The Only Democracy? » Archive
Gaza Border Opened after 72 days
From Gisha’s Gaza Gateway Amid rumors of tension between the Hamas government and Egypt, on Saturday, May 15, 2010, the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt was opened to the passage of people wishing to enter and exit the Gaza Strip. The border had been closed for 72 days prior to this latest opening. The border crossing, which is due to be open for just a few days, has been closed on a regular basis since … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
What’s So Funny ‘Bout Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions: Elvis Costello’s Beautiful Message
By Jesse Bacon , I was a little young to get Elvis Costello, as opposed to the Pixies. He was well on his way to the iconic status, vaguely sterotypical rabbi look, dorky glasses and angst that made him a kind of hipster patriarch and unfortuantely led to a cameo in the hideous would-be 80’s epic 200 Cigarettes. But I was always amazed at how much yearning he worked into pop songs, made them carry … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured, Victories for Democracy
The Only Democracy Wishes You Knowledge and Power This Shavuot
By Jesse Bacon The Jewish Holiday Shavuot, which begins tonight, commemorates the giving of Torah at Mt. Sinai. It is the very epitome of revelation from on high. But this holiday, revelation is not from a mountaintop. It is cumulative, from a thousand different places.. It is cumulative, dare I say it, open source. And what have we learned? We have learned that Israeli Democracy is being withdrawn bit by bit, even from its Jewish citizens. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured
Bereaved Families for Peace Shut Out of Israeli High School
by Jesse Bacon One of the most inspiring groups working to end the conflict is the Bereaved Families for Peace, which as their name implies is made up of Israelis and Palestinians who have lost their children to violence and who work together to end the conflict. As a parent, their work hits me extra hard I hope I will have their courage and that I will never need it. I was excited to read they … Read entire article »
Filed under: Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs
What if Tea Partiers were Palestinians?
By Jesse Bacon The Congresswoman from my neck of the Big Woods, Michele Bachmann (R-Parallel Earth) made headlines when she compared the census to WWII Japanese internment camps. It seems to be a common belief in the Tea Party movement that the government is planning to round up its supporters; their fears of persecution are driving them to ever more fanciful beliefs. I thought of the Tea Party when reading accounts of the protest, (well promoted by … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured, Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs
Israel Arrests its Own Citizen, a Human Rights Director
Ittijah General Director Ameer Makhoul Arrested by Israeli Authorities Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Condemn Arrest as Arbitrary and Seek Immediate International Intervention [Ramallah, 6 May 2010] This morning at 3:10 a.m., Israeli Security Agency (GSS) agents accompanied by Israeli police raided Ameer Makhoul’s family home in Haifa and arrested him. Mr. Makhoul is a human rights defender and serves as the general director of Ittijah – The Union of Arab Community-Based Associations and as the Chairman of … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Live from the Only Democracy Goes to Bil’in
Follow Jewish Voice for Peace on twitter at jvplive tonight to get live updates from our own Emily Schaeffer from the Bil’in Conference and protests against the Wall. You can download an audio report by Free Speech Radio news from the conference here. “Conference on nonviolent resistance opens in West Bank” The IMEMC recaps the first day of the conference. Hundreds of Palestinians along with international and Israeli delegates started on Wednesday the fifth annual conference … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
A Nonviolent Che Guevara in Gaza
By Ashely Bates, reprinted from her Dispatches from Gaza blog with permission (Ed’s note. The spreading of the unarmed protests for real democracy to Gaza shows that the tactic is working. And if it works people will want to try it, in ways that defy stereotypes of “violent” Hamas-controlled Gaza. The only difference is that Israel can get away with a harsher response in Gaza so paying attention to stories like this is all the more … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Israel Demolishes and Silences its Bedouin Villages
By Yeela Raanan of Regional Council for the Unrecognized Bedouin Village (RCUV). (ed’s note: This piece shows how home demolitions are not limited to Palestinians in the Occupied Territories or those who are suspected of crimes.) April 13, 2010. The Government of Israel is putting me on trial next week (Monday, April 19th, 11:00am in Beer Sheva): for expressing my displeasure at the brutal home demolitions in the Unrecognized Bedouin Villages. The government and its acting bodies do … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
How to Market Gaza as an Israel Success Story
From Gisha’s Gaza Gateway The following guide was inspired by a report by the Government of Israel, summarizing Israel’s humanitarian activities for the Gaza Strip in 2009 and at the start of 2010, which was submitted yesterday to the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee. Take things out of context. When you say that, “41 truckloads of equipment for the maintenance of the electricity networks were transferred”, you do not need to mention that … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
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.