Rights Blog 2010
23 December 2010
The good news is that the bulldozers stopped working today thanks to the brave people of Al-Walaja but they still need our collective support. 100 internationls will be in Al-Walaja tomorrow morning (Friday at 9 AM).
The video that I recorded and loaded this morning summarizes what happened to us after our arrest in Al-Walaja, a peaceful beautiful village that is slated for ethnic cleansing (for the second time). The beatings and pepper spray used on Sheerin and the young men of Al-Walaja was truly vicious. During the arrest, I managed to text message, take notes, and even take a couple of pictures from under the stairwell without the soldiers being aware (details maybe for my next book!). We challenged the soldiers' demand that we not speak to each other or to them. Many of the soldiers kept saying they are obeying orders and I and others reminded them that obeying fascist order is not an excuse in international courts of justice (we are not there yet, but I believe the day is coming). I was truly inspired by the courage, vision and dedication of villagers like Sheerin and Dia who exemplify decency and dignified poise in front of the machine that still comes up among humans every few decades. From fascism to Nazism to Zionism, the enemy is one: racism and greed that in the end is self-destructive. But if enough good people stand-up, the end may come sooner and more people on all sides would be saved the physical and emotional scars of colonization. Anyway, here is my statement on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaa_6I-PMoM
Our friend Olivia Zemor and many others were denied entry on Ben Gurion airport. You can read her statement here (in French, may translate using translate.google.com): http://www.europalestine.com/spip.php?article5701
However, thousands of people from around the world still managed to enter Palestine through Israeli controlled ports of entry like Ben Gurion airport. Some were asked to sign stupid statements about not entering "Palestinian areas". Of course all of this land is Palestinian areas, they should state entering the ghettos or bantustans to make it clearer.
In the holding cell with tight handcuffs cutting our circulation, we had a sense of peace and self-confidence. We shared smiles and whispered words of encouragement to each other. It was uplifting experience and camaraderie. I myself started singing (Fairuz-Zahrat Al-Madaen, Christmas songs, the Palestinian national anthem etc). After all we were told not to speak to each other but they said nothing of singing. I wished to dance but then I thought this might be too much for my cell-mates. We all believe that it is a sign of weakness and desperation that the Israeli army increasingly brutally attacks unarmed people who are simply challenging occupation nonviolently or merely asking pointed questions. From the Gaza freedom flotilla to Rafah to Bilin to Al-Walaja, to Stuttgart, to Paris, and to the rest of the world, the cracks in the walls holding empire of lies are being felt. Again, there will be an event in Al-Walaja Friday at 9-11 AM. For those outside Palestine, thank you for acting in your spheres of influence.
Auschwitz Survivor on Palestine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSlFR541Uoo
Why will there not be a US foreign policy that benefits US population? Is it because certain Jews make money out of the tribalism that is Zionism? An article in Haaretz on "How much do U.S. Jewish leaders sic make?"
http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/how-much-do-u-s-jewish-leaders-make-1.330414
Song for Kairos Palestine (Manal abdo)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IStkXO4eCks
=============
12/21/2010
Recommendations for year-end actions
1) Join events in Palestine this co ming week and beyond: Shepherds Nights Festival 23-25 December http://www.pcr.ps/event/shepherds-nights-festival-2010, and the Program for International Activists in the West Bank from 22-27 December 2010, see http://palestinejn.org/events/icalrepeat.detail/2010/12/23/5/-/international-direct-action
2) Donate to worthy organizations that do great work on the ground in Palestine. Two suggested organizations that I believe in (among many):
- Al-Rowwad Cultural and Theater Society in Aida Refugee Camp http://alrowwad.virtualactivism.net/donate.htm or http://www.alrowwad-acts.ps/etemplate.php?id=19
- Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People and its International Middle East Media Center (http://www.imemc.org/donate)
Both have tax deductible vehicles in Europe and North America, email me or the directors if you want details. But also email me to let me know you donated. We really appreciate it.
3) Get a 2011 calendar from Badil: http://www.badil.org/index.php?page=sh0op.browse&category_id=10&vmcchk=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=4
4) There are 50 other ways to act for peace with justice http://www.palestinejn.org/resources/resources-for-activism-
O Little Town of Bethlehem: Alice Bach
"This Christmas, I will hold the people of Bethlehem in my heart. I will also urge my political representatives to speak out for Palestinian freedom from Israeli occupation." http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/12/o_little_town_of_bethlehem_ali.html
Brief on situation in Bethlehem this Christmas
http://www.nad-plo.org/inner.php?view=news-updates_151210
Human Rights Watch detailed report on Israeli apartheid in the occupied area was just released
http://www.hrw.org/en/reports/2010/12/19/separate-and-unequal-0
Seattle Metro buses have ads about Israeli war crimes
http://www.king5.com/news/local/Israeli-War-Crimes-signs-to-go-on-Metro-buses-112108154.html#
See also: http://www.stop30billion-seattle.org/
Flash Mob action in St Louis for the Boycott Moto Campaign
http://www.stl-psc.org/?p=149
TIAA-CREF Divestment action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzwEBGWvgRo
Masters thesis on Jewish white privilege and Israel is attacked in Canadian legislature.
Read the unprecedented valuable thesis here
https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/24619/1/Peto_Jennifer_201006_MA_thesis.pdf
===========
12/14/2010
Funeral traditions and rituals are sometimes called death rituals but I believe they are rituals in affirmation and support of the living.
Friends asked why my response to emails or writing slowed down to a trickle in eth past week. The reason is that for nearly 10 days now we have been very busy with the terminal disease and subsequent death of my brother-in-law (who also is my cousin). And now, I will have to work through the mountain of accumulated "to do" things on my desk-top (both the wood one and the electronic one). I also have to take time to ponder life now that both my sisters lost their (relatively young) husbands this year (my third sister is unmarried). It is a hard blow on our very close family to lose these two fine men who leave behind such great children (and in the case of my older sister's family, several grand-children).
We shuttled around hospitals, doctors, and pharmacists. We then have to go through the traditional three days of mourning with their associated rituals. I am always surprised at how quickly news travels here in a small town of 12,000 people. I am amazed at how quickly and efficiently arrangements are made for the complex events that follow the notice of death (far too many to list here). Almost like miracles, Volunteers spring up, a casket appears, Priests come, notices appear in newspapers, food is made, calls are made, and flower wreaths appear. But the people coming in large numbers always amazes us (funerals in the US or Western Europe are small affairs compared to this). And large numbers come regardless of the importance or popularity of the deceased in society (of course many more came for those politically active individuals especially if they have been jailed by the Israelis). But as I stated in the beginning, I view these as rituals that are affirmation of life and not death. I counted that in those three days I shook hands with 2600 people. And it is about those people that these rituals are structured.
People come together regardless of their background and even those with political, family or clan rivalries put those aside to great each other, eat with each other, chat about mundane and weighty things, sometimes solving problems and settling disputes while mourning the dead person. As we participate and listen to the conversations, we realize more and more how we are all simple common people destined eventually for the grave and we should be less petty. We remember that we Palestinians are really no different at a deeper level than any other people. We all have lots of shortcomings. We all have our moments of weakness and moments of greatness. We ponder fate and the kindness of those great spirits out there (e.g. my brother-in-law's son came home from eth US just in time to give pleasure to his father who died then less than 24 hours later). We all remember that my late father also "waited" till I arrived from the US to finally let go in 2003.
We talk and chat and tease each other and offer each other food. We fail to live-up to our best ideals or we rise-up to them. We are all tested in hard times and score variably at various times. Sometimes individuals surprise us by how they rise to the challenge. Some surprise us by how much love they can extend. The young and the restless in these hard-times grow very quickly before our eyes to become responsible caring adults. Many learn to cry for the first time and many learn to remember those times of their youth when they had less ego and more love. Many discover the beauty and grace of giving (and here I am not talking about just material but more importantly giving of one's self by showing love and empathy and care for others). The knowledge of old generations is passed to the young. The young reciprocate by showing respect and giving joy to the old. An 84 year old hand touches gently the hand of a 5 year-old. A pat on the back, a hug, a kiss on the cheeks give more meaning than a thousand words. Hearts connect. I am also reminded of why I returned to Palestine from my self-created Diaspora (now here for the past 2.5 years) and I also know why those in forced exile so miss this village life in Palestine. I remember one refugee who told me everything in Palestine was meaningful to him, that he missed everything from his youth in his (now) destroyed village and his words ring in my ears today as he added "we miss even the funerals." I thank all of you who visited, wrote, or kept us in their hearts and minds.
Amnesty International Press Release: Israeli rabbis ban home sale and rental to non-Jews
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=19132
Economic Prison Zones http://www.merip.org/mero/mero111910.html
Flashmob in Tel Aviv asking for boycott
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDeNLAXKKxk
Flashmob in San Francisco at the AIPAC dinner calling for AIPAC to stop supporting occupation and stop calling for attack on Iran (seven arrested)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va8ZZ_yRe-4
Message from Abdullah Abu-Rahma (from inside apartheid's Jails) on Human rights' day
http://palsolidarity.org/2010/12/16008/
see also
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/07/AR2010120701254.html
Auschwitz Survivor on Palestine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSlFR541Uoo
A Ray of Hope from Israel: Shlomo Sand Visits the Birthplace of Zionism, and His Own
By Anthony Lwstedt http://www.zcommunications.org/contents/173370/print#_edn1
=======
30 Nov 2010
Thoughts on Germany and Palestine
===========
Wednesday December 22, 2010
Link to the pictures of arrests http://tinyurl.com/3xjky9j
If you are currently in the Bethlehem area, please join us for a demo set for this Friday morning December 24, 2010 at 9 a.m. at Al-Walaja. Contact 0569956478 for information.
This afternoon at around 2:30 Mazin said that we have to go to Al-Walaja immediately. He said he just got a call from the villagers that Israeli bulldozer was clearing an area in a different side of the village (the villagers were still trying to figure out the legal situation) than the familiar site where illegal Israel wall construction has been going on for the past year. We were at his office at Bethlehem University at the time. We dropped everything we were doing and took off. When we arrived at the site, the bulldozer was idle with a dozen solders and private security personnel around. We found out from the 20 some villagers gathered there that they managed to asked the work to be stopped pending further instructions. Thirty minutes later, some military spokesperson came to talk to the villagers in Arabic (which I don't understand.) He came along with more armed forces - there were about 50 to 60 by then, more than the number of the local villagers present. If I understood correctly through Mazin's brief translation, Israeli spokesperson was saying that their work was based on the 2006 order (but that order has expired and currently there is a supreme court case pending.) So as the bulldozer resumed, and the soldiers spreaded out getting villagers away from the work site and started arresting people who simply were hanging around there. While I was taking picture of a Palestinian male being taken away by Israeli soldiers, I suddenly noticed Mazin was surrounded by soldiers in a lower level terrace from where I was standing trying to speak to the solders (probably telling them they don't have any valid work order and should not resume the bulldozing.) Right at that moment, they decided to take him away. That was around 3:20 p.m., less than an hour after we got there. I only remembered to take a picture of him being taken away from a distance. In rapid succession, Israeli soldiers snatched more Palestinian villagers - in all eight of them, including an older gentlemen, two teeagers, three other gentlemen, and Sheerin Al-Araj whom I knew as the vocal activist from the village.
Mazin was not reachable by phone after that for two hours. Then I reached him by phone and took down some notes from him during a short conversation. He said that they are detained outside Bethlehem Checkpoint 300 at the time. An Israeli soldier named Almog Kahalani was very rough with them. He beat the two young Palestinian men, causing one with stomach problem. The soldiers were very rough with Sheerin that I can hear in the background while talking with Mazin on the phone. Three of them had metal handcuffs, he and the rest were tied with plastic handcuffs that was very tight and causing circulation problem. A young men's handcuff was so unbearably tight but Israeli soldiers refused to loosening it. The soldiers had just untied the plastic ones after about two hours (but kept the metal ones on the other three, Sheerin was one of them) and that's why Mazin was able to use his hand to hold his phone and speak with me. They were asked to sign on a piece of paper (don't know what's the content but must be in Hebrew that nobody understand). But everyone of them refused to sign as advised by a Palestinian lawyer who was present there. While detained there, they tried to speak to the soldiers about international law, but the soldiers were saying that they don't give a f--- about international law and you people and they only care about obeying orders. Mazin reasoned to them that German soldiers were also obeying orders during the Nazi regime. The Israeli solders responded by saying that German soldiers would have shot you by now.
Another hour later, I got another update from Mazin that they have been transferred to Atarot (I don't know where is this, but people familiar with this said it is near Ramallah.) They are waiting to appear in front of a judge. They are cold and hungry. The Israeli personnel there sprayed cold water on them and claiming it is an accident.
More update as I am still composing this -- Mazin said that there were three arrested from Jenin joining them, so now there are total eleven at Atarot detention.
Mazin asked you all to keep Al-Walaja people and village in your prayer. We should be proud of the villager's nonviolent resistance effort.
If you are currently in the Bethlehem area, please join us for a demo set for this Friday morning December 24, 2010 at 9 a.m. at Al-Walaja, and stay alert tomorrow all day. I will keep you updated as event unfold.
J. Qumsiyeh
during Mazin's absence
Below is another eyewitness account by an international present at the time:
"Eight Palestinians detained in al-Wallaje as bulldozers began to make way for the Apartheid Wall in the South of the village
Today at around 2 p.m. bulldozers started clearing trees, rocks, shrubs etc. to make way for the Apartheid Wall that is designed to enclose the village of al Walaje from the South, on the West Bank side. Three days ago, Israeli authorities had marked the route the Wall with orange plastic straps, indicating that the route of the Wall, which would swallow a natural spring, three graves and run through a small grave yard.
Villagers and a few local supporters walked towards the bulldozers and tried to stop their work. They were prevented from reaching the bulldozer by more than three times their number of Israeli soldiers, border police, and riot police. The villagers were arguing that the IOF had no right to destroy their land and that the legal situation concerning this part of the village was not yet clear, when a commander recognized Mazin Qumsiyeh from an action earlier this year on the other side of the village where the Wall is already being built. Mazin was standing in a group of people when he was suddenly arrested without the slightest warning or provocation. The IOF then started to violently push the crowd into the village, causing several villagers to fall on the rocky, uneven ground and sustain minor injuries. As the outnumbered villagers were being pushed further and further in, a commander suddenly ran into the crowd and randomly detained several Palestinians who at that point had their backs turned to the IOF and were facing towards the village.
Overall, eight Palestinians one woman and seven men including teenagers and an elderly men were detained violently. Three were handcuffed; five were bound with plastic straps, one of them so tightly that the strap cut into his flesh, which the soldiers refused to loosen for several hours. Two were beaten badly after they were detained.
The eight were first brought to the police station at the checkpoint 300 at Rachels tomb, and then transferred to Atarot, where they are being investigated currently.
==========
14 DECEMBER 2010
Funeral traditions and rituals are sometimes called death rituals but I believe they are rituals in affirmation and support of the living.
Friends asked why my response to emails or writing slowed down to a trickle in eth past week. The reason is that for nearly 10 days now we have been very busy with the terminal disease and subsequent death of my brother-in-law (who also is my cousin). And now, I will have to work through the mountain of accumulated "to do" things on my desk-top (both the wood one and the electronic one). I also have to take time to ponder life now that both my sisters lost their (relatively young) husbands this year (my third sister is unmarried). It is a hard blow on our very close family to use these two fine men who leave behind such great children (and in the case of my older sister's family, several grand-children).
We shuttled around hospitals, doctors, and pharmacists. We then have to go through the traditional three days of mourning with their associated rituals. I am always surprised at how quickly news travel here in a small town of 12,000 people. I am amazed at how quickly and efficiently arrangements are made for the complex events that follow the notice of death (far too many to list here). Almost like miracles, Volunteers spring up, a casket appears, Priests come, notices appear in newspapers, food is made, calls are made, and flower wreaths appear. But the people coming in large numbers always amazes us (funerals in the US or Western Europe are small affairs compared to this). And large numbers come regardless of the importance or popularity of the deceased in society (of course many more came for those politically active individuals especially if they have been jailed by the Israelis). But as I stated in the beginning, I view these as rituals that are affirmation of life and not death. I counted that in those three days I shook hands with 2600 people. And it is about those people that these rituals are structured.
People come together regardless of their background and even those with political, family or clan rivalries put those aside to great each other, eat with each other, chat about mundane and weighty things, sometimes solving problems and settling disputes while mourning the dead person. As we participate and listen to the conversations, we realize more and more how we are all simple common people destined eventually for the grave and we should be less petty. We remember that we Palestinians are really no different at a deeper level than any other people. We all have lots of shortcomings. We all have our moments of weakness and moments of greatness. We ponder fate and the kindness of those great spirits out there (e.g. my brother-in-law's son came home from eth US just in time to give pleasure to his father who died then less than 24 hours later). We all remember that my late father also "waited" till I arrived from the US to finally let go in 2003.
We talk and chat and tease each other and offer each other food. We fail to live-up to our best ideals or we rise-up to them. We are all tested in hard times and score variably at various times. Sometimes individuals surprise us by how they rise to the challenge. Some surprise us by how much love they can extend. The young and the restless in these hard-times grow very quickly before our eyes to become responsible caring adults. Many learn to cry for the first time and many learn to remember those times of their youth when they had less ego and more love. Many discover the beauty and grace of giving (and here I am not talking about just material but more importantly giving of one's self by showing love and empathy and care for others). The knowledge of old generations is passed to the young. The young reciprocate by showing respect and giving joy to the old. An 84 year old hand touches gently the hand of a 5 year-old. A pat on the back, a hug, a kiss on the cheeks give more meaning than a thousand words. Hearts connect. I am also reminded of why I returned to Palestine from my self-created Diaspora (now here for the past 2.5 years) and I also know why those in forced exile so miss this village life in Palestine. I remember one refugee who told me everything in Palestine was meaningful to him, that he missed everything from his youth in his (now) destroyed village and his words ring in my ears today as he added "we miss even the funerals." I thank all of you who visited, wrote, or kept us in their hearts and minds.
Amnesty International Press Release: Israeli rabbis ban home sale and rental to non-Jews
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=19132
Economic Prison Zones http://www.merip.org/mero/mero111910.html
Flashmob in Tel Aviv asking for boycott
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDeNLAXKKxk
Flashmob in San Francisco at the AIPAC dinner calling for AIPAC to stop supporting occupation and stop calling for attack on Iran (seven arrested)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va8ZZ_yRe-4
Message from Abdullah Abu-Rahma (from inside apartheid's Jails) on Human rights' day
http://palsolidarity.org/2010/12/16008/
see also
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/07/AR2010120701254.html
Auschwitz Survivor on Palestine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSlFR541Uoo
A Ray of Hope from Israel: Shlomo Sand Visits the Birthplace of Zionism, and His Own
By Anthony Lwstedt http://www.zcommunications.org/contents/173370/print#_edn1
=========
Thoughts on Germany and Palestine 30 Nov. 2010
=============
23/11/2010
Inspiring: 100-year-old refugee gets new Gaza home in time for Eid by Rami Almeghari writing from occupied Gaza Strip http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11627.shtml
From Johanna "This footage is from the demo on Saturday. It shows when the soldiers started pushing the kids and then they started to arrest people and throw sound bombs and then tear gas! And then there is the footage from the little Mohamed being arrested. Actually he was 14 years old. He is still in Jail and tomorrow he has a hearing. The soldiers claim that he threw stones." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HnI36hMuAg
US government asked to Revoke AIPAC's (Israel lobby) Tax Exemption - IRmep
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/irs-asked-to-revoke-aipacs-tax-exemption-109902939.html
Success of BDS (Boycotts, Divestments, Sanctions) continue
At Olympia BDS http://www.olympiabds.org
At Depaul University http://smpalestine.com/2010/11/19/depaul-divests-from-israeli-hummus-product/
From Israeli citizens: From Israeli Citizens: Please Do not Hold the 2010 Cleveringa Lecture at the Hebrew University!
http://boycottisrael.info/content/israeli-citizens-please-do-not-hold-2010-cleveringa-lecture-hebrew-university
Take actions: http://www.aaper.org/
More Chutzpah: Israeli Knesset passes law that requires a two third majority or a referendum to comply with International law to end its illegal occupation
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/11/201011230367451933.html
Israel war criminals data cannot be hidden. Several websites hosted the information (more would be welcome since racist Zionists are trying to shut out dissemination of such information)
http://www.pourlapalestine.be/docs/43054479-Israeli-War-Criminals-Zzl-Org.pdf
http://cryptome.org/0002/il-war-criminals.htm
http://s242816488.onlinehome.us/criminals/
http://site.www.umb.edu/faculty/salzman_g/t/2010-11-22.htm
====================
21/11/2010
A Palestinian-American view of NATO strategy paper
==============
19/11/2010
Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh reports on a field visit to an area heavily impacted by the occupation in the Jordan valley
We spent two days in the Auja area north of Jericho on a field trip to survey what remains of the animals and plants in one of hundreds of areas directly devastated by Israeli occupation policies. Our host and guide was Mubarak Zawahra, a father of seven young children who lives near Bethlehem but his mother and many of his brothers live in the Jordan valley. The family are considered Bedouins. Bedouins are not nomads. Before their lives were restricted and devastated by the occupation they usually held two locations (one for the winter months and one for the summer months). They relied on their economy on flocks of sheep and goats that they grazed in the wide open areas around the two locations. They also raised pigeons and chickens and occasionally planted crops.
Mubarak's father was so successful at what he did that at one point he and his 16 children had over 1000 head of sheep and goats. It was not an easy life and required very hard work. Their life meant covering many miles every day to reduce overgrazing. Spending over 12 hours daily walking rough terrains, Bedouins come to know every small path, wadi, tree, cave, depression etc. over vast areas. Their encyclopedic knowledge of their surroundings is astounding. They have stories to tell you about every feature of their landscape, every animal and every plant. Even as a seasoned biologist, I always learn new things from going out with Bedouins about nature. They have unique names even for the different species of desert land snails. They can tell you of natural treatments to different maladies. While life was difficult, it was a life that functioned in harmony with nature and with spiritual matters for thousands of years. Disputes were mostly solved by tribal traditional laws. The fields were not overgrazed and nature was left untouched. The balance was maintained and tranquility prevailed and as Mubarak told me in the evening after a very hard day of work in the fields, the best time was to sit after a meal, drink strong sweet tea seasoned with wild mint surrounded by loved ones and look at clear skies dotted with brilliant stars.
That life of course is slowly ending. The Zawahra's saga is just an example. Colonial Jewish settlements in two main locations of the Zawahra's domain (in the hills around Bethlehem and in the Jordan valley) have made it impossible for the Zawahras to continue the Bedouin way of life. In the Bethlehem district, Israeli colonies, security zones, army bases etc now control the vast majority of the rich lands. The remaining land is basically the developed Palestinian areas with few open areas. With less than 5% of the open range areas of the Bethlehem district left available for grazing, the impact was devastating: 1) significant decrease in number of animals (even as the human population more than tripled in the past 45 years), and 2) the forced overgrazing on the few remaining open areas had a devastating ecological effect. It is sad to compare biodiversity in the Bethlehem area today versus what I saw 40 years ago. Many species can no longer be found in the hills of Bethlehem (both plants and animals). Some areas are so barren that the only living animals I can see in the late summer and fall months are humans, goats (more hardy than sheep), and flies. These were areas that 40 years ago, I could show you at least 40 species in a span of 2 hours.
The second domain of the Zawahras is in the Jordan valley a few kilometers north of Jericho in the Wadi Auja area. This valley had until a few years ago water flow year round estimated at 9 million cubic meters coming from the hills near Ramallah and flowing into the Jordan valley to feed the river Jordan. It made a beautiful oasis that attracted thousands of visitors year round for recreation. Downstream, agriculture has flourished. Farms had been established and the tranquil village of Auja with 7000 residents including Christians and Muslim farmers and Bedouins flourished. My school mate Imad Mukarkar took me to his family farm there when we were in high school over 35 years ago and I distinctly remember bountiful citrus fruit, bananas, vegetables of all kinds etc. On Tuesday night as we stretched nets to catch bats, we chatted with his brother Khalid who is struggling to maintain the family farm. He explained how even the well water he relied on is decreasing in output both in quality and quantity while the settlers nearby have unlimited water to grow corn and even watermelons. A way of life is slowly being squeezed for the Palestinians and created for colonial Jewish settlers. These settlers looking for short term political achievements have no clue about the long term consequences of their policies.
Stealing water via pipes at the hills and bringing it to the Jewish settler communities also via closed pipes dried up the natural flow of water in Wadi Auja. The oasis is no longer an oasis. The valley now has water only in the brief rainy season (for about two months at best) whern up until the late 1990s had water year-round. The crisis of water is so desperate that winter rain runoff will be collected via a damm adding to the changes created by the Israeli water theft. Desertification (already a problem because of global warming) has thus accelerated. The rich valley fauna and flora was devastated. We did manage to record three species of scorpions, two species of bats, spiny mice, five species of birds, two lizards, a desert fox, and struggling desert trees and shrubs. We were interrupted once by an Israeli military patrol who wanted to know what we were doing and seemed bemused by our scorpions. One soldier stated that they kill many of them. I did not want to argue but I did think in my mind that scorpions are really much kinder than some people since they do kill only for food or to defend themselves.
Comparing field work now and three decades ago, we can see dramatic differences. For example I distinctly recall over 20 species of birds seen in one morning and we now found no frogs, an important environmental indicator, when there used to be plenty. The loss of biodiversity meant a loss of livelihood for the native Palestinians who live in this area. The Zawahra family who had hundreds of sheep and hundreds of goats now have few animals and struggle to find menial jobs to make a living. And farmers like Khalid Mukarker who used to get plentiful agricultural produce have seen their costs quadruple and their output decline. Local animals and plants lost are irreplaceable.
The quality of water and air deteriorates year after year which will make it eventually impossible even for the colonial settlers to continue to live here. Short term political thinking of Zionists once again trumps long term planning. There is clearly a very heavy economic and ecological cost of colonialism. Urgent studies and documentation are needed for areas like Al-Auja and increased activism to end this colonial occupation as quickly as possible. Time is not on our (human) side. Very soon, the damages done to the environment will make life impossible for all of us (Jews, Christians, Muslims, other animals, and plants) in this (un)holy Land.
Thanks to Mubarak, my wife, my student Michael and his brother Majd for help in making this trip successful.
Here are two pictures of Auja valley with water in it a few years ago
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16622261@N07/4761385611/
http://foeme.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/auja-blog_img022f-o-e-jordan-valley_verkleind.jp
and here is a link to pictures posted by my wife from our field trip
http://tinyurl.com/34b5gg6
For details on what is happening in Al-Auja including maps, see this report by the Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=754
=============================
18/11/2010
Quote of the day
Ron Kampeas from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency news agency found Cantor's comments extremely surprising, writing, "I can't remember an opposition leader telling a foreign leader, in a personal meeting, that he would side, as a policy, with that leader against the president. Certainly, in statements on one specific issue or another -- building in Jerusalem, or somesuch -- lawmakers have taken the sides of other nations. But to have-a-face to face and say, in general, we will take your side against the White House -- that sounds to me extraordinary." Source http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/12/eric-cantor-benjamin-netanyahu-israel_n_782738.html
Analysis of newly elected US Congress
http://www.aaiusa.org/blog/entry/analysis-of-select-new-leadership-of-the-112th-congress/
U.S. taxpayers are paying for Israel's West Bank occupation
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/features/u-s-taxpayers-are-paying-for-israel-s-west-bank-occupation-1.324941
Mystery of who funded right-wing "radical Islam" campaign deepens
http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/11/16/clarion_fund_obsession_dvds/index.html
(the details are interesting but the bottom line is not controversial: wealthy extremist Jewish Zionists continue to stoke fear and hate and want more wars)
(those with computer knowledge, please download, save, and post on multiple websites because this information is being suppressed). List of Israeli war criminals, pictures and details
http://s242816488.onlinehome.us/criminals/
see also this Haaretz story about the original site (http://israeliwarcriminals.zzl.org/) being taken down
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/war-criminals-site-exposing-personal-details-of-idf-soldiers-taken-down-1.325437
Good news: Major Dutch pension fund divests from occupation
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11621.shtml
Dishonesty and East Jerusalem by Henry Siegman
http://nationalinterest.org/node/4395
The Holocaust survivor whose life is in danger again: In the Israeli city of Safed, an 89-year-old man has been accused of treachery for welcoming Arab students. Catrina Stewart reports
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/the-holocaust-survivor-whose-life-is-in-danger-again-2134223.html
(For the record, Safad was one of 530 villages and towns ethnically cleansed of native people in 1948)
New campaign by UNRWA featuring 15 short, personal stories about Palestine refugees (in 15 camps) from all over the Middle East. Watch the films at: http://www.peacestartshere.org/
How would you feel if this man was your father or grandfather?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaCXuM40wQA
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8 Nov 2010
The Israeli judges of the "supreme court" today seemed at first sympathetic to the plight of the villagers of Al-Walaja whose houses are being surrounded on all sides as they get separated from their agricultural lands (and all their water sources). But the system was clearly stacked against natives. Half the people who were slated to go from Al-Walaja to the court were denied entry to Jerusalem where the court is held (this includes people impacted directly like farmer Abu Nidal, the village council head, other members of the village council, and me!). The judges ruled to postpone for another hearing in 45 days and allowed the apartheid government to continue building the wall in the meantime! This is to give the government time to come-up with confiscation orders for land that will be now on the other side of the wall (maybe even the graves of Abu Nidal's family members). My wife and many international observers attended the hearings but it was all in Hebrew and so they could not understand much of what was going on. With Israeli Zionist judges using Zionist laws (contrary to International law) and judging between the Israeli Zionist government and native occupied Palestinians, it is hard to be optimistic about the legal discourse (but it is attempted anyway and must be accompanied by other actions). There are other cases of abortion of justice in the past week:
Israel Supreme Court ruling allows Jews-only housing in Jaffa Arab neighborhood http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/supreme-court-ruling-allows-jews-only-housing-in-jaffa-neighborhood-1.323421
Israeli court in Haifa continues the charade and killing prospects of justice for murdered Rachel Corrie (a victim of the apartheid state). http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/08/world/middleeast/08corrie.html?_r=1&ref=world
And the Israeli government just approved tenders for 1300 new buildings in illegal Jewish colonial settlements in Arab East Jerusalem (contrary to International law including the fourth Geneva Convention and a number of UN Security Council Resolutions. This while Netanyahu is visiting the US demanding they attack yet another sovereign country (Iran) to please his agenda. Meanwhile, the human and material cost of the Zionist-inspired wars on Afghanistan and Iraq continue to escalate.
I cannot overemphasize how critical it is fior all people to watch this hebrew language documentary (English subtitles). Simply stunning expose of a history the Zionist movement worked very hard to suppress. The data here should put the final nail in the coffin of the idea that Zionism is good for those who believe in Judaism. The Antisemitic Side of Zionism
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4452153918748081072#docid=9024068972366598651
(Gilad Atzmon, ex-Israeli saxophonist comments on this film: http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/gilad-atzmon-the-anti-semitic-side-of-zionism-must-watch.html
stunning and uplifting This soulful song by the great Mahalia Jackson, and accompanied by striking images, is dedicated to all the ordinary citizens of the world, who have dared challenge the brutal blockade of Gaza. In particular, it pays homage to the martyrs aboard Mavi Marmara, who were shot in cold blood by the Israeli Defense Forces. The video was put together by Sana Kassem of goldstonefacts.org http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDbZogbTY3Q
Israeli documents show deliberate policy to keep Gazans at near-starvation levels
http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=21799
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5 November 2010
Our son visited us under the occupation and just left. We are grateful and energized by this visit (albeit short). The questioning both on entrance and exit totaling hours shows how callous such a colonial/apartheid system can get. At the airport coming in, the apartheid authorities even showed him photos of both me and my mother (his grandmother) asking him to identify us! At least he was let in though. We have many friends, relatives and colleagues who are denied entry by the fascist border officials. One colleague just denied entry Wednesday is a PhD student doing her thesis research on Israeli-Palestinian cooperation in nonviolent resistance! But these and other signs (e.g. the attack on the humanitarian aid ships in International waters and building walls, the denial of medical care except to those willing to collaborate with the occupiers) are signs of political Zionists reaching a dead end and thrashing about aimlessly. There are also signs of the beginnings of a new and now perhaps global intifada (uprising) against repression characterized by spread of information virally though the internet (bypassing the controlled "mainstream media") and by the spread of the boycotts, divestments, and sanctions movement (BDS, see bdsmovement.net).
New Video of the latest demonstration in Al-Walaja, a village of over 18,000 dunums before 1948. Over 75% of its land was stolen and all its buildings were destroyed in 1948 as the natives were ethnically cleansed (500+ other villages and towns suffered the same fate). European Jews came to build a life on the destruction of other people's lives. 10% of the Palestinian refugees from Al-Walaja rebuilt their lives in the portion that remained free from occupation before 1967. In 1967, the area was occupied and the 25% of the land that remains was targeted to be colonized. Already 33 homes were demolished, 88 have pending orders for home demolitions, and the remaining homes are being surrounded by the apartheid wall isolating them from the remaining agricultural lands. In this demonstration 3 days before the Israeli "supreme court" is to rule on the wall path here, the villagers with internationals express their views of apartheid. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFn5FsR7j1c
For a UN fact sheet on Al-Walaja , see http://www.unrwa.org/userfiles/2010070915338.pdf
And here is a video of a spontaneous dance flashdance that happened on the El Malha Israeli checkpoint between occupied Beit Jalla and occupied Jerusalem. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh_ddNr6ahw
The Zionist Jewish French President: As if his marital challenges were not enough cause for concern, "Sarco the Sayan" has suddenly emerged as the most infamous accolade of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The influential French daily Le Figaro last week revealed that the French leader once worked for -- and perhaps still does, it hinted -- Israeli intelligence as a sayan (Hebrew for helper), one of the thousands of Jewish citizens of countries other than Israel who cooperate with the katsas (Mossad case-officers) http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2007/868/in2.htm
US to Spend $511 Million to Expand Kabul Embassy, Published on Wednesday, November 3, 2010 by the Associated Press http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/11/03-5
Action especially for citizens of the UK: Reject the moves to change laws in England that would curtail possibility of prosecuting Israeli war criminals. Go to http://www.palestinecampaign.org/index7b-2.asp?m_id=1&l1_id=3&l2_id=51&content_ID=1534
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2 November 2010
We just finished our olive harvest. This year we got over twice as much olives as last year from our own grove. Many people are looking to sell olives and olive oil. Here is an article I had written last year about the importance of the olive harvest in Palestine http://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2009/10/20/palestinian-olives/
This year hundreds of trees were damaged and/or harvest stolen by settlers. People are still harvesting near the apartheid wall/colonial settlements and if you are in Palestine and interested, you may still get a chance (see below for an event in Wad Rahhal tomorrow/Tuesday and other related events).
2 November is the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration. This is a section from my upcoming book dealing with popular resistance (http://qumsiyeh.org/popularresistanceinpalestine/) that addresses this infamous declaration:
The energetic and charismatic Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann relocated to London in 1904 after failing to get Ottoman support. The Zionists had a slow start securing British backing, but a breakthrough came during World War I. Germany had offered generous peace terms to an exhausted England and France as the war appeared to be approaching stalemate with a slight advantage to Germany. Precisely at this opportune time, the Zionist movement offered to get the US to join the allies in exchange for a public commitment of support on the part of France and England to a Jewish homeland in Palestine.2 The promise from France came via a letter sent from Jules Cambon, Secretary General of the French Foreign Ministry, to Nahum Sokolow, an official of the World Zionist Organization:
"You were kind enough to inform me of your project regarding the expansion of the Jewish colonization of Palestine. You expressed to me that, if the circumstances were allowing for that, and if on another hand, the independency of the holy sites was guaranteed, it would then be a work of justice and retribution for the allied forces to help the renaissance of the Jewish nationality on the land from which the Jewish people was exiled so many centuries ago. The French Government, which entered this present war to defend a people wrongly attacked, and which continues the struggle to assure victory of right over might, cannot but feel sympathy for your cause, the triumph of which is bound up with that of the Allies. I am happy to give you herewith such assurance."3
Five months later, on November 2, 1917, the British Foreign Secretary, Arthur James Balfour, sent Lord Rothschild a similar declaration of sympathy for Zionist aspirations; this later became known as the Balfour Declaration. These promises to European Jews of a national home were issued when Britain and France had no jurisdiction over the area, against the wishes of the inhabitants of the land and when the Allies were receiving significant support from the Arabs who had revolted against the Ottoman Turks. Three years earlier, Britain had promised the Arabs (in the McMahoneHussein correspondence) independence and self-government.
And tomorrow (Tuesday) is election in the US. Some pro-Israel congressman are to be replaced by extremely fanatic pro-Israel congressmen (money speaks not the interests of constituents)
AIPAC: The voice of America
part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOZZ5zGAWKE
part 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQE1Fe9nQeQ
Segregation of Jews and Arabs in 2010 Israel is almost absolute
For those of us who live here, it is something we take for granted. But visitors from abroad cannot believe their eyes. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/segregation-of-jews-and-arabs-in-2010-israel-is-almost-absolute-1.321728
Selected events in Palestine the rest of this week
Tuesday 02 November 2010 AM: olive picking in the village of Wad Rahhal. For more info, contact Shadi: 0598366884
Also Tuesday, at 6 PM at Al-Kasaba Theatre in Ramallah, showing of the new DVD put out by Al-Mubadara titled "Our Story" with discussion by Dr. Mustapha Barghouthi to follow
Thursday and Friday: Sustainable Tourism in Palestine- International Workshop in Thursday November 4th at Birzeit University, there is no need for previous registration, just simply come at 9:00AM as for the Maftoul Festival, it will be at the Catholic Church Hall in Birzeit town at 7:00PM same day November 4th please come and invite your friend, only NIS 50 for a ticket including Dinner. The next day Friday November 5th we will have three walks at different trails around Ramallah, starting at nine from front of the catholic Church in Birzeit, NIS 40 for lunch, bus and guide will be provided by organizers
Another great flashdance for BDS (this one in Philadelphia)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6dO9eVOY2I
=================
23 October 2010
Olive harvest opportunities
Sunday Staring at 9:30 from the orthodox club in Beit Jala
(Sunday also at my back -yard in Beit Sahour J)
Viva Palestina convoy enters Gaza
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yyWNUV2Pq4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97D-sBOrCys
The story of Adeeb Abu Rahma
http://palsolidarity.org/2010/07/12843/
Video of Adeeb at one of the demonstrations challenging Israeli soldiers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-St2hn_qPwE
(all societies include some bigots and racists but only in Israel do they get state funding and official support and laws to advance racism)
Safed Rabbis urge Jews to refrain from renting apartments to Arabs
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/safed-rabbis-urge-jews-to-refrain-from-renting-apartments-to-arabs-1.320118
'Jews Brought About the Existence of the ENTIRE Creation' says Rebbe Meachem Schneerson!
http://salem-news.com/articles/october182010/jewish-supremacy-ni.php
Sephardi chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef: Non-Jews exist to serve Jews (Rabbi Yousef is also a spiritual head of a major official political party in Israel)
http://m.jta.org/news/article/jta/2010/10/18/2741341/rabbi-yosef-non-jews-exist-to-serve-jews
http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/gilad-atzmon-from-rabbi-yosef-to-marx.html
http://northerntruthseeker.blogspot.com/2010/10/non-wisdom-from-talmud-like-donkey-non.html
Settlers attack and vandalize Palestinian girls' school
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=325796
Over 3500 olive trees victims of apartheid settlers
http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8953&Itemid=64
Bill in Knesset to ban non-Jews (Christian and Muslim Palestinians) from being tour guides in Jerusalem
Proposal sponsored by Gideon Ezra and seven other MKs, says tourists should get Israeli viewpoint.
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/mks-seek-ban-on-east-jerusalem-arabs-guiding-in-the-city-1.319890
(Israel has long reduced the number of permits for operating as tour guides to native Palestinians to miniscule numbers compared to those give to Israeli Jews (most new immigrants), something like 1 to 50 or 100 when the two parent populations are now each 5.5 million even without the ethnically cleansed refugees)
Israeli settler sewage water dumped on Beit Ummar land
Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xoe2YJfRNA
Report http://palestinesolidarityproject.org/2010/10/17/israeli-settler-sewage-floods-beit-ommar-land/
To understand some of the background, I recommend these books: Jesus in the Talmud by Peter Schafer, Jewish History, Jewish Religion: The Weight of Three Thousand Years by Israel Shahak, The Invention of the Jewish People by Shlomo Sand. Ofcourse one could have criticim of other religions (e.g. Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism) especiallty when they are used to justify wars and conquests instead of being about personal relationship between humans and their God (crusades foe example). That is why I am convinced that any society that aspires to be modern and avoid conflict should start by insisting on separating state from religion.
Our Man in Palestine:
"This cooperation (between Israeli and Palestinian security forces) has reached unprecedented levels under the quiet direction of a three-star US Army General, Keith Dayton, who has been commanding a little-publicized American mission to build up Palestinian security forces in the West Bank."
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/oct/14/our-man-palestine
Al Nakba, documentary (200 min) -produced by Al Jazeera- was first broadcasted in Arabic on the 60th anniversary of the Palestinian catastrophe. It was translated into English in 2009 and then into four different languages: French, German, Spanish and Italian. Al Nakba won the prize for the best long documentary about Palestine in Al Jazeera Fifth International Film Festival (Doha/Qatar) and the audience award in Amal Ninth Euro-Arab Film Festival (Santiago/Spain). It participated in other film festivals in Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Jordan, Egypt and Palestine. http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=30A8F80C4E383847
Karma Nabulsi- Diary (of the Palestinian situation)
http://www.lrb.co.uk/v32/n20/karma-nabulsi/diary
============================
19 October 2010
Dear friends:
After a third trip to Ofer military compound near Ramallah on October 18, 2010, and much expenses in terms of time and money, I am pleased to report that my trial based on manufactured charges by Israeli police was dismissed by the military judge. It was partially observed by Tamar and Aya, Israeli women of conscience who report regularly from the West Bank (see http://www.mahsanmilim.com . It was a manufactured "traffic violation" but in reality it was for "driving while being Palestinian" and even though both the policewoman and the prosecutor both lied and tried to twist the facts, the judge was decent enough to see through this. Unfortunately, upon arriving home, I found a delivered registered letter (my mother signed for it) that says that the Israeli police have now "evidence" and have sent a file to the prosecutor to charge me with new "security offenses" based on a military rule enacted in the occupied areas in 1982. They did not specify the offenses in the letter but gave me 30 days to respond to them in writing. The letter was in Hebrew and dated October 3, 2010 but mailed on October 6, 2010 and received October 18, 2010. This gives me and my lawyer little time to find out what the (trumped-up) "security" charges are and respond to them! This is obscene injustice but if the authorities think that this endless harassment helps in anyway to achieve their goals (whatever those may be), then they miscalculated and will sadly be disappointed! We will keep you informed.
Under a most extremist government in Israel's 62 year history, the extent of the absurdities here have accelerated to become almost unbelievable. From attacking humanitarian ships in International waters, to laws to strip Israelis of their citizenship, to laws to demand loyalty by non-Jews to a Jewish state (imagine if South Africa under apartheid demanded loyalty to the white government), to laws to punish peaceful protesters (Abdullah Abu Rahma sentenced to one year under the charge of "incitement" for merely engaging in nonviolent protests in Bil'in), to laws to allow criminal prosecution of those who call for boycotts, to arresting children hit by a colonial settler car while driving in the children's neighborhood that the settler is trying to take over*, and the list goes on. My study of history tells me that Israeli governments engaged in such irrational behavior the year before every major uprising in the past 62 years. One is tempted to accept the notion that "what we learn from history is that we (humans) learn nothing from history". But we must maintain our faith in humanity and that maybe, just maybe, there are still enough rational people of all faiths and persuasions to salvage this (un)Holy Land from total descent into fascism and self-destruction.
*Second child detained seen struck down by settler
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=324816
Good News and Actions to emulate:
-Boycott Aroma Caf http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEdJalW7IAw
-Breaking news: Dutch police raided the offices of a company leasing cranes for building the West Bank Separation Fence and settlements. Company executives, including the Israeli Doron Livnat, may face trial for violating International Law. Background at: http://www.alhaq.org/etemplate.php?id=552
Events worth attending:
- Conference of the Movement for One Democratic State in Palestine, October 23-24, 2010 in Dallas, Texas
http://onedemocraticstate.org/ods-conference
- US Palestinian Community Network invites you to attend the second popular Palestinian conference (starts October 29, 2010 in Chicago) http://popular.palestineconference.org/
- Invitation from OPGAI: United in Struggle Against the Israeli Colonialism, Occupation and Racism
'Education as a Tool for Building, Interaction and Freedom' Conference (Within the activities of the World Education Forum http://www.wef-palestine.org/ ), October 30, 2010 at Bethlehem University.
http://www.jai-pal.org/content.php?page=996
- 6th Annual Interfaith Tree of Life conference, Old Lyme, CT (great speakers, great program) November 6-7, 2010, http://www.fccol.org and http://www.tolef.org
Letters from Palestine: Palestinian Speaks Out about Their Lives, Their Country, and the Power of Nonviolence
Dr. Kenneth Ring, prolific author and Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Connecticut, and co-author Ghassan Abdullah offer new insight into the suffering of Palestinian people. Their book presents firsthand accounts from individuals in Gaza under the Israeli siege, from those in the West Bank who are living under occupation, and from American-born Palestinians. http://www.lettersfrompalestine.com
===============
16 October 2010
The Arab Defamation League (A.K.A. as Anti-Defamation league of Bnai Brith) is an American Zionist organization which focuses on defending Israeli apartheid policies even when those are harming Jews by attacking Arabs and Muslims and anyone who speaks for human rights. ADL just named the top ten groups in the US that they say are most organized in their "anti-Israel" stances in the US (see http://www.adl.org/PresRele/IslME_62/5875_62.htm; they even included Jewish Voice for Peace). I am proud to have been a co-founder of one of those organizations and to have served on the board of two others as well actively involved in supporting five others (via donations, consulting, advise etc). I of course do not agree with ADL on anything including on the idea of measuring impact of particular organizations (I believe grassroot work is critical). For example, some organizations like the Council For National Interest have significant impact while remaining out of the limelight and also one would have to point out that different time frames in the life of one organization (and longevity) should be taken into consideration. I had my own run-in's with the ADL. Many years ago we even held a demonstration in front of their offices in Connecticut. They did me the honor of writing a report targeting me personally (http://www.adl.org/israel/qumsiyeh ) as well as targeting my employer (Yale University at the time) to pressure them about having me on their medical school faculty. In other words, yes, I think those organizations mentioned by ADL (and those not mentioned but doing similar things) should be proud and redouble their efforts to challenge Israeli apartheid in the US.
We just had a three day conference in Ramallah organized by the International Center on Non-Violent Conflict (http://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/ ) where both Academics and Activists (and people like me who are both) gathered to discuss and strategize on best ways to educate the masses on power, forms, and structures of popular resistance. I led a workshop based on my upcoming book "Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment".
Gaza monologues: Performances worldwide to break the siege on Gaza on Sunday October 17. Join one of the events near you. Two of these events are in the Bethlehem area http://www.theatrewithoutborders.com/node/1778
Other Actions: Olive picking Um Salamona, 9:30 AM Sunday October 17, contact Awad 0598997852
Excellent report on Ahmedinujad's visit to Lebanon
http://mycatbirdseat.com/2010/10/franklin-lamb-ahmedinejad-in-lebanon/
Is Israel an apartheid state? A south African study
http://icahdusa.org/2010/03/is-israel-an-apartheid-state/
====================
Video: Students at Bethlehem University put together a very successful science fair despite limited resources http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTtNWnEC5UM
Palestinian Sam Bahour's take on the peace process in a Jewish publication
Jews and Israelis are asked to comment on this http://www.jewishpostandnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=531:bahour&catid=38:local-news&Itemid=112&lang=en
Are the Israeli occupation tasks outsourced to US trained Palestinian forces?
Detailed article on Israeli-American-Palestinian security cooperation
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/oct/14/our-man-palestine/
Action Call for International Solidarity: Stop raids against US anti-war activists and international solidarity activists http://www.ijsn.net/632/
IDF learns lessons from Turkish flotilla: Oketz unit dogs will be first to go aboard, keep area sterile until soldiers arrive
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3966094,00.html
Right wing settler leader runs over two palestinian Children in occupied Jerusalem. The settler leader helps bring settlers to live in Silwan, E Jerusalem where homes are being demolished under the guise of the "city of David" colonial project
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYtllgWUobM
Israeli soldier dancing and taunting blindfolded Palestinian woman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxFlmXbzY3I
and the woman filmed here describes torture, humiliation
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=321957
more fascist state action Israel expels Nobel peace laureate over Gaza protest
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/05/israel-deports-corrigan-maguire
Video of Great Boycott Action in France (English subtitles)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f41t82bnO0 but there is a crackdown on activists and we need you to speak to European MPs, see http://www.palestinecampaign.org/Index7b.asp?m_id=1&l1_id=4&l2_id=106&Content_ID=1527
Jewish population in Israel is declining: Despite a million immigrants over the past two decades, the percentage of Jews in the Israeli population is declining.
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/jewish-population-in-israel-is-declining-1.317042
This argument in Israel between Zionists about "demographics" is itself revealing about the level of racism engendered in the notion of wanting maximum geography with minimum demography (of the native inhabitants)
Israeli Rabbi: Honey-pot sex is kosher for female Mossad agents
Rabbi Ari Schvat's ruling appeared in a study, 'Illicit sex for the sake of national security,' published by the Tzomet Institute, which studies the interface between religion and modernity. http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/israeli-rabbi-honey-pot-sex-is-kosher-for-female-mossad-agents-1.317288
Israel's Netanyahu backs Jewish loyalty oath
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11491988
================
5 October 2010
A new Israeli colonial outpost appeared near the colonies of Nokdim, Tekoa and Kfar El-David in the past few weeks. The new outpost consists of several caravans and semi-permanent structures in a valley to the east of the El-David colonial settlement. It sits on land belonging to people from Jib Atheib, Zaatara, and Dawahra. We toured the site October 1, 2010 with locals Hassan Breijiya and Mubarak Zawahra and two international observers from EAPPI. This video summarizes the situation in the area.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm7heZoO60Y
We will have olive picking in the area threatened by the settlers there. To join us email me mazin@qumsiyeh.org
'Early detection saves lives'. Patient's Friends Society - Jerusalem announces major cancer awareness event. Location: Bethlehem University (in co-operation with the College of Nursing and Health Sciences). Saturday 9th October from 10:00 15:00 see www.pfsjerusalem.org and become a friend at our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/pages/Patients-Friends-Society-Jerusalem
Israeli (in)justice system needs to be challenged.
Ameer Makhoul's day in Court by Dr. Hatim Kanaaneh
http://a-doctor-in-galilee.blogspot.com/2010/07/ameer-makhouls-day-in-court.html
A Nobel Peace Prize laureate in prison: If the court indeed deports Mairead Corrigan-Maguire we'll know that our court system is also tainted to the teeth http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/a-nobel-peace-prize-laureate-in-prison-1.316807
Israeli settlers set fire to a mosque in Beit Fajjar near Bethlehem. This comes after a series of such attacks in which settler's promised to respond to the government move to curb settlements or on any international support for Palestinian rights by a policy of exacting "price tags".
Join us: World Economics Forum, Palestine
http://www.wef-palestine.org/node/93
Donate to UNRWA (UNRWA is facing an 80 million deficit this year). You can donate tax deductible in the US via friends of UNRWA.
http://unrwa.blackbarn.net/about-us
CNN fired anchor Rick Sanchez for saying something about how many Jews are in position of power at CNN (thus proving the point). I disagree with Sanchez on many things including his conservative bias and the tenor of his statement but he has an absolute right of freedom of speech. We must all cherish that and demand respect for it (the witch hunt is now on for anyone that opposes Zionist Jews but attacks on Muslims are allowed). http://edition.cnn.com/feedback/
Israel has shown over the past 62 years that negotiations and giving in to its demands only emboldens its colonial appetite. History shows that only pressure worked to curb its illegal activities.
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30 Sept. 2010
The extraordinary rendition of Palestine
====================
27 Sept. 2010
A farmer in Al-Walaja once told me that he felt his land was heaven and after he dies he has no need for any other heaven. Here are some images of Palestine that explains why we Palestinians will never give up our homeland (we are willing to share it but never give up)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_VXcOAZxdw (localities)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjEBQ_bE7uA (people and places before 1948)
Examples of great actions
1)Viva Palestina Caravan leaves London to Gaza
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqDF3S32SP4
2) Jewish boat to Gaza to break the siege
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfRngicBld4
3) "However, having seen the women at Tuesday nights New York premiere and the men on Saturday evening, I must say that the only distinction of real note was the presence, on Saturday, of the Israeli president,Shimon Peres, accompanied by a considerable security detail and heckled by members of Adalah-NY: The New York Campaign for the Boycott of Israel. Adalah-NY has been protesting throughout Batshevas run, picketing and handing out pamphlets criticizing Israeli policies toward Palestinians and urging a boycott of the company, which receives substantial support from its government. Mr. Peress arrival raised the ante: as audience members and passers-by were firmly herded to the end of the block by police and security officers and the protesters yelled Youre dancing around apartheid, Mr. Peres and his contingent swept into the theater."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/27/arts/dance/27batsheva.html?_r=1
4) Harvard students protest racist Zionist New Republic editor: Demonstrators confront Marty Peretz in Cambridge with signs quoting his own words about Arabs and African-Americans
http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/09/25/harvard_peretz_protest
Excellent analysis from the Palestinian Policy Network: What if the peace talks succeed?
Many commentators expect the direct talks between Israelis and Palestinians to fail. But there is a much worse scenario: What if they succeed?
http://al-shabaka.org/policy-brief/politics/what-if-peace-talks-succeed
Message to Muslims: Im Sorry By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/19/opinion/19kristof.html?_r=1&ref=nicholasdkristof&pagewanted=print
===========
22 Sept. 2010
There are good events in the Bethlehem area in the next few days and we could use your participation/support: 1) Thursday 3:30 PM, land reclamation in Wad Rahhal , 2) Friday at Noon, march from the mosque area to the apartheid wall in Al-Walaja (important to come to encourage this village that is valiantly trying to stop the wall encircling the village), 3) Monday and Tuesday beginning 9:30 AM rehabilitation for Land in Al-Khader (destroyed by settlers).
My wife's photos of Palestine:
Wildlife photo album
http://picasaweb.google.com/jchangcpa/Wildlife?authkey=Gv1sRgCOK8qqfiqrq2nQE
Apartheid wall album
http://picasaweb.google.com/jchangcpa/AlWalajaApartheidConstruction?authkey=Gv1sRgCKnp9ZeYzaTicw
As I keep hearing the mantra of a new opening for peace in the Middle East, I am reminded of the statement issued by Amnesty International in March 2001, stating that a major flaw of the process that began with the Oslo Agreement of 1993 was that peace was not founded on ensuring respect and protection for human rights if human rights are sacrificed in the search for peace and security there will be no peace and no security. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted by the UN General Assembly on Dec. 10, 1948. The next day, the UN General Assembly also adopted Resolution 194, which dealt specifically with human rights in the Israeli-Palestinian context and included establishing a conciliatory commission, sharing Jerusalem, and guaranteeing the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and lands. To this date, neither UDHR nor General Assembly Resolution 194 have been implemented. 62 years later, Israeli apartheid still seems to get away literally with murder. The UN Human Rights Council just issued a report on the massacre of activists in the flotilla ship bringing aid to Gaza. And just yesterday Jerusalem was up in flames after a settler mercenary murdered a Palestinian in occupied East Jerusalem.
Israel, armed to the teeth by the US, is the strongest military power in the Middle East. The state harbors hundreds of nuclear weapons (with a don't ask don't tell policy supported by the US) as well as other WMD. It receives billions in US taxpayer largess every year. And the US government has vetoed over 35 UN Security Council resolutions that attempted to hold Israel accountable to international law and human rights in the region. This is a state that caused the largest post-WWII refugee crisis that is still unresolved. The ethnic cleansing accompanying the foundation of this apartheid Jewish state meant the destruction of 530 villages and towns. It has become well known as the Palestinian Nakba or catastrophe. But this is an ongoing process that still involves many homer demolitions and deportations of people even today. 62 years of ethnic cleansing must come to a stop and must be reversed. Today 7 million of the 11 million Palestinians around the world are refugees or displaced people. Palestinian Christians and Muslims who owned and used 93% of historic Palestine in 1947 have now been reduced to use of 8.3% of the land.
In 2007, Ehud Olmert, then prime minister, declared: "If the day comes when the two-state solution collapses, and we face a South African-style struggle for equal voting rights also for the Palestinians in the territories, then, as soon as that happens, the state of Israel is finished." More recently, making a similar point, Ehud Barak, Israel's defense minister, said "as long as between the Jordan and the sea there is only one political entity, named Israel, it will end up being either non-Jewish or non-democratic ... If the Palestinians vote in elections, it is a bi-national state, and if they don't, it is an apartheid state."
There are resolutions at the UN that were almost forgotten but should be and can be activated. Here is one that calls on all governments to cut and freeze all economic or other ties (ie. Boycotts and sanctions)
http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/000/64/IMG/NR000064.pdf?OpenElement
To achieve our rights despite Israeli massive military might and support from western governments, we must as before depend on themselves with support from people of conscience in the rest of the world (for example via the International Solidarity Movement and the movement for Boycotts, Divestments and Sanctions). Palestinian popular resistance has been inspirational even as we faced massive violent repression, loss of our lands, restrictions of movements, concentration camp like Ghettos, walls of apartheid and much more. Bishop Desmond Tutu and all major South African leaders described this situation as worse than what existed in Apartheid South Africa. One year after the International Court of Justice ruled on the illegality of the apartheid wall and colonial settlement activity, the Palestinian civil society organizations issued a call in 2005 to the world community to engage in the same kinds of activities that helped bring an end to Apartheid in South Africa. This includes BDS until Israel complies with International law including basic human rights (on issues of refugees, equality, and ending occupation/colonization). This is the assured road to a durable peace. We hope you will join us as we walk it.
Adalah organization video on treatment of so called "Israeli Arabs" (Palestinians who stayed in Palestine despite the attempt at ethnic cleansing) http://www.adalah.org/newsletter/eng/mar10/mar10.html
========
15 Sept 2010
Seven million of the 11 million Palestinians are refugees or displaced people. Israeli war criminals and US officials complicit in ethnic cleansing meet in fancy hotels to claim they are negotiating for peace (while in the meantime giving green light to further ethnic cleansing and destruction of Palestinian lives to strengthen the apartheid system.
Israeli colonial officers destroy the Bedouin village of Al-Araqib in the Negev for the fifth time (the village existed in this location before Israel was created in 1948) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5Koc7iEx8E
Colonial apartheid soldiers seal shops in Hebron to add to hundreds of shops closed because illegal settlers took over nearby buildings. Video and story by Israeli human Rights group BTselem
http://www.btselem.org/English/Hebron/20100901_Army_Seals_shops_in_Hebron.asp
Must Read: Where has the hypocrisy gone? Amira Hass in Haaretz
No one thinks to ask about the consensus among the residents of Palestinian cities and villages on whose land the settlements have been built. The millions of Palestinians don't count at all.
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/where-has-the-hypocrisy-gone-1.313887
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics released a report showing the number of settlers in the West Bank reached 517,774
http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/desktopmodules/newsscrollEnglish/newsscrollView.aspx?ItemID=1239&mID=11170
But popular resistance is growing and more people are getting involved. There is widening gap between government officials and the people around the world on this issue. Millions of activists are being mobilized for the boycotts, divestments and sanctions movement and as the negotiations lead nowhere, the apartheid system is being exposed more. It will happen just as suddenly and unexpectedly as the fall of apartheid in South Africa. Your involvement can help.
Action: Sign petition Ban Israel from the 2012 Olympics
http://www.petitiononline.com/12101982/petition.html
Example of the thousands of lectures and events organized around the world.
Houston Conference for One Democratic State October 22-24, 2010
http://www.onedemocraticstate.com/
B R E C H T F O R U M and COMMITTEE FOR OPEN DISCUSSION OF ZIONISM
Present Resolving the IsraeliPalestinian Conflict: Why One Democratic State Is the Best Solution
featured speakers: Joel Kovel& Norton Mezvinsky
Wednesday, October 27 7:30 p.m. at the Brecht Forum, 51 West Street (between Bank & Bethune Streets, New York, NY 10014 Phone: (212) 242-4201 Email: brechtforum@brechtforum.org
Join Professors Joel Kovel and Norton Mezvinsky as each presents his respective argument for a one-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Kovel will argue that a two-state solution cannot solve the conflict, because it continues the Jewish ethno-chauvinism that lies at the core of Zionism.
Mezvinsky will propose that a democratic and just two-state solution is highly unlikely to occur and that the presently constructed one state can and must be changed by an emphasis upon and implementation of fair and equal human rights for all inhabitants of the state.
Discussion to follow.
Sliding scale: $6/$10/$15
Free for Brecht Forum Subscribers
==================
13 Sept. 2010
I met the family of Mohammed by accident as I offered them a ride back to their home in Dheisheh refugee camp from Gush Etzion colonial offices where they were seeking (unsuccessfully) a permit to enter Jerusalem for medical treatments (and I was called for questioning). What I learned about this family is almost unbelievable and could certainly be material for a book or at least a documentary.
The father was 12 years old when Israeli soldiers shot him in the head with a rubber coated steel bullet fragmenting his skull and damaging part of his brain. Ten years later, Israeli army officers severely beat and tortured him. He got married to his cousin immediately after. The family originally comes from Al-Walaja village, the village was destroyed and ethnically cleansed in 1948. Most of this village land came under Israeli rule. The part that came under Jordanian rule was used to build a new Al-Walaja where some of the relatives returned and built homes in the early 1960s. After having their first child, the young couple received a blessing in the form of a donation of a very small plot of land from their uncle and they built a humble one room house (literally one room) in Al-Walaja. Both had jobs. They moved out of the refugee camp and lived in this house for 3 years during which time, they delivered their second child who then died at 18 days of age (by SIDS.) Then the Israeli army demolished the home saying that it was built without permit (Israel gave no permits for any houses in the village since the occupation began in 1967.) The family rebuilt the house but Israeli threats forced them to not live in it (Israel wants also some NIS 20,000 for the cost of destroying the home and wants to levy other fines on the family.) So the young family came to live in a small dwelling underground and without windows (bought with money from selling the wifes wedding jewelry) in the refugee camp of Dheisheh. There, the third child (second who is alive) was born and they named him Mohammed. He turned out to have Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (a genetic disease characterized by obesity, eye problems, kidney problems, hexadactyly or six fingers and toes, developmental delay etc.) An uncle and an aunt of Mohammed (refugees in Jordan) died before age 20 with this condition (we took blood samples from the family for genetics study at Bethlehem University.)
The first snow in years came and the roof of their dwelling collapsed. The husband had developed a psychiatric disorder and was treated at a local hospital. Both he and his wife were unable to hold jobs anymore. They had one more son (healthy) and she is now pregnant. Thankfully, UNRWA rehabilitated the home in the refugee camp, and the home in Al-Walaja remains unoccupied and unfinished (and no water or electricity). The family is loving, hopeful and steadfast (we call it sumud in Arabic). We spent a few hours during Eid Al-Fitr together and visited the home in Al-Walaja. I personally witnessed how the family cares for each other. Their eldest son Khaled (in 5th grade) is simply brilliant and very loving for his two younger brothers. A short video is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd17icOsDdo
This is one of millions of Palestinian stories of tragedy and persistence after ethnic cleansing and under colonial occupation.
====================
9 September 2010
On behalf of the staff and board members of the Palestinian Center for
Rapprochement Between People (http://www.pcr.ps), we wish all Muslims around
the world "Eid Mubarak". And happy new year to our Jewish friends and
colleagues; many who suffered in challenging the Zionist project of ethnic
cleansing and destruction.
If you are in the Bethlehem area, join Al-Walaja village residents for the
Eid prayer at the wall. Friday at noon Palestinian time. By praying on
their land near the wall, the villagers hope to draw attention to attempt by
the Israeli authorities to separate them from their lands with the
land-theft and apartheid wall.
Thank you to those who made suggestions for improving the list "50 things to
do for peace with justice". The updated version is on the website of the
Palestine Justice Network at
http://www.palestinejn.org/resources/resources-for-activism-
(BTW, please explore that nascent website and contact us at
info at palestinejn.org to join this effort at networking)
Remarkable interview: Khaled Mesh'al lays out new Hamas policy direction
http://www.middleeastmonitor.org.uk/articles/middle-east/1491-khaled-meshal-
lays-out-new-hamas-policy-direction
(whether one agrees or disagrees with Hamas, it is a significant part of the
Palestinian body politic and must be understood as a movement)
Jon Stewart Comedy show takes on religious hatred
A Florida pastor plans to burn Korans(sic) on the anniversary of 9/11, and
John Oliver reads from the Jewish manual.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-september-8-2010/weekend-at-burnies?xr
s=eml_tds
Stop the Carve-up of Palestine!
Now is also the time for a new generation to join the existing parties,
revitalize them and transform them into a tool of struggle rather than a
degraded vehicle of capitulation and self-interest. If those with a clear
vision are prominent in this move, they will be in a position to articulate
the essential goals of a new leadership.
http://onedemocracy.co.uk/news/stop-the-carve-up-of-palestine/#more-637
Israel and Palestine: A true one-state solution By George Bisharat
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/02/AR2010090204
665.html
Seven deadly myths: A forthcoming Israeli documentary. Look here for a
sample of a Palmach fighter explain what was done to Palestinians
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xdYOvORoJg
Video reminder: Netanyahu unguarded tell us that America is easy to push
around http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6KLFrye9Xk
The Great Book Robbery/Library looting
http://thegreatbookrobbery.org/
========================
7 September 2010
Over two years ago, I wrote a message (reproduced below) explaining why I decided to leave the comfortable life in the US to Palestine. Accomplishments were made (http://www.qumsiyeh.org/accomplishments20082010/) but I did want to share with you some personal lessons learned in the process (and such personal lessons are more important than accomplishments):
Appearances may be deceiving: When I lived in the US and came here only in short visits of 2-4 weeks, I was able to discern certain behaviors and individual characteristics. But perceptions after long term interactions on the ground can reveal much more. I have stopped admiring some individuals I used to admire (although still respect them) and developed a much better appreciation of many others whom casual interactions do not do justice to their humility, suffering, and persistence.
Life goes on even in the most dire of circumstances: Here in the West Bank over the last two years, I shared with you positive stories of normal life mixed with popular resistance, sumud (persistance, steadfastness, determination), and hope. Similar stories exist for Palestinians in Gaza, inside the Green Line, and in the refugee camps. Our friend Anne Paq just produced this amazing and uplifting video from her visit to the besieged Gaza strip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vYVI1PWBzU) and see this about how Gazans are building Sand Houses to defy Gaza blockade http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsk-zSzwF3M
Giving of your money is easy, giving of yourself is a lot more difficult. But by giving we get so much more in return. Even when making the mistake of giving to individuals who do not deserve it, many more fold blessings come back.
Shortages (e.g. water, food) or difficulties (e.g. transportation, checkpoints etc) can be overcome even by the most disadvantaged individuals. Wise use of time is the only thing we have real shortage of.
I never expected the extent of time and energy to fulfill social obligations here but tradition and customs have both advantages and disadvantages.
People need to be taught early to treat public space in the same way they treat private space (e.g. in terms of cleanliness and social responsibility). Adults can do a lot more on this.
How and with whom to interact are not easy decisions: Here there are people driving SUVs and living in mansions and others totally destitute. The gaps are getting wider. Corrupt people are around and they are the ones most miserable here. Their material well-being cannot hide their insecurity. They know in their hearts that they gave-up on human goodness and all that is left to them is to justify their behavior with make-belief/lies they tell themselves and others. Since time is limited, you have to decide how much time to spend and with what people but most importantly HOW to do this. Jesus interacted with all people (including the lepers, the poor, the rich Pharisees and Romans etc) and did it well. But this is not easy for us average people and goes with a lot of trial and much errors.
Corollary: Politicians are the same whether they are Americans, Italians, Israelis, or Palestinians. Unfortunately they run governments and parties and determine how much damage to do. They must be dealt with wisely (but beware of being infected, power corrupts). No need to expand here.
Those with less can give a lot more than those with more: I rather spend my time with the destitute families in refugee camps, marginalized villages, and the invisible poor in cities like Beit Sahour and Bethlehem than with the well-to-do families. There is so much more to learn from those individuals. They bless us in ways many of us do not understand.
Activists for human rights and justice develop the best friendships regardless of their backgrounds. That is because they have remarkably similar attitudes about fellow human beings and have shed tribalism and other negative group think. We honor those Israelis, Irish, Palestinians, French, Dutch etc, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Atheists, Buddhists etc who struggle together and even get arrested together.
Corollary: those with hate and racism in their hearts are unable to connect except in their very narrow circles (tribalism).
Those who come here and see it for themselves are transformed for life.
Savor the moment: It is easier to do things and much more difficult to take the time to savor the moment and really appreciate every station and event we pass through. To do that requires us to stop dwelling on the past or the future for some time and really enjoy the moment. The present moment can never be retrieved. That is what the Buddhists say having joyful participation in the sorrows of this world.
Mazin Qumsiyeh
7 September 2010
================
4 Sept 2010
50 Ways to act for Palestine/for peace with justice (OF HUNDREDS)
http://palestinejn.org/resources/resources-for-activism-
============================
8/14/08
Leaving the US For Palestine
After such knowledge; what forgiveness?
Think now
History has many cunning passages,
Contrived corridors
And issue, deceives with whispering ambitions
Guides us by vanities.
Think now
She gives when our attention is distracted
And what she gives, she gives with such supple confusion
..
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time
T. S. Elliot
I graduated from Jordan University with a Bachelor degree at age 21 and then taught in Palestinian Schools (Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho). In those year and a half as a middle and high school teacher (Jan 78-June 79) I worked very hard at two jobs (extra teaching at private school in Jerusalem) so as to save money for higher education. I saved enough for the airline tickets and an extra $1500 for the first few months in America. I came to the US in August 1979 to pursue higher education and ended up making it a home while maintaining a home in Palestine. Since then I got my doctorate, medical boards in genetics, and served on faculties at the University of Tennessee, Duke, and Yale Universities. I published over 130 scientific papers and three books. Here I also met first my wife, built a family, made thousands of friends, and chose to become a citizen. Thus, my journey in the US was wonderful and highly successful. Much of my activism was driven here by the desire to improve this country (e.g. stop it from committing war crimes and crimes against humanity). I strongly believe that unless all of us work together to change US foreign policy (a policy shaped by Zionist lobbies), we are all doomed. We see that millions of US citizens are also concerned about the way this foreign policy is damaging our economy and reputation around the world. I think it must (and it will) change. There are many good signs (e.g. the books of Carter and Mearsheimer and Walt became best sellers). Yet, today with the new laws that shred constitutional protections, government intrusion on every sphere of life, the US has been more Israelized. These things, restrictions on students coming from the Arab world, and the war economy in America (that devastated higher education here) makes a repeat of my story much more difficult if not impossible. My own journey has not been easy. Racist Zionists tried to block us at every corner and racism in a society shaped by Hollywood films that villify Arabs is rampant. Some take their positions at institutions of higher education and at funding agencies (e.g. March of Dimes, National Science Foundation, National Institute of Health) as a license to advance their racist ideologies. This situation continues although I did notice that in the past 12-15 years things have become more opened up. This is a function of a) numbers: Zionist ranks are dwindling and populations of all other people in the US are growing, b) the internet opening up the dialogues and increasing exposure to the truth, and c) more Arab and Muslim Americans taking on their civic responsibilities and asserting their rights and their responsibilities in this society. But perhaps it is always a struggle anyway.
But the difficulties I faced (including a major health issue) are nothing compared to what other Palestinians face under occupation or in exile (e.g. in refugee camps in Lebanon and Syria). I consider my challenges/difficulties in life as blessings. I would not want them changed if I had the power to change them. Difficulties in life make us who we are and help us improve. In this I am thankful even to those self-declared enemies and protagonists who sometimes succeeded in what they aimed to do and sometimes failed but always provided me with good lessons. So perhaps a tinge of me wants more difficulties. I look back with nostalgia at my upbringing under Israeli occupation. I look with nostalgia at the time I was teaching in the West Bank. I talk to my elderly diabetic mother every week and she tells me stories of what is going on on the ground. Her stories include things like people dying because of being prevented from going to health clinics, students denied the right to go to school, lands confiscated, children shot in the back of the head, extra-judicial executions, further acts of ethnic cleansing, and more. I also go to Palestine every year and I see the apartheid system getting worse. Walls surrounding towns and villages, US weapons that killed or maimed friends and colleagues, economic strangulation, and much more. But both mother and I see so much good work being done by good people of all faiths and backgrounds.
Thus, every year when I go visit Palestine, I cannot wait to come back even though life there gets worse (checkpoints, the violence of the occupation, the economic deterioration). My last visit was of July last year. The hate I witnessed from settlers, from occupation soldiers, and yes from some natives, was so thick in the air and permeated everything. The racism, the segregation, the apartheid walls... and all the other things I occasionally share with you through this cyberspace. BUT, there is also lots of love. Love is not usually expressed in words in Palestine. Even among family members it is rare to hear the words "I love you". Love is expressed at a far more meaningful sense in caring, asking how your health is, offering food, hospitality, offering your clothing and what little you have etc. These are acts of love.
In the US, I witness acts of love perhaps two or three times a day in person (I see many more on the emails and other news sources). In Palestine, in my last visit, I witnessed acts of love in the dozens in some days. In one day of a nonviolent demonstration in Bilin and then in the Hospital where Ibrahim Bornat was taken after being shot, I witnessed hundreds of acts of love. They came not just from Palestinians but from Internationals and even Israelis who were with us. In the US, writing a letter to the editor or demonstrating in front of a congressman's office are acts of resistance (and yes love). In Palestine, teaching a child to read, eating, drinking, breathing living, and everything we do in life there are acts of resistance (and love). This is because that is not what the colonial Zionist movement wants (they want us all out to create a more uniform "Jewish state" that is cleansed "nichsayon").
Of course without the US support of Israel, Israel can't survive as a colonial power. That is why work in the US has been and must continue to be a center of focus. We simply must change US policy in the Middle East (if nothing else than to save the US from economic collapse!). Work must be done both in Palestine and outside of Palestine. Indeed that is part of the reason why I have not relocated to Palestine earlier. There is something indeed about fate and destiny.
I also have a home in Connecticut and will maintain that for the time being now sold. It is our destiny as Palestinians to be so conflicted and separated. I have relatives in 40+ countries. I have friends and colleagues in over 100 countries. So I guess, the world is my home. The corner of it that received a lot of oppression deserves a lot of attention/activism.
Activism for human rights is not only a duty but it is one of the most rewarding things to have done myself (marriage, having a son, writing books are others). Activism falls truly under the category of enlightened self interest which is what philosphers and sages of old have encouraged us to practice. So in that sense I am still going to be doing acts similar to here. My focus will shift though. I will be doing somethings:
- Teaching at Bethlehem University (a new masters program in Biotechnology, course in human molecular genetics)
- Working on environmental/conservation issues (see http://www.qumsiyeh.org/nature/ )
- Building a laboratory for clinical genetics that employs Palestinian graduates
- Doing other activities that create job opportunities (see for example by going to http://www.pcr.ps/ and click on outsourcing Palestine project at right)
- Writing more books (the next one on my agenda to complete is on history, theory, and practice of Palestinian non-violent resistance over the past 128 years)
- Giving help where I can (my dream is to start a "food not bombs" chapter)
- Continue the never-ending work to improve myself and fight the demons within.
- Having fun!
And as our newly departed poet Mahmoud Darwish wrote: "I long for my mother's bread, and my mother's coffee, and her touch. Childhood memories grow up in me Day after day. I must be worthy of my life. At the hour of my death, worthy of the tears of my mother.
I have a home in Beit Sahour, a lovely town despite the colonial occupation. Please look at these two videos of my hometown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-D2jy1knHs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXFd48-W7JQ
It also seemed the right time on the 60th anniversary of the Nakba (the ethnic cleansing of Palestine) to focus more on helping in Palestine while still maintaining a base in the US.
With humility and serenity, I will try to be positive, productive and helpful as one of millions struggling under occupation/colonization. My regular email messages may slow down or get way shorter. These emails will also undergo a change away from posting things from secondary sources. Since I will be on the ground more, I will report more of what I observe in Palestine and occasional suggestions for unique and inspiring actions for peace with justice we can all support.
If I slighted any of you, I apologize. I want to thank all of you for your kind support (especially those who took the time to act on action calls). I also want to thank those in Connecticut who helped make the state a great place to live. You all will be in my thoughts always.
If you ever want to take a trip to Palestine, please drop me a note and come visit!
In the meantime, stay tuned and best of Love to all.
Mazin Qumsiyeh
PS: Lessons I try to remember about life (most learned from mistakes :-)
http://www.qumsiyeh.org/lessonslearned/
================
1 September 2010
What is said and what is not said.
Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel told his governing coalition that he did not promise an extension to the partial suspension in settlement construction when it expires in September (BTW, the suspension did not cover most of the settlement areas which are around Jerusalem and did not cover existing construction in other areas not infrastructure, schools, synagogue constructions etc. In other words there was really no suspension.) Standing next to President Obama he simply emphasized that the topic to be discussed with Palestinians is how we can prevent attacks on illegal settlers in the West Bank.
Six months ago, Abbas, encouraged by Obama, agreed to negotiations with Netanyahu only if Israel fulfill its obligations per the road map of a total settlement freeze including in East Jerusalem. Abbas stated about his decision to renew direct negotiations without even a promise of partial settlement suspension: Palestinians are not powerful to dictate preconditions of negotiations later in a prime time speech to the people we did not want the difference between us and the Israelis to come down to differences on modality of negotiationswe want to build a peace based on security for both people. He did not once mention the right of refugees to return to their homes and lands. If Netanyahu can use the excuse of having a coalition that can break apart if he gave up an inch, then how can Abbas who is now ruling by Fiat and hjas already given up 78% of Palestine resist further pressure for further back-downs without rebuilding a representative PLO?
President Obama has been a strong advocate of Israel and half the staff in his administration that have anything to do with US policy in the Middle East are Jewish Zionists (people like Rahm Emanuel and Dennis Ross). Thus it is not surprising that he never ever said any words to acknowledge Palestinians have any rights to anything (only aspirations for statehood). By contrast he speaks of rights of Israelis (the occupiers) to security and peace.
But in my decades of involvement with the struggle for freedom, I have never seen such a disconnect between people and politicians claiming to represent them. Even in Israeli papers, comments from average Israelis are lopsided against colonial settlers and highly cynical of the Israeli politicians. Palestinians almost uniformly (with the exception of those directly benefiting) oppose the politicians ruling from Ramallah or Gaza. US Citizens are extremely unhappy with a situation of two unwinnable wars, over 1000 suicides in US troops serving in those wars, and the destruction of the US economy to serve special interest lobbies (like AIPAC) with endless wars. The good news is that more and more people awake will eventually turn this system around. In this regard, we mourn the loss of our friend Sherif Fam who died yesterday in Boston. Sherif was an exceptional radio host. I interviewed with him many times (e.g. http://www.archive.org/details/TWIP-090802-MazinQumsiyeh). Our deepest condolences to his family and colleagues. We will miss him.
Action: Urge Obama to insist Israel respects Palestinian rights
http://www.aaper.org/
Must read: Israeli study of the challenges it faces (much of what is said here confirms our strategy)
Together, these campaigns and others form a global systematic and systemic attack against Israel and its political-economic model. Their form continually shifts and adapts and their momentum is gaining. Their ultimate aim is to delegitimize Israel in order to precipitate its implosion, inspired by the collapses of countries such as the Soviet Union and apartheid South Africa. .the delegitimization offensive against Israel is constantly adapting, and the network that produced the flotillas will find a new logic and battle cry. Thus, Israel's response to future flotillas, as well as to the entire campaign being waged against it, requires a comprehensive systemic treatment of the delegitimization challenge. http://www.reut-institute.org/gazaflotillacasestudy.pdf
Your Palestinian Gandhis Exist ... in Graves and Prisons, Alison Weir, CounterPunch, January 8-10, 2010 http://ifamericansknew.org/cur_sit/bono.html
Audacity of Hope: US boat to Gaza
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT9gd8zyBOg
A great article from our friend Reverend David Good: A cure for the disease of Islamophobia http://www.theday.com/article/20100822/OP05/308229889
Gaza doctor writes book of hope despite murder of his three daughters
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/15/palestinian-doctor-izzeldin-abuelaish-gaza-war
==================
27 August 2010
Saturday started out by some work at the university with students (research in biology) then taking a group of visitors on a tour of the area of Bethlehem that shows the impact of the wall and settlements. We also went to one of the weekly demonstrations and on this third Friday of Ramadan both here and Bilin and other places showed several injuries and use of excessive power by the Israeli occupation/apartheid army. The demonstrations commemorated the assassination of famous Palestinian Cartoonist Naji Al Ali and of the leade of the PFLP Abu Ali Mustafa. It also came in solidarity with the conviction by Israels apartheid courts of Abdullah AbuRahma on charges of organizing nonviolent demonstrations in Bilin. I posted 5 minute of the video I took of the event here (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkToniKnWEs ). Please watch this especially the unprovoked abduction of Kobi, an Israeli peace activist and the unprovoked attack with gas canisters that injured people. They also detained Matan (not shown on video) who was released a short while later. Kobi was released also but will have to face trial. After the demonstration I returned to finish the work at the university and then at 4:15 PM we (George Rishmawi and I) took over 100 Palestinian women from Nazereth and other places inside the Green Line (1948 Palestine) on a tour of the walls around Bethlehem including Al-Walaja and Beit Sahour. It was an uplifting trip as we talked about resistance and I note how, despite Israels attempts at fragmenting us, we connect and those ladies were an inspiration to have organized this trip (with help of Sabeel and the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement). After the iftar (breaking the fast), we visited with two needy families (one in Beit Sahour and one in Dheisheh Refugee Camp). I will tell you in future emails some of the stories of these families. For now there are other news and actions to take.
Israel refuses to lift ban on family unification --Report, The Electronic Intifada, 20 August 2010
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11477.shtml
Amira Hass / What West Bank road renovations say about the occupation
Why driving uphill in West Bank cities brings to mind Fatah's next general conference.
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/features/amira-hass-what-west-bank-road-renovations-say-about-the-occupation-1.309641
Attack by Palestinian Security forces on a meeting of democratic forces as popular resistance grows against the capitulation to Israeli and US demands and engaging in fruitless "negotiations"
http://www.alhaq.org/etemplate.php?id=540
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11489.shtml
ACTION: There will be a demonstration in Al-Manara square in Ramallah Wednesday at 11 AM Palestinian Time to protest against this unprovoked attack on democratic values and to reject the decision by Mr. Abbas to go to Negotiations based on US-Israeli conditions.
Vancouver stoppage of unloading apartheid shipping containers
http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/video/israeli-ships-not-welcome-vancouver/4507
ACTION: US Palestinian Community Network asks for donations to Pakistan relief
Web: http://www.palestineconference.org + Email: uspcn@palestineconference.org + Twitter: http://twitter.com/uspcn
As our people suffer in Gaza, and languish in the camps, let us also remember those hurt by natural disasters, from Katrina, to Haiti, and once again, Pakistan. We urge you to donate to support the people of Pakistan as they cope with this horrific flood.
TO DONATE (note: all donations are tax-deductible 501-c):
USA: TEXT SWAT to 50555 to donate $10 to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
USA/Canada/UK/International: LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS for Donations (NGO's): http://pakistanfloods.blogspot.com/2010/08/usa.html
USA/International: Islamic Relief USA http://www.islamicreliefusa.org/home
Mercy Corps (grass-roots organization supported by Pakistani Peace Builders + ML Social Vision): http://www.relief4pakistan.com/
The Nation Magazine's List of Organizations : http://www.thenation.com/blog/154063/how-help-pakistan
Register today for the 2nd Palestinian Popular Conference, October 29-31, 2010
Chicago, IL http://www.palestineconference.org/
=====================
21 August 2010
Returning from the Friday demonstration in Al-Walaja in unbearable heat (new video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pftDUGV9RY ) we note that the talks about the talks about the peace talks are to resume in Washington September 2nd. The Obama administration decided not to spend any political capital challenging the Israeli lobby. In fact the US politicians want to blunt Republican criticism ahead of midterm elections by chalking out a diplomatic success in form if not in substance. Direct talks will lead to more erosion of Palestinian rights especially when conducted in Israeli-occupied Washington between Abbas whose mandate as president of the Palestinian bantustan in the West Bank expired last January and Mr. Netanyahu, a known terrorist and war criminal leading the most extreme right-wing government in the history of the apartheid state of Israel. I believe most Palestinians (Abbas included) are neither optimistic nor pleased about this development. But few of us believe it was necessary for Abbas to yield yet again. Most (including large segments of Fatah) believe it is a huge mistake that just set back the real cause for peace. I challenge those who think otherwise to public debates on the issues.
An executive committee of the PLO representing various factions (who get paid through the same system) stamped its approval by a majority to the decision to go back to direct negotiations (and thus yield to the US pressure). I would be curious to read any deliberations and hear from any dissenting voices who voted no (and not just say no to their cadre members). The fig leaf that is used to save face for the officials going to fruitless negotiations is this statement from the Quartet:
"The Quartet reaffirms its full commitment to its previous statements, including in Trieste on 26 June 2009, in New York on 24 September 2009, and its statement in Moscow on 19 March 2010 which provides that direct, bilateral negotiations that resolve all final status issues should "lead to a settlement, negotiated between the parties, that ends the occupation which began in 1967 and results in the emergence of an independent, democratic, and viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel and its other neighbors."
Israel already rejected the notion of ending the occupation but are thrilled with the notion of direct negotiations without interference or preconditions between the occupier and the occupied. After all, it takes two to agree and Israel holds all the power and all the cards and it can dictate what it wants in direct, bilateral negotiations. The simple question is how TO GET A MODICUM OF Palestinian rights since the quartet even backed down on the simple demand of suspending settlement activities while negotiations go on (itself a retreat from the road map which requires dismantling all that was built illegally since 2002)? If you cant get the rapist to even suspend the rape for a time, why would your demand only direct negotiations with his rape victim in a closed room? If we accept the notion that Netanyahu is restricted by his political coalition from even this small gesture of a suspension of illegal colonial activities (see Geneva conventions), then why would we expect that he will be able to offer anything bigger (like dismantling settlements or sharing Jerusalem, or allowing refugees to reclaim their land)? If we believe the US and its quartet are now more serious, then how come nothing was achieved from the indirect negotiations under their tutelage?
The Zionist movement stole 78% of Palestine and does not believe there is an occupation of the remaining 22%. They already annexed 10% of the West Bank and also annexed the Golan heights. They already put 500,000 colonial settlers in the best and richest lands in the West Bank. They already steal 80% of the water from the West Bank. They make billions off of the occupation and billions more from direct US aid tax-deductible donations from Zionists around the world. What is the incentive to Israel to bilaterally negotiate an end to the occupation that began in 1967 let alone deal with the more relevant and more significant issue of the ethnic cleansing committed in 1948 and still continuing in places like the Galilee and the Negev?
Initially we heard that Abbas will never go to the negotiations unless Israel stops building in its colonial settlements in the 22% of Palestine that some are still dreaming will become a state. In an interview with CNN after the US announcement of resumption of negotiations with no preconditions, Saeb Erekat said that he hoped that with the direct negotiations beginning, that Netanyahu will extend the moratorium on building in the settlements in the West Bank (supposedly set to expire in September). Today there are nearly 500,000 colonial settlers living in the West Bank and there was no moratorium worth the hasbara/propaganda created about it. So I would like to ask why is he now begging for renewal of a moratorium that was no moratorium? This is the same Erekat who told us repeatedly that the partial moratorium is a ruse. Colonial settlement construction continued and still moves with speed as we speak. I would love the opportunity to take Mr. Erekat or anyone who has eyes to see around Palestinian villages and show them what is actually happening on the ground. In my area in Har Gilo and Har Homa, colonial settlement building activity did not even take a breather. Actually, there was an acceleration last month in buildings in Har Gilo (on top of Beit Jala) and in building the wall that will make Al-Walaja a concentration camp pending finally ethnically cleansing what remains of this village population.
Yes, I know all the arguments for going back to negotiations. They go along these lines: we tried different forms of resistance, the balance of power is tipped completely to the Israeli side which is supported by the US (thanks to the Israel lobby), the European governments are not showing backbone, blah blah blah. One high ranking Fatah official said we have nothing left but negotiations. I am sorry, but if the leaders in Vietnam or Algeria or South Africa made similar defeatist statements, these countries would never have achieved their freedoms. If our leaders have lost faith in their cause, they should step aside and let those who have a positive message lead. If we are going to achieve an emasculated statelet by endless negotiations with such leaders reaping the rotten fruits falling down from the tree after 130 years of struggle, then we do not want such statelet.
Leaders should first of all accept responsibility for their mistakes and level with their own people. The biggest mistake in the past 20 years has been this road of Oslo which ended the search for justice and reclamation of Palestinian rights to replace it with a road of security for Israel (the occupying power), positions and autonomy and an endless negotiations and process. The process could/would somehow(if all Israeli conditions are met) lead to state that will be less than the state of Zululand.
I could be harsh in my statements. But should we not expect expert opinion on issues that are existential? Should we not at least expect consistency on the part of our supposed leaders who are really not experts in any area of international law or diplomacy? For example, they told us repeatedly that the reason for asking for settlement freeze is because as we negotiate, Israel has made a Palestinian state impossible with continued eating away what is left of Palestine. Now Palestinians have access to 8.3% of the land of Historic Palestine and this is shrinking (the Bantustans in the Galilee, Negev, Gaza and WB). Since Israel continued to build everywhere even after they announced a partial settlement building moratorium, why do you agree to go back to negotiations? If Netanyahu and all his ministers say there is never going to be a compromise on Jerusalem (illegally annexed by Israel according to International law), how will you force his government to change its mind? And how will you deal with the fact that Israeli politicians of all stripes say Palestinian refugees cant return to their homes and lands and must instead be settled elsewhere (including the already over-crowded West Bank and Gaza of which half the population is refugees and displaced persons)? Is compromise now defined as you can bring any issues to the table of bilateral negotiations to which the occupiers already said they will just say no?
Our leaders knows that not only they had to cave in to go back to the negotiations but that further concessions are required to continue to fund their Bantustan economy (and VIP status) from Western donors and Arab countries beholden to the West. So why do they try to give out the notion that bilateral negotiations can succeed under such circumstances? If you can be threatened with a cut-off of aid to go back to fruitless negotiations, why do we believe that you can resist pressure to cut off aid unless you give up on Jerusalem or the refugees? Palestinian negotiators already are not allowed to raise the issue of treatment of Palestinians inside the state of Israel where Israel is demolishing whole villages. So many further concessions are needed to maintain the privileges of running the autonomy areas with money from the West and compliant Arab states? I believe at this stage, three more concessions were needed: a) to return to endless direct and public negotiations that prop-up the Israeli government (and could break the increasing isolation of this pariah state) , b) to retract the very mild measure of boycotting settlement products and refrain from supporting International investigations into Israeli war crimes or legal proceedings to hold it accountable, and c) to continue to suppress local resistance in all its forms.
Some might dispute this and claim that the PA supports popular resistance (and suppresses armed resistance). But unfortunately the facts of the last year tell a different story. Could they please come to places like Beit Sahour, Beit Jala, and Jayyus and explain to the people what had happened to end the popular resistance in those and dozens of other places? Could they explain why popular resistance in many places that used to be costly to the occupation is now ritualized media stunts. Could they meet with people who engage in real popular resistance regularly and are volunteers and not paid employees of the PA and ask them what are the challenges they face? The answers would be scandalous.
I am making three challenges here to all those who will be negotiating with Israeli politicians. 1) I challenge you to come and tie yourself to an Israeli bulldozer (or sit in front of one) in an act of civil disobedience, and 2) I challenge you to convene panels of independent experts (not those profiting) in every major Palestinian population center to discuss the direction of Oslo accords and what has transpired in the last 20 years, and 3) based on 1 and 2, speak truth to the people. Much more sacrifices will be needed and are coming from our people with or without honest leadership. Would it not be more dignified and more likely to give us freedom if we have to do without the foreign aid for one or two years?
And sorry, past good deeds 20 years ago do not give ANYONE the right to give up on Palestinian rights. In international law, even duly elected leaders of occupied people cannot give away their peoples rights. Our lives are nothing compared to 5,000 years of our peoples history in this land. And even the struggle against Zionism has already lasted 130 year including life times of many who negotiated. Who now remembers Hassan Dajani who tried to accommodate with the British occupation because of a balance of power. History will not be kind to those who give-up on their own people. We the common people, must take matters into our own hands. ولا يغير الله ما بقوم حتى يغيروا ما بأنفسهم
Confucius added To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice.
==============
16 August 2010
The news that is transferred to masses in the West through controlled media are so disconnected from reality that it is shameful. Fortunately the spreading of real news by decent people through the internet and other alternative media is shaking the foundations of oppression (which are ignorance, apathy, racism). Thus, an anonymous US official is quoted as threatening Turkey if it does not start towing the line in opposition to Iran and support of apartheid Israel. And the Israeli government statements about the removal of a wall in Gilo are printed as if they are facts (the wall was actually erected to keep residents of an illegal colony of Gilo afraid and supportive of apartheid rather than to protect them and since polls show that Israelis have developed fear of gentiles to paranoia levels, it is no longer needed). And the Quartet (US, UN, EU, Russia) is unwilling to challenge the fascist government of Israel so it pressured Abbas to go to direct negotiations (already 19 years of that produced only expanded colonies and shrinking Palestinian lands). But the Zionist controlled media does not dare publish reality: what is happening on the ground to people. The popular resistance is all but ignored by the self delusional right wing Zionists and their managed media outlets.
If we allow exceptionalism in any way, we are all doomed. Now in the "democratic" US, there are challenges to building an Islamic center in New York City, in democratic Europe there are countries were you can examine and challenge any historical event except the Zionist version of WWII history, and in Apartheid Israel calling for BDS may soon be declared a crime punishable by law. The International investigations on war crimes are ignored (e.g. Goldstone report) or scuttled (e.g. Israel's attack on the Freedom Flotilla). But more and more people are realizing that this project of chosen people, democracy is only how we chosen define it, above the law notions, and us here them there must fail and is failing whether it comes from ideologies of Nazism or Zionism (and the two collaborated closely for 11 years) whether from the mouth of Osama Bin Laden or Shimon Peres or Benjamin Netanyahu.
Can humanity rise to the challenge? In this article by Patrick Cockburn, you can read how even a tiny state like Lebanon was able to challenge the might of Israel and defeat its plans (http://www.counterpunch.org/patrick08062010.html). Lebanons popular pressure also got Syrian forces to leave Lebanon. Maintaining its independence from Both Israel and Syria (and by extensions US and Iran) is no small deed. If we Palestinians can just take the lessons of how, by the will of common people, a small nation can succeed against the interests of powerful countries. We must rise to this challenge instead of allowing ourselves to fall into the traps set for us (see Palestinian democracy Under threat from all sides: Democracy is flagging in both the Palestinian territories http://www.economist.com/node/16793370). What if all of us stop talking about two states in Palestine and instead reveal the reality that Israel is a racist apartheid state (see for example this brilliant article by George Bisharat and Nimer Sultany in the Miami Herald: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/15/1776256/second-class-citizens.html). What if we set aside factional and personal interests and put the people interest first?
We can start by demanding unity and by that there would be no direct or indirect negotiations until Palestinians are strengthened (via struggles and sacrifices) to negotiate as equals not as prisoners and prison guards. We can demand simple human rights including the right of return and full equality instead of ghettos and Bantustans with a flag and elites who are rich.
We can achieve this by first liberating our minds from the notion that the hegemony of the US, Israel or any other country is permanent and really understand that history changes (is changing). A nation like Egypt cannot forever remain prisoner to the whims of Hosni Mubarak (and soon his son Jamal) and must again retake its place as leader in the Arab world. If we just have faith in Egyptians and Palestinians and Jordanians and Israelis; i.e if we have faith in ourselves. We all must continue to push with all our energies towards utilizing the tools available to us for educating others (personal interactions, internet and other modern communication tools) and with all our energies on boycotts, divestments and sanctions (BDS). On the latter front, the successes continue to pile-up as Harvard University fund just sold all its Israel holdings (see
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000581912 ).
I am reminded of the old science fiction movies like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. But the choice for us individuals is to be like robotic groaning Zombies or active and alive human beings challenging injustice.
Take action now:
Please call your Congressperson to oppose H.Res. 1553 (see http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamal-abdi/resolution-green-lighting_b_657608.html) - A House Resolution introduced on July 22, 2010 which gives support for possible Israeli military strike on Iran. The Resolution has been referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
And as always, come visit us in occupied Palestine
===============
10 August 2010
Some of you wrote encouraging that I use the video blog format of glimpses of life in the occupied territories (Sample snapshots of events, sights, and sounds and expressing my thoughts). This one includes Al-Walaja village events including visits by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and segment of interview with Ahmed Barghouth (Abu Nidal) who is losing much of his land and even his family graveyard to the apartheid wall. Also included is a personal narrative of what happened in encounters with apartheid Israeli officials in Ofer and Gush Etzion colonial settlements the last two days
Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nCccpcZ6tY
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJEmsMbDJEE
ACTION: Al-Walaja Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements invites you to join the march Friday 12 August starting at 1 PM
Background: Last April bulldozers started clearing land of Al-Walaja for the Apartheid wall and are projected to encircle the village leaving only an exit by a tunnel to Beit Jalla and annexing most agricultural lands. The villagers are refugees who built on the remaining part of their village cut by the Green line in 1948. The original village now has the Jewish area Aminadav in West Jerusalem. Since 1967 the village has been subject to many forms of Israeli oppression; house demolitions, settlements built on its lands and villagers arrested in their own house for illegal residency (in the illegally expanded and annexed East Jerusalem), and now the wall threatens to strangle the village and make them two-time refugees. On 25 July, there was a court discussion and the state got 45 days to explain the route, since then the work pace has doubled and there is a fear that Israel will complete the wall and establish facts that will reduce the chance of a ruling in favor of the village. Rides from Jerusalem will leave from the bell bark at 10:20 for the tour and at 12:20 directly to the demo.
For information contact Yotam yotwolfe@gmail.com 0544763800 or Oz oz.marinov@gmail.com 0502650101 (Hebrew), Mazin mazin@qumsiyeh.org 0598939532 (English) or Ammar 0598939852 (Arabic)
UNRWA fact sheet/miniprofile of the village http://www.unrwa.org/userfiles/2010070915338.pdf
Israeli soldiers shot 21-year-old Emily damaging her face and costing her an eye but they did not damage the beautiful spirit of this visual artist. Emily is now speaking out after lengthy recuperation. Video that Emily made http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH0QnX84KjI and here is an interview with democracy now (please ensure links not broken)
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/8/5/exclusiveemily_henochowicz_speaks_out_art_student and an article in Village Voice
http://www.villagevoice.com/2010-07-27/art/a-cooper-union-student-lost-an-eye-protesting-in-israel-mdash-but-none-of-her-vision/
Israel even refuses to pay for her hospital bill, although she also has Israeli citizenship. But here is what Emily had written to me before her injury: Hello, this is Emily from the other day. I'd like some information about teaching art classes. I speak very little Arabic, but I'm working on it! Here is my website if you'd like to see some of my stuff: http://www.thirstypixels.blogspot.com. I'll be available this summer but I have to go back to school in the fall. My phone is xxx. Tisba el kher!
==========================
13 August 2010
On the first Friday of Ramadan, thousands of Palestinians tried to reach the Haram Al-Sharif in Jerusalem for prayers in Al-Aqsa mosque. But only some men above 50 and some women above 45 year old were allowed to enter through the checkpoints in the apartheid wall. Some of those left behind participated in demonstrations. Al-Walaja demonstration was particularly inspiring and faced the might of the apartheid system. The Apartheid wall here is being built to surround Al-Walaja on all sides. We marched from the mosque towards the village entrance and along the main road; here the wall facing Al-Walaja village is ugly concrete and the side of it facing the illegal colony of Har Gilo is decorated with Jerusalem stone. We stopped at the village entrance as planned, beat drums and chanted things like "1234 Occupation no more... 5678 stop the stealing stop the hate", several military and police vehicles and dozens of heavily armed apartheid warriers prepared to attack us. Ali chanted in Arabic, I spoke in English, and then Ali spoke in Hebrew. We addressed the gathering and the soldiers telling them this was a peaceful demonstration against land confiscation. We explained that this village lost 80% of its land in 1948 and is now about to lose the rest. The officers came and gave us five minutes to disperse but then started attacking us within five seconds with stun grenades and tear gas. They arrested Ali Al-Aaraj and then they ran into the nearby house and arrested his cousin Mamoun (who was not participating in the demonstration) . Some colonial racist settlers showed up with an Israeli flag and waved uit and cheered their storm troops on. They also violently attacked people injuring several (I personally saw them toss a man down against a concrete wall injuring him in the leg). Those abducted were released a few hours later thanks to good legal support.
Video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnxkUD9LGJo
Photos here (the last six in the series including showing arrest of Mamoun which is not shown on my video).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/sets/72157602013963483/with/1453329309/
Video of destruction in Al-Araqib village in the Negev, a Palestinian village predating the illegal apartheid state of Israel that now sets laws analogous to Nazi laws to ethnically cleanse what remains of Palestinian lands
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2bCIspDbHs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJJVWmBcDjU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzpKvEjQEMY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rud19ytcPS8
Good news: A CULTURAL boycott of Israel was launched yesterday, with more than 150 Irish artists announcing that they intend not to perform or exhibit in Israel, or to accept any funding from institutions linked to the Israeli government.
The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) said it was in protest at Israels treatment of the Palestinian people.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0813/1224276715164.html
Human Rights Watch: Israel/Gaza: Wartime Inquiries Fall Short; Governments and UN Should Press for Justice http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/08/10/israelgaza-wartime-inquiries-fall-short
Action 1: Attend second Palestinian popular conference in Chicago, IL
http://popular.palestineconference.org/
Action 2: Sign petition from Palestine Civil Rights Campaign-Lebanon for refugee rights in Lebanon
http://www.petitiononline.com/ssfpcrc/petition.html
Finally, below is an eyewitness account of eth attack of masked racist settlers on members of the Christian Peacemaking Team in Hebron area.
Hi everyone,
By now some of you may or may not have heard about the settler attack on Friday, so I wanted to send out an update. This will also appear on the blog.
On Friday morning, Koba, a fellow ISMer and myself were at the village of Al Buyehreh. The village is very close to a Harsina settlement and outpost and the people living there have been almost under daily attack. On Thursday evening, settlers tried to set fire to the farmers fields, and they requested intervention. CPT and ISM have been taking turns watching the village, taking day and night shifts.
My partner and I arrived on Friday morning, around 7:00. We sat down under a fig tree. The tree is between the village and a road connecting the settlement and outpost. For the first few hours nothing happened. We took turns napping while the other kept watch, I was reading Whats So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey. I cant emphasize how relevant the Biblical message of forgiveness was about to become to me.
Around 10 in the morning, a small group of 5 settler boys passed us. Three of them were small, two were teenagers. The teens made some comments like if you dont leave we will kick you. We ignored them and kept sitting under the tree. Most threats that are made by settlers are not actually carried out. And we knew that if we left, the Palestinians would be completely at their mercy. It was not an option either way.
Around noontime, a car stopped beside us. Inside were two Palestinian women who had been attacked yesterday evening and were on their way to the hospital. They were too afraid to travel last night. The older woman told us that settlers began throwing rocks at the car they were driving. They were blocked and she got out and threw a rock back at them. A few rocks hit her in the head. The younger woman in the car witnessed the incident. Sitting in the car the next day, she looked completely traumatized. I have never seen someone so afraid. We photographed the car and it had dents in the front and back. We wrote down their story, took some pictures, and they drove on.
About 20 minutes later, a car full of angry Palestinian men drove by the outpost. They were neighbours of the women. They spotted a settler on his way to the outpost and began throwing rocks. Fortunately they all missed, he ran to the outpost. I wanted to say something but they drove by very quickly and the incident was over in a matter of seconds.
0
The attack happened maybe 15 minutes later. Three men suddenly appeared in front of us. They came from the direction of the outpost and managed to sneak up on us. They were all wearing black clothing and had their faces covered with black ski masks. They were holding what looked to me like black rods. I later learned that 2 of them were wooden sticks and one was a metal pipe. From the moment I saw them it was very clear to me what they were going to do. One of them walked up to me. He was very muscular and looking straight at me. None of them said a word.
I said shalom. He swung his weapon back and slammed it into my face. It shattered my nose and I went into shock. I fell down face first and didnt feel the other 2 blows that landed on my back. My friend tried to deflect the third blow and they hit his foot. Afterwards they took his camera, backpack and notebook and left. Blood was pouring from my face and on my shirt and pants and shoes. They are still stained.
A group of Israeli soldiers and Palestinian farmers appeared at the scene. The soldiers were very polite and many of them looked shocked. Others though were smirking. They offered to take us to Jerusalem for treatment. We politely refused because it would mean getting arrested and deported. The Palestinians called an ambulance as well, and we were taken to Al Ahli hospital in the Palestinian section of Hebron.
I remember crowds of concerned and angered villagers gathering around us and helping me walk to the ambulance. I asked people several times to not take revenge against the settlers for what happened. Firstly I do not believe in revenge as a Christian. I believe in love for enemies and turning the other cheek, I would not want anyone to hurt somebody else on my behalf. Also, revenge is usually carried out against people who had no part in the violence that is being avenged. Most of the violence in the West Bank is carried out against innocent Palestinians but the in the fairly rare occasions when Palestinians avenge attacks against them, innocent Israelis are usually the ones who suffer. Lastly, this region has seen more than enough of its share of violence and counterviolence and violence to avenge the counterviolence. It does not help achieve anything but grieving family members and additional anger and pain.
The hospital was an amazing experience. Koba and I were put under an X-ray. Fortunately his leg was not broken and he was released. My nose was broken and I had to go for surgery the next day, and that meant staying in the hospital for 2 nights.
The doctors and nurses were amazing and looked after my every need. I did not pay a cent- the Palestinian Authority pays medical bills of anyone who was hurt by the Israeli army or settlers. I am not endorsing the PA but I have to say it was a great relief and I am very grateful for this.
My fellow ISMers came to visit me constantly. I have to single out Laura, one of our members from Mexico, who converted to Islam a few weeks ago. She brought me food and kept me company for most of the days. She also brought me my Bible and helped put my cross necklace around my neck after surgery. I will be forever grateful to her and my fellow ISMers.
Most amazing were the people I do not know. Over 200 Palestinians came by to see me. They heard about the attack on the TV and radio and from friends and wanted to express their sympathies and outrage about the attack. Many of them were very upset and during some meetings I felt I had to repeat my request for no revenge to be taken. Most were very grateful for my being there with them and some said that now I am a Palestinian, one of them. I felt very proud.
Groups of young men came to my bedside to say hello. Whole families came as well, parents with children and grandparents. I had a delegation of 7 Muslim clerics come in to shake my hand. It was very moving yet I did not deserve it. I am not a hero or brave person, many people do the work I do and take the same risks. It could have happened to anyone.
I was blessed with many oppurtunities to share Jesus with my visitors. I never initiated the discussions, many of them were curious about my cross and Bible and wanted to know about what I believe. I focused a lot on love for enemies and that Jesus died on the cross for all of us- Christians, Muslims, all people, including the settlers.
The ironic part is that I meant everything I said. I believe that God worked a miracle in me that day. I did not feel any anger or resentment at the settlers who beat me and I still dont . I hate their violence and hatred and I hate what they do to Palestinians. I dont hate them though or wish any harm to come to them. I have forgiven them, and it has been remarkably easy. For this I thank God.
Some of my visitors tried to convert me to Islam and it led to very interesting discussions. I cannot emphasize my admiration for the Palestinian people. They brought not only more food and drinks than I could physically consume, but they brought their love to me. I didnt cry when I was attacked or after the incident but I come close to tears when I remember the outpouring of concern and friendship and love they have shown me. I have not experienced anything like that anywhere else in my life.
The story made headlines across Palestine, Israel and the wider world. It has been reported on Al Jazeera and Washington Post. In ISM we operate under pseudonyms and I go by Peter, so the press stories talk about Peter who was beaten up. I am OK with this for several reasons. My activism in the West Bank is not even close to being over, and I want to come back one day. I do not want to be blacklisted. I also do not want to be remembered as a victim. Also, the story should not be about me. What is the important issue are the continuing attacks against Palestinian farmers and the terrorism they suffer on an ongoing basis from settlers and the army that usually turns a blind eye to the abuses or takes part in them. A broken nose and a few bruises on my back are nothing compared to what they suffer. The story should be about them, not about a young white guy from Winnipeg who happened to get caught in the conflict.
Tomorrow I am going back to the hospital and hope to have the cast around my nose removed.
Anyways, that was my weekend. As Palestinian Muslims and Christians say, Allahu Akhbar. That means God is greatest. I fully agree.
Cristo Vive!
============
6 August 2010
In my last email message with the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K_-gpgTy_8) showing the assault on peaceful demonstrations in Al-Walaja, I mentioned six Palestinians abducted. There were also Israelis arrested. In total 15 people were abducted and many charged and most had to sign a paper to promise they would not come near the wall again for 60-180 days. Here are pictures of the event Wednesday from Ann Paq http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/
New hope in closing battle of the wall; a week in the west bank village of Al Wallaje
by Yotam Wolfe and Joseph Dana
http://www.kibush.co.il/show_file.asp?num=41469
Video: 4-year-old Palestinian child gets a taste of the occupation and he tries to protect his family who are being arrested for nonviolent resistance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bh6YVPnqXQ
Israeli apartheid soldiers arrested three 14-year olds in their own lands for being too close to the illegal wall built on their lands in Bilin. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfBRfuQCpKA
Action: People asked what they can do to end harassment of nonviolent resisters including me (Mazin Qumsiyeh)? Here is an example of a to do list from the Middle East Crisis Committee http://www.thestruggle.org/threat_to_mazin_qumsiyeh.html
Inspiring: Flashmob BDS action in the Netherlands
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzMnzg9XEPE
Very revealing interview with Apartheid Israels father of its nuclear bombs and other weapons of mass destruction. Here Peres admits Israel does have nuclear weapons but lies about other areas (including ethnic cleansing he himself participated in). He also managed to insult Britain and lie about the role of the British government (which was critical to founding Israel as a racist apartheid Jewish state)
http://www.tabletmag.com/news-and-politics/40409/making-history/print/
Below is a direct promotional quote from a Zionist website that brings American Jews to watch and support first-hand the colonial apartheid system in action. Imagine the reaction for a similar announcement for Nazi Germany or Apartheid South Africa.
Once in a lifetime Experience! for only $3350 plus airline tickets-MQ Join a dynamic and intensive eight day exploration of Israel's struggle for survival and security.
Mission Highlights:
-Briefings by Mossad officials and commanders of the Shin Bet.
-Briefing by officers in the IDF Intelligence and Operations branches.
-Inside tour of the IAF unit which carries out targeted killings.extrajudicial executions- MQ
-Live exhibition of penetration raids in Arab territory.
-Observe a trial of Hamas terrorists in an IDF military court.
-First hand tours of Lebanese front-line military positions and the Gaza border check-points.
-Inside tour of the controversial Security Fence and secret intelligence bases.
-Meeting Israel's Arab agents who infiltrate terrorist groups and provide real-time intelligence.
-Light airplane tour of the Galilee, water activities on Lake Kinneret,a cook-out barbecue and a -
-Shabbat enjoying the rich religious and historic wonders of Jerusalem's Old City.being cleansed of its natives-MQ
============
1 August 2010
Palestinian sources revealed a letter sent by Obama that outlines carrots and sticks approach to get Mahmoud Abbas to go to direct and endless negotiations so as to keep the disastrous Oslo cover for the occupation going a few more years. This revealed once and for all that Washington is indeed Israeli-occupied territory. Despite our political differences, when can only feel pity for Abu Mazen whose two open choices are both bad: a) negotiate while Israel continues to colonize and ethnically cleanse what remains of the occupied areas and thus lose what little credibility remains among the Palestinian public OR b) insist on reference to International law (and thus a settlement freeze) and lose hundreds of millions in funding and lucrative positions of power over the now de facto self-rule areas. In either case there will be no end to the occupation and no real or sovereign Palestinian state in the foreseeable future. Will he choose a third route that preserves dignity and self-respect and give up the charade of Oslo and its trappings that he started (and convinced Arafat to follow for years until Israel killed him when he hesitated)? (there are ways to do this since an agreement signed under duress and especially one that violates basic international law is null and void anyway and does not remove the rights of native people even when someone representing them signs it). Will PLO reclaim its name sake as Palestine Liberation Organization or vegetate as the Palestinian Leftover Officials? Will the Palestinian people realize that they hold the keys to their own future and that salvation will not come from anyone else?
We lost our friend Art Gish longtime active volunteer member of Christian Peacemaker Team in Hebron. Art was 70 year old and died in a farming accident with his tractor in Athens, Ohio. Art was a graduate of Manchester College and Bethany Theological Seminary. He is the author of The New Left and Christian Radicalism (Eerdmans, 1970), Beyond the Rat Race (Herald Press. 1972), Living in Christian Community (Herald Press, 1979), and Hebron Journal: Stories of Nonviolent Peacemaking (Herald Press, 2001). Art Gish has been part of Christian Peacemaker Teams in Hebron since 1995, getting in the way of Israeli military and settler violence against Palestinian civilians.
http://rosemarieberger.com/2010/07/29/christian-peacemaker-art-gish-dies-at-70/
Art and is survived by his wife Peggy Gish (herself an activist in Iraq and Palestine and author of Iraq: A journey of hope and Peace ). For an interview of Art and Peggy by Amy Goodman on Democracy Now, please go to http://www.democracynow.org/2009/4/10/five_years_after_helping_to_expose
We will miss this gentle man who acted on his principles. He is an example for us to follow!
You can purchase his book on Hebron from the Mennonite Publishing Network:
http://store.mpn.net/productdetails.cfm?PC=271
One year has passed since the death of Shafiq Al-Hout, a principled Palestinian leader: A video biography It all started in Jaffa is here http://www.youtube.com/shafiqhbio
And Text biography at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shafiq_al-Hout
The missing media headlines this week: Israeli forces killed 1 Worker, injured 4 protesters & 1 journalist injured, abducted 21 civilians, conducted 25 major incursions, continued to fire at farmers, etc http://ifamericansknew.org/cur_sit/missingheadlines.html
The US Army reported that 32 soldiers committed suicide in June. Dozens of others were killed. Wikileaks published US documents that basically should make every American question the illegal wars on Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet, the US media conveniently ignores all this and obediently publish the lies of their Zionist masters instead of exposing those who profit from wars and mayhem.
Preparations for WWIII: Crashed Israeli helicopter drilled perilous strikes on Iran-style mountain tunnels http://www.debka.com/article/8940/
The Israeli government extended for two more decades the closure on the information from 50 and 60 years ago that shows it had committed ethnic cleansing, war, crimes, crimes against humanity, deception and lies (and ofcourse still doing it). See A state afraid of its past by Haaretz http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/a-state-afraid-of-its-past-1.304711
(make sure links are intact)
==============
30 July 2010
After attending a workshop on developing curricula for nonviolence/popular resistance, I returned with a harrowing 12+ hour experience at the crossing from Jordan to the occupied Palestinian territories. This included being served with an order/warrant for an appearance at the apartheid colonial security offices in ten days and rifling through the books I brought back. I recorded a 10 minute video telling of this experiences (common for Palestinians):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFwdl0r6hpY
Heartbreaking Video: The Ethnic cleansing in the Negev by Israeli apartheid regime http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2010/jul/28/palestinian-territories-israel
Video: Israeli settler steels a sheep from Palestinian shepherds in South Hebron hills (Atwani)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZvsGAQdj-I
Action: Free Ameer Makhoul
http://www.civicus.org/csw/1433
Ship from US to join next freedom flotilla (expected to draw 62 ships)
http://ustogaza.org/ny-boat-event/
http://palsolidarity.org/2010/07/13030/
Judaizing Jerusalem
http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2010/07/judaizing-jerusalem.html
Israel Secret Police Exposed
http://www.palestinechronicle.com/view_article_details.php?id=16165
Gilad Atzmon: Oliver Stone apologizes for telling the truth
http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/gilad-atzmon-oliver-stone-apologized-for-telling-the-truth.html
================
27 July 2010
Quote of the day
The US gave $392 million in rehabilitating and training PA Palestinian Authority security forces since 2007 - more than $160 million to fund certain units of the security forces, $89 million for vehicles and nonlethal equipment, $99 million for the renovation or construction of PA security forces' installations and $22 million in programs to increase the forces' capacity. The State Department has requested an additional $150 million for 2011. Haaretz
I am in Istanbul, Turkey where we (3 Palestinians plus 17 others from many countries) attended a workshop exploring development of curricula on nonviolent or popular resistance. The examples used include Eastern Europe, South Africa, Latin America, Palestine and elsewhere. It was a very useful opportunity to network and reflect on our common human struggles and strategize as to how to advance the causes of justice around the globe. The country is very beautiful, grand mosques and grand parks, good food, and friendly down to earth people. Many Arabs are here on vacations. Mosques are busy. The city is bustling. Everyone who finds out we are Palestinian is happy to see us. I can see why Turkish people mobilized the humanitarian aid ships to break the illegal siege on Gaza. Today, we crossed from the European part of Istanbul to the Asian side of the same city. This is truly at the crossroad of Europe and Asia. I believe letting Turkey join the European Union and insisting on respect for human rights in all the countries bordering the Mediterranean (starting with Israel), would be in the best interest of Europe and Asia.
While here, the usual mix of bad and good news are received. In bad news, the Israeli occupied US congress is trying to pass a resolution that will give the green light to Israel to attack Iran! Meanwhile there is no resolution to condemn Israel for ethnically cleansing yet another village (to add to the hundreds of Palestinian villages depopulated in the past 62 years. Wikeleaks published on its cite thousands of classified documents on Afghanistan showing that US and NATO forces and intelligence community know this war is not winnable. The war now its 9th year claims more lives and treasures. The documents validated my long-held belief that unless the US and Europe shed the policies that created fundamentalism, fundamentalism will continue to grow. These policies include a) the unconditional support of Israeli violations of human rights and International law, b) the support of friendly dictators that are keeping their own societies in misery (while claiming verbally to support human rights and International Law).
In good news, the legal case for Al-Walaja moved in a positive direction as the court decided to reopen the case and ask the Israeli government to rethink why, if the wall is for security purposes, why cant ot be built on the Green line. The Court also rejected a settler petition to include all Al-Walaja behin the wall on the so called Israeli side. (Article in Arabic on Al-Walaja decision http://www.panet.co.il/online/articles/1/2/S-317185,1,2.html). In other good news, Bishop Munib Younan was elected president of the Lutheran World Federation.
http://www.lwf-assembly.org/experience/lwi-assembly-news/news-detail/article/520/8/
ACTION: Help the legal struggles in different countries against Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity: http://www.humanrightsfund.org/
URGENT: Thousands of Israeli apartheid forces ethnically cleanse and demolished the Bedouin village of El-Araqib in the Negev. Pictures at http://www.amgadalarab.com/?todo=view&cat=2&id=00002880 Please write to media, politicians etc. Yeela Raanan wrote earlier The village of el-Araqib is between Rahat and Beer Sheva, and in a location that the Goldberg commission deemed outside of the areas allowed for the Negev Arabs... an area designated only for Jews... the JNF (Jewish National Fund) is planting a forest on this village lands - to make sure that the Bedouin cannot live on their village lands or use them for agriculture. The villagers turned to the Israeli courts, as the JNF were planting this forest at the bequest of the Israeli government... the people of el-Araqib won the court battle... but this morning it seems that the Government of Israel has started a war -- of the Government against its own citizens. For more information: Dr. Yeela Raanan, Regional Council for the Unrecognized Villages (RCUV). +972 54 7487005 yallylivnat@gmail.com
====================
22 July 2010
Nearly 86,000 Palestinian students sat this year for the final high school unified matriculation exam (called Tawjihi) in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. Today the results of the exams were released and they were phenomenal. It is a noisy day of celebration for thousands of people who worked very hard and achieved good results. There was no divisions here, the unified examinations were given in Gaza and the West Bank with cooperation of the ministry of education employees in both places and without political considerations. Considering the slaughter of Gaza last year, the results from Gaza were remarkable (and equivalent to the West Bank). The highest six students (4 females, 2 males) in the science section got the score of 99.5% and they represent refugees, villagers, and city dwellers, from Asira Al-Shjamaliya (near Nablus), Khan Younis (Gaza), Nablus City, West Gaza, Shufat (Jerusalem), and Beni Nuaim (Hebron area). In the humanities section, the top ten come from Tulkarem, Rafah, Nablus, Khan Younis, Qabatiya, and Jenin. My own nephew got 93.6% even though his father died in the middle of these exam (I had shared the story of Hazem with you earlier). This remarkable result by our young people shows the possibilities of the people of Palestine. Of course, the colonial apartheid system limits the options open to our high school graduates but ultimately nothing can stand in the way of determined individuals.
I participated in teaching summer camps at two locations to younger students during the past few days. I have been focusing on teaching and interactions with young Palestinians since I returned to Palestine two years ago. In all these interactions I see the incredible opportunities. Palestine has no oil or other major natural resources except its people. If only our leaders understood the potential of mobilizing our people to liberate themselves. We do not need to rely on endless negotiations or on irrational rhetoric or acts. Three young high school students built an electronic walking stick for the blind (I shared that story two months ago with you). Palestinian students at the Polytechnic University in Hebron just built a solar powered car from scratch (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/18/palestinian-territories-solar-power-car). What we need is a belief in the human potential. We need a denial of the negativism that is fed by corruption, lies, and distortions; I will write more on this in my next message. Meanwhile congratulations
Here is a must read article for all Palestinians: Towards a Palestinian Political Agenda by Dr. Salman Abu Sitta (two parts) http://www.middleeastmonitor.org.uk/articles/middle-east/1310-towards-a-palestinian-political-agenda-1
http://www.middleeastmonitor.org.uk/articles/middle-east/1332-towards-a-palestinian-political-agenda-part-ii
Israeli army destroys a Palestinian village in the Jordan valley
http://imemc.org/article/59169
17 Year old arrested in night raid in Bilin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86QAchT2swI
Action: As received from Janan Abdu-Makhoul: Free Ameer Makhoul
http://www.alternativenews.org/english/index.php/topics/news/2734-free-ameer-makhoul
Model Action: BDS activists do a musical tour in New York against Israeli apartheid
http://adalahny.org/videos/off-off-broadway-bds-musical-tour-the-video
Mark Bravermans report on the victory at the Presbyterian Assembly and lays out the nature of the Zionist tactics to thwart Christian action for peace and justice
http://markbraverman.org/2010/07/report-from-the-presbyterian-general-assembly-part-2-the-jewish-response/
Health in the occupied Palestinian territories
http://www.thelancet.com/health-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-2010
Action: Join the campaign to get TIAA-CREF to divest from Israeli apartheid (at the meeting held results were good and there was no opposition but this is expected to change so the organizers of the action want more signatures)
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/301/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4048
You are always welcome to visit us in Palestine
========================
12 July 2010
Palestinian Responsibility by Mazin Qumsiyeh
=======================
5 July 20120
In Vienna: Hitler and Hertzl vs Mozart, Popper, and Freud
=================
1 July 2010
Like in Palestine, a traveler discovers in Italy common characteristics found in all ancient civilizations: hospitability, pride of place, joy of life, a strong sense of history without a need to exaggerate, and a general sense of continuity of past present and future. Unlike colonial states, there is also a strong sense of provincialism that transcends state nationalism. The dialect spoken is only a part of this since there is much more to this sense of bonding to place. People are born, raised, and have extended families in one place. This is not true in the old colonial states like the United States or in the newer colonial entities like Israel. People are connected to the land in ways that are hard to describe to those who are not of the place. In Campania, the district in Italy that includes Napoli, we find villages and towns that are really ancient, built in respect of the local landscape, and not trying to dominate or subdue. Only abandoned castles of invaders are on top of hills and provide only a reminder of the folly of humanity. Similarly, our Palestinian Arab towns blend seamlessly with the landscape: Akka, Jaffa, Nazareth, Haifa, Beisan, Beit Sahour, Nahhalin, Nablus, Gaza, or Hebron. Zionists took over some of these towns but generally their initial activities and later much of their activities have been to build enclaves/colonies in ways that are as predictable as the crusaders. Tops of hills, strategic locations to dominate and control. This is expected from foreign invaders who always worry about the day they will be removed. The land is violated and the countryside dominated. One is only comforted to note that these unnatural phenomena usually do not last long whether they were Spanish colonies in Italy or Crusader cities and castles in Palestine. The local people hold no bitterness about any part of the complex history. In Positano along the Amalfii coast, the local people had the legend of Turkish Pirates establishing a colony here but local festival actually reenacts this episode in fun and many locals joyfully play the parts of the Turkish invaders. In Palestine, many people joyfully tell of the fact that there are families who trace their ancestry to reminants of the crusaders and many even prefer that blondish look of European Palestinians. Life moves on and people live and let live. But the situation in Palestine is only heating up.
In the USA, the native people were severely decimated (including by European diseases that they were not resistant to) and were in any case less densely populated and had a much shorter history and civilization than elsewhere. The remaining native Americans still struggle to maintain their identity and even try to reclaim some of their rights. Most European Americans have come to realize the injustices committed and some now seek wisdom from the philosophies of ancient tribes. Israeli colonization in Palestine over the past 62 years came rather late in the history of humanity after most countries abandoned colonialism. It has all the usual characteristics of colonization but also required the added feature of being built on layers of religious and other mythologies.
The Zionist movement convinced enough Jews (and many gullible non-Jews) that Judaism represents not just a religion but a peoplehood. To peddle this bizarre mythology, data from science fields including genetics and archeology were discarded or distorted or even manufactured (see my book on Sharing the Land of Canaan for some explanation). Other classes of distortions and genres of mythologies were developed to justify the unjustifiable (see for example http://www.qumsiyeh.org/liesandtruths/). But the bottom line is not so hard to fudge: Palestinians have been dispossessed from most of their lands (7 of 11 million are now refugees or displaced people, the remainder has access to less than 8.3%) and an artificial racist state rules with military might and occasionally lashes out violently at any and all opposition internal or external (e.g. in Lebanon in 2006, Gaza in 2008/9 and against the humanitarian aid ships in International waters). The Zionist state has agents acting on its behalf in many countries around the world and thus feels it can get away with gross violations of International law including committing crimes against humanity. But the irrational behavior of this rogue state has caused its Western sponsors significant problems. My lectures in the West (including at NATO Defense College) shows that Westerners are increasingly aware of the dangers posed by this rogue state. After all, if we cannot have International law/humanitarian law applicable in the case of Israel, then the Arab and Muslim world is right to ask: why have such law if there is only the rule that might makes right. For what we risk by allowing Israeli exceptionalism to basic norms of decency is not merely sacrificing Palestinians but sacrificing International order. This conclusion is evident from any rational and even cursory examination of issues like terrorism, the wars on Iraq and Afghanistan.
Thus, as I try to explain in my lectures, this issue of Israel/Palestine is critical for all. If we want our lives to be meaningful, we cannot ignore this issue. We are fortunate in being able to effect a change in history at this critical junction. I thus want to thank our hosts and other Italian people for the great hospitality, warmth, sympathy, and solidarity that we witnessed here. It has given us much energy to even work harder. For all of them and all others on this list around the world, we welcome you to visit us in occupied Palestine and help make history.
=================
25 June 2010
also at http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2010/06/25/a-death-in-the-family-and-the-struggle-continues/
After I left the West Bank via Jordan, we heard the devastating news that my brother-in-law Hazem had passed away. I knew Hazem was very sick and had visited him both the day before I left and on the morning I left. But even though expected, it is always a shock to lose a loved one especially one with the stature of this great man. Many who attended his funeral said it was the largest they have ever seen in Beit Sahour. Well over 1000 people attended on very short notice from around the West Bank. Khalil Gibran reminded us that love and pain are inseparable and my late grandfather had always reminded us that lifes secret is that it mixes hardships with love.
Hazem finished high school in Palestine and his bachelor degree in Physics in Iraq where he was an activist for Palestine. He returned to Palestine to teach and start a family. My sister fell in love with this politically active young guy and I remember a wedding with great joy and hope. My parents and his mother were thrilled with the young family. Hazem taught (physics and sciences but also life) and coached (in football/soccer) becoming loved by young people in the area. He also became well known in the community as a gentle spirit with a knack for solving any problem no matter how complicated. Under occupation, Palestinians had to deal with problems informally and via mediation and Hazem was an expert mediator. For being influential and simply a good teacher and community organizer, Hazem was arrested and jailed by the Israeli occupation forces including in administrative detention (6 months stints without trial or seeing a lawyer). My sister had to suffer raising the children with the father away.
Laith was the first born male and Hazem became known as Abu Laith and my sister Suhair as Um Laith (a traditional way of honoring parents in our society). In the early 1990s I helped the young family travel to visit us and tour in the US. The youngest Louay learned to walk in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Laith, Lina, Lama, and Luai had fun with my son and with visiting places like Disney world and the space center in Florida.
Hazem rose in stature and was elected President of the local youth club, president of the teachers union (and later its International liason director), and chairman of the board of the Palestine Wildlife Siciety. Before the Oslo accords, he worked behind the scenes as a Fatah political leader in the Bethlehem district and after the movement came above ground in 1994 was recognized publicly as one of its key members (and the highest ranking one in the Bethlehem district). He was most recently elected a member of the revolutionary council of Fatah.
I visited with him for long hours when I returned to Palestine every summer and occasionally when he represented Palestine at teachers conferences in the US. After I returned to Palestine on a permanent basis, I spent even more time with my sisters family and talking to Hazem. I would ask his opinion and seek his advice on various areas. Hazem always had very insightful things to say about life, about politics, about dealing with people etc. He was a partisan Fatah member and leader and was very outspoken in defense of policies of his party. Yet, I did hear him criticize even his idol Yasser Arafat for some policies (e.g. his support of both negotiations and armed struggle). He never shied from being brutally honest even about the state of our own people. He told me and others on more than one occasion that Fatah was the largest Palestinian faction and as such it gathered large numbers of Palestinians, the best and the worst of our people. He recognized there was corruption in Palestine but stated that this was far worse in Israel and also in other parties than in Fatah (and that the only reason it is more visible with Fatah is its sheer size). Hazem, like others who paid a heavy price for challenging Israel, believed that different times and geopolitical structures demand different responses. As an independent, I occasionally disagreed with his analysis of the status of the world geopolitics or of local issues. But I always respected his insights driven by over 35 years of experience in Palestinian affairs and did find far more things we agree on than disagree on.
On a personal level, I always felt that Hazem was the ideal father, husband, friend, mentor, teacher, and more. Being around him and his lovely family always inspired me for how loving and kind he was. He had no pretentions. He was truly a person comfortable in his own skin and in his role and mission in life. He fought his last battle with a terminal form of esophageal cancer with courage and poise. While the cancer conquered his body, it never conquered his spirit. His spirit will always be among us. We will dearly miss him. Not an eye was left dry at his funeral. To my sister, my nieces and nephews, and their large and extended lovely family, my sincerest condolences. Rest in peace my friend Abu Laith, you will never be forgotten.
PS, Here are brief write ups on Hazem in Arabic news outlets (in Arabic).
http://web.alquds.com/docs/pdf-docs/2010/6/24/page31.pdf
http://www.maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=293956 (this one has a better photo)
PSS, Today as I was giving talks and engaging in conversations at NATO defense college in Rome, I was feeling very homesick not only for being away from my family in this difficult period but away from my friends and fellow activists in the demonstrations held every Friday in numerous locations throughout Palestine (and that have become for us a weekly routine hard to miss). In Nilin, large tracks of olive grove fields were burnt as Israeli forces fired tear gas and stun grenades that set the fields ablaze. In Bilin near Ramallah, Wad Rahhal and Al-Masara near Bethlehem, and other places, demonstrators demanded Israel end its occupation practices including the most recent Israeli government decisions to demolish more homes in Jerusalem and to expel Palestinians from the city. Also yesterday, Israeli occupation forces beat a 12 year Old boy (Ubeidiya Amer) in Jerusalem and broke both his arms. Alas, La Lucha Continua
PSSS My schedule for the remainder of the visit in Europe is updated at http://www.qumsiyeh.org/schedule/
=================================
20 June 2010
Israeli occupation forces today in Beit Jala engaged in beatings, burning of fields, and attacking peaceful demonstrators, bystanders, and reporters. Two young Palestinians: Mohammed Masalma and Thaer Mahmoud were injured after severe beatings with hands and clubs (they were both near their homes and not participating in the demonstration). Several demonstrators were also roughed-up. Occupation enforcers also attacked six reporters and prevented them from doing their job of covering the event: Yousef Shahin (Palmedia), AbdelHafith Hashlamon (European News Aghency), Nasser AlShayukhi (associated Press), Mamon Wazwaz (APA), Musa AlShaer (France Press), and Najeh Hashlamon (ABA). The Israeli occupation forces (thugs) also aimed their gas canisters at dry fields managing to set a fire that engulfed an olive grove (fortunately, the Palestinian fire department quick response saved most of the field and the nearby homes). The apartheid forces also aimed tear gas at far away homes in Beit Jala to senda message of fear to the local population. And Israeli Occupation intelligence Officer Fadi came and then tagged us and as we were trying to leave in my car mocked us and call out my name with his loud speaker. Video of much of the action at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktDUzjnxapY
Where is the Palestinian Gandhi by Mazin Qumsiyeh, The Link - Volume 43, Issue 3, July - August 2010
http://www.ameu.org/page.asp?iid=291&aid=621&pg=1
Proof of doctored videos and audio now surfaces after the Israeli attack and propaganda campaign
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW2R4Iw5afc
Watching and supporting bombing of Gaza: I am a little bit fascist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC0acH8FsiQ&NR=1
Why, really, was the USS Liberty attacked by Israel?
Alan Harts keynote address to the annual re-union dinner of the Liberty Veterans Association Long Island, 12 June 2010.
http://www.alanhart.net/why-really-was-the-uss-liberty-attacked-by-israel/
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18 June 2010
Today we managed to attend two demonstrations organized by residents of Wad Rahhal and Al-Masara. In the former, the military intelligence officer named Fadi came to check things out. This is the same guy who told me before my trip to the US last March that I should not leave. The morning after I left, Israeli army came in the middle of the night and surrounded my house ostensibly looking to arrest me. In todays demonstration he first tried to discredit me by claiming friendship and closeness (those in attendance knew this tactic). Then he tried verbal threats and intimidation. While his soldiers prevented us from getting to where my car was parked, he made a point of driving to it within view of us and checking it out (we have video). When the demonstration was finished, we saw that what he scribbled was the world Hamas on the car (I guess he did not realize I am not Muslim). As we drove to the other demonstration he followed.
Unlike in Wad Rahhal, the people of Al-Masara were allowed to march to their lands on this day. Fadi kept a close watch on us. He pulled his jeep in front of my car as soon as we got in and were ready to leave at the end of this second demonstration. I backed up and got on the road and he then followed us in an intimidating fashion for two miles. Never-the-less, we were thrilled with the success of both demonstrations and that no one was arrested. They are still holding our friend Hassan Breijiya and likely to charge him with serious charges from last week. There is no justice system here. There are Israeli military courts with Israeli military judges who always choose the Israeli soldiers version and apply random sentences on us (for being Palestinians in Palestine). Even Israeli activists like our friend Yotam face tough sentencing for merely engaging in nonviolent protest of Israeli colonial land theft and land destruction.
In this land of apartheid, there are still some surreal moments. Today, I witnessed no less than 6 acts of kindness and generosity. I also stopped by Talitha Kumi school to visit with a friend (who donated a box of books to us) and we saw their groups of Israelis and Palestinians engaged in singing for peace and eating together. The normalization activity was happening less than a kilometer away from Al-Walaja, the village which is slated to join hundreds of other villages ethnically cleansed since 1947. The remaining 2000 residents watch (and occasionally demonstrate and get arrested and jailed) as the apartheid wall is being built around their houses and separating them from their lands. Just two days earlier, I was with eth lawyer for the village as we say that the destruction of agricultural lands even extended beyond the areas mapped by the Israeli authorities for closed military zones around the projected wall. The contractor took the lawyer (and I tagged along) to the operations room to show him the map. The room was an amazing record of planned destruction in the Bethlehem district. On all four sides of the walls, there were maps showing the projected stages of the apartheid wall completion. I was not allowed to bring my camera but it was a horrific scene. Some 20 minutes into this, the contractor talks to the Israeli military command who tell him to get us out of their and not show us any maps (too late though!).
If all goes according to Israeli plans, Al-Walaja will be a small version of Gaza: an open-air prison with one gate out controlled by Israel. The wall comes very close to Palestinian homes to separate them from their front or back yard and all their agricultural lands. In 1948 Alwalaja lost 63,000 of its 70,000 dunums of land. The remaining 7000 while now shrink to about 1000 and eventually to nothing. Palestinians were once 95% of the population and in control of 95% of the land and now mostly refugees and displaced people while the five million who remain in Palestine have access to 2.9% of the land.
Israeli army destroys childrens playground in Beit Jala and drag children away
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH5KAvkgoDE
Jewish challenges to Zionism on the rise in the US; Gabriel Ash, Emily Katz Kashawi, Mich Levy, Sara Kershnar, The Electronic Intifada, 14 June 2010
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11337.shtml
Shooting and sobbing, by Gilad Atzmon
http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/shooting-and-sobbing-by-gilad-atzmon.html
Volvo Equipment: Effective tools of the Israeli occupation
http://corporateoccupation.wordpress.com/2010/06/16/volvo-equipment-effective-tool-in-the-israeli-occupation-of-palestine/
Standing Up to the Bulldozers in Palestine
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mazin-qumsiyeh/standing-up-to-the-bulldo_b_590987.html
And here is a brave Australian member of Parliament speaking out for human rights (if only more parliamentarians would speak the truth) http://tinyurl.com/2eo228w I wrote to her with this brief thanks:
I am a professor at Bethlehem and Birzeit universities and have just finished my fourth book (this one on the 130 year- history of popular nonviolent resistance in Palestine). Every week here, we have new atrocities on the ground. Today we had demonstrations in Bilin, Nilin, Al-Masara, Al-Walaja, Wad Rahhal and other places. It is thus very good to read your speech in the Australian parliament. We in Palestine thank you for your solidarity.. for reminding us of who we are as fellow human beings. What Margaret Mead once wrote comes to mind "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it's the only thing that ever has. "
The Committee to Resist the Wall in Beit Jala invites you to the weekly demonstration this Sunday 20 June 2010 at 11:30 AM in the town of Beit Jala (starting ion Cremsan street) and this one in honor of our friend and popular committee leader the martyr Abu Alwaleed AlAzza. Please spread the word and come join us to protest the destruction of Palestinian lands. Your presence supports the struggle for peace and justice.
And while the Israeli government issued a press release in English that claims they will 'ease' the medieval siege on Gaza (the release in Hebrew made no such mention), the International civil society is not fooled: we demand an end to this siege not media gestures. More boat flotillas are being planned and law suits are demanding Israel release the belongings (especially video cameras and tapes) stolen from the passengers.
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The story that Israel wants to go away but that is spreading and continues to be critical to tell...
Release of smuggled video from the Mavi Marimara
http://vimeo.com/12429821
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/6/10/exclusive_journalist_smuggles_out_video_of
Press conference held at the UN 10 June 2010 to release the one hour video smuggled out
http://www.culturesofresistance.org/UN-press-conference
and there are other videos showing Israeli commanders obviously not under any threat shooting point blank at passengers who are down. Here the soldier empties four bullets into the head of a 19 year old US citizen and still the US refuses an independent investigation (or at least demand Israel return all confiscated cameras and video and photos)
http://dunyabulteni.net/news_detail.php?id=117339
Israel hasbara fails again: Photos show Mavi Marmara passengers protecting, aiding Israeli soldiers http://aliabunimah.posterous.com/blog-post-israel-hasbara-fails-again-pics-sho
Reporters Without Borders: As Turkish photographer is buried, other journalists aboard flotilla speak out
And more survivor testimony http://www.freegaza.org/boat-trips/survivor-testimonies
And a Chilling testimony of a survivor from the massacre
And Dr. Paul Larudee on ‘The Price of Defying Israel ‘: I was one of those who chose to defy Israeli forces when they attacked and took our Freedom Flotilla ships that were trying to deliver desperately needed humanitarian aid to civilian organizations in the Israeli blockaded Gaza Strip…
Read more
Must read document which demolishes Israel's legal basis for blockade, attack, exclusion zone...
Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) says it all: We shall overcome
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnMMHepfYVc
Liberal PEPs Trash Helen Thomas While Ignoring Flotilla Deaths
Israel Navy reserves officers wrote a letter contradicting the Israeli official version and calling to ‘Allow external Gaza flotilla probe”
The rogue state of Israel (with backing by Israeli occupied Washington) refuses to return or release the videos and photos taken by passengers (or even full videos taken by their own military instead of the doctored short clips) and refuses an International impartial investigation. Instead, the Israeli military just announced forming a military investigative committee to take some 'operational lessons'. The chief criminal, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi appointed Maj-Gen (ret.) Giora Eiland to head this 'inquest'. Who is Giora Eiland? The NY Times had this interesting quote:
The Israeli theory of what it tried to do here (in Gaza by killing 1400 people mostly civilians) is summed up in a Hebrew phrase heard across Israel and throughout the military in the past weeks: 'baal habayit hishtageya' or 'the boss has lost it.' It evokes the image of a madman who cannot be controlled. “This phrase means that if our civilians are attacked by you, we are not going to respond in proportion but will use all means we have to cause you such damage that you will think twice in the future,' said Giora Eiland, a former national security adviser.
Source here
This is like Hitler appointing Eichman to look into operational lessons from Auchwitz. And yet, Mahmoud Abbas tells Zionist lobbyists in Washington in a cordial meeting that he recognizes Jewish rights to our land and puts Israeli security on the top of his agenda. Meanwhile decent people here at the local level confront Israeli soldiers daily (despite objections from the 'Palestinian Authority'). Yesterday confrontations and arrests happened in several towns. Here in the Bethlehem area, you can join us in Beit Jala every Sunday at 11:30 AM (Cremsan road). And decent people internationally are engaging in boycotts, divestments, and sanctions (critical tools to end this apartheid)
Take Action in the USA:
http://endtheoccupation.org/article.php?list=type&type=345
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10 June 2010
I was released from detention after investigation only with minor bruises, threats and warnings but both Israeli activists Shy and Yotam were brought in front of a judge on some false charges and judged to stay away from the wall for 30 days (last time for me it was 15 days) with hefty fines if they violate the order. I was honored to share a few hours with them in detention. The past two days have not been easy (videos below). Yesterday (Tuesday June 8th), we witnessed how the land of Al-Walaja was being destroyed. Abu Nidal watched as Israeli colonizers uprooted olive trees that his family has planted decades ago and trees donated by Europeans 8 years ago. After the devastation, activists were determined to do something and this morning some even chained themselves to a bulldozer. The 'Border police' are known for being ruthless and mean. In this case, there was also the added complication of the Israeli army deciding to put a unit headed by a Druze officer named Asa'ad that included a mix of Ashkenazim and Druze and a token black soldier. One of the Ashkenazi soldiers was particularly aggressive. The Druze soldiers appeared out of place. Some soldiers confided that they are merely forced to serve. But Captain Asa'ad was clearly in command and interested in action. He was busy ordering his soldiers to push us around, instructing them to not talk to us, telling them to arrest us etc. After Yotam was arrested for chaining himself to the bulldozer, we were pushed up the hill toward the paved village road past the old destroyed fig tree that Zakhariya used to sit under every day for decades. We had a sit-in for over an hour at the side of the street. Towards the end of it, it was clear that this commander had it in for us. At two times as I was trying to talk to him and his soldiers, he came to tell me that I would be arrested. As we finally ended our sit-in and were moving away from the soldiers, the commander called for me and took my ID card and told me I was being detained. As his soldier led me away, other activists rushed to talk to the soldiers including the commander. I was thus not surprised to see Shy also arrested even though he did not do anything other than trying to talk to the occupation soldiers about why they detained me. I was released without charges four hours later with a strong warning and threat from Asa'ad that he would shackle me, hurt me, 'and worse' if he caught me near the wall work areas again. Shy and Yotam were given a suspended sentence but they must stay away from the wall areas for 30 days. If you know any Druze, I urge you to write to them. It is a shame what they are doing serving in an army of occupation. But it is also a shame for any human being to serve in such a sadistic brutalizing colonization force.
Heartbreaking video of devastation Tuesday June 8th at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrbMP9hRNeo
And the action and arrests on Wednesday June 9th http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9rdBX0pvv0
And here is a report from Palestine monitor with great photos
http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article1442
This destruction is carried on while the US administration bribes Mahmoud Abbas with more millions in aid for more streets and government buildings and security forces to ensure we do not have any demonstrations against the occupation. This is done as the US shields Israel from International law and sends more arms shipments to Israel in violation of US law (which demands weapons not be used to violate human rights)
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/c/o/colindale/2010/06/explosive-document-that-needs.php
Israeli Murders, NATO and Afghanistan By Craig Murray
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article25596.htm
PLEASE ACT on the call from Palestinian Civil Society for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/710 and continue to write and demonstrate and increase the pressure on the supine media and politicians.
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6 June 2010
Israeli government refuses an International probe into its illegal piracy and massacre of Gaza humanitarian aid ships and �accidentally distributed a video mocking the humanitarian activists. The Israeli occupation forces admitted doctoring one audiotape from the Mavi Marmara ship. The lies are beginning to crumple with testimonies from survivors (see below). But we will not drop this case because it may yet prove to be the straw that breaks the back of International complicity. Today in Beit Jala, we had a mock coffin, a mock ship, Turkish and international flags and of course the obligatory Israeli tear gas and harassment. One Israeli peace activist, Roni Barkan, was arrested. We are dismayed that Palestinian security in coordination with Israeli security decided to prevent us from going to demonstrate from downtown Beit Jala (or to return to downtown) but we keep going from another location and we show Israeli war criminals that we care about the land and we care about the people of Gaza and we care about the victims of the massacre committed at sea Monday (see video of the event in Beit Jala at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4ClXZWokq0).
We also commemorate the aggression 43 years ago that expanded the occupied areas from 78% to 100% of historic Palestine. Thus for 43 years, we had one contiguous state of oppression and since then we have been working to transform this state from a fascist oppressive racist state to one of a democratic state for all its people. Yet, the trauma of the massacres committed before and after that pivotal date in June 1967 continue. From the massacres in the 1940s, 1950s, to the mass execution of prisoners of war in the Sinai desert by Israeli generals who became prime ministers (a war crime since forgiven by the puppet regime in Egypt), to the massacres in the 1970s, the 1980s (in Lebanon and Palestine) and on and on. Personally, I keep seeing friends, colleagues, and those who I identify with gunned down, murdered or injured without protection by a fascist regime that feels it can act with impunity because of US government support. Many good people are imprisoned and psychologically and/or physically tortured. I cry regularly for all victims, those I personally knew who were killed (e.g. Basem Abu Rahma), injured (e.g. Emily Henochowicz who lost her eye), unfairly imprisoned and mistreated (e.g. Lubna Masarwa) and those I did not know personally but who are kindred in spirit (e.g. 19 year old Turkish American Furkan Dagan who was gunned down on the freedom flotilla). It is really hard to express how one feels. Perhaps this peace by Alice Walker sums it up: �You will have no protection� http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11319.shtml
May they never be forgotten: Meet the victims of the Israeli massacre: names, pictures and brief biographies
And here are interviews and reports of the injured and kidnapped that contradict Israeli stories
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeUhwELoKWo
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2010/06/2010656545562651.html
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/features/they-came-from-the-villages-to-aid-the-orphans-1.294407
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNLhjCkiZ9k
(By the way, Israeli forces have stolen passports and belongings from dozens of activists)
Even in Israel within the green line, there were demonstrations against the massacres, this one in Tel Aviv drew 15-20,000 participants (and right-wing thugs tried to attack 86 year old Uri Avnery after the crowds dispersed) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsMjVp9IR-Y
and watch the Knesset fascists try to stop an Arab member of the Knesset from speaking and then attacking her (Haneen Zuabi has received many death threats and hundreds have signed onto a facebook page calling for her execution; so much for �democracy� in the racist apartheid state) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7OEzB1GgRs
ACTIONS: Protest at Israeli missions, Israeli government appearances, and write to media, and politicians to demand that Israel be held accountable and end the siege on Gaza. Call representative to Israel http://www.embassiesabroad.com/embassies-in/Israel
Call or send an email to US representatives
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/641/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3973
Call the White House: 1.202.456.1111, Department of State: 1.202.647.4000
Finally and most importantly, support the call from Palestinian Civil Society for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/710
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4 June 2010
Mass outrage in Turkey as they buried the victims of the Israeli massacre dominated the news in the Islamic world (see amazing video of the funeral at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa8XvaR6-ZA ) . A US citizen was among those murdered: Furkan Dogan, 19 year old, was shot multiple times at close range (http://www.salem-news.com/articles/june042010/amp-flotilla.php ). The 380 Turkish survivors were welcomed home as heroes. The same for their comrades, the Greek members of the freedom flotilla (In the last seconds, you can see American citizen Dr. Paul Larudee showing the signs of his beating from Israeli authorities http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC-BcEvD_1w).
In other news, a statement issued by hundreds of civil society organizations in the Arab World condemning the crime committed against the relief convoy and demanding the dismantling of the blockade on Gaza and the turnover of the Israeli`s war criminals to International Justice. The Rachel Corrie ship is on its way to Gaza and expected to arrive Saturday morning local time so stay tuned and keep up the pressure on the apartheid system (see for updates http://freedomforward.org ). Also we heard of a European Jewish ship planning to depart in July (details will be released just before the trip to avoid the Israeli sabotage). Money for three other ships for the second flotilla of ships (called Freedom Flotilla 2) has been raised. In other good news, the Klaxons and the Gorillaz Sound System have both canceled their performances in Israel this week, apparently due to Israel's deadly raid on the Gaza-bound humanitarian aid flotilla and the ensuing worldwide political fallout over the incident.
Video: The Palestinian idyllic village of Wad Rahhal, like all villages trapped between the wall and the Green line is in dire situation. The 2500 people of the village are 'unwanted' but their land is coveted by Israel (the apartheid Jewish state). The illegal colonial settlement of Efrat swallowed much of the native land and now the wall that is planned will swallow much more (again the Zionist mantra of maximum geography with minimum demography). Weekly demonstrations are now held. This is an example of the demonstrations. This one, like hundreds this week, was also to support the Gaza freedom flotilla and thank Turkey for its principled stance (hence Turkish flags were flown). ended peacefully. Last week, tear gas was thrown. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy8tqDl5mA8
Pictures of demonstrations in Bir Al-Saba� (Beersheba) Umm AlFahem and elsewhere within the green line and in other places about the act of piracy and war crimes committed against the flotilla of aid http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/show/
Political Correction: Lying About The Gaza Flotilla Disaster by MJ Rosenberg
http://politicalcorrection.org/fpmatters/201006020003
Israel foreign ministry fake pictures of weapons on the freedom flotilla (no wonder they refuse an independent investigation)
http://www.politicaltheatrics.net/2010/06/the-gaza-flotilla-how-israel%E2%80%99s-ministry-of-foreign-affairs-fakes-photos-of-seized-weapons/
What does Israel allow into the Gaza strip and what does it deny
http://www.economist.com/node/16264970
Also along the same vein: Israel bans books, music and clothes from entering Gaza , Amira Hass, Haaretz
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/amira-hass-israel-bans-books-music-and-clothes-from-entering-gaza-1.276147
Evergreen State college students voted overwhelmingly in support of divestments (this is the college where Rachel Corrie studied before she was murdered by Israeli apartheid)
http://usacbi.wordpress.com/2010/06/03/the-evergreen-state-college-passes-divestment-campaign/
The day the world became Gaza By Ali Abunimah
It is a cumulative process - each successive outrage has diminished the reserve of goodwill and forbearance Israel enjoyed. Even if most governments are not quite ready to go from words to effective actions, growing public outrage will eventually push them to impose official sanctions�.
http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2010/06/2010638557492628.html
The Flotilla in the Israeli Press by Ran HaCohen, June 02, 2010
Not many atrocities can be less controversial than Israel�s attack on the Turkish-based flotilla heading to Gaza yesterday. Like Somali pirates, Israel attacked the boats in international waters. Like the darkest regimes, Israeli forces opened fire on unarmed civilians who had not posed a threat to anybody, except to the siege that Israel (with Egyptian co-operation and U.S. backing) imposes on Gaza. Condemnation of what the Turkish prime minister rightly termed �an act of state terrorism� has been global, except for the shameful mumbling of the American government (but what can you expect from the complicit?).
http://original.antiwar.com/hacohen/2010/06/01/the-flotilla-in-the-israeli-press/
Seeking justice for Palestinians isn�t anti-Semitism
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/opinion/24855828-47/israel-jewish-anti-semitism-israeli.csp
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2 June 2010
The Israeli lies combined with media blackout on anything but their own version were apparently prepared long in advance of their planned massacre. Claiming they found weapons but all they could show is kitchen knives and construction tools (wrenches, water pipes etc). All cargo was listed on the ships� manifesto that the Israeli �intelligence� agencies could easily acquire and were freely available and meticulously documented by the organizers. The Israeli spin machine also claimed they were first trying to use non-lethal weapons including, and this is no joke, paint ball guns (funny that we did not see evidence of passengers with pained shirts but only blood soaked shirts). The respected media watch group FAIR detailed how some Western media (mis)reported of the attack on the humanitarian aid ships �Reporting Israeli Assault Through Israel's Eyes: Attack on humanitarian flotilla prompts little media skepticism� http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=4081
Reporters Without Borders urges the Israeli authorities to release a list of the journalists who were arrested during yesterday�s raid on the humanitarian flotilla and to say where they are being held. There were at least 15 foreign journalists traveling with the flotilla who still cannot be reached directly. These are the names of the journalists known to have been aboard the flotilla:
Some Western Media did a balanced job. Here is Democracy Now with excellent coverage
And while some western media dutifully reported Israeli government words of being sorry for the deaths and their verbal attack on the ships� passengers (calling them terrorists or terrorist sympathizers), no media reported on Israeli fascists celebrating the massacre in front of the Turkish embassy in Tel Aviv
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6a3_1275348204
And also a video at Ben Gurion University and other universities.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB9GYd3jq_E
(According to the person who sent this �It is important to mention that in principle all political activity on this campus is forbidden, and that leftist activists demonstrating outside of the campus during the war on Gaza last year were arrested. This demonstration was held with collaboration of the University authorities and contrary to these same authorities regulations.�)
Most abducted passengers will be released and deported but four have been brought before �judges� and will be tried by the apartheid state: Lubna Masarwa (Free Gaza Movement board director), Sheikh Raed Salah (leader of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel/1948 Palestine), Mohammed Zeidan (Director of International Advocacy Program for the Arab Association for Human Rights), and Hamed abu Dabis (human rights advocate from Lebanon). It is to try to scare others in the future. But the Rachel Corrie ship is already on its way to Gaza from Ireland in defiance of the Israeli terror tactics and plans for new fleets are already being implemented. Unfortunately, the US administration took the decision yet again to shield Israel from International law and make a mockery of the UN by refusing to demand a lifting of the siege (contrary to position of all other countries). So much for the change that those who voted for Obama had expected.
Survivors of the massacre who are released tell their stories
Sample Videos from demonstrations little reported in supine western media:
Bethlehem http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOnsBKZknrc
New York http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BMxw1LnT50
San Francisco http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-ijKBugff8
Gaza aid flotilla: Israeli sabotage suspected
Israel's military may have sabotaged two boats carrying Free Gaza activists after both malfunctioned at the same time in the same way prior to the raid
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/01/israel-gaza-flotilla-sabotage-suspected
The Elders group of past and present world leaders, including former South African president Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, on Monday condemned as �completely inexcusable� the deadly Israeli attack on a flotilla carrying aid for Gaza.
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/international/article442925.ece
Meanwhile the colonization activities in the occupied West Bank continue fast and furious. Bulldozers are tearing up the land all around us. Our friends at the Tent of Nations had demolition orders served for the few structures and renovated caves they maintain on the farm that also acts as a peace center (see http://www.tentofnations.org ). Our friends in Wad Rahhal are threatened with total eviction (if you are in Palestine, join us for a demonstration this Friday at 12:30 PM). The stories are endless in the land of apartheid. But resistance from brave souls continue (and our hearts and minds are with our friend Emily, a US visual art student who was targeted by the Israeli fascist forces and lost her left eye).
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1 June 2010
Of cowardice, dignity, and solidarity
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31 May 2010
Israeli criminal navy attacks humanitarian ships in International waters. Reports of 10-16 humanitarian activists killed and 50-60 injured. The Israeli army had tried to make the media maneuver of saying they would arrest and take the boats when they enter Gaza coastal waters and tow the boats to port in Asdod (renamed Ashdod after the occupation of 1948) and had prepared tens to house the arrestees at that southern port. Instead the Israeli army decided to execute a surprise maneuver and attack the boats at night and in the north near Cyprus in International waters and then board the boats and take them to the northern port of Haifa. In doing so they committed a massacre of unarmed civilians to add to the hundreds of massacres committed before but this time they have really gone way too far and alienated the international community with this horrendous crime.
Time to demonstrate everywhere and write to all you know and all you do not know (media, politicians etc). Organize your own event (in front of Israeli missions abroad, in front of government buildings, in public squares etc) or join any of the planned emergency demonstrations. In Bethlehem we gather at the Nativity Square and march to the apartheid wall at 2 PM.
Updates at http://witnessgaza.com/ and
http://www.freegaza.org/
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30 May 2010
I am convinced more than ever that the end of Israeli apartheid is close. No other system in the world today exists with this much social pathology and spiteful anger. It is lashing out without much logic. But while they try to fragment our society and finish us off, we still persist. The Haifa conference for the right of return and one democratic state was a resounding success despite the apartheid laws preventing us from visiting together in our own country (photos at http://www.bokra.net/Article.aspx?id=797968 ). From both Gaza and Beit Sahour, we had a direct line via the internet when the apartheid laws forbade us. We heard the great speeches and participated in our own discussions as to how to advance the ideas of a one state as the only viable, logical, and just solution. On Friday, nearly 150 women from thr Galilee, Jerusalem, and other parts of the West Bank came together for a tour of the wall and threatened areas in Bethlehem district. THat evening, we also held group prayer at the wall area in Bethlehem called for by the World Council of Churches (http://www.oikoumene.org/en/events-sections/wwppi.html ). Internationals and Palestinians joined together. Now the freedom flotilla is on its way to Gaza carrying 800 brave souls of various nationalities and backgrounds and tons of humanitarian supplies. Israel sabotage agencies (Mossad) and criminal Navy have tried before and are trying everything to destroy this mission. They, and unfortunately some collaborative Palestinian and International elites, are panicking about all these initiatives and activities. But the powers-to-be has already lost and will lose some more as they always overreact giving more publicity to their intransigence. Millions of people are finding the truth.
Please stay tuned to what is happening with the Gaza flotilla by going to http://witnessgaza.com/ , reading the articles below, and most importantly by writing to politicians, media, and other decision makers in your country demanding they pressure the apartheid regime in Tel Aviv to let thiose humanitarian ships through and to end its siege. That Israeli authorities (and unfortunately some collaborative Palestinians) are panicking about all these growing initiatives and activities.
A sane voice from Israel: Gaza flotilla drives Israel into a sea of stupidity by Gideon Levy
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/gaza-flotilla-drives-israel-into-a-sea-of-stupidity-1.292959
Videos on Gaza flotilla
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRR07UxQAys
Israel Does Not Target the Palestinian Civilians http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8tQJAhILm8
meet the Palestinian Terrorists of Gaza http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuOMiseGCfs
Action: Friday, June 4th, 12:30 PM, Convoy and rally near Herbata village, next to the Apartheid Road 443 to say enough to occupation, expulsion, expropriation and yes to liberation and independence
In good news, the largest German bank divests from an Apartheid company. "Following pressure from critics, Germany�s largest bank has divested from the Israeli firm that supplies technology for the West Bank security fence. Deutsche Bank CEO Josef Ackermann announced at Thursday�s shareholder meeting in Frankfurt that the firm had sold all its shares in Elbit Systems, a major Israeli defense company. The company declined to cite a reason for divesting from Elbit, whose stock value has fallen some 30 percent this year."
And a Teaneck man harassed by someone who supported settlers settles for apology and chance to educate
http://mondoweiss.net/2010/05/teaneck-harassment-case-ends-with-apology-forgiveness.html#more-19072
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26 May 2010
Invitation: The Alternative Information Center and the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People invite you to attend two events in Beit Sahour happening in parallel to the Haifa conference on the Right of Return and One Secular Democratic State (http://www.ror1state.org/awda/ ). Location of both events at the Alternative Information Center, downtown Beit Sahour.
Friday May 28 at 7 PM a link-in to the Haifa conference which features Ghada Karmi, Ilan Pappe, Muhammad Kana�ane and a speaker from the 67 occupied territories and Special greetings from guest delegations from five continents
Saturday 29 May, at 7:30 PM at the AIC caf�, Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh and Nassar Ibrahim will present some ideas and lead a discussion panel on the issues of ROR and One Democratic State.
Action: Take action to stop threatened military action against Gaza freedom flotilla (ships bringing aid to Gaza). Also in the US, need to pressure the media which is engaged in a shameful blackout on this critical story. Go to New York City or Washington DC if you are in the vicinity Thursday, MAY 27:
5 PM-7:30 PM on 42nd Street and 2nd Avenue, New York
4:00 - 6:00 PM Israeli Embassy, 3514 International Drive Northwest, Washington, DC 20008
More actions here:
http://gazafreedommarch.org/cms/en/flotilla.aspx
http://witnessgaza.com/
http://www.freegaza.org/
Israel's Most Illicit Affair: A new book reveals that Israel�s secret relationship with apartheid South Africa went far deeper than previously understood. Now comes Sasha Polakow-Suransky, who is an editor at Foreign Affairs magazine, a Rhodes scholar, and an American Jew whose parents emigrated to the United States from South Africa. His singular achievement in his new book, The Unspoken Alliance: Israel's Secret Relationship with Apartheid South Africa scheduled for publication on May 25, is to have unearthed more than 7,000 pages of heretofore secret documents from the bowels of South Africa's Defense Ministry, Foreign Ministry, and Armscor, the state defense contractor, including the secret 1975 military cooperation agreement signed by defense ministers Shimon Peres and P.W. Botha. http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/05/24/israels_most_illicit_affair
Never-ending checkpoint frustration By Rana Qumsiyeh
http://meero.worldvision.org/news_article.php?newsID=2056&countryID=15
The PA's disingenuous boycott campaign By Ali Abunimah, The Electronic Intifada, 25 May 2010
In recent weeks, the US- and Israeli-backed Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority (PA) has made a show of calling on Palestinians to boycott goods manufactured in Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Despite the rhetoric of defiance and resistance, and exaggerated screams of anguish from Israeli settler groups, the PA effort actually appears designed to co-opt, undermine and abort the much broader Palestinian civil society campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS), and to reassure Israel of the continued docility and collaboration of its puppet regime in Ramallah. http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11286.shtml
Mahmoud Abbas in defense of the boycott of settlement products but not a total boycott of Apartheid Israel: "I boycott someone who is occupying my land, this is not incitement. I would like to tell critics of the boycott that I will not incite against the state of Israel, neither will I demand a boycott of the state of Israel"
Activists protest Israeli ambassador of apartheid at Brandeis University. Photos
http://picasaweb.google.com/bdsbostonma/MichaelOrenSpeaksAtBrandeisCommencement#5474865268350238690
Revealed: how Israel offered to sell South Africa nuclear weapons
Secret South African documents reveal that Israel offered to sell nuclear warheads to the apartheid regime, providing the first official documentary evidence of the state's possession of nuclear weapons
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/23/israel-south-africa-nuclear-weapons
Israel's nuclear capabilities - 25 Oct 09 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxim7cx39bc
Truly disturbing video about the Mexican gulf oil spill: requiem for the gulf http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOkPGnaXsg8
=================
24 May 2010
We had a demonstration in Al-Walaja on Sunday morning (23 May 2010) which went smoothly. At 11:30 we went to Beit Jala for the weekly demonstration. Palestinian Security Forces detained children ahead of the demonstration. Then we demonstrated at the site below with mostly internationals and Israelis. Israelis are arrested blocking bulldozers. One reporter is taken via ambulance having fainted from the gas. Later some young Palestinians join the demonstration higher up the hill. After some tear gas shooting from the Israelis in area C, Palestinian security (apparently in coordination with Israeli security) beat s some youth (although these were not the two young men who threw stones earlier). Security forces also threatened organizers. Previously some activists in Al-Walaja where also called for Palestinian security interrogation. Amazing footage here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkqImIicAko
The attacks from the Israeli soldiers at the peaceful demonstration in Al-Masara 21 May 2010 (here no Palestinian security are allowed in the area)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJvQM7VRbvk
In bad news, Israel is still detaining and imprisoning political activists and denying them due process. Even Moredechai Vanunu who served 18 years in Israeli jails for exposing Israel�s nuclear weapons capability is now back in jail for three months for talking to media!.
In good news �Following lobbying efforts by the Italian Coalition Against Carmel-Agrexco, two major Italian supermarket chains, COOP and Nordiconad, announced the suspension of sales of products from Agrexco, the principal exporter of produce from Israel and the illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.� (over 6,200,000 members and annual revenue of �11.8 billion). And the world is holding its breath as a flotilla of ships with lots of supplied an hundreds of decent people try to break the siege on Gaza again. See and support: http://www.freegaza.org http://www.flickr.com/photos/freegaza
ACTION: Right of Return and One Secular Democratic State event in Bethlehem area to parallel with the Haifa conference (http://www.ror1state.org/awda/ ): In conjunction with this weekend�s Haifa conference regarding right of return and a one state solution, a two-day parallel event will be held in the Bethlehem area, May 28th and 29th. The event, to be held at the Alternative Information Center in Beit Sahour, will feature a Friday evening link-in to the Haifa conference. A panel discussion is scheduled for Saturday (More details to be sent to those interested). Overnight accommodations are available. For information, contact Mazin@Qumsiyeh.org
Twilight Zone on Capitol hill (or should I say Israeli occupied Congress of the US). Watch this groveling to AIPAC as US $205 million is given to the apartheid state
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqrKY2pPPIc
==============
18 May 2010
In this digest: a) Videos about the ongoing popular resistance including in Nabi Saleh, Sheikh Jarrah, Beit Jala, Italy etc. b) Four actions you can take for this week including support for the Free Gaza movement, c) several analytical articles that sheds light on what is going on in the land of apartheid including a critical article by Azmi Bishara on Salam Fayyad�s plans for a Palestinian statelet.
Videos about popular resistance
At Bil'in conference, political leaders from all major Palestinian parties (Fateh, Hamas etc) endorse grassroots popular struggle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffx3nOekiJU
Video of Excellent boycott action in Italy: BDS Action - alla fiera del Farmaco e dei cosmetici TEVA, LOr�al http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTaHfDBoDkQ
Nabi Saleh Protests 14 May 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL3MOCi5JRU
Background Description at http://www.bilin-ffj.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=270&Itemid=1
Arrests in Sheikh Jarrah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY5-HdQKqok
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0-th3P1rpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHEmt75Zp8c
An Irishman films popular resistance and reality in Palestine
In Nabi Saleh http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=planxtysumoud#p/u/0/OL3MOCi5JRU
in Sheikh Jarrah http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=planxtysumoud#p/u/8/mlfFPtCUd-M
in Beit Jala http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=planxtysumoud#p/u/6/xrDo5l9prlo
and in Hebron old city which is already a partial ghost town because of 600 racist colonial Settlers protected by an occupation army of thousands in a Palestinain city of 170,000 Palestinians http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=planxtysumoud#p/u/7/G_OERo9UGPU
Actions
1) Support the World Education Forum in Palestine http://www.wef-palestine.org
2) Support the Free Gaza movement that is taking a flotilla of ships . See http://www.freegaza.org/ and the inspiring clip of the launch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkNmwohwSeE
3) Support United against Israeli apartheid and colonialism: The Second Haifa Conference for the Return of the Palestinian Refugees and for the Democratic Secular State in Historic Palestine 28-30 May 2010 http://www.ror1state.org/awda/
4) Support US Jews confronting racism and Israeli apartheid http://www.jewsconfrontapartheid.org/
Important articles
Nurit Peled-Elhanan: I will mourn on Nakba Day
http://www.israeli-occupation.org/2010-03-18/nurit-peled-elhanan-i-will-mourn-on-nakba-day/
Victory for BDS: Elvis Costello cancels appearances in the apartheid state
http://www.elviscostello.com/news/it-is-after-considerable-contemplation/44
USAID funding Israel's apartheid road construction, by Jonathan Cook, The Electronic Intifada, http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11267.shtml
Protests of apartheid work: Israeli foreign ministry �considering stopping lectures in US and UK because of heckling�
http://coteret.com/2010/05/06/maariv-foreign-ministry-considering-stopping-lectures-in-us-and-uk-because-of-heckling/
Shifting sands, a book by Jewish women confronting colonial occupation http://www.shiftingsands-book.com/
�We want to live': Salam Fayyad's plans for Palestine and the Palestinians are nought but a contrived folk festival where the occupied bow to their oppressors, writes Azmi Bishara http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2010/998/op3.htm
=======================
14 May 2010
In this digest: The meaning of Nakba and the right of return, video of events in Bethlehem area including our Nakba commemoration in Al-Maasara , review of popular actions this week including in Sheikh Jarrah, Bil�in etc
Today is the day we actually commemorate Nakba Day, 14 May 1948, the date the state of Israel was declared. However, it is not the beginning of our Nakba (catastrophe) nor its end. Over 200 villages were ethnically cleansed in the six months before 14 May 1948. This simple fact illustrate that it is not the founding of the militarized state of Israel that began the Nakba but that it was a pivotal moment in it. After that date, the wave of ethnic cleansing was being done in a name of a nation-state established by and for Jews from Europe and not just the terrorist underground Jewish militias. The ethnic cleansing accompanying the foundation of this apartheid Jewish state and its maintenance meant the destruction of 530 villages and towns and meant that in the past 9 years alone over 10,000 homes were destroyed in the West Bank (including occupied Jerusalem), Gaza, and the Negev.
Today 7 million of the 11 million Palestinians around the world are refugees or displaced people. The Israeli population according to the Israeli central bureau of statistics is 7,510,000 of which 5,984,500 are �Jews and others� (presumably the others are Druze, Russian non-Jews, and similar categories) and 1,525,500 Palestinian Arabs (1). The population of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza is 4 million allowed to live on areas A & B, small parts of the 22% of Palestine occupied since 1967 (2). The total area allowed for Palestinian use is 2.5% of the area of pre-1967 Israel (3) plus areas A & B of the West Bank . In total this comes to 2.5% of 78% and 29% of the 22% that is the West Bank and Gaza (4). The total geographic access to all remaining Palestinians(5.525 million) is thus 1.95%+6.38%=8.33% while the Jewish and other population (Zionist preferred) consists of 5.5 million with access to the remaining lands comprising 91.67% of historic Palestine. What this means is that the Jewish population (most of it new immigrants) has access to about 9 times more land per person than the remaining native Palestinians. If we add the Palestinian refugees outside the country (total Palestinian population per PCBS is 10.9 million), the disparity only gets more pronounced. When you consider that before the foundation of the state of Israel in 1948, 93% of the land was used by Palestinian natives and now only 8.3%, you can see the colossal level of land theft.
Endless negotiations are ongoing between increasingly fascist Israeli governments and a gutted Palestinian political echelon. While different factions have agreed to reconstitute the Palestine Liberation Organization weakened and fractured for the past two decades, this has yet to happen. IOt is no wonder that in these two decades of negotiations, Israel (supported by an occupied Washington) has dictated terms and they include focus on security to the colonizers (in other words accepting the theft of the land) and shredding of International law. It is clear that International law supports the right of refugees and their descendents to return to their homes and lands. Israel had to accept UN General Assembly Resolution 194 in order to be allowed entry into the UN. But most of its key provisions remain violated by this rogue state:
Resolves that the Holy Places - including Nazareth - religious buildings and sites in Palestine should be protected and free access to them assured, in accordance with existing rights and historical practice�.
Resolves that the refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible;
Video: Palestine/Israel History since 1878, A short documentary that shows how Israel was made over Palestinian bodies and the occupation's early days massacres. http://blip.tv/file/3467330
In many events of popular resistance today around Palestine, Palestinains and their supporters recognized the historical continuity between land theft, racism, and ethnic cleansing that happened in 1948 and that happening today. In Sheikh Jarrah today, hundreds of protesters including Israelis with Rabbis for human rights congregated and protested the evictions of Palestinians from occupied Jerusalem. The occupation forces dragged many away and arrested others (see video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwEubxCsnGc ).
The popular committee reported from Bil�in that �Representatives from the Fatah, Hamas, and PFLP movements, along with members of the Popular Committee Against the Wall, marched carrying a giant key to represent the rightful return of the refugees. The demonstration was visited by Handala, the Palestinian symbol who was created to represent the children who left their homelands and were forced to settle in refugee camps. Demonstrators processed to the site of the Wall and endured large amounts of tear gas as Israeli soldiers tried to force them to retreat. A Palestinian TV journalist was arrested when the soldiers crossed the fence. The fields around the Wall quickly caught fire due to the high afternoon heat and the tear gas canisters, and demonstrators tried to extinguish the flames with olive branches. ..�
In Al-Ma�sara, we gathered and heard speeches from the minister of culture, listened to music from Palestinian artist Reem Al-Banna, heard poets, and enjoyed dabka. In the background three tents representing three villages from over 530 destroyed towns and villages were depicted. In the distance, the Mediterranean was visible (but off-limits to us). The local popular committee had a brilliant event in support of the right of return even though the Israeli army had invaded the village the night before and threatened organizers Mohammed and Hasan Breijiya and others. We did a video also includes last week in Al-Ma�sara and interview with Daoud Nassar of the Tent of Nations (http://www.tentofnations.org/). The video is posted here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ezoe_k5FgY
What had happened here in the past 62 years was not what was originally planned by the Zionists, a relatively pure Jewish state with few or no natives left. What is the case today is that despite all the Zionist migrations and colonial activity, we remain here. It is a scrambled egg to be sure: Jewish colonies dominate with 5.5 million Palestinians remaining in ghettos totaling 8.3% of the land. But this egg cannot be unscrambled into a �two-state solution.� The more people realize this, the more will join us in the same kind of struggle carried for nearly 120 years in South Africa. It is a struggle for justice and for human rights supported by International law. It is a struggle against racism. It is long past time for refugees to return.
References
1) http://www.cbs.gov.il/www/yarhon/b1_e.htm
2) http://www.palestine-pmc.com/details.asp?cat=3&id=1746
3) see http://www.indypendent.org/2007/12/09/israeli-democracy-arabs-need-not-apply/
4) http://www.poica.org/pal-in-a-century/pal-in-century.php
=================
12 May 2010
In this digest: Resumption of indirect negotiations a waste of time, video of protest in Nabi Saleh, John Greyson calls on Elton John to cancel appearance in Tel Aviv, Obama�s wrong appointment to the Supreme Court, proposal for an commemoration of Iraq Genocide, how an Israeli general tried to cover-up the murder of Rachel Corrie, and two Nakba articles.
"Every prophet has realized that nobody loves you for being the enemy of their illusions. Every prophet has realized that most of us want peace at any price as long as the peace is ours and somebody else pays the price. That is why the prophet Jeremiah said, " 'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace" �William Sloane Coffin "Not to Bring Peace, But a Sword"
The indirect negotiations between the most rightist fascist government in Israel�s history and the weakest, most divided and most unrepresentative Palestinian leadership in history have started. Their chance of �success� is near zero. And in this case success is giving us another Oslo like arrangement to manage the conflict (as Israel always aimed for) rather than address the injustice of occupation and colonization and reach a win-win situation for the people of the region. Repackaging occupation and colonization in the terminology of a �two state solution� will be attempted once again. Meanwhile, Israeli authorities delivered a fresh wave of orders for home demolitions including here in my town of Beit Sahour. I believe it is not worth paying attention to political machinations and concentrate instead on intensifying our struggle for example on the ground with popular resistance and internationally with boycotts, divestments, and sanctions (bdsmovement.net).
Video of Protest by Nabi Saleh last Friday: notice how the soldiers did not let the protest proceed peacefully and immediately attacked it with tear gas which prompted stone throwing and escalation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFnaTMLrXSU
Palestinian civil society has called on Elton John to respect their boycott call and cancel his June 17th concert in Tel Aviv. If he does so, he'll be joining Santana and Gil-Scott Heron, who recently cancelled their spring concerts in Israel. This video from Canadian filmmaker John Greyson suggests six reasons why Elton should join the BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) movement. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HSClZbhB5g
Barack Obama�s nomination to the Supreme Court of Elena Kagan, like his selection of Zionist racist Rahm Emanuel to be his chief of staff proves yet again that he is no progressive. Kagan was appointed dean at Harvard by her mentor Larry Summers, another unabashed Zionist who equated Israeli criticism with anti-Semitism and is now also in Obama�s inner circle. Kagan had called Aharon Barak �my judicial hero. He is the judge who has best advanced democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and justice.� And who is her hero? Please read more about him in this brilliant article: �The Legacy of Justice Aharon Barak: A Critical Review� by Nimer Sultany http://www.harvardilj.org/online/113
See also: U.S. Jews 'proud' of Obama Supreme Court nominee
http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/u-s-jews-proud-of-obama-supreme-court-nominee-1.289494
When confirmed, there will be three Jewish Zionists and three right-wing Christian Zionists on the Supreme court (total two-thirds) when the US public is mostly opposed to unfettered bias and support to Israeli policies of destruction and discrimination. Kagan said she loved the Federalist Society and supported holding people without trial. The center for constitutional rights and other groups in the US voiced concern about nominating someone who supports the premises and unconstitutional actions accompanying the misnamed �war on terror�. But then again it fits the agenda of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians to advance fictions and notions associated with an endless war on terror.
From my friend Stanley Heller comes a rational proposal: Mark May 12 as Iraq Genocide Memorial Day
http://www.counterpunch.org/heller05102010.html
http://www.newhavenregister.com/articles/2010/05/09/opinion/doc4be4df9f99932692991250.txt
General 'Tried to Cover Up Truth About Death of Rachel Corrie'
Israeli war hero accused of suppressing testimony that could reveal what really happened to Gaza activist
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/05/07-1
Two relevant articles as we commemorate the Nakba (the ethnic cleansing of Palestine):
A Tale of Lies, Deceit, and Terrorism: the Birth of Israel by William A. Cook
http://mwcnews.net/focus/editorial/2424-william-a-cook.html
The Ongoing Erasure of Palestine By Naseer Aruri
http://www.zcommunications.org/the-ongoing-erasure-of-palestine-by-naseer-aruri
=======================
8 May 2010
A poll reveals that a majority of Israeli's are willing to see the banning of human rights organization in the �Jewish state� and a bill was introduced in the Knesset to outlaw any Israeli human rights organization which exposes Israeli war crimes. Yesterday, one peaceful protester hurt and 6 detained in Bilin weekly protest against the apartheid wall (itself declared a war crime in violation of the 4th Geneva convention). Those arrested include our friends Ashraf Abu Rahma (28, who was videotaped at another event as he was blindfolded and shot, brother of martyr Bassem killed at peaceful protest), Abed Al-Fattah Burnat (Committee member, 53), Haitham Al-Khatib (34, Photographer), Roy Vackner, and Uri Baytman (Israelis), and a 27 year old US citizen Stormy. And Israeli secret agents arrested a Palestinian leader in Haifa (head of Ittijah organization, Ameer Makhoul) on secret evidence and puts a gag order on the media. And the Israeli government will �legalize� outposts in the West Bank (that is how most of settlements came to get Israeli government recognition even if they are illegal per International law). And settlers continue to harass Palestinians. Thus, we descend further into fascism in this apartheid racist state even as the Israeli propaganda machine still babbles about �the only democracy in the Middle East�. But the demonstrations yesterday in Bil�in, Ni�lin, and elsewhere went on successfully. In Al-Ma�sara demonstration, something unusual happened. As always, village people walked towards their lands and the soldiers blocked the road with razor wire and armed jeeps. But after a while and some negotiations, the officers allowed the marchers to march along the main road to their lands. Something new happens here every day.
Better and shorter videos of our arrests in Al-Walaja
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEFwlD4ToF8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfglnJeNUUk
and pictures of popular resistance including in Al-Walaja
http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills
Israeli military shoot dead a Gaza farmer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSECq3kxT4I
and attack fishermen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAUzugKX1AE&feature=related
Inspiring event showing how isolated Israel is becoming (except by spineless government officials who need to be challenged). Activists disrupt �Israel Technology� event at Boston Museum of Science (a propaganda effort). Report on event here http://boston.indymedia.org/feature/display/210522/index.php
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPLhtRA45Ac
ACTION: We need to act in a last push to stop Israel�s accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development . Read this OECD Bends Rules for Israel http://www.agenceglobal.com/Article.asp?Id=2317
Then act here http://holdisraelaccountable.net/
ACTION: Join Palestinians in peaceful expressionand commemoration of Nakba in Washington DC, Saturday May 15th, 2010 3:30 � 6:00 PM. The boat leaves at 4:00 PM, we will start meeting at 3:30 PM. Washington Harbour, 3000 Mass Ave., NW. at the bottom of 31st St in Georgetown. Additional Information: The boat ride is 1 hour, we will regroup afterwards around our digital billboard truck that will be displaying documentary video and pictures of the Nakba 1948 and the continued ethnic
cleansing of Palestinians today. Bring posters that read: Free Palestine, End the Occupation, Nakba...62 years is enough, Stop U.S. tax Dollars to Israel, End the siege of Gaza. Please do not deviate from this theme. If you have a boat, please join our flotilla on the Potomac. If you do not wish to ride the boat, we need supporters cheering the boat from the Key Bridge; we also need photographers and videographers to document this event and help us submit a video to the Gaza Freedom March Nakba competition. The first prize will be $100 donated to the Free Gaza Flotilla. This is a Family Friendly Event, bring your children for a beautiful ride on the Potomac. We'll be singing songs from the 60's. Sponsored by: Washington Peace Center, Gaza Freedom March, Free Gaza Movement, US Campaign To End The Occupation. RSVP and more info: dkennedy@freegaza.org, noraburgan@aol.com
=================
6 May 2010
Former Yale professor among 4 detained in Walaja
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=282201
Thank you to all who inquired, made phone calls, and had us in his/her thoughts and prayers while we were arrested. This youtube shows our arrest as we blocked bulldozers in Al-Walaja Thursday 6 May 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bknk8DEjO0
And below is description of what happened to us.
Our ten hour ordeal with the occupation forces started at 8:30 AM as we gathered in the small village of Al-Wallaja. A tiny store with an elderly women who insisted on making me coffee and not charging me. Idyllic setting except for the heavy bulldozers now carving the hills to separate the remaining people from their lands via an apartheid wall that is planned to completely ring the village. This village that already lost much of its lands is in the unfortunate position of being near the Green line sitting on rich agricultural lands and the Israelis want the land but do not want the people that come with the land. Israeli military has already demolished homes in eth village (most were rebuilt) and fined others for building without permits (which are not issued in this village). The heroic villagers inspired so many including Internationals and Israelis to join them in their popular resistance. Earlier, I shared with you many videos of the actions. Today�s even started as we came through the woods and sat in front of the bulldozer.
As the soldiers gathered their forces around us, you could feel the soldiers preparing themselves for attack. We remained calm and peaceful. They dragged us one by one forcefully from the bulldozed lands. They picked the four of us for arrest for no obvious reason. George from Canada, me from Beit Sahour, and two brothers from Al-Walaja (Dia� and Nafez). They were particularly brutal with the two brothers using pepper spray repeatedly, hits with clubs (twice), and once with the rifle butt especially on Dia�. Dia� could not see for a long time. They took us down the hill with full military escort and demanded our ID cards on the way (I and Nafez had them, Dia� and George did not carry them). At the bottom of the hill sits a checkpoint for cars (mostly settlers) crossing into Jerusalem (from the illegal settlements of Har Gilo, Gilo, and Gush Etzion complex of settlements). There we were told to sit and wait as two private security guards were brought to supplement the four soldiers guarding us. Half an hour, an hour, two hours passed by. We spend time talking to soldiers explaining why they are wrong to punish people trying to defend their lands. I finally asked to go to the bathroom. They refused. I insisted and finally they escorted me to an outhouse (portable type). Other followed. Time passed. Officers came and said for us to sign a paper claiming all it said was that in our detention we were not beaten or mistreated. We refuse to sign. Finally, they receive the green light to arrest us officially so we are driven through Jerusalem and on to the investigation offices near Qubbit Raheel (Rachel�s tomb). Along the way, Dia�a nd Nafez comment that this is unusual for them to enter Jerusalem (forbidden to them since the Oslo accords). Al-Walaja is in the area of the area that they consider Israeli territory (the Gush Etzion complex of colonial settlements). Al-Walaja sits even partially on land annexed to Jerusalem, yet its residents are given Greed ID cards like me meaning West Bank Palestinians not allowed into Jerusalem.
We arrive at our destination and are locked up in a metal container. Two more hours pass by. Only some time soldiers come in and we talk to them. In all three we talk to three Arab soldiers including Marzouq and Madi (I nicknamed them M&M of the Israeli occupation army), three Ashkenazis, one Sephardic women who never smiled and seemed out of place, and one Ethiopian. Some are cold and distant, others argumentative but not knowing much, and yet others slightly more open and listen to what we had to tell them. I was proud of the Al-Walaja brothers using calm logic to explain: what would you do if some came and uprooted trees that your grandparents planted for you? How would you react if your source of life and livelihood is taken? But most of the nearly 40 soldiers and police officers we encountered along the way only uttered few words of orders and refused to engage with us. To them it seemed like a routine job. As they hauled us from one place to another, they would be chatting or texting on their mobile phones or joking with each other about things (I really have to take Hebrew classes).
The �investigator� finally arrives. We are finally allowed to make the call to a lawyer. The lawyer advises and we follow his advise. Each individually is taken to see the investigator. We are asked to sign other papers and again we refuse (in Hebrew). They force us to put our thumb on a separate form that merely has our names, ID numbers etc on it. Handcuffs are added and mobile phones are taken from us. As each one is returned to the container, we brief each other. We wait. The handcuffs are hurting. I notice it says on mine �Hiatt-Made in England�. I think to myself this whole mess was made in England (Balfour declaration and all that). An hour later, we are told they will take us to court and that each of us is to call a relative or friend to bring NIS 2500 (about $750) to the court in Jerusalem to use as bail. The phones are returned to us to make the calls. We are then ordered to get on the van to go (we presume to court). But then they change their minds. We don�t know what is going on. We are told not to use the mobile phones but we do when we are alone. My family manages to gather the money and as my wife is on the way nearly an hour later, the lawyer sends a message that we need to wait as they are negotiating with the judge. Yet another hour. We are then ordered on the van. They take us to Talpiot police station where they fingerprint and photograph us. Dragged like criminals with handcuffs in this now rich neighborhood. Old Jewish woman stares at me on the way out and I wish I am allowed to speak to her to tell her our stories. On the way in the back of the van, I tell the fellow inmates that this was an Arab neighborhood before the ethnic cleansing of 1948. Many Arab houses still stand taken over and converted into everything from residential villas to bars. We go back to the container holding pen. The handcuffs still hurting.
It was now nearly 5:30 and we were starving (no food and many of us have left home without breakfast and held since about 9 AM). We had asked for food on occasions. Finally they bring us some bread, each a slice of cheese and a small packets of jam (I guess because we have been in handcuffs for four hours at least and that is formal arrest). We devour it quickly and wonder whether this is a sign of us staying longer or that we would be released soon. Another half an hour and we are dragged (this time together) in front of a new investigator who asked us to sign a release form that says that we are told to stay away from the wall (yes it says the wall on official Israeli documents) for 15 days and if we don�t we will be have to pay each NIS5000 (about $1200). A friend from Al-Walaja was kind enough to come and cosign to ensure that we will follow the stated orders.
George�s situation was not clear. They insisted on seeing his passport. A friend finally brought it after George was threatened with immediate deportation if he did not get the passport. The lawyer andus tried to persuade them to let him go. They asked me to translate for him at first that he must reappear at the same place Sunday and we thought they were releasing him with us. But alas, it was not to be. I hope he will not be deported anyway (their words are always not to be trusted).
The three of us were released but the soldiers did not give us our ID cards. In our jubilation at being released, we also had forgotten to ask about them (they had them for the 10 hour ordeal). So I came back with my wife and she was allowed into the checkpoint and an hour later, I had the ID cards. We had visitors from Jenin staying overnight with us and I was supposed to work with my technologist at the University today. But here I am way past midnight still writing this note and uploading a video. Tomorrow (Friday) there will be a demonstration in Al-Masara and the lettuce festival in Artas and other work to do. Life goes on in the land of Apartheid. La luta continua. Stay tuned.
PS Here is a video of me from last week in the same village of Al-Walaja explaining to soldiers a bit of the reality. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGQYz9vz8V8
=====================
5 May
Opinion piece: The savior in each of us
============
29 April 2010
There were many BDS victories recently and it is hard to keep up. But a notable acceleration of the cultural boycott is inevitable now that both Gil Scott Heron and Carlos Santana have canceled their appearances in Israel. The deputy of the Israeli ambassador in London was also reminded of the state�s apartheid policies and had to escape from the challenge with help of British police agents. Hundreds of such inspiring actions occur every day thanks to hundreds of thousands of people who act (silence is complicity and action is an antidote to despair).
More videos of the great action of resistance in the village of Al-Walaja where Palestinians and internationals stopped army bulldozers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaF33HVqDpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET--OhJTdC4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOfSeEjbJ8Y
And here is me explaining to Israeli Occupation Forces in Al-Walaja why their actions represent war crimes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGQYz9vz8V8
Video: Israeli soldiers firing on peaceful protesters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LPHHl0KMb4
and here killing Ahmed Dib in popular nonviolent demonstration in Gaza
http://blip.tv/file/3548946
Palestinian university students commit to sweeping boycotts http://maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=280198
But lest we think Palestinians do well only at popular resistance to their colonizers, here are three inspiring Palestinian stories out of millions:
1)Four brothers find success in besieged Gaza
http://www.truthout.org/four-brothers-find-success-amid-rubble-war58894
2) Palestinian girls invent seeing walking stick for the blind http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/04/27/92992/palestinian-girls-invent-seeing.html
3) Palestinians in car designer receives praise for innovation
http://earth2tech.com/2010/04/13/saba-motors-what-dell-can-teach-us-about-building-electric-cars/?utm_source=earth2tech&utm_medium=navigation
http://www.examiner.com/x-7226-Electric-Car-Examiner~y2010m4d21-Long-Beach-Grand-Prix-cars-cars-and-some-electrics
But we still have to work on our divisions/divided society and be proud of our accomplishments historically and do more....
===========
27 April 2010
A sign from Gaza: �Dear Europe, Sorry about that cloud of ash over your heads and that you can�t travel anywhere. We feel just the same. Sincerely, Gaza�
In news, Israeli soldiers were �reprimanded� for cold-blooded murder of 4 young Palestinians. I guess they would have been jailed for a few days if they first tortured the Palestinians before shooting them. And the repression continues but also the heroic action of a few dedicated, decent souls to resist.
Inspiring Sights and sounds from Al-Walaja (blocking bulldozers)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er1vAJObtzM
and Beit Ummar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKfJ1mlI7FE
Silwan, Al-Walaja, Beit Jala actions
http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/show/
Action needed in the next 24 hours: After the success with divestment resolution passed at University of New Hampshire, we need to support divestment resolutions at UC San Diego (and UC Berkely) http://www.ucsddivestforpeace.org/ AND http://www.caldivestfromapartheid.com/
Please sign a petition here in support of the new UC San Diego bill:
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/sddivest/petition.html
Please send your letters of support to UCSD's student senators, contact info here: http://as.ucsd.edu/council/roster.php?class=council
Action: Support the Free Gaza ship flotilla bringing needed aid to Gaza http://www.youtube.com/gazafriends#p/a/u/0/yz-LYXV6_t0
Join us: Conference �Sumud and the Wall conference, Bethlehem University�, Furno Hall, Friday April 30: 9:00 � 18:00 and Saturday May 1: 9:00 � 18:00. Simultaneous translation English-Arabic
An academic conference with 17 lectures organized around the following themes:
1. The Wall, space and violence, 2. Life near the Wall, 3. Activism and Sumud practices, 4. Towards Wall Studies. Program posted at: http://www.aeicenter.org/aei/archives/Activities/Sumud_and_the_Wall_conference_program2010.htm Registration: On site at the registration table near the Furno Hall.
Fee: none, except for lunch costs. Please send us an email in advance whether you share the lunch.
Organization: Oxford Brookes University (UK), Paris-Est University (France) and the Arab Educational Institute (AEI-Open Windows, Bethlehem), in cooperation with Al-Quds Open University, Bethlehem University (Department of Humanities) and Utrecht University (Center for Conflict Studies) as academic partners. The Arab Educational Institute is locally responsible for coordination. Information: info@aeicenter.org / 02-2777876
================
25 April 2010
The Ghetto of Bethlehem is shrinking, the people are resisting but feel abandoned by the self-appointed leadership. Many people complain who come to give their blessings to projects or to plant a tree for the cameras or to promise support that never materializes. Planting a tree for the photo opportunity is not a replacement for real action. Internationals and locals did replace the children�s swings and slide in Mitri�s home in Beit Jala only to see them pulled out again a few days later (see video of the dragging of nonviolent protesters from the garden and its destruction here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1iWdiz57PE )
Saturday night we had an educational protest to hundreds of Italian tourists who were brought by the catholic church on pilgrimage. We were distressed to find that they had coordinated their visit with the Palestinian ministry of tourism AND with the Israeli ministry of tourism. We objected to the way it was presented and dealt with. The wall is not after all a border between states to march to for peace and play games on the �other side�. The wall is an illegal apartheid structure built on occupied territories separating Palestinians in the shrinking Bethlehem Ghetto from their land and from other Palestinians and from their holy sites in Jerusalem. As the Italians were crossing the apartheid wall, the Israeli army was extending the wall around Al-Walaja village of Bethlehem and destroying more of Mitri�s land. But Al-Walaja people were heroic on Sunday. They delayed the uprooting of their trees at a cost to themselves: over 30 were injured and several detained. Internationals and Israelis were there (one Israeli suffered a dislocated soldier while being arrested). Photos are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/ I will try to get you the link to a video of the actual action. It is hard for us to be at many places of destruction at one time and we lack resources to get video cameras in the hands of qualified people to document the atrocities so this initial video (photographed by another person) has little of the more rough and tumble action.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh9RXLvg2ww
We hear talk of resuming �proximity talks� between the administration of President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu. The negotiations have been going on for nearly 20 years while Israel continues to demolish and destroy and ethnically cleanse the land of its people. The disastrous Oslo accords really caused the second Nakba for us. It freed Israel of its obligations as an occupying power and gave them a green light for squeezing us into disconnected ghettos. Meanwhile, many politicians of all backgrounds continue to draw big salaries while destroying any chances for peace (which can only be based on justice).
We need lots of letters and lots of direct contact with everyone (friend and foe). Things are getting out of hand here with Israel intensifying its colonial settlement activities. Apartheid here is far worse than it was in South Africa. We need much more pressure on this fascist government here and on its enablers abroad and on its local Palestinian enablers.
Finally here is a question asked to influential US Senator Charles Shumer who answers in a way that reveals where his loyalties lie and thus why US policy is distorted:
Question: Finally Senator, just for our own curiosity, just like the most recent justice appointed to the Supreme Court, will the next one also be a New Yorker?
SCHUMER: I don�t know. I would like it to be, I recommended the first one. I have 3 criteria for Supreme Court Justices: they should be legally excellent, they should be moderate as is typical of my politics I don�t want too far right or far left, and diversity, which means different ethnic groups and everything else. Luckily in terms of Jewish people we have good representation in terms of the Supreme Court. That will continue. One thing I want to assure your listeners Nachum, my name as you know comes from a Hebrew word. It comes from the word shomer, which mean guardian. My ancestors were guardians of the ghetto wall in Chortkov and I believe Hashem, actually, gave me name as one of my roles that is very important in the United States Senate to be a shomer for Israel and I will continue to be that with every bone in my body..
=============
23 April 2010
Things are really getting out of hand in the occupied territories and our reports may have to become more frequent to keep up with the rapidly evolving situation. We must write to let you know what is going on and ask you to take urgent actions on all fronts (media, politicians, on the ground etc). On the last day of the conference in Bil�in, the Israeli army was particularly violent against the demonstrators injuring Palestinians and Internationals. The most critical injury was to Imad Rizka, a Palestinian from Jaffa inside the Green line (see http://www.imemc.org/article/58514 including picture of Imad).
Video just loaded that covers places I was at in the past couple of days including inspiring acts of popular resistance from Bilin to Beit Jala to Al-Walaja. In Al-Walaja, we took over the mountain and the Shabab blocked the new road that soldiesr had opened to get equipment that uproots the olive trees in the villager�s land. Watch here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNrplPXm9Qs And here is the ISM story on what happened in Beit Jala http://palsolidarity.org/2010/04/12098
ACTION ITEM (before listing more videos and inspiring stories): We have acts of popular resistance in Al-Walaja and Beit Jala planned this Sunday. Email me if you want more details on times etc.
Bilin-inspired Gaza protests against the �buffer zone� that now eats 20% of Gaza and is a no-man�s land according to the Israeli occupation authorities.
http://gazadispatches.blogspot.com/2010/04/leader-of-gazas-new-wave-of-bilin.html
Video: Young Palestinian women do investigative journalism. Here they accompany the body of Raed Abu Hamad who was murdered while in Israeli custody
http://www.youtube.com/sleeplessingaza#p/u/2/1r1o2B7ts5U
http://www.youtube.com/sleeplessingaza#p/u/0/o5AHZ_swQCQ
(while there you can explore other documentaries done by these aspiring and great journalists)
Stand-up for human rights: Protest AIPAC (Apartheid Israel Pirates Against Coexistance) in Portland, Oregon this Sunday
http://www.auphr.org/index.php?option=com_extcalendar&Itemid=36&extmode=view&extid=360
Hard talk: Zionists occupiers� Heed my call!! by Nahida
http://uprootedpalestinians.blogspot.com/2010/04/hard-talk-zionists-occupiers-heed-my.html
Action: BNC calls on Trade Unions and others to urgently intervene with their governments to stop Israel from joining the OECD. On May 2010, OECD is going to decide the accession of Israel into the organization. For Israel, membership in the OECD would mean a victory of legitimacy, that the violations of international law are rewarded and all the member countries of OECD will be accomplices of the illegal Israeli occupation, since according to the European law, European countries are forbidden to recognize the Israeli occupation to the Palestinian territories. Yet by granting Israel membership in the OECD, they will be doing exactly that. Israel has refused to comply with the OECD demand to provide statistical data which applies only to the internationally-recognized parts of Israel , excluding the illegal settlements in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). OECD members will knowingly accept Israel to the organization based on deceptive statistics provided by the latter, statistics which conceal the occupation while simultaneously treating it as a permanent fact. It only takes one OECD country to oppose the integration of Israel into the organization in order to block the process. Please, send a letter of protest to the delegation of OECD of your country, demanding to vote NO to Israel 's inclusion in economic organization. It only takes you a few minutes to act on this. In the link below you can find the list of OECD member-states and their email addresses (write to them): http://www.oecd.org/contactus/0,3364,en_33873108_33844430_1_1_1_1_1,00.html
more at http://bdsmovement.net/?q=node/665
===============
23 April 2010
The past two days witnessed further Israeli war crimes from shooting at unarmed protesters in Gaza, to destruction of land and property, and to raids in the middle of the night. But we also had a good first day of the International conference in Bil�in. It was so good to meet with dear friends (e.g. Neta Golan, Huwaida Arraf, Lubna Masarwa, Iyad Burnat, Mohammed Al-Khatib, and so many more) and make many new ones. Hundreds of people attended on the first day from many countries. Speeches were delivered from dignitaries (e.g. Archbishop Atallah Hanna) and politicians (e.g. Salam Fayyad). There were representatives of all political factions (Hamas, Fatah, PFLP, DFLP etc) and all perspectives. But the most interesting of all was the video-uplink with Gaza. Facilitated by Lubna Masarwa on this end and our dear friend Dr. Haidar Eid in Gaza. The site of the video uplink was a destroyed three story residential building whose residents still remain homeless. We also heard from a daughter of one of the abductees (many activists were abducted by the occupation soldiers and are still held in the gulags of the fascist occupation army). We also heard from relatives of the martyrs (murdered mercilessly by the occupation authorities). Everybody especially remembered the wonderful positive spirit of Bassem Abu-Rahma murdered one year ago at peaceful demonstration against the apartheid wall.
My excitement about the achievements in Bil�in was needed to balance the pain as we watched the Israeli bulldozers destroy a family�s front yard (the family of Mitri Ghneim in Beit Jala). The olive trees did not stand for two long. Nor did the children�s playground. The carefully tended garden lasted even less. Feelings of anger, sadness, pain, misery and more fluctuated but the emotions settled always on a sense of betrayal. Why is the world letting this happen. Israeli soldiers behaving like sadists dragging internationals out of the way and preventing all activists from getting close to victim�s family as they ravaged the yard. Six activists managed to get through and were beaten. They included two Palestinians. One international was taken asnd the others released on site later. My eyes welled up with tears as I watched two of the family�s children return from school and look in horror at what is happening to their gardens.
In Al-Walaja village, the fascist Israeli army uprooted over 50 trees as it bulldozed areas around the illegal colony of Har Gilo. Much of the Land of Al-Walaja (near Beit Jala). On Wednesday, the illegal Israeli colony of Etzion poured its sewage on the grape vineyards of of the Palestinain village of Beit Ummar. For days, the Israeli army had closed the roads to the village at the main intersection as an act of collective punishment for the peaceful protests of land confiscation.
There will be demonstrations today (Friday) after mosque prayers at Al-Ma�sara, Al-Walaja, Bil�in, and other places throughout the occupied Palestinian territories.
Some photos of the ongoing apartheid
http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/
Video: Hope demolished in Al-Khadr village near Bethlehem (village named after
St. George) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NReVRkkp48
Video: Night raid in Bilin the night before the conference http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1LIgaapi7w
Inside the �Green Line� (areas occupied in 1948), there was a lot of activity also. There, according to speakers at the Bilin conference apartheid has long been entrenched in the system of laws and regulations in addition to the persistent ethnic cleansing and land loss by the native Palestinians. But those who are �on the inside� also continue to resist and refuse to give-up their basic human rights including the right to return to their homes and lands. Uri�s video and pictures of the return march touched us here in the West Bank even though we could not enter through the walls and checkpoints to join them this time. The march is from Tira to Miske, one of 510 ethnically cleansed villages and towns. The march of Native Palestinians coincides with Zionist �celebtrations� of this ethnic cleansing which they call �independence day�. A refugee from Miske explained that the reason for the coincidence is that the march was not allowed by the military rules for many years so Miske families took advantage of lax rules on the day of Israeli celebrations to march back to their village during these years and then this became a tradition.
http://www.vimeo.com/11114622
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31383164@N06/sets/72157623772852961/
Video: "Al Nakba"--The Palestinian Catastrophe of 1948
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EAmtgfPz-k
=====================
20 April 2010
The articles and images crossing my mind and my computer screen over the past two days are an amalgam of ironies. An ultra orthodox Jew who burned the flag of the Zionist state on Sunday was arrested and charged. True to the Torah ultra Orthodox Jews have traditionally called the state of Israel, founded with the aid of British bayonets and guns as an abomination and a rebellion against the will of God. But recently, the virus of Zionism has spread to infect so many Jews who even claim orthodoxy even as more and more non-Jews and Jews shed the malady. The Satmar and Neturei Karta remain loyal to the traditions of orthodoxy and the commandments of the Torah to seek Justice (see http://www.jewsnotzionists.org/ ).
Israeli officials pose in the midst of flags to be videotaped affirming Israel will control occupied Jerusalem forever (International law notwithstanding). In my hometown of Beit Sahour, settlers showed up on Monday night to party with soldiers on Palestinian lands of Ush Ghrab (see also recent story on Beit Sahour as a microcosm of Israeli colonization http://www.electronicintifada.net/v2/article11216.shtml ). To celebrate �independence day�, Israeli settlers uprooted 250 olive trees in Qarout village near Nablus and Israeli authorities handed down a few orders for home demolitions (e.g. see http://www.imemc.org/article/58473 ). The soldiers were everywhere; some were drunk with Alcohol or power or both.
We live in a la la land of make belief. Collective amnesia is characteristic of the lunatics running around. Few remember even recent massacres like Sabra and Shatila (see this amazing and heart-wrenching letter by Franklin Lamb http://www.countercurrents.org/lamb170410.htm ). Even fewer recall the Nakba or catastrophe of ethnic cleansing between November 1947 to December 1949 (see http://www.palestineremembered.com/Acre/Palestine-Remembered/Story562.html and http://www.1948.org.uk/population-transfer-committee/ ). I believe it was a Nakba for all concerned, it is just that the intoxication of power prevents some from realizing how much they have hurt themselves.
On these days of cruel images and blue and white flags, it is critical to be reminded of why this Hasbara or Za�bara as Dr. Salman AbuSitta articulated beautifully: http://atlanticfreepress.com/news/1/13058-hasbara-or-zabara.html
But I actually think the excessive flag waving is a sign of insecurity and that the Zionist movement is feeling the end is near and the game is up (afterall truth is rather hard to hide). In the 1950s, there was an outpouring of Western public support for Zionism. It even included thousands of Internationals serving in Kibbutzes as volunteers. Today, the thousands of International volunteers are working with Palestinians and Zionists have lost the support not only of the Western public but even if he Jewish Israeli and Jewish Western public. See for example this inspiring report from Cecilie Surasky, Deputy Director, Jewish Voice for Peace which articulates the breadth and diversity of support for human rights and the narrow and regurgitated non-sense of Zionist support: �This morning's UC Berkeley divestment vote--it isn't over yet.� http://edpearl.blogspot.com/2010/04/uc-berkeley-divestment-vote.html
The action at University of California is but the tip of an iceberg. BDS is now in hundreds of cities around the world. The Zionist flags will not endure the strong winds or harsh sun of Palestine. The last colonial occupation in the 21st century will also come to an end. Minds long chained by propaganda will shed those chains and join the rest of humanity. Israeli "independence" will then be recognized as the day of sadness for losing moral compass and trying to create a Jewish state in a land that could have easily accommodated both immigrant European Jews and native Palestinians.
We are off to the International conference in Bil�in where hundreds are expected to attend including representatives of ALL Palestinian political factions, Israelis acting on their good conscience, and internationals. There, the struggle for justice will gain new momentum. Freedom for Palestinians will also mean freedom for Israelis from the chains of mythologies. Stay tuned.
URL for this article http://www.qumsiyeh.org/israeliflags/
=================
19 April 2010
Dear friends:
Some of you received my emails for over 10 years and know that I share with you stories not found in mainstream media and then ask you to take actions. Over 50,000 recipients are thus asked to write media or politicians, sign petition, or engage in Boycotts, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS). Peace here is significant to stem the hemorrhage and distorted policies that led to wars in other parts of the world. Your previous actions made a difference and the tide is shifting. We will continue to send you such action items as before that require only time and effort on your part. But today, I wanted to break tradition by asking you to contribute also financially. In particular, I listed below three organizations that are dear to my heart and that I believe your donation, however small or big, can make a significant difference on the ground. If you decide to donate, please send me a note to let me know that you donated and how much so and so that I can follow-up and ensure your donation is received and where it was used.
1) The Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People (PCR) was where innovative acts of popular resistance started and continue to be molded. Its Media department, the International Middle East Media Center (http://www.imemc.org), produced excellent videos (for example http://www.youtube.com/abunimi#p/u/4/4he1vayLrfo) and helped places like Bil�in and other villages harness the power of visual media in their popular resistance. PCR was also the driving force behind development of International support on the ground in Palestine including being the incubator where the International Solidarity Movement hatched (co-founded by Ghassan Andoni, George Rishmawi of PCR, Neta Golan, Luisa Morgantini and others). PCR and especially its IMEMC division could use financial support because there is a deficit that did not allow payment of the very small salaries or even office rent for several months. Please go to http://www.pcr.ps look around and then click on the donate button (there are tax-deductible options).
2) Al-Rowwad Cultural and Theater Society in Aida Refugee Camp does a tremendous work. It is an "independent, dynamic, community-based not-for-profit organization which strives to empower children and women by targeting behaviour, knowledge, concepts and practices through beautiful and non-violent means." When I lived in the US, we brought the theater group twice to perform to capacity crowds and all who attended came out touched by the humanity of Palestinians and by our suffering and many resolved to work for Palestinian Rights. AlRowwad's units or divisions include: Art, Educational, Images for Life, Health and Environment, and Women. To donate go to http://alrowwad.virtualactivism.net/donate.htm or http://www.alrowwad-acts.ps/etemplate.php?id=19
for more information see
http://www.alrowwad-acts.ps
http://alrowwad.virtualactivism.net
http://www.amis-alrowwad.org/
http://www.imagesforlifeonline.com/
3) The One Democratic State group is organizing to bring the most logical solution to the foreground. Your support can enhance the effectiveness of their outreach
http://www.odsg.org/co/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1570&Itemid=72
Finally to be inspired, there was amazing actions for Palestine to
protest naming a Paris street for war criminal Ben Gurion. Watch and smile J
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxUN6oX7Fgo
http://vimeo.com/10977212
http://palestine-perpignan.org/default.aspx
=====================
16 April 2010
Today, we had demonstrations in a number of locations mostly in honor of prisoners (11,000 kidnapped Palestinians held in Israeli jails). The demonstration in Al-Ma'asara went beautifully even though the night before the Israeli army came in at 1 AM to raid and scare the family of Mohammed and Hassan Breijiya (their brother is in an Israeli jail). The demonstration was joined by scouts from Sur Baher and other areas in East Jerusalem. It was a chance to honor families of prisoners and remember all the political prisoners. It was a chance to remember martyrs like our friend Bassem Abu Rahma who was murdered one year ago in a nonviolent demonstration in Bi'lin. On this anniversary this amazing video is produced in four languages:
http://blip.tv/file/3480954 (عربي)
http://blip.tv/file/3481361 (עברית)
http://blip.tv/file/3471631 (English)
http://blip.tv/file/3481174 (Fran�ais)
(the military declared recently that they found no reason to investigate the murder as a wrong-doing!)
Here is a video of Al-Ma'asara demonstration today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm4c1OTyx5Y
Israeli authorities used violence in other towns today (Al-Walaja, Bil'in etc) and there were several injuries.
The demonstrations today in many locations were also wa chance to denounce the renewal of the illegal orders that would make 70,000 Palestinians in the West Bank to be considered by the fascist Israeli laws as "infiltrators" in their own country. These orders are of course a violation of International and humanitarian laws. Abbie Lipschutz, who volunteered in the Israel 1948 war, wrote to me: "Those deportation orders are Nazi orders. At least there is a wave of protests by Israelis. I hope and think the orders can be cancelled. But with that fascist Netanyahu in charge, we can expect anything. By euphemisms and subterfuge, AND official acts he is trying to foreclose ANY peace agreement. He tries to ethnically cleanse the occupied West bank so that he can replace the deported Palestinians with Hebrew Talibans."
As if to show this, the government demolished a home in Bethlehem area yesterday. See the heart-wrenching images at http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=276700
And this blog from an American Jewish young man who joined the "Birthright" program but then chose to come spend time with us in the real Palestine is amazing. Buddhists list the big three sins as hatred, greed, and illusion. The settlers depicted here illustrate this more than anything else.
http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2010/04/11/the-darkest-side-of-occupation-hebron-2/
Considering the above, we find it contemptible that the Zionist movement is pulling its big gurus in the US, people with loyalty to racist ideologies rather than their own country (Elie Wiesel and Ronald Lauder) to regurgitate discredited myths about Jerusalem and Israeli "security" on pages of biased newspapers like the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal. Fortunately the internet had made finding the facts far easier and within reach of millions who no longer bother reading discredited newspapers. But I sometimes wonder about the mental status of people who continue to justify ethnic cleansing. But then again, the Israeli army are still imprisoning the donkey and a horse from Bethlehem arrested on charges of entering Jerusalem illegally!! How more loony can this tribalistic crowd get and how far will the world let them continue to indulge the fantasy and racism of being God's chosen people while enslaving others.
Does U.S. Policy on Israel and Palestine Uphold Our Values? Chicago Hearings Sunday, April 18, 2010, from 1:15 PM to 5:30 PM CST. Mock congressional hearing. All you need is an internet connection, a computer, a projector and a screen. And a protected password guaranteeing you a spot on the live bandwidth (email contact@chicagohearing.org to reserve).
Bring your friends together to watch a live mock Congressional Hearing. Critical for US citizens who pay for Israeli aggression http://www.chicagohearing.org/
=================
12 April 2010
Note: I am available this summer from June 26-July 10 for talks in Southern Europe especially on issues of popular resistance to Israeli apartheid and direct stories from under the colonial occupation. Invitations to speak to groups, universities, and conferences would be considered depending on the tour schedule and first contacts receiving first priorities. For a biography, see http://www.qumsiyeh.org/aboutqumsiyeh/
We had a meaningful event commemorating Deir Yassin massacre in Beit Sahour on Friday even as the Israeli regime holds memorials at Yad Vashem overlooking the village ruins and ignoring the injustice of building a state on the ruins of another people's lands. We had a good trip to Birzeit and Ramallah Saturday (and a talk by the mayor of Bethlehem Saturday night) and participated in more actions on Sunday. Representing the popular committee against the wall and settlements in Beit Sahour, we joined with our friends in Beit Jala, a town which lost nearly half its land to Israeli Jewish-only colonial settlements over the past four decades. Now town residents are prevented from getting to additional areas near the apartheid walls and bypass roads (all to serve illegal Jewish colonies on Palestinian land). The weekly Sunday demonstration proceeded as expected: soldiers stretching barbed wire across the road, activists speaking to those present (including soldiers) in Arabic, English, and Hebrew. There was a poignant moment when a young German girl tried to speak to a soldier who even refused to look her in the eye.
We then drove to Hebron to show a visiting teacher from Denver what it is like to have 400 racist settlers ruin life for 150,000 Palestinians. The settlers took over some buildings, built a few other sites and make life in this largest Palestinian city hell for its inhabitants (Hebron is largest now because cities like Nazareth, Jerusalem, and Jaffa have had much of their Palestinian population ethnically cleansed). On the way to Hebron we stopped by to visit our friend Musa Abu Maria in Beit Ummar only to be told by his family that he was arrested the day before by the Israeli occupation authorities. He was arrested while helping farmers in their land where settlers repeatedly uprooted trees.
I am trying to get a steadier hand and better editing for youtube videos of these things. Below is my latest attempt which I end by a more mundane segment showing poor children who we took to a park ( they have not been to a park for 2 years). We had Knaffa (Palestinian dessert) with those children at that time but did not have the camera then so I show what Knaffa looks like in Bethlehem with our small group that visited Hebron earlier. Awad Abu Swai, spokesman of the Popular Campaign against the wall and settlements is visible. Anyway, here is the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHd-8PqT0UA
In other news, Israeli authorities instituted new regulations that will allow them to deport thousands of Palestinians in contradiction to International law. According to Haaretz �the first Palestinians likely to be targeted under the new rules will be those whose ID cards bear home addresses in the Gaza Strip - people born in Gaza and their West Bank-born children - or those born in the West Bank or abroad who for various reasons lost their residency status. Also likely to be targeted are foreign-born spouses of Palestinians.� (IDF order will enable mass deportation from West Bank http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1162075.html ) And according to the Haaretz editorial: "Implementing this new military order is not only likely to spark a new conflagration in the territories, it is liable to give the world clear-cut proof that Israel's aim is a mass deportation of Palestinians from the West Bank. While all Jews can settle wherever they wish, in Israel or in the territories, Israel is trying to deprive the Palestinians of even the minimal right to choose where to live in the West Bank or Gaza." http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1162382.html
And the summer looks like will come with even more drastic restrictions on use of water (already Israeli settlers use 80% of the West Bank Water). Maan news reported that �Four days after an Israeli minister threatened to restrict the West Bank's water supply, Israeli authorities closed off the main water source used for agriculture in a Jordan Valley village on Sunday, committee members and lawyers said. � (Israel shuts off water to Jordan Valley farms http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=275681 )
In positive news, the Israeli authorities are under pressure after having exposed how little freedoms exist in the fascist state. There appears to have been a 4-month Israeli gag order and undue pressure on a journalist plus house arrest for his alleged source. Now that the gag order was lifted thanks to the leaks internationally and over the internet making it illogical, there are many questions. Yet, Israeli media are not asking why journalists are being punished for revealing that Israeli occupation authorities engaged in extrajudicial executions even after the Israeli high court ordered the practice ended? In any other country, the revelation would ensure the punishment not of the journalist but of the military leaders (violating in this case not just International law but even Israeli high court rulings).
In other good news, there have been growth in the Boycotts, Divestments, and Sanctions; for example see this good action at H&M in Europe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IXglFpSTvM
====================
9 April 2010
For those in the area of Bethlehem today On the occasion of the anniversary of the Deir Yassin Massacre, the Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements in Beit Sahour invite you to see the film "Youm Ilak o Youm Aleik" (English and Arabic) that speaks of the Nakba and villages including Deir Yassin. The film will be shown at 6 PM On Friday 9 April 2010 at the hall of the Peace Park in Ush Ghrab, Beit Sahour. http://www.deiryassin.org/
Truly disturbing video WikiLeaks has released a classified US military video depicting the indiscriminate slaying of over a dozen people in the Iraqi suburb of New Baghdad -- including two Reuters news staff. Reuters has been trying to obtain the video through the Freedom of Information Act, without success since the time of the attack. The video, shot from an Apache helicopter gun-site, clearly shows the unprovoked slaying of a wounded Reuters employee and his rescuers. Two young children involved in the rescue were also seriously wounded. Videos (short and long version) at http://collateralmurder.com/
This is pure malice (see the video of how those who support apartheid and racism work):
�How are we going to beat back the anti-Israel divestment resolution at Berkeley? We�re going to make certain that pro-Israel students take over the student government and reverse the vote. That is how AIPAC operates in our nation�s capitol. This is how AIPAC must operate on our nation�s campuses.�
http://richardbrenneman.wordpress.com/2010/04/04/aipac-well-take-over-cals-student-govt/
Testimony: Israelis beat, pour boiling water on Palestinian worker
http://www.uruknet.de/?s1=1&p=64797&s2=05
A film of Israeli brutality that was not supposed to be seen viewed 2 million times
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW1-_JmXQt0&NR=1
(the events happen regularly here but beyond camera views)
US Interests harmed by Israel (click on links in this story) http://www.ifamericansknew.org/us_ints/
It is apartheid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZw-htckLB4
Palestine Civil Rights Campaign-Lebanon
http://www.petitiononline.com/ssfpcrc/petition.html
Peace for Israelis and Palestinians? Not without America's tough love. By Jonathan Ben-Arzi
An Israeli student explains why the US should act on moral outrage over Israel�s discriminatory policies before it�s too late. Ben-Arzi spent a year and a half in military jail for refusing to serve the apartheid army
http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2010/0401/Peace-for-Israelis-and-Palestinians-Not-without-America-s-tough-love
Thousands of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails began a hunger strike demanding basic rights like the right to see their families. And hundreds of children lit �Freedom Candles� in Gaza on child day demanding to see their imprisoned parents. http://www.imemc.org/article/58377
======================
We now have three videos up on youtube for the historic march that breached the apartheid walls on Palm Sunday insisting on right of freedom of movement. Ten people of the original 16 are still held
by the occupation forces (as are the donkey and horse used in the event! )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSsxd-JhVvA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1uBMnPBFCQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f8hlye2y78
Since then, the Israeli authorities are trying to punish the town by preventing even those few with permits from crossing between Bethlehem and Jerusalem (again a war crime to do collective punishment). But the people will not succumb and in Bethlehem area we had other events in the days that followed. It also happened that Tuesday was land Day and hundreds of demonstrations, vigils, and other events were held not only in Palestine but throughout the world.
I will start with our own event in Beit Sahour. Land day events were appropriately held at Ush Ghrab (threatened area of the Bethlehem district) and despite an Israeli military presence at the site, the events involved participation from over 1000 individuals from throughout the district (several towns and villages represented). Over 300 women and their very young kids participated (also a belated celebration of International Women’s day). Six high schools sent buses. We also had volunteers and activists of all walks of life. See story at http://www.imemc.org/article/58325
and video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mo_wK_LR-w
and photos at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/imemc
The main action this year was in the town of Sakhnin in areas occupied since 1948. Over 10,000 attended the events from throughout historic Palestine. See pictures here (scroll to bottom, truly inspiring) http://www.panet.co.il/online/articles/1/2/S-282259,1,2.html
and Haaretz story here http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1160094.html
It is a shame the this event is covered widely throughout the region but not in many western media outlets.
In other areas, the Israeli troops attacked demonstrators (e.g. in Budrus where several civilians were injured including a TV reporter, and in several locations in Gaza near the borders were Israeli troops opened fire on demonstrators killing a youth and injuring many). Actions were also held outside of Palestine on Land Day (which is also International Day of Boycotts, Divestments, and Sanctions against Israeli
Apartheid). An example of action from over 400 events world-wide is shown in this video (again illustrating what a few individuals can do to make a huge impact) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsYS2iLHhHg
====================
28 March 2010
Wow, what a day: over 100 native Palestinian Christians and Muslims and internationals including Israelis, breached the tight security separating the Palestinian cities of Bethlehem from the occupied city of Jerusalem. Donkeys and people arrested!
We were initially some 150 strong and started from the Church of Nativity at 11:45 AM carrying palm leaves an banners asking for freedom of worship and movement (as demanded by international law). The demonstration included individuals riding 2 donkeys and a horse. Appropriate since Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. Like him, we knew this was not going to be an easy entry but we did believe in the goodness of humanity. We arrived at the main gate used for tourist buses at around 12:30 and decided to just keep going. The few soldiers and police at the gate tried to close it but we managed to get in and the huge 8 meter high metal gate stopped half way perhaps as a safety mechanisms since there were dozens of people passing and they could be crushed if it continued.
The Israeli security forces tried to close other fences but we kept going. As word reached their offices, the Israeli army was mobilizing its forces and soon several army jeeps arrived and blocked the road half way between the gate and Deir Mar Elias (the monastery at the edge of the city). The blocked our way. Ibrahim Salah riding his donkey was speaking to them in Hebrew and saying why can't we go to Jerusalem. It is our right to travel. He was the first to be violently knocked down off his donkey and arrested. The next was an American girl, then some Palestinians. All violently wrestled to the ground when even many were just peacefully walking back to the gates. It seemed like a calculated move to punish some of us so that others get the message not to try this again.
Some 60 of us ended up being rounded up in between a wall, a hill, a gate, and a cordon of police officers. We expected to be all arrested. The occupation soldiers instead plucked random people that they thought were the key people.
We had significant local and national and international media coverage (email us if you are a media outlet and want to do a story or receive video and and/or pictures). The people are willing to pay the price. Israeli forces released 4 Israelis and the one American student. They kept 11 Palestinians that they kidnapped and are charging them with "incitement", "participating in an unauthorized demonstration" "entering 'Israel' without a permit (as if occupied Arab East Jerusalem is Israel)", and "interfering in police business". Lawyers will show that this is all bogus. But in any case, the popular resistance movement is growing and is willing to pay the price for such significant achievement as this.
Oh and yes, a donkey and a horse belonging to Ibrahim were also arrested by the mighty army of apartheid Israel for they too need permits from the Israeli military to get in. Maybe more arrests will come tonight. The repression only strengthened our collective will to move forward. We were all elated at this success. We know some Israeli officers; maybe the private "security" company that is contracted by the Israeli government to manage these apartheid wall system. Entering Jerusalem beyond the apartheid wall on Palm sunday shoed what popular resistance can achieve. When I talked to one of the people they kidnapped, he indicated they were all in good spirits and were holding together.
While we hear "Arab leaders" met in Libya and issued more useless declarations, the popular resistance celebrates this victory in Bethlehem and will work to achieve others. A demonstration will be held on Monday at noon in front of the gate at Bilal's mosque/Rachel's tomb area. Hope to see those of you who can there.
Photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/imemc/
Published stories
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=272253
http://www.imemc.org/article/58309
http://www.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=78620 (in ARabic)
Here are the names of our 11 friends who were kidnapped by the Israeli army for daring to do what every human being on earth is entitled to do (move freely within their own country):
Abbas Zaki, member of the Fatah Central Committee
Ibrahim Salah, from Bethlehem
Mohammad Al-Hubani, from Bethlehem
Mahmoud Zawahreh, Al-Ma�sara
Fadi Hamad, Associated Press photographer from Bethlehem
Hassen Breijeiyah, Al-Ma'sara
Marwan Fararjeh,Bethlehem
Toni Shahwwan, Beit Jala
Ahmad Al-Azza, from Azza Refugee Camp
Shadi Fawaghreh, Wad Rahhal
Marwan Abushaaban
Palestinian Christians have demanded entry to Jerusalem without the regime of special permits (apartheid system): see http://www.imemc.org/article/58203 We will continue to demand this basic human right for all Palestinians regardless of their religion. The train of freedom is on the march and we are all asked to get on board.
================
27 March 2010
On Wednesday, the Popular Committee Against the Apartheid Wall and Settlements in Beit Sahour hosted a gathering of over 100 town people and guests (including Nabil Shaath of Fatah Central Committee) to brief them on what is going on at Ush Ghrab with the military watch tower erected. The discussion revolved around the popular resistance. We explained the nature of our activities and it was made clear that even though the mayor would prefer that we limit our activities to just being in the park, that the committee has monthly schedule of events that we would like people to participate in. The next two popular resistance events here will be 1) a march from the Nativity square in Bethlehem to Rachel's tomb area (Sunday at 11:30 AM), 2) land day events in Ush Ghrab throughout the site beginning at 10 AM to 2 PM on Tuesday (in Beit Sahour).
Land day will be commemorated in hundreds of cities around the world on March 30th as a day to promote boycotts, divestments, and sanctions (act in your area please) as it has been since the first land day in 1976 when Palestinians inside the Green Line (Palestine of 1948) rose-up against the continued unfair land expropriation. My wife, who does not yet have a Palestinian ID card, was thus able to travel to Nazareth area and brought pictures and story of the beauty of the stolen lands of the Galilee where my maternal grandmother comes from. The greenery and the richness of the soil reminded me of my grandmother's stories about how idyllic rural village life in Palestine was before 1948 and the ethnic cleansing that followed. We also had a press conference with Omar Ala'Eddin who was abused by the Israeli soldiers. Amira Hass attended the conference and reported the story in Haaretz (http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1159294.html ).
Omar's case was highlighted today in the weekly demonstration in Al-Masara also attended by Imam Tamimi (for this and previous events mentioned and other activities of the popular committees, see new short video posted at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqGLXs3ahUs and our earlier video of Omar at the Hospital at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcMMyRkKAhM ). The Israeli military doctor that Omar was brought to see was merely making fun of him. When Omar would try to show him bruises on his side, the "doctor" would look at his arm and so on and telling him to shut up. This is not the first or the last Palestinian to be treated that way. In fact I was reminded by a friend that another Omar was also beaten, this one a young journalist from Gaza of exactly the same age as our friend Omar from Al-Masara (see story in Haaretz http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/999330.html)
The idea that there is a serious conflict between the Obama administration and the extremist Israeli apartheid government is only PR efforts. The US voted against four resolutions dealing with Israel at the United nations Human Rights Council. Even the resolution that simply reiterated the internationally recognized right of self-determination for Palestinians was voted against (45 countries voted for, no abstentions, US against; i.e. unanimous with the exception of the US). The US continues to cow-tow to a noisy lobby in Washington that claims to represent Jews (see their self-definitions and claim of importance here http://www.aipac.org/about_AIPAC/default.asp ). But a new poll of American Jews shown very interesting results that are contrary to what AIPAC and its supporters claim http://www.jstreet.org/page/new-poll-of-american-jews-views-israel So we MUST keep pressuring the Obama administration, keep writing, and keep ACTING. In good news, Britain took the modest step of expelling an Israeli "diplomat" (a Mossad agent) over the forgery by Israeli intelligence of British passports while violating International law by extrajudicial executions. Let us hope more countries follow. I also got this from Code Pink that put a smile on my face and showed that few dedicated individuals can make a difference (imagine such action wherever US officials appear):
"On Monday morning, just days after we marched for peace with thousands in DC, CODEPINK issued a fake press release from The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) calling for the freeze of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Many media outlets bought it including CSPAN, which showcased this "breaking news" during Hillary's Clinton's speech to AIPAC. Most commentators noted that our fake release forced AIPAC to say it was not against settlements, thus putting AIPAC at odds with the White House and the State Department. Later that night, CODEPINK activists interrupted Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu during his keynote speech at the AIPAC gala dinner. Rae courageously stood on a table a few feet away from the podium to unfurl a banner that read: "Netanyahu: Build Peace Not Settlements." While most of Congress still bows in fear before AIPAC, CODEPINK stands up for a peaceful and just future for both Palestinians and Israelis. We can't wait for our government to lead the way; we need to join the Palestinians, Israelis and international activists around the world who are using Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions (BDS) to pressure Israel to respect human rights and international law.
===================
24 March 2010
Yesterday, after 6 days of kidnapping and beating our friend Omar Mousa Ala'eddin from the village of Al-Ma'sara, the Israeli occupation authorities released him broken and battered. We spend much of the day with him. Omar is an English student at Hebron University and was returning with other students and two of his professors from a field trip to Ramallah where they watched a play. On the way back, a soldier at the checkpoint entered into a verbal exchange with Omar when Omar tried to explain to him about a fellow female student who did not have her ID card with her since Omar spoke Hebrew. The soldier ordered him out of the bus and the first blows were delivered to Omar in front of his friends and teachers. After they took him to a back room and have received information about him (perhaps that he had been in jail or that he participated in the weekly nonviolent protests), the beatings became more regular. The initial beating of Omar on the face and head made his mouth bleed and his head hurt and he was not able to speak to the soldiers and this only made them beat him more for not answering their questions. Omar told our friend Sevtap that one of the soldiers told him "do you think the international solidarity will protect you". Omar was transferred during those 6 days from the container checkpoint to a police station in the settlement of Maale Adumim, then to a military doctor at an unknown location (but the doctor only looked briefly at him and basically told him to shut up, then to the Russian compound prison in Jerusalem, then to Ramle prison, then to Ofer prison, and finally to Ramleh prison again. On the last day, he was brought before a judge and assigned a state lawyer who made a deal for him to be released on bail. Many hours passed because the prison authorities refused to let him make a call to get someone to come pay the bail. After the bail was paid, Omar was not released but finally, the military brought him to the South of Ramallah and dumped him on the side of the road. Omar was initially treated at Al-Hussain hospital in Beit Jala and released but his condition deteriorated and his family decided to take him to a hospital in Hebron where he spent last night. He might be released at noon today. Video of Omar at Hospital at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcMMyRkKAhM
Photos of injuries before his situation deteriorated is at http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/
Fatenah animation is now on You Tube! Summary: Fatenah is a 27 year old woman living in the Gaza Strip. Her life is similar to the lives of many other women in Gaza. Her life changes the day she discovers to have breast cancer. This animation, the first produced in Palestine, shows with great accuracy the scenarios of Gaza city. The 27 minutes long story is a breath-taking journey into Fatenah�s daily struggles. It uncovers the human drama of her fight to survive. This journey into the heart of the Gaza Strip will touch and move you.
Part 1/3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rElPylQV15E
Part 2/3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGrm4R52_sE
Part 3/3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfao7G1UdHo
Directed by Ahmad Habash, Screenplay Saed Andoni, Ahmad Habash, Ambrogio Manenti, Produced by Saed Andoni, Music Said Murad, Editing Saed Andoni, Animation Ahmad Habash, Director of Photography Ahmad Habash, Sound Designer Zaher Rashmawi, Voices � Actors: Buthaina Sumairi (Fatenah), Ahmad Abu Saloom (Abu Rasheed), Shaden Saleem (Amal), Imad Ahmad (Mualem), Mesbah Deeb (Ayman), Waleed Aqel (Dr. Salah / AMB. Driver), Nibal Thawabteh (Lutfieh), Hanan El Hilu (Dafna), Amira Habash (IDF soldier), Ahmad Habash (Palestinian Dr. / IDF soldier), Saed Andoni (IDF sergeant), Gabriel Lambert (Israeli Dr.), Chiara Stefanini (Israeli nurse)��
===============
23 March 2010
Yesterday, after 6 days of kidnapping and beating our friend Omar Mousa Ala'eddin from the village of Al-Ma'sara, the Israeli occupation authorities released him broken and battered. We spend much of the day with him. Omar is an English student at Hebron University and was returning with other students and two of his professors from a field trip to Ramallah where they watched a play. On the way back, a soldier at the checkpoint entered into a verbal exchange with Omar when Omar tried to explain to him about a fellow female student who did not have her ID card with her since Omar spoke Hebrew. The soldier ordered him out of the bus and the first blows were delivered to Omar in front of his friends and teachers. After they took him to a back room and have received information about him (perhaps that he had been in jail or that he participated in the weekly nonviolent protests), the beatings became more regular. The initial beating of Omar on the face and head made his mouth bleed and his head hurt and he was not able to speak to the soldiers and this only made them beat him more for not answering their questions. Omar told our friend Sevtap that one of the soldiers told him "do you think the international solidarity will protect you". Omar was transferred during those 6 days from the container checkpoint to a police station in the settlement of Maale Adumim, then to a military doctor at an unknown location (but the doctor only looked briefly at him and basically told him to shut up, then to the Russian compound prison in Jerusalem, then to Ramle prison, then to Ofer prison, and finally to Ramleh prison again. On the last day, he was brought before a judge and assigned a state lawyer who made a deal for him to be released on bail. Many hours passed because the prison authorities refused to let him make a call to get someone to come pay the bail. After the bail was paid, Omar was not released but finally, the military brought him to the South of Ramallah and dumped him on the side of the road. Omar was initially treated at Al-Hussain hospital in Beit Jala and released but his condition deteriorated and his family decided to take him to a hospital in Hebron where he spent last night. He might be released at noon today. Video of Omar at Hospital at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcMMyRkKAhM
Photos of injuries before his situation deteriorated is at http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/
Fatenah animation is now on You Tube! Summary: Fatenah is a 27 year old woman living in the Gaza Strip. Her life is similar to the lives of many other women in Gaza. Her life changes the day she discovers to have breast cancer. This animation, the first produced in Palestine, shows with great accuracy the scenarios of Gaza city. The 27 minutes long story is a breath-taking journey into Fatenah�s daily struggles. It uncovers the human drama of her fight to survive. This journey into the heart of the Gaza Strip will touch and move you.
Part 1/3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rElPylQV15E
Part 2/3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGrm4R52_sE
Part 3/3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfao7G1UdHo
Directed by Ahmad Habash, Screenplay Saed Andoni, Ahmad Habash, Ambrogio Manenti, Produced by Saed Andoni, Music Said Murad, Editing Saed Andoni, Animation Ahmad Habash, Director of Photography Ahmad Habash, Sound Designer Zaher Rashmawi, Voices � Actors: Buthaina Sumairi (Fatenah), Ahmad Abu Saloom (Abu Rasheed), Shaden Saleem (Amal), Imad Ahmad (Mualem), Mesbah Deeb (Ayman), Waleed Aqel (Dr. Salah / AMB. Driver), Nibal Thawabteh (Lutfieh), Hanan El Hilu (Dafna), Amira Habash (IDF soldier), Ahmad Habash (Palestinian Dr. / IDF soldier), Saed Andoni (IDF sergeant), Gabriel Lambert (Israeli Dr.), Chiara Stefanini (Israeli nurse)��
===========
21 March 2010
Today was mother's day in Palestine. It was not a good day for my mother. In the morning my sister took her to an eye doctor in Hebron as her sight is affected by her diabetes. On the way back, my sister was slapped by an Israeli "policeman" with a ticket of 500 NIS (roughly $120) for making what he considers an illegal turn. The stress made my mother forget a pot of syrup on the stove and it burned through with smoke all over the house as she was visiting with my brother in law who has cancer. I felt bad because instead of being with them most of the day, I was in two popular resistance events in Beit Jala and Beit Sahour. The demonstration in Beit Jala, birth place of St. Nicholas, got a delayed start as we negotiated with Palestinian security forces to let us through. It was a commemoration of the murder of Rachel Corrie and it was coincidental with Mother's day. After several phone calls and conversations, the baton holding Palestinian security forces retreated and we were allowed to proceed down the hill towards where the Israeli soldiers were stationed. In this regards we felt fortunate. But we also noted a new Israeli procedure this week as opposed to last week here: a barbed wire was strung across the road to prevent people from trying to continue down the hill to their lands. The demonstration proceeded peacefully and several people spoke including Jewish Israelis (see video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNDPfkS5RmU ). We left before the demonstration ended because we wanted to get to the even in Beit Sahour.
On the way we heard that Israeli forces shot dead two young Palestinians who were working in their own lands because as they claim they were carrying deadly tools with intend to harm (one was carrying a shovel and digging in his land). The two 19 year old farmers Muhammad Faysal Qawariq and Salah Muhammad Qawariq) were shot in their village of Awarta near Nablus. We also heard that the other 16 year old kid shot in the head yesterday died; the two 16 year olds are Mohammed and Useid Qadus from Iraq Burin village. This brings the casualty figure in 30 hours to 4 Palestinians murdered and over 100 injured. An ISM volunteer was among those injured (see http://palsolidarity.org/2010/03/11832 ). Many were arrested. Huwaida Arraf of ISM was arrested and released 31 hours later but two Palestinian young men who were with her in detention in an illegal colonial settlement were abused worse and are likely to face further repercussions for demonstrating against the illegal colonial apartheid soldiers on their lands of Nabi Saleh. It appears that Israel is upping the pressure on popular protests. They also bombed Gaza injuring 12 Palestinians.
At Ush Ghrab, we had a small number of people (15) who volunteered to do some cleaning in the area (photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/4451077896/ ) . We could not proceed beyond superficial cleaning of a staging area and some of the land around it because land owners were not there for us to build stone hedges etc. I wondered if they are with their mothers and wives. But I kept thinking of those in Israeli jails (over 10,000 of them) and of their families. Here are excerpts from Fatma Abu Rahima whose husband is in jail:
"I am grief-stricken since Adeeb's imprisonment. However, I cannot allow myself to lament my husband's loss as I have a family of nine to take care of. Since Adeeb has been away, I have to be both mother and father to my children. We shared the care over the children, this is now my sole responsibility. We miss him very much. Batuh, the youngest daughter, has caught on the topic of the conversation, stops playing, and stresses the tensity by softly, but firmly addressing her mother: "I want to go with you, to see 'baba'!" We have only been allowed one visit since Adeeb's arrest four months ago. Batuh was there to see her father, but she was afraid of the pale and sad figure that her lively father had turned into. She did not even recognize Adeeb and refused to talk to him. Since this visit, no one from the family has been allowed to visit. We are all considered to be "security threats". It has been even harder on an emotional level. Two months ago, Alaah, my daughter of 17, was very sick and was even hospitalized twice. She could not walk or move, as if she was paralyzed. The doctors could not find anything wrong with her and decided it was psychosomatic..."
I thought about these mothers and wives of prisoners (and over 300 women prisoners) and the mothers of the many murdered Palestinians, thousands over the past 20 years alone, tens of thousands injured. How will they spend their mother's day? When I talked to my mother this afternoon over a cup of mint tea, she wondered when the death and killing end will and she seemed very sad. I wondered what I can say that comforts her or any of the millions of Palestinian mothers worried sick about "the situation". I wondered this and many other things silently. I wondered when we in Palestine will celebrate a mothers' day in freedom. I wondered what happened to Cindy Sheehan, mother of American marine who was killed in Iraq and who was arrested yesterday in Washington in an anti-war demonstration. I wondered how much longer we will suffer of colonial occupation, ethnic cleansing, and oppression after 62 years. I wonder why people are so patient on injustice. I wondered why politicians can't think of themselves as fellow human beings. I wondered who will visit the mothers of the dead Palestinians. Will the Palestinian President or the Israeli Prime Minister go visit some day and try to comfort the grieving mothers. I wondered for how long my US taxes will still go to fund all of this. I wondered when I will stop wondering about these and many things. I tell myself to take a deep breath and meditate to regain hope and energy.
There is much to be hopeful about. Yesterday there were many other popular resistance actions throughout the West Bank as more and more people take matters into their own hands. See for example these reports: Bethlehem district: al Ma’sara and al Walaja defend their lands and homes
http://stopthewall.org/latestnews/2205.shtml
Ramallah district: anti-Wall protests spread to five villages
http://stopthewall.org/latestnews/2204.shtml
(to remember Rachel Corrie) Video: Gaza the killing Zone watched by over 3.3 million viewers on youtube and 140,000 comments! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0aEo59c7zU&feature=fvw
I end with a Greek song for Palestine (English subtitles)!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtQtQfA4yzs
===========================
19 March 2010
Selected Popular Resistance News, upcoming events, and videos
Events Sunday and Monday in the Bethlehem area: Sunday at 11 AM weekly demonstration in Beit Jala. Sunday at noon, gather at Ush Ghrab in Beit Sahour for land reclamation activities such as rebuilding stonewalls, cleaning etc. Monday at 5 PM in the Peace Park at Ush Ghrab: Festival of Resistance to the military watch tower includes speeches, educational segment on the area, and brief speeches by known dignitaries.
Big victory for human rights: the largest public university system in the US supports divestments from Israel for its war crimes. Here is the well-documented resolution that passed 16:4 and is worth emulating at other universities (the bill procedurally split into 2 sections)
http://www.asuc.org/documentation/view.php?type=bills&id=2016
http://www.asuc.org/documentation/view.php?type=bills&id=2017
New weapons research group finds heavy metals in children's hair in Gaza following the attack of "cast lead"
http://www.newweapons.org/?q=node/112
Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC) calls for international protests leading to a boycott of Swedish fashion giant H&M (stores in Israel and some collaborative Arab countries)
http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/663
Video: 11 People arrested for speaking out against the Apartheid ambassador of Israel at University of California Irvine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcaryZbL3gE
Video: Apartheid and Nakba http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxxYTJNEZJo
Israeli forces attack shepherds in the South Hebron hills http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u6TF-Dzw8w
Settlers' call sends Palestinian shepherd to IDF beating By Amira Hass, Haaretz Correspondent
http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1156487.html
Actions speak louder than words. Please act.
=============
18 March 2010
Why is building a synagogue in Jerusalem cause for alarm
The Hurva synagogue was destroyed in the 1948 war by the Jordanian army. Before 1948, synagogues were used by Zionist underground forces for illicit activities including hording weapons.* But why is there a furor over building it again? First we must recognize that International law is rather clear that East Jerusalem is illegally occupied by Israel and per the Geneva conventions, and buildings or activities in the occupied areas are subject to those conventions. Any transfer of population to the occupied areas including infrastructure for these individuals is considered proscribed settlement activity contrary to both the letter and the spirit of the law.
Second, Israel News reported that "According to a centuries-old rabbinical prophecy that appears to be coming true, on March 16, 2010, Israel will begin construction of the Third Temple in Jerusalem. During the 18th century, the Vilna Gaon, a respected rabbinical authority, prophesied that the Hurva Synagogue in Jerusalem, which was built during his day, would be destroyed and rebuilt twice, and that when the Hurva was completed for the third time, construction on the Third Temple would begin. " http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?tabid=178&nid=20063 Many Israelis believe this and there is a proliferation of designs, ceremonies and other events to launch this coming age of building a third temple. The problem is that there are Muslim religious sites there now, the first Qibla or direction of prayer and the third holiest site of Islam.
Third, Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, and much of humanity, wonder why is it that such a synagogue is reconstructed but none of 1200 mosques and nearly 200 churches destroyed by Israel over the past 6 decades not allowed to be reconstructed? For me personally and for most Palestinains, we know the history shows Jews, Christians, and Muslims living peacefully together for 1400 years under Islamic rule (with very few exceptions). We know that it is possible to simply have a Jewish area, a Christian area, a Muslim area or even mixed areas. We know it is possible even to intermarry, have friendships, etc. But Zionism had a different idea and it did not revolve on coexisting but on ethnic cleansing and destruction of others. How else can we explain the destruction of 530 villages and towns? How can we explain the rapid growth of colonial settlements on Palestinian land or even inside Palestinian homes? There is surely enough space here for all. Why are Palestinians denied the right to go to school just this week (see story and picture where they even held school at the checkpoint, http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=269548). Why not simply live and let live. The density of population inside the Green line is now nearly 1/8th that of areas of the West Bank and Gaza that are designated reservations/ghettos for the native Palestinians. If Jews want to live in the old Jewish quarter of East Jerusalem and rebuild the synagogue there, why not allow the Palestinians to return to the old neighborhoods in West Jerusalem and rebuild the many churches and mosques there?
AIPAC issued a statement supporting Vice President Biden who claimed that there is no space between the US and Israel. In other words, the US and Israeli interests and policies are/must be one and the same including on starvation, oppression, colonization etc. (and oh yes, we have to always put Iran first now that we finished off Iraq for the sake of Israel). US General David Petreaus disagrees:
"Insufficient progress toward a comprehensive Middle East peace. The enduring hostilities between Israel and some of its neighbors present distinct challenges to our ability to advance our interests in the AOR. Israeli-Palestinian tensions often flare into violence and large-scale armed confrontations. The conflict foments anti-American sentiment, due to a perception of U.S. favoritism for Israel. Arab anger over the Palestinian question limits the strength and depth of U.S. partnerships with governments and peoples in the AOR and weakens the legitimacy of moderate regimes in the Arab world. Meanwhile, al-Qaeda and other militant groups exploit that anger to mobilize support. The conflict also gives Iran influence in the Arab world through its clients, Lebanese Hizballah and Hamas."
I would go much further and say the US interests and treasury have already been crippled by the subserviant relationship to Israeli lobbies. If the lobby finally succeeds in deepening the conflict with Iran, it will not be Iran that loses, but US and Israel will suffer a horrible blow. The US economy would go into a tail spin and the value of the $3 billion dollars in US military aid to Israel will be reduced even further as the US dollar accelerates its decline.
ACTION: AIPAC and Christian Zionists are mobilizing thousands to write the congress and white house to keep funding and supporting Israel in its policies of colonial settlement expansion. We can do no less write to the white house via http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ and to congress via http://house.gov/
*This was common practice for the Haganah and other forces to fire from synagogues and use them as military outposts, see here
==================
15 March 2010
The Israeli military finally constructed the watchtower in Ush Ghrab in the middle of our town of Beit Sahour today. An ugly reminder to us of the apartheid military power and an eye-sore too. News also indicates that the army decided to declare areas of Bilin and Nilin as closed military zones on Friday so that they try to prevent the weekly demonstrations. The occupation army today injured 10 demonstrators including some with live bullets (I always hated this term for neither the bullets nor those who fire them know anything about the value of life). They also arrested an activist with the Popular Campaign from the village of Al-Masara (Omar Ala' Edin, 25-year-old). There is hardly a day that goes by without such injustices that some in the outside world only hears about through the internet and others never hear about it. But we also see acts of heroism and self-sacrifice daily that go unreported. The diginified resistance starts by refusing to succumb in one's own heart. Afterall, if you accept injustice and believe in powerlessness, then you have already lost the struggle before it starts. Many refuse to accept the injustice and thus are instrumental in keeping the hope alive and the fires of the struggles burning. This can progress to acts of solidarity and support. I meet many internationals daily in Palestine who are caring deeply about what is going on. The Tree of Life group that was here Sunday was a blessing to us (see http://www.holylandpeace.org/) . Families in Beit Sahour hosted them in their homes and many lif-long friendships were made. Several other groups come to learn and support the people struggling to hang on to what is left of outr land.
Many locals engage in activism and it does work. As an example, the initial work to prepare for the watchtower was done weeks ago. The time to put the tower today only took less than two hours. Why was the delay? The answer is clerarly related to the resistance encountered at the site. Why the timing today? Because there was a division about best tactics to respond between the popular campaign and a city official. There are lessons to be drawn from this as from a long history of popular resistance in Palestine. The lessons are: we must act, we must act strongly, and we must do it regardless of "politics" (in its banal sense). It is possible to act from wherever you are and by whatever tool available to you: speaking, wrting, blogging, demonstrating, boycotting, shouting, singing, wispering, dancing, helping… We have great opportunities and significant openings; e.g. letters about settlements and Israel's apartheid policies are more read and published now. Together we are making a difference despite the oppression and together we can effect real change in our circumstances.
Action: Stop the Wall and www.itisapartheid.org are organizing the first international Israeli apartheid short film contest. Please consider making and submitting a film to this contest. For more information go to http://www.itisapartheid.tv
Background: Is Israel an Apartheid State? http://icahdusa.org/2010/03/617
A powerful speech by Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb http://www.qumsiyeh.org/lynngottlieb/
Open Letter to Mazin Qumsiyeh from Howard Cort http://www.qumsiyeh.org/openletterfromhowardcort/
Mazim Qumsiyet sic, una storia di resistenza che nasce dai libri (in Italian)
http://www.terranews.it/news/2010/03/mazim-qumsiyet-una-storia-di-resistenza-che-nasce-dai-libri
A video done by a Spanish group about my visit to spain (in Spanish).
Vídeo donde se ve al profesor Qumsiyeh en una acción: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4he1vayLrfo
==============
14 March 2010
The olive young leaves and flower sprouts are denser than ever before. It promises a great season not only of bountiful agricultural harvest but of bountiful harvest on the activism front. It is true that, as the Palestinian poet stated, if the olive tree knew the suffering of its owner, its oil would turn into tears. The Israeli apartheid forces have been uprooting olive trees in Beit Jala the last few days. They have also intensified their repression and attempts at intimidation of activists (with help from Palestinian collaborators). But it is also true that the apartheid system is facing grassroots activists everywhere despite all these tactics. Today we joined the demonstration in Beit Jala as we did not have a competing event at Ush Ghrab. The lack of an event here in Beit Sahour happened because the popular committee decided collectively (over 15 people) to put the actions before the local forces to decide on how (and if?) to support the popular resistance. Yet, we did go to Ush Ghrab in the morning and an Ashkenazi (European) white man wearing a blue shirt entered as we were meeting and drinking coffee, fiddled with his backpack, for a few minutes, then left. Later, as we were leaving, we notice the Israeli army on the hill and the same man with the blue short "briefing" them.
Soldiers uprooting olive trees were confronted in Beit Jala (see for example videos at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uss76bDKimw and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR7TWzMxEUM ) and later landowners with help of other locals and internationals went back and replanted these trees and rebuilt a bulldozed children's playground in Beit Jala. While the uprooting stopped for now because of a legal maneuver, there are weekly Sunday demonstrations. The even today was well organized locally but faced the usual Israeli brutality. Soldiers tossed concussion grenades and tear gas, Internationals and Palestinians talked to soldiers telling them that what they are doing is wrong. We told them that we are not personally against them but against what they do, that farmers should not be denied access to their lands, that uprooting olive trees is wrong, that the apartheid wall and settlements are wrong etc. The Israeli military seem to increasingly put Druze/Arab commanders in such situations intentionally as these folks try to prove their loyalty to the Jewish state by outdoing their Jewish counterparts in hatred of the Palestinian natives. We also commemorated today in this demonstration the murder of our friend Rachel Corrie, who was run over 7 years ago by an Israeli bulldozer in Rafah (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHCJ-wUIPV0 . Her parents are finally getting their day in an Israeli court; but if history tells us something it tells us that Israeli judges side with the Israeli occupiers because of the nature of the apartheid tribal regime.
On Saturday, a number of demonstrations happened throughout the West Bank. I passed by Qalandia where women demonstrators were faced with assault and battery by the occupation forces. In a village near Nablus, Israeli settlers joined the soldiers in assaulting villagers. In Ni'lin on Friday, people commemorated Tristan Anderson, shot in the head by a high velocity canister (see http://stopthewall.org/latestnews/2194.shtml ). A similar demonstration in Bilin Friday was also met with Israeli violence http://stopthewall.org/latestnews/2193.shtml . Same happened in Al-Ma'sara where two young men were
severely beaten (http://stopthewall.org/latestnews/2195.shtml ) and elsewhere.
I think each Palestinian living under occupation for a few years and learning from his experience deserves a higher degree. There are of course people who live here and learn little just as there are people who go through four years of college and learn very little. I think the same applies to Israelis living in this apartheid system. The opportunities for learning to the questioning mind are boundless but there are few takers. This is because it is for most people easier to live in the paradigms they are used to than bother with really challenging questions. That is fine if these people recognize the limits on their knowledge. But many actually think they know a lot. Opinions are rather easy to come by here. Open any subject among Israelis and Palestinians and you will hear strong convictions. There are few hesitations, few "I don't know", few questioning of the thought process shaped many years ago in unyielding, and unchanging brains. Even when there are internal contradictions in the thought process, it is accepted as a given.
But we in the activist community must take more time to explain to people (friend and foe) what we believe and why we came to our beliefs. We must listen and analyze and reason. It is possible to reach people. Whether they are cowards, collaborators, congenital liars, conscripted soldiers obeying orders, or congenial friends and relatives not wanting to "get involved." It is important to simply talk. We need to look people in the eyes, ask questions, and converse honestly. But above all, we must get involved since we can't be neutral on a moving train and silence is complicity. Action does make a difference. Just last week Israel apartheid week actions happened in over 50 cities around the world from Gaza to New York. Here are a few more actions people have taken
Video done by Zochrot to stimulate discussion in Israel: On the day Yafa`s refugees return http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbp2Ep9BXpQ
Video: Event in the Peace Palace at the Hague, the Netherlands when apartheid apologists are confronted by a more popular "reception" outside which also stimulated discussion of the nature of Israeli apartheid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b3II_cLm2A
The Russell Tribunal on Palestine (RTP) was held in Barcelona. The RTP is a peoples' tribunal focusing not on Israel's obligations under international humanitarian law (IHL) such as the Fourth Geneva Convention, but on the obligations of the international community of signatory states which sustain and enable Israel's continuous violations of international law� http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11104.shtml
Deafening Silence from Corporate Media (on IDF Dinner Protest) by Alex Kane http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/03/12-3
Hundreds of US Academics support the boycotts, divestments, and sanctions from apartheid Israel http://usacbi.wordpress.com/endorsers/
Launch of New website: Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East? http://theonlydemocracy.org/
And we Palestinian Christians will try to enter Jerusalem without permits this Easter,
http://www.imemc.org/index.php?obj_id=53&story_id=58203
Stay tuned (but better yet, act on your end :-)
==============
8 March 2010
Below is an update including action calls, interviews by several languages, and more videos of civil resistance actions being persecuted by occupation authorities.
Many people have been injured and killed in the past few weeks as both the local population and the occupation authorities realize we are in the birth pangs of a new uprising against the occupation focused on civil resistance in villages and towns impacted by the colonization policies. A 14-year-old Ehab Afdal Barghouthi was critically injured after Israeli occupation soldiers shot him in the head earlier this week during one of these demonstrations. The concern that hundreds of you showed to my situation with a potential arrest upon return home moved me. Of course, I am more protected and privileged than most Palestinians who engage in civil resistance and we must not forget about them. But in discussion with many hundreds of friends via my appearances in the US in the last few days and via the internet, we come to the conclusion that it might be good to use my story as a way to draw attention to these other cases. If the Israeli army is allowed to persecute a Palestinian American academic and professor who always advocated civil and nonviolent resistance, then obviously they would have more freedom to do far more against others. And not being able to intimidate me might give more courage to other Palestinians from exile to return and struggle in our homeland. So with those ideas in mind, I contracted with the law offices of Jonathan Kuttab (famous Palestinian civil resister himself) to represent me upon my return. We will also wage a media and other campaigns as the need arise. I thus spoke strongly against repression in several venues in the past few days including Bradeiss, Brown, UMAss, and Northeastern Universities. I will also be speaking March 10th at Noon at Graduate Student Lounge (just behind Au Bon Pain), Rutgers Student Center, 126 College Avenue, New Brunswick Directions: http://maps.rutgers.edu/building.aspx?id=278
Sponsored by the Emeriti Assembly of the Rutgers Council of AAUP-AFT Chapters
Supporters of freedom have also took initiatives to act on their own. Some started a petition to describes the situation surrounding the threats by the Israeli Army: http://www.thestruggle.org/beit_s_petition.htm
And some American professors and representatives have already expressed support:
http://www.thestruggle.org/we_ask_beit_sahour.htm
Others have continued to put videos on Youtube showing indeed who the aggressors are.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4he1vayLrfo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuzk9k7y_9Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4MDxqrofhU
Other peace and justice groups have asked for action. For example Palestine Action Group wrote to their supporters:
This is a call for action on behalf of our friend, Dr Mazin B. Qumsiyeh, whom we know as a tireless advocate for human rights and justice. Mazin is a Palestinian American citizen who lived in the US for 29 years before returning to Palestine nearly two years ago. He received his higher education in the US and served as a faculty member in schools of medicine at the Universities of Tennessee, Duke and Yale. He has also written several books, the most recent of which is Hope and Empowerment: A History of Popular Resistance in Palestine.�����Israel receives billions of our tax money, and carries out its targeting of nonviolent peace activists, like Mazin, with the tacit complicity of the US government. Please join us in writing to Israelis officials (that we are aware of Mazin's situation and concerned for his safety) and US officials (asking that they use their influence on Mazin's behalf). Below are the addresses, and thanks for any attention you can bring to his case.
Israeli Embassy in US: Ambassador Michael Oren, Embassy of Israel, 3514 International Drive, NW, Washington DC 20008 Telephone: (202) 364-5500 Fax: (202) 364-5423 E-mail: info@israelemb.org
Consulate General of Israel to the Pacific Northwest, 456 Montgomery St, Suite 2100, San Francisco, CA 94104
Telephone: 415-844-7500 Fax: 415-844-7555 E-mail: sf@israelconsulate.org
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
http://contact-us.state.gov/cgi-bin/state.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php or Secretary@state.gov
U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20520, Main Switchboard: 202-647-4000 / Comment Line: 202-647-6575 or 202-647-5291
US Embassy in Israel: U.S. Embassy, Israel 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv amctelaviv@state.gov
Israeli minister of justice: Min. of Justice Yaakov NEEMAN, Salah -a - Din 29 P.O.Box 49029 Jerusalem 91490 ISRAEL
Interview of Mazin Qumsiyeh by Silvia Cattori
English
http://www.silviacattori.net/article1130.html
http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/Voices.php/2010/03/03/israeli-repression-in-palestine-is-escal
http://imemc.org/index.php?obj_id=53&story_id=58126
http://www.uruknet.de/index.php?p=m63886&hd=&size=1&l=e
http://intifada-palestine.com/2010/03/04/mazin-qumsiyeh-israeli-army-wants-me/
http://net-news-global.com/index.php?lang=en&PHPSESSID=b36244cd870f8b700667b6a5023e5eb0
http://www.profi-reporte.de/php/pr/include.php?path=content/articles.php&contentid=4180&PHPKITSID=960f46979538b1afd93c1e1af66dc423
http://www.dynastie-schubach.ch/de/press/index.php4
http://www.blogfrommiddleeast.com/?new=63886
French
http://www.silviacattori.net/article1132.html
http://www.mondialisation.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=17930
http://groups.google.be/group/medias-mensonges-desinformation/browse_thread/thread/382f9f47d60d1988
http://w41k.info/36847#36847
http://www.belkacem.net/spip.php?article3637
http://www.info-palestine.net/article.php3?id_article=8279
http://www.palestine-solidarite.org/interview.Mazin_Qumsiyeh.030310.htm
http://alwissal.wordpress.com/
http://resocial.info/Mazin_Qumsiyeh__Larmee_israelienne_me_cherche_/comments#Mazin_Qumsiyeh__Larmee_israelienne_me_cherche_/comments
http://www.rene-balme.org/24h00/spip.php?page=site
http://emmalaluce2.blogspot.com/
http://legaysavoir.blogspot.com/
http://sergeadam.blogspot.com/2010/03/lula-refuse-de-sanctionner-liran.html
http://www.urgencepalestine.ch/Agenda/news.html
http://anniebannie.net/2010/03/06/la-repression-israelienne-en-palestine-s%E2%80%99aggrave/
German
http://www.silviacattori.net/article1131.html
http://www.anis-online.de/1/ton/64.htm
http://www.rssdoor.de/home/nachrichten/31,0,10699,13,1,1,0.html
http://www.net-news-global.de/
http://www.arendt-art.de/deutsch/palestina/
http://www.palaestina-portal.eu/
Spanish
http://www.silviacattori.net/article1138.html
http://www.rebelion.org/noticia.php?id=101670
=========================
2 March 2010
The Israeli army invaded our neighborhood at 1:30 AM Tuesday morning waking up my mother, wife and sister. Heavily-armed soldiers blocked roads during "the operation". When my family opened the door, they demanded to see me. They were told I have already left to the US. After many more questions, they left a paper that states I am to appear at the military liaison office next Monday. My sister and wife told them I will not be back by then. Clearly the warning from that military officer at Ush Ghrab that I mentioned in my last email, was based on knowledge of this. I guess I am a wanted man now for engaging in nonviolent protest! Those who were at that event and have video, please contact me. What disturbs me is not the risk to me; any action against oppression is taken knowing there are personal risks. What disturbs me is that this has an effect on my family and thousands of friends around the world who care (and some of it unpredictable). My 76 year old mother asks on the phone that I not go back and that I work in the US for a while, a very painful suggestion for a mother to make about her only remaining son near her! I try to assure her that I have done nothing wrong and will not leave her�but she brings up many examples of people who also did not do any violence and were arrested, imprisoned, and their families had to go through a lot. A friend who heard about this stated I have nothing to worry about, that this was to hassle me to get us to stop being active. Another lost sleep trying to figure out what we can do. I assure her that I will carry on with my speaking tour as planned and that this will blow over one day. (the song �we shall overcome someday� comes to mind).
But I am not different from hundreds of others. Israel is cracking down on all popular/civil resistance activities in Palestine because: 1) there is no armed resistance now, and 2) Civil resistance is escalating and portending a new powerful uprising. Israel�s repression of dissent reinforces in our minds the importance of civil resistance and that there is a price to pay for it. Over 30 activists were arrested in Bilin over the past year, many others in Ni�lin, Al-Ma�sara and elsewhere. The repression reveals the bankruptcy of the Zionist regime and its excessive paranoia that will IMHO eventually lead to its demise. It is paranoia inherent in the philosophical underpinnings of the ideology. That ideology embraced by a subset of Jews (Zionism) simply teaches that �we are God�s chosen people, He gave us this land, we cannot go wrong when behaving against the Goyim especially those who happen to be here when we arrived to reclaim and cleanse our lands, and International law and human rights laws do not apply to us.� It is self-destructive delusions that are inculcated during early education and perpetuate the myths of uniqueness. It leads to the kind of behaviors that are now difficult to hide (the ethnic cleansing of 1948 was only a beginning). But even some Israelis are shedding these mythologies and joining the struggle. In the end, we will live together despite all this repression.
I have to consider various options in terms of responding to this particular event. If you have any advice, I would appreciate it. My initial thought is that we should intensify our work for peace and human rights in this critical and historic period: write to the media, the politicians, neighbors and anyone who would listen. Below is an action call for March 30th (Land Day) which I urge you to heed. We can�t be neutral on a moving train and there are times whether in the US in the 1950s and 1960s or in South Africa under apartheid, when silence was indeed complicity in crime.
Action: Land Day to be marked with Global BDS Day of Action Statement, Palestinian BDS National Committee, 1 March 2010. The BDS National Committee (BNC) is calling on you to unite in your different capacities and struggles for a Global BDS Day of Action on 30 March 2010 in solidarity with the Palestinian people and for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel� http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11107.shtml
Good and relevant reading: The Goldstone Report and the Israeli "Right of Self-Defense" By Jerome Slater - Professor Emeritus of political science, SUNY Buffalo
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jerome-slater/the-goldstone-report-and_b_479945.html
==============================
1 March 2010
I just arrived in the US to give a series of talks on Palestine As part of the 6th International Israeli Apartheid Week www.apartheidweek.org (my schedule is below*). The day I left Palestine was a bizarre/strange day to say the least. The second Sunday in Beit Sahour to hold events to protest the increased military presence was to contain a land reclamation activity. The torrential rains put a damper on that option but lifted our spirits since it proclaimed a great planting and harvest season. In three days, we received over 85% of the total needed rainfall for the season!! Nothing like this happened here in over 15 years. But there was enough of a clearing that over 60 people gathered at Ush Ghrab. It included Dr. Moustafa Barghouthi and his supporters. Because we had originally planned no demonstration for this Sunday, we (the members of the popular committee in Beit Sahour) asked that they do not chant and that they fold their banners. Because there was no military, we decided to honor a request from our visitors and give them a quick tour of the military camp site. But just after we arrived at the top of the hill and were about to spend five minutes explaining the tumultuous history of this site, the Israeli soldiers came barreling up the hill in their military jeeps. Giving us five minutes to go back down and refusing to negotiate, things unfolded rather quickly. The soldiers threw about a dozen concussion grenades. Three young people from those who came from outside Beit Sahour tried to throw stones. I and two others tried to stop them. But before we knew it, tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets were fired by the military. I went to my car, pulled out the bullhorn (which we did not intend to use since we were not planning a protest) and explained in no uncertain terms that we in Beit Sahour do not appreciate or welcome anyone who throws stones as we in the committee have agreed on only peaceful popular resistance. Within a few minutes, the crowds had dispersed and rain had resumed heavy so it ended. At a particularly tense moment, an Israeli intelligence officer walked up to me and stated simply �You are Mazin Qumsiyeh, you are going to try to leave to the US today, I advise you not to go!� It was a surreal moment to let threaten me and let me know that they are keeping taps. I simply answered that "what I do and don�t do is up to my conscience and the rest up to Allah." We continued with our plans and we think the rather harsh response to our presence foretells of the army's insecurity. Arriving to the US safely, I feel I am again in an occupied unsafe land where Zionists like Joseph Lieberman, Wolf Blitzer, and Alan Dershowitz need to be challenged just like our challenge to these Israeli soldiers. I am sure some of the local Israeli-apologists will be at my talks, and we will have opportunities to continue the dialogue. Before I give you my talk schedule though, I wanted to share to action calls.
Action call 1: From Playgrounds For Palestine
We are sending out this CALL TO ACTION to alert our supporters about a troubling development in the Oush Grab Peace Park, the site designated for a 2010 PfP playground installation.
The Israeli military is trying to implement a decision to confiscate community and privately held property belonging to the community and families in the Palestinian Christian town of Beit Sahour.
Included in this swath of land is the treasured Peace Park, which serves as a community space, park and recreational facility where Palestinian families gather daily and was to be the site of one of PfP's next playgrounds. We ask you to call and write to Israeli officials in order to protest this action, call upon them to stop the construction of the watchtower, prevent settlers from attacking the park, and cease any idea of building a settlement in the site.
Follow the link and enter zip for to contact local congressmen - http://www.congress.org/communicate
Call the Israeli ambassador 202 364 5500 or email info@washington.mfa.gov.il
Email the Consulate General of the US, Jerusalem - uscongenjerusalem@state.gov
Call the Israeli consulate in Philly 215 977 7600
Contact the Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Near East Affairs - Jeffrey D Feltman 202 647 7209
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Action call 2: CALL TO ACTION!!
The Sheikh Jarrah Neighborhood Committee and Just Jerusalem call on you to join our struggle against the occupation of East Jerusalem. Please circulate this call and help organize solidarity protests throughout the world: WE WILL NOT BE STOPPED!
On Saturday March 6th please join us in our protest to stop the Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem. At 7:00 PM we will be holding a mass rally in Sheikh Jarrah against:
� The forced eviction of the Palestinian families from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah
� The Jewish settlement of East Jerusalem
� The undemocratic attack on political protest
50 Palestinians have already been evicted from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah. Another 500 are threatened. If the settlers and their government allies succeed, all Palestinians in East Jerusalem are threatened. If we stop them in Sheikh Jarrah, we can stop them elsewhere. We call on all groups who support the struggle for Palestinian rights and for a just and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinian, to hold solidarity protest vigils on March 6 near Israeli consulates and embassies abroad.
The Sheikh Jarrah Neighborhood Committee
Just Jerusalem � the Israeli Coalition for a just solution in Jerusalem
For more information on the struggle see our blog: http://www.en.justjlm.org/
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*Tentative Schedule of Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh in the US March 2nd: In Oradell, NJ Evening drive to Waltham, MA
March 3rd:
10:15 a.m.-12 p.m. meeting Anne Marie Codur at Northeastern
12-1:30 p.m. Northestern University Law School, Room Dockser 30, 400 Huntington Ave. Boston, MA
5-6:00 p.m. Brandeis University, Zinner Forum, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA �Palestinian life and struggle under Israeli occupation�
7-8:30 p.m. St. John's Methodist Church, Watertown, MA
March 4:
9:30-11:00 a.m. UMass, Boston, MA, Healey Library 11th floor (H11-0011B). 100 Morrissey Blvd., 617-287-5900 �Israeli Apartheid and Palestinian Non-violent Resistance�
2-3:30 p.m. Brown University, MacMillan Hall 117, 167 Thayer St, at Thayer and George Streets, Providence, RI
7-8:30 p.m. UUSIS (UU Church), 20 Forest Street, Stamford, CT �Peace is Possible: A Perspective on Israel & Palestine�
March 5: Driving, Stamford to Pittsburgh
7-8:30 p.m.First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh, 605 Morewood Av., Pittsburgh, PA
March 9:
Driving, Pittsburgh to Oradell, NJ.
Evening in NYC attending Edward Said's daughter's play off Broadway, 83 East Fourth St, Manhattan.
March 10th:
11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. the Assembly Room, downstairs in the office of the AAUP/AFT (American Assoc. of University Professors), 11 Stone Street, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, Driving directions available at http://www.rutgersaaup.org/contactus.htm or by phoning Denise at (732) 964-1000, ext. 15
Evening leaving for Palestine
Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh (formerly of Yale and Duke universities) teaches at Bethlehem and Birzeit Universities in occupied Palestine and chairs the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People. He is author of a number of books, including "Sharing the Land of Canaan: Human Rights and the Israeli-Palestinian Struggle" and the forthcoming "Hope and Empowerment: A history of Popular Resistance In Palestine". He will share with us his first-hand experience of living in a troubled land and discuss strategies for a peaceful resolution of the present conflict in the region. There will be ample time for questions and clarifications.
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26 February 2010
Every day here sees new injustices and no one escapes them. On Wednesday, my wife, I, and a graduate student drove up to Salfit area where my student is doing a master's thesis on the impact of the Burqan Industrial settlements on the health of the Palestinian villagers. The Israeli industrial settlement dumps daily hundreds of cubic meters of industrial waste water laden with heavy metals and other chemicals down into the valley where residents of Brukeen breath air, use the fields for raising crops and feeding their animals. This pollution of private lands has been going on for years. For summary on this area See http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=1161
On the way back, a private car with yellow license plates (Israeli) cut in front of me and I had to hit my brakes hard not to hit him. He drove later in front of me for bout a kilometer, stopped in front of me in the middle of the road and then two heavily armed Israeli �police� walked out of the car. Gruffly and in Arabic they asked for ID cards and from my wife they asked in English for her passport. They refuse to answer any questions after that in any language and insisted on speaking only in Hebrew to give us two violations 1) for me to go to a military court in the settlement of Ofer (not even a simple fine) and 2) for my student for sitting in the back seat without tying her seat belt (250 shekels, roughly US $70 for her, nearly a month salary). I checked with a lawyer later who told me that the police regularly pick on Palestinian drivers with extremely large fines; mine is likely to be in the range of $500 if not more after the �trial� (or worse). So we will get tos ee an Israeli military judge choose between believing three in my car telling teh truth or two Israelis in the Israeli car with a grudge against Palestinians (I will let you know) . When one considers the average income of Palestinians in the West Bank is about $100 per month, you can see how devastating these Israeli "traffic violations" can be.
Many Zionists still live in la la land thinking that oppression, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, coupled with hasbara or Israeli propaganda, will paper allow them to get away with the ethnic cleansing of 530 towns and villages in 1948-1949 and continued land theft ongoing to this day (including in our village of Beit Sahour). They thought that the massacres in Gaza and the blockade and starvation of millions of people living in concentration areas (ghettos or cantons) called "area A" will cause us to kneel. And: "Israel's latest conscripts in the fight to improve the country's image have been unveiled: ordinary Israeli citizens. Armed only with a government-issued hasbara pamphlet and a winning smile, they will be sent to wage war with their detractors, in an effort to present Israel as a benign, democratic utopia whose only Achilles heel is poor public relations." (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/feb/22/israel-pr-campaign). I read the bizarre quote from a senile Shimon Peres (father of Israel's nuclear weapons arsenal) that: "There are millions of Indians who love us, a billion Chinese who love us, and millions of evangelicals, who love us. We have a problem with Sweden, but we're working on it." A recent study shows 1.57 billion Muslims in the world and a survey in Europe shows most people think the two countries that are most dangerous in the world are the US and Israel (not Iran and North Korea!). It is amazing that some delude themselves to think the world can be molded to follow their racist agenda. Instead of adjusing their racist behaviors they are desperate to get others to become like them. But with the internet, even their Zionist implants, like Wolf Blitzer of CNN and Mort Zuckerman of Newsweek, don't seem to be able to stem the tide of truth. Even our little humble video of Beit Sahour attracted over 6000 of you (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4he1vayLrfo).
The fact that the boycotts, divestments, and sanctions movement is spreading rapidly despite all the hasbara (Israeli propaganda) is telling. More and more people wake-up and join the millions of us who are acting for justice (realizing taht silence is complicity). Just this week, the University of Michigan's Dearborn Student Government passed a divestment resolution and starting Monday in over 40 cities around the world, Israel apartheid week will mobilize thousands more for BDS (see http://apartheidweek.org/ and ACT in your area).
In other good news, Europe's highest court ruled on Thursday that Israeli products manufactured in settlements in occupied Palestinian territories are not exempt from paying EU customs duties. This essentially means the EU does not consider the West Bank to be part of "Israel." The next step is that enough Europeans would pressure their governments to revoke the Europe-Israel association agreement which gives free access to European markets. When enough pressure built on those same governments, they stopped supporting apartheid South Africa.
Locally, there were demonstrations against the Israeli government decision to add two Palestinian holy sites to the "Israel Heritage Site list". There is growth of resistance and if we just get better leadership that believes in its people instead of believing in Oslo and the US vacant promises, the upcoming and inevitable uprising will be the last one before we get our freedom and return. Join us Sunday at 11 AM in Ush Ghrab in Beit Sahour for a land reclamation and protection activity.
Finally, my letter published in response to a misleading letter in Indian Country Today
Claims are pure chutzpah
A letter �Remember who the real victims are,� from Elliot Kalman published Feb.12 Vol. 29, No. 37 stated that �The Jews, who only wanted to live in peace with their neighbors, rightly defended themselves. Indians, who tried to live in peace with the two-faced invaders they were faced with, rightly defended themselves. Let�s remember who the actual victims are: American Indians, European Jews, and the poor Gaza Palestinians who would live in peace with their Israeli neighbors if not for Hamas, the religiously motivated thugs who run Gaza.� I found these verbal acrobatics not only factually wrong but rather offensive.
Hamas was established in 1988, 40 years after the ethnic cleansing that made the Gaza strip hold nearly a million Palestinian refugees, and 22 years after Israel occupied and economically destroyed this desert strip now holding 1.5 million starving people living under an Israeli blockade.
There is no such thing as �the Jews� with a uniform agenda as there is no such thing as �the Whites� or �the Blacks� with a uniform agenda. Not all European whites decided to colonize the �new world� and not all whites in South Africa supported apartheid. Similarly, not all Jews supported the colonization of Palestine or claim eternal victimization and chosenness (parallel to �manifest destiny�).
Zionism resulted in dozens of massacres and left two-thirds of the total population of natives (Christians and Muslims) as refugees or displaced people. Even Moshe Dayan stated: �Jewish villages were built in the place of Arab villages. You do not even know the names of these Arab villages, and I do not blame you because geography books no longer exist. Not only do the books not exist, the Arab villages are not there either. Nahlal arose in the place of Mahlul; Kibbutz Gvat in the place of Jibta; Kibbutz Sarid in the place of Huneifis; and Kefar Yehushua in the place of Tal al-Shuman. There is not a single place built in this country that did not have a former Arab population.�
Rather than being a victim, Israel is in violation of dozens of UN resolutions and has violated just about every article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights per International human rights organizations (and even Israeli ones like B�Tselem).
Thanks to the Zionist lobby, the U.S. government sent billions of dollars of military aid to Israel every year and even went to wars to serve Zionist narrow interests. Israel is now well recognized as the fourth or fifth strongest army in the world. Israel was also shielded from international law by more than 35 U.S. vetoes at the UN; 400 children were slaughtered in Gaza only a year ago and our lands continue to be colonized, including here in the Bethlehem district where we lost nearly 80 percent of our lands. After all these and many other horrors, to cynically claim victimization and to claim kinship to Native American struggles should offend any decent human being. In Yiddish it is called chutzpah and what we call �aib� (shameful) in Arabic.
Mazin Qumsiyeh
Bethlehem, Palestine
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21 Feb 2010
Some 100 people gathered at Ush Ghrab in Beit Sahour to pray for peace and protest the planned military presence there. As we were gathering in peaceful contemplation and prayer, Israeli army jeeps quickly rolled in between us and one officer barked orders in Hebrew. We explained to them in Arabic and English that we do not understand Hebrew (later we realized they also knew Arabic and English) but they immediately started throwing concussion grenades and tear gas at the elderly, women, children, the priest doing the prayer, other town people and internationals (Christians and Muslims). A translator who reviewed our video footage later in the day said that their orders meant we have one minute to disperse! The priest's words, delivered as the army was attacking, was to plead to God to teach us to live in dignity based on morality and speak out for what is right (then we gave the Lord's prayer together). But considering the unusual circumstances, we persisted and succeeded in holding our ground. On image captured on video that sticks out in my mind is Issa, which is Arabic for Jesus, holding his child in his arms while kicking the teargas canister. His other child had started crying with the noise of a concussion grenade. The tape done by IMEMC.org professional photographer Ghassan shows the rest of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4he1vayLrfo
My thought to the 40,000 people receiving this: If after watching this, you are not outraged, then you have no humanity. If you are outraged and is able to do something about it, but don't, then you have abrogated your moral responsibility. Doing something about it means joining us next week if you are in the Bethlehem district or, if you are not, pressuring your government and the 101 other ways you know about that can make a difference.
The popular committee will continue and asks all of you to join us at 11 AM at Ush Ghrab next week where will have better organization and ensuring that young children and elderly who join us will be away from any potential area of conflict (we just did not expect the speed and viciousness of the Israeli attack this time). Despite the arrayed forces against us (including both Israeli and unfortunately some supine Palestinians), we believe in the power of popular resistance to move conscience and achieve results. The examples from our town of Beit Sahour during the first uprising of the late 1980s and places like Bilin in the past few years should be ample proof. The fact that Bilin retrieved over 1500 dunums of its land thanks to its popular resistance in ALL its forms. They are still going on strong five years later and they grew from a handful to thousands.
The attack on peaceful demonstrations fit a pattern of pathology (psychosis) indicative of the bankruptcy of the apartheid state. Israeli forces shot at a private vehicle in Husan near Bethlehem yesterday injuring three civilians including one critically. Their insults to foreign countries, demeaning the Turkish ambassador, use of foreign passports in sending hit squads are all telling: mafia like actions. Acting irrationally and lashing out helps show the rest of the world the true nature of this sick regime.
I am so proud of the people who came and joined together with us and for those of you who did not join us, you missed something rather amazing. The best of humanity is on the march with love. Those of us who were here are energized and wish you would come and join us in "joyful participation in the sorrows of this world". You can't be neutral on a moving train. You are either on the side of justice or you are contributing to the injustice. Silence is complicity.
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//100219/ids_photos_wl/r1248158112.jpg/#photoViewer=/100219/481/4865168bfb7a4784947f920bbbd07b13
Photos of popular resistance including tearing down the apartheid fences in Bilin
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Beit Sahour: a new struggle by Ben White - 21 February 2010 11:49, The Newstatesman
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2010/02/palestinian-israeli-settlers
One correction to this article: I am not "taking a lead", there are 17 members of the Popular Committee to Defend Ush Ghrab, I am honored to be a small part of the team
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Injustice in Beit Sahour: A Statement by Kairos Palestine
(Jerusalem 20.03.2010) As described by town residents, Ha'aretz, Ma'an News, and other sources in recent days, Israeli soldiers and bulldozers arrived on February 10 at a family recreation park in Beit Sahour � a town slightly east of Bethlehem in the West Bank, and the site of the former army base Osh Grab, which was abandoned by the IDF in 2006 � and declared it a closed military zone.
KAIROS Palestine condemns this action and calls upon churches worldwide to advocate for the Christians and all residents of Beit Sahour and intervene in the damage, present and projected, wrought upon their home.
Since 1967, Beit Sahour, one of the last Christian majority towns in the West Bank, has repeatedly lost land to the Jerusalem municipality and to the nearby settlement of Har Homa. Much of the remaining land was occupied by an Israeli military base, Osh Grab. After the army evacuated the base in 2006, the Beit Sahour municipality regained control of the land � largely private plots and some public ones. (That said, all of the land remained part of what Israel calls Area C, keeping it under harsh regulation by the Israeli State.) The municipality renovated the public land, built a recreational park and playground � the "Peace Park" � and was planning to build a hospital as well.
Over time, fanatical Jewish settler groups have often threatened to take over the site, protested there as part of their aggressive claim as its "true" owners, and even physically vandalized the park, as they did last month. As it stands, Israel's stated intention is to build a new watchtower: a troubling reassertion of a military presence in Beit Sahour. The other worry is that this could pave the way for a new settlement, which nearby settlers have been demanding for years. As Amira Hass writes in Ha'aretz, "The Beit Sahour residents have no reason to doubt either the settlers or the Har Homa neighborhood committee chairman, who declared that 'This could become a reality, just as Har Homa spilled beyond what was planned and expected.'"
Either way, this new display of control on the part of the State � arriving with bulldozers, excavating the site around the park, prohibiting the entry of the Beit Sahour residents and various internationals who came to protest, declaring the land a closed military zone � is a grave affront. It is painful and unjust for some reasons of specific import to Christians (who form 80% of Beit Sahour); others are simply questions of humanity and legality, crucial for both Christians and Muslims.
First, the park area lies between two sacred sites: "Shepherds Field" and the place, as told in the Bible, where Boaz fell in love with Ruth. These are places of immense spiritual significance, and the State's commandeering of the land is profoundly distressing. (As we wrote in the Kairos Document, "freedom of access to the holy places is denied under the pretext of security.") Second, the takeover is yet another example of the way Israeli occupation displaces us, divorces us from our basic rights of mobility and autonomy, and enforces a divisive view of human interaction that perverts the Word of God and the love and compassion it calls us to.
We request the solidarity of churches in the international community: to support us, to intervene in this latest encroachment on Beit Sahour and prevent it from continuing, and to speak out against the occupation in all such instances. We ask individuals and communities worldwide to contact Israeli officials and condemn their actions, to write the mayor of Beit Sahour and express support, and engage in other such forms of outreach and network-building.
As we make these requests, we quote again from the KAIROS Document itself to remind ourselves and each other of what is at stake and what we must call for:" Our connectedness to this land is a natural right. It is not an ideological or theological question only�we suffer from the occupation of our land because we are Palestinians."
And finally: "We also declare that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land is a sin against God and humanity because it deprives the Palestinians of their basic human rights, bestowed by God�and distort s the divine image in the human beings living under both political and theological injustice."
Please join KAIROS Palestine in condemning these oppressive actions in Beit Sahour and working to restore the justice that is both our calling and our right.
We ask you to call and write to Israeli officials in order to protest this action, call upon them to stop the construction of the watchtower, prevent settlers from attacking the park, and cease any idea of building a settlement in the site.
Please make appeals to:
Ehud Barak Ministry of Defense,
37 Kaplan Street, Hakirya, Tel Aviv 61909, Israel
Fax: +972 3 691 6940
Email: minister@mod.gov.il
Salutation: Dear Minister
Israeli Ambassador in your respective country
Copy to the:
Mayor of Beit Sahour
Email: bsmuni@p-ol.com
Kairos Palestine: www.kairospalestine.ps
Email: Kalimatuna@gmail.com
KAIROS Palestine is a group of Palestinian Christians who authored "A Moment of Truth" � Christian Palestinian's word to the world about the occupation of Palestine, an expression of hope and faith in God, and a call for solidarity in ending over six decades of oppression � and published it in 2009.
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19 February 2010
Today there were demonstrations and confrontations in a number of locations in the occupied West Bank with three enduring particularly vicious Israeli attacks: Nilin, Bilin, Al-Ma'sara. It is impossible to be in many places at one time so I chose to go to Al-Ma'sara for their weekly demonstration. There, the demonstrators decided to go on the main street and as soon as we got there, the occupation army attacked the peaceful demonstrators. There were no warnings but immediate volley of concussion grenades and tear gas canisters. The soldiers chased people into the village and continued firing. I stayed close to teh soldiers and tried to reason with them. In one instance they used a stun grenade to prevent me from talking to soldiers who are mindlessly obeying officers. I could not help think of Nazis and Apartheid soldiers. I persisted in trying to reason with them. As we were leaving, a higher ranking military intelligence officer stopped me and did get my name and coordinates.
Video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzeaRzx8kDA
But I wish we were also in Nilin and Bilin where demonstrators actually succeeded in dismantling section of the apartheid barrier in both villages (Israelis call it in Hebrew Geder HaHafrada, segregation barrier). A few hundred demonstrated in Nilin and some injuries were reported (see report below in Arabic). Over a thousand demonstrated in Bilin and the army dispersed them with concussion grenades and tear gas (see misleading report in Haaretz http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1151032.html ).
We hope you will join us in Beit Sahour on Sunday at Ush Ghrab on the eastern side of the town at 10:30 AM (till 12:30) to protest the Israeli military activities in the area. Here is where the International Solidarity Movement got its birth nearly 10 years ago and where a tax revolt in 1988 showed the way of civil resistance. Here is where people will once again show what it means to stand-up for peace and justice. Prayers will be offered and a peaceful vigil will occur on the spot.
As we always say: silence is complicity.
Quote of the day: Israeli U.S. Ambassador Michael Oren "The major concern with J Street US Jewish Zionist lobby but not AIPAC was their position on security issues, not the peace process. J Street has now come and supported Congressman Howard Berman's Iran sanction bill; it has condemned the Goldstone report; it has denounced the British court's decision to try Tzipi Livni for war crimes, which puts J Street much more into the mainstream."
Fourth World War By: BigNoise Tactical (2003)
From the front-lines of conflicts in Mexico, Argentina, South Africa, Palestine, Korea, 'the North' from Seattle to Genova, and the 'War on Terror' in New York, Afghanistan, and Iraq. It is the story of men and women around the world who resist being annihilated in this war. Split into 9 parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms4C0LPNPpI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nix2u9Cch-8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxr59P59wtY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utWeEuih-Aw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l54tBDj_xLs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6Ii3NZMEwc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcitLHQd-uc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_bw48v1eyo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLFP-0p0TyY
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13 February 2010
We have been extremely busy here. The presence of soldiers in Beit Sahour gave us ample time to talk to them on Thursday and on Friday; we spent the morning planting trees in threatened private lands. We were proud of young and old, internationals and Palestinians, working together. Even a bus of elderly from the elderly home in Beit Sahour showed up to help. My 77 year old mother was among them. It was such a meaningful thing. The day before was meaningful in a different way. The hours we spent talking to soldiers on Thursday was important too we believe. Foot soldiers in an army of occupation know so little other than what their government tells them. They tell them lies about Arabs "terrorism", Jewish eternal "victimization", the need to be strong to "defend" a country created so that they could simply live alone away from the anti-Semites (who are essentially all the Christians and the Muslims). They tell them that it is an unexplainable phenomenon this hatred of the Jews and it has nothing to do with what Jews do or did. It is almost a genetic thing.
A friend wrote to me that:
" My visit to Yad Vashem in 2006, during the war with Lebanon, was a painful lesson. The museum of the Shoah is being used to indoctrinate young Israelis, esp. the military, that the whole world is and always has been against the Jews, and that the only solution is for Israelis to be firm and resolute against the whole world, even if it means being inhuman to the Palestinians. The "righteous among the nations" are cited as flukes, as anomalies, with no explanations offered for their sacrifices because for the Israelis though these people did something good, their motivations MUST remain in the shadows (e.g. Christian faith; social justice; their own experiences of oppression, etc.) so that the survival of the State of Israel can remain the one and only center stage concern. Yad Vashem is an immoral propaganda museum, and as such is a disgrace to the State of Israel and to Jewish moral and prophetic tradition. There is great risk in this symbol of moral obtuseness: if the Jewish people are AGAINST the whole world, then Israel's role as the priestly people, as the people through whom God has revealed himself through the Torah is fundamentally undermined. The Jewish people thus LOSE their spiritual role in the history of the world, fail in their duty of faithfulness to the Mosaic covenant, and run the risk of a kind of spiritual suicide. Anyone can see that this spiritual suicide might become a prelude to a material one, alas. The individuals you mention who have the courage to oppose the apartheid policies of the State of Israel are in fact true heirs of the Biblical prophets, whose messages of apocalyptic warning were meant to show a "way out" when the ancient people of Israel had lost their way. It is pretty clear that the Israelis of today have truly lost their way both spiritually and politically, and absolutely need the help of prophetic voices."
Explaining reality to these young kids (and 18-22 year olds are younger than my son) who are guarding bulldozers engaged in colonization efforts inside a Palestinian is not easy but is doable. We explain to them things they did not know and some indeed begin to shed the self-imposed chains. That is why officers have instruction to prevent these kinds of dialogs. Zionism resulted in dozens of massacres and left 2/3rds of the total population of natives (Christians and Muslims) as refugees or displaced people. Even Moshe Dayan stated: "Jewish villages were built in the place of Arab villages. You do not even know the names of these Arab villages, and I do not blame you because geography books no longer exist. Not only do the books not exist, the Arab villages are not there either. Nahlal arose in the place of Mahlul; Kibbutz Gvat in the place of Jibta; Kibbutz Sarid in the place of Huneifis; and Kefar Yehushua in the place of Tal al-Shuman. There is not a single place built in this country that did not have a former Arab population."
For more on this, see the book by Jewish-Israeli professor Ilan Pappe on "The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine." Rather than being a victim, Israel is in violation of dozens of UN resolutions and has violated just about every article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights per International human rights organizations (and even Israeli ones like B'Tselem). Israelis who discover this dark history have two choices: either leave or stay and struggle with eth natives to transform this country to a just place for its entire people.
Palestinian Families Appeal to UN Over Israeli Construction of �Museum of Tolerance�
on Jerusalem�s Historic Mamilla Cemetery
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/2/10/palestinian_families_appeal_to_un_over
For what you can do on this, see http://www.mamillacampaign.org
A respectable Think Tank describes the growing campaign around the world against Israeli apartheid and calls on the Israeli government to treat it as a "Strategic threat". Of course it is growing and it is a strategic threat to an apartheid state structure. The comments on the article in Haaretz are split between those who still buy the notion that wanting to stop Israel from its policies of apartheid and ethnic cleansing is somehow "delelegitimizing" because of anti-Semitism and those (Including Israelis) who say enough is enough. Think tank: Israel faces global delegitimization campaign
"The Tel Aviv-based security and socioeconomic think tank called on ministers to treat the matter as a strategic threat."
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1149274.html
Must see Video is going viral:
Gaza in Plain Language http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFK5TNcmEmg
(youtube flagged this because of Zionist pressure) but here is an alternative site for the same video
http://dissidentvoice.org/2010/02/video-gaza-in-plain-language/
Another video: Did You Know Gaza http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bznLR3-kCtU
====================
10 FEBRUARY 2010
NOTE to people near Bethlehem-Beit Sahour area: We need you here tomorrow (Thursday) and Friday mornings at 9 AM at USH Ghrab. Thursday up the hill and Friday below the hill for planting (see below).
At around 3 PM today (Wednesday), a friend who lives near the area of the threatened land of Ush Ghrab called to say the military just arrived and are bulldozing the top of the hill. As I explained in a previous email, this hill of over 1000 dunums is in Beit Sahour surrounded by Palestinian homes on all sides. From this hill the soldiers shelled the town destroying and damaging many homes. But the Israeli occupation army vacated the military base in 2006 (a site of nonviolent resistance for many years). I arrive within five minutes and see extensive activities. The soldiers show me an order issued January 29th 2010 with a map showing closure for a significant size (much more even than the original military base). I call some people and they call others and soon we have over 40 people. The order is in Hebrew and no one reads Hebrew. Later at night, we do partial translation and it is typical of all Israeli orders: using vague justifications of security to achieve what is clearly land thefts, harassments, etc. The private land owners have decided last week to plant trees on Friday. WE will expand this and also asked people to come Thursday to the site. Video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i45TKWxMPNU (but again please understand this is amateur video)
Please join us and support popular resistance Thursday and Friday.
The quick response by many activists to the phone calls got me to think about why there are so many people willing to drop everything and work for justice while other people (e.g. soldiers) blindly obey orders manifestly illegal per International law or simply stay silent (silence is complicity)? There were many white South Africans who joined the ANC and other indigenous liberation movements while others stayed silent or participated in the crimes! There were many Israelis who abandoned Zionism and joined the local struggle. Others go about their daily lives oblivious to what is happenning behind the fences of segregation (Geder HaHafrada in Hebrew). But why would one employee of Yad Vashem obey orders and simply tell all visitors of the perpetual victimhood and that Zionism is the answer while another gets fired for simply pointing out to a few visitors that just down the hill is the ethnically cleansed village of Deir Yassin where the future leaders of Israel committed a massacre of indescribable brutality in 1948.
What exactly distinguishes people? Why does someone like Alan Dershowitz choose to support torture, support racism, and defend war crimes and crimes against humanity? And why does someone like Hedy Epstein, a survivor of the concentration camps, choose to go on hunger strike to support the besieged and impoverished 1.5 million people of Gaza? Why does a Palestinian politician drive a gas-guzzling SUV and wear nice suits while other Palestinians choose to stand in front of a Bulldozer or an army tank and get shot or thrown in jail? Why does a privileged white person in America choose to be silent and pay taxes that go to kill Iraqis, Afghanis, and Palestinians? Why does another privileged white person choose to come and join us here in the struggle? Rachel Corrie, a young 23 year old American student was intentionally crushed by an Israeli bulldozer while trying to defend a Palestinian pharmacist home. Tom Hurndall and others paid dearly. Thousands of Internationals come here annually to support our struggle. Why do millions remain compliant? Is it not true that "silence is complicity" and "you can't be neutral on a moving train"?
It would be superficially and wrong to say things along the line of having a conscience can differentiate people. We all have seen people switch and join the struggle all the time telling us that it is indeed not people by ideas and education. So what can convince them to change? A colleague wrote once that those who comply live more comfortably but they are like the "house slaves". In the time of slavery, there were field slaves who were in the sun all day doing the work and then the privileged house slaves who dressed nicely, fed nicely but who were still slaves. They got promoted to house slaves by being more compliant and trustworthy (to the masters). I personally believe the slave owners were also slaves. I believe those who rejected the system and yes occasionally got the whip, those were free in their hearts and minds. Today, I believe those who are suffering are in many ways freer and more comfortable in their skin than all the privileged masters and house slaves. I believe that freedom comes to the slave owners themselves when they free their slaves and when in the meantime the house slaves refuse to be house slaves. In our situation here, I believe many Israelis and Palestinians are enslaved and they don't even know it. There are few who managed to shed the self-imposed chains around their brains (as my late grandfather advised us when we were kids). I find that the friendship and support of those is the best bliss in life. But still the question lingers of why people behave teh way they do and, perhaps more importantly, how do people change. We would like to hear your views on this. What can help us reach people to get them to show some moral fortitude, to show some spine, to shed their chains, to be free of being oppressor or oppressed? I want to share your views with the rest of the world (these emails reach tens of thousands of people). If you share your view with me please tell me it is OK to post it at the website qumsiyeh.org or you want kept private.
If you reached here and you live near Bethlehem area, come join us Thursday and Friday mornings (9 AM) for planting trees (Friday only), for camaraderie, for activism, and for expressing moral courage.
=====================
7 Feb 2010
As the descent into the slippery slope of racism continues unabated in this land of apartheid, the angle and degree of the slide seem to surprise many. The Israeli parliament (Knesset) has a "Constitution, Law and Justice Committee" terms that only sound similar to what exists in a Western democracy. But the "Jewish state" is "special" where a committee with this name drafts laws to discourage inter-religious marriages, to deny Jerusalemites residency rights, to declare it legal to take land for Jewish development from those natives who happen to be non-Jews, and to flaunt many other basic rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In the last election, the Israeli public split their votes between right and radical right and fascist right parties. The Israeli government shifted from right to ultra-fascist and with it this Knesset Committee. For example, since coming to power the Netanyahu apartheid government froze Palestinian family reunifications that involve Palestinians were frozen (including my wife's) and withdrew residency rights from thousands of Palestinians in Jerusalem.
It has been so bizarre to watch the level of vitriol emanating from this Knesset committee. They felt emboldened by public support, a public lulled by racist education and by inculcated fear in a similar way that Germans were lulled into accepting the Nazi programs. The party most influential in the committee wants Muslims and Christians, the minority who remained after all the ethnic cleansing, to publicly pledge allegiance to the Jewish (nature of the) state, thus legitimizing their 10th class "citizenship". The committee has now set-up a subcommittee to target even Zionist groups that are deemed not going far enough in their support of a homogeneous Jewish state in all of historic Palestine. They want to examine what can be done about European and North American support for Israeli groups that support a two-state solution or even begin to suggest that Israeli system needs a reform. We are not talking here about funding for Israeli-Jewish groups that are anti-Zionist or that support a democratic state in all of historic Palestinian. They want a cut-off of funding for Israeli groups that simply want an Israel on 78% of historic Palestine and let the Palestinians live somewhat left alone on the 22% that is the West Bank and Gaza (occupied in 1967).
Most of the groups targeted for being not right enough are also happy to leave most of the 450,000 illegal colonial settlers inside the West Bank. In exchange, they are willing to allow us a little desert land from the 78% that they took in 1948 (in the process ethnically cleansing 530 towns and villages; see Ilan Pappe, "The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine"). Some targeted groups believe in philosophies of Ben Gurion but not Zeev Jabotinsky (founder of revisionist Zionism and Zionist terror groups in the 1930s and 1940s). Ben Gurion with a wave of his hand ordered the expulsion of residents of Lydda and Ramla and had a saying that "Im tirtzu, ain zo agada" (If you will it it is no dream)IT here is now clear with the outcome, a Jewish state in historic Palestine to replace the native population and living by the sword behind walls in a large Jewish ghetto. Ben Gurion does look moderate compared to Avigdor Lieberman, Menachem Begin and Zeev Jabotinsky. The latter's philosophy does not believe in even using accommodating (diplomatic) rhetoric let alone trying to work with the International powers to achieve the Zionist objectives. By contrast, the late Ben Gurion and Yitzhaq Rabin believed in a mix of violence and political/diplomatic activism (and of course media work).
But Zionism has always been an International movement with only a part of it here in Palestine (a part that has been growing but increasingly facing stiffer resistance). Sometime we find more moderate Zionists here that say in the USA. American Jews who support Zionism are a bit more radical on average than the average Israeli. That is why the most extreme colonial settlers that are right in the middle of Palestinian towns like Hebron are American Jews. These ultra extremists vandalize mosques and cemeteries, attack Palestinians and their property regularly, uproot trees, steel crops, set fire to homes, and much more. The Israeli government does not intend to investigate the foreign source of funding for these groups but of the groups that are hoping for a two state solution. In the US there is a new campaign to look into the tax-exempt status of groups that support these settlers (see http://www.adc.org/index.php?id=3437&no_cache=1&sword_list=tax&sword_list=exempt&sword_list=status and support this action).
Those Americans get a cozy life on tax-deductible donations from other Americans and are paid by the Israeli government to live on stolen Palestinian lands. The settlers also inadvertently expose the inconsistency in the positions that say we think Palestinians should not be removed from their lands in Ramallah area but it is OK to remove them from their land in the Galilee and the Negev (see http://rcuv.wordpress.com/).
Yet, there are many Jews and those who come from Jewish backgrounds who join our struggle here and abroad for restoring the rights to the natives. Palestinians on their part have always welcomed immigrants who come not to control (before Zionism came we welcomed: Jewish European, Circasians, Armenians, Roma, and other groups). Working together for one democratic state in historic Palestine has become to many of us the only way forward that guarantees the natural rights of natives and the wishes of those immigrants who want to live here in peace without denying us basic rights (see my book "Sharing the Land of Canaan" for details).
Finally, thanks to all of you who expressed interest in our struggle to maintain Ush Ghrab from the settlers. There have been stories about the struggle in Haaretz (e.g. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1147472.html) and in Al-Quds newspaper (see front page on the PDF file of 5 February at http://www.alquds.com/pdf?date=20100205 but note it is not true that the army has already reoccupied the area, the army is still not there and we will make sure it will not happen). You can help by continuing to educate people around you, by pressuring and educating those in power (media and politicians), by visiting us, and much more. For background on Ush Ghrab
http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=1392
http://www.decolonizing.ps/site/?page_id=40
Let us know if you can help in any other ways and do keep us informed of your activities.
=======================
3 Feb 2010
(Note: I will be in eastern coast of the USA March 1-10; let me know if you are interested in inviting me to speak).
Video glimpses from the last 48 hours with emphasis on Israeli colonial activities in Bethlehem District: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6j9RRVEUMA
Monday started with the news that the Israeli military has decided to reoccupy part of Ush Ghrab in Beit Sahour after having left it in 2006 and Tuesday saw the army begin clearing land of Ush Ghrab. Ush Ghrab is part public (Palestinian) land but a major part of it is private lands that was put off limit to their owners for nearly four decades and used as a center for the occupation forces in Bethlehem district. From this military camp, nearly 300 Palestinian homes were partially or completely destroyed in 2002 and 2003.
This camp was also where in 28 December 2000, Palestinians and Internationals walked into the military camp taking it over for a few hours (organized by the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement between People). The participants felt empowered and moved on to form the International Solidarity movement at PCR (becoming independent movement in 2001 and moving to Ramallah in 2004). This symbolic place was vacated by the army in 2006 but the locals were prevented from using the site located in area C (60% of the West Bank is under this category of full Israeli control). Colonial settlers (funded by tax-deductible donations in the US) have been visiting the site since 2008 trying to establish a new colonial settlement. If they succeed, that would mean the remaining canton/ghetto of Bethlehem would be surrounded on all sides by settlements. Ten days ago, the settlers horde moved down the hill to the childrens' park and vandalized it.
On Monday, we not only faced this news of planned Israeli military "reoccupation" of part of Beit Sahour, but we also joined an event at Jeb Al-Theib near Beit Sahour where settlers have already taken lots of lands from Arab Al-Zawahreh and regularly harass the remaining Palestinians. Settlers, soldiers, and police from the apartheid state surrounded us as we tried to plant trees. The media was ordered out first and then threats and intimidation started. The standoff lasted nearly four hours. One settler who had three viscious looking dogs and drives an SUV was there and was obviously on good terms with the soldiers. I tried to talk to the soldier in command. He was extremely racist. He also told me that they will not let us start something here "like Um Salamuna." Um Salamuna is a threatened Palestinian hill near a colonial settlement built on stolen Palestinian land. For the past few months, we had regular activities there of land reclamation and tree planting with help of Internationals and Palestinians from other areas (invited to help by the land-owners). Clearly, as they intensify their colonial activities (primarily land theft), Zionists are worried about the spreading popular resistance. But on Monday case unfortunately, we did not have enough people and the land owners were threatened and told to visit the officials Tuesday (in their headquarters at an illegal colonial settlement of Gush Etzion). They felt it maybe worthwhile to do that to find a solution. Since we always respect the wishes of the owners who invited us, we had to disperse. The colonial settlers must be happy but the local Palestinians assured each other that they will resist (popular resistance).
So the next day (Tuesday) we head to the site with a lot of media and see the army already bulldozing land around the abandoned military base. We are told to leave but we hang around. We explain to journalists. We gather lots of data (including photos and video) to use later. The Municipality calls for a meeting in the afternoon and we form a popular committee to thwart plans for either a new colonial settlement or the revival of the Israeli military base in the middle of our town.
After that meeting, we hear a talk from Professor Nurit Peled-Elhanan about racism in Israeli school curricula. Berlesconi of Italy is coming to Bethlehem today and meeting with Abu-Mazen and a minister is coming to visit meet local leaders about Ush Ghrab.... There is so much to do here.
Feb 1-2 Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6j9RRVEUMA
Other videos
Background on Ush Ghrab: Liberated Land Under Attack
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9ZaFwi6WBo
An activity 16 October 2008
Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHpdc78xUvg
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjXsutlrHys
A daycare at Ush Ghrab
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liy37Q2LdX4
Children Fly Kites at Ush Ghrab
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnkdCPT3lPI
----------------------
30 January 2010
We lost the good voice of historian, intellectual and activist, Prof. Howard Zinn. I met Zinn twice while in the US. I read two of his books and hope to have time some day to read the others. Zinn was not happy with Zionism and frequently criticized the Zionist atrocities, from massacres in Lebanon in 1982 to those in Gaza last year. But, like many leftists, prefererd to challenge US imperialism over challenging the destructive Israel-first lobby in the US. In this, I disagreed with him because I believe Zionism sits at the table of power in Washington DC and is not merely a tool of "US Imperialism". His statements about the misuse of the Nazi atrocities (e.g.
http://www.tokyoprogressive.org/~tpgn/japan/10zinn.htm) were not as strong as those of other Jews who addressed the issue (e.g. Joel Kovel, Lenni Brenner, Norman Finkelstein, Gilad Azmon etc). But Zinn was so perceptive on so many areas, it is hard to quibble about these points. Zinn's intellect, activism, honesty and positive spirit have inspired three generations. He cut short his last lecture when he retired and urged his students to join him in the demonstration and 100 of them did so. I always thought thatthis is how I hope to end my last lecture too. In my 2004 book "Sharing the Land of Canaan", I cited the following statement from Zinn which I also shared two times with listserves:
"To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places - and there are so many - where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we don't have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory." You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train: A personal history of our times, p. 208. (More on Zinn at http://www.howardzinn.org)
The World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos is still going on. This time it is subtitled "Rethink, Redesign, Rebuild". I guess the elites in attendance will talk about rebuilding what they destroyed (Gaza, Iraq, Afghanistan, world economies, the value of the US dollar etc), redesigning the systems of corruption, control, domination that they created, and rethink idiotic ideas like ethnocentric chauvinistic nationalism (e.g. Zionism, giving corporations more righst to move around and settle anywhere they want whiel denying these righst to tehir citizens). But then again, these elites have been meeting for four decades in Davos, enjoying the good ski resort, the beautifully decorated hotel expensive hotel rooms, great food, shopping, and more while getting us deeper in trouble. They keep trying to get new ideas from the same folks who prosper and profit from recycling old ideas. Does anyone think new ideas to "enhance security and promote world economy" will come from the likes of Larry Summers (Zionist economist who has racist ideologies and ideologies of rich can design strategies to help alleviate unemployment) or Shimon Peres (Zionist politicians well known for Israel's atomic weapon arsenal and for massacres and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians over six decades)? But over the years, the WEF has started to invite token progressives to provide "balance" to politicians and rich CEOs of big multinational corporations. But my inside information tells me those guys are under threat of exclusion if they step over known boundaries (like questioning privilege or power or colonialism or occupation etc). While I never attended the WEF meetings and would not attend if invited, I did manage to get an article titled "Boycott Israel" in the WEF official magazine which caused uproar four years ago). The official magazine has not been published since! see http://www.qumsiyeh.org/theworldeconomicsforumcontroversy/
Holocaust remembrance is a boon for Israeli propaganda By Gideon Levy, Haaretz
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1145670.html
Worth watching Video on Anti-Semitism: Defamation by Yoav Shamir
http://pulsemedia.org/2010/01/26/yoav-shamirs-defamation/
There is little media coverage of the fact that two of the five on the Chilcot inquiry team are Israeli-apologists/Israel-firsters who will ensure that no mention of the fact that Zionists are the ones who pushed Blair and Bush to go to war on Iraq
Israel�s voice on Britain's Iraq Inquiry accuses critics of �anti-Semitism�
http://www.redress.cc/stooges/redress20100129
=================
January 7, 2010
I gave a talk at the NATO Defence College in Rome to some 82 officers and civilians from many NATO countries and affiliated or partner countries (including Egypt, UAE, Jordan, etc). An Israeli colleague who lives in London also presented his point of view and read on things and then we took questions. We also participated in small group meetings and discussions. I was pleased with the level of sophistication, excellent questions asked, and hospitality we received. The commanding officers and all others were very kind to us. We will not forget this visit. While in Rome for three days we got to visit the Vatican including seeing the magnificent Sistine Chapel paintings. We got to tour the museums and also visit the Roman Forum and the Palatine. There, I was interested to see for the first time Titus arch which was built after the death of this emperor. On one of its panels it celebrates its victory over the Jewish rebels in Jerusalem.
Most people today identify with the Jewish rebels and not with the Romans. Even the guidebook to the ruins we were using referred to �destruction of Jerusalem� (actually careful and unbiased historians disagree with such a description since the rebellion was rather small and narrow and its was contained rather quickly with Jerusalem flourishing later except for limited access by the Jewish community which was then still a minority of the population of Palestine). Historians also tell us that Jews continued to live in small communities throughout Palestine (later many of them converting to Christianity or to Islam). Before this rebellion, Jews in Palestine had full autonomy with their own King (e.g. King Herod who condemned Jesus). The Roman administration was until this armed rebellion rather liberal in its dealings with ethnic and religious minorities. Before and after the rebellion, Palestine remained a multi-ethnic and multi-religious community despite many efforts of many rulers who failed to change it by military force sometimes succeeding for a few decades )one of the crusader kingdoms lasted 110 years before Palestine was restored to have Christian, Muslim, and Jewish communities living side by side). Let us hope that this is the last failed attempt to create a homogenous Palestine (aka Eretz Yisrael). I for one can never understand the desire to live in a homogenous state since variety is the spice of life.
Like Jesus who identified with and preached to Jew and gentile, I find myself identifying with both the Romans and the Jews of Palestine of that first century AD as I identify today with all communities in Palestine. This is first because they were human beings like all of us caught in a set of historical structures and machinations that left them in the situation they faced. I identified especially with the Jews who resisted Roman occupation non-violently. Jesus was to become the symbol of such power of such resistance. That the armed resisters ultimately failed (they ere called saccari because they hid their assassination knives in their cloths) while eventually the philosophy of Jesus spread like wild fire in the Roman Empire should be telling to us. It was three plus centuries and hundreds of thousands of martyrs before finally the Roman Empire decided itself to adopt Christianity rather than keep fighting it. Yet unfortunately as the Jewish theologian Marc Ellis articulated effectively, such a Constantinian (transformation of) Christianity in the form of state power would inevitably lead to the atrocities of the Crusades and far more (e.g. use of Christianity to justify colonization). Ellis further argues that the new Constantinian Judaism in the form of Zionism is equally damaging to Prophetic Judaism. One day I would like to write more on this but for now, the sight of ruins of great empires AND visiting with great people descendent of oppressors and oppressed and getting along in equality always remind me that we all die someday and that great stone edifices, palaces, and statues are all equally ephemeral while people remain and in many cases improve. And as the song goes, �in the end only kindness matters.�
Sure enough, I saw so much kindness, so much human beauty in Italy that trumps all other beauty. The last 24 hours we spent time in rural Italy among kind and generous farmers who remind me so much of Palestine (in the areas of Offida. San Benedetto, Ascoli). I think to myself that the hundreds of Palestinian villages (including my own of Beit Sahour) would have been just as nice, just as peaceful and tranquil as those villages if it was not for that Constantinian form of Judaism that decided to take on the crazy project of transforming a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society into a Jewish state (maximum geography and minimum demography). Instead, hundreds of villages, most dating to millennia (2-4 thousand years old) were destroyed and those like mine that remained lost so much land and received so many displaced people that their character is no longer what it used to be or would have been.
While we were here we followed closely the travails of the Gaza Freedom March (finally denied entry to Gaza) and the Viva Palestina Convoy to Gaza (finally allowed entry after detours and clashes). It is an honor to call many of the people in both groups friends. Actually we might miss seeing some of our Italian friends who are still in Gaza. I spoke tonight at San Benedetto to 50 people. Tomorrow, I speak in Milano, then in Turino on the 9th, possibly Bologna on the 10th then in Roma again on the 11th. I will then travel to Amman on the 12th. But as always, you are welcome to visit us in Palestine-
PS: Just to be clear, thanks to Israeli restrictions, less than 3% of Palestinians are able to travel like I do and a smaller fraction can actually do it financially or logistically and the numbers in Gaza are closer to 0.001%.
==================
Jan 4th, 2010
My wife and I are now in Italy to give a few talks and maybe get a break from the jail of Bethlehem under apartheid. Every time I visit Europe or other countries I wonder why can't we get to live a normal life in a normal country in Palestine. Israelis pretend they live in a normal country. Having removed most of the natives and confined the rest to ghettos and bantustans, the Israeli public by and large goes around pretending that everything is normal; that Israel is like any European country. It has a parliament albeit it spends time deciding who is a Jew entitled to automatic citizenship and how to strip non-Jews of citizenship), a military, a high tech industry, universities, bars, fancy restaurants, elites and poor people, religious and secular etc. But deep down Israelis know that this is all a mirage and an illusion. Afterall, here in Europe, there are no walls, no checkpoints, and no two systems of laws for people living in the same country. As I was leaving the occupied areas through the only crossing allowed to us (into Jordan via King Hussain Bridge), a man on the bus commented as we reached the fifth checkpoint that the reason Israelis are so paranoid with all this security is because they know the country is not theirs.
Ofcourse many Zionist Israelis were brainwashed to think that the reason they are paranoid is because the world is anti-Semitic; they hate us for being Jews not for anything we have been doing to them. The victimhood pathology started rather early with the myth of the exodus from Egypt (archeologists and historians have long shown that this notion of enslavement in Egypt and redemption is simply not consistent with the facts or the historical record). People who believed in certain ways indeed were persecuted for their beliefs/who they are but this is not unique for a particular group of people. Christians were historically persecuted (they were literally hunted down and fed to lions for the first 300 years) and Muslims and Armenians, and Gypsies and all others.
Perhaps no people on earth have suffered as much as Natives in North and South America. Estimates of 50-100 million people perished in the 100 years after the European invasion. What we are being told at schools in the West (under great pressure from Zionist lobby groups) is that Jewish suffering is somehow different than suffering by others (as if we are children of a lesser God or that God does have a chosen ppeople). While each atrocity in the world is unique, it is simply not valid to engage in comparative martyrology let alone determine a priori who has suffered historically the most. Just because someone is Jewish (or Christian or Muslim) today does not mean that they are related to those Jews (or Muslims or Christians) who lived in the Arab world hundreds of years ago let alone have a continuity obligating them to get revenge for the atrocities from people who had nothing to do with it. It is simply not right or decent (or sustainable) to use injustice done hundreds of years ago to justfy doing an injustice to someone else TODAY.
Today 11 million Palestinians live in the most deplorable coonditions. 7 million are
refugees or displaced people, the rest live in isolated ghettos, impoversished and
marginalized. Israeli authorities come up with scheme after scheme to continue this
process of marginalizing and hurting us. Using their leverge with great powers, they get puppet regimes in Egypt and elsewhere in the Arab world to do their bidding. Egyptian government's lame attempts to justify sealing off 1.5 million people in Gaza (70% of them refugees) from the outside world simply does not hold water. More and more people see the injustice. Yet Israeli defenders and their puppets still cling to self-delusions. Histrory will not be kind to them. But history will not be kind to Arabs also nor to other people who go about their daily life ignoring glaring injustice. Even in dictatorioal regimes, governments do not get away with what they do unless they are able to get the consent and acquiescence of the people. People can believe the lies and the distortions or not believe them and still acquiesce because they have little self confidence.
People have more power than their governments want them to have and (more importantly) want them to believe they have. Effecting change first of all requires education. The first is education to let people know that their governments lie to them all the time. Thus, when the Israeli government tells its people that building walls and oppressing others is for their security, this should be exposed as lies. When the Jordanian government uses the slogan "Jordan First" or the Egyptian government uses the slogan "Egypt above all" that these are lies. Egypt security and sovereignity for example is not threatened by the starving Gazans but by the enslavement of its rulers to outside agendas (and two billion in conditional US aid that goes to support the elites). People are first and people of this part of the world would all prosper if all these governments step aside and let people connect to other people. Direct rail links and direct travel without restrictions without borders would be good for people, for their economy and for their prosperity. Narrow nationalism (especially the fake varieties of it like ethnocentric chauvenistic nationalism exemplified by Zionism) is not good for anyone. Does it make sence that I can travel between France, Germany, Spain and Italy without visas or checkpoints while traveling even with one and among several middle Eastern Countries is
like traveling in Apartheid South Africa while being black? This when the total population of the five countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region does not add up to half the population of Italy or even the population of one city in China. Ironiaclly, all these "countries" were created and supported by Europeans (who are now abandoning nationalism).
Anyway, those of us who like Arundhati Roy believe "not only is another world possible, on a quiet day I can hear her breathing", those of us who believe in people not governments, will contnue to work to welcome this new world. BTW, If you are in Italy, email us so that we can get together while we are here (through
the 12th).
Action as always is required and is the antidote of despair. Boycotts, divestments and sanctioons as well as reaching out with education to others.
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