history by the right wing settler group ElAd that has been given dominion over its archeological sites. Feel free to download and share with any right wing family members you have who talk about the “City of David” while ignoring its Palestinian residents. You can … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination, On The Ground Reports
Interactive Video
“You have a choice! Israeli Anti-Militarists Speak”
Four Israelis—Dorothy Naor, Sergeiy Sander and Eli Fabrikant, and Ofer Golani—talking about their personal histories, political views and activism in 132 short films.