The Only Democracy? » Archive
A Nonviolent Che Guevara in Gaza
By Ashely Bates, reprinted from her Dispatches from Gaza blog with permission (Ed’s note. The spreading of the unarmed protests for real democracy to Gaza shows that the tactic is working. And if it works people will want to try it, in ways that defy stereotypes of “violent” Hamas-controlled Gaza. The only difference is that Israel can get away with a harsher response in Gaza so paying attention to stories like this is all the more … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Remembering Bassem (Pheel) Abu Rahma
Exactly one year ago, Bassem Abu Rahma (who everyone called Pheel, which means “elephant”), was killed by Israeli forces. Pheel, as he did every Friday, was demonstrating at the Wall which cuts off Bil’in from its own lands. His last words were to ask the soldiers not to shoot because an Israeli had been injured. He was shot in the chest by a tear gas canister, as can be seen in this video (somewhat graphic). Pheel … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured, Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs
A Bailout For Arms Dealers: US Aid and the Israeli Budget
By Rela Mazali and Jesse Bacon The US Congress has shamefully abdicated its oversight role in US foreign policy and has become an apologist for the worst policies of the Israeli Government, all the while sending Israel billions of dollars in aid. Fortunately activists are not waiting for the US Congress to act. They are staging their own investigation, a first of its kind event. The Chicago Hearing is modeled after a Congressional hearing and will … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
Israel Demolishes and Silences its Bedouin Villages
By Yeela Raanan of Regional Council for the Unrecognized Bedouin Village (RCUV). (ed’s note: This piece shows how home demolitions are not limited to Palestinians in the Occupied Territories or those who are suspected of crimes.) April 13, 2010. The Government of Israel is putting me on trial next week (Monday, April 19th, 11:00am in Beer Sheva): for expressing my displeasure at the brutal home demolitions in the Unrecognized Bedouin Villages. The government and its acting bodies do … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
How to Market Gaza as an Israel Success Story
From Gisha’s Gaza Gateway The following guide was inspired by a report by the Government of Israel, summarizing Israel’s humanitarian activities for the Gaza Strip in 2009 and at the start of 2010, which was submitted yesterday to the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee. Take things out of context. When you say that, “41 truckloads of equipment for the maintenance of the electricity networks were transferred”, you do not need to mention that … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
How the Shabak Use the Children of Palestine
Ed. Note: The following is a report from Bi’lin resident Yasser Awad Yasin on his interrogation by Israeli security forces. My name is Yasser Awad Yasin. I am 27 years old and I’m from the village of Bil’in. I’m married and I have two sons and one daughter. The Shabak (Israeli security ) had called me on the phone and told me to go to their office. I didn’t go, so the army raided my house. I was … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Arrests and eviction orders in Sheikh Jarrah
By Noam Sheizaf, reprinted from his Promised Land blog with permission. Jerusalem – about 200 people took part in the weekly protest against the Jewish colonization of Sheikh Jerrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem. Among them were New Israel Fund President Naomi Hazan, former Knesset speaker Avrum Burg, and author David Grossman. During the protest, several activists, among them Grossman, marched near the area of the four houses already occupied by settlers. Four … Read entire article »
Filed under: Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs
A Bedouin Tale
By Rebecca Vilkomerson A few nights ago I had dinner at the home of a dear friend, Ra’ed, the director of the Bedouin-Jewish environmental organization BUSTAN. In the course of the meal, I heard a story that illuminates so many of the overlapping historicaland political factors that contribute to the injustice of the Bedouin story in Israel. It goes like this: A couple of weeks ago, on a Friday afternoon, a few young men from the Bedouin town of Qasr al-Sir went walking on the hills just outside their village. Without warning, shots were fired from the other side of the hills, and one of the young men was killed, another wounded. The shots were fired by Israeli soldiers, who were practicing within a military firing range. A simple, unfortunate tragedy? Not quite. Qasr … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination, On The Ground Reports
Expanded Military Powers of Deportation in West Bank; Palestinian Leaders Charge “Ethnic Cleansing”
A military order to take effect April 13th so drastically expands the IDF’s power to deport people from the West Bank that it threatens mass arrests and exile, according to Hamoked Center for the Defense of the Individual in Israel. In a request to the military commander, Hamoked asks that implementation of the order be delayed until there is input from the non-military sector of Israel, including human rights organizations like Hamoked. In order to clarify the extremity of … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination, Featured
Breaking in with intent to terrorise, by Haggai Mata
Translation from Hebrew: Dimi Reider. There was one point that stood out for me in Uri Blau’s recollection of his pursuit by the Shin Bet in the Anat Kamm affair. Blau, Haaretz’s outstanding investigative reporter, recalls how as he was traveling in the Far East he got a call saying his house was broken into. “It looks like they were looking for something,” said the policeman on the phone. Reading this reminded me how they broke into … Read entire article »
Filed under: 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.