The Only Democracy? » On The Ground Reports
Palestinian Right to Education: The Case of Awarta
Itamar, the settlement where a family of five was brutally murdered in early March, borders the village of Awarta near Nablus, and is illegally built on village land. Immediately following the murder, and continuing for weeks thereafter, the Israeli military carried out pogrom-like incursions into the village—raiding homes, making mass arrests, destroying property, beating and torturing residents, and imposing extended curfews during which villagers could not leave even to procure food or seek medical attention. A just-released report from the UNESCO Chair on Human Rights at An Najah National University in Nablus focuses on the impact of this policy of collective punishment on the right to education of over 100 University students from Awarta. The Israeli military operations carried out in Awarta over the past month and a half have left the … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
At Umm-Al-Kheir, Fighting Demolitions with Art
In November 2009, we reported to you about demolition orders, issued by Israel’s Civilian Administration of the Occupied Territories, against eleven structures in Umm-Al-Kheir (including stone and tin residential structures, lavatory structures, tents, and a tin storage structure). The structures are located in two residential clusters in Umm al-Kheir that are home to five extended families (over 100 children and adults). Thirty years ago, these families have had the misfortune of the Israeli settlement … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination, On The Ground Reports
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
Al-Aseifar and Susya, May 7, 2011
Two things strike you immediately, closely followed by a familiar third. The first is the sheer brazenness of the theft—or, rather, of the thief, who stands before you jeering, smug, sure of his power, eager to hurt. He has already taken some 95% of your family’s land, and now he bullies his way into the tiny patch that is left in order to harass you and humiliate you further, for this evidently gives him joy. Then there is the pure racism, purer perhaps than what one sees anywhere else in the world today. The thief regards you as barely human, an object capable only of feeling pain, though he needs you as his victim, for without you he is incomplete, profoundly frustrated, lonely, unfulfilled. Thus the settler in his Shabbat … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
5 things you may not know about Silwan
The Israeli group Solidarity sent along this flyer from a joint action they did with Silwanic, a Palestinian center in the Silwan neighborhood that seeks to counter the erasure of Palestinian history by the right wing settler group ElAd that has been given dominion over its archeological sites. Feel free to download and share with any right wing family members you have who talk about the “City of David” while ignoring its Palestinian residents. You can … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination, On The Ground Reports
RIP Vittorio, z”l
I was scheduled to be interviewed by Ashley Bates, whose work we have reposted here. Instead she got word of the death of her friend, Italian peace activist Vittorio Arrigoni at the ends of self-proclaimed “Salafists,” an Islamist faction and rival to Hamas. While of course internationals’ deaths are not more important than anyone else’s, this one also seems to have touched a nerve with many who struggle to tell the truth about what goes on in Israel/Palestine. Ashley’s rememberances and questioning why Vittorio was killed can be read here at Mother Jones. In the winter, spring, and summer of 2010, I observed Vik as he participated in weekly non-violent demonstrations against the no-go zone. The unarmed protesters would march into the zone, plant Palestinian flags, and then retreat—all the while getting shot at … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Democracy Now! on Julian’s death
Democracy Now? asked us to repost their interview with Nabeel Raee, director of the Acting School at the Jenin Freedom Theatre and Constancia “Dinky” Romilly. She is the founder and president of the board of the New York-based Friends of Jenin Freedom Theatre. They are speaking of the death of their colleague Juliano Mer-Khamis. Rush Transcript: AMY GOODMAN: Palestinians, artists, peace activists worldwide are mourning the loss of a leading figure in Palestinian creative nonviolence resistance. Juliano Mer-Khamis, the head … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Salem’s Music Center Team Visits Tel Aviv And Jaffa
Dear Friends, The last months saw the development of connections between the Music Center that opened about a year ago in the village of Salem, near Nablus, and several people from the well-stablished Alef High-School of Arts in Tel Aviv. Ram and Rutie, who are leading this initiative from the Israeli side, initiated and organized for Jubier, Fadi and Amid – the Music Center’s team, a visit of three days in Tel Aviv. … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
How to lift the closure of Gaza in three easy steps
From Gisha’s Gaza Gateway, what it would actually take to end just the closure of Gaza, although not the entire Occupation. Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister said last week that the continued smuggling of weapons into the Gaza Strip threatens further implementation of the “easing” of the closure. Israel of course has the right to prevent the passage of arms shipments (as it did this week at sea). But why weapons smuggling should prevent easing the closure is … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Israeli solidarity activist interrogated by police for “incitement”
Sara Benninga, whose speech I reposted here on the blog, was interrogated by the police after speaking at the JStreet conference I attended. She provided one of the voices for a new direction for Jewish and Israeli activists working alongside Palestinians for justice. For this she rewarded with an interrogation. From Didi Remez’s facebook page: Sara was interrogated for “incitement” because she made a call for solidarity with the #Jan25 protesters at Tahrir sq. She was also … Read entire article »
Filed under: Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs, 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.