The Only Democracy? » Archive
IDF Investigations: Will There Be Justice for Tamimi?
IDF policy requires a criminal investigation be launched immediately when military operations in the occupied Palestinian territories cause death. But a defective system essentially ensures that the investigation will not be conducted in a fair and impartial manner, enabling soldiers to continue to act with impunity. This article was first published in The Jerusalem Post and is reprinted with permission. The death of 28-year-old Mustafa Tamimi of the village of Nabi Saleh last month raises questions about the Israeli military establishment’s investigative processes. Tamimi was only the latest casualty of the IDF’s abundant use of tear gas to disperse Palestinian popular protest. Dozens of people have been seriously injured or killed in recent years, including Bassem Abu Rahma, who died in 2009 after being shot in … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured, Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs, On The Ground Reports
Video from Israelis speaking out against Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions bill
Below is a short video of Israeli celebrities and several activists, among whom I was honored to appear. The video is in Hebrew and for an Israeli audience, but there are English subtitles. The video essentially is self-explanatory, but to give you a synopsis we are coming out strongly against the bill currently in advanced stages in the Israeli parliament (Knesset) that will make it illegal to support and advance boycotts, divestment campaigns and/or a call for sanctions (and perhaps other non-violent political expression) against Israel for its unlawful acts against Palestinians. We are all coming out for democracy, freedom of thought and expression, and stating that this law won’t stop us from resisting the occupation. From the Coalition for Women for Peace’s channel: This is the promo for a series of … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
What Is, and Isn’t, the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement
By Emily Schaeffer The call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel is gaining momentum. At the same time, it is widely misinterpreted, unfortunately by skeptics, opponents and proponents alike.The basic premise behind BDS movements initiated by civil society is that they are a grassroots, international, non-violent means of expressing stern disapproval of a country’s choice to oppress or discriminate against a group of people in contravention of international law and principles of equality, humanity … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured, Victories for Democracy
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who’s the Biggest Boycotter of them All?
Everyone is at least a little hypocritical — that’s human nature. But fundamental contradictions are hard to let slide, especially when they are ostensibly made in the name of some moral superiority. And this is exactly what Gideon Levy so eloquently pointed out in his opinion piece in Haaretz, “Boycotting the Boycotters,” from May 16th. While Israel and its supporters become wildly hysterical over calls by Jews and non-Jews alike to boycott, divest and impose sanctions … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
What if Bil’in held a demo and the army didn’t show up?
By Emily Schaeffer Some of us have become so used to West Bank demonstrations meaning major Israeli army presence, and, typically, the use of weapons, that we have forgotten what demonstrations in a democracy look like. We’ve forgotten that a protest against oppressive working conditions in downtown New York City, or against oppressive abortion policies in Fredericton, Canada, or against wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in cities including London, Sydney, Paris, San Francisco and Toronto — … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured, On The Ground Reports
People Are Talking About BDS
People are talking about Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS). People should be talking about BDS. If you’re not talking about BDS in the context of Israel\Palestine, you should be thinking about it. And here is why. When I was a little girl, I sent my allowance to the Jewish National Fund to plant trees in Israel in the name of family members. I was told and passed on stories about an underdog that after centuries of … Read entire article »
Filed under: 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.