The Only Democracy? » Archive
Settler-style thugs operating inside Israel
by Jesse Bacon One after another, the parallels to fascism pile up in Israel, like the sticks (which is what the root of Fascism means) on a fire. Now a town in Israel has adopted perhaps the most visible feature of many a dictatorship: paramilitary police. The settlers have long functioned in this role in the Occupied Territories, but in the borderless Israeli occupation such methods do not stay contained. What’s more the mission of the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
“We will not be citizens of a fascist state purporting to be Israel” say hundreds of Israeli academics and public figures.
From Gush Shalom October 10, 2010 A protest rally against the government’s “Loyalty Oath Bill” was held outside the Tel Aviv house where Ben-Gurion read the 1948 the Declaration of Independence. There, today, the “Declaration of Independence from Fascism” was signed. “We are citizens of the Israel which was depicted in the Declaration of Independence, a peace-seeking country based on the principles of equality and civil liberties. We do not intend to be the citizens of a state purporting to be Israel which stops being democratic and enbarks on becoming a fascist state,” proclaimed intellectuals, public figures, and Israel Prize laureates who gathered this afternoon for a protest rally against the “Loyalty Oath Bill” approved by the government. A protest rally was held on Tel Aviv’s Rothschild Boulevard, in front of the museum … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Israeli McCarythism 2010: Now with loyalty oaths
By Jesse Bacon When I was guest-editing over at our sister blog Muzzlewatch, I was struck by the extent that “McCarthyist” had gone from a crude epithet, like “That’s fascist, man” to an actual blueprint for advocating for Israel’s policies. The writer I was responding to was the brother of former Prime Minister, he claimed to have a “list” of BDS academics who would then go on to the state department. Well, less we think the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination, Featured
Israeli court welcomes pre-1948 land claims, from Jewish Israelis only
By Jesse Bacon It has been pointed out repeatedly, but now it’s official, the Israeli Supreme Court will accept your pre-1948 claim, if you are Jewish that is. In one of those cases that is a testament to presumably intelligent people’s ability to ignore the larger implications of their actions, the court has been ruling that Jews who left East Jerusalem during the founding of the state of Israel/ Palestinian Nakba/ Catastrophe have a right of return. I hope there are Palestinian refugees filing similar court cases, as many more of them were dispossessed during that time. I would love to hear an Israeli court explain why the Jewish Israelis claims are more valid. Here is the recent Ha’aretz coverage. Sheikh Jarrah has been a bone of contention between Jewish groups – … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
Yonatan Shapira’s testimony from the Jewish Boat to Gaza
From Occupation Magazine Journal of a voyage, by Yonatan Shapira 26 September 2010 The course is 120. Another 200 miles to the port in Cyprus and the automatic pilot in the boat, which is supposed to maintain the course, refuses to work and leaves me with the unending task of maintaining the course on a turbulent sea with no sign of land from horizon to horizon. In another half hour, Itamar, my brother, who is also a “refusenik,” … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Avigdor Lieberman takes settlement policy to its logical conclusion
by Jesse Bacon Lost in the debate over the settlement phase is its real purpose, to claim Palestinian land for Israel. Even its hardcore defenders like Avigdor Lieberman, know there will come a time when that has reached its end, when all available Palestinian land has been taken, and all Palestinians capable of being forced to leave will have done so. What to do then? Well, then Israel will suddenly become interested in drawing borders after 60+ … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
New Israel Fund issues the guidelines: grantees must support Jewish self-determination
By Jesse Bacon We reported on Richard Silverstein’s initial fears of New Israel Fund’s new guidelines, that they would bar funding to those who opposed Israel as a Jewish state. Then it looked like compromise language was in the works. Finally, the guidelines are out, and they call instead for grantees to support Jewish self-determination within the state of Israel. The JTA reports, Groups that work to “deny the right of the Jewish people to sovereign self-determination … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Israel at Abdallah Abu Rahma’s trial: .22 bullets are ok for crowd control
From the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee. September 16th, 2010. Military Prosecution Demands More Than Two Years Imprisonment for Bil’in’s Abdallah Abu Rahmah Military prosecutor said harsh sentence should serve as a deterrent to other protesters. Despite military orders to the contrary, army officer said 0.22″ caliber bullets are considered crowd control measures. Abdallah Abu Rhamah at court yesterday. Picture credit: Oren Ziv/Active Stills* The sentencing phase in the trial of Abdallah Abu Rahmah, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs
Video: Gaza, Bethlehem, and rememberance (Yizkor) for Bassem
A friend of The Only Democracy? wanted to share the following videos. Here is a recent one made by someone who spent years trying to visit Gaza. and here is an older piece, made by residents of Aida refugee camp and Anne who made the first film. It is about the Checkpoint from Bethlehem to what Israel illegally declared Jerusalem (in fact, it stands in the middle of Bethlehem and separates one area of the city from the other, I still have a friend living on the other side who is considered resident of Bethlehem). The video shows how the few Palestinian workers who are allowed by Israel to cross to the “Jerusalem” side for work get in line every work day at 3h or 4h … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Israel tries to lock up Abu Rahmah for two years for disturbing the “peace”
The trial of Bil’in protest organizer, Abdallah Abu Rahmah will renew this Wednesday, after his conviction of incitement and organizing illegal demonstrations was harshly criticized by the EU, the Spanish Parliament and human rights organizations. Abdallah Abu Rahmah’s trial will resume on Wednesday, as it will enter the sentencing phase, in which the prosecution will argue its case for a harsh sentencing, and is expected to ask for a sentence … 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.