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The Only Democracy? » Victories for Democracy

Gil Scott-Heron boycotts Tel Aviv, sends powerful message to Israelis

Gil Scott-Heron boycotts Tel Aviv, sends powerful message to Israelis

By Noam Sheizaf, reprinted from his Promised Land blog This is a translation of my article regarding the cancellation of spoken words artist Gil-Scott Heron’s gig in Tel Aviv. His show was scheduled for late May, but it was later removed from Scot-Heron’s site and though there was no official statement yet, it seems to have been canceled for political reasons. The original Hebrew version of the article was posted Wednesday on the … Read entire article »

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Strengthening Those Who Belong to the Land: Mahmud from Susya, the Organic Farmer

(crossposted from The Villages Group Blog, where more pics can be found) Mahmud from Susya got up one day from his depression, and built a very basic green house. With simple tools and techniques he succeeded to surprise us with excellent organic vegetables. The vegetables are an essential addition to the family’s poor diet, based mainly on dairy products from the herd which is their main source of making a living. And while both herding and growing grains is restricted by the settlers/army, green-housing is a brilliant solution for growing food which does not require much land. One day Mahmud discovered a vegetable disease on the leaves of his tomatoes. We could not help with the disease, but by suggested to finance for him an agricultural course. When he returned from his two … Read entire article »

Filed under: On The Ground Reports, Victories for Democracy

Democracy Comes To Chicago

Democracy Comes To Chicago

by Yotam Amit The Chicago Hearing was a success judging by the reactions from the audience and I am proud to have been one of the organizers. Afterwards, I had the rare opportunity of listening to the impressions of an acquaintance who had been previously uninvolved in Israel/Palestine issues. According to him, the event was excellently moderated by Ms. Helena Cobban, which helped make the fourth hour seem as relevant and engaging as the first. But it … Read entire article »

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Winter in Gaza: Overflowing Sewage But the Strawberries are Ripe

Winter in Gaza: Overflowing Sewage But the Strawberries are Ripe

From Gisha’s Gaza Gateway, Gaza Behind the Lens With the arrival of spring, we decided to present a selection of photographs taken during the past winter in Gaza. The winter brought with it terrible storms. Restrictions on the entry of supplies made it difficult for Gaza’s infrastructure to cope. Sewage was overflowing, houses were flooded and families were forced to live without heating- all of this became a normal part of life in Gaza … Read entire article »

Filed under: On The Ground Reports, Victories for Democracy

Muli Peleg on Israeli Democracy

Muli Peleg on Israeli Democracy

By Jesse Bacon. I attended a talk by Muli Peleg on “Israeli Democracy”  at LimmudPhilly, the Jewish “Learningfest”. This is an event that is quite open to broad participation but certainly attracts many people from the organized “mainstream” Jewish community. This represented one of the few classes taught by an Israeli, or on the conflict at all.Peleg, a professor at Netanya College who is doing a visiting gig at Rutgers, laid out a shockingly honest critique … Read entire article »

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Letter from New Profile

Letter from New Profile

February 25, 2010 Dear friends and supporters, We would like to begin by letting you know, once again, that we truly appreciate your continuing interest and support. They have been crucial in enabling us at New Profile to withstand extended harassment and to keep up our work. Over the last two years, we have faced a series of direct challenges to our longtime efforts towards demilitarizing state and society in Israel. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs, Victories for Democracy

Purim is Bad for Palestinians (and a positive update)

Purim is Bad for Palestinians (and a positive update)

By Ofer Neiman. Last night, three miles from my house, a settler Purim-fest which led to more violence against the Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah. Here’s a short video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ImVh2Uyiu4 The border policeman surely had no reason to hold his gun like that. He is facing women, children and some youths, all unarmed in the middle of Jerusalem. Not likely to happen in the western part of our “united” capital. Today in Hebron: two Israeli peace activists arrested (unconfirmed … Read entire article »

Filed under: On The Ground Reports, Victories for Democracy

Court Orders Sealing of Settler House, Jerusalem Mayor Promises Home Demolitions

Court Orders Sealing of Settler House, Jerusalem Mayor Promises Home Demolitions

Israel’s State Prosecutor Moshe Lador ordered the sealing off of an illegal house built by Jewish settlers in an Arab neighborhood of East Jerusalem. “In a letter sent to Barkat Sunday, Moshe Lador praised Barkat for saying that he would implement the long-standing court order to evacuate and seal off  Beit Yonatan, a seven-story building in Silwan built without a permit five years ago by the right-wing group Ateret Cohanim.” Great news! Although I have trouble imagining … Read entire article »

Filed under: Discrimination, Victories for Democracy

Israel Begins Rerouting Bi’lin Barrier: “A Small Victory”

Israel Begins Rerouting Bi’lin Barrier:  “A Small Victory”

Israel began work today to  a section of its so-called “security barrier” in the West Bank village of Bil’in — two and a half years after the Israeli Supreme Court ordered the state to return land to Palestinian farmers. The Jerusalem Post has the video and article. “Bulldozers were on site Thursday and tracks for the new route were being laid down. Some Palestinians welcomed the development but stressed it fell far short of their demand … Read entire article »

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International activists freed, then their office raided again by IDF.

International activists freed, then their office raided again by IDF.

Ha’aretz reports that international activists seized in immigration raids as part of Israel’s crackdown were freed by Israel’s Supreme Court. “The activists’ lawyer described their arrest as part of a campaign by Israel to choke off weekly demonstrations by Palestinians, left-wing Israelis and foreign activists against Israel’s West Bank separation barrier as peace efforts remain at a stalemate. Israeli soldiers raided the West Bank city of Ramallah on Sunday and detained Spaniard Ariadna Jove Marti and Australian … Read entire article »

Filed under: Featured, Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs, Victories for Democracy