The Only Democracy? » On The Ground Reports
Celebrating Passover and Land Day in Budrus
By Rebecca Vilkomerson Monday evening: a standard seder in north Tel Aviv with my family, where the story of the historic liberation of the Jews from oppression by organizing themselves (my own personal takeaway from the Pesach tale) passed quite quickly by in favor of dinner. Tuesday: the first day of Passover, which coincides this year with Land Day, when Palestinians mark the day in 1976 when Palestinian citizens of … Read entire article »
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Israel Tries to Expel People For Their Beliefs
By Noam Sheizaf, cross-posted from his Promised Land blog with permission. Pay close attention to this item. It doesn’t seem like much, but it’s an important one: Two international activists, Ariadna Jove Marti (from Spain) and Bridgette Chappell (Australia), who are living in Bir Zeit in the West Bank (it’s near Ramallah, and well within the Palestinian Autonomy), were arrested by the IDF last month. The two were about to be expelled … Read entire article »
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At-Tuwani: Where Walking to School is An Act of Resistance
Here is another report from the Christian Peacemaker Team, who look out after the children in the area of the At-Tuwani village in the southern Hebron hills as they try to make their way to school. Once again, the Israeli military fails to patrol the children as they are required to do to protect them from attacks by adult settlers. And once again, the children and their parents manage to overcome the dangers and make … Read entire article »
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Two Youths Killed by Israeli Military, WARNING: Graphic Photos.
by the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee Israeli Army Kills Youth Demonstrators in Iraq Burin Village Near Nablus. Mohammed Ibrahim Qaddous, 16, was shot dead with live ammunition when a Border Police force raided his village of Iraq Burin near Nablus to quash a demonstration this afternoon. Ussayed Qaddous, 19, who struck in the head with live ammunition and critically injured passed away in the Rafidya hospital in Nablus … Read entire article »
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Sheikh Jarrah Speaker Breaks it Down Further
By Sara Benninga I am a Jerusalemite, and have been involved in the struggle to free Sheikh-Jarrah. Sheikh-Jarrah is a neighborhood in East-Jerusalem, beyond the ‘67 lines. Until recently it was a Palestinian neighborhood. Palestinian refugees from the ‘48 war, who owned property in Israel (Jaffa, Zriffin, and in several neighborhoods of West-Jerusalem such as Talbiya and Katamon) were settled there, then a mostly empty plot, by the Jordanian government and UNRWA. The Palestinians who are … Read entire article »
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Live from The Only Democracy? Part 3: Not This Week
By Libby Amit After all the fuss, all the speculations and media coverage, local and international interest, internet buzz and adrenaline – nothing out of the ordinary happened in Bil’in or Ni’lin today. The Israeli military raised our expectation and craving for confrontation by widely publicizing the new military order declaring the two villages closed military zones on Fridays for the next six months. But when it came right down to it and … Read entire article »
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Winter in Gaza: Overflowing Sewage But the Strawberries are Ripe
From Gisha’s Gaza Gateway, Gaza Behind the Lens With the arrival of spring, we decided to present a selection of photographs taken during the past winter in Gaza. The winter brought with it terrible storms. Restrictions on the entry of supplies made it difficult for Gaza’s infrastructure to cope. Sewage was overflowing, houses were flooded and families were forced to live without heating- all of this became a normal part of life in Gaza … Read entire article »
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Live from The Only Democracy? Part 2: An Opposite Impact.
By Libby Amit. It was clear to most activists and supporters of the joint Israeli-Palestinian demonstrations in the West Bank that this week’s declaration by the Israeli army that the entire villages of Bil’in and Na’alin would be closed military zones on Fridays for the coming six months was more of a statement than anything else. Israel has been attempting to quiet the popular struggle against the wall, settlements and occupation for months if not years … Read entire article »
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Live from The Only Democracy?, It’s Friday Day. Part 1: Showing Up.
by Libby Amit. When the Israeli army declared the villages of Bil’in and Ni’lin closed military zones on Fridays all day for the next six months, many seasoned Israeli activists shrugged and said “big deal.” This military order does not reflect a major change in policy on the ground, the villages are generally declared closed zones for this time period, just not preemptively for six months. This does not mean that the order is … Read entire article »
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First Day of Bil’in and Na’alin Closure–Follow It Live!
This week, the Israeli Army declared the villages of Bil’in and Na’alin closed military zones from 8am-8pm on Fridays for the next six months. It was announced that any Israeli activist in the villages during those hours would be arrested, foreigners would be deported, and Palestinians from other villages would be jailed. For over five years now, Fridays have been demonstration days, when Israeli and international activists join Palestinian protesters in their efforts to stop the … Read entire article »
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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.