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Please Help Palestinian Community Organizer Follow His Dreams
From David and Ehud at the Villages Group: Hi friends I am happy to tell you that Ibrahim Nawaja, who has run the Susiya creative and learning center, with great success , for almost a year (see also video below), has been accepted to Dar Al Kalima college (Arabic link) to study Documentary Film Making. This is a great opportunity for him. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1OoXxBrqA4&w=640&h=360] For those who know Ibrahim, you know what an exceptional, creative and sensitive person … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured, On The Ground Reports
UPDATED with Video and more Commentary: Israel Settlers Nearly Lynch Activists with Police Looking on.
I was waiting a few days as the disturbing emails piled my inbox, trying to wrap my head around them and think what angle to bring this story from. To Hell with my angle. These are activists who’ve seen a lot over the years, staring down police brutality in Sheikh Jarrah (East Jerusalem), and enduring settler and military violence all across the West Bank. But this time, they say, was different. A palpable fear of death. So let’s hear it from them: (note: in Israeli discourse the word “lynch” has a different connotation, and denotes any violent mob assault) Were you ever at a lynching? Were you ever someplace where an unbridled mob was beating you and your friends and then chasing you to beat you again? Were you ever the victim of … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured, Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs, On The Ground Reports
Palestinian Return, Jewish Return, and Insufferable Western Bias
This text is cross-posted from Daily Kos, where it was part of an ongoing debate. First, we had user “soysauce” in a brilliant rec-list diary, countering the Bibi government’s slogan that it isn’t enough for Palestinians to recognize Israel – they need to recognize it as a Jewish state. To my understanding, the 2 main reasons soysauce cited against doing this, were 1. Discrimination against Palestinian citizens of Israel, and 2. Relinquishing the Right of Return. Then … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination, Featured
Israel’s Tahrir [1]: Will the Revolution End “Bibinomics”?
Ok… a little bird told me there was this teeny, modest wavelet of demonstrations in Israel, so maybe it’s time I write something about it. (snark, snark; actually my mom, two of my siblings and a couple of nieces were among those 4-5% of Israel’s population, over 300,000 people, taking to the streets on Saturday night) There is so much to write, and things are moving so fast. Seemingly out of nowhere, this protest wave has snowballed, or – considering the season and physical location – sweatballed, right into prime minister Netanyahu’s (hereafter, “Bibi’s”) face. But of course, this is anything but “out of nowhere.” In an open-ended diary series, I will try to explore some key processes and issues at the heart of this wave, with an emphasis on those that have … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured, Victories for Democracy
Julia Chaitin: First They Came for the Boycotters
Instead of blogiating myself about the wonderful new “Boycott the Boycott” Law the democratic geniuses in the Knesset have just cooked up, I am crossposting what Dr. Julia Chaitin just wrote on her blog. Julia (bio) is a lecturer in psychology at the Sapir College in Sderot. She specializes in long-term social trauma, from Holocaust to Occupation, and on its healing. And she walks the walk, active on Bedouin rights, dialogue across the Gaza border, and on and on. Without further ado: ————————— As our democracy slips further and further into the Mediterranean, it is past time to wake up. The New World Order is upon us, and a sad one it is at that. First, there was the boycott law (see information on law and Association for Civil Rights response here). Then there was the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination, Featured, Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs
Schivone: A Moment Before Boarding the Next Flotilla
Crossposted from Ha’aretz Read Joseph Dana’s first piece for the Nation Magazine, “With the Gaza Aid Flotilla” A moment before boarding the next flotilla I’d rather use my influence and power, in concert with other members of American civil society, to actively and nonviolently resist policies I consider abominable. By Gabriel Matthew Schivone You might wonder what would motivate a Jewish American college student to participate in what may be the most celebrated – and controversial – sea voyage of the 21st century, one that aims to nonviolently challenge U.S.-supported Israeli military power in the occupied territories. I simply cannot sit idle while my country aids and abets Israel’s siege, occupation and repression of the Palestinians. I would rather use my personal influence and power, in concert … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured, Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs, 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
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
Juliano Mer-Khamis, in his own words
From filmmaker and activist Jen Marlowe: Dear friends, Many of you may have already heard about the murder of Juliano Mer-Khamis. The co-founder and director of the Freedom Theatre in Jenin Refugee Camp, he was gunned down (five bullets to the head) this afternoon outside the theatre by an unknown assailant. I first met Juliano in 2006, when I began working with a group of activists in New York to support the Freedom Theatre. I have visited the Freedom Theatre multiple times over the years, watching Juliano teach and direct young acting students. Most recently, I watched Juliano as he coached acting students three months ago, preparing for the much-acclaimed production of “Alice in Wonderland.” I have no words at this moment to describe Juliano, the work of the Freedom Theatre and the scope … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured, Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs
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.