The Only Democracy? » On The Ground Reports
More from the Salem Music Center: Q&A with the Kids
The Villages Group continues to work closely with Salem’s Music Center, leading to ever-expanding relationships between the Center and the music-education community in Israel. Below (in reverse chronological order) are descriptions of two visits from Tel Aviv to Salem that took place over the past few weeks. The opposite type of visit is far harder to arrange, although we did manage to pull one such visit off earlier this year. The June 24 visit (scroll down … Read entire article »
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Greece does U.S. and Israel’s bidding, detains flotilla; video roundup
By now you have probably heard that the U.S.Boat to Gaza, the “Audacity of Hope” made an attempt to set sail and was turned back by the Greek Coast Guard. Read Jewish Voice for Peace’s alert as it was happening here. Here is a roundup of Democracy Now! breaking coverage of the U.S. boat’s attempt. And here’s their video segment (updated with new video) on the U.S. boat. Part One:. Part Two: Here’s Ashley Bates, whose Gaza reporting has … Read entire article »
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Susya Creative and Learning Center: 1st Anniversary Celebration
On Saturday, May 28th, 2011, a celebration was held at the Palestinian village of Susya to mark the frist anniversary of the Susya Creative and Learning Center’s activity. Four hundred guests took part in the festivities – half of them Palestinians from Susya and the area, and the others – Israelis and internationals who reached Susya from various places in Israel and the world. The Susya Creative and Learning Center, a joint initiative of local … Read entire article »
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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 Freedom Flotilla 2 getting ready to sail
Here’s a video of two of the activists aboard, courtesy of Democracy Now! The Only Democracy? will bring you posts from Gabe Schivone, a Jewish Voice for Peace member aboard the “Audacity of Hope.” Here he is being interviewed by the Arizona Republic about his globe-spanning border activism. And here is a recent op-ed by Schivone, who also is active with the border rights group No More Deaths. Crossposted from Mondoweiss.net Israel’s harassment of US-Mexico border human rights activist raises many questions On May 16, a 19-year-old American student from a Southwest university was stopped by Israeli security agents and held for several hours as she attempted to enter the occupied Palestinian West Bank with 17 other schoolmates and two professors. At one point in a grueling interrogation that lasted until 2 am, she was … Read entire article »
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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 »
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Restrooms and Sanitation at Umm-Al-Kheir (a story for Shavuot)
Mohammed Salem is about 30 years old. He lives in Umm-Al-Kheir, in a home inherited from his late father right next to the fence of the Carmel settlement (sometimes spelled “Karmel”; see picture). In 2005, when Carmel built an expansion neighborhood, Mohammed was beaten by settlers involved in the construction. Since this assault, he has suffered from post-traumatic stress (PTSD). He has stopped functioning, fears and runs away from any stranger, and even from some family … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination, On The Ground Reports
Bassem Tamimi speaks out in Israeli Court at the beginning of his trial
from the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee Bassem Tamimi, the subject of an action alert by Jewish Voice for Peace, speaks up for freedom on the 44th anniversary of Israel’s Occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, June 5th, 2011. Tamimi’s full statement: Your Honor, I hold this speech out of belief in peace, justice, freedom, the right to live in dignity, and out of respect for free thought in the absence of Just Laws. Every time I am called to appear before your courts, I become nervous and afraid. Eighteen years ago, my sister was killed by in a courtroom such as this, by a staff member. In my lifetime, I have been nine times imprisoned for an overall of almost 3 years, though I was never charged or convicted. … Read entire article »
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Ras al-Amud
May 27, 2011 We gather at 4:00 outside the settlers’ multi-story stone building opposite the old police station at Ras al-Amud, on the Mount of Olives. This was the week of Netanyahu’s speech before Congress; if, utterly unlikely as this may be, there is anyone in the world who failed to notice that he was lying through his teeth, then Wednesday’s official ceremony unveiling the new settlement here in East Jerusalem should be enough to remove the veil. He used the … Read entire article »
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May 21, 2011: Music Teachers and Students from Tel-Aviv Visit Salem’s Music Center
Last Saturday, May 21st, 2011, the music center in Salem village near Nablus hosted teachers and pupils of Tel Aviv Municipal Arts High School A. This visit is a result of the ties that the school principal, Ram Cohen, and Dr. Ruthie Katz, the school’s music major coordinator, began to nurture with the Salem Music Center last summer. About two months ago, the staff of the music center visited the Tel Aviv Arts High School. They attended a demonstration class prepared for them by Mario Solan, musical expression teacher, and his students, Itamar Bellaiche and Noam Da Kalo. Last Saturday, Itamar and Noam arrived with their mothers Anna and Mali for their first visit at the Salem Music Center and joined a class that took place there, together with Mario … 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.