Protesters greet Netanyahu in Washington as Israel expands settlements7 Jul 2010rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rHundreds of activists in Washington, DC demonstrated outside the White House to protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit on Tuesday, 6 July. As protesters held signs calling on the US government to end military aid to Israel, Netanhayu met with US President Barack Obama in a meeting characterized by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as “empty theatrics.”
Activists found not guilty for decommissioning weapons factory7 Jul 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rSeven anti-war activists on trial for entering a Brighton weapons factory and “decommissioning” it were found unanimously “not guilty” last week. On 16 January 2009 six of the defendants broke into the premises of EDO MBM, a supplier of weapons components. According to one of the defendants, Elijah Smith, they “set out to smash it up to the best of our abilities.” Chloe Marsh writes for The Electronic Intifada.
Water in Gaza: “it’s not a simple problem”7 Jul 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rFor the last year Mark Buttle has been the coordinator for the “WASH cluster,” the group of aid organizations working on water, sanitation and hygiene in the Gaza Strip. Sarah Irving interviews for The Electronic Intifada.
Palestinian students, teachers condemn Italian university’s normalization project7 Jul 2010rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rThe Italian Development Cooperation (DGCS), with the support of UNESCO, has engineered the partnership of three Israeli universities with that of Al-Quds University in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in a masters program that allows 20 Israeli and Palestinian students to participate in learning about “cooperation, humanitarianism, peace and cultural preservation.” This act of normalization aims to blur the boundaries between oppressor and oppressed, colonizer and colonized, occupier and occupied, executioner and victim, and ultimately aims at whitewashing Israel’s war crimes.
Boycott the International Geographical Union’s regional conference in Tel Aviv!6 Jul 2010rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rToday, a month after the massacre of nine human rights activists in international waters aboard a flotilla carrying aid and supplies sailing to break the four-year closure of the Gaza Strip, we call once again upon the International Geographical Union to take a courageous and principled stand and cancel its Tel Aviv conference.
Book review: pocket-sized volume deflates Canada’s “peacemaker” myth6 Jul 2010rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rIn his latest book, Canada and Israel: Building Apartheid, Yves Engler contends that Canada’s lopsided support for Israel is neither a shift nor the product of current government policy but goes as far back as Zionism itself. Hicham Safieddine reviews for The Electronic Intifada.
The deceptive rhetoric of “Invest for Peace”6 Jul 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThe boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement is gaining significant momentum cross the United States and Europe, including at US campuses. In response, opposition to the movement is devising new ways to divert attention from efforts to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law and flagrant abuses of Palestinian human rights. Charlotte Silver comments for The Electronic Intifada.
IKEA furnishing the occupation5 Jul 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rSwedish Radio reported on 23 June that home furnishings retail giant IKEA in Israel discriminately ships to Israel’s illegal settlements but not Palestinian cities in the occupied West Bank. The company’s shipping policies are coming into question following a report by Swedish Radio’s correspondent in Israel. Adri Nieuwhof reports for The Electronic Intifada.
The Last Queen of the Night5 Jul 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThe Last Queen of the Night is not the name of a mythical character, or even an ancient Oriental queen or goddess. It is not the name of a Parisian perfume or chocolate like “After 8.” It is the name of a flower, one that blooms only during the night. Yasmeen El Khoudary writes from the occupied Gaza Strip.
From Israel to Arizona, boycott racism!2 Jul 2010rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rThe US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (USACBI) endorses and supports the call for Boycott of Arizona on account of its manifestly racist laws, HB1070 and SB 2281.
Home demolitions, arrest raids as Israel implements Jerusalem “Master Plan”2 Jul 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rIsraeli police detained residents of Silwan as bulldozers demolished a horse stable in the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood on 29 June, while other construction vehicles razed a small warehouse to the ground in nearby Abu Tur. These demolitions came after Israeli courts decided that both of the buildings were built “illegally” and against “building codes.”
Queers Against Israeli Apartheid refuse to be silenced1 Jul 2010rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rOn the morning of 25 May, the Board of Pride Toronto held a press conference on the lawn outside its offices to announce that the phrase “Israeli Apartheid” would be censored from the upcoming 2010 Pride Parade. The decision, aimed at banning the Toronto-based activist group Queers Against Israeli Apartheid from the parade, set off a firestorm in the community. Savannah Garmon comments for The Electronic Intifada.
Israel convicts grassroots activist to two years’ imprisonment1 Jul 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rOn 30 June grassroots activist Adeeb Abu Rahmah was sentenced by Israel to two years imprisonment at a military court hearing at the Ofer Military Complex in the occupied West Bank. Abu Rahmah already spent 11 months behind bars and his arrest and detention is part of Israel’s repressive efforts to criminalize the grassroots popular resistance to the Israeli occupation. Amy Darwish reports for The Electronic Intifada.
EU-Israel talks skirt around Jerusalem police headquarters1 Jul 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rBRUSSELS (IPS) – Talks aimed at reaching an intelligence-sharing agreement between the European Union and Israel have skirted around the location of Israel’s national police headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem. In 2005, the EU decided that Europol, its law enforcement office, should negotiate a formal cooperation agreement with Israel.
To end the occupation, cripple Israeli banks30 Jun 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rIf international civil society is serious about urgently ending Israel’s violations of Palestinian rights, including ending the occupation, then suspension of SWIFT transactions to and from Israeli banks offers an instrument to help bring about a peaceful resolution of an intractable conflict. Terry Crawford-Browne comments for The Electronic Intifada.
Israel set to enforce revocation of Jerusalemites’ residency rights30 Jun 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rIsraeli human rights groups and Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority who extended his term under controversial emergency powers, have condemned a decision by Israel to expel four Palestinian politicians from East Jerusalem by the end of this week. Jonathan Cook reports.
Palestinians in Lebanon demonstrate for their rights30 Jun 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rAs cars plastered with the flags of Brazil, Germany, Argentina and other favorite World Cup teams drove across Beirut on Sunday, Palestinian refugees and their supporters carried Palestinian and Lebanese flags as they marched through the capital. They called for their human rights in Lebanon, where they have lived without them for more than six decades. Matthew Cassel reports for The Electronic Intifada.
Israeli foreign minister’s “peace plan”: stripping Palestinians of citizenship29 Jun 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rAvigdor Lieberman, Israel’s far-right foreign minister, set out last week what he called a “blueprint for a resolution to the conflict” with the Palestinians that demands most of the country’s large Palestinian minority be stripped of citizenship and relocated outside Israel’s future borders. Jonathan Cook reports.
Blockade “eased” as Gaza starves more slowly28 Jun 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rAs Israel last week declared the “easing” of the four-year blockade of Gaza, an official explained the new guiding principle: “Civilian goods for civilian people.” The severe and apparently arbitrary restrictions on foodstuffs entering the enclave—coriander bad, cinnamon good—will finally end, while a “security” blockade will remain. But in truth, Israel’s “security” blockade is, in both its old and new incarnations, every bit a “civilian” blockade. Jonathan Cook comments.
Israeli killing leaves Jerusalem children fatherless25 Jun 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rRAMALLAH, occupied West Bank (IPS) – “Where is my daddy? Why is he not coming home? I want my daddy,” sobs seven-year-old Yasmin, her big blue eyes filling with tears. She wakes up crying every night. “My life only began when I met him. I will never meet such a wonderful man again,” Yasmin’s mother Moira Julani tells IPS.
Fake calls to “ease” the Gaza siege24 Jun 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rEver since Israel’s murderous attack on the Freedom Flotilla on 31 May, there have been increasing calls from many parties on Israel to end its siege of Gaza. This is strange as well as deceitful, for the siege is not Israel’s alone. Hasan Abu Nimah comments.
National unity remains elusive under occupation24 Jun 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rSince the split between the Fatah and Hamas factions deepened after the latter stymied foreign-backed efforts to overthrow it in 2007 following its election victory the previous year, there has been much talk of restoring Palestinian unity. Such reconciliation has however so far eluded all efforts. Some analysts think it may have a better chance now. Rami Almeghari reports for The Electronic Intifada.
US Social Forum cancels exploitative Zionist workshop23 Jun 2010rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rIn a historic accomplishment, the leadership of the US Social Forum voted this morning to cancel a workshop proposed by “Stand With US,” a Zionist organization that sought to represent Israel as a safe haven for LGBTQI communities and undermine the broadening support for the cause of justice in/for Palestine.
Integrating Palestine into the US progressive left23 Jun 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rAs progressive forces in the United States prepare to convene the second US Social Forum this week in Detroit, Noura Erakat comments on the gap between Palestinian and Arab dreams of an America committed to justice and the reality of the work it would take to achieve this dream.
Gaza moves New York City mother from apathy to activism22 Jun 2010rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rLast New Year’s Eve, Debbie Mardon did not celebrate with noise makers or confetti—instead, she headed to Cairo’s main square to participate in the Gaza Freedom March with her son and daughter. It was an unlikely place to be for a previously apolitical mother who voted for George W. Bush and as recently as three years ago relied on right-wing radio hosts to help her make sense of the world. Alex Kane reports.
Electronic Intifada