The Only Democracy? » On The Ground Reports
Second School Year Opens at Salem’s Music Center
On Saturday February 19 we visited the Salem Music Center. We were accompanied by three professionals – Fuad, a music teacher from Tel Aviv-Yaffa, Ram – principal of Tel Aviv’s art high school, and Ruti – head of that school’s music department. The occasion was the opening of a second school year at the Center, absorbing a second cohort of students in addition to last year’s students who continue their work (see here for a description … Read entire article »
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7 hours ago in Al Arakib
By Yeela Raanan It seemed that there were “red lines” even for the police brutality against the Bedouins of the Israeli Negev – while destroying homes that had no possibility for acquiring building permits, arresting people on their village lands in order to make room for JNF trees, beating activists who dared request to see the official papers allowing the brutality – all that seemed to be “ok”. but until today – even for the police – the cemetery and the people waiting in the cemetery for the police to leave – were off limits. no more. After destroying the tents of the village – yet again, the JNF (yes!) bulldozer approached the gate of the cemetery attempting to run it down and destroy it.this was too much for the village people, who are sitting in their community’s … Read entire article »
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Please Help Rebuild 13 Water Cisterns Destroyed by the Israeli Army
crossposted from the Villages Group blog) The situation of the Palestinian cave-dwellers in South Hebron Hills continues to be difficult. They suffer from permanent harassment carried out by the military and settlers. This year, however, has been even more difficult, due to a severe drought. As if it wanted to capitalize on the harsh conditions, on December 16th, the Israeli military destroyed 13 water cisterns belonging to Palestinian families in South Hebron hills. (direct link to video here; … Read entire article »
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Al Arakib update: Four consecutive days of demolitions
From the Negev Coexistence Forum (NCF) Last week brought four consecutive days of demolitions in Al Arakib. For the first time on February 9 we witnessed bulldozers clearly marked as belonging to the Jewish National Fund (JNF-KKL), destroying tents that had been erected overnight by the residents. The JNF can no longer claim to have no involvement in the repeated destruction of Al Arakib. On the fourth day there were violent clashes between the residents and the … Read entire article »
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Report from Sheikh Jarrah’s 65th weekly demo
By David Shulman February 11, 2011 Sheikh Jarrah It took the Planning Committee of the Jerusalem City Council less than fifteen minutes to approve plans for the next wave of evictions in Sheikh Jarrah. We knew it was coming. Six large Palestinian families—some fifty souls– are to be expelled from their homes, the houses will be demolished, and thirteen apartment units will then be built for Israeli settlers. We know the families, we know the neighborhood, and we know the meaning and intention of this move, a further step in the ethnic cleansing the government is intent on carrying through in Sheikh Jarrah. They probably feel that this moment, with all eyes focused on Egypt, is a good time to act. Some 90,000 housing units for Jews have been built … Read entire article »
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Videos of women protestors and other recommended Egypt sources.
One of my sources sends the following recommendation for on-the-ground reports from Egypt. Here are three of the many women of the Egyptian Revolution – that will counter some of those images of passive Muslim women. Change in the Middle East is being pushed forward by women like Mona, Asma, Sarah, etc., too, and they are not few. There are many more women who are actively shaping the revolution, who are blogging, twittering, writing, vlogging … Read entire article »
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No more cancer: Israeli Army admits Jawaher killed by tear gas
By Jesse Bacon I In a triumph of the obvious truth over incoherent lies, the Israeli Army now admits that Jawaher Abu Rahmah was indeed killed by tear gas at a demo, not as their anonymous speculation would have it by cancer or an honor killing. These tales violated basic plausibility, but they did provide animplausible denial, which is all Israeli government’s supporters need to fan out online with the narrative that there were “doubts about her death.” … Read entire article »
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Exclusive Interview: Village demolished for the 9th Time for JNF forests
By Jesse Bacon Bulldozers from the Israel Land Administration demolished the Bedouin village for Al-Arakib for the ninth time yesterday and today. They also demolished the village’s olive groves the week of Tu Bshvat, which celebrates the flowering of trees, so the Jewish National Fund can plant a forest named after a Fundamentalist Christian TV channel and some foreign ambassadors. The visitors were held in the village’s graveyard while the demolition took place, with much more … Read entire article »
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More precious than oil: help rebuild destroyed cisterns in South Hebron Hills
From Ta’ayush’s appeal to help rebuild cisterns destroyed by the Israeli military. Dear Friends and Supporters, The situation of the Palestinian cave-dwellers in South Hebron Hills continues to be difficult. They suffer from permanent harassment carried out by the military and settlers. This year, however, has been even more difficult, due to a severe drought. As if it wanted to capitalize on the harsh conditions, on December 16th, the Israeli military destroyed 13 water cisterns belonging to Palestinian families in South Hebron hills built before Israel’s creation. The military claims that these water cisterns (or reservoirs) were built illegally and therefore must be destroyed. Some were built in recent years with help from the UN Office for the Coordination of … Read entire article »
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Keep the fight for democracy going
Support peace with your tax-deductible year-end gift today. Donate by December 31st and your gift will help The Only Democracy’s sponsor Jewish Voice for Peace meet a $100,000 matching gift. Your gift helps us keep bringing on the ground reports, commentary, and interviews from Israeli, Palestinian, and international democracy activists. Thanks for your readership and your gift! Thanks and Happy New Year, Jesse Bacon, Editor The Only Democracy? … 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.