Whoa whoa whoa...slow down. Answer me this one question-were they throwing stones?
Philip Weiss (Mondoweiss)-Jewish Settlers in Occupation Shoot Two Palestinian Youths Leaving One Brain Dead
Isabel Kershner (New York Times)-Palestinian Youth Injured in Clash with Israeli Settlers
Friday, January 28, 2011
I went to an Arabic poetry reading tonight. It was down the street at Little Morocco restaurant. There was a guitarist, an oud player, an English poet, and an Arabic poet. They recited poems from their compilation, Meena. The following poem is by a Palestinian-American poet named Ibtesam Barakat. It made me think about all the people who hear Arabic and don't think of love.
Alphabets of My Life
Because I am both Arab and American, a mother with two alphabets, and I must not love one more than the other if they are both to grow up and love each other, as I speak English I must make a seat in my voice for Arabic. Like children, these two languages love to sit in my lap at the same time and paw at me for attention.
On the line, Arabic moves from right to left, and English moves from left to right. On the line, at times, outside in the world, it is a line of fire. But inside of me, all of the time, it is a line where the two languages walk forth, toward each other, like a bride and her beloved, a family of 28 letters on one side, and a family of 26 on the other. They move with a quickening in their hearts.
West tells the East; East tells the West: I have missed you. Come sit by me. I do. I do. I do. Teach me more about yourself. And when death comes, it does not part us, for the alphabet lives, for in your beginning there was the word, and in my beginning the angel instructed that I must read: iqra. iqra. iqra. were the first words. The zero of the Arabic numerals is the ring of eternity.
Alphabets of My Life
Because I am both Arab and American, a mother with two alphabets, and I must not love one more than the other if they are both to grow up and love each other, as I speak English I must make a seat in my voice for Arabic. Like children, these two languages love to sit in my lap at the same time and paw at me for attention.
On the line, Arabic moves from right to left, and English moves from left to right. On the line, at times, outside in the world, it is a line of fire. But inside of me, all of the time, it is a line where the two languages walk forth, toward each other, like a bride and her beloved, a family of 28 letters on one side, and a family of 26 on the other. They move with a quickening in their hearts.
West tells the East; East tells the West: I have missed you. Come sit by me. I do. I do. I do. Teach me more about yourself. And when death comes, it does not part us, for the alphabet lives, for in your beginning there was the word, and in my beginning the angel instructed that I must read: iqra. iqra. iqra. were the first words. The zero of the Arabic numerals is the ring of eternity.
I got a very uplifting e-mail through NOLAPS today. It came from Mazin.
The last step in liberation of Palestine and the rest of humanity: Developing a winning attitude
Mazin Qumsiyeh
After I finished my last book on popular resistance in Palestine over the past 130 years, I became 100% sure that political Zionism will fail and that Palestinian refugees will return to their homes and lands. My certainty is based on the lessons of history in Palestine and lessons from similar struggles like South Africa, Vietnam, and Algeria. Some of the peculiarities that will be critical for our success are:
-The incredible and inspiring history of the local popular resistance: The subtitle of my book is "A history of hope and empowerment". Over 200 forms of popular resistance are practiced including a wide spectrum of what we call in Arabic Sumud. Resistance is the main thing that stood in the way of the Zionist project. Five and a half million Palestinians still live in the dreamed of "Eretz Yisrael".
-The logarithmic growth of the boycotts, divestments and sanctions movement. In five years alone (2005-2010), we achieved more than what we were able to achieve in BDS movements in South Africa from the 1950s to the 1980s.
-The unrest in in Algeria and Tunisia tell us that the era of backward selfish undemocratic Arab leadership will (and must) come to an end. There are tremendous intellectual resources in the Arab world that can then be unleashed to build a vibrant society (at levels of culture, economics, scientific, etc.)
-Despite the heavily censored/controlled mainstream media, people of good conscience were and are able to get the truth out and many of the myths of Zionism were demolished. The internet only accelerated this. The publication of the civil society call to action in 2005 and the Palestine Kairos document in 2009 has given tremendous push to activism around the world including in mainstream churches.
-The growth of International solidarity was unparalleled in history. Despite the attempts by the Israeli authorities to stop this international support by many methods (including refusing entry to many activists), the movement only grows stronger. We went from few hundreds to tens of thousands and from one ship to seven; and as many as 60 ships are coming to break the siege on Gaza later this year.
-We are very proud and persistent people. The thriving art and culture scene in Palestine and among Palestinian community in exile are a testament to this spirit of a people who seek life and refuse to be dehumanized. We do not and will not resort to the tactics of those who chose to be our enemies. From Dabka to good food to other cultural traditions, Palestine remained not only physically in our surroundings but deep in our hearts. We developed the most educated populace in the region.
In Palestine, these and many other reasons increase our certainty in the inevitability of a successful end to our decades of repression, colonization and occupation. We faced, almost alone, the best-organized, best-financed, most western-supported colonial enterprise in history. Rational human beings see that the spread of fundamentalism is only fostered when Israel is made an exception and is funded and protected while it flouts human rights and International law. Zionists act to control and manipulate and we must continue to calmly resist and refuse to be enslaved. We tell our stories with dignity and we explain why this racist/tribalistic system is harmful to all of humanity. We do it without hatred to any person but with anger and hatred at the inhuman actions of a deluded few who think they can get away with war crimes and crimes against humanity forever. People around the world increasingly see the reality and join our struggle. I talk and show reality in Bethlehem area to groups of visitors almost every day in Palestine. I get invitations to speak abroad frequently but I chose to limit such trips abroad because there is so much to do at home.
-We speak to diverse groups sometimes to the consternation of puritans on all sides. I spoke for example at colleges and schools in the US where the majority of students and faculty were Jewish (e.g. Brandeis, Manhattenville), I spoke at NATO defense college, at conservative Churches, at synagogues and Jewish community centers, at editorial board meetings of influential papers largely owned by Zionists, and we even spoke at a US Naval Academy. In the West Bank I spoke to visitors ranging from Church leaders, to US congressmen, to British Parliamentarians, to the US consular officers, and even to Israeli academics. Some people especially on the left balk at these events and some even openly criticized us for these kinds of engagements. But if we are willing to speak to Israeli soldiers telling them how they are committing war crimes by obeying orders and we manage to occasionally (though rarely) touch a cord in the heart of our direct oppressors, why can't we talk to all other human beings regardless of their background. It is counterproductive to imagine the worst in humanity; misjudge the trends in history; and insist that we can only talk to those we agree with or go with the flow. This is a losing attitude that relegates many on the left to holding signs at street corners without creatively thinking how do we get power. It also relegates those in power to complacency and corruption and mistrust of people. Many develop their diagnostic language (the corporate media is controlled, the Zionist lobby is too strong, the politics cannot change, power structures are what they are etc) but are not willing to seriously take action to make this world a better place.
In this year, we will be seven billion human beings on this earth. The distortions in many countries (including Italy and Israel/Palestine) of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer cannot and will not continue. Fear of change is what paralyzes many people. As others have pointed out, our biggest fear is not that we will fail but that for many human beings, the biggest fear is that we can be more successful than our wildest dreams. I believe indeed it is fear of success that keeps most people complacent. After all, for many if they really go seriously after their dreams (personal or collective) and succeed then it will show that the years they spent worrying and being afraid have indeed been only because of their lack of courage to change themselves.
Neurobiologists tell us that we humans only use a tiny fraction of our brain (we are told that geniuses use 1-2%). In the 1950s civil rights movement in the US, a common saying was "free your mind and your ass will follow". I think positive change always comes after people changed attitude in life to a positive direction. This is not only possible but it is imperative and inevitable. The more people realize this, the quicker we will get there. And we should all be working on the nature of the society to follow our inevitable win: one based on human rights and the rule of law not of military might and repression.
Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD
http://qumsiyeh.org
The last step in liberation of Palestine and the rest of humanity: Developing a winning attitude
Mazin Qumsiyeh
After I finished my last book on popular resistance in Palestine over the past 130 years, I became 100% sure that political Zionism will fail and that Palestinian refugees will return to their homes and lands. My certainty is based on the lessons of history in Palestine and lessons from similar struggles like South Africa, Vietnam, and Algeria. Some of the peculiarities that will be critical for our success are:
-The incredible and inspiring history of the local popular resistance: The subtitle of my book is "A history of hope and empowerment". Over 200 forms of popular resistance are practiced including a wide spectrum of what we call in Arabic Sumud. Resistance is the main thing that stood in the way of the Zionist project. Five and a half million Palestinians still live in the dreamed of "Eretz Yisrael".
-The logarithmic growth of the boycotts, divestments and sanctions movement. In five years alone (2005-2010), we achieved more than what we were able to achieve in BDS movements in South Africa from the 1950s to the 1980s.
-The unrest in in Algeria and Tunisia tell us that the era of backward selfish undemocratic Arab leadership will (and must) come to an end. There are tremendous intellectual resources in the Arab world that can then be unleashed to build a vibrant society (at levels of culture, economics, scientific, etc.)
-Despite the heavily censored/controlled mainstream media, people of good conscience were and are able to get the truth out and many of the myths of Zionism were demolished. The internet only accelerated this. The publication of the civil society call to action in 2005 and the Palestine Kairos document in 2009 has given tremendous push to activism around the world including in mainstream churches.
-The growth of International solidarity was unparalleled in history. Despite the attempts by the Israeli authorities to stop this international support by many methods (including refusing entry to many activists), the movement only grows stronger. We went from few hundreds to tens of thousands and from one ship to seven; and as many as 60 ships are coming to break the siege on Gaza later this year.
-We are very proud and persistent people. The thriving art and culture scene in Palestine and among Palestinian community in exile are a testament to this spirit of a people who seek life and refuse to be dehumanized. We do not and will not resort to the tactics of those who chose to be our enemies. From Dabka to good food to other cultural traditions, Palestine remained not only physically in our surroundings but deep in our hearts. We developed the most educated populace in the region.
In Palestine, these and many other reasons increase our certainty in the inevitability of a successful end to our decades of repression, colonization and occupation. We faced, almost alone, the best-organized, best-financed, most western-supported colonial enterprise in history. Rational human beings see that the spread of fundamentalism is only fostered when Israel is made an exception and is funded and protected while it flouts human rights and International law. Zionists act to control and manipulate and we must continue to calmly resist and refuse to be enslaved. We tell our stories with dignity and we explain why this racist/tribalistic system is harmful to all of humanity. We do it without hatred to any person but with anger and hatred at the inhuman actions of a deluded few who think they can get away with war crimes and crimes against humanity forever. People around the world increasingly see the reality and join our struggle. I talk and show reality in Bethlehem area to groups of visitors almost every day in Palestine. I get invitations to speak abroad frequently but I chose to limit such trips abroad because there is so much to do at home.
-We speak to diverse groups sometimes to the consternation of puritans on all sides. I spoke for example at colleges and schools in the US where the majority of students and faculty were Jewish (e.g. Brandeis, Manhattenville), I spoke at NATO defense college, at conservative Churches, at synagogues and Jewish community centers, at editorial board meetings of influential papers largely owned by Zionists, and we even spoke at a US Naval Academy. In the West Bank I spoke to visitors ranging from Church leaders, to US congressmen, to British Parliamentarians, to the US consular officers, and even to Israeli academics. Some people especially on the left balk at these events and some even openly criticized us for these kinds of engagements. But if we are willing to speak to Israeli soldiers telling them how they are committing war crimes by obeying orders and we manage to occasionally (though rarely) touch a cord in the heart of our direct oppressors, why can't we talk to all other human beings regardless of their background. It is counterproductive to imagine the worst in humanity; misjudge the trends in history; and insist that we can only talk to those we agree with or go with the flow. This is a losing attitude that relegates many on the left to holding signs at street corners without creatively thinking how do we get power. It also relegates those in power to complacency and corruption and mistrust of people. Many develop their diagnostic language (the corporate media is controlled, the Zionist lobby is too strong, the politics cannot change, power structures are what they are etc) but are not willing to seriously take action to make this world a better place.
In this year, we will be seven billion human beings on this earth. The distortions in many countries (including Italy and Israel/Palestine) of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer cannot and will not continue. Fear of change is what paralyzes many people. As others have pointed out, our biggest fear is not that we will fail but that for many human beings, the biggest fear is that we can be more successful than our wildest dreams. I believe indeed it is fear of success that keeps most people complacent. After all, for many if they really go seriously after their dreams (personal or collective) and succeed then it will show that the years they spent worrying and being afraid have indeed been only because of their lack of courage to change themselves.
Neurobiologists tell us that we humans only use a tiny fraction of our brain (we are told that geniuses use 1-2%). In the 1950s civil rights movement in the US, a common saying was "free your mind and your ass will follow". I think positive change always comes after people changed attitude in life to a positive direction. This is not only possible but it is imperative and inevitable. The more people realize this, the quicker we will get there. And we should all be working on the nature of the society to follow our inevitable win: one based on human rights and the rule of law not of military might and repression.
Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD
http://qumsiyeh.org
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Two of everything, even on Sundays
Times Picayune article from Friday, January 21, 2011
James Perry
In most American communities there are two of everything: two movie theaters, two malls, two of each type of school and two of most types of church. This is not a modern day Noahian tale; rather it is the lingering effect of de jure segregation.
In most cities, the segregative trend not only exists in places of worship, it is in America's churches, synagogues and mosques that the trend is most apparent. Dr. Martin Luther King famously lamented, "At 11:00 on Sunday morning when we stand and sing and Christ has no east or west, we stand at the most segregated hour in this nation. This is tragic. Nobody of honesty can overlook this."
Hurricane Katrina and the levee breaches, however, in their destruction caused two churches to confront their roles in American segregation in a very real way. Grace Methodist, a 155-year-old African-American congregation, was rendered homeless when Katrina ravished its historic church located at Iberville and North Prieur. Mostly white First Methodist church, walking distance from Grace, got five feet of floodwaters. Further, its membership had waned from 1,200 to 700 pre-storm. In fact, in the days immediately after Katrina, as few as 30 people attended weekly Sunday service.
Neither church exists today. Instead, there is only First Grace United Methodist Church.
The two congregations overcame America's most persistent divider: race. They took the courageous step of forgoing their separate racial identities in favor of an integrated oneness. It was no easy task. First Methodist had a storied near-two-century history. And Grace Methodist, like so many black churches, had a key role in New Orleans' black political and civil rights communities. Merging the churches meant a perceived end to each of these valiant legacies in favor a new joint identity.
It also meant members had to address more corporeal matters, like whether the choir would continue with the more traditional and classical sound that First was accustomed to or the rhythmic soulful syncopation more common at Grace. Or what cooking style the new congregation would adopt at church dinners: Grace soul food or First's Italian and Irish comfort food. The questions and concerns were plentiful. But the congregation and its leaders stayed focused on unifying the churches, for before them lay a historic opportunity to recommit themselves to the tenets of their faith through racial integration. The final decision to unify was made in 2008.
I visited First Grace United Methodist for the first time in fall 2009. I've been a dozen or so times since then for community events and to Sunday service as a guest of friends who are members. I've never seen a church more reflective of New Orleans' diversity. Each time I have visited, the aisles overflowed with people of all races and ethnicities who had forged true bonds of friendship that easily shone through in both their actions and words.
This week, as we consider Dr. King's legacy, I invite you to consider whether integration is a component in your own life, at your place of worship, work, school and peer circles. I invite you to honor King's legacy by stepping out of your comfort zone. Spend some time making friends in a social environment where people who look like you are not the majority.
In fact, if you are free this Sunday, I know a church that would love to have you as a guest, in the spirit of commitment to faith and in the spirit of commitment to Dr. King's quest for racial integration in America.
James Perry
In most American communities there are two of everything: two movie theaters, two malls, two of each type of school and two of most types of church. This is not a modern day Noahian tale; rather it is the lingering effect of de jure segregation.
In most cities, the segregative trend not only exists in places of worship, it is in America's churches, synagogues and mosques that the trend is most apparent. Dr. Martin Luther King famously lamented, "At 11:00 on Sunday morning when we stand and sing and Christ has no east or west, we stand at the most segregated hour in this nation. This is tragic. Nobody of honesty can overlook this."
Hurricane Katrina and the levee breaches, however, in their destruction caused two churches to confront their roles in American segregation in a very real way. Grace Methodist, a 155-year-old African-American congregation, was rendered homeless when Katrina ravished its historic church located at Iberville and North Prieur. Mostly white First Methodist church, walking distance from Grace, got five feet of floodwaters. Further, its membership had waned from 1,200 to 700 pre-storm. In fact, in the days immediately after Katrina, as few as 30 people attended weekly Sunday service.
Neither church exists today. Instead, there is only First Grace United Methodist Church.
The two congregations overcame America's most persistent divider: race. They took the courageous step of forgoing their separate racial identities in favor of an integrated oneness. It was no easy task. First Methodist had a storied near-two-century history. And Grace Methodist, like so many black churches, had a key role in New Orleans' black political and civil rights communities. Merging the churches meant a perceived end to each of these valiant legacies in favor a new joint identity.
It also meant members had to address more corporeal matters, like whether the choir would continue with the more traditional and classical sound that First was accustomed to or the rhythmic soulful syncopation more common at Grace. Or what cooking style the new congregation would adopt at church dinners: Grace soul food or First's Italian and Irish comfort food. The questions and concerns were plentiful. But the congregation and its leaders stayed focused on unifying the churches, for before them lay a historic opportunity to recommit themselves to the tenets of their faith through racial integration. The final decision to unify was made in 2008.
I visited First Grace United Methodist for the first time in fall 2009. I've been a dozen or so times since then for community events and to Sunday service as a guest of friends who are members. I've never seen a church more reflective of New Orleans' diversity. Each time I have visited, the aisles overflowed with people of all races and ethnicities who had forged true bonds of friendship that easily shone through in both their actions and words.
This week, as we consider Dr. King's legacy, I invite you to consider whether integration is a component in your own life, at your place of worship, work, school and peer circles. I invite you to honor King's legacy by stepping out of your comfort zone. Spend some time making friends in a social environment where people who look like you are not the majority.
In fact, if you are free this Sunday, I know a church that would love to have you as a guest, in the spirit of commitment to faith and in the spirit of commitment to Dr. King's quest for racial integration in America.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
"This is the proof of seriousness and determination on the Palestinian side."
Dov Weissglass
Chief political advisor to PM Ariel Sharon, on the newly published Palestinian negotiations documents (Ynet: January 24, 2011)
From Jewish Voice for Peace:
The recent release by Al Jazeera and the Guardian of some 16,000 documents related to nearly 20 years of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations sadly substantiates what Jewish Voice for Peace has said publicly for years- that the U.S. is not the neutral broker it claims to be.
The United States' unconditional support for Israel has helped to perpetuate the occupation by promoting endless negotiations that have enabled Israel to expand settlements while claiming to work towards peace.
Israel's lack of interest in ending the occupation and being a partner to peace is now nakedly revealed in documents which show its reaction to the Palestinian Authority's unprecedented concessions, shocking because they far exceed the requirements of international law. Israel offered an intransigent 'no' to every concession, with the U.S. looking on in approval.
There is a chance, however, for the Obama Administration to differentiate itself from the ineffectual American actions revealed in the leaked documents.
Palestinians and their supporters have put forth a key resolution on the Israel-Palestine conflict that is now before the UN Security Council. Largely echoing stated U.S. policy, the resolution embraces negotiations, endorses the creation of a Palestinian state, and demands an immediate halt to Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. But even though the resolution echoes U.S. policy, President Obama is under heavy pressure to veto the UN resolution from forces in Washington who want to protect the Israeli occupation.
Jewish Voice for Peace-Urge U.S. Not to Veto Israeli Settlements Resolution
Americans for Peace Now-Stand for Peace. Prevent U.S. Veto of UN settlements resolution
U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation-Obama, We Know How to Help Cut the Deficit--End Military Aid to Israel
American Association for Palestinian Equal Rights-Sign the Petition to Urge Obama to Support UN Action Against Israeli Settlements
Dov Weissglass
Chief political advisor to PM Ariel Sharon, on the newly published Palestinian negotiations documents (Ynet: January 24, 2011)
From Jewish Voice for Peace:
The recent release by Al Jazeera and the Guardian of some 16,000 documents related to nearly 20 years of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations sadly substantiates what Jewish Voice for Peace has said publicly for years- that the U.S. is not the neutral broker it claims to be.
The United States' unconditional support for Israel has helped to perpetuate the occupation by promoting endless negotiations that have enabled Israel to expand settlements while claiming to work towards peace.
Israel's lack of interest in ending the occupation and being a partner to peace is now nakedly revealed in documents which show its reaction to the Palestinian Authority's unprecedented concessions, shocking because they far exceed the requirements of international law. Israel offered an intransigent 'no' to every concession, with the U.S. looking on in approval.
There is a chance, however, for the Obama Administration to differentiate itself from the ineffectual American actions revealed in the leaked documents.
Palestinians and their supporters have put forth a key resolution on the Israel-Palestine conflict that is now before the UN Security Council. Largely echoing stated U.S. policy, the resolution embraces negotiations, endorses the creation of a Palestinian state, and demands an immediate halt to Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. But even though the resolution echoes U.S. policy, President Obama is under heavy pressure to veto the UN resolution from forces in Washington who want to protect the Israeli occupation.
Jewish Voice for Peace-Urge U.S. Not to Veto Israeli Settlements Resolution
Americans for Peace Now-Stand for Peace. Prevent U.S. Veto of UN settlements resolution
U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation-Obama, We Know How to Help Cut the Deficit--End Military Aid to Israel
American Association for Palestinian Equal Rights-Sign the Petition to Urge Obama to Support UN Action Against Israeli Settlements
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The Palestine Papers...
....are being leaked over the next few days. Here are a few hasty reactions....
1) Holy crap, the Palestinian Authority was willing to give up that much?! They said Israel could annex several illegal settlements, which would certainly compromise the territorial continuity of a "Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital." Now the PA says screw it. Israel can have what they've laid out in Jerusalem, if it means both parties can set that issue aside and proceed with the talks. This was a major concession.
Also, the PA offered that only 10,000 of the refugees would be allowed to return. This is a symbolic figure, and a pretty useless one at that, because it would surely be rejected by both sides. Israel says no refugees can return, and the refugees would never be satisfied with 10,000. What are they going to do, draw straws? And international law isn't worth diddly. So why did the PA sell out the refugees? I guess it hoped (in vain) that if it gave up more, and more, and more, that at some point Israel would accept an offer.
What compromise is the PA asking for? That Israel not annex Har Houma, Ma'aleh Adumim and Ariel. These settlements lie deeper inside the West Bank, and annexing them to Israel would render a the goal of achieving a territorially-continuous Palestinian state impossible. Israel won't dismantle the settlements or let them fall inside a Palestinian state. Condaleeza told Palestinian negotiators they were SOL if they expected either of those options.
2) The Israeli government rejected all of these concessions, and can we finally start talking about why?! Jerusalem is off the table. Refugees are off the table. But it seems more than happy to watch the immediate effect of the release of these Papers, which is that the Palestinians are pretty pissed off at the PA. Pardon the alliteration. So now Al Jazeera is being vandalized, there's more internal strife in the West Bank, Hamas is livid that Fateh (the PA) would bend over so far backwards for Israel, and the Israeli government shines the spotlight on the crazy Pallies while it goes about stealing their land.
Let's take the spotlight off the Palestinian Authority for a moment. The fact that these concessions were rejected further proves that the current Israeli government has no intention of ending the Occupation, but intends to annex all of its settlements and build more deeply inside the West Bank. In fact, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman just drew up a map of his idea of a future Palestinian State, which annexes all of Area C (60% of the West Bank) to Israel, leaving a handful of scattered Palestinian enclaves with no access to privately-owned land in Area C. And he'll throw in some roads for "continuity." This is the same man who said peace is impossible and whose deputy declared that the state of Facebook is more real than the state of Palestine.
This is the argument I find most tragic: The fact that the Palestinian Authority had to hide its offers from the general public means that they don't speak for the Palestinian people. If the people wouldn't approve, then the offers are illegitimate, and unacceptable. But the PA's loss of public esteem is convenient, and absolving for the Israeli government, which could say "well, we might have accepted these terms, but it looks like the Palestinian people themselves have rejected them."
The Palestinian Authority has been humiliated. The fact that it offered so much to Israel is humiliating. But the mainstream media will focus on the Palestinian backlash (oh just give the mic to Hamas...) instead of Israel's rejection. It will focus on the division of Palestinian power instead of settlements, demolitions, and the threat of almost complete annexation. It will focus on the PA's humiliation, without considering the humiliating parameters it's forced to operate within, or that to be an undesirable Palestinian in a Jewish state or one of 5 million stateless refugees, is, in essence, to live in a state of humiliation.
A few other nuggets:
-The then Israeli foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, repeatedly pressed in 2007-08 for the "transfer" of some of Israel's own Arab citizens into a future Palestinian state as part of a land-swap deal that would exchange Palestinian villages now in Israel for Jewish settlements in the West Bank
-Condoleezza Rice, secretary of state under George Bush, suggested in 2008 Palestinian refugees could be resettled in South America. "Maybe we will be able to find countries that can contribute in kind," she said. "Chile, Argentina, etc
-Livni told Palestinian negotiators in 2007 that she was against international law and insisted that it could not be included in terms of reference for the talks: "I was the minister of justice", she said. "But I am against law – international law in particular."
The Guardian
1) Holy crap, the Palestinian Authority was willing to give up that much?! They said Israel could annex several illegal settlements, which would certainly compromise the territorial continuity of a "Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital." Now the PA says screw it. Israel can have what they've laid out in Jerusalem, if it means both parties can set that issue aside and proceed with the talks. This was a major concession.
Also, the PA offered that only 10,000 of the refugees would be allowed to return. This is a symbolic figure, and a pretty useless one at that, because it would surely be rejected by both sides. Israel says no refugees can return, and the refugees would never be satisfied with 10,000. What are they going to do, draw straws? And international law isn't worth diddly. So why did the PA sell out the refugees? I guess it hoped (in vain) that if it gave up more, and more, and more, that at some point Israel would accept an offer.
What compromise is the PA asking for? That Israel not annex Har Houma, Ma'aleh Adumim and Ariel. These settlements lie deeper inside the West Bank, and annexing them to Israel would render a the goal of achieving a territorially-continuous Palestinian state impossible. Israel won't dismantle the settlements or let them fall inside a Palestinian state. Condaleeza told Palestinian negotiators they were SOL if they expected either of those options.
2) The Israeli government rejected all of these concessions, and can we finally start talking about why?! Jerusalem is off the table. Refugees are off the table. But it seems more than happy to watch the immediate effect of the release of these Papers, which is that the Palestinians are pretty pissed off at the PA. Pardon the alliteration. So now Al Jazeera is being vandalized, there's more internal strife in the West Bank, Hamas is livid that Fateh (the PA) would bend over so far backwards for Israel, and the Israeli government shines the spotlight on the crazy Pallies while it goes about stealing their land.
Let's take the spotlight off the Palestinian Authority for a moment. The fact that these concessions were rejected further proves that the current Israeli government has no intention of ending the Occupation, but intends to annex all of its settlements and build more deeply inside the West Bank. In fact, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman just drew up a map of his idea of a future Palestinian State, which annexes all of Area C (60% of the West Bank) to Israel, leaving a handful of scattered Palestinian enclaves with no access to privately-owned land in Area C. And he'll throw in some roads for "continuity." This is the same man who said peace is impossible and whose deputy declared that the state of Facebook is more real than the state of Palestine.
This is the argument I find most tragic: The fact that the Palestinian Authority had to hide its offers from the general public means that they don't speak for the Palestinian people. If the people wouldn't approve, then the offers are illegitimate, and unacceptable. But the PA's loss of public esteem is convenient, and absolving for the Israeli government, which could say "well, we might have accepted these terms, but it looks like the Palestinian people themselves have rejected them."
The Palestinian Authority has been humiliated. The fact that it offered so much to Israel is humiliating. But the mainstream media will focus on the Palestinian backlash (oh just give the mic to Hamas...) instead of Israel's rejection. It will focus on the division of Palestinian power instead of settlements, demolitions, and the threat of almost complete annexation. It will focus on the PA's humiliation, without considering the humiliating parameters it's forced to operate within, or that to be an undesirable Palestinian in a Jewish state or one of 5 million stateless refugees, is, in essence, to live in a state of humiliation.
A few other nuggets:
-The then Israeli foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, repeatedly pressed in 2007-08 for the "transfer" of some of Israel's own Arab citizens into a future Palestinian state as part of a land-swap deal that would exchange Palestinian villages now in Israel for Jewish settlements in the West Bank
-Condoleezza Rice, secretary of state under George Bush, suggested in 2008 Palestinian refugees could be resettled in South America. "Maybe we will be able to find countries that can contribute in kind," she said. "Chile, Argentina, etc
-Livni told Palestinian negotiators in 2007 that she was against international law and insisted that it could not be included in terms of reference for the talks: "I was the minister of justice", she said. "But I am against law – international law in particular."
The Guardian
huzzahh
My talk at Loyola is scheduled for February 9th. I'm being sponsored by the Middle East Peace Studies Department, and catered by a local restaurant...? Yessss. I got a call the other day, though. We need to omit the word Occupation. So now it's Reflections on Non-Violent Resistance in Palestine. Honestly, the word Palestine is probably controversial enough, but I'm curious to see if people show up wondering what the hell Palestine is resisting....
I don't think I even have to say the word "occupation." I probably will, though.
My First Trip to Palestine
I don't think I even have to say the word "occupation." I probably will, though.
My First Trip to Palestine
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Give the Money Back (from J Street)
The new Chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ileana Ros-Lehtinen seems to see nothing wrong with taking large campaign contributions from the most renowned funder of housing for Israeli settlers in East Jerusalem’s Arab neighborhoods.
This notorious settlement funder -- Irving Moskowitz -- actively works to derail the chances for a two-state solution by funding Jewish settler housing in the middle of Arab neighborhoods in East Jerusalem. Days ago, Moskowitz’s handiwork made headlines with a demolition of the Shepherd’s Hotel in the East Jerusalem hot spot of Sheikh Jarrah.
The whole world – including the United States under many Presidents of both parties – has condemned and opposed his projects as obstacles to a two-state solution.
But the new Chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, is taking his money to support her campaigns? Give us a break.
With the two-state solution hanging by a thread, what a terrible signal it sends for an American political leader to be so cozy with a far-right political funder whose actions undermine the foreign policy of the United States and makes a two-state solution harder to achieve.
Click here to call on Ileana Ros-Lehtinen to return Moskowitz’s campaign contributions.
This notorious settlement funder -- Irving Moskowitz -- actively works to derail the chances for a two-state solution by funding Jewish settler housing in the middle of Arab neighborhoods in East Jerusalem. Days ago, Moskowitz’s handiwork made headlines with a demolition of the Shepherd’s Hotel in the East Jerusalem hot spot of Sheikh Jarrah.
The whole world – including the United States under many Presidents of both parties – has condemned and opposed his projects as obstacles to a two-state solution.
But the new Chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, is taking his money to support her campaigns? Give us a break.
With the two-state solution hanging by a thread, what a terrible signal it sends for an American political leader to be so cozy with a far-right political funder whose actions undermine the foreign policy of the United States and makes a two-state solution harder to achieve.
Click here to call on Ileana Ros-Lehtinen to return Moskowitz’s campaign contributions.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Thousands protested in Tel Aviv over the passing of legislation that will allow the government to target and investigate left-wing NGO's, and in response to the protest, Knesset Member Michael Ben Ari issued the following statement:
"Movements on the extreme left have proven that they are some of the people who would like to see the State of Israel destroyed. They are betraying the state and therefore there is no escape from taking steps against them. We will reveal that they are funded by enemy states and we will treat them like Hezbollah."
Israel Beiteinu issued a statement welcoming the Knesset’s decision:
“The committee is meant to examine the activities and funding for those groups that habitually support terrorist organizations, including open support for Hizbullah during the Second Lebanon War and Hamas during Operation Cast Lead,” the statement read.
“It is the right and the obligation of the Israeli public to know that the majority of the false testimonies that were written in the Goldstone Report were handed over by these organizations, the same ones that handed over the names of IDF officers and encouraged legal actions against them, and their representatives have even been wandering for years in Israeli schools and tell the youth to evade military service,” the statement continued.
“These organizations do not really care about the state of human rights, a fact evidenced by the fact that they have never worked for the rights of women in Arab society, nor discussed the status of democracy in Saudi Arabia, a state that itself funds some of these organizations. The entire goal of these organizations is to deter the IDF in its struggle against terrorist organizations and to weaken the determination of soldiers to defend the citizens of Israel, and the Israeli Knesset has the obligation to fight against this,” Israel Beiteinu said.
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