The Only Democracy? » Entries tagged with "Siege"
Video: Democracy Now! footage from Freedom Waves Flotilla
Israel has boarded and detained the latest Freedom Flotilla heading for Gaza. See the last footage they were able to transmit from on board the boat here. If you are in New York City, there will be an emergency action. TODAY, November 4 5 – 6:30pm across the street from the Israeli Consulate (800 2nd Ave, between 42nd and 43rd Sts, Manhattan) … Read entire article »
Filed under: Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs
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
Top 10 Reasons why Rafah opening doesn’t cut it
From Gisha’s Gaza Gateway, more on the inadequacy of the new Rafah Crossing rules on the Egypt-Gaza border. The top 10 reasons why the opening of Rafah Crossing just doesn’t cut it In no particular order of importance, we thought we’d list some of the reasons why the opening of Rafah, while significant and helpful, doesn’t meet all of Gaza’s needs for access and why, as some voices in Israel have recently suggested, it can’t serve as Gaza’s only access point. Despite four unanticipated days of closure last week, the crossing has been operating for the passage of travelers on a more regular but still semi-limited basis. Passage through the crossing remains limited: Egypt has indicated that it will operate the crossing six days per week during regular working hours, but it … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
Gaza not un-besieged after all
When I was arguing with AIPAC attendees in Washington D.C., the one thing they didn’t seem to have an answer for was if the occupation of Gaza was supposedly over, why was Israel controlling all its borders? Well, with the seemingly heartening news that Egypt’s military government was opening the Rafah crossing, Israel’s defenders could briefly claim that even the Siege was over! This was absurd on the face of it, as Larry Derfner points out, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination, Featured
New Egyptian government stops helping starve people of Gaza
Connecting their revolution to the Palestinian struggle in a positive way, Egypt’s new government refused to continue participation in the Siege of Gaza. Liberation will not stop at the Rafah Crossing. Hopefully this will help Israel to recognize the inevitable and cease its futile policy. Here’s Gisha’s response to the announcment that the government would ease passage via Rafah. Gisha expresses hope that Egypt will expand the ability of Gaza residents to travel abroad via Rafah Crossing, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Victories for Democracy
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
Strawberry Fields Forever
From Gisha’s Gaza Gateway This week the Israeli Ministry of Defense announced the “beginning of the export season” in the Gaza Strip. “The export season” entails the continuation of a short-term program, sponsored – from planting through to distribution – by the Dutch government. The program allows a few farmers in Gaza to sell strawberries and flowers in European markets. So far this week, 7 trucks have left the Strip. As has been the case in every … Read entire article »
Filed under: Discrimination
The mathematics of strangulation of Gaza
By Jesse Bacon When the specifics of Israel’s siege of Gaza came to light, it appeared almost random in its insanity and cruelty. The famous example is the prohibiting of pasta while allowing rice, all the while claiming this was somehow ensuring Israel’s security. Well wonder no longer. Through the heroic efforts of Gisha, whose work we feature regularly here on The Only Democracy?, the actual policy has been released. It turns out there is a … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured
Yonatan Shapira’s testimony from the Jewish Boat to Gaza
From Occupation Magazine Journal of a voyage, by Yonatan Shapira 26 September 2010 The course is 120. Another 200 miles to the port in Cyprus and the automatic pilot in the boat, which is supposed to maintain the course, refuses to work and leaves me with the unending task of maintaining the course on a turbulent sea with no sign of land from horizon to horizon. In another half hour, Itamar, my brother, who is also a “refusenik,” … Read entire article »
Filed under: On The Ground Reports
Israel Transferring Goods, Fashionably Late
From Gisha’s Gaza Gateway When the closure was imposed on the Gaza Strip in June 2007, clothes and footwear importers in Gaza found themselves unable to bring goods into the Strip that they had ordered from abroad. For almost three years now, these goods have been sitting in storage containers at Israel’s port in Ashdod or in the West Bank. Each month of storage costs an importer between $300-$500 per container. Recently, … 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.