The Only Democracy? » Archive
Guardian series of videos by East Jerusalemites
If, like me, you are disgusted by the minstrelry of Tom MacMaster pretending he was a queer Syrian woman here’s a good antidote. The Guardian has published a series of videos made by Palestinians and Israelis in occupied East Jerusalem who were given cameras by the Israeli human rights group B’tselem and documented their lives. H/t to +972 Magazine for bringing this too my attention. Five of the six videos below, the final one with Israeli … Read entire article »
Filed under: 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
Second generation Nakba survivors tell their family’s stories
If you followed the protests all around the Palestinian Diaspora for Nakba Day, you saw how vividly this issue lives on 63 years later. This site hosts videos and tweets are one minute testimonials from second and third generation Nakba survivors, that is people whose parents or grandparents were dispossessed following the creation of the state of Israel. Thus most of the witnesses are the same age as our Young, Jewish, and Proud protestors. They provide personal oral history to corroborate the kind of claims that almost got Tony Kushner denied his honorary degreee.. You can read Jewish Voice for Peace’s statement on the Nakba Day protests here. A few selected videos of the 21 that appear on the site: … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured, On The Ground Reports
New Egyptian government stops helping starve people of Gaza
Connecting their revolution to the Palestinian struggle in a positive way, Egypt’s new government refused to continue participation in the Siege of Gaza. Liberation will not stop at the Rafah Crossing. Hopefully this will help Israel to recognize the inevitable and cease its futile policy. Here’s Gisha’s response to the announcment that the government would ease passage via Rafah. Gisha expresses hope that Egypt will expand the ability of Gaza residents to travel abroad via Rafah Crossing, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Victories for Democracy
U-N-I-T-Y of Palestinian factions.
Now the attention of the world is distracted by the OBL extrajudicial assassination, but it is still worth keeping an eye on the Fatah-Hamas unity agreement scheduled to be signed on Wednesday. Update: Hamas condemns killing of Osama Bin Laden, presumably to shore itself up with Salafist sympathizers or possible hosts. Ali Abunimah has some critical questions, while Mitchell Plitnick has a slightly more optimistic view. Here’s +972’s take from Palestinian activist Aziz Abu Sara. Here is Saree Makdisi on Democracy Now! And because I do think this is generally a good thing, here’s Queen Latifah with the title cut. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Victories for Democracy
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
RIP Vittorio, z”l
I was scheduled to be interviewed by Ashley Bates, whose work we have reposted here. Instead she got word of the death of her friend, Italian peace activist Vittorio Arrigoni at the ends of self-proclaimed “Salafists,” an Islamist faction and rival to Hamas. While of course internationals’ deaths are not more important than anyone else’s, this one also seems to have touched a nerve with many who struggle to tell the truth about what goes on in Israel/Palestine. Ashley’s rememberances and questioning why Vittorio was killed can be read here at Mother Jones. In the winter, spring, and summer of 2010, I observed Vik as he participated in weekly non-violent demonstrations against the no-go zone. The unarmed protesters would march into the zone, plant Palestinian flags, and then retreat—all the while getting shot at … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Abdallah Abu Rahmah is free, may all Palestinians be soon
Great news on the heels of the horrible killings in Itamar settlement and Netanyahu’s exploitation of them. It’s good to have a hopeful example even if its freedom for a man who should have never been imprisoned. Indeed, the protests Abdallah Abu Rahmah helped organize are still going on after he served 16 month sentence, and he intends to rejoin them, which should be a sign to Israel to quit jailing people for inciting against … Read entire article »
Filed under: Victories for Democracy
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.