Tag: israel

A Zionist Fights for Palestinian Rights

JERUSALEM — To many people, Rabbi Arik Ascherman would appear to be a contradiction in terms. He is an ardent Zionist and religious Jew who believes that God made a covenant with the Jewish people and the Land of Israel. But the core of Ascherman’s Zionist ideology revolves around fighting for human rights, especially those … Continue reading “A Zionist Fights for Palestinian Rights”

Sacred Mantras

The Palestinians are planning something thoroughly obnoxious: they intend to apply to the UN for statehood. Why obnoxious? Any Israeli spokesman (not to mention spokeswoman) will tell you readily: because it is a “unilateral” move. How dare they proclaim a state unilaterally? How dare they do so without the consent of the other party to … Continue reading “Sacred Mantras”

Spirits of Justice Going to Gaza

For those who engage in the common struggle for Justice, an invaluable grace comes from getting to know new friends similarly engaged—and equally willing to speak with more than words. Thus, it has been a great grace to get to know folks like Alice Walker personally as well as through her writings—including some new ones. … Continue reading “Spirits of Justice Going to Gaza”

Something Rotten This Way Comes

The issue of Israel is of critical importance to the antiwar movement, as frequenters of this website are surely aware. This is because Israel and its lobby in the United States have succeeded in so intertwining their interests with those of the United States that whenever Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sneezes four hundred congressmen say … Continue reading “Something Rotten This Way Comes”

Another Theocracy in the Heart of the Muslim World

I am fed up with all this nonsense about recognizing Israel as the “Jewish state.” It is based on a collection of hollow phrases and vague definitions, devoid of any real content. It serves many different purposes, almost all of them malign. Benjamin Netanyahu uses it as a trick to obstruct the establishment of the … Continue reading “Another Theocracy in the Heart of the Muslim World”

Will Israel Kill Americans Again?

Stuffing my backpack before setting out to board The Audacity of Hope, the U.S. boat to Gaza, I got a familiar-sounding call from yet another puzzled friend, who said as gently as the words allow, “You know you can get killed, don’t you?” I recognize this caution as an expression of genuine concern from friends. … Continue reading “Will Israel Kill Americans Again?”

Yellow Journalism at Its Nastiest

Can anyone doubt that The Wall Street Journal’s opinion pages show rabid anti-Arab and anti-Muslim bias? Consider early June: Fouad Ajami kicked off the month with a piece critical of Palestinian plans to obtain UN recognition for their state. Ajami asserts that when the Israelis took this route in 1948, “Labor Zionism” had already done … Continue reading “Yellow Journalism at Its Nastiest”

Palestinian Children Targeted as Israel Crushes Unrest

SILWAN, Palestine – "Father please help me! Don’t let them take me away," screamed 12-year-old Ahmed Siyam as approximately 50 heavily armed Israeli soldiers and police dragged the handcuffed and blindfolded boy away. Last month Ahmed was pulled out of his bed at 4am by Israeli security forces led by Shin Bet agents from Israel’s … Continue reading “Palestinian Children Targeted as Israel Crushes Unrest”

Netanyahu: Stupid Like a Fox?

My hero of the year (for now) is a young, brown-haired Palestinian refugee living in Syria called Hassan Hijazi. He was one of hundreds of refugees who held the demonstration on the Syrian side of the Golan border fence, to commemorate the Naqba—“Disaster”—the exodus of more than half the Palestinian people from the territory conquered … Continue reading “Netanyahu: Stupid Like a Fox?”

Breaching the Wall through Art

The wall that divides Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories is ugly and oppressive. It is far from a work of art. But now it is the subject of art. The Jerusalem Fund Gallery’s new exhibition “Breaching the Wall” displays works of 11 different artists that reflect their feelings and artistic reactions to this eight-meter-high concrete … Continue reading “Breaching the Wall through Art”