The Only Democracy? » Archive
The Only Democracy? Wishes You a Sweet and Liberating Season
By Jesse Bacon Of all the stories in the Passover liturgy, I am most inspired by the idea that it was “mixed multitude” that went forth from Egypt, Israelites and Egyptians alike. Here is a perfect description of what I mean when I talk about democracy: a diverse group of people united by an idea, and inspired to brave action. Later in the story there will be time for specific religious experiences: the Jews’ revelation at … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured
Jerusalem City Government Muzzles a Tour
by Rebecca Kirzner Sometimes it’s just too easy. I mean, really. Sometimes, the total idiocy of your political enemy just makes it so much easier to promote your ideas. This week, the Jerusalem Municipality requested that Ir Amim, a Jerusalem-based non-profit organization, remove its study tours of East Jerusalem from the events listing on the municipality website. Ir Amim is an Israeli non-profit organization which promotes a politically sustainable future for Jerusalem, and a Jerusalem which respects … Read entire article »
Filed under: Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs
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 »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
In West Bank Palestinian Childhood Is Cut Short – It’s the Law
Palestinian Child Being Arrested In the West Bank, there is a two-tiered system of justice, including for minors. For settler children, justice is administered according to Israeli domestic law, with all the due process protections that affords. They cannot be charged as adults until they reach 18, in accordance with the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Israel is a signatory. For Palestinian children, military law applies, and that pretty much means due … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
Quarreling Lovers Make Up Over Missiles
The United States and Israel may be fighting, but fear not. These BAF (Best Allies Forever) have the equivalent of a bunch of roses to reconcile over, a sweetheart deal to buy fighter jets. The US supplies the cash, and Israel buys the weapons. It’s like a gift certificate! For your own store. That sells guns to a domestic (and foreign) violence offender, Israel, who America refuses to cut off no matter how badly they … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination, Featured
Gaza Students Can’t Study in Gaza, Can’t Leave
From Gisha’s Gaza Gateway Between March 1 and March 5, 2010, the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt was open, and 4427 people passed through the crossing, including 461 students. Of these students, 100 were returned to Gaza by the Egyptians either because Egypt believed that they would seek to remain in Egypt, or because they were missing the requisite exit documents. According to the latest information, 502 students are presently seeking to leave the Gaza Strip in order to realize their dreams and study in universities abroad. Yet why do students in Gaza aspire to study outside the Strip? Among the reasons is the fact that in Gaza it is not possible to study certain fields, such as dentistry, occupational … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
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 »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Shedding Light on Discrimination Against Arab Citizens of Israel
Some of you may remember the relentless attacks on Jimmy Carter after publication of his book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. To deflect some of the criticism, Carter was at pains to distinguish the situation between Arabs in the Occupied Territories and Arab-Israeli citizens. Regarding the latter, he assured his audiences that within Israel proper “democracy prevails and citizens live together and are guaranteed equal status.” Like Carter, many of us are ill-informed or confused about … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
Israeli Soldiers Torture Another Man for Organizing Demonstrations, UPDATED with Graphic Photos and Video.
From the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee Omar Alaaeddin from the village of al Ma’sara was nabbed from the Container Checkpoint on Sunday the 14th. He was released yesterday with no charges pressed against him. Alaaeddin reports having been tortured in the Israeli Russian Compound Jail in Jerusalem. Omar Alaaeddin, who is involved in organizing demonstrations in the village of alMa’asra south of Bethlehem, was arrested a week ago on Sunday at the Container Checkpoint, as he was … Read entire article »
Filed under: Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs
Haaretz Condemns Nakba Ban as “Mocking Democracy”
On May 15th, the day marking Independence Day for Israel, many Arabs within Israel and throughout the world commemorate the Nakba (the “catastrophe” in Arabic) when most of the Arab population living within the new-born state were forced to flee in 1948. Much of this population continues to live as refugees to this day, or as internally displaced persons within Israel. But public commemoration of Israel’s independence as a day of mourning could be penalized should a bill approved on Sunday by a ministerial panel be brought to the Knesset and cabinet for vote. In a scathing editorial, Haaretz laments this latest manifestation of the undemocratic agenda of the Netanyahu-Lieberman cabinet. The Knesset yesterday put Israeli democracy to shame when it passed the “Nakba Law” at first reading with a majority of 15 against … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
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.