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The Only Democracy? » Entries tagged with "Jewish Voice for Peace"

Schivone: A Moment Before Boarding the Next Flotilla

Crossposted from Ha’aretz Read Joseph Dana’s first piece for the Nation Magazine, “With the Gaza Aid Flotilla” A moment before boarding the next flotilla I’d rather use my influence and power, in concert with other members of American civil society, to actively and nonviolently resist policies I consider abominable. By Gabriel Matthew Schivone You might wonder what would motivate a Jewish American college student to participate in what may be the most celebrated – and controversial – sea voyage of the 21st century, one that aims to nonviolently challenge U.S.-supported Israeli military power in the occupied territories. I simply cannot sit idle while my country aids and abets Israel’s siege, occupation and repression of the Palestinians. I would rather use my personal influence and power, in concert … Read entire article »

Filed under: Featured, Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs, On The Ground Reports

Please report any unattended human rights

Please report any unattended human rights

I read Neve Gordon’s piece a few months back about human rights websites being banned at Ben Gurion airport, and thought what a perfect microcosm of the front Israel is trying to put up to the world. While they wouldn’t think of banning such websites to their own population, I hope, international travelers are key to the PR efforts that they shouldn’t be allowed to read any such depressing news. Including, presumably, reports on the … Read entire article »

Filed under: Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs

Correction to the disclaimer, and Happy Hanukkah

Correction to the disclaimer, and Happy Hanukkah

By Jesse Bacon On Tuesday, I posted about a free documentary screening. I then edited that post when I learned that the film received Israeli government funding. I provided the disclaimer for folks who are observing the full cultural boycott of Israel, (which my sponsor Jewish Voice for Peace is not). However, it turns out that the actual call for cultural boycott does not demand the boycott of films simply for receiving government funding, only those … Read entire article »

Filed under: Featured

Historic BDS debate in Zeek

Historic BDS debate in Zeek

By Jesse Bacon Zeek, the artsy hipstery Jewish journal, published two long pieces on BDS (Boycott Divestment and Sanctions) for what I assume is the first time. This bold move plants the movement squarely within the more creative portion of the Jewish establishment, at least as a topic of conversation. This suggests that the effort to make any discussion, as opposed to demonization, of BDS taboo has backfired. It is the BDS-demonizers who find themselves increasingly … Read entire article »

Filed under: Victories for Democracy

Israeli right wing admits to dispossessing Palestinians, says Nakba was worse

By Jesse Bacon Reading the press coverage of Jewish Voice for Peace’s fabulous campaign in support of the Israeli theater artists boycotting settlements, I was struck by an item in Arutz Sheva, the settler’s news service, which ends with this paragraph.. The liberation of Israeli territory in the War of Independence in 1948 was accompanied by a massive exodus of Arabs, and dozens of Jewish communities were then built atop the ruins of Arab villages whose inhabitants had fled, as opposed to the Six-Day War in 1967, when the return of Judea and Samaria [Occupation of the West Bank and Gaza] to Israel was less violent and was not accompanied by an Arab exodus. Paradoxically, leftists in Israel consider communities built on the ruins of Arab … Read entire article »

Filed under: Victories for Democracy

JVP Action Alert: Support Mohammed Bakri

JVP Action Alert: Support Mohammed Bakri

Support Actor/Filmmaker Mohammed Bakri Mohammad Bakri, a Palestinian citizen of Israel and one of the country’s most prominent actors and directors, has been fighting for his democratic right to free expression since 2002 when he made the world-famous film Jenin Jenin. Shortly after the Israeli military attacked a refugee camp in Jenin, banning reporters and human rights observers “for safety” reasons, Bakri snuck in and interviewed the survivors and asked them to tell their stories from … Read entire article »

Filed under: Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs