The Only Democracy? » Archive
Israel demolishes entire village for fifth time, immediately after holiday; UPDATED with video
From the Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality, all photos by Oren Ziv of activestills.org The Bedouin unrecognized village of Al Arakib was demolished this morning for the 5th time,immediately after Eid Al-Fitr (one of the most important Muslim holidays marking the end of Ramadan). The village is located 7 kilometers north of the city of Be’er Sheva, in the Israeli Negev Desert. Dozens of policemen came to the village before dawn to secure the bulldozers … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Jewish Voice for Peace’s Rabbinical Council and a sweet and redemptive new year
By Jesse Bacon We have been posting less frequently in the past week at The Only Democracy? because of the Rosh Hashana holiday, enough so that we missed one of the proud moments of this season. Our mother organization Jewish Voice for Peace has announced its first ever Rabbinical Council. While not an on-the-ground development in Israel/Palestine, I believe it will be inspiring to many readers of TOD? and has the potential to combat inequality and … 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
Real Dialogue happening in the Israeli Knesset?
By Jesse Bacon Or at least in Foreign Policy magazine. Dimi Reider has a great article about far-right and far-left members of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset. See if you can guess which person quoted is Likud speaker Reven Rivlin and which is Palestinian Israeli Member Ahmed Tibi. mending the gaps within Israel should happen in the context of moving toward a one-state solution across the Green Line. ‘Barak, Livni, Peres and recently Netanyahu are not even … Read entire article »
Filed under: Victories for Democracy
Max Blumenthal finds some real terrorist-loving religious leaders
by Jesse Bacon Max Blumenthal exposes some religious leaders calling for the actual killing of babies and other Palestinians, a far worse rehtorical offense then “failing to condemn terrorism.” According to the book’s author, Rabbi Yitzhak Shapira, ‘Non-Jews are “uncompassionate by nature’ and should be killed in order to ‘curb their evil inclinations. If we kill a gentile who has has violated one of the seven commandments… there is nothing wrong with the murder,’ … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Bil’in’s Abdallah Abu Rahmah Cleared of Stone-Throwing; Convicted of Incitement
From the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee. Protest organizer Abdallah Abu Rahmah from Bil’in was convicted of incitement and organizing illegal demonstrations today, after an eight months long military trial, during which he was kept behind bars. He was acquitted of a stone-throwing charge and a vindictive arms-possession charge. Abdallah Abu Rahmah’s verdict was read today in a packed military court room, concluding an eight months long politically motivated show-trial. Diplomats from … Read entire article »
Filed under: Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs
Two laws for two people in the same Place: Interview with Jordan Valley protest organizer Fathy Khdirat
By Jesse Bacon Interview with Fathy Khdirat, organizer for Jordan Valley Solidarity. I have just finished reading Grapes of Wrath, this group definitely reminded me of the spirit of Tom Joad. Part I: All his life under occupation, personal and family stories. Part II: A government-made water shortage Part III: What’s so important about the Jordan Valley. Part IV: The destruction of two whole villages. Conclusion: What we can do. … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Israel continues efforts to destroy Palestinian village in the Jordan Valley; Interview coming later today
From Jordan Valley Solidarity: Al Farisiya to be razed again In the morning of Sunday 15th August 2010, the Israeli Civil Administration came to Al Farisiya yet again, with two warning documents stating that people have to leave this so-called ”closed area”. The two documents don’t state which family they target, which means that any family in the village can be targeted for home demolition, or confiscation of their vehicles or animals. I … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Palestinian on Hunger Strike in Berlin for Family Rights in East Jerusalem
From the Palestinian rights group Al Haq. (Ed’s note: As many of us celebrate the ruling supporting marriage equality in the case of California, it bears remembering how Palestinians still face discrimination based on who they choose to wed.) 12 August 2010 As a Palestinian NGO committed to the promotion and protection of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Al-Haq is deeply concerned about Firas Al-Maraghi’s hunger strike that he has been holding since 26 July 2010 opposite the Israeli embassy in Berlin, Germany. Firas, a Palestinian resident of occupied East Jerusalem who is married to a German national, is protesting a decision which was taken by the Israeli embassy to ban the couple’s … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
The Only Democracy? summer vacation: enjoy some boycott music
by Jesse Bacon I keep meaning to make a mix tape of the ever growing “cultural intifada” of artists refusing to perform in Israel, maybe including a Meg Ryan film clip? In the mean time, here’s where Gorillaz went after refusing to play in Israel. While Syria certainly has its own injustices, it sounds like an inspriing event. … 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.